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Cumbernauld Theatre

Part of the Scottish national theatre community

Productions

Cumbernauld theatre has a long and distinguished reputation for producing high quality popular, accessible and challenging theatre that tours nationally and internationally.

Recent hits have included the sell out successes "Salt O' the Earth," "Bold Girls," "Like a Virgin" and "Losing Alec." Our Christmas shows are celebrated and hugely successful as are our cutting edge multi media events that are produced as part of our education activity. Our youth theatres and associated companies also produce under our banner and reach a wide and appreciative audience. We also produce educational tours for nursery primary and secondary schools which reach audiences all over the country and are in huge demand.

Touring Consortium

We also work with the Scottish Touring Theatre Consortium to bring dynamic and entertaining theatre to audiences all over Scotland. The consortiums aim is "To make popular theatre challenging and challenging theatre popular" Six venues act as a focus to produce tours that will tour extensively throughout the country. Recent tours supported by the consortium have included "Sunset song," "Perfect Days" and "Mary Queen of Scots got her Head Chopped Off."

With support from Scottish Arts Council we hope to bring you many more exciting and dynamic nights of entertainment.

The Snow Queen

Written and directed by Simon Sharkey

Based on the tale by Hans Christian Andersen

Christmas Show 2005

The tale that has enchanted children for hundreds of years will be brought spectacularly to life in Simon Sharkey's brand new adaptation of The Snow Queen this Christmas.

With stunning visual effects and rollercoaster storytelling, the audience young and old will become part of action, as little Kay and Gerda embark on a heroic journey through magical landscapes, meeting mystical and mischievous creatures. Join in their adventures as they battle with the Snow Queen to stop her freezing away all that's good in the world.

Expect magic and music, laughs and adventure, and truly inventive theatre in the ultimate story of bravery, friendship and compassion.

Little Snow White

Christmas Show 2003

Written and directed by Simon Sharkey

Based on the original tale by The Brothers Grimm

"A delightful interpretation of the favourite tale we all know...the theatrical equivalent of real page turner." - Kenneth SpeirsScottish Daily Mail

"The degree of detail, invention and audience participation is a joy." - Mary Brennan, The Herald

"An absolute joy, bristling with humour, mystery and the magic of words." - Alison Freebairn, The Stage

Taking inspiration from the original story told by the Brothers Grimm, Simon Sharkey's reworking of this classic fairy tale has created a magical show, which captivates audiences both young and old.

"Hair as black as ebony, skin as white as snow" - this timeless tale is told with Cumbernauld's unique blend of invention, theatricality and audience participation.

Cheer, boo, hiss and sing as Snow White outwits the evil jealous queen, is romanced by the dashing young prince, and befriended by the band of little men, without whom the story would not be complete.

Salt o' the Earth

A new comedy from the creator of The Derry Boat written and performed by Little John Nee.

Directed by Simon Sharkey
Music by Kevin Duffy
Designed by Kai Fischer

"Rarely have I seen an audience so obviously rapt by a show." - The Daily Mail on The Derry Boat

"The highlight of the Dublin Festival Fringe, I don't think I've seen something this funny in years." - The Sunday Independant on The Derry Boat

"Nee is a genius mesmeric and hilarious" - The Irish Times

From the sweet searing heat of a brook in the hills of Andalusia to the rain soaked banks of Saltmarket on the Clyde, via the highways and byways of Ireland's wild west, we follow Johnny Bonner on his hilarious quest for fulfilment.

But now he's home, among the good folk, the Salt o'the Earth, and there's stories to be told and songs to be sung.

A sell-out success at the Galway Arts Festival gaining standing ovations.

Beauty & the Beast

By Simon Sharkey

Cumbernauld Theatre Company

Sponsored by ScottishPower

Christmas Show 2004

Beauty and the Beast is one of the most popular, lasting and celebrated of classic fairytales - a tale that lives long in our memories and wakens the romantic in us all.

The selfless Beauty sacrifices her freedom in order to save her father, after he foolishly steals a rose from the garden of the enchanted castle. The Beast yearns and longs for love, as behind his gruesome image lies the gentle heart of a Prince cursed by an evil witch. Beauty's greedy sisters plot her ruin and have their eye on the riches she shares with the Beast. But as the plot unravels in an enchanting tale of love and loathing, romance and revulsion, we find true love conquers all and like every good romance they all live happily ever after.

Cumbernauld Theatre gives this classic tale the usual magical treatment with loads of laughs and excitement, scintillating storytelling, sumptuous costumes and sets, and lots of audience participation. An entrancing experience for audiences of all ages.

Sponsored by

Cinderella

Written & directed by Ed Robson

Christmas Show 2006

This year's Christmas show is a magical theatre-in-the-round production of Cinderella. Great for all the family, this is a theatrical experience not to be missed!

The Privately Personal Lives of Dorian Gray

Directed by Zofia Kalinska

Cumbernauld Theatre Company

Thursday 12 to Saturday 14 October @ 7.45pm

A world premiere

"Most people discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes."

Inspired by Oscar Wilde's gothic masterpiece, The Picture of Dorian Gray, the award-winning Polish director Zofia Kalinska comes from Crakow to Cumbernauld to create a unique world premiere - The Privately Personal Lives of Dorian Gray.

In a corrupt and sinister world, Dorian Gray's wish for eternal youth leaves him trapped forever inside himself while all around him withers and dies with age. Lost in a world of decadence and decay, his ever deteriorating portrait mirrors the slow destruction of his soul.

Wilde's macabre tale of temptation and deceit is transformed as Dorian Gray tries to release himself from the ties that bind him to his mocking portrait. All he has ever done is damage and destroy everything he loved, but can he destroy the portrait and live free again?

The Privately Personal Lives of Dorian Gray is a unique creative collaboration between Ariel Theatr Crakow and Cumbernauld Theatre, bringing you one of the highlights of Scottish theatre this autumn.

Tickets £10 (£7 concession)

Box Office 01236 732887

Transitional States enables artists from the emerging nations of Europe to bring their work, ideas and creative approaches to Scottish theatre. Over the next few years we hope to forge long lasting relationships with companies from many different nations in order to develop new training, production and exchange opportunities that will place North Lanarkshire at the forefront of performing arts collaborations nationally and internationally. This year, Zofia Kalinska has been working with us to develop new ideas and approaches to our production of Dorian Gray.

Zofia Kalinska is a world renowned actress, teacher and director with a career spanning over 40 years in European theatre. As an actress in Polish theatre during the 1960s and 1970s, Zofia worked with directors Jerzy Grotowski and Tadeusz Kantor. With Kantor's acclaimed company Cricot2, she toured the world with their now famous productions including The Dead Class. Since Kantor's death, she has lead Ariel Theatr presenting work at festivals across the world, winning two Fringe First awards for her productions of Requiem for Kantor and Plaisirs D'Amour.

© 2003 Cumbernauld Theatre