theatreSCOTLAND

A happy new year

ALL is sweetness and light as we begin 2011 with a backlog of feelgood theatre news. Not only did our favourite Hobbit, Billy Boyd, get married to his long-term partner Ali McKinnon in December, but our favourite Dr Who, David Tennant, has let it be known he will marry Georgia Moffett in 2012. Moffett's father is Peter Davision who also played Dr Who, which seems to mean, thanks to the laws of Time Lord regeneration, the doctor is marrying his own daughter. Then playwright Abigail Docherty (pictured) finished a year in which she had already won the Tron's Open Stage prize – and a production of Sea and Land and Sky – by picking up a £7000 Pearson Playwrights' Scheme bursary, giving her a 12-month attachment to the Tron that starts this month. Previous beneficiaries of the scheme include DC Jackson, Gregory Burke, David Harrower, Iain Heggie, Stuart Thomas and Sam Holcroft. And best of all, hats off to John Tiffany whose work with the National Theatre of Scotland has at last been given the recognition it deserves. The Black Watch director and former Honley High School pupil has triumphed in Meltham Town Council's inaugural Pride of Meltham awards, for which he receives a wooden shield depicting Meltham’s coat of arms. Other winners include the man who runs the bar at the community centre and a scout leader.

An uncertain new year

LESS happy news for fans of the August programme at Edinburgh's Assembly Rooms. Despite a vocal campaign from the Fringe venue's 8000 supporters, the city council is pressing ahead with its plan to refurbish the building. Not only will this put the George Street venue out of use for this year's festival, but it will make many of the smaller spaces unavailable once the work has been completed. It means the building will no longer be able to accommodate smaller-scale shows such as the Fringe First-winning Tailor of Inverness (pictured) by Dogstar. Incidentally, Matthew Zajac who wrote and starred in that show is the compère for a benefit club night in aid of Kier McGruer, a five-year-old with a serious heart condition. You can join him from 10pm on 14 January at Studio 24, Calton Road, Edinburgh (dress code: grotesque and Victorian).

Meanwhile, things are starting to look more certain for the Citizens Theatre which has just advertised for an artistic director, four months after the departure of Jeremy Raison. The deadline is 2 February for a job that requires " vision, energy and skills," "robust artistic leadership of the highest order" and the ability to "deliver" theatre (delivery previously being the preserve of the post office). The application form also puts emphasis on funder-friendly buzz-words such as local regeneration, collaboration and the ubiquitous "innovation". Apart from mentioning a review of the role of the studios, it doesn't get much more specific than that. So what would you like to see the new director doing and what role should the Citz be playing in the Glasgow of today? Have your say on the theatreSCOTLAND discussion group here.

A bizarre new year

WE are indebted to the Daily Express for bringing us news of a clash between Glasgow's Pavilion Theatre and the Red Cross. Apparently, the organisation objected to Dean Park wearing a nurse's costume adorned by its famous symbol. Turns out this is a violation of the Geneva Convention. The paper quotes the Red Cross lawyer saying: "If the red cross emblem or similar signs are used for other purposes, no matter how beneficial or inconsequential they may seem, the special significance of the emblem will be diminished and potentially lives may be lost." Who knew panto was such a risky business? Who knew the Red Cross had eyes in every theatre? Happy new year!

OPENING SOON A View from the Bridge, Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, Jan 14–Feb 12 LAST CHANCE TO SEE Sleeping Beauty, Dundee Rep, Nov 20–Jan 8 Aladdin, Perth Theatre, Dec 3–Jan 10 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, King's Theatre, Glasgow, Dec 3–Jan 9 Flo White, Tron, Glasgow, Dec 3–Jan 8 Sleeping Beauty, His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen, Dec 4–Jan 9 The Secret Garden, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Dec 9–Jan 8 Aladdin, SECC, Glasgow, Dec 11–Jan 9

REVIEWS AT theatreSCOTLAND

15 December The Guardian

Jackand the Beanstalk

A King's Theatre, Edinburgh review.

30 September 2010 Northings

Interiors

Vanishing Point review.