The curtains are about to go up on what promises to be an unforgettable season in one of Scotland’s best theatres. What’s on in Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s exciting summer lineup? Find out here.
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Summer is just around the corner and what better way to spend it for theatre buffs than to head to Pitlochry Festival Theatre, one of the best in Scotland, if not Britain.
Located on the edge of the River Tummel and looking out to the spectacular ‘speckled mountain’, Ben-Y-Vrackie, the Theatre is considered the artistic heart and soul of Highland Perthshire.
Theatregoers can plan their entire summer holiday around the season’s performances and enjoy everything that Pitlochry has to offer. They can plan picturesque nature walks and exciting outdoor activities in the mornings then see shows in the afternoons or in the evenings.
“It’s a theatre where you can come and be transported to other worlds, whichever stage you’re visiting, whether it’s the Auditorium, the Studio or the Ampitheatre in the garden, you will get to go to another place, experience a fantastic story and be delighted by the wonderful ensemble.”
That’s according to Elizabeth Newman, the artistic director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
For its summer 2023 season, the Theatre has a planned programme that’s packed with much-loved productions and never-before-seen shows.
What’s on in Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s summer season:
1. Gypsy (May 19 to September 30)
Kicking off the season is this fantastic musical based on the memoir of the famous burlesque entertainer, Gypsy Rose Lee. It follows an ambitious mother who would do anything to turn her shy daughter into a star after her other daughter abandoned them to elope.
After 18 years, this dazzling romp returns to the stage in Scotland, featuring iconic songs like Everything’s Coming Up Roses created by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim.
2. A Streetcar Named Desire (June 2 to September 30)
Elizabeth helms a rare Scottish revival of one of the greatest American plays of all time to deliver audiences this well-known epic drama. She shares: “The design team has created the most amazing world of New Orleans for the audience to visit and I think audiences can expect something that feels really dynamic and fast-paced, as well as riveting and arresting; it will definitely take your breath away!”
3. Brief Encounter (June 16 to September 29)
Elizabeth is also directing the Scottish première of this classic romance about a doctor and a housewife who develop a deep relationship while meeting regularly at a railway station café. Both married, they wrestle with their feelings. Will their love ruin their lives?
“It is really special. I think it’s a really important, moving story about the bargains that we make in our lives and the compromises that we make in order to have stable family lives.”
4. Group Portrait in a Summer Landscape (August 25 to September 28)
“I think audiences are really going to enjoy this funny, powerful drama that’s a bit like watching Succession set up the road in Kinloch Rannoch.” That’s how Elizabeth describes this new play by Peter Arnott about a fractured family and the forces that shape a country.
Directed by one of Scotland’s most brilliant artists, David Greig, it’s a co-production with The Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh.
5. The Secret Garden (July 7 to August 19)
As if directing two plays is not enough, tireless Elizabeth has also come up with a fresh adaptation of the beloved classic story by Frances Hodgson Burnett. And what better way to understand the healing power of nature than seeing this story unfold in the breathtaking Amphitheatre?
Elizabeth says: “I think audiences can be really excited about experiencing one of the most beautiful family stories of all time, The Secret Garden in our beautiful garden.”
6. Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Lipstick, Ketchup and Blood (September 1 to 22)
After a sold-out run last year, this acclaimed play returns to entertain audiences anew. This is Lesley Hart’s adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet, where the famous detective duo, Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson appear for the first time.
“It feels like a really good match for our beautiful Ampitheatre that’s nestled in our Explorers Garden. So we’re really thrilled to be collaborating with another outdoor theatre and Lesley is such an incredible artist so we are over the moon to be reviving Sherlock,” adds Elizabeth.
This is a co-production with OVO, the oldest producing theatre in the UK.
What’s on Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s new Studio space this summer?
They’re bringing back Maggie Wall, presenting two collaborations with A Play, A Pie and A Pint and premièring To The Bone by the outstanding new Scottish playwright Isla Cowan.
