Earlier this year, Scotland’s national theatre ‘for&by’ young people was remembered in the will of national literary treasure, Edwin Morgan. To honour the poet’s life, work, and generosity, special guests and friends of Scottish Youth Theatre were invited to a re-naming ceremony of the youth theatre’s 'Pink Room' studio space in Glasgow. Liz Lochhead officially opened the new 'Edwin Morgan Studio'.
Four members of Scottish Youth Theatre's in-house performance company, SYT Productions, performed excerpts from Morgan’s work to an audience, which included Lochhead, representatives from Glasgay!, the Tron Theatre, the Scottish Youth Theatre board and friends of Edwin Morgan. Scottish Youth Theatre Associate Director Fraser MacLeod worked with Jayne Austin, Martin Quinn, Scott Miller and Lily McNally who performed three of Morgan's theatre poems and a scene from 'Cyrano'.
Scottish Youth Theatre’s relationship with Morgan began in 1998 when Artistic Director Mary McCluskey chose his translation of 'Cyrano' as one of the main house productions for the organisation’s annual Summer Festival. In this unique production, the gender of the leading roles was swapped, with 'Cyrano' being played by a female actor, a device which Mary returned to in 2009 for Scottish Youth Theatre's acclaimed production of 'Hamlet'.
The re-naming ceremony also coincides with Liz Lochhead’s new play Edwin Morgan’s Dreams - And Other Nightmares, which is part of Glasgay! 2011. This new work explores the latter stages of Morgan’s life, during which he was experiencing very vivid dreams, which he then recounted to his biographer James McGonigal.
Edwin Morgan’s Dreams – And Other Nightmares opens on 2 November 2011 at Tron Theatre Glasgow.
Look out for new performances at the Edwin Morgan Studio at Scottish Youth Theatre, the Old Sheriff Court, Glasgow.
