Review: ADVENTURES WITH THE PAINTED PEOPLE, Pitlochry Theatre

Written by David Greig and directed by Elizabeth Newman, Adventures with the Painted People is a love story set 2,000 years ago. Lucius is a Roman officer who has been captured by the Picts. Eithne is the head witch in the community and she has Lucius held prisoner by both rope and an ancestral spell.

The Pictish people do not yet know how to write and Eithne wants to record their history. So she makes a deal with Lucius, if he teaches her to write she won't offer him as their sacrifice for Beltane.

Kirsty Stuart and Nicholas Karimi take on the roles of Eithne and Lucius and are captivating to watch. Stuart has a lot of the best lines and it is a joy to watch her deliver this smart and witty script. Although Lucius is seen as the one with the knowledge and something to offer, Eithne is the far more likeable of the two and the much stronger character.

Adventures with the Painted People takes place in the new amphitheatre at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. The venue is outdoors and not undercover (though the trees may provide some shelter) and luckily this performance took place on a beautiful sunny day which very much enhanced the experience. The play is set on the River Tay so the backdrop of the river with birdsong in the trees was idyllic and created a wonderful atmosphere alongside the fire pit onstage. The event is socially distanced and extremely well organised.

Adventures with the Painted People was my first review of live theatre in Scotland in over a year and I couldn't have asked for a more delightful experience than this charming play in such a beautiful setting.

Adventures with the Painted People runs at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre until 4 July.

Photo credit: Douglas McBride

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