Shortlists for 2023 Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland Announced

Shortlists for 2023 Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland announced

Enough of Him - May Sumbwanyambe's harrowing, but uplifting drama about the Joseph Knight, who freed himself from slavery through the Scottish courts, and Ramesh Meyyappan's Love Beyond (Act of Remembrance), a poignant exploration of dementia in the deaf community - top the nominations lists.

• Over 120 productions including 83 new plays were eligible for the 2023 Awards
• National Theatre of Scotland garners 12 nominations across seven of the nine award categories including two nominations for Best Production
• Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh has eight nominations across six categories including two nominations for Best Production
• Seven nominations for Pitlochry Festival Theatre
• The awards ceremony will be on Sunday 11 June 2023 at The Traverse Theatre as part of the venue's 60th anniversary season
• Awards will be presented by Grant Stott and Shauna MacDonald

The 2023 Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland (CATS) shortlists have been released today with two soul-searing new plays topping the nominations. May Sumbwanyambe's "harrowing but uplifting" drama Enough of Him about the slave Joseph Knight, which was co-produced by The National Theatre of Scotland and Pitlochry Festival Theatre, has received six nominations. Meanwhile, Ramesh Meyyappan's 'beautifully poignant' Love Beyond, (Act of Remembrance) - co-produced by Raw Material and Vanishing Point - which raised awareness of the impact of dementia in the Deaf community, has received five nominations. These two productions were among more than 120 new works produced in Scotland that were eligible for the 2023 Awards.

It was also announced today that the presenters of the 2023 Awards will be River City actor and celebrated panto villain Grant Stott, and BAFTA-award winning actor Shauna MacDonald.

"These are not the easiest of times for theatres anywhere in Britain; but it only takes a glance at the 2023 CATS shortlists to see the magnificent, challenging and searching form in which Scottish theatre has emerged from the pandemic crisis," says CATS co-convenor Joyce McMillan. "From confronting the history of Scotland's historic involvement in the slave trade, to exploring the pain of dementia, examining the crisis of theatre itself, retelling the story of an institution whose name once inspired fear across Scotland, or reimagining mighty classics like Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped and Shakespeare's Macbeth, the range and vividness of the work created this year has been thrilling, and the quality of the shortlisted shows unequalled in 20 years of CATS Awards."

"The CATS judges feel privileged both to have experienced these shows, and to have the opportunity to pay tribute to the artists involved; and we look forward to a joyful and well-deserved CATS celebration at the Traverse this summer, for the whole Scottish theatre community," she adds.

CATS co-convenor Mark Brown said: "We, on the CATS judging panel, have been hugely encouraged by the extremely high quality of the work that the Scottish theatre sector has produced as we have emerged from the Covid pandemic. Despite the many evident and worrying funding threats to the nation's theatre infrastructure, Scotland's theatre continues, for now at least, to punch above its weight."

'Looking at the shortlist, it's clear that Scottish theatre's proud tradition of new work continues," says CATS co-convenor, Michael Cox. "It's heartening to not only see so many productions of such high quality on our shortlist but to notice how many of the nominations are for new work. New work is the life blood of any

artistic community--for artists to take risks and explore original and challenging subjects. We might be facing many hardships, but artists must have the courage to explore the new, and it's wonderful knowing that Scottish theatre makers continue to do so. Long may such a tradition thrive."

The eight-strong shortlist for the Outstanding Performance awards comprises: Omar Austin (Joseph Knight in Enough Of Him), Nicole Cooper - picking up her fourth Best Performance nomination (Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (an undoing)), veteran stage and TV actor, David Hayman (Eric in Cyprus Avenue), Emma McCaffrey (Annis Drummond in Castle Lennox), Adura Onashile (Medea in Medea), Ramesh Meyyappan (Old Harry in Love Beyond, (Act of Remembrance)), Mathew Pidgeon (Sir John Wedderburn in Enough Of Him) and Sally Reid (Shirley Valentine in Shirley Valentine)

In the Best Director category the nominees are Andy Arnold (Cyprus Avenue, Tron Theatre), Michael Boyd (Medea), Dominic Hill (Alföld) and Orla O'Loughlin (Enough of Him).

Three productions dominate the Best Design, Best Music and Sound, and Best Technical Awards. Love Beyond (Act of Remembrance) is recognised in all three categories with Kidnapped shortlisted for Best Design and Best Music and Sound, and Macbeth (an undoing) for Best Technical and Best Design.

Honours for the supreme award, Best Production, meanwhile, are shared by National Theatre of Scotland - for Enough of Him (a co-production with Pitlochry Festival Theatre) and Kidnapped - and the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh (for Macbeth (an undoing) and Truth's a Dog Must to Kennel)

The 2023 CATS will be presented on the afternoon of Sunday 11 June at the Traverse Theatre Edinburgh as part of the venue's 60th anniversary season. CEO and Executive Producer, Linda Crooks said:

"Welcoming our industry colleagues and collaborators for the 2023 Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland seems particularly significant as the Traverse marks its 60th anniversary year. The championing of homegrown talent by Scottish theatre critics over the years has been vital to our nation's cultural voice and abundance of new writing. We're sure this year's awards will mark a time to unite us all through the breadth of brilliant work recently seen across Scottish stages."

The CATS judging panel for the 2023 Awards comprised: Mary Brennan (The Herald), Mark Brown (Sunday National and the Daily Telegraph), Anna Burnside (Daily Record/Sunday Mail), Dominic Corr (Corr Blimey!), Michael Cox (Across the Arts), Thom Dibdin (AllEdinburghTheatre.com), Mark Fisher (The Guardian), Fergus Morgan (The Stage), Joyce McMillan (The Scotsman), Natalie O'Donoghue (BroadwayWorld), David Pollock (The Independent and Dundee Courier) and Allan Radcliffe (The Times).

Outstanding Performance (two awards)

Adura Onashile, as Medea in Medea, a National Theatre of Scotland production presented at Edinburgh International Festival

David Hayman, Eric in Cyprus Avenue, Tron Theatre

Emma McCaffrey as Annis Drummond in Castle Lennox, Lung Ha's and Royal Lyceum Theatre

Matthew Pidgeon, as Sir John Wedderburn in Enough of Him, National Theatre of Scotland and Pitlochry Festival Theatre co-production

Nicole Cooper, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (an undoing), Royal Lyceum Theatre

Omar Austin, as Joseph Knight in Enough of Him, National Theatre of Scotland and Pitlochry Festival Theatre co-production

Ramesh Meyyappan, Love Beyond (Act of Remembrance), Raw Material and Vanishing Point

Sally Reid, Shirley Valentine, in Shirley Valentine, Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Best Ensemble

Castle Lennox, Lung Ha's and Royal Lyceum Theatre

Kidnapped, a National Theatre of Scotland production

Ode to Joy (how Gordon got to go to the nasty pig party), Stories Untold / James Ley

Red Riding Hood, Citizens Theatre at Tramway

Best Director

Andy Arnold, Cyprus Avenue, Tron Theatre

Dominic Hill, Alföld, A Play, A Pie and A Pint

Michael Boyd, Medea, a National Theatre of Scotland production presented at the Edinburgh International Festival

Orla O'Loughlin, Enough of Him, National Theatre of Scotland and Pitlochry Festival Theatre co-production

Best Design

Anna Orton (set and costume designer), Ben Ormerod (lighting designer) Tim Reid (video designer) Zofia Chamiena (illustrator) Kidnapped, a National Theatre of Scotland production

Becky Minto (Set & Costume) Simon Wilkinson (Lighting Designer) Love Beyond (Act of Remembrance), Raw Material and Vanishing Point

Tom Piper (Set Design) Alex Berry (Costume Design /Associate Set Designer) and Lizzie Powell (Lighting Design) Macbeth (an undoing), Royal Lyceum Theatre

Fred Pommerehn (Original Set Designer) Ruben San Roman (Adaption Set Designer), Craig Fleming (Original Lighting Designer) Alberto Santos Bellido (Adaption Lighting Designer) Alison Brown Costume Designer. The Gift, Capital Theatres and Barrowland Ballet (commissioned by Aberdeen Performing Arts, Capital Theatres and Eden Court and are funded through Creative Scotland's Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund)

Best Music and Sound

David Paul Jones Love Beyond (Act of Remembrance), Raw Material and Vanishing Point

Best Music and Sound - Michael John McCarthy (composer and music supervisor), Clare Hibberd (sound designer), Isaac Savage (performing musical director) Kidnapped,

a National Theatre of Scotland production

Susan Bear (sound designer) Ode to Joy (how Gordon got to go to the nasty pig party), Stories Untold / James Ley

John Pfumojena (composer) and Pippa Murphy (sound designer) Enough of Him, National Theatre of Scotland and Pitlochry Festival Theatre co-production

Best Technical Presentation

Love Beyond (Act of Remembrance), Raw Material and Vanishing Point

Macbeth (an undoing), Royal Lyceum Theatre

Muster Station: Leith, Grid Iron and Edinburgh International Festival

The Fantastic Life of Minnie Rubinski, Vision Mechanics

Best Production for Children and Young People

Kissing Linford Christie, Catherine Wheels

Red Riding Hood, Citizens Theatre at Tramway

Storm Lantern, Strange Town

The Gift, Capital Theatres and Barrowland Ballet (commissioned by Aberdeen Performing Arts, Capital Theatres and Eden Court and are funded through Creative Scotland's Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund)

Best New Play

Enough of Him by May Sumbwanyambe, National Theatre of Scotland and Pitlochry Festival Theatre co-production

Love Beyond (Act of Remembrance) by Ramesh Meyyappan and the company, Raw Material and Vanishing Point

Ode to Joy (how Gordon got to go to the nasty pig party) by James Ley, Stories Untold / James Ley

Truth's a Dog Must to Kennel by Tim Crouch, Royal Lyceum Theatre

Best Production

Enough of Him, National Theatre of Scotland and Pitlochry Festival Theatre co-production

Kidnapped, a National Theatre of Scotland production

Macbeth (an undoing), Royal Lyceum Theatre

Truth's a Dog Must to Kennel by Tim Crouch, Royal Lyceum Theatre

Photo credit: Sally Jubb

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