Season’s End

Pitlochry theatre in the hills

UNDER ANOTHER SKY and LITTLE WOMEN were the two plays my companion and I chose for our final outing to Pitlochry this season. If I say so myself, Great Choices.

Both plays are adaptations of an earlier book.

Under Another Sky, the book, was written by Charlotte Higgins and adapted by David Greig, final performance this afternoon, 23 September, tickets. It’s about a road trip/s in a decrepit campervan to visit the Roman sites in Britain. Add in a hapless professor of Classics, a writer for whom deadlines are just the beginning of the end(s) and two engaging performances from Amelia Donkor and Keith Macpherson and you’re good to go. The campervan does of course, break down. There are some wonderfully funny moments caused by the exigencies of modern life even when pursuing men, and women, in sandals.

Little Women, the book, was written in nineteenth century America by Louisa M Alcott. The adaptation, running for another week, tickets in Pitlochry, is by Anne-Marie Casey.

I read the original when I was about 12 and adored it. I tried to re-read it during the second lock-down and failed. However, the play is very, very good. It brings out and celebrates the issues, causes, heartfelt emotions of all the characters and makes for a wonderfully enriching evening.

If I have a quibble, maybe Jo was a little too shouty. Her physical clumsiness, however, came over well with some entertaining physical theatre.

Amelia Donkor was in this, too, demonstrating the versatility needed by an actor in Rep.

Great to see two school groups enjoying an evening at the theatre.

Anne