Charles Lawson speaks to Michelle McMannus about our new show Blue Hen.

 

Click below to see the full interview 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwe-7osm3a8

 

 

 Fergus Ewing, Minister for Community Safety 

 

Hi Scott

Mr Ewing has indicated that he would like to attend the play on Monday 15^th February at Rutherglen Town Hall. I will confirm this in his diary. Would it be possible to arrange 4 tickets?

Thanks

Chris

 

 

 

 

 Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, First Minister of Scotland.

 

 

"The Scottish Government is totally committed to tackling sectarian bigotry regardless of how it manifests itself, and I wish the tour continuing success.  I would like to thank the artistic director, Scott Kyle, and all those involved in the production for their important contribution to overcoming sectarianism.  By working together we can create a One Scotland of many cultures in which the blight of sectarian bigotry is banished once and for all."

Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, First Minister of Scotland.

Scottish Government

 

 

Jack McConnell MSP 


 



"I would like to congratulate NLP Theatre Company on taking the initiative to challenge sectarianism by performing this great play. I am sure that the performances will make a real impact on every audience and will help challenge the sectarian problems still facing Scotland today. Given recent incidents, it is important to continue the battle to isolate those with out of date and dangerous attitudes. NLP Theatre will help build this movement through this production."

 

Best wishes

 

Jack McConnell

 

 

NLP Theatre Company's interactive anti-sectarian drama workshops focus on raising awareness of the issues surrounding sectarianism within Scottish society.

The workshops follow a performance of Des Dillon's anti-sectarian play "Singin` I`m No a Billy He`s a Tim" and explore opinions and perspectives of bigotry, sectarianism and ethnic identity in Scotland.

Workshop leaders engage participants in discussions about the play, looking at the characters (Harry, Billy &,Tim), and considering how Billy & Tim have picked up their personal attitudes, views and beliefs through family and society. 

The participants get the chance to play Billy & Tim and perform on stage with profesional actors. 

Our drama workshops draw out personal attitudes, views and experiences while encouraging participants to challenge sectarianism in their own lives and in wider society.

Our workshops are available to schools, youth groups and organisations.

For more information on our anti-sectarian workshops or to book a performance and workshop contact Scott Kyle

Scott Kyle
Artistic Director
NLP Theatre Company
33 Victoria Street
Rutherglen
Glasgow
G73 1DU

T: +44(0) 141 587 8764
M: +44(0) 793 145 4135
E: scott@nlptheatre.co.uk

 

 

NLP THEATRE COMPANY PRESENT THE WORLD PREMIERE OF BLUE HEN, A NEW COMEDY BY DES DILLON  

NLP Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Des Dillon's dark comedy Blue Hen.

Two redundant men. A blue hen. Twelve bloodthirsty chickens. One grave robber and a psychopathic drug dealer. Can Paddy and John use their working class wits to get through this one intact? Or will the roughest scheme in Coatbridge strip them of their dignity, their dreams, and their lives?

Blue Hen is a gritty, moving story about two ordinary guys who are out of work, out of patience and out of luck when they hit on a scheme to keep themselves occupied and their bellies full. They're going to rear chickens out the back green.

Starring Charlie Lawson (Coronation Street's Jim McDonald),

Recommended for 14+
Contains strong language

Wed 5th- Sat 8th May, 7:30pm
Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
Box Office: 0141 429 0022
www.citz.co.uk

Tue 11th May 7:30pm
The Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock
Box Office: 01563 554900

Thu 13th- Sat 15th 7:30pm
The Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
Box Office: 0131 248 4848

Tue 18th May 7:30pm
Lemon Tree Theatre, Aberdeen
Box Office: 01224 641122

Wed 19th May Kick Off 7:30pm
Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
Box Office: 01463 234 234

Thu 20th May Kick Off 7:30pm
Webster Theatre, Arbroath
Box Office: 01241 435800

Fri 21st May Kick Off 7:30pm
Eastwood Park Theatre, Giffnock
Box Office: 0141 577 4970

Sat 22nd May Kick Off 7:30pm
CumbernauldTheatre,
Box Office: 01236 732887

Mon 24th May Kick Off 7:30pm
Paisley Town Hall,
Box Office: 0141 887 1010

Tue 25th May Kick Off 7:30pm
Rutherglen Town Hall,
Box Office: 0141 613 5700

Wed 26th May Kick Off 7:30pm
Albert Hall, Stirling
Box Office: 01786 473544

Thu 27th May Kick Off 7:30pm
Town House Theatre, Hamilton
Box Office: 01698 452 299

 

Fri 28th May Kick Off 7:30pm
Arts Guild Theatre, Greenock
Box Office: 01475 723038

 

Sat 29th May Kick Off 7:30pm
Falkirk Town Hall,
Box Office: 01324 506177

 

Tue 1st June Kick Off 7:30pm
Howden Park Centre, Livingston
Box Office: 01506 777 666

 

Wed 2nd June Kick Off 7:30pm
Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline
Box Office: 01383 602302

 

Thu 3rd, Fri 4th & Sat 5th June Kick Off 7:30pm
Whitehall Theatre, Dundee
Box Office: 08717 029 486

 

Tue 8th June Kick Off 7:30pm
The Byre Theatre, St Andrews
Box Office: 01334 475 000

 

Wed 9th June Kick Off 7:30pm
Birnam Arts & Conference Centre, Dunkeld
Box Office: 01350 727674

 

Thu 10th June Kick Off 7:30pm
The Buccleuch Centre, Langhilm
Box Office: 013873 81196

 

Fri 11th June Kick Off 7:30pm
Theatre Royal Dumfries
Box Office: 01387 254209

 

Sat 12th June Kick Off 7:30pm
The Ryan Leisure Centre, Stranraer
Box Office: 01776 703535

 

 

Des Dillon`s Six Black Candles

"Where's Stacie Gracie's head?"
... sharing space with the sweetcorn and two-for-one lemon meringue pies ... in the freezer.

Caroline's husband abandons her (bad move) for Stacie Gracie, his assistant at the meat counter, and incurs more wrath than he anticipated. Caroline, her five sisters, mother and granny, all with a penchant for witchery, invoke the lethal spell of the Six Black Candles. A natural reaction to the break up of a marriage?

The spell does kill. You only have to look at the evidence. Mess with these sisters, or Maw or Oul Mary and they might do the Six Black Candles on you. But will Caroline's home ever be at peace for long enough to do the spell and will Caroline really let them do it?

Set in present day Irish Catholic Coatbridge, Six Black Candles is bound together by the ropes of traditional storytelling and the strength of female familial relationships. Bubbling under the cauldron of superstition, witchcraft and religion is the heat of revenge; and the love and venom of sisterhood.

Praise for Six Black Candles 

"the Lyceum's Mark Thomson... thought Des was a woman, so deft was his writing about female interaction."
THE SCOTSMAN

"a great dramatic situation, in which the primitive Darwinian passions of lust, rage, vengeance, and fierce family loyalty come into conflict with the everyday scepticism of the sisters' modern lives"
"Dillon spins physical and verbal comedy out of his scenario with all the flair of a born playwright"
THE SCOTSMAN

"The writing is always truthful, immediate and powerful."
SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY

"naturally paced so that the action ebbs and flows, giving each sister time to establish themselves with all sorts of sub-plots and intricacies of character coming to the surface, while the actual plot comes to a satisfying conclusion."
EVENING NEWS

"Dillon clearly understands the mechanics of human interaction, particularly where the family is concerned"
"an evening of unconfined entertainment"
THE INDEPENDENT

 

 

Citizens Theatre, Glasgow

"Citizens Theatre, Glasgow" was painted from a reference photograph obtained on the internet in August 2009. The trees and traffic lights obscuring the theatre were omitted from the painting. The poster information was provided by the buyer, Joyce Wilson, who particularly wanted Des Dillon's, "Singin' I'm No A Billy He's A Tim" on the billboards as this played at the theatre in June 2009. The poster shows Scott Kyle, as "Billy" and Colin Little as "Tim".

It is painted using acrylic on canvas board measuring 508 x 406 mm (20" x 16"). The painting is protected by a two coats of gloss varnish and was signed and dated by glesca artist, William M. Neilly, in August 2009. More examples of paintings by glesca artist can be seen on his website:

 

Dear Sir or Madam,

I just wanted to contact you to say a big thank you for bringing 'I'm no a Billy he's a Tim' to Belfast. I had wanted to see the play in Glasgow, but never managed it, and so was delighted to see it coming to my home town Belfast.

My partner, who is from Glasgow, and myself saw it last week in Belfast.  What a truly wonderful and thought provoking evening.  I am only sorry that my father and brother could not have been there also as they are huge Scottish football fans!

From the reaction by the audience I think everyone felt the same and had a wonderful evening. I think the subject matter was able to touch everyone in the audience and make them think about the petty siutation eher in Northern Ireland.

I believe that it is a play everyone should seeand would recommened to our Education minster that every child should see too.

Thank you so much for being brace and brining it to Belfast.  i really hope that it comes back as I would love to see it again!  I have also a growing list of others who would also like to see it.

A brillriant play, with tremendous actors and worthwhile message! 

Thank you!

 

 

 

 

NLP are currently working with writer Alan Kelly to develop his novel The Tar Factory into a new play for 2010.

 

 

  

 

There's Crazy D, Big Chuck Mcf**k, Mad Dog an me

Crazy D had planted the idea in Mad Dog's head. Slice yer leg off, accident like, an it's worth forty grand. But Crazy D bottled it and Mad D he lost his happy head - had to go elsewhere for his forty Gs didn't he? Least he still had his leg but. 

So how does a tar man make a few extra bob for the boozer? Ah'm warning you it's not pretty. Gang bangs, bribery, scams and jobbyjabbers this is some story. Wait till I tell you . .

The Crazy Gang are sitting in the van, Hovis, the superintendent walks up.

HOVIS: C'mon tae f**k ya shower ah lazy f******s yees. Time tae get yer erses in gear. Yees are no paid tae sit aboot aw day dain f**k aw yees ken. Yees are paid tae f****n work.

DENZO: Aw c'mon tae f**k big man. Ye canny lay tar in that.

HOVIS: Yees are no layin tar. There's other work for yees. Yees can go oot an clean drains.

DENZO: Clean f***n drains? Aw for f**k sake man they'll be f****n frozen solid. Look (showing him paper) there's a f****n polar bear frozen to death just down the road there in the zoo.

HOVIS: Ah well, ye ken, that's glesga zoo. Yees are no workin in the zoo. If yees find one lyin aboot the streets of Coatbridge let me know an ah'll mibbe think aboot it. Noo get yer f****n erses oot there.

"Unpretentious, human, moving and funny. Alan Kelly gives us a man with true grit and a real practical morality. Mad Dog protects the underdog but beware those who misuse their power. This deserves to sell more copies than Trainspotting. The Tar Factory is f**kin magic. A surprise hunner quid Giro on a wet Tuesday in February."

Warning - strong language throughout!