CURRENT NEWS (updated monthly)

JUNE 2008

NT CONNECTIONS

MATTHEW WORKMAN

BRYAN LOWE

GORDON BROWN

MHAIRI ANDERSON

MARTIN DOCHERTY

MAXI MOFFAT

SABRINA CARTER

DOUGAL LEE

HELEN MCALPINE

LISA NICOLL

NT CONNECTIONS YOUTH THEATRE FESTIVAL 10^TH TO 14^TH JUNE, 2008

The Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, is proud to host the NT Connections Scottish Showcase for the sixth year running, presenting new pieces of theatre by a range of Scottish and international youth theatre companies and schools. Supported by Bank of America and Hunwick Hughes Ltd, this festival is a celebration of theatre for and by young people.

Further details on www.lyceum.org.uk/webpages/youth_theatre_nt_connections.php

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, 18^th to 28^th June, 2008

(all details on www.edfilmfest.org.uk)

KATE DICKIE opens in SUMMER, co-starring MATTHEW WORKMAN and Robert Carlyle, at the EIFF on 22^nd at Filmhouse 1. Kate also stars in SOMERS TOWN, directed by Shane Meadows, opening in Edinburgh on 20^th at Cineworld 3, and then in London on 21^st. BRYAN LOWE, DANIELLE STEWART and JULIET CADZOW are all in STONE OF DESTINY, which opens at the EIFF on 21^st at Cineworld 7. Maryam is joining a discussion panel with John and Ros Hubbard, Priscilla John, Maureen Duff, Derek Power and moderated by Nancy Bishop on Friday 20^th – details on www.nancybishopcasting.com

Film news ~ MARTIN COMPSTON and STEWART ROBERTSON join the cast of THE DAMNED UNITED, the biopic of Brian Clough starring Michael Sheen – Martin plays John O'Hara and Stewart is Archie Gemmel. Martin has just wrapped SPUNKBUBBLE for cutting edge producers Hangman Studios. The film RED MIST, which Martin wrapped in April, is now titled FREAKDOG ~ NEIL LEIPER is the star of WASTED, which goes into production this month with the collaboration of David Hayman, Gary Lewis and KATE DICKIE amongst others ~ GORDON BROWN co-stars with Mads Mikkelsen in the Viking extravaganza VALHALLA RISING, shooting in Scotland until the end of July ~

On TV ~ Going into production are MHAIRI ANDERSON in Adrian Shergold's emotional drama FIONA'S STORY (BBC), MARTIN DOCHERTY in series two of award winning comedy DEAR GREEN PLACE (EffnGee/BBC Scotland) and MATT COSTELLO is shooting TAGGART: SCABS (SMG). Ongoing filming for KATHLEEN MCDERMOTT and MAXI MOFFAT on E4's BALLOON WARS; for SHABANA BAKHSH on series four of WATERLOO ROAD; for KARI CORBETT on HOLLYOAKS; for JANINE MELLOR on CASUALTY.

On screen this month are MARTIN DOCHERTY in GARY'S WAR on 28^th May; EILEEN MCCALLUM, MICHELE OBRIEN and GORDON MCCORKELL are in RIVER CITY (BBC Scotland); GORDON MCCORKELL is also featured in COMEDY SKETCHBOOK on the BBC alongside ANGELA NEIL; JULIE HALE is in FAIR CITY (RTE); JULIET CADZOW is in BALAMORY, JENNIFER LOWRIE is in HEDZ and ROSS ALLAN is in ME TOO! (CBBC) ~

In theatre ~ JONATHAN HOLT opens at the Barbican on June 25th in the award winning BLACK WATCH (NTS) as part of the bite08 festival. Jonathan will be in BLACK WATCH when it plays its New York season in October ~ SABRINA CARTER opens in the cast change of WICKED at the Apollo Victoria, week of 16^th June ~ ROSS ALLAN is in MOUSSAS CASTLE at the Polka Theatre, Wimbledon, in the last week in May, and then on to Leicester in the first week of June to complete this short UK tour ~ GREG POWRIE and DOUGAL LEE are in the Pitlochry Festival Theatre 2008 company until October in leading roles in WILD HONEY, SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER, ARCADIA, HEARTBREAK HOUSE and HABEUS CORPUS~ REBECCA MCQUILLAN opens in THE SOUND OF MY VOICE at the Citizen's, Glasgow ~ HELEN MCALPINE leads SWINDLE AND DEATH on a Scottish tour ~ JOHN P ARNOLD is rehearsing Shylock in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING for the Bard in the Botanics season 2008 in Glasgow ~ BILLY RIDDOCH and BRYAN LOWE are stars of CELTS IN SEVILLE, now rehearsing at Celtic Park ~ LISA NICOLL precedes her Edinburgh Fringe season in ACCEPTANCE by writing her weekly diary in the Metro from 2^nd June to 30^th June, every Monday, in character as Scarlet from ACCEPTANCE. See the Daily Record on 29^th May for all the details and background to this stunning one woman play written and performed by Lisa at the Vault Annexe – Venue 279, from 19^th to 25^th August ~