We’re just over a week into it, but what a month May is turning out to be!

On the 5^th we had an incredible adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Kidnapped’ brought to the Byre by Cumbernauld Theatre. The production combined a classic tale from one of Scotland’s most celebrated authors, presented by one of the Highlands’ most successful theatrical touring companies.

Using beautifully designed sets featuring the Scottish landscape and a multitude of ship-wrecks, they delivered the tale of Davie Balfour – a poor orphan cheated out of an enormous inheritance by his scheming Uncle. Apart from reminding me to be nicer to my own Uncles in the future, this classic story of a boy growing into a man, amidst a backdrop of Jacobite rebellion, was a definite cultural crowd-pleaser.

The Outside Track in a stunning 'urban garden'

In two days’ time (cue the drum roll please) award-winning band ‘The Outside Track’ will be performing their unique twist on traditional Scottish, Irish and Canadian music. Each member of this musical five-piece is a master of their chosen instrument and among their line-up is Edinburgh-born harpist Ailie Robertson, one of Scotland’s finest young traditional musicians and a finalist at BBC Radio Scotland Young Musician of the Year 2008. Warning: the show will see toe-tapping from much of the audience.

Even though it’s a bit ahead of schedule, we’re all gearing up for the Byre Youth Theatre’s production of Bugsy Malone, which will be running from Friday 22^nd – Saturday 30^th June. The cast of seventy have been rehearsing for months to bring their energetic performance to the stage and will feature the iconic ‘splurge guns’ that became the must-have Christmas present for every child  in the 70s, 80s and beyond.

Timeless tunes such as ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam’, ‘So You Wanna be a Boxer?’ and ‘You Give a Little Love’ (my personal favourite) will provide the audience with heaps of musical nostalgia and the unforgettable characters of Busy, Fat Sam and of course, Tallulah, who was played in the original Alan Parker film by a young Jodie Foster.

Rebecca Quin and I will be interviewing the entire cast in the not-too-distant future so keep a lookout for any updates here! Let’s just hope those splurge guns aren’t loaded just yet…

James

Why hello there!

I’m James Heaney, the Byre Theatre’s new Press and PR intern for 2012/13. Having taken over from my predecessor, the legend that is Rebecca Quin, I’m here to keep you up to date on the latest Byre news and to provide a bit of much-needed gossip from behind the scenes.

Me (not looking my best) with Rebecca and Mr Kipling cakes.

April’s been a fantastic month for the Byre and not just because I joined the team (bad joke alert). We’ve recently played host to one of Scotland’s showbiz powerhouses – the fabulous Dorothy Paul – who recently brought along her one woman show: ‘Dorothy: Retiring from Retirement’. It was a sell out success and featured a hotpot of stories about her life in the spotlight, as well as some wonderful pieces of character acting that I’m sure the audience will not be forgetting in a hurry.

This month has also seen On the Rocks (the student arts festival) celebrate the best of all things student and the Byre has been getting in on the action as well. During the festival, the theatre was the venue for ‘Blind Mirth’ (improvised comedy), Princess Ida and the Pulitzer-prize winning Glengarry Glen Ross, all of which were performed on the main stage.

On Wednesday 25^th April, The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre arrived, bringing sock-related violence, laugh-out-loud comedy and possibly the longest name for a show that I have so far encountered. Fortunately the socks didn’t stink out the house – they were an absolute crowd-pleaser, which makes me especially happy because it was the first show I compiled a press release for. You could say that I have a newly instilled fondness for socks – purely professional, of course.

There are so many brilliant performances and events coming up in May, but one event for the whole family is the Byre’s first ever ‘Food Fair’ on Saturday 12^th May – it will give the chance to speak to local food producers and suppliers from Fife and the local area, as well as providing the opportunity to purchase some of their offerings. I suspect that a free sample or two (maybe more if you ask nicely!) will help to sweeten the deal – so make sure to visit. Alongside cookery demonstrations and talks, Christopher Trotter and Ruth Shannon will be signing copies of their latest books – so it’s definitely an even that will cater to every taste; one not to miss.

I think that’s all for now… So, if you see me hanging around the Byre or anywhere in St Andrews for that matter, then say hello! Just make sure to come within two metres of me when you do so – I have appalling long distance eyesight and there’s a chance I won’t see you.

Bye for now,

James

On Friday 9^th March pupils from Mountfleurie Primary School in Leven boarded a train for the British countryside as they took part in an interactive ‘Evacuees experience’ at the Byre Theatre.  As part of their history course, the pupils are learning about the evacuation programme implemented at the start of the war to protect women and children from air raids.  Rather than learn through reading textbooks, the teachers and pupils came to the Byre to put themselves in the shoes of real evacuees.  Dressed in 1940s costumes complete with self-made gas-masks, the pupils explored what it would have been like to leave home to live with a new family in the countryside and discovered how their own lifestyles compared with that of children of the war.

Run by Education Officer Lauren Bianchi and Byre Youth Theatre coordinator Ashley Foster, the Evacuee experience was divided into two halves.  First, the pupils arrived at the train station with only a few belongings and a brown tag attached to them, they discussed how it would make them feel to be leaving home and turned their feelings and emotions into two poems.  The second half involved the pupils experiencing life in the countryside, playing 1940s games and carrying out chores such as milking cows and digging for dinner. 

Organiser Lauren Bianchi said “The kids are having a lot of fun exploring the subject.  It’s a much more interactive way of learning about the War and gives them a real understanding of what the evacuation experience must have been like, especially as evacuee children would have been their about their age.”

Ashley Foster added “It’s great to see everyone enjoying the experience and the kids are really immersing themselves in it.  This is a great way to learn history and I think they’ll remember their facts for the exams to come!”

The Byre Theatre has an extensive Education & Outreach project providing support through the arts to the local St Andrews and Fife Community.  St Andrews recently won funding from the Creative Place Awards and plans to host a St Andrews Year of Celebration, which will include more community outreach events such as the Evacuee experience and the planned community production Macpherson’s Rant.

The pupils experienced what it was like to be an evacuee for a day.

Tonight sees the Launch of the 15th annual StAnza International Poetry Festival.  It’s a jam-packed bonanza of a programme – http://stanzapoetry.org/2012/events.php.  Poets have taken over the Byre building for tonight’s opening event Kind of Larkin; a special jazz-poetry-music fusion event that will feature David Hayman reading a selection of Larkin’s jazz criticism and jazz-inspired poetry accompanied by the Dave Batchelor Quintet with the one and only Don Paterson on guitar (phew!).  Get your booties down here people! 7.00pm. 

Check out the BBC Radio Cafe’s preview coverage of tonight’s event: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01d2byc/The_Book_Cafe_12_03_2012/

What are you waiting for!

Hunting, bonnet-making, egg-painting, storytelling and much more at this year’s Byre fun-filled Easter-weekend.  From Friday to Monday, the Byre are hosting a fantastic variety of activities for kids from eight to eighty to celebrate the Easter holidays ; come along and make your Easter eggs, listen to stories about a mysterious furry-eared thief, and take part in our Easter bonnet fashion show (a trend that’s bound to take the fashion world by storm…soon).

In fact, the weekend kicks off with an Easter Bonnet Making workshop on Friday 6th; you can bring your own bonnet or use one of ours (£3 with own bonnet, £5 without).  From 10am till 12 noon, bonnet-making professionals will be on hand to give advice and tips on how to make a bonnet that all of the top celebrities would wear.  If you can’t make Friday, there will be a second workshop on Saturday at the same time, or if you want to perfect your bonnet you can come back (and sneakily check out the competition).  From tiny toddlers to glamorous grannies, bonnet-models are encouraged to strut their stuff on the Byre catwalk in the Easter Bonnet Fashion show, Saturday at 2pm. 

Friday continues with the all-important Egg Hunt.  Hidden all over the Byre building, it’s a race to beat the bunny to all the lost eggs– everyone that finds the eggs gets to join our Easter prize draw.  There are so many eggs so well-hidden that we’re having to go hunting on Saturday and Sunday as well, 10 am to 5pm, (the event is free).

If you want to take a break from the chase, on Friday 2pm till 4pm we’ll also be holding a drop-in egg painting and daffodil making workshop.  We’ll provide the materials, you come up with the creativity; creative fun for all the family to enjoy! (£4 per artist)

Plus, on Saturday we’ll be hosting a big Arts & Crafts fair to inspire you to create at home 10 – 5pm.  Suppliers from all over Fife and beyond will be coming to the Byre to exhibit their unique products, providing fantastic personal gifts for every occasion.  Suppliers and staff will be giving advice on arts and crafts techniques and materials; a great way to glimpse the amazing creativity that Fife has to offer. 

On Easter Sunday we’ll have our final egg hunt, as well as a special Easter storytelling session for children of all ages (free).  Come along to hear some Easter-themed tales and solve the mystery of the Easter bunny from 10am till 12 noon.  In the afternoon, our Education Officer Lauren Bianchi will be leading an Easter drama workshop, playing games and acting with new friends (2 – 4pm, £3 per actor).

It’s going to be eggscellent! (Get it? ‘Eggs’cellent, cause of eggs…sounds like ex…ok, I’ll stop it now).

Book tickets at the usual places on 01334 475000/www.byretheatre.com!

March at the Byre started with a kiss as the bigger and better-than-ever Wedding Fair took over the Byre foyer, studio and conference rooms.  All that Romance in the air made our hearts flutter as dozens of bespoke suppliers ranging from handmade wedding gifts to teeth whitening displayed their fantastic products to nervous bride and grooms-to-be and serial wedding crashers (just me?).  There was even a bridal-wear fashion show an music throughout the day. Well done to organiser Mary McKenzie for pulling off another brilliant event, and don’t forget that the Byre is available as a wedding venue -remember to invite me, I do love a good wedding!

The week’s been a busy one with Tuesday seeing the newly formed Byre Young Dance Company’s first ever performance on stage together with Launch – takes dance and redefines it.  A fantastic chance to see local up-and-coming dance talent, the show was strikingly original and innovative.  You saw it here first!

On Wednesday, Friends of the Byre presented the Ingham Johnstone Project; an evening of words, music and story accompanied by the trumpet and trombone.  Jazz musician Richard Ingham and poet Brian Johnstone began their project in 2007 when they formed, with bass player Louise Major, the poetry and jazz group Trio Verso whose performances have included Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre and the Ted Hughes festival in Yorkshire.  This year, ambitions and stakes were even higher as the group were joined by a 20-piece jazz orchestra musically re-telling the narrative poem Robinson.  The evening mesmerised and astounded the audience with its fantastically rich mixture of sound, language and display.  Look out for a review in this week’s Scotsman by Brian Donaldson.

Tonight, award-winning choreographer Errol White and his company are bringing their brand-new show iam; a dance narrative exploring the nature of movement and identity with an emphasis on authentic movement and vocabulary.  A haunting production, iam questions the way in which we understand ourselves and each other and how our relationships can form and break under the pressure of sound and light.  Tonight, 7.30pm.

Splinters Productions present a remake of J.B Keane’s hilarious Letters to a Matchmaker in The Matchmaker, Saturday 10th at 7.30pm.  The story of lonely hearts in rural Ireland as they lay bare their hopes and dreams to determined matchmaker Dicky Mick, the play was described by the Edinburgh Fringe review as a “wonderful piece of theatre [that] will warm the cockles of your heart”. 

Of course, the big one this month is StAnza- back for the 15th annual poetry festival which promises to be even more amazing than last year! With many big name poets including Christopher Reid and Kathleen Jamie, the festival has a huge array of events (more than 80) throughout St Andrews to suit all artistic tastes.  This year’s festival boasts 3 winners of the Ted Hughes Award for poetry, as well as one of the judges – watch this space for a Ted Hughes special event.  StAnza is one of St Andrews’ most important cultural events and is a shining example of what the St Andrews Year of Celebration is all about…we can’t wait! Events from the festival held at the Byre include the festival Launch, poetry performances on the ‘Poetry Centre Stage’ in the auditorium, poetry cafes and breakfasts.  Book online at www.stanzapoetry.org. 

March rounds off with the comedy classic Are You Being Served brought to the Byre stage.  Presented by comedy troupe The Guizards and adapted from the much-loved television series by its original creators Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft, double entendres abound as the staff of Grace Brothers prepare for a sale of German goods before going on holiday to Spain.  Heat, laaydies and revolutions won’t stop these retail professionals – Wednesday 21st to Saturday 31st March at 7.30pm, with a 2.30pm Saturday matinee. 

Remember this one -

MRS. SLOCOMBE: That’s how I met my husband, during an air raid. The bombs were raining down and I saw his face lit by an incendiary. He threw me on my face and said, look out, here comes a big one!
MR. LUCAS: I suppose there wasn’t much time for chatting in those days.

Hohoho! Enjoy!

This Tuesday to Saturday the St Andrews Musical Society are performing the fabulous, daahling Cole Porter musical Anything Goes. With a foot-tappingly good selection of songs from ‘I get a kick out of you’, ‘Blow Gabriel Blow’ and of course, the show-stopping ‘Anything Goes’, the guys and gals on board the S.S American take the audience on a rollicking, roller-coaster ride across the seas (without the sick-bags and duty-free celebrity perfume).

From New York to London, you’ll follow the madcap antics of stowaway Billy Crocker and his gangster helper Moonface Martin as they attempt to win the heart of Billy’s long-lost love Hope Harcourt, now engaged (the traitor!) to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh – a man so English he’s named after the national tree.  Comic mishaps, unexpected seductions and growing old ungracefully, Anything Goes has all the romantic magic of Casablanca mixed with the farce of Some Like it Hot.  A great chance to catch the up and coming talent coming out of Fife and the University too!

Here’s a link to a performance of the final number ‘Anything Goes’ by Tony award winner Sutton Foster to whet your appetite http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo6lPifGnG.

It’s going to be an unmissable, show-stopping extravaganza! I’ll try not to sing along too loudly at the back…

Tuesday 28th Feb to Saturday 3rd March at 7.30pm

We’ve had a fantastic start to the month (excluding weather/rugby/lack of valentines post (that could just be me)) with the hugely successful Fife Jazz Festival.  Fifers from far and wide came to enjoy the smooth sounds of such big names as Angie King and Kyle Eastwood at the Byre and many of us had a brief, fleeting desire to learn the sax.

Starting as we mean to go on, the Byre have the usual phantasmagoric (this is a word) selection of the best music, comedy, theatre and dance on offer.  This Tuesday and Wednesday we had the world-renowned RSC’s Open Stages project come to the Byre with a unique student production of As You Like It.  The stalls were packed full of supporters as the Mermaids theatre society staged their hilarious production.  Top notch acting and fantastic set design showed us what amateur theatre is capable of.  For more info on the Open Stages programme see here: http://www.rsc.org.uk/explore/projects/open-stages/.

From manila to thriller, this Friday sees Steven Berkoff’s haunting, edge-of-your-seat thriller The Trial come to the Byre for one night only.  Adapted from the Franz Kafka novel, The Trial is one of the masterpieces of twentieth century theatre.  The story tracks the escape attempts of Joseph K hunted for a crime of which he has no knowledge and deceived every which way by a malicious authoritarian power.  Kafka’s nightmare vision and Berkoff’s virtuoso scripts are played to their full, thrilling potential by the Blackeyed Theatre’s ensemble-style physical theatre to create an inspiring and deeply impacting piece of drama.  Friday 10th, 7.30pm. 

Some light relief comes on Saturday in the form of acclaimed Hollies tribute group The Hollywood Bees.  Recapturing the distinctive harmonies of the Hollies as well as tracing the band’s musical influences, The Hollywood Bees will transport you right back to the great era of 60s rock ‘n’ roll.  Songs from The Everly Brothers, Bob Dylan, Stills and Nash and many more are played with deft musicianship while the Hollies hits sound almost better than the originals.  Saturday 11th, 8pm.  Check out their website to see what other audience members have said: www.holliestribute.com.

Next week is a busy one, with five new shows in the schedule from Thursday to Sunday.  On Thursday, pioneering children’s theatre company LicketyLeap is bringing it’s unique immersive theatre experience LicketySpit for early years learners to the Byre studio.  Ten three and four year olds and their accompanying adults will be invited to take part in a series of mini-adventures involving drama, dance, music and movement.  LicketySpit has won praise from critics, parents and teachers alike as an innovative way to encourage imaginative play and creativity amongst early years learners.  Children develop their interpersonal skills and gain confidence and independence.  Plus, the adults have a pretty good time too.  Thursday 16th – Friday 17th, 11am and 3pm. 

Also on Thursday, Robert Tressel’s famous novel is adapted for the stage in The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists; a hilarious, fast-paced show that tells the endearing story of a group of painters and decorators struggling to survive in a complacent and stagnating Edwardian England.  Using comedy routines, entertaining songs and live music from the Music Hall, two actors bring this 100 year-old, poignant story to vibrant life.  Thursday 16th February, 7.30pm.

On Friday, award-winning folk band The Paul McKenna Band will be performing songs from their hotly-anticipated new album ‘Stems the Tide’.  Hailed as ‘the best folk band to have come out of Scotland in the last twenty years’ by the New York Times, the band have gone from strength to strength , touring extensively throughout USA, Canada and Europe and winning legions of fans with their contemporary and innovative approach to traditional music combined with unrivalled musicianship and attention to detail.  The band’s performance at the Byre, Friday 17th at 8pm, is a fantastic chance to see a truly great band in the making. 

By now you should have finally gotten through all of those Christmas sweets and chocolates, so to ease the pain of finally letting go we’ve got one last reminder of why Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year.  On Saturday 18th at 11.30am and 2.30pm, Robin and the Big Freeze will be performed for children and their adults at the Byre; a seasonal feast of a show with live puppets, music, bird watching and a bit of gardening – a great way to welcome in our own big freeze apparently on its way this week!

Also on Saturday, BBC’s Alistair Rutherford brings his brand new romantic comedy Passing Through about a dejected magician and a stood-up anti-romantic’s chance encounter in a pub.  Is their attraction the real thing? Or is love just another conjuring trick? 8pm.

To round off February, local school St Leonard’s sixth form are putting on a musical recently voted as the UK’s ‘best musical ever!’.  It’s all very hush hush due to licensing agreements but this is guaranteed to give you chills – multiple ones! From Wednesday 22nd to Friday 24th at 7.30pm . 

On Saturday 25th, award-winning actrice and playwriting duo The MsFits are coming to the Byre with their brand new one-woman comedy drama Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know.  3 very different women forced together by an unexpected twist of fate are desperately trying not to bludgeon each other with the nearest available object…. Families, friendships and pure fantasy are all explored through wonderful, hilarious acting and spot-on comedic timing.  A rare chance to see one of Scotland’s most successful theatre company’s in action.  Saturday at 8pm. 

With all of that going on, I wonder when you’re going to have time to send me all of those valentines gifts…(please make time).

Enjoy!

From this Friday, the hotly-anticipated fifth annual Fife Jazz festival returns bigger and better than before with a fantastic variety of local and international jazz talent performing over 3 days of musical celebration.  Along with Fife’s best music and theatre venues, each night the Byre will be hosting a special concert from some of the world’s most renowned jazz artists.

To start the festival in style, the celebrated Joe Temperley Quartet featuring Dan Nimmer will be soothing our winter souls from the Byre stage with a selection of beautiful interpretations of classic jazz tunes.  Joe’s baritone saxophone has played alongside many legends of the genre; from Humphrey Lyttleton to Wynton Marsalis and, at the ripe old age of 82, Joe himself has become a legend on the New York scene.  He’ll be accompanied by a fantastic rhythm section featuring acclaimed pianist Dan Nimmer.  (Friday 3rd February, 8pm, Tickets: £12)

On Saturday, the Byre welcomes classic jazz singer Angie King who’ll leave the audience breathless  with her sophisticated sense of swing and warm, alluring voice that reignites the old school classic tunes with a new passion.  (Saturday 4th, 7.30pm, Tickets: £10)

Also on Saturday, son of Hollywood great Clint, Kyle Eastwood and his band will be performing on the Byre stage with their slick sets of modern jazz, blending swing, bop and soulful funk.  The five-piece Kyle Eastwood band have released three critically-acclaimed albums, toured worldwide and composed music for several Clint Eastwood films.  Praised by the BBC as a ‘hot live act’, this concert promises to make an unforgettable impression.  (Saturday, 8pm, Tickets: £12)

DO NOT MISS THIS!

I always knew there was something fishy about that supermarket. 

Friends of the Byre present the last of the four Murder Mystery evenings at the Byre by Jimmy McGregor, which has seen murder on the Links, in the Cathedral and on the Fife Coast Express (they apologised for any inconvenience caused). 

Now a battle rages between eco warriors to win The Big Green Welly Award…and someone falls foul of an all-too heated competition.  This is a murder-mystery with a difference – music! Find out who dunnit whilst enjoying an evening of music from Euphemia Binge and her Gastric Band, plus songs from Great Pannini and Placebo Domingo. 

The previous murder mysteries have been great successed, FOB welcome all new potential pretend-murders good at keeping secrets!

Dun, dun, duuuuuuuun….

p.s. Murder at Morrisons will be commited from Wednesday 1st February to Thursday 2nd at 7.30pm, £7 a ticket.  Tickets available from Byre Box Office on 01334 475000 or online at www.byretheatre.com.  Consider this a tip-off…