Pitlochry: A History of Paper

Pitlochry Festival Theatre 20/8/26

A History of Paper

By Oliver Emanual and Gareth Williams

Presented by Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Dundee Rep

First produced by Dundee Rep, presented by Traverse Theatre in 2024 at The Edinburgh Fringe and based on an original BBC radio play, this production gets the star treatment. With Artistic Director Alan Cumming and beloved Scottish actress Shirley Henderson taking the roles of He and She, this musical play provides a heartwarming journey through the little bits of paper which inhabit and fashion our lives. The concept is terrific. It made me search in the cupboard for old tickets, bills, letters and stuff which I had refused to throw away.

Punctuated by live piano and songs, it is a gift to the two-handed cast, this time Alan Cumming and Shirley Henderson on stage throughout. I can imagine the success of this production will engender a flurry of actors lining up to perform this show. They both hold the stage throughout the one and a quarter hour creating a believable relationship of love and a humorous friendship.

At times I had difficulty catching every word from Shirley Henderson, but I got the drift. You never know where the plot is going and I am not a spoiler. Nevertheless, it is a surprise and beautifully enacted. The direction by Andrew Panton is flawless. The set is extraordinary and the stage effects terrific, other than a few sound blimps. All power to the music director and I presume pianist Gavin Whitworth. He never intrudes the action and is a dab hand at flying lanterns.

Playing to full houses at Dundee and Pitlochry this augers well for new work at the Festival Theatre. Not to be missed. It runs until 12th September at Pitlochry and from 16th to 19th September at Dundee Rep.

photo credit: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan