Borderline and Gaiety show scoops top award
Two titans of the Ayr theatre scene scooped a top prize at one of the country’s biggest award ceremonies.
Borderline Theatre and The Gaiety won Best Production for Children and Young People for the Uncanny Valley show at the Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland.
The “educational piece of science theatre”, written by impresario Rob Drummond, was the fourth nomination for Ayrshire’s Borderline Theatre and the first win for The Gaiety.
Uncanny Valley asks the audience to interact with a “live” robot and help a futuristic science teacher, played by Drummond, to tell the story of shy teenager Ada.
CATS award panellist Mary Brennan said: “Drummond’s interaction with young audiences encouraged them to explore, and voice, their own ideas about our relationship with technology and ongoing advances in artificial intelligence.”
University of the West of Scotland student Natalie Welch took on the role of stage manager for the show, as part of her final year assessment.
She said: “Uncanny Valley was a great experience for me. It helped me to develop my career and experience how a professional show is created.
“It also allowed me to transfer the skills I have learned from my degree in Technical Theatre and Creative Industries from UWS.”
Uncanny Valley is set for a tour next year, and the Critics’ Awards for Theatre win will help to ensure the unique show has a long future ahead.
Jeremy Wyatt, chairman of Borderline Theatre and chief executive of Ayr Gaiety Partnership said: “This award highlights our strong, ongoing commitment to create worldclass theatre in Ayr.”