ROLE IN THE
Ferguslie takes centre stage as new play helps to stem
A new play inspired by Ferguslie and its community is getting set for a country-wide tour as it seeks to change attitudes around neighbourhoods painted in a bad light by poverty statistics.
Other Side of the River will bring theatre, food, song, bingo and karaoke to various locations in Scotland over the next couple of months.
Originally commissioned as part of Paisley’s City of Culture bid in 2021, the play focuses on a working class community determined to show that they are more than just negative statistics covered in media reports.
The story concerns driven but lonely city journalist Beth who is desperate to get a juicy article published so she can be noticed by her boss, her arch-rival Suzy McIntyre and to hear her sick Dad say he is proud of her before he passes away.
Beth arrives in a small Scottish town called Ailm – described as one of the worst towns to live in by the media – in the hope she will find a positive story to tell.
Other Side of the River is brought to audiences by In Motion Theatre and is written and directed by Lisa Nicoll and the characters in the play are the product of Lisa and In Motion’s time working with the Ferguslie Park community.
The character of Andy is based on local 61-year-old taxi driver (and writer) Patrick Kidd who recently published a short-story collection about life growing up in Ferguslie.
Another individual from the area whose influence is felt in the play is Terry McTernan of the Darkwood Crew, a group of residents whose aim is to help Ferguslie flourish, providing support for the community around food insecurity, fuel poverty, isolation and loneliness, mental health and the local environment.
Terry worked closely with In Motion on the project. He said: “Working in partnership with In Motion Theatre Company has really helped in the personal and collective empowerment of local people, helping change the often negative narrative about Ferguslie Park.
“Against a backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis and a climate change emergency, many positive lessons can be learned from a vibrant, active, self aware, thrifty and more importantly caring community like ours.
“The play captures all of the nuances associated with the positive cultural aspects of Ferguslie Park and is a fitting next step in