We were part of something that had become folklore
TUTTI FRUTTI
Rona Munro’s trilogy The James Plays charts three generations of Stewart kings of Scotland in the 15th century.
They were staged in 2014 at the height of the Scottish independence referendum and used contemporary language – providing a memorable line for The Killing’s Danish star Sofie Grabol, who starred as Queen Margaret in the original production alongside Blythe Duff.
Sofie said: “When the project was presented to me I thought I don’t have the nerve to do that because it’s one thing to take on a great part, a big part, in another language but your own. But then I read it.
“I remember actually when she said, “You’ve got f*** all except attitude.’ I remember the reaction in Edinburgh in the Festival Theatre was so massive and very often people applauded and they always laughed and cheered.” John Byrne’s cult classic Tutti Frutti, about the travails of a final tour by failing Scottish rock ’n’ roll band The Majestics, had never been seen since it was screened on the BBC in 1987.
NTS brought it back to life in 2006 with Tom Urie and Dawn Steele in the lead roles of Danny McGlone and Suzi Kettles.
Dawn said: “You knew you were part of something special with the NTS but especially with Tutti Frutti.”
Tom recalled: “There was a huge hunger for Tutti Frutti. it had been so huge in Scotland. I was about 17 or 18 when it came out and I remember absolutely worshipping the show. For 20 years it hadn’t been seen or heard of and it became like Scottish folklore.”
Having conquered Broadway and Hollywood, Alan Cumming returned to the Scottish stage in 2007 with The Bacchae, an ancient Greek tragedy brought right up to date.
Cumming starred as god of wine Dionysus and made an arresting entrance.
He said: “It started with me being lowered by my ankles with my back to the audience like a god descending.
“I had a gold kilt outfit on so basically the first thing at the beginning of the Bacchae was my bum. I hadn’t appeared on a Scottish stage for 16 years. It was a ballsy thing to do, a ballsy decision, a ballsy start.
“We kind of decided to make Dionysus this returning rock star. The music was very rousing and anthemy when he sang and the girls backed him up. “