The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Son of leading politicians will play Renton in Trainspotting Live.
Andrew Barrett to take on leading role in gritty stage version at New York venue
The son of two leading Perth politicians has landed a role playing a legendary character in an Off-Broadway production of Trainspotting Live.
Andrew Barrett, 25, whose parents Peter and Liz are both Scottish Liberal Democrat representatives on Perth City Council, will play the central character, Renton, in the show, based on Irvine Welsh’s novel about Leith’s drug culture. Its nudity, language, violence and drug references are so strong, it is recommended for over-16s only and shocked Welsh himself.
The original production recently completed a world tour and is currently playing a sold-out run this month in London. It will be performed in the Roy Arias Theatre, on New York City’s West 43rd Street, in July.
The subject matter is a far cry from council committees and surgeries but Andrew’s parents will travel to America to see him play Renton and have expressed their delight over his theatrical success.
“We are both dead excited about seeing Andrew in Trainspotting and are heading out to see it in August,” Mr Barrett said.
“Andrew is a former Perth High School pupil who studied drama there. He first started acting with the Activate Children’s theatre group in Perth and went on to join the junior and senior groups of Perth Youth Theatre.
“He attended the Space at Dundee College for two years and then went to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow.
“Andrew won the Norman McCaig award for spoken Scots language at the Royal Conservatoire, with a previous winner being Robert Carlyle who, of course, played Begbie in the Trainspotting film.”
Mr Barrett continued: “Andrew had his Edinburgh Fringe festival debut in 2014 in two shows and has been in New York City since the start of last year. He has just finished a Shakespearian tour of Massachusetts and New York state.”
Author Welsh has seen the new production and said: “I was shocked and I wrote the thing.”
Producer Scott Griffin said: “Trainspotting Live requires a very specific kind of performer. They must be totally fearless and daring in every way imaginable.
“After a very competitive casting round from over 1,000 performers, we are thrilled to announce a cast of unique talents who we know will bring just the right amount of grit, humour and heart to Mark Renton and friends.”