Website Review

I came across this review of our new website (we're featured in the second half).



We'd love to know what you think of the new site. All feedback is welcomed.

Hx

Audience Insight Award

Here's a wee clip of Alison talking about our Personas project which recently won an Audience Insight Award at the GaGAs.

Audience Insight from GGA on Vimeo.

Photo © Marius Alexander from http://sneakpreviews.wordpress.com/the-gagas/

Thanks to GGA for organising a great day...and Mark Boulton Design for leading us through our Persona Generation.

Hx

Getting to Know: Leann O'Kasi - Trainee Director

From September 2008 – August 2009, Leann O’Kasi was the first Trainee Director of a new scheme generously supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. We asked her to share a little bit of her experience over the past year!


"I found out I got the job at the Citz one sunny Monday evening back in August 2008. A few rain storms and a week later I had moved to Glasgow and was working at the theatre on the first production of that season!

"I’ve been faced with so many different challenges that have thrown me head first into the deep end (and I can’t actually swim) but thankfully I’ve always surfaced feeling more at ease and theatrically energised. Highlights have been seeing the Circle Studio transformed into an 80s -esque underground night club for Citizen Y, being blown away by the pure visual spectacle that was Don Juan and crying like a baby at the end of the first act of the Wizard of Oz.

"But of course it’s seeing my own work being performed that has given me that extra bit of satisfaction."(Ed note: Leann adapted and directed her own version of Hans Christian Anderson's The Red Shoes in May).

"I’m really looking forward to coming back to direct Suzan Lori-Park’s Pulitzer Prize winning Topdog/Underdog this autumn. Even though it transports us to a seedily furnished room in New York it could be set in many living rooms throughout the world.

"I hope the next Trainee Director enjoys this experience as much as I did and makes it their own. As for me, I’m so excited about the next phase in my development and the endless possibilities that the Citz has opened up to me."


Thanks Leann - we've really enjoyed having you here at the Citizens as part of our team!
Cx

The Citizens autumn season is now on sale! Highlights include the great Shakespeare tragedy Othello, a new version by the National Theatre of Scotland of Lorca's The House Of Bernarda Alba, the Pulitzer prize-winning play Topdog/Underdog and an exclusive Glasgow preview of the Edinburgh International Festival show, The Last Witch.

Book now or visit the what's on section of our website.

Or flick through this virtual version of our brochure:

Open publication - Free publishing - More tag

New Site Launched

It's official, the brand new Citizens Theatre website is live.

www.citz.co.uk

We are still working on pointing the TAG domain to this site, but in the meantime you can check out loads of new content for the Autumn Season 2009, which goes on sale officially tomorrow!

Hx

Web disruption

We are in the process of launching a brand new website for both Citizens and TAG work together. This means that botn of our current websites are likely to go offline today. We aim to have a fully functioning new website for you by Monday 22nd.

I'll post again when it's ready for action, then you can let us know what you think.

Hx

What A Braw Partnership!

Well, the party is over! Our 6 visitors from Sweden have just left after a fantastic week of shared activity. We've shown them all over Glasgow, relished Rena's reminiscence in the Peoples Palace, had a feast at the Hidden Gardens, sung our hearts out at Bridging the Gap, taken part in inspirational drama workshops led by 2 more international visitors from Chicago, applauded the Hot Mikado (performed by Scotland School of Dance) in the main auditorium, caroused at a party and finally, at the farewell lunch in the canteen, we were delighted by a visit from a member of St Francis Pipe Band, who gave us four tunes, whilst someone performed an impromptu a highland fling...braw or what?!!

This partnership between the group from Lansteatern, Orebro and the Citizens Community Company has been an amazing experience for all concerned. We have shared and learnt, uncovering so much that we have in common. Some excellent moments of drama have been created as well as some great international friendships born. I don't think anyone of us that took part will forget our week in Orebro or the week in Glasgow. Tears were shed as our visitors left on Friday afternoon but we all hope this will not be the end.

Neil

Praise for Ghosts keeps pouring in...

We're delighted to have received another 4* review for Ghosts in today's The List, as well as a highly complimentary review in the Sunday Herald. See below what they had to say:

'Jason Southgate's picture-perfect drawing room set, naturalistic lighting and period costumes lure us into a false sense of security, but we are quickly jolted out of our complacency by the intensity of the play, whose bleak conclusions still have the power to unsettle.

...the energy with which the cast attack their roles is infectious. There's a strong turn from Billy Mack as Engstrand... but it is from the intense central relationship between Mrs Alving and her son Oswald that this production derives its power. Maureen Beattie and Steven Robertson are compelling in those roles, the partnership deelivering a conclusion that is as moving as it is harrowing.' THE LIST ****

'In the opening stages of Raison's production (which enjoys a splendid, lively translation by Amelia Bullmore and a beautifully naturalistic set by Jason Southgate), the sense of lethargy is almost irritating. It is, however, entirely in keeping with Ibsen's intent, all the better for the cataclysm to come.

'Maureen Beattie is magnificent. Her Mrs Alving turns from respectable stoic to awesome truth teller, pulling down the entire Alving family myth as if she were some great, female Samson. Her nuanced, emotionally explosive playing never overshadows the other actors. Rather, Beattie's acting enhances the contributions of a universally fine cast; Kevin McMonagle is perfect as the appalled and outraged priest, whilst Elspeth Brodie impresses as the coquettish and indignant Regine.' SUNDAY HERALD ****

Ghosts - 4 stars in today's Scotsman

Joyce McMillan gave Ghosts a 4 star review in today's The Scotsman:

'Jeremy Raison's production of Ghosts for the Citizens Theatre... treats the play not as a sombre slide into tragedy but as a fierce comic satire against the prudery, misogyny and hyposcrisy of provincial Norwegian life.

'Raison's irreverant approach to the play... generates a fierce and questioning energy, not least through Maureen Beattie's towering performance as Mrs Alving, a woman still bursting with inconvenient sensual life and intellectual restlessness. Jason Southgate's set... beautifully lit by Charles Balfour to conjure up fierce Nordic alrterations between radiant sunlight and rain-drenched gloom; Elspeth Brodie and Steven Roertson light up the stage, as the young people so closely bound together.'

Also:
The Guardian **** Metro *** The Herald ***

Ghosts audience reaction

Here are some of the comments we received from audience members post show (N.B. We don't think any of these are from Kim Cattrall, who was apparently here seeing the show on Saturday!!):

"An interesting production - Very gripping - well acted."
"Powerful story. Very well acted by everyone."
"Well worth coming out in the rain for."
"Amazing set and costumes."
"A superb production of a great play."

Hx