Ayr's Gaiety Theatre is set to welcome a new production highlighting the glory days of the Brit Pop era.
Battery Park is the new production from Sleeping Warrior Theatre Company and Scottish theatre director, composer and playwright Andy McGregor, and is part of The Beacon Arts Centre's 10th anniversary programme.
It tells the story of Tommy, a jaded, middle-aged man from Greenock and the story of his band from the 90s "Battery Park".
Part theatre and part live music gig, Battery Park takes the audience on a journey back to the 90s, the Britpop era, when Tommy, his brother Ed, their best pal Biffy and a private school girl, Robyn, created the band and were going places and getting ready for the biggest gig of their lives.
Tommy’s nostalgic reminiscing takes the audience back to the band members' smalltown Greenock lives and how their bigtime dreams nearly became reality with a support gig for Oasis at the Barrowland Ballroom.
From broken dreams to broken hearts it is a story that is funny and heart breaking in equal measure.
The cast perform Battery Park’s original songs on stage and tell the story of the rise and fall of Battery Park.
The cast includes RCS student Stuart Edgar making his professional stage debut (after many years in the music industry) as Tommy; with Chris Alexander, known for his roles in Smile (Dundee Rep), Control Room and Scot Squad, playing the older Tommy.
Andy McGregor said: “I’m really excited to finally be bringing this play to the Scottish stage. The idea has been with me for many years, loosely based on my own experience of being in a rock band that, ultimately, failed.
"It’s a really exciting cast and team and I think the concept of live music and storytelling will make for a really fun and interesting night out. It’s definitely a play that comes from the heart and I think there will be a lot in it that audiences will relate to.”
Karen Townsend, creative producer and acting Joint director of the Beacon said: “We are delighted to be able bring this story to life here on our stage at the Beacon before touring Scotland.
"The Beacon have supported the development of this show since 2020, as we could see the talent in the company and wanted our audiences to be able to experience the fantastic writing, amazing musicians and talented actors.
"It will bring back memories, but also be entertaining for those who didn’t experience the 90’s first time around. Sleeping Warrior will be taking a little bit of that Inverclyde magic with them on tour.”
Battery Park is touring to 13 venues across Scotland in 2023.
The tour kicks off at Beacon Arts Centre (Greenock) on 22 & 23 September before visiting Tron Theatre (Glasgow); Dundee Rep (Dundee); The Gaiety (Ayr); Reconnect Regal Theatre (Bathgate); Byre Theatre (St Andrews); Perth Theatre (Perth); Cumbernauld Theatre (Cumbernauld); Howden Park Centre (Livingstone); CatStrand (New Galloway); Traverse Theatre (Edinburgh) with the final performance at Eden Court (Inverness) on 29 October.
To book tickets click here
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