Traverse Theatre Company

Since its beginnings in 1963, the Traverse has been of award-winning quality.  It has been described as unique in Scotland for its dedication to new writing.  This confirms its imagination, bravery and passion for quality theatre.

It has produced over 600 new plays, fuelling the recognition of some of the country’s best-known writers. Through its energetic spirit of adventure, experimentation and imagination, the Traverse has received accolades from critics and audience alike.

Award Winning Productions

The Traverse regularly accepts such awards as Fringe Firsts and Herald Angels.  Henry Adam’s The People Next Door began with an award-winning premiere during the 2003 Festival.  It won the 2003-2004 Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland's Best New Play award.  Immediately it was transferred to London and toured earlier this year. It was presented with the award for Best New Play at the 2004 Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland.  August 2004 was a fruitful month for the Traverse.  They won numerous awards, including several for Traverse productions such as When the Bulbul Stopped Singing and Shimmer.

Their most recent win was by Mark McDonnell, who plays Phil in The People Next Door, for 'Best Male Actor' by the Kosovo Infest theatre festival.

The awards won by the Traverse in August 2004 are, in full:

• Scotsman Fringe Firsts:
  • The Pull of Negative Gravity by Jonathan Lichtenstein (Mercury Theatre, Colchester)
  • Take Me Away by Gerald Murphy (Rough Magic Theatre Company)
• Herald Angels (week one):
  • Shimmer by Linda McLean (Traverse Theatre Company)
  • A Mobile Thriller by Renato Gabrielli (Hush Productions)
• Herald Archangel Award to Una McLean
• Herald Devil to Finlay Welsh for Shimmer (Traverse Theatre Company)
• Daily Mail Jack Tinker Spirit of the Fringe Award to Una McLean, Joint winner (with Mary Shields)
• Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award for When the Bulbul Stopped Singing by Raja Shehadeh, adapted for the stage by David Grieg (Traverse Theatre Company)
• Carol Tambor Award, Joint Winner (with Rosebud):
  Sisters, Such Devoted Sisters by Russell Barr (Russell Barr/Out of Joint)
• Herald Angels (week three) to Raja Shehadeh for When The Bulbul Stopped Singing (Traverse Theatre Company)
• The Stage Awards:
  • Nominated for Best Actor: Christopher Simon (When the Bulbul Stopped Singing)
  • Nominated for Best Actress: Lesley Hart (Shimmer)
  • Nominated for Best Ensemble: Mouthpeace Theatre Company for Fuse ; Traverse Theatre Company for Shimmer
• The Tapwater Awards Best Theatre Award for When The Bulbul Stopped Singing (Traverse Theatre Company)
  

For details of past Traverse productions, visit the Virtual Traverse website.

Activities and Projects

The Traverse strives to provide the infrastructure, professional support and expertise to develop a dynamic theatre culture for Scotland. 

Their activities seem to cover all aspects of playwriting and production, including the provision and support of script development workshops, rehearsed readings and discussions to name a few. Their work with young people is of prime importance.  For example, their schools writing project, Class Act, gives young people in schools the opportunity to work with theatre professionals and see that work performed on stage. See the Education section and the drama feature on TAG Theatre company for more about young people's theatre.

Other progressions from the Traverse include efforts to strengthen international ties.  as well as the highly successful The People Next Door touring the Balkans and Class Act visiting Russia; this year hosts a collaborative project with Les Subsistances Theatre in Lyon.  This will create exchanges between Scotland and France.  It will allow for residencies and translations for theatres in both countries.

The theme continues throughout October, with An Actor, An Author, Un Acteur, Un Auteur celebrating the work of French playwright Laurent Gaudé, led by French as well as Scottish actors.

For more information about the Traverse, including projects, writers, awards and what’s on, visit the Traverse website.

Did you know? Scotland and France celebrate another partnership in the arts at present, click here to learn about how the Fruitmarket Gallery and Dundee Contemporary Arts are partnered with French artists.