Sun 04 Jun 2006

Edinburgh International Festival's 2005 World Premiere production of David Harrower's Blackbird scooped a coveted award at this year's Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland (CATS).

At the Awards Ceremony which took place on Sunday 4th June 2006 at Discovery Point, Dundee, Harrower's specially commissioned Festival play won in the category: 'Best New Play'. Blackbird was also nominated for 'Best Production'.

Directed by the celebrated Peter Stein and with potent performances by award-winning actors Roger Allam and Jodhi May, Blackbird unflinchingly portrays the brutal and shattering truth of an abandoned and unconventional love.

Having stunned Festival audiences and critics alike, Blackbird transferred to London's West End receiving its debut there at the Albery Theatre (February 2006). Since then, the play has been staged in Germany at the Schaubühne, Berlin (November 2005) and in Austria at the Burgtheater, Vienna, (Frbruary 2006). Spring 2007 will see its American premiere off Broadway courtesy of the Manhattan Theatre Club. Further productions are planned to take place in seventeen other countries including Australia, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain and Israel.

Brian McMaster, Director, Edinburgh International Festival said:
'We're delighted that David Harrower's Blackbird has scooped the Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland for 'Best New Play'. The Edinburgh International Festival was thrilled to offer audiences such an exciting and challenging new work. It's fantastic that the great team who created it have now been recognised.'

ENDS

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. Blackbird received its world premiere at Edinburgh International Festival on Monday 15 August 2005.

2. Blackbird credits:
Written by David Harrower
Ray - Roger Allam
Una - Jodhi May
Director - Peter Stein
Set designer - Ferdinand Wogerbauer
Costume designer - Moidele Bickel
Composer - Arturo Annecchino
Sound - Ferdinando Nicci
The playscript is published by Faber.

3. Edinburgh born David Harrower made a startling debut in 1995 with Knives in Hens which proved a critical and popular success and translated into many languages with performances still frequent around the world. Since then he has written Kill the Old Torture Their Young (Meyer Whitworth Prize 1999), Presence, Dark Earth and several adaptations including Six Characters in Search of an Author, The Girl on the Sofa (Festival 2002), Ivanov and Tales From the Vienna Woods. He has completed a screen adaptation of White Male Heart and is under commission to The Royal Court Theatre, The Royal National Theatre and The Royal Shakespeare Company. Harrower was the Edinburgh Festival/University of Edinburgh Creative Fellow 2004/2005.

4. Peter Stein and his winning Blackbird creative team are re-united at this year's Edinburgh International Festival for his staging of Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida.
Kings Theatre Mon 14 Aug - Sat 26 August, 7.00pm (except Wed 16 & Tue 17)
Matinees Tue 15, Sat 19, Thu 24, 1.00pm
Tickets from Hub Tickets 0131 473 2000. www.eif.co.uk
An Edinburgh International Festival production in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Sponsored by Bank of Scotland.

5. For further information on the American Premiere of Blackbird in New York from 10 April 2007, please visit www.mtc-nyc.org / contact Aaron Meier ameier@bbbway.com

For more information, images, and interviews regarding Blackbird, please contact the Edinburgh International Festival Press Office: 0131 473 2020 / press@eif.co.uk

For more information images and interviews on the Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland, please contact Lesley Booth at New Century PR. For further information, images and interviews contact:

07799 414 474 / lesley.booth@newcenturypr.com