We caught up with the writer of Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning, Morna Pearson, about her adaptation of the Bram Stoker classic. 

The performance is at Macrobert from Thu 21 - Sat 23 Sep. 

What made you decide to do a take on a classic like Dracula and why do you think the story has such enduring popularity?

NTS approached me to adapt it and my answer was “hell yes”. I usually have an element of genre in my plays, but this adaptation would allow me to boldly go full horror and it would be my first large scale production. 

I’m drawn to dark stories and thought I could contribute a unique version, despite the fact that it is constantly being done in many versions and mediums at any one time. Relocating it geographically was something NTS and I agreed on straight away. 

The scale of production and size of cast NTS could offer was very appealing, and with a highly collaborative process – with music, movement and visual design – it would allow for moments of real and satisfying horror, and room for character insight and exploration of themes. I was excited to work with Sally Cookson; I knew she would explode the story and put it back together in a striking and unique but recognisable way, and I knew working with her would push my writing to places it has never been before. 

Mina is so integral to the novel and I was excited by her potential as a protagonist and telling the story of Dracula through her eyes. 

Stoker’s Dracula endures as it is a fertile and layered story, open for a multitude of interpretations, interrogations, and reflections. Every era has its own existential anxieties, collective traumas and questions about power, and Dracula is the perfect vehicle in which to explore them. In recent years, who is allowed to ask these questions has become more diverse, which can especially be seen in the horror genre.

In honouring the story and the horror of Stoker’s novel, I hope we’ve created a rich, entertaining, and visceral horror for the stage. 

How does the North East, and Scotland as a whole, influence your writing for Dracula and the story you are telling in this stage version.

I tend to write where I feel most comfortable, and that is the North-East. Dark humour, coastal landscape, weather, sense of foreboding, and community spirit have influenced this story. I like to think these are characteristics of Scotland as a whole too. The play is set in Cruden Bay, Aberdeen, and Transylvania in 1890, so I had to research what these places were like back then, along with psychiatric care in the North-East of the time.

What do you think it has to say to the current moment/contemporary audiences

The world seems like a different place from when we first talked about doing the adaptation.

We’ve been constantly asking what, why and how, which is important when doing any adaptation. Why we’re telling the story, what parts of the story are we telling, and how are we presenting them. The answers to these questions have evolved as time has gone on. Who has power, who doesn’t have power and why? Trauma, identity and autonomy are all themes in the play. It asks; what do you do when the world isn’t made for you? 

There has been interest lately in maverick Scotswoman Emily Gerard who apparently directly inspired Bram Stoker – has she influenced the play in anyway?

Emily Gerard came to our attention last year. The discovery of her influence on the Dracula novel is exciting and confirms the existence of a Scottish female character like our protagonist Mina at the time; an intelligent, thoughtful young woman who hasn’t a great deal of power, but what she does have she uses wisely, and she’s rebellious and unyielding when she can be. It sounds like Emily and her sisters were able to push boundaries of what was expected of women for the time. We have directly referenced Emily Gerard and her writings in this play, through the research Mina does into vampire lore. 

What research did you do on the region’s influence and did writing this play highlight links to the North East you didn’t know about?

I read about Stoker’s time in Cruden Bay. I knew Slain’s was an influence, but I hadn’t appreciated how much. Stoker’s description of Dracula’s home (the octagonal room, for example) was based on the castle. When I visited for the first time in June this year, I was struck by how warren-like and oppressive it felt, despite not having a roof. 

There is a doric speaking character in the original Dracula, inspired - it’s thought - by Stoker’s time in Cruden Bay, will this be reflected in the play?

Very much so. Mr Swails and Renfield are the main Doric speakers and some others use a lighter dialect. They are both characters from the novel that I found endearing and struck me as having great theatrical potential, along with Mina becoming the main protagonist. 

Why did you choose to make this version all female?

Sally had the idea to frame the story of Dracula within an asylum – as psychiatric hospitals were called then- for women. I’d been writing Renfield as a female character and was drawn to exploring their experience in the asylum from the outset, so the framing device spun from there. It opened the play up further to interrogate issues of power, identity and autonomy, which are so relevant today. 

The actors are all women and non-binary, as are the characters they play in the asylum. Finding our brilliant cast then further informed the shaping of the characters.

The asylum setting sent us on a research mission to Lothian Health Services Archive at Edinburgh University Library, and NHS Grampian Archives, where they hold amazing and detailed records and photos of patients of the Victorian era. The characters in the asylum were partly shaped by the lives I read about in the archives, and the real horrors they faced in and out of the hospital. 

Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning is on from Thu 21 - Sat 23 Sep. Book tickets here

To see our full Autumn listings click here

NTS approached me to adapt it and my answer was “hell yes”.

We caught up with the writer of Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning, Morna Pearson, about her adaptation of the Bram Stoker classic.

 Most Scots have heard of 'Munro Bagging' but few will appreciate the origins of how the term 'Munros' came about and the scale of the numbers who embark on the quest to complete all 282 of them. Hill walking has undoubtedly become one of the largest outdoor participation sports in Scotland and takes walkers and climbers to some our most rugged and inaccessible corners. The photo shows the Nevis range from across Rannoch Moor.

Did you know that over 8,000 people have registered their completion of these peaks and the record for doing them all in one round was smashed earlier this year by Jamie Aarons in 31 days, 10 hours and 27 minutes? This was not just a female record but the overall fastest time for a self-propelled round of all 282 Munros. Self-propelled means no motorised transport. Jamie's complex route around all the Scottish 3,000-foot mountains (the definition of a Munro) covered a massive 2,576km and 135,366m of ascent - with 1,315km of that distance on foot, 830km by road bike, 370km by mountain bike, 49km on gravel bike and 11km of paddling in a kayak, including the obligatory sea leg to and from Mull. What an achievement. Apparently, she rarely slept for more than an hour!

This exhibition is presented by the Munro Society, all of whose members have completed the Munros, to provide background on the evolution of the Munros as a core part of the Scottish outdoor scene.

The Munro Legacy exhibition is in our cafe bar until Sun 7 Jan. 

For our full programme visit our website.

The Munro Society

As Summer draws to a close (are you as sad as I am about that?), I’ve been thinking about all of the exciting stuff and creative mess the Creative Activities team have been up to for the past six weeks or so and let me tell you, it’s not been boring.

"A creative mess is better than idle tidiness" - Michael J Fox

 I have thought a lot about creative mess over this summer and how we get all of the ideas, stories and feelings out of our heads. Don't get me wrong, I love nothing more than a label maker and a Marie Kondo clean house, but when it comes to telling a story or painting a canvas, we need to get messy. 

One of the things I love about our holiday programme is Art Club. They are one-off sessions, when we get to spend time looking at a specific artist and then creating our own ‘inspired by…’ artwork. Our Yayoi Kusama day was a highlight for me this summer - who doesn’t love getting creative with dots, circles and lines! Yayoi Kusama currently has an exciting exhibition entitled You, Me and the Balloons at Factory International in Manchester. I recommend that you give it a google. We also looked at Matisse's paper-cutting along with Jean-Michel Basquiat. With all of these, making a mess was a top priority especially when we looked at Basquiat. It was fun seeing all the young people and sometimes even the parents getting messy.

We had lots of creative mess during our Play in a Week based on a script created by young people who attended Macrobert weekly classes back in 2019. The performance was called Party and let me tell you the young people definitely made a creative mess during this performance with a poor Pinata ripped apart and the sweets devoured by audience members. 

In 2022, we partnered up with the Play team at Stirling Council for the first time with 'Play in the Park'. I’m sure everyone who works at Stirling Council is nice, but the Play team are my favourites. They’re fun, energetic and never fail to make me smile, so spending time with them in parks across Stirling is a real joy.

This year, we had our bubble guns loaded up with food dye and bubble solution so that young people could create their own mini masterpiece. It never fails to amaze me when young people say things like “I’m not arty” or "I can’t draw”, and then seeing them come to life with a bubble gun in hand was a real privilege.

The weather hasn’t been too miserable this year but we definitely had some rainy days. When I’m not visiting the Filmhouse at Macrobert (wink wink!), I love nothing more than a movie day with my own homemade film mix.

If you want to whip up your own, you’ll need:

Microwave popcorn (sweet and salty is my favourite)

When the popcorn is still warm, throw in everything else and mix it up. It’s as easy as that - gooey, crunchy, sweet and salty goodness. If you need a movie recommendation (or an excuse to make my film mix!), I vote for Spirited Away, a Japanese animated fantasy film by Studio Ghibli.

Homemade Film Mix

Macrobert Arts Centre is to open a unique community moviehouse in Plean

Macrobert Moviehouse will open right in the heart of Plean at the Balfour Community Centre on Saturday 7 October. Opening with Barbie and showing the latest film releases, it brings the full cinema experience right to the doorstep of the local community in this former mining village.

Based at the Balfour Community Centre, Macrobert Moviehouse will operate on a part-time basis, screening films on Thursday and Friday evenings and all-day Saturday and Sunday. Compact in size, the cinema houses twenty seats. Tickets are available on a Pay What You Choose basis with prices starting from £4.50.

Macrobert Moviehouse has been made possible through an award from Screen Scotland’s Cinema Recovery Fund and Macrobert Arts Centre’s own investment. Stirling Council is offering in-kind support by allowing the cinema to operate in the Balfour Community Centre and the cinema would not have been possible without the generous support of the community in Plean and the village’s community trust, Plean’s Voice, who welcomed and shaped the idea Macrobert proposed with warmth and enthusiasm.

Macrobert Moviehouse Plean

Join us for our first in-person Creative Quarter Gathering on Sat 7 Oct, 6 - 7.30pm. 

This is a chance to meet and connect with like-minded people, to chat informally about any creative projects you are involved in or may have coming up. Whether you’re a professional practitioner, a student of the arts, or you simply enjoy getting creative in your spare time, we’d love you to come along. 

If you'd like to join us please click here to help us plan refreshments for the evening. Hope to see you there. 

In July this year, we launched our monthly Creative Quarter, opportunities, information and some good old-fashioned chat direct to your inbox on the first Friday of the month. Find out how to sign up to receive this here.  

Each month a Macrobert curator will share something they have been up to, read on for a taste from September’s edition. 

September Creative Quarter: Green Arts & Get Togethers 

I’m Elizabeth, your Creative Curator this month which happens to be significant in my Macrobert story as it marks 15 years as a member of #TeamMacrobert. My role as Venue & Projects Manager has seen multiple festivals, in-house productions and countless venue alterations of varying scale. Keep reading to find out what I’ve been up to recently. (Spoiler! It’s not a celebration of fully updated floor plans reflecting the above, as deserved as that may be.) 

In August I ventured into the Edinburgh Festivals throng (via tram) to my first in-person Green Arts Initiative (GAI) Steering Group meeting. Having met exclusively online since joining it was a lovely moment to share coffee together on the back of our Environmental reporting. 

Since Macrobert signed up to become a member of the newly founded GAI almost 10 years ago they have been an invaluable resource as we navigate the complex and ever-evolving journey towards a more sustainable future for our venue, operations and programme. 

So what are GAI steering group working on just now?  

One focus is the development of a Green Arts Charter which will clearly outline the commitments of GAI members as well as aid your climate impact reduction planning. Earlier this year saw the launch of the communications platform Mighty Networks, an online space for GAI members. I sincerely hope we all harness its potential as a community hub through which we can learn from and with one another rather than all scrambling singlehandedly to achieve net zero. 

In-person Gathering, Sat 7 Oct

Creative Quarter Gathering

The Macrobert. Summer 1991. Myself, Education Officer, and all the staff are in the midst of our biggest project ever. The green sward of the campus is transformed with marquees and a sculpture trail featuring the work of Scottish sculptors on a Totems theme. In town, two elderly Inuit throat singers are entertaining a crowd outside the Thistle Centre. Inside one marquee Canadian First Nations artist Norman Tait is carving a totem, and inside another a young Inuit soapstone artist is sculpting a stunning image of an Inuit mother and child ice fishing. Two First Nations women have just finished a sewing residency in a nearby village and now one is down by the loch collecting swans’ feathers for her swan dance because today is a special day. Today hundreds of people have thronged the space to see the totem set upright and named. And my boss and myself have been named too, inducted into the Niskaa tribe, myself Hummingbird, because I was always flitting about, and Roy, calm quiet man. Because he was. (For the most part!)

Exhibitions, workshops, school projects, outdoor promenade theatre, Vancouver Youth Theatre and too many other things to mention happened that summer. Even the University chef decorated the centerpiece ham for graduation dinner with First Nations symbols.

And 32 years later, much older if not wiser I’m back at the Macrobert with my new play Woman Walking, (Oct 14) inspired by the life and writings of Nan Shepherd. These two events are conjoined across time. They both celebrate land, the perpetuity of it as we humans flit by in a seeming nanosecond, our love for nature, its healing power, and our urgent need to look after it.

It’s going to be good to be back on campus.

Sylvia Dow was Macrobert Arts Centre’s first Education Officer.

Catch her play Woman Walking on Saturday 14 October. Her play is inspired by the life of Nan Shepherd and her love of the Cairngorms.

It was quite a summer

Some of team Macrobert had the incredible privilege of experiencing a sneak peek of Lynn Ferguson's Storyland and, let us tell you, it's an experience that lingers.

A gifted storyteller and an absolute legend, Lynn Ferguson takes us on a journey that intertwines laughter, introspection, and unexpected tears. With razor-sharp wit and an undeniable knack for delving into the human psyche, she questions the narratives we construct about our lives, about others and the challenges we all face.

Just when we least expect it, tears welled up, and then, as if by magic, the hilarity resurfaced. We laughed. We groaned. But above all, we were pushed to think. Storyland isn't just a performance, it's a mirror that reflects the stories we carry within ourselves, stories that shape how we navigate the world. 

With yet another well-deserved 5-star review (which you can read HERE), Storyland is a must-see. So, book your tickets for Fri 1 Sep and join us at Macrobert for a show that promises to challenge your perceptions, tug at your heartstrings, and leave you with a renewed appreciation for the stories that shape us all.

Also, please excuse the over-excited post-show selfie. I've come to terms with the fact that I'm not exactly a selfie pro but there's no denying that it captured our unfiltered joy. 

"We don't get to choose what happens to us, but we do get to choose the story we live in."

We Don't Get To Choose What Happens

It can feel like an endless spiral entertaining young people during the school holidays, hours upon hours of scrolling through your social media trying to find places to go, inspiration for interesting arts and crafts or things to bake. Then the 'parent guilt' because you've been staring at a screen for ages, not actually doing any of those activities with your children. Then just when you think you’re in the clear, because they’re back at school, it’s the weekend!

Well, stop scrolling through Pinterest! Here's some advice from one parent to another.

It's all about finding unusual purposes for ordinary items.

This year, during our Easter Art Clubs, we used leftover easter eggs and 'painted with chocolate'. All you need is some chocolate, food colouring, and as many piping bags as you have food colour options.

If that isn't your thing, you could take some inspiration from Henri Matisse, just as we did during a Summer Art Club, and 'Draw with Scissors'. All you need for that is some white paper, a few pieces of coloured paper, some scissors, and glue. The best thing is, there are no mistakes!

My favourite activity to do is one specifically for the change of seasons.  It's a chance to get outside and stop for a moment to appreciate nature. I call it the 'Treasure Trail', where you take pictures or descriptions of some flowers, pinecones, trees, or insects and see how many of them you can find on your map.

I'm always happy to share some ideas of things to do with young people, so if you ever see me around the building, please feel free to ask. Oh, and keep an eye on our website for Art Club, which will be back during the October holidays.

Here's some advice from one parent to another

What better way to kick-start the cinema than by having the community choose the film? If you live in Plean and you'd like a say, join us on Thursday 7 September at 6pm at East Plean Primary School where we will hold the first programming meeting. This will not only will give you a chance to help decide what film is screen first, but also give you an opportunity to then preview the chosen film in your brand-new cinema for free. 

To join, please click on the link below and fill in the form. Please note that due to regulations around film certifications, the group is only open those 13 years or older.

Register interest in the film programming group

Help Choose Macrobert Moviehouse Plean's Opening Film

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A carefully curated sharing of opportunities, thoughts and reflections handpicked for the creative minded, topped off with a quarterly in-person gathering.

It’s been a longer than intended hiatus since our last Creative Breakfast (which was actually a Supper) in December. We’ve used the time toask for your input and look at how best we can use our resources to support our creative contacts. So…

Creative Breakfasts are changing, thanks to everyone who responded to our survey and helped us shape the way ahead. Less can be more, and the lighter touch of a monthly message via email with a richer experience when we do meet, embraces how precious time is.

We were glad to hear the clear message that meeting in person is still important to Creative Breakfasters and we love the open and equal forum for sharing what we are all up to.

The celebration of everyone’s activities that was true of Creative Breakfasts remains, a gathering by and for our creative community. Whether you’re a professional practitioner, a student of the arts, or you simply enjoy getting creative in your spare time, Creative Quarter is here to help you meet other inspiring people, share projects and ideas, and hear from different voices about some most exciting creative happenings.

To get Creative Quarter and invitations to our Creative Gatherings direct to your inbox on the first Friday of the month, please sign in to your Macrobert account and follow the steps below;

On the landing page, on the third purple tab along, click 'Contact Preferences'

At the bottom of the information, in blue, click 'Edit Contact Preferences'

The second last piece of information in bold will look like this -

I am happy to receive the monthly Creative Opportunities email from Macrobert, click yes

The first Creative Quarter will land in inboxes on Fri 07 July, I’m really looking forward to sharing this next chapter with old friends and new (make sure you sign up!)

Macrobert Creative Quarter

Welcome to Creative Quarter

Patriarchy is the term used to describe the male-dominated and engineered society in which we live today, which has been formed by both historical and current unequal power relations between men and women. This bias towards men means that women are both systematically disadvantaged and oppressed. Therefore, attributes seen as “feminine” or pertaining to women are undervalued, while attributes regarded as “masculine”, or pertaining to men are privileged and held in reverence. 

Patriarchy has been in existence for millennia across societies and its presence has influenced relationships, the workplace, families, schools, culture, beliefs, and values embedded in social, economic, and political systems that further structure and reinforce gender inequality between men and women. With such patriarchal ideologies already embedded in those who create film comes in writing, the male is the strong, confident heroine and the female characters are there to serve his story. 

Something that has come from this is ‘the male gaze’. Where women are hyper-sexualised and objectified, for the heterosexual male fantasy. With films like this that are written by men for men, women and young girls struggle to envision themselves as anything other than an accessory to men. 

However, this is why the new Barbie movie is so significant as it is a film directed by women for women. Director Greta Gerwig, who is known for her feminist films such as ‘Little Women’ and ‘Lady Bird’, has switched the gender norms of society by having ‘Barbie-land’ a female-dominated utopia, controlled by female presidents, engineers, doctors, teachers and Nobel prize winners with the men, otherwise known as ‘the kens’, are just there existing, being the ‘accessory’ to the barbies. 

The film is bursting with feminist themes centred around womanhood and the female experience with issues such as harassment, sexual assault, upholding impossible beauty standards and women's health. All things that aren’t talked about enough within society. With feminist topics being showcased on the big screen and women not being objectified by costuming or camera angles, it paves the way for women to feel validated and empowered and will spur exciting, educational conversations between parents and kids about why we don’t live in a world in which women have as much power as they do in Barbie-land due to patriarchy, and why it is a problem for anyone, no matter their gender, to be made to feel like an accessory and more. 

The film finishes perfectly, highlighting that both men and women can deconstruct the patriarchal society and live in a world where both are equal. Or as Barbie likes to put it, going to see a gynaecologist.

Barbie is currently screening until Thu 3 Aug. 

Maya Mitchell has just graduated from the University of West of Scotland  with a BA Hons in Performance.

Feminism in Film

As we get older, we want to keep doing the things in life that we enjoy. Whether that’s going for coffee or eating out, cooking at home, a walk in the local park, going to the cinema or theatre. A diagnosis of dementia shouldn’t change that either.  

The Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) at the University of Stirling has created the Environments for Ageing and Dementia Design Assessment Tool (EADDAT), which has been designed to support people to make the places and spaces in which we live, work, and play more supportive of an ageing population, and people living with dementia. The toolkit provides information and guidance on changes that could be made to make a space more supportive, allowing our ageing population to be more independent and continue living in communities for as long as possible.  

Something as simple as introducing brighter lights could allow someone to keep up their favourite hobbies, such as reading, sewing or cooking. Removing contrasting door mats from entrance ways could make doorways accessible (a dark mat can sometimes be perceived as a hole in the floor).  

The Macrobert Art Centre has trialled Tier 1 of EADDAT and received a self-certification for their efforts, after meeting the relevant criteria. A Tier 1 self-certificate is a great way to reassure people using The Macrobert Art Centre who are living with dementia, or age-related impairments, that they are actively supporting their needs, as well as those of the community.  

The Dementia Services Development Centre, 

Environments for Ageing and Dementia Design Assessment Tool (EADDAT)

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As we get older, we want to keep doing the things in life that we enjoy

The excitement of performing and presenting at Macrobert continues apace.  March saw fabulous productions from Dance Connection and SABOS – including a real-life marriage proposal on stage after one of the performances.  May will see the exciting culmination of the Scottish Community Drama Association’s One Act Play competition.  The Finals will be performed over three nights with a winner chosen on the last evening. 

We are also looking forward to welcoming a raft of young people to the venue to perform in June including Dollar Academy with their production of Grease; plus dance displays from three wonderful dance companies – Central Scotland Ballet School, Laura Gray School of Dance and Lynda Turner School of Dance.  Tickets for each will be on sale soon.   

We can only take booking enquiries for events which would be in 2024 as our venue is fully programmed until then.  If you wish to discuss an event taking place later this year then please complete an enquiry form and submit to events@macrobertartscentre.org  I look forward to hearing from you about it.

Contact Amy at programming

"The excitement of performing and presenting at Macrobert continues apace..."

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The excitement of performing and presenting at Macrobert continues apace

Artistic Director, Julie Ellen's April blog

We have been working with the world famous A Play, A Pie and A Pint team to build on what they do, commissioning and producing new short plays from Scotland’s writers. This season we are co-producing three new pieces and each one gives more work to actors, directors, stage managers and technical colleagues, and all the other great people involved in making and presenting live performance.   

It is the first time we have had A Play, A Pie and A Pint shows at Macrobert and I think they bring something really special to our Live season. You get an actual pie and a drink as part of your ticket price. You also get to see some of the best playwrights in action and the easy to digest, under an hour format in the intimate setting of our Playhouse is a great way to experience a new play without even losing an evening. I’m delighted to be the Director of Welcome to Bannockburn and it feels very special to be amongst those who are creating that, The Merry Wives of The Wynford and The Great Replacement, they are an exceptionally talented and lovely group of people.  

I am committed to this partnership as part of finding new ways to share the best of Scotland’s home-grown talent with you and as a way of inviting you to come and take a chance to try something that you might not otherwise. I really hope you will be tempted by this and the many other shows we have coming here leading up to the summer.  

If you see me at Macrobert, do say hello, it is always good to meet you and to hear your views. 

Book tickets for A Play, A Pie and A Pint

"...they bring something really special to our Live season..."

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They bring something really special to our Live season

Lesleyburn Hart, writer of Welcome to Bannock

When I was asked to write a play to launch A Play, A Pie & A Pint at Macrobert Arts Centre, my first question was: how do I write for a local audience while telling my own story? There were things I was burning to write about – cultures of misogyny and public shaming - and I wanted to get to grips with those difficult subjects in a topical and entertaining way that also paid tribute somehow to the area.

I began researching the area, visiting, and asking local people about what characterises this part of central Scotland for them. Of all the wonderful and varied responses I received, the most common was: the history, and specifically, the Scottish Wars of Independence. It was in the Scots victory at the Battle of Bannockburn and Robert the Bruce’s subsequent bargain to release his wife, sister, and daughter that I found the inspiration for my play, and which allowed me to wrestle with its themes in a way that felt personal to me, local to the area, topical for Scotland right now, and – hopefully – universal. 

Lesley Hart, Writer
Welcome to Bannockburn

"How do I write for a local audience while telling my own story?"

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Here in LA people have generally heard of Edinburgh and Glasgow but not everyone has heard of Stirling. But take that as no insult, Stirlingers, as I’ve also been asked what part of England Scotland is in. (When that happens I smile and remember my late mother who told me to mind my manners even with idiots.)

Anyway in explaining Stirling, I always say if there were three sisters, Edinburgh is the know it all, Glasgow the mouthy one and Stirling is the wee magical one with millions of stories to tell, but only if you take the time to ask.

Last time we were all in the UK, our family took a trip to Stirling to see my great grandfather's diary which is in the castle. We didn’t get to see it because of the refurbishment, but that didn’t stop us having a brilliant time.

My youngest had the same reaction to Stirling as he did to fish and chips from a real chippy - which he viewed as some ambrosia of the Gods. He couldn’t believe it existed and in all of his 11 years of being on the planet he’d never heard of it.

“It’s like Narnia,” he claimed, “But better.”

Maybe Stirling should have that as their new motto. Stirling: Like Narnia but better.

Anyway, it completely reflects the theme of Storyland. Often the things we completely take for granted, turn out to be the best and most magical of all.

Lynn Ferguson brings her show, Storyland, to Macrobert on Fri 1 Sep, 7.30pm. 

You can find more information and book tickets here.

"Stirling is the wee magical one with millions of stories to tell, but only if you take the time to ask."

"It's like Narnia... But better."

Over the last few months at Macrobert, every day seems to have got busier and busier as Macrobert’s vibrant live programme of local and touring work continues to return to pre-pandemic levels.  It has been joyous to have the venue buzzing with rehearsals and performances and there are some real treats to look forward to in the coming weeks with the return of SABOS and their production of Made In Dagenham and Dance Connection presenting Once Upon A Stage. 

Click here for details on how to book Macrobert Arts Centre for your event.

"It has been joyous to have the venue buzzing..."

"Every day seems to have got busier and busier..."

I started thinking about adapting Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor around 2019, when fellow actor Janette Foggo and I sat in a coffee shop, talking the world to rights. Among the issues we were most passionate about was #MeToo and how we, along with most women (and men) we knew, wanted to confront the thorny issues of abuse of power by powerful men. As a writer I felt I had at least some of the tools to do that, and Merry Wives presented a perfect opportunity. 

It’s not the best-known play in the canon but like many of the comedies it’s an exploration of, and celebration of, female power and agency. It’s centred in a domestic rather than a world stage and, although it was written more than four hundred years ago, some of the male attitudes – seeing women as easy prey, or property, or powerless – have plenty of resonance and relevance for us, here, now. Those attitudes are both scrutinised and mercilessly lampooned in Merry Wives ('Shakespeare the Feminist: Discuss') and I wanted to capture that comedy while holding on to the underlying messages about respect and trust that the original play champions. I hope I’ve succeeded in doing that in updating the action to present-day Maryhill - at the same time, of course, as taking the opportunity for a couple of sideswipes at some well-known modern Falstaffs. You know who they are…

Linda Duncan McLaughlin is the writer of A Play, A Pie and A Pint's The Merry Wives of Wyndford, which is coming to Macrobert from Thu 1 - Sat 3 Jun.

Book tickets for The Merry Wives of Wyndford

Shakespeare: The Feminist by Linda Duncan McLaughlin

As I sat down to write this, for the first time I thought about how long it had been since I joined Macrobert? In those four years it’s been an adventure to say the least. 

Creative Learning became Creative Activities. A pandemic descended and we stayed at home. We designed and delivered an amazing digital programme for people to stay creative from the comfort of their home. We restarted our in-person activities in community spaces across Forth Valley, welcoming lots of brand-new participants to #TeamMacrobert. Macrobert City Hub was launched as a space to chat to our staff, and take part in creative activities. The list goes on and we’re by no means unique in the challenges we faced, but a key element of our success during this time has been our constant desire to share our love of the arts and bring joy to the lives of those people who participate.

We recognise that the social aspect of taking part in our activities is really important and that’s probably best demonstrated in our weekly Dance for Parkinson’s sessions at Cochrane Hall, Alva. Time is dedicated before and after dancing to chat, check in with each other and share what connects us with a cup of tea in hand. Oh, and a biscuit too. And did I mention that ours is one of the biggest DfP groups in Scotland?

So what’s next? We loved our time at the Thistles Shopping Centre, being in the heart of the city centre and having the opportunity for people to discover more about Macrobert and chat to us. We’re just finalising some details about the home for our regular activity, but we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Full list of Classes and Workshops

"It’s been an adventure to say the least"

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"it’s been an adventure to say the least"

University Archivist, Karl Magee, speaks on te work of Lindsay Anderson

As an archivist its always an exciting experience working with artists. They can approach the collections in your care in new and unexpected ways, producing stimulating and challenging new work as part of their encounter with the archive.

The archives of the filmmaker Lindsay Anderson have been a source of inspiration and exploration for the artist Stephen Sutcliffe for many years as he notes in his contribution to our exhibition Never Apologise which is on display in the Macrobert until the 21 May.

To coincide with our Anderson exhibition we are delighted to welcome Stephen to the Macrobert for a special event where we will discuss how the use of archives informs his creative practice. The event will also include the opportunity to watch a rarely-seen Anderson film chosen by Stephen for its contemporary echoes. Written by Alan Bennett The Old Crowd was a television play set at a dinner party taking place in a society fraying at the edges. Broadcast on ITV in January 1979 Anderson noted that it was greeted with “an almost flattering unanimity of outrage.” Does it still have the power to shock and challenge the viewer? You can decide for yourself on the 26 April.

Book tickets for The Old Crowd

“Thinking outside the box…”

SQIFF Director & Programme Coordinator, Indigo Korres, talks about the upcoming Trans-Generational Tour

SQIFF is back and going on tour from April until June 2023! 

The Trans-Generational Tour is bringing three beautiful screenings on inter-generational trans communities to six venues across Scotland; Inverness (we had an incredible time at Eden Court), Stirling (Macrobert Arts Centre), Glasgow (Glasgow Film Theatre), Hawick (Cornucopia Unit 4), Dundee (Dundee Contemporary Arts), and Stornoway (An Lanntair). 

The programme features films made by and with trans communities to explore journeys, experiences, and history. At MacRobert Arts Centre, SQIFF will be screening two programmes. The feature Framing Agnes, followed by a conversation with local trans and non-binary people on inter-generational trans experiences and creating space for the community. And Trans Parenting, a shorts programme that focuses on trans and non-binary experiences around family; raising families, forming families, and nurturing families.

Trans-Generational Tour project came to be as I was researching in the Digital Transgender Archive and talking to friends about trans histories in Scotland and came across a magazine from the 90s called the Tartan Skirt, where trans people in Scotland would communicate and share information on many things trans related. Around the same time, I watched the film Framing Agnes, which focuses on one part of trans history on the UCLA gender health research in the 60s and uses transcripts of archival interviews from trans patients that saw Dr Garfinkel, recreating those into a talk show. Because of that, I’ve decided to focus the programme mainly on trans lives, histories, intergenerational communities, and how younger trans people learn about our history through our trans elders. This tour is a celebration of trans lives.

Join us in cinemas across Scotland for this unique reflection on trans knowledge and how it is passed down from generation to generation of trans communities.

Director & Programme Coordinator, SQIFF (Scottish Queer International Film Festival)

Full Listings

"This tour is a celebration of trans lives"

Our development manager share's what it is like to be a fundraiser

When I get asked what I do for a living, then explain the details of my role, the response is often “That sounds like a difficult job”. And they’re right. I’m a fundraiser and raising money can be incredibly tough, especially during times of financial difficulties. 

Many people may not know that Macrobert is a charity and rely on fundraising to enable us to continue our work providing opportunities and activities for people throughout Forth Valley. We receive money from a range of places such as trusts and foundations and are lucky to have incredible donors and local businesses that continually support our work. 

While fundraising is difficult, the rewards are massive. The projects that we deliver are incredibly important for people throughout our communities. Recently, we received funding that will allow us to continue our Dance for Parkinson’s classes in Alva. Those living with Parkinson’s and their carer can attend these classes where specially trained Dance Artists help them to develop movement skills with particular focus on the fluidity of movement, balance, coordination, expression, posture, and rhythm. These classes not only provide the opportunity for physical development but can also help improve mental health through the important social aspect and peer support network.

Donating today will ensure that our work in communities helps even more people, providing them with opportunities they may otherwise not be able to access.

Find out more about how to support the work Macrobert does

“That sounds like a difficult job”

That sounds like a difficult job

As the first blog for our new website I wanted to give you some insight into the considerations of our Live Programme. 

When choosing work for our curated programme my colleagues and I try to satisfy what you, our audience tell us that you want. There is of course a range of people and tastes to consider, and we also want to offer different kinds of night out. Our challenge includes finding performances to entertain and also those that prompt new thoughts and conversation.  

To provide all this we are heavily reliant on the availability of quality work that has interesting stories and high production values. This is increasingly a challenge in financially difficult times.  We have been looking at how we can add strength to what is available for theatres of similar scale across Scotland and the skill of our inhouse staff has been engaged in co-producing so that quality work has the best chance of coming to the stage. The upcoming Play, Pie & a Pint and Shark in the Park are both great examples of these.  

In addition the local companies who perform and present here really enhance the programme through their choices of work and their commitment to sharing a love of theatre. It is great that so many of them are performing with us between now and the end of June.  

I hope you as well as looking at the show listing you will check the regularly changing content for this blog, hearing more about what goes on behind our Live programme and, having had a peep behind the curtain, you will find lots of different performances to come and enjoy at Macrobert.  

Macrobert News

We caught up with the writer of Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning, Morna Pearson, about her adaptation of the Bram Stoker classic.

The Munro Society

Homemade Film Mix

Macrobert Moviehouse Plean

Creative Quarter Gathering

It was quite a summer

We Don't Get To Choose What Happens

Here's some advice from one parent to another

Help Choose Macrobert Moviehouse Plean's Opening Film

Welcome to Creative Quarter

Feminism in Film

As we get older, we want to keep doing the things in life that we enjoy

The excitement of performing and presenting at Macrobert continues apace

They bring something really special to our Live season

"How do I write for a local audience while telling my own story?"

"It's like Narnia... But better."

"Every day seems to have got busier and busier..."

Shakespeare: The Feminist by Linda Duncan McLaughlin

"it’s been an adventure to say the least"

“Thinking outside the box…”

"This tour is a celebration of trans lives"

That sounds like a difficult job

Our challenge includes

Stories of Macrobert

Call me old fashioned...

I’m going to enjoy ticking it off my to-do list...

Never Apologise: An Exhibition from the Lindsay Anderson Archive