Cumming, who has appeared in such films as Goldeneye and X2: X-men United, was among the audience to view Hunter last Wednesday and was impressed by what he saw.

The actor was in Scotland for the Edinburgh International Film Festival jury and came north to support award-winning director John Tiffany.

The community production, which saw cast members lead the audience through the town streets and to various venues looking for clues to the girl's whereabouts, was devised and performed by over 170 people, most of whom were Thurso High School pupils.

The three performances were the result of two months of hard work by the youngsters, who were led by a team of professional artists from the National Theatre of Scotland for the project, entitled Transform Caithness.

Local community groups also got involved in the production, which has been highly praised.

Members of Thurso Players, the Melvich Gaelic Choir, the Ormlie Youth Drama Group, the Ormlie Young Mother's Group, the Caithness Handbell Ringers and the Kaithness Kickers all played their part in the tale.

The story of Hunter evolved around the disappearance of a local teenage girl, Parker Bell. The mysterious thriller took audiences on a surprising and magical evening journey through the streets of Thurso.

Starting at St Peter's Episcopal Church, the 150 audience members found themselves in a town meeting where they were informed that Parker Bell was missing and that they would be split into groups and sent on a hunt for clues relating to her disappearance.

Each group followed clues in a different order which led them to seven venues around Thurso, including the Mill Theatre, Thurso Library, Caithness Horizons café, the RBLS clubrooms bar, a return to St Peter's Episcopal Church and a domestic garage under a house.

In each venue, audiences witnessed a piece of performance which provided them with their next clue and led them to their next venue.

There were also strange interventions around the streets of Thurso including two performers dressed in rabbit suits, music from the Caithness Handbell Ringers and movement pieces from a number of young people who initially appeared to be hanging around the streets.

Two performers dressed in rabbit suits appeared around the streets of Thurso to surprise the Hunter audiences.

Following their different journeys around Thurso, the audience members were reunited in Skinandi's nightclub – the seventh venue – for the grand finale involving line-dancing from the Kaithness Kickers, music from the band Chaos and a dramatic climax to the event involving drama, music, dancing and a shower of fireworks.

Hunter was directed by the award-winning duo of John Tiffany and Steven Hoggett (Black Watch), who were working alongside a team of professional theatre artists from Frantic Assembly and the National Theatre of Scotland, including Johnny McKnight and Eddie Kay as associate directors, Brian Docherty as composer and sound designer, and Rob Drummond as writer.

Adrian Clark, area cultural officer with the Highland Council, said: "The main thing is how much the participants have got from the project. It said 'Transform' on the box and this is what it delivered. I am quite sure that this eight-week intensive project has been a life-changing experience for those involved, in particular the young people, who really bought into it."

Ken Murphy, depute head at Thurso High School, said: "National Theatre of Scotland's Transform Caithness has been a success on so many levels. The number of students participating was 150 – many of them individuals who would not normally put themselves forward for the annual end-of-year school show.

"On an educational level, Hunter and the National Theatre of Scotland team delivered all four capacities of the new Curriculum for Excellence. The show was a hit because the students became 'effective contributors', were 'successful learners', showed 'responsibility' as members of the school and wider community, and increased significantly in 'confidence'.

"The experience was also transforming for the school staff. Watching the students develop throughout the rehearsal period was, personally and professionally, inspirational. The National Theatre of Scotland team asked for, and got, real commitment and hard work from all the participants. The result was a stunning show."

He continued: "Finally, regardless of all the educational targets hit by student participation in the show, and there were many, what was so satisfying was the quality of the theatrical experience for the audience.

"Hunter was excellent theatre performed by actors, dancers, singers, musicians and writers – 150 of whom happened to be students at Thurso High School."

The production was praised by those who saw it. In a letter to the editor (page 11), Liz O'Donnell, of Brough, described it as "a truly memorable experience", adding: "We were the audience being swept along on a magical, surreal and mysterious journey. Using elements of dance, drama and music, the performers created very convincing and sometimes unsettling situations, blurring the edges between theatre and reality."

Similar sentiments were expressed by Thurso's Mark Eddowes, who said: "Never have I witnessed, on such a grand scale, such a perfectly executed and well produced, delightful extravaganza."

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---