Edinburgh Festival premiere for Caithness play on death of Willie McRae
A PLAY based on the death of a lawyer who was working on a case involving alleged dumping of nuclear waste into the sea at Dounreay will have its premiere at the Edinburgh Festival tonight.
Thurso poet and playwright George Gunn’s 3000 Trees will begin its month-long run at Gryphon Venues at the Hilton, Bread Street, and will star local actors Adam Robertson and Helen Mackay.
The play is set around the true story of lawyer Willie McRae who was working on a case involving the alleged dumping of nuclear waste when he was found seriously injured in Wester Ross in April 1985.
Taken to hospital, he died the following day after it was assumed he had suffered fatal injuries in a car crash.
However, during the postmortem, a gunshot wound was found behind his right ear and a gun was recovered near to where his car was discovered.
It was thought McRae had committed suicide but others believe he was murdered, claiming he was under observation for what he knew.
Robertson, who stars in BBC Scotland soap River City as Dr Dan Hunter, is also a producer of the play.
Mackay made her television debut in Rab C Nesbitt in January, has acted on several Radio Four dramas and appeared in many stage productions.
The show will run at the fringe until Sunday, August 24, and more information can be found at www.3000trees.com