Two years after closing its theatre doors Lyth Arts Centre announces a new spring programme

With the theatre doors closed for almost two years, Lyth Arts Centre (LAC) has this week announced its new spring programme is to take place indoors.

The line-up includes music, theatre, family arts and film with artists from across Scotland as well as "internationally renowned performers".

LAC co-director Charlotte Mountford said: "We really can’t wait to welcome audiences back. We’ll still have some Covid-19 safety measures in place, including encouraging mask wearing, social distancing and limited capacities but you can absolutely expect the warm LAC welcome, complete with a well-stocked bar and top quality artists and performers from around the world."

There is a special focus on new Scottish theatre, created in spite of the pandemic. Several shows will be performed over various nights with visits in Reay, Wick, Latheron and at Lyth. This includes The Metamorphosis: Unplugged by Glasgow-based Vanishing Point.

The company were last in Caithness in 2019 with their show The Dark Carnival: Unplugged which sold out for three nights. Another company coming back to Lyth is Superfan. They were last at the venue with hit baby show Little Top but will be back this spring with a hilarious show for adults called Like Animals. There will also be a special screening of National Theatre of Scotland’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

The venue also has plenty on offer for children and young people too including a shadow puppet show for ages 2+ called Nettles in the Garden and an environmental clown caper called Two in a Barrel. There’s more puppetry with a visit from Cat Sith, a larger than life cat puppet visiting Wick and Thurso town centre with a very important message. The Caithness Young Creatives will continue with its workshop programme too.

A mainstay of the arts centre programme, live music, will return with everything from folk to funk. This includes international duos the Bowker-Myslek Duo and Cordes en Ciel who both bring innovative chamber music to the programme. Budapest Café Orchestra will also return to Caithness with their blistering Balkan beats.

Funk band James Brown is Annie are back for a weekend of home-coming gigs – the venue says both nights are guaranteed to sell out so early booking is recommended. Music and film fans are also recommended to not miss out on the screening of Iorram. The first ever cinema documentary entirely in Scottish Gaelic, ​​the original score for the film was written by award winning musician Aidan O’Rourke, who also is part of the band Lau.

For more information and to book tickets visit www.lytharts.org.uk

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