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Press Release - Announcing the This is a Gift Company

A cat turning to gold sitting on a pile of letters on a doormat in a hallway

PRESS RELEASE   

For immediate release 

A Pitlochry Festival Theatre Production  

 

THIS IS A GIFT 

A new play by Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir  

Directed by Sam Hardie 

Set and Costume Design by Natalie Fern 

Lighting Design by Peter Fennell  

Sound Design by Niroshini Thambar 

Cast: Blythe Jandoo 

  • World première of Edinburgh-based Icelandic playwright and director Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir’s new play  
  • This Is A Gift was one of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 37 Plays playwriting project in 2023 and was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting 
  • Runs in the Studio at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 24 June – 11 September  
  • Press performance on Saturday 28 June at 2.30pm 

Pitlochry Festival Theatre to stage the première of Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir’s new play This Is A Gift 

Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Studio is set to stage the world première of This Is A Gift, a new play by Edinburgh-based Icelandic playwright and director Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir, set in Leith, based on the Greek Midas Myth, that explores class, care and consequences. 

If you could have one wish, what would it be?  

Zoe is about to head off to university, assuming she’s got the grades. Dad’s gilding business is struggling but they don’t talk about that. Summer is here and everything is about to change. Hopefully.  

When Silvain passes out against their door, Zoe and dad take him in and care for him – a simple act of kindness that has unexpected consequences. As a token of his gratitude, Silvain’s friend, Dennis, offers dad a wish. But all wishes come with a price. Gold does not glitter. Gold just blinds.  

Directed by Sam Hardie (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Pitlochry Festival Theatre), This Is A Gift featured as one of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 37 Plays, a national playwriting project in 2023 which created a series of 37 brand new plays that reflected the world we live in. The new play was also longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting the same year. 

Playing the role of Zoe will be the acclaimed, award-winning Scottish actress Blythe Jandoo whose theatre credits include Gypsy, The Maggie Wall and Sunshine on Leith (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Peter Pan (Clyde Auditorium Glasgow), and she also featured in the Walt Disney Pictures Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast.  

Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir is an Icelandic director, playwright and dramaturg based in Edinburgh. Her writing includes Deliverance by Brite Theatre (produced by Vanishing Point), Kit Kat (Breakfast Plays, Traverse Theatre) and Can This Be (Prague Fringe). In Spring 2022 she was Resident Director at the Tron Theatre where she directed Me and My Sister Tell Each Other Everything (which she was nominated as Best Director at the 2022 CATS Awards) and hang. Her recent freelance credits include ChildMinder  (Traverse Theatre), Variant  (A Play, A Pie and A Pint) and Maryland  (Traverse Theatre).  ​

Playwright Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir said:   

“This Is A Gift is a love letter. To Leith. To Scottish humour. To youth. To the Greek myths. To parents and children and care. To the outsiders. To growing up poorer than other folks and the ambitions that come with that. To being on the precipice. 

It was such an honour to have it performed script in hand as part of the 37 Plays at the Royal Shakespeare Company – I did my Masters on Shakespeare and his love of language is such an inspiration to me. I mention that as even though it is a piece of new writing it owes a lot to the old masters and their craft. It is a very lyrical, rhythmic piece, it is a rollercoaster ride of big emotions and striking imagery. Expect a bit of magic, an old story told in a new way, a young perspective. Expect a stunning solo performance and marriage of artforms. Expect it to be both intimate and epic, personal and divine. Expect the unexpected. I’m beyond thrilled to have it premiere at gorgeous Pitlochry and can’t wait to hear your reactions.” 

 

This Is A Gift runs in the Studio at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 24 June – 11 September. Tickets and further information are available from the Box Office on 01796 484626 or online at pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com.  

  

-Ends- 

  

Media Contact  

For all press interviews and review tickets please contact Duncan Clarke PR:   

T 07880893750 or E duncanclarkepr@gmail.com  

NOTES TO EDITORS  

Press performance: Saturday 28 June at 2.30pm, Studio (Double bill available on Thu 3 July at 2.30pm with Grease at 7.30pm)     

Creatives:   

A Pitlochry Festival Theatre Production  

THIS IS A GIFT 

A new play by Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir  

Director: Sam Hardie 

Set and Costume Designer: Natalie Fern 

Lighting Designer: Peter Fennell  

Sound Designer: Niroshini Thambar 

Stage Manager: Katy Nicolson 

Assistant Stage Manager (on book): Jess Baldwin 

Cast: Blythe Jandoo 

Listings 

Eve perf at 8pm: June: 24, 25   

Mat perf at 2.30pm: June: 28 /July: 3 /September: 5, 11   

Ticket prices: From £15  

Box Office and group bookings: 01796 484626 
email boxoffice@pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com  

Website: pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com  

Address: Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Port-Na-Craig, Pitlochry, Perthshire PH16 5DR  

Pitlochry Festival Theatre. A Theatre for Everyone. A Theatre for a Lifetime.  

Since 1951, Pitlochry Festival Theatre has been the artistic heart and soul of Highland Perthshire. Attracting over 100,000 visitors every year, we’re more than simply a place to come and see a show – we’re Scotland’s leading producer of musical theatre, a champion of ensemble practice and the country’s only rurally-located, major arts organisation. Our purpose is to improve lives by sharing Pitlochry with the world and the world with Pitlochry. Our aim is to create life-enhancing experiences in our Theatre and its glorious eleven-acre campus that encompasses the magical Explorers Garden. In everything we do, we are committed to nurturing an exciting creative and cultural future for Scotland.  

 Pitlochry Festival Theatre is a charity supported by funding from Creative Scotland and Perth & Kinross Council. It is also grateful to the many individual donors, and trusts and foundations who support us; without their generosity we could not continue to produce exceptional theatre.  

Pitlochry Festival Theatre is a registered Scottish Charity. No SC013055 

Pitlochry Festival Theatre gratefully acknowledges support from: 

Logos of Perth and Kinross council and Creative Scotland.