Pitlochry Festival Theatre to premiere Jeanine Byrne's adaptation of DONALD & BENOIT

Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Prime Theatre have announced the Sound Stage premiere of new audio play Donald and Benoit from 17-19 December, a whimsical, magical, and musical tale for children of an unlikely friendship that has been brought to vivid life by the award-winning and heralded Scottish artist and playwright John Patrick Byrne and adapted by the multi-award-winning Jeanine Byrne.

The play features original songs and is co-directed by Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Elizabeth Newman and the theatre’s Associate Director and composer Ben Occhipinti.

Benoit lives a life of mundane ordinariness in his Scottish seaside town. He is feeling very lonely with no mother and his father lost at sea, what could ever make him feel less lonely and sad? Enter Donald, the small and mischievous kitten.

Playwright and theatre maker Jeanine Byrne said: “I have long thought that John’s delightful children’s book Donald and Benoit would make a wonderful family Christmas show. I have mentioned this to John on many occasions over the years, but it was only at the end of last year, unexpectedly, he asked me to do the adaptation. He felt now was the time and, after my second diagnosis of cancer, John knew I was now dedicating all my spare energies' to making work.

“He originally wrote Donald and Benoit for his twins, Xavier and Honor. As I adapted the book it became apparent to me that Donald and Benoit are in fact the twins… Benoit the upright, honourable, and kind Xavier and Donald the mad cap, funny, spirited Honor. I wanted to honour John in this adaptation and have done so by inserting a few ‘echoes’ from John’s other works such as Radio DJ and a nod to Glenna’s famous long-sleeved jumpers – both from Tutti Frutti. After 15 years together, I could hear John in my head as I wrote- it was such a joy.”

The play’s cast features Connor Going (Indecent Proposal, Southwark Playhouse) as Donald; Ross Baxter (Spring Awakening, Dundee Rep) as Benoit; David Colvin (Black Watch, National Theatre of Scotland) as Angus;  Richard Colvin  (A Christmas Carol, Bolton Octagon) as Wee Eck; Cara Kelly (Trust Me, BBC One) as Salty; Keith Macpherson (Rapunzel, Citizens Theatre) as Jean Kiki; Colin McCredie (Taggart, ITV) as Bucky; Gavin Mitchell (Boabby in Still Game) as Radio DJ; Patricia Panther (The Last Queen of Scotland, both National Theatre of Scotland and Scot Squad BBC One) as Belle; Emilie Patry (Ghost Light, National Theatre of Scotland) as Jolie; Kirsty Stuart (Faith Healer, Pitlochry Festival Theatre) as Mistress Senga McSporran and Ali Watt (Wind in the Willows, Pitlochry Festival Theatre) as Dorbie.

For more information and to book tickets, please click here.