Countdown to start of arts festival

A VIBRANT programme of theatre, music, spoken word returns to venues across the region next week.

Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival begins next Thursday and runs until June 14 bringing world-class performing arts to the region.

It opens with Sand, Silt, Flint by singer and producer Fiona Soe Paing at Eskdalemuir Hub, an evocative production combining traditional ballads, electronic soundscapes and visual storytelling.

Opening weekend also features the Scottish Chamber Orchestra performing Rhythms of Fire at The Bridge in Dumfries.

Theatre remains at the heart of the festival and highlights include the return of acclaimed storyteller James Rowland with the deeply moving, remarkable true story of a Titanic stoker’s fight for survival. Performing five shows across the region, Glasgow Oran Mor’s famous A Play, A Pie and a Pint brings another of its delicious lunchtime theatre offers.

International work also features strongly this year. Quebec company La Fille Du Laitier brings their bold and visually striking silent-film inspired adaptation Macbeth Muet to the region, while a unique collaboration between Japanese company Bird Theatre and The Galloway Agreement presents Towa Mura by Tom Pow, a lyrical exploration of rural life and community.

Families are also well catered for with Fungi Frida and the Myco Heroes, an interactive outdoor performance exploring the environment through storytelling, music and puppetry.

Simon Hart, director and CEO of Arts D and G, said: “We are really pleased that along with leading national and regionally based artists and companies, we have been able to bring international work of the highest quality to this year’s festival. It’s a packed line-up of great theatre, music, spoken word, street arts and opera for all ages and tastes!”

n Full details can be found at: www.artsdg.org.uk.