National Theatre of Scotland sets sail with Kidnapped

THE National Theatre of Scotland has unveiled its retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novella, Kidnapped.

The show will have its world premiere at the Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock on 31 March.

It will then go on tour to the Theatre Royal in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Eden Court in Inverness, Perth Theatre, and Northern Stage in Newcastle between March and May.

The story has been adapted for the stage by Isobel McArthur with Michael John McCarthy, the writer and musical supervisor behind the Olivier award-winning Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of), commissioned by Glasgow’s Tron Theatre.

In their retelling of the story, the relationship between the central characters – Davie Balfour and Alan Breck Stewart – is reimagined as a romance.

In a statement, McArthur and McCarthy said: “In Kidnapped, there seemed to us to be more of Stevenson the man, his beliefs, and experiences than in any other of his works of fiction.

“His deeply romantic view of being human, his attempts to hold onto a sense of innocence and wonder at the world, his lust for travel, his attraction to glamour and physical strength… they are all here.

“In this novella, Stevenson asks what it is to be Scottish, to be in in love, to be a grown-up – all through the telling of a historical tale, full of humour, heart, and song.

“It’s a true adventure story – where body, heart and soul are put through their paces – to, by turns, thrilling, moving and humorous effect. We just couldn’t pass it up.”

Read more news and reviews on Scottish Field’s culture pages.

Plus, don’t miss actor Cal MacAninch sharing his credo in October’s luxury issue of Scottish Field magazine.