Where can you see a proposal of marriage on Silver Knowes beach, a stinky fish nightmare, and an appearance of Maggie Thatcher, all in one show? In Leith Dockers Club on 12th November is the answer. That’s where Citadel Arts Group is thrilled to be reviving its 4-star play, Getting Along with Gran, for two performances only. ‘The North Edinburgh Arts audience loved the show in June, so we’re confident Gran will go down a bomb with our regular Leith supporters,’ says producer Liz Hare. The company are all looking forward to bringing the play to their Leith base and Gran (Laverne Edmonds) has already met some of the locals although she was disappointed the Dockers bar didn’t seem to stock Babycham, her favourite tipple! The play is scripted by Rhona McAdam, Elaine Campbell, San Cassimally and Pamela Hanlon, members of Citadel Arts Group’s playwrights’ workshop. Getting Along with Gran is inspired by the powerful stories of the Social History Group based in Royston Wardieburn Community Centre. Both groups of older people collaborated to create the play. The script emerged from the life stories of Winifred Burke, Pat Gilhooley, Anna Hutchison, Bill and Greta McPhail, Helen McRae, David Norcliffe, Karen Soso, and Cathie Umobi. North Edinburgh Arts audiences told Citadel: ‘It was excellent . . . funny and thought provoking . . . I love that it was local history . . . loved how it was intergenerational’. Jim Aitken who leads the Craigroyston group assured Citadel, ‘Having a play performed that came out of our social history project was wonderful.’ The play combines humour, politics, nostalgia and a few slightly scary moments. It’s a show for all the family with a truly intergenerational cast. The only change from the original line-up is in the roles of the children. In the Leith production they will be played by members of the Be Happy Performing Arts Company from Gorebridge. Six wee thespians from the group coached by Mairi Jayne Weir, are keen to take part alongside the Citadel professionals. Mairi Jayne Weir plays Em, the girl who learns to get along with her annoyingly forgetful and chatty Gran when she gets caught up in some of Gran’s funny and troubling memories. Mairi Jayne told Citadel, ‘Taking part in Getting Along with Gran, performing beside professional actors, is a wonderful opportunity for the young people.’ The company are delighted to have a real-life retired janitor, David Norcliffe in the cast again – playing a sympathetic Craigroyston jani. TICKETS: £15/£12 concession from jamesellison@blueyonder.co.uk

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