The
Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland
(CATS) are an annual event
[1]
awarding performances "substantially produced in Scotland, or developed, rehearsed and premiered in Scotland".
Awards ceremony
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The ceremony is itinerant in terms of location, switching between theatre venues across Scotland ? for example, in 2007 the ceremony was hosted by
Pitlochry Festival Theatre
, while in 2019 the event was held at
Tramway (arts centre)
[2]
in Glasgow. Other venues have included
Perth Theatre
and
Edinburgh Festival Theatre
.
The Awards Ceremony, which normally takes place on the second Sunday in June, is open to the general public, not just members of Scotland's theatre industry.
Awards covering the 2019-20 theatre season, which was curtailed by the
COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
, were belatedly announced in November 2020.
Judges
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The judges are invited critics
[3]
who write regularly on theatre across Scotland, for print and/or online publications.
Award categories
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The first CATS, in June 2003 (covering productions between May 2002 to April 2003) announced five awards: Best Production; Best Male Performance; Best Female Performance; Best Design; and Best New Play.
Five additional categories were subsequently added: Best Director; Best Technical Presentation; Best Production for Children and Young People; Best Ensemble; and Best Music and Sound.
The "CATS Whiskers" are awarded ? only occasionally ? to individuals or organisations whom the judges believe have made a significant contribution to theatre in Scotland. The most recent recipient was
Muriel Romanes
in 2016,
[4]
for "supporting and strengthening women's role in Scottish theatre", most notably as the first artistic director
[5]
of
Stellar Quines Theatre Company
.
Previous CATS winners include actors
David Tennant
and
Blythe Duff
, productions of
Blackbird (play)
and
Black Watch (play)
, and theatre companies including
Catherine Wheels Theatre Company
and the
National Theatre of Scotland
.
Awards for 2019-2020
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The 18th CATS (for 2019-2020) were announced through a press release embargoed until 00:01 on Thursday 12 November 2020. The traditional public awards ceremony had been cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
Best New Play: Peter Arnott,
The Signalman
, A Play, A Pie & A Pint in association with Traverse Theatre.
Best Production:
The Signalman
, A Play, A Pie & A Pint in association with Traverse Theatre.
Best Female Performance: Anna Russell-Martin (Anais Hendricks),
The Panopticon
, National Theatre of Scotland
Best Male Performance: Tom McGovern (Thomas Barclay),
The Signalman
, A Play, A Pie & A Pint in association with Traverse Theatre.
Best Ensemble:
Thank You Very Much
, Manchester International Festival & National Theatre of Scotland.
Best Director: Elizabeth Newman,
Faith Healer
, Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
Best Design: Joint Winners: Shona Reppe,
Atlantis Banal: Beneath the Surface
, created with Velo Theatre, France, produced by Catherine Wheels, and Hyemi Shin (set and costume), Paul Jackson (lighting), Tov Belling and Katie Milwright (cinematography), Toby Angwin (visual effects); and
Solaris
, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Malthouse Theatre and the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.
Best Music and Sound: Matthias Hermann (sound designer and composer),
Thank You Very Much
, Manchester International Festival and National Theatre of Scotland.
Best Technical Presentation:
Solaris
, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Malthouse Theatre and the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.
Best Production for Children and Young People:
Atlantis Banal: Beneath the Surface
, created with Velo Theatre, France, produced by Catherine Wheels.
References
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External links
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