Rapture Presents

The Collection

                by Mike Cullen

Starring

Jimmy Chisholm, Fletcher Mathers, Stewart Porter and Paul Thomas Hickey

Rapture, Scotland’s foremost contemporary touring theatre company is to tour the first ever- Scottish professional revival of The Collection by Mike Cullen. The play is written by the acclaimed Scottish writer of “The Cut” and “Anna Weiss”

The Collection received its world premiere at the Traverse Theatre in 1995 and played at the Tron Theatre that year  as part of Mayfest.  Rapture’s production starts previewing at The Citizen’s Theatre on Thursday 20^th  April 2006, opens on Saturday 22^nd April  and due to close at Palace Theatre Kilmarnock on Saturday 27th May 2006. Although the show is performing at many high profile venues, The Collection will also visit many small Scottish community theatre venues during its run, including Eastfield, Easdale and Mull.

About the Play

Lawson is the best “collector” in the business; operating in the seedy world of debt collection, he is at the top of his “profession”.

However when one of his “clients” commits suicide Lawson’s life is shattered irrevocably.

As the mystery deepens around the suicide, the noose tightens, the stakes are raised and Lawson and his colleagues are pushed into a deadly power game from which there can only be one winner. This mysterious play, which is both funny and shocking, will have audiences on the edges of their seats.

With a combination of the wit and power of Harold Pinter mixed with the night time atmosphere and gritty detective story milieu of “Taggart”, this is bound to be one of the highlights of the theatrical year.

Please note as reflection of the gritty themes in the play be advised that there is strong language and Rapture therefore recommend this exciting play for audiences over 14 years old and for those not easily offended.

The Cast

Jimmy Chisholm                Paul Thomas Hickey

as Bob lawson                     as Joe Cravis

Fletcher Mathers                 Stewart Porter

as Elena Malcolm                  as Billy Shaw

Once again Rapture has assembled a top-notch cast of Scottish actors and is proud to give Scottish talent a platform

The cast features Jimmy Chisholm as part of a crack ensemble of Scottish actors that include acclaimed actors Stewart Porter, Paul Thomas Hickey and leading versatile Scottish actress Fletcher Mathers. Jimmy, one of Scotland national treasures, will be taking on the role of “Lawson”. Scottish audiences will be intrigued to see Jimmy in a serious dramatic role that will have them talking for years to come.

Jimmy is delighted to be working with Rapture for the second time after his critically lauded performance in last season’s Rapture hit “Blue/Orange”. The other members of the cast Stewart Porter, Paul Thomas and Fletcher Mathers will enjoy their first Rapture show and all three will bring an exciting new dimension to Rapture’s work

 The Director

Rapture’s Founder and Artistic Director, Michael Emans, said:  “I have always been passionate about Mike’s wonderful play and I hope to share that passion with the many audience members. I look forward to welcoming many members of local communities to our production.”

“Our last shows “Blue/Orange” and “Damages” were so popular with audiences and theatres that our   mailing list is over 2000 and theatres are now already booking us for autumn 2006 and beyond”.

The company is popular with actors too with performers turning down offers from bigger more lucrative companies to work with Rapture. Emans beamed “We’re very proud of our ability to attract top class actors who respect the passion and integrity and honesty of our work”.

The Tour

Michael Emans strongly believes in ‘theatre for all’ – ensuring that even very small communities in Scotland have the opportunity to access quality theatre productions.

Press Night

Citizens Theatre

Sat 22^nd April 7.30pm
 Box Office  - 0141 429 0022
  Rapture Press Office 07751048405    

Rapture’s “The Collection” tour:  venues and dates

Citizens' Theatre

CITIZENS THEATRE   

Thursday 20^th  April -   Saturday 29th April   -  @ 7.30pm  ( not Sun and Mon)

£12/£5 £3 Gorbals Citizen Card Holder

Box Office 0141 429 0022 

Balmaclellan Village Hall

 Monday 1 May 2006

@    7.30pm

Tickets:    £5/£4

Box Office:    01644 420374

Adam Smith Theatre

Kirkcaldy

Tuesday 2^nd May @ 7:30pm

Tickets: £8.50 ( £5.50)

(2 for £8.50 if paid for by 22^nd April)

Box Office: 01592 412929

The Eastgate Theatre & Arts Centre

Peebles 
 Wednesday 3^rd May @ 7.30pm 

Tickets £11 (£9 conc)

Box Office    (01721) 725777 

Eastfield Community Centre, Rutherglen

Thursday 4^th May @ 7:30pm

Tickets £2

Box Office 0141 6418319

Paisley Arts Centre

Sat 6^th May 7.30pm

Tickets £8/£4

 Box Office  - 0141 887 1010

The Swallow Theatre , Whithorn

Monday 8^th May @ 7:30pm

Tickets £7

Box Office 01988 850368 

Crawford John Hall

Crawford John

Tuesday 9^th May @ 7:30pm

Tickets £6/£4

DVRAP 01555 851100

Box Office 01864504265

The Byre Theatre of St Andrews

Wednesday 10th & Thursday 11^th May @ 8pm

Tickets £13 (£9) £6 aged 24 & under 

   Box Office     01334 475000

The Brunton Theatre, Mussellburgh

Friday 12^th May @ 7:30pm

Tickets: £10 /£7
 Box Office 0131 665 2240

Arts Guild Theatre

Campbell Street

Greenock 

Saturday 13^th May @ 7.30pm

Tickets:£8/£6

      
North Edinburgh Arts Centre
15a Pennywell Court
Edinburgh EH4 4TZ
Tuesday 16th May 2006 @ 7:30pm

Tickets £8 £5-£3 concession
 Box Office   0131 315 2151

Howden Park Centre

Livingston

 Wednesday 17^th May 2006@ 7:30pm

Tickets £9/£6

Box Office: 01506 433634

Cumbernauld Theatre, Kildrum, Cumbernauld

 Thursday 18^th May @ 7.45pm

Tickets: £9/£7

Box Office   - 01236 732887

The Tolbooth Theatre, Stirling

Friday 19^th May @ 8pm

Tickets: £8/£6

Box Office 01786 274000

Easdale Island

Easdale

Saturday 20^th May @8pm

Tickets £7/£6

Box Office  01852300113

Mull Little Theatre, Dervaig, Mull 

Sunday 21^st May @ 8pm

Ticket Price   - £12/£9
Box Office 01688 302673

  East Kilbride Arts Centre

 Thursday 25^th – Friday 26^th May @ 8pm

Tickets: £8/£6

Box Office 013552 61000

Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock 
Saturday 27^th May @ 7.30pm  

Ticket £8/£6.50

Box Office: 01563 554900  

Company Biographies

MICHAEL EMANS  (Director)

Trained: Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama.

Previous Theatre Includes: Over the Mountain

(Creek Road Studio Theatre), Tom Jones (Lillian Bayliss Theatre), The Finishing School (Nuffield Theatre, Southampton)

For Rapture Theatre, Michael has directed: Death and the Maiden, The Dumb Waiter, Some Kind of Love Story, Shadowlands, Taking Sides, Clara, An Evening with Gary Lineker, Broken Glass, Boys’ Life, Grace, The Collection, Death of a Salesman, A Kind of Alaska, Habeas Corpus, Rat in the Skull, Oleanna, Macbeth, Perfect Days, Bold Girls, Shang a lang, Assassins, Betrayal, Mr.Peters’ Connections, Insignificance, Speed the Plow, Simpatico, Boy Gets Girl, Your Turn to Clean the Stair, The Old Neighborhood, The Sailmaker, Richard III, Double Top, Boston Marriage, Twisted, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Iune, Proof, Misery, Blue/Orange and Damages

Michael recently assisted Mark Thomson at the Royal Lyceum Theatre on “Uncle Varick” and “Six Black Candles”.  and worked with acclaimed Scottish playwright Iain Heggie on his new one man show for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Michael has also directed at the Oran Mor the winner of the Orange Playwriting Award “Magnum Opus” and more recently the acclaimed “Burns on the Solway”

LYN MCANDREW (Designer)

Trained: Edinburgh University, Strathclyde University

Previous Theatre Includes:

The High School, The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil, A Night in the Ukraine, Teechers, The Steamie, Men Should Weep, The Cemetery Club

The London Vertigo, The Orchestra, Play it again Sam.

For Rapture Theatre as actress: Macbeth, Perfect Days, Shang a Lang, Assassins, Betrayal, Bold Girls, Speed the Plow, Simpatico, Boy Gets Girl, Richard III, Boston Marriage, Twisted, Proof

For Rapture Theatre as designer: Macbeth, Perfect Days, Assassins, Insignificance, Simpatico, Old Neighborhood, Richard III, Boston Marriage, Frankie and Johnny, Proof , Misery, Blue/Orange and Damages

Mike Cullen ( Writer )

Since leaving Ross High School in Trannent in 1975, Mike has had a varied career , including Colliery Electrician, Hospital Porter, Singer/guitarist, and Linguistics Analyst

Tv and Film Writing Includes:

Eleventh Hour, Donovan, Blood Lines, Taggart, Frankenstein , In Defence., Touching Evil, Stone Cold, Vigilante, Underdogs, McCallum ,

Hornblower

Theatre Includes:

ANNA WEISS (1996). The play premiered in the West End at the Whitehall Theatre on 22^nd November 1999 directed by Michael Attenborough and starring Catherine McCormack.

THE COLLECTION (1995). 

THE CUT (1994).  

What the Critics say about Mike Cullen’s writing:

‘A real discovery, an explosive thriller … Cullen’s dialogue is demonic, foul-mouthed and occasionally bitterly funny and the sense of violence and claustrophobia is often almost unbearably intense…’ The Daily Telegraph

‘If 1994 brings a writing debut of such quality we shall be in luck…’ The Independent

‘Rarely does a piece of theatre bowl one over with such verve and mastery … Cullen has succeeded magnificently in writing a play that positively sparks with brutal humour…’ The List

‘A must for those that missed it at Mayfest, this new play by Mike Cullen is some of the best Scottish writing around … The writing has resonance, depth and real power, beautifully served by an excellent cast …’       Scottish Sunday Times

The Cast

Jimmy Chisholm ( Lawson)

Previous Rapture Includes:

Blue/Orange

Theatre includes:   Romeo and Juliet , Blood Wedding ( The Citizens Theatre)  Sleeping Beauty, Great Expectations ( Perth Theatre)

Heal ( Sounds of Progress) The Haunted Man (tour), The Thirty-Nine Steps, One For The Road, The Admirable Crichton, The Ladykillers, Let Wives Tak Tent, The Haunted Man (Pitlochry), The Comedy of Errors (Perth), Amadeus (Dundee), Good, Gamblers, Macbeth, Dumbstruck (Tron), Rents (Lyric Hammersmith/Traverse), Heaven and Hell (Royal Court/Traverse), The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil (Wildcat), The Admiral Jones (one man show), Dick Whittington (Glasgow King’s Theatre), The Merchant of Venice, Measure for Measure (RSC).
The Taming of the Shrew, Lavender Blue, The Comedy of Errors, A View from the Bridge, A Listening heaven, The Shaughraun, Three Sisters, Writer’s Cramp, Macbeth, The Maiden Stone, Our Country’s Good, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Hamlet, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, The Marriage of Figaro, The Duchess of Malfi, Travesties (Royal Lyceum Theatre)

TV & Film includes: Taggart, Take the High Road, The Horseman’s Word, Hamish Macbeth, Burns on the Box, Braveheart, Her Majesty Mrs Brown, Ivanhoe

Fletcher Mathers ( Elena)

Theatre Includes:

 Quartet ( Oran Mor) , Private Lives ( Byre Theatre ),

Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk ( Glasgow Tron Theatre)

Brave( Communicado/Sop), Factory Girls( 7.84 Theatre Company)

TV Includes:

End Of Story, (BBC Television)

Yo Diary, (Comedy Unit/BBC Television)

Paul Thomas Hickey ( Cravis)

Theatre Includes:

The Talented Mr. Ripley, If Destroyed True (Dundee Rep)

Slab Boys Trilogy , Gagarin Way, Green Field , Olga, The Architect, Passing Places

 (Traverse) , San Diego (The Tron), The Entertainer (Citizens) Ad, Macbeth, Ecstasy, One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, Still Life, Wasted ( Raindog), Mainstream, Timeless ( Suspect Culture), The Backroom, Snatch ( Soho Theatre Company), Crave (Paines Plough) Jump The Life To Come, A Night Of Gentle Sex Comedies

( 7:84) Sailmaker, Twelfth Night ( Tag), Slab Boys Trilogy ( Young Vic) Shining Souls ( Old Vic) Merlin ( Cumbernauld Theatre)

Television

Tinsel Town (2 Series) , Nightlife, Cardiac Arrest, The Jacobites, Sweetest Feeling (Bbc), Taggart(STV)

Stewart Porter ( Shaw)

Theatre includes -

Conversations In Havana, The Brother’s Suit (Glasgow Oran Mor),

  Boiling A Frog (7:84 TC),  Macbeth (Theatre Babel),

,The Birthday Party (Tag TC) ,Dealer's Choice (Glasgow Tron ),

Fever, The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui, The Cherry Orchard

Observe The Sons Of Ulster

Marching Towards The Somme, Glue , A Midsummer Night's Dream, Pal Joey (Glasgow Citizens'),

Die Fledermaus (Scottish Opera) ,Perfect Days (Borderline TC) , Sunset Song (Prime Prods) ,Quelques Fleurs  (Brunton TC)

TV and Film Includes: - Taggart: A Taste Of Money, Man To Man

End Of Story , Mandancin' ,The Book Group: Series Ii ,Young Adam

 Taggart: Watertight , King Jamie And The Angel ,Life Support

 The Young Persons Guide To Becoming A Rock Star

Hamish Macbeth

‘