Stunning Staging of A History of Paper

It might be nestled in a quiet, lush Scottish valley surrounded by mature trees, local wildlife, and pristine highland greenery but Pitlochry Festival Theatre has found its voice.  

When the award-winning actor, singer and TV presenter Alan Cumming took on the role of Artistic Director, he promised he would be the Pied Piper of Pitlochry, bringing the world to the Perthshire town and the work of its theatre to the world.

Now well and truly in the spotlight thanks to Cumming, the theatre is attracting big audiences, well known stage stars and rave reviews.

Its latest production, A History of Paper, is no exception.

Starring Cumming and Shirley Henderson (known to many for her role as Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films), it’s a charming story of romance and the small scraps of paper that quietly add up to a life together - the postcard messages, the origami gifts, the Pizza Express receipts and the shopping lists.

As a musical about joy, grief, and all the little things that make up a life, ‘A History of Paper’ is incredibly poignant and moving, playing on the real-life chemistry of Cumming and Henderson built up over a 40-year friendship.

What started as a BBC radio drama in 2016 by Oliver Emanuel and Gareth Williams and was reworked as a small-scale musical two years ago at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, A History of Paper is directed by Dundee Rep’s Andrew Panton with a deftness of touch and restrained emotion that is joy to watch.

Cumming and Henderson have the stage presence you would expect, but Henderson is a fascinatingly unpredictable performer who has an ethereal quality to her. And a great voice that is captivating, whether talk-singing or soaring to melodic heights in her duets with Cumming.

The set by Ana Inés Jabares-Pita is equally enchanting, with the use of paper front and centre, visually echoing moments of joy, heartbreak, and memory, from floating lanterns and cascading confetti to sheets of paper falling silently on the audience at a pivotal moment in the play.

A History of Paper is at Pitlochry Festival Theatre https://www.pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com/ until September 12. Then at Dundee Rep, https://dundeerep.co.uk/ from September 16 to 19.

Photo credit: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan