River City Actress Joins Festival Theatre

John Durnin, PFT’s newly appointed Chief Executive & Artistic Director, takes up the story: "'Lorna`s major role in the season is Agatha Posket, the female lead in The Magistrate, a high-energy period comedy. Due to the size and complexity of the role, we didn`t feel it would be appropriate to ask one of the other members of the acting company to go on with the book in addition to their already heavy workloads, so we`ve had to look outside the company. I`m delighted that Deirdre was willing to take on this challenge at such short notice and I`m sure that PFT`s audiences will be thrilled to know that an actress of her status is joining the company. Deirdre is currently learning the part and starts rehearsing later today.”

He added: “Lorna’s roles in her other two shows will be taken over by Susan Coyle and Suzanne Donaldson, both members of this year’s ensemble. I’d like to thank them for stepping into the breach so willingly - I know they`ll do a wonderful job. They, like all of us at PFT, have sent Lorna our best wishes for a speedy recovery”.

PFT’s connection to Scotland’s premier TV soap opera continues, as the 5th play to open in the 2007 Summer Season is Passing Places, written by River City creator Stephen Greenhorn. It tells the tale of two Motherwell lads who embark on the journey of a lifetime through the Highlands: with a stolen surfboard strapped to the roof of their clapped out Lada and a pyschopathic gangster in pursuit, the pair discover a Scotland they never new existed!

Passing Places is directed by Ken Alexander and opens on 5 July at 8pm and plays in repertoire until 18 October.

Tickets are available from Pitlochry Festival Theatre box office: 01796 484626 or go online: www.pitlochry.org.uk