Contents...Contents 2 Diary of Events 3 Banff Mountain Film Festival 4 Thursday Events 7 Friday Events 10 Saturday Events 15 Sunday Events 18 Literary Lunch Menus 19 Book Fair To book

Contents2 Diary of Events

3 Banff Mountain Film Festival

4 Thursday Events

7 Friday Events

10 Saturday Events

15 Sunday Events

18 Literary Lunch Menus

19 Book Fair

To book your tickets:Call: 01796 484626 | Visit: PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com

Email: [email protected]

Concessions: Friends and Groups (8+): 10% off ticketsDisabled Badge Holders: 20% off tickets

Students | U18s | Registered Unemployed: 50% off ticketsOnly Friends concessions apply to Literary Lunches.

All ticket prices and concessions are subject to availability. Full terms and conditions apply.

Please note: Event and ticketing information is correct at time of going to print. The programme of events may alter, so please do check online or at the Box Office. We reserve the right to make changes to the programme, ticket prices and seating plans.

Transaction Fees: No booking fees apply for phone or face-to-face sales. A handling fee of £1.75 applies to all online purchases.

19 Food at the Festival

20 Wilderland Wildlife Film Festival

21 Barefoot In The Park

22 Spring Concerts and Events

23 Perthshire Plays

24 Artist Development

25 Summer Season 2020

Pitlochry Festival Theatre is a Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in Scotland Number SC029243 at the below address. Scottish Charity Number SC013055

Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Port-na-craig, Pitlochry, PH16 5DR Administration: 01796 484600 | Box Office: 01796 484626 Email: [email protected] | Website: www.PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com

Scotland’s Most Welcoming Theatre, 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018

Shades of Tay is supported by Holy Trinity Scottish Episcopal Church

Winter Words is programmed by Anna Day and Bob McDevitt

01796 484626 • PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com

2.00pm - 5.00pm (Blue Screening) | 7.00pm - 10.00pm (Red Screening)

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour£16.50 concessions available | £28.00 for both film programmes

Saturday 18th January

© Ben Tibbetts

The Banff Mountain Film Festival returns for a fifth awe-inspiring year with two different screenings. Embark on a thrilling adventure with a brand-new collection of short films bringing together the world’s best adventure film-makers and cross-globe explorers. Witness epic human-powered feats, life-affirming challenges and mind-blowing cinematography – all on the big screen!

Full programme details will be unveiled early in January, but we can reveal that this year’s selection will include The Ladakh Project, starring French athlete Nouria Newman as she embarks on a 375km solo kayaking expedition down northern India’s most remote and most daunting rivers.

There’s also The Imaginary Line where, in an act of political solidarity, a team from Mexico and the USA come together to set up a slackline across the border between them. In troubled times, they hope the highline will symbolise something bigger, and create a positive shift in the world.

Join us for an adrenaline-fuelled, not-to-be-missed event, with free prize giveaways, guaranteed to ignite your passion for adventure, action and travel!

Visit our website for updates or go to Banff-uk.com to find out more.

Age Guidance: 12A (Under 12s can attend if accompanied by an adult.)

In April, we're hosting the Wilderland Wildlife Film Festival. Turn to page 20 for details.


Saturday 18th Jan

Sunday 16th

Friday 14th

Saturday 15th

Thursday 13th Feb

10.00am – 11.00amPip Hills The Founder’s Tale

11.30am – 12.30pmSue LawrenceFood Secrets from the Scottish Islands

12.45pm – 2.15pmLITERARY LUNCHGhillie Bassan Spirit and Spice

3.00pm – 4.00pmSally MagnussonThe Ninth Child

4.30pm – 5.30pmKirsty Wark The House by the Loch

6.00pm – 7.00pmFreeland Barbour and Gerda StevensonThe White Rose of Gask - The life and songs of Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne

Banff Mountain Film Festival World TourBlue Screening 2.00pm - 5.00pmRed Screening 7.00pm - 10.00pm

10.00am – 11.00amMary MillerA Life of Love and Courage

11.30am – 12.30pmEsther RutterThe Golden Fleece: A Journey Through Britain's Knitted History

12.45pm – 2.15pm LITERARY LUNCHClare Hunter A History of the World Through the Eye of a Needle

3.00pm – 4.00pmDoddie WeirThe World According to Doddie

4.30pm – 5.30pmSue ArmstrongThe Science of How and Why We Age

6.00pm – 7.00pmAlistair Moffat A Journey to Lindisfarne

7.15pm | FREE eventWriters' Drinks

10.00am – 11.00amAlan Rowan Mountains of the Moon: Lunar Nights on Scotland's High Peaks

11.30am – 12.30pmMike CawthorneA Journey of Loss and Renewal

9.30am – 10.30amKenneth Steven Writing the Tay at Port Na Craig Rehearsal rooms

10.00am – 11.00amJames Hunter Insurrection: Scotland’s Famine Winter

10.30am – 11.30amCHILDREN'S EVENT (ages 4 - 10)Mairi Kidd and Tom Morgan-JonesStrong Brave True: Great Scots Who Changed the World . . . And How You Can Too

11.30am – 12.30pmThe King in The North Gordon Noble and Nicholas Evans

12.45pm – 2.15pm LITERARY LUNCHMairi KiddWarriors, Witches and Damned Rebel BitchesScottish Women to Live Your Life By

3.00pm – 4.00pmChris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman aka. Ambrose ParryThe Art of Dying

3.30pm | FREE eventPOETRY COMPETITION LAUNCH

4.30pm -5.30pmVal McDermid with Alan McCredieMy Scotland

6.00pm -7.00pmSir Tom DevineThe Clearances and the Scottish People

8.00pm -9.00pmPaul Murton The Viking Isles

12.45pm – 2.15pm LITERARY LUNCHRichard FrazerA Pilgrim's Journey to Santiago de Compostela

3.00pm – 4.00pmTrevor RoyleScotland and the Cold War

4.30pm – 5.30pmProfessor Chris WhatleyPabay: An Island Odyssey

6.00pm – 7.00pmProfessor Angela GallopA Forensic Scientist’s Search for the Truth

8.00pm – 9.00pmGavin EslerThe Truth About Brexit

11.30am – 12.30pm | £9.25

Esther RutterThe Golden Fleece: A Journey Through Britain's Knitted HistoryWriter in Residence for the University of St. Andrews School of Geography and Sustainable Development, Esther Rutter grew up on a sheep farm and learnt to spin, weave and knit as a child. Over the course of a year, she has travelled the length of the British Isles to unravel the story of wool's long history here.

On her journey Esther unearthed fascinating community histories, lives shaped by wool: from Border counties mill workers, to English market towns built on wool trade profits, and Highland communities cleared for sheep farming. Knitter, natterer, singer, and hill-walker, Esther brings her tales to us in Pitlochry in an event that is both an exploration of wool's influence on our landscape, history and culture, and a meditation on the craft of knitting!

10.00am – 11.00am | £9.25

Mary MillerJane Haining: A Life of Love and CourageWe start Winter Words with a book that will make you believe true heroes really do exist. Jane Haining was a farmer's daughter from Galloway who went to work at the Scottish Jewish Mission School in Budapest in 1932. When war broke out, she refused to leave her pupils, writing: “If these children need me in days of sunshine, how much more do they need me in days of darkness?”

Author Mary Miller’s lifelong dedication to the care of children in difficult situations drew her to explore Jane Haining’s devotion, and she joins us to discuss and read the first biography of one of Scotland’s greatest daughters.

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Mary Miller Esther Rutter

3.00pm – 4.00pm | £12.50

Doddie WeirThe World According to DoddieWe’re delighted to be welcoming Scottish rugby legend of 61 caps, Doddie Weir to Winter Words, since he was unable to make it in 2019. Sporting hero and MND campaigner Doddie is instantly recognisable as a national treasure. Over the decades he has made everyone - from rugby fans to royalty - laugh at his one-liners and life observations.

Now he’s taken the advice of many and written down his mottos, mantras and secrets to enjoying life! Through The World According to Doddie, he brings us his favourite lessons for life in his uniquely hilarious, thought-provoking and life-affirming style, all while explaining how he manages to smile against the odds.

Doddie will make you laugh, make you cry, and send you home with his own brand of positive thinking, in his A-Z of life and how to live it!

12.45pm – 2.15pm

Clare Hunter A History of the World Through the Eye of a Needle£25.50 LITERARY LUNCH includes two-course lunch with coffee or teaSee page 18 for menu

We have, says Clare Hunter, always sewed our story. From the political propaganda of the Bayeux Tapestry to First World War soldiers with PTSD, to maps sewn by schoolgirls in the New World, from medieval France to contemporary Mexico and from a POW camp in Singapore to a family attic in Scotland. Each stitch is a story of identity, protest, memory, power and politics. Clare joins us to tell stories of men and women, over centuries and across continents, who have used the language of sewing to make their voices heard.

Clare Hunter

Doddie Weir

Thursday 13thThursday 13th

4.30pm – 5.30pm | £9.25

Sue ArmstrongThe Science of How and Why We AgeScience broadcaster and writer, Sue Armstrong will delve beneath the skin of the quest to understand ageing and prevent, or delay, the crippling conditions associated with old age.

Sue, a consultant writer for the World Health Organization and UNAIDS for more than 25 years, will engage us in the theories of ageing, focussing on what’s going on in our bodies at the most basic level of cells and genes, looking for answers to why and how our skin wrinkles, why wounds take much longer to heal, and why words escape us at crucial moments in conversation.

6.00pm – 7.00pm | £9.25

Alistair MoffatA Journey to LindisfarneAlistair Moffat is a chronicler of history, a creative giant; a man who has changed the cultural landscape of Scotland with his history books and his festivals work including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Here, Alistair is in a reflective mood and invites you to join him travelling to - and through the history of - the fated island of Lindisfarne. Walking from his home in the Borders, through the historical landscape of Scotland and northern England, he will take us on a pilgrimage in the footsteps of saints and scholars, before arriving for a secular retreat on the Holy Isle.

Lindisfarne, famous for its monastery, home to Saints Aidan and Cuthbert and the place where the celebrated Lindisfarne Gospels were written, has long been a place of sanctuary. Will Alistair find peace in this place? Join us to find out.

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Sue Armstrong

7.15pm | This is a FREE event but booking is required

Writers' Drinks!If you’re a writer, or would love to start writing, come along to the Café Bar after the last event on Thursday and meet our Artistic Director, Elizabeth Newman and Associate Directors. We’ll discuss all things writing, and writer’s craft – there’ll also be a special guest joining us

. . . and we'll provide a free dram or two!

Book in person or by phoning Box Office: 01796 484626.

Thursday 13th 10.00am – 11.00am | £9.25

Alan Rowan Mountains of the Moon: Lunar Nights on Scotland's High PeaksImagine a year of thirteen full moons, including a rare, blue, supermoon: thirteen special nights on Scotland's highest mountains - the Munros - in the course of one exceptional year. Add a soundtrack for each walk (and a surprising range of celebratory drinks) for a fitting finale to the Moonwalker series that Alan has shared with Winter Words audiences since he began his walking.

Share in his flaming sunsets, long, beautiful moonlit night walks and stunning sunrises with this illustrated talk. Brace yourself for blizzards, gales and darkness in a journey of dedication, fortitude, and vast expertise.

“Glows with the wild, alien beauty of the mountains at night – although there are plenty of great one-liners too.” Alex Roddie, The Great Outdoors

11.30am – 12.30pm | £9.25

Mike CawthorneWalking Through Shadows: A Journey of Loss and RenewalMike Cawthorne began hill-walking on Ben Nevis aged seven, and has been climbing mountains ever since. When his friend died, he undertook a winter walk that was part memorial, part escape. Along with another mutual friend, Mike traversed the wildest and most remote areas of Britain, entirely reliant on food parcels buried beforehand.

Mike will describe some of the last wild places in Scotland but will also take you on a journey of grief, chance, mental illness and ecological damage. The walkers ask themselves a question - can the hills help us heal? But also, whether the hills themselves can be healed. Within the context of an extreme mountaineering adventure, a thought-provoking and moving event, grappling with issues of vital importance to us all.

Friday 14th

Alan Rowan

Alistair Moffat

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12.45pm – 2.15pm

Richard Frazer

3.00pm – 4.00pm | £9.25

Trevor RoyleScotland and the Cold WarBetween the end of the Second World War and the collapse of Communism, confrontation with the Soviet Union was an everyday reality. As part of NATO's response, Scotland played a key role in the alliance's forward maritime defence strategy, aimed at containing the Soviet threat from naval and air forces.

Trevor Royle – broadcaster, author and fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh - will paint a fascinating portrait of this extraordinary period, examining the wider military and political contexts, and showing how the defence industry brought huge economic benefits, how CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) maintained a high-profile presence, and how anti-nuclear sentiments underpinned much of the left's thinking in Scotland.

'Engrossing... Like a military commander at the top of his game… to show how Scotland has been shaped by, and also helped shape, the Cold War.” Barclay McBain, The Herald

4.30 pm – 5.30 pm | £9.25

Professor Chris WhatleyPabay: An Island OdysseyThe tiny diamond-shaped island of Pabay lies in Skye's Inner Sound, just two and a half miles from the bustling village of Broadford. Len and Margaret Whatley moved to Pabay from the Midlands, leaving a land-locked life in Birmingham for the emptiness of an uninhabited island. Christopher Whatley, their nephew, was a regular visitor to Pabay whilst they lived there.

Well-known Scottish historian and Professor of Scottish History at the University of Dundee, Chris will mix stories from his past with archival research to explore the history of this tiny island jewel, and the people for whom it has been home, to create a vivid picture of the trials, tribulations and joys of island life.

6.00 pm – 7.00 pm | £12.50

Professor Angela GallopA Forensic Scientist’s Search for the TruthProfessor Angela Gallop is one of the UK’s most eminent forensic scientists. She’s been involved in cases such as the Yorkshire Ripper, the Cardiff Three, the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path murders and the killings of Stephen Lawrence, Damilola Taylor, Rachel Nickell and Roberto Calvi.

Now she joins us to take us from the crime scene to the courtroom, explaining how criminal justice rests heavily – more than ever – on scientific evidence. With ever-more sophisticated and powerful techniques at their disposal, forensic scientists have an unprecedented ability to help solve even the most complex cases.

With more than 40 years-experience, Professor Gallop will tell us the remarkable story of a life spent searching for the truth.

Trevor Royle

Prof. Chris Whatley

A Pilgrim's Journey to Santiago de Compostela£25.50 LITERARY LUNCH includes two-course lunch with coffee or teaSee page 18 for menu

Santiago de Compostela is a city in north-western Spain, which originated around the shrine of the apostle, St. James the Great, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Almost 300,000 people officially complete the journey to Santiago each year - hundreds of thousands more travel at least part of the way.

Richard Frazer will share his discovery, on a pilgrimage to the shrine, into how a journey undertaken with an open and hospitable heart can provide renewal and transformation: filling what many people see as the spiritual void in 21st century life.

In these times of political turmoil and closing borders, here is a truly remarkable man sharing how to open our hearts.

Friday 14thFriday 14th

Prof. Angela Gallop

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8.00 pm – 9.00 pm | £12.50

Gavin EslerThe Truth About BrexitBy the time of Winter Words, Brexit may well be on its way to a conclusion. However, many questions will remain. Will it boost or lose jobs? Will it wreck the NHS? Or cause food shortages?

Gavin Esler, journalist, television presenter and author, is a man who should know. He was a main presenter of the BBC current affairs show, Newsnight for 12 years. Since 2014 he has been the Chancellor of the University of Kent, and in 2019 he stood for election to the European Parliament.

Gavin will set out how the most momentous change in Britain for decades will change everyday life. From supermarket aisles to NHS operating theatres, and from the shop floor of car manufacturing plants to the boardrooms of our biggest companies, Brexit Without the Bullsh*t is not about the Brexit you were told you were getting. It's about the one that is arriving.

“Really useful… punchy, short and pithy.” Polly Toynbee, British journalist and writer

Gavin Esler

Friday 14th

9.30am – 10.30am £12.50

Kenneth Steven Writing the Tay at Port Na Craig Rehearsal Rooms Festival favourite, Kenneth Steven, joins us for a very special event - a chance to learn about writing poetry from an expert. Kenneth is the author of 14 collections of poems, many of which are inspired by the wildscape of his native Highland Scotland. Saturday morning with Kenneth will ignite your creativity, taking your inspiration from the River Tay to create a piece of work. Whether you’re a beginner or already an accomplished writer, this workshop will help you craft your words.

The workshop is part of the Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Shades of Tay project, that will see the creation of 50 artworks to celebrate the river, and the communities and people who live along it. Kenneth will read the best work as part of the official launch of the poetry competition later in the day. (see 3:30pm)

10.00am – 11.00am | £9.25

James Hunter Insurrection: Scotland’s Famine WinterScotland’s 1846 potato crop was wiped out by blight. The country was plunged into crisis. In the Hebrides and the West Highlands a huge relief effort came too late to prevent starvation and death. Further east, towns and villages rose up in protest at the cost of the oatmeal that replaced potatoes as people’s basic foodstuff.

Those dramatic events have long been ignored or forgotten. Now, in James Hunter CBE, they have their historian. He joins us to tell a story that is moving, anger-inducing and inspiring. Come and hear a long-hidden part of Scottish history from one of the best story-tellers around.

WORKSHOP

CHILDREN'S EVENT10.30am – 11.30am £5.00 per child

Mairi Kidd and Tom Morgan-JonesStrong Brave True: Great Scots Who Changed the World . . . And How You Can Too The perfect start to a fun Saturday for all the family! Inspirational stories to captivate younger audiences, about sports stars, artists, explorers and engineers – Scots who changed the world. Mairi and Tom will bring characters to life – some famous, some not - with drawing and reading their stories. Did you know that Alexander Fleming won the Nobel Prize for Medicine discovering penicillin? And that Williamina Fleming, a Scottish astronomer, discovered hundreds of stars? Come and find out about their lives, and many more from Scotland’s past and present.

Saturday 15th Saturday 15th

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Saturday 15th12.45pm – 2.15pm

Mairi KiddWarriors, Witches and Damned Rebel BitchesScottish Women to Live Your Life By£25.50 LITERARY LUNCH includes two-course lunch with coffee or teaSee page 18 for menu

Throughout history, Scottish women have broken the rules with attitude! Now you can join one of Scotland’s most exciting voices in literature for an event where she will introduce you to some of the most inspirational and fierce sisters to fire you up and face your own modern day dilemmas with serious style.

Mairi Kidd brings some of the best-known Scottish heroes to life, alongside some of whom you’ll never have heard. Join us for a delicious lunch, some lessons in being the best you can be, and go home with a spring in your step.

11.30am – 12.30pm | £9.25

Gordon Noble and Nicholas EvansThe King in The North Perthshire and the River Tay were once thought to be the centre for the Pictish heartland of Fortriu but, through a revolution in Early Medieval history in Scotland, new evidence has shown that historians may have been wrong – it was actually on the Moray Firth. What are the implications of this discovery, how was it made and what work has taken place since to prove the new theory?

Join Professor Gordon Noble, Senior Archaeology Lecturer, and Dr Nick Evans, Research Fellow, both from the University of Aberdeen, for a fascinating discussion on the King of the North: to discuss and decipher what is known about this formative period in Scotland’s history – and what is still not understood.

3.00pm – 4.00pm | £9.25

Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman aka. Ambrose ParryThe Art of Dying It's 1849, Edinburgh. Recent medical discoveries are changing the way people live - and die. Crime duo extraordinaire, Chris Brookmyre and his wife Marissa Haetzman, who writes under the pseudonym of Ambrose Parry, have spun a tale that will captivate you, whether you’re a fan of history, a factual buff or if you love a good crime-ridden tale.

They’ll be discussing how they bring their characters to life, how they balance working life and a harmonious home and just how they manage to bring the Victorian streets of Edinburgh to life.

3.30pm | FREE event

POETRY COMPETITION LaunchAs part of Shades of Tay, a three-year creative project centred on celebrating the beautiful River Tay, join us in the theatre foyer for the official launch of the 2020 Pitlochry Festival Theatre and John Muir Trust Poetry Competition, with poetry read by Kenneth Steven, Mairi Kidd and more.

The competition will have three categories: Young Poets, Adult Amateur Poets and Professional Poets. The winners will be celebrated at Winter Words 2021. Come along to find out more!

4.30pm – 5.30pm | £9.25

Val McDermid with Alan McCredieMy Scotland Join the Queen of Crime on a journey to the landscapes she has known all her life, and the places where her stories and characters reside. She’ll take you to hideaways in the Highlands, to the majestic streets of Edinburgh, from Karen Pirie’s Fife to Lindsay Gordon’s Glasgow.

All the way, you’ll be treated to images taken by award-winning photographer, Alan McCredie, who set out to document the places that lit Val’s fire. This is an event for everyone, so sit back and immerse yourself in the glory of Scotland from a new point of view!

Saturday 15th

Mairi Kidd

Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman


Saturday 15th Sunday 16th10.00am – 11.00am | £9.25

Pip HillsThe Founder's TaleThe perfect Sunday starts with a story, a hearty laugh and a real raconteur.

The world of whisky used to be a staid one. But when Pip Hills, with a little help from his friends, created the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, he started a revolution.

It begins in a small farm in Aberdeenshire and moves through high places (The World Trade Centre) and low (a jungle dive in the South Seas), with the help of the famous and the obscure, the good, the bad and the mildly delinquent! Join us for an hour of stories about bringing Scotland’s finest product to a waiting world. 11.30am – 12.30pm | £9.25

Sue LawrenceFood Secrets from the Scottish IslandsSue Lawrence has been on a personal odyssey - a trip round Scotland's islands speaking to producers and cooks, gleaning recipes along the way. From islands such as Mull, Raasay, Out Skerries and Luing she has amassed stories of food and made lifelong friends.

Sue won fame in BBC’s Masterchef and writes for Scotland on Sunday, Country Living and BBC Good Food Magazine, amongst many others. Chef and writer extraordinaire, she joins us to tell the tales of her travels, of the people she met and the food she ate, as well as sharing a few of her recipe secrets with us. Sue will leave everyone with a warm Sunday morning feeling that will fill you up for the whole of the day.

8.00pm – 9.00pm | £14.50

Paul Murton The Viking IslesPaul Murton, one of Scotland’s best-known TV presenters, has long had a love of the Viking north. The island groups of Orkney and Shetland and the old counties of Caithness and Sutherland, for centuries, were part of the Nordic world as depicted in the great classic, the Orkneyinga saga. Today, this fascinating Scandinavian legacy can be found everywhere – in physical remains, place names, local traditions and folklore.

This event is a personal account of Paul’s travels in the Viking north. Full of observation, history, anecdote and encounters with those who live there, he’ll also present a practical guide to the many places of interest.

Spend Saturday evening in the company of one of the most charismatic men on TV, as he takes us to a singalong with the Shanty Yell boys, fishing off Muckle Flugga, sword dancing with the men of Papa Stour and a Norwegian pub crawl in Lerwick. All without leaving the comfort of your Pitlochry seat!

6.00pm – 7.00pm | £12.50

Sir Tom Devine The Clearances and the Scottish PeopleEighteenth-century Scotland is famed for generating many of the enlightened ideas which helped to shape the modern world but many Scots lost everything in a time of violent change, as traditional ways of life were overturned. The Clearances undoubtedly helped shape the nation we know today, but historians have struggled to define what happened. That is until Sir Tom Devine, one of Scotland’s leading historians, decided to bring his authoritative voice to the subject.

Conjuring the voices of the dispossessed and exploding myths about this defining period for Scotland and its people, Sir Tom joins us at Winter Words to tell us how he used the experience gained in his long and distinguished career to understand and reveal the experience of the poor during an era of unprecedented transformation.

Paul Murton

Sue Lawrence

Our café, bar and restaurant are open all day (details on p19)


Sunday 16th

6.00pm – 7.00pm | £9.25

Freeland Barbour and Gerda StevensonThe White Rose of Gask - The life and songs of Carolina Oliphant, Lady NairneWe are finishing Winter Words 2020 with a very special musical event. It is nearly 175 years since the death of one of Perthshire and Scotland’s best-loved songwriters, Carolina Oliphant, who wrote over 100 songs in her lifetime, which rival Burns’ in popularity – such as The Rowan Tree, Will Ye No Come Back Again, and Charlie is my Darling. And yet, due mainly to her own modesty and wish for anonymity, the details of her life are not well-known.

Freeland Barbour, celebrated Scottish folk musician, composer and producer, and Gerda Stevenson, actress, singer-songwriter, poet, want to right that wrong with an evening of songs and stories from Lady Nairne’s life.

4.30pm – 5.30pm | £10.00

Kirsty WarkThe House by the LochOne of Britain’s best-known television presenters – most associated with fronting BBC Two’s news and Newsnight – Kirsty Wark, also journalist and novelist, takes a break from Brexit and politics to read from and talk about her latest novel.

An atmospheric story, set in the wilds of Scotland, it brings real historical events and fiction together seamlessly in a sweeping novel of family drama and long-hidden secrets. Kirsty won awards for her debut, The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle back in 2014 and this second novel has won her an even bigger army of fans.

Kirsty joins us to discuss her new book, how she combines the political maelstrom with her writing life – and we’ll find out if she’ll ever combine the two.

3.00pm – 4.00pm | £10.00

Sally MagnussonThe Ninth ChildShhhh! Don’t tell, but we have a world exclusive. TV presenter and novelist, Sally Magnusson, will be joining us ahead of the launch of her second novel with a very special sneak preview of The Ninth Child.

Sally did her first event for her debut novel, The Sealwoman’s Gift, at Winter Words 2018 and we’re delighted to welcome her back to tell us about her new book - a spellbinding novel combining Scottish folklore with hidden history.

Sally will bring along her incredible characters, and talk on the events that inspired her to write about Loch Katrine in 1856 and a wilderness quickly becoming an industrial wasteland, entwined with loss and grief.

Her writing life, stories and success will all be under the Winter Words spotlight. Don’t miss this very special event.

12.45pm – 2.15pm

Ghillie BassanSpirit and Spice£25.50 LITERARY LUNCH includes two-course lunch with coffee or teaSee page 18 for menu

Is there a finer companion for lunch than Ghillie Bassan? We think not. Writer, broadcaster, and food anthropologist, her internationally acclaimed books have been nominated for too many food awards to list here.

Today Ghillie will be delving into the pages of Spirit and Spice – a recipe book, and a portrait of a family living and eating in the Scottish Highlands. She will explain how she’s used Scotland’s fabulous produce, wild food and whisky, to create delicious dishes from her remote home.

A delicious meal, a fascinating talk. The perfect Sunday lunch!

Sunday 16th

Ghillie Bassan Kirsty Wark

Sally Magnusson

Thursday 13th Clare HunterA History of the World Through the Eye of a Needle

Sunday 16thGhillie BassanSpirit and Spice

Saturday 15thMairi Kidd Warriors, Witches and Damned Rebel Bitches

Friday 14thRichard FrazerA Pilgrim's Journey to Santiago de Compostela

Literary Lunch MenusTasty two-course lunches served with tea or coffee

Main

Desserts


Buy the book!Yeadon’s Booksellers will be selling signed books by guest authors. Their professional booksellers, dedicated, enthusiastic and knowledgeable, will be on-hand to help.

Like to read up in advance?You can order or reserve any book by a Winter Words author now. Have it come to you – or pick up at the Festival. Simply go to www.yeadons.co.uk and complete an online form. You can also make a dedication.

Seared Fillet of Sea Basswith lemon and dill potatoes, wilted baby spinach, beetroot salsa and white wine velouté

Vanilla Panna Cottawith berry compôte and honeycomb

Coffee or Tea and Mints




Buy a book and donate Satisfy your love of books with a relaxing browse of the unique Pitlochry Station Bookshop second-hand and new bookstall, in the foyer between events. From bestsellers and children’s classics to antiquarian gems – find a bargain and help them raise funds for many different charities.

Supreme of Chickenwith roasted potatoes, chorizo and pepper ragout, garden peas and rosemary jus

Sticky Toffee Puddingwith butterscotch and vanilla ice-cream

Roasted Shoulder of Porkwith wholegrain mustard mash, apple relish, glazed parsnips and sage jus

Classic Bread and Butter Pudding with salted caramel ice-cream

Slow-braised Featherblade of Scottish Beefwith creamy mash, carrots, green beans and red wine jus

Apple, Pear and Cinnamon Crumblewith custard

Winter Words Festival

FOODOur spectacular views, and fabulous range of meals make sure eating with us will always be special.

This year meals are available all daySo you can eat when it suits your Winter Words. No booking required!

Breakfast: 9 – 11.30amIf you’re travelling in for an early talk, or you just want to settle in and relax before your day, why not join us for breakfast? Choose from assorted pastries and hot rolls.

All Day Menu: 12 – 8pm Meals served throughout the theatre.

Simply find a table and then order from the Café, the Bar or the Restaurant.

Children’s lunchboxes available on Saturday 15 February.

Literary lunches: booking required.

Date: Sat 11 April | Time: 7.30pm | £15.00 / £13.50 concessions

Wilderland Wildlife Film FestivalBig Wildlife Revival, Springwatch) and producer/director Louise Heren (Big Cat Diaries).

Audiences will have the chance to support some of our planet's most endangered species. At each show, you will be invited to vote for one of five endangered species. At the end of the tour, the Wilderland team will embark on a film about the most voted for, raising awareness of its plight, premiered at the next Wilderland Film Festival.Get ready to make a difference!

“It’s so exciting to see these breathtaking films on the big screen for the first time" STEVE BACKSHALL, naturalist, writer and television presenter

Age Guidance: 12A

Selected from over a hundred entries from film-makers around the globe, Wilderland is appearing for the first time at Pitlochry, touring the very best of the world’s short wildlife films. A must-see for lovers of the wild animal kingdom, film, travel, conservation and adventure.

See some of the world’s most enigmatic wildlife on the big-screen: from snow leopards in the Himalayas, to orangutans in Borneo, on to the majestic humpback whale, and many more. Films are still being submitted, to be shortlisted and unveiled for full details in the New Year.

Judges include: award-winning cameraman Doug Allan (The Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Frozen Planet), naturalist and author Stephen Moss (Britain’s

WRITTEN BY

NEIL SIMON

DIRECTED BY

ELIZABETH NEWMAN

Written by Neil SimonDirected by Elizabeth Newman

Starring: Jessica Hardwick, Clare Grogan, and Olivier Hubans

Presented by Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh. 12 - 29 March 2020

Written by Neil SimonDirected by Elizabeth Newman

STARRING:

Jessica Hardwick Clare Grogan Olivier Huband

20 01796 484626 • PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com

An irresistable comedy about love, life and living together


Burns Nicht Sat 25 Jan

Fri 28 Feb

Sat 22 FebSat 4 Apr

Simon and Garfunkel Sat 8 Feb

Fri 7 Feb Fri 21 Feb

Sat 29 Feb

Thu 6 FebPasadena Roof Orchestra

SHADES OF

Celebrating ScotlandSee PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com for details

50 ARTWORKS OVER THREE YEARS

Perthshire Plays is a new joint initiative between Playwrights’ Studio Scotland, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Birnam Arts, Horsecross Arts and playwright Lesley Wilson for new and existing playwrights, giving opportunities to develop their craft and share their work with audiences.

Launching early 2020, enjoy fresh new writing from Perthshire in a brand new programme of discussions and workshops with high profile writers and performers, as well as staged events showcasing brand new plays from writers in the region.

Perthshire Plays


Pitlochry Festival Theatre Spring Concerts

To find out more: go to playwrightsstudio.co.uk

Artist development at PitlochryAt Pitlochry Festival Theatre we’ve created space for artists to come to our breathtaking Highland home, develop inspiring new works and germinate stories we hope will find a home in Pitlochry: from emerging artists just starting out, to some of the country’s leading thinkers and creators. We want everyone to be able to make work here.

Room for WritersWe’ve created two rooms especially for writers beside the River Tummel, and pine-edged Loch Faskally. The perfect place for nature’s inspiration. And there’s no hire fee.

To find out more, or to book: email [email protected].


Support an ArtistWe’re passionate about supporting artists with mentoring and practical support Artists can face many barriers to getting the support they need: travel, accommodation, care costs for artists with children, additional support for artists with care responsibilities, support workers for artists with a disability.

Can you help?£30 can support an artist’s travel; £50 a night’s accommodation; £100 towards support for additional requirements; £500 will support a residency for an entire week.

Donate todayOnline at pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com or call the Box Office team on 01796 484626, or by post. Please send cheques to: Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Port Na Craig, Pitlochry PH16 5DR

Pitlochry Festival Theatre Summer Season 2020 01796 484626 • PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com

Documents

Contents...Contents 2 Diary of Events 3 Banff Mountain Film Festival 4 Thursday Events 7 Friday Events 10 Saturday Events 15 Sunday Events 18 Literary Lunch Menus 19 Book Fair To book