National Theatre of Scotland's 'PRUDENCIA HART' to Run 2/11-15 at Bass Concert Hall

Texas Performing Arts will present National Theatre of Scotland's THE STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUNDENCIA HART, created by David Greig and Wils Wilson, and directed by Wilson. The production will run Feb. 11-15 at Bass Concert Hall, featuring intimate on-stage seating.

In recent seasons, The National Theatre of Scotland has sold out performances of Black Watch and Long Gone Lonesome. Last season, due to unforeseen circumstances, the company's engagement of The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart was cancelled. But because of audience demand, the production returns this season with a week of intimate performances where the performers and audience share the Bass Concert Hall stage!

The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart is an evening of anarchic theatre, live music, and strange goings-on as Prudencia Hart, an uptight academic, sets off to attend a conference in Kelso in the Scottish Borders, where the folk-studies community has gathered for a symposium. Indulge in an evening of supernatural storytelling, music, and theatre inspired by Border Ballads, Robert Burns, and the poems of Robert Service. Filled with magical moments, devilish encounters, and wittily wild karaoke, The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart is moving and amusing, with plot twists unfolding all around the audience.

The National Theatre of Scotland sent writer David Greig, director Wils Wilson and composer Alasdair Macrae to an old pub in Kelso in the Scottish Borders for the weekend, to research the Border Ballads for a new piece of theatre. It was the coldest winter for many years. Maybe it was the unique atmosphere in the pub that night, or maybe it was the knee-deep snow outside, but no one wanted the evening to end, so at midnight the Landlord closed the doors and they found themselves "locked in." Deep in the wee hours, one old man told a story about another group of people who'd come to look for songs a few years back and of how one of them, a woman, had never after been seen again. It was a story, which he said was 'one hundred and ten percent true' a story of love, of music and of the Devil. This was the inspiration for The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart.

The National Theatre of Scotland is supported by the Scottish Government. Since its launch in February 2006, the National Theatre of Scotland has been involved in creating over 160 productions in 125 different locations. With no building of its own, the Company takes theatre all over Scotland and beyond, working with existing and new venues and companies to create and tour theatre of the highest quality. It takes place in the great buildings of Scotland, but also in site-specific locations, airports and tower blocks, community halls and drill halls, ferries and forests. The company has performed to over 710,000 people, across three continents. www.nationaltheatrescotland.com.

For more information on this performance, visit:
http://texasperformingarts.org/season/strange-undoing-prudencia-hart-austin

Photo by Drew Farrell

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