TO THE LETTER Comes to Oran Mor Next Month

Canonical Theatre unveils its first collaboratively written, grassroots production showcasing the talents of exciting new voices in Scotland. 

Two estranged sisters come across an abandoned post box at the side of the road. What forgotten stories do these letters hold? What’s a story worth with no one to read it? And why is reading a stranger’s gossip so much easier than talking to each other?

Six emerging writers based in Scotland joined a new writers’ room process over the course of last year led by Canonical Theatre. Together, these writers developed the story of Jesse and Morgan, two sisters who are granted one last chance to save their estranged relationship when their car breaks down at the side of the road. The sisters uncover six new stories forgotten in an abandoned post box and, as they read, these letters are brought to life by the magic of theatre. Each letter is written by a different writer who worked in the writers’ room, and is a unique showcase of their talents and voice. 

This collaborative spirit has been carried to the rehearsal room, as the staging of each letter is devised through improvisation and experimentation by the actors, led by director Jan Gruca. Gruca’s approach to the text is ambitiously transformative, retaining everything that makes the script special and building on top with an abundance of atmosphere and a keen eye for strong imagery.

The result is To The Letter, a play whose central themes of communication and interpretation are directly tied to this range of exciting and unique voices. With such a range, the play has something for everyone: at times spooky and others silly; sometimes dramatic, but also heartwarming. To The Letter is a play which explores how we connect to the written word and to each other in the modern world, so it's only fitting that its production has connected this collaborative network of artists through its creation.

Elliot Comnene, creator and producer of Canonical Theatre, commented: “The concept of an abandoned post box filled with forgotten stories is evocative enough, but when you fill that post box with the diverse and colourful writing of seven completely unique new writers, it becomes something magical.” 

Charlotte Smith, writer, commented:“To the Letter appeals to something we all share - curiosity. By framing the play around a series of letters, the audience are asked to be curious about the people attached to them. In the creation of this project, Canonical Theatre have put together a stunning team of new writers, and asked us all to be curious about each other’s work, bringing a playful, collaborative spirit to the writing process which has made it an absolute pleasure to work on. It is so exciting to bring such a stunning collection of emerging creatives together, and we knew from the start that the result would be something very special.”

Jan Gruca, director, commented: “To The Letter puts the audience in mind of a dark fairytale; it’s an imaginative, colourful, and heartwarming story, but with an underlying darkness. Two siblings lost in a forest that encourages their worst traits, leading them to act on their worst tendencies, hurting their loved ones for no real reason in a way that is uncomfortably relatable. The driving force of this play, curiosity, also carries this feeling of unease, as Jesse and Morgan read through these private and intimate letters simply because they foresee no consequence and cannot resist. As an art historian and medievalist, I am heavily invested in these fantastical themes of temptation and sin.”

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