Paines Plough Play Online – Come to Where I’m From

paines plough borders
Putting the Scottish-English borderlands on the map, literally

painesplough map2Paines Plough, the UK’s new writing theatre, has just launched its new app of online plays, Come To Where I’m From – and my mini-play about my home town of Hawick is among them!

The Paines Plough app is a round-Britain tour of 100 playlets about place, written and performed by the playwrights themselves. Yes, we’re an intrepid bunch! And surprisingly showy-offy! Mine was recorded at Edinburgh Festival Fringe last year, at the fantastic Paines Plough Roundhouse auditorium.

It was lovely to meet (though briefly) fellow Scottish playwrights Mikey Burnett, Kieran Hurley and Rob Drummond. It was equally excellent to have the chance to pour out long-simmered thoughts about the Borders, tectonic plates, tweed and midges, with props.

There was a lot to get across in a short, short time. The Borderlands are an epic geological, political and historical fault-line whose importance is obscured in these peaceful times. Perhaps we should be glad? But the rituals of war are re-enacted here every year, in every town, even centuries on. Perhaps we have something to impart?

painesplough jhThanks, Paines Plough, for the chance to be involved. There’s lots of discussion about ‘placemaking’ nowadays, but those of us who actually live it in the wild edge places don’t often get heard among the urban folks who run the schemes, award the grants, host the discussions. When your national arts body advises you not to badge an event as ‘Borders’, your buried warlike nature stirs. Watch this space. Move your radar.

Hear the plays.

Shoutouts to visionary Borderers:

Alchemy Film Festival
Working the Tweed
Firebrand
CABN
VOMO

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