All the world’s a stage, and Shetland is no exception. While Shetland’s traditional music scene might be world-famous, the theatre scene is an active and bustling one. There are a variety of plays, pantos and shows to choose from throughout the year, and plenty of opportunities for locals to tread the boards - you just have to know where to look!
Lerwick has two main venues for theatrical productions - the 115-year old Garrison Theatre, and the state-of-the-art music and art venue, Mareel. Both run by Shetland Arts, these stages have played host to an impressive roster of plays, pantos, operas and musicals over the years, and each has its own individual charms.
The Garrison is the theatre of choice for more traditional productions, with the curtains going up on numerous locally-produced plays and annual pantos each year, as well as occasional opera from Scottish Opera (whose next production, Highlights, is on at the Garrison this February).
Mareel attracts a different flavour of theatre. The Auditorium hosts contemporary and experimental fare, like the Shetland dialect based opera, Hirda, and the upcoming Baba Yaga, a much-celebrated update of a classic Russian folktale.
The 160-seat cinema Screen 1 is your chance to see big-screen versions of world-class plays and ballets. Artfully filmed for distribution to cinemas, these special screenings are a great way for Shetland theatre-lovers to see productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Bolshoi Ballet, the National Theatre, and more.
It’s not all Lerwick-based thoug. Shetland’s network of community halls (nearly two dozen in all) are a great place to see both local theatre and touring productions. In fact, most of Shetland’s theatre is locally-sourced, with a number of highly-active and talented drama groups putting on new productions across the isles regularly.
A great way to get a feel for what’s out there is at the Shetland County Drama Festival, which is now in its 68th year. Running in the Garrison Theatre from the 5th to the 8th of March 2018, the Drama Festival draws the local theatre groups from across the isles for a 4-day extravaganza.
Wherever you are, there’s probably a group near you. One of the biggest groups is the Lerwick-based Islesburgh Drama Group, which has over 70 active members and puts on high-quality productions regularly throughout the year.
Other areas of Shetland are no less active: in South Mainland, there’s the Brenna Players; the Westside is home to the aptly-named Westside Players, while the North has the Ronas Drama Group, who all play to community halls in their local areas. Open Door Drama is Shetland-wide, and is renowned for their rib-tickling pantos.
Youngsters are in on the act too, with drama clubs in all the high and junior-high schools, and the Shetland Arts-backed Shetland Youth Theatre.
It’s not all drama- Shetland’s comedy scene is on the rise. Shetland is a popular destination for stand-up acts, drawing major comedians like Bill Bailey, Kevin Bridges, Rich Hall and Sarah Pascoe to the isles. The biggest acts will see the main hall of Clickimin Leisure Complex packed out with hundreds of eager locals, while the Garrison, British Legion or Mareel often play host to smaller, more intimate shows
There are also home-grown stand-ups; Unst-based Les Sinclair has been active on the Scottish comedy circuit for years, while Westside girl Marjolein Robertson has been highly acclaimed for her recent shows at the Edinburgh Fringe and online content for the BBC.
Both Les and Marjolein are members of Shetland Comedy, which was founded in 2015 to help promote comedy in the isles. The group organises shows, workshops and classes in both stand-up and improvised comedy.
Another branch of Shetland Comedy, the Imposters, are Shetland’s only comedy troupe. The Imposters regularly perform to packed local venues, with their own brand of anarchic improv- including Shetland’s first improvised panto in 2018.
So, if you fancy a night at the theatre, or even to step out into the stagelights yourself, there’s plenty of opportunities in Shetland.