National Theatre heads for Asian first

The National Theatre of Scotland is to tour Asia for the first time this autumn.

The company’s acclaimed production Black Watch will be presented by the National Theatre of Korea on 26 to 28 October.

Bosses are also taking the Citizens Theatre’s production of The Monster in the Hall, by David Greig, to China in October and November.

Neil Murray, the company’s executive producer, said: “The National Theatre of Scotland is thrilled to be taking work to Asia for the first time. “Amazingly, in the case of Black Watch, after six years of touring, it will be the first time that it has been presented with subtitles.

“That it should be in South Korea, which has a very live issue surrounding the role of its military, is particularly exciting.

“David Greig is a writer of universal appeal, so to present the brilliant Citizens’ production of The Monster in the Hall in four Chinese cities is a tantalising prospect.”

Black Watch, by Gregory Burke and directed by John Tiffany, has played to more than 200,000 people across three continents. The play will also tour from September to Chicago and Washington and, in 2013, to Seattle and San Francisco.

The Monster in the Hall, directed by Guy Hollands, will tour Shanghai Grant Theatre, Nanjing University Theatre, Xian Musical Hall and Nine Theatre, Beijing.