Pitlochry Festival Theatre, in collaboration with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, will present a special script-in-hand reading of And Midnight Never Come, a new play by acclaimed crime writer Val McDermid.
The play delves into the mysterious and controversial death of playwright Christopher Marlowe in Deptford in 1593. Was it a forbidden love story, a double-crossing spy tale, or the inspiration behind Shakespeare?
The reading will be performed on Monday 18 August at 2.30pm in the Studio at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. A second performance will take place on Tuesday 19 August at 8pm in the Spiegeltent at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Directed by former Traverse Theatre Artistic Director Philip Howard, And Midnight Never Come marks McDermid’s theatrical exploration of one of literature’s most enduring enigmas.
Val McDermid shared her inspiration behind the play:
“I’ve been fascinated by Christopher Marlowe since I first encountered his dynamic and ground-breaking work as a student, more years ago than I care to admit. He was only 29 when he died in circumstances that are often misrepresented and this is my attempt to provide an explanation that fits the known facts and makes sense. I’m delighted to be working with such talented teams across Pitlochry Festival Theatre and the Edinburgh International Book Festival and I hope audiences will be as thrilled by the life and death of one of our most startling playwrights.”
Director Philip Howard added:
“Val McDermid applies a lifetime of experience and forensic observation to the story of Christopher Marlowe and the last day of his life, and — as a playwright — she does it with vibrant theatricality. I’m excited that Pitlochry Festival Theatre and the Edinburgh International Book Festival have combined forces to give Val’s play its first public reading.”
McDermid, often dubbed the Queen of Crime, has sold over 19 million books worldwide. Her work has been translated into more than 40 languages and adapted for television, including the popular Karen Pirie series.
And Midnight Never Come promises to bring McDermid’s signature forensic insight and narrative tension to the stage in a compelling new form.
Listings and ticket information can be found here and here.
