Lung Ha Theatre Company and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh
present the World Premiere of
CASTLE LENNOX
By Linda McLean
Directed by Maria Oller
“You said small spaces encourage large thoughts… and then you locked the door.”
1969. Annis, a young autistic woman, is sent by her stepmother to live as a patient at Castle Lennox, where the rules of the outside world do not apply. Desperate to escape, she very quickly lands herself in trouble and makes an enemy of the nurse in charge. Feeling lost and alone, she is befriended by fellow residents who show her another Castle Lennox, a world of colour and song, one that is a welcome relief from the monotonous regime of pills and porridge. But Annis can’t help wanting to be free.
Linda McLean (Glory on Earth at The Lyceum) has written a play with songs (by MJ McCarthy) about the strength, wit and resilience of those who were sent to institutions for people with learning disabilities during a regime of segregation from the 1930s to the 1990s. This inspiring tale, based on a real institution, is brought to the stage in collaboration with the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh.
#CastleLennox
Supported by Margaret Duffy, Peter Williamson, Alan Wilkins Memorial, Enzo Londei Trust and Baillie Gifford.
All performances of Castle Lennox are BSL-interpreted. Captioned performance on Saturday, 1 April at 7.30pm.
Browse the Castle Lennox programme below or download it by clicking on “Download”:
“When Linda McLean brought the idea of Castle Lennox to me, I just knew that this is right story to be told, performed and sung by Lung Ha Theatre Company. To work together on a co-production with the Lyceum Theatre is an exciting and long wished for collaboration. Ever since we had to stop the rehearsals of Castle Lennox in 2020 due to lockdown, we have been waiting patiently for this moment – to be able to bring the story to you. Hurray! It’s coming!”
Maria Oller, lung ha theatre company artistic director