Anniversary Play Celebrates Bennachie History
March 2023
A new play ‘The hill that was a home’ will have its debut in Inverurie this summer. It tells the story of the Bennachie Colonists – the 19th Century landless who carved out a living on the slopes of the hill before being forced out when land owners took over their properties. The play is an original piece of work by acclaimed playwright Alan Bissett. He was commissioned by conservation charity The Bailies of Bennachie as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. It will be performed in the Garioch Heritage Centre in July this year by Mitchell School of Drama who are marking their 40th anniversary this year.
Alan Bissett said:
“The story of the Bennachie Colonists was a new one for me, but it's clearly an important one to many people in North East of Scotland and I love nothing more than bringing local, historical stories - which might not have reached national attention - to life in a way that makes them engaging for a modern audience. I have tried to convey the sweep of the Colonists' lives - their presence on the hill spanned over a hundred years, after all - showing their struggles to maintain their freedom and way of life in the face of rapacious greed from landowners. I can't wait for Aberdeenshire audiences to see the Colonists come back to life for an hour and half to tell their fascinating story."
The Mitchell school of drama has an excellent reputation with their performance class putting on original or Shakespeare plays in Inverurie and elsewhere. Rhona Mitchell of Mitchell School of Drama said:
“This is an ambitious project to take on a part of local history. The young cast are enjoying finding ways to bring the story to life and do justice to the lives of the Bennachie Colonists. We think local audiences are going to respond really well to this drama. It has been great finding out about the Colonists from members of the Bailies and working with Alan Bissett to bring the tale to the stage.”
Chair of the Bailies, Peter Stock, said:
“The story of the Bennachie Colonists has been brought to light over the last few decades by efforts of the Bailies. Excavation of their homes and research into family history has thrown new light into this important and dramatic episode of local history. We are delighted to partner with Alan Bisset and Rhona Mitchell to tell this story in a different way to a new audience.”
