A familiar face will return to Perth Theatre this week to perform a rehearsed reading at Talk Fest, a series of shows and workshops that allows the public to access behind-the-scenes theatre processes.
And, it will be a particularly poignant moment for Janet Michael, as the performance of And Another Thing … In Her Own Words 2 will be in the Joan Knight Studio which is named after the artistic director who she worked with over an extended period.
Janet first appeared on the Perth Theatre stage in Dracula in 1972 and worked alongside some of the greats of British Theatre for 30 consecutive seasons until 2002 when she appeared in her final show, A Cream Cracker Under The Settee. She also worked at Pitlochry Festival Theatre for many seasons and is possibly best remembered for her hilarious portrayal of Dolly in the Steamie. From 2008-2010 she toured Scotland with the show Dirty Dusting but when she broke her back she wasn't able to work for many years.
Janet was delighted to return to the stage for In Her Own Words at Birnam Arts in 2018 as part of the Luminate Scotland Festival and is over the moon to be back at Perth Theatre this year, especially at the new Joan Knight Studio as she has many happy memories and stories about working with Joan during her time at Perth.
Janet said:
"Before In Her Own Words in 2018 I hadn't acted since I broke my back, it's wonderful to be back in the theatre world, I miss the community. I now walk like a penguin so if anyone is looking for a stage version of Happy Feet give me a call."
And Another Thing … In Her Own Words 2 in Perth Theatre’s Joan Knight Studio on Friday 26 October at 7.30pm is the second in a series of verbatim theatre pieces developed from Rivendell Care home residents' stories by playwright, Lesley Wilson, who is the writer in residence at Rivendell and Associate Artist at Perth Theatre.
Travelling across time and place, from the shadow of the first world war to the confusion of Brexit, it weaves a tale of love and loss, of childhood and family and of growing up and growing old.
Join the residents of Rivendell, their families and friends and discover this hidden library of delightful treasures, which will be performed by Janet Michael and Anna Hepburn.
Lesley Wilson worked for many years as a social worker and counsellor before she began writing for theatre in 2008. She lives in Perthshire and, in addition to playwriting, works as a writer in a local care home and supports artists to explore what supports and sabotages creativity. Theatre credits include Wired, In Her Own Words, A Woman, A Crown, A Giant and A Field.