I Am Thomas

I Am Thomas: A Brutal Comedy with Songs is a play based around the death of Thomas Aikenhead, the last person to be hanged for blasphemy in Britain. The play received its world premiere at the Liverpool Playhouse, in February 2016, before embarking on a short UK tour. It is a co-production between Told by an Idiot, the National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Lyceum Theatre.[1][2]

I Am Thomas: A Brutal Comedy with Songs
Date premiered24 February 2016 (2016-02-24)
Place premieredLiverpool Playhouse
Original languageEnglish
SubjectThomas Aikenhead
SettingEdinburgh 1696 and Present Day

Production history
Iain Johnstone in I Am Thomas

I Am Thomas: A Brutal Comedy with Songs is a devised theatre play[3] created by Told by an Idiot,[4] based on the real life story of Thomas Aikenhead, a student from Edinburgh who was prosecuted and executed at the age of 20 on a charge of blasphemy.[5] He was executed at Gallow Lee in Edinburgh[6] in 1697 and was the last person in Britain to be executed for blasphemy.[7] Told through the medium of song, the play is set in Edinburgh between 1696 and present day. On 14 April 2015, it was announced by The Royal Lyceum Theatre, that the play would form part of the 50th anniversary season of the Royal Lyceum Theatre company.[8][9] It is a co-production between Told by an Idiot, the National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Lyceum Theatre.[10] I Am Thomas received its world premiere at the Liverpool Playhouse on 24 February 2016, following previews from 19 February, for a limited run until 27 February.[11]

The play is directed by Paul Hunter, Artistic Director of Told by an Idiot,[12] with design by Laura Hopkins,[13] lighting design by Paul Anderson,[14] music by Iain Johnstone,[15] lyrics by Simon Armitage[16] and sound by Adrienne Quartly.[17] Following its premiere production the play embarked on a short UK tour[18] in March and April 2016, visiting The Lowry, Salford, Salisbury Playhouse, Salisbury, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, and Wilton's Music Hall, London.[19] The play features an ensemble cast of eight[19] who take it in turn to play the title role.[11] The cast includes John Cobb, Charlie Folorunsho, Amanda Hadingue, Myra McFadyen, Hannah McPake, John Pfumojena,[20] Dominic Marsh and Iain Johnstone who wrote the plays score.[21] A typical performance runs two hours, including one interval of 20 mins.[22]

Critical reception

The play has received mixed to positive reviews from critics.[23][24][25][26]

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References
  1. "Simon Armitage on his comedy about the last man hanged for blasphemy". theguardian.com. The Guardian. 17 February 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  2. "Theatre that minds your language". heraldscotland.com. The Herald. 22 March 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  3. "Told by an Idiot tells the story of the last man hanged for blasphemy". liverpoolecho.co.uk. Liverpool Echo. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  4. "I Am Thomas at Liverpool Playhouse". thetimes.co.uk. The Times. 25 February 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  5. "I Am Thomas, a timely adaptation of a 17th century blasphemy execution". scotsman.com. The Scotsman. 23 March 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  6. "I Am Thomas, a tale from Edinburgh's dark past". edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Edinburgh Evening News. 22 March 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  7. "I Am Thomas at the Liverpool Playhouse". liverpoolecho.co.uk. Liverpool Echo. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  8. "The Lyceum Announces 50th Anniversary Season!". lyceum.org.uk. Royal Lyceum Theatre. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  9. "Brian Cox and Bill Paterson return to Lyceum for 50th anniversary season". list.co.uk. The List. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  10. "A thoroughly modern travesty of 18th-century justice". heraldscotland.com. Sunday Herald. 13 March 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  11. "Told By An Idiot takes gallows humour literally in this new musical production". thestage.co.uk. The Stage. 25 February 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  12. "I Am Thomas review – freedom of speech theatrics". theguardian.com. The Guardian. 28 February 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  13. "'I Am Thomas' at Liverpool Playhouse". wirralglobe.co.uk. Wirral Globe. 25 February 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  14. "I Am Thomas Company". whatsonstage.com. Whats On Stage. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  15. "I Am Thomas review – singalong-a-blasphemy in Simon Armitage show". theguardian.com. The Guardian. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  16. "I Am Thomas's brutal comedy is a bold theatrical experiment". telegraph.co.uk. The Telegraph. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  17. "I am Thomas a brutal comedy with songs – UK Tour 2016" (PDF). nationaltheatrescotland.com. National Theatre of Scotland. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  18. "National Theatre of Scotland announce start of 10th anniversary season". whatsonstage.com. Whats On Stage. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  19. "I Am Thomas Coming to Wilton's Music Hall in April". broadwayworld.com. Broadway World. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  20. "I Am Thomas - a brutal comedy with songs Team". toldbyanidiot.org. Told By An Idiot. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  21. "Brutal comedy with songs explores hidden piece of history". salisburyjournal.co.uk. Salisbury Journal. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  22. "I Am Thomas Run Time". twitter.com/lyceumtheatre. Royal Lyceum Theatre. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  23. "A rhapsody of ill-invented nonsense, patched up partly of the moral doctrines of philosophers, and partly of poetical fictions and extravagant chimeras". list.co.uk. The List. 29 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  24. "Brutal comedy with songs' on the last man executed for blasphemy is exuberant but confused". theartsdesk.com. The Arts Desk. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  25. "Theatre review: I Am Thomas, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh". scotsman.com. The Scotsman. 25 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  26. "I Am Thomas at Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh". heraldscotland.com. The Herald. 25 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
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