SILENCE IN COURT / COCK AND BULL STORY OPENING NIGHTS

Both Silence In Court and Cock And Bull Story opened at the New Town Theatre last night, Thursday 4 August, with healthy audiences and lots of walk up on the door - always a good sign.

Hardly surprising then that both casts hung around to celebrate... here are the boys... I'll get a picture of the girls tonight.

WIRED: Opening night drinks with Ali Macdougall, Edward Cory, Robbie O'Donnell, Maxi Moffat, yours truly, Arron Usher, Matt Robertson and Bill Mackellar

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AWARD

emeraldBLUE are pleased to report that both Silence In Court and Cock And Bull Story have been nominated for the Amnesty International Freedom Of |Expression Award.

emeraldBLUE is an Edinburgh-based not for profit limited company formed with the aim of introducing new audiences to the world of live drama while removing the fourth wall to enable regular theatre-goers a new perspective on live performance.

As such emeraldBLUE has a working relationship with community groups such as 6VT - Edinburgh's Youth Cafe, and The Citadel Youth Centre in Leith.

ABOUT THE WRITERS - COCK AND BULL STORY

Did you know that Cock And Bull Story was written by Richard Crowe and Richard Zajdlic? Yes? But what do you know about them? Here's a quick snapshot of each...

Richard Zajdlic has written extensively for television including episodes of London's Burning, This Life, Clocking Off, Bodies, New Tricks and EastEnders.

Richard Crowe is London Olympics 2012 Creative Programmer.

TORCHWOOD, TAGGART AND I'M A CELEBRITY COME TOGETHER IN SILENCE IN COURT

Pic: Bill Mackellar Design: David Hamburgh

All stand. A court room somewhere... anywhere... nowhere.
Charles Brand is charged with the rape of Jennifer Lyons. Is he guilty or not guilty?
Only you, the jury, can decide as there were no witnesses.

Silence In Court is an interactive court room fiction that draws on real life procedures from a number of legal traditions to create a mock court in which members of the audience are the jury. Throughout the run, a series of guest celebrates will play the Jury Foreman, delivering the Guilty or Not Guilty verdict on the night.

5 August - Christine Hamilton, who is appearing on the Fringe with husband Neil in High Jinks With The Hamiltons at Udderbelly's Pasture.
Christine says: "Keeping quiet it not my biggest attribute but really looking forward to taking part in 'Silence in Court' . It promises to be a gripping drama every day so take your seats in the jury box. See you in Court." 

10 August - Glenn Chandler, Edinburgh-born and raised creator of STV's Taggart, the longest running crime drama in the world. He also wrote for the classic TV series Crown Court and is an honorary patron of emeraldBLUE.
Glenn says: "I was really thrilled to be asked to be Jury Foreman in Silence In Court.
"I think it's a highly original concept, even for the Fringe and I happen to know it was inspired by Crown Court, a TV series I actually wrote for before Taggart. Silence In Court also tackles a taboo subject, so it is right up my street."  

 12 August - Tom Price, currently starring as Torchwood's Sgt Andy Davidson on BBC 1 every Thursday, is appearing in his own one-man Fringe show Say When, at The Pleasance Courtyard.

Tom says: "I’m really thrilled to have been asked to be a part of a play about such an emotive subject. As an actor and comedian I love the idea of improvising around a theme.
To do this with such a serious subject will be breaking new ground for me personally and I hope for the audience too.
I’m also intrigued by the fact that, because members of the audience are the jury, the verdict could be different each night.”

Other celebrities are being lined up to appear throughout the run.

SILENCE IN COURT was inspired by the classic 70’s TV series Crown Court, it premiered on 11 June 2010 at Kitsch Theatre Cafe, Leith.

Silence In Court runs at the New Town Theatre, 96 George Street, 4-28 August (not 16). 8pm (60mins), £10-£12.50, Tickets 0131 226 0000

EDINBURGH BOXING LEGEND TRAINS COCK AND BULL STORY ACTORS

Pic: Bill Mackellar

Exciting times for Matt Robertson and Maxi Moffat this week, when they took a break from rehearsals to pop into Holyrood Boxing Gym where they were shown the ropes by legendary Edinburgh boxer Bradley Welsh.
The actors, who appear in Cock And Bull Story at The New Town Theatre on George Street throughout the Fringe, play a pair of young boxers and were only to pleased to accept Bradley's offer to train them ahead of the show's opening night on 4 August.

Bradley Welsh was the 1993 ABA Lightweight Champion. He now runs the Holyrood Boxing Gym www.holyroodboxing.com

Cock And Bull Story runs until 28 August. Tickets, £10-£12.50, 0131 226 0000

COCK AND BULL STORY TEAM ON TWITTER

BOOKING NOW ON 0131 226 0000 & www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/cock-and-bull-story

DAY 8

Been locked in the rehearsal room now for eight days - intense stuff - and you can keep up to date with all the latest Cock And Bull Story news by following the team on Twitter.

Follow @LiamRudden (Director) @MatRobertson (Actor - Jacko, pictured right) and Rob O'Donnell @Rocken_Robbie (Stage Manager).

Just need to get Edward Cory (Assistant Director) and Maxi Moffat (Actor - Travis, pictured left) to sign up.

TAGGART CREATOR TO MAKE GUEST APPEARANCE IN SILENCE IN COURT

EDINBURGH-born Glenn Chandler, the creator of the world's longest running crime series Taggart, will be our very special guest on Wednesday 10 August, when he will appear for one performance only as the Jury Foreman.

Glenn is also an honorary patron of emeraldBLUE and was a writer on the classic ITV series Crown Court, which provided the inspiration for Silence In Court.

You can buy tickets for this performance here http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/silence-in-court

Please book early to avoid disappointment as the venue only holds 40 people per performance.

More celebrity names and dates will be announced on Monday.

Keep watching.

LR