Soldiers play wins critics award

Black Watch won four critics awards

A drama based on experiences of soldiers serving in Iraq has scooped the top award at the annual Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland.

The National Theatre of Scotland's Black Watch, written by Gregory Burke, won four awards including best production.

Best new play was won by Torben Betts for Unconquered and the actor awards went to Meg Fraser and Sandy Grierson.

Gobbo by David Greig and Wils Wilson won best production for children.

The awards were presented at the Pitclochy Festival Theatre.

Best shows

Convenor of the Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland (CATS), Robert Dawson Scott, said: "Black Watch is one of those shows that comes along very, very rarely, where everything works, where every judgement is right, where the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts.

"I've been going to the theatre for 40 years, 30 of them professionally, one way or another. It is among the five best shows I have ever seen."

The production, which will be broadcast on TV in Scotland later in the year, was also winner in the best ensemble and best technical categories, with John Tiffany picking up the best director award.

Meg Fraser won best female actor for her part in the Citizens' Theatre production of Tom Fool.

Sandy Grierson won best male actor for the title role of Fergus Lamont in the Communicado/Perth Theatre production.

The awards were open to any professional theatre work produced in Scotland between 1 May 2006 and 21 April 2007.

About 180 different new productions which opened in the year were considered.