Students tread the boards at city church

THEATRE fans will have the chance to see an original play in an unusually atmospheric setting next week when Inverness College UHI dramatists perform at the historic Old High Church in Inverness.

Inspired by the fascinating architecture and character of the building, the HNC students collaborated to write and produce "Trust Me, I’m a Doctor", a gothic tale about a prominent doctor and philosopher who creates a thrilling new combination of religion and medicine.

HNC Acting and Performance student, Martin Bannon (33) from Diriebught Road, Inverness, said: "Working at the Old High Church has presented an entirely new challenge, requiring us to build a story to fit the enormous potential and limitations of an existing space rather than creating a set or space to meet the needs of a story.

"It’s been an excellent experience which has changed the way we look at settings and stories, inspiring us to explore new ideas for performances."

Inverness College UHI drama lecturer Jesse Paul explained that the students were asked to develop an original story which captured the distinctive character of the Old High Church.

"It was difficult at first, but when we started to think about the building and the students’ reaction to it, the story flourished," she said.

"It is exciting to see our writers, directors and actors creep beyond the perimeters of the College, offering them a real chance to explore and take forward even more contemporary performances across Inverness and beyond."

The public performance takes place at 7pm at the Old High Church on Monday.

Entry is free of charge. However, donations in support of the church will be gratefully received.