A LOCAL theatre group which has been hitting the headlines in Hawick is set to stage a special performance in Galashiels next month.

Firebrand’s spring show for 2014, Blackbird by David Harrower, will visit The Space, at the Borders College campus in Galashiels on Monday, February 24, at 7.30pm.

The controversial one and a half hour long play, which will also be staged in Hawick and Edinburgh, has been acclaimed as the most powerful and dramatic two-hander since David Mamet’s Oleanna.

And it follows their tremendously successful production of David Harrower’s 54% Acrylic at Heart of Hawick in October last year.

Director Richard Baron explains his innovative approach to this modern classic: “Like most theatre companies Firebrand have to be inventive with limited resources and we were excited to realise that as Blackbird is set in a claustrophobic, litter-strewn staff room it could work brilliantly in a number of readymade environments. “In this way we could not only afford our passionate ambition to produce it but actually reveal its qualities even more powerfully by performing in these intimate non-theatre spaces. “Each of the small venues we have chosen for our tour is very different, from the modern office room at Hawick to the The Space at Heriot Watt, Borders College, Galashiels and the richly characterful Victorian Demonstration Room at Summerhall, Edinburgh. Each in its own way reinforces and illuminates different aspects of this taboo-breaking play and particularly the theme of the audience member as both jury and voyeur.” Fifteen years ago Ray and Una had a relationship. They haven’t set eyes on each other since. Now, years later she’s found him again... Inspired by the true story of an illicit love affair and startlingly contemporary, this new production by award winning Scottish Borders based Firebrand Theatre Company promises a sizzling and thought provoking encounter.

Baron has assembled a stellar cast and creative team for the show; Romana Abercromby, recently seen in the Scottish Borders in Dogstar’s The Baroness plays Una and newcomer to Hawick Greg Wagland plays Ray. Previously he has worked with Richard at Pitlochry Festival Theatre in Single Spies where he gave an acclaimed performance as traitor Guy Burgess. Staging consultant is Edward Lipscomb and composer and sound designer is the award-winning Jon Beales.

Tickets for the Galashiels performance, which opens at 7.30pm and includes a glass of wine, beer or a soft drink, are priced £13 or £10 for students and are available on the door or by calling 01835 830673.