Open Book is dedicated to connecting communities separated by geography, history and language through the arts, through the celebration of diversity and through the promotion of local cultures and approaches nationally and internationally.

Open Book was founded by Liz Carruthers and John Cairns in 2010 to tour work with a particular emphasis on making popular, accessible, entertaining theatre which would appeal to as wide an audience as possible.

The Company is committed to working with emerging artists, to promoting awareness of local cultures across Scotland and to developing links between arts organisations across different parts of Scotland.

Iain Heggie's delightful 18th-century comic monologue..There is no one in Scotland - with the exceptions, perhaps, of Liz Lochhead and John Byrne - who write such wonderful and substantial stage comedies as Heggie.. Brilliantly drawn.. A truly lovely comic play.

Designed to tour small rural venues, the action took place around a minimal set of a long, rough-hewn banqueting table, throne and benches (at which some of the audience were seated), around and upon which the performers marched, leapt and prowled.
James Mackenzie's fiery, intensely physical performance as the Thane of Glamis and Cawdor, matched by Helen Mackay as his wife, was the dynamo at the heart of this rollercoaster ride, with able support from the rest of the company.
As my neighbour said, it was great to hear 'the Scottish play' in Scottish accents, and it was breathtaking to see the tragedy unfold within arms' reach.

The greatest richness of this show, though, lies in its acting company, who bring such a wealth of experience to the stage that it's a joy to watch them, as they sing, act, and work their audience with limitless skill and charm. Jimmy Chisholm's Para Handy, George Drennan's Dougie, Peter Kelly's Macphail and Sandy Nelson's Sunny Jim are all fine character sketches; Annie Grace is magnificent as whole range of women, including the adorable widow Crawford.
And although this is a show that's easy to dismiss as lightweight, nostalgic fun, in fact it has a grace, a substance, and a true lightness of being that is far harder to achieve than it looks; and has something to do with the pure essence of art, lifting, shaping and energising the dull stuff of human experience, even in the toughest of times.