Dear Billy
13 - 25 Aug | Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Overview
A LOVE LETTER TO THE BIG YIN
From the people of Scotland
If you don’t know who Billy Connolly is, ask the people of Scotland. And if you want to know about the people of Scotland, ask them about Billy Connolly.
Last year’s sell-out smash hit celebration of one of Scotland’s best loved performers, The Big Yin, is back by popular demand.
Multiple Fringe First winner Gary McNair, one of Scotland’s finest theatre makers, and an expert team of story gatherers spent years speaking to people all over the country about The Big Yin. Some knew him in childhood, at the shipyards of the Clydeside, from his trailblazing and extraordinary stage and movie exploits. Some had only met him once, some still dream of meeting him but they all had one thing in common- they weren’t short of things to say about him.
Gary then took this huge collection of moving and hilarious tales and turned them into a joyous piece of theatre celebrating the Big Yin and what he means to us.
So join him and the band as they hit the road again, collecting more stories as they go, making every show different. A great day out for all that will have you in stitches!
Written and performed by Gary McNair and directed by Joe Douglas.
You can download the freesheet for Dear Billy here Dear Billy Freesheet2024
A National Theatre of Scotland production
A populist, funny and poignant jigsaw puzzle collageScottish Daily Mail
Vivid, funny and poignant
Moving, fascinating and often hilarious
Joyous
A gloriously masterful 90 minutes of theatre
Rich and moving
Reminds us why it’s so great and how much it means to all of usDaily Record
McNair... shapes the material beautifully... with respect and affection
Surprisingly thoughtful
what audiences are saying
Creative Team
- Name
- Kate Bonney
- Role
- Lighting Designer
- Name
- Joe Douglas
- Role
- Director / Dramaturg
- Name
- Claire Halleran
- Role
- Set and Costume Designer
- Name
- Simon Hayes
- Role
- Lighting Designer
- Name
- Simon Liddell
- Role
- Composer
- Name
- Gary McNair
- Role
- Writer
- Name
- Jill O'Sullivan
- Role
- Composer
- Name
- Calum Paterson
- Role
- Production Sound Designer
- Name
- Sally Reid
- Role
- Re Mount Director | Spring Tour
Cast
Wider Production Team
- Name
- Heather Currie
- Role
- Wardrobe Supervisor (rehearsal only)
- Name
- Adam Gibson
- Role
- Sound Supervisor (Edinburgh)
- Name
- Nina Madriz
- Role
- Deputy Stage Manager (rehearsal only)
- Name
- Keir Martin
- Role
- Sound Supervisor (tour)
- Name
- Jamie Murray
- Role
- Lighting Supervisor
- Name
- Kat Siebert
- Role
- Company Stage Manager
- Name
- Elle Taylor
- Role
- Production Manager
Explore
Production shots
REHEARSAL SHOTS
VIDEO
- Dear Billy | Saw Him Coming
- Dear Billy | Audience Reactions | 2024
- Dear Billy | Audience Reactions 2023
