“Taking the central role of Kay herself, Sasha Frost is excellent… The task of embodying Kay at a variety of ages and identities must be a daunting task for an actor, but Frost pulls this off seemingly with ease.” – Upstaged Manchester “The chemistry between the actors makes you truly believe in this family unit… Jackie Kay’s life has been full of wonderful moments and she has overcome massive obstacles with grace, dignity and optimism… Worth seeing for the superb Elaine C Smith.” – I Love Manchester ★★★★ “Sasha Frost effortlessly conveys the writer’s natural, gentle warmth… Some emotions can’t be faked, no matter how good the actor when Frost smiles, she radiates empathy… A funny, lyrical piece of drama… You would need a heart of stone not to be affected by Kay’s soul searching journey.” – Quays Life “It felt as if [Jackie Kay’s memoirs had literally jumped off the page.” – Mancunion

★★★★ “A fabulous dramatisation of one woman’s extraordinary journey… Brilliant acting performances from all involved… Highly entertaining.” – The Greater Manchester Reviewer “There are lovely performances from Lewis Howden and the great Elaine C Smith as Jackie’s adoptive parents John and Helen and an ensemble of actors who play multiple roles impressively… There is much about it that is enjoyable and revealing.” – British Theatre Guide “The chemistry between all the actors, as they shuffle through a range of characters, brings out the emotive qualities of an already strong script… The climax of the play is not the culmination of a journey but rather a snapshot from its heart.” – Exeunt ★★★★ “This is mainly a cheerful and warm-hearted show, ingeniously directed by Dawn Walton and led by Sasha Frost, whose engaging vivacity gives us an irrepressible Jackie.” – Theatre Reviews North She was named Scots Makar – the National Poet for Scotland – in March 2016.ĭeveloped with the support of Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling. She was awarded an MBE in 2006, and made a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2002.

Jackie Kay is a celebrated poet, writer and HOME patron who has picked up numerous awards for her novels and story collections, as well as writing extensively for television and the stage. Discover how we are shaped by the folk songs we hear as much as by the cells in our bodies.īased on the soul-searching memoir by Scots Makar Jackie Kay, adapted by Tanika Gupta (winner of the 2018 James Tait Black Prize for Drama), and directed by Dawn Walton (Founder and Artistic Director of Eclipse Theatre). Then she decided to find her birth parents…įrom Nairn to Lagos, Red Dust Road takes you on a journey full of heart, humour and deep emotions. Growing up in ’70s Scotland as the adopted mixed-race child of a Communist couple, young Jackie blossomed into an outspoken, talented poet. “You are made up from a mixture of myth and gene.

The red dust road