In 2016, Liz’s play THON MAN MOLIERE was directed by Tony Cownie at The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh and in 2015, WHAT GOES AROUND made its way around Scotland’s theatres. She held the prestigious post of Scots Makar from 2011-16, which took her around the world.
Liz contributed a monologue to the National Theatre of Scotland’s project DEAR SCOTLAND and in March 2014 a co-written play BETWEEN THE THINK BUBBLE AND THE SPEECH BALLOON opened at Oran Mor.
In 2011 she wrote a play for Radio 4: BURNS & THE BANKERS for Goldhawk Productions and PERFECT DAYS was adapted for film in the Czech language by In Film Praha.
Her last play EDUCATING AGNES premiered in 2008 at Citizens Theatre Glasgow, produced by Theatre Babel and was revived in April 2011 at The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh. This was Liz’s third classical adaptation for the company following her equally successful THEBANS in 2003 a startlingly timely re-telling of the stories of Oedipus, Jokasta and Antigone.
In a break from the classics Liz also had a hit with her romantic comedy GOOD THINGS at the Tron Theatre in 2004. ‘A pan-generational smash hit in the making’ Herald.
In 2000 Liz was awarded Scotland’s most prestigious book prize, The Saltire Society’s Book of the Year Award, for the publication of her play MEDEA, published by Nick Hern Books. Liz’s re-interpretation of MEDEA opened at Glasgow’s Tramway theatre in March 2000 in a Theatre Babel production and was presented during the Edinburgh Festival:
“Lochhead’s searing adaptation of Medea … should finally establish the Glasgow playwright as Scotland’s greatest living dramatist” – Scotland on Sunday
MISERYGUTS, Liz’s contemporary Scottish take on Moliere’s Le Misanthrope opened at the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in March 2002 directed by Tony Cownie and starring Jimmy Chisholm:
“The most obvious star of the show is Lochhead’s writing…….the dynamics of dialogue are harmonised with often breath-taking, not to mention hilarious finesse- Sue Wilson – The Independent
Her Christmas show BEAUTY AND THE BEAST opened at the Tron Theatre Glasgow in December 2001. Starring Siobhan Redmond, PERFECT DAYS opened in the West End in June 1999. The play was the hit of the 1998 Edinburgh Festival Fringe in its premiere at the Traverse Theatre as the Traverse’s major Festival production. The production then played at Hampstead Theatre, London in January 1999 followed by a sell-out UK tour. PERFECT DAYS was nominated for Best New Play at the Olivier Awards.
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS GOT HER HEAD CHOPPED OFF is still possibly Liz’s best known play. It was initially produced by Communicado Theatre Company in 1987 and won a fringe first. The play was revived in May 1994 at the Royal Lyceum Edinburgh.
Liz’s translation of TARTUFFE into rhyming Scots was first performed by the Edinburgh Royal Lyceum in 1987. Among several subsequent productions was that directed by Liz herself at the 1994 Edinburgh Festival. The play was then revived by the Royal Lyceum in 2006 as part of their 40th Birthday celebrations.
BRITANNIA RULES opened at the Royal Lyceum in 1998 where her new version of THE THREE SISTERS premiered in February 2000. Other plays include BLOOD AND ICE (Traverse 1982), DRACULA (Lyceum 1985), THE BIG PICTURE (Dundee Repertory Theatre 1988), CUBA a play for young people (National Theatre/BT National Connections 1997-8), THE MAGIC ISLAND (an adaptation for children of THE TEMPEST – Unicorn Theatre, February 1993), an updated version of the YORK CYCLE OF MYSTERY PLAYS (1992), SHANGHAIED – a commission for Borderline Theatre – and PATTER MERCHANTS, from Moliere’s “Les Precieuses Ridicules”, which played to full houses at Edinburgh in 1989 in a double bill called PROFESSIONAL PRETENDERS. She has also been under commission to the RSC where she was Writer in Residence in 1988.
Liz’s short film LATIN FOR A DARK ROOM, starring Siobhan Redmond and Neil Pearson received its premiere as one of the Tartan Shorts at the 1994 Edinburgh International Film Festival and was shown at the London Short Film Festival. A Goldstar Film, it was produced under the auspices of the Scottish Film Production Fund and BBC Scotland. THE STORY OF FRANKENSTEIN was written for, and made by Yorkshire Television.
Described by Candia McWilliam in The Observer as “a powerful broadcaster with an intimate touch… [an] energetic, richly sympathetic poet”, Liz travels the country, broadcasting and performing her poetry.