Conferences, meetings, and theatrical performances – "Voices from the Edge in Scottish Literature, Theater, and Film"

November 21, 2024, 9:45 a.m. - November 22, 2024, 4:30 p.m.

The Languages, Literatures, Societies, Cross-Border and International Studies (LLSETI),the Faculty of Arts, Languages, Humanities, and the French Society for Scottish Studies are organizing a two-day event entitled "Voices from the Edge in Scottish Literature, Theatre and Film" on the Jacob-Bellecombette campus on November 21 and 22, 2024, featuring lectures, meetings with Scottish playwright Matthew Zajac, and theatrical performances.

Program

Thursday, November 21, 2024

  • 8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.: Conference on Scottish literature, theater, and cinema (Room 911, Building 9)
  • 4:45 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.: Theater performance of The Tailor of Inverness by Matthew Zajac (Lecture Hall 11,000, Building 11)

Friday, November 22, 2024

  • 9:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: Meeting with playwright Matthew Zajac, with interpretation into French (Lecture Hall 11,000, Building 11)
  • 11:20 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.: Presentation of the French translation of The Tailor of Inverness by Danièle Berton-Charrière (Lecture Hall 11,000, Building 11)
  • 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: Theater performance of The Tailor of Inverness by Matthew Zajac (Lecture Hall 11,000, Building 11)

About

The lecture will explore the limits of the notion of Scottish nationhood and its cultural landscape in Scottish literature, theater, and cinema. It will examine how previously marginalized or suppressed narratives influence the national debate in Scotland. This conference draws on themes explored in the play The Tailor of Inverness, which will be performed after the conference: national identities, identity construction and denial, forced emigration, and the impact of wars on civilians and their families.

The two theatrical performances of The Tailor of Inverness will take place at Jacob-Bellecombette in lecture hall 11,000 on Thursday, November 21 at 4:45 p.m. and Friday, November 22 at 3 p.m. In addition, there will be an opportunity to talk at length with playwright Matthew Zajac on Friday, November 22, from 9:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. in lecture hall 11,000. The meeting will be in English, but interpreted into French. It will be followed from 11:20 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. by a presentation of the French translation of the play by Danièle Berton-Charrière (Clermont-Auvergne University).

Learn more about Matthew Zajac

Matthew Zajac grew up in Inverness, Scotland, and studied drama at the University of Bristol. He has been working as an actor for around 30 years, appearing in numerous film, television, and radio productions. He is currently the co-artistic director of the Dogstar Theatre Company, whose productions are performed throughout the United Kingdom and abroad. In 2009, he was named Best Actor at the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland for his performance in The Tailor of Inverness. It is this very play that will be performed on the Jacob-Bellecompette campus on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at 4:45 p.m. and Friday, November 22, 2024, at 3 p.m.

Learn more