ACTRESS Sally Reid has swapped playing a police constable in Scots Squad for an arresting play set to steal audiences’ hearts.
Known as PC Sarah Fletcher in the hit TV show, she is now directing a new play that is holding its world premiere in Pitlochry this weekend.
Inexperience is the opening production for the Festival Theatre’s summer studio season in Alan Cumming’s first year as the theatre’s artistic director.
Reid has been left wondering if Cumming ever rests.
“I really don’t know when he sleeps,” she said. “He’s ever-present and super supportive.”
Reid said it caused a stir when Cumming, who is currently starring in Tip Toe on ITV, first turned up at rehearsals but was soon regarded as just another part of the crew.
“He is really excited about the play,” she said. “He really cares.”
It’s a change from TV work to be directing, but Reid is no stranger to the role, having directed the pantomime at Glasgow’s Tron for the last couple of years – winning a nomination for best directing in the panto awards in the process.
She has also previously acted in a few plays written by award-winning playwright, Douglas Maxwell, who has penned the comedy drama Inexperience.
“It’s really nice to do his work from a different vantage point,” said Reid. “It’s still storytelling but from another perspective.”
She is full of admiration for Maxwell’s “amazing” work as a Scottish writer.
“He’s got great wit and understanding of comedy characters and the light and shade of those characters and that’s what I love,” said Reid.
“I love comedy, and in Scots Squad, we all improvised around a storyline to keep it fresh, but what Douglas does really well, I think, is highlight all the little quirks that people naturally have and use the way they speak.
I think it makes his characters really relatable.”
She added: “Inexperience is one of those plays where you maybe see yourself or somebody you know looking back at you and I think that’s what all great theatre does – it challenges you to wonder if you should be doing or thinking about something in a different way.”
In the play, the characters first meet when they are students, when they promise to only ever touch each other once to preserve the spark that often fades. They meet again in later life when the perfect touch may finally be within reach.
The cast features Adura Onashile, Sandy Grierson, Alexander Tait and Sophie Fortune, who is 21 years old, and is reminding Reid what it’s like to start out in the theatre world.
“She’s just so vibrant and wonderful, and we’re all so excited for her because this is her first professional job,” said Reid.
“I remember my first job and the older actresses in that show really supporting me and doing what I’m doing now for Sophie. I can’t wait for people to see her, as it feels really special – like a kind of full circle moment.”
Born in Perth, Reid was introduced to acting when she was a child as her neighbour happened to be a casting director and gave her a part in a TV advert.
“That piqued my interest, so I asked my mum and dad if I could go to a Saturday drama class,” she said.
At Perth Youth Theatre, her talent was spotted and she was encouraged to think about acting as a career.
“I’d never met an actor, and I was like, ‘is that a real job?’. But I was told about a course in Glasgow that I could try to see if I liked it.”
That was at Langside College and Reid enjoyed it so much she stayed for the full three years of thecourse, working front of house at the Citizens Theatre while she was a student.
After she graduated, she auditioned for a part in 7:84’s Factory Girls and got it. Since then, she has built up a solid career in theatre and TV.
“I’ve been lucky and had a lot of support,” she said.
Inexperience runs until July 4 this year at the Studio in Pitlochry Festival Theatre
