Directed by Liz Carruthers
From acclaimed comedian and writer Jonny Donahoe, Anna/Anastasia is a hilarious comedy inspired by the true story of Anna Anderson, the greatest imposter of the 20th century.
After the execution of the entire Romanov family, rumours began to circulate that Grand Duchess Anastasia somehow survived. Four years later, in a Berlin asylum, Anna Anderson convinces the doctor she is that girl.
Anna ends up living the charmed but chaotic life of an aristocrat as she achieves worldwide fame, but is she the rightful heir to the throne or just a lucky chancer?
Co-presented with Traverse Theatre and Aberdeen Performing Arts.
JONNY DONAHOE is a comedian, writer and performer. He is the co-creator and original performer of the award-winning Every Brilliant Thing, which has now played in over seventy countries across six continents. He has also written and performed for over ten years with his touring comedy group Jonny & The Baptists. They have performed their shows at the National Theatre, Manchester Royal Exchange, Greenwich Playhouse New York, Soho Theatre, Downstage Theatre Wellington, Liverpool Everyman and Battersea Arts Centre. Other plays include 30 Christmases, (New Diorama/ OFS, Oxford), Forgiveness (UK & International Tour), short plays include The Sound Ours Hearts Made (Trafalgar Studios/Paines Plough) and There Was an Old Woman (Soho Theatre).
He has appeared regularly on The Now Show, Sketchorama and Infinite Monkey Cage (all BBC Radio 4), and Live from TV Centre (BBC/BAC), amongst many others. His performance in Every Brilliant Thing was recorded at Barrow Street Theatre by World of Wonder, and released as a special on HBO.
LIZ CARRUTHERS is a Scottish-based freelance theatre director, dramaturg, lecturer and intimacy coordinator. She was trainee director at Perth Theatre, Staff Director at Chichester Festival Theatre and Artistic Director of Cumbernauld Theatre Her most recent work includes 90 Days: How Scotland saved the 1994 Women’s Rugby World Cup (Traverse Theatre); Dead Dad Dog (Finborough Theatre/Traverse Theatre); Quality Street, Para Handy, Perfect Days (Pitlochry Festival Theatre). She has also directed plays for the Royal Lyceum Theatre, MacRobert, Dundee Rep, Perth Theatre, the Tron, His Majesty’s Aberdeen, Eden Court, Tramway and the Citizens’ Theatre Studio as well as middle and small-scale touring venues all over Scotland and England.
Anna/Anastasia will mark Liz’s 30th play directed for A Play, A Pie and A Pint, the highest of any director in the company’s 20-year history.
