INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS:

Lorne Campbell was born in 1977 and lives in Edinburgh. He is an Associate Director of the Traverse, having joined the theatre in 2002 on the Channel 4 Theatre Director's Scheme. Productions for the Traverse: 'In The Bag' by Wang Xiaoli in a new version by Ronan O'Donnel, and 'The Nest' by Alan Wilkins and co-director on the remount of "The People Next Door" by Henry Adam. He was also Associate Director to Richard Wilson on Martin Taylor's 'East Coast Chicken Supper' for the 2005 Fringe . As assistant Director at the Traverse he worked on the world premieres of "Outlying Islands" by David Greig, "Dark Earth" by David Harrower, "Mr Placebo", by Isabel Wright, " "Homers" by Ian F Macleod and "Shimmer" by Linda McLean Prior to joining the Traverse he ran Forge Theatre for three years working with The Arches, Theatre Royal York and Northern Stage, Newcastle. Training: Ba/Hons; Liverpool John Moores University, MA; Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Chris Thorpe was born in 1974, lives in Manchester. He studied English and Theatre at the University of Leeds.  Occasionally he writes poetry, and he has written five plays for adults and two children’s plays and several radio plays. He wrote his first play with his roommate Let's Play Monopoly , but after that he starts writing black comedies like Neutrino  (Fringe First at the Edinburgh Festival) i  Zero Degrees and Drifting. Drama Static won the Fringe First for theatre innovation and outstanding production at the Edinburgh 2000, and Safety was premiered at the Traverse Theatre Edinburgh 2002, and also staged in Japan, Portugal, Germany and the US.   Static and Safety are the first two parts of a trilogy, and currently Chris is working on Disneyland, its third part. The trilogy deals with war and post-war situations, exploring different aspects of human experience and reactions concerning violent political processes, especially in the Southeast Europe countries.  Currently he is working on a new play about country music for the Soho theatre in London Back When I Was Beautiful. One of his scripts, The Last Ten Minutes is currently being filmed in Germany. He was a founder of Unlimited Theatre, who tour new scripts and devised work in the UK and internationally. He has worked with Unlimited in Europe, in Asia, Africa, and in the US. He also works as a musician. He has also been a social worker, a barman, and a gas station attendant.

Mark McDonnell
Trained: Queen Margaret University College
Theatre includes: The People Next Door (Traverse Theatre, winner Best Actor Kosovo International Theatre Festival 2004); Six Black Candles, The Breathing House, The Taming Of The Shrew, The Playboy Of The Western World, The Comedy Of Errors, Glengarry glen Ross, The Anatomist (Royal Lyceum Edinburgh); Observe The Sons Of Ulster, Rise And Fall Of Little Voice, Dracula (Dundee Rep Theatre); Abigail's Party, Our Day Out (Perth Rep); A Madman Sings To The Moon (Brunton Theatre); Don Juan (Theatre Babel)
Television includes: Velvet Soup series 1&2, Revolver series 1&2, The Last Laugh, Still Game, Intergalactic kitchen, Shoebox Zoo, Coronation Street.
Film includes: Festival, On A Clear Day, St Mathurin's School For Practical Joking, Cry For Bobo.
Radio includes: The Receptionist, Thou Shalt Not A Witch, The Big Bed, Rebus: Ressurection Men, Berlin, Daniel Deronda, The Mouse That Roared, There Are Such Things.
Writing includes: (all co-written with Steven McNicoll) Macflintock's Palace, There Are Such things, The Mouse That Roared, Empty Jesters (winner Herald Angel award).

PERFORMED PLAY:

Linda McLean Shimmer

No one's day is going to plan. Petal, Missy and Hen are on their way to the island of Iona, looking for a miracle (because Petal is ill). When their train is halted by floods, they are forced to stay at a B & B by Loch Lomond and contemplate different endings to their adventure. Jim, Guy and Sonny are also at the B & B. Guy is determined to make his own adventure, but Jim and Sonny's experiences make them equally determined to shelter him and stop history repeating. Surrounded by rain, rivers, lochs and floods, three generations of memory and experience ebb and flow through Linda McLean's lyrical new play. Shimmer shows how strange weather and circumstances allow glimpses of others they have loved and lost, and offers them all the tantalizing opportunity to dream it better.