08 April 2019Scottish actor takes play celebrating piping genius Gordon Duncan to the Fringe
Scottish actor David Colvin, who created a play about the late piping genius Gordon Duncan, is to take the play, Thunderstruck, to the Edinburgh Fringe for a full run in August.
As well as composing many tunes that have passed into the folk tradition, Gordon Duncan arranged the AC/DC song Thunderstruck for the Highland bagpipes, going as far as to incorporate sounds including a remarkably true impression of guitar feedback. His first performance of this daring “cover version”- staged at an Edinburgh International Festival series of piping concerts - helped to win him a Herald Angel award, which was presented to his family following his tragic death in 2005.
Colvin premiered the play at Piping Live! in Glasgow last August and reprised it for Celtic Connections in January. After being turned down for funding from Made in Scotland, he is personally financing the Fringe run, which takes place at Assembly’s Checkpoint venue, in order to tell the story of Duncan, who worked as a bin man in Pitlochry despite being revered the world over, to as wide an audience as possible. Donations in support of his venture can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/