Rocket Post show will open at An Lanntair

The National Theatre of Scotland heads north and then across Scotland, presenting Rocket Post, an inventive new show for children and families, created by Lewis Hetherington in collaboration with Ailie Cohen and MJ McCarthy.

Based on an incredible true story, the show delightfully follows the antics of German rocket engineer Gerhard Zucker and his ill-fated attempts to bring a rocket-based postal service to the Western Isles in 1934.

Rocket Post opens at An Lanntair in Stornoway on 23 September, with preview performances at Platform, Easterhouse (19 & 20 Sept) before embarking on a Scottish tour to 21 October 2017.

Ever heard the expression ‘reach for the stars’?

Back in 1934, that’s just what German rocket engineer Gerhard Zucker did with his radical new idea for delivering letters at high speed over long distances - ROCKETS!

Next stop: the Western Isles, and the scene of a dramatic experiment to send two rockets full of letters on a 1600 metre flight path between the isles of Harris and Scarp.

On the 28th and the 31st July Gerhard launches his rockets. On both occasions the rockets go up in flames. His vision for the future of communication explodes into thousands of tiny pieces that fall through the sky like rain. Back to the drawing board for Gerhard. But maybe, one day, his vision will be realised.

A fantastically fun new show for everyone aged six plus, Rocket Post is equal parts play, gig and hoedown.

Full of humour, heart and hope for the future, it’s a tale of miscommunication, vaulting ambition and the joyous discoveries that can happen when everything goes wrong.

Rocket Post also playfully tells an extraordinary real story, celebrating one man’s ambitious endeavour and how an island community responded. The Rocket Post, a film that tells the story of Gerhard Zucker and his rocket mail experiments, was made in Scotland and distributed in 2004.

The film went onto win the Festival Grand Prize at the Stonybrook Film Festival in New York.

Lewis Hetherington is a celebrated playwright and theatre-maker based in Scotland. His previous acclaimed collaborations with Ailie Cohen include The Secret Life of Suitcases and Cloud Man.

Rocket Post opens at An Lanntair in Stornoway, one of Scotland’s most northerly arts centres. The National Theatre of Scotland continues its commitment to touring Scotland and reaching rural and geographically diverse communities with the world premiere of an innovative and energised piece of music theatre for all ages.

The National Theatre of Scotland is delighted to welcome Mackie’s of Scotland back on board as a sponsor, supporting another of the Company’s touring productions for children. Previously Mackie’s of Scotland sponsored the successful tours of Last Polar Bears, which toured to primary schools and The Day I Swapped my Dad for Two Goldfish.

Mackies will shortly be announcing an exciting competition for children around the Rocket Post tour. Full information from www.mackies.co.uk.

The production is supported by a family workshop programme at each venue, which will be free to ticket holders. Join the Rocketeer Scientists and help build a new rocket that will take your letters on a very special journey.

Find out more about the production at: website