Donald Smith
Home address:
45 Kirkhill Road, Edinburgh, EH16 5DE, ScotlandWork phone:
0131 652 3271BRAW network:
noLL funded:
yesBiography:
Donald Smith is a storyteller, playwright, novelist and performance poet. Born in Glasgow of Irish parents Donald has worked in theatre and literature in Scotland since the seventies. Director of the Netherbow Arts Centre from 1983, Donald became founding Director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre in 1996. He was also a founding Director of the National Theatre of Scotland and first Chair of the Literature Forum for Scotland. In addition to his creative work Donald has written and lectured widely on Scotland’s cultural and religious life, past and present.
About writer's work:
My first play The Bothy was produced in 1986 and my first novel The English Spy was published in 2007. Between them I have produced, adapted or directed over fifty plays and published a series of books. However, my real passion is stories and their telling - the choice of medium comes afterwards, depending on the nature of the narrative, the intended audience, the age group and so on. Live storytelling is the foundation and it is a skill and creative experience that belongs to everyone. In all those regards my personal hero is Robert Louis Stevenson and, most recently, I have adapted two of his books for small scale theatre - Kidnapped: When Kilts Were Banned and Jekyll and Hyde: A Specimen. About writer's events and projects:
Donald is intersted in exploring storytelling and sharing with adults or older children who have particular sensory or learning needsLanguage:
English
