Theatre & Film

 

Click here to view Alyth's: CURRENT SPOTLIGHT CV

Alyth’s first outing as a professional actor was in 1998 as WPC Seonag MacFarlane in Scottish Television’s Gaelic soap, Machair, but it was her first theatre work with Dogstar Theatre Company that would launch her career as a sought after stage actor.

Making her debut appearances in Dogstar’s award winning productions The Captain’s Collection and Seven Ages, written by Hamish MacDonald, would spark a lasting relationship with the company. The Captain’s Collection became an award winning BBC Radio Scotland series and, more recently, Alyth and the rest of the Dogstar company took Seven Ages to the Ukraine were after her performance she was offered a job with the National Theatre Company in Leviv.

McCormack has; ‘a sensitive dynamic revealing a gift for comedy and movement.’
The Scotsman

Rolls followed with Scottish Ballet, Dance Productions, Theatre Hebrides, Birds of paradise, Rightlines Productions, TOSG and theatrecollective@highland. ‘Some of the productions were humorous, some tragic, but all engaging,’ says Alyth.

In 2003 Alyth found herself cast in the Wee Stories touring production Arthur - The Story of a King. Touring in Scotland, England and Ireland the show would win the Equity Award for Best Show for Children and Young
People at the 2004 TMA Theatre Awards.

‘Not since Monty Python has King Arthur been this much fun. Absolutely top class theatre.’ Sunday Herald

2004 came brought the offer of the female lead in the musical On Eagles Wing, directed by Ian McIlhenny.
The show opened in Belfast’s Odyssey Arena to an audience of 6,500 and told the story of; ‘Three great
cultures, Scotland, Ireland, America. Forged together in the fire of History’. The show was so popular that
there were calls in the press for its run to be extended and dates added to its tour plan! On Eagle's Wing toured again very succesfully in both Ireland and Northern Ireland for a month in 2008 with Alyth again in the lead role and it is hoped it will be touring America in 2010.

‘Most memorable is the remarkable singing and haunting presence of Hebridean Alyth McCormack as
the universal mother figure, the guiding spirit of this perilous odyssey to a place where cultural
difference is celebrated not condemned.’
Jane Coyle, The Irish Times

Then there was Cameron Macintosh’s Quest for a Highland Musical in 2005. From 150 entries worldwide,
Alyth found herself in the cast of one of the five finalist shows. Whisky Kisses, written by Dave Smith & Euan
Martin with music by Jim Bryce was pitched against the other finalists in an ‘X-factor’ style battle over a week
in Ullapool.

Alyth says; ‘Ullapool has never seen anything quite like it - locals discussed the proceedings on street
corners and the bars were certainly sad to see us go!’ While Whisky Kisses didn’t win, Alyth remained on
board to help with the show’s development before it finally made it into full production at the 2008 Edinburgh
Festival Fringe.

Back to film, and Alyth’s role in Simon Arthur’s 2007 short film, Rebel Song, set in 17th century Scotland was
well received at film festivals at home and abroad. That same summer would see her take part in what Alyth
describes as; ‘An amazing performance.’

St Kilda - Island Of The Bird People was a spectacular opera production that took place similtaniously in five different EU countries incorporating film, dance, theatre and acrobatics beamed by satellite. The St Kilda Opera - L'ile des Hommes d'Ouiseax will be performed at the Edinburgh International Festival from 15th - 17th August 2009 at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre.