Hold The Mic (working title)
A solo show by Scott Reid & Jordan Blackwood

A solo play with original songs about a musician’s climb to success, collapse of identity and journey with mental health. Asking ‘how much are you prepared to lose yourself in order to become successful in the eyes of others’, Hold The Mic presents a series of conversations between a young man and those who help him recover what he’s left behind.

Paisley-based theatre makers Scott Reid and Jordan Blackwood plan to devise, develop and produce Hold The Mic in Paisley in 2021. Inspired by Scott’s own relationship with mental health and recent support from a therapist, the play is intended for a wide audience.

Initially exploring a site-specific staging of the show in late 2020 and subsequently delayed by COVID-19 restrictions, we are now considering

With offers of in-kind support already in place, we are looking for additional financial support as well as wider collaborators in order to deliver the project to best effect. We feel committed to giving something back to the local community, offering live entertainment and something to look forward to after months of reduced cultural activity.

The proposed venue for the production is PACE Theatre Company’s Exchange site (on the corner of New Sneddon and Old Sneddon Street), a building currently in the early stages of becoming Scotland’s first theatre for young audiences. We’re excited by the notion of performing the play in a site-specific way, embracing the atmospheric quality of the venue. We would be performing in a safe area, fit for purpose, and would carry out thorough Risk Assessments to ensure public safety at all points. 

With offers of in-kind support already in place, we are looking for additional financial support as well as wider collaborators in order to deliver the project to best effect. We feel committed to giving something back to the local community, offering live entertainment and something to look forward to after months of reduced cultural activity.

We are committed to working with Renfrewshire-based theatre professionals as much as possible to deliver the project, celebrating and showcasing the talent that is on our doorstep. Engaging local musicians, technical teams and co-producers in the work as well as being local ourselves will give the wider arts industry the opportunity to see that professional work can be made in Paisley and that Glasgow doesn’t always have to be the creation hub for the West of Scotland. Performing the play in a venue that showcases the future of Paisley is equally essential.  

The potential for this production to have a future life in a variety of contexts is a key element to this proposal and one that we are confident will have a direct impact on the people of Paisley, Renfrewshire and beyond. Support at this stage will enable us to create a version of the production which can then be adapted in future to suit other purposes (educational, community-driven, etc.).

Partners

We are currently exploring partnerships with various local organisations, with support already confirmed through PACE Theatre Company and Renfrewshire Council/Renfrewshire Leisure. We will continue to

Supporting Documents

This page provides some background on the work and style of co-creators Scott and Jordan, as well as a rough cut example track intended to be developed for the production.

Example Track

Jordan Blackwood – Director/Co-Creator

Jordan is a theatre director, facilitator and producer working in professional and creative learning contexts. He makes new text-based work in a visual, physical manner and strives to create new opportunities for Scottish artists. Recent projects include: Director, Scott & Laura by Rona Munro (National Theatre of Scotland Scenes For Survival); Producer, Army @ The Fringe in association with Summerhall; Director/Curator, Rep Stripped Festival (Dundee Rep); Assistant Director, The Monstrous Heart by Oliver Emanuel (Traverse Theatre); Director, Harbour (Lyceum Theatre; Luminate); Day or Night (Edinburgh Science) and Director, Shattered by Lisa Nicoll (In Motion Theatre Company Scottish Tour). 

Jordan is an experienced facilitator, regularly working with the Royal Lyceum Theatre and PACE Theatre Company. He has also toured nationally and internationally as a company manager with DV8 Physical Theatre, Zest Theatre & BalletBoyz. jordanblackwood.co.uk.

Featured Production Images

““★★★★ ...a memorably cool and stylish production by director Jordan Blackwood and designer Fraser Lappin...””
— Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman for 'Shattered'
““Jordan Blackwood’s elliptical production takes this simmering everyday crisis and... creates a slow-burning meditation on grieving, healing and the surprising comfort of strangers.””
— Neil Cooper, The Herald for 'Shattered'

Scott Reid – Performer/Co-Creator

Scott Reid is an actor best known for playing Methadone Mick in BBC’s Still Game. Scott stars in feature film The Forgotten Battle (Netflix) which is due for release next year. Other TV/Film Credits include: Line of Duty (BBC); DC Mick Clark in White House Farm (ITV); Quill in Carnival Row (Amazon) and Permanent Sunshine (The Guardian/Headlong). Theatre credits include: Christopher Boone in Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre); The Choir (Citizens Theatre) and Fever Dream, Southside (Citizens Theatre).

Showreel