Rich Hall writes his first play

Rich Hall has written his first stage play

Levelland opens near his home in Montana this week – as a trial run for the Edinburgh festival in August.

The play is billed as the story of an American meltdown. It revolves around a Talk Radio host, played by Hall, guiding his listeners through an oil crisis, who comes into contact with a man name Scrope, who claims he can divine oil and who is being sought by somebody nefarious.

‘It took me 50 years to write a play. It better be good.’ he told local newspaper the Bozeman Daily Chronicle (which amusingly referred to something called the ‘Edinborough Festival’).

He added, partially in jest: ‘It's being constantly misrepresented as hilarious. I'd say it's very dark.’

Hall, who splits his year between the Midwestern state and the UK, says he’ll be refining the show between now and Edinburgh.

Levelland has its world premiere at the Firehouse 5 playhouse in Livingston on Thursday.

Published: 9 Jan 2006