A world premiere of a stage performance surrounding the the death of Sheku Bayoh in police custody is to ask whether Scotland is a safe place to be.
Lament for Sheku Bayoh will examine the controversial death of Mr Bayoh in 2015 after being restrained by officers in Kirkcaldy triggering accusations of racism within Police Scotland.
Details of the performance which will explore racism in Scotland have emerged as one of the National Theatre of Scotland's new digital and live streamed theatre projects it is embarking on.
Written and directed by award-winning poet and playwright Hannah Lavery, it is billed as a personal response to the tragedy, "an expression of grief for the loss of the human behind the headlines and a non-apologetic reflection on identity and racism in Scotland today".
Producers say the new co-production with Edinburgh International Festival and Royal Lyceum Theatre Company "urgently questions, is Scotland really a safe place?"
READ MORE: Public inquiry into Sheku Bayoh death to see if race drove police response
Three performances of Lament for Sheku Bayoh will be streamed on November 20 and 21 from the stage of Edinburgh's Lyceum Theatre and made available to a paying audience.
"I hope that Lament for Sheku Bayoh will be the beginning of a journey for audiences; that it will leave them with questions that they want answered and that it will give them an energy to pursue a better Scotland," said Ms Lavery. "And for some of us it will be an opportunity to be seen and heard and to have an experience and a knowledge of this country shared.
"I think it's important for us to be able to talk about Scotland in an honest way, and to not turn our head away from the things that might feel uncomfortable or challenge the idea we have of ourselves. It's important for us all to see Sheku Bayou as a human being-hugely loved, full of promise and with dreams for his future- to take a moment to really mourn his loss."
An inquiry into Mr Bayoh's death is being led by retired senior judge Lord Bracadale.
It will hear evidence from police officers, experts, family members and witnesses.
Mr Bayoh, who was originally from Sierra Leone, but had lived in Scotland since childhood, was 32 years old when he died while being pinned to the ground by police officers after he was seen acting erratically and carrying a knife.
Multiple 999 calls were made and eventually up to nine officers responded, leading to Mr Bayoh being restrained and dying.
The Crown Office confirmed last year that no officer involved in the restraint would be prosecuted.
The show forms part of NToS's continued work during lockdown over the coming months, with a mix of streamed theatre and digital projects.
Ghosts, a brand-new multimedia project written and directed by leading Scottish theatre-maker Adura Onashile, takes the form of a guided tour of Glasgow through an augmented reality app.
Featuring work from Brightside Studios, audience phones will become a portal into the story of a boy who ran from captivity in 18th century Glasgow, as he leads them on a journey of over 500 years through the streets of the Merchant City down to the River Clyde.
Originally set to be part of the NToS's Covid-19-affected 2020 season, Ghosts has been "reimagined" and will be available for download from February 26 to March 12, 2021.
While theatres remain closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, NToS has said it will continue to produce creative projects, offering entertainment and participation for audiences and ongoing employment for artists over the next six months.
It will be re-opening its rehearsal and technical centre, Rockvilla on the Forth and Clyde Canal in North Glasgow for limited access including socially distanced rehearsals from October 2020.
The NToS will also offer a special festive programme in December, as part of its digital strand.
It is also planning on returning to Scotland’s theatre buildings with major tours of work across Scotland from Spring 2021.
Jackie Wylie, NToS artistic director said: "What theatre as a medium can do best is react to the issues facing us a nation. I am pleased to announce that we will be bringing important pieces of work to theatrical life; both speak urgently to the times we are living in by exploring current and historical issues of race, identity, and social justice, as well as blending the live experience through digital platforms.
"Partnership now, more than ever, is of vital importance to us and we continue to work side by side with theatres and other like-minded organisations in Scotland to offer unity and strength in our joint creative endeavours."
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