A SCREENING of a movie version of the Rob Roy story, a silent film from 1922, is to open the Hippodrome Silent Film Festival next year.

The film will be shown with a new score composed and performed by multi-instrumentalist David Allison.

The one and a half hour movie was directed by William Kellino and starred David Hawthorne, Gladys Jennings, Wallace Bosco, and Simeon Stuart.

The film was shot on location in the Trossachs and nearby Stirling Castle, whilst the 10th Duke of Argyll gave permission to the production to film on his estates.

The movie, the festival said, "makes liberal use of Scots for the intertitles ('dinnae fash yersel')" and has "epic fight scenes."

In one, 800 men of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders enlisted as extras in a dramatic battle.

At the opening of the film, screenwriter Alicia Ramsey is to explain in the first intertitle that this is not an adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's novel, but the story of the principal events in the life of the outlaw.

Allison has also composed scores for Nosferatu (HippFest 2011) and The Last of the Mohicans (HippFest 2018).

Alison Strauss, festival director, said: “We are delighted to be opening the 2019 Festival with this impressive early film version of the life of Roby Roy.

"Stand aside Liam Neeson… Davie Hawthorne cuts a very fine figure as the outlawed romantic hero – striding across the glens, fighting injustice and confounding his enemies.

"This wasn’t the first film version of the subject but it is certainly the most epic, and it hasn’t been screened since it took Scottish picture houses by storm in 1922."

www.ticketsource.co.uk/hippfest2019

A NEW portrait of The Queen has gone on display at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, her official royal residence in Scotland.

The oil painting, by artist Nicky Philipps, shows The Queen wearing the ceremonial robes and collar of the Order of the Thistle.

The background to the painting is a view of Salisbury Crags.

Visitors to the palace will see the portrait in the Royal Dining Room, used by members of the Royal Family for entertaining.

The new painting hangs alongside a portrait of Queen Elizabeth, rte Queen Mother, painted by Sir William Oliphant Hutchison in 1967, in which the sash, badge and star of the Order of the Thistle is worn.

The portrait of The Queen was commissioned by The Royal Collection Trust.

Philipps said of the commission: "It’s nerve wracking, but it is enormous fun and it’s a fantastic honour to be asked to do it".

www.rct.uk

SCOTTISH Youth Dance, or YDance, has own UK dance award and announced an international showcase for the National Youth Dance Company of Scotland.

YDance was presented with the One Dance UK Inspiring Work in Education Award, "recognising the range of work the company provides in formal and informal dance education across Scotland."

The National Youth Dance Company of Scotland has been selected to perform at the Australian Youth Dance Festival in Melbourne in July 2019.

NYDCS will be part of a programme of performances and workshops along with youth dance companies from across Australia, India, Taiwan, England, Finland, Denmark, and Ghana.

In addition to performing their own work, NYDCS dancers will collaborate with Melbourne based Origins Youth Dance to create a new work.

YDance is funded by Creative Scotland.

www.ydance.org.