Something to Say: Actor Adam Robertson leads film project for young people in Thurso

Adam Robertson was, by his own admission, a troubled teenager when he was growing up in Thurso. “It wasn't looking good for me," he admits.

But his life took on a new focus after he was encouraged to get into drama – and he has gone on to carve out a successful career as a professional actor.

This year Adam returned to his home town as part of his work for a Scottish charity to lead a group of local teenagers through a filmmaking project – and a 20-minute documentary they produced will be screened at Thurso's Merlin cinema on Thursday afternoon.

Glasgow-based Adam (48) is lead facilitator for Street Cones, delivering creative projects in prisons, with young offenders and other marginalised groups. Over a four-month period he teamed up with filmmaker Rebecca Lynch and local facilitator Donna Swanson to work 10 youths in the 13-16 age group.

Most of the youths appear in the completed film, under the title Something to Say, reflecting their participation in the project. They were given an insight into writing, acting and improvisation and took part in outdoor activities ranging from surfing to a walk up Dunbeath Strath accompanied by local writer George Gunn.

The film ends with the young people receiving certificates.

Adam explained: “We work with young people that are usually referred by social work or through the high school. In this instance it was social work.

“The young people we're dealing with are struggling at school, struggling to fit in, and they're getting into bother – which is exactly what I used to do. That was my story.

“I left school at 15, I was at the Children's Panel three times, I was on probation for a couple of years with a local social worker, and I was famously told by one of my teachers: 'The only place you're going to end up, Robertson, is prison.'

"And little did he know that was true. I did end up in prison, but working there – not resident there.

“It wasn't looking good for me when I was the age these young people are that I've just been working with.

“It was just an amazing opportunity to go back and work with young people and try to give them some positive references. And it wasn't easy – it was hard work a lot of the time.”

Adam explained that it was "kind of a happy accident" that he discovered acting.

“When I was getting into all the trouble I was into, I never went into the theatre, never read a play," he recalled.

“Mrs Omand, who was an English teacher at Thurso, was my saviour – she was an amazing woman and an amazing teacher. She helped me get into reading plays.

“This was after I'd left school, and she put me in touch with Denise Imrie who was in local amateur dramatics. She helped me audition and get my pieces together.

“Off I went. I went to Dundee, I went to London and trained, and the rest is history – I became an actor. I've been doing that for the last 26 years."

Adam played Dr Dan Hunter in the BBC TV series River City for five years and recently finished a run at the Edinburgh International Festival with the National Theatre of Scotland in Liz Lochhead's acclaimed show Medea.

Adam pointed out that Street Cones is in the process of being rebranded as the Creative Change Collective.

“We do a lot of work in prisons, a lot of work with young offenders, and we make films," he said. "We're a kind of arts-based charity, and we use the arts and creativity to effect positive change.

“I've been running projects with young people for six or seven years, and we always talked about trying to get one up in Thurso. It finally came to fruition this year.”

The screening of Something to Say will take place in the Merlin cinema in Ormlie Road on Thursday at 2pm. The film will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the Street Cones team and staff from Highland Council.

“Hopefully friends and family will be there – it's a proud moment for them,” Adam said.

The screening is a free event but those attending need to register online through Eventbrite.

The project was commissioned by Kellie Cunningham.

Adam hopes the film will be available afterwards on the Street Cones / Creative Change Collective website and shared via the charity's social media channels.

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