Actors bring James and Isabella Hutton to life at the Royal Highland Show
The James Hutton Institute, Scotland’s pre-eminent interdisciplinary scientific research institute for the sustainable management of land, crop and nature resources, was delighted to announce the winners of its Living Hutton emerging artist competition, with drama students Greg Cross cast as James Hutton and Cora Todd as his sister, Isabella.
James Hutton, after whom the institute is named, was born in Edinburgh in June 1726 and this year is marked as a celebration of this tercentenary landmark. A farmer, physician, chemist and natural philosopher, his ideas would go on to shape our understanding of the earth itself. He is often referred to as the father of modern earth systems thinking.
Greg and Cora were selected through a public vote by Hutton staff and the Friends of Hutton supporter community. Both are final-year students at Queen Margaret University (QMU), known for producing outstanding acting talent.
They appeared as roaming performers at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, 18th to 22nd June, where visitors had the opportunity to meet and interact with James and Isabella Hutton in person on the Hutton’s stand.
We were delighted to see Greg and Cora selected for these roles. It was a fantastic opportunity for graduating students to bring history and science to life for a public audience at such a high-profile event.
Marion Scott, Head of Acting at Queen Margaret University
“Experiences like this not only build confidence and creativity but also highlight the value of collaboration between the arts and science. We are very grateful to the Hutton for providing this opportunity to expand the students’ repertoire.”
Speaking of this competition the Hutton’s CEO, Professor Colin Campbell, said, “The standard of acting was so high, it was hard to select the best, but we were very pleased for Cora and Greg who were extremely engaging and really brought James and Isabella to life.
