It was the hit of last year's Edinburgh Fringe, has won a clutch of awards and is to debut in the US later this year. Now Black Watch, one of the greatest successes in Scotland's theatrical history, is to play an unprecedented role in the official re-opening of the Scottish Parliament.

Ten days ago, Alex Salmond, the First Minister, phoned Vicky Featherstone, artistic director of the National Theatre of Scotland, with an unusual request - could she, at very short notice, stage Gregory Burke's play about the regiment to mark the opening of parliament on June 30?

After only a mild panic, and with a quick check to see if the cast was available, Ms Featherstone agreed.

Now Black Watch, which is both a history of the regiment and a verbatim transcript of the experiences of its modern-day soldiers in Iraq, is to be shown three times over the weekend of the reopening of the parliament.

Two of the shows will be free, one for veterans' groups and charities and the other for the public. The third will be a special gala performance to be hosted by the First Minister and the Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson, for MSPs and invited guests.

Mr Salmond said he had not yet seen the play, like much of the public who wished to do so.

He joked yesterday at a press conference in Edinburgh: "I haven't yet had the chance to see the play I know this is kind of an elaborate way of doing it."

Explaining why they were staging the performances, being put on thanks to a £65,000 donation from the Clydesdale Bank, Mr Salmond said: "There's been a huge, unsatisfied demand to see this play. I know many, many people who have wanted to see it."

However, Mr Salmond, who has opposed the war in Iraq, said his reasons for wanting the performances were not linked to its controversial themes.

"Politicians have to be challenged," he said. "It's pointless having a play about nothing."

He said he had been influenced by the show's "outstanding success", saying: "This has been a phenomenon over the last year."

Mr Salmond said he had originally considered staging the performance in the main chamber of the parliament but that proved impractical.

Mr Salmond also said he would be "delighted" if Gordon Brown, who will be Prime Minister by the time the performances are held, could attend.

Ms Featherstone said: "It's extremely exciting for us and for the whole cultural community in Scotland that we have been asked to do this. This is not only about us, I think this will have an impact on the whole of the Scottish arts scene. It really is a step forward.

"I am totally comfortable with it, after all, the play is hardly a party political broadcast, and the important thing is this is for the opening of the parliament, it is not a political act in that sense."

The three performances will take place at The Pleasance, the sports hall of Edinburgh University's centre for sports and exercise, with up to 500 tickets available for each.

Tickets are free and there will be a collection to raise money for the veteran's charity Erskine Hospital and for the National Theatre of Scotland's youth company.

The performances
Venue: The sports hall at The Pleasance, Edinburgh, which has seating for 500 people.

  • June 29, 2pm: A dress rehearsal, free for invited veterans groups, charities and selected youth groups
  • June 29, 7.30pm: A free performance for the general public.
  • June 30, 7.30pm: The celebratory performance hosted by the First Minister and the Presiding Officer.

Tickets for the public performance on Friday, June 29, will be available from The Hub, Castlehill, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, or by calling 0131 473 2000 from 10am on Monday, June 18.

A maximum of four tickets is available per booker.