The Edinburgh International Festival has won six awards at the 2018 Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland (CATS). Held this year at Perth Theatre, the CATS recognise excellence in Scottish Theatre across disciplines and genres, and are awarded by Scotland’s leading theatre critics.

The awards were won by two outstanding theatre shows from the 2017 International Festival programme, Rhinoceros and Flight.

Rhinoceros – a co-production between the International Festival and Edinburgh’s Lyceum Theatre in association with DOT Theatre of Istanbul – won four awards, while Flight – a co-production with Vox Motus and the Beacon Arts Centre – was awarded two.

Rhinoceros won awards for Best Director for Murat Daltaban, Best Male performance by Robert Jack, Best Music by Oğuz Kaplangi, and the overall Best Production award.

Eugène Ionesco’s classic 1959 play was adapted by leading Scottish playwright Zinnie Harris, in an examination of conformism and fundamentalism which offered a chilling reflection on contemporary politics and society, resonating strongly with audiences and critics.

Flight won two further awards, Best Design and Best Technical Presentation, which used model-making and a revolving diorama, to tell the intensely moving story of young refugees’ movement across Europe to the UK, in an adaptation of Caroline Brothers novel Hinterland.

Both shows, alongside other award winners, were praised by critics for their unflinching and imaginative productions. Awards co-convener and theatre critic for The Scotsman, Joyce McMillan said: ‘Fear, isolationism and irrational kinds of group-think are increasing forces in our world, and we're delighted that Scottish theatre - and many of our winning shows - continue to tackle these issues with such a thrilling mixture of wit, seriousness and theatrical flair’.

The International Festival extends congratulations to all at The Lyceum, DOT Theatre, Vox Motus and Beacon Arts Centre, and to all the CATS Awards Winners. Thank you also to all at the CATS Awards.

Both Rhinoceros and Flight were supported through the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festival’s Expo Fund.