Granite Harbour star on why she loves Glasgow theatre

There’s the second series of Irvine Welsh’s Crime, in which she plays a cop. Then there’s Loss and Return, the new drama starring Morven Christie, which was filmed in Glasgow, and in which Hannah also plays a cop. 

And there’s a second series of Aberdeen-set odd couple police procedural Granite Harbour in which….

“Yes there is a bit of a theme,” she says, laughing. “I played three cops in three different dramas last year. All different ranks. Not quite sure why that happened.

“But I’m happy – I’m just enjoying working.”

Hannah with co-star Romario Simpson in Granite Harbour (Image: BBC)

This week at least, Hannah is taking a break from police dramas to play Lu, a woman whose decision to have a baby with a sperm donor causes all kinds of chaos in The Great Replacement by Uma Nada-Rajah.

It’s the penultimate work of A Play A Pie and A Pint’s spring season at Oran Mor, and it is a darkly funny romp through intergenerational politics and the absurdities and peculiarities of race.

Hannah and Irene Macdougall in rehearsals. (Image: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan)

It also stars Irene Macdougall, as Lu’s mother Fi, and Adam Buksh.

“It’s great fun, because you’re getting to see these three characters who just don’t understand each other, or really listen to each other, going on their own journeys…it is quite awkward viewing,” explains Hannah.

“But it is very funny and I’m sure the audience will relate to that whole uncomfortable family dynamic thing….” She laughs. “I’m very lucky, my mum and I do get on very well.”

Hannah in rehearsal (Image: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan)

Fans of Hannah’s character in Granite Harbour, the chic yet steely DCI Lara Bartlett, will be over the moon to know she and partner Davis Lindo (played by Romario Simpson) are returning for a second series.

“It’s an amazing opportunity,” she says. “In the first series, you’re just starting to get a sense of that relationship between Lara and Lindo, but the second series will delve much more into it, which is exciting.

“Lara is a strong female character and I think we are getting better in television at writing for strong female leads who are a bit older – I mean, I’m nearly 40 – and long may that continue. I want to keep riding on that wave.”

The show won praise for its refreshing take on the popular ‘cop duo’ relationship, and its showcasing of the city of Aberdeen.

Hannah at Oran Mor (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest)

“I think Scottish people take a real pride in seeing Scotland on screen,” says Hannah. “And it was great to see Aberdeen in lots of different ways, not just the grey granite you might expect.”

Hannah grew up in Newport, near Dundee, where she “did the usual am-dram things” as a teenager while never really expecting acting to be her career.

“I loved doing it, but I didn’t know any actors, it wasn’t something I’d especially considered might be a job I could do,” she says.

Hannah Donaldson (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest)

“Then I joined Scottish Youth Theatre and that changed everything. It was fantastic and I was with like-minded people, doing something I loved. It definitely was that feeling of ‘this is where I fit in’.”

The Great Replacement, which runs until Saturday (June 24), is Hannah’s first Play Pie Pint for six years, and she loves being back.

“I’m a massive champion of PPP,” she says, firmly. “I love the opportunities it offers to new writers and actors – we don’t have that many companies in Scotland who employ this number of actors.

"It’s a wonderful thing.”