Taigh Mairi Anndra

6 May 2005 in Dance & Drama, Gaelic, Highland

Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, Thrusday 5 May 2005

The three young stars of Taigh Màiri Anndra

OPENING SCENE? – New York 1920’s street scene, 50 flapper girls, fringes and beads. Song? – ‘Lalamerica’. The Show? – ‘Cabaret’ perhaps? Think again. How about a Gaelic musical set around the life of the legendary collector of Gaelic songs and folklore, Margaret Fay Shaw, and featuring all 100 children attending the Gaelic Medium Department of Central Primary in Inverness?

The only other time I have ever witnessed the Theatre packed to the rafters with so many children and parents, aunties , grannies, etc, is at Pantomime time in December, and the festive atmosphere was infectious.

‘Taigh Mairi Anndra’, funded by Bord na Gaidhlig, Feisean nan Gaidheal and Coisir Sgoil Ghaidhlig Inbhir Nis, was conceived from the musical talents of Gaelic singer and musician Eilidh Mackenzie and the writing talents of Lewis-born writer Iain Finlay Macleod, and describes the life of American born Margaret Fay Shaw, who died in December 2004 at the grand old age of 101, on the island of Canna.

Fay Shaw’s legacy was a vibrant description of life in the 1930’s in South Uist, through songs, folklore and photographs. Orphaned at an early age, she was sent to live in Helensburgh, where she first heard Gaelic songs sung and was filled by a desire to uncover the ‘real’ Gaelic songs.

She eventually went to live in South Uist in the house of Peigi and Mairi Macrae, who taught her to speak Gaelic and also taught her the songs she craved to find out about. She married fellow folklorist John Lorne Campbell and went to live with him, initially on Barra then on Canna.

It was obvious from the first scene that the cast were enjoying themselves tremendously – from the tiniest of the Primary One pupils who charmed the whole audience with their performances as the herd of cattle, to the confident solo performances from the older pupils.

Sympathetic and totally appropriate new music was provided by a five piece band on stage consisting of professional musicians David Boag, Brian O h-Eadhra, Nuala Kennedy, Jamie Macgregor and Monica Neeling, all dressed in 1920’s garb.

“It was obvious from the outset that this was a production written with knowledge of the cast and their capabilities, and it was a clear example of what we should be seeing more of, in the realms of Gaelic Arts”

There were 12 songs included in the show, nine of which were completely new and exciting Gaelic songs written by Eilidh Mackenzie, and all were sung superbly by both soloists and chorus – many of the Central pupils sing in the School Gaelic Choir which Mackenzie conducts.

The three lead roles of Margaret, Mairi and Peigi were played confidently and clearly by Ellen Macdonald, Karen Oakley and Mairi Maclennan respectively, and all three were obviously used to performing to audiences, whether drama or singing.

A special mention should be made of the hilarious performance by Caitlin Smith as the flamboyant singer and song arranger Marjorie Kennedy Fraser, accompanied superbly on piano by the diminutive flapper Saffron Hanvidge, playing Patuffa Kennedy Fraser.

Dances were choreographed by Barra born dancer Sandra Robertson, and Eden Court Outreach worker Ruairidh Nicolson produced the dramatic performances.

The set was particularly effective in its simplicity – with a backdrop of large black and white photographs from Fay Shaw herself, pulling the stage set into the action. Clever use was made of original black and white cine film to pull the audience into the set, and we particularly enjoyed the Gille Bride Boat, engineered by a dozen boys as the structure of the boat.

The show closed with an excerpt from a documentary on Fay Shaw speaking about her life, which provided a very moving conclusion to the evening.

This was a huge undertaking for the whole production company given the number of children participating and we can appreciate the amount of work undertaken by parents and teaching staff especially – the costuming was superb and the delivery of speech and songs immaculate. There were a few minor problems with sound but this did not faze the cast.

It was obvious from the outset that this was a production written with knowledge of the cast and their capabilities, and it was a clear example of what we should be seeing more of, in the realms of Gaelic Arts. We hope to see more from the pen of Mackenzie and Macleod. Congratulations to all who worked hard to bring this production to the stage – and especially to the children. It would be nice to see this musical produced again in the future. The world of Gaelic music and drama is safe in the hands of these young stars!

Fiona MacKenzie is the Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellow.