Campbeltown, 9-14 April 2007

Ghost: Echoes Of A Life

IN DESCRIBING ‘Ghost’, it is probably easier to start with what it is not – it is not an Edinburgh Old Town-style tour of ghoulish incidents with supporting cast. Instead, it is a beautifully crafted piece of writing by radio and theatre writer Judith Adams, genuinely spooky and unsettling, delivered brilliantly by Sandy Grierson, with specially composed music and relevant soundscape to its location, played on MP3 headphones.

The event is experienced as an individual performance while walking around a chosen route, following instructions to “follow the thread” (red road paint) and pausing at various locations where sites or installations would be found relating to the storyline. Set in a mythical futuristic world, the participant entered a world of Gothic science fiction mixing storyline with the myth of Icarus and the world of Frankenstein.

Devised by The Puppet Lab and directed by Symon Macintyre, it was first performed in Leith for the Leith Festival and Edinburgh Fringe. The company were invited to deliver the project in Campbeltown, which was seen as a perfect backdrop for presenting the performance.

Starting and ending at the new Aqualibrium building housing the Library and swimming pool, designed by Page and Park, the audience member entered a black box and “met” The Maker before setting out into a known world, only to see and feel it through new eyes.

The route was chosen to take in some of the distinctive buildings of Campbeltown – the List-A Burnett Building, the Town Hall, the Heritage Centre – but also back lanes and alleys that people did not use regularly or even know existed.

The headphones allow normal sounds to be heard, and mix with the recorded music and the superbly crafted soundscape to add an extra layer to the storyline – are those sounds real or on tape?; is someone following me?; where are those children that I can hear playing?; who is rattling sticks on the railings?

On route the participants come across various installations. Some are obvious, as with a dead body outline on the ground, and some blend more subtly into buildings, trees and shopfronts.

The company worked closely throughout the planning stage with the Roads Department; Health and Safety and the Police, and as the Arts Development Officer, I liaised with Argyll and Bute’s Licensing Department.

Interest had already been raised through posters, advertising, displays, a mysterious black box in Aqualibrium … and debates about red lines all over Campbeltown.

The opening invite weekend was set up as a trial run and attended by staff from the pool and Library at Aqualibrium, who were able to enthuse about the event throughout the run.

Over the week, 15 through to 70-year-olds could be seen wandering around the streets with headphones, stopping and pausing and ignoring anyone that tried to engage them in conversation!.

And for the under 15’s who couldn’t attend because of the age restriction? They were part of the experience by having their photograph taken as they lay in the body outline.

And the response? – overwhelmingly positive comments and write-ups in the visitors book and on cards in a box where people could identify their favourite sections.

All elements of the production were identified – the storyline and delivery; the soundscape; the music; specific installations; atmosphere (surreal, spooky); seeing Campbeltown buildings in a new light.

Everyone that attended had their own personal performance and memory. The red lines will disappear with the rain, but ‘Ghost’ will certainly live on a bit longer in the mind.

Eileen Rae is the Arts Development Officer for Argyll & Bute

© Eileen Rae, 2007

Links

• Puppet Lab’s Ghost