Italia ‘n’ Caledonia by Mike Maran and Philip Contini tells the story of their grandparents’ – the Italians who left their sunny hillsides and emigrated to Scotland at the beginning of the 20^th century.

These Italian families carved a niche for themselves in the Scottish community opening cafes all over Scotland. By the time of the second world war there was an ice cream café or fish and chip shop run by an Italian family in nearly every town and village in Scotland – a door opening onto a southern Mediterranean culture in almost every Scottish High Street.

This cheerful success story came to an abrupt end on June 10^th 1940 when Mussolini decalred war on Britain.  Overnight the Italians became ‘enemy aliens’ and were interned or deported for the duration of the war.  Those who were deported on the  Arandora Star lost their lives when that ship taking them to Canada was torpedoed by a German U-Boat in the Atlantic Ocean.  Most Italian families in Scotland lost a father or husband.  Philip Contini’s grandfather, Alfonso Crolla, the founder and owner of Valvona & Crolla in Edinburgh was among those who perished.

The post war years were a time of rconciliation and reconstruction as the Italians renewed their place in the Scottish community and Scots and Italians resumed their friendship.

Those early immigrants are the ancestors of today’s ‘Scottish – Italians’.  Some of them still make excellent ice cream but more are found working in the health service, in high tech industries, or, like Mike Maran, in the arts.

Italia ‘n’ Caledonia is a celebration of the contribution the Scottish Italians bring to the politics, economics and cultural life of their new Sottish homeland.

The production includes priceless colour movies of the Italians gathering for their ‘big picnics’ in the 1930s, songs especially written for the production by Mike Maran, and David Vernon brings a splash of Italian colour to the production on the accordion from his wide repertoire of Italian music.

The Scottish dates coincide with opening on May 17th of a Memorial Garden in the grounds of Glasgow Cathedral to remember those who perished on the Arandora Star. See www.italianscotland.com

Italia n Caledonia Highlands & Islands and North East tour dates 2011.

June 3^rd.  Aros.  Portree  Skye  01478 613750  www.aros.co.uk

June 4^th Lochinver Community Hall   01571 844104

June 10^th Birnam Arts Centre.  01350 727674  www.birnamarts.com

June 15^th Buckie British Legion.  01542 831116  www.neatshows.org.uk

June 16^th Johnshaven Village Hall 01561 361956  www.neatshows.org.uk

June 17^th New Deer Public Hall 01771 644217  www.neatshows.org.uk

June 20^th.  Ardross Community Hall  www.ardrosshall.org

June 21^st One Touch Theatre. Eden Court.  Inverness 01463 234234 www.eden-court.co.uk

June 29^th Craignish Village Hall  01852 500746   www.craignishvillagehall.org.uk

June 30^th Mull Theatre.  Isle of Mull.  01688 302828   www.mulltheatre.com

July 1^st Cove Burgh Hall   01436842177    www.coveburghhall.org.uk

July 2nd  Easdale Island Arts 01852 300113  www.easdale.org/hall

Sept 1^st Nairn  Book and Arts Festival www.nairnfestival.co.uk

Sept 2^nd Wick  01955 641270  www.lytharts.org.uk

Mike Maran website

Source: Mike Maran