OneTouch Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness, 21 July 2011

FOR those who have seen one of Mike Maran’s productions before, watching him on stage is like picking up a conversation with an old friend. However, if it’s your first Maran experience, his highly original approach to theatre can come as something of a surprise.

More of an amiable conversation punctuated by music and recipes than a play, Mike Maran and Philip Contini’s collaboration Italia ‘n’ Caledonia is the story of Italians who immigrated to Scotland to start small businesses in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is pared down to pure simplicity: Maran’s skilful story-telling takes centre stage, and requires only accordionist David Vernon and a few well chosen props as accompaniment.

Mike Maran and Philip Contini (photo Julie Howden)

A descendant of Italian immigrants himself, Maran’s performance is full of fondness and affection for his cultural heritage. The play begins with a short film from the 1930s of Italians picnicking in the Scottish countryside, introduced by Maran as ‘one of my home movies.’ ‘That’s my mother!’ he exclaims, as a young woman in a brown gingham dress is pictured serving sandwiches.

This intimate tone is continued throughout, to the extent that one can forget that one is part of an audience, and not just sitting in Mike’s living-room as he spins a yarn. Virtuoso David Vernon gives the room the tender, nostalgic atmosphere of a film soundtracked by Yann Tiersan, which perfectly complements Maran’s distinctive style. Their rendition of Paolo Conte’s ‘Via Con Me’ is a definite highlight.

While ‘Italia n Caledonia’ is on the whole rousingly funny, Maran also creates more sombre moments surrounding his tales of the hardships endured by Italian settlers as a result of the Second World War, in which Italy and Scotland were on opposite sides. These shattering recollections are a wonderful testament to his versatility as an actor, and even leave some of the audience in tears.

Determined not to let us go home with heavy hearts, Maran ends the night in an inventive and entertaining fashion. He calls six members of the audience up on stage to participate in a favourite Italian competition: Tug of War. However, in order to avoid injury or lawsuit, the game takes place on a vocal, rather than physical level. We are all incited to shout out, in alphabetical order, the names of foods, people and places that are part of the cultural canon of Scotland and Italy, therefore revealing the strong overlaps between the two nations as a result of their historical links.

For ‘P’, the Italians cite ‘Pizza’, while the Scots opt for ‘Pizza and Chips.’ Glasses of wine are then handed round, and everyone leaves with a reminder of Italy’s firm place within Scotland’s heritage.

© Rowan Macfie, 2011

Links

• Mike Maran