Capturing Stories in Local Communities for Plays
Community groups from Alness, the Seaboard Villages, Invergordon, Cromarty and Muir of Ord came together last week in Balintore to share thoughts and ideas on developing their locally researched stories into plays.
Tutors for the day were Highland playwrights Euan Martin and Dave Smith from Rightlines Theatre Company. Their unique writing style has captured the essence of Highland life and produced plays set and performed in village halls all over Scotland. Their best known play, “Accidental Death of an Accordionist” is planned to be re-staged next year due to popular demand.
Euan and Dave will act as advisors to inspire the potential playwrights to develop their stories into plays to be shared with the wider community. They have agreed to spend a day in each community to help the group shape their stories into a play which will be worked on over the summer.
A group of writers and performers from Cromarty also attended the day to inform the groups of their “Sea Cromarty Sparkle” initiative. The participants were treated to a play reading which was really appreciated by the groups and helped them to consider how they will portray their plays to their own communities.
Reminiscence tutor Dorianne Patience from Alness said: “The Highland hospitality we received in the Seaboard Hall was excellent and we really enjoyed seeing the Cromarty sketches which so cleverly mixed the emigration theme of the past with the present .We really did learn a lot from each other about heritage and devising plays.”
The event was organised by The Highland Council’s Community Learning and Leisure Officers, Pamela Galbraith, Marie McKay and Lorna Cruickshank.
The group representatives plan to meet for the last time after the summer holidays when the venue of the new Heritage Centre in Alness will be used. It is hoped that each of the groups will perform their stories in their own community by the end of 2007.
For further information on the project you can contact Pamela Galbraith Community Learning Officer or Lorna Cruikshank Heritage Officer on 01349 868479 or Marie MacKay Community Learning Officer on 01349 885111