2016

Prògram Gnìomhaidh Ealain Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu Beò

Buaireas nan Uisge, Uainead, Mus Robh Faclan Ann, Aisling Meadhain Samhraidh, Raon Pìobaire, Togail Nàiseanta. Air an leasachadh ann an com-pàirteachas le Theatar Nàiseanta na h-Alba, Comhairle nan Leabhraichean agus Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba;

2016

Glasgow Life’s Gaelic Performance Programme

This Gaelic Performance season included six new works-in-progress influenced by Gaelic culture. It was a new articulation of Gaelic Arts within Glasgow venue’s and a re-asserted commitment to the development of Gaelic Theatre by Glasgow Life. With new writing at its core, each piece used a variety of genres to make innovative and entertaining performances, complementing the emerging Gaelic community on the south side of the city and it was open to all artists and audiences interested in making new cultural connections. The Tramway season was presented by Glasgow Arts in partnership with the Gaelic Books Council, National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Buaireas anns an Uisge

Aig toiseach na linne seo, 2000, bha  Uilleam Ruff, fear ainmeil mar neach-ciùil jazz Amearicanach, ag agairt gu robh mòran de cheòl African-Ameairigeanach, gu  mòr an crochadh air modh seinn nan salm as na h-Eileanan an Iar. Was ann do  dhualchas Africa-Amearaga a bhuineas Ruff, was na bharaill-san, ‘chan eil a’  bhreug ann an  ceòl’ – ged tha e doirbh gabhail rwas a-seo; bhon an uairsin chaidh  a’ chàineadh  mar  neach-brathaidh  do chinneadh. Mas e an fhìrinn gu  bheil  dualchas an  latha an diugh air a’  snìomh a  beartais was co-ionnanachd a’ chinne-daoine, carson a theireamaid  gur ann a-mhàin leinn fhèin a  tha e? Was e seo turas nan òrain was dannsa, a’ rugadh le cràdh an fhulangais, was  gu h-aithghearr a dh fhàs  gu glaodhaich was casaid.

Trouble the Water

Lead Artists: Elspeth Turner, Kenny Lindsay

Venue: Tramway

Date: 22nd & 23rd January 2016

In the early 2000s, eminent American jazz musician Willie Ruff suggested that much of African American music has its roots in the Gaelic psalm singing of the Western Isles, which crossed the Atlantic in the same years as the slave trade. Ruff, an African American, insists that although it’s painful, ‘the music can’t lie’, and he has since been called a traitor, and a puppet of white polemic. If most of contemporary culture was a maelstrom of influences, why do we want to claim ownership of it? It was a journey of dances and songs which begin as cries of suffering, and become the most urgent calls of protest.

Uainead

Umha-uaine, dail-uaine, lìonanach-gorm, sgùm air marbh-uisge … tha mòran fhacail ann an Gàidhlig airson mion-ghrinneas an dath uaine; tha an cànan a’ fosgladh a-mach raon de fhaireachdainn mu dheidhinn dath ann an dòigh a tha caillte ann am Beurla. Bheir Uainead an luchd-èisteachd air turas faireachdainn eil was feallsanachdail a dh’fhoillsicheas speactram de dhath Gàidhlig. A’ cothlamadh dràma beò le ealain lèirsinneach was ìomhaighean snaighte, tha Uainead|Degree of Greeness a’ rannsachadh nàdair was cuimhne agus na bhios caillte ann an eadar-theangachadh.

Degree of Greenness

Artists: Kate Robinson & Seonag Monk

Date: Friday 19 & Saturday 20 February

Venue:Tramway

Bronze-green, meadow green, scum on stagnant water… In Gaelic there are dozens of words for the subtleness of green; the language opens up a field of feeling about colour in a way that’s lost in English. Uainead|Degree of Greeness will take the audience on an emotional and philosophical journey that reveals a spectrum of Gaelic colour. Combining live theatre with visual art and sculpture Uainead| Degree of Greeness explores nature and memory and what falls through the cracks in translation.

Mus Robh Faclan Ann

Obair leantainneach I

S e Mus Robh Faclan Ann an tiotal obrachail a tha air a’ phìos seo airson leasachadh air gnìomhadh dannsa a tha fo bhuaidh cruth-tìre, cànan agus cultar Innse Gall, gu h-àraid Uibhist a Deas. Tha freumh an fhacail choreography a’ tighinn bhon Ghreugais, a’ ciallachadh bann de dhannsairean agus sgrìobhadh. Tha Mus Robh Faclan Ann na oidhirp air gluasad a sgrìobhadh no a chlàradh ann an còmhradh le daoine agus àite. Dè as urrainn do leughadh Gàidhlig fhoillseachadh a dh’fhanadh falaichte air mhodh eile? Ciamar as urrainn don bhodhaig a bhith na meadhan air nithean fhoillseachadh nach urrainnear a chur ann am facail?  Air a thaisbeanadh le Ealain Ghlaschu ann an com-pàirteachas le Comhairle nan Leabhraichean, Thèatar Nàiseanta na h-Alba agus Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba.

Before Words

Artists: Rosalind Masson, Gilliebride MacMillan

Venue: Tramway

Date: Friday 18 & Saturday 19 March

Work-in-progress

Before Words was the working title for the development of a dance performance influenced by the landscape, language and culture of the Outer Hebrides, in particular South Uist. The root of the word choreography comes from the greek, khoreia (chorus or band of dancers) and graphein (to write). Before Words was an attempt to write or record movement that was in dialogue with a people and place. What can a Gaelic reading of the landscape reveal that otherwise remains hidden? How can the body serve as a medium to that which cannot otherwise be expressed in words?

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Lead Artists: David Walker, Liz Carruthers & Ian MacDonald

Venue: Citizens Theatre and various venues throughout Scotland

Date: Work in Progress August 2016 – Full Production Tour Oct 2017

It’s midsummer night and there’s a tale to tell. A tale of magic, mischief, trickery and love. From the team that brought together the critically acclaimed MacBheatha (Macbeth), this is a new version of Shakespeare’s funniest play, told in modern Gaelic, with a sprinkling of the bard’s great poetry translated by Ian MacDonald. Performed by David Walker and directed by Liz Carruthers.

The city has a critical mass of Gaelic writers, actors, musicians and organisations with a Gaelic remit

Pibroch Field

Lead Artists: Iain F. MacLeod, Struan Leslie, Kenny MacRae

Venue: Citizens Theatre

Date: 23 & 24 September

The performance explored and researched the way in which a number of Pibroch tunes can be the source materials for a devising process leading to the creation of a movement based theatre work rich in the Gaelic tradition and resonant in our own times.

Pibroch, the classical bagpipe form, takes a long, predominantly lamenting form. The structure of these pieces was often more like that of an extended prose poem and indeed have narratives associated with them. The melody of the composition, laid over a ground base, can modulate into dance measures and structures.

Also known as Ceòl Mòr, Big Music, Pibroch is the classical music of the Scottish highland bagpipes. This evocative music is built on imagery and myth as well as the actual history of Scotland and the very land we stand on. Beginning with the musical and physical rhythms and Gaelic narrative of this great music and working with scholars, pipers and fellow artists, playwright Iain Finlay MacLeod and director and choreographer Struan Leslie began the journey of creating a movement theatre piece.

Building a Nation

Lead Artists:  Martin O’ Connor

Venue: Citizens Theatre and venues throughout Scotland

Date: 4 & 5 November, Glad Café & Tour Oct 2017

Building a Nation was a solo spoken word performance in the three languages of Scotland: English, Scots and Gaelic.  A sharing of ideas found and developed from recorded conversations with people across a large age range, and geographical area.

The piece explores the industrial expansion of Glasgow alongside attitudes to tradition, cultural identity and marginalised voices.  The performance included a soundscape of recorded conversations with people discussing personal relationships to their own voice and ways of speaking, collected from around the country.

Macbheatha

Bho thùs na choimisean de dh’obair leantainneach bho Ghlaschu Beò, a chaidh a chluich ann an taigh loma-làn an Citizens agus a-rithist air a chluich mar phàirt den dual Dèante ann an Alba aig Froidhneas Fèis Dhùn Èideann [Air a chluich le Daibhidh Walker, air a stiùireadh le Liz Carruthers, air eadar-theangachadh le Iain Dòmhnallach];

Macbheatha

Originally a Glasgow Life work-in-progress commission, which went on to play to packed houses at the Citizens Theatre and played as part of the Made in Scotland strand at Edinburgh Festival Fringe [Performed by David Walker, Directed by Liz Caruthers, Translated by Ian MacDonald];

Às an Dorchadas,

Am pìos dràma stèidhichte a dh’aon ghnothaich ann an taigh ann am Pollokshields a choisinn sàr-chliù breithneachail [sgrìobhte le Catriona Lexy Chaimbeul], air a leasachadh bhon chiad obair leantainnich, gu làn riochdachaidh le Glaschu Beò;

As an Dorchadas

A site specific theatre piece set in a house in Pollokshields which received critical acclaim [Written by Catriona Lexy Cambell], developed to a full production by Glasgow Life from the original work-in-progress;