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How can we define our Gaelic culture in 2016? A culture so connected to the land and seasons, rooted in old customs and ritual, now disappearing? Is there any worth in preserving them? These are the main themes behind a special collaborative theatre performance to be staged in Glasgow on Monday.

‘Fuaigh’, meaning ‘interweaving’ in Gaelic, is a theatre and music production involving 10 Gaelic students from the University of Glasgow and performers and singers from the South Uist community group Guthan an Iar.

The performance, staged at the Tramway in Glasgow on October 10, looks how Gaelic identity remains strong even when you leave home.

Using a mix medium of traditional theatre performance, song, imagery and dance, ‘Fuaigh’ looks at the connections with land, words and language and what survives into the next generation of Gaelic speakers and what gets lost.

‘Fuaigh’ is part of the Home Away Festival, a series of theatre performances organised by the National Theatre of Scotland to mark its 10th anniversary, and aims to explore and promote a variety of cultural communities from around the world.

The festival will bring together 10 theatrical productions – five from Scotland and five from international groups, among them an Australian Aboriginal theatre production company; a Brazilian group from Rio de Janeiro’s Favelas and an urban dance organisation from Chicago.

Gillebride Macmillan is a Celtic and Gaelic teacher at the University of Glasgow and he has composed the music for ‘Fuaigh’.

Commenting on what audiences can expect from the evening’s performance, he said: “It’s an interactive theatre piece set in our home, and we are inviting the audience to come in, take a seat and join us.

“There will be audience participation and elements of traditional theatre performance, music and songs, and we will hopefully be teaching our house guests some Gaelic on the way.

‘Fuaigh’, written and performed by playwright and poet Rona MacDonald, directed by John Binnie with visual images by Judith Parrott. It has already had its premiere in South Uist on Saturday (October 1) and received high acclaim.

Gillebride Macmillan added: “The festival touches on a number of themes which the National Theatre of Scotland has been examining, especially Scotland’s place in the world, and we are looking at Gaelic’s place in Scotland, so how the two elements interweave, hence the title.

“We look at what has been lost from Gaelic culture and how it has changed and evolved, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst.”

 

Ciamar as urrainn dhuinn cultar na Gàidhlig a chomharrachadh ann an 2016? Cultar a tha cho ceangailte ris an fhearann agus ris na ràithean, stèidhichte ann an seann chleachdaidhean agus ann an cleachdaidhean a tha a-nis a’ dol à bith? A bheil luach sam bith ann a bhith gan cumail? ’S iad sin na prìomh chuspairean a tha a’ nochdadh ann an taisbeanadh thèatar sònraichte a tha gu bhith air a lìbhrigeadh ann an Glaschu air Diluain.

’S e theatar le ceòl is òrain ann a tha ann am Fuaigh’, ann am bi 1`0 oileanaich bho Oilthigh Ghlaschu agus cleasaichean agus seineadairean bho bhuidheann coimhearsnachd Uibhist, Guthan an Iar.

Tha an tachartas, a bhios air a chumail anns an Tramway ann an Glaschu air an 10mh dhen Dàmhair, a’ sealltainn air mar a tha dearbh-aithne na Gàidhlig fhathast làidir fiù ’s nuair a dh’fhàgas tu an dachaigh.

A’ cleachdadh modhan thèatar traidiseanta, le òrain, ìomhaighean agus dannsa, tha ‘Fuaigh’ a’ sealltainn air a’ cheangal eadar fearann, faclan agus cànan agus air na tha a’ leantainn bho ghinealach gu ginealach, agus na tha air fhàgail agus air a chall.

Tha ‘Fuaigh’ mar phàirt dhen fhèis Home Away, sreath de thachartasan thèatar a tha air a chur air dòigh le Thèatar Nàiseanta na h-Alba gus 10mh ceann-bliadhna na buidhne a chomharrachadh, agus thathar ag amas air sgrùdadh agus brosnachadh a dhèanamh air iomadh coimhearsnachd cultarail air feadh an t-saoghail.
Bidh an fhèis a’ tarraing 10 thaisbeanaidhen thèatar còmhla – còig bho Alba agus còig bho bhuidhnean eadar-nàiseanta , buidheann de thùsanaich Astràilia, buidheann à Favelas Rio de Janeiro agus buidheann dannsa bailteil à Chicago nam measg sin.

Bidh Gillebrìde Mac ‘Ille Mhaoil a’ teagasg na Gàidhlig aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu agus tha e air a bhith a’ riochdachadh a’ chiùil airson ‘Fuaigh’.

A’ beachdachadh air na bhios fa chomhair an luchd-èisteachd, thuirt e: “’S ann stèidhte san dachaigh againn a bhios e, agus bidh cuireadh aig luchd-èisteachd tighinn a chèilidh oirnn, agus a bhith nam pàirt dhe na tha a’ dol air adhart.

“Bidh cothrom ann a bhith a’ dol an sàs anns an taisbeanadh agus bidh pàirtean de dhràma àbhaisteach ann cuideachd agus òrain agus ceòl, agus tha sinn an dòchas beagan Gàidhlig a theagasg cuideachd.

Chaidh ‘Fuaigh’, a sgrìobhadh le Ròna Dhòmhnallach agus bidh i ga lìbhrigeadh cuideachd, Tha e air a riochdachadh le John Binnie agus rinn Judith Parrott ìomhaighean air a shon. Chaidh fhoillseachadh an toiseach ann an Uibhist a Deas air Disathairne (1d Dàmhair) agus fhuair e fìor mholadh.

Thuirt Gillebrìde Mac ’Ille Mhaoil cuideachd: “Tha an fhèis a’ bualadh air iomadh cuspair air a bheil Theatar Nàiseanta na h-Alba air a bhith a’ sgrùdadh, gu h-àraid suidheachadh na h-Alba anns an t-saoghal, agus tha sinn a’ coimhead air suidheachadh na Gàidhlig ann an Alba, agus mar a tha na rudan sin fuaighte ri chèile, agus ’s e sin a thug an t-ainm dhan tachartas.

“Tha sinn a’ coimhead air na chaidh a chall bho chultar na Gàidhlig agus mar a tha e air atharrachadh, uaireannan gu rud nas fheàrr ach uaireannan eile gu rud a tha nas miosa.”

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More information: Jane Chilton, University of Glasgow Communications. Tel: 0141 330 3535 / email jane.chilton@glasgow.ac.uk

First published: 7 October 2016