Turntable @ Scottish Storytelling Centre

MJ McCarthy sits centre stage, spinning records and talking about his associations with them, and inviting the audience to do the same by considering which pieces of music have shaped their lives. He is softly spoken, a warm and engaging storyteller. Overall, the whole experience feels like an activity you would do with a friend – playing songs and sharing what they mean to you.

Indeed this idea of ‘sharing’ and by doing so, healing, is a central part of MJ’s message. This idea shapes the audience participation angle to the show – for example, audience members are invited on stage to pick a favourite record to be played and to also discuss amongst themselves some of the tracks that have influenced their own lives so far. This works well, as does the wonderful idea of having a notable person – in this case playwright and Artistic Director of the Lyceum, David Greig – onstage to chat about what specifc songs mean to them.

One possible area for improvement might be to increase the audience’s input to the show even more – for example, having more audience members share stories or feelings about particular records. However, this is obviously a fine line to tread as not everyone is up for audience participation, but overall Turntable is a wonderful, feel-good escape when you need soothing after the Fringe becomes a bit too frantic. 

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Turntable, Scottish Storytelling Centre, run ended