An Island Between Heaven and Earth

In 1938, a band of workers arrived on Iona to repair the dilapidated abbey, under the charmismatic leadership of George McCloud. They ended up doing much more, and today McCloud is revered as the founder of the Iona Community. Adapted by Alistair Rutherford from his own Radio 4 play and directed by Jim McSharry, An Island Between Heaven and Earth tells this story. 

Adam Tompkins plays McCloud. 'I was really struck by the against-all-odds, epic battle behind the play,' he says. 'He was totally going against the grain, he faced a lot of opposition from the Kirk and so many other obstacles, yet he willed the community into existence, bridging the gap between rich and poor for the first time. And the community is still vibrant today, going to Iona really drives that home. I think it's a part of Scottish lore people should be more aware of.

The title of this play comes from a description of Iona, one of the  Western Isles, and the description comes from the lips of a certain George MacLeod, a very real historical figure who loomed large in the history of Scottish Christianity in the last century.

He is still revered on Iona among other places and it's fair to say that this production does his memory proud. Charismatic but flawed, he is expertly played by Adam Tomkins who has just the right note of zeal tempered with earthiness to ensure his character electrifies but also at times evokes sympathy and empathy. Unfussily directed by Jim McSharry, the play at times betrays its radio roots by being rather dialogue-heavy, but the pull of the narrative and a few strong performances carry it through; in addition to the lead, Philp Kingscott and David A Roberts also impress. Overall it's a fine example of a show that both educates and entertains, the kind of thing that gives Scottish storytelling a good name.