Scotties @ Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

A multi-layered, unforgettable piece of theatre from Theatre Gu Leòr and the national theatres of Scotland and Ireland

Review by Alice Lannon | 05 Oct 2018

It’s a rare thing that a performance lingers in your mind days after the curtain falls – and yet, Muireann Kelly and Frances Poet’s new play Scotties is guaranteed to do just that. Beautifully written and powerfully performed by the National Theatre of Scotland, contemporary Gaelic company Theatre Gu Leòr and Abbey Theatre (the national theatre of Ireland), this multi-layered work explores the idea of our relationship to the past on both a personal and political level. Which stories get told, and which become conveniently ‘forgotten’, and why?

Through the principal narrative of a young boy learning about the true story of a group of Irish men who lost their lives in a bothy fire, this play poses questions such as these that will echo in the mind as we go on to contemplate Scottish society today. As well offering a compelling tale, Scotties is also visually stunning, and the lighting and set design create an atmosphere which is highly evocative. The play features live trad music too, which creates a wonderful ambience within the performance. Indeed, this play would not be nearly so wonderful without the accompanying score.  

Woven into the fabric of the play is a great deal of respect for the real people who lost their lives in the bothy fire. Although the work is obviously based mainly on a tragic real life story, it is sensitively written, never falling into the pitfalls of being too brash or simplistic. Striking a delicate balance between captivating storytelling and delivering poignant messages of wider significance, this powerful historical drama does so brilliantly what many others of its genre can only attempt to do. A truly unforgettable performance.


Scotties, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, run ended

https://www.theatreguleor.com/scotties/