Stornoway, Quebec @ Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
Stornoway, Quebec blends drama, comedy and a trio of languages into a fast-paced and enjoyable Gaelic Western
Ceilidhs meet Colt .45s in Stornoway, Quebec, a new Gaelic Western by Calum MacLeòid. Directed by Muireann Kelly, the story takes place in Quebec, 1888, where five people are sheltering in a remote saloon. One, the outlaw Donald Morrison, is a man on the run with a $4000 bounty on his head. Three are members of his close-knit community of Gaelic-speaking migrants from Lewis. The fifth is Màiri MacNeil, a hard-drinking bounty hunter with a grudge. With the fierce weather cancelling the stagecoach and making travel impossible, there is no choice but to wait out the storm.
From the beginning, the script by MacLeòid (recipient of the New Gaelic Playwrights Bursary from Playwrights Studio Scotland) is a crowd-pleaser; fast, witty and incisive. Elspeth Turner’s 'Texas-Teuchter hybrid' swagger as Màiri is particularly fun, and the sparring that emerges from the messy past she shares with Morrison (played by a scruffy and laconic Dòl Eoin MacKinnon) is a highlight. All five performers move effortlessly between Gaelic, English and (occasionally) Québécois French, with the code-switching adding an additional layer to the characters and their relationships. The integrated BSL interpretation by Catherine Knight is also a delightful addition.
For all the loneliness of the setting, there is an overall reluctance to lean into space and silence. The design captures neither the desolate emptiness of the winter nor the cramped claustrophobia of the saloon – the looming presence of a hostile landscape that characterises the Western genre is noticeably diminished. This lack of breathing space contributes to some of the dynamic shifts seeming a little rushed; while some backstory reveals are effective and poignant, others feel unearned. The triumphant ending was enthusiastically received by the audience, but could have done with a sturdier build-up.
The play is at its strongest when the talented performers are given space to relax into their characters, effectively balancing comedy and powerful drama. Fast, witty and bold, Stornoway, Quebec is a thoroughly enjoyable night at the theatre.
Stornoway, Quebec, Tron Theatre, Glasgow, 13-15 Apr
tron.co.uk/shows/stornoway-quebec/