SAAME SITA. LAPLAND TALES. To 31 December.

Edinburgh

SAAME SITA, LAPLAND TALES
by Suhayl Saadi

Theatre Workshop To 31 December 2003
27.29.30 December 7.30pm Mat 29-31 December 2.30pm
BSL Signed 27 December
Runs 1hr 15min No interval

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Minicom: 0131 220 0234
Review: Timothy Ramsden 22 December

Visual splendour and cultural exploration in an unusual and rewarding winter piece.Sometimes we talk generically of all Christmas shows as pantomimes, but here's one to remind how wide the seasonal scope actually is. Theatre Workshop's policy of embracing disability within its work lends a particular voice to these very un-panto stories of pursuit and conflict, presented on a searingly-beautiful white set, intensified by (uncredited) lighting.

The story comes from the Sami people of northern Scandinavia - who long ago rejected the imposed name of Lapps. Faced with southern neighbours trying to stamp out language and culture, and bring environmentally disturbing industry into traditional eco-friendly lifestyles, the Sami might well offer several currents of interest for Scotland. And this story throws up similarities with Hans Andersen's Snow Queen - winter will never end, nor can lovers marry, till the kannus, a drum imbued in tradition with mythic power, is restored to the people.

Needless to say, each element of the drum brass, wood, canvas is guarded by hostile forces, the witches, evil queens and monsters of folk-tales. While both script and Morven Gregor's production gives a few panto moments' distribution of siller in the form of wrapped sweets among the audience, a chance for us to help with the battle against the enemies encountered there's a poetic beauty bestriding the evening.

Tactfully sustained at points by gently-scored music, the story also has some mighty moments of climactic and climatic battle; strong gusts in particular, threaten the voyagers and must be conquered in a splendidly swirling scene. Seeing cast members using mobility aids gives a further dimension to the sense of an elemental struggle largely lost in modern urban society.

There is some fine individual work, but this is an ensemble show, its visual poetry taking it through the occasional confusion at the opening, when lots of information is thrown out early on, making another distinctive Theatre Workshop contribution to the wealth and variety of theatre on display in a Scottish December.

Noaide/Kuepekaf: Estrid Barton
Father/Leeaibe-Olmmai: Norman Chalmers
Stallo the Giant/Biegolmai/Ravna: Ailie Cohen
Jabmiekha/Marish: Robyn Hunt
Uldarak the Raven: John Hollywood
Meandash: Kevin MacIsaac
Slunta the Seal: Jim McSharry
Mattarakka: Sanna Stellan

Director: Morven Gregor
Designer: Janis Hart
Lighting: Phil Haldane
Musical Director: Norman Chalmers
Stilt Walking: Aoife O'Callaghan, Te Pooka

2003-12-26 05:48:59