Category: Mary Woodward Review

***** (5 stars)

“Immensely varied”

I didn’t need to be bribed with coffee and pastries to attend the launch of this year’s festival – but I have to say they were both delicious – as is the feast contained in the festival programme!

A goodly crowd assembled in the main storytelling court of the Scottish Storytelling Centre, enjoying the refreshments and chatting very loudly, obviously excited both to reconnect with friends and colleagues and looking forward to finding out what’s on offer this year.  We were serenaded on the clarsach by Niall, whose talent and versatility deserved to be heard in silence…

And then we went down into the Netherbow Theatre, where Steve Byrne, chief executive of TRACS [Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland] welcomed us all.  It’s the 20^th anniversary of the opening of the Storytelling Centre [and of the creation of the National Theatre of Scotland, did we know?].  The Scottish Storytelling Forum was founded in 1992 – who could have foreseen than that this year’s SISF would have over 200 events, not simply in Edinburgh but all over Scotland?

Daniel Abercrombie has taken over from the wonderful Donald Smith [with whom I had the pleasure of working rather more years ago than I care to admit] as director of this, the 37^th International Storytelling Festival.  What is storytelling? he is often asked – it’s so many things, isn’t it?  Connection between human beings – eye to eye, mind to mind, heart to heart; being present to each other; really listening; welcoming and sharing; feeling the JOY – all the things you can experience in a good Scottish ceilidh.  This year’s Festival stretches across the whole of Scotland – the whole country could be seen as a ceilidh.

Storytelling can be entertaining, subversive, inspire societal change, transmit knowledge and wisdom from generation to generation.  This year’s theme Bird and Beast brings us together and invites us to respect and celebrate our planet and the natural world we live in and are inextricably bound to.  The heron that graces the front cover of the festival programme is a symbol of patience and stillness – the moments in which we can feel the magic and make connections.  It is also seen as a bridge between the elements of water, earth and air – and the Otherworld…

The programme is immensely varied, and I’m very sorry to be out of the country for the first six days – otherwise I think I’d be at one or more shows just about every day!  As it is, there are so many things I want to see…

It’s the Chinese year of the Horse – so there are horse tales and kelpie tales; the Bird of Truth has stories from Lithuania [and book smuggling!]; Italian tales have stories of horses, myths of birds and legends of snakes.  The Antler and the Wing; Oh those inspiring Cows!; Stanley’s Beasts an Birds; Sheep Stanes and so much more…  I’m really sorry to miss Warrior/Poet which weaves together the Celtic myth of Mad Sweeney and the Pollok Free State [who knew??? Not me!]  Two Scottish epic storytelling cycles surround Columba and his journeyings and the magic and mayhem, mystery and full-blooded emotion surrounding Fionn, Gráinne, Diarmuid, Ossian, Niamh and others, which I’m really interested to hear.  Of stars, bears and the beginning of time is also on my hit list!

There are guest storytellers, international guests, exhibitions, workshops… there are Emerging Storytellers, family events, the Big Scottish Story Ripple and the Go Local programme…and for me a fascinating experience of Deaf storytelling.  The whole presentation was signed in BSL – something we take for granted in so many situations these days – as we watch the glorious combination of facial expression, gesture, and body language BSL uses.  What I’ve never experienced before is Deaf storytelling.  Tania Allan explained to us the importance of storytelling for Deaf people: answering a question is never straightforward because the whole story surrounding the question is also a part of the answer.  She then told us a story from Italy, where she grew up, about sheep, a goat, a sheepdog and a shepherd, with a voiced interpretation for those of us who don’t have BSL.

It was a wonderful demonstration of the inclusivity of this Festival.  I could go on – and on – but won’t.  I’ll finish by saying there’s going to be something in the programme to suit you, to suit you and yours, and to get you up and out and joining in this explosion of creativity, inspiration and sharing.  Get your tickets now!!!

Bird and Beast Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2026, Launch Event, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh. The festival will run from the 21^st to 31^st October at venues across the city for more information go to: Home – Scottish International Storytelling Festival

***** (5 stars)

“Utterly brilliant!”

My daughter was very pleased for me when she heard I was going to see Scottish Ballet perform Crystal Pite’s Emergence, which I missed when it had its UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2016.  I had no idea what to expect, but she raved about the piece…

Now I understand why she was so impressed!  But first I must tell you about the world premiere that preceded it last night – Julia Cheng’s Entress.  I was familiar with the word egress thanks to Terry Pratchett’s insistence that it’s not a female eagle but another word for an exit.  It seems that an entress isn’t a female tree-person from Tolkein’s world, but an old Scottish word for an entrance!

I find myself unusually lost for words when trying to describe both works – I can say that they are both danced to fascinating scores, that they both use a monochrome palette, and that they have classically trained dancers moving in such extraordinary ways that at times I wondered whether they’d had some of their joints removed and replaced with multi-directional ball and socket joints in order to move in the ways I was seeing on stage.

But these words fail to give any idea of the extraordinary visual spectacle in front of me.  Two different pieces, both exploring individual dancers’ ability to move in any number of ordinary and extraordinary ways and the actions, reactions and interactions of individuals, small groups, and the entire company.  Movement grew, changed, developed, flowed across the stage in an endlessly inventive stream.  At times I wished it were possible to freeze the action, to pause and take in what I’d already seen – but we were carried on and on until the final moments brought a storm of applause.

One of the great joys of the Scottish Ballet company is their strength and depth of talent throughout all the levels – and this was clearly demonstrated in Entress when First Artist Rishan Benjamin danced the part of Nüwa.  Part goddess, part snake, Nüwa spun and swirled in a flowing robe as she wove her magic under the undulating white cloud/canopy that stretched above the stage and had a life of its own as a third partaker in the action.  I’ve always enjoyed watching Rishan, and was delighted to see her shining in the spotlight, an equal partner with Soloist Kayla-Marie Trantolo, the Protagonist who seemed to be seeking to escape from the community which much of the time surrounded her.  The entire company demonstrated their versatility, their athleticism, their incredible dance skills and their ability to convey the surging emotions gripping them.  Isobel Waller-Bridge’s score, sensitively played by members of the Scottish Ballet orchestra under Yi Wei, was full of poignant moments and passionate outbursts. 

How I wish I could see it all again, NOW!  There was so much to take in, so much to think about, so much to enjoy and appreciate – one performance simply isn’t enough.  Please, Christopher can we see it again very soon??!

And then there was Emergence – short, sharp, snappy and utterly brilliant!  To sum it up as ‘an exploration of hive mind’ is totally to oversimplify a superbly choreographed piece which again I could watch over and over and over…  The whole company were outstanding – solos, duets, and groups flowed into each other: everyone contributing to the whole, no ‘star’ and ‘also ran’ here, but a truly ensemble creation, totally extraordinary precision, total togetherness in the act of creation, and a total joy to behold.

Composer Owen Belton’s score was also new to me – it seemed mainly to use percussion instruments, but I was so engrossed in the dancing I can’t be sure: suffice it to say that music and movement fused to create something very special.  Small wonder that the EIF performances were raved about and that last night’s Glasgow audience went wild with their applause at the end of the piece.

Yet another total triumph for Scottish Ballet!

Scottish Ballet presents Emergence, Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Run Ended but production will tour to His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen 25^th – 26^th September 2026 https://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/whats-on/emergence-talk-ballet/

and the Festival Theatre Edinburgh, 1^st to 3^rd October 2026 https://www.capitaltheatres.com/shows/emergence/

***** (5 stars)

“a wonderfully engrossing experience”

This stunning exhibition needs visited several times to get the full benefit – you can go as a film and television buff, as a costume fancier, a textile nut, an embroidery anorak, and still on a fifth visit you will find more to marvel at…  I had to catch a train afterwards, so wasn’t able to spend time with the displays after my curator-guided tour had ended: I know I have to make time to come back as many times as I can manage!

London-based costume house Cosprop was founded in 1965 by John Bright who at the time was combining careers British repertory theatre in acting, stage managing and costume design.

He’d also spent his life collecting vintage clothing and accessories in the flea markets of Paris and antique markets of London.  He decided to start a costume house, using this collection and donations from family and friends – and so Cosprop was born.  It’s a combination of museum, research facility, workshop and wardrobe, where costumes from an increasingly wide range of historical periods [and fantastical situations] can be found, studied, copied and borrowed, and the different construction methods learned and used for film, television and theatre productions.

Cosprop is possibly single-handedly responsible for the revolution in approach to period costume design, where accuracy not only of look but of construction methods is vital.  Being guided round by the curator meant that we got to peek under skirts and see the incredible detail and care of construction of undergarments, the inside of hats, and many other tiny details that would probably not be noticed in the brief amount of a costume’s screen time, but contribute immeasurably to the actor’s realisation of a character.  As Helena Bonham Carter said of Cosprop and her performance in the Merchant Ivory film Room with a View: “We entered Cosprop as ourselves and walked out as the person we were playing”. 

You can’t actually see the actors in this exhibition – but they are almost there, tantalisingly ghost-like in the fabulous frocks and gorgeous garments on display, each superbly made and a delight to behold.

Film buffs can go on a ‘hunt the star’ trail – the list is endless!  Helena Bonham Carter’s white frock, in which she was kissed on the hill overlooking Florence, is there.  Top of many people’s list may be Colin Firth’s Mr Darcy outfit: not my hero, but I did love seeing Alan Rickman’s Colonel Brandon uniform from Sense and Sensibility.  I was fascinated to find a frock worn by Elizabeth Taylor [in Young Toscanini – who knew?]; one of David Suchet’s Poirot suits; Jack Sparrow’s ‘looks as though it’s been slept in’ outfit from Pirates of the Caribbean: the curse of the black pearl; and an utterly gorgeous kimono-fabric-inspired frock for Rosalind in the 2006 As You Like It.  Two of Eddie Redmayne’s costumes from The Danish Girl – a man’s suit and a beautiful sleeveless dress – reminded me of Lili’s poignant story.  And there’s so much more!

Devotees of television series are not forgotten: I’m old enough to remember The Duchess of Duke Street and The House of Eliott, and delighted to see one of Louisa Trotter’s costumes, two of Bea and Evie’s frock,s and a glorious piece from one of their collections.  Alas, there wasn’t anything from the original Forsyte Saga, but there are costumes from Downton Abbey and, and, and…

There’s jewellery, costume sketches, and photos from the workshops, showing in fabulous detail the care and precision with which every garment is made, and a series of short films for those who have the time…

Alas, I could only skim through this fantastic collection but will return as soon as I can.  Don’t miss what is in itself a wonderfully engrossing experience but also the perfect antidote to the maelstrom which is fast approaching Edinburgh: do I need to remind you that Festival Season is fast approaching??!!

Costume Couture: Sixty years of Cosprop, Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh, Exhibition runs until 17^th January 2027 for more information and tickets go to: Costume Couture: Sixty Years of Cosprop

***** (5 stars)

“What a joy!” 

A packed town hall enjoyed Scottish Opera at its best – bringing the thrills and terrors of opera “where you are” and holding the audience captive with a pared-down but emotionally full-fat performance of not one but two major operas by Verdi and Donizetti.

Scottish Opera’s pop-up operas are most frequently performed in the open air, using a specially adapted trailer which provides the performers, at least, with a bit of shelter from the elements.  Today we had the luxury of an indoor venue – and some shelter from the sweltering heat outside.

The pop-up formula is simple: two singers, two musicians, and a narrator tell the story and perform some of the music from an opera.  What makes it fascinating for me is the skill with which the essence of the story is extracted from the wealth of detail that surrounds it, and the choices that have to be made about which bits of music are chosen to bring the narrative to life.

It was even more fascinating to me with Rigoletto and Elixir, because both of them have a central role for a tenor – the villain in the former and the hero in the latter.  No tenor her, but a soprano, Holly Teague, and a baritone, Colin Murray, between them playing a wide range of parts.  In Rigoletto the baritone got to sing the really famous tenor aria La donna è mobile [lucky man!] but Nemorino’s challengingly high aria from Elixir [una furtiva lagrima] was given to the cello, whose emotionally nuanced rendition was, for me, one of the high spots of the evening.

Rigoletto is the court jester to the womanising Duke of Mantua.  Rigoletto’s daughter, Gilda, is the duke’s latest object of desire.  Rigoletto plans to have his master assassinated but it all goes horribly wrong when Gilda chooses to offer herself to the assassin’s blade – she still loves the duke though she knows he’s a bastard.  The father of one of the duke’s earlier conquests cursed Rigoletto – the jester realises that the curse has struck.

In Elixir clumsy, not-over-bright Nemorino is hopelessly in love with the clever, witty and beautiful Adina, who has no time for him.  Dr Dulcamara, a travelling mountebank comes to the village peddling his magic elixir, the cure for absolutely everything.  Nemorino has overheard Adina telling the villagers the story of Tristan and Isolde, and demands that Dulcamara sells him some of the Isolde’s magic potion.  Under its influence [cheap red wine] his changed behaviour intrigues Adina.  A flirtatious recruiting officer, a gossiping best friend, more elixir, and a sudden inheritance contribute to a happy-ever-after ending – with some gloriously lively music surrounding the outpourings of emotion from the love-lorn hero.

Colin Murray was having a field day with so many opportunities to display his superb mastery of character and ability to reach out and engage us in the dramas played out before us.  In Rigoletto he was not only the jester but also the wretchedly miserable father, Monterone, the determinedly professional assassin Sparafucile – and to crown it all, got to sing the Duke’s truly memorable signature tune.  He didn’t get to sing Nemorino’s big aria, but had enormous fun with other bits of our hero’s part while also swaggering as self-appreciative recruiting officer Belcore and pulling everyone’s strings [except Adina’s!] as Dr Dulcamara. 

Holly Teague was an impressive Gilda – face, voice, and body language all expressing the young woman’s tentative first forays into the world of love; her deep love and compassion for her father, who still deeply loves her long-dead mother; her shame at her treatment at the hands of the duke, her anguish at his betrayal and, despite all this, her inability to stop loving him and so choose to sacrifice herself to save his life.  Power, richness, delicacy, subtlety and perfect control of the quietest notes were all here – I hope Holly gets to sing the complete role very soon.  As Adina we had a very different woman: confident and in control, sure of herself and determined to get someone better than the stupid peasant boy who sighs over her from afar…  how wrong she is!  And she realises this, and acts with determination, and gets her man [and takes a little bit of time en route to be the gossiping Gianetta who spreads the good news of Nemorino’s sudden and unexpected change in fortune.

Dani Heron’s storytelling was utterly brilliant.  Totally immersed in the action, not just observing from the sidelines: playing some of the characters, commenting wryly on the situations, always totally engaged and engaging, she kept us enthralled all evening.  I particularly appreciated her feisty weegie take on Elixir’s narration.   Allan Dunn’s brilliant narratives struck the perfect balance between translating from the original Italian and creating superbly witty and memorable language.   A friend brought her ten-year-old son and his friend: they were gripped throughout, particularly loved Elixir, and have been talking about their solves being problemed ever since!

And oh gosh the skills of the two musicians!  It was a joy to watch guitarist Sasha Savalone and cellist Andrew Drummond Huggan’s involvement in the music and their total attention to the singers.  I never cease to marvel at the extremely clever arrangements of the richly emotive scores written for a large-scale orchestra.  Sasha does a miraculous job of providing the total orchestral ‘backing’ for Andrew’s cello, which soars and pleads in Rigoletto and sings out true love and devotion in Elixir.  Andrew and Derek Clark as music directors have produced two wonderful scores, the stories entertainingly illustrated by Agnes Xantippa Boman [Rigoletto] and Essi Kimpimäki [Elixir]. 

Director Darren Brownlie has done a superb job with these twostrongly contrasting and superbly realised productions.  Applause at the end was loud, prolonged, and richly deserved!

Scottish Opera Pop-ups: A little bit of Rigoletto and A little bit of The Elixir of Love, Portobello Town Hall, Edinburgh run ended for outdoor dates and more information go to: Pop-up Opera 2026 | Scottish Opera