Mairi Campbell: Living Stone
★★★☆☆ Gentle
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30): Thu 1 – Sun 25 Aug 2024
Review by Hugh Simpson
Mairi Campbell: Living Stone at the Scottish Storytelling Centre is a gently musical journey through history and the present day. It has much to recommend it, but cannot help seem slightly disappointing in the light of what has gone before.
Living Stone forms the third part of what Campbell now calls her Pendulum Trio after Pulse and Auld Lang Syne. While it will surely delight anyone who enjoyed either of those productions, and also stands on its own merits as a piece of theatre, it is also less essential than either of its predecessors.
Mairi Campbell Living Stone. Pic: Julia Fayngruen.
Dealing with Campbell’s return to Lismore in the Inner Hebrides where she has deep family roots, the production centres around an ancient quern-stone (used for grinding) that was unearthed by her brother-in-law.
The stone itself is 400 million years old and is the cue for ruminations on the land and its meaning, on history and family. The music, a vital part of the story, is both live and recorded, both folk-derived and electronic. The stone itself is even used in the soundtrack.
Storytelling, theatre, music, artwork and projections coincide in a deeply-felt, personal, well-considered production. Campbell is an unassertive yet inviting presence with a clear rapport with the audience, and her voice is certainly worth the admission on its own. Co-composer Dave Gray’s music is atmospheric and co-devisor Kath Burlinson’s direction is assured.
magnetism
However, the narrative lacks the coherent and commanding line that distinguished both of the earlier productions and helped knit them together. At times, it starts to meander; you also need something of a tolerance for talk of spirit animals or ‘giving thanks to the land’ to get through some sections.
There is certainly a magnetism to much of what is going on, and the accompanying exhibition of Campbell’s artwork in the Storytelling Centre cafe is a welcome addition. The invitations to the audience to sing along are well handled and unthreatening, and a sense of community is undoubtedly evoked.
That sense of community, however, is not enough to fully compensate for what seems missing.
Running time: One hour and 5 minutes (no interval)
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Netherbow Theatre), 43-45 High St, EH1 1SR (Venue 30)
Thursday 1 – Sunday 25 August 2024 (odd dates only)
Odd dates only at 5.00 pm
Details and tickets: Book here
Website: https://mairicampbell.scot
Facebook: @MairiCampbellOfficial
Instagram: @mairicampbellmusic
X: @mairimusic
ENDS
