Hebridean Treasure: Lost & Found

The Lemon Tree – 03/09/2024

Kirsten Newell (Dancer) and Mischa Macpherson (Composer & Gaelic Singer), Billy Mack (Narrator)

Writer: John Philip Newell

Hebridean Treasure: Lost and Found was a magical and powerful experience. On entering the venue, I felt that I had been granted entry into a sacred space. The set was a perfect example of how to make minimalism impactful and meaningful. Bare bulbs gave the sense of candlelight, which combined with a mist of dry ice to create an atmosphere of warmth and intrigue, and was reminiscent of traditional oral storytelling settings, which were an inspiration for the show.

We began by being introduced to Alexander Carmichael, our narrator – solidly performed by Billy Mack. Carmichael was a Scottish folklorist who published several volumes of Celtic and Gaelic teachings, which, up until then, had been passed down orally, and which gave the show’s writer, John Philip Newell, a stimulus. Actors’, musicians, and Kirsten Newell’s dancing gave us an insight into the Celtic language and strong connection to nature, which had similarities to Sanskrit and the beliefs of South Asian communities of that time.

Mischa Macpherson’s singing was a wonderful start. Her voice was (and remained) beautifully pure. Communicating through music felt so natural to her. These qualities of naturality and a complete grasp of one’s instrument was shared by all the musicians. The way they performed together brought to life the idea of connectedness and made the soundscape feel fresh.

I loved the way the musicians seemed entranced throughout by Newell’s Bharatanatyam dancing. It built the interconnectedness within the piece and focused the audience members on her strong, precise, and meaningful movements to allow us to enjoy and understand the show through both our eyes and ears. The way she used her whole body and props to bring the story and characters to life was captivating. I must say that her special and high quality movement made me wish she had been the only person to be involved in the physical aspect of the show. I liked the inclusion of spoken excerpts from actors, but I would have preferred for their performances to be static, like the musicians.

In terms of the choice to bring a form of South Asian dancing (and music) to a show about Scottish history, this was a bit lost on me until I spoke to the cast. I enjoyed the collaboration but would have liked for the similarities between Scottish and South Asian cultural histories to have been made clearer within the performance. And, whilst the show offered a new and interesting perspective on the Highland Clearances, I felt this section took a detour from discussing our shared cultures and I could not understand why it ignored South Asia’s more recent history and how their historic teachings travelled through the ages. Although, perhaps this would have been clearer if I had understood the lyrics.

Even though I thought some aspects could be refined, on the whole, I would say it is well worth seeing. I felt like I had opened a magical time capsule and got to enjoy a beautiful escape for the night.

Photo Credit: Sandy Butler