From monks to makers on Lyth's diverse autumn programme

FROM music by monks to a makers' festive market, Lyth Arts Centre's autumn programme offers a range of shows and activities to appeal to all ages and interests.

People across Caithness have been finding the new LAC brochures on their doorsteps, giving them a glimpse of the bumper season of music, theatre, food and more which will run from September to December in venues throughout the county.

Music comes from across the globe with African drummers Kakatsitsi and Mbilou kicking off the season next month with gigs at Timespan in Helmsdale and the Pulteney Centre in Wick. Coming all the way from Tibet is a group of monks from the Tashi Lhungpo monastery who will perform a special evening of sacred dance and music in October.

A real treat will be Orkney’s very own Fara. Nominated for a BBC Folk Award, the all-female quartet brings a fiery sound rooted in the women's upbringing among the traditional music of the islands, and Mary Ann Kennedy makes a welcome return showcasing tunes from her new album Glaschu. Inspired by her home city of Glasgow, the show features songs and poetry celebrating city life past and present.

Lots of up-and-coming bands are on the bill too offering a chance to see Scotland’s next big thing. Eabhal, nominated for MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards, play Strathy Hall, and Hecla, who formed at the University of Highlands and Islands, will play at Lyth in October.

Also in October is Lizabett Russo, a Scottish-based singer-songwriter who merges her native Romanian traditions with elements of contemporary jazz, avant garde folk and world music.

Top theatre companies return to Caithness including the renowned Dogstar Theatre – creator of the hugely successful Tailor of Inverness – which will perform its new show, The Stornoway Way, adapted from Kevin MacNeil’s best-selling novel of the same name. Contemporary theatre trailblazer Two Destination Language is back its their latest show, Fallen Fruit, which explores Brexit, the Berlin Wall and 200 cardboard boxes.

There’s also theatre for children and families, including the world premiere of Atlantis, an immersive exhibition in which the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Tortoise in a Nutshell, which produced LAC’s Christmas show in 2018, is returning with a special double bill of storytelling and songwriting, with a show for grown-ups called My Name is Irrelevant and Myth of the Singular Moment.

There’s something to laugh about this season too with comedy gigs and theatre coming up. Susie McCade, Glasgow Comedy Festival’s fastest-selling comedian three years running, already has tickets flying out the door. And leading Scottish theatre company Stellar Quines is on the road with the play Hope and Joy, which looks set to be in equal parts hilarious and heart-warming.

Following a successful season of films in spring, Scottish documentaries remain at the forefront of Lyth's cinema programme. With an adventure theme running through them, highlights include Final Ascent, which tells the story of legendary climber Hamish MacInnes, and Last Breath, an emotional first-hand account of a diver stranded in the North Sea.

Groat and Courier journalist David G Scott will have his documentary The End of the Game on the big screen. Scott, a committed vegan, follows Guy Wallace as he prepares to go on his last big game hunt. The screening is accompanied by a vegan pre-film meal.

Air Iomall at the end of November, will combine film and live music inspired by the abandoned islands of the North Atlantic, including St Kilda.

The Family Film Club continues with the new addition of baby sensory films, as well as the classic film screenings at Monday Matinée.

We’re really proud of our autumn season and think it pushes artistic boundaries while ensuring the highest level of entertainment for all ages.

Lyth continues its relationship with Whaligoe Steps Café which will be providing specially themed pre-show meals for a selection of shows and gigs, including a special magic meal ahead of magician Lorenzo Novani’s performance in September. Novani will present Poet of the Impossible, a one-of-a-kind show that weaves magic and words.

With Christmas just around the corner, families can look forward to a festive treat with Paper Moon. This beautiful adventure show designed for under-fives will welcome schools and nurseries as well families at the weekend.

A newly commissioned exhibition by Caithness artist Joanne B Kaar will be an interactive look at the ancient maritime tradition of Wishing the Wind, and a special festive market on December 6 will showcase the work of local crafters and makers, providing plenty of inspiration for Christmas gifts.

The year is rounded off by the LAC Christmas Ceilidh, headlined by Addie Harper and his band.

LAC co-director Charlotte Mountford said: "We’re really proud of our autumn season and think it pushes artistic boundaries while ensuring the highest level of entertainment for people of all ages. If you’re someone who hasn’t been along before, we think this season might just have the right event to entice you.

"We’d like to say a big thank-you to all our audiences, the LAC team, our funders and our friends for making it all possible for another year. As the brochure says, you are invited and we hope you’ll take us up on the offer."

Tickets and more information are available from www.lytharts.org.uk

In the meantime, the summer exhibition Mountains Underwater by collaborative artists Mara Marxt Lewis and Tyler Lewis continues at Lyth until September 1.

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