Theatre project to put Caithness voices centre stage
A new creative venture will launch in Wick this week, designed to empower people to draw upon the rich cultural heritage and natural beauty of Caithness, inspiring creative expression through theatre.
The first of 16 workshops is being held tomorrow morning at Discovery College, led by acclaimed Caithness poet and playwright George Gunn in partnership with community arts group Creativity in Care.
Over the next 10 weeks, participants will meet regularly to create a piece of theatre shaped by language (poetry and dialogue), music, movement and objects, that will “challenge and stimulate” participants and performers.
The aim of the finished piece will be to illuminate and entertain a contemporary audience to experience a unique view of Caithness, its people and place in the Highlands.
Organisers say artwork developed through the Creativity in Care workshops will embrace and explore such issues as the care and maintenance of the environment, the wildlife, the fragility of the cliffs and the flagstone beds.
Project manager Donna Murray said: “By encouraging collaboration and individual contribution, the initiative seeks to empower local voices and celebrate the distinctive identity of the region.
“The valuable resource of Caithness is the imagination and creativity of her people and the community spirit.
“The artwork will embrace and explore such issues as the care and maintenance of the environment, the wildlife, the fragility of the cliffs, the flagstone beds, the bogs, lochs and fields of Caithness and how they relate to the human population in terms of housing, social isolation, mental health, poverty and economic justice.”
Ms Murray and one other arts facilitator from Creativity in Care on rotation, will facilitate monoprint workshops (or similar) to form the backdrop of the theatrical landscape.
Participant's artwork will also be created into items of clothing as part of their own identity in the performance.
16 three-hour sessions are planned in total, with Mr Gunn leading alternate weeks and Creativity in Care facilitators Murray and others providing the other workshops.
A public performance is scheduled to conclude the project at the end of November.
Ms Murray added: “We are delighted to have the use of the Discovery College, which has a great performance area, from in- kind support from the Discovery College, and we are grateful to have received Highland Third Sector Interface - Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults.”
Workshops run on Tuesday and Friday mornings from 11am to 1pm throughout September, October and November, with set-up and debrief either side.
The first gathering tomorrow will be an open discussion and an introduction to the project.