côté cour & côté jardin

Old habits die hard


An empty stage demands respect. When we arrived for our four hour long technical rehearsal, Lerwick's Garrison Theatre felt like a great vessel's empty hull. Keith's Morrison & David Wagstaff's team of technicians - light, sound engineers hovered like sailors back and forth before the cast left the dressing rooms. 
I sat in  the front row on the old velvet chair and watched the crew at work.

I love the warmth of each spotlight. Arrays of colours lit the very belly of our craft.  When I look back at those moments, I remember an array of orange and yellow shining on the chair placed in the centre of the stage.  In the backdrop, a blue ocean.  

Peter eventually sat on the chair, as light beamed down. 

Serpentine's  "A" was just about to shine and emerge from a mist of smoke. Peter Ratter's Three Brides - The Un-Wed  did not fail to impress, neither during technical rehearsal nor  at this year's 62nd Shetland County Drama Festival.  Avant-garde, from the technical, production and visual viewpoints, it did not leave the 2012 adjudicator indifferent.  How could it?

The visual stunner 

Prompts, costumes, make-up, monologues, repartee, light. Peter  playwright & director made it a show to remember. Powerful snapshots of Gothic literature united from his brainchild and vision. 

Judge for yourself. 

The Count, The Creator & Created and the Poet... 

Their unwed brides. 

The play was presented on Friday 16 March 2012 at The Garrison.

Then lights switched off and back on for a second time on côté cour & côté jardin once the set for Jane McKay's If You Go Down To The Woods was ready for its Première on the following night.

We spent evenings of laughter, passion and devotion to bring the farce to its climax. 

On côté jardin (left handside of the stage from the audience's viewpoint), a white door where mystery and misunderstandings would emerge... On côté cour (right handside of the stage), a black door, from which more confusion via strange comings & goings would flourish and unFURl.... Hungover Dan soon woke up to un-real moments!  Clues of many kinds - furry gloves by Betty's French friend, Monique, red sauce by a sleazy photographer, Frank, a strange creature captured & printed by Graham, and even a parcel by a pothead, yes, the Deliveryman! - would ultimately reveal a farcical tale of a very furry kind.  Betty's falling in love with Frank.
The Norwicks' kitchen will never be the same again!
Betty tries to lure us with her sudden escapades to the ponies... Igraine is young and naive... Janet, her friend, tries to keep Igraine's feet on earth. Monique cannot put her hands on Betty until she brings a rolled sheepskin... 


Shock horror! Betty and Frank - two consenting adults - armed with a knife, tail-chase themselves like two children!

Directed by Jonathan Sinclair, If You Go Down To The Woods, kept us  on our toes till its première, and received an award for Jonathan's debut as Director. 

Congratulations to all involved in this madness - weekly Tuesday nights and Sunday afternoons are tattooed in my heart with sheer moments of giggles and laughters!

What a great remedy to winter blues!

On a more personal point, it was a formidable opportunity to rekindle my flame for theatre and be part of such a great adventure, the very first of many to come, as a member of Serpentine Drama Group. 

Born To Be Wild! 

Oh, and if you want a taste of it, just click here!

Draco dans les étoiles

time to reconvene with fire


It has gained in stature. It is now known around the world. It leaps from island to island... It fills our sky with sparks and light and parrafin lingers in our hearts forever.


Each last Tuesday of January, fire fever sparks off all around town. The dragon's back around our walls, and with it, hordes of boys and men in starting blocks for merriment. In my night sky, Draco awaits curtain of night to show the way. 



On this last day of January, young islanders turn warriors and invest corridors inside their own institution. Everyone gathers to applaud and marvel at shiny helmets. The atmosphere is bon enfant, as staff and pupils play the game until our squad of young Vikings join their elders by the harbour. It is indeed a special day for those young men who represent our school. They too have their own galley to set on fire and walk in footsteps of elders. 

Fire fever animates hearts throughout the day. It kicks early and will demand another day to recover from party time! It culminates with the now famous procession. In the meantime, boys and men have to endure a much accepted marathon by visiting schools, hospital, care homes and whoever wants to see them before sunset. 

The procession well after dusk shines as highlight. Folk from the world come to marvel at boys & men ready to march and  turn their boat into ashes. Impressive prints left in your eyes. As night progresses, the guizing men will engulf halls where women wait to serve and feed with tattie soup (or reestit mutton) and other liquid concoctions until next dawn... For those of you familiar with the opening scene from the movie Beowulf - mind you, minus Grendel and treasures! - the allegory won't feel too strong. In our depth of winter, Up-Helly Aa feels so welcome as light begins to override night in a much more assertive way. 


February born off ashes 

This year, Imbolc follows so close to Lerwick's Up-Helly-Aa.
Imbolc, the Earth's true beginning of Spring, and with it, the very first and timid steps to renewal. 


Our dawns have become precocious - our afternoons linger longer... Sometimes sunsets turn pink and blue in pastel style and this precious nordic light carve smiles in eyes and hearts. It gives us time to wander ("stravaig") around our shore.

 Long-tailed ducks mingle with Eiders & Goldeneyes, common Scoters, kittiwakes and selkies... Little auks have been seen. Ravens re-started their acrobatics, as courtship begins on roadsides at breakfast time. Ravens, once captured by Vikings around the island to be used as scouts & seekers of land beyond seafarers' horizon... Starlings and sparrows filled this morning's sky with calls and chirps, so quarrelsome can they become. Even if the land feels desolate, precocious signals are noticed. Our path to the Vernal Equinox looks now lit. And until then, we shall keep our beacons alight, watch out for ice at every dawn and salute Draco in our sky.


The hearth is keeping us warm. Candles bring smiles when all feels dark. And when our sky feels generous, the entire universe fills our eyes. In moonless night, we can enjoy our Northern Lights. Without a doubt, 60N is a magic place! 

Today, prolific day at the wordbench. So here, a string of fresh haiku :-)

Nuit de feu - 

dry wax & ashes for Imbolc, 

we have been burning wood all night. 

Haiku fae 60N 

Stravaig - 

in-between ditches & potholes, 

follow rock doves & hooded crows. 

Haiku fae 60N 

Parrafin - 

elixir to sun worshippers 

that lingers through depth of winter. 

Haiku fae 60N 

Tales of Mystery & Terror

Calling to the spirits


A warmish breeze blows around the walls of my home. Not a living soul wanders at this time in the night. Sweeties await all those who dare knock on my door. A small army of Trick-or-Treaters usually brave wildest of gusts. 

Strange, as the final night of October usually feels crisper. Have lit candles around each room, carved my pumpkin just after dusk... Nightfall so precocious now clocks reverted to Nordic blackness. It is a time of reflection as flames follow dance of shadows. Tonight, we celebrate spirits of all our departed loved ones to the Other world. 


Tonight, my heart welcomes Samhain , the autumn's farming festival, with warmth and compassion.




Three nights ago, we were applauding our Shetland Librarians, who put a show in full spirit and regalia. Led by Karen Fraser & her gang of intrepid colleagues, actors, poets and musicians entertained a gathering of fine folk for nearly two hours. Shetland Library 's Second Edition of Halloween Night, Tales of Mystery & Terror, starred local based Serpentine Drama Group among other troubadours.
Kat(astrophe) Brack opened the ball with accounts of chilling short stories, a poignant war poem and a wacky rap! Her very first attempt in the (third) genre she confessed on the night! The Hellish Fiddler kept everybody on their toes (and ears) in-between each act...
Then entered Serpentine , with a chilling tale entitled Three Brides, 
led by writer, playwright & actress Jane McKay. The troupe of formidable amateur actors kept the audience on edge till the very end. 

Jordan "Ogre" closed the curtain for Part One with a string of sombre, ghostly songs acoustic style. Our Hellish Fiddler, as pictured in the background, behaved herself till our hostess invited the whole assembly to potions and elixirs during the interlude. Her shrieking fiddle remained silent, as Jordan struck the final chords on his guitar.

Nat H(orrid), the Blackbird from the north, as introduced by Miss Fraser, opened the second part of the evening's entertainment... Two poems, acrostic Halloween & The Ferryman, especially written for the occasion, were shared among two other characters, The Ghoul, by American poet Jack Prelutsky and The Hag, by English poet Robert Herrick.


Serpentine's masters of speech, through Debbie Nicolson & Peter Ratter, delighted the audience further with delightful performances in their own style and verve. Peter even had to drop his fangs for more palatable enunciation! But then, Morag appeared on stage with a chilling & true account of horror based on her ancestor's involvement with Yell's most horrific (and world famous) spooky home, Windhouse. The tone was now firmly set in red tarnished darkness! 

"Milford The Malevolent" (usually so reserved around the library...) closed the night's catalogue of Tales of Mystery & Terror with un certain je ne sais quoi of light-heartedness and savage guitar riffs, which kept the entire assembly in effroi and laughters - that is, once he plugged in his Gibson and let it resonate in utter amplified horrid style! An impromptu technical contre-temps was so delicately filled by our dear Hellish Fiddler with a certain delight, as she was eventually let loose for some serious deafening solo triads whilst Milford was getting ready! ...What a night! Until next October, Our dear hellish Fiddler will remain an angel. 

My grateful thanks for your invitation, dear Shetland Librarians. 

Performing under your roof remains a pleasure.

Now, over one hour has passed since I began tonight's entry, and not a single set of knuckles resonated on the wood of my front door. Spooky, as my pumpkin still signals my will to treat. maybe they will appear later... Maybe they met with the spirits and decided to play elsewhere. October's final gusts sweep this evening's hours and makes way to November.

Here's to you all:

Halloween

Hail the spirits

Around trick-or-treat

Lollipop, candy, sweet death,

Lemon –

Open your door to Jack,

Witches, ghouls, free that night,

Even carved pumpkin smiles at windows…

Ecstasy through the eyes of ravens,

Nacarat on long sleeves of scarecrows.

© Nat Hall 2011

The Ferryman

Welcome to the Gates of Hades,

where sailors throw coins to the gods,

adrift between heaven & hell,

knell of blue swell

on wooden hulls...

Don't look for the Isle of the Blest,

no need to bribe the ferryman.

Listen for silence from shadows

who wander through dark-dreary land;

now throw your flowers

inside hell,

knell of blue swell

against your hull,

pay your due to the ferryman.

Hold on to the side of your boat,

where water bears so many names:

river of woe, fire or hate,

lamentation, forgetfulness...

Now raise your glass to the raven,

heaven or hell,

knell of blue swell,

one-way fare to the ferryman.

© Nat Hall 2011

Happy Samhain, Happy Halloween!

Tall Ships Races Lerwick 2011

spirit of adventure


To me, it seems they never left. Forests of masts, rigging and flags clad the island every summer, and yet the only town hosted some of the world's most beautiful crafts and courageous crews from 21 till 25 July. To witness their arrival in the Bressay Sound and then alongside quays and wharves was emotional enough... To hear the myriad of languages, eyes, smiles and joie de vivre was a different kettle of fish!

We, island folk, put all our hearts in welcoming some 53 ships and endeavoured to live to everyone's expectations. We may be a small community, however, we are accustomed to world events. Lerwick rekindled its own glorious past with so many tall masts visible from the the other side of the town... An early arrival at the carpark by Market House did not guarantee space... An army of devoted liaison officers were already at work wherever they had to be. Key buildings were turned into Headquarters for crews, captains or the media. Each day began with a briefing. Each day defined new adventures! 

And then the world began to smile.
Locals, visitors and participants. So many faces all around! Shetland Showcase unveiled the very best of islands' art & crafts; food stalls alongside Alexandra Wharf unveiled world tastes for everyone. Ships open to the visitor; all felt like kids in a toy shop! The Crew Parade from Victoria Pier to Holmsgarth added colours and animated many hearts. 

And colours were needed as skies darkened with a biting north wind. A depression over Denmark even delayed the Parade of Sail and start of Race 2 (Lerwick-Stavanger) by 24 hours. However, we all held to the helm and extended that world famous sense of hospitality. Artists returned another 24 hours on stage, craftsmen back to their booths, traders back to their stalls, liaison officers, guides and all other volunteers back to their respective duties! The atmosphere remained intact till the end of The Parade of Sail. 

Project Manager Fiona Dally and her Team can be proud of their achievement. 

thank you Lerwick

I shall never forget  those five days of magic.

So many  cultures inside one harbour; you may think it's normal... I do!

So many smiles - humanity on one island,

the true spirit of  Sail Training International!

Remember, follow the fleet! Tall Ship Races 2011

...And if you liked the pictures,

please visit: Tall Ships Races Lerwick 2011 - the portfolio is in progress!

How to educate your dragon

That last Tuesday of January

usually rhymes with high spirit throughout the islands' capital. Friend and now retired line manager, Dorothy Nickerson, reminded me earlier on this afternoon how she remembered a buzz  culminating inside the walls of our high school alone, as young Vikings made their way to Lerwick's frenzy of fire sparked off by men marching with axes & shields throughout the day and with torches that same evening... Tuesday's sunrise was later felt as an omen, as our skies glowed as if the whole of our galaxy had foreseen what would happen tonight on this grain of rock here on Earth.

da peerie galley

mirrors its big sister one that is being burnt at the centre of the payground situated in King Erik Street. Its first sighting in the front carpark of the Anderson High School  generates many smiles of exhilaration. Parents of the members of the school's Junior Jarl Squad flock on the steps of the school's main entrance. Pride and excitement reverberate through each other's eyes. This peerie galley is traditionally awaiting destiny inside the compound of the Islesburgh Community Centre, itself formally an academic establishment built in 1902. Lerwick Junior Up-Helly-Aa 2011

                                                                                                                         shiny helmets for a special day 

 

The boys are shining in their gear and wear it with such amour-propre, they will mirror the senior Jarl Squad for the rest of the festivities. Meantime, their day of freedom and merryment begin at home, before the eyes of their own school.

Like their elders, they brandish axes and sing the Up-Helly-Aa song... Their self-esteem balloons up further as they are wished the best of day by their  broadly smiling head teacher. The Anderson High School is proud of them.

The atmosphere turns electric, as they march through corridors with sheer audacity until breaktime, when they will join in the parade across the town.

 And what about that red, red rose?

As the town prepared for fire and non-stop merryment over two days & nights, some favoured toasting to Scotland's National Bard, as the galley went down in smoke... 

Since Burn's birthday coincided with this year's Lerwick Up-Helly-Aa, my poet's heart favoured a toast to the haggis in the warmth of our hearth. Though I paused for a  thought for our Junior Vikings, who followed in their elders' footsteps...

That final Tuesday of January felt like dew on that red, red rose.

Haiku

sky of fire,
shiny shields in faux fur -
but then again, a red, red rose.
 Haiku fae 60N
   

  

January, fire power

return of the light

"Day-night... Day-night... Day-night!"
As trivial as it may appear to the visitor to our shore, the most noticeable sign towards the Vernal Equinox remains our return towards light.
At fixed times in the day, 0800 and 1600, we no longer endure darkness. And if our British Met Office provides us with acurate information, we are currently re-gaining 2 minutes of light at each sunrise and each sunset... Heart-warming.

Today, I took two photographs from my school bus on the way home.

...And saw a fire-breathing dragon, as we made our way to the 60th Parallel...

As if our sky was whispering us some omen.  Such sight made me smile!

 

return of the sun

It is now rather well known some islanders go to great lengths to celebrate an old ritual - that of the return of the sun. Between mid-January and April, torches illuminate our nights under a name some may find odd or exotic: Up-Helly-Aa. It is not one single fire festival, but a season of torch-lit processions, longship burning and merryment behind the closed doors of our halls!

A bit like in the Beowulf movie, though minus the curse. Each procession is led by a squad disguised in full Viking gear - led by a Guizer Jarl, that is a notorious Viking Chief or hero carefully chosen by the selected squad leader. Each autumn, carefully chosen boatbuilders and craftsmen meet inside a galley (longship/boat) shed and spend many evenings building a replica Viking longship they will set on fire with their torches in the depth of winter. Teams of seamstresses elaborate the squads' costumes and a Proclamation Bill appears on the morning of the celebration at around 0600.

fire power

It is also well-known men like to play with fire, since they invented it.

This year's season of fire festivals kicked off last weekend in Scalloway, the island's ancient capital. Islanders' tradition. The Lerwick one always follows on the final Tuesday of the month. The Jarl will be given freedom of merryment in the town and will visit a myriad of places prior to the evening procession. A Junior Jarl squad procession also mirrors its senior one. It departs from the Anderson High School and da boys will burn their peerie (small) galley near the burning site of the senior one at Islesburgh.

Each replica Viking longship has a dragonhead.

...We, or some of us, would appear to like dragons and fire on the island.