Dunedin Fringe 2013
BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE
written by Alec Calderwood
Adapted for this production by David McLachlan
Directed by Cecilia Mooney
Produced by David McLachlan
Staged by Hamilton's Celtic Community
at Otago Boys High School, Dunedin
From 20 Mar 2013 to 23 Mar 2013
Reviewed by Terry MacTavish, 23 Mar 2013
|
Ye canna lay claim to the proud name o' MacTavish wi'oot your
heart stirrin' at the skirl o' the pipes!* And the pipers are here in
full splendour outside the stunning Victorian Gothic castle that is
Otago Boys High School. It is the perfect, appropriate venue for one of
the most fascinating enterprises of the Fringe. A group of around 30
passionate enthusiasts from Hamilton has actually saved the pennies to
travel to Dunedin to present the sad, proud history of Bonnie Prince
Charlie and the Scottish uprising of 1745.
In a combined effort that doubtless rivals the battle plans of the
Caledonians, many locals, including students from at least four schools,
have been recruited to swell the cast. The performers of Hamilton and
Dunedin, after rehearsing separately, had just one day to bring it all
together. It is a phenomenal undertaking that results in nearly sixty
dedicated performers of all ages sharing an experience they will not
forget.
The tale of Bonnie Prince Charlie, his claim to the throne, and the
terrible defeat inflicted by the English on the Scots at Culloden in
'45, is both romantic and tragic. Though it has all the ingredients of a
thrilling story, the outcome was so terrible it strikes a deep chord
yet in the hearts of many Scots. The consequences to Scotland were
far-reaching and, due to the infamous Clearances, in part account for
Dunedin's very existence. It's odd we're looking to Hamilton to remind
us, but we're grateful.
The format, scripted by Alec Calderwood, is straightforward: Gregor
Campbell narrates the story to children sitting at his feet, while the
scenes he describes are enacted without dialogue. As the Young
Pretender, Tyler Baker, bearing a resemblance to Prince William, accepts
allegiance and raises his standard. The battles are vigorously
conducted, and the crowd scenes are enlivened with bagpipes, fiddles and
sword dancing.
An onstage choir in good voice sings the beloved songs of Scotland:
Charlie is m'darling of course, and the
Skye Boatsong, and somehow
Marie's Wedding
is in there. Most poignant of all, as the young men go off to fight,
“But me and my true love will never meet again, on the bonnie bonnie
banks of Loch Lomond...”
The open stage of the Maurice Joel Theatre at OBHS is just right for
the large cast and the scenes of combat or village life. Slides of key
events and people are projected onto the cyclorama, smoke billows over
the battlefields, and the auditorium is creatively used, with highland
warriors making their famous downhill charge from the back of the
theatre. The costumes may not stand up to close scrutiny (and women
didn't wear kilts in '45), but the overall effect is fine, with the
tartans clearly opposing the smart red jackets of the English.
It is a frankly amateur production, and that is part of its charm.
You might call it folk-theatre, a community involvement where telling
their own story truthfully, matters more than the egos of the actors.
The stolid demeanour of the serious narrator with the beautiful Scots
accent, the occasional jostling to remember positions onstage, odd bumps
in the wings, the anxious tugging at a sleeve to conceal a modern
watch, the bairns' sly peeks at the audience: all have an endearing
quality because of the sincerity of the intention.
Even the cynical may find it hard not to shed a tear, when the
families gather round the slain at the Battle of Culloden. The
description of the virtual genocide that followed is shocking. And
finally the Clearances, the actors drifting forlornly away as the
Highlanders are forced to emigrate. Which brings us back to Dunedin.
This really is an admirable venture, for some the realisation of a
dream, and deserves a full house on its second and final performance on
Saturday. Welcome to the Edinburgh of the South, Hamilton!
*If there is any of Clan Campbell in trouble tonight, tak note – we
MacTs rise for the Campbells of Argyll! Not for naught is oor motto:
“We do not forget!” – gie us a text anytime!
