Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background in directing?
My background is actually not in directing—that’s a fairly new enterprise for me. I am a dancer at heart. I grew up in Paisley and began dancing when I was four years old, which means I can’t really remember a time when dance wasn’t part of my life. I joined the McLaughlin School of Irish Dance in Glasgow when I was eleven and studied with James McLaughlin who is a big name in the business and in my opinion, the best. I have always had an interest in theatre being part of PACE Youth Theatre in Paisley, performing in shows in high school and producing shows at University. When I got to University I began the Irish Dance program there and taught the beginner’s and advanced classes for six years. Halfway through that time I founded the Siamsoir Celtic Dance Company (http://www.siamsoir.co.uk) because I saw the opportunity to do something more. We spent two years establishing ourselves and then premiered our first show “The Battle for Eire” in 2007 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Directing the company and directing a show are two very different experiences for me. I’d say that my role as Company Director is much more in my comfort zone because of my foundation in dance, but directing a show challenges me, and I embrace that. I produced a recital and a musical at St. Andrews so I had a little experience in theatre, but putting together a piece of physical theatre with two casts (Irish and Contemporary dancers), and live music in the case of Battle for Eire, I don’t think there’s anything that can fully prepare you for that. At the end of the day directing is about storytelling. Before I ever thought about creating and writing a full-length show, I was telling stories in my choreography, and I think that is what got me here.
How would you describe the show?
The plot of CELTIC CALEDONIA: The Curse is based on the battle between the Picts and the Gaels, and features a few historical figures alongside the fictional. When all the magic has died in the land of Eire (Ireland), the Celts abandon their barren home and take to the seas. They arrive on the shores of Caledonia with the promise of a new life, only to encounter the Pictish clans already in residence. Threatened by the new arrivals, the Picts are forced to summon ancient mystical forces in order to protect their land and their culture. There’s a wonderful mystical element and a love story between the characters Cruithne and Cinead. It’s an all around crowd-pleaser. “Celtic Caledonia” is actually a continuation of “The Battle for Eire.” The character Erin appears in both.
What was the inspiration behind it?
‘Battle for Eire’ was inspired by Yeat’s poem The Stolen Child (‘Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild. With a faery, hand in hand , For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand’.)
On a more general note with Celtic Caledonia I wanted to pay homage to my two great loves—Irish dance and Scotland. Telling a story of my homeland through the art of dance means a lot to me, and I hope that it will mean something to every person who experiences the show. I think that anyone who loves this place, loves our history and our heritage, will be affected by the story we tell.
How do you feel it is coming along?
There’s a great quote in the movie ‘Shakespeare in Love’ where one character turns to the other backstage, just as they’re about to open a show, and asks, “How will it be all right?!” And the other character looks at him and says, “I don’t know. It’s a mystery.” I think that’s true of all theatre. Working with two casts is especially challenging. We work separately for most of the rehearsal process and only come together in the last couple weeks. Those all-day sessions can be grueling, but it’s great to see everything fall into place. It always comes together at the last minute. We don’t know how, but we know it’ll happen, and it always does. I was incredibly pleased with our opening show (a piece of set fell down, but there always has to be something!) and I know it’ll only get better each day.
What aspects of the performance do you think the audience will enjoy?
We put a lot of emphasis on the “fusion choreography” in our shows. It’s rare to combine Irish and Contemporary dance, and I think it’s really interesting visually, but what do people remember most? After “The Battle for Eire” we always had little girls coming up to us who wanted to talk to the faeries who wore these gorgeous costumes made by our designer Anna Pohle. I think it’ll be the same for the Sorceress and the Drow in “Celtic Caledonia.” Audiences enjoy magic; they enjoy spectacle, and tales of good and evil. It’s Lord of the Rings done Riverdance style. What’s not to love?
What are the challenges in directing a physical theatre performance?
I am always struggling to keep my choreography fresh. Thankfully the dancers contribute steps and ideas, but it’s still a lot of work. One of the other big challenges is making sure that the story is compelling. If the story doesn’t work then the dancers (including myself!) have trouble getting into character. You can lose your audience if it’s not convincing.
Do you have any directing plans for the future?
Of course! I’m already planning Siamsoir’s show that will premiere at the Fringe in 2011. ‘The Battle for Eire’ and ‘Celtic Caledonia’ are definitely linked and I would like to finish the trilogy with this third show. After that, I want to produce all three shows consecutively so that people will have the opportunity to see the whole story in one sitting or in one week – I haven’t decided on the details but that would be a wonderful project.
In the meantime Siamsoir will continue as a performance act, available for private and public bookings, so my directing efforts will be focused on that for the next year or so.
IN FIVE WORDS
Favourite thing about your show?
My dancers.
Favourite thing about the Festival?
The incredible teamwork behind it.
Where can we find you when you’re not performing?
National Trust Scotland (my work)
What are you most looking forward to once it’s all over?
Starting on the next project!
Celtic Caledonia – The Curse is playing from the 5th till the 15th, at 11:30am, at C Venue in Chamber Street.
Martin Miller
