Alba – A New Scottish Musical – Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Andrew Barrett in Alba – A New Scottish Musical at theSpace @ Surgeons Halls

Alba – A New Scottish Musical continues at theSpace @ Surgeons Hall until 23 August.

This new piece, delivered by an ensemble of four performers, confirms a new style of theatre in Scotland. The techniques in Finn Anderson’s production bear many hallmarks seen in National Theatre of Scotland stagings including Black Watch and The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart. What all of these productions have at their core is the Scottish storytelling tradition: often set in pubs (!), we listen to a tale of adventure and the action takes us outside the walls as we see the story unfold.

Alba centres on the tale told by Roddy (Andrew Barrett). We learn of his upbringing: how his father encouraged him to always do his best. Through song, we hear of the weight a single sheet of A4 paper can have – when it is proof positive of how well he has done. This theme carries on through his childhood to his twentysomething self in the show. He has the chance of the ‘big job’ in London. Inconveniently, his father has passed away and Roddy returns to Scotland for the funeral, arranged by a neighbour. To make matters worse, it’s Hogmanay and he’s due in London on 2 January.

He tells his tale in a bothy, with the stools, a range of instruments and the cast themselves becoming vehicles, mountains, rivers and tall trees as Roddy tries to fulfil his father’s wish for his ashes to be carried away by the waterfall in the wintry Perthshire wilderness.

The music is based on Scottish folk – bodhrans and fiddles with guitars, flute and keyboards played by the actors themselves. It fits the intimacy and sets the rattling pace for the piece with simplicity and clarity.

In Roddy’s tale he meets many people and has a life-changing encounter with a free-spirited young woman (played by Carmella Brown) who opens his eyes to a new way of experiencing ‘real’ life.

In a year when Scotland faces a massive choice, perhaps Alba as a title promises more than this show delivers. Unless it is to find that Scotland has a tolerance and a caring beyond the treatment Roddy is served from his London paymaster – or is that a trifle too simple?

Fiona Orr

* Finn Anderson Productions

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/alba-a-new-scottish-musical