Theatre Alba

 

 

 

The Ootlaw is a short, deeply moral play, set in Iceland around 1100AD written by August Strindberg, lovingly rendered intae Scots by David Purves.  The story is that of the plight of Thorfinn, a Viking, his family and friends, caught in the turning tide of conversion from Pagan worship of Thor and Odin to The White Christ of Celtic Christianity.

 

Anne Lannen's voice holds the language splendidly, opening the densely poetic Scots language to listening ears right from the start of the play.  Her tones are full of depth and meaningful clarity, giving Valgerd, Thorfinn's suffering wife, enormous intelligence.  She is addressing her daughter Gunlod, (Anna Guthrie ) who is distractedly seeking her father's return from merciless killing trips, while  knowing her mother has sworn vengeance upon him for striking her.  Gunlod is a tortured soul, fluctuating between being a traditional Viking Yarl's daughter and a newly converted Christian.  She is in love with a man she has not seen for years, whom she knows her father will hate because he is a Christian.  She is praying vengeance will die and forgiveness be born in the heart of both her father and her mother.  She stares at the sea.  She weeps.  Her mother fears for her sanity.

 

Torn by feelings of guilt at betraying both parents and her culture, she has found secret belief in the White Christ of Love, who is also the God of her estranged lover, Gunar, beautifully played by Duncan Edwards.  Gunlod's delight, in his return from sea, battles with her fear he'll be killed by her violent father.  The couple movingly play a scene of reconciliation and rejection, suppressed passion and genuine love.  Duncan Edwards' command of the language is superb, showing Gunar's gentle warmth and great strength.  Anna Guthrie's playing of a conflicted abuse survivor is splendid.

 

When Thorfinn ( Charles Nowosielski ) returns, Gulod's mother is still trying to find it in her heart to gainsay her oaths to the Old Gods and forgive her war-lord husband for having struck her.  She makes up her mind as she places the Welcome Candle in the window in response to her daughter's pleading.  She loves him.  He is a furious man, whose life has given him little space for gentleness.

 

Thorfinn lives for blood and battle , yet yearns for peace.  He is Ootlawed for his cruel murder of thousands in a land now sworn to Christian beliefs.  He struggles with his foster brother Orm the Poet (Robin Thomson ) and Thirlman ( Frank Skelly ) to understand why they are not as angry as he at the rise of the White Christ.  He dies fighting for his pride rather than convert to Christianity and beg to have his sins forgiven.  He releases his wife and child into Life.  He blesses the marriage as he breathes his last and the past drifts into history as the joined hands are lit with Golden Love.

 

The production music is hauntingly chill from its first icicle of spare string bowing by Susan Muir through passages of harmonic glory to the beautiful final notes.  The fine fiddler in the pulpit was splendidly Viking looking, like Freya on a yard arm above all the action, gazing in cool observation at the human drama.  She was accompanied from the gallery by Richard Cherns who also wrote the totally appropriate score.  The costumes were simple, effective and paint the time well.

 

The church stained glass windows are incorporated into the fabulous set with great bravura leaps from Gunlod, gentle candle lightings by Valgerd.   The show has all the flair we have come to expect from Theatre Alba.  The acting is all splendid, the lighting assists the atmosphere and the lovely  music seamlessly weaves everything together.  Even if you cannot understand the Scots, the music of it will delight your ears.  It is well delivered by the whole cast and given genuine beauty by Gunar and Valgred, who are particularly endearing characters.  They each try to bring peace to the souls of the disappointed Yarl and his distraught daughter, through the love they express in the face of angst, rejection and pain, caused by fear of loss and lovelessness.  The issues are still live wires today.

 

This is a beautifully directed, well performed production, definitely worth the trip on the 42 bus from the mayhem of Princes Street to the wonderful setting of Duddingston Kirk Gardens on the edge of Duddingston Loch,  below Arthur's Seat. Go now.

 

Cast Credits: ( alpha order ) Richard Cherns – musician.  Duncan Edwards – Gunar.  Anna Guthrie – Gunlod.  Anne Lannan – Valgerd.  Susan Muir – musician.   Charles Nowosielski – Thorfinn.  Frank Skelly – Thirlman/Messenger.  Robin Thomson – Orm, a poet 

 

Company Credits: Writer – August Strindberg adapted into Scots by David Purves. 

Director – Charles Nowosielski.  Music – Richard Cherns.  Stage Management – Maria Macdonald.   Assistant Stage Manager – Nigel Jarvis.  Costumes – Anne Lannen.  Lighting Design - Charles Nowosielski

 

End

 

© Lilian Kennedy Brzoska 2009

 

reviewed Wednesday 19^th August 09/ Duddingston Kirk / Edinburgh UK

 

Fringe Report © Fringe Report 2002 - 2009