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Scriptwriting & Devising

Writer of 10 x Completed Bilingual Gaelic Theatre Productions, 4 x produced & heavily toured, 4 x in Covid-extended production, 2022.

Also currently working on synopsis and scripting for a major film project.

Full reviews and information on 4 x Solo Performance Storytelling Shows here, festival touring information here, with further reviews & professional feedback on as yet unproduced material further down.

Professional Scriptwriting Experience:

2022: Scripts for the 4 Part Òr Treasure (Oor/Gaelic for ‘Gold’) Cycle of Bilingual Gaelic Solo Performance Storytelling shows completed, 1st Play in Cycle in production as Associate Artist with Hopscotch Theatre Feb-Mar 2022. Three as yet untitled, completed scripts focussing on Gaelic Heritage of Witches & Magic (also featuring Mull Witch Doiteag), Sgiath - Skye Warrior Queen, & Cailleach Bheur, Winter Goddess for dev. 2022-2024.  

2020: Andy Hunter Bursary Awardee, Scottish Storytelling Centre/ Forum/TRACS for research & writing above Cycle

2017: Commissioned by Cabraich Arts, Isle of Lewis to write an interactive Theatre in Education Gaelic & Bilingual Solo Performance Storytelling Show for Primary School Audiences, focussing on the Blue Men of the Minch, later becoming Great Gaelic Superheroes.

2016: Commissioned by High Life Highland to write 2 x interactive TinE Gaelic & Bilingual Solo Performance Storytelling Shows for Primary School Audiences, developing into Adventures with the Gaelic Tree Alphabet and Big Gaelic Beasties.

2015: National Theatre of Scotland / Gaelic Arts Agency Moniack Mhòr Gaelic Artists' Residency - Fortnight-long.

2014 - 2019: Collaborative Script & Scripted Lines Development for Roving Outdoor Theatre Pieces – Robert Burns Big Head, William Wallace Big Head, Multiple Stilt and Foot-based Characters with Young People, Collaborative Adult Performance Poetry Scripting - Spellcasters  Paisley Halloween & Sma’ Shot Parades (2014-16), Ardrossan Spring Carnival, Halloween & Xmas Parades (2017), Pop Up Gaelic Café (2013 – 2019)

2014: National Theatre of Scotland / Gaelic Arts Agency Moniack Mhòr Gaelic Writers’ Residency, working with dramaturg Ian Finlay, developing completed Independence-themed play Ceann no Cridhe / Head or Heart.

2014: Commissioned by High Life Highland to write an interactive TinE Gaelic & Bilingual Play for younger Primary School Audiences, developing into ‘The Real Goldilocks Story’. Lead Artist on 2 x Commonwealth Games Street Theatre Projects – Merchant City Festival Great Gaelic Ferries & Australian-Scottish Co-Production Corroborree with Edinburgh Royal Botanical Gardens

2012: Supported by Inter-Gaelic Development Agency, the Columba Iniative, to develop bilingual Gaelic Circus Theatre play, Boy & Mr Time, working with dramaturgs NTS Gaelic Artist in Residence Catriona Lexy Campbell & Northern Irish Dramaturg Emily DeDakis, for production with Bright Night International (unsuccessful in 2013 Creative Scotland funding app).

I love indoor and outdoor theatre because it brings people together and takens them on a journey in a way that feels much more communal than television in an age where we spend so much time on our own in front of various screens. I want to make theatre which makes people laugh, shed a tear or two, but is essentially uplifting and life-affirming because I believe the making of any artwork, which even for a moment, makes a person feel like life is worth living is work worth making for me... I've previously had the privilege of working with two of Ireland's leading Irish-language Rap Artists, Bubba Shakespeare & GMC, and developing Gaelic Rap with language support from Ruairidh Greumach, Drummer with electronic Gaelic outfit, Niteworks. The collaboration was extremely successful and you can read more about it here. I also went on to develop a full-length bilingual Gaelic Rap album with a Canadian artist in 2015 and two pieces later with leading Scottish Composer Jim Sutherland, which while sadly not reaching fruition, formed a major skills development period nonetheless.  

Greater detail about older projects is below:

2014: Artistic Director & primary scriptwriter for 'Great Gaelic Ferries' Gaelic Street Theatre project as part of Merchant City Festival, Glasgow Green Live Zone & Queen's Baton Relay at Festival 2014.

2014: Co-writer and director of 2 collaboratively devised short circus-based works with 2 Fèis classes as part of a weeklong Gaelic & Bilingual Circus, Drama & Song programme.

2014: Co-writer and director of 3 collaboratively devised short circus-based works with Primary 4-6 as part of a weeklong Gaelic & Bilingual Circus Drama Residency pilot project.

2014: Jillibalu & Ariel - Stilt-based collaborative devised piece, using Gaelic, English & Djabugai (Australian Aborginal language), for stilt performance for Edinburgh Royal Botanic Gardens / Festival 2014 Corroborree Festival at Dawyck, Logan & Edinburgh Garden sites.

2014: Weeklong Gaelic Writers' Residency at Moniack Mhòr with National Theatre of Scotland, resulting in resulting in 7-act bilingual play, Ceann/Cridhe, Head/Heart. 'Brilliant!' Renowned Gaelic Scriptwriter & Lead Residency Tutor Iain Finlay MacLeod.

2011: Boy and Mr Time

Reviews:

"Totally unique, math dhà-rìreabh (excellent), very solid, unlike anything done in Gaelic before, thumbs up!"
Caitriona Lexy-Campbell, Gaelic Artist in Residence, National Theatre of Scotland

"Unique, would be an exciting and viable production, a fascinating mix of physical and text based performance" - John Ashton, Former Managing Director, Macnas, Ireland's world-reknowned street theatre company.

"Hugely exciting potential for staging, unique and engaging experience for audience, wonderful" - Raymond Keane, Artistic Director, Barabbas Theatre Company, reknowned Irish company, primary exponent of theatre of clown and producers of Circus / Tumblecircus collaboration.

"Fantastic, I love it! " – Matt Yates, Former Director of Education and Training at the Flying Fruit Fly Circus and Director of Western Australian Circus Festival.

"Excellent, I'd really like to see it performed!"
Lis Carruthers, Gaelic Drama Consultant for Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (Scotland's National Gaelic College) M.A. in Drama Programme

"The integration of circus works well, a very well written and engaging story, would work, both visually and narratively, on stage." Paul Mc Eneaney, Artistic Director, Cahoots NI, Northern Ireland's premier childrens' theatre company.

"Wow, I'd love to see it on stage!" – Chief Executive of An Droichead Irish-language Arts Centre & Director of Irish-language Writers' Group

2011: Walkabout - Script for future development

2010-2013: Réalt Spéire/Sky Star - Script for future development

2008: Slapstick Soldiers – Performed at Dublin International Street Performance Championships

2008: Inaugural International Slow Motion Egg and Spoon Race Championships - Co-devised with Dublin Impro Group, performed along Henry St, Dublin, June 2008

2008: Lead Choreographer for Prometheus fire art troupe performance at "Scribe", UnFringed festival, Limerick,

2003-2007: Na Fomhóraigh – Co-devised Street Theatre Production touring to 9 Irish festivals. (see www.flickr.com/photos/nafomhoraigh for full information - photos below)

1997: 'Seacht gCroí Dhearga' (Seven Red Hearts) - Short Story Collection in Irish

1997: 'Scread' (Scream) - play in Irish

Na Fomhóraigh – Co-devised Street Touring Theatre Production

Contact Me

I am available to perform at your event, deliver workshops or collaborate in event development anywhere in Ireland or Scotland.
Please feel free to ask for details: