Review: ISLANDER at The Seattle Rep

The Seattle Rep is certainly known for bringing in some rare gems over the years.  I still geek out over shows like “The Brothers Size”, “An Iliad”, and of course “Come From Away”.  And this season is kicking off brilliantly, in no small part to the shimmering, magical jewel currently playing, “Islander”. 

Conceived and originally directed by Amy Draper, and staging and associate direction from Eve Nicol, with a book by Stewart Melton and music and lyrics by Finn Anderson, this myth filled tale focuses on Eilidh, a young girl on the small island of Kinnan off the coast of the Scottish mainland.  She lives there with her wise cracking Grandmother while the rest of her family live on the mainland.  She loves Kinnan but longs for more.  And she gets so much more when a beached baby whale as well as a mysterious stranger, Arran, wash up on shore.

To attempt to sum up this show in a few sentences is an impossibility as the story keeps unfolding grander and grander just as the music of the show builds upon itself with the live electronic looping that’s performed on stage by the two gifted performers, Sylvie Stenson as Eilidh and Stephanie MacGaraidh as Arran on the night I saw, although there’s another cast of Lois Craig and Julia Murray who perform on alternating nights.  And it should come as no surprise there are two casts as each night the two women not only inhabit over 25 characters, switching seamlessly at the drop of a pin, but also managing some outstanding vocal acrobatics as well as handling all the looping right before our eyes and ears. 

And what a beautiful score it is from Anderson.  Incorporating elements of traditional Scottish and folk music as well as some pop and electronic styles is no small feat, but he handles it flawlessly.  The music soars and swells but never feels forced into the moment and only lends itself to enhance the story.  And this magical story from Melton will rip your heart out.  I know it did mine.

And with these gifted performers telling the story there’s no way it couldn’t affect you.  Not just with their killer voices and exceptional storytelling prowess, but Stenson and MacGaraidh manage to paint this stunning portrait of the island with only their voices and the small looping device on stage with them.  And I must mention the simple yet stunning set from Emma Bailey and eye-popping lighting from Simon Wilkinson.

Every element of this wonderful show folds into every other element beautifully creating a fantastic world and a stellar evening.  And so, with my three-letter rating system, I give “Islander” at the Seattle Rep a “this one touched my heart” YAY+.  I worry people may let this one pass them by as they don’t know much about it.  Don’t let yourself be one of those people.

“Islander” performs at the Seattle Rep through November 19th.  For tickets or information visit them online at www.seattlerep.org.

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