BANA-GHAISGICH/HEROINES Will Preview in London

In the very final production in the Finborough Theatre's acclaimed GREATWAR100 series, a new play in Scottish Gaelic, presented by Theatre Gu Leòr, Bana-Ghaisgich/Heroines, will preview at the Finborough Theatre for one performance only on Monday, 17th December 2018 at 7.30pm, prior to receiving its world premiere on the Isle of Lewis on the 27, 28 and 29 December 2018, as part of the 100th commemorative anniversary of the Iolaire disaster on the island.

1918. A Hogmanay that shapes the future of the Isle of Lewis forever.

Hundreds of servicemen are returning home from the South of England to the North-West of Scotland, the Isle of Lewis. The 'Sheila' mail-boat cannot cope with all the men arriving in Kyle of Lochalsh so HMY Iolaire is deployed to help 284 men, mostly from the Royal Naval Reserve, make their final journey home.

Metres from land, their hearts rejoicing, HMY Iolaire veers off course and strikes the renowned rocks, Beasts of Holm, causing 201 men to drown on their own doorstep. This was the worst peacetime maritime disaster involving a British vessel, since the Titanic.

This new play explores grief, judgement and solidarity through the eyes of their women as their hardest challenge lies ahead. The performance will include live music and songs. The play is performed in Scottish Gaelic. A free programme with a short synopsis of the play in English will be available.

Playwright, singer and performer Mairi Morrison trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Theatre includes Scotties, Cèilidh and Shrapnel (Theatre Gu Leòr), Dunsinane (National Theatre of Scotland and Royal Shakespeare Company), Last Tango in Partick (National Theatre of Scotland), Briseadh na Cloiche (Webster's Theatre, Glasgow), Hallaig (Robhanis), Yellow on the Broom, Perfect Days, Whisky Kisses and The Admirable Crichton (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Away with the Birds (Trigger Stuff), Angus: Weaver of Grass (Horse + Bamboo Theatre), A Dead Man's Dying (Òran Mór and National Theatre of Scotland), Jacobite Country and The Seer (Dogstar Theatre) and Eat Your Heart Out (Òran Mór). Film and Television include Outlaw King, Bannan, Katie Morag, Briseadh na Cloiche, Dà Là san Dàmhair and Bad Brown Owl. Mairi also has extensive experience as a voiceover artist. She was awarded the New Playwrights Award in 2017.

Composer and Musician Mike Vass is one of the most creative forces on the Scottish music scene. As a musician, composer, producer and arranger Vass has amassed a body of work that encompasses early appearances as a livewire young fiddler, collaborations with many of the leading voices among today's Scots and Gaelic tradition bearers, delivering multi-media performances, overseeing critically acclaimed recordings and scoring for prestigious ensembles.

Director Muireann Kelly is the founder and Artistic Director of Theatre Gu Leòr, an award winning, contemporary Gàidhlig theatre, based in Glasgow, who regularly tour nationally and internationally. Kelly directed and co-wrote their most recent production Scotties with Frances Poet which toured Ireland and Scotland in September and October 2018 and was supported by National Theatre of Scotland and The National Theatre in Ireland, Abbey Theatre. Theatre Gu Leòr won the Creative Scotland's Arts and Culture, Gaelic Award for their production of Shrapnel in 2016, and they were recently shortlisted again for their recent touring production of Cèilidh in 2018.

Book online at www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk

No booking fees on online, personal or postal bookings

Box Office 01223 357851. (Calls are free. There will be a 5% booking fee.) Lines are open Monday- Saturday 10.00am-6.00pm

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