Theatre review: NTS Transform Caithness – Hunter

Published on Thursday 25 June 2009 20:44

***** VARIOUS VENUES, THURSO

IF THE aim of the NTS Transform programme is to involve a broad spectrum of local participants in a transforming experience, while simultaneously creating a proper piece of theatre as its culmination, then the Caithness project hit the bulls eye.

John Tiffany and Stephen Hoggett (of Black Watch fame) led the creative team. Together with the participants, they forged an intriguing mystery around the disappearance of a girl, Parker Bell, seemingly stalked by the mysterious Hunter.

The audience gathered at St Peter's Church, and were split into guided groups to search for clues. Each group made their way in different order round five superbly produced and performed set-pieces involving drama, dance, a bit of singing and some odd interventions between venues.

A spooky seance in the Mill Theatre, an account of Parker's reading in the library (with some amazingly confident primary-age youngsters from Ormlie Youth Drama Group), a moving plea from her friends back in the church, confrontations in Horizons Caf, melancholy memories in the British Legion and a striking dance fantasy in a turf-lined garage led to a happy ending in a colourful conclusion at Skinandi's night club.

With around 170 performers, including over 100 Thurso High School pupils, community drama groups, the local line-dancers, the Melvich Gaelic Choir, and all those venues, there can have been few people in this community that have not been touched by it in some way, and many of them profoundly so.