Review: Morag, You’re a Long Time Deid at Tobacco Factory Theatres

A rich soundscape is the backbone of this ethereal journey of discovery

Morag, You’re a Long Time Deid, is a gentle piece of theatre, exploring family, identity and loss.

It’s described by its creators- Claire Love Wilson and Peter Lorenz – as an ‘experimental musical’.

The entire piece – which is semi autobiographical – is like an ethereal soundscape, featuring voice, song, music, sound and the spoken word.

Sam is a Canadian with Scottish heritage. She inherits a piano which belonged to Morag – her late grandmother.

The silence surrounding Morag is loud. Nobody speaks about her. She remains a presence in the background of Sam’s life, chasing her like a mystery.

The start of Sam’s journey into uncovering the story behind Morag’s life comes through a letter from an equally mysterious lady, along with Morag’s piano.

What follows is also a queer story. Sam’s self-discovery of her own identity runs in parallel to her discovery of Morag’s life. Exploring and imagining the relationship she might have had with her grandmother is also a gateway to discovering her own Scottish heritage.

The show is created with the use of a sound station and looping pedal. Live sounds are recorded and layered throughout. Fragments of conversations built into dialogue. Conversations are created between people who are long gone. The show is poetic, building on scattered pieces of Scottish ballads. Bird calls. At times, you get a real sense of the Scottish Highlands.

It’s a rare piece of theatre that would be inclusive for Blind people or those with Low Sightedness. Although there is movement on stage, the story is a rich tapestry of sound.

An onstage piano is central to the story. New sounds are created from its body. Music is played. It’s taken apart. It serves as a hospital bed. A place where ghostly duets are played. It’s the third person in the story.

The audience is brought into the performance in some clever ways. Part way through is an energetic Cèilidh. The audience is invited on stage to take part. It was interesting seeing this device attracting multi-generational participants, illustrating the show’s broad appeal.

They are also invited to contribute words to songs and singalong.

There is a darker moment that really packs an emotional punch. Towards the end of her journey, Sam discovers Morag took her own life. The mysterious silence surrounding her was not that family did not want to talk about her but they simply did not have the words to do so.

Sam uncovers a psychiatric report describing Morag’s difficulties. It is filled with typically offensive and shocking 70s language. Sam asks audience members to read sections out. She discovers that Morag underwent electroconvulsive therapy for mental health difficulties – which the report also included for being gay.

The performance does finish in a joyous way, once again inviting the audience to stand up and dance one more time.

The show has been on an epic tour of Scotland, Ireland and England. It finishes its run this weekend at Tobacco Factory Theatres in Bristol.

Morag, You’re a Long Time Deid will be at Tobacco Factory Theatres until Saturday 28 September 2024

For more information or to book, visit: https://tobaccofactorytheatres.com/shows/morag-youre-a-long-time-deid/

For more information about the show, visit: http://clairelovewilson.com/morag-youre-a-long-time-deid

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