Simon Wilkinson - Scotties
Simon Wilkinson is the Lighting Designer on Scotties, which is due to tour Scotland and Ireland in Autumn 2018.
Scotties will explore the weaving together of languages utilising Irish Gaeilge, Scottish Gàidhlig, Scots and English. Irish and Scottish Gaelic music and songs will feature throughout and the pipes will play a very special role in the play.
Scotties is the name the Irish tattie howkers from Achill Island, working in Scotland, gave to themselves, this vital connection is to this day something the Achill people are very proud of. The piece is inspired by the tragic loss of 10 young lads, tattie howkers from Achill Island off the west of Ireland - in a tragic bothy fire in Kirkintilloch in 1937. It is more broadly rooted in the current issues of migration, mass movement of people and asks vital questions about identity, nationhood and how we treat those who travel to find work and refuge in other countries, with particularly focus on these intertwined islands of Scotland and Ireland.
