Would you mind giving us insight into your art/event/performance?
In ‘Come Dee Wis’ live traditional Shetland fiddle music, dance an sangs, original short films, traditional craft wark an da spoken wird’ll be ösed bi Shaetlan Scots Scriever Claire White an Robbie Leask ta tell a nuanced story o island life fae da ninth century tae da present day, aa i’da newly-offeeshil Shaetlan language!
Tell us about the creative team and the process involved in producing your performance?
Claire White is a singer-sangwriter an folk fiddler fae Shetland. Shö’s da ‘Shaetlan Scriever’ d’year, writin new sangs i’Shaetlan language owre a twalmont wi backin fae da National Library o Scotland an Creative Scotland. Claire laerned music as a bairn fae Dr Tom Anderson an haes performed an tocht fiddle internationally fae 1992. In 2010 shö took on ta write her ain story sangs i’da folk tradition an mak peerie films ta geng wi dem. Fae 2023 Claire’s veesited nearly aa Shetland scöls laernin bairns aboot storytellin, sangwritin an Shaetlan language. Shö produces an presents BBC Radio Shetland’s language series an aa, Midder Tongue.
Robbie Leask is a multi-instrumentalist an composer fae Lerook wi kin i’Whiteness an Unst. Quaan studyin Chemical Engineering at Edinburgh University Robbie took up in traditional music and fingerstyle guitar. He noo plays i’da Corran Raa quartet an is a Shetland Fiddle Week guitar tutor.
With the launch of this year’s programme, Birds and Beasts, how does it feel to be involved in the Festival?
We canna wait! Hit’s an honour an privilege ta be takkin pairt in siccan an interestin event.
With shows from all over the world, is there anything in the production/team’s backgrounds and identity that influences the show?
Shetland an Shaetlan! 🙂
Storytelling in Scotland is a treasured, if often unsung, craft within the media. For those who may be unfamiliar with a live performance, what can audiences expect?
Lippen a oor o sangs, original short films, traditional craft wark, dance an da spoken wird, maistlins athin Shaetlan language.
With one foot in tradition and another in the present, what do you hope for Storytelling’s future, either as a performance or as a community?
I hoop at bairns laerns ta listen weel an pay heed tae dir fock’s ain wisdom shared i’da midder tongue
Come Dee Wis: Shetland Stories, Sangs an Tunes with Robbie Leask runs at The Scottish Storytelling Centre as a part of The Scottish International Storytelling Festival on 24th October
Runnign time – One hour without interval
Interested in being featured on our Have a Gander page? With many previews and Q&As lined up, we’re always happy to chat about including your show in future articles. Please do get in touch through the contact page to feature in an upcoming ‘Have A Gander’