The only teenager left on Kinan Island is Eilidh (played by a feisty Lois Craig), but when she discovers a dying whale calf on the shore, she is forced into lonely distance learning (there are no teachers on the island). ) is interrupted. The next day, a young woman named Alan (Stephanie McGarride) washes up.Her interesting story reminds Eilidh of the surreality of her home Folklore – Once tensions literally rose They divided Kinan Island into two islands, dividing the farmers who remained there and the fishermen who moved to the fog-shrouded land to become whale herders.
There are two main ones As the characters' friendships expand and their parallel lives intertwine, the Scottish actresses lend their golden voices to the Olney Theater Center's main stage in this swooping, unforgettable production with the help of sound designer Sam Kusnets. Arranged harmoniously, fusing folk, pop, and electronica, we further expand the bridge with modern society. And traditional ones. This is a characteristic of lyricist and music director Finn Anderson, whose other works also feature fascinating folklore.
Craig and McGarride also take on the roles of townspeople, each playing about 10 characters in total., They include a marine biologist, a retiree searching for a missing garden gnome, and Irid's mischievous but elderly grandmother. They have received an offer from the government to move to mainland Scotland and meet at Town Hall (or “spikin” as Eilidh's grandmother told her to call it) to discuss whether to accept the offer. Some, like Brega, who is nine months pregnant, are torn between their desire to remain on the island and the reality that the island has no doctor and its last farm is struggling.
The constant role switching could get tiresome or confusing, but Craig and McGarride handle it with agility and grace. (These parts are so demanding that Sylvie Stenson and Julia Murray take turns as performers.) They jump between the characters, shaping their limbs, raising and lowering their voices. , it's exciting to see the dexterity with which he leans forward, grimaces, and sighs. Often found between lyrics.
“Islander” was conceived by Amy Draper around 2017 and made waves at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, before playing off-Broadway and eventually embarking on its current tour of North America and Europe. Its most visible theme, the uphill battle to maintain what little home there is on a planet threatened by climate change, is perhaps more powerful now than when the musical was first developed. talking. But on a smaller, more specific note, “Islander” is also about the small acts of care and kindness we show each other, and a sincere belief in the power of community.
That's why when Eilidh and Alain part, their bittersweet vow to reunite rings strangely full of hope. “If only the whales were still swimming,” Alan says.
“If only we were still here,” Eilidh replies.
islanders90 minutes, no intermission, through April 28 at the Olney Theater Center in Olney, Maryland. olneytheater.org.