The Mark of the Beast: a work in progress (2015/16)

​Mark of the Beast in Development and Good Days Bad Days
From January - March 2016, Martin developed the work alongside participants from the North East Recovery Community (NERC) and sound artist Nichola Scrutton to create a sound piece entitled Good Days Bad Days (right).

Visiting each of the six recovery cafes, Martin and Nichola collected and recorded personal narratives of living with, and recovering from, alcohol and drug addiction. These spoken testimonies were crafted into a sound installation and staged at Platform at the end of March 2016.

The recordings will also form the soundtrack to the live spoken word in a final staging of the piece in 2018. ​

Developed and supported by Platform, Glasgow.

Showcased at the Outskirts Festival and Headspace (as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival).

Inspired by Glasgow and its relationship with alcohol and addiction, Martin’s latest poetry performance The Mark of the Beast explores society through a prism of morality, temptation and family attitudes towards the ‘demon drink,’ and is performed in Martin’s recognisable blend of Scots and song, shot through with religious references and imagery.

The piece follows on from Martin’s highly successful solo performance Theology which was staged as part of the Arches Behaviour Festival in 2014, and has been developed through scratch performances at Platform and with the spoken word cabaret Rally and Broad.




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