Theology / A Govan of the Mind (2014)
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Image and photography by Eoin Carey
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Written and Performed by Martin O'Connor
The Arches Behaviour Festival 14th-19th April Pearce Institute, Govan Supported by Creative Scotland, The National Theatre of Scotland and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland "O'Connor's ear for patois, cadence and cliche thrives in a series of poems that catch at the remembered vibrancy of a Govan that's fallen hard on changing times...There is unsentimental affection in the ripe, perceptive vignettes that anchor characters and behaviour patterns to the very streets outside the venue." (The Herald) "This brilliant young Glasgow writer and performer quietly engineers the most eloquent and moving collision between the language of religion, and the passions that play out daily on Glasgow’s streets...a display of nuanced language and imagery that confirms him as a brave and significant dramatic poet in contemporary Scotland" ★★★★ (The Scotsman) Creative Team: Writer and Performer Martin O'Connor With: Derek Anderson, Roger Chapman, Tom Keren, Sean Lafferty, Scott McIntosh, Ewan Manson, Gerard Miller, Steven Moyes, Daniel Robertson and Eric Tepper Choir Leader - Matt Regan Composer - Oliver Searle Sound Design - Nichola Scrutton Visual Design and Triptych Design - Rachel O'Neill Triptych Photography - Eoin Carey Lighting Design - Kate Bonney Production Manager / Stage Manager - Louise Jakeway Technical Manager - Robert Watson Technicians - Michaella Fee/ James Stirling Producer - Jodie Wilkinson A new performance that explores the place of religion in Glasgow today. Inspired by its people, dialects, and faith, Theology incorporates spoken word and song. Theology is a reinterpretation of the Catholic Mass performed in Glaswegian dialect with an all-male choir and musical compositions by Oliver Searle. The piece localises Liturgies, Penitential Rites and Readings and places football songs in place of hymns to create a relevant reworking of a traditional experience. A Govan of the Mind is a funeral mass for Govan and its industrial heritage. The performance is a mixture of live spoken word and recorded soundscape created with Nichola Scrutton. With Thanks to the following for their involvement in the development of this work: Alex Reece, Margaret Anne O’Donnell, Gary McNair, Brian O’Sullivan, Susan Pettie, Alan Bissett, Niall Walker, Rosie Davies, Fiona Ferguson, Rob Jones, Rachel Jury, Kirstin Innes, Arthur Johnstone and Lucy Gaizely. Supported by:
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A Hingmy in the Cafe (2011)
As part of a residency in the Arches, Martin began to develop the text for Theology through an Arches Restaurant 'takeover' (where artists inhabit the restaurant for a month, add to the menu, rewrite the specials, and perform special one-off performances). Martin created a Mad Hingmy where he read some text, played some Glasgow tunes, sold some stuff in his market (in exchange for audience's favourite Glasgow words and phrases (above left) and created a singalong of Flower of Scotland with new lyrics written by the dining public on the night (see video below).