A Fond Farewell to Sweden

Our Swedish adventures are over. Seven tired but exhilarated people returned to the Gorbals late Sunday evening. It's only Wednesday but it already seems along time ago that we waved farewell to our new artistic collaborators and friends in the sunshine of Örebro. Of course five of them will be heading our way come June 7th and I only hope we can give them as good a time in Glasgow and the weather is better than it is now!



My last blog, I wrote during the final throws of rehearsal and at that point we had no idea what the response would be to the show. However at 4pm on a baking hot afternoon, around 70 people packed into Länsteatern's small studio space and begged for more, after a wonderful show that completely captured everything we had achieved.

Kathleen Harrison's 'Reer Fleer' set the show up nicely and the Swedish cast found their way around the Glasgow dialect. Marianne was charming in our Rena's 'Looking Back', referring to the Dennistoun Palais as if she'd danced there herself . Fran sang her heart out for the loss of her wee Shuggie McGlone. 'On the Spot' came has a big surprise when a young African man got up out of the audience and proposed to another audience member in Swedish. 'Elvis in Ladies' was a triumph...as always. The totally Swedish creation was hysterical...even to us, who only grasped a couple of words! Theresa's poem had more 'Shadowy Depths' than ever before and we all raised our tarten scarves 'as we sang shang a lang with the gang'...then we had some party and bid our fond farewells.



It was a privilege to be part of this collaboration between the two community companies, rehearsing independently, thousands of miles apart and somehow coming together to create this unique performance in three and a half days. Certainly an experience I'll never forget and I don't think the others will either.



If you didn't manage to catch 'My Clydeside Valentine' back in February at the Citizens or indeed weren't part of our international audience, or have yet to see the illustrious Community Company in action, ...never fear, just make sure you get your tickets booked early for 'Wicked Christmas - Cinders Revenge' to avoid even more disappointment!! (Ed. This show goes on sale in late June)

We can't wait for our international friends to arrive for even more adventures...

Neil

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