ANGUS MCPHEE - Weaver of Grass


ANGUS MCPHEE or MACPHEE was a crofter from Uist who spent almost 50 years in a Highland psychiatric hospital. During this time he chose not to speak - instead he wove a series of incredible costumes out of grass. These he hung on trees in the hospital grounds.

This blog follows the progress of HORSE + BAMBOO THEATRE as they develop and tour a show about Angus....

Saturday 31 March 2012

Workshop life



Most of the time Alison and I are in and out of the workshop, getting on with making the scores of things we need to have ready for rehearsals in June, but also bobbing in and out of meetings; planning and designing programmes of work for the company and, recently, the Boo Summer Programme; plus those endless bits and pieces of office work that arise on an almost hourly basis. 

Above top there's a collection of Alison's carved puppet heads - of Angus, his sister, and his father. Below is my mask of Angus's father (Neil, who was 70 when he moved back to Eochar with the young children, and at a time when his wife had already passed away). In fact there's no photograph of Angus's father that I know of, so I've had to invent this face. 

Now I'm taking an Easter break, although Alison will be working much of next week. When I come back it's the final sprint to our rehearsal time - a period during which films need to get made, music decided on and written, and recordings of the show's Gaelic voiceovers made. It'll be a very busy time.

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