Walking into a somewhat unfilled auditorium just a few moment before I thought that the show was about to start, I instantly felt an empathy for Catherine Ireton and her unnamed accompanist, who was tinkling away arpeggios of two chords on the piano, which later on in the show would appear to be the backdrop to one of the songs. And there I was thinking that he had itchy fingers!
Then suddenly, in a flurry like shoppers at a Next 5am Boxing Day Sale, the crowd all seemed to appear at once, many of whom with drinks in hand explaining their whereabouts. In a matter of a couple of minutes the centre section filled out nicely and I instantly felt more relaxed for the performers: nobody likes playing to an empty theatre!
I'll be honest; I didn't really know what I was going to see until about an hour before the show, when I found this clip online of Catherine performing one of her songs:
I knew from that moment that I was going to enjoy the show, but I still wasn't entirely sure how it would play out. The stage was set very simply with a few props (no spoilers given here!) which were very efficiently used throughout the one hour show. Next to the accompanist lay a host of instruments, from the piano and guitars to a selection of folky woodwind instruments and a cajon, all of which he played with ease, showing his great dexterity as a musician, making his role an essential one.
The show is the story of how Catherine left her hometown of Limerick in Ireland, taking a one-way flight to Glasgow in 2005 and seeing what the future would hold for her and her travels. The narrative of the story is like a musical, with songs but also spoken sections which are Sprechgesang (sung speech). The songs were heartfelt, honest and humourous and the show flowed effortlessly across the years in which it was set. Dressed simply, Catherine moved freely across the stage, her accent still quite strong, which I must confess I found really charming and I very quickly developed quite a soft-spot for this lovely young lass who had the guts to uproot with nothing but a suitcase and a handful of hopes.
The show is a fantastic one-person show (with accompanist) and will really get you thinking about life, what you are doing and the risks that perhaps you should be taking. From the showing yesterday, I think that I was definitely in the lower age bracket of the audience, but I would compel younger theatre-goers to give the show a look in, as I think the topics covered are something that all young people can identify with, and I genuinely think that the show could very well change the course of your life. I know that it has got me seriously thinking about mine!
The show will be running throughout Edinburgh Fringe Festival each day from 1st August til 22nd August (excluding Sundays) at 1:15pm at the Red Lecture Theatre, Summerhall
For more information, check out Catherine's details below:
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