News

• Ten metre tall goddess of the sea, Storm will walk through Glasgow’s city centre on Saturday 18 January
• Route details and how audiences can take part in the free family friendly outdoor spectacle announced

Vision Mechanics, the Edinburgh company behind the much loved Big Man Walking have unveiled their latest project, Storm, ahead of its debut as part of the Celtic Connections Coastal Day celebrations. 

Rehearsing in the expansive grounds of the Museum of Flight, the ten-metre tall puppet is putting her sea legs to the test in preparation for her first public appearance. 

Two years in the making, Storm is a new feat of mechanical mastery created by the formidable puppeteering duo Symon Macintyre and Kim Bergsagel. Created in response to the climate crisis, she is a folklore giant made real who will encourage children and audiences alike to celebrate our seas, encourage care for our coastlines and empower us all to put the environment first. 

Made from entirely recycled materials, her eyes are the colour of oyster shells, her hair thick strands of kelp, her voice the chorus of the waves. Aided by eight puppeteers, Storm will wake up on the banks of the River Clyde to kick off the inaugural Coastal Connections Day at the UK’s largest annual Folk Festival. Storm is also one of the first events to mark Scotland’s official year of Coasts and Waters 2020.

Families, friends and passers by will have the opportunity to walk alongside Storm as she slowly makes her way to the Royal Concert Hall. Backed by a beautiful soundscape from Scotland’s pioneering folk singer Mairi Campbell, Storm will be joined by some surprise performances along the way, culminating in a specially choreographed dance performance by students from Glasgow Kelvin College’s Performing Arts Programme. 

Storm’s route map and summary of activity on the day:

Hands up who had good Sex Education? Very few of us. In his first solo show, performance artist, theatre-maker and internet-provocateur Harry Clayton-Wright is here to tell you you’re not alone. 

Resplendent in a vintage charity shop wedding dress (a story in and of itself), Harry narrates the audience through some of the gay porn given to him by his Dad when he was 14, candidly shares his sexual encounters – the good, the bad, and everything in between, and asks the question: why are we still so bad at talking about sex? And wouldn’t an openness keep us all so much safer? 

Throughout, we hear a conversation between Harry and his Mum, a former Christian missionary, who is not allowed to see the show. How does she feel about the fact his nudes are all online? Does she think he’s a top or a bottom? How would she feel if he did porn? Their experiences are worlds apart, but their conversation is full of warmth and closeness, and soon everything begins to make sense. 

After an extremely successful run at Summerhall’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where he was nominated for a Total Theatre Award and won the Melbourne Fringe Award, Harry is taking his unique brand of education on the road in what is his first national tour. Come for the lessons, stay for the delicious cucumber sandwiches. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – The Guardian 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – The List 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Fest 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – The Stage 

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Scotsman

“Clayton-Wright has complete control of the room’s mood. Achingly funny, filthy and tender” – The Guardian  

“Extraordinary. An exuberant, propulsive, and often hilarious hour” – Scotsman

Listings

12 February – The Lowry, Manchester

25 – 28 February – Seymour Centre, Sydney – Sydney Mardi Gras

10 March – Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, Brighton

17-27 March – Shoreditch Town Hall, London – And What? Queer Arts Festival

31 March- 4 April – The Other Room, Cardiff

24 April – The Harris Museum, Preston

20-23 May – Tobacco Factory, Bristol – Mayfest

30 May – Cambridge Junction, Cambridge

MANIPULATE Festival is piloting a young critics programme this year, offering free tickets to a full day of shows, lunch and travel expenses on SAT 1 FEB. 

For more information on what’s on that day, visit the website and we will work with you to design a programme for your day!

The aim of this pilot programme is to invite five younger and emerging writers to engage creatively and critically with the wide range of visual theatre performances on offer at the festival.

Puppet Animation Scotland work incredibly hard to support visual theatre makers, puppeteers and animators in Scotland, and their work has paid off – the 2020 programme is 90% Scottish. This Young Critics Programme is a move towards fostering critics and critical language around visual theatre, supporting the rich culture there now is in Scotland.

The Summerhall cafe turned cabaret space will provide a space to reflect and we are hoping to invite some Scottish critics to come and talk about writing on visual theatre, puppetry and animated film.

We have outlets available to host content, and StorytellingPR can also support with pitching elsewhere.

Interested? Get in touch with Mim Black!