We are shining a spotlight on
Manx National Theatre and speak with Susannah Maybury about their moving production of Fandโs Story - a work steeped in Manx culture and storytelling.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐
๐๐ง๐'๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ?
A wedding. A joyful time. Blessed by Fand who is having marital problems with her husband Manannan. In the course of the celebrations Tehi Teghi steals the men with the plan of leading them to a watery grave. Fand enlists the women and young people to search for the lost men and reluctantly she approaches her estranged husband for help. the search ranges across the island and leads to encounters with the magical beings of the isle. Some are helpful, most are not or are, at least, indifferent. As the rescue mission reaches its climax Tehi Teghi's malice is overmatched by the love and devotion of the newly married couple and the renewed vows of Manannan and Fand.
๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐๐ปโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ, ๐๐ต๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฟ๐?
Fand's Story is such an exciting tale. It brings to life many of the island's fantastical beings and creatures, including the Moddhey Dhoo. mermaids, fairies, the Buggane - who runs a demolition company and of course Manannan, and Fand, his wife, and a few hapless humans.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฟ?
So far I have two favourite moments from our rehearsals. The first is the Buggane and his long suffering PA. Played by William Derbyshire and Hannah Cowell, this scene is exquisitely funny. The second is the Moddhey Dhoo, an enormous puppet of the renowned Black Dog, he's operated by Oran Molloy, David Rosa, Meidas Svedkauskas and Edward Martin.
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐น๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐
๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐?
It's important to have organisations like Manx National Theatre in our community, because it is, quite literally, a theatre for the community. Anyone can join and be welcomed regardless of previous theatre experience. It's an opportunity for all our members to have a say in the creative process of each project. We are so fortunate to have the support of the Soundcheck Charity and the Admiral Feteris Foundation, whose contributions have gone a long way to making Fand's Story possible. Also the generous contributions of our members. many of whom donate a small amount each week that makes a difference.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐
๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ - ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ?
It's easy to get involved with Manx National Theatre. You can contact our email:
manxnationaltheatre.im, or message us on 07624 431380
