Musical reunion
After a quick meeting, cast members of ‘Ireland Meets Scotland’ inspired to remount show, which is running at Orwell Corner Historic Village on Fridays
When Kevin Jeffrey called former cast members of “Ireland Meets Scotland” together to discuss remounting the show, he had no expectations. The production played to P.E.I. audiences from 19992002. “We had thought, in the beginning, that it would be too much. We were all busy. But when we met at the Old Triangle in April just to talk about the possibility, everything just clicked,” says Jeffrey.
Soon they were emailing music back and forth to each other and making plans for a summer run.
“Even though it’s been years, we’re right back in the groove,” says Jeffrey, creative director of “Ireland Meets Scotland”, the high-energy Celtic music and dance show which plays Fridays at Orwell Corner Historic Village at 7:30 p.m.
Featuring the talents of Colin Jeffrey, fiddle, Amanda Mark, flute, tin whistle and bass, Jeffery, guitar and vocals, and Celtic dancers Marlys and Alexis Hamilton- Maclaren and Abigail Rogers, the show runs until Aug. 25.
This past Friday, Laurie Murphy, who previously played with Jeffrey and Mark, performed two numbers in the second half of the show, “Newry Highwayman” and “Helen of Kirconnel”.
“This group is beautiful. We just ran through a song and it felt like (the years) had not happened,” says the Islander who now calls Toronto home. “Ireland Meets Scotland” is the story of how Irish and Scottish immigrants left their homelands in the 1800s, came to the New World and settled on Prince Edward Island.
The tale is told through music, dance, poetry and vignettes that bring history to life in the audience’s imagination.
“It’s so much fun to hear the traditional tunes. They’re just delightful,” says Donna Meinhard of Earnscliffe during intermission.
Audience members familiar to the musical will also see a few tweaks in the show that follows the original script. “There are some new tunes and twists to the story that bring in some of the things that are happening in today’s world,” says Jeffrey, who plays both Irish and Scottish characters who are running for their lives.
“We’ll talk about immigrants feeling welcome or unwelcome and how hard it is for them to assimilate, like the Irish and Scottish had to do.” Adjusting to the new material is challenging for Mark, who is thrilled to be back in the show.
“It’s huge that we’re playing together again. Colin is an amazing professional fiddler. And he’s set the bar super high in terms of the amazing new music I’ve learned this summer. It’s been a lot of work for me, but I welcome the challenge because it helps me to grow,” she says.
Colin enjoys the work for other reasons.
“For me, getting a chance to play with my father again is special. It’s been 15 years since we last played together in a show.” His dad agrees. “Whether we’re
performing live somewhere or not, getting together is just so much fun.”