Four local groups have pooled their resources in order to stage a lavish production of a Courtly Masque for Mary, Queen of Scots at Strathpeffer Pavilion on Saturday 30th September at 8pm.
Over fifty performers in all will be presenting The Entry of the Gods, a reconstruction of the entertainment offered to Mary and her husband Henry on the day of their marriage, 29th July 1565.
Over the last twenty-five years, the early music choir Musick Fyne and the early instrument ensemble Coronach have built up an enviable reputation for their performances of music from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods, and have in the past staged Baroque operas such as Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and Charpentier’s Acteon to considerable critical acclaim.
For the current ambitious project, the groups’ director, James Ross, has decided to collaborate with two more local groups, The Florians, Inverness’s versatile and dynamic drama group, and Danse Ecosse, a talented group of local dancers who have specialised in the authentic recreation of courtly dances from the past.
James commented: “The drama sections require around twenty actors in full costume so I decided to involve my friend John Claudius and the Florians to see it done properly, and having worked in the past with Danse Ecosse, I just know the audience will be in for a visual feast. I have had a sneak preview of the costumes John has devised, and I am thrilled.”
The immediate inspiration for the performance is the quincentenary of the birth of George Buchanan, the author of the Masque’s witty and stylish script, and the groups have already had expressions of interest in the show from BBC Radio 3 and from arts promoters in Stirling, Buchanan’s birthplace.
James observed: “It is very exciting to be staging such a large-scale event in the Highlands, and it is really only possible to do so with the artistic co-operation of other like-minded performers.”
Booking on http://www.thebooth.co.uk has been brisk, but remaining tickets will be available for sale at the door on the night.
