Sea Hames

by OCEANALLOVER

Inspired by Orkney’s ‘Festival of the Horse and Boys’ Ploughing Match’ this multi-disciplinary performance fuses sonic composition, compelling performance and intricate costume to explore the mythology and iconography of horse, plough and the sea.

The ‘Festival of the Horse and Boys’ Ploughing Match’ is a 200 year old celebration on the Orkney island of South Ronaldsay where children dress as Clydesdale horses and are ceremonially dressed in elaborately designed harness, collar, hat, belt and feet decorations.

In 1984 two Clydesdale horses jumped the gate to their field and charged down to the beach at Billia Croo on Orkney. They stood up on their hind hooves and danced in the low mid-summer sun. Sea Hames begins with those two horses and the sea; about freedom and creativity, the persistence of memory, tradition and innovation, attention to detail and wild brush-strokes.

Nominated for a Critics Award For Theatre In Scotland 2018: Best Music and Sound

Oceanallover are a visual theatre performance company based in South West Scotland led by Artistic Director Alex Rigg. They make outdoor performance for site-specific locations and perform in both urban and remote landscapes. Their work is visually arresting and philosophically stimulating making use of original and innovative costume design, gripping theatricality and evocative music to create emotional and memorable performance events. The company put particular emphasis on live music and visceral dance theatre with a design process that borrows from anthropology, carnival and high fashion.

PRESS

“Instantly exhilarating, like a sudden magical visitation from a fantastical world.” ★★★★★ The Herald

“A strange but inviting and beautiful event” ★★★★ The Times

 “Mesmerising and atmospheric” ★★★★ Edinburgh Guide

“Rousing, sweeping and elegiac” Tempohouse

credits

Design and Direction: Alex Rigg
Performers: Florencia Garcia Chafuen, Laini Chrismas, Lewis Sherlock, Jen Cunningham, Philip Alexander McDonald, Jude Milligan, Aaron Jeffries
Music: Joey Sanderson, Sarah McFadyen, Richard Merchant, Breezy Elthalion, Anders Rigg, Cammy Sinclair, Oliver Rigg, Pete & Anna Tagg
Producers: Feral (Jill Smith and Kathryn Boyle)
Stage Manager: Anna Tagg
Costume Fabrication: Alex Rigg, Florencia Garcia Chafuen, Leo Marsh,  Plymouth College of Art, Ruth Webb
Sculpture: Alex Rigg & Trevor Leat

Partners and Funders: Creative Scotland, The Crawick Artland Trust, Orkney Museums, Buccleuch Estates, Crawick Artland Trust, Manipulate Festival, Dance Base, Threave Gardens, Neilston Development Trust, Barrhead Waterworks and Tramway.

TOUR HISTORY

Sea Hames toured across 2018 and 2019 to the following locations: Tramway (Dance International Glasgow), Scapa Flow Visitor Centre (Orkney), Festival of the Horse (Orkney), Earl’s Palace (Orkney), Sanctuary Festival (Dumfries & Galloway), Crawick Multiverse (Dumfries and Galloway), Barrhead Waterworks (Barrhead), Neilston Community Trust (Neilston), Manipulate Festival (Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh), Unexpected Exeter (Devon), The Helix with Falkirk Community Trust (Falkirk), St Andrews Botanic Garden with The Byre Theatre (St Andrews), Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Culture NL (Coatbridge), Whitelee Windfarm with Eastwood Park Theatre (Eaglesham), The Spree (Paisley), The Spree (Lochwinnoch) and Aberfoyle with Strathard Community Trust.