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Minister Visits Gaelic Drama Summer School

3rd July 2008

Photograph of Minister Visits Gaelic Drama Summer School

The Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture, Linda Fabiani, this week visited a new initiative aimed at offering young Gaelic speakers an opportunity to learn professional theatre skills.

The Sgoil Shamhraidh Dhràma is being run by Fèisean nan Gàidheal with support from Eden Court Theatre and Theatre Hebrides. While visiting the Sgoil, which is taking place in Portree until 11 July, the Minister announced a funding boost for another Fèisean nan Gàidheal drama initiative, Meanbh-chuileag. An additional £25,000 is to be made available by the Scottish Government to assist the work of the group in introducing Gaelic language and culture to schools throughout Scotland.

20 young Gaelic-speaking actors are attending the Sgoil, from almost every corner of Scotland. The participants are receiving training in a wide range of skills from drama tutors who are experts in their respective fields.

The Sgoil is under the artistic direction of Dennis Cahill, from the Loose Moose Theatre in Calgary, Canada, and among the other tutors are Ruairidh Nicolson, Catrìona Lexy Campbell and Gilleasbuig Ferguson. Classes include voice skills, movement, acting and creative skills, and a technical stream, dealing with stage management, lighting and sound is running concurrently with the drama side.

Dougie Beck, the coordinator of the Sgoil, hopes that the Sgoil will encourage both drama skills and a desire to progress with drama to higher levels: "Since the Uist drama schools of the 80s and 90s young people with Gaelic haven't had many opportunities to receive drama training at this kind of level. The Uist projects, under the direction of Pròiseact nan Ealan, were very successful and the people who were involved in them are still very much a part of the Gaelic drama and media scene. This is an exciting time for Gaelic drama - the new digital channel is on the horizon and there is no doubt that there will be more and more job opportunities for young Gaelic-speaking actors, and we want them to be ready to grab any opportunity that comes their way."

The Sgoil has received generous funding, meaning that participants are not required to contribute anything towards costs. Financial support has been received from Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Comunn na Gàidhlig, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, The Highland Council and the Scottish Arts Council, with additional support from Eden Court Theatre.

Fèisean nan Gàidheal Chief Executive, Arthur Cormack, commented: "We are very excited to have been able to get the Gaelic Drama Summer School up and running again. We have become more and more involved in the development of drama which is an important artform in terms of the use of the Gaelic language. Such activity is obviously complementary to the core work we do of supporting Gaelic music Fèisean and the musical education work we do in schools. The additional funding from the Scottish Government for Meanbh-Chuileag will allow us to expand the drama work we have been able to do in schools which should be an essential component of Gaelic-medium education and also an introduction to the language for pupils in non-Gaelic schools."

Everyone at the Sgoil is working towards a night of drama at 7.30pm on Thursday 10 July in Àros, Portree, which will be open to the public. More information can be found at www.feisean.org and tickets for the event at Àros can be bought by calling 01478 613649.

Ministear a' tadhal air Sgoil Shamhraidh Dhràma Gàidhlig
Thadhail am Ministear airson na Roinn Eòrpa, Cùisean Taobh a-Muigh agus Cultar, Linda Fabiani air iomairt ùr a tha airson sgilean thèatar proifeasanta ionnsachadh do Ghàidheil òga.

Tha an Sgoil Shamhraidh Dhràma air a ruith le Fèisean nan Gàidheal le taic bho bhuidhnean eile, nam measg Taigh-cluiche Eden Court agus Theatre Hebrides. Fhad 'sa a bha i a' tadhal air an Sgoil Shamhraidh, a tha a' ruith gu 11 Iuchar ann am Port Rìgh, thug am Ministear seachad taic-airgid do dh'ìomairt dràma eile aig Fèisean nan Gàidheal, Meanbh-Chuileag. Bidh £25,000 a bharrachd a' tighinn bho Riaghaltas na h-Alba airson taic a chumail ri obair na buidhne ann a bhith a' toirt blasad de chultar na Gàidhlig do sgoiltean air feadh Alba.

Tha fichead cleasaiche òg eadar 14 agus 18 bliadhna a dh'aois aig an Sgoil Shamhraidh fad na cola-deug, agus iad às gach ceàrnaidh den dùthaich. Gheibh na com-pàirtichean trèanadh ann an taghadh farsaing de sgilean eadar-dhealaichte bho shàr-eòlaichean anns na roinnean aca.

'S ann fo stiùir Dennis Cahill, stiùiriche-ealain a' chompanaidh thèatar Loose Moose ann an Calgarraidh, Canada, a tha an cùrsa, agus am measg an luchd-teagaisg eile a tha an-sàs tha Ruairidh MacNeacail, Catrìona Lexy Chaimbeul, agus Gilleasbuig Fearghasdan. Am measg nan clasaichean a chumail bidh sgilean gutha, gluasad, sgrìobhadh cruthachail agus cleasachd agus thèid cùrsa fa leth a chumail aig an aon àm ann an sgilean teicnigeach, leithid mar a làimhsichear solais, fuaim agus rianachd àrd-ùrlair.

Tha Dougie Beck, co-òrdanaiche na Sgoile, an dòchas gum brosnaichear an dà chuid sgilean dràma òigridh agus an cuid misneachd a dhol an sàs ann am barrachd thèatar anns an fhad-ùine: "Bhon a sguir na sgoiltean dràma a b' àbhaist a bhith air an cumail ann an Uibhist anns na 80an agus na 90an, air an ruith le Pròiseact nan Ealan, chan eil mòran chothroman trèanaidh aig fìor àrd-ìre air a bhith ann do dhaoine òga le Gàidhlig. Bha na sgoiltean sin air leth soirbheachail agus na daoine a bha ann mar oileanaich fhathast gu mòr am follais ann an saoghal na dràma agus nam meadhanan Gàidhlig. 'S e àm dòchasach a tha seo a thaobh dràma na Gàidhlig - tha an t-seanail ùr air faire agus thathar a' sùileachadh gu bheil tòrr chosnaidhean gu bhith ann a dh'aithghearr do dhaoine òga le Gàidhlig agus tha sinne airson dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil iad deiseil airson airson gach cothrom a thig nan rathad a ghlacadh."

Chan eil aig na com-pàirtichean ri càil a phàigheadh mu choinneamh cosgaisean na Sgoile, leis gu bheil maoineachadh uabhasach fallain air tighinn bho Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean, Comunn na Gàidhlig, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus Comhairle Ealain na h-Alba, le taic eile bho Thaigh-cluiche Eden Court.

Thuirt Ceannard Fèisean nan Gàidheal, Art MacCarmaig: "Tha sinn air leth toilichte gu bheil e air a bhith comasach dhuinn an Sgoil Shamhraidh Dhràma ath-stèidheachadh. Tha Fèisean nan Gàidheal air a bhith an-sàs barrachd is barrachd ann an leasachaidhean dràma Gàidhlig, agus tha dràma cudromach a thaobh cleachdadh na Gàidhlig. Tha seo a' toirt taic dhan obair anns a bheil sinn air a bhith an-sàs bho thùs, a' cumail taic ri Fèisean agus obair chiùil anns na sgoiltean. Bheireadh an taic a bharrachd bho Riaghaltas na h-Alba cothrom do Mheanbh-Chuileag mòran a bharrachd a dhèanamh a thaobh dràma anns na sgoiltean a bu chòir a bhith na pàirt gu math cudromach de dh'fhoghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig agus mar chothrom blasad Gàidhlig a thoirt do sgoilearan nach eil ann am foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig."

'S ann a dh'ionnsaigh oidhche mhòr de dhràma aig 7.30f, Diardaoin 10 Iuchar ann an Àros, Port Rìgh, a bhios na cleasaichean ag obair, agus bidh seo fosgailte dhan mhòr-shluagh. Gheibhear tuilleadh fiosrachaidh mun tachartas seo aig www.feisean.org agus tiocaidean air 01478 613649.