★★★★
There were many collective intakes of breath during Janis Mackay and Nada Shawa’s hour of storytelling, dance and poetry. Together they brought this gentle calm, like they sprinkled some magical dust on us, by their sheer presence. Never have I seen two artists on stage so in tune with one another.
Nada Shawa’s poetry is direct and lyrical, with this heavy-heartedness, relating her experience as an exiled Palestinian, The Wave was particularly intimate, as she choked back tears, describing how she will always be viewed in relation to the genocide perpetrated against her people.
Janis Mackay’s telling of the Palestinian folk-tale The Fishes Mouth was spectacular. She embodied the folk tradition as she shared the tale, it was like being at a camp-fire, enraptured, I felt warmed by her words. The tale was interspersed by dance and music from Shawa, and it complimented the tale perfectly.
To see Mackay and Shawa dance together, to be so in sync, supporting one another, sharing each other’s cultures dances, sums up the idea behind this show. That we can build bridges, that we can be brought together in love, in song and story.
Don’t be deceived by its gentleness, Mending Nets is a reminder of the potential we have to be loving human beings, in the face of the horrors unfolding, shows like this are to be cherished.
Mending Nets is on at The Scottish Storytelling Centre until August 25th
