An adaptation by Alan Plater of George Mackay Brown’s novel. An audio play performed by Orkney’s St Magnus Players. Directed by Penny Aberdein with music by John Gray.
Four episodes. Episode 1 release: 10 January 2025, then weekly.
Greenvoe centres on the fate of a traditional Orkney village on the mythical island of Hellya. The natural rhythms of Orkney life are shattered when a mysterious external company, Black Star, suddenly arrives to buy out the islanders and displace them from their homes. This prophetic tale of a tightly knit island community has a cast of Orcadian voices and original incidental music by John Gray.
The original production of Alan Plater's adaptation of George Mackay Brown’s first novel Greenvoe was staged at the St Magnus Festival in June 2000. It was so well received in Orkney that the St Magnus Players decided to transfer it to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the summer of 2000, where it played for a week to packed houses and won great plaudits in the national press. Due to public demand the same company, under the direction of Penny Aberdein, produced an audio CD in 2013.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the original production, the recording is now being produced as a podcast in four episodes.
George Mackay Brown (1921-1996) lived all his life in Stromness, apart from the years when he was a mature student in Edinburgh. He was a poet and writer who took his inspiration from the people and place that he loved. ‘Greenvoe’, published in 1972, was his first novel.
Alan Plater (1935-2010), playwright and screenwriter, was born in Jarrow but spent most of his early life in Hull. He made his mark as a TV scriptwriter with ‘Z cars’ and went on to write 200 drama works in a variety of media. Alan wrote a trilogy of Orkney plays for St Magnus Players, starting with the adaptation of ‘Greenvoe’ for performance in 2000.
John Gray was born in Stromness in 1959 and studied composition at Sussex University. He is a clarinettist and teacher of music. He worked with St Magnus Players on previous productions, providing music for ‘The Caucasian Chalk Circle' and 'Romeo and Juliet'. His music adds atmosphere and magic to the words of Greenvoe.
The Cast:
Bert Kerston - Lee Spence Samuel Whaness - Erik Spence Rachel Whaness - Phyllis Brown Skarf - Dave Grieve Bella Budge - Naismi Flett Ben Budge - Harvey Johnston Ivan Westray - Graham Garson Olive Evie - Maggie Hay Joseph Evie - Jim Chalmers Alice Voar - Carolyn Bevan Margaret Inverary - Phyllis Brown Timmy Foster - Tommy Wylie Agatha Fortin-Bell - Cynthia Chaddock Colonel Fortin-Bell - Chris Macrae Inga Fortin-Bell - Sandra Craigie Elizabeth McKee - Gill Smee Prosecutor - Terry Delaney Ellen Kerston - Kristen Norquoy Scorradale - David Fidler Mansie Anderson - Jim Chalmers Tammag Brown - Erik Spence Leonard Isbister - Tommy Wylie Dod Corrigal - Lee Spence Andrew Hoy - Harvey Johnston Sandy Manson - Graham Garson Hector Anderson - Magnus Dixon McIntosh - Terry Delaney Aloysius - Gareth Williams Matron - Cynthia Chaddock Controller - Geraldine Davies Children - Ellen Moar, Lewis Burgon, Audun Towrie
Music: John Gray
Musicians: Keyboard - Glenys Hughes (musical director) Violin - Lesley McLeod Cello - Linda Hamilton Oboe - Yvonne Gray
Technical Assistant: Michael McLaughlin
Recording: Owen Tierney at Attic Studios, Firth, Orkney on March 23rd & 24th 2013 Sound editing: Mark Jenkins Cover image: Keith Allardyce, Design - Colin Keldie