Horse + Bamboo Theatre Company
Horse + Bamboo…
…was formed in 1978 and has toured since that time. Until 2000 summer tours were horse-drawn, hence the name of the company. Our workshop in Rossendale, Lancashire is also venue, the Boo, from which we operate an active programme of local events.
The company has two Artistic Directors, Bob Frith and Alison Duddle, who work together but also take leads on different projects. Angus – Weaver of Grass is a project written and directed by Bob. As with all of the company’s work it uses a highly visual and musical approach to story-telling. More information about the company and the production can be found on our website
– www.horseandbamboo.org
Angus – Weaver of Grass
Angus MacPhee was born in the Scottish lowlands. In 1925, at the age of 7, he returned with his father to the family croft in the township of Iochdar, South Uist. He appeared to be a perfectly normal Hebridean boy.
It was while serving with the Lovat Scouts in the Faroes during the Second World War that
Angus first showed the symptoms of schizophrenia. He became withdrawn and solitary, and eventually, in 1946, he was admitted to Craig Dunain psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of Inverness. Here he fell into silence, but he gradually developed a unique artistic ability – weaving the grasses, leaves, and knots of sheeps’ wool into fantastic garments. The technique of weaving grass was used on the islands to make ropes and harness, but Angus developed this craft into new forms of creative achievement.
In the 1990’s, now an old man, Angus returned home to South Uist as the old Victorian hospitals were emptied. He was reacquainted with those of his family who remained, and seemed to find some happiness. For the first time in 50 years he began to say a few words…and then he died.
The production
Angus – Weaver of Grass tells this story. It’s told using a combination of puppetry, maskwork, original music, traditional songs, and film and animation. We also worked closely with a fibre artist from Caithness (Joanne B Kaar), and a Gaelic singer from Lewis
(Mairi Morrison). There’s a wide network of supporters including Gaelic language organisations, the Museum of Art Extraordinary in Pittenweem, and groups engaged in art and health awareness. Mairi Morrison toured with the production in 2012, but has other commitments in 2013 and her role is recast for this tour.
The tour
Rehearsals will be two weeks starting at the beginning of August. The tour then lasts until the last week of October. It will be at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, will be part of the Blas
Festival, and will tour the Highlands and several Scottish islands. The tour will also tour for a short period in England, including the Suspense Festival in London.
We employ performers on an Equity contract.
The role
We are looking for a female singer to sing unaccompanied Gaelic song and speak a
Gaelic narration throughout the production. To work as part of a tight ensemble and requiring a high-level of confidence of performing stage work. The role was developed with
Mairi Morrison in 2012 and this will form the basis of the interpretation.
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Horse + Bamboo Theatre Company
Closing date: end of Tuesday 23rd April 2013
Auditions will be held in Glasgow on: Friday 3 rd May
Please email your application to bob@horseandbamboo.org
Or send it to Bob Frith, Horse + Bamboo Theatre Company, Bacup Road,
Waterfoot, Rossendale, Lancashire, BB4 7HB and mark your envelope “Gaelic application”
PLEASE NOTE: Because of holidays we won’t reply before Thursday 25 th April.
By submitting this form you confirm that to the best of your knowledge, all information provided is correct, and you give your consent for Horse + Bamboo Theatre Company to hold and process this information in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. We may hold your details for up to one year.
 Please complete this form rather than submitting a CV.
 Please include a headshot.
 Don’t forget to attach a letter (see 7 below).
Referees – please give the name of 2 referees who know you in a professional capacity.
Referee 1
Include their name, job title, organisation, address and contact details.
Referee 2
Include their name, job title, organisation, address and contact details.
 Do you need a work permit to work in the UK? Yes/No
 Where did you see the post advertised?
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Horse + Bamboo Theatre Company
1. Please tell us about your previous singing experience, including specifically
Gaelic singing:
2. Please tell us about your previous performance experience:
3. Please tell us about your Gaelic language background and skill:
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Horse + Bamboo Theatre Company
4. Please say if you sing or play an instrument, and to what level:
5. Please tell us about your experience of touring with theatre:
6. Please tell us about any other relevant training that you’ve had:
Driving licence and experience:
7. Other information
On a separate sheet please write a short letter saying why you feel you are suited to this particular company and production, and let us know anything else about yourself that you feel is relevant.
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Horse + Bamboo Theatre Company
We collect this information for monitoring purposes only. It is not available to, or used by, the recruitment selection panel.
Position applied for:
Gaelic singer - Angus
Are you
↻ female ↻ male
Do you consider yourself to have a disability?
↻ yes ↻ no
If so please state nature of disability
If yes, please describe any special adjustments in relation to your interview
(In accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, a disability is considered to be a physical or mental impairment which has substantial and long term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day to day activities and you think might disadvantage you in obtaining or keeping employment for which otherwise you would be suitable, even though you might have overcome any such disability. )
Please indicate your ethnic origin
White
↻ British ↻ Irish ↻ Any other white background
Asian or British Asian
↻ Asian Bangladeshi ↻ Asian Indian
↻ Any other Asian background
Black or British Black
↻ Black African
↻ Any other Black background
↻
↻ Asian Pakistani
Black Caribbean
Chinese
↻ Chinese
Mixed Heritage
↻ Asian and White ↻ Black African and White
↻ Black Caribbean and White ↻ Chinese and White
↻ Any other background from more than one group
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