December, January, February & Beyond
Mareel | 01595 745500 | www.shetlandarts.org
KIERAN HODGSON: BIG IN SCOTLAND
Our guide to what's on during Winter in Shetland.
Patch, Erien Withouck + 122 young artists from Shetland
Erien Withouck is a Belgian visual artist based in Brussels. In 2022 she started a long-term artistic research project studying old plantbased practices and rituals including natural textile dying methods used across Europe. In February 2023, Erien spent a week in Shetland, delivering workshops in Mareel and six primary schools: Ollaberry, Sound, Brae, Sandness, Whiteness & Happyhansel, as part of Creative Sustainable Futures. The young artists explored natural plant dyes and produced printed textile patches using oak gall ink* made by Erien. After the workshops, Erien returned to Belgium with all the printed textiles to make wall hangings. Each hanging represents a different workshop and each patch is made by one of the young artists involved in the project.
Mareel Upper Café Bar, Lerwick - Free
Bookbug Storytime Shetland Arts and Shetland Library present Bookbug Story Time for Under 5s at 10.30am every Thursday during term time. Shetland’s librarians return to Mareel to read you stories in the upper cafe bar! The drop-in session will last 30 minutes. If you would like to spend longer in Mareel before or after the session, grab a table in the café! Booking is no longer required.
Mareel Upper Café Bar, Lerwick Thursdays at 10.30am - Free
Youth Theatre
Music Video Making
Join Shetland Youth Theatre! Our vibrant and exciting youth theatre company (1219 years) have enjoyed success locally and nationally, being chosen out of 150 Youth Theatre groups to represent their production for the National Theatre Festival in 2021 and participating in National Theatre Connections in Salford, Manchester, in 2022.
Join us for workshops where participants can make their own music videos! The perfect Saturday activity for your creative 7 - 12 year olds. These sessions will have Barnum Smith delivering filmmaking and David Boyter delivering music recording and editing, on opposing weeks. At the end of the block, everything participants have made will then be pulled together into a short music video, using the music created as background music for a film.
Director Stephenie Georgia is known locally for her work with Islesburgh Drama Group and more widely for her innovative social practice based work, such as 'Fragmented' and 'Pollyanna Paradox' in partnership with Shetland Women's Aid and the Compass Centre. These sessions are always open to new members - this is a very welcoming and inclusive group, so if you've ever thought about trying theatre, please come and join in! Mareel Level 2 Education Space, Lerwick Wed 10 January - Wed 14 February, 5.30pm Wed 21 February - Wed 30 March, 5.30pm
No experience needed - come along and learn something new while having fun in a supportive environment. The sessions will focus on planning, recording and editing. Sibling discount is available on all our youth groups - if one sibling has a full price ticket then the second is eligible for a 20% discount on the same sessions. Mareel Level 2 Education Space, Lerwick 13 Jan - 16 March, 10am (7 - 9 years) 13 Jan - 16 March, 11:15am (10 - 12 years)
NT Live: Dear England Up Helly Aa Craft Fair Shetland Arts & Crafts Association
Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale) plays Gareth Southgate in James Graham’s (Best of Enemies) gripping examination of nation and game. The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t England’s men win at their own game? With the worst track record for penalties in the world, Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt, to take team and country back to the promised land.
From hosts: The Shetland Arts and Crafts Association are excited to announce our 1st Craft Fair for Lerwick Up Helly Aa. There will be lots of stalls from some of our talented members. It shall be located in the auditorium at Mareel 11am-6pm on the 28th of January with free admission. We look forward to seeing you there!
Filmed live on stage at the National Theatre, Rupert Goold (Judy) directs this spectacular new play.
Mareel, Screen 1 Thursday 25 January, 6.30pm - £10/£12
Mareel Auditorium, Lerwick Sunday 28 January, 11am - 6pm - Free
Up Helly Aa: Fiery Sessions Food & Drink Market Fiery Sessions is back for 2024! Event by Taste of Shetland From hosts:
Shetland Arts presents some of the best of Shetland music in a variety concert for Up Helly Aa day.
A date for your diaries! The Taste of Shetland Up Helly Aa Food & Drink Market will be held in Mareel on Monday 30th January 2023, 12pm to 6pm. (Free Admission) Participating producers include Shetland Reel, Scalloway Meat Company, Island Larder, Blyde Welcome, The Chocolate Box, Mackenzie's Farm Shop, and more!
The popular annual concert showcases Shetland musical talent on Lerwick’s Up Helly Aa day, featuring local favourites, including the 2023 Young Fiddler of the Year and a visit from the Junior Jarl Squad at the early performance.
Come along to sample and purchase a range of delicious Shetland food and drink!
Current line up: Andy Kain & Kirsten Hendry Beltane Ree’s Fiddlers Kirmirren Da Langstrings Evie Williamson (Young Fiddler of the Year)
Mareel Auditorium, Lerwick Monday 29 January, 12pm - 6pm - Free
The Garrison Theatre, Lerwick Tuesday 30 January, 12pm - £15 Tuesday 30 January, 3pm - £15
Wellbeing Writing
Mareel Film Quiz
Wellbeing Writing is back!
Our famous Film Quiz is back every month, in Mareel - come and pit your wits against our cunning quiz masters, with prizes for the winning (and losing) team!
Genevieve White will guide participants through creative writing tasks in an informal and fun manner. These are social classes allowing participants to explore their creativity and feel part of a welcoming space. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t taken part in Creative Writing sessions before – these are open to people of all abilities.
The Film Quiz on Thursday 8 February will feature a special team-takeover from team Alternative Facts.
There will be tea & biscuits provided.
(Please only book 1 ticket per team - 1 ticket secures a team table. Maximum team size 6, minimum size 1!)
Mareel Green Room, Lerwick Wednesday 7 February, 7:30pm Wednesday 14 February, 7:30pm Wednesday 21 February, 7:30pm Wednesday 28 February, 7:30pm Wednesday 6 March, 7:30pm Wednesday 13 March, 7:30pm £2 - There will be tea & biscuits provided.
Mareel, Lerwick Thursday 8 February, 7pm - £10 (Team) Thursday 14 March, 7pm - £10 (Team)
NT Live: Vanya Andrew Scott (Fleabag) brings multiple characters to life in Simon Stephens’ (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime) radical new version of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Hopes, dreams, and regrets are thrust into sharp focus in this one-man adaptation which explores the complexities of human emotions. Filmed live during its sold-out run in London’s West End, Vanya will be playing exclusively in cinemas in 2024.
Kieran Hodgson: Big In Scotland In 2020, the world changed forever, as three time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Kieran Hodgson moved to Scotland. Now he’s travelling around the still-justabout United Kingdom to tell you how it’s working out. For him and for the Scots. You might remember Kieran as that guy from the BBC’s ‘Two Doors Down’ (he’s Gordon), the ‘Bad TV Impressions’ viral videos of ‘The Crown’ and ‘Happy Valley’, and three Channel 4 specials. If you don’t remember him, no worries. We all have busy lives. Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show Nominee 2015, 2016, 2018. Ages 16+
Mareel, Screen 1 Thursday 22 February, 6pm - £10/£12
Mareel Auditorium, Lerwick Saturday 24 February, 7.30pm - £16
The John Goldie Trio The Motive & the Cue Featuring Adam Bulley on Mandolin and Chas MacKenzie on Slide Guitar This exciting and virtuosic trio was formed to perform music written during the lockdown, and influenced by old-timey Bluegrass and the Nashville scene, past and present. The songs are an eclectic mix of breakneck speed picking, heartfelt ballads, and some quirky takes on old favourites. Throw in some on-stage banter and we’re all set for an unforgettable evening of entertainment!
Sam Mendes directs Johnny Flynn as Richard Burton, Mark Gatiss as John Gielgud and Tuppence Middleton as Elizabeth Taylor, in this fierce and funny new play by Jack Thorne, offering a glimpse into the politics of a rehearsal room and the relationship between art and celebrity. 1964: Richard Burton, newly married to Elizabeth Taylor, is to play the title role in an experimental new Broadway production of Hamlet under John Gielgud’s exacting direction. But as rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel. The hugely celebrated production of The Motive and the Cue transfers to the West End this December for 15 weeks only, following a sold-out run at the National Theatre.
Mareel Auditorium, Lerwick Saturday 9 March, 7pm - £25
Mareel, Screen 1 Thursday 21 March, 6pm - £10/£12
Norman & Corrie
NT Live: Nye
Join Scottish musical duo Norman & Corrie for an evening in Mareel. Their unique setup, featuring a drum kit, saxophone, and organ foot pedals, combined with expert sound design, results in music that's both vibrant and firmly rooted. While challenging traditional notions of folk music, Norman & Corrie hold dear the qualities that have made this genre timeless: honesty, resilience, and a deep connection to life's stories. The duo have swiftly built a reputation for delivering captivating concerts filled with spontaneity, heart, and an extraordinary connection that defies their youth. Their performances consistently leave audiences feeling uplifted and inspired. With diverse backgrounds and a spirit of exploration, their performances transport listeners to a time when life moved at a slower, more deliberate pace, using drones, ancestral melodies, and field recordings to create an immersive experience.
One man’s dream of the NHS. From campaigning at the coalfield to leading the battle to create the NHS, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan is often referred to as the politician with greatest influence on our country without ever being Prime Minister.
Mareel Auditorium, Lerwick Saturday 6 April, 7.30pm - £15
Mareel, Screen 1 Thursday 9 May, 6pm - £10/£12
Confronted with death, Nye’s deepest memories lead him on a mind-bending journey back through his life; from childhood to mining underground, Parliament and fights with Churchill in an epic Welsh fantasia. Michael Sheen (Under Milk Wood) is Nye Bevan in this surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state. It’s written by Tim Price (Teh Internet is Serious Business) and directed by Rufus Norris (Small Island).
Pain and I
Marj
Pain and I is a bold exploration into chronic pain experience, featuring playful choreography, experimental dance, intimate autobiographical text, and new classical music composition by Alicia Jane Turner. The work unashamedly celebrates the rich complexities of living with pain. Audiences are invited to reflect on what it means to care for our bodies, ourselves, and each other in times of personal and collective pain.
After a successful sold-out Edinburgh Fringe run as one of the top reviewed comedy shows of the entire festival, Marjolein Robertson's 'Marj' comes to Mareel.
The Pain and I world premier took place at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at Summerhall with Made in Scotland 2022. The work has since be shown at international festivals and venues, such as Festival Quartier Danses (Canada), The Roundhouse, The Place, Dundee Rep, Dance Base and Tramway.
Local comedian Marjolein, BBC New Comedy Awards and Funny Women Stage Awards Finalist, brings her twice award nominated hour of surreal stand-up and Shetland folktales to - blah blah blah, the treasures buried under Clickimin Broch. Hurry. Before it dies. As well as having its successful Fringe run, Marj was also shortlisted for the (ISH) Edinburgh Comedy Awards for Best Show and the Neurodivergent Divergent Review Awards for Best ADHD show. With support from comedian Eleanor Martin.
Mareel Auditorium, Lerwick Friday 10 May, 7.30pm - £10 (Ages 16+)
Mareel Auditorium, Lerwick Friday 17 May, 7.30pm - £14 (Ages 16+)
FitkinWall: Harpland Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham Internationally renowned harp and electronica duo FitkinWall follow threads of migration, loss and longing in their new show.
Ruth Wall’s explorations into Gaelic song, fiddle and pipe tunes and the history of the Scottish Highlands where she grew up have a particular focus on migration and the Highland Clearances. Graham Fitkin has created enigmatic and mesmerising new versions of these tunes for Ruth’s three harps - the sitar-like Renaissance bray harp, the beautiful medieval Gaelic wire harp (clàrsach) and the Scottish lever harp.
Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham have established themselves as the epitome of excellence in the world of traditional music. With their musical magic and quick-witted humour they will pull your emotional strings one moment and have you falling off the seat with laughter the next. Mike Russell has described them as “probably the best traditional musicians you are ever likely to hear”.
Ruth’s passion for the highly ornamented Scottish pibroch piping technique informs her playing style and inspires the sound world of this fascinating and unique concert.
Mareel Auditorium, Lerwick Friday, 27 September, 7.30pm - £25
Mareel Auditorium, Lerwick Thursday 23 May 2024, 7.30pm - £20
Carnegie Hall, Sandwick Saturday, 28 September, 7.30pm - £25
Sunday Teas with Aly & Phil The ultimate afternoon out - Aly & Phil with Sunday Teas at the interval! Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham have become a national institution with their incomparable mastery of fiddle and accordion, bringing excellence in traditional music to venues across the country. Individually they pursue other ventures in performance, television and education but it is when they tour together that they truly shine with over quarter of a century of well honed skills and hilarious banter delighting audiences everywhere. Sunday teas included in the ticket price.
Gary Meikle 2024 Ladies & Gentleman! Gary Meikle is back yet again with another self-written, selfdeprecating show to leave you all short of breath again. He will tackle subjects such as: rejection issues of men and women, what it was like being a 14-year-old hormonal boy, how it is okay for men to be overtly feminine now, cold showers, mosquitoes on holiday and much more. If you can guarantee one thing from Gary it is that he will work his 5’8 ass off to make sure everyone that sees him live wants to come back for more. Your laughter makes up for the rejection he suffered in his earlier years, and he will thank you all individually if you choose to come along to his meet and greet, preshow that he will be doing at every single show again (more details to come). Recommended ages 15+.
Haroldswick Hall, Unst Sunday, 29 September, 2pm - £33
Mareel Auditorium, Lerwick Saturday, 26 October, 8pm - £27.50