Ishbel MacFarlane has a love of Scottish language and dialect. During O is For Hoolet she presents stories, characters, songs and words that celebrate Scots and the people who speak it. She offers new light on the prejudices and misconceptions that hang around this minority language and does so through engaging storytelling and a warm and inviting personality.
As the audience enter the Netherbow Theatre at the Scottish Storytelling Centre we are given a piece of paper and a pencil. The purpose of this comes clear after solo performer Ishbel MacFarlane takes the stage and introduces herself. The houselights remain up for the duration of the show. This is so the performer can address the audience and make them part of the event. We are given the task of writing down a question that we may have on Scots language and Ishbel will answer this at the end. We are also given cards with numbers on the back. During the performance a small screen to the rear of the stage flashes up different numbers and the audience member with this card has to read out the question. It is a fun and exciting way to get the audience onboard and makes the performance feel interactive and spontaneous.
During O is for Hoolet Ishbel takes on the persona of a variety of characters. Sometimes these people are academics, philosophers and scholars in language and other times she simply plays herself at different points in her life. During an amusing section she plays her 4 year old self and this is where we find out where the title of the performance comes from. Ishbel also quotes Scottish writers who use Scots in their work. This includes poets Liz Lochhead and Tom Leonard. Their use of the Scots is inventive and underlines it’s importance and value.
The conclusion of the show is touching and powerful. After over an hour onstage, the house lights finally dim and Ishbel treats the audience to a heartfelt and passionate song in the Scots tongue. The conclusion is powerful and brilliant and shows how delicate and heart warming the Scots language is.