Calonarang and the Cailleach

10 March 2007 

Two tales, two witches, worlds apart, one story; light and dark…

PROGRAMME

Part One - Story of Calonarang

Overture

Gangsaran Bendrong (traditional Javanese)
Baris Dance to the music of Wira Yudha (Balinese)

Story of Calonarang

Smaradahana by Jon Keliehor
Perbawa by I Made Arnawa
Gending Gilak Topeng (traditional Balinese)
Dark Tree (devised by Naga Mas)
Beleganjur (traditional Balinese)        
Kodok Ngorek (traditional Javanese)
Kecak (traditional Balinese) led by J. Simon van der Walt

Interval

Part Two- Story of Bierra

Overture

Caping Gunung by Gesang
Bercerita by Dan Schellhas
Ca’ the Yowes (traditional Burns song arranged by Naga Mas)

Story of Bierra

Running in the Dark by J. Simon van der Walt
Treetopia by Margaret Smith
Chinese Dance to the music of Running in the Dark by J. Simon van der Walt

PERFORMERS

Storytelling & Dance
Marion Kenny

Musical Director
Signy Jakobsdottir

Project Director
Margaret Smith

Gamelan Naga Mas
Natalia Bahrin, Hooi Ling Eng, Gordon Holmes, Signy Jakobsdottir, Jon Keliehor, Jane McLean, Glori Pasaribu, Thessa Sianipar, Margaret Smith, Chris Thompson, J.Simon van der Walt, Katherine Waumsley, Marcus Wilson

Guest Composer
Dan Schellhas

MARION KENNY

Marion has worked in performance arts and storytelling for over 26 years. She studied music and theatre arts before moving to China to continue her studies at the Beijing Academy of Dramatic Arts and later at the Academy of Music and Dance in Bali. Marion is part of the Scottish Storytelling Centre’s directory of professional storytellers, and is storyteller in residence with the National Museums of Scotland.  

ABOUT THE PROJECT

In July 2006, three members of Gamelan Naga Mas, Margaret Smith, Katherine Waumsley and J. Simon van der Walt took part in the Codarts Bali Summer School in Rotterdam. The culmination of the week was a dramatisation of the Balinese tale of Calanorang; a fascinating multiple character who starts the story as Queen Mahendratta, is banished to the forest as Calanorang, and is then further transformed through anger into the witch Rangda, creating havoc with black magic, pestilence and fire, before being confronted by the holy man Mpu Bharata, himself transformed into Barong, the sun-lion.

Back in Scotland, Margaret, herself a storyteller, was struck by the parallels with the Scottish story of Bierra, another raging witch, who turns the land to ice, hammering down the snowdrops and crocuses, before battling with Angus Og from the Isle of Summer.

Naga Mas began working on the idea and approached storyteller Marion Kenny, only to discover that she had in fact studied dance in Bali. The performance tonight starts  with a baris dance, to bless the space and ward off evil spirits, and is followed by dances devised by Marion to show off the fantastic Sisya witch and Rangda mask. At the end of Bierra story Marion chose to incorporate a Chinese warrior dance with much spear swirling, echoing the turning of Corryvreckan whirlpool where Bierra washes her plaid.

Through the winter months, Margaret and Marion worked together with Signy Jakobsdottir, drummer and musical director of Naga Mas, to assemble the musical setting for the stories, drawing on the full breadth of the group's repertoire; new works picked up at the Codarts Summer School (Beleganjur, Perbawa by I Made Arnawa and Kecak taught by I Wayan Dibia), a Balinese dance piece transcribed from a recording Marion made in Bali, newly composed music by members of the group and by special guest Dan Schellhas from USA who is here with us tonight.

SUPPORTED BY

Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Storytelling Centre.