Copyright scotsman
The latest production by the National Theatre of Scotland (NTS) sounds a hoot. But if you want to see it, there is a catch. First, you need to check yourself into Edinburgh’s Western General. It is called Trolleydarity and it can only be seen in hospital. Supported by Tonic Arts, run by NHS Lothian Charity, the show aims to bring some brief moments of escape to patients who, it is safe to say, would rather be somewhere else. Stuck in a hospital bed, they cannot travel but they can at least dream of an island getaway or a place in the sun. The production’s full title is Trolleydarity – Scratch N Sniff Staycations For The Discerning Static Traveller and it is the work of theatremaker Shona Reppe and visual artist Alan Grieve. “It’s a breath of fresh air,” says Reppe, one of Scotland’s most inventive children’s theatre practitioners making one of her occasional forays into theatre for adults. “It’s an amuse-bouche, where they can go, ‘Yeah, these nutters came around with a trolley and I’ve got this postcard.’” When producer Karen Allan of the NTS asked her if she would like to collaborate with Grieve, Reppe had an unusual headstart. Not only did she already know Grieve, but he was her hairdresser. Since 2011, Grieve has run Workspace Dunfermline, an exhibition space that doubles as a hair salon. Hairdressing was his job before he completed a degree in fine arts at Dundee’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design. Now, he turns out jokey text-based illustrations, not a million miles from those of David Shrigley. That’s when he is not getting his scissors out. “I need to get my hair cut tomorrow,” says Reppe. “That’s why it’s so bushy. I need Alan.” “It’s still looking gorgeous,” says Grieve, ever the professional. “We had this grey area where we were hairdresser and client, but also artists and really interested in each other’s work,” says Reppe. “It’s the nature of what I do,” says Grieve who is big on social engagement. “I come across people all the time and if I see an opportunity, whether they’re an artist or not, there’s always a chance that something might happen.” To work together was an easy decision. The greater challenge was to devise some kind of performance. What would work in such an unusual setting? How to entertain people of all ages, backgrounds and degrees of infirmity? How could they respect the wishes of those who were in hospital to get better and not to see a show? To avoid rushing their decisions, they started by observing. They did it in the most hands-on way possible: by putting on purple polo shirts and volunteering to work on the mobile shop doing its rounds from bed to bed. “I was in hospital aged seven and I remember a trolley coming around when I was bedbound,” says Reppe. “It was free in those days and this trolley was covered in sweets. You would grab a bowl and just pick what you wanted – anything to keep the kids happy. I said to Alan, ‘I think the trolley is the way in.’” READ MORE: Theatre reviews: Arlington | A Piano Full of Feathers Working the wards over several weeks reinforced their instincts about the kind of show they should make. “We wanted to let it take its shape and definitely to avoid the ‘Ta-dah!’ moment,” says Grieve. “There are lots of people in there that are frankly not interested in anything like that. They were not even interested in the regular trolley with all its sweets. We had to find a way not to be in their faces. It is all about a generous act in a ward but not foisting it upon anybody.” As they talked to patients, the word they heard most frequently was “escape”. That gave them the idea to develop a piece that would transport people somewhere else, if only in their imaginations. Instead of coming around selling chocolate, juice and magazines, perhaps they could bring a competition with travel as the prize – and everyone a winner. Perhaps instead of lottery scratch cards, they could bring scratch ‘n’ sniff cards. And perhaps, with holidays in mind, they could push something that looked less like a hospital trolley and more like something that squeezes down the aisle of an aeroplane. “We wanted to do something that was free like the trolley was,” says Reppe. “That’s why we called it Trolleydarity.” The pair will show up unannounced in the guise of holiday reps. Introducing themselves either to a single patient or to a whole ward, they will offer a menu of 15 destinations, a postcard quirkily designed by Grieve (“Visit the magical island of Lewis Capaldi,” says one), a scratch ‘n’ sniff card and a set of headphones. The patients will hear a two-minute audio, put together by sound designer Danny Krass, while breathing in their chosen smell. Having collaborated with fragrance specialist Celessence Technologies, Reppe and Grieve offer a choice of five smells, including charcoal and freshly cut grass, to complement the audio journey. The whole thing will come and go in a matter of minutes. “The humour is through the card and the presentation, but the experience is actually quite beautiful,” says Reppe. READ MORE: Theatre reviews: To Kill a Mockingbird | Righ Iasgair: The Fisher King The pilot scheme runs throughout November and into December (one of the options has a Christmas theme) and, after fine-tuning, they will hand it over to other performers in the new year. They hope it will extend to other hospitals. It has no therapeutic aim and seeks only to entertain. “All we want to do is make these people forget whatever’s going on for ten minutes,” says Reppe. “There is no medical motivation except general welfare. There’s a lot to be said for just giving people the opportunity to escape. I feel like that when I do theatre for children: I don’t know what their backgrounds are like, I don’t know what their home life is like, but if I can give them an hour of losing themselves in something, then I’ve done my job.” For more on Trolleydarity, visit https://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/projects/trolleydarity. Feature produced in association with the National Theatre of Scotland. The Scotsman’s arts newsletter is now sent twice a week - subscribe today Want the latest Scottish headlines sent directly to your phone? Sign up to our new WhatsApp channel here.
