In the Hartwood is a modern faerie tale commissioned for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023. It weaves together three stories from Scots oral tradition in a new tale about mental health and the healing power of nature and tells the story of how a small community transformed a once neglected paupers cemetery into a place of beauty and tranquility where people can nurture their wellbeing.
We need conversations about mental health and wellbeing. Just as we talk about diet and nutrition, we need to nourish our mental wellbeing and storytelling is a powerful force for opening dialogue.
In the Hartwood addresses themes of loss, and mental ill health along with strategies for relieving anxiety and tending wellbeing.
https://tracscotland.org/blog/in-the-hartwood/
In the Hartwood, my first storytelling show for the stage, was a joy to create in conversation with communities in North Lanarkshire about their memories of the hospital. Some, positive, some less so.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and that’s how it was with this story.
Thanks to Friends of Hartwood Paupers cemetery for sharing their story, Margaret MacSeveney my co-creator and mentor who was by my side every step of the adventure, Alan Macseveny who created special leaves for the performance, Aoife McGarrigle from Glasgow School of Art who printed the leaves, Heather Yule whose magical harp music conjured the faerie realm and revived fragments of Fantasia, a work by the almost forgotten composer, Robert Machardy; And historian Bob Currie who shared his research about Strathaven’s Russian Princess, actually a polish baroness, interred in Hartwood paupers’ cemetery. It was a highlight of the creative process visiting him for lunch at his retirement community in Lesmahagow. I didn’t know at the time but my first meeting with Bob, was to be my last as he passed away in the winter of 2023.
I am also thankful to attendees of SEASONS mental health service in Edinburgh who reminded me of the power of naming and came along to support me at the premiere.
The show premiered at the Netherbow theatre at the Scottish storytelling centre in October 2023
When I brought the story home to the Springhill Community Hub in Shotts it was followed by Q&A with Friends of Hartwood in which an eerie occurrence was revealed.
Emotions ran high throughout with tears in the audience and a sob of relief from me when I finished. Only the storytelling hasn’t finished…
Headlining the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) in Shotts 2024, accompanied by a stunning performance of Robert MacHardy’s lost music from soprano Monica Maghee at the Henderson Theatre and further developed with audience discussion and a creative felt-craft workshop for the Scottish Mental Health Art Festival’s 2024 showcase at the CCA in Glasgow.
Review of the opening night:
https://theqr.co.uk/2023/10/23/review-in-the-hartwood-sisf-2023
Magical Nature Stories 