Iain F Macleod's I was a Beautiful Day was commissioned by the Traverse to open the new An Lanntair arts centre in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, before embarking on a tour throughout the Highlands and Islands. Macleod's text is about the finite amount of information a map can give you; the sad fact that a map with it's precision of detail can not help you to explore the stories that gives a place it's name or the feeling of actually being there. I was a Beautiful Day is an historic map of Lewis; with hand written scrawls beside each place name explaining the myths, language, and heritage of the area. Exploring not just the facts but how to experience the place and what it means to belong there.
Dan, Iain Macrae, belongs there, a native of Robhanis he spends his days in his room at Dunard Psychiatric Unit documenting the rich culture of the area and trying to forget his time in the first Gulf War. While Lube, John Kazek, previously a successful businessman, husband and father, has just been downgraded from a maximum security ward, has plans of a wild escape from the institution with his reluctantly claimed pal Dan.
The two could not be more different. John Kazek's Lube is foul mouthed, sexist and in-yer-face while Iain Macrae's Dan is regimented, self restrained and self committed to the institution which Lube would kill to escape from. What these two do share is an understanding of Gaelic and, a sense of identity. The odd couple's strange friendship is put under strain when Anne, Lesley Hart , a cartographer from Ordnance Survey, turns up at Dan's door to find out the place names for her map of Robhanis.
Mary Robson's stark hospital room set, coldly lit by Kai Fischer, contrasts sharply with the wide open landscape featured in Macleod's rich, entrancing poetry, providing a suitably claustrophobic, confined space for the actor's to play out their conflicts - which they do admirably; breathing life and passion into the complex characters of the play. What this production is lacking in is more of the wit and imagery to realise Macleod's excellent text.
I was a Beautiful Day is an exhilarating play that questions Scottish identity with astute humour and a Lewis flavour. ****
I was a Beautiful Day at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh until 19th November 2005.
