Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 02 May 2012
02 May 2012 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
National Performing Companies
Unsurprisingly, I open with a quotation from Tennessee Williams, describing the creative process as he saw it. He said:
“I believe the way to write a good play is to convince yourself it is easy to do—then go ahead and do it with ease. Don’t maul, don’t suffer, don’t groan till the first draft is finished. A play is a phoenix and it dies a thousand deaths. Usually at night. In the morning it springs up again from its ashes and crows like a happy rooster. It is never as bad as you think, it is never as good. ... An artist must believe in himself. Your belief is contagious.”
Tennessee Williams’s description of that creative process is probably true of all creative processes. Whether it is acting, performing, directing or writing, it is about the initial spark of enthusiasm; the inspiration that leads to the pain and self-doubt; the obstacles that are to be overcome during production; and finally the finished production, which is made possible by the self-belief, dedication and hard graft of all those involved. Thank goodness that our national performing companies are filled with writers, musicians, actors, dancers, performers and directors who are driven by that self-belief. I, for one, am glad—just as Tennessee Williams said—that “belief is contagious”, because I certainly have the bug.
I quoted Tennessee Williams because of Scottish Ballet’s interpretation of “A Streetcar Named Desire”. I was lucky enough to see a performance and I consider it to be a masterpiece of storytelling and drama. At the post-performance talk in the evening, I also learned that it is groundbreaking. As the cabinet secretary mentioned, the director, Nancy Meckler, is normally associated with theatre direction, and is best known for her work with the Shared Experience theatre company. Nancy co-directed with the choreographer to bring the production together. I was enthralled by the dancing, but the music in the production is so powerful and evocative that I am sure that if I had shut my eyes, I would have heard the whole story through the New Orleans jazz. It was another innovative move to commission Peter Salem, who is a screen and television composer, to provide a new jazz score for the live ballet.
I commend those who are responsible for commissioning that brave and innovative production because without their firm belief in the concept at the earliest stage and the way in which their contagious belief and excitement affected the creative process, our country’s cultural reputation would not have been enhanced as it has been by Scottish Ballet’s “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Although our national performing companies have excellent international reputations for their craft and for big traditional productions such as Scottish Ballet’s “Nutcracker”, Scottish Opera’s “Tosca” or the National Theatre of Scotland’s “Peer Gynt”, their willingness to innovate and experiment has led to great productions such as “A Streetcar Named Desire” and the National Theatre’s “Black Watch”, which I note has been ranked by the National Library of Scotland as being one of the 12 most significant plays in Scotland in the past 40 years.
That kind of self-belief and ability to infect and enthuse everyone with new and exciting ideas led to Scottish Opera’s phenomenally successful “BabyO” project for six to 18-month-old babies, which Annabel Goldie mentioned. I am delighted to hear that it will be followed by “SensoryO”, which is a 30-minute show that is designed for children from 18 to 36 months and their carers. “SensoryO” is rich in sound, rhythm and music and takes toddlers into a magical night-time world. The production has been developed specifically to introduce young audiences to live performance in a relaxed and intimate environment, and mixes live singing performances, smell, textures and actions to stimulate the imagination of the young. In short, it is a curriculum for excellence dream.
I saw my first opera in the Henderson theatre in Shotts as part of a Scottish Opera programme to take opera into our communities. The company is still doing the same today. I was a bit older than the audience for “BabyO” and “SensoryO” but seeing opera at primary school contributed to my lifelong love of live music and theatre performance, so I have no doubt that both shows will inspire future artists, performers and fans.
Finally, I want to mention the wonderful role that our national performing companies play in nurturing and supporting youth development in their crafts. Scottish Opera’s “Connect” programme for 14 to 21-year-olds gives aspiring singers and orchestral musicians a unique practical introduction to the skills and experiences that are needed to perform opera. No matter whether they are singers or musicians, participants have a chance to develop their knowledge, technique and creative skills under the expert tuition of Scotland’s top opera professionals, and are able to attend Scottish Opera rehearsals and productions to allow them to see what really happens when everything comes together.
In short, our national performing companies are truly the jewels in Scotland’s cultural crown.
15:43
“I believe the way to write a good play is to convince yourself it is easy to do—then go ahead and do it with ease. Don’t maul, don’t suffer, don’t groan till the first draft is finished. A play is a phoenix and it dies a thousand deaths. Usually at night. In the morning it springs up again from its ashes and crows like a happy rooster. It is never as bad as you think, it is never as good. ... An artist must believe in himself. Your belief is contagious.”
Tennessee Williams’s description of that creative process is probably true of all creative processes. Whether it is acting, performing, directing or writing, it is about the initial spark of enthusiasm; the inspiration that leads to the pain and self-doubt; the obstacles that are to be overcome during production; and finally the finished production, which is made possible by the self-belief, dedication and hard graft of all those involved. Thank goodness that our national performing companies are filled with writers, musicians, actors, dancers, performers and directors who are driven by that self-belief. I, for one, am glad—just as Tennessee Williams said—that “belief is contagious”, because I certainly have the bug.
I quoted Tennessee Williams because of Scottish Ballet’s interpretation of “A Streetcar Named Desire”. I was lucky enough to see a performance and I consider it to be a masterpiece of storytelling and drama. At the post-performance talk in the evening, I also learned that it is groundbreaking. As the cabinet secretary mentioned, the director, Nancy Meckler, is normally associated with theatre direction, and is best known for her work with the Shared Experience theatre company. Nancy co-directed with the choreographer to bring the production together. I was enthralled by the dancing, but the music in the production is so powerful and evocative that I am sure that if I had shut my eyes, I would have heard the whole story through the New Orleans jazz. It was another innovative move to commission Peter Salem, who is a screen and television composer, to provide a new jazz score for the live ballet.
I commend those who are responsible for commissioning that brave and innovative production because without their firm belief in the concept at the earliest stage and the way in which their contagious belief and excitement affected the creative process, our country’s cultural reputation would not have been enhanced as it has been by Scottish Ballet’s “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Although our national performing companies have excellent international reputations for their craft and for big traditional productions such as Scottish Ballet’s “Nutcracker”, Scottish Opera’s “Tosca” or the National Theatre of Scotland’s “Peer Gynt”, their willingness to innovate and experiment has led to great productions such as “A Streetcar Named Desire” and the National Theatre’s “Black Watch”, which I note has been ranked by the National Library of Scotland as being one of the 12 most significant plays in Scotland in the past 40 years.
That kind of self-belief and ability to infect and enthuse everyone with new and exciting ideas led to Scottish Opera’s phenomenally successful “BabyO” project for six to 18-month-old babies, which Annabel Goldie mentioned. I am delighted to hear that it will be followed by “SensoryO”, which is a 30-minute show that is designed for children from 18 to 36 months and their carers. “SensoryO” is rich in sound, rhythm and music and takes toddlers into a magical night-time world. The production has been developed specifically to introduce young audiences to live performance in a relaxed and intimate environment, and mixes live singing performances, smell, textures and actions to stimulate the imagination of the young. In short, it is a curriculum for excellence dream.
I saw my first opera in the Henderson theatre in Shotts as part of a Scottish Opera programme to take opera into our communities. The company is still doing the same today. I was a bit older than the audience for “BabyO” and “SensoryO” but seeing opera at primary school contributed to my lifelong love of live music and theatre performance, so I have no doubt that both shows will inspire future artists, performers and fans.
Finally, I want to mention the wonderful role that our national performing companies play in nurturing and supporting youth development in their crafts. Scottish Opera’s “Connect” programme for 14 to 21-year-olds gives aspiring singers and orchestral musicians a unique practical introduction to the skills and experiences that are needed to perform opera. No matter whether they are singers or musicians, participants have a chance to develop their knowledge, technique and creative skills under the expert tuition of Scotland’s top opera professionals, and are able to attend Scottish Opera rehearsals and productions to allow them to see what really happens when everything comes together.
In short, our national performing companies are truly the jewels in Scotland’s cultural crown.
15:43
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-02738, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on the national performing companies. I call Fiona Hyslop to speak to...
The Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs (Fiona Hyslop)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to debate and celebrate the significant achievements of the five national performing companies during the first five years of direc...
Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (Lab)
Lab
I am delighted to have the opportunity to debate our national performing companies, and I am sure that the debate will be consensual.Scottish Labour decided ...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
The member might be reflecting some coverage that the audience figures received when they were released. She might also be aware that the chief executive of ...
Patricia Ferguson
Lab
I entirely accept the point that the cabinet secretary makes, but I think that it suggests that the publications that give us those facts and figures need to...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I call Annabel Goldie, who has a very generous six minutes.15:30
Annabel Goldie (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank the minister for bringing the motion to the chamber for debate, and I am pleased to speak in the debate because I, too, want to pay tribute to the br...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
We come to the open debate, for which we have a little bit of time in hand. Speeches of a generous six minutes can be made by everyone in the debate.15:37
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Unsurprisingly, I open with a quotation from Tennessee Williams, describing the creative process as he saw it. He said:“I believe the way to write a good pla...
Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (Lab)
Lab
I commend the cabinet secretary for bringing this debate to the chamber and I join her in praising the outstanding work of the national performing companies ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I can be more generous.
Malcolm Chisholm
Lab
The same themes can be reiterated with reference to the National Theatre of Scotland and the orchestras. We all know of the outreach work that they do. The R...
Jean Urquhart (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
Our big five—Scotland’s five national performing companies—with their singing, dancing, music and storytelling to gladden the heart, are things of which we o...
Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
SNP
I align myself with the remarks made by Annabelle Ewing—sorry, I mean Annabel Goldie. She has changed.
Annabel Goldie
Con
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Some errors made in the chamber are justifiable and acceptable, but others are much more difficult to thole.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
That is not really a point of order.
Sandra White
SNP
I accept Annabel Goldie’s explanation, given that we are talking about the performing companies. I align myself with some of her remarks, as I, too, have bee...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
Sandra White makes an important point. I refer her to a report that I think I brought to the Parliament’s attention when answering a question from Annabel Go...
Sandra White
SNP
I thank the cabinet secretary for that and look forward to seeing that strategy in the future.The link with education is important. It is great that the Roya...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
For a number of reasons, I am delighted to have the opportunity to participate in this debate. I will start by focusing on what I see as the significance of ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
I would be grateful if you would draw to a close sometime soon, please.
Claudia Beamish
Lab
I am just about to, Presiding Officer. Thank you.The Scottish Government states that cultural engagement also“helps reinforce our resilience in difficult tim...
Annabelle Ewing (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP)
SNP
I am very pleased to have been called to speak in this debate on Scotland’s national performing companies and, indeed, to follow on from the very considerate...
Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
As we have heard, the national performing arts companies have an important role. Not only do they allow Scots of all ages to experience the very best in thea...
Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to speak in this debate on the work of our national performing companies. All the companies do sterling wor...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
We move to the closing speeches. Annabel Goldie has a generous six minutes.16:32
Annabel Goldie
Con
The debate has been interesting and genuinely helpful. What our creative industries and NPCs do for Scotland and our economy has been universally recognised;...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
I gently point out to Annabel Goldie that we have gone through the credit crunch and the recession. Interestingly, the arts and business figures for Scotland...
Annabel Goldie
Con
I thank the cabinet secretary for that observation. I value what the sponsors and fund-raisers are doing; I simply point out that, if we cannot explain that ...
Patricia Ferguson
Lab
I, too, thank colleagues around the chamber for their interesting and thoughtful contributions to what has been a very good and consensual debate. That is a ...