Life in a Scotch Sitting-room, Vol .0

Call me an ignaramous, I don’t really know Ivor Cutler. I wasn’t a massive listener of John Peel and I don’t read half as much as I should. So I was unaware of his ‘Life in a Scotch Sitting-room’, which this evening was structured around. I was here to see Hamish Hawk do something different, but left with desire to explore Ivor’s work.

It was obvious we weren’t going to see a normal Hamish show, as the stage at the Bloomsbury theatre had been turned into a living room, with a cozy settee taking pride of place. 

I assumed this was going to be a one man show. However, Hamish entered the stage, accompanied by two musicians who throughout the evening provided an atmospheric ambient soundtrack to Hamish’s performance. One was even playing Ivor Cutler’s own harmonium. 

Hamish explained that he would be telling stories and singing Ivor’s songs alongside stories of his own childhood, in a Scottish sitting room. To differentiate, whenever he wore his red hat, those bits were Ivor’s words and music. The conceit worked well. 

Of course, all the singing parts were glorious. Hamish has such warm vocals. I suspect Ivor’s songs have never sounded so good. 

Stories of his own childhood, acted as introductions to Ivor’s songs. Hamish would move between sitting on the floor and the settee telling warm stories of a childhood he clearly remembered with fondness. These were small warm stories helped by Hamish’s charm and it did feel like you had been invited into his sitting room. The stories worked so well for me, because they reminded me of my own positive feelings about my childhood.

From his sullen older teenager sister, picking the decoration for the top of the Christmas tree and for a brief moment allowing her sullen teenage veneer to crack. To stories of the local mobile fishmonger upselling fish and each week leaving a lingering smell of fish after he would always ingratiate his way into the house to use the family’s facilities.. Each story was warm and familiar.

Playing members of his family, and clearly revelling playing the big characters he remembered from his childhood. Hamish occasionally cracked into laughter. Especially when playing Ivor.  

It was all very wholesome and I left with a with a wistful nostalgia.

This was a special evening. Introducing me to the world of Ivor Cutler, and opening the door to Hamish’s own childhood.

(No performance photos as we were under theatre rules)