“Deeply emotional and slightly mad, this is a performance which stands out from the rest“
Fascinating, mad and impactful are just a few of the words one could use to describe A Giant On The Bridge. This concert-like experience mixed with spoken-word theatre blends the story of a father on his way home from prison to meet his family with that of a more traditional story of a giant and a prince. Accompanied by songs written through the “Distant Voices: Coming Home” project, this performance and its message stood out.
Based on real life events, this performance was devised from the “Distant Voices: Coming Home” project, a four-year research collaboration with the intent of shining a light on the experience of those affected by the criminal justice system. These workshops were used to give a voice to people who had previously been in prison and those still in the system, or to quote from the performance, “those who have crossed the bridge home and those yet to do so”. The use of music to tell their stories and give insight into their lived experiences feels very personal and comes from an intimate place.
The music itself is varied. Ranging from pensive and melodic in songs like “Autopilot” to more classic rock vibes in “Fuck It Button”, every song has a story to tell and they all sounded great. Despite different genres in the mix, there was a feeling of connection between all the songs. The emotional weight of these songs is felt as it was stated at the start of the show that some of the song-writing sessions became quite dark at times, understandably so. Upon speaking to co-creator and musical director Jo Mango, she stated that there were over 150 songs written throughout the workshops. Although all of them could not make it into the performance, the selection within the show is effective in helping us understand more about not only the lives of people who have left or are still in the justice system but the people that care about them.
When asked about why this narrative was blended with that of a more traditional fairytale, Mango mentioned that a common theme across the workshops with many inmates was that of heartlessness, specifically that this was how they felt towards the justice system. This lent itself well to the story of giant who had lost its heart and also created a parallel between this character and how many people saw them; as monsters. The story in question is based on the fairytale “The Giant Who Had No Heart In His Body”, though is altered somewhat from the original text. This narrative weaves through the prison homecoming by means of former inmate D’s daughter Faye, telling the story to her dad through letters. These letters are never sent by her Aunt June however as they act as a fantasised version of what has been going on in their lives while D has been in prison. While details are never explicitly mentioned, we are told that June was forced to leave her partner due to domestic abuse and she had to flea in order to shield Faye. The blend of these stories surprisingly works quite well and both narratives remain compelling. Special mention has to go to Kim Grant for the narration of the Giant’s story. Her telling of this tale was incredibly captivating which brought the whole performance up a level. All the musicians in this show were truly fantastic, everyone involved in each aspect of telling the story, through words, song and instrumental.
Overall, this was a deeply impactful performance. It did an exceptional job of highlighting the journey people go through, both in prison and after, as well as showcasing why we should focus more on reformation than punishment within the system. Plus, aside from being emotional and interesting, the music just sounded brilliant which is always a bonus. If anything, all one could really ask for was more.
The next stop on this tour will be The Studio Theatre in Edinburgh from Friday 13th-Saturday 14th March and closes at LAS Cinema and Theatre, Portree in Skye on Saturday 21st March.