“Islander” is a tale steeped in Scottish folklore, but it’s less about traditional myths than the myths we tell ourselves. A gentle two-hander, it’s held together by a mystic strangeness and mystery that, artfully, is never fully revealed.
Some of that magic is owed to the live vocal looping and electronic mixing effects that liven the fictional island of Kinnan, where a small population is dwindling as those in search of greater opportunities relocate to the “Big Land.” The resulting sounds, created onstage, are uncanny: a chilling whale song, lapping waves and even a full folk band evoked via a cappella voices all bring the rain-soaked island into sharper focus.
It would be easy for the constant role-switching to become tiresome or confusing, but Craig and MacGaraidh handle it with a nimble grace. It’s exciting to watch them jump between characters, molding their limbs, pitching or deepening their voices, taking on slouches and scowls and sighs, with such dexterity, often between lyrics.
“Islander” was conceived by Amy Draper around 2017 and made a splash at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival before moving to an off-Broadway run and eventually embarking on its current North American and European tour. Its most visible theme — the grim fight to hold on to a thin slice of home on a planet threatened by a changing climate — speaks more forcefully now, perhaps, than when the musical was initially developed.
That’s why, when Eilidh and Arran part, their bittersweet vow to reunite rings oddly hopeful. “If the whales are still swimming,” Arran says.