Get Up and Tie Your Fingers

Fiona Black’s direction of this play by Ann Coburn was outstanding and had the audience in it’s grip from the opening line to the closing one wringing out every ounce of emotion from joy and laughter to sorrow and tears. On an atmospheric set comprising two prows of 19th century fishing boats, and festooned by original fishing nets of the period and other memorabilia, we are told the tragic story of Black Friday – 14 October 1881 – when a freak storm drove the Eyemouth fishing fleet on to the rocks resulting in the death of 189 men all drowned in sight of land. The lighting too was very atmospheric and even included a visit from the Northern Lights. The story is told from the perspective of three of their womenfolk – Janet a mother, Jean a wife and mother and Molly a daughter and sister. Morag Barron was excellent as the eldest of the three the couthy Janet, always ready to offer a word of wisdom or tell a humorous tale of her days as a herring lassie or offer a shoulder to cry on. Jay MacGregor as teenager Molly depicted equally well the enthusiasm of a young girl eager to flee the ties of her mother’s apron strings and experience the adventures of travelling the country as part of a herring crew and how quickly after the tragedy she had to grow and shoulder responsibilities. Rosalyn Paton as house-proud Jean, wife and mother of fishermen, was outstanding and the scene in which she explained to Janet the reason behind her incessant need for cleanliness – a doctor had told her during a cholera epidemic which had claimed the lives of her mother, father and brother that a dirty home could contribute to their deaths and so she believed if she kept her home spotless it would keep her husband and children safe – was heart rending and had many in the audience wiping the tears from their eyes. Although based on a tragic event there were many lighter moments, most of which were instigated by Janet, when the three would sing and dance to the traditional songs of the fisher folk and the play ends with the three women deciding to get on with their lives by becoming a herring crew and following the fish. Congratulations to all involved in this another superb production from The Florians.

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