Fringe 2025 – Mairi Campbell
Local musician, Mairi Campbell, will perform her Pendulum Trilogy for the first time ever at this year's Fringe.
This will be the tenth anniversary since one part of the trilogy, Pulse, was first performed and will take place at The Scottish Storytelling Centre from 2 to 17 August.
The music is a mix of autobiographical storytelling and live music from the Fringe First award-winner.
The three chapters, which blend autobiographical storytelling with transformative live music and vocals, are:
Pulse: A homecoming in viola, voice, movement and storytelling. First performed in 2015, this is Mairi's journey of musical discovery, from a stifling classical music education, to love and danger in Mexico and discovering her roots in Cape Breton, Canada.
Auld Lang Syne: Mairi's adventures with Scotland's most famous song, which saw her own version used as the soundtrack to Sex and the City's iconic New Year's Eve scene. Delivered with her trademark wit and unparalleled musical ability, Auld Lang Syne weaves the history of Scotland's most enduring song with Mairi's personal journeys through the politics of childhood friendships, the challenges of romantic relationships and the highs and lows of success and failure.
Living Stone: The final part of Mairi's journey begins with the discovery of a 400 year-old mill stone on her home island of Lismore. Mairi explores the stone's stories and mysteries, the images within it and some of the 100 drawings she made of it. Performed alongside the mill stone itself, Living Stone is a distinctive blend of live music and song with visual art. This rich, multi-sensory experience highlights the mystery and beauty of everyday life and won the prestigious Fringe First Award when it premiered at Edinburgh Fringe 2024.
The three chapters can be enjoyed as individual stand-alone performances or as a complete trilogy, a rich reflection on the life and work of one of Scotland's most innovative artists.
After studying classical viola at the Guildhall School of Music, Mairi has become an established member of Scotland's traditional music scene, pushing the boundaries with her soundings and use of free improvisation. An interpreter of Scots song, with David Francis, Mairi has contributed a significant number of songs to its current canon. She is a regular collaborator, playing with the Occasionals, a Scottish dance band, Mr. McFalls Chamber, Concerto Caledonia. She has received six Scots Trad Music Awards including the Inspiration Award in 2018 and has been inducted into the Hand Up for Trad 2019 Hall of Fame. She received the Live Ireland Music Awards for Best Female Musician of the Year and Best Composition of the Year. Mairi's version of Auld Lang Syne, with David Francis, was used in the pivotal New Year's Eve scene of the film Sex and the City.
Mairi said: 'I'm very proud to present this body of work. It's been sweat, blood and tears, but the reward is gorgeous and I'm so enjoying the journey of showing them, now the hard work's been done. The three shows mark forty years – from ages 19 to 59. I'll be 60 during the run in August.
'Pulse takes the audience through the challenges of finding my feet – literally!- through traditional music in my twenties. Auld Lang Syne pulls back and yet forward. – a timeless song, unpacked and finally understood! Finally Living Stone is the journey of meeting my Talisman, the millstone that is present throughout all the shows.
'I've held onto my inner creative flame as best I could. At times it felt snuffed out but then the tiniest flicker in those moments of bleakness brought me back. This is the core of my creativity: making sure the flame doesn't go out.
'The Edinburgh Fringe is such a great opportunity to practice stagecraft. There aren't many places you can repeat something so often and get a really good creative workout. I couldn't have done it without my co-creators Kath Burlinson (director and co-creator) and Dave Gray, (co-composer). We've been on such a rich journey.'
After the Fringe, Mairi will tour with performances of Living Stone.
The Pendulum Trilogy Scottish Storytelling Centre, 2 – 17 August at 5pm
2 August Pulse
3 August Auld Lang Syne
4 August Living Stone
5 August Pulse
6 August Auld Lang Syne
7 August Living Stone
8 August Pulse
9 August Auld Lang Syne
10 August Living Stone
12 August Pulse
13 August Auld Lang Syne
14 August Living Stone
15 August Pulse
16 August Auld Lang Syne
17 August Living Stone
Mairi Campbell Auld Lang Syne – Credit Julia Fayngruen
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