The Ballad of Isobel Gunn 

⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

The Ballad of Isobel Gunn tells the story of Isobel Gunn the first woman to travel from Britain to Canada employed by the Hudson Bay company. 

Melanie Gall a Canadian Woman has come to Scotland to trace her final resting place.

Born in Orkney 1781 Gunn a smallpox scarred spinster knew knitting , socks and gloves was not the life she wanted , hearing great tales of her brother a labourer employed by the Hudson Bay company in Canada. 

One night she is visited by a local sooth sayer who intimates she should cast her own skin like the Selkie, a seal like being that could shed its skin and live a time with the people. With that in mind she transforms herself in to looking like a man and joining the long boat travel to Canada. 

Unfortunately, her cover is blown and one man takes her innocence.  If you want to know more buy a ticket to the show! 

Melanie Gall is a lovely performer and singer (even if recovering from a lost voice) Canadian herself she sings very well in the Orcadian broad Scots. 

This is a story not widely known although some songs and even a fictionalised version of the story has been written. 

I would like to have seen the characters explored more, get more of a feeling of who they were, their thoughts and dreams. Possibly fleshing out the hardships on board the ship and exactly how she managed to cover her female identity, rather than just a passing not to not swimming to bathe. 

All in all though this is lovely wee musical play with words that tells a story of an almost forgotten Scots woman, who dared to break free. 

Find some time to slot it in to your schedule