Step aboard the SS Metagama, a journey that will take you from the Butt to Barra and on to the lakes and plains of Canada, to 1920s Detroit and Prohibition, through the ebb and flow of fortunes on both sides of the Atlantic, with the acclaimed musicians and singers of Metagama: An Atlantic Odyssey.
Writer and poet Donald S Murray, pianist/singer-songwriter Liza Mulholland, actor and 7:84 Theatre Company co-founding performer Dolina MacLennan, Gaelic singer and Mòd Gold Medallist John Joe MacNeil, fiddler Charlie Mackerron of Capercaillie, singer-songwriter/guitarist Willie Campbell of Tumbling Souls, cellist Juliette Lemoine, and visual artist Doug Robertson, movingly commemorate and celebrate the lives of the young emigrants.
From the heartache of homesickness and separation, the emotional poignancy of tragedy and loss, to the lively fun of cèilidh tunes on the dance floors of North America, the show gives voice to the experiences of those who left in 1923/24 and those who were left behind, telling the story of an important but little-known period in Hebridean history, the devastating impact of which is still felt in the islands today. With new songs and instrumental music composed by the Ensemble, along with traditional Gaelic song, this stunning multi-artform show also includes narration and onstage archive photographs and original artwork.
Since they premiered this 5* show in a Creative Scotland-supported tour of the Highlands and Islands in 2023, the Metagama Ensemble’s project has struck a resonating chord and grown exponentially. Interest in the stories and music around the mass emigration, has been widespread, with capacity audiences throughout the tour and at Celtic Connections in 2024.
An album of music from the show was recorded in Spring 2025, again supported by Creative Scotland, released on Wee Studio Records and launched at HebCelt in July 2025. Autumn concerts were performed in Edinburgh and Cumbernauld, and a new Scottish tour sees the Ensemble take the show from Argyll to the Highlands in March 2026 with support from Creative Scotland.
‘Beautiful show, that tells a vital Scottish story full of immense contemporary resonances, through the voices and music of a truly remarkable ensemble company.’ **** Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
‘A night of exquisite music and joyful storytelling.’ ***** Inverness Courier
‘This album is a true gem, a breathtaking selection of new and traditional songs. The quality of the music is astonishing. A MUST LISTEN!’ ***** Andrew Smith, Folk London
‘Top drawer music!’ Gary West, presenter of piping podcast, Enjoy Your Piping.