Wind Resistance is a new show from Karine Polwart for Edinburgh International Festival. The show focuses on a peat bog area to the south-east of Edinburgh called Fala Flow. The area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest with a particular ornithological interest. Every autumn, pink-footed geese fly from Iceland and Greenland to winter there. They started roosting at Fala Flow during the years of World War II. This was due to their displacement from the mudflats of Aberlady Bay in East Lothian as these were being used for bombing practice. Whilst the majority of the geese have returned to the Bay, Fala Flow still attracts some two and a half thousand geese.
Like the pink-footed geese this first ever show for theatre by Karine finds her stretching her wings and trying something new. As you can see from the video above, the area is very dear to Karine, she likes to visit the moor to take in the scenery, wildlife and the beautiful open space. It seems the ideal place to let the mind wander freely and to undertake some musing.
During the show Karine surveys the surrounding landscape of Fala Flow through history, song, birdlore and personal memoir. Ideas of sanctuary, maternity, goose skeins, Scottish football legend and medieval medicine all take flight, in this compelling combination of story and song.
Karine created Wind Resistance with dramaturgy from David Greig, Artistic Director of The Lyceum. The Director is Wils Wilson whose credits include The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart with the National Theatre of Scotland, Praxis Makes Perfect for National Theatre Wales and I Want My Hat Back for the National Theatre of Great Britain.
The show runs from 4th – 21st August 2016 at The Lyceum Edinburgh.