A video of the first play by the ‘Manx National Playwright’ has been released online, marking an important step in access to Manx culture.

One of the earliest Manx plays, ‘The Charm,’ was first performed in the Peel Centenary Centre in 1912, but it is only with this recording of its 2017 performance in the same venue that it appears online for the first time.

Because it is the first play by Christopher Shimmin, the Peel MHK once dubbed the ‘Manx National Playwright.’ Originally a sail maker, Shimmin returned to Peel as a monumental mason after travelling in America, and became a key figure in the Manx cultural revival in the 1900s. This performance of his play appearing online is important to widening access to the vernacular theatre of the Isle of Man.
“Too few know about the rich heritage of plays which the Isle of Man can boast,” says James Franklin of Culture Vannin, “but it in many ways it is the most Manx of all art forms, bringing together costume, stories, folklore, accents, dialect and more.”

The performance was given by the Michael Players, who recently received the Isle of Man’s highest award for contribution to culture, the Reih Bleeaney Vanannan (RBV). Having been performing Manx dialect theatre for over 60 years, the group are the only remaining regular performers of the traditional plays of the Isle of Man.

The performance was given at the Manks Concert held on the centenary of the death of Sophia Morrison, who is the subject of the major exhibition ongoing at the Manx Museum. The event on the 14th of January was organised by the Manx Branch of the Celtic Congress, the Mannin Branch of the Celtic League and Mec Vannin. It was filmed by Culture Vannin.

“The coming together of these different forces in the cultural life of the Isle of Man was wonderful,” said Franklin, “by working together like this, we can get the message out about the richness and brilliance of Manx culture.”

The recorded concert also included songs, dance, poetry and stories from Peel Clothworkers’ School, Ny Fennee, Caarjyn Cooidjagh, Scran, Christine Bregazzi, Clare Christian and others.

‘The Charm’ and all 19 videos of the Manks Concert are available from Culture Vannin - www.culturevannin.im.