Wordplay set for musical twist

THIS YEAR’s Wordplay festival will take on a different form in the shape of an interactive sound-art installation created by author James Robertson and fiddler Aidan O’Rourke.

The event will revolve around the Scottish pair’s immersive 365: Stories and Music production, which will launch at the Edinburgh International Book Festival later this year.

Robertson wrote a short story every day for a year, each story comprising of 365 words, and the collection published in 2014 by Penguin as 365: Stories.

Lau fiddler O’Rourke then took on the challenge of writing a new tune every day for a year, with the results coming together in 365: Stories and Music.

Wordplay will kick off with an opening concert on Friday 1 November at Mareel, with the installation set to be resident in the venue for a fortnight.

The concert will see O’Rourke perform with composer and pianist Kit Downes, while Robertson will also perform readings.

The following day a writing workshop will be hosted by Robertson, while O’Rourke and Downes will undertake a composition and harmony class.

The Lau man will also hold a fiddle workshop.

Shetland Arts’ usual Wordplay celebration event with local authors will take place on 15 November.

The literature festival is set to take a more familiar form in 2020 with local author Malachy Tallack set to curate the event.