Development Work Highlights

The video excerpts below are archive excerpts from the When Mountains Meet devising process started from Stellar Quines and Bijli Theatre's Make Do and Mend programme during the pandemic of March 2021. The process continued with support from Assembly Roxy in April 2021, a residency in Scourie (the Scottish Highlands) in May 2021, a week of development at National Theatre of Scotland in October 2021 and finally participating in the Royal Lyceum Edinburgh's Wonder Festival in April 2022.

In 2021 the creative team hosted three digital events to highlight the art forms being used: story, music, and food. Exciting artists and contributors such as Mashal Peerzada from Yellow Brick Creative Development were invited to share creative work and discussion, exploring the themes of the piece: identity, belonging, landscape, and mixed heritage which you can find on our storytelling blog post.

The music zoom discussion hosted by Co-Director Niloo-Far Khan, encouraged conversation with Rick Wilson and Rakae Jamil about how these themes have shaped the creation of When Mountains Meet and are embedded in all elements of the production. Below is a sneak peek into how the music that is rooted in Scottish folk and South Asian classical music is starting a dialogue and is evolving.

SCOTLAND AND PAKISTAN - WHERE THE MUSIC MEETS - June 2021

Anne Wood and Rakae Jamil improvise using classical instruments, developing a sound world for the characters in When Mountains Meet.

ALAP MAP - Rockvilla October 2021

For the purposes of early development all the characters were anonymised and Anne became known as Isla. In this short sharing, Isla a young professional musician, explores her belonging in her own landscape with a sense of longing for the unknown part of her belonging in Pakistan. Music and composition by Anne Wood, Farouq was played by Afnan Iftikhar. Although the material below has evolved, the development process was essential in helping accurately represent Anne's story and the themes of love, family and shared culture.

ROYAL LYCEUM EDINBURGH WONDER FESTIVAL

As part of the Edinburgh Royal Lyceum's Wonder Festival 2022, the team presented a 15-minute audio and visual journey of the true account of Anne's diaries in Pakistan when she went to meet her father. The video showcases the making of the installation, with Eleanor Mumford and Niloo-Far Khan.

Featuring

• Anne Wood: Soundtrack creation, composer, musician and voice over

• Rakae Jamil: Sitar

• Anthony O’Flaherty: Pakistan photography

• Eleanor Mumford: Designer of images and installation

• Niloo-Far Khan: Co- Director

• Kath Burlinson: Co- Director

• Kate Taylor: Producer

With special thanks to The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, Jackie Crichton, Alexandra Lort Phillips, Craig Fleming Jack Summers-McKay and Allander.

We are very humbled to have been given so much support from the artist communities and organisations that have participated and offered their time for our zoom events and our sharings.