The Argyll Arcade in “the beltin' heart” of downtown Glasgow is lined with expensive jewelry stores but the brightest gem on display there recently was The Sloans Project, a mini-opera by two gifted artists, Gareth Williams and David Brock. Teaming up with director James R. Carson, they have devised a site-specific work that uses every nook and cranny in Sloans, the oldest bar and restaurant in Glasgow, to tell its anthology of stories.
Scene one is set in the street-level bar, where a young couple (Douglas Nairne and Miranda Sinani) have stopped for a celebratory drink after having bought their engagement ring in the Arcade. Problems arise when a drunk (Alistair Digges) spoils their happiness by sounding off about his busted marriage. He soon stumbles out, leaving behind his estranged wife's wedding ring. The ring's fate is left up to the conflicted young couple.
The subsequent four scenes, which average about 15 minutes each, tell bitter-sweet stories about the history and mythology of Sloans Bar, such as a ghost story and a bawdy tale about an infamous wake in which the corpse was propped up in the “snug room.”
The Sloans Project deserves high praise for its sprightly score and exquisite singing (mezzo Shuna Scott Sendall was an additional standout). A six piece orchestra, led by Williams, did yeoman work, as well, ditto the salty-tongued narrator, Louise Montgomery.
