Interview: Fiona Miller on bringing IN FLAMES to Glasgow's CCA

BWW speaks to Fiona Miller, artistic director of Tricky Hat about bringing performance company The Flames to Glasgow's CCA.

Tell us a little about the background of Tricky Hat.

Tricky Hat was founded 12 years ago, and it's a company that creates new theatre. The main focus is making theatre with, and about, older people. All of our work is collaborative, and we work with organisations like See Me Scotland to create dramas that challenge perceptions.

We look to support and then shift views of older and isolated people, and create live performances, digital installations, online films and Forum Theatre based interventions to do this.

Why is it important for these stories to be told?

These stories are important because they are real, and very much tap into lives in Scotland today. We are finding a voice in being older, in being visible and The Flames have lots to say.

The Flames are the participants who make the performance, and we invite them to respond to what's happening in the world; giving them a voice. Once we have worked with those performing, we create live performance, film and music to stage these stories to an audience.

How has the response to your work been so far?

It's been overwhelming. We think of our Guerrilla Sessions with The Flames as a set of questions - who is interested in doing this, and what do they want to say?

Since starting in 2016, the interest in those wanting to perform has grown from 8 people to 24 people; and now other arts organisations are interested in our processes of connecting with community.

Alongside collaborating with venues in Scotland, we are also heading off to Japan in April to look for collaborations there too. Exciting stuff.

Does the music play a big part in the piece?

Yes! Tricky Hat Associate Artist Mick Slaven creates live and recorded music in response to the stories told, usually with one of The Flames. Mick is a hugely experienced, top flight musician, recording artist and producer.

As a unit, he works with myself and Kim Beveridge too; she is our other Associate Artist and is a Video Designer for live theatre.

We have worked together for 7 years and The Flames grew from our collaborations.

Who would you recommend comes to see The Flames?

Everyone! We get a brilliant response from all ages and particularly young people in the audience. The Flames produce a contemporary style of performance. The content of the shows are things that everyone can relate too. Mostly they are surprising and enlightening.

Tricky Hat presents The Flames at CCA, Glasgow on Sunday 25 March at 3pm and 7pm:
http://www.cca-glasgow.com/programme/tricky-hat-the-flames-25mar

Photo credit: Mihaela Bodlovic

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