-Overview-

A mid-life mystery cycle

Conceived, written and performed by Kath Burlinson
Live Music by Christine Sparks
Artistic Direction by Paul Oertel and Nancy Spanier
Sound & Music Production: John Sparks

InVisible Lines is an intimate, daring odyssey that uses the human body as a canvas to explore ageing, loss, life-cycles, seasonality, death and defiance.

Through word, movement, song and visual imagery, InVisible Lines investigates what existence feels like when more of life has passed than is likely to lie ahead. It is tender, wild, joyous and ruthlessly honest.

Kath Burlinson founded the Authentic Artist Collective and is a theatremaker specialising in devised work. Recent directing/co-devising credits include Mairi Campbell’s Pulse and Auld Lang Syne (Made in Scotland showcases 2016/2018), The Old House (RADA Festival, Camden Fringe 2018), Stolen Voices (Tête à Tête, Arcola, Grimeborn), Hallaig by Iain Finlay Macleod (Robhanis Theatre, Tron & Highlands Tour, 2016-2017). authenticartist.co.uk

Musician and songwriter Christine Sparks writes and performs original material and is an accomplished arranger, including on her album, Robin: The Robert Burns Collection, Vol. 1. She composes and underscores for theatre and is leading the choir at the Glasgow Women’s Library. She has had a 35-year career as a professional singer including the Sensational Christine Sparks cabaret show. christinesparks.com

-Review-

This tender play starts with a backdrop of stars and the lines we, as humans, draw between them to make stories. It then moves on to explore the lines that radiate out from us back in time to our own, younger selves and back in time through the generations. ‘We are our ancestors.’At the heart of the play is how we heal these wounds through the bounty of self love for mind, body and spirit.

‘Be your own disaster falling from the stars’
‘Let yourself be broken, beautiful and broken.’

At the heart of the play is how we heal these wounds through the bounty of self-love for mind, body and spirit. ‘Be your own disaster and love it.’ ‘Let yourself be broken and love that too.’ Love yourself through the seasons of your days is the message and it is beautifully expressed through a script that is a living poem, and through song. In the first song, I heard echoes of Earth Kitt in Kath’s voice. Kath has presence and strength in her courage to be vulnerable in this performance. I wanted to capture words, moments and put them in my pocket for another day, and I want wings too!

By Moira Cormack for Love Books Group