The changing of the seasons, has always had a strong influence over Manx traditions and folklore, with the period of ’Laa Voaldyn’, around the turning of May, moving from winter to summer, being especially significant.

A new theatrical company, which makes its debut early next month, are to base their first evening of plays on such traditions.

Tholtan Theatricals will host ’At the Season’s Edge’ at the Erin Arts Centre on Saturday, October 2, from 7.30pm.

The group, formed by Manx poet and composer Annie Kissack, will perform two original one-act plays, entitled ’The In-Between Times’ and ’Our Loch-y Charm’, accompanied by music from the Manx Gaelic choir Caarjyn Cooidjagh.

Annie,who is also one of the living Manx Bards, said that the group ended up forming after she was commissioned to write a play for Culture Vannin, based around the May Day traditions.

’I wanted to write a play that was based around May eve and the turning of the seasons, winter into summer, that kind of thing,’ said Annie.

’However, I decided that I would take a slightly different look at the May eve customs.

’I took a lot of inspiration from people who wrote to the local newspapers around the 19th century. And there were certainly some strongly worded letters there.

’It gave me plenty to think about.’

The letters were about people being amazed and a bit furious that the custom of burning the land on May eve was still going ahead.

’The burnings refer to the old tradition of the "burning the buitch", when people would burn the gorse to rid the land of evil spirits.

’By all accounts, there was still quite a lot of it going around in the 19th century, and the papers were full of quite strident and forceful letters complaining of druidic practices still being carried out.

’It is surprising how common it was quite late on as the late 19th Century. It was even reported to be taking place on Douglas Head.’

Annie based her Victorian family on a book of old photographs she had of her 19th century ancestors. They helped her to imagine her fictional family as a middle class Victorian family living in Douglas.

The plays are performed in English, with plenty of authentic Manx dialect included.

’The play, and the letters I based the play on, reflect on that balance between traditions and things changing and becoming, I would suppose you would say modern, and about what you stand to lose when you move away from the old traditions.’

With the play written, Annie decided to try and find more original drama that might sit alongside her play and help make a full night of theatre.

She eventually came across a play written by Cori Philips, who supplied a radio play she had written a few years ago that had never been performed.

’Cori’s play is called "Our Loch-y Charm", and is a very funny pastiche about Governor Loch, who was on the island during the Victorian era.

’It’s a comedy about how he tries to get people to adapt to the modern ways of the time.

’The plays are really about something that reflects a society that is on the edge of great change, very much like our own at the moment.’

The plays will feature local actors Ruth Keggin, Becky Traynor, Juan Bridson, Bill Corlett, with both Annie and Cori directing their own plays and appearing in each others.

’I like writing dialogue, but I had never written a play before,’ said Annie, who spent a year writing and performing her own poetry as the fourth Manx Bard.

’The closest thing to that are the school plays that I have helped to write for the Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, where I was a teacher. If it goes well, there is a possibility that we may hold the nights a bit more regularly.’

l Tickets to ’At the Edge of the Season’ are £8, with £2 for under 16s, available from the Erin Arts Centre.