3
April 2025, 19:00 — 22:00
Free but ticketed
Join us for a night at the Tongadale Hotel, Portree, celebrating the book launch of The Chariot, The Flag and the empty empty houses (designed by Sòna design and published with ATLAS’ Making Publics Press), rage, laugh and cry along with us as we explore the mildly contentious topic of global mass tourism.
The night begins with a screening of the Mallorjan documentary Overbooking (dir. Álex Dioscórides, 2019, 1 hr 10mins), introduced by Dr Guillem Colom-Montero, Lecturer in Hispanic Studies at the University of Glasgow. Guillem’s work looks at the impacts of mass tourism on resident communities in Spain and Scotland, and he has been taking Overbooking on a screening tour of Scotland over the last two years.
Stay for drinks, laughs and chats after the film, as Daniel Cullen performs excerpts from The Chariot, The Flag and the Empty, Empty Houses – in typical non-nuanced fashion. Food and drinks will be available to purchase at the Tongadale bar.
Copies of the newly published book of the play will be available to purchase on the night.
A free mini bus will be running on the night to and from Sleat, leaving 6pm and returning around 10.30pm. Contact katharine@atlasarts.org.uk for a spot.
ABOUT DANIEL CULLEN & THE CHARIOT, THE FLAG & THE EMPTY, EMPTY HOUSES
Daniel Cullen is a Skye-born writer, actor, director and journalist. His play, The Chariot, the Flag and the Empty, Empty Houses, debuted in Portree in 2023. The piece gives a keenly observed insight into potentially contentious issues including identity, tourism, gentrification, language and culture. Cullen has an inherent ability to speak to a diverse audience without diluting his intent or coming across as phoney. His desire to break away from preconceived notions of art and performance is evident. Ultimately he wants people to enjoy themselves - in part because he is a natural performer, but mostly because that’s when they are truly engaged.
The Chariot, The Flag and the Empty, Empty Houses is a play with music written by Daniel Cullen, built after workshops and conversations had with people on the Isle of Skye - with a particular focus on sports groups, who attended forum theatre sessions and other workshops as the play developed. The atmosphere at the play is one of fun and engagement, there are lots of upbeat comedy songs and scenes, but the substance behind the work is strong - with themes addressing some of the problems those who are from and live on Skye face on a daily basis, including housing, transport, language, over-tourism, eradication of identity.
ABOUT OVERBOOKING (FILM)
Overbooking (1h 10min) critically reflects about the history and effects of mass tourism on the Mediterranean island of Majorca from its beginnings in the 1950s up to the late 2010s. Through a combination of footage, off-voice comments and interviews (with activists, tourism workers, academics, members of tourism boards, business owners and politicians), Overbooking offers a particularly rich perspective about mass tourism on the island.
