After much anticipation, Trinity Literary Society (LitSoc) hosted their “Songs of Ice and Fire” in the Graduate Memorial Building (GMB) this evening, with the University Philosophical Society’s (the Phil) conversation room transformed into a temporary stage for the event, which consisted of a coupling of readings and musical performances. The books read ranged from The Great Gatsby to Les Miserables and every other genre in between.
Sadbh Kellett introduced the evening, welcoming everyone who came to experience another voice read the works of their favourite author or hear another rendition of a much-loved song. She initiated the oratory with a reading from The Lord of the Rings paired with a performance of “Concerning Hobbits” by Deirbhile and Sadhbh Brennan. Kellett later gave a memorable execution of “The Skye Boat Song”, which tested the acoustics of the room and provided a satisfying result. The sonorous echoes of her voice did, pardoning the cliché, transport listeners to the world of Outlander. Following an excerpt from The Hunger Games, Deirbhile and Sadhbh Brennan, along with Brid Nolan, sang a sombre version of “The Hanging Tree”, haunting the room with their harmony and effective antiphony.
Staccato deliveries of well-known pieces like “Hedwig’s Theme” punctuated readings from Sherlock Holmes, Pride and Prejudice and A Song of Ice and Fire. The music overall was refreshingly original, given each musician was performing recognised works. The unorthodox choice of playing “I Dreamed a Dream” and “On My Own” from Les Miserables with a saxophone was eccentric yet rewarding. However, the inclusion of a backing track for both of these renditions hindered the atmosphere somewhat.
Some readings were more theatrical than others, with many readers genuinely revelling in the words they were speaking. A particularly impressive delivery was Michelle Nicolaou’s excerpt from Les Miserables, which was emphatic and genuine, her clear voice carrying the words effortlessly and deliberately across the room. Each reader engaged with the audience and it was clear why each extract was chosen.
The evening proved to be an overall success with the Phil’s couches full and the walls lined with spectators. The draw of the event was evident: hearing someone else’s voice speaking the words one has read gives another interpretation to these famous works. It also opens up what is usually an entirely solitary experience. Including music, usually from film adaptations of these novels, reinforced the notion of literature as a uniting hobby, where people can come together and enjoy everything about books, even the debatably “not-as-good” movie versions. This evening was inclusive and well-executed, a credit to LitSoc.
