From the foley bells, gun shooting, to the dominican rosary bead buckshot assault, Siobhán’s McHugh’s 2009 piece “Marrying Out”, was nothing short of a seminal reminder that history has and will again repeat. It includes didactic reenactments, interviews and prose, which moves the listener rhythmically to a tune without a condo.
I’m not entirely sure why the core doctrine of the Christian faith and their understanding that love and compassion will defy all, emulsified with the words, you’re not one of us, makes the tingles in my spine move in that adverse direction that a cat gets when they’re stroked the wrong way.
The interviews in Siobhan’s documentary were true, harrowing and they all sought to reveal the impact of obstinate institutions, read as though you were in the space with them. It left me wondering, why oh why have those at the pulpit refused to move with the times but rather against them… MEOW? In addition, earing the ancient Gregorian chants on this recording positively confirms this by reminding of similar professorial religions that dictate archaic teachings.
I felt it ironic that the letters read in an off mic tone, resembled purging platitudes not dissimilar of those read in a confessional. The priest gives the blessing “Espírito Santo” in a scratchy low fi intonation that puts us on the outside looking in.
McHugh, Siobhán, (2009) “Marrying Out” Hindsight. ABC Radio National