Honorary Fellow: Association For Scottish Literary Studies
“If we investigate only by physical and chemical means, we can only get physical and chemical answers.”
The Funeral
Commissioned by Tron Theatre, Glasgow. Premiere 1988. Director Michael Boyd.
The success of The Sash had led to considerable pressure to write Son of the Sash,
but at the time I had said all I could on the subject. Fifteen years later there
was the possibility of utilising the two youngest characters from The Sash to consider
how they were reacting to a rapidly-
On opening night, some audience reactions led to conflict with disciples of the new “political correctness” and demands for changes in the script were immediate. My own much earlier awareness of the “colour problem”, when I was based for three years in India, had informed the play and I heard nothing in the protests to invalidate that experience.
The Funeral of Bill MacWilliam was the subject matter, involving Georgina MacDonald and Cameron MacWilliam again, but this time introducing three new characters; Mr and Mrs MacDonald [Georgina’s parents] and the minister. The fact that Mr MacDonald [who had served some time in India under the Raj] was to enter into negotiations with an officiating missionary who was female, black and considerably better informed than himself, guaranteed mixed reactions.
“the play itself is slight, and a shade problematic” The Guardian
“generally a very truthful and enjoyable comedy, offering a full measure of bark with its bite” The List
“fully justified the rousing reception it got from a packed house” Sunday Times
A revival of the play, by IPB Productions at Cumbernauld Theatre, went on to a successful run at Glasgow’s Pavilion Theatre.