Love lies bleeding

An afternoon at the theatre.  Matinee performances are still strange to me but something I could get used to.  We went to see the Dundee Rep production of the 'Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil'.  It was hugely enjoyable.

I first saw the play when it came out in 1973.  It became something of a sensation and heralded a golden phase of Scottish theatre with some wonderful productions.  The play is highly interactive and drew link between the depopulation of the highlands with the introduction of sheep and the exploitation of oil in the North Sea.  It was originally performed by the 7:84 theatre company (7% of the population owned 84% of the wealth) so it had a strong political message.

I can still remember how angry I was after first seeing it in 1973.  I wasn't so angry today - times have moved on and North Sea Oil has its own challenges to face.  Nonetheless, it remains a strong piece of political theatre and the current production is excellent if lacking the revelatory aspects of the original.  There was some updating with the inclusion of a hilarious sketch on Donald Trump's exploits in Scotland.  It is recommended.

the blip is of love-lies-bleeding and the amazing tassels it is producing,  Another reminder of Sri Lanka where it grows twice as tall and is a perennial there.