The Honours Of Drumlie
by James Scotland
Performed at Venue 17, St Peter's Church Hall, Newington
Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Saturday 7th - Saturday 28th August 2010
 |
Creative Team
The Cast
|
Synopsis:
It’s 1746, Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite rebels are returning to Scotland from Derby. According to gossip, they’re causing mayhem on the way and kidnapping women - which some of the women are quite looking forward to. But what of the town plate and silver, ie, the honours of Drumlie? Where to hide it from these thieving savages?
Needles to say, a mad plan is hatched, leading to various complications - with a bit of romance thrown in. This is one of Jimmy Scotland’s funniest plays celebrating 52 years on the Fringe for EPT.
52 years on the Fringe for EPT in 2010!
Reviews:
Edinburgh Evening News - Thom Dibdin (Wednesday, 13th August 2010) ***
The Honours Of Drumlie
COUTHY dialogue, deftly delivered by strong women and weak men ensure that Edinburgh People's Theatre's production of James Scotland's script is, as billed, a "hilarious Scots comedy."
There is plenty to laugh about here, at least once you get your ears round that Scots. It runs off the tongues of Anne Mackenzie as servant girl Elspeth and Lyzzie Dell as Meg so fast that you need your wits well about you.
Meg arrives at Provost Gow's house in Drumlie in the Borders in January 1746, with rumours of Prince Charlie's men running riot through the local towns as they return to Scotland. Fearing for the town's silver plate, it is decided that the Provost will play dead - even the savage Jacobite rebels wouldn't disturb a house of grief.
With Mandy Black splendidly superior as Mrs Gow and Iain Fraser all pompous fear as the Provost, the plan is perfect. There's added spice from the Gow daughters: the elder, Janet (Heather Gibson), is stringing local lad Tam Ewing (Scott Braidwood) along, although her 17-year-old sister Kirsty (Kirsty Boyle) would happily take her place in his affections.
When the Jacobites do arrive, however, they are the epitome of charm.
The plan works, with the women of the household all finding it much easier than expected to be pleasant to the soldiers while the Provost observes, powerless, from his 'death' bed. Pace is all in comedy and director John Somerville has got the Scots delivery about right, although it could take a shade less as people become acclimatised in the opening scenes. It's the soldiers who are too plodding. There is nothing actually wrong, it is just that their dialogue becomes dull. The likes of Black and Mackenzie are in strong form, but it is Kirsty Boyle who provides the performance to watch. She feeds the rest of the cast with great control, dictating the pace and ensuring that the company can make the most of the comedy, including a brilliant eulogy for Gow, superbly delivered by Ronnie Millar as the Reverend Dalgleish.
The basic comedy of the script might not be not brain-troubling material, but EPT ensure it gets the laughs it deserves.
Run ends 28 August
LoveFringe - Audience Reviews
***** - SMS Review | 10th August 2010
"fantastic show, great costumes, brill cast and very funny storyline. Recommended."
***** - SMS Review | 11th August 2010
"Great show, perfect mix of Scots and comedy. Doesn't take itself too seriously. Set and costumes all very professional looking. Highly recommended."
***** - SMS Review | 11th August 2010
"hilarious Scots Comedy - all of audience would agree."
Fringe Website - Audience Reviews
Yvonne Halliday | 27th August 2010
"A well established Edinburgh Am dram club delivering the goods. A fun play written by Jimmy Scotland for the most part well acted, pacey and the night I was there the audience loved it myself and friends included Hoorah for local theatre which delivers sans pretension and actually entertains"