A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays

A Satire Of The Three Estates

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Episode notes

Episode One of A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays focuses on Sir David Lyndsey's sixteenth-century play A Satire Of The Three Estates.

What did theatre look like in pre-reformation Scotland? Who was David Lyndsey? Why did he write A Satire Of The Three Estates? What makes it such a remarkable play? And what came next, after the reformation?

All this and more is explored by experts including critic Joyce McMillan, director Gregory Thompson, and academics Professor Trish Reid and Dr Lesley Mickel.

The clips in the episode are from Gregory Thompson's 2013 staging of A Satire Of The Three Estates at Linlithgow Palace, which was organised by The University of Edinburgh and Brunel University, and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. You can watch it here: http://stagingthescottishcourt.brunel.ac.uk/filmed-performances/asatireofthreeestates/index.html

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Written drama has existed in Scotland since the sixteenth century. This is its story.

A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays is a new podcast from journalist and critic Fergus Morgan, charting the story of Scottish drama from the sixteenth century to today.

Over six episodes - plus a panel discussion recording - the podcast will travel from pre-Reformation Scotland to the present day, alighting on seminal plays along the way – including A Satire Of The Three Estates, Men Should Weep, Losing Venice, Passing Places, and Black Watch – and discussing their significance in the extraordinary, ongoing evolution of Scottish drama.

Featuring insights and memories from playwrights, performers, academics, critics and others, the podcast journeys from the turbulent court of King James V in the 1540s, to the bustling Traverse Theatre in the 1980s, to the uncertain industry of 2024.

A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays is written and produced by Fergus Morgan, with the support of the Scottish Society of Playwrights as part of their SSP@50 Fellowships, which are supported by Creative Scotland and Bespoken Media. It is made in association with the Traverse Theatre.

For more information, follow the below links.

Fergus Morgan: fergusmorgan.com

Scottish Society of Playwrights: scottishsocietyofplaywrights.co.uk

Traverse Theatre: traverse.co.uk

Bespoken Media: bespoken.media