Dr Johnson Goes To Scotland (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

A follow up to 2015's very successful A Word with Dr Johnson, this is a headlong dash through the tour of Scotland Johnson made in 1773, with the Scot Boswell as his companion, guide and advocate.  The latter hoped to convince the great man of letters that his highly negative views of Scotland were misplaced, and that greater exposure to the land and people would change his mind.

Picking out some of the most interesting of the events documented by Boswell in his account of the journey, the play is fast paced, funny, almost cartoonish at times, with scenes following one other rapidly.  Gerda Stevenson and Morna Young have a lot of fun portraying the many characters the pair encounter along the way, including a couple of horses complete with pantomime coconut sound effects.  Yet still with time to pause and deliver some poetry and music, and there's a fine rendition of the beautiful Gaelic song Fear A Bhata.

Beyond all the laughs there's a serious side too.  Johnson is forced, reluctantly, to admit that in some ways Scotland is the superior country, especially when shown the development of a sign language for the deaf.  And there's a strong contemporary relevance to the dialogue when the travellers discuss Scotland's relationship with England and the UK, and the nature of national identity.  Their answer lies beyond being just about the people, or language, or historic culture, but in how a nation keeps evolving and redefining itself, how it relates to the wider world.  The contrast between the narrow tribal nationalism currently so prevalent in England, and the more inclusive, outward looking, civic nationalism that has developed here, is a stark one.

Lewis Howden is a pompous, at times arrogant Johnson, but one willing to change his mind when the evidence is put before him and generous enough in spirit to admit it.  Simon Donaldson excels as Boswell, disputatious and energetic, licentious yet learned, his narration holds the story together as it flies along.

Easy to enjoy just as a comedy, lightly informative as a historical piece, there's also enough depth to the script to give the audience more serious questions to ponder if they wish.  Highly recommended.