”Scotland, whit like is it?” It’s almost 25 years since Liz Lochhead first asked this question in her now classic play Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off, and we’re probably no better placed to answer it.
But one thing’s for sure, the Scots Makar’s two-hour tour de force based on the life and death of Scotland’s Catholic Queen, Mary Stuart, is filled to the gunnels with energy, emotion, comedy and tragedy.
The production marks a two-year partnership between the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, Edinburgh, and the Dundee Rep Theatre, and Lyceum director Tony Cownie has a stellar cast that brings together familiar faces and fresh talent from the capital. The effect is an explosion similar to that which occurred on the night Mary’s abusive and drunken husband Lord Darnley was found murdered.
Having returned to her native Scotland after the death of her first husband, Francis, Dauphin of France, fiery-haired Mary (the Lyceum’s Shauna Macdonald) is ignorant of Scottish culture and her cousin Elizabeth Tudor (the Rep’s Emily Winter) has clocked the fact there cannot be two Queens on one island.
So begins a tale of ruthlessness, spilled blood, religious tension and divided loyalties narrated impeccably by the Corbie (the Rep’s Ann Louise Ross) a glamorous and opinionated black crow who sees all and looks on as bodies fall into the pit that is history, punctuating the dialogue with witty asides and song.
Although influenced by events that took place over 400 years ago, Lochhead’s production (written more than a decade before devolution) examines the historic ‘rivalry’ that persists between Scotland and England and the long-standing conflict between Catholics and Protestants that continues to make headlines today.
Neil Murray’s stage set says it all. A barren landscape spattered with bright red blood stains, a fallen street signs that reads ”Royal Mile” while another, ”Queen Street” lies in a yellow skip amongst other ‘rubbish’ like an oversized and bloodied Christ crucified on a huge wooden cross. In the distance, a statue of Protestant reformer John Knox wears a traffic cone on its head.
The two Queens, who never met, are like black ice and warm gold. Mary is dressed in her black velvet mourning clothes, her red hair flowing alongside her long, pale face.
A fragile and gentle woman, Shauna Macdonald does well to mingle the hybrid Scots/French accent to often entertaining effect, but invests in her performance a spectrum of emotions as she charts her ability to overcome and endure numerous tragedies.
Winter is similarly engaging as the calculating Elizabeth who knows full well the way monarchy works and how she can meddle enough to ensure she rids the threat of a Catholic coup once and for all. She is not exempt, however, from envying Mary’s apparent beauty, ability to charm and to give birth to a son and successor.
On the fringes, there is great support from cast members such as John Knox (Liam Brennan) who patrols the stage with a long umbrella, wearing a black bowler hat and reflective luminous orange labourer’s sleeveless jacket. Brennan delivers his Biblical and righteous dialogue with a commanding air no doubt enjoyed by the reformer himself.
Elsewhere, Stephen McCole exudes confidence and beast-like sexuality as Lord Bothwell and the Rep’s Kevin Lennon gives a minimal, yet wonderfully effective performance as Mary’s ill-fated Italian secretary David Riccio.
Despite losing some of its urgency in the second half, there is good energy and pace in the performance, with cast members taking on multiple roles.
The closing scene that transports the players from bloody history to the school playground where a ”Pape” called Marie Stuart is teased carries almost as great an impact as the events based on historical fact.
The well-choreographed production, which also encompasses haunting violin music, song and chants (led by Morna Young) is irreverent as it is funny, and touches like Lord Darnley (Lewis Hart) falling about drunk on Buckfast extract a knowing laugh, but also hold up a reluctant mirror to modern Scottish culture.Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off runs at Dundee Rep until November 5. Visit www.dundeerep.co.uk for more information.