The exploitation of the Scottish people, from 18th century crofters to the then highly topical wrangle over North Sea Oil, is explored via a heady mixture of documentary footage, interviews and a play within the play (of the same title) performed by an amateur theatrical troupe. The work of John McGrath and his polemical 7:84 Theatre Company, this is unashamedly socialist-nationalist, and caused controversy just as much for its iconoclastic form as its provocative content.
Willie the (Banffshire)crofter
June 9, 2013 at 4:13 pm
I remember seeing this when broadcast and wasvery struck by it’s relevance to Current Affairs at the time……and now in the early ’20teens’s am deeply disappointed that the BBC /7 :84 and ,perhaps individual actors or the McGrath estate have STILL NOT compromised and persevered to find a way of having it released as dvd for educational purposes or even ‘entertainment’ as I feel it deeply,deeply relevant in the run up to our Referendum.
-I still recall some of the slightly hesitant faces in the audience at the Dornie Community hall in the early stages who seemed unsure whether it was ‘all right’ to laugh were thoroughly involved by the end of the performance- and feel it is almost a social crime that his piece of 70s social television -about social history-to be denied the current generation.
-Additionally I’d love to see it again- as well as hoping my kids could see it ,so they’d perhaps understand what their old Dad was banging on about……so, come on people,compromise for the good of the wider public and lets get it out there ,please….after all ,What are you scared of?
(If it’s ‘the truth’ – then there’s no hope for any of us)
Russell Cowe
August 20, 2016 at 7:15 pm
“The Cheviot the Stag and the Black Black Oil” will be released on Blu-ray later this year, restored from the original negatives.
See: http://panamint.co.uk/the-cheviot-the-stag-and-the-black-black-oil-blu-ray-11358-p.asp