Robert McLellan
Encyclopedia
Robert McLellan OBE (1907–1985) was a Scottish
dramatist and poet, mainly writing in the Scots
language.
in the Clyde
valley, the home of his maternal grandparents. He was educated at Bearsden Academy
in Glasgow
before studying philosophy at the University of Glasgow
. However, he did not complete his degree because of ill-health. He met his future wife, Kathleen Heys while climbing in the Lake District. They were married in 1938 and settled in Arran where they lived modestly on his income as a playwright.
, the living language of the communities he grew up in. As he himself said in an article written for The Scottish Field in 1956: “When I found that what I wanted most to do in life was to write for a Scottish Theatre I knew that I should always be poor, but I consoled myself with the thought that I could at least live where I liked.” Drama in Scotland
was undergoing a resurgence in the early twentieth century and the Glasgow Repertory Company was one of the outlets for talented new Scottish writers such as McLellan. Respected amateur companies like the Scottish National Players and the Curtain Theatre also premiered his work. His first play was the one act comedy, Jeddart Justice, set in the feuding Border country of the sixteenth century. (Jeddart, or Jedburgh
, Justice is condemnation without a hearing.) It was produced in 1933 in Glasgow by the Curtain Theatre. This was followed by Toom Byres (Empty Cowsheds) in 1936. His masterpiece, Jamie the Saxt was first performed at the Curtain Theatre in 1937, making Duncan Macrae, who played Jamie, one of Scotland’s most celebrated actors, an overnight star. It was revived by the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
in 1947 and by the Scottish Theatre Company on Scottish tour in 1982, and received its English premiere in 2007 at the Finborough Theatre
.
from 1940–1946 and after the war, returned to exciting new possibilities for Scottish drama. Glasgow Unity Theatre was formed in 1941 and the Citizens Theatre in 1943. His work was enthusiastically embraced by both. Glasgow Unity Theatre
in 1946 saw the first performance of Torwatletie. In The Flouers o Edinburgh (1948), he explicitly and hilariously explored the sociolinguistic tension between Scots and English in Scotland, but his satirical treatment was rooted in a deep love for the language of Lowland Scotland. His belief in Scots as medium for Scottish drama, and the vigour, lyricism and humour that he found in it, did much to extend the literary range of a language whose registers had been eroded since the Union of the Crowns
. But in spite of his prolific output, he did not receive the acclaim he deserved because writing in Scots has in the past been perceived, however unjustly, as a barrier to widespread and frequent productions.
Few dramatists have matched Robert McLellan’s skill at deploying the vigorous vocabulary of Scotland and his language is the beautifully lyrical, witty and intelligent Scots of his time. As a younger Scots playwright, Donald Campbell, said: “Robert McLennan wasn’t just a playwright, he was something else – something different, something special. He was a superb lyric poet who happened to have the additional gift of a theatrical imagination”.
In addition to plays, McLellan also wrote five radio plays, The Linmill Stories, two poetic works – The Arran Burn and Sweet Largie Bay which was awarded The Scottish Arts Council
’s Poetry Prize in 1956, and a history of the Isle of Arran
published in 1969.
Robert McLellan played an active part in the community as a member of Arran District Council and as a president of the District Councils Association of Scotland. He also worked in the interests of his fellow writers as chair of the Scottish Sub-Committee of the League of Dramatists, chair of the Scottish Sub-Committee of the Society of Authors
, Honorary Vice Preses (sic) of the Lallans
Society and Honorary Vice President of the Scottish Society of Playwrights
.
He was awarded the Order of the British Empire
in 1978.
He died in 1985 and is buried on the Isle of Arran
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
dramatist and poet, mainly writing in the Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
language.
Early life and education
McLellan was born in 1907 at Linmill, a fruit farm in KirkfieldbankKirkfieldbank
Kirkfieldbank is a small village and parish in Scotland,on the banks of the river Clyde, close to the town of Lanark, and the village of New Lanark. The village has a school and church, and an old bridge designed by James Lockhart and built in 1699, as well as another bridge for modern traffic. The...
in the Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
valley, the home of his maternal grandparents. He was educated at Bearsden Academy
Bearsden Academy
Bearsden Academy is a non-denominational, state secondary school in Bearsden, a suburb of Glasgow, Scotland.-History:The school was founded in 1911, sharing a building at Bearsden Cross with Bearsden Primary School. This building is still in use as the current Bearsden Primary site. In 1958, the...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
before studying philosophy at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
. However, he did not complete his degree because of ill-health. He met his future wife, Kathleen Heys while climbing in the Lake District. They were married in 1938 and settled in Arran where they lived modestly on his income as a playwright.
First Plays
McLellan dedicated himself to writing in ScotsScots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
, the living language of the communities he grew up in. As he himself said in an article written for The Scottish Field in 1956: “When I found that what I wanted most to do in life was to write for a Scottish Theatre I knew that I should always be poor, but I consoled myself with the thought that I could at least live where I liked.” Drama in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
was undergoing a resurgence in the early twentieth century and the Glasgow Repertory Company was one of the outlets for talented new Scottish writers such as McLellan. Respected amateur companies like the Scottish National Players and the Curtain Theatre also premiered his work. His first play was the one act comedy, Jeddart Justice, set in the feuding Border country of the sixteenth century. (Jeddart, or Jedburgh
Jedburgh
Jedburgh is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and historically in Roxburghshire.-Location:Jedburgh lies on the Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot, it is only ten miles from the border with England and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey...
, Justice is condemnation without a hearing.) It was produced in 1933 in Glasgow by the Curtain Theatre. This was followed by Toom Byres (Empty Cowsheds) in 1936. His masterpiece, Jamie the Saxt was first performed at the Curtain Theatre in 1937, making Duncan Macrae, who played Jamie, one of Scotland’s most celebrated actors, an overnight star. It was revived by the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
in 1947 and by the Scottish Theatre Company on Scottish tour in 1982, and received its English premiere in 2007 at the Finborough Theatre
Finborough Theatre
The Finborough Theatre is a fifty seat theatre in the Earls Court area of London, United Kingdom , which presents new British writing, UK and premieres of new plays, primarily from the English speaking world including North America, Canada, Scotland and Ireland, music theatre, and rarely seen...
.
War Service and Post-War Works
He saw wartime service in the Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
from 1940–1946 and after the war, returned to exciting new possibilities for Scottish drama. Glasgow Unity Theatre was formed in 1941 and the Citizens Theatre in 1943. His work was enthusiastically embraced by both. Glasgow Unity Theatre
Glasgow Unity Theatre
The Glasgow Unity Theatre was a theatre group that was formed in 1941, in Glasgow. The Unity theatre movement developed from workers' drama groups in the 1930s, seeing itself as using theatre to highlight the issues of the working class being produced by and for working class audiences...
in 1946 saw the first performance of Torwatletie. In The Flouers o Edinburgh (1948), he explicitly and hilariously explored the sociolinguistic tension between Scots and English in Scotland, but his satirical treatment was rooted in a deep love for the language of Lowland Scotland. His belief in Scots as medium for Scottish drama, and the vigour, lyricism and humour that he found in it, did much to extend the literary range of a language whose registers had been eroded since the Union of the Crowns
Union of the Crowns
The Union of the Crowns was the accession of James VI, King of Scots, to the throne of England, and the consequential unification of Scotland and England under one monarch. The Union of Crowns followed the death of James' unmarried and childless first cousin twice removed, Queen Elizabeth I of...
. But in spite of his prolific output, he did not receive the acclaim he deserved because writing in Scots has in the past been perceived, however unjustly, as a barrier to widespread and frequent productions.
Few dramatists have matched Robert McLellan’s skill at deploying the vigorous vocabulary of Scotland and his language is the beautifully lyrical, witty and intelligent Scots of his time. As a younger Scots playwright, Donald Campbell, said: “Robert McLennan wasn’t just a playwright, he was something else – something different, something special. He was a superb lyric poet who happened to have the additional gift of a theatrical imagination”.
In addition to plays, McLellan also wrote five radio plays, The Linmill Stories, two poetic works – The Arran Burn and Sweet Largie Bay which was awarded The Scottish Arts Council
Scottish Arts Council
The Scottish Arts Council is a Scottish public body that distributes funding from the Scottish Government, and is the leading national organisation for the funding, development and promotion of the arts in Scotland...
’s Poetry Prize in 1956, and a history of the Isle of Arran
Isle of Arran
Arran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
published in 1969.
Robert McLellan played an active part in the community as a member of Arran District Council and as a president of the District Councils Association of Scotland. He also worked in the interests of his fellow writers as chair of the Scottish Sub-Committee of the League of Dramatists, chair of the Scottish Sub-Committee of the Society of Authors
Society of Authors
The Society of Authors is a trade union for professional writers that was founded in 1884 to protect the rights of writers and fight to retain those rights .It has counted amongst its members and presidents numerous notable writers and poets including Tennyson The Society of Authors (UK) is a...
, Honorary Vice Preses (sic) of the Lallans
Lallans
Lallans , a variant of the Modern Scots word lawlands meaning the lowlands of Scotland, was also traditionally used to refer to the Scots language as a whole...
Society and Honorary Vice President of the Scottish Society of Playwrights
Scottish Society of Playwrights
The Scottish Society of Playwrights is a professional member’s organisation representing theatre playwrights in Scotland. It is affiliated to the Scottish Trades Union Congress, and party to the Theatrical Management Association playwright’s agreement....
.
He was awarded the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1978.
He died in 1985 and is buried on the Isle of Arran
Isle of Arran
Arran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
.