IN the past he was often referred to as the ‘big beast’ of Scottish politics but even Alex Salmond has now had to give best to the ‘Beast from the East’.
The horrendous weather which shows no sign of a let-up has forced the postponement of the former First Minister’s stage productions this weekend in Dundee and Inverness.
Tonight’s show in the Caird Hall in Dundee has been rescheduled for Friday 27 April, while the two shows scheduled for Saturday at the Eden Court in Inverness have been postponed for just two weeks until Saturday, 17 March.
The National can reveal that the Dundee postponement might be good news for those who have tickets for what would have been the first performance in the latest tour of the ‘Alex Salmond Unleashed’ show that began by playing to sell-out audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe last August.
For it was no secret that the ‘mystery’ guest who had been scheduled to appear in the Caird Hall is local hero and Hollywood superstar Brian Cox who told The National earlier this week that he feared that the weather might mean that he would not be able to get to Dundee from Herefordshire where he is currently filming.
The postponement solves that problem for Cox who is known as one of the busiest actors around and who is a big fan of Salmond. He also told this newspaper how much he was looking forward to being on stage in his home city.
This is the first time that a performance of Alex Salmond Unleashed has had to be postponed. So far the Cahoots Theatre Company production - National columnist Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh is a producer - has played to 24 appreciative houses and raised £27,000 for charity.
Salmond commented: “It is very disappointing because we had great audiences for each show and a really fantastic cast. However we would have had to ignore the Scottish Government’s sensible travel advice to bring in the cast and crew and this we could not reasonably do.
“The problem is not really the weather in Dundee and even less so in Inverness itself but more that many of the audience and cast are travelling in from around the country. In these circumstances you have to put safety first.
“Luckily both venues have given us great alternative dates and all tickets will hold good for the new dates. In addition anyone who cannot make the new dates can get a full refund, all they need to do is contact the venues.”
In a statement the producers said: “The star-studded cast have already indicated that they will do their very best to make the new dates and the show will go on albeit slightly postponed. In addition to Alex and his house band The Carloways, the shows were due to feature Des Clarke, Sheena Wellington, Elaine C Smith, David Hayman and Brian Cox between the two venues.”
Salmond quipped: “We are delighted to get such an early date in Inverness while April 27th is Freedom Day in South Africa which must be an auspicious date for a Show in Scotland’s Yes city of Dundee!”
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