AN English playwright has thanked the people of Scotland for giving his ‘radical’ play a chance after being ignored by swathes of the English media.
Tim Walker’s Bloody Difficult Women has ruffled feathers across the realms of politics and theatre with its portrayal of Gina Miller’s battle against Theresa May over the Government’s right to trigger Article 50.
And now, in a letter to The National, Walker has thanked the people of Scotland for giving his play a chance after some English newspapers had “declined even to acknowledge its existence” due to their “fanatically pro-Brexit stance”.
READ MORE: Support for rejoining the EU skyrockets among voters in Scotland
Walker said: “I should like to thank the people of Scotland for giving my play a chance and also its media, especially The National. Steph Brawn's review was thoughtful, well-written, and, for me, extremely moving. The letters you have been carrying about the play - most recently from Elaine Macdonald - have all been generous-spirited.”
Walker, who advised Miller in her media campaigns against the Government, has lamented what he calls English politic’s departure from “rational discourse” and its rejection of “the idea of democracy itself”.
Walker said that the contrast between the play’s reception in Scotland and England bears this out.
The playwright has spoken of how a theatre critic for the Daily Telegraph - where Walker worked for a decade - blocked him on social media after he asked why the paper had refused to review it in either London or Edinburgh.
Similarly, the Daily Mail refused to review the play after a request to see the script in advance made by its former editor, Paul Dacre, was rebuffed.
Speaking of England’s reaction, he says he is now considered “a dangerously radical playwright" and "no doubt an ‘enemy of the people’" – a reference to the Daily Mail’s description of the judges who decided the Government could not unilaterally trigger art. 50.
But in Scotland, Walker says some sections of the media have not completely lost their perspective when it comes to politics.
He says: “My gratitude to the people of Scotland is heartfelt. You still have something very valuable - please don't lose it.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel