The Cleikum Club: What is Scots? 1st March 2012

The Cleikum Club reconvened once again for its first meeting of 2012. With the most politically charged subject to date – not least because of its prevalence in current news and affairs – ‘What is Scots?’  was sure to bring out the passion and rapture in all who attended. Without breaking tradition, our co-host and master of ceremonies Neil Butler made the initial warm welcomes and introductions with the customary brandishing of the Hat and Horn of Cleikum to bring the room to order. But in a break from convention – an entirely new element to proceedings was introduced – an item so immersed in Scottish culture it could go some way to defining a nation – the deep fried mars bar was subjected to ritualistic sacrifice by Mr Butler and on this note, the meeting was inaugurated.

The Sacrifice of  the Deepfried Mars Bar

The group are left to ponder a personal question posed by Neil. He states he was born in England, brought up in Ireland and has been in Scotland since 1988 and so – is he Scottish? If not – will he ever be? We’ll come back to the answer at the end of the meeting.

Alistair Ogilvy

And so – first to present their offering of what exactly Scots is is Alistair Ogilvy, traditional Scottish singer with a penchant for the darkness found in Scottish folk songs. ‘Cruel Mother’ is introduced as a ballad of infanticide – and to Alistair, Scots is about sex, death and murder without even a hint of tartan or shortbread. The ballads of Scotland represent a preservation of culture that is both raw and unnerving and a move away from the twee, romantic illustration of the country coined by the roving, poetic Highlander wandering through the hills. Alistair’s Scotland is one of a number of dimensions and his lyrical portrayal set the tone for the diverse renditions in store for the rest of the evening.

Keith Bruce

Keith Bruce is introduced by Neil as our next speaker. As the Arts Editor of The Herald Newspaper, Keith brings his take on Scots in the theatrical sense with the tag line of ‘How big is my Scottish Art?’; a debate which has many sides but is answered simply as it is at its best when it is very small. Keith’s point is illustrated cannily by reference to the recent National Theatre of Scotland production of ‘An Appointment with the Wicker Man’ which, earlier this year, opened at His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen. This seemed to be a revival of the work of theatre groups of the 1970s and 80s who, in a reaction against theatre being reserved for the people of Glasgow and Edinburgh, thought to bring Scottish productions to the smaller communities. The opening in a smaller town not even situated in the central belt proved a huge success despite it’s cynics as the production saw reviews from BBC Radio 3 and the Observer as the latter’s commentator asked  ‘could you see this happening anywhere else in Scotland?’ with the rhetorical answer being a firm ‘no’! What Keith is discussing is not a new concept of marketing in the Scottish Theatre scene as he goes on to explain a similar tact used in the 70s and 80s by the Wildcat and 7:84 Theatre companies. By touring small communities throughout Scotland bringing traditional Scottish music and relevant themes, productions like these proved the power and longevity of even the smallest Scottish theatrical productions like ‘The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil’ which also premiered in Aberdeen in 1973. Keith goes onto state that ‘Scotland does small things well’ yet there are examples of success in the opposite context namely the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – a completely organic idea which grew from nothing to one of the biggest and well-attended performing arts festivals in the world. Another great example of Scotland competing in the global arena is the unbridled success of The National Theatre of Scotland’s production of ‘Black Watch’. Premiering at the Edinburgh Festival in 2006 it also toured the smaller communities of Scotland like Pitlochry, Aberdeen, Dumfries and Dingwall  but through critical acclaim had gone on to tour Australia, North America and other European venues. And so there is something to Scotland keeping it’s art small, interesting and inevitably successful but every so often there is the breakthrough success that is undeniable in it’s international influence despite the countries mistrust of scale. The crux of what Keith is saying is that art companies in Scotland, by in large, should be small, mobile and highly intelligent units which brings us full circle to Mr Bruce’s opening question; ‘How big is my Scottish art?’ being cannily rephrased in his closing words to ‘Does my art look big in this country?’.

Not your typical Scotch Egg

As always, in keeping with the theme of discussion for the evening, a carefully devised menu is presented to all members. Beginning with the Scottish classic of cock-a-leekie soup, the proceeding dishes exceed expectations from their modest descriptions as the constituents of the group are presented with a not-so-ordinary scotch egg beautifully hand crafted by the Stravaigin chefs with soft, salty meat and the perfect soft-yoked quail’s egg hiding in the centre. There is a stir in the room as the members anticipate further discussion and a sense that all is not as it seems with regards to the fare to be consumed.

 Two courses down and it is time for a reprise from Alistair with his ongoing theme of the darkness found in the folk songs of Scotland. Special homage is paid to one Lizzy Higgins, a travelling woman  who is credited with preserving the Scottish ballad in its most authentic form, saving it from disappearing from the country’s culture once and for all. What Ali reinforces is his love of the antiquated language used in the ballads bringing beauty to even the most austere and bleak lyrics. Describing Ms Higgins as one of ‘the keepers of our music’, it is not a unfair claim to say that Alistair is one doing the same as he introduces Burns’ classic piece ‘Sic a Parcel of Rogues in a Nation’; a song which appears to have come full circle since the Act of Union of 1707 to present day as full independence for Scotland is looming once again.

Fish and Chips

The Cleikum Club guests are treated to more inspired food this time in the form of the fish supper – but not as you know it without a trace of soggy batter in sight. A beautifully crumbed fillet of coley, perfect oblong chips and a rough and ready tartar sauce topped with red amaranth - not your chip shop-typical fare I’m sure you’ll agree.What is Scots? Certainly full of ingenuity and the unexpected at this stage of proceedings.

Diane Torr

 Diane Torr takes the floor introduced by Neil on the risqué subject of the more exiled pieces of the great Robert Burns’ work. Born in Aberdeen, Torr moved to New York in 1976. Specifically the East Village – a cosmopolitan district – it was full of ex-pats like her and the question ‘what does it mean to be Scottish?’, distinctively, ‘what does it mean to be a Scottish woman?’ crossed her mind several times over the years. And so, in 1986, she decided to host her first Burns Supper – but this was no ordinary gathering – combined with a hen night, Torr and fifty other women gathered in a studio apartment on East 9^th Street and re-created their own brand of the traditional shindig.  Her friend Eileen piped in the haggis with a saxophone and the whole evening was very much ad libbed to combine traditional Scots custom in a modern American setting – as Torr says ‘Burns night in New York was all shop fronts, theatres and loft apartments’. This untraditional yet loyal Burns supper carried on for several years and then her friend Fiona Templeton informed her of Burns’ ‘bawdy’ verse collection ‘The Merry Muses of Caledonia’ and Torr was hooked. Banned in America until 1964 when the Obscene publications Act of 1959 came into effect - she found a copy of the book in The Globe Bookshop in Massachusetts and discovered a side to Robert Burns she never knew existed as his reputation of being a bit of a ladies man took on an entirely new dimension. As she explains – men in the 18^th Century obtained sexual release through bawdy songs and poetry as a way of expressing the male idea of a woman and as a way of humouring each other. It almost took on a competitive edge as men in groups would try to out-do each other in their suggestiveness but in an intellectual and clever way through song and verse. With the works of Robert Burns’ regularly used as the obvious example of Scots as a whole - these explicit verses go a long way to showing another aspect of his writing in the same way that Torr and her friends explored with the alternative Burns’ Supper.  Torr’s take on Burns’ houghmagandie is exotic and exhibits his more raunchy verse in such a way as to banish any preconceived stereotype of this great writer. Comparing the verse of ‘Twa Wives’ and ‘Nine Inches will Please a Lady’ is a far cry from ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ and ‘My Luve is like a Red Red Rose’ and so his bawdry became a regular feature of the New York Burns Suppers as 1992 saw Torr perform ‘A Standing Cock has Nae Conscience’ to great revere. What is important to recognise is that it is largely inconsequential how groups around the world celebrate Burns as long as they do it in a way that makes them feel a connection to Scotland and Scots and Robert Burns the man could conceivably be a definition of Scots in himself.

Jeely Piece

We come to the final course of the meal as the members are presented with a jeely piece. One of the great Scots words; ‘piece’ has such a variety of meanings – but in this context – it is a battered jam sandwich exuding charm and oozing with nostalgia.

Alan Bissett

We then come to our final speaker of the evening. One whom requires almost no introduction from Mr Butler – Alan Bissett takes the podium to recite ‘Vote Britain’- his ‘contribution to the debate on Scottish independence’. A barrage of words and terms so synonymously linked to the tenuous struggle for and against independence for this small country – it almost perfectly rounds up the views and opinions of all the previous performers of the evening. The line; ‘That’s why we send you over the top with your och-aye-the-noo Mactivish there’s been a murrrderrr jings! crivvens! Deepfriedfuckinmarsbar wee wee dram of whisky hoots mon there’s a moose loose aboot this smackaddict’ resonates throughout the room as we recall Ali’s idea of banishing the Scottish stereotype – one remembers the sacrifice of the deepfried Mars bar in the opening introductory words – us Scots are nothing but self deprecating and the irony tickles everyone in the room. Bissett goes on to further illustrate Keith Bruce’s fundamental argument with the verse: ‘London London London most exciting city in the world darling (Glasgow is a very violent place, is it not. Do you have art?)’ to further titters in the audience. Bissett makes a good point and certainly stirs a passion in the members reaching a crescendo with the closing: ‘There is some corner of a foreign field that is forever England.’ Vote with your heart.’ And with that – Bissett exits the podium to rapturous applause as his words stay with the captive audience descending into a deluge of chatter and debate to their neighbours.

The floor is opened up to general comment and opinion to all members now as Mr Butler rounds up the evening and deliberation continues throughout the room both within small groups as well as all-encompassing addresses to the whole party. It is plain that all speakers have inspired in one way or another but it is very apparent that the club has merely scratched the surface in defining what Scots is as the open forum continues further into the night. There is one interruption from Neil to ascertain the answer to his question from the beginning of the evening: ‘Am I Scottish?’. A myriad of answers are put forward with Neil eventually being asked ‘Well, do you want to be Scottish?’, Butler replies ‘Yes’ and so the decision is made – he is!

 The next Cleikum Club will occur on Thursday May 3^rd at Stravaigin Gibson Street with the question 'What is Radical?'. We hope to see plenty of familiar faces and if you haven’t attended before – make this your first time! Phone Stravaigin Gibson Street 0141 334 2665