Scotland the What?

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Scotland the What? were a Scottish comedy review act comprising Buff Hardie, Stephen Robertson and George Donald. The trio played to sell-out audiences in their home city of Aberdeen where the members had first met as students at the University of Aberdeen. The sketches and songs which they performed were largely based in the local dialect of the North-east of Scotland known as the Doric. They were directed by James Logan. When James died in 1993 they were directed by Alan Franchi who had previously directed their shows for Grampian Television.

The trio first appeared under the banner of "Scotland the What?" at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1969.They became a 'hot ticket' when Allen Wright from the Scotsman Newspaper wrote a favourable review. They described themselves at the outset as "three semi-literate Scots taking an irreverent look at their country's institutions," and for the following 26 years (14 years with the same Stage Manager) the trio proceeded to do just that. Prior to each show, they had a handshaking ritual at the side of the stage which continued until their final performance which was at His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen on the 25th November in 1995.

[edit] References

Hardie, Buff, Stephen Robertson, George Donald, Scotland the What? (Edinburgh: Gordon Wright, 1987). ISBN 978-0-903065-59-7
Hardie, Buff, Stephen Robertson, George Donald, Scotland the What? - Second Helping (Edinburgh: Gordon Wright, 1996). ISBN 978-0-903065-85-6