The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black Black Oil

Summary: This BBC presentation of the 7:84 Theatre Company’s production of The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black Black Oil by John McGrath included scenes from a live performance cut in with outdoor enactments of historical scenes filmed on the shores of Loch Carron (Radio Times, 30 May 1974).
Theatre play: The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black Black Oil by John McGrath (1935-2002) [more information]
Play synopsis: 'A musical drama Cheviot recounts the history of economic change in the Scottish Highlands, from the Highland Clearances in the early 19th century through to the contemporary oil boom at the time of its first production. [...] The stage play is mixed with filmed reconstructions of documented events in the Highland Clearances, darkly humorous songs and sketches and, later, interviews with those participating and affected by the North Sea Oil industry in 1974’ (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cheviot,_the_Stag,_and_the_Black_Black_Oil).
Production history: 'From 1973, beginning at a venue in Aberdeen, it was performed in a touring production in community centres around Scotland by 7:84 and other community theatre groups’ (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cheviot,_the_Stag,_and_the_Black_Black_Oil).
Date of transmission: Thursday 6 June 1974
Time: 9.25-10.55pm
Series: Play for Today
Channel: BBC1
Production company: BBC
Theatre company: 7:84 Theatre Company

Director

John MacKenzie

Producer

Graeme McDonald

Playwright

John McGrath (1935-2002)

Cast

Notes: Extracts from this production, with commentary by John McGrath, were included in the BBC-Open University programme ‘Politics of Drama’ televised regularly from 1982 to support the study of distance-learning students on the course U203 Popular Culture.
Play tags: 19th-century setting; music drama; musical; oil industry; Scotland, as theme or setting; Scottish drama

Title: The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black Black Oil (BBC, 1974)
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