Stuart Hepburn's Blog
I’m delighted to announce that my play about the 51st Highland Division and their betrayal and surrender at St Valery en Caux in June 1940 will be returning . It will be performed as part of the Spring Season at Oran Mor’s “A Play, A Pie & A Pint” from March 16th 2020. Book Tickets Here
This week marks the centenary of Scotland’s iconic comedian Chic Murray. BBC Scotland are repeating my play about the great man tonight at 11 pm.
A huge thanks to Craig and the team at Carrick Cycles in Ayr for preparing the Bianchi bike for “Marco Pantani : The Pirate” at Oran Mor. Also my sincere thanks to Mick Cullen, Janet Coulson and Tom McGovern for their immense contribution to the success of the play.
“Chic Murray- A Funny Place For A Window” starring the legendary Dave Anderson, the lugubrious Brian James O’Sullivan and the larger than life Maureen Carr is being shown on BBC Scotland at 23.00 on is going to be repeated this Sunday, 10th November at 2300 on BBC Scotland channel. It will also be back on the BBC iplayer.
Five Star comedy on the triumphs and tragedies of the glittering but flawed life of unique Scots comedian, Chic Murray. Seriously funny.
Written and Directed By Stuart Hepburn, Chic Murray – A Funny Place For A Window tells the story in music, comedy and song of the rise and fall of Scotland’s “Comedian’s Comedian”, Chic Murray. Starring Dave Anderson, Brian James O’Sullivan and Maureen Carr.
We follow the Chic from his humble beginnings in Greenock, through his chance meeting with his muse, wife and stage partner, Maidie Dickson and then on to international stardom. Chic was a man who could have been a Hollywood movie star, but preferred to plough his own remarkable, hilarious and at times absurd furrow.
“Chic Murray- A Funny Place For A Window” went on to be voted one of the ten best PPP plays ever, and enjoyed packed houses and five star reviews all along the way.
We open at The Newtown Theatre, Venue 7 on the 19th-25th Of August. Book tickets here.
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/chic-murray-a-funny-place-for-a-window
Oran Mor 14th, 15th and 27th August . Book Tickets here
https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/chic-murray-a-funny-place-oran-mor-tickets/9540395
Beacon Arts Centre Greenock. Friday 30th, Sat August 30th, (Matinee 1.30)
https://beaconartscentre.co.uk/events/chic-murray-a-funny-place-for-a-window-3/
Day two of the new play by Mull Historical frontman Colin McIntyre. Starring Andrew John Tait, Eva Traynor and Tom McGovern . Designed by Gemma Patchett and directed by Stuart Hepburn
Last chance to see ” A Funny Place For A Window”
” The Beaches of St Valery” which opened to four star reviews at Oran Mor in March will be touring next year to venues all over Scotland. The play tells the epic story of a young Scottish Soldier of the 51st Highland Division.
The play debunks the “miracle” of Dunkirk, and tells the tale of the 9,000 Scottish Soldiers sacrificed by Churchill in a secret deal with De Gaulle. For them there was no way home. For them there were no little ships. For them there was only St Valery-en-Caux, surrender, and four years incarceration .
But a few of them escaped . We follow one of them , 18 year old Private Callum Chisholm as he ages from a raw recruit in the 4th Cameron Highlanders in 1938, to a war-weary officer on the Rhine in 1945.
He suffers defeat, surrender, escape, and a hollow victory, as the juggernaut of war rumbles on. But through the horrors of war, Callum finds and then loses the love of his life, Catriona. “The Beaches Of St Valery” is Callum and Catriona’s story.
Watch this space for details.
Major General Victor Fortune Surrenders to General Erwin Rommel at St Valery ©Imperial War Museum
