‘Home to the Heather’

Press, 12 November 1981, Page 4

‘Home to the Heather’

“Home to the Heather,” at the James Hay Theatre, November 11. Reviewed by Heath Lees. With only seven weeks to go before Hogmanay, Scots everywhere begin to gird kilted loins in preparation for the great sentimental season. Those of us who are in voluntary exile usually find the Scottish Show invaluable to the ritual, though , it must be admitted that credit at the bottle store can add further encouragement. “Home to the Heather” is this year’s, touring Scottish production whereas last year it was “A Touch of Tartan,” The alliterative nostalgia could be catching. Perhaps next year we can expect “Call of the Claymore’' or maybe “A Burst of Bagpipes.”

Audience numbers were not large and the last-minute diversion from the Auditorium to the James Hay Theatre (unreserved seating) was probably sensible. In true Scottish tradition, partrebates were not mentioned, though a family of four would have paid more than $4O for the night out. In a spatter of applause and a. shower of dust from the lighting gantry the show opened with the North of England accent of the comedian, Al Showman, followed by Highland dancing, straight from the Port Hills, then the London act of the pianist, Bobby Crush.

Bobby Crush plays straight from the head ’and both shoulders with all the flamboyance of the wrestling ring — why not Bobby Smash? — but the arrangements are

good, the playing is very skilful, and the audience were eating out of his pianistic hand within minutes. Moira Anderson, the star of the show, showed that she is in fine voice yet, what with top E flats and low Cs glowing and fresh t She also chose to sing some Scottish items, strangely lacking until now, and her treatment of these and of the light entertainment numbers was stylish and' satisfying. Peggy O’Keefe’s accompaniments were models of their kind, and Moira Anderson’s personality shone through the whole of the repertoire. Generally the heather was conspicuous by its absence, but the enthusiasm of the audience showed that no-one felt let down: they had got what they wanted, and they loved it.