NO “SCOTCH” FOR SCOTS

Waipa Post, Volume 37, Issue 2227, 27 October 1928, Page 7

NO “SCOTCH” FOR SCOTS

OBJECTIONS TO LAUDER. Highbrow Ireland has long ago repudiated the stage Irishman; his like, we are told, is not to be fojuhd outside certain popular works of Irish fiction, and the stage creations current in other countries than the Emerald Isle. Now it is the “Scot” who rises in rebellion and denounces all things “Scotch.” The Daily Mail prints this, signed by Mr lan Bruce, which purports to be a retlort on some article dealing with two popular favourites: “In his article entitled ‘Harry Lauder—or Will Fyffe?’ Mr William Pollock quite erroneously describes the above-mentioned comedians as ‘Scots.’ The two artists in question have no hesitation in calling themselves ‘Scotch’ comedians. There is a world of difference. “Sir Harry Lauder and Mr Will Fyffe may be perfectly capable artists in their own sphere. I have no doujbt that they are, although personally I am in the position of many Scots .theatre goers—l] have never seen either Lauder or Fyffe on the stage, and have no wish to see them. Still, I have no reason tlo disbelieve the glowing reports which appear in English and other newspapers, reports of the genius of ‘Scotch’ comedians, the pathos of their interpretations, and so on. “However that may; be,, English readers of the Daily Mail may be interiested to know that many Scots, not highbrow Scots, not narrowminded Scots, n'ot religious Scots, consider ‘Scotch’ comedians to be in very bad tastle. “It may be that a px-ophet hath no honour in his own country. But is it not l’ather the case that in Scotland the worthless show and ridiculous pei’formances of these comedians are clearly recognised for what they are worth, while abroad (and by abroad in this instance I include England) they are taken at a little more than face value? “Hence the world-wide idea that Scotsmen are red-haired, hairy-lcneed, whisky drinkers and bagpipe players, and that they spend most of their doddering old age in chasing women. We need no more than mention the now-exploded myth of a Scotsman’s over-love of money. “Is it not a little hard on Scotland that she should have to suffer for the idiocies, sentimental or worse, of a few?”