David MacLennan (actor)

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David MacLennan (* 19th June 1948 in Glasgow , † 13 June 2014 ) was a from Scotland originating British actor , director and theater producer . For almost five decades it was considered to be the "heart" of modern Scottish theater.

Early years

MacLennan was the youngest son of the well-known gynecologist Sir Hector MacLennan and his wife Isobel Adam, also a doctor. An older brother, Robert MacLennan , became a Member of the House of Commons for the Liberal Democrats . MacLennan attended Fettes College in Inverleith and then the University of Edinburgh , but dropped out there. In addition to his interest in the theater from the very beginning, this was triggered by a performance of Joan Littlewood's play Oh! What a lovely was. MacLennan later described it as groundbreaking for his direction, the exposure of the "sheer stupidity of the ruling class" contained therein would also shape his later work. He made a radical break with his middle-class background and initially worked in the garbage disposal department before starting as an assistant stage manager at a theater in Brighton .

7:84

One of his sisters, the actress Elizabeth McGrath and her husband, John McGrath, brought the theater concept 7:84 to the stage in England in 1971 . The name came from the fact that John McGrath recognized the fact that 7% of the population owned 84% of the fortune and put it into practice. The result was that an agitprop theater of socialist and Marxist currents emerged. MacLennan adapted the concept and brought it to Scotland a year later. He went on tour there, having previously signed Bill Patterson and Alex Norton . They played pieces like The Cheviot , The Stag and the black or Black Oil . MacLennan acted as an actor, organizer, driver and manager. The play The Game's a bogey in particular attracted a lot of attention in Scotland because it set internationalism in place of the then emerging Scottish nationalism in the sense of the demand for independence from Great Britain . In 1978 he founded the Wildcat Theater , with the same political orientation. It had to close 20 years later because the Scottish Arts Council canceled the grants.

A play, a pie and a pint

MacLennan then worked as a freelance producer and writer of plays. In Dublin he found the idea for a hitherto unknown theater format. When he  learned that a derelict church in Glasgow - Oran Mor - had been bought by a businessman, Colin Beattie, and had vacant space, he suggested the concept of A Play, a Pie and a Pint . It means that a play should take place every Wednesday lunchtime - deliberately on this working day - in such a way that the guests did not know what exactly was being played. The principle was implemented, over the years actors like Bill Patterson and Robbie Coltrane came back to Scotland; Well-known authors such as Liz Lochhead , Alasdair Gray , Gregory Burke and Louise Welsh wrote the concept . By the time he died, A Play, a Pie and a Pint had performed over 350 pieces. The success of this concept surprised even close friends. The principle of the series as such has been adopted worldwide.

Last years of life

In 2012, MacLennan, along with David Grieg and Cora Bissett , applied for the position of Artistic Director of the National Theater of Scotland , they wanted to run the house together. Ultimately, the application failed, and Laurie Samsom became the director . In March 2013, MacLennan was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (motor neuron disease) , an incurable disease. MacLennan knew there was no cure but preferred work. He was also able to experience that a piece written by his niece Kathy McGrath was premiered as part of A Play, a Pie and a Pint .

He remained connected to the National Theater of Scotland insofar as that in the context of the plays The Great Yes and No, Don't Know Five Minute Theater Show, plays by him that expressed his negative stance on the referendum on Scottish independence were played.

MacLennan was married to actress Juliet Cadzow, and the connection resulted in a son.

He once described his work as follows:

“I've always felt theater and the arts in general, were parts of life, not something special that should be locked away in private place. They should be concerned with humanity. That is my purpose in making theater, to tackle issues that concern peoply deeply - as well as occassionally being naughty and have a damn good laugh. "

“I've always believed that theater, and art in general, is part of life [and] not something that should happen behind closed doors. Both should be associated with humanity. My drive as a theater maker is to tackle topics that touch people deeply - at the same time, to be indecent and to laugh heartily from time to time. "

David MacLennan died in Glasgow on June 13, 2014 at the age of 65.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Obituary. In: The Times , July 9, 2014, p. 45.
  2. ↑ "The crass stupidity of the ruling class". In: The Times , July 9, 2014, p. 45; Obituary (English).
personal data
SURNAME MacLennan, David
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British actor, director and theater producer
DATE OF BIRTH June 19, 1948
PLACE OF BIRTH Glasgow , Scotland, United Kingdom
DATE OF DEATH June 13, 2014
Place of death Glasgow , Scotland, United Kingdom