A new take on the famous Journey to the Western Isles of 1773 in which Samuel “Dictionary” Johnson travels north to explore three new languages (Scots, Gaelic and an early form of British Sign Language) in the company of his biographer James Boswell. Told with wit, whisky and song this sequel to last year’s sell-out “A Word with Dr Johnson” is a literary adventure that asks, “Who owns language?” Read more …
Richly enjoyable if slightly caricatured.
By dribs and drabs, the script does offer Howden and Simon Donaldson—a somewhat taut Boswell—real theatrical meat to bite into.
‘Doctor Johnson Goes to Scotland’ is a fairly self-explanatory piece of titling, and, as they say, it does what it says on the tin, although perhaps a little too much.
Howden plays the London man of letters with an absorbing combination of absurd pomposity, intellectual curiosity and, in a visit to a school that is pioneering sign language, genuine emotional engagement.
A Play, a Pie and a Pint, Glasgow from Monday October 24, 2016, until Saturday October 29, 2016. More info: http://playpiepint.com
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh from Tuesday November 1, 2016, until Saturday November 5, 2016. More info: www.traverse.co.uk
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