The Scottish Tattoo
The Scottish Show - South Coast Tour
"Massacre of Glencoe" Script
Military Band Scottish Medley inc. Road to the Isles.
Piper plays from
stage John MacDonald of Glencoe
MacIain
looking across gloom to Campbell
Is that you Campbell? Come to haunt me in heaven after murdering me in my own home?
Campbell
Aye, it’s me - Capt. Robert Campbell of Glenlyon. But I have not come to haunt you Alastair MacIain. Did ye no hear the heavenly music? It’s time for the reckoning. Time to put our story to the test and let the world decide which of us had right on his side.
MacIain
Murdering
a man and his family in his own house can never be right.
Sir
John Dalrymple, Master of Stair
Enters
from the darkness
But I say
rooting out such a damnable sept as the MacIains of Glencoe - the worst in the
Highlands - is not a murder but a public service.
Massed Pipes & Drums
Cock o’
the North, 4 parts Pibroch of Donald Dhu 4 parts
MacIain
The
music of the Highlands stirs my memory. We MacDonalds of Glencoe gave you
Campbells a bloody nose at Loch Awe and rescued Donald Dhu - the last surviving
grandson of the Lord of the Isles.
Campbell
A
MacDonald yes - but he was only alive because he had a Campbell for a
grandmother!
MacIain
I admit we
have not always been enemies. These lands were given to the MacDonald’s by
King Robert Bruce himself - after MacDonalds and Campbells had fought side by
side to defeat the MacDougalls who were with Balliol and the English. I was the
12th Chief. Although our clan has never numbered more than 500 we
always managed to raise a hundred warriors.
Massed
Pipes & Drums - Wi’
a Hundred Pipers Colins’ Cattle, march off Shoals of Herring.
Dalrymple
Whilst the Campbells prospered with Government support,
gaining lands by force, marriage and trickery - you MacDonalds were nothing but
murdering thieving scoundrels. Always raiding the lowlands, stealing cattle and
taking your plunder back to your smoky stone hovels in the hills. Living on
sheep, cattle meat and smoked herring was a savage way of life and your time ran
out. The government could not have lawlessness so something had to be done!
Wessex Military Band
English
Warlike music
Campbell to MacIain
5 secs
You and
others drove me off my lands. Leaving me with drinking, gambling and army pay
for my way of life.
MacIain
So that’s
why you came for me.
Massed Pipes & Drums
The
Campbells are coming, Glendaruel Highlanders.
Campbell
You brought
it on yourself. You did not sign the oath of allegiance to King William of
Orange until it was too late. That gave Dalrymple, the secretary of state, the
excuse he needed to carry out the king’s orders to the letter.
MacIain
But I was
only 5 days late and I did sign.
Dalrymple
But you were a
Jacobite at heart MacIain and you and your kind were better put to death by fire
and sword.
MacIain
But see here
Campbell, how I gave you and your troops true Highland hospitality for 10 days.
CEILIDH - 30 mins variety of song, music
& dance
Dalrymple
On the evening
of 12th February 1692 my orders, countersigned by King William, were
received by Captain Campbell and his true mission became known to him.
Reads out the order from scroll. "Duncanson's
Order"
Campbell
And
at 5 o’clock next morning, as a beacon was lit on Signal Hill - I obeyed that
fateful order.
Carnage here as the Country Dancers stand and
put others to death - some running off screaming. When done everyone is still
and the Country Dancers - still standing -have their heads bowed. The stage will
have some dead bodies laying on it for effect. Stage still dim.
Piper plays
Ballad of Glencoe solo once through during the carnage then joined by other
bands.
Moments silence then John Scott (MacIain), from centre stage spot on, sings Ballad of Glencoe throughout (unaccompanied) all those on stage (alive) join the chorus but when not singing or playing all heads bowed.
At end
all heads bowed and silence (audience applause probably unless they are all
crying!)
MacIain
to
Campbell.
In murdering
me and my kin you violated the highland code of hospitality.
Campbell
moving to join MacIain
Aye and it
haunts me to this day - but I had no choice. I had reason enough to kill you but
how, when and where was not of my choosing. My quarrel was with you. I spared
your sons and grandson and out of 300 of your clan only 38 died that day.
MacIain
But
more died in the hills, from cold and starvation.
Dalrymple
And good
riddance!
3 years after
the massacre, a commission cleared the king and blamed me for the murders. I had
to resign - but when you do your duty and do right - you need not trouble
yourself to take the pains to vindicate yourself. I was soon back in favour.
MacIain
to audience and joined by Campbell and
Dalrymple.
So, on this
anniversary of the massacre of me and my clan - we need you to decide which of
us is perhaps the most guilty.
Dalrymple
Aye, if you
believe that the thieving MacIain, gestures
to him the MacDonald of Glencoe, was most at
fault - shout aye.
Audience responds.
MacIain
And if you
think it was Robert Campbell of Glenlyon shout aye now.
Audience responds.
Campbell
But if you
think, after hearing our story, that the true culprit was Sir John Dalrymple,
Master of Stair and Secretary of State - let it be known now!
Hopefully a huge audience roar but you never
know!
MacIain
The
matter is finally settled. Henceforth, may our clanfolk work together for the
good of Scotland and Britain.
MacIain & Campbell go off - pals together!
Issue solved after 300 years!
Second Half
Compere to announce "Please welcome back
the Massed P&Ds"
Massed
Pipes & Drums
79th
Farewell to Gibralter, Molly Connell, Orange & Blue, High Road to Linton,
The Kilt is My Delight. Lochanside.
Military Band
Country Dancers
Highland Dancers
Highland
meets Country
Ian Powrie's farewell to Auchterarder All move to sides when
Robert Baird Scottish Dance band featuring Elliot Goldie 10
Scottish Medley to include singalongs Skye Boat Song, Wild Mountain Thyme,Loch Lomond. Verse chorus. Also Robert to advise what others so words can be put in programme.
Sunset Ceremony
Massed
Pipes & Drums
Band will enter and line up mid stage and form
Liberton Boys
Pipe Band
Combined
Bands
Amazing Grace
Soloist Piper Olivia McLennan
Combined
Bands
Highland
Cathedral
Compere introduces
Military
Band
Rule
Britannia
Soloist Elizabeth Nunns
Evening Hymn
& Sunset
Lone Piper
Military Band 1 min
National Anthem
es
Massed
Pipes & Drums
Flower of Scotland
Auld Lang Syne
Finale
Combined
Bands
We're no awa' to bide awa', Highland Laddie, The Black Bear
© Ian McLennan. "The Scottish Tattoo" 1999