Glasgow revival of Whaur's Yer Wullie Shakespeare Noo? revisits a famous theatrical heckle

A new production at Oran Mor in Glasgow, titled Whaur's Yer Wullie Shakespeare Noo?, revisits one of the most famous moments in Scottish theatre history: the 1756 performance of John Home's play Douglas at Edinburgh's Canongate playhouse, which prompted an audience member to declare the Scottish playwright superior to William Shakespeare.

The production is staged as a comedy that explores the nationalist and religious tensions surrounding that original 18th-century performance, as well as the broader question of theatre's power to stir public passion. The famous heckle, Whaur's yer Wullie Shakespeare noo?, has endured in Scottish cultural memory as a symbol of national pride asserting itself against English literary dominance.

At the time of its original staging, Douglas was controversial not only for its artistic merits but also for the fact that Home was a minister of the Church of Scotland, a profession for which playwriting was considered scandalous by religious authorities. The production reportedly led to disciplinary consequences for Home within the church, adding a layer of religious controversy to the nationalist fervour the play provoked.

The new comedic staging uses that history as a springboard to examine broader themes of national identity and cultural rivalry, framing the 18th-century episode within a modern comedic lens. Reviewers have noted that the production balances humour with a genuine engagement with the historical weight of the original event.

The show is part of Oran Mor's long-running lunchtime theatre programme, which has built a reputation for staging short, topical and often irreverent new work in Glasgow.