By Lucy Komisar
This is a stunning political thriller and a true story. “Let‘s make a bonfire of the truth” starts out as a song. Smoke and flames.
The character William MacRae (Andy Paterson) is about 40, a Glasgow lawyer, square faced, serious. It‘s 1985, and he is being watched by spies. He will take us back to 1974. Paterson is stunning as the character he has written. And the story is as powerful as anything (not) written in the media.
It is about oil and money. It‘s Scotland‘s oil, but money would be drained. And the conservatives controlling UK atomic energy would be for dumping nuclear waste with no controls. He says, “You could sell souvenirs that glow in the dark.”
In 1979, MacRae stood for the leadership of the Scottish National Party and came in third. “I am Scottish not British, an enemy of that state,” he says.
An inquiry was started in 1980 against nuclear dumping by people who believed, “You can‘t trust the establishment in Scotland or the UK.” The nuclear industry targeted them as enemies of the state.
It becomes a thriller. He drives out of Glasgow, keeps an eye on the rear-view mirror. He is followed. A revolver is fired. Many believe his car was run off the road and he was shot with his own gun.
Three years ago, it was discovered he had a file on senior pedophiles in Scotland.
“3000 Trees: The Death of Mr. William MacRae.” Written and performed by Andy Paterson. Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Aug 2-26, 2018.