Duns Players to Perform Colonel Anne Kitted Out in ScotlandShop Tartan

Recently, ScotlandShop were met with a rather strange request: to provide tartan garments for a theatre group performing in Ballater. Duns Players reached out to us to support their performance of the original play 'Colonel Anne' this weekend and they wanted real, authentic tartan to add to their costumes. We were of course delighted to oblige!

For those of you who don't know, Duns Players are an amateur acting group who perform regularly in our home town, Duns, and in fact their Chairman is Sir John McEwan, who I interviewed back in June about his fight for Chiefship. 'Colonel Anne' is an original play written by David Shirreff, a writer and journalist who has written three non-fiction books, one novel and two full-length plays. This performance of 'Colonel Anne' is special for many reasons, but the main reason is that Duns Players have the opportunity to showcase their acting prowess much further afield than Duns, better yet they will be performing in the area where Colonel Anne was from.

Well Colonel Anne, or to use her proper name Lady Anne Farquharson-MacKintosh, was the daughter of John Farquharson, Chief of Clan Farquharson and was married to Angus MacKintosh, Chief of Clan MacKintosh. Lady Anne gained her nickname during the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion. She gathered together 350 MacKintosh men to fight as part of the Jacobite cause in the Clan Chattan Regiment, despite the fact her husband was a captain of the Black Watch Regiment and therefore fighting against the Jacobites. During the Jacobite Rebellion the government forces were losing and as a result Angus was captured and became a prisoner of Lady Anne. However, circumstances soon changed after the Government officially defeated the Jacobites, as Colonel Anne was arrested and almost executed for High Treason and then became a prisoner of her husband Angus. Lady Anne risked her life for a cause she truly believed in, she is a true Scottish heroine. The play tells the story of Colonel Anne during the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion, the turbulent relationship with her husband, the Rout of Moy and her secret love triangle. It is an insight into an iconic and interesting part of Scottish history.

Understandably, the cast are really excited about their upcoming performance. I caught up with a few of them to see what they were most looking forward to...

"It is so lovely that we can perform this play in such a historic and authentic way in the heart of where the action took place. It will be rather an honour to perform before an audience who truly value this remarkable woman and her brave clansmen!" - Carol Robson, Dowager Lady MacKintosh

"It’s amazing to be invited to perform our play at the end of Ballater’s Civic Week. Especially as this is the 100th birthday of Clan Chief Captain Alwyne Farquharson, 16th Laird of Invercauld. To perform the play in Anne’s home territory is a privilege. We hope that the story involving strong Scottish women, so often erased from history, will rekindle an interest in her and her amazing achievements during a time when women had little autonomy." - Kevin Purvis, Duke of Cumberland

When I found out about my distant relative Colonel Anne three years ago, I thought her story would make a great drama. I had no idea it would actually happen and huge thanks go to my cousin David Shirreff for writing such an excellent play and to the talented and committed cast for making it a reality. To be performing it in Deeside where Anne was born is a great privilege. - James Shirreff, Cluny

Good luck to the Duns Players this weekend, we know it will be a huge success. Don't worry we'll be sure to post some pictures from the play so you can see what tartans the cast wore for their performance!