Alexander Reid (1914–1982) was a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

journalist,

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

and poet, "one of the neglected dramatists of the

Scottish Renaissance The Scottish Renaissance (; ) was a mainly literary movement of the early to mid-20th century that can be seen as the Scottish version of modernism. It is sometimes referred to as the Scottish literary renaissance, although its influence went be ...

". His two best-known plays are ''The Lass wi' the Muckle Mou'' (1950), based on the legend of

Thomas the Rhymer Sir Thomas de Ercildoun, better remembered as Thomas the Rhymer (fl. c. 1220 – 1298), also known as Thomas Learmont or True Thomas, was a Scottish laird and reputed prophet from Earlston (then called "Erceldoune") in the Borders. Tho ...

and ''The Warld's Wonder'' (1953), about

Michael Scot Michael Scot (Latin: Michael Scotus; 1175 – ) was a Scottish mathematician and scholar in the Middle Ages. He was educated at University of Oxford, Oxford and University of Paris, Paris, and worked in Bologna and Toledo, Spain, Toledo, where ...

, the famous magician.

Life

Alexander Reid was born on 19 August 1914 in

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

, and educated at

George Heriot's School George Heriot's School is a private primary and secondary day school on Lauriston Place in the Lauriston area of Edinburgh, Scotland. In the early 21st century, it has more than 1600 pupils, 155 teaching staff, and 80 non-teaching staff. It was ...

. From 1929 to 1936 he worked as a journalist for the ''

Edinburgh Evening News The ''Edinburgh Evening News'' is a daily newspaper and website based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded by John Wilson (1844–1909) and first published in 1873. It is printed daily, except on Sundays. It is owned by National World, whic ...

'', before writing on Scottish history and literature for the ''SMT Magazine''. In 1938, he contributed an article on the

General Post Office The General Post Office (GPO) was the state postal system and telecommunications carrier of the United Kingdom until 1969. Established in England in the 17th century, the GPO was a state monopoly covering the dispatch of items from a specific ...

Pavillion at the Empire Exhibition in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

to the ''

Scottish Field ''Scottish Field'' is a Scottish monthly magazine which covers traditional, leisure, and historical interests. History and profile The magazine was established by former railway booking clerk and advertising executive John MacMurtie in Glasgow i ...

''. A conscientious objector during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he worked as a bookseller and accountant before becoming a full-time writer and broadcaster in 1948. His first play, ''World Without End'' (1946), was a contemporary piece about nuclear holocaust, but he is now best remembered for his period plays in Scots. ''The Lass wi' the Muckle Mou'' was first performed at the

Glasgow Citizens' Theatre The Citizens Theatre, in what was the Royal Princess's Theatre, is the creation of James Bridie and playwright in residence Paul Vincent Carroll is based in Glasgow, Scotland, as a principal producing theatre. The theatre includes a 500-seat Ma ...

in November 1950. It was adapted as a television drama, first broadcast by the BBC on Tuesday 6 October 1953, and was staged again by Edinburgh's Gateway Theatre Company during its 1954-55 season. ''The Warld's Wonder'' was produced at the Gateway in the autumn of 1958. Reid's short stories include ''The Kitten'' and ''A Warm Golden Brown''. Reid edited the

Saltire Society The Saltire Society is a membership organisation which aims to promote the understanding of the culture and heritage of Scotland, founded in 1936. The society organises lectures and publishes pamphlets, and presents a series of awards in the fiel ...

's quarterly ''Saltire Review'' from 1954 until 1960.Reid, Alexander (ed.), ''Saltire Review'' 1, The Saltire Society, Edinburgh, April 1954 He died in Edinburgh on 1 July 1982.

Published works

* ''Steps to a Viewpoint'', 1947 * ''Zoo-illogical Rhymes'', 1947 * ''The Milky Way'', 1956 * ''

Kirk Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning 'church'. The term ''the Kirk'' is often used informally to refer specifically to the Church of Scotland, the Scottish national church that developed from the 16th-century Reformation ...

and Drama'', 1957 * ''Two Scots Plays'' (''The Lass wi' the Muckle Mou'' and ''The Warld's Wonder''), 1958 * ''The Young Traveller in France'', 1963

Other plays

* ''World Without End'', 1946 * ''The Wax Doll'', 1956 * ''Voyage Ashore'', 1956

References

1914 births 1982 deaths 20th-century Scottish dramatists and playwrights Theatre in Scotland Scots-language writers Scottish Renaissance Scottish magazine editors People educated at George Heriot's School {{UK-playwright-stub