Cultural Connections are back with another historical drama with music for this year’s Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival. The drama is written and directed by Ayrshire’s Craigie Folk Club joint organiser Dave Dewar. As usual Dave has teemed up with esteemed folk musicians. His musical director is singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ian Walker who has written and performs nine songs specially for the show. One of these is partly in Swahili, written with help from expert in African folk music Ewan McVicar. Ian will be assisted by accomplished cellist and singer Wendy Weatherby. Both Ian and Wendy also have small acting roles. Dave plays the part of the interviewer while the main role as the explorer is played by William Williamson, well known in Dumfries and Galloway as a singer and teacher of Scottish Country Dancing.
This drama tells the story of Dumfriesshire’s African explorer Joseph Thomson. He was born in Penpont in 1858 and later moved to Gatelawbridge when his father leased the local quarry there. He died in London in 1895 aged only 37 and is buried in the Morton Cemetery at Thornhill.
Thomson discovered many previously unchartered parts of Africa. His successes were rewarded by titles and honours including the prestigious gold medal from the Royal Geographical Society. His talents as a naturalist were reflected in the naming of the Thomson Gazelle after him.
Thomson had a genuine love for Africa and its native peoples. He strived throughout his travels to avoid confrontation with all whom he met including hostile African tribes. This was encapsulated in his motto “He who goes gently goes safely, he who goes safely goes far”. This was severely put to the test when dealing with the ferocious Maasai tribe in what is modern day Kenya. He used a series of tricks to deal with their aggression. A favourite one was to remove his false teeth which convinced the natives that he was a medicine man! On one occasion a native tried to remove his nose assuming that all his body came apart! Another trick was to add water to health salts which frothed up and amazed the natives.
Thomson was proud that in all his Africa expeditions not one of his men or any natives met with bloodshed.
The show entitled ‘Dumfriesshire’s African Explorer’ will be performed at Penpont Parish Church at Penpont on Thursday 1st June and at the Ewart Library in Dumfries on Friday 2nd June. Tickets costing £10 are available from the Midsteeple Box Office in Dumfries on 01387-253383 or https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/dgartsfestival/events
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