During The Last Queen of Scotland the streets, pubs and people of Dundee are brought to life with the brilliant delivery from performer Rehanna MacDonald. She completely embodies the distinct Dundee voice and conveys the unique and authentic Dundee accent with every word that she spits out with unabashed passion. To witness her tell the story of The Last Queen of Scotland is a brilliant and exciting experience.
The story is a close and personal one to writer Jaimini Jethwa. Jaimini was born in Uganda and was expelled from the country by President Idi Amin after he ordered the removal of all Asian-Ugandan citizens. It is the playwrights personal story that forms the basis of The Last Queen of Scotland. The show is brought to the Underbelly during the Edinburgh Fringe by Stellar Quines Theatre Company with support from the National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep.
The performance begins in Dundee and takes the audience to Kent, Leicester and Uganda. We hear how our protagonist found her way to Dundee after being born in Africa from Indian descent. The journey then turns on itself and we are taken to Africa and witness the location of Idi Amin’s tyranny. Amin had a fascination with Scottish culture and so does the protagonist of our story. Although their perspectives on life are polar opposites.
Rehanna MacDonald is joined on stage by musician, sound designer and composer Patricia Panther. She sits behind a laptop and delivers the music and evocative soundscapes that perfectly compliment the performance. The dynamic between performer and musician underlines the themes of displacement, belonging and identity and gives a sonic edge to the show. There are many themes within The Last Queen of Scotland and the combination of the direction from Jemima Levick, Jaimini Jethwa’s script and the performances from Rehanna MacDonald and Patricia Panther make the show a memorable and brilliant one. The Last Queen of Scotland is filled with heart, passion and the distinctive Dundee accent.