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The Stanley Baxter Playhouse

Comedy: Sitcoms

Series of comic plays starring Stanley Baxter

The Stanley Baxter Playhouse: Series 4

Catherine Bailey

The Stanley Baxter Playhouse: Series 4: Episode 3: In the Name of the Wee Man

Drama

Episode 3

Episode 3: In the Name of the Wee Man

Series 4

In the Name of the Wee Man

BBC Radio 4 - The Stanley Baxter Playhouse, Series 4, In the Name of the Wee Man

A dramatised tribute to Tommy Lorne, one of Scotland's great early 20th-century comedians.

The short yet memorable career of the remarkable, much-loved Scots comedian Tommy Lorne. With John Sessions. From October 2010.

Stanley Baxter, inspired in his own stellar career by the man's outstanding impersonations, stunning pantomime dame performances and brilliant comic timing; pays tribute to Tommy Lorne, one of Scotland's greatest early twentieth century comedians

Stanley says: "In the long and distinguished history of great Scottish comedians there is one name that stands out particularly in my mind, that of Tommy Lorne. His star burned brightly, but briefly, in the early years of the 20th century. My parents loved him, as did many Glaswegians, and in 1934 as an eight year old boy I was taken to the Theatre Royal to see him as Dame in Babes in the Wood. Although he died only a year later and I was to see him no more, his hilarious and extraordinary stage persona is still etched in my memory. He was, rightly, a huge star in Scotland, and although he may be long gone I'd hate for him to be forgotten. So this is my tribute to the great Tommy Lorne entitled, in the words of his own, famous catch phrase: 'In the Name of the Wee Man.'"

Baxter recounts the triumphs and disappointments of Tommy's short life, where he brought laughter and happiness to many in his Pantomime Dame performances and musical hall routines, recreated in this production by Stanley himself, joined by John Sessions, himself an ace impersonator and life long fan of Stanley's , he says that Stanley has had exactly the same kind of lasting influence on his work as Tommy Lorne had on Stanley himself. 

Cast:
Tommy Lorne ..... Stanley Baxter
Willie Barbour ..... John Sessions
Harry McKelvie ..... John Ramage
Mary ..... Gabriel Quigley
Danny ..... David Holt


Producer: Marilyn Imrie
A Catherine Bailey production for BBC Radio 4.

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