The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil
The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil is a 1970s stage work by John McGrath. It was performed across Scotland by touring groups like 7:84, blending live theatre with filmed reconstructions, songs, sketches, and interviews. A TV version aired in 1974.
The play traces Scotland’s history from the Highland Clearances in the early 1800s to the North Sea oil boom of the 1970s. It explains why crofters were evicted as big estates grew, and how landowners and the authorities pushed Gaelic culture aside. Patrick Sellar is shown as a representative figure of the brutal evictions. The story follows how people lost their farms, moved to rough seaside plots, fished and gathered kelp, or left for Glasgow and other countries.
Resistance is a big part of the tale. It mentions the Land Leagues of the 1880s, crofter protests, and other acts of defiance against eviction. The play shows how land and sheep farming reshaped the Highlands and how churches, laws, and police helped push the changes.
In the 20th century, the focus turns to oil. The story includes oil workers going to the North Sea, the growth of Aberdeen, housing problems, wages, and safety concerns. It features interviews with oil bosses, workers, and local residents, comparing past and present exploitation and showing pollution and environmental worries.
The ending sends a clear message: this land belongs to the people, and they should resist exploitation by powerful interests, including oil companies, which can be just as harsh as old landlords.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 06:09 (CET).