There is a scene in Alasdair Gray’s landmark novel Lanark in which the author himself makes an appearance. He startles the eponymous hero, one of the book’s twin protagonists, by explaining he is a work of fiction.
It is an authorial intervention too brazen for Alan Bissett to ignore. In this charming and light-footed tribute to two towering cultural figures, the actor-playwright steps out of character to fill us in on what is going on.
Because on the face of it, there is little to connect Gray, the celebrated muralist and writer, and Billy Connolly, the loquacious standup comedian, whom he encounters here. The difference is apparent in Bissett’s performance as he alternates between the two men. [READ MORE]