Members of the Scots community, and visitors alike, may remember the little show put on by Ishbel McFarlane last year which has gone down a treat at the Arches in Glasgow. Ishbel won a Platform 18 Award and also a New Directions Award 2014 and is certain to become well known for her work with the Scots language.

Born into a Scots-speaking family in Kinross, Ishbels mother and father were secretary and treasurer respectively to the Scots Language Society, her father also working on Lallans under Jim Annand. Ishbel herself has read and performed poetry in Scots from her base in Glasgow and has been developing highly original drama in and about the language.

In her one-woman show O is for Hoolet Ishbel takes on prejudices against Scots speakers, questions the attitudes of those in authority, looks at how the history of the language has been taught, its suppression, and encourages the audience to ask how and why things came to be as they presently are. Ishbel commented " A'd like fir fowk wha haena mibbe considert Scots, or minority leid in general, tae examine their ain feelins. A'd like fowk tae question thir presuptions, tae learn and tae be entertained. The dream is for the audience tae come oot pure buzzin, and deein tae discuss it wi thir pals in the bar. A'd be leein if A didnae acknowledge that A'm keen tae explore ma ain feelins oan the leid, and ma ain history wi it an aw."

If you are interested in these themes, questions, and language attitudes, then Ishbels show is for you. Ishbel will be putting on her show at the Arches, in Glasgow, and the Traverse Theatre, in Edinburgh, during April 2015. Nights at the Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, are confirmed for 8pm, Thursday 23 to Saturday 25 April, tickets priced 16 (or 13 and 8 concessions). Please phone the booking office on 0131 228 1404.

The show will be on The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, Glasgow, dates to be confirmed. Please phone the booking office on 0141 565 1000.