Nova Scotia (2008) is the fourth part of Byrne's Slab Boys tetralogy. It brings things into the era of devolved Scotland and cell phones. It is not as powerful as the first and second plays of the trilogy (the second is not very good at all - see my review below from late last year). Sex and death are not such motivators for those in late middle age. And Byrne makes far too much of the new mobile technology. We must be thankful he didn't carry the story on into smartphone territory.
Phil McCann is still the dropout painter of 1958 who has failed to ever drop in. His young partner Didi, though, is hugely successful, her installations have her up for the Turner Prize and a possible Thames & Hudson book. Didi supports Phil in a Highland Castle. The action takes place in the garden area where Phil has built himself a studio which every else assumes is where they store their bins.
Didi has given permission for an arts feature to be made in the grounds. What no one has yet realised is that the subject is Phil's old mate from the Slab Boys, George 'Spanky' Farrell, now a living legend in LA, and now back with the sex-bomb of the old print shop, Lucille, who was also briefly married to Phil. Lucille and Phil's son Miles is directing the feature. Miles has also been doing some research into the complex family tree, using a technology that is highly relevant to the plot, DNA.
There are some fine moments in the play, notably regarding the DNA, which those familiar with Byrne's story will be able to guess. Phil, of course, is a version of Byrne, though nowhere near so famous or successful. Is Didi Tilda Swanson? Only in terms of age difference. Is Spanky Gerry Rafferty? Possibly. These are the games Byrne encourages us to play. Nova Scotia is, generally, a fun game, a fitting swansong for Byrne's theatrical career. The book, like its predecessor, also gives us his drawings, which are as brilliant as ever.
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