Theatre critic, social and political columnist, campaigner for democracy and human rights, based in beautiful Edinburgh, Scotland.https://bsky.app/profile/joycemcm.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/joycemcm.bsky.social/post/3mouv53gzbc2mCATS AWARDS! After yesterday’s lovely celebration at the Citizens Theatre, I’ll be on BBC Radio Scotland with Grant Stott just after 1.30, to talk about our wonderful nominees and winners! Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland - CATS!22 Jun 2026 12:28 +0000at://did:plc:d2q5qbz6o4igtk77odphaxy2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mouv53gzbc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/joycemcm.bsky.social/post/3mnzbsfwfzk2vMy 5 star ***** Scotsman review of Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer-winning US post-industrial drama Sweat, in a superb Lyceum-Citizens co-production, now at the Lyceum until Saturday. Great play, thrilling & spectacular production - don't miss. https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/theatre-reviews-sweat-funeral-for-my-boobs-851438011 Jun 2026 13:00 +0000at://did:plc:d2q5qbz6o4igtk77odphaxy2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnzbsfwfzk2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/joycemcm.bsky.social/post/3mnzbsfwfzk2vMy 5 star ***** Scotsman review of Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer-winning US post-industrial drama Sweat, in a superb Lyceum-Citizens co-production, now at the Lyceum until Saturday. Great play, thrilling & spectacular production - don't miss. https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/theatre-reviews-sweat-funeral-for-my-boobs-851438011 Jun 2026 13:00 +0000at://did:plc:d2q5qbz6o4igtk77odphaxy2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnzbsfwfzk2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/joycemcm.bsky.social/post/3mhr53ayk422vTheatre feature at Scotsman Arts: Forbes Masson & Andrew Panton on the new stage version of 1990's TV sitcom The High Life; co-produced by National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep, & still bursting with cheeky subversive energy, more than 30 years on. https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/forbes-masson-stage-version-of-the-high-life-will-be-much-filthier-than-the-tv-series-6025198?r=545823 Mar 2026 22:43 +0000at://did:plc:d2q5qbz6o4igtk77odphaxy2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhr53ayk422vhttps://bsky.app/profile/joycemcm.bsky.social/post/3mhr3nbhkh226Last Friday's The Scotsman column. The SNP's continuing poll lead is remarkable, after 19 years in government, and in some ways well earned. The party has no room for complacency, though, in what will be a fierce run-up to the coming election. https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/why-snp-cannot-afford-to-be-complacent-despite-dominant-position-in-polls-603458223 Mar 2026 22:17 +0000at://did:plc:d2q5qbz6o4igtk77odphaxy2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhr3nbhkh226https://bsky.app/profile/joycemcm.bsky.social/post/3mh6ubyhdwk2kThe Guardian on our open letter from Scottish theatre writers resisting the idea that the Lyceum's biggest show of the spring season should be regarded, for reviewing purposes, as a tryout for a later London run. 15 of us felt that we had to put down a marker! https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/mar/16/one-day-musical-edinburgh-lyceum-scottish-critics-london-centric-reviewing16 Mar 2026 16:17 +0000at://did:plc:d2q5qbz6o4igtk77odphaxy2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mh6ubyhdwk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/joycemcm.bsky.social/post/3mcsrq6e3w22uRoundup at Scotsman Arts of Alan Cumming‘s first Out In The Hills festival at Pitlochry Festival Theatre - and what a breathless and brilliant weekend it was! https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/out-in-the-hills-pitlochry-review-a-whirlwind-celebration-of-lgbtq-life-548025019 Jan 2026 23:19 +0000at://did:plc:d2q5qbz6o4igtk77odphaxy2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcsrq6e3w22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/joycemcm.bsky.social/post/3m5572kcozk2bAnd second, we need to shift the window of debate back to a place where we waste much less time on 'talking points' that are based on myths and lies, and are therefore incapable of producing solutions to any real-world problems. 2/2 https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/how-far-right-lie-that-asylum-seekers-are-criminals-and-sex-predators-is-taking-hold-in-britain-5391958? https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/how-far-right-lie-that-asylum-seekers-are-criminals-and-sex-predators-is-taking-hold-in-britain-5391958?fbclid=IwY2xjawN8ZxhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEerKJeBE8P8uVGwS1mI_hmd2kuikvskPcnQr8b18icVRK97PXXIl65Mdt1hHs_aem_yd-89pV6uctVmc2JsU8qcQ08 Nov 2025 18:13 +0000at://did:plc:d2q5qbz6o4igtk77odphaxy2/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5572kcozk2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/joycemcm.bsky.social/post/3m556ucqtek2bYesterday's The Scotsman column, with two main takeaways. First, those who oppose the hysteria about migrants and asylum seekers that now pervades UK political debate need to become much sharper, smarter and more resolute about resisting it. 1/2 https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/how-far-right-lie-that-asylum-seekers-are-criminals-and-sex-predators-is-taking-hold-in-britain-539195808 Nov 2025 18:09 +0000at://did:plc:d2q5qbz6o4igtk77odphaxy2/app.bsky.feed.post/3m556ucqtek2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/joycemcm.bsky.social/post/3m4qofhkclc2sReviews at Scotsman Arts of the thrilling and much-debated Aaron Sorkin version of To Kill A Mockingbird - at the King's Theatre, Glasgow from tomorrow - and Kenny Boyle's Righ Iasgair: The Fisher King, at A Play, A Pie and A Pint and the Traverse Theatre. https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/theatre-reviews-to-kill-a-mockingbird-righ-iasgair-the-fisher-king-5373722?r=148603 Nov 2025 18:43 +0000at://did:plc:d2q5qbz6o4igtk77odphaxy2/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4qofhkclc2s