THE TRIAL OF WILLIAM MERRILEES

WHEN LAW AND DESIRE CLASH, WHICH SIDE DO YOU CHOOSE?

 

EDINBURGH, 1934. In a city plagued by illicit acts, detective inspector William Merrilees wages a four-year war against deviants committing sexual offences in public places such as urinals, bathhouses, parks, clubs, and hotels. He dedicates himself to investigation, under-cover work, surveillance and raids, all in efforts to procure evidence, secure convictions and clear the streets of such deviance.

 

At that time, homosexuality is illegal. Breaking the law, queer men use such alternative, clandestine spaces to express their desires, find companionship, and fall in love. For their actions, they are persecuted by the authorities, face criminal charges, and incarcerated.

 

GLASGOW, 2024. Charged with Misconduct in Public Office, William Merrilees stands trial for the alleged abuse of power in his four-year campaign against homosexuality.

 

The audience was invited to act as the jury in this unscripted performance of Judicial Theatre, hear both sides, ask questions of the witnesses, and decide the fate of controversial figures from Scotland’s queer history.

 

The performance was based on a collaboration with Dr Jeff Meek and his book "Queer Trades, Sex and Society: Male Prostitution and the War on Homosexuality in Interwar Scotland" (2023).

 

The performance was presented by Thinking Culture, a cultural programme supported by the School of Culture & Creative Arts, University of Glasgow.

 

Performers: Michelah Brown, Eugina Gelbelman, Naomi Gillies, Becca Kerr, Olivia Maurer, Brock McCullough, Amber Pasternak, Harry Walker, Sage Whiteside.

 

Production assistant: Emma Ettinger.