Loving homage to a Scots football great means his memory will live on
Neil Cooper
Four stars
The football season may theoretically be over for the summer, but as diehard fans know in their bones, it never really ends. With this in mind, this latest and apparently final run of Davie Carswell's loving homage to one of Celtic Football Club's greatest heroes, whose life was so cruelly cut short by skin cancer in 2008 aged just 51, could probably be seen as either a pre season warm-up.
And what a match Carswell and director Adam Felix O'Brien have knitted together. Burns is brought to life by way of a series of dramatised anecdotes that make up the story of a man who came up from Glasgow's Calton district to become a top-flight player and manager of the team that was already in his blood. As the play makes clear too, Burns never forgot his own description of himself as 'a supporter who got lucky.'
Football may be at the play's centre, but Carswell's script focuses on the man beyond, be it as husband, father, devout Catholic and, in the eyes of many, a real life saviour. Standing forever beside the love of his life Rosemary, we see Burns as hopeless at housework as he is nimble on the dancefloor. He moves from living room to chapel with an easy humour and a common touch that translated readily to the millions of fans who put their faith in him, knowing he was one of them.
Read more
As embodied by Liam Harkins, Burns here is possessed with heroism and humility, kept on an even keel by Rosemary, played with just as much heart by Sarah-Louise Greer. James McAnerney, Ruairidh Forde and Tom Carter double up as assorted interviewers, priests and a green clad chorus who mark the passing of time with comic banter.
With Burns' son Michael as executive producer on the show, both he, his siblings and their now sadly late mother are shown interviewed on film. The result is as much family album as theatre in a show that brings the audience together to pay tribute to their hero in an act of mutual devotion that ensures his memory will live forever.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Naked Ozzy Osbourne fought burglar in 'headlock' as brazen thief broke into home
Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne took part in a press conference back in 2004 in which they spoke about two men having burgled at their home in Buckinghamshire The late Ozzy Osbourne once confronted a brazen burglar who broke into his home while Sharon slept. The singer-songwriter was said to have come face-to-face with the masked intruder in the middle of the night before they made off with jewellery. Ozzy, who died, aged 76, yesterday, and his wife Sharon Osbourne, now 72, were reportedly asleep when two men broke into their home in Buckinghamshire in 2004. They were said to have fled with jewellery worth an estimated £1 million, and the incident led to a police appeal involving the couple. It was reported at the time that the burglary took place after Ozzy and Sharon returned home from a birthday party in London for Sir Elton John 's husband, David Furnish. They were said to have been asleep when the intruders entered their home. Ozzy stumbled into one of the burglars when he got up to use the bathroom at around 4am. The Black Sabbath legend, who was reportedly naked at the time, was then said to have held the assailant in a headlock before they fled by jumping from a first-floor window. It was suggested that the intruders had bypassed a security system at the home. They were said to have got in through the first floor and went through various rooms before making off with a "substantial" haul of jewellery. The haul was said to have included a 10 carat diamond ring given to Sharon two years prior when she renewed her wedding vows with Ozzy. Insurers reportedly put up a £100,000 reward over the stolen items, thought to be worth £1 million. During a press conference, Ozzy said: "When I had a go at the assailant, as I said earlier on, I acted purely on impulse. In hindsight, it could've been a lot worse. I could have been like George Harrison [who was once stabbed by an intruder]. I could have been badly injured or shot or anything." Ozzy said that things could have "got really ugly". As reported in footage from the time shared by ITN Archive, when asked if he would tackle a burglar again, Ozzy responded at the press conference: "Is the Pope a Catholic?" Sharon also gave details about her ring, which was reportedly stolen from a bedside table. She said: "[Ozzy] always said I was a perfect 10 [and] that when he had the money he would buy me a 10-carat diamond ring and he did." Years later, it was reported that a ring had been recovered after their daughter Kelly Osbourne, now 40, spotted it on the BBC's Crimewatch in 2011. It came following an appeal on the TV show for owners of stolen items to come forward after South Yorkshire Police recovered some jewellery. It was suggested at the time that none of the other items said to have been stolen from the Osbournes were part of the recovered lot. Kelly however said Sharon was in tears over seeing her ring. She wrote on X: "Thank you crime watch my mum is over the moon that's her wedding ring she cried with joy because she can get it back! Thank you!" The experience has prompted attention again this week following the news of Ozzy's death. His wife Sharon and four of his children shared the news in a statement just last night, in which they revealed that he had died yesterday. His death has led comments made by Ozzy over the years resurfacing. There have also been articles about his life and career, alongside tributes, including from his former bandmates, making headlines following the news too.
Metro
3 days ago
- Metro
Bizarre theory around Trisha Paytas' superhero-inspired name of third baby
What do Queen Elizabeth II and Ozzy Osbourne have in common? One wore the Crown, the other was the Prince of Darkness, and both have been reincarnated as the children of Trisha Paytas – according to the internet. In September 2022, a social media theory took off, suggesting that Trisha Paytas, 37 – a YouTube vlogger with 5million subscribers on the platform -had given birth to the reincarnation of Queen Elizabeth II. If you're unfamiliar with Trisha, a short list of the things she's known for includes tearfully declaring she identifies as a chicken nugget, asking with perfect sincerity if Jesus paid taxes, and filming dozens of emotional breakdowns on her kitchen floor to ever-increasing viewership. What does this have to do with the Queen or the beloved lead singer of Black Sabbath? Well, the reincarnation concept was fueled by (divine) timing: Queen Elizabeth died on September 8, and Trisha gave birth to her daughter, Malibu Barbie Paytas-Hacmon, just six days later. So, of course, it follows that Trisha's next baby would contain the cosmic spark of another British icon, albeit on the opposite end of the spectrum. As a result, yesterday, when she announced the birth of her third child, Aquaman Moses Paytas-Hacmon (no, seriously, that's what she named her human baby), on the same day that the news broke that Ozzy Osbourne died at 76, people just about snapped their thumbs rushing to reshare the baby announcement with the caption: 'Welcome back Ozzy Osbourne.' Adding another layer to the melee, Trisha named her new baby Aquaman – a direct nod to the DC superhero portrayed by Jason Momoa in the 2018 film. In a surreal twist of pop culture synchronicity, Momoa hosted Ozzy Osbourne's Black Sabbath farewell concert just 16 days before Osbourne's death was announced. The coincidences have been far too much for some people to handle rationally, some of whom now seem earnestly convinced that Trisha Paytas' womb is a portal of reincarnation. A few are even arguing that Trisha's second child, Elvis, is a reincarnation of Pope Francis (despite there being nearly a year between the child's birth and the leader of the Catholic church's death, but why let logic get in the way of a good time?). As silly as the meme is, for many fans, it's a playful way to mourn Ozzy, with the comforting idea that maybe – somehow, someway – he's still with us in spirit. Trisha, for her part, has yet to comment on the Aquaman-Ozzy theory (as it will no doubt be short-handed in academia for years to come), but, knowing her, she will have something to say, and it'll only fuel the gleeful chaos and meme-making. Some people are even wondering: Did Trisha choose to announce the birth of her baby on the same day as Ozzy's death, fully aware of the meme renaissance it would spark. Did she pick Aquaman as her son's name as a subtle connection to the rocker? Could anyone be that calculated? Part of Trisha's appeal as an entertainer is that its impossible to determine whether she's in on the joke of her own persona – which, if intentional, would make her one of the most profoundly subversive and insightful performance artists of this or any generation (Marina Abromivic could never make the Chicken Nugget video, but Trisha Paytas could totally have made Rhythm 0). The other option? Trisha is genuinely oblivious to the surreal absurdity she embodies, making her a tragic and poignant anthropological study of how the digital performance of self subsumes authentic personhood in the internet age (or something like that; you get the vibe). Meaning…she earnestly named her newborn Aquaman Moses, and it was just a coincidence that the timing of her children's births aligned with the deaths of global icons. To put it more simply: No one knows if they're laughing with or at Trisha Paytas and the reincarnation theory – they just know they're laughing. She's a glittering car crash of modern internet identity worthy of an entire graduate-level course in a media studies department – and we'll probably never truly know if she's behind her latest bout of internet mega fame. @trishlikefish88 ♬ original sound – trishapaytas The YouTuber did respond to the original Queen Elizabeth theory in 2022, saying with deadpan earnestness that just fed into the joke: 'I still don't get the correlation between the two. But I did not have my baby and there is no reincarnation of the Queen in my baby.' More Trending Now, as yet another chapter in the Trisha Paytas Reincarnation Extended Universe unfolds, all we can do is brace ourselves – and maybe start placing bets. Will her fourth child arrive the same day as Paul McCartney's eventual departure? David Attenborough? Peppa Pig?! One thing's certain: if the internet is a religion, Trisha Paytas might just be its high priestess, its sacred fool, and its glitching oracle – all rolled into one and crying on the kitchen floor. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'Unfiltered and charmingly chaotic': How The Osbournes redefined reality TV forever MORE: Ozzy Osbourne predicted his epitaph would be about bats – this one isn't MORE: Inside Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne's 43-year marriage as the rock star dies aged 76
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Scottie Scheffler and wife called PGA Tour star immediately after awkward incident
Childhood friends Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns have both ascended the ranks to become PGA Tour winners - but their friendship was massively put to the test in 2021 Scottie Scheffler and his wife reached out to PGA Tour star Sam Burns for a lengthy phone call after an awkward Ryder Cup incident threatened to "ruin" their friendship. World No. 1 Scheffler has been friends with the 22nd-ranked Burns since their teenage years. Their shared journey to stardom on the PGA Tour has only strengthened their bond. Burns, 29, hails from Louisiana and was even the best man at Scheffler's wedding when he married Meredith Scudder in December 2020. Their families have become close over the years, sharing rental homes at numerous tour stops, holidaying together, and even hosting couples' board game nights. But their close friendship, which is more like family, was threatened by an awkward and unusual scenario back in 2021. Both players were in the running for the final Ryder Cup roster spot, but US Captain Steve Stricker decided to snub five-time PGA Tour winner Burns, phoning him to inform him he wouldn't be on the team. The spot went to Scheffler, who had not yet claimed a victory on the tour. But rather than letting the awkwardness and any bad feelings linger, the Texan and his wife made the classy move to call his long-time friend, talking for half an hour while processing their emotions. "That can ruin a friendship if it's not something that's talked about," Scheffler later admitted. Burns recalled: 'Me, Caroline, Scottie and Meredith spent a long time on a phone call with these weird emotions of like, man, I am really sad but also happy for him. If it had been someone else, I would have been more disappointed that I wasn't on the team.' The decision turned out to be the right one, as Scheffler went on to defeat then-world No. 1 Jon Rahm in the US victory. Since then, Scheffler has been on an upward trajectory, clinching four majors and becoming the most dominant golfer since Tiger Woods. The 29-year-old has held the world's No. 1 ranking since May 2023, making his current streak at the top the longest since Woods' from June 2005 to October 2010. However, his meteoric rise hasn't affected their friendship, with Scheffler giving a sneak peek into what their morning routine would look like ahead of this year's US Open at Oakmont. Scheffler said: 'The conversation in the morning will be that we'll just hang out, there will be our two little kids running around. There's nothing crazy, there's not much to say. 'Sam has been preparing for moments like this for a long time and he's put himself into a position to win the golf tournament. He's going to go out and try to execute. At the end of the day, all he's going to do is try to do his best and that's what I'm going to do tomorrow as well.' Burns remains a proud friend, having watched Scheffler's remarkable achievements from up close. Aside from being Scheffler's biggest supporter on the fairways, he has also benefitted by receiving advice from the golfing powerhouse. Burns explained earlier this year: 'Scottie is obviously an incredible player, I don't think I need to say that. We spend a lot of time together and being able to talk to him, learn from him and ask him questions has been really cool. 'As good of a player he is, he's an even better guy and I think that's what makes it really special to watch, you want to root for someone like that. He's an easy guy to root for. It's been nice to pick his brain and ask him certain things.' When asked whether he'd felt slightly envious of Scheffler's achievements, Burns candidly responded: 'Of course, as a competitor, that's why we show up to play and we play to win. Watching him have success brings me a lot of joy. 'Him, his wife Meredith and son Bennett, they are an unbelievable family and it's been such a joy to watch how they steward that success to others around them. The amount of respect we have for them is very high.' While Scheffler delivered a stunning performance to claim his first Claret Jug by four shots at Royal Portrush last week, Burns ended up T45 after posting one-under.
