Show salutes a teacher who inspired Scots theatre

YOU can -- so the saying goes -- tell a man by the company he keeps.

Alasdair Cameron kept company with a rare host of folk: actors and

academics, gay activists and theatre archivists, playwrights and

critics, enthusiastic foodies and serious fans of Maisie the Kilted

Kitten.

Since his death last June, it has become ever clearer just how far

Alasdair's company of friends extended. As his brother, actor Robin

Cameron, points out, Alasdair lived life to the full, forever making

space for people and causes: ''And still finding time to bake a banana

loaf for a student tutorial group!''

He was an unstuffy intellectual with a passion for Scottish theatre, a

lively and engaging teacher who enjoyed the role of the senior lecturer

in the Department of Theatre, Film and Media Studies at Glasgow

University. He was a hands-on practitioner of what he taught -- he wrote

plays, produced and directed plays, helped set up new companies (Clyde

Unity is a prime example) and willingly advised many more.

Messages are still reaching his family from various parts of the

globe, all echoing one thing: Alasdair's gift for inspiring others. Time

and again, his guidance and support helped friends -- many of them

former students -- to find their own path, have confidence in their

abilities, their goals, their sexuality.

What also emerged was that people didn't just want to mourn Alasdair

-- they wanted to celebrate him. And they wanted, somehow, to continue

his giving spirit of marvellously practical encouragement. Which is why,

on Sunday, March 19, the Glasgow Citizens' will surrender its stage to

Tartan Trifles, an evening of rousing hilarity aimed at raising funds

for The Alasdair Cameron Scholarship Trust.

So far the lineup includes Jimmy Logan, Neil Bartlett, Clyde Unity

Theatre, Karen Matheson of Capercaillie, Horse and some of Robin

Cameron's colleagues from Take the High Road. Janice Forsyth is

compering and Ian Brown of the Traverse has come in on the production

side.

Others -- like Una McLean --were keen to take part but couldn't manage

to be there on the night. ''It's been quite amazing,'' Robin says.

''Everyone we'd spoken to has immediately said they'll help if they can.

You only have to mention Alasdair's name and you get this tremendous

response. He meant so much to so many different people. And they want to

do something in return.''

Tickets for Tartan Trifles are #5, #10, #15 and #20 available from the

Citz and through the city's ticket line. All proceeds go towards the

scholarship fund being set up in his name at Glasgow University (which

will also advise on how to make other donations and covenants).

The award, linked into the Erasmus scheme -- which Alasdair helped to

organise -- will enable a student director to travel with his or her

production to participating universities overseas. Previously there was

cash for the cast to travel, but directors had to find the necessary

funding themselves.

It is so very appropriate that the fund will encourage theatre-making

in a university context for that was a vital part of Alasdair's working

life. And it's rather nice that the award involves travel -- Alasdair

had a flair for combining business and pleasure as his postcards home

from academic conferences proved. He could always find a theatre

performance, exhibition or tearoom in the most unpromising spots.

Alasdair Cameron would have been 42 on the second of this month. He

was just starting to make a name for himself in prestigious

international academic circles where he tirelessly promoted the cause --

the history and the practice -- of Scottish theatre.

Here, at home, he was loved and respected for his unstinting support

of Scottish theatre in all its forms, from variety to live art. But more

than that, he was sought out in foyers, because he was such good, good

company. Tartan Trifles is one way for friends to tell the world now

much his company meant.