A’ CHIAD LITIR – The First Letter
This year’s special commission is by Josie Duncan, a folk singer, songwriter and composer working in both English and Scottish Gaelic. Josie’s work is rooted in traditional song, while also creating space for new writing and unheard voices. For this project, she turns her attention to the life and poetry of the sixteenth-century writer Marie Maitland, whose work has only recently been rediscovered. This will be the first time this new work featuring live poetry readings and songs based on Marie’s writing has been performed.
The songs draw on research by historian Ashley Douglas, who has brought Marie Maitland’s powerful lesbian love poetry to wider attention after centuries of obscurity. With support from Glasgow Life, Josie has set several of Marie’s poems to music, alongside newly written songs reflecting on her life, her relationships and the world she lived in. This performance will be the first time these songs have been heard.
The idea of the first letter runs through the work, touching on questions of language, identity and what it means to name love, both in the sixteenth century and now.
About Marie Maitland (c.1547–1596)
Ashley Douglas first encountered Marie Maitland’s poetry in 2021. Since then, she has worked to share the importance of Marie’s writing more widely, describing her as “Scotland’s sixteenth-century Sappho”. Written in historical Scots, Maitland’s sapphic love poetry is among the earliest known examples of lesbian writing since the time of the ancient Greek poet Sappho.
Marie Maitland was born into a wealthy and influential family at Lethington Castle in East Lothian. She was the daughter of Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington, a judge and poet, and sister to William Maitland, Secretary of State to Mary, Queen of Scots. William later died in Leith Tolbooth while awaiting execution for treason, following his involvement in the political turmoil of the period. Another brother, John Maitland, went on to become Lord Chancellor of Scotland under King James VI.
When her father lost his sight, Marie became his scribe. Alongside copying his poetry, she began writing her own verse, including poems that speak openly and passionately of her love for another woman.
Ashley Douglas has written extensively on Marie Maitland’s life and legacy. Her forthcoming book, With My Own Hand: The Secret Life of Marie Maitland, Scotland’s Sixteenth-Century Sappho, draws on newly uncovered historical records to tell Marie’s story in full for the first time. The book will be published in July 2026 and is available to pre-order. During the performance, Ashley Douglas will read one of Marie Maitland’s poems addressed to another woman she loved.
This new work showcases Marie's poetry and challenges the notion that queerness could ever be considered 'modern'.
The band
Joining Josie (vocals, harp, tenor guitar and effects) are: Charlotte Printer (bass and vocals), Laura Jane Wilkie (fiddle), Eilidh Rodgers (percussion), Jenny Clifford (guitar). Ashley Douglas will be supplying spoken word elements to the show.
In Traverse One
Tickets: £18.50/£14.50 each
Doors open: 8pm | Music starts: 8.15pm
Tickets may also be booked via phone. Call the box office team on 0131 228 1404