Style and Technique: Diverse Dramatic Styles

The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil employs various dramatic styles including musical, comedy, historical drama, and political agitprop theatre, a term derived from agitation and propaganda, typical of 1970s radical theatre.
This fusion of different genres is used to express themes of struggle, exploitation and resistance.

Throughout the play, songs and music are used to highlight underlying themes, often presenting historical context in a memorable and engaging manner.
The music ranges from traditional Scottish tunes to contemporary protest songs, reflecting the various time periods and issues.

The play uses elements of heightened realism, presenting historical events in an exaggerated or intense manner to underline their impact.
Brechtian techniques, aimed at constantly reminding the audience that they are watching a play, are also used. This includes directly addressing the audience, breaking the fourth wall, and using props and costumes in a symbolic or representational way.
These techniques aim to encourage audiences to critically engage with the issues presented in the play, rather than merely providing a passive form of entertainment.

Despite the serious and heavy subject matters, the play often infuses humour, making the political and historical issues more accessible to the audience.
The humour can also serve as a form of irony, highlighting the absurdity and injustice of the exploitation that the Highland Folk endure.

The play combines traditional storytelling (songs, stories, and dances) and modern dramatic techniques (brechtian and agitprop) to create a unique hybrid style.
This mix of traditional and modern styles mirrors the tension in the play between the old ways of life in the Highlands and the harsh realities of modern industrialisation.