John Byrne: the maverick Scottish playwright and artist was a master observer
Byrne, who has died aged 83, used his life as a constant source of inspiration for exuberant plays and paintings If John Byrne had been known only for The Slab Boys, he would be considered one of Scotland's great cultural figures. But Byrne, who died on Thursday aged 83, was responsible for so much more than the trilogy of plays that helped put Robbie Coltrane on the map. He created the TV series Tutti Frutti, also s…