One of the UK’s leading theatre companies for learning disabled actors, Lung Ha celebrates four decades of brilliant theatre-making
Lung Ha is an Edinburgh-based theatre company for actors and theatre makers with a learning disability and autism which produces award-winning productions and works with a year-round, 25-strong Ensemble to develop their practice and remove barriers to participation into the arts.
April marks the start of 12 months of the Company’s 40th anniversary celebrations which will see it take part in or present a remounting of the Company’s 2021 hit An Unexpected Hiccup at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s biggest stage.
Originally created and performed under strict COVID procedures during the global pandemic, the show is a tale of comic misunderstandings, sinister goings on and dangerous eccentricities.
This will also be the inaugural production of the Lung Ha Touring Company which will provide further opportunities for performers to create and tour new and existing work, with bespoke and specialist actor training.
An Unexpected Hiccup is a co-production with Plutôt La Vie featuring five Lung Ha actors, written by Michael Duke after a devising process with the Company. It will be presented between 2 and 10 August at Zoo Southside.
The Company is also commissioning initial research to develop an Access and Creative Principles Toolkit which will support the launch of Lung Ha Touring Company. The research aims to cover three main areas:
To understand the access support structures required for learning-disabled actors in a professional company.
To apply fair and equitable pay remuneration frameworks for ourselves and other theatre companies working with actors and artists in receipt of varied and complex benefit arrangements.
To create a practical toolkit for working with learning-disabled actors which has a wider culture sector benefit and application.
The first publication of findings is expected in spring 2025. The project is funded by RS Macdonald Charitable Trust.
Lung Ha Theatre Company has been invited as a guest contributor at the Europe In Action Conference, a partnership between Inclusion Europe and Enable in May 2024 in Glasgow during Learning Disability Awareness Week, hosted by Enable who are also marking an anniversary year (70th).
The Company will be hosting the closing session of the conference with the theme of deinstitutionalisation, including a presentation about the Company’s work and a focus on the award-winning production Castle Lennox from 2023.
Also in May, Lung Ha Theatre Company will host the World Premiere of its short film, Love Like Salt, at Traverse Theatre – a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear, featuring the Lung Ha Ensemble and co-created by Maria Oller, Susan Worsfold and Stuart Platt. The evening will also feature a short snippet from an anniversary documentary about the Company made and edited by a Lung Ha actor, Emma McCaffrey.
Throughout the year Lung Ha will be spotlighting our Ensemble actors using commissionedportraits from photographer and long-time collaborator Peter Dibden. The photoshoot was a glamourous “Met gala meets night at the theatre” extravaganza.
The actors were given the opportunity to curate their own costumes and threw themselves into model poses and characterful performances which are beautifully captured in this series and in our commemorative 40th anniversary Ensemble group photograph.
Short history of Lung Ha
Lung Ha Theatre Company began its life as Lung Ha’s Theatre Company in October 1984. A sixty strong team of performers, with a learning disability, under the direction of Richard Vallis and Peter Clerke created and performed their own version of the fabled Monkey stories (for a time the Company was called Lung Ha’s Monkey Theatre).
The production was hugely successful and a new company and vitally important new theatrical voice launched onto the Scottish stage, now a vital part of it.
Since then, the Company has worked with over three hundred performers with a learning disability creating over forty original productions. The Company and has also worked with some of the leading artists and creative organisations across the country and toured internationally to England, France, Ireland, Poland, Sweden and Finland.
Some of the Company’s achievements include the Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland (CATS) for Best Ensemble in Huxley’s Lab in 2009 (co-recipient with Grid Iron Theatre Company) and for Castle Lennox, a 2023 co-production with The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh.
Now the company offers a range of creative opportunities for learning disabled actors. Our Pathway for Progression features six strands of work where actors can access training and performing opportunities in an inclusive and welcoming environment and on an established platform.
These are The Lung Ha Ensemble, Lung Ha Touring Company, Lung Ha Across Scotland (an online nationwide actor training workshop series), Creative Development (one to one skills development, mentoring and critical response), Sharing our Expertise (via our Access and Creative Principles Toolkit, and workshop leader training), and Supporting External Opportunities (where the Lung Ha team prepares and supports people with their creative ambitions outwith Lung Ha).
Artistic Director Maria Oller and Executive Director Ruth McEwan said: “Entering our 40th year, we are so proud of our achievements and what has come before now.
“We have shared incredible moments with everyone we work with and our audiences far and wide.
“From here, we are passionate about continuing to create fabulous theatrical experiences and breaking down barriers in our sector and beyond. Our actors are the inspiration and the beating heart of Lung Ha Theatre Company.”
Lung Ha actor Fern Brodie said: “I see Lung Ha and the other actors as my other family.
“I feel safe and happy when I spend time with them.”
Lung Ha actor Gavin Yule said: “Lung Ha is a place where I can perform and practise acting skills and develop new ones.
“It’s also where I can make friends and have a social outlet. It also allows me to experience professional theatre and perform incredible pieces of work.”
Theatre critic Neil Cooper said: “Its first show, Lung Ha’s Monkey, gave the company both its name and an identity that seemed to suggest that monkeying around on stage was a good thing.
“In the forty years since, that sense of liberation through play has remained at the company’s core throughout work by a stream of writers and directors who followed in Vallis and Clerke’s footsteps.
“With current Lung Ha Artistic Director Maria Oller at the helm for the last fifteen years, the company’s radical philosophy has put it at the centre, not just of community-based arts initiatives, but of Scotland’s entire theatre ecology.
Watching the company grow into itself over these years has been a joy. Long may Lung Ha continue to thrive.”
Starcatchers, Scotland’s arts and early years organisation based in Wester Hailes, have travelled to France this week to present their acclaimed co-production with SUPERFAN, “Little Top” at Les p’tites tommettes festival in Creil, France.
The show launches the Scottish showcase for the British Council’s UK-France, ‘Together We Imagine’, Spotlight on Culture, which is building artistic collaborations and celebrating the cultural links between the UK and France throughout this year.
Set in a specially designed ‘little top’ circus tent the show is designed to create a magical first circus experience for babies aged 0-18 months. At a time in their development when young children are discovering their own physicality, and the pleasures and perils of gravity, Little Top invites babies to experience all the fun of the circus.
Rhona Matheson, CEO of Starcatchers, is delighted to bring Little Top to France: “Little Top will transport you to a playful, joyous, upside down, topsy-turvy world where people can fly, patterns fill the air, and anything is possible.
“We are excited to present our award-winning show, a co-production with SUPERFAN, at Festival Premières Rencontres.”
The festival appearance strengthens Starcatchers’ partnership with French arts company Compagnie ACTA, following their recent Erasmus+ collaboration exploring topics around artistic awakening in early childhood.
The two organisations have already collaborated to share research findings and exchange best practices in arts for early years. Starcatchers and Compagnie ACTA presented research at PREMIERES RENCONTRES festival 2024’s European Forum in March. The Early Childhood Principles were developed by Starcatchers, Compagnie ACTA, 2turvenhoog and LaSala Teatre.
Rhona Mathesoncontinues: “We are very grateful to the British Council’s UK-France Spotlight Fund for this invaluable opportunity to strengthen our international connections.
“It’s a huge privilege to showcase Scottish work on this platform as we deepen our understanding of what artistic experiences can mean for very young audiences.”
Starcatchers is one of six Scottish-based awardees to receive over £100,000 in funding from the Spotlight on Culture Fund programme, funded with partners including Creative Scotland and the National Lottery.
Their festival presentation is part of a wider celebration of UK-France cultural partnerships happening throughout 2024, coinciding with major events like the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Norah Campbell, Head of Arts, British Council Scotland added:“What a wonderful opportunity for very young children to experience the magic of physical theatre for the first time. An excellent example of how through cultural exchange, artists can come together to share groundbreaking research and performance.
“We’re proud to help bring this innovative work to France, a fabulous start to the UK-France Cultural spotlight activity for this year.
“All the projects are now helping to maintain vital links between Scotland and France, and creatives across both countries are coming together to connect, collaborate and form lasting relationships.”
Audiences: start longlisting and booking early to support artists and #UnleashYourFringe
Today, Thursday 04 April 2024, a new batch of shows to be staged at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe has been revealed. All shows will be available to view on edfringe.com from 12:00 today.
The 1,373 shows span many genres of the Fringe programme, including cabaret and variety; children’s shows; comedy; dance, physical theatre and circus; music; musicals and opera; spoken word; and theatre. They join the 274 shows revealed previously, resulting in a total of 1,647 shows so far.
More shows are set to be announced on Thursday 09 May, while the official programme launch will take place on Wednesday 12 June.
Audience members are encouraged to start compiling their favourite shows and booking early to support artists, using the hashtag #UnleashYourFringe in the run-up to this year’s festival.
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “It’s super exciting when a new batch of shows gets announced – you can really feel the momentum gathering as August gets closer and closer! I can’t wait to get stuck in and add some more shows to my favourites list – and to book a few in, just in case they sell out.”
“Artists are the backbone of this festival and they’re at the heart of everything we do at the Fringe Society.
“Booking tickets in advance, adding free and unticketed shows to your favourites list, giving shout-outs to artists and companies on social media using #UnleashYourFringe – these are things that Fringe audiences can do to show some essential early support and boost morale for the artists they love.
“So if your fave is coming to Edinburgh, or if a show tackles an issue that’s close to your heart, get it locked in now!”
Below is a small representative sample of shows available to book from today. The full list of shows so far can be found at edfringe.com from 12:00:
Cabaret
Yes-Ya-Yebo! at Laughing Horse is ‘an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza celebrating South Africa’s 12 official languages, sprinkled with that incredible township vibe’. Meanwhile, audiences are invited to ‘indulge in the hottest pop-up cabaret experience on Cowgate with a rotating selection of the most electrifying and scandalous performers at the festival’ in Big Gay Afterparty at Just the Tonic.
La Clique brings its ‘breathtaking, hilarious, sexy, dangerous and iconic’ mix of circus, cabaret and comedy back to Underbelly with two shows, the traditional main event and a family-friendly Sideshow. At Eve, ‘the award-winning comedy trio Bad Clowns’ present ‘a night of the best comedy acts from this year’s festival’ in Bad Clowns and Good Friends. And The Burlesque Show at Hill Street Theatre is ‘a competition with a brilliant prize that will satisfy the experienced as well as the novice burlesque watcher’.
‘Award-winning magician’ Dan Bastianelli returns with an all-new evening of close-up magic’ in Deception at Paradise Green. German magician Thomas W Kuenstner ‘combines applied psychology, storytelling and old-school conjuring to generate original mysteries’ in Truth. Lies. And Other Illusions at the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre. Caspar Thomas demonstrates The Art of Close-Up Magic at Gilded Balloon while Andrew Frost lays his Cards on the Table at Pleasance. And ‘mind-reading and unbelievable trickery abound in this exploration of how autism and magic make anything possible’: it’s Naughty or Neurodiverse – Magic from Another Planet at theSpaceUK.
In Melody at The Voodoo Rooms, Aidan Sadler guides audiences ‘through the top steps to surviving the apocalypse with 80s-inspired synth-wave melodies’. Australian piano cabaret entertainer Antony (Dr H) Hubmayer brings two shows to artSpace@StMarks – A Monty Python Cabaret Singalong Circus and Another Unwasted Evening – The Genius of Tom Lehrer – plus a third, Meat Loaf – Just the Best Bits, to PBH’s Free Fringe. At Greenside, Baby Belle: Young, Dumb and Full of Autism is ‘a whimsical, musical exploration of social versus personal identity from the perspective of a late-identified and diagnosed non-binary autistic person’. And in Sawdust Symphony at ZOO, ‘obsessed characters discover and transform their space and themselves, transporting the spectator into a unique DIY experience’.
‘Rome Mosaic explores sisterhood and the sibling dynamic – with dance, lipsyncing and good old-fashioned sibling rivalry’ in Sisters? at Hootenannies. Award-winning cabaret star Ada Campe shows off her Big Duck Energy at The Stand Comedy Club, while ‘glamorous, hilarious and fiercely clever Jens Radda… reinvents Sinatra’s classics through saucy modern twists’ in Skank Sinatra at Assembly. In The Taylor Swift Eras Drag Party at The Three Sisters, hosts ‘Blaze, Rujazzle and Rozie Cheeks… take you on a journey through the eras of Taylor Swift’.
Children’s shows
‘The disability Taskmaster’ Blue Badge Bunch returns to Pleasance ‘as two teams battle it out to come up trumps in a show where disadvantage is an advantage’. At Royal College of Physicians, games-master Jes presents ‘crazy bingo variations like you’ve never seen before’ in Amazing Prize Family Comedy Bingo. And ‘your little ones will move, groove and dream, plus you’ll walk away with your very own custom-made medal,’ in The Comedy Games with Coach Mon (theSpaceUK).
‘Full of inviting, imagination-tickling charm’, Taiwan Season: Little Drops of Rain (Assembly) ‘is a feat of non-verbal, environmentally-conscious storytelling ingeniously led by Foley sound’. How to Catch a Book Witch at Underbelly is ‘an open-hearted show aimed at children ages 4+ exploring the importance of libraries and sharing stories’. And ‘when the directors call for auditions for new actors, comedy and mayhem ensue’ in Reach for the Stars at Hill Street Theatre. Meanwhile, Dragon Song Productions presents a trilogy of shows for children aged six and under at the LifeCare Centre – Ice Dragon, Moon Dragon and Sea Dragon – plus Dragon Shows for Babies, each ‘a magical and stimulating show to start a love of the theatre’.
‘Featuring stories by Scottish icon Alan Cumming’, Dragonory: Magic and Music at Edinburgh Fringe! (Hootenannies) ‘offers an unforgettable mix of storytelling and music, promoting love and acceptance’, while Newbury Youth Theatre presents The Fantastical World of My Uncle Arly at Paradise Green, ‘a voyage through the absurd world of Edward Lear.
‘Reimagined from a beloved Korean tale by Jung-saeng Kwon’, Aha! Doggy Poo (Bedlam Theatre) ‘incorporates dance, magic and Korean music to embody the philosophy that nothing in the world is useless’. Meanwhile, ‘Edinburgh’s gruesome past is brought to life by two performers (as seen on CBBC’s Saturday Mash Up)’ in Plague, Poo ‘n’ Punishment at Greenside.
FlamenKids at the Edinburgh New Town Church gives kids ‘a fun and visual way to learn about Spanish culture and flamenco art: rhythms, dance movements, clapping, guitar, singing, castanets, percussion and language expressions’. And a ‘professional violinist and cellist perform familiar classical melodies and tell a musical version of Pinocchio’ in Heads, Shoulders, Strings and Bows at Stockbridge Church.
The Spanish Gentleman Juggler is at Laughing Horse, ‘bringing to life everyday objects such as fishing poles, drinking glasses and kebab sticks alongside invented props and gymnastic balls’. Sing, Sign and Sensory at Gilded Balloon offers ‘an immersive, creative experience in customised, inflatable sensory pods’ for ages 0–2.
Comedy
As ever, there’s a strong international flavour at the Fringe. Taiwanese American comedian Titi Lee is a Good Girl Gone Baddie at Just the Tonic, discussing ‘coming out to their immigrant parents as bisexual, and then non-binary, getting pandemic boobs, and renouncing their good girl ways’. Prev Reddy, ‘the first South African comic that is Indian, queer and outspoken’ is at the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre in Prev Reddy is a Triple Threat. In Antidepressed at Greenside, ‘Ege Öztokat talks, sings and screams about the wonderfully terrible predicament of her existence as a young woman in Turkey’. Mumbai-based ‘global stand-up star’ Rahul Subramanian makes his Edinburgh debut with Who Are You? at Assembly. Bodega Bonnies at The Stand Comedy Club features ‘a new rotation of the fest’s best comics from around the globe (but mostly from New York)’. And ‘in his debut hour, Jin Hao walks you through the seascape of his mind, filled with nightmares of being a spider, dreams of joining the yakuza and breezy memories of serving in the military with the boys’ in Swimming in a Submarine at Pleasance.
Suchandrika Chakrabarti ‘tries to explain our chronically online era to her niece (5), and speculates about the future’ in Doomscrolling at Hootenannies. And audiences are invited to join Jack Freeman ‘as he learns how to love and be loved in this hilarious solo show combining stand-up with lots of heart and even more limp’: Embrace Me: A Solo Show About Dating and Disability That is Also Funny (Laughing Horse). ‘He’s been a TV presenter, DJ, double-glazing salesman, footballer and comedian’ – now James Gardner: Journeyman (WIP) is at Boteco do Brasil. Musical comedian Amelia Bayler ‘navigates a year of heartbreak and learning to be alone’ in Easy Second Album at the Scottish Comedy Festival. And Robin Cairns, ‘with his array of comedy characters, gives us a riotous hour exploring the (hopefully friendly) rivalry between Scotland’s major cities’ in Edinburgh’s Pandas Were Just Weegies in Disguise! (St Columba’s by theCastle Scottish Episcopal Church).
‘Imagine an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman finally in the same bar as a therapist’ – it’s Five Mugs, No Tea at Leith Depot. The Leith Comedy Festival Presents… The Edinburgh Fringe Edition at The Biscuit Factory, boasting a different line-up every night and ‘your golden ticket to a great night out’. And A Political Breakfast at PBH’s FreeFringe is a ‘political comedy panel show chaired by Chris O’Neill or Harun Musho’d involving up to four comedians (subject to alarm clocks working) and the audience’.
Lady ADHD is at theSpaceUK and online, ‘tracing how Blaire Postman’s unique comedy bits (fueled by a rollercoaster of flipchart rabbit-holes) at first revealed to her the unexpected connections of life’s intricacies, then panned out further to expose the true nature of her own brain’. Character Building Experience at Bedlam Theatre ‘is a Dungeons-and-Dragons-style comedic interactive roleplaying game show, suitable for the experts, the novices and the uninitiated-but-curious’. At Hill Street Theatre, BBC Radio 4’s ‘cop-turned-comedian Alfie Moore returns with a brand-new show’: Fair Cop – Live!
‘Shameless, charmingly aggressive and unladylike, she’s the funniest half-Sri Lankan gal from Coventry’ – she’s Stella Graham, and her show Phoenix is on at PBH’s FreeFringe. In Good Girl at Paradise Green, Rhiannon Jenkins goes on ‘an immersive, interactive clown adventure as she plays with male fantasies, female sexuality, and how we navigate 21st century womanhood’. And Daliso Chaponda ‘revisits the themes of [his] ancient debut show’ two decades later in Feed This Black Man Again at Underbelly.
Among the familiar Fringe faces returning to this year’s festival are David O’Doherty, Flo & Joan, Reginald D Hunter, Milton Jones, Adam Hills, Dara Ó Briain (Assembly); Adam Kay (Edinburgh Playhouse); Bobby Davro (Frankenstein Pub); Andrew Maxwell, Craig Hill, Lucy Porter and Patrick Monahan (Just the Tonic); Raul Kohli (Just the Tonic and Laughing Horse); Sian Davis (Laughing Horse); Sara Pascoe, Nish Kumar and Glenn Moore (Monkey Barrel Comedy); Ahir Shah, Kieran Hodgson, Nina Conti, Rose Matafeo, Sophie Duker, Jordan Brookes, Paul Merton and Suki Webster (Pleasance); and Mark Thomas (The Stand), while former politician Mhairi Black makes her Fringe comedy debut at Gilded Balloon.
Ivo Graham is at the Fringe in three capacities in 2024: with his stand-up show Grand Designs at Pleasance, his theatre show Carousel at Assembly and as the host of Comedians’ DJ Battles at La Belle Angele.
Dance, physical theatre and circus
‘Marrying traditional rhythms with modern dance’, HuXi / Breath (Paradise Green) ‘allows audiences to embody the intricate connection of Qi within and beyond, fostering links between self-realisation and higher realms’. In Korean Painter at theSpaceUK, the Contemporary Yunhee company paints ‘various pictures on stage using the traditional Korean hat called sangmo’, offering audiences a ‘mysterious experience’.
‘Award-winning choreographer Aparna Ramaswamy weaves together threads of body, memory, desire and devotion to describe the eternal relationship between the deity and the devotee’ in Ananta, the Eternal at Assembly. In The Flock and Moving Cloud at ZOO (part of the Made in Scotland showcase), Scottish Dance Theatre present works by ‘two of the most-exciting female choreographers in the European dance scene: Roser López Espinosa and Sofia Nappi’.
At Edinburgh New Town Church, Flamenco in Scotland is ‘directed and choreographed by Inma Montero and performed by top flamenco professional artists’. Flamenco Fiesta at Alba Flamenca ‘offers the audience an intimate and delicate atmosphere to enjoy the wonders of the passionate art of Flamenco’. And 2Flamenco brings a ‘powerful, exquisite, beautiful and unforgettable Flamenco experience’ to Argyle Cellar Bar, while ‘Jolly performers from Japan will take you on a journey through a dazzling world of rhythm, tap dance and comedy’ in Sushi Tap Show 2024 at Greenside.
Part of the Sacred Arts Festival at Old Saint Paul’s Church, Dancing Ash Wednesday is ‘a piece in which movement interacts with the speaker’ in TS Eliot’s titular poem. ‘Towers grow and decay, bodies leap and are caught, physical limits are pushed to their extreme’ in Circa: Humans 2.0 at Underbelly. the Curve at Just the Tonic ‘stitches together acrobatics, dance, physical comedy and spoken word to form the image of life as a circus performer – and what happens to the body and mind in the process’. And audiences can ‘come and witness Martin and Logy’s ongoing battle against the gravitational pull of the planet’ in Circus Sonas Presents: Down with Gravity at Laughing Horse.
Music
‘Hailed by critics and fans alike as one of the finest songwriters of his generation,’ Dean Friedman brings his Words and Music to The Stables at Prestonfield. ‘After nearly a decade-long absence, Sandi Thom makes her long-awaited reintroduction to the iconic Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year’ at The Voodoo Rooms with her new song collection, Warpaint. Valery Ponomarev: The Jazz Messenger! at The Jazz Bar features ‘an unmissable exclusive performance from legendary Russian-American trumpeter and Jazz Messengers alumnus, Valery Ponomarev, who dramatically escaped 70s USSR and toured the world with Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers’.
The songs of Jo Carley and The Old Dry Skulls ‘tell stories of deals with the devil, demons in love, witch doctors, zombies, ghosts, ghouls, journeys to the deepest jungles and other exotic adventures’ – hear them at the Argyle Cellar Bar. At Greenside, ‘iuchair tells a tale of debauchery played out in the coarsest catches of Henry Purcell and his contemporaries’ in To Your Rude Health! At Paradise Green, The Seas Are Rising: Stories of a Climate in Crisis is ‘a multimedia concert experience calling attention to the urgency of the climate crisis through original songs by American musician and songwriter Dan Sheehan’. And Grammy-winning cellist Leah Coloff ‘has played alongside the greatest names in contemporary music – from David Bowie to Debbie Harry’; her show, Super Second Rate, is at theSpaceUK.
Audiences are invited to ‘join Delhi maestro Manmohan Dogra for a journey through soulful Hindustani classical music, featuring vocal ragas and a tabla solo in Banares style,’ in Raag Rang: A Journey Through Indian Musical Traditions at Arthur Conan Doyle Centre. Seckou Keita and his Homeland Band are at The Queen’s Hall – formed in 2020, ‘they’ve been lifting audiences to their feet and leaving them buzzing ever since’. And at Valvona & Crolla, Pitchblenders: Só Danço Samba is ‘an evening of vibrant bossa nova, ebullient bal musette and soul-stirring contemporary songs from Spain, France and Brazil’.
At Assembly, ‘Out of the Blue is an internationally acclaimed a cappella group from the University of Oxford and, after jet-setting across the world earlier this year, the group is excited to return to their home turf to showcase new talent and new songs’. Meanwhile, ‘an all-male a cappella group of nerds from Imperial College London’ deliver The Techtonics: 44 Days of Liz Truss (A Cappella) at Gilded Balloon.
The Sacred Arts Festival has programmed church performances across the city this August, with Ave Maria: Centuries of Prayer and Praise at Old Saint Paul’s Church, Sacred Jazz at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral and The Lord is my Shepherd: Sacred song of the English musical renaissance at St Vincent’s Chapel. ‘The Howe Street Singers, directed by Les Shankland, perform Faure’s much-loved Requiem and equally beautiful Cantique de Jean Racine alongside Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms’ as part of the Sacred Arts Festival Music at the Church of the Sacred Heart.
Edinburgh-based chamber choir Calton Consort ‘presents an hour of choral music from LGBTQ+ composers and allies’ in Choral Pride at Canongate Kirk. St Giles’ Cathedral hosts a programme of Celebrity Recitals on its ‘world-famous Rieger organ’, with performances from Francesca Massey, Tom Bell and Michael Harris. St Mary’s Lunchtime Recitals return to St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, featuring ‘a wide variety of performers playing and singing in one of Edinburgh’s most beautiful concert spaces’. And at Edinburgh New Town Church, Scottish Voices and Friends features ‘an imaginative and diverse program, including world premieres of new classical music, with a special focus on settings of Gaelic poetry by Catriona Montgomery and from the Orthodox poetry of Konstantin Balmont and traditional Ukrainian carols’.
‘16-year-old Brit School pianist, guitarist and singer’ George Cassidy brings his second show, Piano Boy, to Laughing Horse, mixing ‘his own songs with those of Elton, the Beatles and many more’. Lisa Scott and the All-Stars bring their Fabulous Sounds of the 60s to Leith Dockers Club, ‘covering all genres of music and top-class musicians, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner and more’. Vocalist Georg Tormann performs ‘a touching and entertaining tribute to Old Blue Eyes’ in Sinatra – The Greatest Hits at Frankenstein Pub. Absolutely (not) Free – An Evening of Zappa is ‘a smorgasbord of Frank Zappa classics hand-delivered by those finest purveyors of conceptual continuity, Pygmy Twylyte’ – catch them at Bannermans. Brian Kennedy toured the US with Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell in 1998 – now he celebrates the latter’s 80th year in Brian Kennedy – A Love Letter To Joni Volume 2 at Greyfriars Hall at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh. And at Le Monde, All the Hits of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons offers exactly what it says on the tin, with ‘favourites including Sherry, Let’s Hang On, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like a Man, Grease and many more’.
‘Guitar, piano, violin, harmonium, banjo, vocals, and sometimes double bass create a folky sound with elements of classical, ambient metal, spoken word, Celtic reels and Eastern European scales’ in The Seventh Season at The Royal Oak. Fiddler Alastair Savage has two shows at St Cuthbert’s Church: Scotland and Beyond with cellist Alice Allen and The Scottish Fiddle Story ‘alongside Gregor Blamey on piano / accordion, with a specially written script read by legendary actor John Shedden’; he’s also at Canongate Kirk with Scots Fiddle Old and New. Audiences can catch ‘Wendy Weatherby (cello, vocals), John Sampson (trumpet, crumhorn, recorders), Sandy Brechin (accordion, piano), Andy Cannon (storyteller) and Allan and Rosemary McMillan (vocals, guitar) for a cheerful, poignant or nostalgic jaunt through our favourite songs, tunes and stories’ in Mrs Weatherby’s Concert Party at artSpace@StMarks.
‘Exploring classical works for viola and piano… the Kosonen Ranieri Duo will evoke the feeling of having just woken from a sweet slumber’ in Viola and Piano: Aprés un Rêve at Stockbridge Church. At St Cecilia’s Hall, The Triumph of Time and Truth: Handel and Vivaldi is ‘a vocal programme… threaded with gorgeous instrumental harpsichord and violin instrumental pieces’. Audiences can ‘join Duo Malvina for an afternoon of beautiful Classical Guitar music for two’ at St Columba’s by the Castle Scottish EpiscopalChurch. And ‘rising American opera star and composer Johan Hartman is joined by Edinburgh’s Ailsa Aitkenhead’ in 2 Artists, 2 Concerts, 2 Premieres at Greyfriars Kirk.
In Massaoke at Underbelly, audiences ae invited to join Rockstar Weekend ‘for their biggest and most spectacular show ever – a high-voltage, spandex-clad, crowd-powered, sing-along megamix of the biggest hairbrush anthems from across the decades, live and unleashed with giant video lyrics’.
Musicals and opera
The Wellbrick Centre on Roswell Drive (Paradise Green) is ‘a conversational musical with poignant, comedic and absurd elements’, focusing on two patients at a fictional NHS facility. SOFTPLANET Productions bring a pair of grisly historical musicals to the Mackenzie Building: Deacon Brodie is ‘packed with deceit, love, laughs, theft and some great contemporary songs’, while Flesh uncovers ‘the real-life drama of Burke and Hare, Scotland’s first serial killers, with a comic twist and original folk-rock songs’. On a similar theme, Ripper at Hill Street Theatre is ‘a terrifying musical look through the eyes of Jack the Ripper, the officer who pursued him, and one of his victims’.
Macbeth at Saint Stephen’s Theatre offers a new take on Shakespeare, mixing original and modern text with ‘songs from the likes of Foo Fighters, The Prodigy, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Dire Straits to name a few’. In ‘brand-new comedy musical’ The Weird Sisters (Just the Tonic), Amaranth, Scarlett and Blush ‘attempt to initiate the audience into their coven’ to a soundtrack of ‘punchy power-pop’. At Assembly, You & It: The Musical explores romance and technology with the story of Gyujin, who ‘orders an AI robot that eventually replicates his dead wife’.
Beowulf the Musical at Greyfriars Kirk ‘presents two medieval myths intertwined: on one side the famous hero as strong as 30 men, and on the other a princess who must live her life in service to her kingdom against her own heart’.
At Greenside, BANNED the musical ‘follows a group of gender misfits through the events leading up to their debut at a local performing arts festival’. Kafka’s Metamorphosis: The Musical! With Puppets! is at Pleasance, ‘a silly, surreal take on Kafka’s paranoid, mystifying masterpiece to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his death’.
Captivate Theatre brings its own mini-festival programme to The Edinburgh Academy, with performances of The Phantom of the Opera, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical Junior, Disney’s Frozen Junior and Les Misérables School Edition. At Underbelly, DIVA: Live From Hell! is a ‘blood-stained love letter to Broadway – a solo musical about rivalry, vengeance, and killer ambition’.
Arias in the Afternoon at the Edinburgh New Town Church features ‘international opera singer Brian Bannatye-Scott (bass) with rising stars Caroline Taylor (soprano), Catherine Backhouse (mezzo-soprano), Laurie Slavin (tenor) and James Atkinson (baritone), accompanied by dazzling Polish pianist, Michal Gajzler’. And at theSpaceUK, Fringe – The Musical isn’t what you think – it’s ‘a hilarious musical comedy about a cherished family run hairdressing salon in Essex’.
Spoken word
At Hill Street Theatre, writer Gigi Bella explores ‘mental health, feminism and the gospel of Taco Bell through poetry, comedy and music’ with show Big Feelings. Poets Christine De Luca and Elspeth Murray, in combination with Katharine Wake on the flute, return to Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts at Canongate Kirk, ‘with poetry and music, offering a reflection on home and homelessness’. Also at the Festival of the Sacred Arts will be Sacred Arts Festival Poetry at Church of the Sacred Heart, promising work ranging ‘widely from masterpieces of the Middle Ages, through ballads and hymns of the Reformation, to satirical and meditative poetry from the 20th and 21st centuries’.
Ben Kassoy brings poems from his ‘spectacularly original book to life in a solo show’ at Zoo. The Funny Thing About a Panic Attack uses ‘physical theatre, dance and traditional poetry reading to reveal the connections between mental health, art and pancakes’.
Storyteller and classicist Jo Kelen brings a ‘new, poetic reimagining of the myth of Achilles’ with Achilles, Death of the Gods at Paradise Green. ‘The warrior Achilles finds himself in Troy, fighting a war that is not his. When Achilles’ lover Patroclus is killed in battle, Achilles inflicts unspeakable horrors upon those around him.’ Iain Dale returns to the Fringe with his All Talk series of political interviews at the Pleasance including Humza Yousaf, Alex Salmond, Liz Truss, Anas Sarwar and Ruth Davidson.
Among the familiar faces returning to Edinburgh are David Harmer and Ray Globe, ‘the irrepressible Glummer Twins’, back with The Beat Goes On at theSpaceUK, offering ‘stand-up comedy, spoken word and music from the beat generation through eight decades.’ Performance poet and musician Attila the Stockbroker performs 14 Days, 14 Completely Different Shows at PBH’s Free Fringe, alongside his Early Music Show at St Ceceilia’s Hall.
‘Humour and horror are woven together with empathy in a shocking insight into the untold stories of ordinary women caught up in a whirlwind of politics, religion and magic’ in Witch? Women on Trial at Greenside. Tales of Haunted Edinburgh – Echoes From Beyond the Grave at Arthur Conan Doyle Centre invites audiences to hear ‘tales of the undead from a paranormal investigator as you discover a host of terrifying stories of hauntings from the city’s dark past’. Anne Bayne of Dunsapie Loch is available online, a ‘poignant audio play [and] a journey into the heart of Edinburgh’s literary history of 1740’.
Theatre
Deaf Action present *Smoke Not Included, a scripted stoner stage play. ‘I cannae tell if I’m having fun or I’m scared he’s gonnae murder us aw’. At Edinburgh Palette, a Pan-Africanist painter, Eda, is ‘cajoled by his friend and former agent Reki to go steal some of Da Vinci’s works that are presumably on tour in an art museum in Nigeria’ in Who Tiff Monalisa? Jeremy McClain stars in Rat Tails (WIP) at Fruitmarket, a new one-man show directed by Matt McBrier. ‘As he muses on his childhood and everything that got him to this moment, follow the Prozac-popping, biracial millennial who’s married into a wealthy, British aristocratic family’.
The Good Iranian makes its Edinburgh Fringe debut with ‘a mesmerising and moving production directed by Sepy Baghaei. Enjoy the art of storytelling and the triumph of good over evil, all in one educational hour’ at Just the Tonic. ‘Though dementia is increasingly common in an ageing population, it remains an unknown quantity to many’. In William Kite has Memory Issues, follow William’s experience of seeking support for someone with early-onset Alzheimer’s as he faces his changing reality (Paradise Green). When their daughter announces that she wants to transition, a couple ‘find themselves divided in their attitudes and judgements’. In Divided, the mother – who has always seen herself as inclusive – struggles with losing a daughter and gaining a son (The Royal Scots Club).
A historical satire championing John Kay, one of Edinburgh’s unsung artists, Passing Likeness at Virgin Hotels Roof Terrace is ‘a play of grotesque caricatures and still more grotesque originals’.
Enjoy a sip of mezcal at Comala, Comala, a ‘Day of the Dead-style theatrical experience’ at Zoo. Adapted from a novel by Johnny Tait, Naked Truth is ‘an extreme satire on false-celebrity culture. Not for the easily offended. A deep, dark rollercoaster ride’ at Saint Stephen’s Theatre. In Why Am I (Still) Like This? at theSpaceUK and online, Nicole Nadler asks why she still can’t ‘leave the house on time, pay her credit card on time or know where she put her glasses’ following her ADHD diagnosis. At Laughing Horse, The Guerilla Autistics show returns for its tenth year and asks ‘are you eccentric?’ The Basement Entertainer at PBH’s Free Fringe is ‘a comedy about being a performer at heart’, as basement-dwelling artist Kate performs her sketches ‘to an audience of miscellaneous junk with faces drawn on’… until one of them starts talking back. Ne’er the Twain at Mayfield Salisbury Church is a ‘laugh-a-minute comedy’ that tackles the historic joining of Edinburgh with the port of Leith, and a family caught on the boundary line.
‘Two rising Ghanaian creatives navigate their perception of identity, success, assimilation and home’ in DRUM at Underbelly. A US writer ‘with a big nose grows up hearing stories of mixed ethnic heritage to discover the stories are not true, sort of true, then true in a way that no one expects’ in Journey to Long Nose at Greenside. The Shroud Maker at Pleasance weaves ‘a harrowing story of courage, love, escape and disappointment with comic fantasy and true stories to create a vivid portrait of life in Palestine before the recent heartbreaking events’. In Do This One Thing for Me at Bedlam Theatre, Jane Elias tackles questions of Holocaust remembrance and how we move forward through an ‘acute portrait of her relationship with her father, a Greek Holocaust survivor’.
Fix Your Mind at Gilded Balloon is a ‘a contemporary exploration of patriarchy, love and the internet’, as two siblings are drawn in different directions by their chosen communities, while I Sell Windows at Assembly is ‘one Black woman’s exploration of what is birthed at the collision of grief, ambition and sex’.
Stepping Out at Inverleith St Serf’s Church Centre ‘charts the lives of seven women and one man attempting to tap their troubles away at a weekly dancing class’, and at Hill Street Theatre, Rave is a jukebox musical set in a nightclub, where ‘we see the lives and battles of a group of friends coming to terms with getting older and the reality of faded dreams’. A musical comedy about coming of age in the 1980s, ‘mashing hundreds of classic 80s songs into both dialogue and song (a la Moulin Rouge). Don’t Stop Believing: A Theatric Remix of the 1980s is at PBH’s Free Fringe.
STRUT is a night time performance and projection parade shining a light on 5 talented dancers with a connection to Greater Craigmillar whose personal choreographies reflect the celebratory energy of the town with Highland, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Disco and Breakdance styles in the mix.
These talented movers and shakers were selected from a wide-ranging Open Call, with the help of a community panel. The rotating one-performer parade weaves its way around locations in Craigmillar and Niddrie with spectators watching from the pavement, waving from their windows or following the event and dancing along.
STRUT: Greater Craigmillar takes to the streets on Wednesday 20 March, 7-8pm (Craigmillar) and Thursday 21 March, 7-8pm (Niddrie).
Emiegh – Dancer
Hiya, my name’s Emiegh and I am 17 years old. I have lived in Craigmillar for the past 8 years. I am still in school but dance is a big part of my life whenever I’m not in classes. I do many different styles of dance including jazz, commercial, contemporary and highland.
There are many reasons I love dance, but one of them is that it makes me happy and allows me to express myself in many different ways. Another reason I love dance is the opportunities it gives me, including going to Portugal to dance in the Dance World Cup and dancing in parades in Spain. I also competed at Disneyland Paris in a Highland Dance Competition.
I am very excited to be a part of STRUT as the opportunity to do something in my community is very special to me. Soon I will be going to University to be a nurse and I hope to become a dance teacher alongside my nursing and studies.
Bianka – Dancer
Hi, I’m Bianka and I’m nearly 13 years old. I will perform some contemporary dance as part of STRUT and have created my very own choreography for the performance.
I have recently joined Lyra’s Young Company and have just started to take aerial dance classes with All or Nothing. I love dancing. When I dance I can show other people what hard work is and what it does.
I am excited to do STRUT because I love to perform and show my dance skills. This is my first ever solo performance so it’s a big opportunity for me! I’ve lived in Craigmillar for almost 6 years, and I know the area really well. I was born in London but I really like living in Edinburgh.
Gabriele – Dancer
I am Gabriele, a 25-year-old dancer originally from Southern Italy, now based in Edinburgh, Scotland. My main dance style is Breaking, although in the past few years, I have developed an interest in Afrobeats, House and Hip Hop choreography.
I believe dance connects us on a deeper level, and one dance language is not enough to express yourself. Learning more about different ways you could move is like speaking different languages which allows you to facilitate broader communication.
This is one of the reasons why I love to dance. Dance has also made me a more confident individual and helped surround me with great people, who have the same goals and ambitions, connecting us all as a family (or in my specific case a dance Crew which I am proud to be a part of, called TMRW crew).
I am looking forward to taking part in STRUT mainly because as a street performance it will allow me to connect to the crowd around us. I’d love to inspire more kids in the audience to give dancing a go, or at the very least, just have a great time with everyone in the community during the performances.
My connection to Craigmillar is rooted in a local project where I have performed before. Alley Oop took place at Lyra’s basketball court across two weeks. The innovative dance project, choreographed by Tony Mills and performed by myself and Ursula Manandhar, allowed me to get more involved with the Craigmillar youth community and inspire kids in the audience to give dance a go.
Kieren Gabriel – Dancer
My name is Kieren and I am 11 years old. My style of dance is hip hop and I love dancing because I get to express myself and my feelings in many different ways. I like to look for inspiration from YouTube for my moves and also freestyle.
I am a member of Lyra Dance Troupe, part of their Young Company’s next show. I am originally from the Philippines and I am proud to be a Filipino. My family have recently moved from London to Edinburgh and we have been settling in well, so far.
I’m so excited to be taking part because STRUT is my first ever show. I am also excited to be involved because I love meeting people, connecting with them and making people joyful and happy through dance.
John Mcloughlin – STRUT: Craigmillar MC
Hey, I’m John, 36, from Craigmillar, Edinburgh. I do drag, discos, karaoke and am a born entertainer. I lived in Spain for seven years, running five different gay bars with lots of staff to look after.
I’m excited to be hosting STRUT: Craigmillar as it’s an opportunity to meet new people and see something really different come to the community. I’ve been part of this community my whole life and it’s brilliant to see something like this happen in Craigmillar, especially for young people in the area.
Rita Hu – Dancer
Rita is a dancer specialising in soul, funk and Waacking styles. Born in China, Rita discovered soul dance at just 6 years old, finding Waacking later, in 2014.
She has trained avidly in multiple dance styles over the last 20 years, and also loves old school hip hop, commercial styles and K-pop.
Rita has performed, battled and taught around Asia and the world, including performing at World of Dance. Some of her favourite battles include Summer Dance Forever, Amsterdam, and Old School Night, Japan, and she has won several competitions including the Huawei New Year’s Eve 2v2 freestyle champion in 2018 and the 2020 Changsha Queen of Disco for Waacking.
Before moving to Scotland, she taught regular classes at 227 Studio and Kinjaz China, as well as teaching workshops all over China. Rita now teaches weekly classes in Scotland, has been a judge for UDO (United Dance Organisation) and more, and has taken the Waacking Scotland Team to Greece, Poland, and elsewhere in Europe. Her mantra is simply: keep on dancing!
She says: “Craigmillar is where I had my first flat in Scotland and made tons of great memories and new friends. Now I live ten minutes away and love running through the castle grounds. I can’t wait to be back dancing in my first Scottish neighbourhood”.
John Cooper Clarke celebrates 50 years in showbiz with the Get Him While He’s Alive Tour
Tour coming to Queens Hall in Edinburgh on 12th & 13th April 2024
John Cooper Clarke released brand new poetry collection -”What” published by Picador on 8th Feb 2024
Literary phenomenon John Cooper Clarke is back and better than ever, returning with a brand new tour and poetry collection this 2024. John will be performing at Queens Hall in Edinburgh on 12th & 13th April 2024.
John’s new show will take fans on a completely one-of-a-kind journey through poetry and comedy. John’s live touring career has gone from strength to strength, with John recently returning from an epic North America tour in September 2023.
This year he’s back on home turf, as he continues to sell out theatres and halls across the UK, with a stretch of shows in Ireland also recently added.
It’s a chance to see one of the world’s most important and entertaining spoken word artists at his bold and brilliant best.
‘WHAT’ is the new collection from Britain’s “Poet Laureate of Punk” and will be published on 8th February to coincide with John’s 2024 national theatre tour celebrating 50 years of showbiz.
Venues for the “Get Him While He’s Alive” tour include the Edinburgh Queens Hall, a reunion show with very special guest Linton Kwesi Johnson at the London Palladium and three nights at Salford’s Lowry Theatre.
John’s new collection “What”, which will be published by Picador, is full of John’s much-loved sardonic wit and hilarious ponderings on modern life and follows on from John’s bestselling The Luckiest Guy Alive.
The original people’s poet, John’s cultural influence spans literature, music, and fashion, and his unique poetry and delivery style transcends generations.
From creating some of the most iconic poetry of the modern era, including “I Wanna Be Yours” (recently celebrating over a billion streams in its incarnation as a hit record by the Arctic Monkeys) to sharing his life story through his 120k selling memoir of the same name, John is still as relevant as he was when he shot to prominence in the 1970s.”
Activities will include masterclasses, ensemble work, concerts, and taster sessions fromindustry leaders and world-renowned performers
Lower Brass Days to be held in Edinburgh and Elgin, with each day free to attend.
Lower Brass Days to boost and encourage access to the trombone, euphonium, tenor and baritone horns, and tuba, through a day of presentations, masterclasses, ensemble work, and concerts from an array of leading performers and teachers.
St Mary’s Music School ‘Instrument Library’ for young musicians will also see its second phase come to fruition.
St Mary’s Music School – a specialist music school based in the heart of Edinburgh, with generous tuition funding available and admission based solely on musical promise – has partnered with leading UK brass players to bring an exciting series of Lower Brass Days to Edinburgh and Elgin aimed at encouraging young people to study thetrombone, euphonium, tenor and baritone horns, and tuba.
Taking place on Saturday 24 February in Edinburgh (The Parish Church of St Cuthbert, Lothian Road) and Sunday 25 February in Elgin (Elgin Academy), the school hopes to expand local access to music within schools, and to raise the profile of, and interest in, lesser available brass instruments.
In addition to taster sessions with Buffet Crampon (a prominent market leader in the manufacturing of top of the range wind instruments), attendees will be welcomed to a day of presentations, masterclasses, ensemble work, and concerts – free to attend for all and open for participation to school aged pupils.
Buffet Crampon will supply instruments for Taster Sessions; whilst Martin Thomson, Danielle Price, John Kenny, Jonathan Gawn, Oren Marshall (Trinity Laban), Arlene Macfarlane, Emily White (British Trombone Society), and representatives from UK Conservatoires will lead an array of presentations and performances.
Euan Meikle, Sales Manager for Buffet Crampon in the UK and Ireland said:“The cultivation of new talent is both a core principle for me and Buffet Crampon, as well as crucial to the survival of our music industry.
“I look forward to presenting the Prodigy ‘Come and Play’ Experience, which aims to give attendees the opportunity to view a demonstration, play an instrument and even take a virtual reality tour of how instruments are made via Virtual Reality!”
As well as celebrating brass musicianship nationwide, it is hoped the Lower Brass Days will also see the second phase of St Mary’s Music School ‘Instrument Library’ come to fruition and further democratise access to quality musical instruments.
Launched in Autumn 2023, the Instrument Library has seen St Mary’s Music School invest in a small fleet of endangered instruments with the hopes of nourishing musical potential in the early years. Entrusted to specific teachers, instruments such as the oboe and bassoon can be loaned out for three years, with the possibility of extension to pupils who might otherwise find accessing these instruments financially prohibitive.
Director of Music John Cameron said: “We are excited to be working with leading brass professionals from across the UK in providing free access to days of activities to celebrate the world of lower brass.
“This is part of our active musical outreach programme which includes our ‘Instrument Library’, set up to give young musicians access to quality instruments at an early age.”
Amongst an exciting day of Lower Brass events, St Mary’s Music School is also running a Composition Competition for school age composers aged 10 – 18 across Scotland, with the chosen winning ‘Fanfare’ to be performed on both days by leading musicians.
Four runners up will also be invited to have their compositions ‘workshopped’ by the School – and all shortlisted entries will receive feedback from a panel of composers. Entry to the competition closes on 20 December 2023.
A group of young dancers from one of Scotland’s highest-regarded dance performance schools will travel to Blackpool next weekend to take part in a major UK and Ireland competition.
Pupils and instructors from Edinburgh Dance Academy (EDA) will participate in the prestigious three-day Dance Inspirations event being held in the Northwest England town where they will be defending titles won at last year’s competition.
In 2023, EDA was named as the Highest Ranked Dance Studio in the UK and Ireland for the second year running at the event with several of the school’s dancers also picking up accolades for their performances.
This included being awarded as Overall Winner for their contemporary piece “Shout” by Empara Mi with the EDA team taking home £1000 in prize money for their table-topping routine.
EDA instructor Jenni Inglis also won the Most Inspirational Choreography award in 2023 for the second year in a row while dancer Kiera Anderson was handed top prize for the Most Dedication, Passion and Talent award category.
The Dance Inspirations competition is set to feature more than 300 top level dance routines. These were selected from a total of 3000 acts from over 100 dance schools across the UK and Ireland which competed in regional heats ahead of this weekend’s final.
Julie Mitchell, Principal and Founder at EDA, said: “We are so proud of what Jenni and our fantastic dancers achieved in Blackpool last year and we look forward to once again taking part in this extremely competitive event.
“While we are expecting an even higher level of competition from this year’s participants, we will do our best to bring further dance honours back to Scotland.”
Love Your Business networking club, which has welcomed 185 speakers and over 4000 attendees since it launched in 2018, celebrates its 6th anniversary with the announcement of this month’s speaker on the 25thJanuary as Ben Scott, former Scotland Men’s Rugby Wellbeing Coach, who worked with the team to help bridge the gap between wellbeing and performance.
The club, at Black Ivy in Edinburgh, was launched by Michelle Brown, founder of the eponymous PR agency which marks its 10th anniversary this year, to help businesses make connections and build relationships, exchange ideas, referrals and contacts, and hear from inspiring speakers every month, sharing their entrepreneurial journeys and business insights.
These include Chris van der Kuyl CBE, Chairman and Co-Founder of 4J Studios, developers of the multi-award-winning Minecraft Console editions, former co-founder of Social Bite and business coach, Alice Thompson, California based environmental entrepreneur Paul Tasner, founder of PulpWorks and Michael Welch, OBE and CEO at Tirebuyer.com.
Also, Rachel Hanretty, founder of the award-winning Mademoiselle Macaron, which sells over 35,000 macarons a week, has a turnover of £1.2m and landed an order to send her meringue confections to the Barbie film set.
This month’s guest speaker, Ben Scott, specialises in health, wellbeing, performance and personal growth and was head-hunted to become Scotland’s Men’s Rugby Wellbeing Coach in 2021 to enhance the squads individual and collective wellbeing, on and off the field.
Having suffered from physical and mental challenges as a teenager, Ben embarked on a journey to discover the answers he needed to overcome them, which involved completing various courses, including a five-year master’s degree in Chiropractic, a three year postgraduate in Functional Neurology and a postgraduate diploma in Clinical Hypnotherapy.
From January 2021 until April 2023, he worked with the team during a time that became one of their most successful performance periods, breaking many of their records, and seeing them rise two places in the World Rugby Rankings.
Ben, who continues to coach elite athletes in person and online, and also helps patients at Morningside Chiropractic, will be sharing the story of his career journey and the ‘4 Pillars of Wellbeing’ to help business owners get 2024 off to a positive start, professionally and personally.
Michelle said: “I’m delighted to welcome the wellbeing coach, Ben Scott, as the speaker at Love Your Business this month, whose advice on ‘purpose, potential and performance’ will help business owners to get 2024 off to a flying start.
“For the past six years so many speakers have given up their time to share their inspiring stories with us and learnings along the way and provide valuable advice for businesses which always leaves everyone in the room inspired and motivated.”
Ben said: “Being asked to speak at the Love Your Business networking event this month is a great opportunity for me to share insights on how our wellbeing effects our performances, both personally and professionally, and to highlight ways we can overcome our challenges, so that we are better able to fulfil our potential and reach our goals.”
“I’m really looking forward to celebrating the 6th anniversary of a club which has brought so many people and businesses together to share their knowledge and experiences, in what is such a fantastic achievement for Michelle.”
Over the years the networking club, has also supported various charities and social enterprises, including Make 2nds Count, Support in Mind Scotland, Invisible Cities, Epilepsy Scotland and Fighting Against Cancer Edinburgh, FACE who have received proceeds from ticket sales and marketing support.
Love Your Business networking club runs on the last Thursday of every month, from 11am till 1pm. The first event of the year is on the 25th January.
A night of festive cheer aims to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy UK
Call for local community to join the festivities organised by Stagecoach Performing Arts
Helping to support groundbreaking research and life changing support
People in Glasgow and surrounding areas are invited to the Spirit of Christmas annual concert, an evening of uplifting performances, full of festive cheer, on Friday 1 and Saturday 2 December.
The Spirit of Christmas annual concert will take place at Broom Parish Church, Newton Mearns, hosted by Stagecoach Performing Arts. This year will be full of festive songs brought to you by the students of Stagecoach Glasgow.
Gordon Smith, ex-professional footballer and Muscular Dystrophy UK’s ambassador, will be addressing the audience on the Saturday evening to sing with the children.
Jodie Whitham, Muscular Dystrophy UK’s Regional Development Manager for Scotland and Northern Ireland said: “The Spirit of Christmas always feels like the start of the festive season.
“What a wonderful way to get into the Christmas spirit, with a night of uplifting music, in such beautiful surroundings.
“It’s truly joyful, with so many people giving their time to help us raise awareness and vital funds for people living with muscle wasting and weakening conditions. Make sure you don’t miss out on these magical nights!”
Tickets will be available to purchase on the door on each of the evenings.
Adult: £10
Child or concession £5
Family (two adults and two children) £25
For more information on Muscular Dystrophy UK visit musculardystrophyuk.org or call the free helpline on 0800 652 6352 (open Mon – Thurs 10am – 2pm).
Adapted from the memoir by Damian Barr Directed by Suba Das
Opening at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow, and touring to Eden Court, Inverness; Perth Theatre; Lanternhouse, Cumbernauld; Dundee Rep Theatre and Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, with full tour dates and venues to be announced.
Opening performance at the Tron Theatre on Thursday 9 May 2024.
Maggie & Me, Damian Barr’s award-winning and darkly witty memoir about growing up gay in Thatcher’s Britain is coming to Scottish stages, in a bold and explosive new production.
Damian Barr is adapting his memoir for the stage, teaming up with Scottish playwright James Ley and directed by Suba Das.
This new production from National Theatre of Scotland premieres at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow in May 2024 before touring to Inverness, Perth, Cumbernauld, Dundee and Edinburgh.
“Don’t you worry. I’ll always love you. Love doesn’t run out. It’s not like the gas meter. I’ll find extra love.”
It’s October 12, 1984 – the Brighton bombing. Maggie Thatcher emerges from the rubble, dusty but defiant and somehow in the living room of 8-year-old Damian Barr in Newarthill, North Lanarkshire.
No time for turning, so buckle up for a surreal yet so-real rollercoaster ride through Damian’s painful past rediscovering who he really is. From the furnaces of the Ravenscraig Steelworks to the sanctuary of Carfin Grotto, there’s pain and joy, coming of age and coming out. And Saint Dolly Parton.
It’s about finding your voice and telling your story. Before you can move on, you have to look back…
Published in 2013, Maggie & Me was named Sunday Times Memoir of the Year, awarded Paddy Power Political Satire Award and Barr was named Stonewall Writer of the Year.
The National Theatre of Scotland will be collaborating with film and video students from New College Lanarkshire to create a short documentary about the making of the production.
Damian Barr, co-writer and author of Maggie & Me, said: “National Theatre of Scotland has given me some of my most memorable nights in the theatre so it’s a great honour to be bringing Maggie & Me to life on stage with them.
“Maggie & Me is not just my story – it’s about the community that survived Thatcher, so I’m delighted we are working with New College Lanarkshire – based on the site of the Craig where my dad worked.
“I’m a huge fan of James Ley’s plays and especially what they say about identity – writing with him has been a joy and I’ve learned so much about making the shift from page to stage.
“Director Suba Das is one of the most exciting theatre makers in the UK so I am thrilled he’s lending us his unique and uniquely engaging vision. I’m dedicating this play to my family, to my family of choice and to everyone who has ever struggled to find their place in the world.”
James Ley, co-writer, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of the team reimagining Damian’s joyous, funny, heartbreaking memoir for the stage. The chance to get to work with Damian, Suba and National Theatre of Scotland is a dream come true.
“The play is so much more than a memoir, it’s a vital check-in with the nation about what’s important to us, who we are and how we make sense of everything that’s thrown at us in life.
“Going on this journey with Damian has been as moving, hilarious and uplifting as I hope and believe the play will be when it gets in front of audiences next Spring. I can’t wait!”
Suba Das, director, said: “I’m honoured that National Theatre Scotland have stretched the border a pinch to invite a Geordie director – proudly queer and working-class – up to Glasgow to help create the world premiere of Maggie & Me.
“Damian’s account of survival and the quest for community, joy and voice resonates for any of us who know what it is to negotiate boundaries of sexuality and class. In a world that remains hostile to difference, I’m so moved to have Damian and James’s trust to now lead the creation of a production that holds hope and healing at its heart – for me, for us, and for every audience member we’ll meet on the great big adventure ahead.”
Maggie & Mewas high acclaimed upon publication and established itself as a classic Scottish memoir. This is the first time it has been adapted for the stage:
‘Funny, tender, and heartbreaking.’ The Independent
‘Certain memoirs catch a moment and seem to define it, bottle it… Hugely entertaining.’ The Sunday Times
‘A memoir which is both personally moving and a valuable historical document.’ Literary Review
Born in Bellshill and now living in Brighton, Damian Barr is an award-winning writer and broadcaster.
His debut novel, You Will Be Safe Here, was Book of the Year in the Observer, Guardian and Mail. He has written several plays for radio, with Maggie & Me marking his first stage play. In 2019, Damian brought books back to television with the BBC’s Big Scottish Book Club, now in its fifth series.
James Ley is an award-winning writer living in Glasgow.
‘One of Scotland’s most exciting, early-career writers.’ Exeunt
He wrote and directed Ode to Joy (How Gordon got to go to the nasty pig party), winner of a Scotsman Fringe First in 2022 and nominated for a Critics Award for Theatre Scotland Award 2023 for Best New Play which will tour next year.
His other plays include Wilf (Traverse Theatre) and Love Song to Lavender Menace (Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Summerhall, SoHo Playhouse, New York). James is currently under commission with the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, and is an alumnus of the BBC Writersroom Scottish Voices 2022/2023 and Edinburgh Film Festival Talent Lab.
Suba Dasis an award-winning theatre maker from the North East of England. Previously Creative Director at the Liverpool Everyman; and Artistic Director/CEO of the internationally acclaimed new writing company HighTide; Suba trained at Cambridge and on the prestigious Birkbeck MFA in Theatre Directing. He is a 2023 graduate of the National Film and Television School’s Director’s Series.
His directing credits include major revivals of Top Girls (Liverpool Everyman), East Is East (Northern Stage and Nottingham Playhouse) and The Importance of Being Earnest (Bolton Octagon); in addition to the world premieres of Ravi Shankar’s Sukanya (with The Royal Opera and London Philharmonic Orchestra), Pink Sari Revolution by Purva Naresh, and Wipers by Ishy Din (all as Associate Director at Leicester Curve). This is his first time working with the National Theatre of Scotland.
Touring to Tron Theatre, Glasgow (previews Wed 8 May) Thurs 9 May – Sat 11 May; One Touch, Eden Court Tues 14 May – Wed 15 May; Perth Theatre Fri 17 May – Sat 18 May; Cumbernauld Theatre Thurs 23 May – Sat 25 May; Dundee Rep Theatre Thurs 30 May – Sat 1 June; Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Tues 11 June – Sat 15 June
The National Theatre of Scotland’s popular Theatre for a Fiver scheme will be available for 14 to 16 year-olds and those on Universal Credit.
Full tour information and creative biogs to date here.
