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WALLACE: A Musical

WALLACE

A MUSICAL

This thrilling show, now a redeveloped, fully fledged production coming to large-scale Scottish stages, announces six-strong cast ahead of Autumn tour

Commissioned and produced by Raw Material (nine 2026 CATS award nominations across Windblown, Saint Joan and Wallace)

Originally co-produced by Raw Material and A Play, A Pie and a Pint

Music & Lyrics by Dave Hook (NOMINEE: CATS award for Best Music & Sound, Wallace) | Book by Rob Drummond (The Majority, National Theatre)

Directed by Orla O’Louglin (What Girls are Made Of, James V. Katherine, V.L.)

Performed by Madeline Grieve, Dave Hook, Kimberley Mandindo, Ross Mann, Manasa Tagica and Patricia Panther

Touring from 23 September – 3 October 2026, 14+

“A pop-tastic banger of a show… Could this become Scotland’s Hamilton?” ★★★★ The Herald

“Slick, brilliantly varied and witty” ★★★★ The Scotsman

“An impressively polished hip-hop musical” ★★★★ The Stage

“Electrifying… a whirlwind piece of storytelling” ★★★★ Broadway World

(press from the 2025 A Play, a Pie and a Pint performances)

These large-scale dates follow a sell-out run at Oran Mor in September 2025. Further 2027 dates to be announced.

Forget the Braveheart clichés — this bold new production, staged by an award-winning creative team, rips into Scotland’s most famous legend, asking whether William Wallace was a hero, a rebel, or simply a myth.

The fearless cast go head-to-head in electrifying rap battles, blending history, humour and Hook’s original beats to deliver an unforgettable theatrical experience.

Joining the original September 2025 cast of Dave Hook (rapper – Stanley Odd) Patricia Panther (Gifted, CBBC and Annika, BBC) and Manasa Tagica (Othello & The Duchess of Malfi, Bard in the Botanics this Summer, Saint Joan, Raw Material) are Ross Mann (Saint Joan, Raw Material, Them! for NTS and Outlander from Starz/Amazon), Kimberley Mandindo (Tero Buru, National Theatre of Scotland) and Madeline Grieve (Stand & Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In).

Wallace has been created and brought to the stage by award-winning playwright Rob Drummond, acclaimed rapper Dave Hook (Stanley Odd), renowned director Orla O’Loughlin (Lear, What Girls Are Made Of, Mouthpiece) and “powerhouse producers”, Raw Material (Saint Joan, Windblown, Lear, So Young, James V, James IV, The Stamping Ground, Love Beyond, Death of a Salesman amongst others).

Furiously funny, politically with a Hip Hop score incorporating rap, folk, pop, rock and razor-sharp lyrics in a distinctly Scottish voice, Wallace reinvents the story of a national icon for a new generation asking the question Who gets to own history?

Dave Hook, creator of the music and lyrics for the production, said: “Hip Hop is folk music, representing its surroundings and drawing out stories woven into the fabric of a place.

“Wordplay around language, dialect and accent feature in all sorts of ways in everyday Scottish life.

“Wallace gives us the opportunity to tell stories, ask questions and make connections across centuries of Scottish history, finding reflections and refractions in historical characters and contemporary lives.”

Playwright Rob Drummond said: “I knew I wanted to create a show about William Wallace, I just didn’t know it would be a hip-hop musical. When I met Dave it all clicked.

“The play explores Wallace’s legacy in a way that speaks to Scotland today. Working together, we set out to re-examine the myth, the man and what he represents now.”

Director Orla O’Louglin said: “The invitation to bring Wallace to the stage felt both irresistible and impossible – Irresistible in that it meant collaborating with the incredible Rob and Dave and in doing so assemble a ridiculously skilled ensemble of actors – Impossible in that we had 2 weeks to create it at A Play A Pie and a pint.

“The overwhelming response to the original production at Oran Mor however, proved that this exhilarating mix of mythology and history, despair and hope, high drama and pure comedy, speaks directly to contemporary Scotland – a rallying political cry, wrapped up in an extraordinarily good night out!”

Margaret-Anne O’Donnell and Gillian Garrity, executive producers Raw Material Arts, said: “Following on from our co-production of Wallace with A Play, A Pie and A Pint earlier this year, we are delighted to return with this brand new redeveloped and upscaled production written by Rob Drummond and directed by Orla O’Loughlin, featuring new and returning cast members with a thrilling hip-hop score and lyrics from acclaimed Scottish rapper, Dave Hook.

“Previewing at the Beacon, Greenock before visiting the Pavilion in Glasgow and the newly refurbished Kings Theatre Edinburgh we are excited to commission, develop and share this contemporary and topical new musical with Scottish audiences.”

The first iteration of this play was first presented as a Play, Pie and a Pint & Raw Material Co-Production at Oran Mor, Glasgow on 1 September 2025.

Further dates in 2027 to be announced supported by the Creative Scotland Touring Fund.

Company Information

Performed by Dave Hook, Manasa Tagica, Kimberley Mandindo, Patricia Panther, Ross Mann & Madeline Grieve

Music & Lyrics by Dave Hook

Book by Rob Drummond

Directed by Orla O’Loughlin

Executive Producers Gillian Garrity & Margaret-Anne O’Donnell

Designer Neil Haynes

Lighting Designer Derek Anderson

Costume Designer Victoria Brown

Choreographer Kloe Dean

Sound Designer Garry Boyle

Associate Director Steve Lauder Russell

Dramaturg Jacke Crichton

Production Coordinator Rebecca Miller

Designer / Marketing Manager Niall Walker

Social Media Manager Nicola Watson

PR SM Publicity

Web and social media links

www.rawmaterialarts.com
IG: @raw_material_arts

X: @RawMaterialArts
Facebook: RawMaterialArts

Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes (including interval)

Birthday parties at PYCP

Looking for the ultimate birthday party venue?

Let PYCP do the hard work while the kids have all the fun!

Bouncy castle with slide

Soft play & ball pit

Large gym hall

Space for up to 25 children

Kitchen & café area for party food

Best of all, every booking helps support our clubs and groups throughout the year.

The Greenhouse, West Pilton Brae

info@pycp.co.uk

Book your child’s next birthday party with us!

Macmillan Coffee Morning at Saughton Park on Friday

Join our Macmillan at Edinburgh Libraries Team for a Macmillan Coffee Morning (in the afternoon) this coming Friday

Find them in The Rose Garden at Saughton Park from 12 noon till 3pm on Friday 25 September and help raise funds to support people in the UK living with cancer.

More than £300 million paid out through Help to Save with thousands more savers set to benefit

More than £300 million has been paid out to people on a low income through Help to Save.
Eligibility for Help to Save will be expanded from 2028, so more people than ever before can benefit from the government savings scheme.
More than 44,500 people on a low income in Scotland have opened a Help to Save account.

With more than £300 million having been paid out in bonus payments, and thousands more people set to be eligible for an account through the Help to Save scheme, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is kicking off UK Savings Week by reminding people who can benefit.

Help to Save is a government savings scheme offering low-income earners a 50% bonus on whatever they can save. Between £1 and £50 can be saved each month with an extra 50 pence added for every £1 saved.

Accounts can be open for up to 4 years, and people can save up to a maximum of £2,400, resulting in up to £1,200 government savings bonus being paid straight into their bank accounts. Bonus payments are made at the end of the second and fourth years and are based on how much has been saved.

In 2028, the earning criteria will be removed for people with caring responsibilities. The scheme will be open to all Universal Credit claimants, resulting in an additional 1.5 million households becoming eligible.

Latest figures show 44,950 Help to Save accounts have been opened in Scotland since September 2018, with savers depositing a total of £45.5 million into their savings pots.

Statistics also show that 94% of those who have opened a Help to Save account save the maximum amount of £50 each month.

Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby said: “Help to Save is a really beneficial scheme that offers a 50% government bonus on whatever you are able to save. We want more eligible people to take advantage of it.“

The scheme will also be more accessible as it will be delivered through a multi-provider model, instead of just one, so banks, building societies and credit unions will be able to offer the scheme directly to their eligible customers.

Peter Tyler, Director of Personal Banking at UK Finance, said: “Expanding Help to Save and enabling more financial services providers to offer the scheme directly is a positive step towards helping people build financial resilience.

“The scheme provides eligible customers with a great opportunity and incentives to develop regular savings habits.”

Money can be paid into Help to Save accounts via debit card, standing order or bank transfer.

In the last year, nearly 24,000 people have chosen to open a Help to Save account via the HMRC app where they can keep track of deposits and view bonus payments.

It takes just a few minutes to check eligibility and open an account online on GOV.UK or via the HMRC app.

Money can be withdrawn at any time, although this may affect the 50% bonus payments.

Find out more about Help to Save at GOV.UK.

Latest statistics on Help to Save up to April 2026 were released 16 September 2026.

	Number of Accounts Opened to end of April 2026	Total value of deposits
UK Total	656,700	676,737,000
England	562,300	580,130,000
North East	27,900	27,584,000
North West	83,750	84,975,000
Yorkshire and The Humber	60,900	63,053,000
East Midlands	53,800	56,120,000
West Midlands	62,350	62,957,000
East of England	58,150	60,391,000
London	76,950	78,111,000
South East	79,500	81,298,000
South West	58,950	65,641,000
Wales	30,450	31,394,000
Scotland	44,950	45,574,000
Northern Ireland	18,550	19,255,000

Autumn Walks with Pilton Community Health Project

Autumn is the perfect time to start a healthy habit that will carry you through the winter.

Why not make yours #walking?

Join our friendly Walk & Wander group every Wednesday at 11am and enjoy the many benefits of getting outdoors in good company.

As the seasons change, it’s a wonderful opportunity to take in the beauty of the local scenery, spot the colours of autumn emerging, enjoy a chat, and finish with a hot drink together.

Whether you’re looking to get more active, meet new people, or simply enjoy some fresh air, we’d love to welcome you.

Wednesdays

11:00am

Walk & Wander

Come along and experience the magic of autumn with us!

#NorthEdinburghActiveTravel

#R2

#Collaboration

#TakingStepstoBetterHealth

North Edinburgh News

Schools offered help to pipe and drum their way to better outcomes

A new drive is being launched to help schools achieve better results for their pupils through traditional music.

The Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust already teach over 2000 youngsters each week in school programmes across Scotland.

The new drive is to target musical help for youngsters at schools facing some of the toughest economic challenges in the country.

Charity Chief Executive Lindsay Mackenzie said their work so far shows how school pipe bands help players do better in the classroom and head on to positive destinations after school: She said: “Over the past ten years we have seen great evidence of how pipe bands in schools really make a difference.

“Being part of a band teaches young people so much in terms of commitment, discipline, teamwork and there is the cultural side of it too.”

The SSPDT is now targeting schools facing challenges of remoteness or deprivation to help give pupils a boost.

The charity has over 500 sets of pipes out on free loan as well, realising that many of the pupils they are trying to help would struggle to afford instruments costing up to £900.

Lindsay Mackenzie said they are open to approaches from schools or parent groups wanting to start a band and are able to offer funding and more importantly expertise to get the project up and running effectively.

“We have had some great successes working with school groups the length of Scotland and many have gone on to form competiting school bands with more on the same pathway coming along behind.

“Our flagship project at Preston Lodge High School in East Lothian held on to their title as the best state school pipe band in the world at the World Championships in Glasgow last month.

“Entries will be opening soon for the competition we run, the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships, and many of the over 100 bands performing there come from projects started working with the SSPDT.”

SSPDT Strategic Plan – For Publishing (2)Download

Maths Week Scotland

ELC ACTIVITY PACK

This Maths Week Scotland explore our new ELC activity pack to support learning about maths.

This resource provides adult-led experiences that support high-quality interactions and thoughtfully planned spaces.

https://ow.ly/hvZg50ZON3Z

mws-2026-resource-pack-for-early-learning-and-childcare Download

#MWS26

From Glasgow to Gujarat: Scottish teachers head to India to forge international links ahead of 2030 Commonwealth Games

A group of teachers from Glasgow will travel to Gujarat, India next week as part of a British Council initiative exploring education, culture and the role sport can play in learning, well-being and inclusion.

The Glasgow-Gujarat Teacher Mobility Programme is designed to extend learning beyond the classroom and strengthen international connections across the Commonwealth. The programme was inspired by this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and looks ahead to the Games taking place in Gujarat in 2030.

The teachers from Glasgow include:Ruth Cockburn from Highpark Primary School; Shaun Donnelly from Haghill Park Primary School; Nadine Fitchie from Cranhill Primary School; Carol Fawkes form Carmyle Primary School; Lewis Pollock from Pollokshields Primary School; James Prentice from St Patrick’s Primary School; alongside Samir Shah from Education Services Glasgow at Glasgow City Council.

They will take part in school visits, professional exchanges and meetings with senior government, education and sport stakeholders to explore topics such as sports education, inclusive education practices and the use of digital learning resources.

At the heart of the Programme is a commitment to reciprocal learning. Teachers and education leaders from both Glasgow and Gujarat will exchange ideas, experiences and approaches, including how the Commonwealth Games can be used as a catalyst for learning. This will ensure both communities benefit from new perspectives and innovative approaches to education, sport and global citizenship.

The trip forms part of a wider Glasgow 2026 legacy designed to help ‘pass the baton’ from Glasgow to Gujarat and ensure that the benefits of the Games extend far beyond sport.

This follows the British Council’s recent Commonwealth Games Classroom Resource Pack aimed at helping young people feel connected to the Games and its values, their communities and the wider Commonwealth through activities exploring connection, fairness and inclusion.

The enduring impact of this year’s Commonwealth Games will equip the Scottish teachers with a deeper understanding of education and culture in India, enabling them to build lasting professional relationships with their Indian counterparts. This will support future partnerships and collaboration opportunities within their own schools and across Scotland’s wider education sector.

Claire de Braekeleer, Director, British Council Scotland, said of the programme: “The Glasgow-Gujarat Teacher Mobility Programme is a unique opportunity for teachers from Glasgow to share learnings and ideas from the 2026 Commonwealth Games with teachers and educators across the state of Gujarat.

“Sport has the power to do much more than bring people together on the playing field. It can support learning, inclusion, wellbeing and leadership, helping young people develop the skills and confidence they need to thrive in an increasingly inter-connected world.

“At the heart of this programme is a commitment to mutual learning, and we hope the teachers in both Glasgow and Gujarat will gain fresh perspectives and share innovative approaches to benefit their own schools and communities.

“By bringing together schools, teachers and educators from across the Commonwealth, we can help create lasting connections that extend well beyond the classroom and contribute to the wider legacy of the Games.”

One of the participating teachers, Shaun Donnelly, said of the opportunity: “I’m a Principal Teacher, leading on literacy, phonics, and writing across my school and I was absolutely delighted to be chosen by the British Council for this experience.

“I work in a wonderfully diverse community in a historic part of Glasgow and my previous teaching experiences overseas have shaped how I think about curriculum and community. This is a brilliant opportunity to learn from practitioners in Gujarat ahead of the 2030 Commonwealth Games and to bring that learning back to my pupils in Glasgow.”

Another teacher, Nadine Fitchie, was thrilled to learn of her selection: “I was absolutely delighted and incredibly honoured to be selected for the Commonwealth Games Teacher Mobility Programme.

“Working in a community experiencing high levels of poverty has strengthened my commitment to equity and ensuring every child has access to opportunities that broaden their aspirations.

“It is a unique opportunity to learn from colleagues in India, develop international partnerships and bring innovative ideas back to my school.”

The Glasgow-Gujarat Teacher Mobility Programme is part of the British Council’s wider work building connections, understanding and trust between the UK and countries worldwide through arts and culture, education and the English language.

Doors Open Days: Visit Granton Castle Walled Garden

DOORS OPEN DAY IS THIS WEEKEND!

On 26 and 27 September, 1.30-4 pm the garden will be open as part of Doors Open Days 2026. Join us for a programme of activities celebrating the garden’s rich history, biodiversity and living traditions:

Guided Garden Walk & Talk