Edinburgh Fringe performer Kate Danley gave Blackhall Library regulars a taste of the history and mystery of her native Seattle on Wednesday 26th August, when she brought her storytelling show to the newly re-opened facility in Davidsons Mains.
Kate’s show Madam(e) Lou tells the remarkable true story of Lou Graham, a pioneering Seattle entrepreneur and bordello owner whose role in the city’s history has largely been erased. Kate who is visiting and performing in Edinburgh for the first time admits she had some reservations about bringing a history show to a city with such a formidable relationship with its own past.
And while Edinburgh and Seattle may appear to have little in common, Kate has found some unexpectedly dark connections. ‘Both cities have fascinating, murky histories, including stories of body snatching and darker chapters beneath their celebrated pasts.’
Based on more than a decade of research, Madam(e) Lou explores the life of a woman who amassed a fortune during Seattle’s rapid expansion in the 1880s and went on to become a major power player in the evolution of the city.
Kate has been inspired by Edinburgh audiences’ interest in her hometown and her storytelling show has proved a hit with reviewers.
Kate described it as an ‘absolute pleasure’ to bring the show to Blackhall Library and was delighted to connect with an enthusiastic local audience including a couple who knew her from a book tour in the US.
Blackhall Library reopened in the grounds of Davidson’s Mains Primary School in June 2026 after the building on Queensferry Road was condemned. The staff, who were dispersed around the city following the closure of the original building, are working hard to rebuild the library for the local community.
The performance was the biggest event to date and Kate – who as an author is a big supporter of libraries -was thrilled to make the journey out of town for an appreciative crowd.
Anyone who has missed Madam (e) Lou at the Fringe, need not worry, as it has been optioned for a television adaptation and should be coming to a small screen near you soon.
