It’s not over yet: hidden gems galore, more new musicals, and juicy comedies are hitting theSpaceUK stages for one last rip-roaring week of shows
Week 3 is here: bringing you one last knockout selection of shows. Dramatic dance double bills, surreal murder-themed comedy shows, and getting stuck in elevators: it’s all go as we plunge into a fantastic final week at the Fringe.
Here’s a just a sample of the new shows gracing theSpaceUK from 22nd – 27th:
Cheaper than a night at Balmoral! Hotel Elsinore (theSpace on the Mile, 22-27)
Denmark. 2am. A hotel room. Three weary travellers, an unexpected will, and a production of Hamlet to rehearse before morning. Tragedy and humour blend in this new play by award-winning performer Susanna Hamnett, with Joshua and Lily MacGregor.
Can you teach an old dog new tricks? The New Rock’n’Roll (theSpace @ Niddry St, 22-27)
A washed-up stand-up comedian tries to reclaim his mojo but fails miserably at the hands of his younger, more popular support act who he sets out to sabotage.
Sweet, sweet music The Aca-prentice: Sales Pitch (theSpaceTriplex, 22-27) Lord Alan Sugar tests the nerves and voices of the hungriest hopefuls in the a cappella world as they compete to be his aca-prentice. Watch our candidates tackle tasks to test their ability through chart-topping songs!
Talent that’ll hit you hard SMACK & Spektakel (theSpaceTriplex, 21-24)
SMACK & Spektakel offers an adventurous double bill of dance, refreshing the commentary on the empowered female body, while questioning the relationship between performance and identity.
Breaking a murderer… The Rodney Buzzard Tapes: Evidence of an Honourable Man (theSpace on the Mile, 23-27) A surreal sketch show that tells the story of Britain’s least-successful serial killer, Rodney Buzzard. A satire of murder documentaries that will probe the hidden depths of the criminal underworld.
Theatre this good is a crime In Her Defence (theSpace on North Bridge, 22-27) 1947. A man is dead. His wife has killed him. As a court hears the evidence leading up to the murder, you’ll witness the disintegration of the couple’s marriage revealing the real, surprising truth.
Get stuck right in to new drama Going Down (theSpace on North Bridge, 22-27) Four students stuck in an elevator, with nothing to do except talk to each other. An exploration of how easily we allow our mental heath to stagnate.
It’s wild how good our musicals are Boom Town (theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, 22-27)
Set in wild-west Arizona, Beau has come of age and must prove herself to her father. Can she save her town by taking on the outlaw? A new musical that puts a bluegrass twist on contemporary musical theatre.
Something to really celebrate birthday girl (theSpace on the Mile, 22-27)
This is a play about birthdays. It’s also about growing up, the future and the inevitability of ageing – a prospect that the birthday girl is finding increasingly unnerving.
War again. It’s 1066, William fights Harry! How do mothers, queens, wives and daughters cope? Gather their skirts and soldier on. Telling stories in plays and songs; working, travelling, gazing at Halley’s Comet in awe.
You don’t know them yet, but you will soon… Women You Know (theSpace @ Symposium Hall, 22-27) The morning after a drunken rendezvous with an old boyfriend, a woman and her friend discuss autonomy, identity and bad sex. A frank new comedy about the hypocrisies of modern womanhood.
In her most intimate musical performance, cellist Jablonska explores how identities are made, unmade and remade on a personal and musical journey from Poland to Scotland, as part of MadeInScotlandShowcase.com.
A show you could see over and over… Water Fruit Loops (theSpace @ Niddry St., 22-27) Richard, a student, finds himself stuck in a time loop after hooking up with his ex. Rather than utilise the period for self-reflection, Richard jumps at the opportunity to keep hooking up with his ex.
About theSpaceUK
Established in 1995, theSpaceUK hosts the largest and most diverse programme at the fringe. Companies, both professional & amateur, are given an affordable, supportive and professional platform to showcase their work.
About the venue
theSpaceUK operates 19 venues across 7 sites including: theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, theSpace @ SymposiumHall, theSpace on North Bridge, theSpace on the Mile, theSpaceTriplex, the Space @ Venue45.
The year is 1968 and the British legal system is as corrupt as ever. The ‘breach of promise of marriage’ law is still technically in force and Juries remain predominantly male.
The arrogant Edwin has been summoned to Court by his ex-fiancée, Angelina, under said law, and against each other they fight to win The Trial! Complete with a dodgy Judge, a questionable jury, and some dubious decisions, chaos inevitably ensues…
Trial by Jury is a one-act operatic satire of the British legal system, which will be brought into the ’60s in our exciting rendition of Velocirapture Production’s debut show!
Despite being the shortest of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas, Trial by Jury is no less packed with musical complexity, catchy solo songs and bombastic full company numbers. The show continues at a quick pace, during which the music never ceases for the entire time. Spoken scenes are replaced with recitatives (sung dialogues), and are characterised by frequent pauses and tempo changes.
Director Tiffany Charnley talks about her decision to move the production out of its traditional Victorian era into the late sixties: “[it] was because of its close proximity to the date of the [breach of promise of marriage] law’s repeal, making the show’s setting as contemporary as possible while still making legal sense – the law was repealed 1971.
“I hope that by bringing the show out of the time period of its original context and placing it at a much later time, the ludicrous nature of Gilbert’s satire of the legal system can be further heightened.”
She goes on to talk about how this change in setting would change our perception of the Plaintiff: “Our setting has allowed us to remove the character of Angelina from a position of victim in this Trial, to a more powerful role who manipulates this outdated law to her own advantage.”
One of the musical challenges for the show has been in reducing a score written for full orchestra to one with only 8 players, and half the number of parts.
Musical Director, Robert Nicholas, says: “[we] had to carefully select the instruments to best cover the textures and harmonies in the original score, whilst [still] producing a voluminous, but easily blended sound.
“As the conductor, I am not exempt from multitasking, aiming to also cover the Bass Drum, Cymbals, Triangle and, occasionally, Second Violin!”
Trial by Jury promises to be an afternoon of stunning vocals and comedic satire!
Last night (16 August), marked the halfway point of this year’s The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Performers from across the globe are bringing the Castle Esplanade to life with sensational music, dance, costume, and spectacle and thrilling audiences – come rain or shine!
Running until 27 August, the year’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a celebration of expression, giving a stage to performers and acts from around the globe to share their voice.
REMT, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Voices draws inspiration from people across the globe who, despite physical separation, continue to connect and share their voices creatively through spoken word, song, music, and dance – languages common to all.
There are still some tickets remaining and they can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or by phone on 0131 225 1188.
Introducing Scary Biscuits’ music season at Pleasance at EICC.
Some of Edinburgh’s best musicians showcasing at state of the art venue EICC – great sound, comfy seats… and air con! (And an ice cream stand and deckchairs for chilling out after!)
A genre-busting bunch of tunes, songs and performers: award winning singer songwriters, folk, rootsy blues rock, insurgent country, punk, Afrobeats, americana and a hint of mariachi.
Dive into a world of music and stories with a diverse group of performers, with a wide range of ages and experience, including two female fronted bands.
Be transported for a short while into a world of Scottish folk, a backstreet rock joint with a hint of Memphis, a west African Friday night party, or a New Mexico cantina with a whiff of tequila and desert dust.
The Cubes of Perpetual Light will play new music commissions inspired by the themes of sustainability and growth during the Festival of Politics and Edinburgh International Book Festival
Specially designed ‘Cubes of Perpetual Light’ will come together in the Capital this summer to create a striking music installation featuring programmable light and quadraphonic sound.
The unique installation will appear in the iconic surroundings of the Parliament Garden in the Scottish Parliament, open to the public during the Festival of Politics, August 11-13 and Edinburgh International Culture Summit August 26-28.
A second installation will be installed during Edinburgh International Book Festival, 13–29 August.
The installation forms part of Dandelion, a major creative programme demonstrating the power of collective action through an ambitious ‘grow your own’ initiative that aims to reach communities across Scotland this summer.
Commissioned by EventScotland and funded by the Scottish Government, Dandelion is Scotland’s contribution to UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK.
At the centre of Dandelion, is a meeting of art and science through the creation of hundreds of unique miniature ‘growing cubes’, called the ‘Cubes of Perpetual Light’. The 1m x 1m cubes are designed to foster accelerated plant growing and have been developed to grow hundreds of seedlings under LED light, combining design craft, traditional horticultural expertise and technological innovation.
The Cubes aren’t just miniature growing laboratories however, they’re also the inspiration for new music which people are being invited to experience at festivals and venues across Scotland this summer, now arriving in Edinburgh.
The special installations are each unique, featuring a collection of cubes, with immersive lighting integrated with stunning quadraphonic speaker systems designed to best showcase the new music compositions playing ‘from’ the cubes. This is the only opportunity to hear these unique compositions in their entirety.
For those unable to visit the cube installations in Edinburgh, they will also be visiting Inverness Botanic Gardens, 15–29 August, and on display at V&A Dundee until 30 August. This activity forms part of a summer-long programme of art, music, food and science for everyone to enjoy.
Leading musicians from Scotland and beyond have created 13 new music commissions for the Cubes of Perpetual Light, all inspired by themes of nature and sustainability.
The aim of the commissions, which can only be heard at the installations, is to encourage listeners to think more deeply about how, where and why plants grow. Each new music piece is commissioned by Dandelion with additional support for international work from British Council Scotland.
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The Edinburgh installation includes 13 tracks of new music from artists:
amiina & Kathleen MacInnes: A gorgeous collaboration bridging the mighty North Atlantic, from the Outer Hebrides to Iceland. South Uist native Kathleen MacInnes, one of Scotland’s finest Gaelic folk singers comes together with amiina, from Reykjavik – a strings-and-electronica quartet whose packed portfolio includes many collaborations with Sigur Rós. This unique recording for Dandelion features Gaelic lullabies Crodh Chailein, Dhachaidh along with amiina composition blauwber’.
Arooj Aftab & Maeve Gilchrist: Arooj Aftab’s music is a breath-taking blend of Sufi mysticism, contemporary classical, jazz, ambient and much more – and this year, she became the first Pakistani woman to win a Grammy. Her stunning new album Vulture Prince features Edinburgh-born harper, composer and producer Maeve Gilchrist, and the pair are teaming up again to create new music for Dandelion.
Claire M Singer: Claire M Singer is an acclaimed Scottish composer and performer whose acoustic and electronic music draws inspiration from the dramatic landscapes of her native country. The Director of Organ Reframed, a festival of new music that reimagines the epic sound of the organ, she’s created a new multi-channel work featuring organs recorded in Aberdeenshire, Inverness, Stonehaven and Glasgow.
Vedanth Bharadwaj : Vedanth is a vocalist and composer born in Mumbai, India who trained in Classical music around the age of four, under Neyveli Santhanagopalan. He recorded two beautiful songs for Dandelion featuring himself on vocals, banjo and guitar along with Gurupriya Atreya on vocals. ‘Vrukshan Se Mati Le’ is a song written by Surdas (an Indian mystic poet from the 16th century). He writes about how one ought to learn compassion from trees. Trees neither love you more when you water them, nor do they hate you if you cut them down. It provides us shade, while bearing all the heat from the sun on its own head. If you throw a stone at it, it gives you a fruit! Lucky are we, to live in a world among trees. Surdas pleads to us to learn compassion from trees, or at least, from the indigenous people.
Craig Armstrong & Steve Jones: Craig Armstrong is a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Grammy-winning Scottish born composer. Through his orchestral writing, electronic music and wide-ranging artistic collaborations in classical and film music, Craig Armstrong’s distinct compositional voice has received worldwide acclaim. For Dandelion he created ‘Endless (Study 1)’ with guitarist Steve Jones along with School of Scottish Studies field recordings from the 1960s to create a sense of limitless space and time for the listener.
Fergus McCreadie: Fergus McCreadie is one of the UK’s most exciting jazz musicians. Combining vital jazz sounds with influences drawn from Scottish traditional music, his brilliant third album Forest Floor came out in April to universal acclaim and has been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. His specially recorded Dandelion work ‘Life Cycle’ features piano and strings from Seonaid Aitken, Emma Pantel, Sarah Leonard & Juliette Lemoine.
Jason Singh: Jason Singh is a remarkable sound artist, beatboxer, producer and performer whose music is inspired by the natural world. Nicknamed “The Human Sampler” by Cerys Matthews, he’s worked with everyone from Sir David Attenborough to Talvin Singh. His composition for Dandelion, Droop, is a lament in response to our climate crisis. It is a collaboration between plant, humans and technology and has been created by converting the electrical signals generated by the Camellia plant into musical notes played through analogue and digital synthesisers.
Maya Youssef: Syria’s Maya Youssef is the ‘Queen of the Qanun’, an extraordinary 78-stringed Middle Eastern plucked zither. Her life-affirming music is rooted in the Arabic classical tradition but forges into jazz, Western classical and Latin music – as heard at the BBC Proms, WOMAD and now here on this special work for Dandelion: Back to Earth, Barley Blessing & Eastern Wind featuring Maya with Scottish musicians Innes White, Catriona Price, Craig Baxter, Alice Allen, Ciorstaidh Beaton and Arabic Nay player Moslem Rahal
Ravi Bandhu: Hailing from Sri Lanka, this acclaimed drummer, dancer and choreographer has taken his magnificent drum ensemble to stages as far afield as WOMAD in Reading and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
Trio Da Kali: In a unique African / Scots collaboration Trio Da Kali brings together Hawa Kassé Mady Diabaté, Lassana Diabaté and Mamadou Kouyaté – three of the best new griot musicians from the Mandé culture of Mali – along with award winning Scots vocalist Kim Carnie & piper Ross Ainslie – to bring a fresh creative vibe to ancient traditions. These songs continue with the long-time folk culture of telling old stories from the past that pay tribute to the people who do good things for the community and talk about the importance of living in the present and enjoying what happens now.
Brian d’Souza: An award-winning sound artist aka Auntie Flo, DJ, producer and performer from Glasgow via Goa, Brian makes magic from a blend of electronic sounds and influences from around the globe. Winner of the 2019 Scottish Album of the Year Award for Radio Highlife, he recently debuted immersive installation The Soniferous Forest and for Dandelion has composed ’Spring Symphony (Sage, Basil, Mint and Lavender)’ – a biophilic soundscape that harnesses the power of nature through sound. It was created by using a Plant Wave device to pick up electromagnetic activity from the different plants which translated each into MIDI notes. These notes then literally ‘played’ samples of various traditional instruments from the Hebrides – including Clarsarch, Whistle, Flute, Pipes and Fiddle.”I then let the plants play… totally naturally to produce a kind of ‘acoustic ecology”.
Manu Delago: There’s no sound in music quite like the hang, a melodic percussion instrument invented only 20 years ago – and there’s no better exponent of it than Manu Delago, who’s performed with the likes of Björk, the Cinematic Orchestra, Ólafur Arnalds, Nitin Sawhney and Anoushka Shankar while making a succession of brilliant solo records.
Pàdruig Morrison: Accordionist Pàdruig Morrison was brought up surrounded by the culture, the music and the language of the Gaels. After bedding in the first Cube of Perpetual Light on the remote Hebridean island of Heisgeir, where his grandparents set up a pioneering experiment in sustainable living, Pàdruig is now making new music to help them grow.
This follows Dandelion’s latest project taking the Cubes of Perpetual Light on tour across Scotland throughout the month of August, traveling on specially designed electric cargo bikes.
The tour visits schools, parks, venues and Dandelion Unexpected Gardens where the commissioned music can be heard.
Music Director for Dandelion, Donald Shaw said: “Just as plants can grow from tiny seeds, great music can grow from small ideas that we nourish till they bloom into full art forms.
“The cubes can demonstrate accelerated growing in a wide range of settings, both the expected and unexpected. Placed in a particular environment they create a micro-world within a world, allowing musicians and listeners to imagine a sonic landscape that surrounds us, providing a space for contemplation and for us to imagine a future where we sow, grow and share differently.”
The Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament said:“The Festival of Politics is all about opening the doors of the Scottish Parliament to people across the country with a variety of things on offer – from debate and discussion to exhibitions and music.
“The cubes of perpetual light is an example of how sustainability and art can come together to grab people’s attention and make people stop and think. I hope many people will take the opportunity to join us.”
Marie Christie, Head of Development, Events Industry at VisitScotland said:“It’s fantastic to see so many incredible artists create new music inspired by Dandelion’s urgent themes of sustainability and our connection to the natural world.
“By fusing new music and new technologies, the cubes create unique ways for audiences to engage and connect with these issues. It’s wonderful to see the cubes travel to Edinburgh to be part of the city’s world-leading festivals, where audiences from Scotland and all over the world can experience them.”
Martin Green, Chief Creative Officer, UNBOXED said: “Dandelion is a brilliant coming together of artists, designers, technologists and scientists to make something special and important about what we eat, how it grows and how everyone can get involved in growing, wherever they live.
“Through the growing cubes, music and many opportunities to participate in growing initiatives, Dandelion is designed to inspire people to create a sustainable future. Dandelion is one of five UNBOXED projects taking place in Scotland this year as part UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK – a year-long celebration of creativity across the four nations.”
Dandelion is a joyous Scotland-wide celebration of sowing, growing and sharing. Commissioned by EventScotland and funded by the Scottish Government it is part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK. Dandelion reimagines our relationship with food and the planet and the way we celebrate it together.
theSpaceUK kicks off their 27th year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in style
It was a night to remember as theSpaceUK kicked off their 27th year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a powerhouse performance packed launch at theSpace Triplex.
Artists from a wide variety of genres came together to wow audiences with a small flavour of the 400+ shows available in this year’s programme. Featuring eleven fantastic acts, the launch was a showcase of music, comedy, theatre and packed with plenty of action, to give a taste of the talent on show at theSpaceUK this year.
theSpaceUK pioneered the return of grass roots performance to the festival last year and continues to offer the most established programme for new and original writing as well as established work offering that unique and special experience that can only be found in Edinburgh during August.
Highlights from theSpaceUK Press Launch
Kicking off proceedings was the Hip Hop Orchestra Experience direct from California which seamlessly fused hip-hop and classical music. Upcoming theatre company koi collective premiered a new comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe, Crossing the Void, with a swirl of intrigue and emotion.
A multimedia hybrid, part live stand-up, part film, Apartness featured Sylvester McCoy, Linda Marlowe in a tale of two isolated souls and their devilish comedian saviour. Prejudice & Pride was new folk musical comedy that reimagines Jane Austen’s classic novel in modern America with gender-swapped characters.
How do predators justify what they have done? Why do some victims survive and others perish? Brother’s Keeper is about courageous survival. Merrill gets diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and tries to make sense of her life and chaotic childhood in Merrill Means Well.
The Mistake is a compelling new play by Michael Mears that explores the events surrounding the catastrophic “mistake” that launched our nuclear age.
UK Underdog is a solo show based on true events in a London, Jewish boy’s life told with humour and plenty of chutzpah.
A modern tale of the gay scene which can be harsh and lonely, Soho Boy is packed with glamour, sex and songs.
One-liners and light-hearted jokes from the UK Pun Championships winner 2022 and Scottish Comedian of the Year runner-up 2021, Richard Pulsford had the audience in stitches.
Puppet Pansori Sugungga is an untraditional staging of classical Korean themes using the traditional puppetry of pansori and live music. All hosted by the freshest comedian at the Fringe, It’s Fraser Brown.
About theSpaceUK
Established in 1995, theSpaceUK hosts the largest and most diverse programme at the fringe. Companies, both professional & amateur, are given an affordable, supportive and professional platform to showcase their work.
About the venue
theSpaceUK operates 19 venues across 7 sites including: theSpace@Surgeon’sHall, theSpace@SymposiumHall, theSpace on North Bridge, theSpace on the Mile, theSpaceTriplex, the Space@Venue45. Further details will be revealed in the coming months.
As the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe gets underway, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society are delighted to announce a full programme of activity for the new Taster Stages in St Andrew Square and Cathedral Square in St James Quarter.
Following an announcement about the extension of the traditional Street Events programme to new sites across the city centre, the Fringe Society team have been excited by the level of support shown by artists for the new spaces.
Scheduled daily from 11:00 – 18:00, the new stages will bring a taster of the Fringe to the New Town, with performers from 170 shows participating in 650 performances across both stages.
From music to magic, dance to comedy, and theatre to circus, there will be something for everyone visiting the spaces this August. In St Andrew Square the TikTok team will be in residence and will live stream on various dates throughout August. In the St James Quarter, the Taster Stage in Cathedral Square will be the first event to take place in this new space.
Audiences are encouraged to make repeat visits to the two stages, with performers changing throughout the day. The tasters have been designed to allow visitors to the area the opportunity to get to know work by the artists, before booking a ticket to see their full show.
Shona McCarthy, CEO at The Edinburgh Fringe Society said: “This summer we’re delighted to be able to expand the Street Events programme to these new spaces in the New Town.
“It’s been fantastic to see the volume of artists who have engaged with these opportunities and we encourage anyone visiting these areas to stop by to get a taste of the Fringe Festival.
“We are grateful to our sponsors and partners in supporting our expansion of Street Events and look forward to watching performance in both the live experience, and digitally on TikTok.”
James Stafford, Head of Community & partnerships, TikTok UK, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Festival Fringe Society this year as the Official Virtual Stage.
“We will be livestreaming from the TikTok Taster Stage in St Andrews Square throughout the festival, so whether you are lucky enough to be in Edinburgh or want to tune in from afar on TikTok, the magic of the Fringe will be more accessible than ever before.’
Cllr Val Walker, Culture and Communities Convener, City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is a very special year for the Fringe, not only does it see the return of an amazing programme of artists and performers from around the world, it also marks 75 years of this extraordinary festival.
“This exciting addition of new sites offering taster performances from the Fringe’s jam-packed programme brings a wider opportunity for current and potential Fringe fans to sample some of the 650 acts who will be entertaining audiences this month.”
Paul Bush, VisitScotland Director of events, said: “EventScotland is delighted to be supporting the return of the Fringe Street Events at this year’s Festival as they extend to new locations across the city centre.
“Our atmospheric crowds, iconic venues and picture-perfect backdrops make Scotland the perfect stage for events and after the challenges of the last two years now is the time to get out and enjoy all these free events have to offer.”
Nick Peel, St James Quarter said: “We are thrilled to be hosting the Taster Stage in Cathedral Square kicking off a fantastic summer of The Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the Quarter.
“The Fringe is such an integral part of the city, the partnership supports our ambition of offering guests new experiences every time they visit. We can’t wait to see the incredible talent from across the globe descend on Cathedral Square, giving us a taste of what’s on offer across the City this August.”
Roddy Smith, Chief Executive of Essential Edinburgh said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Fringe Society and St James Quarter to bring free Fringe activity to St Andrew Square Garden and Cathedral Square.
“I encourage everyone to stop by and get a real feel for the fantastic artists and shows on offer. With the addition of the free Fringe stages, there is now significant Fringe presence throughout the New Town, complementing the traditional Old Town offering and ensuring we have a thriving and vibrant area during August, welcoming residents and visitors to our wonderful city centre.”
More than 900 performers graced Edinburgh Castle’s Esplanade to celebrate expression and share their creative voice
Performers from across the globe are sure to wow audiences with sensational music, dance, costume, and spectacle as The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo makes its highly anticipated return tonight with this year’s Show, Voices.
Running until 27 August, the year’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a celebration of expression, giving a stage to performers and acts from around the globe to share their voice. Voices draws inspiration from people across the globe who, despite physical separation, continue to connect and share their voices creatively through spoken word, song, music, and dance – languages common to all.
Tonight’s performance will mark the inaugural Show from the Tattoo’s new Creative Director, Michael Braithwaite who alongside new creative production partners are introducing a brand-new approach to pre-show with street style drummers welcoming audiences onto the Esplanade. For the very first time there will be staging on the Esplanade and soundscapes tying each spectacular performance together, with the Show being opened with original composition and vocals from The Highland Divas.
Audiences will experience stunning musical and cultural showcases from performers from Mexico, The United States, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, alongside homegrown talent from the UK at the centre of it all.
Musicians from the Army are reinforced by the UK’s finest military musicians, the legendary musicianship of the Massed Pipes and Drums echoing across the Esplanade and the dazzling talent of the Tattoo Dancers and Tattoo Fiddlers.
The Tattoo performers also gave an exhilarating performance of ‘Shake that Bagpipe’ with never-before-seen at the Show, Electro Pipes, taking centre stage with a DJ and a high energy, colourful dance act.
Buster Howes, Chief Executive of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said:“Seeing the Castle Esplanade come alive with the colour, music, word-class talent and of course, for our audiences to once again join us, is exactly the come-back we wanted.
“We set out to ensure that the 2022 Tattoo was a welcome return and a celebration of the connections, cultures and languages that bring people together time after time on the Esplanade of Edinburgh’s 3,000-year-old fortress. After last night’s preview performance, the first Show from our new Creative Director, Michael Braithwaite, I’m sure everyone will agree we have done just that.
“I’ve been blown away by the talents on display during rehearsals and I’m confident the audience will be able to feel the electric atmosphere on the Esplanade tonight! There’s still time to grab tickets throughout August, and I would encourage anyone looking for a great night out to come and experience the magic of the Tattoo.”
International performers this year include Tattoo favourites the New Zealand Army Band with this year’s dynamic performance marking their seventh appearance on the Castle Esplanade.
Banda Monumental will storm the stage with over 100 performers bringing stunningly dramatic costume and the bright carnival atmosphere of Mexico to their show stopping performance.
Swiss drumming sensation, The Top Secret Drum Corps are set to captivate audiences with their energetic precision drumming which has received global recognition since their first performance with the Tattoo in 2003.
While The United States Air Force Honor Guard, the official ceremonial unit of the Air Force, will make their return to the Tattoo this year with its lively display of precision drill.
Playing a vital role in this year’s show were Tattoo newcomers and world-renowned performers The Highland Divas whose vocals were used throughout the show in soundscapes. Audiences were treated to a unique musical journey that showcased the best of the Divas awe inspiring voices.
The United States Army Field Band will make theirTattoo debutbringing military mash-ups of traditional and contemporary hits to the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade for the very first time.
The full line up for 2022 also includes: The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, British Army Band Colchester, British Army Band Sandhurst, The Countess of Wessex’s String Orchestra, The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland Pipes and Drums, The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland Pipes and Drums, The Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland Pipes and Drums, Combined Scottish Universities Officers’ Training Corps Pipes and Drums, Royal Air Force Pipes and Drums, The Crossed Swords Pipes and Drums, Brisbane Boys College Pipes and Drums, Paris Port Dover Pipes and Drums, The Pipes and Drums of Christchurch City, and Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools Choir.
The Show will run until 27 August 2022. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone on 0131 225 1188.
Dandelion’s cubes are going on tour, starting on top of the iconic Calton Hill in Edinburgh. Special cargo bikes, featuring Dandelion’s unique ‘growing cubes’ called ‘Cubes of Perpetual Light’, will be touring Scotland in Dandelion’s latest initiative to bring music, nature, art, science, community food growing and more, to as many people as possible.
The Cubes Bike Tour forms part of Dandelion, a major creative programme demonstrating the power of collective action through an ambitious ‘grow your own’ initiative that aims to reach hundreds of thousands of people throughout Scotland and further afield this summer.
The creative programme has been following the arc of the growing season, spanning from April to September 2022, bringing together music and art with science and technology to inspire people to ‘Sow, Grow and Share’ music, food, ideas and stories.
Commissioned by EventScotland and funded by the Scottish Government, Dandelion is Scotland’s contribution to UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK.
A touring fleet of cargo bikes displaying Dandelion’s growing cubes – miniature vertical farms – will travel the Highlands and Lowlands throughout August.
Four custom-made, electrically assisted bikes – each carrying a cube – will visit ten towns and cities, stopping at school playgrounds, green spaces, town centres, and Dandelion’s Unexpected Gardens, among other locations.
The bikes team will also be giving away free seeds to encourage people to grow their own food. As we come to grips with the impacts of climate change, the need to travel sustainably have never been more important, and the cargo bikes show one way to what is possible.
The bikes also embed active travel at the core of the tour by cycling across the country, as Scotland prepares to host the UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023.
The 1m x 1m cubes are designed to foster accelerated plant growing and have been developed to grow hundreds of seedlings under LED light, combining design craft, traditional horticultural expertise and technological innovation.
The Dandelion team will also be giving away free seed packets and sharing their expertise, so that everyone can grow their own herbs at home and also find out more about Dandelion’s Harvest celebrations in September.
At each stop, the cubes will play new music specially commissioned for Dandelion by Scottish and international artists, inspired by the natural world and can only be heard at the sites, including Vendanth Bharadwaj, Arooj Aftab & Maeve Gilchrist, 2022 Mercury-nominated Fergus McCreadie, Ravi Bandhu, Trio Da Kali, and amiina & Kathleen MacInnes.
Featuring programmable, immersive lighting integrated with speaker systems designed to best showcase the new music playing from the cubes. Each new music piece is commissioned by Dandelion with additional support for international work from British Council Scotland.
Neil Butler, Director of Festivals and Events at Dandelion, said: ‘We can’t wait for the Cubes Bike Tour to begin. It’s a great way to share Dandelion’s message and reach people in locations throughout Scotland.
“The bikes will be travelling all over the country so we’d love to see people coming along to witness some of the magic, get seeds to grow your own at home and hear more about our upcoming Harvest celebrations.’
Paul Bush OBE, Visit Scotland Director of Events said:“The Dandelion programme is creating an incredible array of events across Scotland this summer, each finding unique moments to connect with people all over the country through growing.
“The Cubes Bike Tour is another engaging example of this, taking Dandelion right into the heart of locations right across Scotland to be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
“It’s also fantastic to see events like this embed active travel as part of their programme, and it’s particularly exciting to see biking at the core of this tour as Scotland gears up to celebrate cycling on the world-stage in one year’s time, hosting the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships”.
Cosmo Blake, Network Engagement Manager at Sustrans Scotland “We are delighted to be able to support Dandelion by supplying four cargo bikes for the Cubes Bike Tour this August.
“By utilising the National Cycle Network, the UK-wide network of signed paths and routes for walking, wheeling and cycling, the tour will be able to reach communities sustainably. With the ever-present impacts from climate change, the importance of both food and transport sustainability are becoming more and more relevant.
“Bringing together active travel, growing, and the arts is a fantastic way to demonstrate the huge breadth of possibilities of cycling for transport as well as for leisure.”
The Cube Bikes will be passing through the places below:
Edinburgh, Tue 2 August
1pm, Edinburgh Botanic Gardens
4pm, Unexpected Garden, Lauriston Farm
Hawick, Wed 3 August
4pm, Hawick Museum, Wilton Lodge Gardens
Stranraer, Fri 5 August
1pm, Unexpected Garden, Harbour Street
Greenock, Sat 6 August
10.30am, Battery Park and along the esplanade
11.30am, Beacon Arts Centre
2pm, The Drying Green, Inverkip Road
Glasgow, Sun 7 August
10.00am, Govan Cross
12noon, Glasgow Science Centre
Forres, Tue 23 August
1pm, Market Square
7pm, Grant Park
Inverness, Wed 24 August
5.30pm, City Centre
Alness, Thu 25 August
Schools tour only
Wick, Fri 26 August
11am, Harbour tour
1pm, Market Square
Thurso, Sat 27 August
1pm, Town Centre
7.30pm, Unexpected Garden
Further locations to be announced throughout August.
For more information and location updates, please see: www.dandelion.scot
Dandelion is commissioned by EventScotland, funded by the Scottish Government and is part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK. The bikes were commissioned for Dandelion by Sustrans. The Cube Bikes Tour route will follow the National Cycle Network where available. https://www.sustrans.org.uk/national-cycle-network/
Over 3,300 shows now available to browse online ahead of the Fringe’s 75th anniversary this August
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Societyis delighted to announce that tickets for a further 146 Edinburgh Festival Fringe shows are now available to browse and book at edfringe.com.
This is the fifth set of tickets to be released for 2022, with the first 283 shows revealed in March, 796 in April, 1,281 in May and 1,047 in June. In total, there are 3,385 shows now available.
The 75th anniversary of the Fringe takes place from 05 – 29 August 2022 and will feature an exciting range of performance, with theatre, comedy, music, dance, circus, musicals, variety, cabaret, events, children’s shows and more all featured in the programme so far.
Below is a small representative sample of shows available to book from today. The full list of shows released so far can be found at edfringe.com.
Theatre
At Summerhall, Dykegeist “will shift between a supernatural thriller, a sci-fi spider lair, a haunted club scene, a social situation to discuss threat/consent/otherness”, and Peaceophobia is “an unapologetic response to rising Islamophobia around the world”.
An outdoor performance of “Shakespeare’s timeless comic masterpiece” A Midsummer Night’s Dream is at Fisherrow Links, and at Paradise in Augustines, 12th Night Lite is a “true love story for the ages”.
A selection of online shows will include In a Cave, a Voice at C venues, where “a Neolithic girl seeks comfort in imaginary friends”, and Willy’s Lil Virgin Queen explores Terra Taylor Knudson’s “passion for Shakespeare, and connects classic characters with modern experiences”.
Olding is a “multi-story, multi-character solo show, written and performed by Johanna Courtleigh” on Fringe Online, and What Am I, Chopped Suey? is also online, where “Meg Lin shares a raw personal account of growing up Chinese American that is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching”.
The Calligrapher is on at Greenside @ Infirmary Street, where an artist is “followed by the walking, talking, blood-drenched Quran that has haunted him” since he created it, and Elementa is “a one-woman show about a planet-saving superhero who’s lost her mojo” in the same venue.
Shows at ZOO Playground include Chips and Ice Cream, a show about a father-son relationship and the “struggles, the laughs, the joy and the inevitability of the mistakes that every parent will make”. Don’t Shoot the Albatross is where “pop music meets poetry in this new monologue about city lights, queer night life and large seafaring birds”.
At House of Oz, John Bell: A Few of my Favourite Things is “a relaxed hour with Australian living legend John Bell, as he rummages through his swag of favourite things, fishing out poems, stories, backstage gossip”.
Fan/Girl is part of PBH’s Free Fringe @ Banshee Labyrinth and charts a “tongue-in-cheek ride through adolescence against a backdrop of nineties football”, and A Lady Does Not Scratch Her Crotch is “a look at gender, sexuality, and the near impossibility of growing up”.
At theSpace @ Niddry Street, Laura J Harris presents Bella Donna, “an original queer comedy filled with unexpected twists and turns and more than its fair share of sass”, and theSpace on North Bridge hosts Pool (No Water), “a visceral and shocking play about the fragility of friendship and jealousy inspired by success”.
Sweet FA at Tynecastle Park is “a play with songs exploring the remarkable popularity of women’s football in the early 20th century”, and A War of Two Halves is at the same venue, telling the journey of “the Hearts from the football fields of Gorgie to the battlefields of the Somme.”
Cabaret and Variety
Figs in Wigs: Astrology Bingo is at Assembly George Square Studios, a show which plays “with bingo cards generated from your favourite celebrity’s astrological birth chart”.
Disenchanted: A Cabaret of Twisted Fairy Tales is online at C venues and asks, “Why was the Wolf in Grandma’s bed? Did Sleeping Beauty have an opinion on consent? Were the Ugly Sisters’ feet really that big?”
At BlundaGardens: BlundaBus, Ash and Lisa: Band Practice welcomes you “to this dismantling of music and sanity” in their musical improv show. And for film fans, at Brioche Dundas Street there is See It On Screen Summer 22, “three original short films made in Edinburgh”.
At House of Oz, OZmosis: The Great Australian Variety Pack presents the “hottest line-up of all-Australian talent on the Fringe”, Dolly Diamond’s Bosom Buddies sees the “award-winning, sharp-tongued cabaret diva” return to Edinburgh, and at the same venue, Geraldine Quinn: BROAD explores how “Quinn grew up idolising bold, brassy older women. Now she’s becoming one.”
Pick of the Fringe is at Johnnie Walker Princes Street, presenting “a mixed bill of comedy, music and variety, alongside the finest cocktails and drams in Edinburgh”.
At Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, Accordion Ryan’s Pop Bangers brings music from “artists from all across the pop music spectrum… in a way you’ve never heard them before”.
Chris Cook: Reflections asks, “What advice would you give your younger self?” with a magical twist at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms. At Absurd: A Live Cabaret Panel Show, you’re invited to “join host and magician Ava Beaux, and magical team captains Kane & Abel, for an array of games, buzzer rounds, and cabaret acts”; that’s at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Roti. At Planet Bar is Miss DQ Prides Again, an inclusive LGBT show.
“World-renowned songsmith and pianist extraordinaire, John Thorn, returns to the Fringe with a sublime collection of new original songs exploring the meaning of life and the future of humanity” in John Thorn Dirt An Existential Songbook at RSE Theatre.
At the Voodoo Rooms, Mr.B: Twerp in Progress “will feature some chap-hop classics, interpretations of vintage rap ditties and perhaps even some bits made up on the spot”.
99 Red Kitties is at theSpace @ Niddry St, “a highly energetic amateur burlesque show, which is sure to tantalize the audience”.
Children’s Shows
Online at C venues, Risas de Papel is a show created by 11 artists from Mexico and Chile, “fusing clown, gestural theatre and live illustration in a show for audiences of all ages”.
Spontaneous Potter Kidz: The Unofficial Improvised Parody is at Gilded Balloon at the Museum, “an entirely improvised wizarding comedy show, based on your suggestions”. At House of Oz, Dolly Diamond’s Storytime “helps stimulate children’s imagination and expand their understanding of the world”.
At Paradise in Augustines, The Red Thread We Are Holding takes audiences on “a journey of culture, love and free Taiwanese desserts”.
The Mermaid and the Cow is at theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, telling the tale of how “adventurer and children’s author, Lindsey Cole mermaided the length of the River Thames to highlight the plastic pandemic.”
Comedy
In comedy, Adam Kay: This is Going to Hurt… More (Work in Progress) brings diary entries “as well as some disgusting favourite stories” to Pleasance, and at Pleasance Dome Drag His Ass with Mary Beth Barone is a “deconstruction of modern dating culture”.
At Laughing Horse venues, Love and Sex on the Spectrum “explores all of the awkward firsts that come with dating, sex and love from a late bloomer’s perspective”. In From Ukraine, “Dima Watermelon (it’s his real name) and Pavlo Voytovych (writer at Comedy Central)” bring “the best comedians Ukraine has to offer”, with all donations going to organisations in Ukraine.
Jew Talkin’ to Me? seesRachel Creeger and Philip Simon live record their “unashamedly Jewish podcast enjoyed by everyone” at Assembly George Square Studios, and Róisín and Chiara: Sex on Wheels is “a whirlwind of synchronised, audience-tickling, stream-of-consciousness mischief”, at the same venue.
At BlundaGardens: BlundaBus, there is “extreme nonsense from award-winning idiot Dan Lees” in Dan Lees: Mustard or Custard?, and at Gilded Balloon at the Museum is Spontaneous Sherlock, an “entirely improvised Sherlock Holmes comedy play, based on a suggestion of a title”.
The In-Laws is at Greenside @ Infirmary Street, a one-man show where you can “join Paul as he meets his in-laws for the first time”, and at House of Oz, Gabbi Bolt: I Hope My Keyboard Doesn’t Break tackles “climate change, feminism, why small towns have too many pubs”.
The Necrobus hosts Fright Bus Service, “an award-winning theatrical sightseeing tour around the darker side of Europe’s most haunted city on a classic 1960s Routemaster bus”.
As part of PBH’s Free Fringe, Mimi Hayes: 20-Nothing details the story of an old woman who’s “sucked into the story of a 20-something who can’t catch a break”. Faces of Glasgow “is a scabrous and salacious satire of modern Glaswegian city life and its idiosyncratic inhabitants”.
The Scottish Comedy Festival presents Ah! My Name is Yoky Yu, about “healing, trauma, love, shame, guilt, mom, intimate relationships, and sexuality”, and The Lunch Rush gives “a taste of some of the best new comedy talent on the Scottish circuit” with Kathleen Hughes.
At The Stand’s New Town Theatre, Des Clarke: One O’ Clock Fun presents “a lunchtime showcase of Edinburgh Fringe legends, celebrity guests and the most exciting new talent around”, while Mark Watson: More Banging on About Time and Similar Issues (Work in Progress) explores “what it means to live and die, and what the hell we’re meant to do with the rapidly passing time in between”.
Trashfuture: Live at the Fringe is at theSpace @ Venue45, covering everything from “nonsense start-ups to the evil tech zillionaires and our garbled nonsense of a culture.”
At Underbelly, Dr Brown: Workdsff intlsdjfj Progressdsdfdfn the “multi award-winning comic” comes to Edinburgh “after a decade in hibernation”.
Call Me Me is at ZOO Playground, a show where Maryellen takes audiences through “stories of medical malpractice, being pigeon-toed, mansplaining in escape rooms”, and Platonic Love Triangle – A New York Stand-up Comedy Show sees comedians “Wyatt Feegrado (Bettor Days on Hulu, Amazon Prime), Lukas Arnold (2 million+ followers on Tiktok) and Otter Lee (Fairview on Comedy Central) present an afternoon of stand-up comedy”.
Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus
At Dancebase, an “elaborately costumed dancer performs a tap dance ritual accompanied by a musician” in Le Flâneur, and A Something! No Dragon No Lion! is “a Kung Fu contemporary circus made in Hong Kong”.
Cirk La Putyka and Kyiv Municipal Academy of Variety and Circus Art collaborate on Boom at Underbelly, a “show about family, freedom and borders” where 12% of ticket income will be donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee.
At ZOO Southside is 40/40: “Kat has always danced, but she has never before been a dancer. But then, she’s never been 40 before either. This is the result of 40 years of joy and hardship, laughter and tears, super tunes and super moves.”
Musicals and Opera
On Fringe Online, Feeling Pretty “tells a story of women reclaiming their power” and at theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, The Canterville Ghost: The Musical is a “family friendly comic ghost story” adapted from the Oscar Wilde story.
Spoken Word
At the Stand’s New Town Theatre, Politics and Poetry with Corbyn and McCluskey is an event which “traces the evolution of their political lives and how poetry and modern culture has provided inspiration, enlightenment and comfort”.
In 12 Angry Women, on Fringe Online, “women are on trial by the audience (the camera), they express their monologues and themselves through dance/movement”.
Aural Picnic is at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Banshee Labyrinth where a “local lass brings to life contemporary stories with humour and vigour performed in anthropomorphic characters from nature and myth.”
At Pleasance at EICC, Iain Dale: All Talk with Nicola Sturgeon brings the LBC presenter and the First Minister together for “incisive insight on current affairs”.
Shot in the Face Marvin Herbert is at Shout – Scottish Music Centre @ 111 Holyrood Road, where Marvin discusses having “investigated over 24 murders and eight shootings. Shot five times, axed in the head, stabbed, beaten and bruised” in the service of “reducing re-offending by inspiring, motivating youths and changing lives”.
Music
At ZOO Southside, sanni-leena brings “jazzy covers” with a voice which “will hit you right in the soul – no matter what style she takes on”, and at ZOO Playground, I Dreamed a Dream: The Hunt for a Husband is “an evening of musical comedy, horrendous dating stories, and a relatable truth that we all need to hear.”
At Acoustic Music Centre @ UCC, Jeremy Dion from Boulder, Colorado presents his “blend of folk, bluegrass and Americana”, and Baul, Troubador and Verses on Love, Lust and Flame directed by Ahmed Kaysher “offers the ecstasy and sublime beauty of Indian Vaishnav, Baul and Troubadour music with its interpretation through a haunting presentation of Sufi, Bengali and Greek poetry”.
Duelling Piano Heroes is “an unrivalled, 21st century duelling pianos experience” at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Liquid Room Annexe/Warehouse.
10 Years of Hot Dub Time Machine promises “a night of high energy and non-stop fun and Tom’s incredible selection of the very best tracks from the last 70 years” at Royal Highland Centre.
At RSE Theatre, Bonnie Thorn Little Jazz Bird “showcases Bonnie’s vocal talents with selections from the Gershwins to Amy Winehouse and beyond”, and at St Cuthbert’s Church, Pitchcraft: The Pitch Is Back! is a showcase of “uniquely crafted acapella arrangements, each with its own twist, delivered with humour and passion”.
There is a Lunchtime Organ Recital with free admissionat Stockbridge Church, where “Marion Lees McPherson plays a selection of German, French and English organ music on the theme of Pain and Glory.”
Kings of the Blues: Electric Blues Tribute is at The Brunton, “honouring three masters of the Blues: BB King, Albert King and Freddy King”, and Kyle Falconer in The Old Dr Bell’s Baths with Support from The John Rush Band, The Laurettes and Hunter & McMusard is at The Old Dr Bells Baths where “Kyle, backed by his full band, will be playing a set combining his solo music and classics from The View’s back catalogue.”
The Salvation Army Edinburgh City Corps hosts Music for the Festival with Newtongrange Silver Band, “a traditional mining village brass band from the outskirts of Edinburgh, but their repertoire is far from traditional”.
At Underbelly, Bristo Square, Symphonic Ibiza celebrates “some of the most famous Ibiza club anthems from the last 30 years”.
Grigoryan Brothers: This Is Us is at the House of Oz. “To mark the National Museum of Australia’s 20th anniversary, the nation’s most respected classical guitarists, the Grigoryan Brothers, composed 18 musical works inspired by items from the museum’s vast collection.” At the same venue, BIRDEE “blends her own lineage of Chinese, Greek and Russian origins to craft her own sound and stories”.
