The Aga Khan Music Programme (AKMP), one of the most extensive music preservation and education programmes in the world, and the Edinburgh International Festival will collaborate once again in 2025, presenting an inspiring programme that brings together fresh perspectives on devotional Quranic recitation; a groundbreaking melding of visual art, music, movement and improvisation; and a pioneering collaboration between Asian, Middle Eastern and European musicians.
Following its hugely popular series of concerts at the festival last year, audiences in Edinburgh once again have the rare opportunity to hear first-hand from some of the best musicians in the world.
The trio of distinctive performances reflect the fundamental cultural aims described by His Late Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV: ‘To transcend old boundaries of time and place, reminding the world that every individual can respond to art and music, whether it emanates from a different culture or not. For, after all, art is a matter of humanity, just as much as it is a matter of identity.’
Tanzanian singer and composer Yahya Hussein Abdallah, winner of the 2022 Aga Khan Music Award, and Tunisian-born viola d’amore player Jasser Haj Youssef together weave a rich tapestry of meditative music with Sufi poetry and Eastern literature exploring faith, belief and spirituality. Inspired by the historic meeting between two legendary figures of the Arab musical tradition – Sheikh Mohammad Omran and the violinist Abdo Dagher – this interpretation offers listeners both a devotional experience and a healing ritual (19th August, The Hub).
Visual artist Tazeen Qayyum, accompanied by Aga Khan Master Musicians Feras Charestan (qanun) and Basel Rajoub (saxophone, duclar and percussion), presents a unique live performance titled بھی “here and now”. Tazeen Qayyum creates an intricate calligraphic drawing in real time, inspired by the expressive power of Urdu, Arabic and Farsi, with musical accompaniment blending Middle Eastern rhythms and jazz. This contemplative performance – which acts as a counterforce to the tragedies of our times – invites audiences to slow down, observe and reflect to find a state of harmony and mindfulness (21st August, The Hub).
Ancient traditions meet musical innovation as the Aga Khan Master Musicians join forces with two European musical visionaries, accordionist and vocalist Vincent Peirani and cellist Vincent Ségal. The Aga Khan Master Musicians – a collective of exceptional performers immersed in their individual traditions – include pipa pioneer and International Festival favourite Wu Man, Syrian-born saxophonist Basel Rajoub, qanun master Feras Charestan, and Turkish oud player Yurdal Tokan. This vibrant fusion of ideas and cultures promises a rich blend of sounds and traditions (22nd August, The Hub).
Fairouz Nishanova, Director of the Aga Khan Music Programme, said: “We are delighted to continue and extend our deep-rooted partnership with the Edinburgh International Festival, a rich relationship that is based on our shared values of connecting global audiences through the power of music, and thereby fostering cross-cultural understanding and broad social cohesion.
“We are particularly excited this year to be working with the Festival’s Discovery and Participation team, broadening our reach into Edinburgh’s own local communities and demonstrating our core values of education and enrichment.”
The AKMP and EIF’s Discovery and Participation team will join together for two significant projects during the 2025 Festival. A Culture Club, devised jointly by EIF and participants from the Edinburgh neighbourhood of Broomhouse, will welcome AKMP artists to the district for a performance, a shared meal and a conversation.
In addition, young musicians aged 8 to 18 who hold one of the Festival’s Young Musician’s Passes will be invited to talk and improvise informally to AKMP musicians and discover more about their traditions and their instruments following the performance on 22 August. Both of these projects encourage direct connections between visiting performers and members of the Edinburgh community, and embody the values of education and connection shared strongly by both organisations.
Since its founding in 2000, the Aga Khan Music Programme, part of the wider Aga Khan Development Network, exists to champion and preserve the diverse musical traditions in regions where Muslims have a significant presence, including Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia and East Africa.
As well as bringing exceptional musicians to a global stage, the Music Programme also works within a network of schools and development centres to pass the baton to the next generation of young musicians learning the often ancient musical heritage of their community. The Music Programme is also the home of the Aga Khan Music Awards, founded by His Late Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV in 2018 to recognise exceptional creativity, promise and enterprise in music across the world.
Nicola Benedetti, Edinburgh International Festival Festival Director said: “The Edinburgh International Festival is thrilled to welcome back the Aga Khan Music Programme, whose extraordinary musicians bring a rich tapestry of traditions to our stage.
“Their performances not only celebrate musical excellence but also foster cross-cultural dialogue, aligning perfectly with this year’s International Festival theme, The Truth We Seek. We can’t wait for audiences to experience these powerful and transformative performances in The Hub this August.”
Listings
19th August 2025, The Hub – Yahya Hussein Abdallah & Jasser Haj Youssef
21st August 2025, The Hub – Canvas of Sound with Tazeen Qayyum
22nd August 2025, The Hub – Master Musicians with Peirani and Segal.
Tickets for all three concerts go on sale on Thursday 27th March at www.eif.co.uk
Edinburgh International Festival’s 2025 programme offers opportunities to experience world-class artists in thought-provoking and unconventional ways – including an eight-hour choral extravaganza, a distinctive outdoor promedande dance piece and a circus infused opera. Audiences can also get involved in many Festival performances, from an outdoor mass-singlaong to interactive concerts where the audience chooses the repertoire.
The Truth We Seek is the timely theme underpinning the 2025 International Festival, as contemporary reflections on the world are presented alongside time-honoured tales, a place where fact meets faith and fiction.
The International Festival is the ultimate destination to experience world-class performances, with an exciting lineup of 133 performances, bringing 7 world premieres, 8 UK and Scottish premieres and 2 European premieres to Edinburgh this year. Programme highlights include the world premiere of a gripping new play by James Graham starring Brian Cox, a new narrative ballet from Scottish Ballet, and Festival debuts from rising classical stars – violinist Maria Dueñas, mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, and 2024 BBC Young Musician of the Year Ryan Wang.
From 1-24 August 2025, Edinburgh International Festival presents a hand-picked selection of leading international and local artists in the world’s Festival City, with 24 days of world-class opera, dance, music and theatre.
The 2025 programme is defined by world-class artists bringing audiences and artists closer together in creative and unexpected ways. Audiences can experience an opera incorporating circus performers for a breathtaking fusion of music and acrobatics inOrpheus and Eurydice, a site-specific promenade dance work that transforms Edinburgh’s Old College Quad into a stage for Dance People, and enjoy Bach through a new lens in Breaking Bach, where hip-hop meets 18th-century period instruments.
Audiences can also actively participate in performances—whether by shaping the repertoire in a real-time Classical Jam or sharing their dreams to inspire Hanni Liang’s piano recital, Dreams. For those seeking deep immersion, eight-hour choral epic The Veil of the Templeinvites audiences to sit on beanbags and lose themselves in waves of harmonies, and a choral workshop welcomes amateur singers that will preview a powerful performance at the Festival’s Closing Concert, Mendelssohn’s Elijah.
Now in its third year under Festival Director and celebrated Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, the 2025 programme welcomes over 1,700 artists from 42 nations to Edinburgh —including 600 from Scotland—across 133 performances. The Truth We Seek is the theme underpinning the 2025 Edinburgh International Festival, inviting audiences to explore their relationship with truth – within themselves, between one another and in understanding our place in the world.
Ensuring that cost is not a barrier to live performance, over 50,000 tickets (more than half of all tickets available for the 2025 International Festival) are priced at £30 or under. Thousands of free tickets are available for young musicians, NHS staff and community groups, and £10 Affordable Tickets are available for all performances for anyone who needs them.
Programme highlights include:
Two major world premiere productions in UK theatre and dance: Make It Happen, an eye-opening take on the 2008 financial crisis set in Edinburgh, starring Brian Cox (Adam Smith) and Sandy Grierson (Fred Goodwin), written by one of Britain’s most in-demand playwrights, James Graham;and Mary, Queen of Scots, an iconic story of one of Scotland’s most famous women, unconventionally told with choreography by Sophie Laplane that blends classicism with modernity, and costuming that nods to haute couture and punk.
In a landmark year for choral music, marking the 60th Anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, this renowned chorus of singers from around Scotland performs at the monumental Opening Concert, as well as Vaughan Williams’s Sea Symphony, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah (this year’s grand Closing Concert). The programme also includes the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists performing works by Handel and Bach.
This year’s Opening Concert features the aforementioned Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Monteverdi Choir and the National Youth Choir of Scotland, offering a rare chance to hear John Tavener’s The Veil of the Temple in all its eight-hour glory, a colossal universal prayer performed in full for the second time ever in the UK.
The International Festival’s opening weekend welcomes all to Princes Street Gardens’ Ross Bandstand for The Big Singalong, a free event led by Stephen Deazley, artistic director of Edinburgh’s Love Music Community Choir. The following day, Norwegian folk ensemble Barokksolistene returns to lead The Ceilidh Sessions, an afternoon of music and storytelling inspired by the Gaelic ceilidh tradition.
The most substantial programme of Polish artists in the International Festival’s 78-year history is featured in celebration of the UK/Poland season 2025. Performances include two concerts from one of the Festival’s resident orchestras in 2025, NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra, and a showcase of Polish artists and repertoire from the Wrocław Baroque Ensemble, VOŁOSI, Piotr Anderszewski, Bomsori Kim to 2024’s BBC Young Musician of the Year, Ryan Wang.
Operatic works include a fully staged Australian reimagining of Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice featuring acrobatics; the UK premiere of Book of Mountains and Seas from Chinese composer Huang Ruo, puppeteer Basil Twist and Ars Nova Copenhagen, and two operas in concert: Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus and Puccini’s Suor Angelica with theLondon Symphony Orchestra, with a line-up of international soloists.
Residencies bringing leading orchestras to the International Festival for an extended, more sustainable stay that features multiple performances and community engagement. This year, three outstanding orchestras provide distinctive insights into their collective sound and ambitions: Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra 2, Poland’s NFM Leopoldinum, and the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of new Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano.
Intimate morning recitals at The Queen’s Hall featureInternational Festival debuts from on-the-rise young virtuoso María Dueñas andCanadian mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, as well as a cohort of exceptional Scottish artists including the Dunedin Consort with John Butt and Scottish percussionist Colin Currie with peerless vocal group The King’s Singers.
A wider orchestral programme that stretches the globe to welcome the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and the NCPAOrchestra from Beijing, with conductor Myung Whun Chung and Bruce Liu as piano soloist. The London Philharmonic Orchestra returns to the International Festival for the first time in a decade under the baton of Edward Gardner with a stunning programme that features pianist Beatrice Rana performing Rachmaninoff’s inspired Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,and Holst’s The Planets, a seven-movement orchestral suite journeying through the cosmos to explore our true place in the universe.
Aurora Orchestra makes its International Festival debut with Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony, in the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death. A work that grapples with the pursuit of truth under oppression, audiences are seated on beanbags as Aurora delve into the symphony from the inside out with a conversational presentation in the round, and then in full later that evening, performed entirely from memory.
The Scottish premiere of Figures in Extinction from the internationally acclaimed Nederlands Dans Theater,visionary choreographer Crystal Pite and ground-breaking theatre-maker Simon McBurney (Complicité), whichconfronts powerful truths about humanity’s impact on the world and art’s meaning in the face of mass destruction.
A stellar dance offering continues with works that expand the experience for audiences: Maqamat and Omar Rajeh take performance outdoors to Edinburgh University’s College Quad in promenade with Dance People; the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment combine hip hop with Bach in Breaking Bach with choreographer Kim Brandstrup, and an International Festival debut from Australian disabled dancer Dan Daw about identity and kink.
Leading theatre-makers exploring truth via the climate emergency, colonialism and politics, with Cliff Cardinal’s take on Shakespeare in As You Like It A Radical Retelling, a spectacular nonverbal work from Belgian theatre collective FC Bergman in Works and Days and a remount of acclaimed play Faustus in Africa!, 30 years after its original premiere, from Handspring Puppet Company and William Kentridge.
The Hub, the International Festival’s headquarters on the Royal Mile, brings together a hand-picked variety of global musical styles and traditions, experienced up close in an intimate performance space, including Up Late gigs from artists such as Kathryn Joseph and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith. In a truly international programme, musicians from 16 countries including Australia, China, Poland, Norway and across East to West Africa come to the home of the Festival.
Brian Cox (Succession, Braveheart) returns to Scottish stages in a new play by leading British playwright James Graham (Dear England,Sherwood)
The first major artwork to tell the story of Royal Bank of Scotland’s role in the 2008 financial crash
WORLD PREMIERE
A National Theatre of Scotland, Edinburgh International Festival and Dundee Rep Theatre co-production in association with Playful Productions and Neal Street Productions
Make It Happen Written by James Graham Directed by Andrew Panton With Brian Cox
Opening performance of the 2025 Edinburgh International Festival on Friday 1 August 2025, then running until Saturday 9 August. Previewing at Dundee Rep Theatre in late July and at the International Festival on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 July.
Make It Happen is an epic new satirical play by acclaimed playwright James Graham, directed by Andrew Panton, Artistic Director of Dundee Rep Theatre. This unique co-production between National Theatre of Scotland, Edinburgh International Festival and Dundee Rep Theatre marks the return of Brian Cox to Scottish stages for the first time in a decade.
The world premiere of Make It Happen opens the Edinburgh International Festival’s 2025 programme of theatre, music, opera, and dance. It runs for a week at the Festival Theatre from 1–9 August, with previews at the International Festival on 30 and 31 July and at Dundee Rep Theatre from late July.
‘There is no such thing – as too big.’
Behold the rise, fall and fail of the biggest bank in the world – The Royal Bank of Scotland.
Helmed by Fred ”The Shred” Goodwin, with his fervent belief in the wisdom of the ‘founder of modern capitalism’, Adam Smith, the once prudent RBS soon plummets, placing Scotland at the heart of the global financial crash of 2008.
Set in Edinburgh, Make It Happen sees legendary actor Brian Cox return to the Scottish stage for the first time in a decade as Adam Smith, the ghost of fiscal past. Written by James Graham (Sherwood, Dear England), hailed as one of the most influential and finger-on-the-pulse writers of our time, and directed by the award-winning Andrew Panton, this bitingly funny new satire delves into the unchecked growth, spiralling greed and nail-biting hubris that brought the world’s economy to its knees.
This fictionalised satire features a mixture of characters and incidents inspired by real-life events, with others entirely imagined.
James Graham, writer, said: “Like many writers, an Edinburgh stage is the first place ever I dared put a full play in front of an audience.
“To be invited to join the prestigious Edinburgh International Festival programme this summer is an honour and a thrill. And to work with the National Theatre of Scotland, the Dundee Rep, and of course – Brian Cox, whom I’ve been desperate to write for for as long as I can remember.
We still live in the long shadow of the 2008 financial crash and our inability to reset from that inheritance and its divisive legacies, so it feels right to be interrogating it artistically. But we hope to do so in a show full of music and story, larger-than-life characters, cheeky humour, and some ghosts from Scotland’s centuries’ long past thrown in as well…”
Andrew Panton, director, said: ”It’s a personal honour and huge responsibility to tell what became a global story that started in the city close to where I grew up.
“Working with an exceptionally talented cast, creative and production teams, I’m excited to be directing this new play, bringing it to audiences at Dundee Rep Theatre and Edinburgh International Festival stages.”
Brian Cox, actor, said: “I’m excited to be doing a play written by James Graham who is such a great writer.
“It’s been a long time since I played in Scotland – it’s good to be back.”
Jackie Wylie, Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Scotland said: “I am thrilled that audiences will get to experience the combined talents of James Graham and Brian Cox, taking on the collapse of Royal Bank of Scotland in this epic new play, directed by the gifted Andrew Panton, produced in partnership with the brilliant institutions, Dundee Rep and Edinburgh International Festival.
“Dealing with seismic global moments that have shaped our national psyche, at the world’s most significant arts Festival is the perfect project for the National Theatre of Scotland and we are truly proud of this special collaboration”
Nicola Benedetti, Edinburgh International Festival Director, said: “We are extremely proud to present a brand-new play by James Graham, ‘Make It Happen’, which will open the 2025 International Festival in August.
“This co-commission with the National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep demonstrates our ongoing commitment to bringing vital Scottish stories to the world stage, and invites us to examine events that took place in Edinburgh but rippled across the globe.
“Illuminating this year’s festival theme ‘The Truth We Seek’, ‘Make it Happen’ exemplifies the level of ambition and thought-provoking work that defines the Edinburgh International Festival. We cannot wait to see you there.”
Paisley born Fred Goodwin was the Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group between 2001 and 2009, presiding over RBS’s rapid rise to become the world’s largest company (by assets) and the fifth-largest bank (by stock market value), and their even more rapid fall in 2008, which coincided with the worldwide economic crisis. Make It Happen is the first major artwork exploring RBS’s role in this tumultuous period in recent history.
‘James Graham is fast becoming the pre-eminent playwright of his generation.’ The Guardian
James Graham is an award-winning screenwriter and playwright, whose recent work includes Dear England (National Theatre of GB and West End) which won the Olivier award for Best Play in 2024 and is currently being adapted into a BBC miniseries.
Other theatre work includes: This House (National Theatre of GB, West End and UK tour), which was chosen by popular vote as the best play of the 2010’s for the major theatre publisher Methuen; Punch (Nottingham Playhouse and transferring to the Young Vic in spring 2025); Best of Enemies (Young Vic, 2022), winner of the Critics’ Circle Theatre Award; Tammy Faye (The Almeida), and Ink (The Almeida), which transferred to Broadway and was nominated for six Tony Awards; Labour of Love (Noel Coward Theatre, 2018) which won the Olivier award for Best Comedy.
For television, James is the writer and creator of Sherwood which first aired on BBC One in 2022 to five star reviews, winning the Royal Television Society Award for Best Drama and two BAFTAS. Other TV includes Brexit: An Uncivil War, broadcast on Channel 4 and HBO, and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie. His Channel 4 drama, Coalition won the RTS Award for Best Single Drama (2019), and Quiz (ITV and AMC), adapted from his stage play and directed by Stephen Frears, was one of the most watched UK TV dramas of 2020.
Andrew Panton is an award-winning theatre director and currently Artistic Director and Joint CEO of Dundee Rep Theatre. For Dundee Rep, his directorial credits include August: Osage County, The Children, A Christmas Carol, Oor Wullie, Passing Places and Spring Awakening.
He has previously worked with National Theatre of Scotland as director on digital lockdown short Out of the Woods with Alan Cumming and A Sheep Called Skye, and as staff director on the original UK & International tours of Black Watch. He has also directed productions for the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Citizens Theatre Glasgow, Royal & Derngate, Perth Theatre and The Stephen Joseph Theatre.
His recent work includes A History of Paper, which won a Scotsman Fringe First, an immersive production of Peter Greenaway’s The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, and the gig-theatre musical No Love Songs which will transfer to Sydney and New York in spring 2025. Andrew’s work for television includes: Children in Need, The Naked Choir and The Voice (BBC) and he was a creative director for the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Brian Cox is an award-winning Scottish actor, known for his work on stage and screen. Born in Dundee, he trained at Dundee Rep Theatre before going on to work at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company where he first gained recognition for his portrayal of King Lear.
His numerous accolades include two Olivier Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Recent entries on his extensive list of theatre credits include Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Wyndham’s Theatre) and The Score (Theatre Royal Bath). His screen work includes Succession (HBO), Braveheart (Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox) and Nuremberg (TNT).
Brian returns to Scottish stages for the first time in a decade, last appearing on Scottish stages in 2015 in Waiting For Godot at the Royal Lyceum Theatre. He previously worked with National Theatre of Scotland in 2020 when he played Inspector Rebus in a special digital short, John Rebus: The Lockdown Blues written by Ian Rankin for their lockdown Scenes for Survival series, created in partnership with BBC Scotland.
Creative Team: Set Designer: Anna Fleischle; Costume Co-Designers: Anna Fleischle and Angelica Rush; Movement Director: Emily Jane Boyle; Musical Supervisor and Arranger: Martin Lowe; Lighting Designer: Lizzie Powell; Sound Designer: Tingying Dong; Video co-designers: Lewis den Hertog and Anna Fleischle; Associate Designer: Angelica Rush; Casting Director: Stuart Burt CDG
Supported by Sir Ewan and Lady Brown
Make It Happen is also supported by the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund through Creative Scotland.
Previewing at Dundee Rep Theatre (late July); opening at Edinburgh International Festival, at the Festival Theatre, (previews Wed 30 & Thurs 31 July) Fri 1 August – Sat 9 August
Important information for audiences: Mary Poppins – Friday 24 January, 7.30pm
The weather warning in place for Edinburgh is currently due to end at 5pm today Friday and therefore the performance should begin as planned at 7.30pm.
Leith Theatre is proud to reveal it will be the Edinburgh home of Restless Natives: The Musical.
The brand-new stage version of the classic Scottish film will kick off a three-month summer programme of theatre, music and film co-commissioned by Restless Natives’ producers, Andy Paterson and Wild Yak Productions, and the Leith Theatre Trust team.
Welcoming audiences back into the venue is a significant milestone for Leith Theatre. This curated collaboration will offer a rare and exciting chance to enter the faded grandeur of a theatre that has remained largely the same since opening in 1932. This pop-up summer season will be a unique opportunity for audiences to glimpse at the theatre’s future while it continues on its journey towards restoration.
Original Restless Natives screenwriter and now lyricist, Ninian Dunnett, director Michael Hoffman and composer Tim Sutton, inspired by Big Country songs and themes, will open the season by delivering a not-to-be-missed full stage musical designed to delight devotees of the original movie and capture the hearts of a new generation.
A charming sense of national pride is built as intrepid underdogs Ronnie and Will become Highland Highwaymen, holding up buses and winning international renown, fleecing tourists with panache, with all the quirky idiosyncratic fun coming to Leith Theatre’s raked stage in June 2025.
Although the Trust have operated on a pop-up basis in the past bringing a wide range of cultural activity, the creative focus has more recently been within the TV and film industry hosting a large number of shoots and productions. Excitingly, this will be the first theatre production to make Leith Theatre its home since 2018.
Restless Natives: The Musical will commence a summer 2025 programme, providing audiences with a chance to enjoy live cultural experiences in this iconic heritage venue while supporting Leith Theatre’s preservation.
Restless Natives producer Andy Paterson is thrilled to see the musical leading the summer programming for the venue: “We are so inspired by the Trust’s vision for this incredible building.
” Our memories of shooting key scenes from the film just a few hundred yards away on the Western Harbour make this new partnership all the more special.
“We can’t wait to bring the Clown and the Wolfman back to their actual and spiritual home in Edinburgh.”
By partnering with Restless Natives, Leith Theatre Trust will shine a spotlight on the building’s history and restoration journey and bring an exciting cultural experience to the stage that fits with all of the film, music and theatre connections that already make up the venue’s heritage.
Will this be the end of the story or the beginning of a legend?
Lynn Morrison, Chief Executive from Leith Theatre Trust, said: “We are absolutely delighted to announce Leith Theatre as the Edinburgh venue and to work in partnership to deliver this incredible three-month summer season, starting with Restless Natives: The Musical.
“Despite the challenges posed by our building’s health, we remain committed to being at the heart of cultural life in Leith. This theatre adaptation blends theatre, film and music which is everything we love, and we couldn’t be prouder to welcome this exciting crossover and summer opportunity to our venue.”
Andy Paterson, who was one of the producers of the film and lead producer on Restless Natives: The Musical, said: “The moment we walked into Leith Theatre we had a feeling that we’d come home.
“The unique atmosphere and personality of the venue chimed with Ninian’s story. Both embody the resilience, the spirit of Scottish community, a sense of perseverance and solidarity – and the belief that with the right values and serious ambition, you can make something great.”
Collaborating with creative minds, Scottish Ensemble have forged new paths over recent years blurring the boundaries between genres and artforms. In their latest cross-artform project Scottish Ensemble collaborate with Blind Summit to explore what puppetry can reveal about music.
Performing Arnold Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) and Philip Glass’ Symphony No. 3 the musicians and puppeteers play together to blend sound and visuals in this experimental collaboration where puppetry and music lead each other in a fragile dance. Directed by Mark Down, this new work will defy the rules to reveal the unseen, unheard and unknown.
Performances take place on Thursday 13 February at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre (as part of Manipulate Festival), Friday 14 February at Dundee Rep and Saturday 15 February at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall’s New Auditorium.
Jonathan Morton, Artistic Director of Scottish Ensemble, said: “Collaborations which involve a different artform invite us to re-examine some of our habitual patterns of thought, behaviour and action.
“There is risk involved. And, more alluringly, the potential encounter with something special. At the start of this collaboration, I knew very little about puppetry, but I am drawn to the fact that puppeteers, like musicians, pick up inanimate objects and, somehow, breathe life into them. You can see this, and you can hear it in The Law of Gravity.”
Mark Down, Artistic Director of Blind Summit, said: “During the research and development sessions for this project it has been an absolute inspiration to be surrounded by live music all day, I wish I could have an ensemble at all our rehearsals.
“The puppeteers and musicians generated seemingly endless ideas, the challenge was how to edit and organise them to share with an audience. The Law of Gravity is of course what makes everything fall down, I hope we stay standing”
In another first for Scottish Ensemble the performances in Dundee and Glasgow will be audio described. Visually impaired audiences will be able to enjoy the production through a live verbal commentary describing the visual elements of the production, whilst being respectful to the music performed.
Tickets range from £11 – £22 and in Dundee and Glasgow are free for under 16s.
Tickets are available from https://scottishensemble.co.uk/programme/2024-25/the law-of-gravity/
ASPIRING dancers in Edinburgh are set to experience a transformative day of contemporary dance training with leading professionals.
Leading contemporary dance artists Errol White and Davina Givan, bring their acclaimed Elite Intensive to Dance Base on Saturday 18th January offering a rare opportunity to train with industry professionals.
As course leaders for The Scottish Institute’s (The SI) pioneering BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance degree, Errol & Davina will share their expertise through an immersive day of training, focusing on the creative processes and that define their celebrated repertoire.
This exclusive session will guide participants through company class, focusing on skeletal alignment, core stability, and fluid movement.
Dancers will also engage in choreographic exercises, delving into group work and solos from White & Givan’s repertoire, offering insights into professional company work and the artistry of contemporary dance.
The pair said: “The Elite Intensives are a fantastic way to connect with the next generation of dance artists. We aim to provide an inspiring and rigorous experience that offers a glimpse into professional training and performance.
“Embedding White & Givan as artists in residence within the Institute is a rare opportunity within the educational world for practicing artists and students to evolve together.
“Passion in sharing knowledge lies at the heart of what we do, and we are extremely proud to play an integral role in developing a new generation of dance artists.”
With over 25 years of experience collaborating as performance artists, Errol and Davina have built an acclaimed body of work that engages audiences on a physical and emotional level.
The duos appointment as artists-in-residence at The SI creates a unique bridge between professional practice and education, offering a opportunity to share their expertise and passion for dance with the next generation of dancers.
“The inclusion of sport science and the role it plays in the training of young dance artists at the Scottish Institute is vital, preparing them for a long and fulfilling future career as successful dance practitioners.” White & Givan added.
Dance Base is Scotland’s National Centre for Dance. As a creative charity it aims to see people across Scotland engaging in dance as an art form, a way to exercise and a way of life.
It supports Scottish dance artists to develop successful careers and develops opportunities for dance to be used to support people’s health and wellbeing.
The SI is set to welcome its first cohort in September 2025, making it the only higher education provider in Scotland to offer a course that is led by professional dance artists specifically tailored to contemporary dance.
Students will benefit from The SI’s state-of-the-art technologies and professional-grade studios, as well as access to the renowned Howden Park Theatre.
The degree will couple sport science and dance training and is poised to produce well-rounded, successful dance practitioners prepared for long and fulfilling careers.
Mark Langley, Principal of The SI, said: “Having White & Givan as artists in residence creates an extraordinary environment where practicing artists and students evolve together.
“Our students won’t just learn about the profession – they’ll be immersed in it, working alongside industry specialists, performing in professional venues, and developing their craft through a carefully structured progression from core techniques to professional practice.
“The Scottish Institute was created by professionals to educate the next generation of professionals, and this new BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance program exemplifies that mission.”
The Scottish Institute is Scotland’s only fully CDMT accredited performing arts institution, also holding accreditations from Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), Council of Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT) and Imperial Society for the Teachers of Dance (ISTD).
The session is free of charge, offering a rare opportunity for Scotland’s emerging dance talent to work closely with two of its most prominent contemporary artists.
It’s been another busy year taking theatre out on the road across Scotland and beyond. Moving memoirs brought to the stage, new twists on Country classics and jaw-dropping dramatic moments.
We have been touring to theatres, schools, community halls, art centres, hospitals, cinemas, libraries and festivals. As well as exhibitions, short films, documentaries, podcasts, residencies and more.
In 2024, we visited 62 venues across Scotland, and beyond.
Here are some highlights of the year from your national theatre…
We kick started the year celebrating young audiences and performers.
Cloud Man by Constellation Points/Ailie Cohen and Lewis Hetherington, presented by Scottish Theatre Producers. Going for Gold: Me and Linford Christie by Victoria Beesley, presented by Catherine Wheels.
Meanwhile Hannah Lavery’sProtestcontinued to inspire youth activism at the Traverse Theatre.
Co-commissioned and co-produced by Fuel, Imaginate and Northern Stage in association with National Theatre of Scotland.
In January we presented work in Edinburgh and toured to schools in Edinburgh, Grangemouth, Coatbridge, Bathgate, Aberfeldy, Dallas, Fort William, Kenmore, Pitlochry, Glasgow, Airdrie and Wishaw with Theatre in Schools Scotland (TiSS).
Cloud Man and Going for Gold continued their TiSS adventures.
“I’ve learnt that anything is possible. If I never came out my comfort zone I’d never have made these memories… Life changing.”
Thank U, Next participant.
We took up residency at Bellahouston Academy with 21Commoners Lucy Gaizely and Gary Gardiner to explore teen lives with a cast of 12-to-16 year olds with the extraordinary Thank U, Next.
A National Theatre of Scotland production in association with Bellahouston Academy, created by 21Common.
National Theatre of Scotland and Selkie Productions, Supported by Screen Scotland and Sky Arts.
We celebrated our 18th birthday!
We toured to Bellahouston and Glasgow, presented work in Edinburgh, Harrogate, London, Cambridge, Colchester, Coventry, Poole and Victoria, Canada and the Netherlands and visited schools in Dunkeld, South Queensferry, Cumbernauld, Grangemouth, Edinburgh, Oban, Dallas, Tain, Lairg, Orkney, Sanday, Westray and Stronsay with TiSS.
“A startling, unique, powerfully honest work.”
★★★★ – The Telegraph
Marc Brew and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s raw and life affirming an Accident/a Life had its UK premiere at Tramway following a presentation in Holland.
A Marc Brew Company and Eastman co-production in association with National Theatre Scotland.
We brought the drama to Rockvilla with the BBC’s Bring the Drama creative careers event.
And we launched Caring Scotland, a wide-reaching nationwide Listening Project, led by artist and foster parent Nicola McCartney, to record the testimony of care-experienced people across Scotland.
A National Theatre of Scotland, Who Cares Scotland and National Library of Scotland project.
And Going for Gold ran its final furlongs with TiSS
In March we toured to Glasgow and presented work in Plymouth, Exeter and Newcastle and visited schools in Dumfries, Langholm, Edinburgh and Glasgow with TiSS.
“Delightfully creative and warming show.”
★★★★ – The Reviews Hub
We shō’ed up for Independent Arts Projects with our support of Shō and the Demons of the Deep, written by Zoë Bullock, adapted from the work by Annouchka Gravel Galouchko and directed by Shilpa T-Hyland, which opened at Platform Glasgow.
An Independent Arts Projects (IAP) production in association with National Theatre of Scotland.
We celebrated surviving Thatcher’s Britain at the Mitchell Library, with Damian Barr and James Ley chatting to our Artistic Director Jackie Wylie as part of the Aye Write book festival.
We launched A Big Map for the Big Yin where we encouraged folks to leave their own homages to Scotland’s most beloved comedian, Billy Connolly.
In April we toured to Glasgow, Aberdeen, Shetland and Tobermory.
“Funny, moving and powerful in equal measure, it’s an expertly told story and it deserves to be a hit.”
★★★★★ – WhatsOnStage
Maggie & Me James Ley and Damian Barr’s epic adaptation of his celebrated memoir, directed by Suba Das took the Tron Theatre, Glasgow by storm.
A National Theatre of Scotland production.
Damian Barr returned to North Lanarkshire for a sell-out event at Motherwell Library.
“A poignant, colourful and hilarious performance.”
★★★★★ – Scottish Field
The mighty Dear Billy – Gary McNair’s love letter to the Big Yin from the people of Scotland returned with a run at His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen.
A National Theatre of Scotland production.
And an Accident/a Life continued to astound audiences at the Steps Dance Festival in Switzerland, visiting Sierre, Bulle and Basel and at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival.
In May we toured to Dunoon, Dunkeld, Melrose, Wick, Dumfries, the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, Inverness, Perth, Cumbernauld, Dundee, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Inverness and presented work in Switzerland and Norwich.
Damian Barr popped over to the National Library of Scotland to talk about taking his memoir from page-to-stage with Chitra Ramaswamy.
In June we toured to Inverness, St Andrews, Dundee, Northampton, Edinburgh and Manchester.
We invited local people to take to the stage at Springburn Auditorium for a joyous celebration of the North Glasgow region, led by our community artist in residence, Eoin MacKenzie with theNeighbourhood Variety Show.
A performance project by Eoin McKenzie as part of the National Theatre of Scotland’s Neighbourhood Project.
We announced that Kal Sabir was the winner of our South Asian short film commission with his forthcoming short filmKinaara.
And we aspired to get greener by launching the second edition of the Theatre Green Book.
In July we presented work in Glasgow.
The Fifth Steppreviewed at Dundee Rep Theatre, ahead of opening at the Edinburgh International Festival.
“Highly entertaining, often very funny, and sometimes brilliantly tense.”
★★★★ – The Scotsman
We provoked audiences with David Ireland’s sizzling two-hander, directed by Finn Den Hertog, marking a homecoming to Scottish stages for Jack Lowden, alongside Sean Gilder.
A National Theatre of Scotland production.
“this production is absolutely joyous – a truly magnificent story of two remarkable women.”
★★★★★ – Broadway World
We hoe-downed with Grid Iron, for Charlene Boyd’s June Carter Cash, The Woman, Her Music and Me, directed by Cora Bissett which opened at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe enjoying a sold-out run, winning a Fringe First, with a shout out for Parents in the Performing Arts too.
A National Theatre of Scotland and Grid Iron co-production.
Pamela Carter and Stewart Laing delved into the archive and pulled out Extraordinary Trash: A Theatre Essay featuring Adura Onashile as ‘The Archivist’ at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Dear Billyended its 2024 World Tour of Scotland and Salford by bringing joy to audiences at the Assembly Rooms during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Meanwhile, over in Glasgow, we headed down the canal to premiere Wonder Lands at Pinkston Gala Day, Roisin McLinden, our community artist in residence’s, film fusing community arts practice and cycling.
In August we toured to Edinburgh, Banchory, Glasgow and Dundee.
June Carter Cash saddled up and hit the road for a sold out tour across Scotland, including opening the Outwith Festival, and ending its journey at Findhorn Bay Festival.
We welcomed Gus Gowland as our first Resident Composer.
In September we toured to Glasgow, Dunfermline, Kirkcudbright, Stranraer, Arran, Oban, Ullapool, Findhorn Bay.
Thank U Next enriched young lives at Cumbernauld Academy with the next troupe of talented young performers taking to the stage at Lanternhouse.
A National Theatre of Scotland production in association with Cumbernauld Academy, created by 21Common.
A National Theatre of Scotland and All the Queens Men project in partnership with Eden Court Theatre and Luminate
We marked Care Experienced Week with a special in conversation event at National Library of Scotland, with artist Juano Diaz and sent our project facilitators around the country to listen and gather testimony from care experienced individuals.
We embraced Gothic horror at Halloween with a special free screening of TheStrange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde with a post-show chat from the lead creatives at the National Library of Scotland at Kelvin Hall.
In October we toured to Cumbernauld, and presented work in Glasgow, Livingston, Sweden and Norway.
We paid tribute to the much loved and missed Beldina Odenyo with the powerful Tero Buru at Platform, Glasgow, directed by Julia Taudevin.
A Leah McAleer project, produced by Disaster Plan in association with the National Theatre of Scotland.
We Pushed the Boat Out with our support for new commissions at Edinburgh’s spoken word festival, at the Storytelling Centre.
And we made gingerbread men with pupils in schools across the country as the playful Ginger went on tour with TiSS.
Created by Tortoise in a Nutshell, created in association with Platform and Lyth Arts Centre.
In November we toured to Glasgow and Edinburgh and visited schools in the Isle of Lewis, North Uist, Kinross, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Blackridge, Livingston, Orkney, Sanday, Westray, Stronsay, Shetland, Aberdeen, Bellshill, Cumbernauld and Oban with TiSS.
Jack Hunter and his deeply personal and political One of Two ended its important TiSS tour.
Presented by Independent Arts Projects.
We celebrated Scottish playwriting by supporting Fergus Morgan’s podcast –A History of Scottish Drama in Six Plays featuring NTS shows, Black Watch, Men Should Weep and TheCheviot, The Stag and The Black, Black Oil.
Produced by the Scottish Society of Playwrights in association with Bespoken Media and the Traverse Theatre.
In December, we toured to schools in Tain, Alness and Culloden with TiSS.
A YEAR IN REVIEW
Throughout 2024 we:
Toured to 62 venues across Scotland and beyond
Visited 62 schools with Theatre in Schools Scotland
Added 2 new shows and resources to our Education Portal
Hosted 15 First Nights events connecting with 275 Participants
Delivered 74 accessible performances
Continued to reduce our carbon footprint
Won 3 awards at the UK Theatres Awards, Audio Production Awards and Scotsman Fringe First and were nominated for 12 more!
Please do read our Annual Report and Financial Statement for 2022 to 2023 here.
A standing ovation for the hundreds of actors, creatives, artists, technicians and freelancers that worked with us this year. Full creative credits are available for each project and production via the links above.
With thanks to…
Our funders, friends and followers, our audiences and allies, our participants and partners, our co-producers, cheerleaders and communities.
And all our wonderful donors and supporters.
None of this would be possible without your generosity and goodwill!
We send our thanks to the Board too for their ongoing enthusiasm, guidance and governance.
We are really looking forward to getting out round Scotland in 2025 – our full season will be announced in January 2025.
We hope to see you at your local theatre this year!
With love from all the team at the National Theatre of Scotland.
Citadel’s tour of McScrooge by Alan Mountford directed by Mark Kydd came to an end with a performance at Blossom Tree Nursery.
We took the mini-panto into a community centre, a school, two dementia clubs, Leith Dockers Club, two care homes, and the Dementia Arts Festival!
Thanks to People’s Post Code Lottery and Garfield Weston Foundation, Ashley Barlow, Jim Bryce, Mark Kydd and Roddy Simpson brought lots of festive joy to audiences aged from two to 102!
We are delighted to announce that on Saturday, November 23rd, we will be hosting two free taster sessions for our new performance groups – 10am – 12pm & 1pm – 3 pm – at The Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Edinburgh.
With these sessions, we want to create a fun, safe and supportive enviroment for people to engage in interactive drama activities, where like-minded people can meet and feel comfortable to experiment and perform.
We are looking for individuals to participate and provide valuable market research and feedback. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just curious about drama, this is a fantastic opportunity to explore your creative side and help shape our future programs.
To register, email us at fablesstagecommunitytheatre@gmail.com or give us a direct message on Facebook and Instagram. Places are limited, so please book in advance.
We look forward to seeing you then and thank you so much for your help!
