performance – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Through the Shortbread Tin comes to Scottish stages in 2025

WORLD PREMIERE

National Theatre of Scotland presents

Through the Shortbread Tin

Written and performed by Martin O’Connor
Directed by Lu Kemp

Musical Director and Composer – Oliver Searle, Sound and Video Designer – Rob Willoughby, Set and Costume designed by Emma Bailey and Rachel O’Neill

1 April to 2 May 2025

A Scotland-wide tour opening at Melrose, touring to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ullapool, Stornoway (Isle of Lewis), Portree (Skye), Dornie (Lochalsh), Cumbernauld, Oban, Helensburgh, Lerwick (Shetland) and Inverness.

Opening Performance at Corn Exchange, Melrose on 2 April 2025

The story of the greatest literary hoax of all time. 

In 1760 Scottish poet James Macpherson set the world ablaze with stories of the third-century Scottish bard, Ossian. This tartan-trimmed tale of Highland history spread far and wide, capturing the imagination of thousands– but was it built on a deception?

In 2025 Scottish poet Martin O’Connor decides to revisit Macpherson’s epic and begins to question his own relationship with Scottish culture. The sporrans, the stags, the shortbread – do these ‘gift-shop’ images of Scotland hold us back or bring us forward? What does it mean to be authentic, and is the truth sometimes better told in a lie? 

Imagine that you didnae ignore the myths.

Imagine you were telt your history.

Imagine ye could hod onto the stories.

Imagine ye could create yer ain truth.

Through The Shortbread Tin is a new show, performed in Scots, with Gaelic songs, which explores Scottish culture, myths, history and identity. 

Martin will be joined on stage by three female Gaelic choral singers, singing original songs composed by Oliver Searle.

Audiences are invited to join Martin and Macpherson on an oral odyssey spanning centuries of Scottish history, exploring the myths we tell each other and the stories we tell ourselves. 

BACKGROUND TO OSSIAN

In 1760 Highlander Macpherson published Fragments of Ancient Poetry to great critical and commercial acclaim. The poems were collected from oral sources around Scotland and were presented as the work of a third century bard, Ossian, soon dubbed The Homer of the North.

There soon followed two other publications, Fingal and Temora, and together they set the Scottish and European literary world alight. The ‘Ossian effect’ soon saw a rise in interest in Scottish and Highland ways of life and an increase in tourism and cultural interest.

The impact of Ossian was immediate and permanent, even if the individual poems eventually fell out of fashion. But soon after publication, debates over Ossian’s aesthetic and moral ‘legitimacy’ surfaced, which plagued the writer and the impact and legacy of the work.

Martin O’Connor is an award-winning theatre-maker, performer and poet from Glasgow. He is interested in exploring ideas of voice and identity through theatre and poetry, with particular interest in Scots, Gaelic and verbatim. He won Scots Performer of the Year Award at this year’s Scots Language Awards.

He was granted a Gavin Wallace Fellowship in 2018, hosted by Playwrights’ Studio Scotland and the Lyceum Theatre, marking the first stage in his research into James Macpherson and Ossian.

He makes work for solo performance as well as with, and for, other people. He was the National Theatre of Scotland Writer in Residence in 2020. Previous projects include Turntable (MJ McCarthy/Red Bridge Arts), Mark of the Beast (Martin O’Connor/Platform), Togail Nàisean/ Building a Nation (Glasgow Life).

Martin O’Connor, writer and performer said: “I’m looking forward to staging this work after many years of research and development, and I can’t wait to begin working with Lu and the rest of the creative team to tell this story.

“I have been fascinated with the history of Ossian and Macpherson since I started learning Gaelic and since I have rediscovered my Scots voice, and it gave me a jumping off point to explore all things linguistic, cultural and historical about Scotland, and my own upbringing.

“It seems that not many people know about Ossian and Macpherson, the hoax that he created, and the impact that it had on him and wider Scottish culture, so I am very excited to be staging this work and telling this tale at a time when we are still asking big questions about our country and identity.”

Through the Shortbread Tin is directed by Lu Kemp, a theatre director and dramaturg with a distinctive reputation for her work in new writing. Lu was Artistic Director of Perth Theatre between 2016 to 2023.

Her tenure was notable for supporting the creation of new work by Scottish artists and community engaged productions. As a freelance director, Lu has worked for The Citizens, The Royal Lyceum Theatre, National Theatre of Scotland, Artangel, London,The Tricycle, Almeida and The Royal Shakespeare Company.

Touring to Corn Exchange, Melrose (Preview Tues 1 April) Wed 2 April; Tron Theatre, Glasgow Fri 4 & Sat 5 April; Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh Tues 8 & Wed 9 April; Macphail Centre, Ullapool Saturday 12 April; An Lanntair, Stornoway Tues 15 April; Aros Centre, Skye (with SEALL) Thurs 17 April; Dornie Community Hall, Lochalsh (with SEALL) Fri 18 April; Cumbernauld Theatre Wed 23 April; Corran Halls, Oban Thurs 24 April; Cove Burgh Halls, Helensburgh Fri 25 April; Mareel, Shetland Mon 28 & Tues 29 April; Eden Court, Inverness Thurs 1 & Fri 2 May.

On social: #ShortbreadTin

Saturday: Morgan Njobo at Muirhouse Library

Edinburgh Multicultural Festival goes on tour! This fall we will be visiting libraries in the Edinburgh North neighbourhoods with our featured artists.

This Saturday, 26 October, Muirhouse Library will be hosting Morgan Njobo who will bring a South African flavour to your day with his signature signing and drumming performance and workshop.

Morgan Njobo, Edinburgh Multicultural Festival director, is a versatile artist, a singer, composer, musician, choreographer, dancer, director and producer known for traditional and modern African and World Music performances and productions. Morgan has worked with many communities across Edinburgh hosting vocal, music and dance workshops across the city.

This event is free but ticketed, so make sure you register with us ahead of the event at: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/edmcf/t-vvaxqkg

Maiden / Mother / Whore

In collaboration with The University of Edinburgh, Queen Margaret University and Dancebase, Theiya Arts will bring an experiential arts-academia symposium to the city this October, followed by three November performances of new intersectional feminist performance work in Edinburgh and Glasgow

Dance Base, Edinburgh – 7th October 2024, 1- 4pm

Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh – 1st November 2024, 12 – 5.30pm

Southside Community Centre, Edinburgh – 9th November, 1 – 4pm

Venue TBC, ‘Focus on South Asian Arts’ event collab. The Work Room – 15th November (AM – time tbc)

Civic House, Glasgow – 15th November, 5.30 – 7pm

Theiyā Arts Dance Collective in collaboration with The Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society at The University of Edinburgh present a new interdisciplinary mixed media performance – Maiden | Mother | Whore – exploring the complex relationships between women, social structures, health and social policies, and institutions.

Maiden | Mother | Whore will be performed for the public in November: first in Edinburgh, at the Assembly Roxy (1 November) and the Southside Community Centre (9 November), before a final performance at Civic House in Glasgow (15 November).

Prior to the November performances, on Monday 7th October there will be an experiential symposium in collaboration with The Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society at The University of Edinburgh, Centre for Applied Social Sciences at the Queen Margaret University, and Dancebase, Edinburgh.

This symposium aims to offer a unique space for multi-disciplinary critical discourse, knowledge exchange, and relational introspections of arts and academia.

Drawing on women’s embodied experiences and narratives, Maiden | Mother | Whore is a thought-provoking mixed-media performance that delves into the tensions between individuals and collectives, agency and power, and patterns of oppression and resistance.

The work seeks to investigate the polarised roles and positioning of women and their impact on subjectivities, both collective and individual, through the lens of Transnational Intersectional Feminism.

The audience are invited to become part of the creation of the performance, contributing to and furthering the dialogue between academic and artistic communities, as the performance evolves in response to their engagement with the piece.

An interactive, multi-media show using projection, live music, spoken word, and South Asian classical-contemporary dance, Maiden | Mother | Whore urges all to consider the relationship between self and society and what it means to exist in a gendered body today.

Maiden | Mother | Whore emerged as a result of a creative partnership between Theiyā Arts Dance Collective and academics from the Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society and is supported by Creative Scotland and Dance Base, Edinburgh.

Strange Town marks 15th anniversary with three-night run of acclaimed show HER

Established in 2008, Leith-based charity Strange Town uses theatre and the arts as a creative catalyst to nurture talent and increase access to opportunities for all children and young people, whatever their background or experience.

Founded by local Directors Steve Small and Ruth Hollyman, together they set up Strange Town with a mission to increase access to life-enriching experiences in the arts for everyone, offering accessible activities, a range of bursaries and financial assistance for young actors who are at an early stage in their careers but often find the financial outlays prohibitive to launching their careers.

The organisation has expanded across the last 15 years and now reaches over 2,000 local young people every year. Activities include youth theatre classes, holiday programmes, a touring company and agency support for young actors.

The charity has helped develop the careers of some of the Capital’s best-known local talent including Tallulah Greive and Lewis Gribben.

Strange Town proudly creates work of the highest quality that is both daring and entertaining, tackling subjects of importance to young people’s lives, such as consent, climate change anxiety and knife crime, vitally involving and commissioning emerging writers.

The charity will mark the finale of their fifteenth year with a special three-night run of their acclaimed play ‘HER’, written by award-winning playwright Jennifer Adam.

Initially touring secondary schools across the city, HER is an important play about the damaging effects of gender inequality, the truth about consent and asks; “how can you be the change you want to see in the world when you feel like the world is fighting against you?”

Steve Small, co-Founder of Strange Town, said: “We are so proud of the activities and support we have delivered across the last fifteen years.

“Edinburgh is well-known as an epicentre for creative talent and opportunity; we have just had one of the busiest ever Fringe festivals where our city comes alive with performance and celebration of the arts, yet for many young people living here all year round these opportunities just do not exist.

“Arts organisations are struggling to sustain their support. We are seriously under-funded in this country and without programmes like ours, young people, especially those from socio-economically deprived backgrounds would be unable to benefit from the life-enriching experiences of participating in youth theatre.

“When young people join Strange Town, they are given the opportunity to connect with others in-person, to have fun, build key life skills, grow in confidence and feel a sense of belonging. Many would never contemplate a career in the arts without our support.

“Our touring company productions are carefully created to engage to spark discussion and debate around difficult subject matter. We are delighted that we’ve been given the opportunity to revive ‘HER’ this October and encourage all local people, theatre-goers and those keen to learn more about us, to come to a show and help support our work across the next 15-years.”

Her – Fri 3 February 2022 – Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh (© photographer Andy Catlin www.andycatlin.com)

Strange Town’s Touring Company will perform ‘HER’ at the Tech Cube in Summerhall for three-nights only Tues 8th – Thurs 10th October.

Open to everyone age 14+, ticket can be purchased on the Summerhall website. All proceeds go towards the charity’s vital work with young people living across Edinburgh.

SQA Insight highlights success for Edinburgh pupils

Edinburgh’s pupils continue to be among the best performing in Scotland

Results from the SQA Insight report shows Edinburgh’s learners are performing better than their virtual comparators in 14 out of 15 key measures, with 7% more pupils gaining at least one Advanced Higher than in other areas in Scotland.

Edinburgh learners are also out-performing their virtual comparators in Literacy and Numeracy for all stages and levels.

A virtual comparator is a sample of students from other areas of Scotland who have similar characteristics to a school’s students.

The news builds on the SQA exam results in August showing levels of attainment for pupils across Edinburgh remaining above those achieved before the Covid pandemic.

Insight provides teachers and lecturers with a summary of how learners have performed in their exams and coursework for each subject at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level over the past year.

Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This has been another positive year for our pupils. I want to congratulate them, as well as all our teaching and support staff. Their hard work has certainly paid off and praise should go to them as well as all the parents and carers who have supported the children.

“I welcome the results from the SQA Insights report. We have invested heavily in improving the skills of our workforce and I am confident that our staff will continue to improve the quality of teaching and learning to meet the needs of the city’s young people.

“Let’s not forget there is no wrong pathway for our young people as everyone’s learner journey is different. School is about ensuring all our young people are able to fulfil their potential by attaining the highest level of achievements possible and by receiving the best possible experience.

“We want all our learners to find their pathways into the world of higher and further education, employment or training and to narrow the gap between those living in different areas of affluence.”

Course reports – written by principal assessors and principal verifiers – are published to give an insight into how learners performed, detailing which areas of the course assessment where learners performed well, and which areas proved to be more demanding.

Principal assessors and other senior appointees are experienced teachers and lecturers who work with SQA to produce the course reports and highlight examples where candidates have performed well in their external assessments.

The reports also contain advice for teachers, lecturers, and training practitioners on preparing learners for the coming year’s assessments, as well as statistical data relating to grade boundaries.

Scottish contemporary dance headlines prestigious international showcase

Katherina Radeva’s life-affirming performance piece, 40/40, has been specially selected to showcase at the world’s most prestigious international contemporary dance industry gathering, internationale tanzmesse nrw, taking place in Dusseldorf from 28 – 31 August.

The critically acclaimed 40/40 from Two Destination Language (a collaboration between Katherina & Alister Lownie) is one of a small number of full-length, tour-ready productions invited from across the world (and the only one from the UK from 900 proposals) for the event’s revered Performance programme.

Designed to showcase the latest ‘originality of movement and choreographic practice, relevant topics and aesthetics, a wide geographic spread, and a diversity of backgrounds’, the Programme is keenly anticipated by international artists, promoters and programmers.

Described as ‘dancing joy in defiance of convention’, in 40/40, Katherina celebrates her 40 years as a woman, a migrant and an artist.

Katherina says: “The production is the result of 40 years of joy, migrancy and hardship, laughter and tears, super tunes and super moves.”

Audiences are invited to ‘join the middle-aged woman revolution by dancing, claiming and reclaiming the beautiful, glorious and messy complexities of womanhood. From the little girl dancing at her parents’ student parties, to the teenage rhythm gymnast who was body-shamed, to the creative who refuses to be categorised, 40/40 comprises all the joys and sorrows of 40 years.’

Katherina added: “40/40 is a work which pushes at so many boundaries with humour and joy and for us it is a real privilege to be a part of the current dialogues and critical thinking in dance.”

40/40 received research and development funding from The National Lottery through Creative Scotland and support from Tramway Glasgow and Dance Base Scotland.

Alongside 40/40, Scotland-based artist, Dr Aby Watson has been selected to present their work Back and Forth and Forth and Back – a new work in development as part of the event’s Insights programme.

Commissioned by Unlimited, with funding from Creative Scotland and support from The Work Room, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Level Centre, Aby’s emerging piece is an immersive, experimental choreography of rhythm, repetition and sensorial play that centres neurodivergent adult audiences, with the performance embodying Aby’s innovative practice research in neuroqueer choreography.

Ahead of the gathering, Aby says: “I hope to connect with delegates who share my values with radical access and inclusion, and make connections with producers, venues, festivals, and other artists to support the development of my work, whilst experiencing exciting international dance work to nourish myself creatively.”

In addition to the artists who will be performing, The Work Room (supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland) is supporting a delegation of independent dance artists and choreographers from across Scotland to attend including Mark Bleakley, Mele Broomes, Salma Faraji, Bridie Gane, Dorine Mugisha, Skye Reynolds and Kathryn Spence.

For full information about our delegates, take a look at our dedicated Tanzmesse 2024 webpages on the Creative Scotland website.

Anita Clark, Director at The Work Room said: “International collaboration and exchange expands our perspective and understanding.

“Through the Dance from Scotland presence at International Tanzmesse nrw 2024, dance artists from Scotland will have the opportunity to meet with peers from across the world and develop vital international connections to further their work.”

Paul Burns, Interim Director of Arts at Creative Scotland said: “We are excited to be spotlighting the incredible talents of Scottish artists at this most important of international platforms for contemporary dance and performance.

“Scotland rightly has a strong reputation for both showcasing and creating world-class dance, with Scottish companies regularly touring the globe, or welcoming exceptional international artists to our shores.

“The event has an unparalleled potential to support delegations from Scotland to develop their networks and unlock a range of international opportunities.”

More Words from the Wards tonight

WISHING my CITIZEN friends and colleagues good luck as they take to the stage at Edinburgh International Book Festival this evening.

They will be reading their stories about the old Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh Futures Institute, which was built on the grounds of the old Royal off Lauriston Place.

In spring 2024 EIBF called for people from Edinburgh to submit stories about the former Royal Infirmary, to capture and honour the experiences and memories that people connect with the building’s previous life.

Tonight’s local writers readers will joined by special guest Lisa Williams to perform their work and commemorate the building’s rich history.

The event is free – well worth seeing if you can make it along!

Supported by Edinburgh Futures Institute

The Besties’ winners week two announced

The Besties is a new series of awards celebrating the best across Edinburgh’s August Festivals. The Award is a partnership between The Skinny & Fest, Capital Theatres and Premier Scotland.

The Skinny and Fest, Capital Theatres and Premier Scotland are delighted to announce the winners of the second round of the weekly new Festival Awards, The Besties, in the following categories:

The Movement Award – Mele Broomes for through warm temperatures, Custom Lane (Edinburgh Art Festival)

The Narrative Award – Adania Shibli for Against Forgetting, Edinburgh Futures Institute (Edinburgh International Book Festival)

The Radgie Award – Piotr Sikora for Furiozo: Man Looking for Trouble, Underbelly Cowgate (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

The Debut Award – Wonder Fools for Òran, Pleasance Courtyard (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

[the gender euphoria award] – Wet Mess for Testo – Here and Now Showcase, Zoo Southside (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

The Collaboration Award – The Giant Company and The Distant Voices Community for A Giant on the Bridge, Assembly Roxy (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

The Solo Award – Yolanda Mercy for Failure Project, Summerhall (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

The award ceremony took place on Saturday 17^th August at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh, hosted by comedian Josephine Lacey whose show Autism Mama is at the Pleasance Courtyard, with performances from Orkney musician Catriona Price who performed earlier this week at Queen’s Hall and Edinburgh New Town Church, celebrating her debut album, Hert.

The Besties award, designed by artist Camillo Feuchter who has recently graduated fromInterior & Environmental Design at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee, uses recyclable plastics gathered at the Festival Theatre Café and leftover wood sourced locally.

Reflecting the broad and diverse coverage both magazines produce every summer and responding to the need for a pan-festivals award, The Besties span all the festival activity taking place in the city over the month of August, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Art Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival which started on Thursday 15 August, and others, making them the one of the only awards to celebrate the full spectrum of culture in the city.

Winners of The Besties are chosen each week by the editorial teams of The Skinny and Fest, drawing on their cross-festival expertise to celebrate the best work happening anywhere in the festivals. The categories will reflect the diversity of the magazines’ coverage and might be different every week.

The third and last ceremony will take place on Saturday 24^th August.

Graceful granny celebrates 70 years of performance

Edinburgh local attends her 18th Fringe Festival after seven decades of performing arts

A CELEBRATED 77-year-old performer is marking a milestone as she gears up for her 18th appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, proving that passion for the arts knows no age.

Elizabeth Frances Dell, fondly known as Lyzzie, has been captivating audiences since she was seven.

Now at 77, she continues to shine, delighting thousands of art lovers annually as a dedicated member of the Edinburgh People’s Theatre.

Despite facing a stroke five years ago, Lyzzie has remained undeterred, continuing to audition and perform.

The former teacher and nurse is set to showcase her talents in the Scottish comedy ‘Ne’er the Twain’ at this year’s Fringe Festival.

Reflecting on her journey, Lyzzie said: “I went to the Stage School of Dance when I was seven and that was when I first started getting involved in the arts, from tap dancing and singing to pantomime and Scots comedy, but I truly love all forms of theatre.

“It must have been about 2006 when I started going to the Fringe shows. Even when I’m not on stage, I’m involved in some capacity.

“I really don’t know how many auditions I’ve done because they’re not always successful and you have to accept that. The director knows who would be best for the play, and it’s about fitting in with the whole picture. So, I’m quite happy.

“If I don’t get the part, I’ll do front of house, backstage, or anything else. It’s the teamwork that makes a play work.”

Her latest production Ne’er the Twain – an historical comedy about the amalgamation of Leith and Edinburgh – is running throughout the Fringe at Mayfield Salisbury Church.

Lyzzie said: “It takes place when Edinburgh is going to be amalgamated with Leith and of course Leith didn’t want it, and I learned the history from this.

“When Edinburgh wanted Leith to join up, there was a referendum in Leith and the Leithers just said, ‘absolutely no chance.’ However, Westminster overruled and that is how Leith became part of Edinburgh

“I play Nellie, she’s the old auntie in it and she’s got wee bit secrets to her bow, but she’s a bit of a rogue.”

Lyzzie also puts on regular community performances from shows for the homeless to routines in numerous churches, as well as outdoor performances such as the Edinburgh Easter Play with Cutting Edge Theatre.

None more so benefit from the Edinburgh local’s creativity than the tenants at Hanover Scotland’s Roseburn Court, where Lyzzie has lived for more than 17 years – making her the development’s longest residing tenant.

Lyzzie added: “I’ve been here 17 and a half years, and truthfully, I didn’t want to come at first, but it was the right thing to do. It’s a lovely place to live and I look right onto Roseburn Park and it’s just a nice place to be.

“I’m very lucky to be here. Anytime I have needed help they’ve been tremendously supportive. That’s part of the joy of living here knowing that if anything happens, I will get help and my family doesn’t need to worry. It takes the worry off their shoulders. It’s lovely.

“They have also allowed me to embrace my creative spirit, I help put on regular performances for the other tenants that live here and it really does create a closeknit community.”

Lyzzie hopes that she can continue entertaining people on the stage in whatever capacity she can. She said: “As long as somebody wants me, I’ll do it.

“Whether I am out there performing or helping with props or costumes I just love being involved and putting on a show. Drama is just a very special place to be, it’s just full of amazing characters.”

Tickets for Ne’er the Twain can be purchased on the Edinburgh Fringe Festival website here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/ne-er-the-twain

Hanover Scotland, a pioneering non-profit organisation founded in 1979, empowers independence by providing safe and secure social housing, enabling residents to live fulfilling, independent lives.

With more than 4,500 homes throughout Scotland, Hanover Scotland supports older adults in vibrant local communities.

Guided by values of respect, accountability, collaboration, and inclusion, Hanover Scotland continues to provide excellent, affordable, and modern housing services to meet the diverse needs of its tenants.

To find out more about Hanover Scotland, please visit: https://bit.ly/HanoverScotland

To find out more about Edinburgh People’s Theatre, please visit: https://ept.org

Edinburgh International Festival 2024 set to ignite festival season opening weekend

The 2024 Edinburgh International Festival begins today with the first of more than 160 events in an exhilarating 24-day celebration of opera, dance, music and theatre in Scotland’s capital city. More than 2,000 internationally renowned artists from across 42 nations, including more than 1,000 Scottish artists, will perform.
The International Festival opens with Opening Event: Where to Begin, an immersive outdoor experience in partnership with The Macallan single malt Scotch whisky. The event is set to welcome thousands in central Edinburgh, blending installation, projection and live performance for only three nights, from 2 – 4 August.
First week highlights include: the world-premiere staged adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s bestselling memoir The Outrun, the Scottish premiere of Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov’s La Pasión según San Marcos, and the UK production premiere of Carmen, direct from Paris’s legendary opera house, Opéra-Comique.
To ensure that cost isn’t a barrier to cultural discovery, 2024 sees our most generous concessions policy to date: 50% of tickets for the 2024 International Festival are sold at £30 or less. More than 4,000 £10 Affordable Tickets across every event in the programme have already been allocated to those who need them, and many more are still available. Tickets can be purchased from www.eif.co.uk.

TODAY, the Edinburgh International Festival opens its 24-day programme of more than 160 events for its 77th edition. The original festival, the one that started it all in Edinburgh, runs 2 – 25 August, and features a hand-picked programme of the world-leading artists in theatre, dance, music and opera, framed by the theme of ‘Rituals That Unite Us’.

More than 2,000 artists from across 42 nations will perform at the International Festival this August, in a major moment in the international arts calendar. Over 1,000 of these performers are from Scotland, and all five Scottish national performing arts companies are represented in this year’s programme.

In 2024, Festival Director Nicola Benedetti’s second year, the International Festival brings 5 world premieres, 13 UK and Scottish premieres, and 2 European premieres to Edinburgh, including an extensive opera programme, with promenade opera Oedipus Rex in the National Museum of Scotland and two staged operas from major international companies: Carmen from the Opéra Comique and The Marriage of Figaro from Komische Oper Berlin.

Kicking off the International Festival, Opening Event: Where to Begin invites nearly 10,000 visitors and locals alike to ignite their festival season with a communal experience which evokes the mythology and history of Scotland’s rich heritage. The new event in Edinburgh’s festival tradition will transform the grounds and magnificent renaissance architecture of George Heriot’s with immersive installation, live performance and video projection.

Presented in partnership with The Macallan, with creative producer Pinwheel and support from EventScotland, the Opening Event runs across three nights from Friday 2 August to Sunday 4 August. Tickets are available online for £15 and concessions from £7.50 are available.

The first week of the International Festival also features not-to-be-missed performances from some of the world’s leading artists, including:

The world premiere of The Outrun, the stage adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s best-selling memoir. Brought to life by Olivier Award-winning playwright Stef Smith, director Vicky Featherstone and Edinburgh’s producing theatre The Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, The Outrun will run throughout August at the Church Hill Theatre.
The most popular French opera in the world, Carmen, direct from Opéra-Comique – the Parisian opera house where it all began. The new production of Georges Bizet’s masterpiece is brought to the stage by director Andreas Homoki, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and Music Director of the Opéra-Comique, Louis Langrée, with an international cast led by Gaëlle Arquez as Carmen; runs 4-8 August at the Festival Theatre.
A two-part opening weekend exploring different ways of telling the same story, with two distinct interpretations of the Passion: Latin American and Afro-Cuban musical styles mix with contemporary classical expressions in the Scottish premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s La Pasión según San Marcos, on 3 August at Usher Hall. On 4 August at Usher Hall, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, their Chief Conductor Ryan Wigglesworth and the Edinburgh Festival Chorus take on Johann Sebastian Bach’s masterpiece, the St Matthew Passion.
The UK premiere of Penthesilea,Internationaal Theater Amsterdam’s production of Heinrich von Kleist’s classic. Ferocious and emotionally charged, Penthesilea is a powerful fusion of a rock concert and an ancient tragic love story, likened to Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet; runs 3-6 August at The Lyceum.

The Scottish premiere of Please right back, award-winning company 1927’s new family production combining fantastical animations with bold storytelling to explore the effects of the criminal justice system; runs 2-11 August at The Studio.

2024’s programme also offers an increased range of innovative and informal audience experiences, designed to create a closer union between artists and audiences.

Beanbag concerts are back after popular demand, designed to immerse audiences in an orchestral experience. Inspired by the work of Budapest Festival Orchestra founder and conductor Iván Fischer, audiences can take in the thrill and drama of the orchestra from the comfort of a beanbag or choose standard seating in the circle or balcony. Beanbag seating is still available for concerts by Brazil’s Ilumina, the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and the European Union Youth Orchestra conducted by Gianandrea Noseda.

The Hub, the International Festival’s home on the Royal Mile, once again hosts the most intimate performances in informal surroundings. During August, The Hub is home to The Hub Club Cafe (11am-6.30pm; food service until 5pm) & Bar (6.30pm – late), with drop-in open-doors rehearsals and ‘Ask the Artist’ moments on select days. The Hub music series is truly international – spanning Scotland, Ireland, Wales, India, China, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, US, Germany, Egypt, Estonia and West Africa, with these artists sharing their musical heritage, cultures and rituals.

Edinburgh International Festival Director, Nicola Benedetti said: “As we raise the curtain to open this year’s Edinburgh International Festival, we’re reminded of the power of art to unite and inspire us all.

“One of the most moving things in the world, to me, is to see mass, collective effort at work. Each person adding their expertise and experience to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts – and this year’s International Festival programme is the epitome of such a thing.

“I can’t wait for us all to come together this month, to seek, feel and discover something new.”

The 77th Edinburgh International Festival continues to 25 August.

To purchase tickets and for more information, visit www.eif.co.uk.