The Return of Gordon to The Corstorphine Astoria Centre.
This time, Gordon will be joined on stage by his wife, professional singer Cherly Forbes, for a truly special evening!
For the very first time, the last remaining 2/4 Ingram in the world will be paired with a voice.
Enjoy an entertaining evening of music, Broadway hits, light hearted character songs and favourite melodies on instruments both conventional and less so…, as well as tales and reminiscences from two fascinating careers.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has announced they will be touring the Show The Heroes Who Made Us in Australia and New Zealand in 2026.
The dazzling spectacle, a key part of the Scottish events calendar, will be performed in Brisbane and Auckland in February next year, and will include performances by national military forces from Australia and New Zealand as well as from the UK.
2025 marks the 75th Anniversary of the organisation and these events further extend the international reach of the Tattoo that traditionally takes place on the stunning Edinburgh Castle Esplanade every August with a global cast.
The Shows will take place 12 and 14 February at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium and in Auckland’s Eden Park, home of the All Blacks national rugby team, on 19 and 21 February. The Australian Defence Force will play a key role at the Brisbane Show, and the New Zealand Defence Force will do the same in Auckland.
The Shows will incorporate elements of this year’s Tattoo theme, The Heroes Who Made Us, spotlighting the individuals who have shaped and supported the iconic performances over the past 75 years. Top Secret Drum Corps will join the line-up, alongside other performer groups from New Zealand, Australia, the UK and from throughout the globe.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has previously travelled down under to delight audiences with performances in Wellington, Syndey and Melbourne in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2016 and most recently in 2019 at the ANZ Stadium in Syndey. This tour will be the first time the spectacular event has been performed to Brisbane and Auckland audiences.
While The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Show has been screened at more than 150 cinemas across Australia and New Zealand in recent years, in 2026 people across the countries have the opportunity to once again truly experience the iconic spectacle in person.
If down under is too far to travel, tickets for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2025 75th Anniversary Show at Edinburgh Castle Esplanade are available at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or by calling 0131 225 1188. For the Australia and New Zealand 2026 Show, tickets can be purchased tickets can be purchased from 21 May 2025 from Ticketek.
Jason Barrett, Chief Executive of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “We are thrilled to be bringing The Royal Edinburgh Military to Australia and New Zealand once again in 2026.
“Throughout the 75-year history, the Tattoo has proudly crossed oceans, continually reaching new audiences and connecting Tattoo fans in the unique Tattoo spirit. This upcoming tour will blend our Scottish traditions with the distinctive military heritage of Australia and New Zealand all set against the backdrop of two spectacular venues.
“We eagerly anticipate hosting new audiences and welcoming back Tattoo fans to witness a truly remarkable spectacle.”
Join us for an unforgettable evening of music with the incredibly talented Carla Coste -a renowned cellist who has performed as soloist and chamber musician at prestigious festivals across Europe, England and Asia.
On the day, Carla will be performing Suite numbers three and four by Johann Sebastian Bach, and a contemporary French piece by Graciane Finzi entitled “A strange Dream”
Don’t miss this chance to experience her captivating performance live at Stockbridge library on Wednesday 4th June at 6 pm!
Assembly Festival have today announced the expansion of the Edinburgh Food Festival, which takes place in George Square Gardens, to include live folk music.
The newly expanded Folk & Food Festival runs from 18 – 28 July and will include a host of delicious food and drinks from local traders, and a jam-packed programme of free and ticketed events and live folk music.
With performances from Duncan Chisholm, The Unthanks, The East Pointers and more, this is an exciting new addition to the Edinburgh festival scene.
On expanding the Folk & Food Festival, Assembly Festival Managing Director Dani Rae said; “We’re really excited for the Edinburgh Folk & Food Festival this year, having built an incredible programme of tasty treats over the years, it’s brilliant to add some of the best folk music in the business.
“We hope foodies and folkers come and join us for what is set to be our best one yet.”
On being part of the Folk & Food Festival, Duncan Chisholm said; ‘I am delighted to be a part of the Edinburgh Folk & Food Festival this year. The beautiful Spiegeltent Palais du Variété is an incredible venue, located in the heart of Edinburgh, at a time of year when everywhere in the city is buzzing.
“I will have a great band with me, performing on the opening night of the festival and we’re all looking forward to it very much.”
Tickets for the first Folk & Food Fest events are on sale 10am TODAY Friday 16 May at edfoodfest.com
Future faces of stage and screen will dazzle audiences with a live theatrical performance at The Traverse Theatre this month in Queen Margaret University’s Acting and Performance Showcase.
Produced at the end of every academic year, the showcase is an opportunity for family, friends, industry experts and the general public to witness the emerging and versatile talent of the BA (Hons) Acting and Performance graduating cohort at QMU, just before they step out into the working world of the creative industries.
This year’s showcase promises an imaginative and high-energy performance, featuring a diverse selection of scenes directed by Bruce Strachan, Lecturer in Acting and Performance at QMU.
It’s a true celebration of collaboration — a core value within QMU’s Performing Arts department. Students will work together to bring the production to life, from stage management and technical support to costume and wardrobe design.
Marion Scott, Programme Leader for Acting and Performance at QMU, said: “The Acting Showcase is always an exciting pinnacle that marks the end of the academic year – not just for our graduates, but for everyone who has supported their journey.
“For the Tuesday evening show on 29 April, our talented 3rd year students will be joining us to perform some devised pieces, followed by songs and some award presentations. After the interval, our 4th year students will present a selection of scenes and songs, interwoven with showreel-style monologue and duologue film clips displaying the versatility of their talents. These clips were produced by Roddy Walker— a QMU graduate who is now an award-winning documentary filmmaker and Company Director of RWP.media.
“What audiences will see is the result of rigorous practice, risk-taking, the honing of their craft and a genuine commitment to exploring what performance can be. It’s also a reminder of the importance of new voices and perspectives in the arts – and these students have plenty to say!”
The QMU Acting and Performance Showcase is also an invaluable opportunity to introduce the graduating cohort to the industry — particularly the agents, casting directors, and artistic directors invited to the show.
Marion continued: “For the Wednesday matinee on 30 April, we will be joined by an array of creative professionals. After the showcase, students will have the chance to network with these experts – a fantastic opportunity which could offer them a real springboard for their acting careers.
“We’re also delighted to be partnering once again with the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh — a perfect stage for our new emerging talent to take their first steps into the professional world.”
QMU’s BA (Hons) Acting and Performance Showcase will take place at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh on Tuesday 29 April at 7.30pm and Wednesday 30th April at 1.30pm.
Don’t miss this opportunity to witness the bundles of creativity and acting prowess of tomorrow’s talent as they take centre stage in Scotland’s capital city.
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.”
