This August, set against the spectacular backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will welcome local and international audiences to its new Show, Stories. Staged between 4-26 August, the Show will be a celebration of sagas, myths, and legends, transporting audiences on a journey of ideas – from the earliest campfire stories through to the world stage.
Building on last year’s successful return show, Voices, the 2023 performance, with Presenting Partner, Innis & Gunn, will showcase performers from around the globe, telling tales that connect us through our unique and shared military and cultural heritages.
Bringing together stories through music, dance, poetry, spoken word and imagery, a cast of over 800 UK and international performers will present Stories through a vivid and eclectic range of expression. From the musical prowess of the Massed Pipes & Drums, the physical storytelling of dance and precision drill, and stunning imagery captured through light and projection, audiences will be transported and enthralled.
This year The Tattoo Arena will host performers from Norway, The United States, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Switzerland, alongside homegrown acts from across the UK and Ireland. As ever, the military will play a prominent role in the Show, with the Royal Air Force the lead Service. Audiences will also be treated to the wild skirl of the Massed Pipes and Drumssupported by the Tattoo Dancers and Fiddlers.
Making their Tattoo debut on the Castle Esplanade, The United States Air Force Band will wow the crowds with a freestyle musical performance depicting America’s great songbook, while the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra will bring a vibrant burst of colour and the excitement of their traditional art forms, including the limbo and fire dance.
Precision drill from the King’s Colour Squadronwill feature familiar soundscapes from the world of gaming. Exploring the legends and traditions of Switzerland, The Swiss Armed Forces Central Band will also present an exhilarating drum corps talent, which is sure to send sparks flying.
His Majesty the King’s Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway will also be back to stun crowds. Their appearance this August will tell their story as a Regiment, reprising their history and heritage to present day.
After their exuberant debut last year, Electro Pipes will return to the stage, where once again Tattoo Performers will combine the traditional and new through EDM, electric instruments, lighting, and projection.
Michael Braithwaite, the Creative Director of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “Stories builds on our Voices show of 2022 and promises a captivating celebration of connection through stories in all their forms. Most of all, Stories is a shared opportunity for audiences and performers to come together and experience an evening of unique and immersive entertainment.
“Stories is the next chapter in the modern era of the Tattoo, packed with the latest in cutting-edge technology, whilst combining the tradition and precision the Show is known for and loved. It will be a truly memorable event and we are thrilled to be returning to Edinburgh Castle once more.”
“At its heart, Stories celebrates the journey of individuals from many diverse backgrounds, and unity through common experiences.”
2023 marks the second year of the Tattoo’s bold new brand proposition, Performance in a New Light, which embraces military tradition and combines it with exciting new innovations and contemporary touches.
Buster Howes, the Chief Executive of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “The Tattoo is distinctive, iconic, and gleeful. It has mass, momentum and energy, and Stories will have all these qualities as well as being whimsical, exhilarating, and surprising.
“Our lives, loves, triumphs, and disasters are captivated and documented in stories. We grow up with fairy tales and folklore, with Winnie the Pooh and The Gruffalo, and progress to Wuthering Heights and Moby Dick.
“We are, as children, inspired by accounts of resilience, adventure and heroism; universal themes reinterpreted the world over. Edinburgh Castle is surely a perfect backdrop for all such narratives – come and see for yourselves. And nightly, in August, once you are all sitting comfortably, we’ll begin!”
The full line-up for 2023 includes: The Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Scotland, The Central Band of the Royal Air Force, The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment, The Royal Air Force Salon Orchestra, Royal Air Force Bands, 1st Battalion The Irish Guards Drums and Pipes, The Pipes and Drums of The Royal Highland Fusiliers 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Pipes and Drums of 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, Combined Scottish Universities Officers’ Training Corps Pipes and Drums, Royal Air Force Pipes and Drums, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipes and Drums, The Scots College Sydney Pipes and Drums, The Scots College Sydney Old Boys Pipes and Drums, The Scots School Albury Pipe Band, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Dancers, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Fiddlers, King’s Colour Squadron Royal Air Force, The Swiss Armed Forces Central Band, His Majesty the King’s Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway, The United States Air Force Band and Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone on 0131 225 1188. The Show will run from 4-26 August 2023, with Innis & Gunn once again offering a bar service at the event. Drinks pre-order is available now from edintattoodrinks.co.uk.
Like last year, tickets for 2024’s Show Journeys will go on sale in August during Stories.