stories – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

A Big Map for the Big Yin!

Interactive map launched to celebrate Billy Connolly

A BIG MAP FOR THE BIG YIN!

National Theatre of Scotland launches a new interactive map for Scotland to demonstrate its love for the Big Yin, inviting people to share their own Billy Connolly memories.
National Theatre of Scotland’s acclaimed, five-star, sell-out production, celebrating Scotland’s most loved comedian, Billy Connolly, returns to stages in 2024.

ABOUT THE BIG MAP FOR THE BIG YIN

Billy Connolly’s relationship with Scotland spans his extraordinary life and career over the last 80 years. The National Theatre of Scotland wants to create a map of all the places that have a personal connection to Billy, to help create a love letter from the people of Scotland to their favourite comedian.  They are inviting people to share their knowledge of Billy, stories, memories and photos, to make a living tribute to The Big Yin.

Billy Connolly toured the folk clubs, the grand theatres and workings men’s clubs of Scotland from 1970’s, retiring from live performance in 2018.

Born at 69 Dover Street, Anderston, he worked the shipyards of Glasgow’s Clydeside in the 1960’s, before taking to the road with folk rock band The Humblebums.

He made his theatrical debut, in 1972 at the Cottage Theatre in Cumbernauld, ahead of performing in The Great Northern Welly Boot Show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, also that year.

Billy first established himself as a star, selling out a run and breaking box office records at Glasgow’s Pavilion Theatre in Jan/Feb 1974, returning to the theatre on many occasions.

In January 1994, he undertook a World Tour of Scotland on a Harley Davidson, taking him from Kelso to Kirkwall with a stop off at Eden Court, Inverness, broadcast on the BBC later in the year. His love affair with his native country, continued with his residence at Candacraig House, in Aberdeenshire.

Further information on the map and how to be involved can be found here

ABOUT THE BIG MAP FOR THE BIG YIN

Billy Connolly toured the folk clubs, the grand theatres and workings men’s clubs of Scotland from 1970’s, retiring from live performance in 2018.

Born at 69 Dover Street, Anderston, he worked the shipyards of Glasgow’s Clydeside in the 1960’s, before taking to the road with folk rock band The Humblebums.

He made his theatrical debut, in 1972 at the Cottage Theatre in Cumbernauld, ahead of performing in The Great Northern Welly Boot Show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, also that year.

Billy first established himself as a star, selling out a run and breaking box office records at Glasgow’s Pavilion Theatre in Jan/Feb 1974, returning to the theatre on many occasions.

Further information on the map and how to be involved can be found here

Gary McNair – writer and performer of Dear Billy said: “I’m delighted we are launching the Big Map for the Big Yin where people can pin their own stories and connections to Billy. As we learned when interviewing people to make this show- everyone has something to say about Billy, whether that’s a memorable meeting or a connection to his work.

“The great thing about the Big Map is that there is a space where people can continue to share and hopefully build an interactive document about what he means to us all.

“I’m beyond giddy to be bringing the show Dear Billy back so soon after it’s tour last year. It is a genuine honour to have been trusted to make this show, Billy is so important to so many people that it was so well received was a dream come true.

“I can’t wait to get back on the road with the band and meet new amazing audience.”

ABOUT THE SHOW

National Theatre of Scotland presents  

DEAR BILLY  

A Love Letter to the Big Yin   From the People of Scotland  

Written and performed by Gary McNair, Directed by Joe Douglas  

Music performed and composed by Simon Liddell and Jill O’Sullivan, Set and Costume designed by Claire Halleran, Lighting design by Kate Bonney and Simon Hayes, dramaturgy by Joe Douglas.

Touring Scotland and England in May followed by a run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2024

Opening at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen then touring to Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow; and Eden Court, Inverness.

Followed by a two-week run at the Assembly Rooms as part of the Assembly Festival programme for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024.

“Vivid, funny and poignant.” ★★★★★ The Guardian

“A gloriously masterful 90 minutes of theatre.” ★★★★★ The Telegraph

Dear Billy Production Photos - Photo credit Sally Jubb 07

In 2023 National Theatre of Scotland’s production of Dear Billy undertook a 17 venue Scotland-wide tour, reaching over 8000 people.

Originally announced to mark Billy Connolly’s 80th birthday year, the production was enthusiastically received by audiences, selling-out at venues across Scotland, garnering a wealth of positive reviews and due to popular demand is now back on tour again in 2024.

“If you want to know about Billy Connolly, ask the people of Scotland. If you want to know about the people of Scotland, ask them about Billy Connolly.”

Billy Connolly needs no introduction. He is a national treasure. From the shipyards of the Clydeside to his trailblazing and extraordinary stage and movie exploits, he is woven into Scottish culture.  

Everyone has a Billy story. An expert team of story gatherers has created a collection of these moving and hilarious tales. Gary McNair, one of Scotland’s most renowned theatre-makers, has turned these stories into a special show celebrating the Big Yin and what he means to the people of Scotland. 

The production will tour in May 2024, opening at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen before touring to Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow and Eden Court in Inverness with a two-week run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2024.

Dear Billy is a unique touring production that evolved on the road. It travelled the length and breadth of Scotland in 2023, visiting local theatres, arts and community centres gathering stories along the way which were woven into the show as the tour progressed.  

Gary McNair is hitting the road once more with two musicians. Audience members are welcomed to share their own Billy stories, with the possibility of those stories making it into the performance. Each show offers a unique chance for audiences to laugh, sing, and celebrate the man and the legend.

“The perfect tribute to a man who has left his gloriously indelible mark, not only on the art of stand-up comedy, but on the culture of Scotland.” The National

“What emerges is a brilliant portrait not only of the Big Yin as others see him, but of his importance as a cultural touchstone to many Scots” ★★★★, The Times

Dear Billy is written and performed by leading Scottish theatre-maker Gary McNair whose recent work includes the acclaimed Nae Expectations, a fresh take on the Dickens classic for the Tron Theatre; Ugly! A Cinderella Story for Cumbernauld Theatre Company and a new adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde featuring a solo performance from Forbes Masson which opened at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh in January 2024 before touring.

The production is directed by Joe Douglas whose work for National Theatre of Scotland includes The Cheviot, The Stag and the Black, Black Oil, Dear Scotland and Associate Director for Black Watch. Joe previously collaborated with Gary on McGonagall’s Chronicles (Which Will Be Remembered for a Very Long Time).

Musicians re-joining Gary on the road are Simon Liddell whose work for theatre includes The Domestic (Scenes for Survival/National Theatre of Scotland) and McGonagall’s Chronicles (Which Will Be Remembered for a Very Long Time) and Jill O’Sullivan who writes and performs across the worlds of popular music, theatre and dance.

“A vivid, charismatic piece of theatre.” ★★★★★ The Skinny

Billy Connolly, or, the Big Yin, whom this show is dedicated to, is Scotland’s most beloved comedian, with an impressive career as a stand-up, actor, writer and musician spanning more than 50 years. In 2022, Connolly was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement.  

Gary McNair is a Glasgow based writer and performer. He is a three-time Fringe First winner and has produced work for and with many of Scotland’s major theatre companies.

His plays have been translated and performed all over the world, from Germany to Japan, from New York to New Zealand. Gary’s work includes A Gambler’s Guide to Dying, Square Go (co-written with Kieran Hurley); McGonagall’s Chronicles Which Will Be Remembered for a Very Long Time, Donald Robertson Is Not a Stand-Up Comedian, After The Cuts, Letters to Morrissey and Locker Room Talk. These plays are published by Methuen.   

Joe Douglas is a theatre director, playwright and performer.

Joe’s career began as Trainee Director at the National Theatre of Scotland from 2007 to 2008. He was the Artistic Director of Live Theatre from 2018 to 2020, and before that, Asspcoate Artistic Director of Dundee Rep and Co-Artistic Director of the Utter touring company. His work includes Clear White Light, Death of a Salesman, Spoiling, The BFG, George’s Marvellous Medicine, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Educating Ronnie, Letters Home, The Red Shed, Stand By and The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil.   

Touring to His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (Thu 16-Sat 18 May); Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow (Wed 22-Sat 25 May); Eden Court, Inverness (Tue 28-Wed 29 May); Quays Theatre, The Lowry, Salford (Sat 1 June); Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Tues 13 – Sun 25 August, no shows on Wednesdays)

On social: #DearBilly  

Access: Theatre for a Fiver tickets available for under 26’s and those on Universal Credit 

BSL interpreted, audio described and captioned performances full information here. 

Tour information and full creative biogs here. 

Words from the Wards: Book Festival announces public writing project celebrating old Royal Infirmary

Edinburgh locals and those with a connection to the city are being invited to share stories and memories of the former Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, now redeveloped as the University of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh Futures Institute, as part of a new mass-participatory writing project at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Celebrating the Book Festival’s move to its new home at EFI, Words from the Wards will see collected stories from both Edinburgh residents and those from further afield, shared as part of a programme of multi-artform events that will take place in the iconic Category A-listed building during the Festival in August.

The Old Royal Infirmary was central to the city’s life, with generations of Edinburgh residents and visitors passing through its doors, corridors and wards. With the 20,000m² space now transformed into a world-leading venue for collaboration, conversation, and creativity, Words from the Wards will allow the memories already created in the building – from new births and mourned passings to the careers of the doctors and nurses who worked there – to be celebrated.

Alongside the public submissions, Words from the Wards will also feature contributions from leading Edinburgh writers and artists, including Dr Gavin Francis, Michael Pederson, Hannah Lavery, Sara Sheridan, Lisa Williams and Kirstin Innes.

Submitted stories from the public will be published at the Book Festival’s ‘On the Road’ blog at www.ontheroad.edbookfest.co.uk, creating a time capsule of memories about the Old infirmary through the eyes of those who worked and visited there throughout the years.

A selection of the submitted stories will be read by their authors, alongside the professional writers, at special events on-site at EFI on one of the former hospital wards during the Festival.

During the Book Festival there will also be a tie-in with Edinburgh Futures Institute Culture and Community team’s ongoing Recycling a Hospital project, which will see a new object created from materials preserved from the building’s original interiors (floorboards and slates), and poetry written by community members, installed within the space. The object, called ‘The Spirit Case’, will become a hub for gathering further stories, with Book Festival visitors invited to engage with the existing stories and contribute their own reflections and memories of the building.

Noëlle Cobden, Communities Programme Director at Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “We’re incredibly excited that the Book Festival’s new home is the Edinburgh Futures Institute – not just because of the visionary ideas and projects at its heart, but because of its building’s rich and meaningful history.

“The Old Royal Infirmary is where many local residents – and those now further afield – took their first breaths, and its walls have witnessed uncountable moments of hope, fear, joy, and grief.

“We want to capture and honour the experiences, relationships and memories that people connect with the building’s previous life, as the Book Festival becomes part of its future. We hope that as many people as possible will share their stories with us, as our fantastic associated writers will also do, and can’t wait to discover the hidden, personal histories which make this place so special.”

Writer Kirstin Innes said: “Like many, many people born in Edinburgh, I began in this building. Of course, I don’t remember that but I do remember being 19 and going back there, visiting my grandfather in the early stages of dementia, after he’d had a stroke.

“Thinking about this commission has already started conjuring scents and sounds – hospital bleach, my footsteps on the stone staircase, the scrape of a chair on aged linoleum. This place means so much to so many of us – it’s an honour to be asked to write something about it.”

Working with architecture firm Bennetts Associates, the University of Edinburgh has been transforming the iconic, category-A listed Old Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh into Edinburgh Futures Institute to develop a space for multidisciplinary collaboration, data-led innovation, education, research, and partnership.

The Edinburgh Futures Institute includes state-of-the-art teaching facilities, rooms for co-working with industry partners, incubation areas for businesses, labs for innovation and prototyping, and exhibition and performance spaces.

The revitalised building is transforming the local area, creating a major public piazza, new garden spaces, and several new points of access from Lauriston Place, Middle Meadow Walk and Quartermile – opening this historic site once again to the public and welcoming Edinburgh communities, residents and visitors, as well as University of Edinburgh staff and students.

BBC’s 500 Words competition winners announced

The winners of the UK’s most successful children’s writing competition, 500 Words, have been unveiled on World Book Day® in a special episode of The One Show – 500 Words with The One Show – on BBC One and iPlayer.

From thousands of talented entries, six exceptional young authors who submitted their stories to the BBC’s 500 words competition were crowned last week at the Grand Final in Buckingham Palace, with their identities kept secret until the big reveal on today’s special edition of The One Show.

Her Majesty the Queen invited Romesh Ranganathan and a host of celebrity readers including Hugh Bonneville, Oti Mabuse, Luke Evans, Olivia Dean, Tom Hiddleston and star of Matilda, Alisha Weir, to Buckingham Palace for the final event which opened with a special performance of ‘Pure Imagination’ from ‘Wonka’, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures, followed by ‘When I Grow Up’ performed by the West End cast of Matilda The Musical.

All the excitement from entire event, including all the live performances by celebrity readers of the winning stories, will be available to watch on CBBC at 4pm Friday 8 March.

Speaking at the Grand Final, Her Majesty The Queen said: “In the three years that we have been without this wonderful competition, I think we have realised how much we have missed it.

“Over the years, it has actually turned into half a billion words that have been written, typed, scribbled and tumbled onto thousands of pages by children across the UK, read by an army of volunteers and then sent to Oxford University Press to form the biggest collection of children’s writing in the world.

“That means that between you, you have created more than a million stories of thought-provoking adventure for future generations to study and enjoy. Thank you to everybody who has taken part in 500 Words – it is a huge pleasure to have you back.”

BBC Head of Education, Helen Foulkes said: “It’s incredible that we received almost 44,000 entries – the calibre of stories submitted this year have been exceptionally high.

“500 Words is all about encouraging children from across the UK to enjoy writing and let their imaginations run wild, without fear of spelling, punctuation or grammar. Our hope is that every child that entered continues to fall in love with writing.”

The six winners were chosen from two age group categories, ages 5-7 and 8-11 with each consisting of gold, silver and bronze awards.

500 Words Gold Winners

The GOLD Winner for 5-7 age group is Evan from London, his story, Message in a Bottle was read by singer Olivia Dean. Evan said: “I like writing descriptions, letters and diaries.”
The GOLD Winner for the 8-11 age group is Olive from London, her story, Cellmate was read by actor, Tom Hiddleston. Olive said: “It came from the depths of my brain, I never knew what was down there, now I do!”

500 Words Silver Winners

The SILVER Winner for the 5-7 age group is Clara from Leicestershire, her story, Pony With a Coat on – Solving Crimes was read by Matilda star, Alisha Weir.
The SILVER Winner for the 8-11 age group was Spencer from Glasgow, his story, The Scottish Gangsta was read by Hugh Bonneville.

500 Words Bronze Winners

The BRONZE Winner for the 5-7 age group was Henry from Oxfordshire, his story The Alien and the Purple Planet was read by Oti Mabuse.
The BRONZE Winner for the 8-11 age group was Aaron from Oxfordshire, his story A Very Important Lesson was read by actor and singer, Luke Evans.

The 500 Words judges included Sir Lenny Henry, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Francesca Simon, Charlie Higson, and Malorie Blackman, who were chaired by BBC Breakfast’s Jon Kay.

Each of the finalist’s stories are available to read now on the BBC Teach website, alongside audio versions which have been voiced specially by BBC Radio Drama Actors

Bookbug session at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre tomorrow

Tomorrow morning we’ll be doing a Bookbug session at the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre!

Come and join us for songs, rhymes and stories from 10.30 – 11.30am, we’ll have have a wee cup of tea after too

It’s completely free and no need to book, just come along if you can.

Rare Heroic Gaelic Ossianic Ballads reinterpreted in rare performance at National Library of Scotland

On Saturday 23 September, the heroic laoidhean which formed a central part of traditional Gaelic culture in the later Middle Ages will be brought back to life.

The reinterpreted Gaelic heroic lays or laoidhean are the result of a remarkable collaboration of an exceptionally talented traditional Gaelic singer from South Uist, Màiri Macmillan; a celebrated chamber ensemble notable for their dedication to new music, the Edinburgh Quartet; and a distinguished modern composer whose work stretches from classical to electronica, Ned Bigham.

The musicians are breathing fresh life into these ancient songs, looking to bring them to the attention of a wider audience by staging a concert of laoidhean in the striking venue of the National Library of Scotland.

The rare event will also be recorded, with recordings released later this year, opening up the music and tradition more widely to people across the UK and abroad, adding to posterity in the archive.

The laoidhean tell even older stories embracing slain heroes, monsters, five-headed giants, epic battles and tragic love.

In the eighteenth century, the Gaelic laoidhean inspired the Ossianic prose epics of James Macpherson, a vital touchstone for the Romantic movement throughout Europe and beyond. Unfortunately, however, today the tradition of sung laoidhean is increasingly endangered.

However, one of the most important collections of laoidhean texts was compiled by the nineteenth-century folklorist and polymath John Francis Campbell, drawing on manuscripts, printed material, and his own fieldwork in the Highlands and Islands.

These texts, offering fascinating contextual details concerning singers and their performances, are preserved among Campbell’s voluminous papers in the National Library of Scotland. They played a key starting point for the research to create these new interpretations.

The Library’s first bi-lingual exhibition Sgeul | Story focuses on the work of John Francis Campbell of Islay, who worked with local storytellers to record and save Gaelic folktales which at the time were preserved solely by a dwindling oral tradition and therefore at risk of oblivion. The exhibition opened in June this year and continues until April 2024.

The concert will be introduced by Domhnall Uilleam Stiubhart and Abigail Burnyeat (both at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, University of the Highland and Islands), who will give the audience an insight into the history and the stories in both English and Gaelic.

Ned Bigham commented: “A few years ago Dòmhnall and Abigail introduced me to the fascinating Gaelic tradition of these heroic ballads that came across from Ireland, starting in the twelfth century.

“They belonged to the high art tradition in their communities, which may be why many contemporary singers have felt intimidated to take them on and it is now rare to hear them. In reimagining them for a modern audience we have set them to string quartet, which as far as we are aware is a first.

“The combination of the wonderfully talented Gaelic singer Màiri Macmillan and the internationally renowned Edinburgh Quartet, together with the ballads’ beautiful melodies and spellbinding narratives should be really magical!”

Abigail Burnyeat (Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, University of the Highland and Islands) said: “Whether in a chief’s hall or in the ceilidh house, the characters of these laoidhean were known and what happens to them was both familiar and deeply-felt.

“The performance of these tales was part of an intimate conversation between storytellers and singers and their audiences. It’s not theatre or opera: the song is there to carry the words, and the words are what’s important.

“The ballads were high art; but their stories belonged to everybody and will resonate with people just as much today as in the past.”

National Librarian Amina Shah said: “The Ossianic Ballads are the culmination of research, musical collaboration and performance which will truly bring the collections to life.

“The performances perfectly complement our ‘Sgeul | Story’ exhibition which showcases Gaelic folktales that were rescued from oblivion in the 19th century. In the same vein, the heroic laoidhean will be revived for modern audiences through the Ossianic Ballads.

“The performers will also breathe new life into the Library’s public spaces, and will pave the way for more musical events in the National Library of Scotland.

“We are grateful to be working with such talented musicians and for the support of the Murray Family and the American Patrons of the National Library and Galleries of Scotland.”

Tickets go on sale today and the event will also be livestreamed.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/heroic-gaelic-tales-in-modern-music-ossianic-ballads-tickets-694840846677?aff=NedBigham

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo kicks off August run with 2023 showcase: – STORIES

More than 800 performers graced Edinburgh Castle’s Esplanade to share their stories through song, dance, and military precision –

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo makes its anticipated return with this year’s Show, Stories as performers from across the globe wow audiences with sensational music, dance, costume, and spectacle.

Running until 26 August, the Show is a celebration of sagas, myths, and legends, transporting audiences on a journey of ideas – from the earliest campfire stories through to the world stage and showcasing an international cast telling tales that connect us through our unique and shared military and cultural heritages.

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.

Edinburgh Castle Esplanade will play host to performers from Australia, Norway, Switzerland, The United States, and Trinidad and Tobago, alongside homegrown acts from across the UK and Ireland.

As ever, the military play a prominent role in the Show, with the Royal Air Force as the lead Service. Audiences will also be treated to the rousing sound of the Massed Pipes and Drums supported by the Tattoo Dancers and Fiddlers.

Making their Tattoo debut on the Castle Esplanade, The United States Air Force Band will entertain the crowds with a freestyle musical performance with music from the Great American Songbook. The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra will bring a vibrant burst of colour and excitement true to their traditional art forms, including the limbo and fire dance, performing their take on contemporary Caribbean music.

Exploring the legends and traditions of Switzerland, The Swiss Armed Forces Central Band will present an exhilarating drum corps talent. Whilst His Majesty the King’s Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway will return to the Tattoo this year to tell their story as a Regiment, reprising their history and heritage to the present day.

The lead Service’s Royal Air Force King’s Colour Squadron will lead the way with popular gaming tunes from Battlefield and Final Fantasy. And of course, the sounds of Scotland will be heard loudly on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade with traditional tunes from the Massed Pipes and Drums as well as the Tattoo’s take on Scottish bands Tide Lines and Runrig.

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.

“We cannot wait to share with audiences a Show that is, at its heart, a celebration of individuals from many diverse backgrounds, united by 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.

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.

The Tattoo will run from 4 – 26 August 2023. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk, on the phone on 0131 225 1188 or in person at the Tattoo Box Office at 1 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh.

Presenting partner, Innis & Gunn will be offering a bar service at the event. Drinks pre-order is available now from edintattoodrinks.co.uk.

All Ears at Corstorphine!

Corstorphine Community Centre is working with Citadel Theatre, on a short project to unearth some of our stories.

Come along to share your story, help write it, devise a sketch or perform if you want to (not essential).

Get involved, no barriers, all adults over 50 welcome!

Sounds of Scotland, America and The Caribbean to wow Tattoo crowds

Audiences at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo next month will be treated to the spectacular sounds of traditional and contemporary music from across the globe, and now they can do so for half-price thanks to new tickets on sale soon.

Organisers have revealed The United States Air Force Band will wow the crowds with a freestyle musical performance depicting America’s great songbook while The Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra feature contemporary Caribbean music from artists like Freetown Collective, DJ Private Ryan, Nailah Blackman and Skinny Fabulous.

Lead Service the Royal Air Force Massed Military Bands, HM Royal Marines and The King’s Colour Squadron this year present popular gaming tracks from Battlefield 2, Final Fantasy VII and Dragon Age: Inquisition. The music of Scotland also features heavily with traditional tunes from the Massed Pipes & Drums.

As preparations for the spectacular return of the Tattoo continue, with just one month to go, organisers have pledged to ensure the celebrated cultural attraction can be enjoyed by all. Half -price tickets for their Preview Night go on sale from 10am Tuesday 4 July, for the performance beginning at 9:30 pm on Thursday 3 August.

Preview Night tickets offer both local and international audiences the very first chance to witness the seminal spectacle, as talented performers from across the world gather on the iconic Edinburgh Castle Esplanade.

The half-price Preview Night tickets have been a regular Show feature in recent years, and whilst enjoying discounted entry to the Show, Preview Night audiences can still expect to see the full line-up of international acts performing throughout August.

Michael Braithwaite, Creative Director of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, says: “Storytelling is at the heart of this year’s Tattoo. We’re presenting an enticing array of tales, myths and legends through music, dance, sound, and light. Stories features a huge range of musical styles, genres and artists and I’m looking forward to audiences catching the magic in August.

“As an international cultural celebration, the Tattoo is a show we want everyone to experience and enjoy. Our half-price Preview Night tickets are a great way for people to be part of the excitement and are always snapped up quickly.”

Stories is a celebration of storytelling, giving a stage to performers and acts to share those stories that mean the most to them, communicated through innovative music, dance, and performance. Stories draws inspiration from the sagas, myths, and legends that people across the globe have shared with each other for centuries.

Over 800 performers from across the globe will take part in this year’s Tattoo, bringing with them extraordinary music, dance, and performance talents. There will be vivid and exciting acts from Trinidad & Tobago, The United States, Switzerland, and Norway, along with homegrown talent from the UK.

Military musicians continue to play a central role in the performance, with the RAF as the lead Service this year. Audiences can expect to hear the skirl of the Massed Pipes and Drums that echo around the Esplanade as part of Stories, supported by Tattoo Performers and musicians from UK Military Regiments.

In addition to this, the Tattoo are also launching their new membership scheme, during the week of 3 July, featuring a two-tiered approach, with Friend of the Tattoo, and Patron of the Tattoo costing – with benefits including pre-sale access to 2024 tickets and exclusive Tattoo Behind the Scenes Tours.

Preview performance tickets can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone at 0131 225 1188 from 10am on Tuesday 4July. Prices start from £20. The Show runs 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.

The Ghosts of North Leith: Citadel Arts Group leave no stone unturned

Citadel’s Arts Group’s 12^th foray into Leith Festival is an exploration of the atmospheric North Leith Burial Ground. Their playwrights workshop wondered what lies beneath Coburg Street and found a number of big characters interred in this small cemetery.

Seven members of Citadel’s group of older writers each chose to research the story behind one of the graves.

There are people whose achievements and eccentricities will be dramatized in a play, The Ghosts of North Leith. Using music, humour and poetry, the drama will raise awareness of this fascinating area of Leith history.

In the Coburg Street Burial Ground lies Lady Anne Mackintosh nicknamed the ‘Colonel’. Playwright Rhona McAdam explains she was drawn to her ‘as she seemed a strong, independent woman, taking part in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.

“Her husband, Sir Angus, chief of Clan Mackintosh, was a Captain in the government troops. Since he was unable, or unwilling, to raise the clan to fight for Bonnie Prince Charlie, Lady Anne did it instead.

“When the Jacobites won the Battle of Prestonpans, Sir Angus surrendered to his wife. After the Battle of Culloden, when the Jacobites were defeated, Lady Anne surrendered to her husband.’

Jim Brown took on the poet, Robert NicolI, heralded as the next Robert Burns. Jim said: ‘I became fascinated by Robert Nicoll because he was a poet, writer and radical newspaper man born in 1814, who packed so much into his short life. He died aged 23.’

No stone marks the burial place of 12-year-old Matilda Molesworth, but burial records indicate the spot. She features in the real-life story of the Trinity poltergeist. One of the collection of unexplained happenings in Catherine Crowe’s 1848 book “The Night Side of Nature“, it has popped up in anthologies of uncanny happenings ever since.

Another member of Citadel’s playwrights’ workshop, novelist Hilary Spiers explains: ” I’ve long been interested in the history of slavery in Scotland.

“While John Gladstones (buried in North Leith graveyard) and his grandson William Gladstone are better known, I felt John’s wife Nellie (who was known to be a very capable woman) might well have held views at odds with the men in her family. Women were a strong if largely unsung force in the abolitionist movement’.

Elaine Campbell came across the North Leith gravestone of three children and told us: ‘I was intrigued. Who were these three bairns so lovingly remembered?

“In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries when the Millar children lived and died, infant mortality was ferociously high. Sadly all attempts to locate the children in church records proved fruitless.

“There were Millars living in Leith at the time. I have assumed Peter, John and Archibald were part of this extended, prosperous family of merchants. Although the “Three Cherubs” is my fictional account, I drew on historical material to describe their short lives and untimely deaths.

“By telling their story I hope to have given voice to the countless children who lie long forgotten in North Leith Graveyard’.

Was it chance or Divine intervention that led writers Carolyn and Brian Lincoln to the gravestone of the Rev. Dr. David Johnston? Previous attempts at finding the grave of this pillar of the North Leith community had proved fruitless.

The Lincolns were paying one last visit to the Coburg Street churchyard, when they noticed the letters D.D. poking through the moss. D.D. Doctor of Divinity. They scraped away some moss and there was the name. David Johnston (1735-1824) served the parish for nearly 60 years, a strong leader when Leith was seriously threatened by the ships of John Paul Jones, who supported the breakaway American colonies.

The play, which includes all these stories, and more, will be given a trial performed reading in North Leith Parish Church on 15 June. Citadel Arts Group seeks feedback from this first audience at Leith Festival with a view to staging a full performance of the play later in the year in the same venue.

North Leith Parish Church in Madeira Street welcomes Citadel Arts Group’s interest in the burial ground, and the church building which was to have been the keystone of Leith’s ‘New Town’.

Tim Bell told us: ‘I welcome the play as a chance for local and Edinburgh people to see this beautiful Georgian Church before it is released from the Church of Scotland estate in 2024’.

Venue: North Leith Parish Church, 51 Madeira Street EH6 4AU

Date: June 15th 7pm

Tickets: £5 from lizhare@blueyonder.co.uk /07770 623 924

Associated event: Hilary Spiers will lead a free guided tour of North Leith Burial Ground in Coburg Street on Monday June 12^th at 2pm. Places are limited. Book from Liz Hare

Writers: Carolyn and Brian Lincoln, Jim Brown, John Lamb, Hilary Spiers, Elaine Campbell and Rhona McAdam.

Cast: Mark Kydd, Deborah Whyte, Chelsea Grace, Gregor Davidson, Dale McQueen.

Director: Liz Hare

Sound: Stewart Emm

Citadel Arts Group (SC 034687) is a Leith-based theatre company which specialises in creating new plays based on local stories, memories, and history.