Queen Margaret University graduate James Wood is set to champion a new wave of Scottish theatre talent as he leads the fourth annual Gateway Writing Festival across 3 – 5 November 2025.
Founded by James in 2022, the Gateway Writing Festival celebrates bold new writing and supports early-career artists in developing their work for the stage. This year’s event will feature nine brand new plays and engage around 70 emerging creatives, offering a vital platform for collaboration and creativity within Scotland’s theatre community.
James developed the idea for the festival while studying at QMU, where he credits the University’s supportive and collaborative environment for giving him the confidence and skills to bring the project to life.
He also received funding through QMU’s Vice-Chancellor’s Fund, the Santander Universities Enterprise Fund and the Emerging Creatives Fund -support that enabled him to establish and grow the festival and his theatre company beyond graduation.
James said: “Without this generosity, the Gateway Writing Festival, a project I started at QMU, or any of my companies’ commissioned shows would not have had a chance to flourish.”
The festival will run from 3–5 November 2025 at Capital Theatres’ Studio Theatre, offering audiences a chance to experience a dynamic programme of new writing and connect with the next generation of Scottish theatre talent.
Starring Aisha Goodman, Alex Austin, and Jack Anderson
Scottish dance-theatre company Shotput are delighted to announce the Scottish Premiere of Arlington by legendary contemporary playwright Enda Walsh. The show will tour across three venues this autumn – Cumbernauld Theatre; Tron Theatre, Glasgow; and Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh.
Set in a dystopian world dominated by surveillance and control, Arlington follows Isla, a young woman held inside a mysterious high rise facility, waiting for her number to be called.
Telling stories of her dreams for the world outside, her only human interaction is with an anonymous man on the other side of the wall. Today there is a new listener. Their encounter sparks a fragile connection that defies the cold mechanisms of the world around them, and what starts as a seemingly small human interaction turns into something much more terrifying and sublime.
Arlington explores themes of love, freedom, and the enduring power of human connection in the face of oppression. This show about telling stories slyly activates our human impulse for narrative, questioning present realities and imagining new ones. Told in three acts, Arlington sees theatre and dance combine in a tale for two actors and one dancer.
Jim Manganello and Lucy Ireland said:“We are so thrilled that Shotput gets to have a go at this play with dance by Enda Walsh, a writer who we’ve been obsessed with for many years.
“Enda’s wicked sense of humour, his slant take on the world, and the space he opens for athleticism and dance feels like a perfect fit for all the things we love to do.
“Arlington is a hidden masterpiece and we’re delighted to be bringing it to Scottish audiences for the first time. Whatever you think this play is at the beginning – a dystopian satire, a dream, a love story – we promise that it will mutate and defy expectations over the course of its running time and as you think and talk about it after.
“Funny, difficult, terrifying, beautiful. We’re honoured that we get a go at capturing all that and sharing it.”
Known for their experimental investigations into the darker sides of contemporary life, this is Shotput’s first Scottish tour since they were awarded multi-year funding.
It is directed by the company’s Co-Artistic Directors Lucy Ireland and Jim Manganello, with a creative team made up of Shotput’s associate artists, Lighting Designer Emma Jones; Video Designer Rob Willoughby, and Scenic and Costume Designer Anna Yates, as well as Sound Designer Garry Boyle and Composer Cat Myers returning from Shotput’s maverick Totentanz.
Enda Walsh is one of the most renowned contemporary playwrights of our time. Winning multiple Fringe First awards throughout his career, his work has a long history in Scotland, with multiple productions at the Traverse Theatre, including Medicine, Disco Pigs, Ballyturk and more.
Shotput’s production of Arlington will mark its Scottish Premiere.
Scottish acting legend Gregor Fisher invites audiences to an intimate evening of memories, laughter and the kind of behind-the-scenes tales you won’t find on IMDb.
Joined on stage by long-time friend and director Nigel West, Fisher promises “an evening of reminiscences, stories and things you’ve never heard before” with a wink, a grin and maybe a few surprises he probably shouldn’t tell.
From Rab C. Nesbitt to Para Handy, from Mr Squeers to Love Actually, Fisher’s career has spanned decades, genres and wigs. Expect reflections on the highs, the lows and the “probably best forgotten” moments of a life spent in the wonderfully unpredictable world of show business.
“We’ll be talking about everything from adoption to acting, from The Baldy Man to Mr Bumble, from cocaine to Christmas movies (the cocaine’s a lie, by the way, but I’m trying to sell tickets),” says Fisher.
“It’s not a grand performance, more of a friendly chat. There’ll be stories, laughs and maybe a few moments that make you think, ‘I did not know that about him.’”
Far from a formal retrospective, this is Fisher at his best: candid, sharp and effortlessly funny. A night where the stories come with a pint’s warmth, the humour lands close to home and the man himself reminds us why he remains one of Britain’s most beloved and enduring screen personalities.
Celebrated for his versatility and comic talent, Fisher has built a career that balances heart and humour with ease. His credits include the iconic Rab C. Nesbitt, Michael Radford’s Merchant of Venice, 1984 (1984), Naked Video (1986), The Railway Children (2000), Love Actually (2003), Oliver Twist (2007) and The Cockfields (2019). Known for his distinctive wit and grounded performances, he continues to bring warmth and humanity to every role. Most recently, he completed filming the second series of BBC One’s Only Child, following rave reviews for his performance in the first.
Relaxed, honest and a bit daft at times, the evening promises laughter, nostalgia and a genuine peek behind the curtain of a life in this mad old business.
What the press have said about Gregor Fisher
“Fisher’s a great storyteller” – The Scotsman
“This is a man who could make reciting the alphabet uproarious” – The Guardian
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the beloved Broadway phenomenon, Vue is bringing the award-winning Hamilton to the big screen this September.
From 26 September, for three days only, the global stage sensation heads to the big screen at Vue venues in Edinburgh, telling the story of one of America’s foremost founding fathers Alexander Hamilton. The screening brings the show straight from the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway and features the original cast.
Created by and starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, the production first hit stages back in 2015 and since has toured the world, winning over worldwide audiences with iconic and award-winning songs such as Alexander Hamilton and My Shot.
This groundbreaking musical, which packs a score of more than 40 songs in total, can be experienced on the big screen, allowing theatre fans to enjoy all of their favourite moments in this fully immersive experience, all from the comfort of their local Vue.
Ian Chester, General Manager at Vue Edinburgh Ocean, said: “Since it rocked the theatre world over 10 years ago, Hamilton has gone on to be a legendary musical that fans always eagerly want to see.
“At Vue this month, we’re thrilled to provide audiences a fantastic way to watch this iconic production, complete with the original Broadway cast, up on the big screen for a limited time.”
Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Alan Cumming is set to host a fundraising event for the Theatre on Sunday 28 September, when he spends an entertaining evening in conversation with sports pundits Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove, celebrating over 30 years of Scotland’s best loved (and self-proclaimed worst informed) football radio show, BBC Radio Scotland’s Off the Ball.
Whether you are a football fan or a Theatre lover (or both!) , join Alan as he delves into the history of this dynamic duo, and their unique style of football punditry which has brought joy each week to football fans across Scotland. The conversation will be followed by the chance for audience members to ask their own questions to Tam and Stuart.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Alan Cummingsaid: “I am a huge fan of Off the Ball even though I know and have very little interest in football.
“I guested on the show once (and can’t wait to again, hint hint), and my big brother – who is a football nut and was I think rather jealous of my proximity to Scotland’s fitba royalty – said ‘you just giggled the whole time’. And he was right. “Tam and Stuart are hilarious, irreverent, and even just the timbre of their voices and their vocabulary make me howl with laughter and I could listen to them all day.
“This fundraiser is a beautiful gesture by them to support me and my plans for my first season of work at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and a great chance for everyone who loves football and comedy to witness, in the flesh, these petty and ill-informed football titans!”
Tam Cowanadded: “I first suggested doing this fundraiser for the theatre when Alan Cumming was appointed artistic director as he’s been a great friend of Off the Ball with numerous plugs for the programme on both sides of the Atlantic.
“Me and Stuart appreciate the support (it’s not every day a James Bond baddie praises your work!) and, to reciprocate, I thought the least we could do was put on a wee freebie at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, just a few miles from where Stuart was born and bred.
“We’re really looking forward to a no-holds-barred petty & ill-informed evening of stories, jokes and memories – and we might even spill a few Off the Ball secrets for the punters who donate a few quid extra by splashing out on a VIP meet’n’greet ticket…!”
Pitlochry festival Theatre new Studio official opening.
An Evening with Off the Ball’s Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove is scheduled as the first in a series of In Conversation fundraising events to be held at the Theatre over the next year.
These events will bring in much needed funds for the Theatre, a charity, which produces work here in Pitlochry at its on-site workshop and rehearsal rooms.
The funds from the evening will go to support the Theatre’s 2026 programme, which will be Alan Cumming’s first season of programming as Artistic Director, as well as the Theatre’s 75th Anniversary Season.
Further In Conversation events will be announced in the coming months.
General tickets for the fundraising event cost £25. VIP Meet and Greet packages are also available, allowing audiences members the opportunity to enjoy nibbles and drinks whilst chatting with Tam, Stuart, and Alan.
An Evening with Off the Ball’s Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove will be on Sunday 28 September at 7pm at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Tickets are available from the box office on 01796 484626 or online at pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com
To find out more about supporting Pitlochry Festival Theatre visit:
Asian Art Awards – Award Ceremony at MOXY Fountainbridge
Members of the Scottish Indian community were prominent among the winners of the 2025 Asian Art Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe. The awards have been running since 2014 and exist to bring Asian artists together at the Fringe and reward the best of them.
90 shows participated in 2025, up significantly from 55 in 2024.
The highly acclaimed “Kanpur: 1857”, written and co-performed by Edinburgh-based Niall Moorjani and which showed at the Pleasance, won the award for Outstanding Production.
Set at the time of the Kanpur uprising in India, this new play “comically satirises contemporary conflicts around gender, colonial violence, and making art in times of crisis”. The award was collected by the production’s musician, Sodhi.
Shows by Sanjay Lago (Love me Like a Chai Tea Latte [wearing the colourful shirt]) and Dance Ihayami, with their show Dansa Rickshaw, also won awards for Highly Commended performances (i.e. Runners Up). Sanjay is Scottish Indian while Dance Ihayami is “Scotland’s Indian dance company”. Like Sodhi, Sanjay is from Glasgow (“Ibrox, don’t judge me” he says).
Hahaha-Hamlet from Hong Kong, which played at the Paradise Green venue on George IV Bridge, won the award for Outstanding Show.
The award reviewers simply loved this “captivating reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic tale, blending original musical with dark humour [..and..] intertwining the struggles of contemporary Hongkongers with Hamlet’s timeless tale”.
Energetic, inventive and incredibly affecting with some reviewers moved to tears as the tales of Hamlet and Hong Kong coincided at the end. The whole cast were in attendance to receive the award [red and black t-shirts under their clothes] and they were delighted.
Mayuri Bhandari of the Anti “Yogi” took home the award for Outstanding Female while Jeremy Rafal won Outstanding Male for The Boy from Bantay “a heartwarming journey of growth and self-discovery”.
Mayuri was in attendance with her percussionist Neel Agrawal while Jeremy sent a video message to the audience. Both shows were hugely popular. At the Anti “Yogi” the audience were invited to “Join Mayuri Bhandari and Kali, the Goddess of Death every day as they navigate the absurdities of Western Yoga culture. Liberation, not Lululemon!”
The Outstanding Youth Performance was won by the show “Landscape of the Other Shore” from Shenzhen University which was also inspired by another European classic: Géricault’s painting and Georg Kaiser’s play The Raft of the Medusa.
The Asian Arts Special Award was shared between GENDAI TOKYO and Up-cycle Music by Creative Art of Korea. GENDAI TOKYO had a simply incredible laser show playing at WU Asia Pacific three times per night. Everyone who sees it simply loves it.
Up-cycle Music is a “response to climate change from a uniquely artistic perspective. They use waste to make music – cellos from abandoned equipment from rural areas, stringed instruments of thrown away plastic toys – and compose piano songs based on the characteristics of endangered animals, to ask vital questions about the climate crisis”.
Lyndsey Jackson from the Fringe presented the awards along with Richard Lewis and Chelsea Zhou of Asian Art Fund Scotland, the charity which runs the Asian Art Awards.
Winners – 2025 Asian Art Awards
Outstanding Show
Winner: Hahaha–Hamlet – Chai Wan Rabble (Hong Kong)
Highly Commended: 1Shoulder Pad: Galaxy Train, Japanese Musical Theatre (Japan)
Highly Commended: Practice of Zen – Theatre Ronin (Hong Kong)
The four-strong cast have completed a knockout Edinburgh Festival theatre run
A group of Edinburgh Napier University acting students have claimed an industry award for an Edinburgh Festival Fringe show that packed a punch.
Starring Daniel John Doherty, Liam Scobie, Arran Hogg and Ruairi Francis McCormack – and directed by Lecturer David Wotton from ENU’s School of Arts & Creative Industries – Cornermen tells the story of a young boxer and the exploitation of his success.
Following a successful run at theSpace on the Mile throughout this month, the cast have been presented with the coveted ‘Bright Spark’ award by The Scottish Theatre Awards on the Fringe.
Awarded every year by the Scottish Arts Club, the prize recognises Scottish actors or theatre-makers just embarking on their career, with the winner selected by a panel of expert judges.
Put on by in-house company Authentically False Productions, Cornermen stood out from the crowd of theatre acts on show across the city during August, drawing praise for its assured performance.
Responding to their award win, Daniel, Liam, Arran and Ruairi said: “We are all absolutely thrilled to have won the ‘Bright Spark’ award at our first foray into the professional theatre world after our training at Edinburgh Napier University.
“The hard work and dedication we put into Cornermen has paid off and we couldn’t be prouder to represent Edinburgh Napier and the Scottish theatre scene in this way.
“Hopefully, this award will be a great kick start to our career. We’ll always remember this moment, this award and this training.”
Cornermen director David Wotton said: “It’s awards like this that highlight our department and the hard work we do to make sure our training actors thrive in such a competitive market.
“This award marks a year of dedication by the cast of Cornermen, Daniel John Doherty, Liam Scobie, Arran Hogg and Ruairi Francis McCormack, and our department.
“Year upon year our course has exceptional National Student Survey results, and industry recognition like this shows that Edinburgh Napier University is a great place for an actor to train.
“Directing these four talented actors has been so very rewarding. It’s great that the industry sees and appreciates the work and dedication shown by both our talented actors and staff alike.”
Cornermen was one of many theatre productions put on by ENU students during the Edinburgh Festivals, which draw to a close this week.
It also follows previous shows such as Everything Under the Sun in being recognised by the industry.
Friends and supporters of Arkle Theatre Company have unveiled a sculpture to mark the thirty year legacy of grassroots theatre and to recognise the contribution of founders Rob Mackean and Michael Mulligan to the arts.
The sculpture was unveiled at a reception attended by alumni of the theatre company and held at this year’s Fringe Central at Grassmarket Community Project on Monday (18 August).
The sculpture has been commissioned from Edinburgh blacksmith and artist Jack Waygood, and depicts a mischievous figure of Puck sat atop a step ladder and holding the full moon.
The design was inspired by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of The 39 Steps; two favourite plays of Arkle Theatre founders and the ensemble productions that made up the company’s final Fringe performances. The work is due to go onto public display at the new Fringe Hub when it opens on Infirmary Street in 2026.
Talking about the artwork and contribution Arkle Theatre Company has made to the arts in Edinburgh, Head of Artist Services at the Fringe Society, Chris Snow said: “Edinburgh is packed year-round with talent – professional theatre companies, students and community groups alike.
“In this year’s Fringe programme hundreds of shows are presented by Edinburgh-based teams. Rob Mackean and Michael Mulligan have led Arkle Theatre for 30 years, with the company performing more than 50 shows at the festival.
“The new Fringe Central isn’t just for August – it’s to provide support and space to our local artistic community year-round. We are proud to be a home for this sculpture, commissioned to mark the final Arkle productions and honour Rob and Michael’s legacy to the city and even the festival.”
Arkle Theatre Company was founded in 1996 by Rob Mackean and Michael Mulligan who had previously been members of Edinburgh People’s Theatre. The company’s first production was Womberang by Sue Townsend, which was performed in August 1996 at Theatre East End, St Pauls and St George’s Church Hall.
Arkle went on to stage 85 productions in close to 500 performances in the subsequent 29 years, performing at over 20 different venues across Edinburgh and Scotland, and engaging the talent of over 200 Edinburgh based actors, directors, technicians, and artists.
Reflecting on 30 years, Arkle founder Michael Mulligan said: “You only get out what you put in.
“You couldn’t pay me to act, I can’t act. So I’ve been doing the one thing I like to do, and that is to give talented people a chance to perform. It’s as simple as that.”
Rob Mackean added: “So many people just see the actors on the stage and they don’t realise the hours and hours of rehearsal and all the preparation behind the rehearsals that goes on.
“The performance is just the tip of the iceberg of what we do. It’s only when you’ve done something like this for 30 years or more that you realise people have no concept of all that stuff that goes on behind the scenes.”
The company’s final season came to a close at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it staged four productions at The Royal Scots Club; Nancy’s Philosopher, George, Don’t Do That… The Joy of Joyce Grenfell, The 39 Steps and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The sculpture by Jack Waygood (above) and gifted by friends of Arkle Theatre Company to Rob Mackean and Michael Mulligan will be placed on public display at the new Fringe Central on Infirmary Street when it opens in 2026.
2025 Edinburgh Multicultural Festival brings an eclectic mix of music, dance, poetry and theatre to Lauriston Castle on Saturday, 30 August.
From family cultural experiences at the Edinburgh-Kyoto Friendship Garden, to fun-filled circus workshops for all ages to a unique blend of musical genres and influences on the Main Stage, this year’s programme features local diverse performance artists that will entertain and inspire.
Morgan Njobo and Morgan Withers, festival directors expressed their excitement about this year’s festival: ‘We are delighted to be returning to Lauriston Castle with more music, dance, poetry and even musical theatre!’
Food and drink stalls with a great choice of world tastes and flavours will only add to your great day of a multi-sensory cultural extravaganza at Lauriston Castle.
Supported by The City of Edinburgh Council, the event, which is free to attend, invites all residents from across Edinburgh and beyond to come together for an afternoon of heart-warming, mind-inspiring and soul-satisfying shared experiences for all.
Thought-provoking Monday events this August will cast a glance forward to the future of Scottish theatre through the lens of pressing issues in playwrighting.
Delivered in partnership with the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Edinburgh and Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland
The Traverse Theatre hosts two exciting industry-facing events as part of its Travfest25 programme this August, bringing together artists, academics, and audiences to look into what the future may hold for Scottish theatre.
These Monday discussions and readings will bring together leading playwrights, academic voices, and industry experts to explore critical themes shaping the future of arts and culture in Scotland and beyond.
On Monday 11 Augusta panel event on playwrighting, delivered in partnership with the University of Edinburgh’s Institute of the Advanced Study of Humanities programme (IASH).
Chaired by Fergus Morgan, The Stage’s Scotland Correspondent and freelance theatre critic, the Scottish Writers Community panel will discuss the shape of contemporary playwrighting in Scotland, and the burning issues that writers can uniquely address on-stage.
Fergus is joined by Gareth Nicholls, the Traverse Theatre’s Artistic Director and a number of the IASH x Traverse Theatre fellows past and present – Isla Cowan (2024) Michael John O’Neill (2025) and Apphia Campbell (2021).
The event will also feature an exclusive first reading of Michael John O’Neill’s work-in-progress play Headland, a result of his 2025 IASH fellowship.
On Monday 18 August, Traverse Theatre and Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland collaborate on their annual event that looks to Scottish theatre’s past to offer a guide for its future. Industry figures will gather to discuss perspectives and insights.
The Traverse Theatre Festival for 2025 runs until Sunday 24 August, featuring 12 productions and 10 premieres, giving audiences the chance to be among the first to see some of the most ground-breaking, quality new theatre in Edinburgh this month.
LISTINGS
Monday 11 August, 4pm (1hr 30mins)
Scottish Writers Community: Panel Discussion
Join a discussion chaired by Fergus Morgan (The Stage’s Scotland correspondent and freelance theatre critic), Gareth Nicholls (Traverse Artistic Director), Michael John O’Neill (2025 IASH x Traverse Playwriting fellow), Isla Cowan (2024 IASH x Traverse Playwriting fellow) and Apphia Campbell (2021 IASH x Traverse Playwriting fellow), to discuss the future of Scottish theatre, contemporary theatre narratives and what writers want to address.
This event will also feature an excerpt reading of Michael John O’Neill’s new work in development, Headland, which is a result of the IASH x Traverse fellowship.
Full price £8
Standard concession £5
Under 30s/Student £3
Low income benefit £3
Monday 18 August, 3pm (1hr30mins)
Traverse Theatre event with Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland
Join us for our annual festival event with long-term partners Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland. Expect discussion and insight from industry figures.
Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge St, Edinburgh, EH1 2ED I traverse.co.uk For more information, interviews, press tickets or images, contact press@traverse.co.uk
