Music fans packed out the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh for Soundhouse’s first ever Winter Festival (28 Nov to 2 Dec). Bringing in an audience mostly comprised of locals (73% from the capital, with 21% from the rest of Scotland), it proved the best antidote to a dark time of year and a great way to mark St Andrew’s Day.
The festival ran over five days thanks to support from The National Lottery through Creative Scotland and included some of the finest jazz, indy and folk musicians from Scotland. Sellouts included the Nicole Smit Quintet; Fergus McCreadie with an outstanding performance from guest Italian star Mattia Galeotti on drums; and Su-a Lee performing alongside a stellar line-up of trad favourites – Duncan Chisholm, Donald Shaw and Hamish Napier.
Other popular highlights included a screening of The Rugged Island: A Shetland Lyric (1933), opened by Shetland pianist Amy Laurenson, and accompanied by music composed by award winning multi-instrumentalist Inge Thomson from Fair Isle with Shetlander Catriona Macdonald; a preview of rock goddess Megan Black’s new album; and a performance of Unwritten Women read by Edinburgh’s former Makar Hannah Lavery to a new score written and performed by Kate Young.
The Festival also received five star reviews and was a key part of this year’s Fair Saturday celebrations in Edinburgh.
Jane Ann Purdy and Douglas Robertson, producers of the Soundhouse Winter Festival said: “We are thrilled with the appetite that audiences have shown for live music during the winter months.
“We knew that people would come out for the festival if we programmed great music, so that’s what we did and it paid off.
“It’s been an absolute blast to present five days of jazz, rock, punk, poetry, and silent film, not a line-up we have had the opportunity to programme before, but one that we would definitely look to repeat next year.”
The Soundhouse Organisation returns in May with more live music at the Traverse for Edinburgh’s Tradfest (2-12 May 2025). Dates for the Soundhouse Winter Festival 2025 are to be confirmed.
A new report from Traverse Theatre reveals the transformative impact of the first Class Act on Tour – reaching over 400 young people from diverse backgrounds across Aberdeenshire, Ayrshire, Edinburgh, Inverness, Mull and Dumfries & Galloway.
Class Act supports integration of arts-based approaches in classrooms across Scotland through 257 workshops in 33 schools.
The Jotter is an ongoing digital pack of tasks set by some of Scotland’s most exciting artists in text and video format.
Tickets now available for the Class Act Winter Showcase 2024, presenting original work by young people with the help of professional theatre makers, actors and directors. Thurs 12 & Fri 13 December at the Traverse Theatre.
Scotland’s youth step boldly into the spotlight as Class Act’s transformation of arts education and accessibility across the country uncovers brilliant, raw, insightful and funny story telling.
Funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, this programme takes the Traverse’s flagship engagement programme on tour, engaging over 400 young people from diverse backgrounds, particularly those from areas of high deprivation and rural isolation. The project opens up access to creativity through writing plays, songs, and short films and is shown to significantly enhance literacy, communication, and creative thinking skills with an evidenced lasting legacy in many contexts.
By embedding arts-based learning within the school curriculum, Class Act on Tour empowers students through workshops that foster creative writing and performance skills, leading to exceptional results.
Teachers reported that 94% of participants gained confidence in creative writing and 97% felt more knowledgeable about theatre.
Alongside student workshops, Class Act on Tour supports educators to integrate arts-based approaches into their classrooms with digital training sessions, resources and professional development opportunities. This commitment resulted in 257 workshops being delivered across 33 schools, reaching nearly 400 students over two years.
To sustain this huge impact and legacy, Class Act on Tour created a digital resource library accessible to teachers and students alike, ensuring that this creative momentum can continue to flourish across Scotland.
Called The Jotter, this resource is the culmination of three years of work, gathering tasks from some of Scotland’s most exciting artists in both video and text format.
Collaborations with local venues such as Aberdeen Arts Centre, Ayr Gaiety Theatre and various local councils are also set to continue ensuring the lasting impact, seeking to continue attendance and participation in creative activity and theatre.
In addition to the touring work, Class Act’s recent Class Act: Ukraine in Scotland was recently praised in Parliament as an “excellent example” of art and culture’s power to “unlock creativity and potential”.
Showcasing the immense success of Class Act in Edinburgh, young people from Firrhill High School, Trinity Academy, Tynecastle High School, and Intercultural Youth Scotland see their work on the stage of the Traverse theatre on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 December, brought to life by a team of professional theatre-makers, directors, actors and musicians.
Gareth Nicolls Artistic Director of Traverse Theatre who directs the upcoming showcase said: “Class Act has been such a vital part of the Traverse’s work in Edinburgh, unlocking the immense creativity in our young people and opening up opportunities to them to build their confidence and have their voices heard.
“Being able to take this out across Scotland for the first time has been a hugely rewarding and inspiring exercise, and we very much hope and believe that we have left many people working with young people of all backgrounds, now more confident and skilled to inspire and build and maintain creativity across the country.”
Class Act is supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Hugh Fraser Foundation, the Cruden Foundation, the David Summers Trust and the Enterprise Arts Trust.
The Traverse’s Autumn 2024 season stages home-grown and international performances exploring issues of social justice.
Traverse 1 highlights include Enough of Him by May Sumbwanyambe, To Save The Sea by Isla Cowan and Andy McGregor and The Tailor of Inverness by Matthew Zajac.
Traverse 2 highlights include The Brenda Line by Harry Mould, Bullring Techno Makeout Jamz by Nathan Queeley-Dennis and Piece of Work by James Rowland.
A Play, A Pie & A Pint returns for a six-week run under the new leadership of Brian Logan.
Music at the Traverse programme continues to grow with fourteen acts confirmed and on sale.
As we prepare to dive into the joy and excitement of TravFest24, we wanted to take some time to look ahead to our Autumn season – as there’s no slowing down for us come September! Performances tackle social issues head on, see many of our valued partners return and bring big laughs to our stages in a season packed with captivating and compelling work.
Following on from the success of a sold-out run of Maggie & Me, the National Theatre of Scotland are back in October with the revival of May Sumbwanyambe’s Enough of Him which won the 2023 CATS Award for Best New Play. This co-production with Pitlochry Festival Theatre is an incisive and emotive new play based on the true story of Joseph Knight, directed by previous Traverse Artistic Director Orla O’Loughlin.
As well as Enough of Him, we are delighted to also welcome Pitlochry Festival Theatre with The Brenda Line by Harry Mould and directed by Ben Occhipinti. Based on the lesser-known history if the Samaritans in the 70s and 80s as well as the lived experience of Harry Mould’s mother, this is a story about women, love and listening.
Sleeping Warrior Theatre Company will highlight the urgency of the climate crisis with their latest musical, To Save The Sea by Isla Cowan and Andy McGregor. Inspired by a real-life 1995 protest, the makers of Battery Park and Crocodile Rock will bring this epic adventure story to the Traverse for three nights as part of their Scottish tour.
Also returning to the Traverse Dogstar Theatre’s The Tailor of Inverness by Matthew Zajac and directed by Ben Harrison, which presents an unforgettable and moving story of displacement and survival in war-torn Europe; particularly powerful in light of the current war in Ukraine.
Having received rave reviews during its run at the Paines Plough Roundabout during the Edinburgh Fringe 2023, NathanQueeley-Dennis brings Bullring Techno Makeout Jamz directed by Dermot Daly to Traverse 2 at the start of November. Ruckus, an award winning, compelling one-woman thriller by Jenna Fincken which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2022, explores the suppression and destruction caused by coercive control.
The first week of November sees two distinct new productions directed by Tessa Walker. In Traverse 1, Run, Rebel is an electrifying adaptation of Manjeet Mann’s acclaimed novel for audiences of 11+ combining physical theatre, mesmerising visuals and a talented ensemble cast, setting the stage for a transformative story of revolution, empowerment and courage. In Traverse 2, Bright Places by Rae Mainwaring is a darkly funny and deeply honest autobiographical story about growing up in the shadow of chronic illness.
We are also in for a treat with a handful of one-night delights this Autumn. Star of The Office (Australia), Felicity Ward returns with her new show I’m Exhausting for her first national tour in six years. Fresh from their appearance on BBC Three’s RuPaul’s Drag Race UK VS The World, Choriza May hits the road with their first ever solo theatre show extravaganza; The Choriza May Show. Award-winning poet and playwright Inua Ellams brings his chaotic, audience-led poetry event, Search Party,a unique interactive experience where the boundary between artist and audience blurs into a dynamic act of creation.
For audiences looking for something more experimental we are pleased to be welcoming back James Rowland with his new show Piece of Work which will feature his distinct mix of storytelling, comedy and music. Arán & Imby Manchán Magan will see the performer baking sourdough bread while offering insights into the wonders of the Irish language.
Our six-week run of A Play, A Pie & A Pint will return this Autumn with six new plays taking to our stages, as part of our first season collaborating with new Artistic Director Brian Logan.
Continuing on from the success of the inaugural season of Music At The Traverse we are delighted to be presenting in excess of fourteen gigs within our upcoming Autumn season. Including crowd-pleasers Espen Eriksen Trio and RANT as well as innovative newcomers Ryan Young and Amy Hollinrake, these one-nighters are sure to bring music to our ears and warmth to our souls as the nights get colder.
Edinburgh Youth Gaitherin’ is back in partnership with Edinburgh Tradfest to offer an exciting opportunity for young musicians in 2024, with support from the William Grant Foundation.
EYG Big Band is a three-day programme for ages 13–18. It will be led by some of Scotland’s finest musicians, who will support participants to learn traditional music together and create their own arrangements as a group. Band tutors are Kirsty Law, Tom Oakes and Lori Watson, supported by Shea Martin and Jonathan Foster.
New for 2024, there will be two optional taster workshops in advance of the EYG weekend, where young people can try out some music-making together and get to know each other and the tutors.
This event is for young people who would like to develop their skills on their instrument, play with other young musicians, sing, write their own songs and learn tunes. There will be also be exclusive performances and Q&A sessions from some of the acts appearing at Edinburgh Tradfest. EYG Big Band is all about creativity, making friends through music and having fun.
Taster workshops will take place 10am–1pm on 20th and 27th April at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh.
EYG Big Band will be based at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh from 10am–4pm on 4th–6th May. The group will perform on the evening of 6th May as part of Edinburgh Tradfest’s special commission show, Everyone’s Welcome To Edinburgh.
A new residency for musical theatre writers, composers, and lyricists from the UK, India and the United States
Presented by Cove Park and Dundee Rep Theatre in partnership with Capital Theatres, Citizens Theatre, Macrobert Arts Centre, National Centre for the Performing Arts – Mumbai, National Theatre of Scotland, Octopus Theatricals – New York City, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, and Traverse Theatre.
Associate partners include A Play, A Pie and a Pint, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Playwrights’ Studio Scotland and Tron Theatre.
With their rich and varied expertise, the partners will work with Cove Park and Dundee Rep and play a valuable role in this project. Providing mentoring, support and feedback as required during the residency, they will help enrich the writers’ experience. All partners are committed to developing the musical theatre landscape, both in Scotland and further afield.
The residency has been devised by Andrew Panton, Artistic Director of Dundee Rep Theatre, and will include facilitated sessions with Dramaturg Jeanie O’Hare (formerly Director of New Work Development at The Public Theater), Music Supervisor Nigel Lilley (Next to Normal at Donmar Warehouse, Caroline, or Change on Broadway), Donna Lynn Hilton, Artistic Director of Goodspeed Musicals and David Greig, Artistic Director of Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh.
The programme also includes networking opportunities and workshop sessions, in-person and digital, with industry professionals including writers, composers, producers, directors, and other theatre practitioners – such as Tony® Award-winning director John Doyle, Tony® and Grammy® Award-winning producer Mara Isaacs, Tony® Award-winning producer Rashad V. Chambers, and more.
Applications to take part in this residency are being accepted from UK-based teams of up to three collaborators who have a musical theatre idea in need of development and would benefit from the residency experience to take it to the next stage in its creation.
To apply, individuals or teams must be based in the UK – Cove Park and Dundee Rep are particularly interested in receiving applications from teams based in Scotland. The participating artists from India and the United States will be selected separately through nominations via international partners.
Dundee Rep Theatre is delighted to announce that its new production, No Love Songs, is set to receive its World Premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August in a 3-week run at the Traverse Theatre, co-directed by Dundee Rep’s Artistic Director, Andrew Panton, and Associate Director Tashi Gore and presented as part of Made in Scotland.
The creative brainchild of the lead singer of Scottish indie band sensation, The View, Kyle Falconer and his partner Laura Wilde, No Love Songs tells the brave and deeply personal story of love, new parenthood and deals with the subject of post-natal depression. This original, new musical follows Lana and Jessie as they learn to navigate the unique challenges of their new lives as parents.
It is now revealed that Dawn Sievewright (Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, Glasgow Girls) and John McLarnon (My Left Right Foot, Local Hero) will play the characters of Lana and Jessie, joining the fantastic creative team working on this show, including co-writers Johnny McKnight and Laura Wilde, Musical Director and Arranger Gavin Whitworth, Lighting Designer Grant Anderson, Sound Designer Ritchie Young, Set Design Stylist Leila Kalbassi and Costume Design Stylist Cate Mackie.
No Love Songs features hits from Kyle’s 2021 solo album, ‘No Love Songs For Laura’ such as ‘Stress Ball’ and ‘Mother’, reimagined live on stage in this unique and urgent gig theatre show.
This exciting new musical will preview at Dundee Rep this month after a work-in-progress sharing last year as part of Rep Stripped drew raves from audiences. Audiences can book their tickets for the preview performances at Dundee Rep between 13 and 20 May under this link.
The production is presented as part of the prestigious Made in Scotland showcase, a curated showcase of high-quality performance from Scotland at the world’s biggest arts festival – Edinburgh Festival Fringe – made possible by support from the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund. It is a partnership between Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Federation of Scottish Theatre, Scottish Music Centre and Creative Scotland.
Kyle Falconer and Laura Wilde said: “As avid festival-goers ourselves, we could not be more excited to take No Love Songs to the Fringe, it’s a real ‘pinch-me’ moment for us to be included in the most famous festival in the world – it’s exactly what we hoped for No Love Songs.
“Especially being Scottish, it feels amazing to be able to take it from Dundee to Edinburgh and to give us that platform to reach a worldwide audience. We are really proud of the whole team involved and we cannot wait to open at this year’s festival!”
Dundee Rep is thrilled to also be collaborating with the Traverse Theatre on THEGRAND OLD OPERA HOUSE HOTEL, an exciting new co-production that will be presented on the Traverse stage between 4 and 27 August before transferring to Dundee Rep this autumn (13-16 September).
Featuring a large ensemble, this mainstage production is the crown jewel in Traverse’s 60th year, brought to the festival audiences by the team responsible for hits such as Pride and Prejudice* Sort Of and Kidnapped.
Andrew Panton, Artistic Director, Dundee Rep, said: “We’re very excited to be partnering with the Traverse on two new shows for Travfest ‘23.
“Both use music and song to tell stories in new and innovative ways, dealing with important and urgent themes. I’m delighted that we’re collaborating with and showcasing the work of these extraordinarily talented artists at the Edinburgh Fringe this year.”
Audience favourite, James Ley’s riotous Wilf triumphantly runs to Traverse 1
This is Paradise, Michael John O’Neill’s award-winning play, enjoys a full Traverse 2 production
Programme also includes the world premieres of Uma Nada-Rajah’s Exodus and Tabby Lamb’s Happy Meal, Liz Kingsman’s smash-hit One-Woman Show, plus a brand-new spoken word performance from the iconic ALOK
£1 tickets available across all performances for those under 25 or in receipt of low-income benefits
Traverse celebrates new stories for a new era ahead of its 60th anniversary in 2023
The Traverse has announced our TravFest22 programme, celebrating a return to full strength across our performance spaces, Traverse 1 and Traverse 2. We are delighted to be welcoming audiences back to a full-scale TravFest through a programme of vibrant and brilliant new work spanning a spectrum of stories and perspectives, from queer rom-coms to the dark heart of show business.
Marking the beginning of a bright new era for the Traverse as we build momentum for our 60th anniversary in 2023, TravFest22 is a celebration of togetherness, and of the incredible resilience and creativity t that theatre, the arts more widely, and every one of us collectively have displayed over the last two years. We are thrilled to offer such a dynamic and varied range of shows for TravFest22, made possible by the determination, ingenuity and passion of everyone involved.
We are especially overjoyed that James Ley’s riotous joyride of a show, Wilf, will be speeding back into Traverse 1, offering audiences a wild tour around Scotland, which, once taken, will never be forgotten … And Michael John O’Neill’s Popcorn Award-winning This is Paradise will justly receive a full-scale Traverse 2 production following a limited staging during TravFest21.
Each of these important and resonant shows have been under further development throughout the past two years, and we are both proud and ecstatic to finally bring them both to full-scale audiences this August.
Making a celebratory return to the streets of Edinburgh is the location-based audio experience Eavesdropping: Walk This Play® by Hannah Lavery and Sarah MacGillivray (ThickSkin in association with Traverse Theatre), which takes audiences on a journey of imagination throughout the festival city, and beyond.
Elsewhere in the programme audiences will be able to enjoy the world premieres of Uma Nada-Rajah’s satirical Exodus(National Theatre of Scotland), Sonya Kelly’s comedic The Last Return (Druid), and Tabby Lamb’s queer rom-com Happy Meal (Roots/Theatre Royal Plymouth with ETT and Oxford Playhouse). Scottish premieres include Liz Kingsman’s universally acclaimed One-Woman Show (Country Mile Productions), ALOK’s new comedy and poetry show ALOK (Soho Theatre), Lauryn Redding’s gig musical Bloody Elle (Cloudrise Productions and Royal Exchange Theatre), Matt Wilkinson’s thrilling Psychodrama (Psycho Productions & Cusack Projects Limited) and the moving Blood Harmony featuring the music of the Staves, co-created by Matthew Bulgo, Jonnie Riordan and Jess Williams (Commissioned and produced by ThickSkin and Lawrence Batley Theatre, in co-production with Watford Palace Theatre and Wales Millennium Centre and supported by the Lowry).
With the generous support of our Festival Companies, we are delighted that a limited number of £1 tickets will be available for each performance in the programme, for those under the age of 25 or in receipt of low-income government benefits, subject to availability.
Further additions to the TravFest22 programme will be announced in the coming weeks.
Linda Crooks, Executive Producer, said:“TravFest22 marks a bold and brave new beginning for the Traverse, ahead of our sixtieth anniversary in 2023. The last two years have undoubtedly been challenging, but we have continued to bring artists and audiences together online, outdoors and when possible, within our spaces to generate new ideas and keep telling new stories.
“Now we are delighted to again be able to present a full-scale, in-person festival programme and welcome our partners, friends and audiences back to a space where they can connect, imagine, plan and get back to those post show debates we’ve all missed so much.
“We are pleased to welcome friends old and new across the programme and cannot wait to share these vital and vibrant pieces of work with the audiences that’s needed to make them complete.“
Gareth Nicholls, Artistic Director, said:“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be worked with so many amazing artists this August – some we know well and others who we are incredibly excited to get to know better.
“The variety and imagination of work on offer this year especially is a testament to everyone who has kept creating throughout these difficult times, and have been unwavering in their determination to keep speaking truth to power, and use their art to confront, comfort and change.
“We are honoured to have them as part of our programme. And it’s especially meaningful for us to be able to bring both James Ley’s ‘Wilf’ and Michael John O’Neill’s ‘This is Paradise’ to full theatres this year, with both pieces sure to offer delight and reflection to audiences. Our hearts are open – and so is the bar – and we can’t wait to see you all here soon!”
TRAVFEST22 PRODUCTIONS
WILF by James Ley
Traverse Theatre Company
Calvin is going to completely revolutionise his life. Escape his abusive boyfriend, detonate his inner sex bomb, see (and shag) the world!
Now he’s found his partner in crime in Wilf, a rusty Volkswagen Polo which, like Calvin, has seen better days. Together they hit the road on a wild and bumpy ride of greasy takeaways, graveyard orgies and banging 80s power ballads – ending up somewhere they never imagined they’d go.
This riotous and heartfelt play from James Ley (Love Song to Lavender Menace), directed by the Traverse’s Artistic Director Gareth Nicholls (Ulster American), takes audiences on a hilarious and unapologetic ride through Scotland as Calvin and Wilf attempt to escape loneliness, cope with mental illness and learn to love themselves, with the help of one another.
THIS IS PARADISE by Michael John O’Neill
Traverse Theatre Company
10 April 1998, Belfast. The Good Friday Agreement is signed, promising peace to Northern Ireland.
Away from all that pageantry, a river is rising in Kate. When a phone call from a desperate young woman compels Kate to return to a relationship she hoped was left in another life, she embarks on a journey which risks breaking the uneasy peace she has since made for herself.
A powerful, intimate and dream-like monologue shot through with the vibrancy of living, Michael John O’Neill’s Popcorn Award-winning This is Paradise, directed by Katherine Nesbitt, explores the ramifications of what happens when one woman is asked to rescue the man who promised to destroy her – and what it takes from any of us to decide to begin again.
Co-created by Matthew Bulgo, Jonnie Riordan and Jess Williams with music by The Staves
Commissioned and produced by ThickSkin and Lawrence Batley Theatre, in co-production with Watford Palace Theatre and Wales Millennium Centre and supported by the Lowry
Soaring music by Atlantic Records artists, The Staves, combines with bold new writing and dynamic physicality in Blood Harmony, an uplifting and powerful new play with songs about love, loss and legacy.
A fractured trio of sisters are pulled back together with news that turns their worlds upside down. When it feels like your world has come to a stop, how do you find a way to keep moving forward?
Award-winning theatre company, ThickSkin makes a thrilling return to the stage with this highly visual and musically charged production. Created by the company behind the five star hit show How Not To Drown (‘Truly stunning’ ★★★★★ The Scotsman).
BLOODY ELLE
by Lauryn Redding
A Cloudrise Productions and Royal Exchange Theatre Production
This heart-warming and belly-achingly funny story is stuffed full of those stomach-flipping-time-stopping moments, a touch, a glance, a kiss, that everyone will recognise.
Bloody Elle is set to an original score, building loops and layers of sound that make you feel like there is a ten-piece band on stage, transporting the audience to a sweaty, packed out gig in the back of a pub or a 10,000 seat arena.
EXODUS by Uma Nada-Rajah
National Theatre of Scotland
How far will a politician go?
In her bid to become the country’s leader, Home Secretary Asiya Rao prepares to make a major policy announcement that will establish her as the front-runner of the political race. Alongside her calculating advisor Phoebe, she embarks on a publicity stunt starting with a photo shoot by the white cliffs of Dover. But rather than the tide washing her reputation clean, something else washes up … An omen or an opportunity? The women are determined to keep their eyes on the prize, no matter the cost, even if it’s a human one.
One final night. One last chance. Five people queue for a ticket to the hottest show in town. All they must do is simply wait in line. But what in life is ever simple?
Who will triumph, who will fail, and who will walk away with… The Last Return?
A new play by acclaimed playwright Sonya Kelly (Once Upon a Bridge, Furniture), The Last Return is a thrilling comedy about conflict, peace and the pursuit of territory at any cost.
HAPPY MEAL by Tabby Lamb (she/they)
Roots / Theatre Royal Plymouth with ETT and Oxford Playhouse
Join us for an online show irl. Travel back to the quaint days of dial up and MSN, where you’ll follow two strangers on their journeys to become who they always were.
A funny, moving and nostalgic story of transition.
The world premiere of Happy Meal is a joyful queer rom-com where Millennial meets Gen Z and change is all around. Exhilaratingly staged by Jamie Fletcher (she/her), fresh from her acclaimed production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
ALOK
by ALOK
Soho Theatre
ALOK (they/them) is an internationally acclaimed writer, performer and public speaker. This is their new comedy and poetry show.
A mixed-media artist, ALOK’s work explores themes of trauma, belonging and the human condition. They are also the author of Femme in Public (2017), Beyond the Gender Binary (2020) and Your Wound/My Garden (2021), and have been honoured as one of HuffPo’s Culture Shifters and NBC’s Pride 50.
ONE-WOMAN SHOW by Liz Kingsman
Country Mile Productions
The Guardian’s #1 Comedy Show of 2021 comes to the Fringe for a limited run.
A bold, irreverent, raw, moving and triumphant celebration of adjectives, this blurb will nail down nothing.
Times’ Top 5 Comedy Shows of 2021. Telegraph’s Best Cultural Events of 2021. “The hands-down funniest live comedy show of 2021.. A tour de force” (Guardian) “Do everything legal you can to get a ticket” (Evening Standard) “Fight for a ticket” (Telegraph) “Superbly funny” (Times)
PSYCHODRAMA by Matt Wilkinson
Psycho Productions & Cusack Projects Limited
A gripping, at times hilarious revenge tale about an actress in her 40’s under investigation for the murder of an auteur theatre director.
Set against the backdrop of a stage production of Hitchcock’s Psycho, Emily Bruni (Peep Show) plunges us into the dark heart of show business.
ThickSkin in association with the Traverse Theatre
Don your headphones and get ready to eavesdrop in this latest solo audio experience from ThickSkin (How Not to Drown). Celebrating the stories and people who are the heartbeat and spirit of Edinburgh, Eavesdropping asks who gets to define a city, who gets to be its guide and whose story matters. Eavesdropping takes audiences on an adventure through familiar and unfamiliar streets in Scotland’s capital, revealing new sides to and stories of the people who (may) live here. This location-based walking audio play by Hannah Lavery (The Drift) and Sarah MacGillivray (Traverse Young Writer alumni), the latest in ThickSkin’s Walk This Play® series, will encourage audiences to look differently at the rich tapestry of people you may walk past every day, whether you notice them or not.
LISTINGS INFO
Traverse Festival 2022
Thursday 4 – Sun 28 Aug (previews from Sat 30 Jul)
Capital Theatres, Scotland’s largest theatre charity, in association with the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre, present a new audio project aimed at people living with dementia, their loved ones and carers: When The Sun Meets The Sky.
Leaders in arts and dementia engagement, Capital Theatres presents the audio play in lieu of the annual Care Settings Theatre Tour which was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following the success of Sundown Stories, the audio play is developed in very close collaboration with Creative Contributors – people with lived experience of dementia.
The audio play will be available on Capital Theatres’ YouTube channel and the Traverse 3 website from Tuesday, 4 May. Transcriptions and closed captions will be available online, with DVDs, CDs and large print versions available for those without Internet access.
To enhance the experience of the audio play, 70 sensory resource boxes will be produced as well as guides to make-your-own at home.
If they are interested in the audio play and accompanying sensory resource boxes, care homes, families and friends of people living with dementia are encouraged to get in touch by emailing dawn.irvine@capitaltheatres.com.
An online public event on 6 May will give audiences an exclusive behind-the-scenes access to When The Sun Meets The Sky creation process.
Capital Theatres is very pleased to announce its new project developed in partnership with Traverse Theatre which is aimed at people with a lived experience of dementia and older people experiencing isolation and sensory deprivation.
Delivered to care homes in and around Edinburgh as well as to individuals who are living in the community, the audio play was devised in lieu of the annual Capital Theatres’s Care Settings Theatre Tour which had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and it also follows on the success of Sundown Stories, a series of short, calming stories written by and for people living with dementia.
Set in iconic Edinburgh locations – from summertime in the Meadows after the war, to a Beatles gig in the ABC on Lothian Road, Christmastime on the Mound in the 80s and ending up in the Port O’Leith after the turn of the millennium, When The Sun Meets The Sky tracks Maggie through the decades as she discovers herself, her city and tries to get to the bottom of a mystery that’s eluded her since childhood.
From the Traverse Theatre, Jack Nurse, Artist in Residence (Creative Development) and Robbie Gordon, Creative Development Producer, led the creative aspect of developing the play, working very closely with Creative Contributors – people living with dementia, their family and friends, carers and ex-carers.
Dawn Irvine, Learning and Participation Co-ordinator (Dementia Friendly Projects) said: “Undoubtedly, the global pandemic has put an unimaginable strain on care homes and those living with dementia, their families, carers and friends.
“Due to the lockdown restrictions, we weren’t able to deliver our usual creative engagement programme so decided to produce something that can be enjoyed remotely and included craft activities and sensory resources to be enjoyed by residents and staff.
“We are very pleased to now be able to share the audio play with public: a quality, creative experience that is shaped by and for people living with dementia. We hope that through this project they will feel encouraged to share their own personal stories and ultimately, feel more empowered and connected to those around them which is more important now than ever before.”
Linda Crooks, Traverse Theatre Executive Producer said: “We are delighted to have partnered with Capital Theatres on this project that speaks powerfully to our commitment of finding creative and meaningful ways for our artists to engage with our audiences and our city with work that seeks to bring communities together during these isolating times.
“COVID-19 has had an undeniable impact on those living with dementia, their carers, family and friends. Created for and with people living with dementia in Edinburgh, we hope that When The Sun Meets The Sky will offer listeners those much needed moments of connection, while also sharing a beautiful story that’s very much rooted in our city.”
Kathryn Bailey Activities Coordinator at the Elms Nursing Home said: “The residents at the Elms have benefitted from the thoughtful collection of dementia-friendly activities produced by Dawn Irvine and the team at Capital Theatres.
“Covid restrictions presented challenges which they overcame with creative alternatives including audio-visual Tea Parties, Sundowning Stories and, most recently, a radio play.
“Residents have positively benefited from all activities and were delighted to be included by the writers of the radio play’s research and to proof-read the drafts of the play as they developed.
“These activities have prompted meaningful conversations, reminiscence and joy in the moment. One of our residents, Joyce Miller, inspired the development of climbing lamp post idea and has worked on a sketch of the scene by adding colour and pattern in a pointillism style.”
Capital Theatres has over 5 years of experience in working creatively with persons living with dementia, the creation of dementia friendly performances as well as trained staff who are knowledgeable about dementia inclusive practice and dementia enablement.
Traverse Theatre is Scotland’s leading new writing theatre and expert in theatre production – recently also in audio play and podcast production.
During the Research & Development phase of the project, Capital Theatres’ team carried out extensive consultations with care homes staff, people living with dementia and their loved ones with whom they have developed a relationship over the years through various projects. The feedback was extremely positive.
Interviewees were very keen on increasing the level of creative engagement in their everyday life – something that has substantially diminished over the past 12 months due to the lockdown restrictions.
They were highly supportive of a radio play as an opportunity for people to engage in either large or small groups or individually as well as support those with visual impairments to enjoy creative work not reliant on sight.
They also appreciated that radio play could be enjoyed with minimal need for care staff intervention and is a resource that can be used over and again.
The episodes of the audio play can be enjoyed individually or as part of a larger, connected story. Delivered in a relaxed, conversational manner with no loud noises or loud music, the audio play focuses on real stories and narration that is easy to follow, without hindrance of sub plots or many characters.
The audio play will be available to experience for free on the Capital Theatres’ YouTube channel and Traverse Theatre website from Tuesday, 4 May. In order to make it as accessible as possible, Capital Theatres’ team has produced a transcribed version, a large print version and will provide CDs and DVDs to those without Internet access.
The audio play will be distributed among Edinburgh and Lothians care homes and people living with dementia in their own homes. Capital Theatres and Traverse Theatre would like to encourage those who are interested in experiencing the project to get in touch by emailing dawn.irvine@capitaltheatres.com.
To further enhance the experience, Capital Theatres has produced a number of sensory packs which will be distributed to care homes and individuals alongside the play.
These packs will include items relating to the stories that can be touched or smelled like a small bottle containing an essence of a smell of freshly cut grass. The packs will also provide a list of conversation starters to encourage listeners to delve deeper into the themes explored in the play and share their own experiences. The team has also produced an easy guide to making your own sensory pack at home.
The cast of When the Sun Meets the Sky includes popular stage and tv actor Irene Allan, known for her roles in Taggart and Doctors – Maureen Beattie, Mason Clarke-Whale, a second year BA Acting student at RCS, River City and Taggart-regular Tam Dean Burn, playwright and actor Robbie Gordon, actor, musician and singer Rebekah Lumsden and Rehanna Macdonald, known for her work with Richard Burton Company and Stellar Quines, among others.
A free, digital, public event taking place on Thursday (6 May) will give those interested in learning more about the process of creating When The Sun Meets The Sky an exclusive access to the behind-the-scenes.
Featuring Dawn Irvine, Dementia Friendly Co-ordinator at Capital Theatres, from the Traverse Theatre, Robbie Gordon, Creative Development Producer and Artist in Residence, Jack Nurse as well as Ian Laurence, one of the Creative Contributors, this special digital event will be hosted on Capital Theatres’ website.
Acting and Performance students from Edinburgh College took the final bow of their studies as they performed a farewell show at the city’s Traverse Theatre. Thirty-five students took to the stage to perform a newly devised three-part piece of theatre based on the theme of ‘revolting’.
The show – PASS Out – is an annual production by the college’s HND students and is the culmination of the students’ time at the college. This year’s Technical Theatre students also worked on the production, supporting with stage management, props and sound. Continue reading Edinburgh College students PASS out in style at Traverse Theatre
£2,500 grant to support young budding theatre directors
The Saltire Society, Youth Theatre Arts Scotland (YTAS) and Traverse Theatre and have joined forces to launch a new £2,500 award to enable one promising young theatre director to further their career and stage a short production to be shown as part of the innovative Chrysalis festival this November.Continue reading From page to stage
