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Edinburgh Reporter
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Fringe 2025 – four shows by an Edinburgh-based producer
Local theatre producer and director, Emma Ruse, is behind four shows on the Fringe this year. Funding is a big part of all theatre productions – but it is particularly brought to the fore when we hear that some of Emma's shows have been rehearsing in Glasgow since it is cheaper to travel there by train than it is to secure rehearsal space in the capital. This is one of the hidden costs to staging a Fringe production, although we have heard of others rehearsing in London for similar reasons. Although Emma wanted to be an actor when she was younger, she feels that becoming a producer has been the most accessible route into theatre. After studying at Edinburgh College from 2015 she has never left Edinburgh and now lives in Musselburgh. After graduation she found that she was more curious about what goes on behind the scenes 'and in making things happen for people with that sort of oversight rather than being the person on stage delivering the performance'. So she left acting behind completely – although joked that she may find herself doing am-dram in 20 years time in a production of Les Mis. But she does not envy actors the haphazard existence involving auditions often organised at the drop of a hat. She is quite modest about her role saying it is 'in many ways a glorified project manager and in many ways so much more than that. It is basically everything that you don't see. So, it's all the scheduling, it's the fundraising, it's the bringing people together, finding the right jigsaw pieces to make the creative magic happen.' Emma Ruse Fundraising In June a fundraiser performance at Leith Arches included 15 -minute excerpts from all four shows. Mary: A Gig Theatre Show had a short run at the Traverse last December with its all female cast which includes the writer, Rona Johnston, who are mainly Queen Margaret University (QMU) graduates. Mary is the only one of the four productions which is self-funded along with a bit of support from QMU's Santander Fund. The others are helped by a mix of crowdfunding and some backing from Creative Scotland's Open Fund. On the thorny issue of the Creative Scotland (CS) Open Fund, Emma is diplomatic, saying: 'I think it's really challenging. It's public money, so there needs to be a due diligence done to make sure public money is being used in the appropriate way. And I think Creative Scotland have a really hard job because there is a lot of great art, and not enough funding for the arts. So I think it's almost impossible for them to be able to win.' But the Leith Arches fundraiser was a good opportunity to see all four productions side by side. Emma said: 'It was really magical actually. When you work on everything so separately, it is brilliant to bring it together and the audience were very warm and very excited about it.' Emma was also pleased that Jumper Bumps received funding from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society's Keep it Fringe fund, and that in relation to r/Conspiracy Creative Scotland stepped up 'with a bit of funding'. Homo (Sapien) is written by an Irish writer and the show premiered in Dublin in May with a bit of funding from the CS Open Fund. Emma was notably included on the 2024 30under30 list compiled by The Young Women's Movement. Part of the reason for her recognition is that the East Lothian producer spent eight years as a member of the National Youth Arts Advisory Group for Scotland – advising on cultural strategy and supporting the way that youth arts funding was distributed. The Young Women's Movement seeks to 'celebrate young women, girls and non-binary people in Scotland who are making changes in their lives, communities and wider society'. The day job involves running Emma Ruse Productions and also Framework Theatre Company which she set up with a few friends providing bespoke support to emerging Scottish theatre makers. Emma credits Framework as being the start to her career. Although she prefers working on stories told through a feminist or queer lens and anything which supports those considered underrepresented, her work also involves directing some work and also producing plays written by others. Being a local Emma agrees that being able to produce four shows locally is a great opportunity, but asked whether the Fringe is a truly great launching pad for the work she considers her reply carefully. She said: 'I think you have to be so strategic. I think a lot of what I see is people not thinking strategically about what sort of work they're bringing, and expecting all sorts of work to be able to achieve the same things at the festival. So as much as I do have four shows, and that might feel like a lot, but they're four shows that I feel really strongly have a space and have an audience at the Edinburgh festival. So I think you have to be strategic with what you're bringing and realistic with your expectations. I am not expecting any of these shows to be Fleabag. 'I think they're all brilliant. I think they have the potential to do that sort of thing. But I think a lot of people go into Fringe with these really high expectations based off Fleabag, based off Baby Reindeer. And it's just so unlikely with the wealth of work that is happening that yours will be the one in every five years that gets picked up that way. 'So I think for us what's really useful is it's a chance for our work to be seen. It's a chance to do a long run, which is practically unheard of in Scottish theatre unless you're in one of the big venues, and it's a chance to learn your craft that way as well. You learn so much from doing a show 25 times that you will never learn when you do it for three nights and then that's the end. So I think in these ways it's a really useful platform.' And her advice on how to get through the Fringe? Emma said: 'My top tip is that you cannot do everything. You cannot see everything no matter how much you might want to and you cannot talk to everyone you want to meet. At some point you have to say that is it for today, that's all I can do. It's a marathon not a sprint.' The shows Her thoughts on the four shows are that they are all 'a bit different' but held together by the same values. She said: 'Homo (Sapien) is a very overtly queer piece. It's about growing up gay in Catholic Ireland. So that one definitely fits in. And Jumper Bumps is about a woman's right to choose in coercive relationships, and the challenging political climate we live in at the moment. So that feels really strongly feminist in theme. 'But then you have shows like r/Conspiracy, which on the surface is potentially not fulfilling either of those, but kind of does both of them because it's really rare to see a woman on stage talking about Reddit and existing in those sorts of internet sleuthing spaces. So it does it in a potentially more subverted way. And Mary is definitely a feminist retelling of Mary's story which feels really exciting and important and the music in that show is truly phenomenal. I saw it at the Fringe last year and fell in love with it. They were self-producing last year so I was delighted to come on board and we got a short run at the Traverse before Christmas which sold out. It felt right to bring it back to the festival on a bigger scale and give more audiences an opportunity to engage with the work.' The shows Homo (Sapien) by Conor O'Dwyer – 'Joey is a Bad Gay™. He's never had sex with a man, not even once. But tonight is the night, and he is determined to make sure he will not die a virgin. Filled with Catholic guilt, internalised homophobia and fear of the local GAA lads – Joey embarks on a hapless quest to 'get his hole' before it's too late. Homo(sapien) is a joyful, queer, coming-of-age one-man show about overcoming your fears. The debut play from Conor O'Dwyer – an Irish playwright and performer based in Edinburgh.' Tickets here. r/Conspiracy – 'r/Conspiracy is a play for messy girls, hungry sleuths, and the chronically online. Alex tumbles headfirst into the rabbit hole when she spots a Reddit thread documenting a man with a machete roaming her local park. But the harder she digs, the deeper she falls… A timely reminder of the flaws of the internet, and a virtual mystery romp for 20-somethings with too much time on their hands, and the weight of the world on their shoulders, r/Conspiracy is written and performed by Ella Hällgren, and directed by Emma Ruse.' Tickets here. Jumper Bumps – 'What happens when the thing you wished for your whole life turns out to be your worst nightmare? Eris wants a baby. Atlanta doesn't. They're best friends with very different views of motherhood. Eris sees it as a chance to create a better version of herself. Atlanta sees it as the opposite, an end to her freedom. As similar as they are different, their friendship is stretched when Eris finds herself pregnant. The debut play by Amelia Rodger about a woman's right to choose, coercive relationships and female friendship.' Tickets here. Mary: A Gig Theatre Show – 'Through powerful original music and spoken word, a folk-rock band retells Mary Queen of Scots' story. The bold gig theatre show searingly questions what Mary faced at the hands of men, offering a mesmerising and riotous response. The hit show is back for 2025, following acclaimed sold-out runs at the 2024 Fringe and the Traverse Theatre in December.' Tickets here. Like this: Like Related
The National
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Edinburgh Fringe Festival 'eye-wateringly expensive' say performers
Story after story has appeared in the media about the spiralling costs but some performers are so determined to be there, they have resorted to crowdfunding to raise the cash. The Sunday National has been speaking to a number of Scots, Scotland-based performers and theatre makers from as far away as Australia to find out how and why they did it ... As a queer artist telling a deeply personal story, Edinburgh-based Conor O'Dwyer said he didn't want lack of finance to stop him staging his show at the Fringe. READ MORE: 'Not in our name': Protests start in Aberdeen amidst Donald Trump visit However, even with support from Creative Scotland for the development of his show, Homo(sapien), and with the Assembly venue giving a space without a guarantee, he has still had to fundraise to meet the 'inordinate' costs of the Fringe. 'It's getting harder every year to bring work to the Fringe without serious backing,' he said. 'We've had to meet huge costs for tech, marketing, and PR, which can spiral into the thousands. And that's all before artist fees. 'As a queer artist telling a deeply personal story, I don't want finances to be the thing that stops me. Crowdfunding has become a necessary part of the process, not just for raising money, but for building a community that's rooting for the show from the beginning. 'This was my first time using the service, and the Irish in me felt apologetic for asking for money! But it shocked me how people really get behind you when you've got a dream and a vision. I was overwhelmed by the support we received. And it's made this whole thing possible. It really does take a village.' is at Assembly Roxy, Snug Bar, from July 30 to August 24 Belfast-based Amanda Verlaque said the cost of staging her show, This Shit Happens All The Time, was 'anxiety-inducing'. 'It's eye-wateringly, bum-clenchingly expensive,' she said. 'My main goal is to ensure the actress and director are paid properly and the crowd funding donations are a life saver in this respect. 'Personally I'm not expecting to see a wage but it doesn't mean I'm happy to settle for an 'artist working for free for the exposure' tag around my neck. 'It's anxiety-inducing. I'm excited to have my play at the Fringe and I can't wait to soak up the atmosphere. But having to constantly hustle for money alongside all the other tasks that come with producing a show is overwhelming and demoralising at times. I'm steadying myself with the knowledge that it's for a finite period and come August 26, I'll be able to say that audiences loved the show and I had an absolute blast.' This Shit Happens All The Time is at Assembly George Square Studios (Studio Four), July 30 to August 25 (not 6, 13, 20) Glasgow's Sanjay Lago said he was very grateful for the support for his show, Love Me Like A Chai Tea Latte. 'The Fringe is a great place to create art but it feels that to be able to live when you aren't funded you have to fundraise,' he said. 'It's hard. And no one should have to work for free. My team and I are so grateful to the support we've had with a fundraiser and it shows people want to support art. But it's hard to create art when you come from up the road in Glasgow – or to be blunt, don't come from money.' Sanjay Lago, Love Me Like A Chai Tea Latte, is at Assembly Roxy (RoxyBoxy), July 30 to August 25 (not 11, 18) ALL the way from the US, The Monkeypox Gospel has a budget of $27,000 for its run at the Fringe and director, Alex Hare, said fundraising was still ongoing. 'The cost of housing this year was a little shocking but not exactly surprising – we're coming from NYC, where high rents affect us and everyone we know, so that aspect of the Fringe unfortunately feels like home,' he said. 'Our main costs are fees paid to our venue Underbelly, our PR team, housing, and sound equipment (it's a podcast-play with a fairly intricate sound design). Because we're independent artists and it's our first Fringe, we've been aiming to balance scrappiness with responsibility. 'On the one hand, that means having me as the director doubling as the sound board operator, while on the other hand prioritising good housing, for the sake of mental peace during the performing of a very personal show. 'Our show started life as a podcast memoir and will eventually be released in that form, but we've felt called to adapt it for theatre and bring it to the Fringe in order to create a group listening experience. 'The financial costs associated with that decision have been a lot for us – especially since many costs are front-loaded, with the expectation of some reimbursement later in the form of ticket sales. 'But like so many other artists coming this year, we believe in the work, in the process of making art from our lives, and in the prospect of sharing it with strangers.' The Monkeypox Gospel is at Underbelly Cowgate (Belly Laugh), July 31 to August 24 (not 11) Glasgow-based American playwright Connor McKenna is making his Edinburgh Fringe debut and said there was no question about having to fundraise because the costs are so high. A total of £3000 has been raised to stage Selzer Boy but he is not sure it will be enough. 'Plus, we're operating on a profit share model, and we're lucky that none of us are relying on our show to be a moneymaker first,' he said. 'It's our first time coming to the Fringe and so don't have any kind of institutional backing. We applied for a few different awards, such as the Keep It Fringe, but were unsuccessful. It's an incredible initiative, but there's unfortunately just not enough to go around for everyone. 'We're really lucky that we had such a supportive network that were willing to help us out, but we also know that it's not exactly a sustainable model, and not one that can be repeated year after year.' Seltzer Boy plays Appleton Tower (Ruby), July 30 to August 24 (not 11). Teeside-based Scott Turnbull's show Surreally Good has cost almost £15,000 for the entire Fringe run. 'My show is told for and through a working class lens – that kind of representation doesn't often get seen in the media because there are financial barriers we have to jump over to make sure we can afford to come to big festivals like the Fringe. 'This one's cost almost £15,000 for an artist like me to do a show for the month. The value in that isn't necessarily the money that I will make from it, but the representation that I give to some of my local community and their voices. 'A lot of the stories I tell are based in Teesside. These small working class, post-industrial towns are underrepresented and get an unfair public image. 'I want to celebrate where I'm from and the cool, kind, good natured and sometimes dark sense of humour of the area. 'The Fringe felt like a great opportunity to take my regional work to a national level. By fundraising, it allowed the local community to support a local artist to come up to Edinburgh.' (Image: PA) Surreally Good is at Summerhall (Former Women's Locker Room) July 31 to August 25 (not 11,18) Milly Blue and Jessie Maryon Davies have spent around £10,000 so far, without counting unpaid writing and rehearsal time to bring Elysium to the Fringe. 'It's kind of eye watering. But we really believe in our show and are excited beyond belief to be coming to Edinburgh. We're realising some huge dreams. But they're not messing about when people warn you it's pricey! 'We only recently launched our Crowdfunder as we had really hoped we could manage without it. But it has been a really wonderful experience. 'There's something deeply warm and encouraging about our community coming together and supporting us. 'I think that as we get closer and closer to our run and the nerves begin, affirmative messaging is really welcome. And we are so utterly grateful for the love we've been shown so far. 'We're so grateful to have received the £2.5k Keep it Fringe bursary, which was also really validating at the beginning of this process. But that amount, whilst invaluable, can only really be supplementary to the considerable further costs of taking a show to the Fringe.' Elysium by Ghouls Aloud Appleton Tower (Ruby), 30 July to August 24 (not 11). Capgras Theatre Company, based in London, decided to tackle the cost problem creatively by throwing a fundraising launch party on the solstice in the crypt of a church. The event was appropriate for their creepy new show Strangewife which has a strong wedding theme. 'The cost of accommodation, travel, and production for even small-scale, low-budget work has skyrocketed in recent years,' said a spokesperson. 'On top of that it's crucial to raise funds to pay our creative team what they deserve and achieve the artistic quality that would best represent our show. Despite the barriers, our work is ambitious and crowdfunding is key to realising its potential. 'Obviously getting all the necessary funds to cover the huge costs can be quite difficult, but we've chosen to take it as a creative challenge that has intertwined with the building of the show itself.' Strangewife is at Assembly Rooms (Front Room), July 31 to August 24 (not 6, 13, 20). Australian performer Darby James said running a fundraising campaign for Little Squirt felt like a whole project in itself. 'I've gone to crowd funding for a few reasons. When grant funding doesn't come through, crowdfunding helps absorb the immense cost of touring a show overseas, especially as an early-career artist,' he said. 'It's also an opportunity for me to connect with my community and have conversations about the work I'm doing. 'This year it's given me a chance to capture my second year of Fringe in a documentary which I didn't have capacity for last year. 'I'm really excited because it means we get to make something our donors can experience and bring a piece of the festival back with us. 'People have been so warm and receptive and it's a really joyful feeling to go into a fringe season with the backing of your community.' Little Squirt is at Appleton Tower (Bramley), July 30 to August 24 (not 6,18)
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Japanese theatre group heading to Dumfries and Galloway to explore new play
Bird Theatre will be based at the CatStrand in New Galloway for the next fortnight to work on Tom Pow's Towa Mura. A Japanese theatre group will arrive in the Glenkens this weekend for a two week stay. Bird Theatre will be based at the CatStrand in New Galloway for the next fortnight to explore a new play called Towa Mura. The play is written by Tom Pow, directed by Makoto Nakashima and will be performed by actors from the UK and Bird Theatre, with music written and performed by The Galloway Agreement. A free, ticketed presentation of the work in progress will be performed at the CatStrand on Wednesdya, August 6. The visit – funded by Creative Scotland and The Japan Foundation – is the latest stage of a relationship which began three years ago when Ruth Morris, producer of The Village and The Road by Tom Pow and The Galloway Agreement, received an exciting email from Japan. The show, which concerns rural depopulation in Europe, had just been performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the Made in Scotland Showcase. Bird Theatre Festival was inviting the company to perform at the theatre festival at Shikano in the prefecture of Tottori. The show was translated and performed with subtitles and the response was so positive the company was invited back for the following year, with additional Japanese material and a book of poems – Ghosts at Play – by Tom Pow, based on fieldwork he had done in Japanese villages that first year. On the second visit, The Galloway Agreement held a concert with Japanese musicians and a feeling grew that such collaborations could be extended further. After many conversations, it was decided that this time an exchange was possible, paving the way for this year's visit.
The Herald Scotland
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
How discovering deaf culture can be an enriching experience
Something very striking is how enriching hearing people find it when they start to discover deaf culture. That can be the distinctiveness of its humour, the perspectives of people who experience the world differently, or the vitality of British Sign Language (BSL). There's also immense creative talent in the deaf community, something that's all too often squandered through lack of opportunity. Too many highly skilled deaf people are still being overlooked. In the arts world, there are signs of change. Last year Shakespeare's Globe in London staged a production of Antony and Cleopatra in which the Romans spoke English and the Egyptians performed in BSL. I was cast as Cleopatra and was impressed by the commitment of the theatre and the response of the audience. The use of BSL and English-speaking actors was a positive – powerfully emphasising Roman incomprehension of another culture. We need to get away from the situation where deaf people are limited by other people's perceptions of what we can or can't do. Deaf creatives and creativity should be woven into the fabric of the arts. That's exactly what events like the Edinburgh Deaf Festival are helping to do. It provides platforms for deaf drama, comedy, drag, film, music, poetry and discussion. This caters for the deaf community and welcomes hearing audiences as well. It's about deaf people having agency; taking control of our narrative and expressing it how we want to. It's about ownership, pride, and representation from within the deaf community. The festival is also working with the [[Edinburgh]] Fringe, the International Festival, the Book Festival, [[Edinburgh]] Art Festival and specific venues like Summerhall, both to stage deaf-led events and to make their programmes more accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. It's a relief to write about the things we are doing. Last year, the future of the festival was at risk. Despite the festival's development, growth and success it faced a severe funding crisis. A vigorous campaign was mounted to point out that the loss of the [[Edinburgh]] Deaf Festival would be completely at odds with the Scottish Government's commitment to making Scotland the best place in the world for BSL users to live, work, visit and learn. We now have a three-year funding deal with Creative Scotland that's allowing us to be more bold and ambitious for the future. It's something that Scotland should be proud of. Edinburgh, and the whole country, have played a vital role in the emergence of deaf culture and the establishment of deaf rights. This is exemplified by the fact that festival organisers, the Edinburgh-based Deaf Action, is the oldest deaf-led charity in the world and this year celebrates 190 years of campaigning for our community. The festival is a powerful way to improve the lives of deaf people and celebrate deaf culture, giving hearing people greater access to our world. • The festival is from August 8-17. Nadia Nadarajah is the Creative Programmer of the 2025 Edinburgh Deaf Festival Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@
Daily Record
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Lanark set to stage opera production
Opera Bohemia will bring their performance of Tosca to the town on July 27 Lanark will host a touring opera production this weekend as Tosca is staged at the memorial hall. The performance by professional touring company Opera Bohemia takes place on Sunday, July 27, at 4pm and will star award-winning Lanarkshire soprano Monica McGhee in Puccini's famous 'tale of love, lust and deception'. It is directed by Opera Bohemia co-founder Douglas Nairne, and the group say: 'The performance is being sung in English and in Douglas Nairne's intimate new production, the drama is plunged into a world of crime and passion amidst the treacherous mafia underworld.' The tour is supported by Creative Scotland and the show is designed by acclaimed Scottish designer Kenneth McLeod. Founded in 2010 by Douglas Nairne and conductor Alistair Digges, Opera Bohemia has since staged 14 different productions at venues across Scotland, providing performance opportunities for more than 150 young professional musicians and running free workshops for schools. Opera Bohemia say: 'The company is excited to be returning to Lanark, having brought several of their productions to the Memorial Hall in the past. 'One of our main goals is to introduce opera to a new audience, as well as providing more live performances all round Scotland, and we hope this exciting new production of Tosca is just the ticket.' * Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here. And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head on over and give us a like and share!
