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Scotsman
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Half of this year's Fringe performers are from Scotland, as full programme line-up announced
Some 923 of the 3,352 shows to be performed at this year's Fringe are from Scotland Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Half of the performers at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe are Scottish, organisers have revealed as the full line up for this year's event was unveiled. This year's programme features work from 3,352 shows across 265 venues from 58 countries - slightly up on last year's figure of 3,317. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad New venues for this year include Hibernian FC's Easter Road stadium, where former Chelsea FC trainee Alfie Cain will recall dashed aspirations and 'the darkness and pressures' of football, while popular topics for shows overall include the apocalypse, rave culture, disability and sexuality, as well as 'rebellious women'. Portobello Town Hall will also host acts for the first time, with a mini-festival to celebrate Palestinian art and culture, Welcome to the Fringe, Palestine. Edinburgh Fringe Programme Launch 2025 | Fringe Society At Traverse Theatre, Gary McNair's award-winning show, A Gambler's Guide to Dying, returns for a special run to mark its 10th anniversary. Some 923 shows are from Scotland, predominantly from Edinburgh with 657 acts represented, compared to 1,392 from the rest of the UK nations, while a total of 54 non-British nationalities are on the line-up. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tony Lankester, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: 'Programme launch is such an exciting moment for everyone involved making the Fringe happen. 'Thank you to all the Fringe-makers – the artists, venues, workers, producers, technicians, promoters, support staff and audiences that bring their unmatched, exceptional energy to Edinburgh in August. 'This year's Fringe programme is filled with every kind of performance, so whether you're excited for theatre or circus, or the best of comedy, music, dance, children's shows, magic or cabaret; get ready to dare to discover this August.' This year's Fringe will see a return of many famous faces and popular shows. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Comedian and three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Josie Long's show, Now Is the Time of Monsters, looks at the topic of 'extinct, gigantic, charismatic megafauna' at Pleasance. Meanwhile, Gilded Balloon marks its fortieth anniversary with 'a series of special in-conversations featuring comedy greats' including Jenny Eclair and Michelle McManus. 'Direct from a sell-out West End season', Bill Bailey is at Edinburgh Playhouse with Thoughtifier while Miriam Margolyes brings 'more characters, more Dickens and more fascinating stories about the man behind the classics' to Pleasance with Margolyes and Dickens: More Best Bits. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad At Assembly, veteran Fringe performer David O'Doherty will perform his show, Highway to the David Zone and comedy veteran Karen Dunbar will return to the Fringe for a limited run of her stand-up tour'at Just the Tonic, while the popular Massaoke show Party like it's 1999' will be performed at Underbelly with 'an epic 90s sing-along'.
Glasgow Times
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow and Lanarkshire to perform at National Theatre event
The Glasgow Acting Academy and Hamilton District Youth Theatre are among 10 groups chosen for the National Theatre Connections Festival. This event celebrates the reopening of the Dorfman Theatre in London, which has been shut since November 2024 for government-funded refurbishments. Hamilton District Youth Theatre (Image: Supplied) Read more: Former Glasgow football ground could become nationally important site The Connections Festival is a cornerstone of the National Theatre, celebrated annually to champion young UK talent and the power of youth theatre. In its 30th year, more than 5,000 youngsters from more than 270 companies and schools have performed at home venues and 33 professional stages throughout the country. The Hamilton District Youth Theatre, which marked its 35th anniversary last year, will perform The Company of Trees by Jane Bodie on June 25. Glasgow Acting Academy, a charity committed to making performing arts accessible to all, will take the stage with No Regrets by Gary McNair on June 27. Clare Ryan, director of the Hamilton District Youth Theatre, said: "Connections has been an unforgettable experience. "Personally, it's given me the opportunity to develop so many valuable skills, and the level of support throughout has been outstanding." Elsa Tinney, a young participant from Hamilton District Youth Theatre, added: 'Connections has been a fantastic experience. As a small Scottish company, representation on the National's stage is incredibly valuable for us, and this opportunity is one we are extremely grateful for. "We have all made lifelong friendships and become so much closer throughout this process. "Connections is a wonderful creation for young people across the country which we would highly recommend." Maddie Grieve, director of Glasgow Acting Academy, said: "Connections has given our young performers a creative playground where they've tackled new writing with energy, collaborated as an ensemble, discovered their own voices, and created something truly special. "They've worked so hard, and being selected is an incredible recognition of their talent, dedication, and passion for theatre.' Louis, 18, a participant with Glasgow Acting Academy, said 'National Theatre Connections has provided me with valuable, transferable skills that I will be able to use wherever my future takes me. "I've made life-long friends and it has proven to be an unforgettable experience' Read more: Plea issued for 'vital' foster carers as Glasgow numbers drop Indhu Rubasingham, director and co-chief executive of the National Theatre, said: "I am really pleased to welcome 10 youth groups from all corners of the UK to the NT for this landmark anniversary festival of Connections. "Everyone should have the opportunity to experience the power of theatre-making." "I look forward to celebrating the extraordinary energy and creative vision these young performers will bring to our stages this June.' The Connections Festival has offered 125,000 young people across the UK hands-on experience in all aspects of staging and performing new plays over its 30 years. Tickets for the shows, priced at £5 per performance or £8 for two performances in one evening, will be available for purchase from May 20, with all performances offering captions. The festival also invites applications for its 2026 event, which will be held at the Lowry in Salford, aiming to reach a wider audience across the UK.
