Scottish theatre, born 1951, acclaimed for adventurous seasons
A round-up of recent Fringe reviews highlights how new plays and games are probing technology’s reach—from AI ethics in Prove You’re Human to aging and human longing in Lifelong Protocol and Water Colour, with sharp direction and performances shaping urgent conversations.
Edinburgh hosts major Deaf-inclusive productions on its main stages as part of the Fringe and Edinburgh Deaf Festival, highlighting collaboration between Deaf and hearing artists. The Singer features Jamie Rea and KT Tunstall, while Deaf Festival enters a multi-year Creative Scotland funding cycle, showcasing over 80 events across ten days.
A Fra Fee-led writer grapples with the legend of Liberace in a meta-stage piece at Pitlochry, where Simon Russell Beale’s Liberace and a flamboyant production set the tone. The show examines sexuality, lie and performance, while a longer Wallace musical and a new Play, Pie and Pint piece provide counterpoints on history and memory.
A modern stage adaptation of Muriel Spark’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie receives a powerful, problematising performance. Gayle Rankin leads as Brodie in a production that reframes the 1930s-era school as a crucible of ideology, art, and power, with vivid design and a daring political edge.