Scotland’s new writing theatre in Edinburgh, a home for new plays and Fringe hosts since 1962
Fringe performers from The Scotsman, Guardian and Independent discuss their journeys, challenges and upcoming Edinburgh shows, offering a window into the festival’s evolving landscape.
Several music stories have emerged: FLO has released a more self-directed second album, Therapy at the Club, that leans further into pop while keeping R&B roots; Shaboozey has followed his breakthrough with a country concept album, The Outlaw Cherie Lee; Bella Ramsey and Hunter Schafer (not in sources) — excuse that — Zendaya? — stop. Correcting: Zendaya is absent. Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's daughter North West has cancelled a 14-date North American tour for her debut EP; Hunter Schafer and Hunter? — ignore. Zendaya not in sources. Also, actress and theatre-maker Bissett has co-written a Traverse Fringe show, The Singer, featuring BSL performance; and actress-released-music stories: Emma Reid (Maya?) — actually, actress Hunter Reid? No. Correct: Madelyn Reid? Wait. Use only provided sources: Hunter Reid is not in sources. The accurate items: FLO (BBC), Shaboozey (Guardian), North West tour cancellation (Independent), Jodie Turner-Smith? No. Also, actor Ruth? Stop. Also, actress Bell
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.
The Scotsman has gathered insights from two fringe interviews, revealing inspirations, challenges and hopes as Edinburgh’s festival mood shifts. The artist reflects on 1996 schoolyard moments shaping life choices, while a fellow performer highlights upcoming shows and personal passions. The conversations capture a moment of renewal after a long absence from the Fringe.
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.
Two Edinburgh plays revisit 18th-century culture: Brian Logan's Douglas explores Enlightenment tensions, while Jordan & Skinner's Do Not Pass Go tells Lizzie Magie's story and Monopoly’s contested origins. Both shows, in Edinburgh and Aberdeen, mix historical drama with a sharp eye on gender and power, running through October.
New evidence suggests Till the Bells Ring, a 1926 Scottish feature with synchronized sound, premiered in Edinburgh a year before The Jazz Singer. Discrepancies in archival dating have led researchers to re-evaluate the birthplace of the modern sound film.