Recommendations for Youth Theatre and Scottish led shows at Edfringe

Donald Stewart, our Scotland editor, makes a considered selection…

Three thousand plus shows, sixty less venues, shorter runs for many shows than normal and question marks over funding to the whole shebang, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is upon us. And so, as we get out the planners, the pencils and the coloured markers to sort out how not to end up bankrupt at the end of August when the credit cards statement comes through the door, here are some show worthy of attention, in my humble opinion, on offer from Youth Theatres and Scottish based shows during the three and a half weeks of merriment in the Athens of the North.

Youth Theatre

As with previous years I have widened my scope of Youth in terms of theatrical offerings. Many companies do not like to have the term youth applied, form new companies and like to be measured against the big boys and girls. Sometimes that works well and in their favour. At other times it can show gaps in their technique in a painful way. So here are offerings which include from colleges and universities who shall mainly be provided by people of an age many of us of advanced years would consider to be yoofs.

Now, Youth Theatre can have a conceit of itself that being kids themselves they can conquer, oftentimes, the most difficult of all audiences – children. However, children’s shows need a highly acute degree of skill to be successful. And so, there are the standard offerings of Cinderella and Seussical Jr, but I have gone for two shows that have intrigued.

The Thirteen by the Ease Drama Teenager Theatre Company – just being a teenage drama company sounds quite fascinating. It is not their only offering so I will try and catch at least one of them from this Chinese grouping. this is a very short run – only two shows, and an early morning at the Space at Triplex. This can be found here: –

What Was Once Ignored: The Life and Legacy of Marha Graham by the Inter-generational Alma College Theatre and Dance, at Space at Triplex. If you can get excited about the ages combining to collaborate then the Fringe might be the place to display it! The company, Alma College Theatre and Dance, is made up of students and graduates so it begins with a philosophy of collaboration between the ages.  Martha Graham was the chorographer, for them, who moved dance from “jazz hands” to serious art so this has caught my attention more than others. More information from the company is at their website – https://www.whatwasonceignored.com/. This can be found here: –

If you are looking for more than teenage angst, we can see that from Scotland and working alongside care experienced young people there is a piece of theatre which is well worth considering from the company, “It’s about time”. This, thanks to the opinions expressed by the young people in the production, is very authentic and may well be offending to anyone without a heart. They do warn that there might be choice language too but if you fancy a challenge then The Kids Wi Nae Hame is the show for you. It’s at C Aurora and you can find out more here: –

Drama is also premium for the Macready Theatre Young Actors’ Company from Rugby. Run as part of the Rugby School’s Department of Theatre and Performing Arts with bursaries for those who might need them, they have a show with what must be the most intriguing title in the Fringe! 3 Couples, 2 Breakups, 1 Barbie and The Berlin Wall is at C Aurora. This is a company who were at this venue last year so are returning, but this year promise a Barbie doll, heartache, breakups and falling in love with the Berlin Wall. Absurd? That’s the point… You can find out about the company here – https://macreadytheatre.co.uk/ and about the show and when it is on for tickets here: –

I am off to a group I recommend each and every year because they do what they do with an amazing sense of theatre. This year they are all Peaky Blinders and post World War 1 with Alice Diamond and the Forty Elephants, by the Young Pleasance,at the Pleasance Dome, once more in a short run. More about the group here – https://www.pleasance.co.uk/young-pleasance and about the show and when it is on for tickets here: –

Back to the Space, this time at Niddry Street for a show, not only performed by young people, but written by an 18-year-old! The Expulsion of Exulansis performed by Siyani Sheth Productions is a sweeping smorgasbord of so much that affect our young people this hopes for open dialogue on the most pressing of mental health issues. More about the show and when it is on for tickets here: –

One of the issues with any Festival has to be the local input and whilst there are shows with Scotland and in particular Edinburgh as a focus, there is a venue in the city which is actually run by local students – Bedlam Theatre. It allows work from the University of Edinburgh to be performed there and this year we have Oedipus Doesn’t Live Here Any More by theEdinburgh University Theatre Company. You have to imagine that as they already live there, the cast will not have exorbitant Air B and B rents to face, but here again it is a very short run. It is based around Oedipus getting some graffiti on their wall – think you can work out what might have been spray painted! But you can find out more from their Tik Tok here – https://www.tiktok.com/@odlhafringe and for tickets etc look up: –

At one of my favourite venues, Space at Venue 45,  we have a Las Vegas based school – The Meadows School – get more about their programme at https://www.themeadowsschool.org/arts/dramatic-arts. We can get a bit saturated by American schmaltz as highly enthusiastic young people flyer like their lives depend upon it and sing on any plinth like they think they can be seen from Mars. I was drawn to this rather than the others because they are doing R.U.R. Rossum’s Universal Robots by Karl Capek. I have directed The Insect Play so it hits my radar. You can find out how to get tickets and watch another short run here: –

Back on a Greek them I see that Antigone is at the Space at Niddry Street and has been reimagined by a “youthful cast.” Given that Antigone is, for many, the epitome of youthful defiance – I read that in their blurb – you can see why it would absolutely appeal to a young theatre company and so, Crook and Ivy are back – they have been here before… Tickets are here: –

Finally, let’s have a real youth theatre and make it local – Edinburgh Youth Theatre are at Space at Triplex with Midsummer Night’s Dream, Kind Of. It’s their take and their vision so expect enthusiasm aplenty – their Instagram is here for more information – https://www.instagram.com/edinburghyouththeatre/ and tickets and the rest here: –

  • https://www.thespaceuk.com/shows/2024/a-midsummer-night-s-dream-kind-of
  • Aug 8-13

There can be plenty of honourable mentions but look out for the youthful exuberance at the Fringe including University of Bristol’s Pantomime Society, The Performance Academy Scotland, Newbury Youth Theatre, Flying High Young Company, Laurence Academy Dance Theatre, Edinburgh University’s Savoy Opera Group, Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, LAMDA, Exeter University Spotlights, University of St. Andrew’s Gilbert and Sullivan Society, The Yorkshire School of Performing Arts, Badminton School,Virtual School Australia, Platform YP,Millar College of the Bible Drama Team, Nanjing University of the Arts Graduate Club, Shakespeare’s School, Aquila Youth Theatre and Bede’s Senior School – amongst many, many others!

Scottish Shows

I have reproduced below what is in the Made in Scotland showcase performances which – 14 shows curated and worthy of inclusion in any list, so need not be added to this one. They include the following: –

FUTURISTIC FOLKTALES By Charlotte Mclean & Collaborators, THE FLOCK & MOVING CLOUD By Scottish Dance Theatre, and A GIANT ON THE BRIDGE By Liam Hurley and Jo Mango – seen all three and all are very, very good.

As for the rest there are LOVE BEYOND By Ramesh Meyyappan; JUNE CARTER CASH: THE WOMAN, HER MUSIC AND ME from the National Theatre of Scotland and Grid Iron Theatre Company; A HISTORY OF PAPER By Oliver Emanuel & Gareth Williams; CATRIONA PRICE & FRIENDS; COMMON IS AS COMMON DOES: A MEMOIR By 21 Common; PUDDLES AND AMAZONS By Guy Woods; THE SHOW FOR YOUNG MEN By Eoin McKenzie; THE LAST FORECAST By Bridie Gane and Catherine Wheels; THE OTHER; STUMPED By Lewis Coenen-Rowe; and THROUGH THE MUD By Apphia Campbell.

There is a large compliment of cabaret style shows on offer as there usually is. High on the list are burlesque offerings as the number of emerging confident burlesque performers throughout the arts are blossoming with personal confidence. But cabaret has much more to offer old chum and from it all I think I would recommend 1 and only Absolute Burlesque and Cabaret by the Sassy School of Burlesque back at Paradise at St Augustine’s. It’s filled with local performers, and I have seen it before and it’s liberating. You can find more about the show and when it is on for tickets here: –

 As for the magic on the Fringe, try out Off the Cuff, Stand Up Comedy Magic by Chris Dinwoodie at The Beehive Inn. It’s performed by the 5 times Scottish magic champion which can hardly be sniffed at and is his very first and very excitable Fringe. You can find out more about Chris here https://www.facebook.com/chrisdinwoodiemagic/  and get tickets and times from here: –

Of the children’s shows out there, Scottish theatre has a healthy plethora of companies skilled in the delivery of keeping the “weans” in check for an hour or so. There is plenty of choice but, for me, having discounted the Made in Scotland contributions, the Ceilidhs, Ghost Tours and interlopers like Scottish Flamenco I happed upon one I saw last year and would thoroughly recommend it – Plague: Poo n Punishment by the Edinburgh Storytellers. Now up a close when it was doon a close last year – at Greenside at Riddles Court – and in a part of Edinburgh which is pretty damn wee, it is an interactive joy filled with fun and laughter. Find out the where and when and tickets here: –

My eye has also been caught by The Shakey, Shakey Hips by Shaky Sean at Paradise at St Augustine’s. Though I may be motivated by stopping Sean from emailing me AGAIN, he does promise a “hilarious epic 50s rock musical following Shakey Sean (Elvis character) working in an Arbroath egg’n’roll van.” You can catch his Tik Toks here- https://www.tiktok.com/@seanfindlaymusic and tickets and more information here: –

For aficionados of a wee bit of Scottish history or as former poet laureate and Glasgow born Carol Ann Duffy would have it “Her” story, then Caged: The True Story of Isabella MacDuff is at Hill Street Theatre with another short run. It tells the true story of a defiant woman who refused to give in to the threats of English King, Longshanks – and along with Mary Bruce, MacDuff was condemned to death for helping the cause of Scottish independence and Robert the Bruce. Tickets are available from here: –

Some more clearly Scottish content is in Òran which is coproduced between Wonder Fools, the Pleasance and the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Òran is off to rescue his friend from the depths of Hades’ kingdom. In a collaboration with hip-hop artist Owen Sutcliffe, you can find more on the Wonder Fools’ website – https://www.wonderfools.org/ and this is at Pleasance Dome and running for the whole of the Fringe, details are below: –

At Summerhall, young and up and coming Scottish producers Scissor Kick – who have more than one show at the Fringe this year – bring Catafalque. It is a one woman’s eulogy on death from her view as a celebrant. Celebrants have become quite the in thing recently so rather than having to suffer the God cycle here is a different take on a familiar. You can catch Scissor Kick here – https://www.scissorkick.co.uk/  and details for tickets are here: –

A bit of Doric is aye welcome – that’s Scots from Aberdeenshire – which is what is at Greenside at Riddles Court. Fit Ye Sayin, Quine has Ailsa Shepherd bring Ava, in her grannies cottage for a chat about folklore fantastical women, mythical creatures and life lessons… Catch her at https://ailsashepherd24.wixsite.com/ailsa-shepherd whilst you can get tickets and mair deets here: –

Scotland’s premium disability led theatre company Lung Ha are brining their An Unexpected Hiccup to Zoo Southside. A collaboration with Plutôt La Vie this covers strange siblings in a house waiting for their father to die… and the rest is a tad strange! Anything by Lung Ha, in my humble opinion is worth a visit but make up your own mind here – https://www.lungha.com/production/an-unexpected-hiccup/ and get tickets from here: –

Finally, Raw Material and the Citizen’s Theatre in Glasgow bring So Young to the Traverse Theatre. Raw Material have managed to develop quite the reputation for exceptional theatre, and this looks like a worthy addition to their cannon. Penned by Girvan playwright, Douglas Maxwell, it’s an evening in with the wine and a couple of old friends – what could possibly go wrong… Tickets from here: –

Honourable mentions must go to a number of other Scottish productions which include Lothian Youth Dance Company’s Timeless, All Here and Now by the Edinburgh based Unearthed Dance Company, Catherine Wheel’s The Last Forecast – fur the weans, the National Theatre of Scotland’s homage to Mr. Connolly in Dear Billy, Fife based FCSA Theatre Company’s The Mort House, a blockbuster looking VL at Roundabout,the Traverse’s Same Team, The Selkie by Oor TheatreandPepperdine of Scotland’s No One is Coming to See Us!