Edinburgh Fringe 2026
Auld Lang Sing
Anam Alba Creative CIC
Genre: Music, Poetry-Based Theatre, Theatre
Venue: theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Auld Lang Sing takes us on a lively journey through Scottish music, poetry and history. There are battles, kings and queens, some beautiful harmonies and plenty of warmth from this young company. I went in expecting to be entertained, but what surprised me was how moved I was by the words and voices.
Review
Auld Lang Sing comes from the vibrant young company Anam Alba, who bring Scottish heritage to the stage with infectious energy. There are lively chorus numbers and solos, with acoustic guitar and drum, and from the beginning you can feel how much they want us to enjoy ourselves. But there is plenty to discover along the way too. We travel through Scottish poetry, music and history, hearing about battles and the deaths of Scottish kings and queens. Then come the poets, and this was where the show really started to get me. Some of the verses genuinely left me feeling emotional. The performers don’t just sing the words; they really bring out the feeling behind them. The harmonies are lovely too, especially with the simplicity of just acoustic guitar and drum.
The staging is simple, with minimal props and subtle lighting, but it doesn’t need much more. The cast use their bodies to create different levels, formations and pictures on stage, and at their best they really work as one. There were a few moments when someone outside the main action seemed to switch off slightly, and I noticed it. If we can still see you, we’re still watching you. Staying connected to what is happening, even when the focus is somewhere else, would make the whole company feel even stronger.
There is a lovely warmth between the cast and the audience throughout. They don’t just want us to sit there and watch; they want us to be part of it. And, of course, how else could Auld Lang Sing finish but with Auld Lang Syne? We are invited to sing along, creating a warm, communal ending. I left entertained, having learned something, and unexpectedly moved by the power of the words and voices I had heard.
