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(27 Jul-26 Aug: from 10am) In 2023, Mairi Campbell embarked on an odyssey in image inspired by a 400 million-year-old millstone found on the island of Lismore. This exhibition of her paintings explores themes from her show Living Stone, performed at the Scottish Storytelling Centre throughout August.
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Storytelling Court
(31 Jul-10 Aug: 1:15pm / 18-26 Aug: 5pm) Estelle models for the Artist. Despite decades of experience, she has never sat for a session like this. What happens when she can’t stand sitting any longer? How does this class change her life forever? An exciting new work from Maria MacDonell (Miss Lindsay's Secret) and featuring Leo MacNeill as the Artist, LIFE is a play which is an active drawing class. Pencil and paper are provided and some on-stage tickets are available seated at easels. You can participate, or simply watch the story emerge. Preview: 31 Jul2 for 1: 6 AugBSL: 20 AugRelaxed: 22 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(2-26 Aug: 3:15pm) 1988. One boy is growing up in myth and magic unaware that Section 28, prohibiting the 'promotion of homosexuality', is moving to silence his tale and those of anyone like him. Combining traditional fairy tales and original poetry, storyteller James Stedman (helped by a grumpy frog) guides you through a heartfelt, slightly irreverent look at our history. LGBTQIA+ people have always joyfully existed, in story as in life, and the fabulous do eventually win out. Directed by Molly Naylor. Originally commissioned for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023. 'Uplifting and enlightening' **** (TheQR.co.uk). Preview: 31 Jul2 for 1: 5 & 6 AugRelaxed: 8 AugCaptioned: Sun 18 Aug Trailer
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(31 Jul-16 Aug: 5pm) Prepare yourself for a spellbinding experience as Spanish storyteller Inés Álvarez Villa and flamenco musician Danielo Olivera bring the iconic adventures of Don Quixote to life, transporting you to the heart of Spanish culture. As Cervantes’ timeless masterpiece continues to entertain, enlighten and inspire us, this comical yet poignant show explores our right to be human, challenge prejudice, show compassion and have the strength to embrace our true selves. Directed by Jelena Bašic. Originally commissioned for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023. 'Utterly enchanting' ***** (TheQR.co.uk). Preview: 31 Jul2 for 1: 6 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(1-25 Aug: 10:30am) Enjoy double the fun for more of the family in this brand-blooming-new version of Niall Moorjani's 2023 Fringe sell-out smash hit, re-potted by the Suitcase Storytelling Company, creators of the award-winning The Girl and the Dragon. Join in with a sun song, hose wrestle and hilarious clowning around in a joyful show celebrating nature and all things that grow. Ideal for little gardeners aged 2-6, but everyone welcome. Performed by Niall Moorjani and Minnie Wilkinson. Featured in the Guardian’s Top Five Children’s Shows of Edinburgh Fringe 2023.Originally commissioned by Discover Children’s Storytelling Centre with adaptation commissioned by the Southbank Centre.'Heart-warming' **** (Skinny).‘Delightful’ **** (BroadwayWorld.com). Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 & 6 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(1-25 Aug: 11:45am) Award-winning children's author and storyteller Janis Mackay invites the fairies of the forest and garden to listen to her stories, along with you. Sing along with the fairy song, dress up if you like and sprinkle some fairy magic! Inspired by Janis' book The Fairy Song (Floris Books), this fun, enchanting and magical performance of storytelling and song is perfect for three to eight year olds. Books will be available to purchase and Janis will happily sign copies for any wee fairies or forest creatures. Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 & 6 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(1-13 Aug: 12pm) The story of a friendship between a Boy and a magical, storytelling Tree. Each day the Tree tells her tales to the Boy, stories of adventure, friendship, love and life. Everything is perfect, until the cruel Winds arrive and rid the Tree of all her leaves and their stories, leaving her broken and bare. It is now down to the boy to protect his friend at all costs. Combining puppetry, music and storytelling, this wholesome show celebrates the importance of friendship and supporting one another. Created and performed by Jess Aquilina. Preview: 1 Aug 2 for 1: 5 & 6 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(1-25 Aug: 1:15pm) Benjamin Franklin loved Edinburgh. He visited in 1759 and 1771, making pals with all the luminaries including David Hume, Adam Smith and James Hutton and enjoying lively debates in the Old Town’s famous Oyster Club late into the night. In this funny and informative show, Rick Conte (The Man Who Planted Trees) tells the tale of his countryman’s Scottish enlightenment, echoing his own experiences of the city that took him in 35 years ago and has yet to spit him out. Directed by Andy Cannon. Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 AugRelaxed: 9 AugCaptioned: 17 Aug If you want to find out more about Ben Franklin's experiences in Edinburgh and visit some of the places in the show, Benjamin Franklin's Edinburgh Walking Tours with Rick Conte run every other day throughout August.
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(1-25 Aug: 3:15pm) 'When a proton beam of radiation fires into my eye, ultraviolet auroras appear in my vision. An unexpected moment of beauty in a cancer treatment centre in the Wirral opens the doorway to a mythical world of Norse gods and their epic quests in the pursuit of "seeing".' Odin’s Eye and the Art of Seeing is a solo storytelling performance created by Alice Fernbank. Tales of Odin, Freya and Mimir are woven into a personal tale of receiving radiotherapy for a rare eye cancer. Originally commissioned for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023. Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 AugCaptioned: 11 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(1-25 Aug: 5pm) Mairi Campbell encounters a 400 million-year-old stone, fashioned into a family millstone found on the island of Lismore. The stone becomes her talisman, revealing layers of mystery and resonance. Song, sound and word combine in an odyssey that unifies lineage, land and pulse. Join Mairi for a feast of image, music and word that brings the living stone to life! Music co-devised with Dave Gray, directed and co-created by Kath Burlinson. 'Incredible storyteller… voice is like no other' (EdinburghGuide.com). Follow-up to Pulse and Auld Lang Syne:'Wonderfully crafted show' ***** (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).'Filled to the brim with dynamic folk energy' (BroadwayBaby.com). Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 AugAudio Described: 23 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(1-25 Aug: 5:30pm) Growing up, Sinéad O'Brien's dad was a hero right out of the Irish myths he told his daughter – stories of warriors, shapeshifters and magic wells. But as Sinéad grows up and her father relapses into addiction, they are both forced to re-examine the stories they told themselves. Expertly combining Irish epics with personal stories, Sinéad's storytelling is 'nourishment for the soul' ***** (EdFestMag.com). A sequel-of-sorts to 2023's No One Is Coming, which you can catch in the main Theatre space for two nights only this August:'This is storytelling as it should be' ***** (Herald).'A masterpiece' ***** (EdFringeReview.com). Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 & 6 AugRelaxed: 16 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(1-11 Aug: 8pm) New South Wales, 1790. The penal colony is on the brink of starvation. Three convicts escape with murderous intentions in hope of a reward. But as they become lost and dragged deeper into the forest, it's clear they are trapped in a nightmare of their own making… Told in the demotic slang of the era, writer and actor Paul Case's visceral new solo show breaks new ground in horror whilst taking you on a bloody journey into the dark depths of Australia's history. Praise for previous work:'A masterclass' (Bristol247.com).'The piece doesn't flinch' **** (TheWeeReview.com). Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 & 6 AugRelaxed: 8 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(2-25 Aug: 1:30pm) 'Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face...' Where better to hear Robert Burns' famous poem Address to a Haggis than at the Haggis Box Café in the Scottish Storytelling Centre! Drop-in to hear a different surprise performer each day deliver a rousing rendition of Burns' ode to the Great Chieftain o’ the Puddin-race. Traditional, vegan and vegetarian haggis, neeps and tatties will be available to purchase all day with gluten-free options available. Haggis for all!
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Storytelling Court
(2-30 Aug: 1:30pm) Journey back in time to September 1759, when Franklin first visited the centre of the Scottish Enlightenment. Find out how this visit, seventeen years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, influenced his small but significant edit to that world-changing document. As a companion piece to An American Love Letter to Edinburgh (1-25 August), Rick Conte will lead small groups to the places described in the show, such as where Franklin was made a Guild Brethren of the City, where David Hume lived, and where the Speculative Society met. There will be opportunities to ask questions about Franklin's visits, and about Rick's own 35 years spent in this beautiful city. Book Tickets
Scottish Storytelling Centre
External Venue
(2-25 Aug: 2pm) Join some of Scotland's best storytellers as they share their favourite traditional tales from near and far. From fairies and selkies to castles and kelpies, these stories have inspired writers, storytellers and artists throughout the centuries. A relaxed session with a different storyteller each day, sharing wonderful, wise and occasionally wild stories! 2 for 1: 5 & 6 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(2-13 Aug: 6:45pm) A brand-new miniature opera exploring deforestation through scenes from five ancient stories that centre on what happens when you mess with trees. These stories alternate with conversations between two users of an internet forum on an overnight work binge, until gradually the two worlds begin to merge. A journey through humour, anger and ultimately hope, STUMPED is ideally suited to both existing opera fans and newbies. Performed by a stellar cast and ending with a short reflection from an invited forest expert. Part of Made in Scotland Showcase 2024. 2 for 1: 6 AugBSL: 6 AugRelaxed: 2 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(2-17 Aug: 8:45pm) Showcasing the top spoken-word talent the festival has to offer – from the laugh-out-loud funny, through the wonderfully surreal, to the thoughtful and emotional – Loud Poets continue to prove that spoken word has something for everyone. Each show features a unique line-up and Loud Poets’ classic fist-thumping, pint-drinking, side-tickling, heart-wrenching style of spoken word. This is poetry for the masses! 'The most reliably entertaining spoken word show at the Fringe.' (TheWeeReview.com)'A wonderful evening, that will appeal to poetry lovers and poetry sceptics alike.' (EdFringeReview.com) Line-ups! 2nd August:RJ Hunter, Katie Ailes & Thabo 3rd August:Mark Gallie, Dean Tsang & Bex Bidgood 9th August:Mark Grist, Gigi Bella & James Stedman 16th August:Jenny Foulds, Ben Macpherson & Beth Macdonald 17th August:Georgie Wedge, Dan Webber & Jonathan Kinsman
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(3-10 Aug: 3:45pm) Storytellers Anne Hunter and Bob Mitchell invite you to join them in a lively celebration of the life and work of Scotland’s national Bard. Featuring a selection of Burns' familiar and lesser-known works in an exciting presentation of song, poetry, anecdote and narrative, this is a show created by enthusiasts for an audience of Burns devotees and inquisitive newcomers alike. An ideal introduction to this remarkable son of Scotland. 2 for 1: 6 Aug If Burns is your bag, drop-in to the Storytelling Court daily at 1:30pm for an Address to a Haggis, featuring a different performer every day of Fringe!
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(3-26 Aug: 6:45pm) The Herald Angel Award-winning smash hit of modern Scottish theatre returns to the Fringe for a fifth successive year. The tragic, comic and epic tale of the greatest bagpiper that ever lived, a Pitlochry bin man who rocked tradition, flew beyond the summit of his art and changed Scottish music forever. Whatever notions you have of bagpipes, leave them at the door. Written by David Colvin. Directed by Tom Freeman. 2 for 1: 5 Aug 'A stunning, staggering piece of modern Scottish folk theatre' ***** (BritishTheatreGuide.info).'Elucidating, charming and rip-roaringly inspirational' ***** (TheQR.co.uk).
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(4 Aug: 3:45pm, 7-18 Aug: 5:30pm) Following acclaimed performances at Adelaide Fringe and sell-out shows at Edinburgh Fringe, Morna Burdon returns with her captivating show highlighting women’s peace activism. Combining inspirational storytelling with evocative songs of protest, Morna presents stories of courage and daring alongside the tragic realities of war. From Nobel Peace Prize winners to the Ukrainian theatre company rehearsing in an air raid shelter to a child raised in a Scottish peace camp, it is in the shared humanity – the tears and the laughter – that hope is found. ***** (NorthWestEnd.com).Sell-out show 2023.
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(4-19 Aug: 8:45pm) The subversive and powerful debut hour from RJ Hunter (Loud Poets Grand Slam Champion 2023). A poetry show... but not as you know it. A poetic journey through their life as a trans, queer word-jester, exploring relationships to others, herself and the beauty of the utterly stupid and pointless. Responding to their experience as an emerging artist in the public eye, this award-winning poet is ready to give you a big fat smattering of their signature stupid, sexy style in this spoken-word comedy-cabaret! ‘Harrowing, hilarious, haughty and hedonistically delicious. The future voice of spoken-word.’ **** (CorrBlimey.uk). 2 for 1: 5 & 6 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(7 & 18 Aug: 8:45pm) 'A love letter to my mother that I’ll never send...' A storytelling performance about a mother and daughter, based on real-life events and encompassing elements of Irish folklore. Full of anecdotes, myths, funny stories and tough truths, it’s a rollercoaster experience inside a fun (if slightly traumatised) woman’s brain. This is not only about those with mental-health issues, it is about those that care for, love and grow up with them. Sinéad O'Brien's 2023 smash hit returns for just two special shows in the main Theatre space. Catch the sequel-of-sorts Hero/Banlaoch in the George Mackay Brown Library at the Scottish Storytelling Centre all throughout August. 'O’Brien is stellar. This is storytelling as it should be' ***** (Herald).'A masterpiece' ***** (EdFringeReview.com).'Absolutely gripping' **** (ScotsGayArts.com).'Mesmeric to watch' **** (CorrBlimey.uk).
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(8, 15 & 22 Aug: 8:45pm) The five-star hit LGBTQ+ storytelling show returns for its second Fringe – camper, fruitier and queerer than ever! Host Turan Ali takes time out from his BBC shows to scour the Fringe for queer talent with the most gripping, non-heteronormative stories imaginable. A diverse line-up of artists in each show share hilarious, surprising, sobering tales, songs and epic poems. Expect jaw-droppingly true insights into LGBTQ+ lives past, present and future. 'Edinburgh's most vibrant, authentic and exciting storytelling event' ***** (The Wee Review).'Utterly fabulous' ***** (TheQR.co.uk).***** (BroadwayBaby.com).Highly Recommended for Fringe 2023 (FringeReview.co.uk).
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(10 Aug: 6:45pm / 11-14 Aug: 8:45pm) Are you sitting comfortably? Well you may not be for long... Drawing from their own heritages of Scotland, India and beyond, acclaimed storytellers Peter Chand and Ruth Kirkpatrick seek to excavate tales not often told, bringing them out of the shadows and onto centre stage. Explore uncomfortable, dark themes of jealousy, destruction and vanity, where happy-ever-after is definitely not guaranteed! Accompanied by a unique jazz score from musician Tom Lyne on double bass, this walk in the shadows is one you won't want to miss. Originally commissioned for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023. 'Two storytellers at the height of their power' **** (TheQR.co.uk)
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(11-25 Aug: 3:45pm) A cursed army, two twisted lovers, a mighty hero, and a magnificent bull set in motion a terrible war which shapes the landscape and defines the heroic age of Ireland... In this modern retelling of Ireland’s most ancient and beloved myth, Young Edinburgh Storytellers Mark Borthwick and David Hughes weave together music and myth, blood and laughter, gender and magic, to explore the dark delights of the Táin Bó Cúailnge. An intimate performance of traditional storytelling with music, this show explores how our internal wilderness is just as powerful today as when the ancient stories were written. Preview: 11 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(12-26 Aug: 1:15pm) A journey through the storied soul of Scotland. Tales of ancient bards, wily druids, shapeshifters, wildlings and warrior poets are brought to life in a contemporary storytelling style by Dougie Mackay, with musical accompaniment by Freya Rae. A sell-out hit at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2022, this fresh and joyful take on Celtic lore and Scotland’s landscape is graced by light touch and honest humour, sharing poetic echoes of old animistic cultures of these islands carried through the tales of the Fianna. 'A masterful hour of tale and tune' ****½ (TheQR.co.uk).**** (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(12-25 Aug: 8pm) Look closer at the story of Medusa... Most are familiar with the image of a monster with snakes for hair and a gaze that turns men to stone. But how did Medusa come to be? And what of the hero who slayed her? Drawing from Greek and Roman mythology, feminist theory and art history, storyteller Lily Asch paints a complex and evocative picture of this famous figure, exploring the parallels between this ancient story and the modern world. A moving storytelling performance with live musical accompaniment from Dimitris Kounatiadis.
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(14-15 Aug: 3:15pm / 16 Aug: 6:45pm) From Scotland, Iran, Chile, Brazil, Yemen and Syria comes a multimedia performance exploring culture and displacement. Nine musicians, a dancer, a visual artist and a film-maker, some with lived experience of forced displacement, come together to explore the music, stories and experiences of their different cultures. A vibrant and moving experience. Part of the Made in Scotland Showcase 2024. 'They are a microcosm of how the world could be – connected, sharing, bringing light and love through diversity' (Lethem Nights). Relaxed: 15 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(17 & 18 Aug: 12pm) Join award-winning storyteller Brooke Dunbar for an immersive, sensory, theatrical version of Macbeth complete with bubbles. A whimsical and comical adaptation of the Bard for bairns aged 0-4 years. Bring your brollies! Little Supernovas stories include music, and props that stimulate the senses to create a magical experience, especially for babies and toddlers.
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(20-25 Aug: 8:45pm) Three storytellers, trapped in the Otherworld, must perform their music and stories to earn their freedom. Which deserves to return to the human realm? The fair folk in the audience must decide! Young Edinburgh Storytellers Mark Borthwick, Ailsa Dixon and David Hughes navigate the mystery of emergence and becoming, blending their voices with music to explore queer identities and the rewilding of people and place. Modern Scotland's living lands contrast with the ancient otherness of the Faeries' Tír na nÓg. This intimate, interactive and award-winning 5-star show was a huge hit in 2023 and returns for five special shows this year! 'A magical journey. Masterful.' ***** (Scotsman).
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(21-25 Aug: 6:45pm) The story of Orpheus and Eurydice gets a Scottish twist in this dark and dangerous telling of the famous Greek myth. For the first time, the Shetland ballad of King Orfeo is swirled into the murky depths of Hades’ underworld in an exploration of grief and loss inspired by the words of people who live and work most closely with it. Storyteller Daniel Serridge, harpist Neil Wood and balladeer Heather Cartwright take you deep below the earth and back again, pushing you forward, dragging you home and demanding that you don’t look back! Originally commissioned for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023. 'A thrilling, emotional journey' ***** (TheQR.co.uk).
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 31 Aug: 10:30am) 'I can see them standing on the other side of the flames, speaking in the voices of lions, or thunder, or monsters, or heroes, heroines, or the earth, or fire itself -- for they had to contain all voices within them, had to be all things and nothing.' (Ben Okri - A Way of Being Free) How can the body be both a tool for investigating a story, and a means of communicating with an audience? This workshop led by Jo Blake will empower you to connect with your audience through movement and voice to progress your skills and confidence. All bodies welcome in a creative and supportive environment, with an emphasis on exploration and curiosity. Please come with a story in mind that you feel happy to work with. Jo Blake is a performer, director, facilitator, teacher and curator whose performance practice sits at the intersection of storytelling, dance and theatre. She had a PhD in Emergent Storytelling Practices and is curious about the transformative power of embodied myth and acts of narration as cultural therapeutics. ~~~~~~~~~~ Pay it Forward If you are willing and able to donate a workshop place to another person, you now can! Click the button above and select the ticket price to donate. We will then be able to offer a free place to someone who would not have been able to attend otherwise. If you feel the Pay It Forward scheme would benefit you and would like to request a free ticket please email our Reception Team where you will be allocated a ticket if available. We hold 1 space per workshop for Pay It Forward requests.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training Venue
(Fri 13 & Sat 14 Sep) Making stories fun for everyone! Join My Kind of Book for a packed two day programme full of practical sensory story skills workshops and interesting discussions around the issues involved in creating accessible books. Be inspired by the leaders in this field: pioneers, performers and practitioners from across the UK and beyond. The festival will celebrate some of the fantastic ways books and stories are being made accessible, especially for those with additional needs. This year the focus is on sensory stories. My Kind of Book is a not-for-profit organisation founded to research and create books for children with complex additional needs and to campaign for greater accessibility in the children’s book world. Made possible by the support of Creative Scotland. Day 1: Fri 13 SepChoose from a wonderful programme including workshops by Oily Cart Theatre, sensory folksong skills, presentations on using sensory stories in parks, museums, arts venues and day care services and discussions about making picture books more accessible. Day 2: Sat 14 SepChoose from an exciting programme of workshops for day two! Learn the skills to use sensory stories as an aide for literacy, relaxation and communication. Swap story ideas at shared practice sessions and help to create a manifesto for sensory stories that will encourage cultural and leisure institutions to recognise their importance as a tool for access. Full Programme
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Multiple Spaces
(Sat 21 Sep: 11am) In this workshop Katch will teach you how to arrange a live tour to perform and promote your music, with special focus on how musicians who may be just starting out or don't have representation can build festival and venue contacts, approach promoters, negotiate fees, advance their shows and promote their tour. The workshop will include breakouts for discussion and Q&A about the aspects of touring of the most interest to you. Katch Holmes has worked in the music industry in Scotland for 25 years. She has represented artists, commissioned new music, produced residencies and promoted gigs with folk and crossover music acts through her company Off Site Productions. She organises Knockengorroch roots music festival in Dumfries and Galloway. She sat on WOMEX selection panels in 2021 and 2017 and is a Relational Dynamics business coach working with professional creatives.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training Venue
(Wed 2 Oct: 7pm) Join Edinburgh's own Burgh Blatherers for the second of a regular open-floor storytelling night taking place throughout the year, a cosy gathering in the relaxed surroundings of the Storytelling Court with refreshments available from the Haggis Box Café. Hosted by Bob Mitchell and members of Burgh Blatherers storytelling club, who will transport you with their own stories and imaginative weavings while offering you the chance to tell your own tales!
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sun 13 Oct: 12pm - 3pm) Musicians Claire Gullan and Kirstie McLanaghan return to host another fantastic TAM Session, the collaborative project that combines two of their passions - playing Trad music and art & crafting. This session is part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival. The TAM Sessions is an open and informal trad session, but with the lovely additional invitation to bring your sewing, knitting, crochet, or any other crafting project that you enjoy. Being able to play an instrument is not a pre-requisite and we welcome non-musicians to enjoy the tunes while they craft. In the same vein, please come along for a tune even if you don’t craft. Everyone is welcome! The driving factor behind this project is joy. A joyful experience has a direct, positive impact on our mental health. Community building through creative arts also creates a real sense of belonging and connectedness. Proficiency is not important, just come along and enjoy! ~~~~~~~~~~~ This event is part of Easy Sundays, a monthly session of stories, music, community and friendship, where warm welcome awaits with a variety of activities for all to enjoy. So come find a space to relax amongst friends, old and new. ~~~~~~~~~~ Supported by the Thrive Network alongside the Scottish Storytelling Centre to create a warm and welcoming space for the community.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 16 Nov: 10:30am) A hands-on, practical introduction to live storytelling and the associated skills. Storyteller Janis Mackay leads this participatory session for anyone curious about discovering and developing their own storytelling talent. Let out your inner storyteller and learn to craft your skills. For new and aspiring storytellers. Janis Mackay is an award-winning storyteller and author based in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she also teaches creative writing. She is the author of The Fairy Song, The Selkie Girl, and the Magnus Fin and Accidental Time Traveller trilogies. Janis also facilitates the Scottish Storytelling Forum's Apprentice Storyteller programme. ~~~~~~~~~~ Our participatory sessions are designed to help you improve your skills and share your experiences with fellow storytelling enthusiasts. This carefully curated workshop programme offers you the chance to work with highly-skilled and experienced artists, giving you guidance on improving your practice and discovering your own talent. Did you know? Members of the Scottish Storytelling Forum are entitled to discounted rates on our storytelling workshops. For more information on memberships please visit the Storytelling Forum website. ~~~~~~~~~~ Pay it Forward If you are willing and able to donate a workshop place to another person, you now can! Click the button above and select the ticket price to donate. We will then be able to offer a free place to someone who would not have been able to attend otherwise. If you feel the Pay It Forward scheme would benefit you and would like to request a free ticket please email our Reception Team where you will be allocated a ticket if available. We hold 1 space per workshop for Pay It Forward requests.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training Venue
(Sat 16 Nov: 7:30pm & Sun 17 Nov: 2:30pm) Three men find banter, bird boxes and biscuits in a fictional shed. Clare Prenton’s poignant, hilarious, moving and thought-provoking play explores the myth that ‘men don’t talk’, celebrating companionship, camaraderie and custard creams. Written following cups of tea, cake and spirited conversations with real ‘shedders’, the play welcomes audiences into a friendly fictional shed, inspired by real men's stories. Presented in conjunction with the Scottish Men's Shed Association, the play has been praised in the Scottish Parliament for promoting the benefits of this growing mental health and wellbeing movement - vital in Scotland today.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Online On-Demand) Another Story is a new podcast series exploring some of the themes featured in this year’s Festival. Tune in to hear some wonderful storytellers share their favourite tales and chat about storytelling in Scotland and beyond. So settle down, or speed on up, to join us for another story… Available wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify, Apple, Google and Amazon. Follow us by liking and subscribing so you don’t miss an episode! Listen Here
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
Explore Edinburgh as a city by the sea by enjoying this specially created story film. Follow the coastline from Fisherrow, on the boundary with East Lothian, to South Queensferry. A trail of harbours and wildlife havens that glimmers with stories from folklore, history and ecology. Devised by the SISF with storytellers Beverley Casebow, Douglas Mackay, Janis Mackay, Linda Perttula, Nicola Wright and Donald Smith, with music by Kenneth Linklater and the Bowling Ceilidh Band. Produced in support of the Forth Rivers Trust and Restoration Forth, Blue City: A Storytelling Journey along Edinburgh's Coastline is free to access. This film will be available on YouTube from Fri 14 Oct. View the film ~~~~~~~~~~ Over the past two years we have enjoyed being part of a fantastic online storytelling community across the world. We would love to further connect with you in our digital storytelling and development sessions, so whether you are based in Scotland, or further afield, let’s keep that fire lit on our global platforms. ~~~~~~~~~~ In Scotland’s Year of Stories, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival: Keep It Lit invites everyone to the ceilidh; locally, nationally and globally. At the core of Scotland’s culture and identity is the hospitable hearth - a place of solidarity and welcome for friend and stranger alike. Round that symbolic fire, experiences and memories are shared and hope affirmed.
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
Green City: Healing and Hope is a new storytelling film exploring the grassroots movement to turn Edinburgh green. The struggle for net zero will be won or lost in cities, so how is Edinburgh doing after 900 years as a burgh? Hear directly from people and places who think global and act local. Green City is a companion piece to Blue City (2022), which explored Edinburgh as a city by the sea. Narrated by Donald Smith, with contributions from fellow storytellers and activists. Co-Directed by Sandy McGhie (Channel 7A) & Donald Smith. Produced by the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, Green City: Healing and Hope will be free to access from Friday 16th February 2024. View the film
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
Enjoy several multimedia storytelling performances filmed live in the Scottish Storytelling Centre's Netherbow Theatre in October 2022, where a world of local Scottish stories unfolds through the live voices of traditional storytellers and site-specific film footage of the landscapes they emerge from. Featuring stories from Dumfries and Galloway, the North East, Orkney, the Outer Hebrides and Perth and Kinross. ~~~~~~~~~~ These live performances were part of Tales, Tongues and Trails, a celebration of regional and international language, landscape and identities for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2022. Map of Stories YouTube playlist of all five Film Ceilidhs Scottish International Storytelling Festival Live filming by Sandy McGhie (Channel 7A). ~~~~~~~~~~ Map of Stories is a collaboration between Transgressive North, Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland and Rectangle Design, supported by Creative Scotland and EventScotland as part of Scotland's Year of Stories 2022.
Scottish Storytelling Centre Online
Online
Enjoy several multimedia storytelling performances filmed live in the Scottish Storytelling Centre's Netherbow Theatre in October 2022, where a world of local Scottish stories unfolds through the live voices of traditional storytellers and site-specific film footage of the landscapes they emerge from. Featuring stories from Dumfries and Galloway, the North East, Orkney, the Outer Hebrides and Perth and Kinross. ~~~~~~~~~~ These live performances were part of Tales, Tongues and Trails, a celebration of regional and international language, landscape and identities for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2022. Map of Stories YouTube playlist of all five Film Ceilidhs Scottish International Storytelling Festival Live filming by Sandy McGhie (Channel 7A). ~~~~~~~~~~ Map of Stories is a collaboration between Transgressive North, Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland and Rectangle Design, supported by Creative Scotland and EventScotland as part of Scotland's Year of Stories 2022.
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
(27 Jul-26 Aug: from 10am) In 2023, Mairi Campbell embarked on an odyssey in image inspired by a 400 million-year-old millstone found on the island of Lismore. This exhibition of her paintings explores themes from her show Living Stone, performed at the Scottish Storytelling Centre throughout August.
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Storytelling Court
(31 Jul-10 Aug: 1:15pm / 18-26 Aug: 5pm) Estelle models for the Artist. Despite decades of experience, she has never sat for a session like this. What happens when she can’t stand sitting any longer? How does this class change her life forever? An exciting new work from Maria MacDonell (Miss Lindsay's Secret) and featuring Leo MacNeill as the Artist, LIFE is a play which is an active drawing class. Pencil and paper are provided and some on-stage tickets are available seated at easels. You can participate, or simply watch the story emerge. Preview: 31 Jul2 for 1: 6 AugBSL: 20 AugRelaxed: 22 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(2-26 Aug: 3:15pm) 1988. One boy is growing up in myth and magic unaware that Section 28, prohibiting the 'promotion of homosexuality', is moving to silence his tale and those of anyone like him. Combining traditional fairy tales and original poetry, storyteller James Stedman (helped by a grumpy frog) guides you through a heartfelt, slightly irreverent look at our history. LGBTQIA+ people have always joyfully existed, in story as in life, and the fabulous do eventually win out. Directed by Molly Naylor. Originally commissioned for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023. 'Uplifting and enlightening' **** (TheQR.co.uk). Preview: 31 Jul2 for 1: 5 & 6 AugRelaxed: 8 AugCaptioned: Sun 18 Aug Trailer
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(31 Jul-16 Aug: 5pm) Prepare yourself for a spellbinding experience as Spanish storyteller Inés Álvarez Villa and flamenco musician Danielo Olivera bring the iconic adventures of Don Quixote to life, transporting you to the heart of Spanish culture. As Cervantes’ timeless masterpiece continues to entertain, enlighten and inspire us, this comical yet poignant show explores our right to be human, challenge prejudice, show compassion and have the strength to embrace our true selves. Directed by Jelena Bašic. Originally commissioned for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023. 'Utterly enchanting' ***** (TheQR.co.uk). Preview: 31 Jul2 for 1: 6 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(1-25 Aug: 10:30am) Enjoy double the fun for more of the family in this brand-blooming-new version of Niall Moorjani's 2023 Fringe sell-out smash hit, re-potted by the Suitcase Storytelling Company, creators of the award-winning The Girl and the Dragon. Join in with a sun song, hose wrestle and hilarious clowning around in a joyful show celebrating nature and all things that grow. Ideal for little gardeners aged 2-6, but everyone welcome. Performed by Niall Moorjani and Minnie Wilkinson. Featured in the Guardian’s Top Five Children’s Shows of Edinburgh Fringe 2023.Originally commissioned by Discover Children’s Storytelling Centre with adaptation commissioned by the Southbank Centre.'Heart-warming' **** (Skinny).‘Delightful’ **** (BroadwayWorld.com). Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 & 6 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(1-25 Aug: 11:45am) Award-winning children's author and storyteller Janis Mackay invites the fairies of the forest and garden to listen to her stories, along with you. Sing along with the fairy song, dress up if you like and sprinkle some fairy magic! Inspired by Janis' book The Fairy Song (Floris Books), this fun, enchanting and magical performance of storytelling and song is perfect for three to eight year olds. Books will be available to purchase and Janis will happily sign copies for any wee fairies or forest creatures. Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 & 6 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(1-13 Aug: 12pm) The story of a friendship between a Boy and a magical, storytelling Tree. Each day the Tree tells her tales to the Boy, stories of adventure, friendship, love and life. Everything is perfect, until the cruel Winds arrive and rid the Tree of all her leaves and their stories, leaving her broken and bare. It is now down to the boy to protect his friend at all costs. Combining puppetry, music and storytelling, this wholesome show celebrates the importance of friendship and supporting one another. Created and performed by Jess Aquilina. Preview: 1 Aug 2 for 1: 5 & 6 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(1-25 Aug: 1:15pm) Benjamin Franklin loved Edinburgh. He visited in 1759 and 1771, making pals with all the luminaries including David Hume, Adam Smith and James Hutton and enjoying lively debates in the Old Town’s famous Oyster Club late into the night. In this funny and informative show, Rick Conte (The Man Who Planted Trees) tells the tale of his countryman’s Scottish enlightenment, echoing his own experiences of the city that took him in 35 years ago and has yet to spit him out. Directed by Andy Cannon. Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 AugRelaxed: 9 AugCaptioned: 17 Aug If you want to find out more about Ben Franklin's experiences in Edinburgh and visit some of the places in the show, Benjamin Franklin's Edinburgh Walking Tours with Rick Conte run every other day throughout August.
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(1-25 Aug: 3:15pm) 'When a proton beam of radiation fires into my eye, ultraviolet auroras appear in my vision. An unexpected moment of beauty in a cancer treatment centre in the Wirral opens the doorway to a mythical world of Norse gods and their epic quests in the pursuit of "seeing".' Odin’s Eye and the Art of Seeing is a solo storytelling performance created by Alice Fernbank. Tales of Odin, Freya and Mimir are woven into a personal tale of receiving radiotherapy for a rare eye cancer. Originally commissioned for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023. Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 AugCaptioned: 11 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(1-25 Aug: 5pm) Mairi Campbell encounters a 400 million-year-old stone, fashioned into a family millstone found on the island of Lismore. The stone becomes her talisman, revealing layers of mystery and resonance. Song, sound and word combine in an odyssey that unifies lineage, land and pulse. Join Mairi for a feast of image, music and word that brings the living stone to life! Music co-devised with Dave Gray, directed and co-created by Kath Burlinson. 'Incredible storyteller… voice is like no other' (EdinburghGuide.com). Follow-up to Pulse and Auld Lang Syne:'Wonderfully crafted show' ***** (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).'Filled to the brim with dynamic folk energy' (BroadwayBaby.com). Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 AugAudio Described: 23 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(1-25 Aug: 5:30pm) Growing up, Sinéad O'Brien's dad was a hero right out of the Irish myths he told his daughter – stories of warriors, shapeshifters and magic wells. But as Sinéad grows up and her father relapses into addiction, they are both forced to re-examine the stories they told themselves. Expertly combining Irish epics with personal stories, Sinéad's storytelling is 'nourishment for the soul' ***** (EdFestMag.com). A sequel-of-sorts to 2023's No One Is Coming, which you can catch in the main Theatre space for two nights only this August:'This is storytelling as it should be' ***** (Herald).'A masterpiece' ***** (EdFringeReview.com). Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 & 6 AugRelaxed: 16 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(1-11 Aug: 8pm) New South Wales, 1790. The penal colony is on the brink of starvation. Three convicts escape with murderous intentions in hope of a reward. But as they become lost and dragged deeper into the forest, it's clear they are trapped in a nightmare of their own making… Told in the demotic slang of the era, writer and actor Paul Case's visceral new solo show breaks new ground in horror whilst taking you on a bloody journey into the dark depths of Australia's history. Praise for previous work:'A masterclass' (Bristol247.com).'The piece doesn't flinch' **** (TheWeeReview.com). Preview: 1 Aug2 for 1: 5 & 6 AugRelaxed: 8 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(2-25 Aug: 1:30pm) 'Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face...' Where better to hear Robert Burns' famous poem Address to a Haggis than at the Haggis Box Café in the Scottish Storytelling Centre! Drop-in to hear a different surprise performer each day deliver a rousing rendition of Burns' ode to the Great Chieftain o’ the Puddin-race. Traditional, vegan and vegetarian haggis, neeps and tatties will be available to purchase all day with gluten-free options available. Haggis for all!
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Storytelling Court
(2-30 Aug: 1:30pm) Journey back in time to September 1759, when Franklin first visited the centre of the Scottish Enlightenment. Find out how this visit, seventeen years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, influenced his small but significant edit to that world-changing document. As a companion piece to An American Love Letter to Edinburgh (1-25 August), Rick Conte will lead small groups to the places described in the show, such as where Franklin was made a Guild Brethren of the City, where David Hume lived, and where the Speculative Society met. There will be opportunities to ask questions about Franklin's visits, and about Rick's own 35 years spent in this beautiful city. Book Tickets
Scottish Storytelling Centre
External Venue
(2-25 Aug: 2pm) Join some of Scotland's best storytellers as they share their favourite traditional tales from near and far. From fairies and selkies to castles and kelpies, these stories have inspired writers, storytellers and artists throughout the centuries. A relaxed session with a different storyteller each day, sharing wonderful, wise and occasionally wild stories! 2 for 1: 5 & 6 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(2-13 Aug: 6:45pm) A brand-new miniature opera exploring deforestation through scenes from five ancient stories that centre on what happens when you mess with trees. These stories alternate with conversations between two users of an internet forum on an overnight work binge, until gradually the two worlds begin to merge. A journey through humour, anger and ultimately hope, STUMPED is ideally suited to both existing opera fans and newbies. Performed by a stellar cast and ending with a short reflection from an invited forest expert. Part of Made in Scotland Showcase 2024. 2 for 1: 6 AugBSL: 6 AugRelaxed: 2 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(2-17 Aug: 8:45pm) Showcasing the top spoken-word talent the festival has to offer – from the laugh-out-loud funny, through the wonderfully surreal, to the thoughtful and emotional – Loud Poets continue to prove that spoken word has something for everyone. Each show features a unique line-up and Loud Poets’ classic fist-thumping, pint-drinking, side-tickling, heart-wrenching style of spoken word. This is poetry for the masses! 'The most reliably entertaining spoken word show at the Fringe.' (TheWeeReview.com)'A wonderful evening, that will appeal to poetry lovers and poetry sceptics alike.' (EdFringeReview.com) Line-ups! 2nd August:RJ Hunter, Katie Ailes & Thabo 3rd August:Mark Gallie, Dean Tsang & Bex Bidgood 9th August:Mark Grist, Gigi Bella & James Stedman 16th August:Jenny Foulds, Ben Macpherson & Beth Macdonald 17th August:Georgie Wedge, Dan Webber & Jonathan Kinsman
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(3-10 Aug: 3:45pm) Storytellers Anne Hunter and Bob Mitchell invite you to join them in a lively celebration of the life and work of Scotland’s national Bard. Featuring a selection of Burns' familiar and lesser-known works in an exciting presentation of song, poetry, anecdote and narrative, this is a show created by enthusiasts for an audience of Burns devotees and inquisitive newcomers alike. An ideal introduction to this remarkable son of Scotland. 2 for 1: 6 Aug If Burns is your bag, drop-in to the Storytelling Court daily at 1:30pm for an Address to a Haggis, featuring a different performer every day of Fringe!
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(3-26 Aug: 6:45pm) The Herald Angel Award-winning smash hit of modern Scottish theatre returns to the Fringe for a fifth successive year. The tragic, comic and epic tale of the greatest bagpiper that ever lived, a Pitlochry bin man who rocked tradition, flew beyond the summit of his art and changed Scottish music forever. Whatever notions you have of bagpipes, leave them at the door. Written by David Colvin. Directed by Tom Freeman. 2 for 1: 5 Aug 'A stunning, staggering piece of modern Scottish folk theatre' ***** (BritishTheatreGuide.info).'Elucidating, charming and rip-roaringly inspirational' ***** (TheQR.co.uk).
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(4 Aug: 3:45pm, 7-18 Aug: 5:30pm) Following acclaimed performances at Adelaide Fringe and sell-out shows at Edinburgh Fringe, Morna Burdon returns with her captivating show highlighting women’s peace activism. Combining inspirational storytelling with evocative songs of protest, Morna presents stories of courage and daring alongside the tragic realities of war. From Nobel Peace Prize winners to the Ukrainian theatre company rehearsing in an air raid shelter to a child raised in a Scottish peace camp, it is in the shared humanity – the tears and the laughter – that hope is found. ***** (NorthWestEnd.com).Sell-out show 2023.
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(4-19 Aug: 8:45pm) The subversive and powerful debut hour from RJ Hunter (Loud Poets Grand Slam Champion 2023). A poetry show... but not as you know it. A poetic journey through their life as a trans, queer word-jester, exploring relationships to others, herself and the beauty of the utterly stupid and pointless. Responding to their experience as an emerging artist in the public eye, this award-winning poet is ready to give you a big fat smattering of their signature stupid, sexy style in this spoken-word comedy-cabaret! ‘Harrowing, hilarious, haughty and hedonistically delicious. The future voice of spoken-word.’ **** (CorrBlimey.uk). 2 for 1: 5 & 6 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(7 & 18 Aug: 8:45pm) 'A love letter to my mother that I’ll never send...' A storytelling performance about a mother and daughter, based on real-life events and encompassing elements of Irish folklore. Full of anecdotes, myths, funny stories and tough truths, it’s a rollercoaster experience inside a fun (if slightly traumatised) woman’s brain. This is not only about those with mental-health issues, it is about those that care for, love and grow up with them. Sinéad O'Brien's 2023 smash hit returns for just two special shows in the main Theatre space. Catch the sequel-of-sorts Hero/Banlaoch in the George Mackay Brown Library at the Scottish Storytelling Centre all throughout August. 'O’Brien is stellar. This is storytelling as it should be' ***** (Herald).'A masterpiece' ***** (EdFringeReview.com).'Absolutely gripping' **** (ScotsGayArts.com).'Mesmeric to watch' **** (CorrBlimey.uk).
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(8, 15 & 22 Aug: 8:45pm) The five-star hit LGBTQ+ storytelling show returns for its second Fringe – camper, fruitier and queerer than ever! Host Turan Ali takes time out from his BBC shows to scour the Fringe for queer talent with the most gripping, non-heteronormative stories imaginable. A diverse line-up of artists in each show share hilarious, surprising, sobering tales, songs and epic poems. Expect jaw-droppingly true insights into LGBTQ+ lives past, present and future. 'Edinburgh's most vibrant, authentic and exciting storytelling event' ***** (The Wee Review).'Utterly fabulous' ***** (TheQR.co.uk).***** (BroadwayBaby.com).Highly Recommended for Fringe 2023 (FringeReview.co.uk).
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(10 Aug: 6:45pm / 11-14 Aug: 8:45pm) Are you sitting comfortably? Well you may not be for long... Drawing from their own heritages of Scotland, India and beyond, acclaimed storytellers Peter Chand and Ruth Kirkpatrick seek to excavate tales not often told, bringing them out of the shadows and onto centre stage. Explore uncomfortable, dark themes of jealousy, destruction and vanity, where happy-ever-after is definitely not guaranteed! Accompanied by a unique jazz score from musician Tom Lyne on double bass, this walk in the shadows is one you won't want to miss. Originally commissioned for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023. 'Two storytellers at the height of their power' **** (TheQR.co.uk)
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(11-25 Aug: 3:45pm) A cursed army, two twisted lovers, a mighty hero, and a magnificent bull set in motion a terrible war which shapes the landscape and defines the heroic age of Ireland... In this modern retelling of Ireland’s most ancient and beloved myth, Young Edinburgh Storytellers Mark Borthwick and David Hughes weave together music and myth, blood and laughter, gender and magic, to explore the dark delights of the Táin Bó Cúailnge. An intimate performance of traditional storytelling with music, this show explores how our internal wilderness is just as powerful today as when the ancient stories were written. Preview: 11 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(12-26 Aug: 1:15pm) A journey through the storied soul of Scotland. Tales of ancient bards, wily druids, shapeshifters, wildlings and warrior poets are brought to life in a contemporary storytelling style by Dougie Mackay, with musical accompaniment by Freya Rae. A sell-out hit at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2022, this fresh and joyful take on Celtic lore and Scotland’s landscape is graced by light touch and honest humour, sharing poetic echoes of old animistic cultures of these islands carried through the tales of the Fianna. 'A masterful hour of tale and tune' ****½ (TheQR.co.uk).**** (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(12-25 Aug: 8pm) Look closer at the story of Medusa... Most are familiar with the image of a monster with snakes for hair and a gaze that turns men to stone. But how did Medusa come to be? And what of the hero who slayed her? Drawing from Greek and Roman mythology, feminist theory and art history, storyteller Lily Asch paints a complex and evocative picture of this famous figure, exploring the parallels between this ancient story and the modern world. A moving storytelling performance with live musical accompaniment from Dimitris Kounatiadis.
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(14-15 Aug: 3:15pm / 16 Aug: 6:45pm) From Scotland, Iran, Chile, Brazil, Yemen and Syria comes a multimedia performance exploring culture and displacement. Nine musicians, a dancer, a visual artist and a film-maker, some with lived experience of forced displacement, come together to explore the music, stories and experiences of their different cultures. A vibrant and moving experience. Part of the Made in Scotland Showcase 2024. 'They are a microcosm of how the world could be – connected, sharing, bringing light and love through diversity' (Lethem Nights). Relaxed: 15 Aug
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(17 & 18 Aug: 12pm) Join award-winning storyteller Brooke Dunbar for an immersive, sensory, theatrical version of Macbeth complete with bubbles. A whimsical and comical adaptation of the Bard for bairns aged 0-4 years. Bring your brollies! Little Supernovas stories include music, and props that stimulate the senses to create a magical experience, especially for babies and toddlers.
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
George Mackay Brown Library
(20-25 Aug: 8:45pm) Three storytellers, trapped in the Otherworld, must perform their music and stories to earn their freedom. Which deserves to return to the human realm? The fair folk in the audience must decide! Young Edinburgh Storytellers Mark Borthwick, Ailsa Dixon and David Hughes navigate the mystery of emergence and becoming, blending their voices with music to explore queer identities and the rewilding of people and place. Modern Scotland's living lands contrast with the ancient otherness of the Faeries' Tír na nÓg. This intimate, interactive and award-winning 5-star show was a huge hit in 2023 and returns for five special shows this year! 'A magical journey. Masterful.' ***** (Scotsman).
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(21-25 Aug: 6:45pm) The story of Orpheus and Eurydice gets a Scottish twist in this dark and dangerous telling of the famous Greek myth. For the first time, the Shetland ballad of King Orfeo is swirled into the murky depths of Hades’ underworld in an exploration of grief and loss inspired by the words of people who live and work most closely with it. Storyteller Daniel Serridge, harpist Neil Wood and balladeer Heather Cartwright take you deep below the earth and back again, pushing you forward, dragging you home and demanding that you don’t look back! Originally commissioned for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023. 'A thrilling, emotional journey' ***** (TheQR.co.uk).
Scottish Storytelling Centre Fringe
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 31 Aug: 10:30am) 'I can see them standing on the other side of the flames, speaking in the voices of lions, or thunder, or monsters, or heroes, heroines, or the earth, or fire itself -- for they had to contain all voices within them, had to be all things and nothing.' (Ben Okri - A Way of Being Free) How can the body be both a tool for investigating a story, and a means of communicating with an audience? This workshop led by Jo Blake will empower you to connect with your audience through movement and voice to progress your skills and confidence. All bodies welcome in a creative and supportive environment, with an emphasis on exploration and curiosity. Please come with a story in mind that you feel happy to work with. Jo Blake is a performer, director, facilitator, teacher and curator whose performance practice sits at the intersection of storytelling, dance and theatre. She had a PhD in Emergent Storytelling Practices and is curious about the transformative power of embodied myth and acts of narration as cultural therapeutics. ~~~~~~~~~~ Pay it Forward If you are willing and able to donate a workshop place to another person, you now can! Click the button above and select the ticket price to donate. We will then be able to offer a free place to someone who would not have been able to attend otherwise. If you feel the Pay It Forward scheme would benefit you and would like to request a free ticket please email our Reception Team where you will be allocated a ticket if available. We hold 1 space per workshop for Pay It Forward requests.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training Venue
(Fri 13 & Sat 14 Sep) Making stories fun for everyone! Join My Kind of Book for a packed two day programme full of practical sensory story skills workshops and interesting discussions around the issues involved in creating accessible books. Be inspired by the leaders in this field: pioneers, performers and practitioners from across the UK and beyond. The festival will celebrate some of the fantastic ways books and stories are being made accessible, especially for those with additional needs. This year the focus is on sensory stories. My Kind of Book is a not-for-profit organisation founded to research and create books for children with complex additional needs and to campaign for greater accessibility in the children’s book world. Made possible by the support of Creative Scotland. Day 1: Fri 13 SepChoose from a wonderful programme including workshops by Oily Cart Theatre, sensory folksong skills, presentations on using sensory stories in parks, museums, arts venues and day care services and discussions about making picture books more accessible. Day 2: Sat 14 SepChoose from an exciting programme of workshops for day two! Learn the skills to use sensory stories as an aide for literacy, relaxation and communication. Swap story ideas at shared practice sessions and help to create a manifesto for sensory stories that will encourage cultural and leisure institutions to recognise their importance as a tool for access. Full Programme
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Multiple Spaces
(Sat 21 Sep: 11am) In this workshop Katch will teach you how to arrange a live tour to perform and promote your music, with special focus on how musicians who may be just starting out or don't have representation can build festival and venue contacts, approach promoters, negotiate fees, advance their shows and promote their tour. The workshop will include breakouts for discussion and Q&A about the aspects of touring of the most interest to you. Katch Holmes has worked in the music industry in Scotland for 25 years. She has represented artists, commissioned new music, produced residencies and promoted gigs with folk and crossover music acts through her company Off Site Productions. She organises Knockengorroch roots music festival in Dumfries and Galloway. She sat on WOMEX selection panels in 2021 and 2017 and is a Relational Dynamics business coach working with professional creatives.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training Venue
(Wed 2 Oct: 7pm) Join Edinburgh's own Burgh Blatherers for the second of a regular open-floor storytelling night taking place throughout the year, a cosy gathering in the relaxed surroundings of the Storytelling Court with refreshments available from the Haggis Box Café. Hosted by Bob Mitchell and members of Burgh Blatherers storytelling club, who will transport you with their own stories and imaginative weavings while offering you the chance to tell your own tales!
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sun 13 Oct: 12pm - 3pm) Musicians Claire Gullan and Kirstie McLanaghan return to host another fantastic TAM Session, the collaborative project that combines two of their passions - playing Trad music and art & crafting. This session is part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival. The TAM Sessions is an open and informal trad session, but with the lovely additional invitation to bring your sewing, knitting, crochet, or any other crafting project that you enjoy. Being able to play an instrument is not a pre-requisite and we welcome non-musicians to enjoy the tunes while they craft. In the same vein, please come along for a tune even if you don’t craft. Everyone is welcome! The driving factor behind this project is joy. A joyful experience has a direct, positive impact on our mental health. Community building through creative arts also creates a real sense of belonging and connectedness. Proficiency is not important, just come along and enjoy! ~~~~~~~~~~~ This event is part of Easy Sundays, a monthly session of stories, music, community and friendship, where warm welcome awaits with a variety of activities for all to enjoy. So come find a space to relax amongst friends, old and new. ~~~~~~~~~~ Supported by the Thrive Network alongside the Scottish Storytelling Centre to create a warm and welcoming space for the community.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 16 Nov: 10:30am) A hands-on, practical introduction to live storytelling and the associated skills. Storyteller Janis Mackay leads this participatory session for anyone curious about discovering and developing their own storytelling talent. Let out your inner storyteller and learn to craft your skills. For new and aspiring storytellers. Janis Mackay is an award-winning storyteller and author based in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she also teaches creative writing. She is the author of The Fairy Song, The Selkie Girl, and the Magnus Fin and Accidental Time Traveller trilogies. Janis also facilitates the Scottish Storytelling Forum's Apprentice Storyteller programme. ~~~~~~~~~~ Our participatory sessions are designed to help you improve your skills and share your experiences with fellow storytelling enthusiasts. This carefully curated workshop programme offers you the chance to work with highly-skilled and experienced artists, giving you guidance on improving your practice and discovering your own talent. Did you know? Members of the Scottish Storytelling Forum are entitled to discounted rates on our storytelling workshops. For more information on memberships please visit the Storytelling Forum website. ~~~~~~~~~~ Pay it Forward If you are willing and able to donate a workshop place to another person, you now can! Click the button above and select the ticket price to donate. We will then be able to offer a free place to someone who would not have been able to attend otherwise. If you feel the Pay It Forward scheme would benefit you and would like to request a free ticket please email our Reception Team where you will be allocated a ticket if available. We hold 1 space per workshop for Pay It Forward requests.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training Venue
(Sat 16 Nov: 7:30pm & Sun 17 Nov: 2:30pm) Three men find banter, bird boxes and biscuits in a fictional shed. Clare Prenton’s poignant, hilarious, moving and thought-provoking play explores the myth that ‘men don’t talk’, celebrating companionship, camaraderie and custard creams. Written following cups of tea, cake and spirited conversations with real ‘shedders’, the play welcomes audiences into a friendly fictional shed, inspired by real men's stories. Presented in conjunction with the Scottish Men's Shed Association, the play has been praised in the Scottish Parliament for promoting the benefits of this growing mental health and wellbeing movement - vital in Scotland today.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Online On-Demand) Another Story is a new podcast series exploring some of the themes featured in this year’s Festival. Tune in to hear some wonderful storytellers share their favourite tales and chat about storytelling in Scotland and beyond. So settle down, or speed on up, to join us for another story… Available wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify, Apple, Google and Amazon. Follow us by liking and subscribing so you don’t miss an episode! Listen Here
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
Explore Edinburgh as a city by the sea by enjoying this specially created story film. Follow the coastline from Fisherrow, on the boundary with East Lothian, to South Queensferry. A trail of harbours and wildlife havens that glimmers with stories from folklore, history and ecology. Devised by the SISF with storytellers Beverley Casebow, Douglas Mackay, Janis Mackay, Linda Perttula, Nicola Wright and Donald Smith, with music by Kenneth Linklater and the Bowling Ceilidh Band. Produced in support of the Forth Rivers Trust and Restoration Forth, Blue City: A Storytelling Journey along Edinburgh's Coastline is free to access. This film will be available on YouTube from Fri 14 Oct. View the film ~~~~~~~~~~ Over the past two years we have enjoyed being part of a fantastic online storytelling community across the world. We would love to further connect with you in our digital storytelling and development sessions, so whether you are based in Scotland, or further afield, let’s keep that fire lit on our global platforms. ~~~~~~~~~~ In Scotland’s Year of Stories, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival: Keep It Lit invites everyone to the ceilidh; locally, nationally and globally. At the core of Scotland’s culture and identity is the hospitable hearth - a place of solidarity and welcome for friend and stranger alike. Round that symbolic fire, experiences and memories are shared and hope affirmed.
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
Green City: Healing and Hope is a new storytelling film exploring the grassroots movement to turn Edinburgh green. The struggle for net zero will be won or lost in cities, so how is Edinburgh doing after 900 years as a burgh? Hear directly from people and places who think global and act local. Green City is a companion piece to Blue City (2022), which explored Edinburgh as a city by the sea. Narrated by Donald Smith, with contributions from fellow storytellers and activists. Co-Directed by Sandy McGhie (Channel 7A) & Donald Smith. Produced by the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, Green City: Healing and Hope will be free to access from Friday 16th February 2024. View the film
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
Enjoy several multimedia storytelling performances filmed live in the Scottish Storytelling Centre's Netherbow Theatre in October 2022, where a world of local Scottish stories unfolds through the live voices of traditional storytellers and site-specific film footage of the landscapes they emerge from. Featuring stories from Dumfries and Galloway, the North East, Orkney, the Outer Hebrides and Perth and Kinross. ~~~~~~~~~~ These live performances were part of Tales, Tongues and Trails, a celebration of regional and international language, landscape and identities for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2022. Map of Stories YouTube playlist of all five Film Ceilidhs Scottish International Storytelling Festival Live filming by Sandy McGhie (Channel 7A). ~~~~~~~~~~ Map of Stories is a collaboration between Transgressive North, Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland and Rectangle Design, supported by Creative Scotland and EventScotland as part of Scotland's Year of Stories 2022.
Scottish Storytelling Centre Online
Online
Enjoy several multimedia storytelling performances filmed live in the Scottish Storytelling Centre's Netherbow Theatre in October 2022, where a world of local Scottish stories unfolds through the live voices of traditional storytellers and site-specific film footage of the landscapes they emerge from. Featuring stories from Dumfries and Galloway, the North East, Orkney, the Outer Hebrides and Perth and Kinross. ~~~~~~~~~~ These live performances were part of Tales, Tongues and Trails, a celebration of regional and international language, landscape and identities for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2022. Map of Stories YouTube playlist of all five Film Ceilidhs Scottish International Storytelling Festival Live filming by Sandy McGhie (Channel 7A). ~~~~~~~~~~ Map of Stories is a collaboration between Transgressive North, Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland and Rectangle Design, supported by Creative Scotland and EventScotland as part of Scotland's Year of Stories 2022.
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
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