LGBTQ+, Storytelling

Queer Folks' Tales

with Turan Ali, Michael Johnson, Lake Montgomery & Conor O'Dwyer

(Fri 10 Apr: 7:30pm)

Queer Folks’ Tales continues its fifth year at SSC and its 2026 run with another fantabulosa line up. As always, queer storytellers galore from around Edinburgh and Scotland share stories of LGBTQ+ lives, past, present and future. Sometimes hilarious, often moving, occasionally shocking, the mix of true and fictional stories is as varied as the range of storytellers we invite. Household names feature alongside new and diverse queer storytellers from different communities of Scotland. Many of the stories told at QFT will be true stories of LGBTQ+ experience in Scotland today. Hosted by Edinburgh’s Turan Ali, who is joined in April by Fife writer/actor Michael Johnson, Texan singer-songwriter Lake Montgomery and Irish actor/writer Conor O’Dwyer.

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Turan Ali has been a producer, director and writer of BBC radio dramas and comedies for over 20 years. He’s been a stage storyteller since 2012, and a stand up since 2021. He tours internationally, and has two sell out monthly storytelling shows in Vienna. He’s the creator, producer and host of Queer Folks’ Tales (QFT) for which he won the Creative Edinburgh Leadership Award 2024. QFT now tours across Scotland and is Creative Scotland funded.

Michael Johnson is an actor/writer from Glenrothes, Fife. He founded Without Compromise Theatre, a new writing company dedicated to telling stories for and represented by working class and low income people. He debuted his writing at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024 with Wish You Were Here, which has been performed around Fife and raises money for 'Change Mental Health'. Michael won the Creative Edinburgh Development Award 2024.

Lake Montgomery is a singer-songwriter from Paris, Texas now based in Edinburgh. Backed by a love for old blues and show tunes, she performs her own intimate stories with a hint of fury. Her influences range from church-house gospel, funk & soul, hymns and especially Nina Simone. She has performed internationally and has many recordings to her credit. “She makes songs that hurt your heart happy.”

Conor O'Dwyer is an early-career Edinburgh-based stage/screen actor/writer from Galway, Ireland. His debut solo show Homo(sapien) premiered at the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival in 2025, winning Best New Writing Award and coming to Edinburgh Fringe ’25. Conor's subsequent plays are The Things You Can Only Lose Once, (Framework Theatre) and Rootbound, which is in development with support from Creative Scotland.

★★★★★ 'Edinburgh's most vibrant, authentic and exciting storytelling event' (The Wee Review)
★★★★★ 'Utterly fabulous' (TheQR.co.uk)
★★★★★ (BroadwayBaby.com)
MUST SEE 'Legendary' (Fringe Review)

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Queer Folks' Tales is supported by Creative Scotland

• Storytelling
• £14.00
• 10 April 2026
• 120 minutes
• 19:30
• Scottish Storytelling Centre
• Netherbow Theatre
• 18+
• 
  This event may contain strong language/swearing. Some stories may have content which is sensitive or triggering to audiences.