Booking Tickets In person 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh EH1 2ED By phone 0131 228 1404 Online www.traverse.co.uk Opening Times Monday to Saturday: 10am-6pm (or until performance start time) Group Bookings To arrange a group booking, please email groups@traverse.co.uk Groups receive one complimentary ticket for every 10 tickets bought (i.e. 11th ticket free). Valid on concessions, subject to availability. School Bookings To arrange a school booking or for more information, please email schools@traverse.co.uk Refunds Tickets can only be refunded in the event of a show cancellation or change to performance date and time. Latecomers Latecomers may not be admitted. Please arrive in plenty of time for the start of the performance. Ticket Prices & Fees The Traverse Theatre does not charge a booking or transaction fee. Tickets can be collected free of charge from the box office, or can be posted at a cost of £1 per booking transaction. Concession Tickets Exclusions or conditions may apply to all discounts. Please check with the Box Office when booking. Standard Concessions are available for: Students Under 18s Over 60s People with disabilities YoungScot Cardholders Members of Entertainment Unions Other Concessions: Unemployed (Proof of current Job Seekers Allowance or Employment Support Allowance must be shown) Schools (See School Bookings) @traversetheatre 0131 228 1404 www.traverse.co.uk Welcome to the Traverse Spring programme 2015 The Traverse is committed to supporting writing talent and to producing world-class new plays on both national and international stages. Now in our 52nd year, we continue to provide a place in which writers and theatre practitioners can experiment, collaborate and create new work. This Spring you’ll see this reflected in our programme of thrilling performances. Always a platform for new talent, our annual Class Act production kicks off our season, as we challenge senior students from across Edinburgh to create brand new stories for our Traverse stage. We also look forward to another season of our A Play, A Pie and A Pint series in March, encompassing the best of Ukrainian, Welsh, English and Scottish writing talent. We are especially delighted that three of these plays are Traverse commissions from former Traverse Fifty writers. Our flagship Spring production, Right Now, is a timely example of the Traverse’s international reach and outlook. Written by Québécois writer Catherine-Anne Toupin, it had its English language premiere with us here in November 2014, as part of our ongoing cultural exchange with our sister venue, Théâtre La Licorne in Montréal. Buoyed by a hugely popular audience response, we now bring a full production to the stage. Join us for a strange and surprising new comedy that will hold you spellbound from beginning to end. As ever, our visiting companies bring a vibrant selection of work, and we welcome both returning Fringe Festival favourites and those new to the Traverse stages. In keeping with our year-long festival ethos, manipulate Festival will brighten our days in February, while younger fans will burst through the doors for the Imaginate Festival in May. These are just a few of the events you can look forward to this season. Please dip into the brochure to discover the many worlds to be found on our stages. We hope you’ll discover a story that will resonate with you long after you’ve left the building. And, of course, don’t miss out on the many opportunities to participate in one of our writing groups, if you fancy trying your hand at writing your own play. The Traverse continues to be an incomparable national asset – one to be cherished and enjoyed. It belongs to us all. Come and be a part of our continuing journey. Executive Producer Linda Crooks and Artistic Director Orla O'Loughlin. GET INVOLVED We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts on our work; tweet us your reviews or like us on Facebook. Watch our trailers on YouTube or listen to our exclusive TravCasts on Soundcloud. Keep up-to-date with the latest Traverse news and announcements by signing up to our enewsletter. Our website also offers full show information, booking details, photo galleries, reviews and videos. Workshops and Post-Show Discussions Our series of workshops and post-show discussions provide an ideal opportunity to dig a little deeper into the productions on stage and enhance your experience. Workshops Jekyll & Hyde Fri 20 Mar Matinée 12.30 – 1.30pm (Ticket for workshop & show £6) Before the show explore the story and the sounds created by Lung Ha’s performers and Drake Music Scotland’s musicians; perform a short scene and play music using accessible music technologies. The workshop is targeted toward people with a learning disability. For more information contact admin@lunghas.co.uk Mermaid Check our website for confirmed date Shared Experience are looking for young women aged 14-20 years old to create a mythic chorus for Mermaid. To get involved, contact gemma.rowan@sharedexpereince.org.uk Post-Show Discussions Sanitise Fri 20 Feb Beating McEnroe Thu 12 Mar Pioneer Thu 2 Apr Blood Wedding Wed 8 Apr Cuckooed Thu 16 Apr The Straw Chair Thu 23 Apr Mermaid Wed 6 May Right Now Thu 7 May Rites Women's Only Event Wed 27 May Rites Thu 28 May TRAVERSE THEATRE COMPANY Class Act 21 – 22 January This season, Traverse 1 hosts two evenings of exciting new work from the next generation of Traverse playwrights – the Class Act 2015 graduates. Class Act is the Traverse Theatre’s flagship schools project, challenging senior pupils from schools across Edinburgh to become playwrights; creating brand new scripts to be premiered on the Traverse stage. This year acclaimed professional playwrights – John McCann, Nicola McCartney, Morna Pearson, Gerda Stevenson and AJ Taudevin - have been working with pupils from Firrhill High School, Gracemount High School, Holyrood R.C High School, Portobello High School and St Thomas of Aquin’s High School. Begin the spring season with an array of fresh new talent. www.traverse.co.uk @traversetheatre Dates & Times Wed 21 – Thu 22 Jan, 7.30pm Tickets Full Price £6 Standard Concessions £4 T1 14+ SCOTTISH DANCE THEATRE YAMA 18 February Choreographer Damien Jalet Set Design Jim Hodges Music Winter Family (Rosenthal/Klaine) Following its debut last year as one half of a double-bill, Damien Jalet’s critically acclaimed YAMA returns to the Traverse in its new, exciting full length form. Inspired by the pagan and animist rituals practised among the mountains of Tohoku in Japan, YAMA explores the mythology of these summits in an awe-inspiring piece that gathers energy as it grows. Jalet’s hypnotic choreography has earned him numerous accolades, including the Laurence Olivier Award for Babel. www.scottishdancetheatre.com / @SDTDance Dates & Times Wed 18 Feb, 8pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 Ticket Offer Buy your tickets for both shows and enjoy great savings. Both shows for £25 / £15 Concessions. Note: Contains instances of semi-nudity T1 12+ “Mesmerising brilliance." ***** The List SCOTTISH DANCE THEATRE Double Bill: Winter, Again / Dreamers 19 February Scottish Dance Theatre presents two contrasting and bold new works by internationally acclaimed choreographers Jo Strømgren and Anton Lachky. Winter, Again Choreographer Jo Strømgren Radical Norwegian choreographer Jo Strømgren’s beautifully poised dance tells the story of a community struggling to hide its dark misdemeanours beneath winter’s snowy blanket. Punctuated with the devastatingly fragile songs of Schubert’s Winterreise, let Scottish Dance Theatre take you on a journey through the cycle of the coldest, darkest season. Dreamers Choreographer Anton Lachky Dreamers are people who dare to dream while not being asleep. Anton Lachky enjoys making sense from nonsense and exploring links between reality and surrealism. His work is developed around the unique physicality of the performers, highlighting the beauty and power of the moving body and intertwining it with his quirky and humorous style. www.scottishdancetheatre.com @SDTDance Dates & Times Thu 19 Feb, 8pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 Ticket Offer Buy your tickets for both shows and enjoy great savings. Both shows for £25 / £15 Concessions. T1 12+ On Winter, Again **** The Herald **** The Scotsman **** The Sunday Times MELANIE JORDAN & CAITLIN SKINNER Sanitise 20 – 21 February Director Caitlin Skinner Performer Melanie Jordan One woman alone in her bathroom; a private sanctuary and a somewhat unusual venue for self-expression. But there is something dark living beneath the bath and, as her inner and outer lives are revealed, we discover a woman torn between fantasy and fear. Fringe First Award winner, Sanitise is a playful and original production without words combining physical theatre, dance, music and multimedia to explore our most intimate insecurities and fantasies. What is clean and what is dirty? Winner of a 2014 Scotsman Fringe First Award and an Arches Brick Award nominee. Post-show Discussion Fri 20 February www.sanitise.weebly.com / @Sanitiseplay Dates & Times Fri 20 – Sat 21 Feb, 8pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 T2 14+ "Sharp, witty and vivid.” **** The Scotsman "Smart, accomplished physical theatre." ***** All Edinburgh Theatre DRYWRITE AND SOHO THEATRE Fleabag By Phoebe Waller-Bridge 26 – 28 February Director Vicky Jones Cast Maddie Rice “Today I am going to be a new person. No more slutty pizzas. No more porny wanks. Lots more lovely threesomes. Go!” Welcome to the world of Fleabag where the rules have gone out the window. She’s angry, pervy, cruel but undeniably honest. And you can’t help but love an honest person. Let her show you the world through her eyes as we follow her quest for rediscovery over a frenzied 48 hours. It may not be pretty but it's funny as hell. The Fleabag bites back. A rip-roaring account of some sort of a female living her sort of life. www.sohotheatre.com / @DryWrite / @sohotheatre / #fleabag Dates & Times Thu 26 – Sat 28 Feb, 8pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 Note : Contains adult themes, strong language and sexual content (no nudity) T2 18+ “Sucker punch funny… I’ve never seen a play quite like it.” ***** The Scotsman “Devastatingly good.” **** The Times KAM-RI DANCE THEATRE The Typist By Kerieva McCormick 27 – 28 February Co-Directors Kerieva McCormick & Ben Harrison Choreographer Javier Latorre Video Design Tim Reid Lighting Design Colin Grenfell Cast & Musicians Raúl Prieto, Kerieva McCormick, Pablo Suárez, Andrew Robinson, Mario Caribe, Olayo Jiménez Narrator Alexei Sayle A flamenco dance theatre production with film and live music. In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, 4,000 children – known as 'Los Niños de la Guerra' - were evacuated to the UK. This story follows one of their number. Twenty years later, Esperanza is a typist in post-war Britain, embarking upon a dangerous journey back to her past and Franco’s Spain. Inspired by interviews with several of the ‘Niños’, now in their nineties, The Typist is an exhilarating story of courage, passion and identity. Co-directed by Kerieva McCormick and Ben Harrison (Grid Iron) and narrated by Alexei Sayle, it features choreography by flamenco Gran Maestro Javier Latorre, breathtaking special effects, and a specially commissioned score. The latter will be performed by a live band including legendary jazz pianist Pablo Suarez and Scottish virtuoso flamenco guitarist Andrew Robinson. www.kam-ri.com Dates & Times Fri 27 – Sat 28 Feb, 7.30pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 T1 U “Kerieva McCormick is a talent to be reckoned with. Her new dance theatre work The Typist soars." **** The Scotsman LAKIN MCCARTHY PRESENTS Susan Calman – Lady Like 4 March Award-winning comedian Susan Calman is currently on her first UK tour. If you’ve seen her before, Lady Like will be a reassuring couple of hours spent with the woman her neighbours call ‘the mad cat lady’. If you don’t know who she is, Lady Like will, at the very least, make you feel better about your own life. This is a show about being older, wiser and liking yourself whatever anyone else might say. You might have seen or heard Susan on The News Quiz, Calman is Convicted (Best Radio Comedy 2013 – Writers Guild Award), QI, HIGNFY, Fresh Meat and Would I Lie To You. www.susancalman.com @SusanCalman Dates & Times Wed 4 Mar, 7.30pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 T1 16+ “Confident, compact… cracking.” **** Evening Standard “Feisty Scot Calman is one of the best female comics to ever come out of the land of bagpipes and haggis. She’ll make you chuckle your pants off.” Time Out LYCEUM YOUTH THEATRE Hacktivists By Ben Ockrent 5 – 7 March Director Christie O’Carroll Designer Paul Rodger New girl Beth is introduced to the Hackerspace, a place of freedom and integrity (which also happens to be a disused portacabin, transformed into an IT suite manned by a group of nerdy hacker friends). Although the group call themselves hackers their activities are entirely harmless... until, that is, their self-proclaimed leader is humiliated by the school bully, and Beth inspires the group to use technology to avenge him! Hacktivists is a dark comedy that explores the delicate balance between freedom of information and invasion of privacy. www.lyceum.org.uk @lyceumtheatre Curtain Raisers: Scribble Before each performance of Hacktivists, members of the Lyceum Youth Theatre will be showcasing rehearsed readings of brand new work by the Traverse Theatre Scribble group. LYT returns to the Traverse for the 5th year with its contribution to National Theatre Connections 2015. Dates & Times Thu 5 – Sat 7 Mar, 7pm Sat 7 Mar, 2.30pm Tickets Full Price £12 for the Double Bill (with Scribble) T2 PG Note: Contains some strong language LYT Bursary places supported by The Morton Charitable Trust, The Stevenston Charitable Trust and The Turtleton Charitable Trust T2 PG FIRE EXIT Long Live The Little Knife By David Leddy 7 March Writer and Director David Leddy Cast Neil McCormack, Wendy Seager Stage Manager G McDermott Designer Ali Maclaurin Lighting Designer Nich Smith Written and directed by a ‘theatrical maverick’ (Sunday Times), David Leddy's Long Live The Little Knife is a dynamic, absurd and uplifting theatre piece about forgery, castration and blind drunkenness. Liz and Jim are small-time con artists who need £250,000 to buy their way out of a turf war. Their mission is to be the greatest art forgers in the world. There’s only one problem. They can’t paint... www.DavidLeddy.com / @FireExitCo Dates & Times Sat 7 Mar, 7.30pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 Note: Contains strong language. Originally developed with support from Royal Shakespeare Company and British Museum. T1 16+ “Dazzling… wild… hugely enjoyable.” **** The Guardian “Fantastic … brilliant … coup de théâtre." **** The Scotsman JAMIE WOOD Beating McEnroe By Jamie Wood 12 – 14 March Co-Directors Wendy Hubbard, Ellie Griffiths & Jamie Wood Sound Designer Dominic Kennedy Cast Jamie Wood 1980. Wimbledon. Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe face each other across the net: the self-controlled champion and the impassioned upstart. An epic rivalry comes to a head. A six-year-old boy watches and learns. Bjorn Borg epitomised tennis cool. He was everything Jamie and his brother wanted to be. Then John McEnroe came along and Jamie was beaten, along with his boyhood hero. Thirty years of torment and selfquestioning later, Jamie is ready to face his greatest opponent in this hilarious solo show. Post-show Discussion Thu 12 March www.jamiewood.org.uk @Jamieofthewood Dates & Times Thu 12 – Sat 14 Mar, 8pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 Note: Involves audience interaction Supported by Arts Council England, Pilot and Camden Peoples Theatre T2 12+ “Beating McEnroe is as funny as the best comedy, supertheatrical, and entirely unlike anything else.” The Guardian “Spending an hour in the company of his imagination is dizzying… always unpredictable, utterly hilarious and often giddily uplifting…” Exeunt Magazine LUNG HA’S THEATRE COMPANY AND DRAKE MUSIC SCOTLAND The Strange Case of Jekyll & Hyde By Morna Pearson Inspired by RL Stevenson 19 – 21 March Director Caitlin Skinner Composer / Drake Associate Musician Greg Sinclair Designer Becky Minton Lighting Designer Simon Hayes Edinburgh, 1886; a time of murky, narrow streets, scientific innovation and seemingly endless haars - and where the city’s Old and New Towns are separated by more than just the North Bridge. In the New Town we meet the Jekyll family. Dr Jekyll longs for just one of his experiments to go right. Daughter Miriam longs to attend University. Son William is never far from his needlework, and wife Jane never far from the bottle. While seemingly a world away in the Old Town, a murky figure known as Hyde roams the moonlit streets. Featuring a cast of actors and musicians of over twenty, Lung Ha's Theatre Company and Drake Music Scotland bring to life Morna Pearson’s dramatic re-working of the classic story, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Drake Music Scotland continues to support and nurture young children and adults with disabilities; showing disability is no barrier to making music. Lung Ha’s Theatre Company aims to be a leading theatre company for people with learning disabilities, in Scotland and internationally. Preview Thu 19 Mar, 7.30pm Preview Tickets Full Price £12 Concessions £7 Dates & Times Fri 20 – Sat 21 Mar, 7.30pm Matinée on Fri 20 Mar, 2.30pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 T1 12+ ACCESS: CAP Performance 20 Mar Matinée Workshop Join the Lung Ha's team for a workshop before the Friday 20 March matinée. Full details on our Get Involved page. Ticket Offer: Workshop and performance £6. A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT PRESENTED BY TRAVERSE THEATRE “The best value cultural event in the country.” The Sunday Times A Play, A Pie and A Pint £12 Tickets 17 March – 18 April Now a firm fixture on the Traverse stage, A Play, A Pie and A Pint returns with a new batch of freshly-prepared plays for your delectation this season. Leviathan By Matthew Trevannion Tue 17 – Sat 21 Mar, 1pm Fri 20 Mar, 1pm & 7pm Three generations of the same family soak up the last of the sun’s rays in their back garden, beers in hand. Underlying tensions are soon brought to boiling point in this rich poetic drama. Presented in collaboration with Sherman Cymru. The Day the Pope Emptied Croy By Martin McCormick Tue 24 – Sat 28 Mar, 1pm Fri 27 Mar, 1pm & 7pm It’s 1982 and Croy is deserted. Everyone has gone to see the Pope in Bellahouston Park, apart from two local lads who are out to cause some trouble. But their adventure doesn’t turn out quite as they expected. Take the Rubbish Out, Sasha By Natalia Vorozhbyt Translated by Sasha Dugdale Tue 31 Mar – Sat 4 Apr, 1pm Fri 3 Apr, 1pm & 7pm In a modest home on the outskirts of Kiev, Katya and Oksana are busy preparing a funeral meal for their beloved Sasha – a husband, a stepfather, an Army colonel. But Sasha isn’t going without a fight. His women need him. His country needs him. Now more than ever. Presented in collaboration with the National Theatre of Scotland. Fat Alice By Alison Carr Tue 7 Apr – Sat 11 Apr, 1pm Fri 10 Apr, 1pm & 7pm Moira and Peter have been having an affair for a decade. He’d promised to finally tell his wife today, but then Peter promises a lot of things. Something’s got to give. And it does, when a crack in Moira’s ceiling gives way to something they could never have expected. Presented in collaboration with Aberdeen Performing Arts Broth By Tim Primrose Tue 14 – Sat 18 Apr, 1pm Fri 17 Apr, 1pm & 7pm Mary is making stock again. Daughter Sheena is no help, as usual. Granddaughter Ally was always much more use around the kitchen, but today she seems more concerned about her Gran's state of mind. And nobody's talking about what's happened to Grampa Jimmy. A wild comedy set round an Edinburgh kitchen table. With each ticket you can enjoy: A play, a pie and a pint of beer/125ml glass of house wine/regular glass of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, lemonade, orange juice, tea or filter coffee An eclectic mix of themes, characters and stories Lunchtime and evening performances Easily digestible 45-minute play packages Note: We kindly request that pies are consumed in the café bar area and are not taken into the Theatre. T2 14+ Traverse Engage The Traverse Engage programme exists to excite and involve audiences. With a mixture of projects, workshops, events and resources led by professional theatre makers, we aim to enhance the artistic programme for all of our audiences. Scribble Ages 15 – 18 Starts Mon 12 January, 4.30 – 6.30pm Learn how to make your words jump off the page and burst into life on the stage by joining Scribble - the Traverse Theatre's writing programme for young people aged 15-18. Scribble is a fantastic playwriting and theatre skills programme which will give you the chance to work with members of the Traverse Artistic Team to discover the skills you need to turn your ideas into great scripts. Members of the Scribble group will: Be mentored by a professional Scottish playwright and supported in a process of creating their own play scripts Have the opportunity to work with professional actors, directors and theatre professionals Have their work showcased on the Traverse stage Fees: The cost of a 10-week course of Scribble is £75. The Traverse is able to offer a limited number of bursaries covering the majority of the course fees for those unable to pay. Traverse Young Writers Ages 18 – 25 Starts Mon 23 February, 7 – 9pm The Traverse Theatre is passionate about supporting the NEW. New ideas, new conversations, new writers. Traverse Young Writers is aimed at 18-25 year olds who wish to develop their playwriting skills. It offers the opportunity to work with five leading Scottish playwrights and the Traverse Artistic Team, offering a creative network, where aspiring playwrights can discuss, debate and create great new work. There will be a scratch performance of the group's scripts-in-progress on Tuesday 21 April. Fees: The cost of a 10-week course of Traverse Young Writers is £80. The Traverse is able to offer a limited number of bursaries covering the majority of the course fees for those unable to pay. Words, Words, Words Friday 29 May, 8pm Words, Words, Words is a no-holds-barred, work in progress, scratch extravaganza. We’re offering selected writers slots of up to ten minutes each. The work can be brand new, a bit rough, rather unpolished – but the emphasis is on developing work in progress… with bigger things in mind for the future. Scripts will be brought to life by a company of actors after a day’s rehearsals. Anyone who wants to touch the beating heart of new writing – come along and witness these new creations coming to life for the very first time. As ever, please join us afterwards to feed back to the writers and be part of the discussion. Tickets Full Price £6 / Concessions £4 To learn more about engagement activities please contact Sunniva Ramsay, Engagement Coordinator, at sunniva.ramsay@traverse.co.uk T2 14+ CURIOUS DIRECTIVE IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH NORFOLK AND NORWICH FESTIVAL AND WATFORD PALACE THEATRE Pioneer By curious directive 2 – 4 April Director Jack Lowe Designer Cecilia Carey Video Jasmine Robinson Sound Jo Walker It’s 2029. The first human mission to Mars has disappeared without a trace. A reclusive Indian billionaire has funded Ghara I, a new attempt to achieve this dream. In Siberia, two Russian brothers reconnect by driving a Lada Sputnik 1.3 in search of the birth of space travel. At the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, Maartje holds onto a secret about her sister. On Mars, Imke and Oskar, a young Dutch couple, are mysteriously separated. Winner of a Scotsman Fringe First Award in 2014, curious directive makes its Traverse debut with this multimedia sci-fi thriller - a poignant tale of the first humans on Mars. Pioneer will shuttle you from the Garden of Eden to mission control, and on to the surface of Mars. Post-show Discussion Thu 2 April www.curiousdirective.com @c_directive Dates & Times Thu 2 – Sat 4 Apr, 7.30pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 T1 12+ “Thrilling… exhilarating… intricate and epic.” **** The Scotsman “Restlessly intelligent theatre.” **** The Daily Telegraph Note: Contains scenes of an adult and sexual nature and strong language. DUNDEE REP ENSEMBLE, DERBY THEATRE AND GRAEAE Blood Wedding By Federico García Lorca A new version by David Ireland 8 – 11 April Director Jenny Sealey Designer Lisa Sangster Lighting Ian Scott Composer Phillip Pinsky In this day and age, anybody can love anybody. Or are there still taboos? Writer David Ireland’s radical new take on Lorca’s classic play refuels this story with a contemporary twist. This is a tale of searing lust, love and rebellion, pushed to its limits. When young lovers are overrun with passion, infatuation and defiance, the consequences are explosive. Winner of the TMA’s Promotion of Diversity Award, Graeae is a force of change in world-class theatre. Post-show Discussion Wed 8 April www.dundeerep.co.uk / @DundeeRep www.graeae.org / @Graeae www.derbytheatre.co.uk / @DerbyTheatre Dates & Times Wed 8 – Sat 11 Apr, 7.30pm Thu 9 & Sat 11 Apr, 2.30pm & 7.30pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 T1 14+ ACCESS All performances include a creative combination of BSL interpretation, captioning and audio description. LAKIN MCCARTHY PRESENTS Cuckooed By Mark Thomas 15 – 18 April Director Emma Callander, Traverse Associate Director Cast Mark Thomas A comedy of betrayal. Following his sell-out Festival 2014 run, Mark Thomas returns to the Traverse stage with his award-winning* oneman show. Join him as he weaves the true story of how he discovered a close friend was spying on him for Britain's biggest arms dealer. This is a touching true tale of hubris, friendship, loss and undercover deceit told with humour, honesty and Thomas’ characteristic charm. Post-show Discussion Thu 16 April www.markthomasinfo.co.uk / @markthomasinfo *Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award 2014 Scotsman Fringe First Award 2014 Dates & Times Wed 15 – Sat 18 Apr, 7.30pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 T1 14+ “The trademark Thomas style - part entertaining prank, part exhaustive investigation.” ***** Sunday Herald "This is political theatre at its very best." ***** British Theatre Guide THE ARCHES PRESENTS PLATFORM 18 AWARD WINNER ISHBEL MCFARLANE O is for Hoolet By Ishbel McFarlane 23 – 25 April Director/Writer/Performer Ishbel McFarlane Dramaturgy Vanessa Coffey Language is personal. Nothing gets closer to our hearts. And yet, by its own nature, it's always social. Who owns it? Who appoints it? Who governs it? And why? In this one-woman show about the Scots language, Ishbel McFarlane presents collected fragments - stories, interviews, memories, characters and attitudes – to challenge and disrupt our expectations and prejudices about language. By interrogating the history of Scots, and the ways in which it is taught and subdued, the audience is invited to question the way forward for minority languages. Winner of The Arches Platform 18: New Directions Award 2014. www.thearches.co.uk @thearchesarts Dates & Times Thu 23 – Sat 25 Apr, 8pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 T2 12+ “Funny, affable and warmly laced with her love for the two cities.” **** Three Weeks (on Even in Edinburgh / Glasgow) “Superbly played by Ishbel McFarlane.” The Sunday Times (on Ella Hickson’s Eight) Platform 18 Platform 18 aims to support Scotland’s most exciting theatre makers and offers them the unique opportunity to stage a fully funded production at the Traverse Theatre and The Arches (Glasgow). BORDERLINE THEATRE COMPANY AND HIRTLE The Straw Chair By Sue Glover 23 – 25 April Director Liz Carruthers Originally premiered at the Traverse Theatre in 1988, Borderline and Hirtle revive Sue Glover’s captivating play about liberty and love – both lost and found in the most unlikely of settings. It’s a stormy start to an 18th-century marriage for 17-year old Isabel and her minister husband Aneas, arriving from Edinburgh on the remote island of Hirta (St. Kilda). Amongst the inhabitants lives Lady Grange, a historical figure named Rachel Chiesley, tortured by a life of abduction. Isabel begins to uncover alarming similarities as she battles between youthful exhilaration and the danger of being too troublesome a wife. When their short stay becomes indefinite, will they ever return to civilisation? Post-show Discussion Thu 23 April www.borderlinetheatre.co.uk @BorderlineCo Dates & Times Thu 23 – Sat 25 Apr, 7.30pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 Note: Contains adult themes (sexual language and discussion) Supported by Creative Scotland T1 14+ “Her wonderful ear for Scottish cadence allows us to enter fully into the world she creates." Time Out "The dialogue is crisp and telling and has no truck with the whimsy and feyness which so often bedevils Scots writing about the past.” The Times SHARED EXPERIENCE AND NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE PRESENT Mermaid By Polly Teale 6 – 9 May Director Polly Teale Below the ocean there is no death or pain or separation. Waiting above there is a modern world beset by war, poverty and need. On her sixteenth birthday, a mermaid falls in love with a mortal prince and rises to the surface, leaving her childhood behind forever. She knows that she can no longer live beneath the waves, but must she destroy herself in order to be loved? Shared Experience is renowned for its thrilling adaptations of literary classics. Plundering Hans Christian Andersen’s haunting tale for its dark, erotic, mythic power, writer and director Polly Teale (Brontë, Jane Eyre, Mary Shelley) transports this classic story to a contemporary setting in this spell-binding new production. Post-show Discussion Wed 6 May www.sharedexperience.org.uk @setheatre Dates & Times Wed 6 – Sat 9 May, 7.30pm Sat 9 May, 2.30pm & 7.30pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 T1 12+ “Theatre doesn’t come more exciting than this.” The Daily Telegraph (on Shared Experience) “Theatre this engrossing is so rare; I can only urge you not to miss it.” Time Out (on Shared Experience) Get Involved If you're female, aged 14 to 20, and would like to know more about joining the Mermaid community chorus, please email gemma.rowan@sharedexperience.org.uk TRAVERSE THEATRE COMPANY Right Now By Catherine-Anne Toupin Translated by Chris Campbell 5 – 9 May Director Emma Callander, Traverse Associate Director You can’t choose your neighbours… As Alice and Ben settle into their beautiful new flat they realise that the family across the hall hope to be more than just friends. Juliette, Giles, and their son Francis are wearing out the welcome mat and they’re soon suggesting drinks, hors d’oeuvres and dancing. The cork pops and mayhem ensues. Things soon heat up as innocent invitations lead to passionate encounters and unsettling revelations, but who can hear the baby crying in the back bedroom? A thrilling modern comedy, Right Now walks a delicate line between playful laughs and horrified gasps. Written by Québécois writer Catherine-Anne Toupin these preview performances mark its world premiere as a full English-language production. Right Now is one of the funniest, and most terrifying, things you’ll see this season. Post-show Discussion Thu 7 May www.traverse.co.uk @traversetheatre T2 16+ Dates & Times Tue 5 – Sat 9 May, 8pm Tickets Full Price £10 Standard Concessions £7 ACCESS AD and BSL - Sat 9 May TT - Sat 9 May, 6.45pm PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO SCOTLAND (PASS) AND EDINBURGH COLLEGE PASS Out 22 – 23 May PASS Out is a new kind of showcase for final year HND acting students at Performing Arts Studio Scotland. Instead of short scenes from existing texts, the group of thirty will devise three new twenty-minute pieces. To guide and shape the work they will be led and directed by some of Scotland’s leading professional practitioners in the field of creating new work. Confirmed practitioners at time of printing include Gerry Mulgrew of Communicado and Fiona Miller of Tricky Hat. Visit the Traverse website for up-to-date information on these burgeoning new plays. www.pass.ed-coll.ac.uk @PASS_Edcoll Dates & Times Fri 22 – Sat 23 May, 8pm Tickets Full Price £12 Concessions £8 T2 PG NATIONAL THEATRE OF SCOTLAND IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH CONTACT, SUPPORTED BY THE SCOTTISH REFUGEE COUNCIL AND DIGNITY ALERT RESEARCH FORUM RITES Created by Cora Bissett and Yusra Warsama 26 – 30 May Director Cora Bissett Sound Design/Composer Patricia Panther Video Designer Kim Beveridge Rites is a powerful and provocative new production exploring the deep-rooted cultural practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This ritual of enforced cutting has been performed for centuries and millions of girls worldwide, often as young as five years old, are still subjected to it. The reasons are complicated and myriad. It depends who you are, and it depends what you've been taught. Some things are simple though: FGM is still happening across the world. FGM is happening in the UK, here and now. Based on recent interviews and true stories from girls affected in Scotland and the rest of the UK, Rites weaves different perspectives into a powerful drama exploring the pressures, complexities and misconceptions existing within this deeply entrenched cultural initiation. Post-show Discussion Wed 27 May - Women's only PSD Thu 28 May - Open access PSD www.nationaltheatrescotland.com / @NTSonline Dates & Times Tue 26 - Sat 30 May, 7.30pm Wed 27 May, 2.30pm (Women's Only Matinée) Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 Note: Contains adult themes (sexual language and discussion) T1 14+ CHRIS GOODE & COMPANY AND OXFORD PLAYHOUSE STAND By Chris Goode 4 – 6 June Director Chris Goode Designer Naomi Dawson Lighting Designer Anna Watson What makes a person take a stand? Is it the sudden impulse of a single moment, or one small part of a lifelong commitment? What makes a person elect to stand up and be counted? And would you do the same? Chris Goode & Company and Oxford Playhouse present STAND: real life stories of courage and conscience from ordinary people who stood up for something, or someone, they believed in. Six people chose to act. And now six actors recreate their stories, in their own words. Stories about justice and sustainability, about friendship and risk, about bravery and kindness - extraordinary moments from everyday life. Following on from Chris Goode’s previous award-winning productions Monkey Bars and Men in the Cities, STAND is a moving, inspiring celebration of the power of people to change their corner of the world. www.chrisgoodeandcompany.co.uk / @chrisgoodeandco www.oxfordplayhouse.com / @oxfordplayhouse / @beescope Dates & Times Thu 4 – Sat 6 Jun, 7.30pm Tickets Full Price £16 Standard Concessions £13 Other Concessions £8 T1 14+ “A theatre-maker of infinite talent and infinite compassion... up there with the very best.” The Guardian Supported by Arts Council England Traverse Bar Café Reservations 0131 228 5383 A Unique Hangout Opening Hours Mon to Wed 11am–12AM THU to SAT 11am–1AM Perfect for events + functions Food served 11am 'till 8pm Mon-Fri / 11am-9pm on Sat New Menu New Wines Local Beers Traverse Coffee Reservations 0131 228 5383 Opening Hours 8am–3pM Fine Artisan Roast Coffee Skilled baristas Cakes & bakes & sandwiches Morning coffees + breakfast rolls EVENTS AT THE TRAVERSE BAR VALENTINE'S LOVEBOAT SUPPER CLUB BAND 14 FEBRUARY 2015 TICKETS £55 PER HEAD FROM BOX OFFICE Join us for a Valentine’s night with a difference... Partake of a cocktail on the house whilst being serenaded by the delectable Bevvy Sisters. Then enjoy a three course romantic feast with a complimentary glass of bubbly. Afterwards, let your hair down with The Loveboat Supper Club Band, and dance like nobody’s watching. THE BEVVY SISTERS ***** Broadway Baby **** The Scotsman **** Scotland on Sunday THE LOVEBOAT SUPPER CLUB ***** Scotsman ***** Broadway Baby **** The List Soundhouse Residency at the Traverse Bar A host of home-grown and international talent will grace our very own Traverse bar stage every Monday from February onwards. February 9 Tommy Smith & Brian Kellock 16 Macmaster Hay 23 Martin Carthy March 2 Alasdair Roberts 9 Celter Schmelter 16 Graeme Stephen Trio 23 Martin Simpson TICKETS £10 FROM BOX OFFICE Dates for April onwards are now confirmed too with more big names being added. Stay up-to-date by visiting www.traverse.co.uk for further information ACCESS The Building From the Cambridge Street entrance there is level access to the box office. There is lift access to the bar café and theatres, and adapted toilets on the box office and bar café levels. Guide and hearing dogs are welcome. Please mention when booking if you require lift access to Traverse 1 or Traverse 2, and make yourself known to Front of House staff on arrival. The Front of House Manager will meet and accompany you to the theatre. Artlink Artlink offers a companion service for people who have difficulty attending performances on their own. For more information please phone 0131 229 3555 or visit artlinkedinburgh.co.uk Wheelchair Users There are wheelchair spaces available in both theatres – please reserve when making your booking. Easily accessible seating can be reserved for audience members who prefer to transfer from a wheelchair to a seat. There are two wheelchairs available for visitors’ use. Accessible Performances If you would like to use any of the following services, please let the box office know at time of booking on 0131 228 1404 or email boxoffice@traverse.co.uk, and make yourself known to the Front of House team on arrival, as they will be expecting you. Audio Described Performances Audio description is a way of communicating the visual elements of a production for visually impaired audience members. Information is relayed as a live commentary to a personal headset (please collect from a member of Front of House team from 30 minutes before performance). Touch Tours Touch tours give a guided tour of the stage set to visually impaired audience members prior to the start of an audio-described performance. BSL Interpreted Performances An interpreter stands at the side of the stage and interprets dialogue, songs and sound effects for deaf audience members. Hearing Enhancement Hearing enhancement supplies amplified sound to a personal headset (please collect from a member of Front of House team from 30 minutes before performance). This service is suitable for audience members with low to moderate hearing loss and can be used in conjunction with existing hearing aids. Captioned Performances The actors' words appear on a display unit (or units) placed on the set or next to the stage at the same time as they are spoken or sung. Support the Traverse Theatre! The work of the Traverse Theatre would not be possible without the kind and generous support of our funders, donors and sponsors. We would like to thank the following individuals and organisations for their support: Public funders: Creative Scotland, City of Edinburgh Council Sponsors and supporter: Cotterell & Co , Channel 4 Trusts and Foundations: AmbITion Scotland The Binks Trust The Craignish Trust The James Menzies-Kitchin Memorial Trust The Traverse also extends grateful thanks to the many individuals who have supported and contributed to the theatre’s work, and continue to play such an important part in securing the Traverse’s future and maintaining its reputation as one of the world’s most exciting theatres. Particular thanks to our donors, including: Graeme Baillie, Penny & Alan Barr, Katie Bradford, Carola BronteStewart, Morven Brown, Stewart Brown, Richard A Buckland, Richard Burtles, Adrian Clark, Lawrence Clark, Brian Ferguson, Melvyn Greig, Lynn Hamilton, Dale Idiens, John Knight OBE, Sadie McKinlay, Angus McLeod, Colin McWhannell, Willa McWhannell, Iain Millar, Gillian Moulton, Geraldine O’Riordan, Helen Pitkethly, Nicholas Pryor, Ian Runacres, Bridget Stevens, Kenneth CB Wilkie, Peng Lee Yap and many others. Help us to continue to shape the future cultural landscape of Scotland with new work that resonates across the world. To find out more about supporting the Traverse, please contact Ann Monfries, Head of Marketing & Sales on 0131 228 3223 or email ann.monfries@traverse.co.uk The Traverse Theatre is a Scottish Charity (No. SC002368) Registered Office: Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2ED. Getting Here Buses Lothian Bus services on Lothian Road. 1, 10, 11, 15, 15A, 16, 22, 24, 25, 30, 34, 36, 47, N8, N16, N22, N30, N31, N34 & X25. Trains Nearest stations are Waverley Train Station and Haymarket Train Station. Car Parking Four blue badge bays on Cambridge Street. A short distance from Castle Terrace Car Park. Pay & Display on-street parking in surrounding streets. Taxis Drop off point at main entrance to Traverse Theatre. A short distance from Lothian Road taxi rank, outside Sheraton Hotel. @traversetheatre www.traverse.co.uk 0131 228 1404