We are in Los Angeles to develop a brand new production! Ahead of rehearsals starting our Artistic Director stopped by the @hammer.ucla.edu for some inspiration. Follow along to see what we get up to while in the sunny state of California!

This afternoon I'll be @traversetheatre.bsky.social to see David Greig's The Events, which I first saw during the 2013 Fringe, though I can't remember much about it. I'm looking forward to this new production by @wonderfools.org in association with @cnauldtheatre.bsky.social.

I enjoyed the One Day dress rehearsal @lyceumedinburgh.bsky.social very much this afternoon. Great performances from Jamie Muscato & Sharon Rose, and I was particularly impressed by the energy of the official photographer who rushed around the stage to capture images with minimal disruption

I'll be @lyceumedinburgh.bsky.social this afternoon to see a dress rehearsal for One Day: The Musical, adapted from the novel by David Nicholls and directed by Max Webster. It will be interesting to see the impact of the new seating arrangements specifically for this show.

Celebrating my 69th Birthday with a slice of home-made coffee and spice cake with chocolate icing.

I really enjoyed Stef Smith's Head. Heart. Hand. @traversetheatre.bsky.social tonight. Beautifully written, staged and performed, it reminded me of how many students, staff and alumni of what is now QMU I have known over the various stages of my life.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has posted on X “1 million people living in this country don’t speak any English at all. 4 million people living in this country barely speak passable English” It’s racked up 2 million views AND IT’S COMPLETELY UNTRUE

I'll be @traversetheatre.bsky.social tonight to see Stef Smith's "Head. Heart. Hand", marking the 150th anniversary of what has now become Queen Margaret University through an exploration of how student generations have responded to the challenges of their time with passion, curiosity, and care.

I enjoyed Tricky Hat Productions' The Flames @traversetheatre.bsky.social yesterday. This community-based performance brought together an ensemble, all aged 50+, to reflect on their lives and thoughts about ageing with wit, charm, attitude and energy, all accompanied by guitar and visuals.

I thoroughly enjoyed Theatre on Gertrude Street's The Wood Paths @traversetheatre.bsky.social as part of the @manipulatearts.bsky.social festival. It cleverly examined themes of destruction and construction with wood to provide a very funny production that gave lots of opportunities for thought.

Enjoyed the Content Warning for The Wood Paths @traversetheatre.bsky.social - "This performance contains chopping of wood." I didn't find this traumatising, but perhaps it is time to take an axe to content warnings in theatre?

I'll be returning to @traversetheatre.bsky.social this evening for another dose of @manipulatearts.bsky.social, with Theatre on Gertrude Street's The Wood Paths, apparently featuring Two Logs, Two Axes and Two People in a 'playful, poetic journey through the human urge to create'.

Dewey Dell's production of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring was always interesting and atmospheric, though perhaps a little too 'atmospheric' as there were times when the stage was so dark that it was hard to see what was happening. The dance was often full of energy and very impressive.

I'll be back @traversetheatre.bsky.social this evening for another @manipulatearts.bsky.social offering - Dewey Dell's re-imagining of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. I'm looking forward to a performance that brings contemporary ballet to the original score.

I enjoyed Dik Downey's energetic & witty solo performance in Don Quixote (is a very big book) @traversetheatre.bsky.social last night, as part of @manipulatearts.bsky.social. Dik used a mixture of puppetry and clowning to bring Cervantes' classic tale to a contemporary audience, who loved the show.

I'll be dipping into @manipulatearts.bsky.social this evening with a trip to @traversetheatre.bsky.social to see Don Quixote (is a Very Big Book) by Emma Williams, Dik Downey and Chris Collier. I'm looking forward to a classic tale brought to life by some fun puppetry.

Jack is the real deal, a great writer and lovely person. Do consider supporting if you can.

A couple of seafront scenes from Dunbar this afternoon.

Got a busy weekend ahead reading an amazing THIRTY SIX applications for this year's Autopsy Award to support the production of a boundary-pushing performance work @summerhallarts.bsky.social for @edfringe.bsky.social in August. We're aiming to pick a winner on Wednesday.

I enjoyed The Shawshank Redemption very much @lyceumedinburgh.bsky.social this afternoon. This powerful, emotional production features excellent performances from Joe McFadden, Ben Onukwe and Bill Ward. The very dark set, captures the oppressive atmosphere of an American prison in the 1960s.

I'm looking forward to a trip to @lyceumedinburgh.bsky.social this afternoon to see Bill Kenwright Ltd's production of The Shawshank Redemption, directed by David Esbjornson. Good to see a touring production with such a large cast, including Joe McFadden and Ben Onwukwe.

Yesterday, the Scottish Government published its draft budget for 2026-7, which once again increased its investment in culture 🔥 The picture remains mixed, but overall we are encouraged by this attempt to unlock the potential of the arts to improve all our lives 🖼️

I'm a bit late with this, but I thought I'd post some photos of the Dunbar Christmas Lights that I took this evening. The volunteers of the Dunbar Christmas Lights Committee have always put lots of effort into ensuring a good display. I'm very grateful for their efforts!

Colourful skies around Dunbar, this afternoon.

Last night's 4Play @traversetheatre.bsky.social was possibly the best theatre 'scratch night' I have seen, featuring extracts from four engaging and contrasting 'work in progress' productions. I would be very happy to see a full-length version of any of these plays should the opportunity arise.

I enjoyed Sally Cookson's Cinderella: A Fairytale @lyceumedinburgh.bsky.social yesterday afternoon. This is a modern adaptation of a classic show, with a great set, excellent use of puppetry and first class performances from a cast who seemed to be enjoying the occasion.

I've got a theatre double-bill tomorrow, starting with Sally Cookson's adaptation of Cinderella: A Fairy Tale @lyceumedinburgh.bsky.social, then the 4PLAY scratch @traversetheatre.bsky.social, with four new, short plays by Ruaraidh Murray, Andrea McKenzie, Sean Langtree and Geraldine Lang.

SETA 2025: THE RECIPIENTS ✨ We are absolutely delighted to announce the 12 artists/duos/companies who are our 2025 SETA recipients! 🔗 www.frameworktheatre.com/seta-25 Massive congratulations to everyone who was nominated - what an amazing year for Scottish Theatre 🎭🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Applications now open for @summerhallarts.bsky.social's Autopsy Award, which I have been funding since 2019 (and for Mary Dick and Meadows Awards). Looking forward to entries from boundary-pushing artists based in Scotland hoping to bring work to Fringe 26. www.summerhallarts.co.uk/summerhall-a...

a brief history of resistance, with @markthomasinfo.bsky.social 🔥

I'll be heading through to Glasgow today to see the last @playpiepint.bsky.social production of 2025, @muirofodd.bsky.social's Strangers in the Night, directed by Cora Bissett. I'm really looking forward to this tale of two elderly residents in a care home meeting to reminisce.

Wee reminder about our recent callout! 👇 ⏰ Deadline: Friday 21st November @ 5pm.

I enjoyed @kevinpgilday.bsky.social's Gravity at Òran Mór, today. I particularly liked the strong performances from Paul Gorman as a young man who refuses to leave his flat in a condemned tower block, and Elaine Stirrat as the social worker tasked with encouraging him to move to a new home.

Going across to Glasgow today to meet a producer/friend & take in this week's @playpiepint.bsky.social production, Gravity by @kevinpgilday.bsky.social, described as 'A heartfelt and authentic Glaswegian drama about living with the ghosts of the past and the redemptive power of unlikely connections'

I'll be @cabaretvoltaire.bsky.social this evening to see Scottish singer / musician, Siobhan Wilson.

I enjoyed Shotput Theatre's production of Enda Walsh's Arlington @traversetheatre.bsky.social last night. It is a fascinating piece of theatre with an absorbing script, an intriguing set design and great performances from two actors and a dancer, but I'm still not sure what it was all about???

I'll be @traversetheatre.bsky.social this evening to see Enda Walsh's Arlington, described as 'a dark fable of surveillance, connection, and the power of imagination'. I'm not familiar with this writer's work, but I'm looking forward to it!

There was a lot to like in @dundeerep.bsky.social's Production of Tennessee Williams' 'The Glass Menagerie' @lyceumedinburgh.bsky.social yesterday, particularly the excellent performances from the cast, the set design and the poetic language, but for some reason it didn't quite hit home for me.

I'll be heading through to Edinburgh this afternoon for @dundeerep.bsky.social's production of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, directed by Andrew Panton.

I was sorry to hear this morning of the passing of Scottish folk music legend, Archie Fisher. I met him a few times in the late 1980s/early 1990s when he was Director of the Edinburgh Folk Festival and I was a voluntary steward. He was always courteous and respectful towards to everybody he met.

I really enjoyed Metagama: An Atlantic Odyssey @traversetheatre.bsky.social last night. A fascinating and moving tale of some of the thousands of Scots wo emigrated to Canada by boat in the 1920s, performed through music, spoken word and visuals by seven acclaimed musicians and singers.

I'll be @traversetheatre.bsky.social this evening to see Metagama: An Atlantic Odyssey by Liza Mulholland and Donald S Murray, looking at the lives of some of the Scots who migrated to Canada in the 1920s. This has resonances for me as my parents left Scotland for Canada just after World War 2.

I loved Float when I saw it at the Edinburgh Fringe in August and now want to give Londoners an opportunity to see this witty, and moving play in December. Help get FLOAT to London! www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-get-f...

I'll be back @traversetheatre.bsky.social today for the last of their current @playpiepint.bsky.social season, Righ Iasgair: The Fisher King, written by @kennyboyleofficial.bsky.social and directed by @lanapheutan.bsky.social. I'm looking forward to a spooky story, grounded in the Hebrides.

Loved Kathryn Tickell, accompanied by The Darkening @traversetheatre.bsky.social this evening. I haven't seen her perform for around 30 years so I bought her 40th Anniversary CD to help me catch up! I'll try not to wait another 30 years to see her again!

Such a great opportunity for an artist based in Scotland!

I'm @traversetheatre.bsky.social this evening to see Kathryn Tickell for the first time In about 30 years. I saw her many times in the 1980s/90s and always appreciated her brilliance on the Northumbrian pipes, before my arts focus switched from folk music to theatre in the 1990s.

A stage adaptation of Ron Ferguson’s cult classic football book Black Diamonds and The Blue Brazil will run at Edinburgh’s Lyceum Theatre next year, with music by Deacon Blue frontman Ricky Ross 👇

Do you want to find out how you can turn speech into a visual mind map? Join us on Wednesday 12th November to see ivvi Notes in action. Register to join live or catch up later on demand at  bit.ly/webinar121125 #FreeWebinarWed

Does anyone have any idea how ticket sales are currently doing for events across the country? Are people struggling to sell event tickets? Is it the time of year? Is it cost of living?