Today Wednesday 16 May, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop announced this year’s programme of world-class theatre and dance from Scotland showcasing Scotland’s talent at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Since its inception in 2009, Made in Scotland has ensured Scottish work has been enjoyed by audiences in 18 different countries around the world from USA to China and Sweden to New Zealand. Made In Scotland performances have been staged in venues such as the Sydney Opera House, New York's New Victory Theatre and the Barbican in London as well as being programmed in festivals around the world. In 2012 alone, Catherine Wheels' White will be seen in Ireland, England, Australia, New Zealand and Macau, Fish and Game's Alma Mater in Melbourne and Cologne and Scottish Dance Theatre have been invited to perform in Italy and Germany.
This year's showcase will support 12 Scottish theatre and dance companies at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe who have been chosen by a panel of experts from the international performing arts community. The programme represents a mix of established companies and vibrant emerging artists producing theatre, dance and children’s shows in Scotland today. From death-defying theatrics at the Traverse Theatre to an ambitious 12 strong outdoor dance performance at St Andrew Square, Made in Scotland 2012 will build on the success of previous years by showcasing some of the very best theatre and dance Scotland has to offer. The Playwrights’ Studio Scotland also returns with a programme of talks and workshops to support the showcase.
Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop said:
"Made in Scotland provides a fantastic platform to showcase productions from a diverse and talented range of Scottish-based artists. Many previously supported productions have gone on to enthrall and entertain audiences all over the world.
"As last year's impact study showed, the Edinburgh festivals contribute more than £250m in additional tourism revenue to Scotland’s economy. More than that, they promote Scotland's rich culture, heritage and distinct identity on the world stage.
"So it makes strong sense, particularly during the Year of Creative Scotland, to support our home grown talent to premiere their work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Through our Expo Fund, the Scottish Government is proud to do exactly that."
Kath M Mainland Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said:
"2012 is a hugely significant year for culture in this country. The London 2012 Festival and the Cultural Olympiad together with the Year of Creative Scotland will bring even more attention to the work of our homegrown artists and creators than in previous years. So it is fantastic that Scottish talent will have a chance to capitalise on these opportunities through the fourth annual Made in Scotland showcase. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world's largest arts festival and the most important international platform for artists and companies to get their work seem on a world stage. It is the perfect stage for these Scottish companies to present their work, and to be exposed to venue bookers and festival directors from all over the world. The benefits that this platform provides can be seen in the opportunities that have arisen for the previous Made In Scotland companies. That is why I am enormously grateful for the continued support of the Scottish Government.”
Jon Morgan, Director of the Federation of Scottish Theatre said:
“We are delighted to be continuing the successful partnership with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and Creative Scotland on Made In Scotland. We would also like to thank the Scottish Government for their ongoing support of Made In Scotland through the Expo Fund. As the critical success and international reach of the Made in Scotland shows over the last four years demonstrates, Scotland has a vibrant performing arts scene with a wide range of exciting, established and emerging theatre and dance artists.”
Andrew Dixon, Chief Executive, Creative Scotland added:
“Made in Scotland is an excellent example of a showcase that delivers significant benefits for the companies involved. Their increased profile with international promoters has successfully translated into overseas tours and performances, as well attracting new audiences to their Edinburgh shows.”
Made in Scotland is a partnership between the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, the Federation of Scottish Theatre and Creative Scotland. It is supported by the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo fund and £440,000 was awarded to fund Made in Scotland 2012. As well as supporting the costs of the selected companies to present their work at the Fringe, funds are allocated to support Scottish dance and theatre companies to take up international touring opportunities arising from performances at the Fringe.
Highlights of this year's showcase include:
Bullet Catch
The Arches Theatre Company presents Rob Drummond. The high-risk Bullet Catch has claimed many lives since its conception in 1613. Now, with a little help from his audience, modern day marvel William Wonder presents a unique theatrical magic show featuring storytelling, mind reading, levitation, games of chance and, if you're brave enough to stay for it, the most notorious finale in show business.
Educating Ronnie
When Joe was 18 he went to Uganda, a typical gap-year kid. Amidst the six week blur of safaris, white-water rafting and orphanages, Joe made friends with Ronnie. Little did he know that one friendship would follow him for ten years all the way back to Manchester and beyond. Educating Ronnie is the compelling true story of Joe and Ronnie and the faith they put in one another. It's the story of Ronnie asking for help and Joe trying to bridge a 4000-mile gap.Created by Joe Douglas and Gareth Nicholls and produced by macrobert and Utter in association with HighTide Festival Theatre.
Kin
Donna Rutherford's solo show Kin explores the fear, sorrow, anger, guilt and frustration but also the love, trust and laughter to be found as middle-aged children negotiate the changes in their relationships with their parents. In moving close-ups, performers reveal to camera concerns of their own ageing while dealing with their parents' increasingly glacial pace of life. Screen close-ups from members of Forced Entertainment, Quarantine, Reckless Sleepers and Alison Peebles are linked by performer Donna Rutherford's live performance.
Leaving Limbo Landing
For the first time at the Fringe, St Andrew Square becomes the setting for a breathtaking spectacle featuring a powerful 12 strong all female cast. Dancers and aerialists perform in air, in water and on land in Caroline Bowditch's ambitious new outdoor production. It explores journey, placement, displacement, settling, arrivals and departures.
Love Letter Letters to the Public Transport System
In this fast-moving world where no one stays around for long, the National Theatre of Scotland presents Love Letters to the Public Transport System. Based on Molly Taylor’s quest to find the people who have the invaluable but often thankless task of working in the public transport industry, this one woman show explores the ordinary and extraordinary journeys we make every day, and finally thanks the people who make them possible.
Paperbelle
Paperbelle's world is blank and plain and she likes it that way. She's heard of colour; but would prefer things to stay as they are – blank and plain. Paperbelle is a gentle and playful exploration of colour set in a magical world of paper. A wonderful introduction to theatre for young audiences from Frozen Charlotte, the makers of much-loved productions, Moussa's Castle, Peep and Too Many Penguins?
Tam O'Shanter
The Burns story of Tam's drunken, glorious night out, the scene of supernatural debauchery inside Kirk Alloway, and the terrifying chase through the woods. Set in Burns' world, its rhythm of work, life, courtship, entertainment, ritual, and death. With over twenty songs, live music, a strong visual style and a large cast of the best Scottish actors, dancers and musicians, Communicado Theatre Company's production is a show of outrageous hilarity, death-defying rhyming, anachronisms and short skirts.
The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk
When Martin moves to a new school he feels lost in a sea of strange faces, especially when class bully Sharon takes a dislike to him. That is until he meets Simon McGurk and forms a friendship that not only changes Martin, but curses Simon for the rest of his school days. Following the success of White, and recently returned from Sydney Opera House, multi-award winning Catherine Wheels brings a coming of age tale about just how difficult it can be to stay true to your friends.
The Curious Scrapbook of Josephine Bean
Shona Reppe returns to the Fringe (Total Theatre Award for Cinderella) with performance, object manipulation, projection, light and sound creating a breathtaking detective story in a lab.Slowly, page-by-page, the scrapbook becomes the window into a secret world and a curious life unfolds before us. Who was Josephine Bean? The clues are in its pages….
The Static
Following an award-winning debut in 2010, ThickSkin returns with a magnetic new play by Davey Anderson. Featuring a striking mix of multi-media, movement and text,this visually arresting and fast-paced new play by writer Davey Anderson and director Neil Bettles, explores the ugly flipside to positive thinking – the terrifying idea that our darkest fantasies could come true. A kinetic coming-of-age story about desire, guilt and mind over matter.
Watch iT!
WATCH iT! A multi-media dance odyssey about one man's love/hate relationship with his TV, fusing hip hop and contemporary dance, theatre, interactive film and animation. The story begins as we stumble out of the living room and down the cathode ray tunnel into a surreal world of televisions that talk back and ones that want to dance. Room 2 Manoeuvre's boundary-pushing production takes the audience on an undulating journey of frenetic sparks of energy to more soft sincere moments.
Within This Dust
Following their acclaimed 2011 Fringe sellout run, Smallpetitklien return with three live dance works. Interwoven with film and sound this triple bill explores Richard Drew's iconic photographs of a man falling from the World Trade Centre during the 9/11 attacks. This evocative work is heartbreaking in its honesty and convulses with a brutish force that will electrify and move audiences. The work is a stunning blend of beautiful movement and subtle story telling.
In 2011 six of the Made In Scotland companies walked away with awards. Traverse Theatre's production of Ten Plagueswon a Fringe First, Junction 25's I Hope My Heart Goes First was awarded a Herald Angel, Adrian Howell's intimate May I Have the Pleasure...? received the Total Theatre Award for Innovation & Experimentation, Paddy Cuneen's powerful double bill Fleeto and Wee Andy was awarded the The Brighton Fringe Emerging Talent Award as well as the Holden Street Theatre Award which enabled the shows to be seen at the Adelaide Fringe, Catherine Wheels' production of Lu Kemp's One Thousand Paper Cranes won the inaugural Scottish Arts Club: Best Scottish Drama Contribution to the Fringe award and finally, the cast of the Citizens Theatre production of The Monster in the Hall were awarded Best Ensemble at the Stage Awards.
Notes for Editors
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For further information on Made in Scotland please contact Owen O’Leary on 07815 992658 ([email protected])
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For details of the full 2012 Made in Scotland programme visit www.madeinscotlandshowcase.com
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‘Made in Scotland’:
- Supports Scottish dance and theatre companies to present their best work on an international stage;
- Raises the profile of the work of Scottish dance and theatre companies and offers them unique networking opportunities with promoters;
- Increases the number and diversity of international promoters coming to see Scottish work at the Fringe through a year-round promoter development programme;
- Nurtures and encourages international creative dialogue and the development of international collaborations by Scottish dance and theatre companies;
- Supports international touring opportunities for all Scottish dance and theatre companies performing at the Fringe;
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Offers a year-round programme of training, support and advice to companies so they can maximise the impact of their appearance in the showcase.
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The Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund is available to all 12 Festivals, to support the development of Scottish-based work and to allow that work to reach international audiences through presentation at the Edinburgh Festivals.The Expo Fund has invested a a total of £8 million over four years with a further commitment of £2.25M in 2012/13
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The full 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme is launched on Thursday 31st May. For further information on the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe visit: www.edfringe.com
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The Made in Scotland programme was selected by a panel of arts experts chaired by Kath M Mainland, Chief Executive of the Festival Fringe Society. This year’s panel was:
Chair: Kath M Mainland - Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society
Anthony Baker - Artistic Director, Dance City, Newcastle
Mary Brennan - Dance and performance critic, The Herald
Anita Clark - Portfolio Manager Festivals, Touring and Dance, Creative Scotland
Julie Ellen - Artistic Director, Beacon Arts Centre
Susan Feldman - Artistic Director, St Anne's Warehouse, New York
Andrew Jones - Senior Advisor of Drama and Dance, British Council
Jon Morgan - Director, Federation of Scottish Theatre
With additional advice from William Galinsky Norfolk and Norwich Festival
Listings Info
Bullet Catch
The Arches presents Rob
Drummond
Traverse Theatre Venue 15
Aug 2 Preview 10:30 (1hr 15mins) | £12/£6 conc.
Aug 3-26 (Not Mondays) various times (1hr 15mins)
Weekdays £17/£12 conc./£6 conc. | Weekends £19/£14 conc.
Educating Ronnie
Created by Joe Douglas and Gareth Nicholls
Produced by macrobert and Utter in association with HighTide Festival Theatre
Assembly George Square Venue 3
Aug 2-3 Preview 13:15 (1hr) | £6
Aug 6-9, 14-16, 21-23 13:15 (1hr) | £10/£8 conc.
Aug 4-5, 10-12, 17-19, 24-26 13:15 (1hr) | £12/£10 conc.
KIN
By Donna Rutherford
Playhouse on the Fringe ‘Overtures’ Venue 59
Aug 1-2 Preview 14:00 (1hr) | £6
Aug 3-27 (Not 14, 21) 14:00 (1hr) | £10/£8 conc.
Aug 8 and 23 shall be signed performances
Leaving Limbo Landing
Caroline Bowditch in association with East London Dance
St Andrew Square Garden Venue 302
Aug 16-20 13:00 15:30 18:00 (30mins) | Free (non-ticketed)
Love Letters to the Public Transport System
By Molly Taylor presented by National Theatre of Scotland
Studio One, The Assembly Rooms Venue 20
Aug 2 Preview 19.20 (50mins) | £9/£8 conc.
Aug 3-26 (Not Mondays) 18.15 (50mins) | £10/£9 conc.
Aug 14 signed performance 18.15 Aug 18 audio described performance 18.15
Paperbelle
Frozen Charlotte Productions
Assembly Royal Botanic Garden Venue 140
Aug 10-27 (Not 14, 21) 10:30 11:45 13:30 (40mins) | £7
Tam O'Shanter
presented by Communicado in co-production with Horsecross Arts and Assembly Festival
Assembly Hall Venue 35
Aug 2-3 Preview 12:00 (1hr 30mins) | £10
Aug 4-7, 10-12, 17-19, 23-26 12:00 (1hr 30mins) | £15/£14 conc.
Aug 9, 14-16, 21-22 12:00 (1hr 30mins) | £14/£13 conc.
The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk
Catherine Wheels Theatre Company
Traverse @ Scottish Book Trust Venue 204
Aug 3 Preview 13.30 (50mins) | £6
Aug 4-26 (Not Mondays) Tues-Fri 13.30 Sat-Sun 13.30 17:00 (50mins) | £10/£8 conc.
The Curious Scrapbook of Josephine Bean
Shona Reppe
Traverse @ Scottish Book Trust Venue 204
Aug 3 Preview 11.00 (45mins) | £6
Aug 4-26 (Not Mondays) 11:00 (45mins) | £10/£8 conc.
The Static
Thickskin in association with Underbelly Productions and The Core at Corby Cube
Underbelly Cowgate Venue 61
Aug 2-3 Preview 14:40 (1hr) | £6
Aug 4-5, 8-9,13-16, 21-23 14:40 (1hr) | £10/£9 conc.
Aug 6-7, 10-12, 17-19, 24-26 14:40 (1hr) | £11/£10 conc. Aug 12 signed performance
WATCH iT!
Presented by Room 2 Manoeuvre
Zoo Southside Mainhouse Venue 82
Aug 3 Preview 13:00 (50mins) | £8
Aug 4-27 (Not 14, 21) 13:00 (50mins) | £12.50/£10 conc.
Within This Dust
Smallpetitklein Dance Company
Dance Base Studio 3 Venue 22
Aug 7 Preview 18:30 (1hr 20mins) | £8
Aug 8-12, 14-19 18:30 (1hr 20mins) | £12/£10 conc.