Packed Autumn/Winter season announced

Following the first full-scale August Festival since 2019, the Traverse is delighted to announce many of the shows in our packed Autumn/Winter season – with more to come. With a mix of returning shows and companies, and those who are brand new to the Traverse, audiences are spoiled for choice with drama, musicals, comedy, readings and regular series on offer.

SEPTEMBER

Sees the return of audience favourite A Play, A Pie and A Pint with six new plays, each with an international perspective, enjoyed with a hot pie and a drink. The season includesSally by James Ley (20 - 24 Sep), Break My Windows by Dave Gercow (27 Sep - 1 Oct),He Who Opens the Door by Neda Nezhdana adapted by John Farndon (4 - 8 Oct), Made in China by Alice Clark (11 - 15 Oct), Alföld by Joe McCann (1 - 5 Nov) and Jinnistan by Taqi Nazeer (8 - 12 Nov).

From 12 Sep, the renowned Soundhouse Organisation return to the intimate environs of the Traverse Bar with a series of live gigs from some of the most exciting global country, jazz, traditional and folk acts around. Includes Adam Holmes, Lizbett Russo, Fiona Hunter, Martin Simpson, Dean Owens & The Sinners, and more, with further acts to be announced

Traverse 1 hosts a live recording of Stellar Quines' Quines Cast podcast (14 Sep), hosted by Hannah Lavery and Caitlin Skinner, with performances inspired by the theme of Change from writer Kirstin Innes (Scabby Queen, Fishnet), a new play by Uma Nada-Rajah (Exodus, Toy Plastic Chicken) and music from the magnificent Hailey Beavis.

In Traverse 3, audiences can explore the murky world of online gambling in Odds On by Daphna Attias & Terry O’Donovan (19 - 25 Sep), a new, free-to-watch interactive short film.

OCTOBER

Following their debate event earlier in the year, Birds of Paradise bring their new production Don't. Make. Tea. by Rob Drummond, to Traverse 1 from 5 - 8 Oct. Exploring a near future in which the benefits system has undergone a transformation, each performance will have integrated BSL, Audio Descriptions and Captions.

Audiences will be able to get their first look at a new Traverse-commissioned play by Apphia Campbell (the 2021 IASH/Traverse Playwriting Fellow) on its way to a full production (13 Oct), and anyone who missed Robbie Gordon Jack Nurse's evocative 549: Scots of the Civil War, will have the chance to catch it again from 14 - 15 Oct.

As writing legend Martin McDonagh's newest movie sweeps the international film festivals, his Tony Award-winning dark comedy The Beauty Queen of Leenane (19 - 22 Oct), combining thrilling elements of farce and melodrama with a searing critique on the Irish belief in the sanctity of the family, is brought to us by Rapture Theatre.

Rounding out the month are two original musicals from Andy McGregor, both formerly A Play, A Pie and A Pint productions -Crocodile Rock (25 Oct) and A New Life (26 Oct).

NOVEMBER

The month starts with a bold take on H.G. Wells' science fiction classic in The Time Machine: A Radical Feminist Retelling by Jordan & Skinner (3 - 5 Nov), followed by another appearance from Stellar Quines (and Pitlochry Festival Theatre) with new productionSister Radio by Sara Shaarawi (10 - 12 Nov), telling the story of two sisters who have lived together in an Edinburgh flat for 43 years, forced during the pandemic to reckon with their memories of a betrayal that changed the course of their relationship.

Witch Hunt by Abigail Dooley and Emma Edwards (16 - 17 Nov), is a cautionary fairy tale for our time. It celebrates the wisdom of the witch, unpacks the notion of predator and conjures a world of coven-ready weird sisters; imagine Vic and Bob doing The Crucible.

Two stories based on real experiences and performed by the people who lived them - Redcoat by Lewis Jobson (17 - 19 Nov) and Cell Outs by Ella Church and Harriet Troup (24 - 26 Nov) - tell the stories of life as a Butlin's Redcoat, and working as newly qualified prison officers, respectively. Both with comedy, songs, and silliness amongst some important questions.

DECEMBER

We're pleased to welcome 4PLAY (1 Dec) for a night of readings of short plays from Edinburgh playwrights Katy Nixon, Andrea McKenzie, Mikey Burnett and Ruaraidh Murray, before Lyra (supported by Catherine Wheels) bring the charmingOnce Upon a Snowstorm, adapted by Jo Timmins storm (9 - 23 Dec), to Traverse 2 to delight young audiences aged 5-8 and their families for Christmas. Based on the beautiful illustrated story book by Richard Johnson, it tells the tale of a father and son who live an isolated life in the woods, who are searching for each other after being separated in a storm.

You can explore all Autumn/Winter events here.

£1 tickets are available on all performances (excluding A Play, A Pie and A Pint and Soundhouse) for those under 25 and in receipt of low income government benefits. Find out how to register for £1 tickets here.

Additional winter shows will be announced in coming weeks.

The Traverse Theatre is funded by Creative Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council, and has received additional support from the Scottish Government's Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund and Creative Scotland’s Recovery Fund for Cultural Organisations.