The Traverse Theatre today revealed an eclectic mix for their Spring Season’s programme running from January to June.
Things kick off on 21 – 22 January with Traverse Theatre Company’s Class Act, two evenings of new work from the Traverse’s next generation of playwrights, pupils aged 15 – 18 from five Edinburgh schools.
From 31 January to 7th February, the manipulate Visual Theatre Festival, now in its eighth year, presents some of the most innovative physical theatre, puppetry and visual animation from Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Italy the USA and with a strong representation from Scotland.
On 2 February, Soundhouse starts a new musical residency bringing a host of home-grown and international talent to the Traverse Bar Café on Monday nights throughout the season. The Traverse Bar Café will also be the venue for a special Valentine’s Day evening of food, drink and live swing music with the Bevvy Sisters and The Loveboat Supper Club Band.
Dance features in February with Scottish Dance Theatre bringing three pieces of work starting with YAMA, on 18 February, followed by a double bill of Winter, Again / Dreamers on 19 February.
On 27 – 28 February The Typist narrates the story of children evacuated to the UK during the Spanish Civil War through flamenco dance, film and live music. These dates are shared with Fleabag as part of a UK Tour from Drywrite and Soho Theatre.
From 5 – 7 March, the Lyceum Youth Theatre returns with Hacktivists by Ben Ockvert but before that on 4 March Scottish comedian Susan Calman appears as part of her first UK tour with Lady Like. This is followed by David Leddy’s 2013 Fringe Festival hit Long Live The Little Knife for one night only on 7 March.
Lunchtime favourite A Play, A Pie and A Pint will return to the Traverse for its ninth season in a joint Òran Mór and Traverse presentation from 17 March – 18 April showing three plays from former Traverse Fifty and Breakfast Play writers Alison Carr, Tim Primrose and Martin McCormick further developed for the Traverse 2 stage.
Beating McEnroe is a solo show about tennis heroes from Jamie Wood on 12 – 14 March, while from 19 – 21 Lung Ha’s Theatre Company and Drake Music Scotland present a re-working by Scottish playwright Morna Pearson of The Strange Case of Jekyll and Hyde.
Some Fringe Festival 2014 hits return in the form of Fringe First winner Sanitise from Melanie Jordan and Caitlin Skinner on 20 – 21 February, followed by Mark Thomas’ award-winning one-man show Cuckooed between 15 – 18 April. Before that, from 8 – 11 April, Dundee Rep, Derby Theatre and Graeae present a radical new take on Lorca’s Blood Wedding from writer David Ireland.
More new writing comes from 23 – 25 April as The Arches presents the Platform 18 Award Winner O is for Hoolet by Ishbel McFarlane, a one-woman show about the Scots language and Words, Words, Words, a platform for new writers, returns in May.
Chiming with these dates is Borderline and Hirtle’s revival of Sue Glover’s The Straw Chairthat premiered at the Traverse Theatre in 1988.
Following an international exchange in Autumn 2014 with Montréal‘s Théâtre La Licorne, Right Now by Catherine-Anne Toupin will be presented in preview from 5 – 9 May. The five-night run of preview performances is a chance for audiences to experience new work from international writers.
Hans Christian Anderson’s fable Mermaid has been realised to a contemporary setting by writer and director Polly Teale from 6 – 9 May and the Imaginate Festival returns to the Traverse between 11 – 17 May to showcase the best new international work for children and young people.
Performing Arts Studio Scotland (PASS) and Edinburgh College presents three new short pieces in PASS Out from 22 - 23 May) in a new showcase for final year HND acting students.
From 26 – 30 May the National Theatre of Scotland joins forces with Manchester’s Contact to present Rites , a powerful new production exploring the deep-rooted cultural practice of Female Genital Mutilation created by Cora Bissett and Yusra Warsama. Critically acclaimed Chris Goode & Company close the season from 4 – 6 June with STAND, presenting real stories from ordinary people who stood up for something or someone they believed in.
Booking for all shows via Traverse Theatre.