Traverse Theatre

She's Behind You | National Theatre of Scotland Johnny McKnight has spent a lifetime in the pantosphere. After playing eighteen dames and writing more than thirty pantomimes, he invites you to take a pee

📸Tommy Ga-Ken Wan

Written and performed by Johnny McKnight and directed by John Tiffany.

Produced by the Traverse Theatre, in association with the @ntsonline.bsky.social as part of #TravFest25

BOOK NOW
www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/events/shes-...

It's panto season! Oh no, it's not!? ✨

Well, it's definitely festival season and She's Behind You has arrived at #TravFest25

Here's a first look at the world premiere of She's Behind You with Dorothy Blawna Gale storming the Traverse stage until the 24 August! 👠

A promotional image for interview with "Lost Lear" on BBC Radio Scotland's The Arts Mix. The image shows a dramatic, dimly lit scene with an elderly person seated and surrounded by concerned younger individuals, possibly caretakers or family members. A figure stands in shadow in the foreground. The title "Lost Lear" is prominently displayed in bold, distressed white letters, and beneath it reads: "Listen on BBC The Arts Mix Radio Scotland."

Tune in to BBC Radio Scotland for an interview with the Lost Lear team before #TravFest25 previews start tomorrow: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

27 JUN - 24 AUG. Book now: www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

riverbankarts.bsky.socialriverbankarts.bsky.social / mermaidartscentre.bsky.social

A lively performer in a theatrical costume poses playfully on a cobblestone street. The person wears a blue and white gingham dress with puffed sleeves, white lace trim, fishnet stockings, red shoes, and a large red wig topped with a white bow. They hold a wicker basket and strike a cheerful, exaggerated pose with one foot lifted. Behind them, a crowd of people walks along a colourful street with brightly painted buildings and hanging bunting, creating a festive atmosphere.

A tornado has swept through Edinburgh (typical summer weather) and dropped off the festival's most colourful star, Dorothy Blawna Gale 🌈 Grab a ticket to She's Behind You at #TravFest25 and be here in just three clicks of your heels 👠

www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...
@ntsonline.bsky.social

A performer in a colourful, rainbow dress and wig poses comically with pigtails against a blue background. Surrounding text highlights praise for Edinburgh 2025 theatre shows from various media outlets, conveying excitement and anticipation.

Need we say more? 🤩

Get your tickets to She's Behind You - written and performed by Johnny McKnight, directed by two-time Tony Award winner John Tiffany. World premiere at #TravFest25.

www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

Stylized poster for "A Play, A Pie and A Pint." Features a pie, pint, and bell tower on a green plate. A seagull flies overhead. Text reads "Autumn 2025."

@playpiepint.bsky.social returns to the Traverse this autumn for a season of new Scottish writing! Highlights include a hip-hop musical about Braveheart, a dark comedy about Irish dancing, and a high-stakes game of chess.

Book now via our box office / website
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/a-p...

Grab a cuppa and find out more about A Gambler's Guide To Dying ahead of it making its return after 10 years!

Gary and Gareth reflect on the past decade and tell us a wee bit more about what you can expect from the show 👀

Thu 31 Jul - Sun 24 Aug
#TravFest25

Five people are stood outside a grey steel building, smiling at the camera.

SHE’S IN REHEARSALS! ✨🌈

A massive panto welcome to the company of She’s Behind You as they start rehearsals ahead of the Fringe.

Writer and performer Johnny McKnight, director John Tiffany and the creative team are positively glowing in the sunshine outside Rockvilla.

Announcement: Autumn 2025 Season Scotland’s engine room of new writing reveals Autumn programme of home-grown performances and thrilling new work from Scotland and further afield

Hot on the heels of a thrilling TravFest25, meet the first of the performances joining us from September.

Our Autumn season sees some of the most exciting shows take centre stage with new productions and returning favourites alike.

Find out more: www.traverse.co.uk/news/announc...

Back view of a person with short hair and hoop earrings, wearing a blue sweater. A bright rectangle lamp is in front of them. "Traverse Festival" text at the top.

In Deliverance by Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir, YOU are the star. A person arrives at your door with an envelope. Inside is your script - a set of instructions that you will follow for the next 90 minutes...

🗓️ 9 Aug - 24 Aug
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

#TravFest25

Introducing the cast for The Beautiful Future Is Coming!!

Joining us this August, we can't wait to welcome this lovely bunch to #TravFest25.

Traverse Theatre presents a Bristol Old Vic production.

Woman in a vibrant red dress holds a microphone, seated in front of metal kegs with a thoughtful expression. "Traverse Festival" text in top right.

Lucky Tonight! is an interactive pub quiz/theatre show by Afreena Islam-Wright.  Quizmaster (and former contestant of The Chase!) Afreena will put you through your paces to help her tell her story.

🗓️ 31 July - 24 Aug
Tickets on sale now
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

#TravFest25

Smiling man sitting on a red couch in a cosy room, hands clasped, with a portrait of an elderly man on the wall. A white mug on a wooden table.

Gary McNair's A Gambler's Guide to Dying has toured the world since its award-winning, sell-out premiere at the Trav in 2015. Now it's back home to mark its 10th anniversary. Directed by Artistic Director Gareth Nicholls.

🗓️ 31 July - 24 Aug
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

#TravFest25

Close-up portrait of a bearded man in a brown shirt against a dark background. The text reads "So Young," "Robert Jack as Milo," with theatre logos below.

Close-up of a woman with reddish-brown hair and blue eyes in front of a dark background. Text reads "So Young," her name (Lucianne McEvoy), and theatre details.

Portrait of a man wearing a green button-up shirt over a white tee against a blue background, promoting Andy Clark as Davie.

Young woman (Yana Harris) with long brown hair and white top posing against a solid dark background.

We’re SO excited to reveal the cast for #SoYoung by Douglas Maxwell!

✨ Robert Jack
✨ Lucianne McEvoy
✨ Andy Clark
✨ Yana Harris

📍 23–25 Oct, 28 Oct – 8 Nov
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

A @rawmaterialarts.bsky.social and Traverse Theatre Production in association with @citizenstheatre

A diverse group of around 40 people, mostly teens and some adults, stand on a stage smiling for photos. The audience faces them, capturing the moment.

A diverse group of seven people stands on a dimly lit stage, smiling and waving at an audience. Confetti covers the floor, creating a celebratory atmosphere.

Two people kneel on a dimly lit stage, engrossed in rehearsal. One holds scripts and looks intently, while the other gestures expressively, conveying intensity.

A person in a sleeveless shirt and jeans, wearing furry ears, holds a script marked with highlights, displaying a comedic, exaggerated expression on stage.

Class Act Aberdeen has wrapped for this year, but we're still buzzing! A huge round of applause is in order for all the young people who wrote and created their own plays to be presented at Light the Blue festival👏👏👏 Keep an eye out for Class Act announcements in other locations...

A woman stands dramatically with hair blown back by a fan held by another person. She’s wearing a purple blouse and peach pants. Background shows stormy skies. Text reads "Traverse Festival" in the top right corner.

Lost Lear by Dan Colley is a moving remix of Shakespeare’s play told from the POV of Joy, a person with dementia, living in a memory of rehearsing King Lear. ​​★★★★★ ​- The Stage

🗓️ 27 Jul - 24 Aug
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

#TravFest25 riverbankarts.bsky.socialriverbankarts.bsky.social‬‬

A grid of six headshots showing a range of ages and expressions.

Announcing the cast for Black Hole Sign by Uma Nada-Rajah
L-R: Martin Docherty, Dani Heron, Amelia Isaac Jones, Beruce Khan, Helen Logan, Ann Louise Ross

A @trontheatre.bsky.social & Traverse Theatre Company co-production in association with @ntsonline.bsky.social
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

Two people sit at a table covered with scripts, laptops, and mugs in a brightly lit room. Behind them, rows of empty blue theatre seats.

A group of people sit around a table cluttered with mugs, a French press, and papers, in a theatre with blue seats. They appear engaged and relaxed.

A woman animatedly speaks during a meeting in a dimly lit room, seated at a table with notebooks and drinks. Blue auditorium chairs are visible behind.

An early look at Isla Cowan's new play which is being developed through the IASH/Traverse Playwriting Fellowship 👀 Exploring ecological issues of farming and pollination practices, we had a read-through with Artistic Director Gareth Nicholls recently. Keep it on your radar!

A dramatic stage scene shows three actors: one in a black dress, another seated at a table, and a third in an armchair. Atmosphere is tense, theatrical.

"Something is hanging in the balance – ready to fall." Flora Wilson Brown’s The Beautiful Future Is Coming is an inventive look at 250 years of real and imagined history through the eyes of three couples.

🗓️ 29 Jul - 24 Aug
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...
#TravFest25

Six people standing together in a bright room with wooden floors. They wear casual, colourful outfits, conveying a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Introducing team Consumed #TravFest25 - (L-R) Julia Dearden as Eileen, Caoimhe Farren as Jenny, Andrea Irvine as Gilly, playwright Karis Kelly, director Katie Posner, Muireann Ní Fhaogáin as Muireann.

🏆 Women’s Prize for the Playwriting 2022
Book now: www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

Two men facing each other across a metal table under low lights, creating a tense atmosphere. One wears casual office clothes, the other, tattoos and orange prison attire. The word "Traverse Festival" is displayed above.

Is it truly possible to love someone whose beliefs you hate? RIFT by Gabriel Jason Dean takes inspiration from the relationship with his own brother  to craft an an urgent exploration of ideological divides.

🗓️ 31 Jul - 24 Aug
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...
#TravFest25

A woman in a yellow top smiles while holding a pen, seated at a table with papers. Text reads: "Staying Creative Workshops. Applications close Friday 11 July, 5PM." Logos for Playwrights' Studio Scotland, Traverse Theatre, and Creative Scotland are visible.

Join award-winning playwright and mentor Lynda Radley at the Traverse for a course of four free workshops about building a sustainable writing practice.

Deadline: 5pm, Friday 11th July
Find out more: playwrightsstudio.co.uk/staying-crea...
@playwrightsstudio.bsky.social‬

A group of 15 people pose smiling on a stage with a black curtain backdrop.

A group of fifteen people pose on a theatre stage, smiling warmly. They are arranged in two rows with a dark curtain backdrop.

A group of 16 people stand in two rows on a stage with a black curtain backdrop.

We loved hosting the Scottish Casting Network workshops in June 🎭 Led by Neil John Gibson, the sessions welcomed 48 actors - 29% were Global Majority, 25% were disabled, 37% were LGBTQIA+ and 56% were working class. Their next roles are out there - we’ll be cheering them on!

We think you'll go *gaga* for the #TravFest25 programme...

12 shows now onsale, including 10 premieres - don't miss out! www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/tra...

The first of many #TravFest25 cast announcements!! 🙌🥳

A man in a beige suit plays an acoustic guitar in warm light, sitting in a cosy wooden interior. His expression is thoughtful and focused.

Join us at the Trav Bar tomorrow night for one of the most in-demand jazz guitarists in the UK - Nick Costley White. The gig will feature songs from his new album Poncha, a blend of American jazz with dance rhythms from Brazil and Cuba.

Mon 23 Jun, 8PM
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

Split image of a woman on left, eyes closed in a calm expression, and on right, open-mouthed and shouting. Background features Traverse Festival 2025 branding.

🍎 RED LIKE FRUIT 🍎

While Lauren’s been reporting on a high profile case of domestic violence, she’s been thinking back on a set of events from her adolescence, and something in her has started to crack.

🗓️ 31 Jul - 24 Aug
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

#TravFest25

Young woman seated against a vibrant yellow background, cradling an acoustic guitar with a pensive expression. Text reads "Traverse Festival 2025."

🎸 STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF GIANTS 🎸

While her brother’s band The Libertines skyrockets to stardom, Lucie Barât can’t get signed. An autobiographical show about being a rockstar(‘s sister).

🗓️ 25 July - 24 Aug
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

#TravFest25

A woman operates a light console in a dimly-lit theatre, studying a paper. Text reads: "Join our team: Festival Technician (Temporary)."

We are looking for experienced Technicians to join our Production Team during this year's TravFest. Rate of pay is £660 pw with overtime payable. Application deadline is Friday 27 June at midday.

For full job description and how to apply visit: www.traverse.co.uk/jobs/festiva...

Nick Costley-White is one of the most in-demand jazz guitarists in the UK. Join us at the Trav for one night only - a blend of dance rhythms and playful melodies from Brazil and Cuba with the harmony and swing of American jazz!

Mon 23 Jun, 8PM
www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...