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“The epicentre

of new writing”

Orla O’Loughlin, Artistic Director, and Linda Crooks, Executive Producer

Established in 1963 to maintain the spirit of the Fringe throughout the year, the Traverse works with exciting new theatre-makers, presents daring new plays and nurtures groundbreaking new talent.

We tour Scottish work around Britain and the world and are the chosen partner for leading arts organisations.

We represent the very best in the arts, producing and presenting award-winning work.

We engage with all sectors of society to increase access to the arts and promote lifelong learning.

We are thrilled to be at the helm of the Traverse at this significant point in its illustrious history. From its conception in the 1960s, the Traverse has remained a pivotal arts venue in Edinburgh and indeed the world, not least of all during the month of August when it becomes the beating heart of the Fringe. Our theatre receives enormous critical and audience acclaim for its programming as well as regularly winning awards.

The Traverse’s commissioning process embraces a spirit of innovation and risk-taking that has launched the careers of many of Scotland’s most celebrated writers including John Byrne, David Greig, David Harrower and Liz Lochhead. It has also been the place where a succession of the UK’s leading actors, directors and theatrical talent began their glittering careers. Robbie Coltrane, Tilda Swinton, Simon

Russell Beale, Ken Stott and Simon Callow (to name but a few) all honed their talents here.

The Traverse is unique in Scotland in that it fulfils the crucial role of providing the infrastructure, professional support and expertise to ensure the development of a dynamic and vital theatre culture for Scotland. The Traverse’s success is not of course limited to the Edinburgh stage. Traverse productions have toured throughout Scotland and the UK, as well as across Europe, the Middle East, Far East, USA, Canada and Australia.

As we look to the next 50 years our ambition is to build on this extraordinary legacy; to invest in increased engagement with artists and audiences alike and to continue to develop, produce and present world class drama for a national and international stage.

“The Traverse is the heartbeat of Scottish theatre and is located in the epicentre of Edinburgh’s cultural quarter...”

Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop

We work with writers at every stage of their career, reading and feeding back on scripts, hosting play development workshops, commissioning new work, and providing one to one meetings between writers and a member of our Artistic team.

Free and more informal writers’ events take place at the Traverse throughout the year. We invite people to get under the skin of new writing in all of its forms.

Well-known Traverse productions include Midsummer [a play with songs] by David Greig and Gordon McIntyre, Knives in Hens by David Harrower, Iron by Rona Munro, Gagarin Way by Gregory Burke, Bondagers by Sue Glover and The Slab Boys Trilogy by John Byrne.

National Theatre of Scotland’s Black Watch by Gregory Burke had its World Premiere at the Traverse Theatre in 2006. It has since gone on to play to tens of thousands of people internationally and win countless awards.

New Writing

Marc Almond in Ten Plagues. Image by Richard Campbell.

“Many years ago, when I was a dishwasher, I sent my first script to the Traverse

Theatre Literary Department unsolicited. Their skill and professionalism nurtured the script, and me, through the long and

torturous process of development that led it to the stage. About two years later,

the play opened to great acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival. It then transferred to the National Theatre in London and

eventually the West End. For a complete novice and outsider in the world of theatre,

all of its success was down to the help and advice I received from the staff in this

theatre. I have never had to wash dishes since. Now, I eat off a brand new, bone

china plate at every meal.”

Gregory Burke Gagarin Way, Hoors (Traverse Theatre Company)

Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland)

Midsummer. Image by Douglas Robertson.

Futureproof. Image by Douglas McBride.

International

The Traverse tours work throughout the world and has toured extensively around Scotland and other parts of the UK and Ireland. In recent years, we have taken new plays to Australia, America, Istanbul, France, Toronto, Moscow, Iran and Jordan.

Throughout the year and especially during the Fringe, the Traverse is the premium choice for internationally established artists to showcase their work.

We are regarded as the beating heart of the Fringe and a hub for industry discussions, both on stage and in our bar.

“The hottest Fringe shows are presented by

the Traverse, a respected year-round institution.”

New York Times

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Mercy Ojelade and Adura Onashile in Roadkill. Image by Tim Morozzo.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the largest arts festival in the world, taking place every August for three weeks. All year round the Traverse hosts an amazing array of festivals and arts events.

Autumn at the Traverse Dance, visual theatre, contemporary music and puppetry come together to liven up the dark days and nights in November.

Manipulate Happening every January, Manipulate is a festival of avant-garde physical theatre, puppetry and animation.

Bank of Scotland Imaginate Festival Now in its 23rd year, Imaginate is the largest and most successful performing arts festival for children and young people in the UK. We are one of the main venues for the week-long festival.

Write Here - New Writing Festival 2012 witnessed the birth of Write Here, a brand new festival at the Traverse. More than just presenting new work, this festival takes the audience behind the scenes and encourages interaction between writers, playwrights and the paying public. We work with the creators and the critics to help shape what comes next at the Traverse.

“The gesture is come and get involved, come and participate. It’s a two way process: it’s not just about us saying ‘here’s some work, come and see it’. It’s actually come and tell us what you think of it, meet the writers, ask me a question.”

Orla O’Loughlin, Traverse Theatre Artistic Director

Festivals

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Success

“One of the most exciting places for theatre in the UK.”

The Guardian

Gregor Fisher Tilda Swinton in White Rose, 1985.

Midsummer [A Play with Songs] - winner of four CATS awards, including Best Play and Best Production.

Ten Plagues -winner of a Fringe First award in 2011.

The Dark Things - winner of two CATS awards. Image by Richard Campbell.

White - winner of a Fringe First, Herald Angel and three CATS awards. Image by Douglas McBride.

The Three Musketeers. Image by Robert Day.

Roadkill - winner of 7 awards and a Laurence Olivier award in 2012. Image by Tom Morozzo

An Argument About Sex. Image by Tommy Ga-Ken Wan.

Year on year, the Traverse continues to win awards, both nationally and internationally. In the last three years alone, we have won 58 awards, including an Olivier for Roadkill.

We are also the place where countless actors, directors and playwrights have honed their talents and gone on to become award winners in their own right.

“The importance of the Traverse is difficult to overestimate…without the theatre, it is difficult to imagine Scottish playwriting at all.”

The Sunday Times

We believe that what happens off the stage is just as important as what happens on it. We are passionate about increasing access to the arts through our vast range of engagement work. Here are a few examples of recent projects.

Class Act Class Act is our longest-running education project which celebrated 21 years in 2011. Actors and directors work with students from local schools to develop their own short plays. At the end of the process, the scripts are brought to life on the Traverse stage.

Since its conception in 1990, Class Act has worked with 1,238 students, from 52 schools.

Young Writers Group For writers aged between 18 and 25, the group meets weekly to attend playwriting workshops led by a professional playwright.

Scribble A writers’ group for even younger writers aged 14 to 17. This group works through a one year course, at the end of which they work with the Lyceum’s Youth Theatre to present their work on stage.

Open Write and Out Write External funding allows our Learning department to take the essence of the Traverse into sectors of society that we might not usually reach. Out Write and Open Write worked with inmates at local prisons to devise, write and develop their own short plays with industry professionals. The programmes culminated in performances of scripts at the prison and at the Traverse Theatre.

Lung Ha’s This visiting company exists to provide and inspire opportunities for people with learning disabilities to become actively involved in the performing arts. Lung Ha’s has been bringing its productions to the Traverse since 1996 and we are proud to be part of the company’s growth and development, to the point now where the last production Antigone sold out all four performances in March 2012.

Engagement

Antigone by Lung Ha’s. Image by Douglas Jones

“The Young Writers Group gave me the encouragement and confidence to share my writing. The Traverse has always given me the time and space to develop my own voice, whilst giving me the support to develop as a professional playwright.”

Morna Pearson Playwright

“Every year there’s at least one student who just goes like a rocket, from a

complete lack of self-esteem, to a real belief in their own work. It gives them a voice,

and helps them to structure their self-expression in a completely new way.”

Nicola McCartney Playwright

Lung Ha’s. Image by Douglas Jones

Out Write

Contact us Linda Crooks Traverse Theatre 10 Cambridge Street Edinburgh EH1 2ED

Box Office: 0131 228 1404 Administration Office: 0131 228 3223 www.traverse.co.uk

Board of Directors Stephen Cotton (Chair) Adrienne Sinclair Chalmers (Company Secretary) Barbara Allison Lynne Crossan Adrian O’Donnell Roy McEwan

Traverse Theatre Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2ED

Registered in Scotland SC076037 Registered charity no: SC002368 VAT Registration no: 3560682 47

Design by www.everyonelovescake.co.uk Image of Orla O’Loughlin and Linda Crooks by Eoin Carey

Front cover quote - The Independent