The Traverse Theatre have announced their first shows for Traverse Festival 2021, which will include in-person, outdoor and online events. 

They will welcome audiences back into Traverse 1 for the first time since March 2020 for a world premiere of Frances Poet’s Still, a story of life, love and loss set across familiar Edinburgh locations; This is Paradise, a monologue on the fragility of peace in Northern Ireland by Michael John O’Neill will also take to the Traverse 1 stage. 

An in-person open air performance MOVE by Disaster Plan will also perform an evocative show on Silverknowes Beach.

TravFest21 will invite writers at different stages of their careers to partake in the Summer 21 edition of First Stages Festival, which is full of creative development readings and workshops and should help to ignite the imaginations of the writers. 

On Traverse 3, on-demand versions of all the in-person performances can be viewed along with world premiere’s of We’ll Meet in Moscow, an immersive audio play which focuses on Pride in Moscow and how the Russian courts sensationally banned it for 100 years in 2012. A digital production of On Blueberry Hill from Fishamble will have a limited run and Shedinburgh will also return. 

Executive producer of Traverse Linda Crooks said: “Announcing the first shows of the Traverse Festival 2021 today is a moment worthy of celebration – of artists, compelling stories, our incredibly supportive audiences, and our unique and vibrant Edinburgh community. Our Festival programme aims to be a love letter to Edinburgh, and its spirit of resilience is embodied within the culture of the Traverse Festival.  In Still, Walk This Play and MOVE, audiences have the chance to rediscover and reconnect with their city, both indoors and out, and shows including This is Paradise, We’ll Meet in Moscow, and On Blueberry Hill take us to very different worlds, shining a light on some of the most urgent and important issues facing us today We meet the world in Edinburgh and we take Edinburgh to the world. We’re committed to discovering new voices, sharing our passion for creativity, and giving you a first look at shows soon to be on our stages in the Summer 21 edition of our First Stages Festival. And we’re thrilled to be able to present our full programme in our digital venue, Traverse 3, for the very first time, capturing our in-person shows and making them available for audiences near and far, who may be unable to attend the live performances. The Traverse is here to entertain, challenge, comfort and welcome audiences, no matter where they are.”

 All productions are on a pay what you can basis, along with £1 tickets available across the programme for those under 25. 

There will be more shows and productions added to the Travfest21 programme across the coming weeks.  

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