Traverse Festival 2011
08 June 2011 ← return to listing
Welcome to the Traverse Festival 2011. Join us on a journey
through the best new British performance this festival and discover
a programme packed with big ideas and epic storytelling.
Highlights include Marc Almond in a new piece of music theatre
by Mark Ravenhill and Conor Mitchell set in a plague-ridden 17th
Century London. Siamese twins and a bearded lady are just two of
the characters in Futureproof, Lynda Radley's
extraordinary first play for the Traverse. David Hughes Dance will
enthral and unnerve you in the nightmarish Last
Orders while Dance Marathon explodes onto
the dance floor of the reconfigured rehearsal room at the Lyceum
Theatre - one of the most exhilarating shows I have ever
experienced. And if you missed the hit of last year's festival - Roadkill -
then it's back by popular demand.
The first festival I programmed at the Traverse featured a major
new work by Zinnie Harris. I am thrilled that my fourth and final
programme contains her latest play - The Wheel. This brilliant and epic
play is a major new production by the National Theatre of Scotland.
In fact, we are celebrating the best of new Scottish work this year
- 11 of our 18 shows are by Scottish writers or produced by
Scottish companies.
In addition, The National Theatre of Wales joins us for the
first time this year and we welcome back old friends from Ireland
and New York. Look out too for details of readings, talks and
discussions throughout the Festival.
I believe that we have put together a programme that
demonstrates both the strength and importance of our playwrights,
alongside the work of some of the most innovative theatre-makers
from the UK and abroad. That is what the Traverse is about. Thank
you for your past support and I look forwarding to welcoming you in
August.
Dominic Hill, Artistic
Director
"The Traverse is the spiritual home of Fringe theatre…the
venue has long cultivated a reputation as Scotland's premier new
writing theatre and represents one of the only 'safe bets' for
audiences looking for quality at the Fringe." Fest 2010
"The…Fringe fan could do much worse than block-book everything
that's on at the Traverse." Observer 2010