Wow!! Well, we have stars in our eyes, on our posters and most excitingly – on our stages!
It’s been a fantastic opening week here for TravFest 2025.
We’ve been overwhelmed by the stunning and emotional responses of audiences to our companies and our shows, and our theatre critics’ responses with stars gleaming and superlatives pouring from so many reviews.
A fantastic week has been crowned with a coveted Scotsman Fringe First and a Skinny Fest Magazine Bestie award for everybody’s favourite touching and anarchic panto dame Johnny McKnight in She’s Behind You, and a Scotsman Fringe First for internationally renowned writer Hannah Moscovitch’s bitingly sharp new work Red Like Fruit.
Here's a wee round up – prepare to be DAZZLED! And then get yourself booked in before they all sell out!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 'Bubbling with fun and laughter' -The British Theatre Guide
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 'McKnight is a force of nature' - The Skinny
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 'As poised and assured a piece of theatre as you could wish for' - All Edinburgh Theatre
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 'An absolute cracker' - ScotsGay
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 'Hugely entertaining' - Bouquets & Brickbats
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘both engrossing and genuinely funny’ What’s On Stage
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Uproariously hilarious’ Mickey Jo Theatre
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 'Heartfelt and intimate' - The Reviews Hub
★ ★ ★ ★ 'Delightfully defiant' - The Scotsman
★ ★ ★ ★ '(A) tremendous show' - The Guardian
★ ★ ★ ★ 'Should be required viewing' - The Herald
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Through laughter or empathy, it’ll bring a tear to your eye.’ - Fest
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Dazzlingly precise, vivid, and thought-provoking throughout’ The Scotsman
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘quietly radical’ The Skinny
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ '(A) thoughtful, finely crafted play' - British Theatre Guide
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 'Vivid, topical and beautifully written, the acting superlative. Top marks all round.' North West End
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 'A true masterpiece'- Corr Blimey
★ ★ ★ ★ ★'Red Like Fruit will infuriate you' - So Sumi
★ ★ ★ ★ '(A) supreme piece of acting' - The Stage
★ ★ ★ ★ 'Beautifully considered.' - All Edinburgh Theatre
★ ★ ★ ★ 'Captivating and challenging' - Fest
★ ★ ★ ★ 'Hugely impressive' - Across the Arts
★ ★ ★ ★ 'A most powerful piece of writing' - Broadway Baby
★ ★ ★ ★ 'Demanding and subtle' - The List
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘freshly distressing and stingingly insightful, invigorating our thinking about a familiar text and contemporising its world of cognitive loss and parental dereliction.’ Daily Telegraph
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘a deeply accomplished and moving piece of work’ Across the Arts
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘An astonishing piece of theatre’ Financial Times
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘staggeringly empathetic’ London Theatre 1
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Mesmerising assurance’ Broadway Baby
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘My favourite 2025 Fringe production’ Bouquets & Brickbats
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘a crisp, fresh reinterpretation’ Fest
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘delivers a forceful punch in the gut’ The Arts Desk
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Profound’ Corr Blimey
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘(a) fascinating contemporary remix’ The Stage
The Beautiful Future is Coming
★ ★ ★ ★ 'Superb' The Skinny
★ ★ ★ ★ 'Beautiful' The Herald
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘A call to action’ Mickey Jo Theatre
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘A must see’ Broadway Ben
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘a thought-provoking meditation on the subject of climate change’ Bouquets & Brickbats
Standing in the Shadows of Giants
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Brilliant direction and smart writing’ Mickey Jo Theatre
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘ultimately hopeful’ One4review
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Lucie delivers with variety and honesty’ Edfestmag
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘(a) tightly wound drama’ The Wee Review
★ ★ ★ ‘Powerful, eloquent and poetic’ The Scotsman
★ ★ ★ ‘honest and frank.’ Entertainment Now
★ ★ ★ ‘honest, brave’ Lisa in the Theatre
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘the energy and intensity of the performances is gripping’ The Reviews Hub
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘A powerful piece on brotherly love and hate’ The Herald
‘A powerful call for radical empathy’ Fringe Review
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘absolutely stuns’ Binge Fringe
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Utterly gripping’ The Scotsman
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘intriguing’ Fest
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘(A) nuanced story’ Broadway Ben
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘extraordinary’ Corr Blimey
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘If there’s a better show about luck, destiny and life expectancy in the Gorbals, I’ll eat my betting slip.’ Across the Arts
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘a poignant labour of love that gets infinitely better with age’ The Herald
‘an outstanding show… theatrical magic’ Fringe Review
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Karis Kelly’s writing is sharp, layered and asks a lot of questions’ Broadway Baby
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Hilariously funny but with tension and twists galore’ Lisa in the Theatre
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Dark and hilarious political bedlam’ The Wee Review
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 'An utterly bewitching experience' Edinburgh Reviews
★ ★ ★ ★ The Arts Desk
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘a striking piece of theatre: thoughtful, bitterly funny, and emotionally raw’ One4Review
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘a delicious confection’ Bouquets and Brickbats
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘A hilarious and shocking riot’ Mickey Jo Theatre
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘a striking piece of theatre’ One4review
★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Unique and engaging …a masterful and engaging form’ The Skinny
