Well yesterday/today I definitely experienced more of Kyiv and Ukraine than ever before. The morning started ‘normally’ enough with a conference addressed by the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska. I was the guest of the Ukraine Institute for the…
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Ukraine – Blog 1 – Fear or Concern & Pre-conceptions
So, yesterday I set off from Edinburgh at 5am to fly to Warsaw, and from there to take an overnight vip sprinter bus (Klases were great) to Kyiv. I arrived at my hotel for an early check-in and full breakfast…
“Is there anyone still living there ?”
I am currently reading an amazingly powerful book on the dawn of a post-literate society. The New Dark Ages by James Marriott highlights society’s growing acceptance that the scrolled headlines and images we receive from our smart devices offers the…
EdFringe 2026 – My Audience reviews 2
As we reach the end of Week 1, I’m about to change my focus from being a punter, to a role supporting Japanese producers, then Maltese theatre companies and finally Ukrainian producers and programmers as they explore Edinburgh in August,…
EdFringe 2026 – My Audience Reviews No 1
Each year, in July, I compile my spresdsheet of shows I’d love to see (around 100 out of the 3000+ in the Fringe programme). I have to ignore Traverse shows and others where the times keep varying, because my little…
A truly international August
It’s that time of year again – the city of Edinburgh is knee deep in scaffolding, steeldeck, and early tented and portacabin world of Edinburgh Festival Fringe. And for me it is 5th year heading to London to meet a…
The role of the Trailing Spouse
I first came across the concept of the Trailing Spouse when I was in China meeting theatre producer Andy Collier who was based in Beijing for a couple of years whilst his wife worked in the Embassy. He was officially…
Ukraine – Theatre impressions Pt 2
My Saturday ended early because I wanted to write up my blog, and have a delicious tuna pizza in a heavy metal bar which was away from the party world of our very hip hotel. I saw one adaptation/rethinking of…
Ukraine – Theatre impressions
Part 1 – 2500 words / long read… It is Saturday here and there ia powerful discussion going on around co-production between Lithuanian and Ukrainian theatremakers with translation between these two languages. I don’t speak either so I am slipping…
Ukraine visit / Greetings from Kyiv
I have walked the streets which are quiet and hope to see, in a few years, this amazing City filled with tourists taking in the heritage, the arts scene, and the contemporary buzz. This afternoon I’m a guest at KiFest…