A brilliant photo by Stacie (see https://staciereflects.com/) of my alcoholic vicar in "The Red Lion" at this year's #DunsPlayfest.
The play, the third (& last?) part of a comedy series that have premiered at the last three festivals was written & directed by a hugely talented young man Jamie Mein (who was sitting his Highers the same week...)
#Theatre #NewWriting #Comedy
I've been writing an end of project report for one of the funders of this year's DunsPlayfest. The main festival in 2026 had 100 events across 7 venues and 9 days. I was involved in lots, but there were many bits that I wasn't. Just discovered a brilliant bit that I missed.
We got a grant to commission seven new plays by local new writers and then see them staged.
#NewWriting #DunsPlayFest #Theatre
Thread 1/?
Insightful piece here seeing the community value of DunsPlayfest showing how it is so much more than it's tagline "Bringing brand new theatre to the Borders"
#DunsPlayfest #Theatre #NewWriting #SocialCohesion #community
https://staciereflects.com/2026/05/28/dunsplayfestbehindthescenes/
👋 we’re Her Story Theatre Company, based in South Wales and on a mission to put women’s stories centre stage.
Our plays explore the lives of remarkable women through history and today. So far that’s taken us through the story of Mary Frost in Pianoforte, a Welsh girl’s journey of faith in Daughter of Bala (DoB) , a comedy, Doreen’s Big Catch with an environmental nuance. ‘Betsi’ is next up at the Edinburgh Fringe 🏴🎭
#theatre #EdFringe #Edinburgh #WelshTheatre #WomensHistory #Betsi #newwriting
One of the theatre companies that returned to DunsPlayfest this year was Slash House. Another brilliant piece of new writing excellently presented. Well worth seeing if they decide to tour it. See the independent review here:
So DunsPlayfest is over for another year. Here is an interesting reflection from one of our Trustees (and writer/director of one of this year's productions that attracted one of the biggest audiences) about the meaning of life.
I’m about to make a bonkers statement but stay with me. At DunsPlayFest 2026, I well and truly think I discovered the meaning of life. Told you it was going to be bonkers but I’m being entirely serious.“What is this meaning you speak of?” I hear you ask. And “how on earth does DunsPlayFest fit into all this philosophical malarkey?” Well, I’m glad you asked. I had this epiphany at the epic closing party on the final night of the festival. Thanks to the spectacular ceilidh led by the fantastic ban
Facebook Reel here promoting Firebrand Theatre' s production at next month's DunsPlayfest. Can't wait!
Up for something a bit spooky? The latest show from Firebrand Theatre, 'The Land Beyond the Forest', showing at this year's DunsPlayFest, might be for you! Following the success of A Room of One’s...
And here is the two lead characters of the play that our teenager writer/director is working with doing a promo for DunsPlayfest where the play will be premiered
#NewWriting #DunsPlayfest #Theatre #teenager
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18W2A43Way/
Davie and Alastair are venturing out of The Red Lion to DunsPlayFest! Will you be there too? Catch Davie and Alastair in The Red Lion: The Final Chapter at 12:30 on Saturday the 9th of May!...
Article in The List about DunsPlayfest!
#Theatre #DunsPlayfest #ScottishBorders #LiveMusic #CommunityTheatre #NewWriting
https://list.co.uk/news/duns-play-fest-rolls-out-programme-for-latest-celebration-of-the-arts-48220
DunsPlayfest is fast approaching. Here is an insightful blog by our youngest Trustee about the joy of seeing your play brought to life through performance.
#Dunsplayfest #newWriting #theatre #ScriptToStage #EmergingArtists
https://www.dunsplayfest.org.uk/post/bringing-worlds-to-life-by-jamie-mein
Writing a play can be very arduous and quite lonely. By the time the final draft is written I’m usually sick of my own words having read them over again and again, agonising over whether “that line is funny enough?” and wondering “does that line convey the message I’m trying to put across?” Eventually I can’t even begin to look at it. But all that changes at the first readthrough when actors give voice to my characters and the words leap off the page, afresh and anew. Their deliveries and interp
Eric Branse-Instone
HSTC
