Tam o'Shanter
Our lively adaptation of the legendary Scots poem by Robert Burns begins in the local tavern. After a raucous ale-fuelled night, Tam stumbles across a terrifying scene of witches and ghostly creatures dancing bewitchingly in Auld Alloway Kirk. Tam yells out, and a frantic chase begins… This story ranges from comedic moments to eerie intensity. It is accompanied by atmospheric music, including Saint-Saëns and Mendelssohn.
We will be performing at Forest Theatre, Greenside @ George Street, from 19th - 24th August 2024.
See you at the #FringeFestival this year!
A tale in four parts...
Our adaptation of Tam o'Shanter
01
The Tavern
Tam O’Shanter is enjoying a night in the tavern with his wife Kate and his best friend Johnnie. The tavern is heaving and they meet lots of folk. As folk drink into the night, things get out of hand. After one last dance the barkeeper, Morag, kicks everyone out and closes the tavern.
02
Closing time
Everyone goes home, but Tam, Johnnie, and Effie continue drinking on the street outside. Tam drinks into a stupor while Johnnie and Effie flirt with eachother. Eventually, Tam falls asleep...
03
Auld Alloway Kirk
It's well past midnight when Tam wakes up and gets on his grey mare, Meg, to head home. In the distance he hears the sounds of church bells ringing. As he gets closer he sees the Alloway Auld Kirk in the distance, he rides up to look inside. Peaking through the window, he sees a terrifying, debaucherous scene: the devil surrounded by witches, warlocks, and ghosts dancing. As the dancing gets more raucous, he catcalls one witch in a particularly short skirt - ‘Weel done, cutty sark!’.
04
The Chase
Suddenly all goes black, and when light returns every witch, warlock and ghost in the kirk is pressed up against the window looking menacingly at Tam. They chase him and Meg away from the kirk, led by the terrifying witch Isobel. As they reach the Brig o’Doon, the witches' chase is stopped by the running water, but at the last second Nannie ('cutty sark') grabs Meg’s tail which comes off.
Tam gets back to the tavern and collapses on the ground where he woke up earlier. As dawn breaks, Kate comes along to find her husband where she left him....
