Live theatre from the living room is the amazing project which communities across Edinburgh have been enjoying.
And to give everyone a taste of the joy of the venture, the home theatre is back on stage under a quadruple bill at The Royal Lyceum until Saturday, providing an extra chance to see the success of this brilliant project.
It’s the brainchild of the theatre’s new artistic director, James Brining, who ran a similar project when he worked at Leeds Playhouse.
The idea being to bring 30 minute theatre into the living rooms of communities across the 17 wards of Edinburgh using the specially commissioned works of writers Alexander McCall Smith, Stephen Greenhorn, Isla Cowan and Apphia Campbell.
36 lucky households opened their doors to the theatre in spaces big and small. The largest audience was 41 and the smallest just three and creative lead Zinnie Harris said every performance felt different, shaped by the homes and the people in them, but they all shared something special, the power of story-telling and the simple joy of gathering together to experience live theatre.
Back at The Lyceum, the audience watched a film on the home adventure before the start of the rare experience to see all four plays in one setting, also marking the end of the theatre’s 60th anniversary celebrations.
Stage managers Claire Williamson, Alex Tosh and Dan Dixon’s simple “at home” set makes everyone feel they are in the living room and members of the audience join the cast and watch the production from very comfy looking sofas.
The night is divided into four 30 minute monologues written by the leading Scottish writers, which all explore the lives, choices and everyday moments which shape the city.
“Dylan’s Big Day” by Stephen Greenhorn under director Eve Nicol is a powerful opener and stars Ryan Hunter desperately trying to reach his wife Cora whose waters have broken. With a flat battery on his mobile phone, Dylan seeks the help of a stranger as he struggles with past history, and the story unravels events which have deeply shaped his life. It’s a brilliant simple tale which pulls at the heart strings.
Katrina Allen is the lead in “The Sights” by Isla Cowan, with Shilpa T-Hyland directing. The tale centres around Edinburgh’s famous tour guides and the difficulties of trying to cope with demanding tourists while paying the bills in an increasingly expensive city to live. The relatable story is a funny and sad look at modern life.
Writer Apphia Campbell and director Zinnie Harris’s “Loved Too Hard” stars Natali McCleary who is house sitting in an Edinburgh flat for strangers, whose lives she becomes totally obsessed by as she takes over their personalities. A modern look on how social media can engulf; it’s an intriguing tale.
The production is rounded off with Alexander McCall Smith’s “Love Letter to a City”, directed by Ben Harrison and starring Graham Mackay-Bruce as he looks back at the past and how his relationships with Edinburgh and its people have shaped his life in a changing world. Set in the 1990’s it’s full of energy and passion and a wonderful finale.
All four monologues are fascinating and bring the different takes on Edinburgh alive with some strong theatre. A fabulous way to round off a wonderfully inspired project.
Lyceum at Home on Stage runs until Saturday 20th June 2026 with tickets available from: www.lyceum.org.uk.
Author Bio:
Rebecca Hay is an experienced travel writer and member of The British Guild of Travel Writers. Follow her adventures with her family on Twitter and Instagram @emojiadventurer and on Facebook via EmojiAdventurers2.
Photograph by Stuart Armitt
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