This bonus episode of A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays features a live panel discussion recorded at the Traverse Theatre during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025.

What do Scotland's playwrights want to write about? What challenges do they face in doing so? And how does The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities' fellowship help?

All this and more is explored by former IASH fellows Michael John O'Neill, Isla Cowan, and Apphia Campbell, plus Traverse Theatre artistic director Gareth Nicholls.

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Written drama has existed in Scotland since the sixteenth century. This is its story.

A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays is a new podcast from journalist and critic Fergus Morgan, charting the story of Scottish drama from the sixteenth century to today.

Over six episodes - plus a panel discussion recording - the podcast travels from pre-Reformation Scotland to the present day, alighting on seminal plays along the way – including A Satire Of The Three Estates, Men Should Weep, Losing Venice, Passing Places, and Black Watch – and discussing their significance in the extraordinary, ongoing evolution of Scottish drama.

Featuring insights and memories from playwrights, performers, academics, critics and others, the podcast journeys from the turbulent court of King James V in the 1540s, to the bustling Traverse Theatre in the 1980s, to the uncertain industry of 2024.

A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays is written and produced by Fergus Morgan, with the support of the Scottish Society of Playwrights as part of their SSP@50 Fellowships, which are supported by Creative Scotland and Bespoken Media. It is made in association with the Traverse Theatre. Episodes 2, 3 and 6 are also supported by the National Theatre of Scotland.

For more information, follow the below links.

Fergus Morgan: fergusmorgan.com

Scottish Society of Playwrights: scottishsocietyofplaywrights.co.uk

Traverse Theatre: traverse.co.uk

Bespoken Media: bespoken.media

National Theatre of Scotland: nationaltheatrescotland.com

The final episode of A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays features a live discussion recorded on Monday October 28 at the Traverse Theatre.

What have been the most remarkable Scottish plays of the last decade? How hard is it to produce new drama right now? And what can be done about it?

All this and more is explored by the critic Mark Fisher, the playwrights Isla Cowan and Nicola McCartney, and Traverse Theatre artistic director Gareth Nicholls.

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Written drama has existed in Scotland since the sixteenth century. This is its story.

A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays is a new podcast from journalist and critic Fergus Morgan, charting the story of Scottish drama from the sixteenth century to today.

Over six episodes - plus a panel discussion recording - the podcast travels from pre-Reformation Scotland to the present day, alighting on seminal plays along the way – including A Satire Of The Three Estates, Men Should Weep, Losing Venice, Passing Places, and Black Watch – and discussing their significance in the extraordinary, ongoing evolution of Scottish drama.

Featuring insights and memories from playwrights, performers, academics, critics and others, the podcast journeys from the turbulent court of King James V in the 1540s, to the bustling Traverse Theatre in the 1980s, to the uncertain industry of 2024.

A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays is written and produced by Fergus Morgan, with the support of the Scottish Society of Playwrights as part of their SSP@50 Fellowships, which are supported by Creative Scotland and Bespoken Media. It is made in association with the Traverse Theatre. Episodes 2, 3 and 6 are also supported by the National Theatre of Scotland.

For more information, follow the below links.

Fergus Morgan: fergusmorgan.com

Scottish Society of Playwrights: scottishsocietyofplaywrights.co.uk

Traverse Theatre: traverse.co.uk

Bespoken Media: bespoken.media

National Theatre of Scotland: nationaltheatrescotland.com

Episode six of A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays focuses on Gregory Burke's 2006 play Black Watch.

What happened in Scottish theatre after Scottish devolution in 1997 and the reconvening of the Scottish parliament in 1999? How did the National Theatre of Scotland come into being? How did it achieve such incredible, international success within months of opening? And what about the history of Gaelic drama in Scotland, which this series has not touched on so far.

All this and more is explored by the director Muireann Kelly, the critic Joyce McMillan, the academic Professor Trish Reid, and the playwright Nicola McCartney.

***

Written drama has existed in Scotland since the sixteenth century. This is its story.

A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays is a new podcast from journalist and critic Fergus Morgan, charting the story of Scottish drama from the sixteenth century to today.

Over six episodes - plus a panel discussion recording - the podcast travels from pre-Reformation Scotland to the present day, alighting on seminal plays along the way – including A Satire Of The Three Estates, Men Should Weep, Losing Venice, Passing Places, and Black Watch – and discussing their significance in the extraordinary, ongoing evolution of Scottish drama.

Featuring insights and memories from playwrights, performers, academics, critics and others, the podcast journeys from the turbulent court of King James V in the 1540s, to the bustling Traverse Theatre in the 1980s, to the uncertain industry of 2024.

A History Of Scottish Drama In Six Plays is written and produced by Fergus Morgan, with the support of the Scottish Society of Playwrights as part of their SSP@50 Fellowships, which are supported by Creative Scotland and Bespoken Media. It is made in association with the Traverse Theatre. Episodes 2, 3 and 6 are also supported by the National Theatre of Scotland.

For more information, follow the below links.

Fergus Morgan: fergusmorgan.com

Scottish Society of Playwrights: scottishsocietyofplaywrights.co.uk

Traverse Theatre: traverse.co.uk

Bespoken Media: bespoken.media

National Theatre of Scotland: nationaltheatrescotland.com