Edinburgh Storytellers

We are a small team of professional actors and musicians based in the ancient city of Edinburgh, Scotland’s magnificent capital. Drawing on the city’s rich history and culture, we produce top-quality entertainment, playing to small audiences to create truly personal and immersive experiences.

How are we Different?

We hold strong to the belief that Edinburgh deserves bold original storytelling. Whilst the city has long boasted a diverse array of talent across the arts, we have received an overwhelmingly positive audience response to our traditional storytelling in an intimate venue. There are some excellent tour companies teaching visitors about Edinburgh’s history. These have their place. But we see ourselves as something more akin to the travelling players of old, using the oral tradition combined with age-old theatrical techniques, bringing history and legend to life in a way that fascinates and enthrals. Our storytelling shows take place in a unique underground venue. In addition, we also offer top-drawer historical walking tours, which are led by professional actors to ensure the highest quality experience.

Everybody loves a story, from a bestselling page-turner to the latest hit series on Netflix,  from a high-class opera to an old man’s yarn in the pub. But to capture storytelling at its very essence, we must journey back to its origins, to the tribal leader recounting tales of his youth, to the people sitting round the fire as the hunter-gatherer recreates the chase of the deer. From this distant past evolved the ancient artform that is storytelling. To us, this means a group of people in a room with an experienced performer who, through the power of words alone, captivates their minds. Many people can tell stories, but it takes a gifted and highly-skilled individual with a solid understanding of performance to be a true storyteller.

Crucially, we perform to smaller audiences to ensure a more personal and intimate experience; storytelling done right. Huge numbers might work for some companies, but not for us. We want our audiences to feel special and leave with a feeling of having gotten the best value for money.

History shouldn’t be boring. When delivered in the wrong way, even the most intriguing of facts can send you off to sleep. Rather than bringing history to you, we use the magic of storytelling to transport you into the past, unearthing the juiciest and more unusual details from the treasure trove of Scotland’s vast and complex history.

Why Edinburgh?

To us, the answer is obvious. Drama, drama, drama! Edinburgh’s past is awash with extraordinary stories of people and events. Many visitors are familiar – or at least aware – of the town’s often grim history, leading to Edinburgh’s reputation as one of the world’s most haunted cities. But it’s not all gruesome. Amongst the crime and executions and witch trials, there are some lighter and truly awe-inspiring moments. Simultaneously, Edinburgh was both an overcrowded, stinking, disease-ridden place as well as an epicentre of culture and progress. As storytellers, we relish this stark contrast as it makes for an emotional rollercoaster.

In addition, Edinburgh’s geography is quite astounding: streets winding above and below each other; houses built at varying levels; extinct volcanoes; and more. Having been formed through violent tectonic activity followed by glaciation, the landscape’s history is a perfect metaphor for the drama of the city’s past, providing the ultimate backdrop for powerful and honest storytelling.

Of course, Edinburgh is just one city. There are countless other places in Scotland whose pasts are a goldmine of stories. Although many of our shows do indeed draw on the country’s wider history, Edinburgh is an obvious focal point, a microcosm of Scottish culture, and historically a city of great importance for Scotland, even before it became the capital.