Traverse Theatre

About Traverse Theatre

The Traverse Theatre began life in 1963 as a theatre club in an abandoned brothel in Edinburgh's Lawnmarket. The theatre is so named because its first Artistic Director, Terry Lane, mistakenly believed that the staging arrangement is called 'traverse'. He later realised that it is 'transverse' but it was already too well known to change it.

In its first year of operation, a theatre conference was organised by director Jim Haynes, John Calder and Kenneth Tynan. Within three years of existence, the tiny theatre club had produced 110 productions, including 28 British premieres and 33 world premieres.

At the end of the 1960s, the Traverse moved to a larger space in Edinburgh's Grassmarket, with flexible seating configurations. The first performance in this venue was on 24 Aug 1969. In its early days the theatre included exhibition space for the visual arts, until 1966 when it was taken away to establish what became the Richard Demarco Gallery.

In 1992, the Traverse moved to its current location at Cambridge Street. A £3.3 million purpose-built two theatre space with bar café was created as part of the Saltire Court development on Castle Terrace. The theatre's first performance at this location was on 3 July 1992.

Upcoming Events at Traverse Theatre

Enough

27th July 2019 - 25th August 2019

Poetic, unpredictable and explosive, Stef Smith’s latest play is a fragmentary and intense journey into female friendship and unearths what happens when you can no longer be the woman people want.

Trying it On

28th July 2019 - 25th August 2019

David is confronted by his 20-year-old self. Do they still share the same beliefs? Is it the world that’s changed, or him? Has he sold in or sold out? And why did his generation vote for Brexit?

How Not to Drown

30th July 2019 - 25th August 2019

Hilarious, painful and uplifting, How Not to Drown shares a story of endurance for a little kid who wasn’t safe or welcome anywhere in the world.

Spliced

31st July 2019 - 25th August 2019

From one of Ireland's exciting up-and-coming writers comes a fun, fierce, site-specific show with thrilling music and video.

What Girls Are Made Of

1st August 2019 - 25th August 2019

Performed with a live band, 'What Girls Are Made Of' is the true story of Cora Bissets's journey, celebrating life’s euphoric highs and epic shitstorms.

Rich Kids: A History of Shopping Malls In Tehran

1st August 2019 - 25th August 2019

A darkly comedic, urgent new play about entitlement, consumption and digital technology, exploring cycles of historic decline and rebirth and the ways societies try to reproduce themselves.

Mouthpiece

1st August 2019 - 25th August 2019

After a critically acclaimed London run, the gripping Traverse Theatre hit 'Mouthpiece' about class, culture and appropriation, returns with a new cast.

The Patient Gloria

1st August 2019 - 25th August 2019

The Patient Gloria wowed audiences at the Abbey Theatre during its sold-out world premiere at the Dublin Theatre Festival and you can catch it at Traverse Theatre in August!

Burgerz

1st August 2019 - 25th August 2019

Carving out a place for themselves as one of the UK’s prominent trans voices, Travis presents a performance that is timely, unsettling and powerful.

Until the Flood

1st August 2019 - 25th August 2019

Celebrated artist and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith (Yellowman) performs the European premiere of her poetic and revelatory play 'Until the Flood'.

Crocodile Fever

2nd August 2019 - 25th August 2019

Meghan Tyler’s surreal Crocodile Fever is a grotesque black comedy celebrating sisterhood whilst reminding us that the pressure cooker of The Troubles is closer than we imagine.

Pre-View

5th August 2019

Readings from eight brand new plays by emerging playwrights from England, Ireland, Poland, Scotland, Singapore, the USA and Wales.

Frankenstein: How to Make a Monster

6th August 2019 - 25th August 2019

Mary Shelley’s original, re-imagined with songs, soundscapes and sonic trickery. Experience the power of the human voice breathing life into monsters all around us.

TalkFest19 - Ways and Means: Theatre In 2019 and Beyond

12th August 2019

What happens when we pair up two theatre artists from different backgrounds to co-host a discussion about what makes great theatre in 2019?

Pre-View

12th August 2019

Readings from eight brand new plays by emerging playwrights from England, Ireland, Poland, Scotland, Singapore, the USA and Wales.

Breakfast Plays: The Future Is [...]

13th August 2019 - 25th August 2019

This year’s Breakfast Plays give a glimpse of the now and new from four of the most exciting rising voices in Scottish theatre.

James Tait Black Prize for Drama 2019: The Award Ceremony

19th August 2019

Join today’s most innovative playwrights for an afternoon of performed readings and interviews with presenter Shereen Nanjiani.

TalkFest19 - Anatomy of a Play: How Not to Drown

19th August 2019

Playwright Nicola McCartney and actor Dritan Kastrati are joined by Professor Sharon Cowan to dissect the process of writing Dritan's astonishing biographical play.

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