Edinburgh Tradfest: The Legend of the Anonymous Poet (Or a 20th Century Barbarian Account)
This special live performance from filmmaker/storytellers Nadir Bouhmouch and Soumeya Ait Ahmed combines film, lecture and storytelling!
About Edinburgh Tradfest: The Legend of the Anonymous Poet (Or a 20th Century Barbarian Account)
Blending historic events, Moroccan popular myths and magical fiction, this special live performance from filmmaker/storytellers Nadir Bouhmouch and Soumeya Ait Ahmed combines film, lecture and storytelling, showcasing the Tizintizwa Collective’s field recordings of ancestral oral poems, epic ballads and women's work songs to create a folktale-like account of the 20th century "Roman" conquest of Morocco from a "barbarian" perspective.
Part of the Folk Film Gathering 2025.
~~~~~
Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.
All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.GOT AN EVENT TO SHARE? It's free to post your events on What's On Edinburgh, click here to find out more!
Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Edinburgh? Follow us on Facebook and join the What's On Scotland Group!Sponsored Links
Other Events at Scottish Storytelling Centre or Edinburgh Tradfest
Loud Poets Open Mic
Loud Poets invite poets to share their work at their regular open mic, taking place monthly at the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
READ MORE
Mortality & Making: Crafting Conversations About Death
Join us for a taboo-breaking, liberating workshop that explores death through storytelling, coffin crafting, and open conversation.
READ MORE
Mind of Man
Inspired by the experiences of Scottish prisoners and the author's own journey with undiagnosed ADHD and autism, this is a powerful play about the struggle to claim your place in the world.
READ MORE
The Oor Vyce Gaitherin
Jyne us on 7th November for a powerful day where the Scots-speaking community comes thegither at Edinburgh’s Scottish Storytelling Centre.
READ MORE
Bothan Dhùn Èideann
Join us at the Scottish Storytelling Centre for our November Bothan, a monthly session of Gaelic culture and community in Edinburgh!
READ MORE
Silver, Salt and Songs: Exhibition Launch
Join Jill de Fresnes, Christine Kydd and Patsy Seddon to celebrate the launch of the Silver, Salt and Stories exhibition, running at the Scottish Storytelling Centre during November.
READ MOREExhibition: Silver, Salt and Stories - Images and Memories of the Scots Herring Women
The exhibition by Jill de Fresnes is centred around filmed interviews with 12 Scottish women who worked as herring gutters from the 1920s through to the 1960s.
READ MORE
Easy Sundays: The TAM Sessions
The TAM Sessions is an open and informal trad session, but with the lovely additional invitation to bring your sewing, knitting, crochet, or any other crafting project that you enjoy.
READ MORE
In Flanders Fields/An Achadh Flanders
Join us at the Scottish Storytelling Centre for a unique event dedicated to World War One poet John McCrae and his poem In Flanders Fields, debuting a new interpretation of this iconic work!
READ MORE
Storytelling Ceilidh with the Burgh Blatherers: A Year and a Day
Join Edinburgh's own Burgh Blatherers on Wednesday 12th November for the next open-floor storytelling night taking place throughout the year!
READ MORE
Fair Saturday 2025 Opening Party
Please join us at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on Friday 14th November to celebrate Fair Saturday’s 2025 programme at their Opening Party!
READ MORE
Annual Hamish Henderson Memorial Lecture
This year’s Hamish Henderson Memorial Lecture at the Scottish Storytelling Centre is presented by David Francis and hosted by TRACS on Saturday 15th November.
READ MORE
A Wheen o’ Wimmin: Singing Our Stories
A Wheen o’ Wimmin present Singing Our Stories, featuring five celebrated Scots singers who’ve shared many a stage both great and small.
READ MORE
Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame 20th Anniversary Celebration
Join Hands Up for Trad on 18th November for an intimate celebration marking two decades of the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame, with David Francis and Louis DeCarlo!
READ MORE
Hearth Fire Sessions
Welcome to the Scottish Storytelling Centre's Hearth Fire Sessions with Dougie Mackay, Alastair Blain, Chandra Mather & Tim Porteus on Thursday 20th November!
READ MORE
Return of the Swallows: Susanna Orr Holland Album Launch
Catch Susanna Orr Holland, an experimental world folk singer-songwriter, at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on 21st November for the launch of her second album!
READ MORE
The Work that Reconnects: Workshop with Chris Booth
To accompany the launch of Susanna Orr Holland’s new album Return of the Swallows, Chris Booth will offer a Work That Reconnects workshop.
READ MORE
Am I really home? A Journey Through the Literary Voices of Italian Scottish Women
Through storytelling, poetry and prose, four widely published Italian Scottish women writers will describe their diverse journeys of navigating, rooting and belonging.
READ MORE
Rogues So Banished
Actor and writer Paul Case's nightmarish solo horror theatre piece explores the intersection of class, race and sexuality during the violent beginnings of Australian history.
READ MORE
Fairy Circle: Part of Fair Saturday 2025
Come along to the home of Scottish storytelling for a drop-in session of traditional tales with storytellers Mark Borthwick and Alice Fernbank on Saturday 29th November!
READ MORE
Richard Wiseman
Have you got what it takes to sit through the most tedious show ever and receive a certificate verifying your extraordinary willpower?
READ MORE
Four Magicians
Four of Scotland’s leading magicians come together for an evening like no other — minds will be read, laws of nature will be defied, and dad jokes will be told.
READ MORE
Tricky Ricky: Jingles All The Way
Back by popular demand! Scotland’s favourite trickster is jingling all the way into the festive season with a brand-new magic and comedy spectacular.
READ MORE
Making Magic workshop with Tim Licata
In this exciting hands-on workshop, young people aged 12+ will explore the world of card magic — not just the techniques, but the theatre behind it.
READ MORE
Insane Christmas Magic
Insane Magic finally make their MagicFest debut, ending the year with a bang in a Christmas special packed with festive wonder, jaw-dropping illusions, and a sprinkle of fan-favourite classics!
READ MORE
Jamie Leonard
After a hugely successful 2025 Edinburgh Fringe run with five-star reviews, Jamie Leonard returns with his most exciting hour yet: Wonder Boy!
READ MORE
Balancing in Freedom
Join us at the Scottish Storytelling Centre for this world premiere performance of an enthralling new work, written and performed by Iddo Oberski!
READ MORESponsored Links
Similar events you might like...
Halloween Movie Month at Moonwake
We welcome you to a month of horror at Moonwake! We will be screening a range of horror films in the taproom's cinema room in October.
READ MORE
Doppelgänger | Screening + Workshop
Doppelgängers³ is a playful polyphonic hybrid documentary and space mission design in which Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian is summoning three versions of herself in a chaotic odyssey.
READ MORE
Screening of Elevator to the Gallows + Live Jazz Performance
Join us at the Institut français d'Ecosse for the very first Cinetopia Salon, a new monthly gathering where cinema meets live performance, nibbles and drinks, and good conversation!
READ MORE
Fright Night: Silent Movie Screening with Live Score
Silent Screen Scotland returns to Edinburgh with "Fright Night: Silent Movie Screening" - a candlelit screening of Nosferatu accompanied by live score at the Institut français d'Écosse!
READ MORE
RSNO 2025/26: Ghostbusters in Concert
Experience the original 1984 blockbuster Ghostbusters on the big screen this Halloween, with the RSNO playing Elmer Bernstein's score live!
READ MORE
Khartoum + In Conversation
From the metropolis of Khartoum five Sudanese characters have their stories unexpectedly woven together through animated dreams, street revolutions and a civil war.
READ MORE
Beetlejuice (1988) (12)
Enjoy a special Freeze Frame Halloween screening of this cult American gothic dark fantasy comedy horror about a recently deceased couple, who as ghosts are not allowed to leave their house.
READ MORE
Edinburgh Short Film Festival 2025
The Edinburgh Short Film Festival returns from 7th to 16th November bringing some of the world’s best short films to Filmhouse!
READ MORE
The Safe House / La cache + Q&A
Enjoy a screening of the buoyant comedy 'The Safe House' at the Institut français d'Écosse on Saturday 8th November, followed by a Q&A with film director Lionel Baier!
READ MOREFind other events in Edinburgh
Sponsored Links