London Student Launches First Play At Edinburgh Fringe

Winston’s Wish Youth Ambassador Teigan Banks is launching her first play at the Edinburgh Fringe. '7 Steps to Feel Completely Happy Again' draws on her own experience of childhood bereavement.

Article Source: Winston’s Wish
Last Updated: 15 May 2024 9:47

There are not many playwrights, writers or poets who can boast that their first professional outing was at the illustrious Edinburgh Fringe Festival and yet 21-year Queen Mary University of London student and bereavement charity ambassador Teigan Banks is preparing to take her first ever play to the world’s largest arts festival.

As a Winston’s Wish Youth Ambassador, Teigan is a passionate grief advocate and shares her lived experience of childhood bereavement. “I mainly want to use my play to help others. The message of it, is basically that the ‘7 stages of grief’ are so misleading. I want people to know that even if their grief doesn’t polish into the 7 stages that it says when you google it, it doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with you, or that you are grieving incorrectly. This play is sad but it’s also funny. A bit like life. A bit like grief.”

The play draws on Banks’ personal experience of childhood bereavement. She explains, “I lost my Mum at the age of 11 when she died from a brain tumour; I was so young and not many of my peers had experienced any sort of death let alone the death of their mum or a parent. I’ve spent so much of my life feeling quite alone in my grief. I feel like my play is just a creative way to channel my passion for grief advocacy.”

During lockdown, Teigan reached out for support to Winston’s Wish – the UK’s first children and young people’s bereavement charity which supports young people up to the age of 25 when their worlds are turned upside down by grief.

“I had support from Winston’s Wish back in 2020. During lockdown, my grief resurfaced in a way it hadn’t previously in my life. I was 18 at the time. Even though my mum passed away when I was 11, I think it was the first time in my life I had to sit with my feelings, without the busy, constant of life.

“This spurred me on, to becoming a Winston’s Wish Youth Ambassador. This started with just giving me a platform to write about my grief and my Mum. This has always been the best way for me to process all of this. I really have Winston’s Wish to thank for the act of writing about grief. I think if I hadn’t had starting articles about grief for the charity then I wouldn’t have been able to write my own play about it.”

Entitled ‘7 Steps to Feel Completely Happy Again, Banks’ work is an equivocal play of self-discovery of grief, death and dying. It questions if there really are seven steps to feel completely happy again.

Teigan explains how the play came to be selected for the Edinburgh Fringe.
“My university’s theatre company takes four plays to Edinburgh Fringe each year. You have to pitch your play and get it voted in. I had started writing my play at the point the pitch night was announced for Fringe and I had the outline of my play set out. Eight plays went for it and mine was one of the four that got voted to go!

“I previously put my play on with my university through the theatre society. We had two performances. I think after I watched those and had the feedback, I realised how exciting an opportunity Edinburgh Fringe will be. I think it hasn’t quite settled in yet, but I can’t really believe that I get to put on a play, that is so close to my own story of grief. I am excited to share it, and open people up to the topic of grief, death and dying through this play.

“It felt a bit strange at first, to hear my own words being acted out. Especially as I have some monologues that are things I have written about when my Mum was not very well and coming to the end of her life. I think I got so used to it in the rehearsal that it wasn’t until the university performances that I realised how emotional, the words, the acting and the play was altogether. I didn’t realise until I saw the final product of my play, the impact it had on the audience.”

Winston’s Wish has been established for more than thirty years and provides on-demand support and one-to-one counselling by referral to grieving young people. Winston’s Wish provides direct support to more than 60,000 bereaved young people each year, offers a range of free resources and advice to parents, carers and educational or healthcare professionals.

The charity also recently launched Talk Grief - the Youth-led Grief Network which provides a dedicated space for bereaved young adults (13-25) to find support, hear from others and feel less alone in their grief.

Audiences can watch Teigan Banks’ play, ‘7 Steps to Feel Completely Happy Again’ at Space 1, the Space on the Mile from the 12th of August across 6 performances up until the 23rd.

Tickets cost £10 or £8 for family or concessions. Further details can be found HERE.

Got a story to share? Send us an email at hello[@]whatsonnetwork.co.uk

Latest Edinburgh News

Peppa Pig Casting Announced

Fierylight, in collaboration with Hasbro, are thrilled to announce the cast for the upcoming ‘oinktastic’ UK tour of Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show, coming to Edinburgh Playhouse in March.

Edinburgh Christmas Parties & Activities 2025

With Christmas just around the corner, there's never been a better time to start thinking about your Edinburgh festive celebrations.

Bongos Bingo Christmas Cracker and Big Fat Bingo of the Year

This festive season at The O2 Academy, Bongo’s Bingo is transporting everyone back to the time when coloured tree lights and flammable tinsel ruled supreme.

Casting for MAMMA MIA! Announced

Full casting is announced for the sensational feel-good musical MAMMA MIA! which comes to the Edinburgh Playhouse for the festive season playing from Tue 9 Dec 2025 - Sun 4 Jan 2026.

Women lead the way in the National Galleries of Scotland 2026 programme

National Galleries of Scotland announces an unmissable programme of free and ticketed exhibitions set to take over the National, Portrait and Modern galleries in Edinburgh throughout 2026.

Flight Club is giving out hundreds of prizes on the streets of Edinburgh in October

The team behind the home of Social Darts is embarking on a nationwide charity tour in celebration of its 10th birthday and dishing out treats to its fans along the way!

Scottish Building Society brings communities together for largest walking rugby event in Scotland

Scottish Building Society hosted Scotland’s largest walking rugby festival last month, bringing together players of all abilities for a celebration of sport, community, and accessible active living.

Olympic hero Sir Chris Hoy joined Sir Tom Hunter to lead out Edinburgh Kiltwalk

Olympic hero Sir Chris Hoy joined philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter to lead out 8,500 Kiltwalkers at the Edinburgh Kiltwalk (Sunday September 14) raising £1.5 million for 800 charities.

Edinburgh school kids team up with Kabin Crew to create a new rap song in Irish and Scottish Gaelic

Young musicians from Edinburgh and Cork are breaking new grounds with a unique hybrid international hip-hop collaboration led by Cork’s Kabin Crew.

Capitals Bartenders Cast Their Vote As Edinburgh Bar Awards Reveal Finalists

Edinburgh’s top bartenders have had their say, as the Edinburgh Bar Awards today (Thursday, 11th September) reveal the 2025 finalists across 11 categories.

Take to the skies with Daredevil Photographer Alfred Buckham at the National Galleries of Scotland

This autumn at the Portrait gallery in Edinburgh, take to the skies and see the world from above the clouds through the remarkable work of Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer.

Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for its 12th edition

Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for its 12th edition on the big screen in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling and Inverness from 1st to 19th October 2025.

Scottish International Storytelling Festival Programme Announced

With support from the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund and Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival launched its 36th festival programme.

Mindroom Fundraising Heroes Drive Charity Support Forward

Mindroom is celebrating a series of extraordinary fundraising activities, led by charity co-founder 81-year-old Robin Dow, living with stage 4 cancer, as his 25-mile walk raised a huge £70,000.

Fresh deals for freshers

Calling all students in Edinburgh! Britain’s biggest craft brewer, BrewDog, has announced some fresh new deals for freshers and returning students to toast the new academic year.

Carol Main MBE FRC appointed Chair of National Centre for Music

The development of a new National Centre for Music has reached another key milestone, with the appointment of Carol Main MBE FRC as Chair.

Eat Spain Drink Spain returns for a Culinary Fiesta across Edinburgh

Get ready to embark on a culinary journey as the "Eat Spain Drink Spain" campaign makes its much-anticipated return to Edinburgh.

Haggis the pygmy hippo to say goodbye to Edinburgh Zoo

Edinburgh Zoo has announced that Haggis the pygmy hippo will be moving to another zoo as part of the breeding programme for the Endangered species.

Spooky Season Arrives at Dynamic Earth this October

This October, Edinburgh’s Science Centre and Planetarium, Dynamic Earth invites visitors of all ages to step into the shadows and uncover the science behind the spookiest stories ever told.

Cineworld 4DX Rewind returns for 2025

Cineworld is excited to announce the return of 4DX Rewind this September across Cineworld 4DX cinemas nationwide!

Edinburgh bridal expert shares her top trend prediction for Taylor Swift wedding

Now is the time to shop for that perfect dress, as Rachel Scott Couture has announced it will be hosting a one-off, three-week long sample sale at its Queensferry Street boutique.

Marcos unveils first of its kind interactive karaoke room

Whatever kind of music you’re into, the brand-new interactive karaoke room at Marco's is the place for uninhibited singing, selfies and self-expression.

Final countdown to the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run 2025 is on

Scotland's greatest running event, the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run, will return to Glasgow next month, and there’s still time to secure your place.

Divino Enoteca launches September tasting menu and free wine tastings

This September, Edinburgh’s Italian wine bar Divino Enoteca, is offering plenty for food and wine lovers to explore.

September offers for Freshers Week at Hard Rock Cafe Edinburgh

Hard Rock Cafe Edinburgh is giving students an extra reason to head out this semester with 20% off food, non-alcoholic drinks and merchandise when they show a valid student ID.

Marstons and Tom Shepherd join forces once more to serve up the best ever pub pie

Marston's and Michelin-starred chef Tom Shepherd have teamed up once more to serve up The Best Ever Pub Pie to locals across the country.

Edinburgh Fringe smash hit Oran embarks on first UK tour

Òran, the award-winning sell-out hit of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe embarks on its first ever UK tour this autumn as company Wonder Fools take their work to a host of venues across Scotland.

Dynamic Earth partners with Scottish Water to deliver Water Cycle Workshops

Dynamic Earth is to join Science Centres across Scotland to deliver Water Cycle Workshops as part of Scottish Water's Generation H2O education programme.