From the Lilipad @ Art's Complex

On 27 March Edinburgh-based Tightlaced Theatre will present its new production, From the Lilipad, as part of their New Talent programme. Founded in 2008 by Queen Margaret University’s Jennifer McGregor, Tightlaced believes that fringe theatre in Edinburgh shouldn’t be only for August and aims at developing new plays investigating “the individual experience of life in a variety of countries, cultures and times.”

The company was relaunched in 2010 with a focus on new writing and emerging theatrical talent. Innovation and collaboration are at the heart of Tightlaced: “We aim to build strong links between artists and audience, to provide a network for emerging theatremakers and to give our audience an active role in the development of our work.” Interaction with the audience is crucial to the development not only of new plays but also of theatre experiments, rehearsed readings and workshops.

The group is also keen on collaborating with other theatre companies in Edinburgh, by sharing collaborators and the Fort, their theatre home and rehearsal and workshop studio. “With the venue crisis in town, there is high demand for small and affordable spaces, so we are delighted to be able to offer the Fort to other companies as well.”

In a city pullulating with professional theatre companies producing new writing, Tightlaced Theatre stands out because they do not favour a particular genre or style and work with a wide range of artists. From the Lilipad is the latest spin-off of the Feline Fables series by resident writer Robert Howat, already author for Tightlaced of Feline Fables and Peach, Oscar & the Dragon’s Tears.