Scottish Theatre Highlights: December 2023

In Glasgow, Tortoise in a Nutshell brings their community-driven childrens' show, Ginger, to Tramway (6-10 & 12-16 Dec). The one-hour event is half performance, half cookie decorating activity. Created for ages 3-7, Ginger is sure to delight children and parents alike, and you can read more about it in our feature for this month. 

Scotland is bursting with more children's theatre, including Cinderella at Platform in Glasgow (5-23 Dec). Developed for audiences over five, this is a fun-filled adaptation of the classic tale. 

For audiences under five, Stirling's Macrobert Arts Centre offers Eric the Elf (5-31 Dec), a music-filled adventure with BSL interpreted performances and a relaxed performance. 

Beyond strictly holiday-related theatre, Visible Fictions brings their adaptation of Simon Puttock's acclaimed children's book, A Ladder to the Stars, to Lanternhouse in Cumbernauld (2-30 Dec). This heartwarming story has something to offer children and their families – creativity, hope, and possibility. 

In the Borders, koi collective brings Sally MacAlister's new play, Hysterical, to the Heart of Hawick (9 Dec). Suitable for ages 14+, the play interrogates the concept of "hysteria" – how the (mis)diagnosis was and is wielded to silence and marginalise women in particular. The play was originally commissioned by Live Borders Arts & Creativity for the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival. It is a vital and innovative look at our history and our present.