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Playwright
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Fit Ye Sayin' Quine?
2025 Performance Dates:
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- Friday 21st February - Portgordon Village Hall
- Saturday 22nd February - MacRobert Memorial Hall
- Saturday 24th May - Glenlivet Public Hall
- Sunday 25th May - Alvah Parish Hall
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TICKETS: All Events - North East Arts Touring
Kinetic, heartfelt, and utterly Scottish. Join Ava in her late Grannies cottage as she recalls magical tales told round the fire. Folklore, poetry, song and new writing intertwine to tell a story filled with fantastical women, mythical creatures and life lessons. This production showcases Scotland through the eyes of its matriarchs and reminds us that 'home is made of memories' (EdinburghGuide.com). Ailsa Shepherd brings contemporary passion to Scotland’s folklore with her colloquial and effortlessly charming debut show.
About Me
Fit Ye Sayin' Quine?
The root of this show is Ailsa's Masters dissertation -"Reclaiming Female Stories in Scots folklore through Adaption and Intertextuality". Ailsa wanted to investigate the way in which women had historically been portrayed in Scots myth and folklore; how their stories are relatable and relevant today; and what that says about our society. The piece is performed in Doric, Scots and English. It's written to aid understanding of Doric and Scots to non-native speakers - giving these languages a platform. Since its first performance in London in 2021 the show has been performed internationally and at Fringe festivals and independent theatres across the UK.
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Burn's Night
Ailsa was invited by the Scottish Government (Nordic Office) to Copenhagen to Address the Haggis at the British Embassy's annual Burn's Night. She performed a piece that included an extract of her solo show Fit Ye Sayin' Quine? and the Address to the Haggis. This modern take on the orignial poem made it accessible for an international audience and offered them a slice of Scotland through a young woman's eye.
Behind the Scenes
Ailsa is an Aberdonian Actor and Playwright with a passion for creating work that exemplifies Scottish culture, Scots language, folklore and feminism. She trained in Musical Theatre at New College Lanarkshire and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.