Rugby School’s Macready Theatre Presents Exciting Edinburgh Fringe Previews This July

Get ready for a theatrical treat as Macready Theatre proudly announces a handpickedselection of highly acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe shows, coming to the heart of Rugby. From Thursday 24 July to Wednesday 30 July, audiences will have the opportunity to experience the magic and excitement of the world’s largest arts festival without leaving town.

Amie Johnson, Theatre Manager at Macready Theatre, expressed her enthusiasm: “We are absolutely thrilled to bring the spirit of the Edinburgh Fringe to Rugby with this fantastic preview season. We’ve selected shows we believe will captivate, entertain, and inspire – and we can’t wait to share them with our audiences.”

The Macready Fringe Previews boast an impressive line-up, including:

For Families and the Young at Heart:

• Tales From The Lighthouse – an enchanting musical voyage full of stories, songs, and spellbinding puppetry, perfect for the over 5s and their families. This delightful production, written and performed by Oliver Bishop with original songs by David Gibb, and live music from two-time BBC Radio 2 Folk Award Nominee Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, promises to warm the heart and spark the imagination.
• The Odyssey – Troubadour Stageworks brings their highly successful musical adaptation of Homer’s epic tale to life. Designed for overs 7s and their families, this accessible production interweaves music and modern dialogue with Alexander Pope’s poetical translation, touching on universal themes of loss, identity, and homecoming.

For a More Mature Audience:

• One Man Poe – prepare for a ‘marathon of the macabre’ with award-winning storyteller Stephen Smith. This sell-out Edinburgh Fringe show, hailed as the “Winner of BEST HORROR SOLO SHOW of Edinburgh Fringe 2024,” faithfully brings to life two of Edgar Allan Poe’s most terrifying gothic masterpieces: The Tell-Tale Heart and The Pit and the Pendulum. A truly captivating and breath-taking horror experience.
• Bonding – Cyril Blake’s sell-out hit from the Edinburgh Fringe delves into the myth, legend, and legacy of James Bond. Directed by nine-time nominee and two-time OFFIE winner, Matthew Parker, this hilarious and moving production explores what Bond means to guys navigating life and love, celebrating 60 years of cinematic history and posing the burning question: who will be the next 007?
• Macready! Dickens’ Theatrical Friend – written and performed by OFFIE AWARDS FINALIST 2025 Mark Stratford, this highly acclaimed solo play tells the compelling story of William Charles Macready, the great Victorian actor-manager after whom Macready Theatre is named and to whom Charles Dickens dedicated Nicholas Nickleby. A must for drama fans, this production is a glorious tribute to a theatrical pioneer.
• 8-bit Dream – Macready Theatre’s own Offie-nominated young actors, Square Pegs, present a brand-new, free-to-attend production. Directed by Dr Tim Coker and movement directed by Ellen Finlay, this absurdist, fast-paced, and fun-filled show takes audiences back to an analogue age, exploring what it means to be human in a nostalgic and yearning quest for meaning.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of Rugby’s vibrant cultural scene this July.

Tickets are now on sale. For full show details, performance times, and to book your tickets, please visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/rugby-arts