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Fergus Morgan

@fergusmorgan.bsky.social

1.4K followers 510 following 450 posts

Theatre journalist and critic. Scotland correspondent for The Stage. Words in FT, Standard, Scotsman and elsewhere. The Crush Bar on Substack: thecrushbar.substack.com

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Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jul 14

The Edinburgh Fringe is back - and so is The Crush Bar.

Here is the first issue, featuring experienced festival-goers sharing their best tips on surviving and thriving at the Fringe.

Lots more to come over the next few weeks...
thecrushbar.substack.com/p/how-to-sur...

How to survive the Edinburgh Fringe

The Crush Bar is back and so is the world's largest arts festival. Here, experienced Fringe-goers share their best tips on navigating the festival as both performers and punters.

thecrushbar.substack.com

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jul 15

Lots to look forward to in @playpiepint.bsky.social's Autumn season of 12 shows, including a hip-hop musical about William Wallace, a new drama from @jmacr.bsky.social, the playwriting debut of Hannah Jarrett-Scott, and more...
playpiepint.com/plays/

Plays – A Play Pie And A Pint

playpiepint.com

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jul 15

Jamie Muscato - an Olivier nominee for his brilliant performance in Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812 - will star as Dexter, with Sharon Rose as Emma, in the Edinburgh Lyceum's musical adaptation of One Day next year...
www.thestage.co.uk/news/jamie-m...

Jamie Muscato and Sharon Rose to lead One Day musical

Jamie Muscato and Sharon Rose will star in the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh’s musical adaptation of David Nicholls’ bestselling novel One Day

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jul 14

And here is my chat with Janet Etuk, on doing Streetcar with Paul Mescal, on her wish for an out-of-work actors scheme, and her return to Rough Magic at The Globe...
www.thestage.co.uk/features/jan...

Janet Etuk interview ahead of Rough Magic at the Globe Theatre

As Rough Magic prepares to open at the Globe's Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, actor Janet Etuk tells The Stage about the highs and lows of her varied theatrical career

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jul 14

"It should always be purely based on talent and on whether someone is right for the job, not based on how they look."

Here is my chat with Lucy St Louis, currently starring in Top Hat at @chichesterft.bsky.social.
www.thestage.co.uk/features/luc...

Lucy St. Louis interview for Top Hat at Chichester Festival Theatre

From a dream role in Phantom to a lead in Wicked, Lucy St. Louis' star continues to rise. Ahead of starring in Top Hat, she talks about her career goals and highlights

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jul 14

Sharing a few more bits that have been published recently... here is my review of The Great Gatsby at Pitlochry...
www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/the-...

The Great Gatsby review at Pitlochry Festival Theatre: significant innovations

Read our review of The Great Gatsby at Pitlochry Festival Theatre: an underwhelming adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jul 14

Thoroughly excited to start longlisting entries for @thestage.co.uk and @thebookseller.com's new British Audio Awards, AKA The Speakies this week.

Here's a little bit I wrote about why they matter...
www.thestage.co.uk/opinion/the-...

The Speakies will give audio drama a well-deserved boost

Audio drama gets little critical coverage. To recognise this talent, The Stage and The Bookseller are launching the British Audio Awards, aka The Speakies

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jul 14

The Edinburgh Fringe is back - and so is The Crush Bar.

Here is the first issue, featuring experienced festival-goers sharing their best tips on surviving and thriving at the Fringe.

Lots more to come over the next few weeks...
thecrushbar.substack.com/p/how-to-sur...

How to survive the Edinburgh Fringe

The Crush Bar is back and so is the world's largest arts festival. Here, experienced Fringe-goers share their best tips on navigating the festival as both performers and punters.

thecrushbar.substack.com

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 30

Here are Dave Pollock's thoughts on This Is A Gift at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, too...
www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/this...

This Is a Gift at Pitlochry Festival Theatre: magic-realist unease

Read our review of This Is a Gift at Pitlochry Festival Theatre: myth of King Midas is transposed to 21st century Leith in this poetic monologue

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 30

Thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer Dick's three-man version of Marlowe's Doctor Faustus at Bard In The Botanics on Friday night. A fleet and febrile adaptation. Review for @thestage.co.uk here:
www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/doct...

Doctor Faustus review at Glasgow Botanic Gardens

Read our review of Doctor Faustus at Glasgow Botanic Gardens: A propulsive three-man adaptation of Marlowe’s play starring Adam Donaldson

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 26

And on Peter Arnott's The Inquisitor, back at A Play, A Pie and A Pint this week after its original run eighteen years ago...
www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/the-...

The Inquisitor review at Òran Mór, Glasgow: intelligent but underpowered

Read our review of The Inquisitor at Òran Mór, Glasgow. A Play, a Pie and a Pint's well-acted revival of Peter Arnott's cerebral two-hander

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 26

Here are my thoughts on Douglas Maxwell's Man's Best Friend, currently at the Tron Theatre, then touring later this year...
www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/mans...

Man’s Best Friend at the Tron Theatre: stirring stuff

Read our review of Man’s Best Friend at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow: a deeply moving but disjointed one-man play about grief and dogs

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

Finally, a reminder that The Crush Bar, my Substack all about theatre, will return in mid-July with all things Edinburgh Fringe... and it will be sent into over 4500 inboxes!
thecrushbar.substack.com/p/there-is-a...

There is a lot to look forward to

This will be the last issue of The Crush Bar for a bit. Here are ten exciting shows worth seeing before it returns.

thecrushbar.substack.com

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

And here is my interview with Miranda Raison, too, who is returning to theatre after almost ten years to star alongside Ralph Fiennes in David Hare's Grace Pervades in Bath.
www.thestage.co.uk/features/mir...

Interview with Miranda Raison ahead of Grace Pervades at Theatre Royal Bath

Miranda Raison tells Fergus Morgan about her new play with Ralph Fiennes, working on French-language films and surprising audiences as a statue come to life

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

Here is my @thestage.co.uk chat with Kadiff Kirwan, too - about his remarkable early life, cooking chicken on stage in The Hot Wing King, and his latest role in Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel at the Donmar Warehouse
www.thestage.co.uk/features/kad...

Kadiff Kirwan: interview with stage and screen actor

Kadiff Kirwan, whose credits include Chewing Gum and Slow Horses on screen and The Hot Wing King at the NT, talks about going to drama school without his dad’s knowledge and his role in Intimate Appar...

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

Also, just wanted to share a few interviews that were published while I was away...

Firstly, my @thestage.co.uk chat with Zachary Hart, who was so great in The Seagull with Cate Blanchett, and is now starring in Stereophonic in the West End...
www.thestage.co.uk/features/zac...

Zachary Hart interview ahead of Stereophonic

Factory worker-turned-actor Zachary Hart tells Fergus Morgan about Stereophonic, his admiration for The Glass Menagerie and championing the Black Country accent

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

Last Scottish stuff for now...

- Catherine Wheels have unveiled a new iteration of its Make Space fund for artists/companies to make work for young people
- Blythe Duff features in a fourteen-strong cast for the Citz' reopening show Small Acts of Love

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

Also, here is my brief chat with new Fringe boss Tony Lankester, around the launch of the full festival programme earlier this month. More from him in The Stage soon.
www.thestage.co.uk/news/edfring...

EdFringe boss: Exorbitant accommodation is the festival's biggest threat

The rising cost of accommodation is the ‘single biggest threat’ facing the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, according to the Fringe Society’s new chief executive Tony Lankester

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

Also, some local residents are campaigning to get the council to do something about the noise and disruption caused by Pleasance Courtyard during the festival. Details here:
www.thestage.co.uk/news/residen...

Residents complain of noise 'torture' living near popular EdFringe venue

Residents near Pleasance Courtyard have complained that they are subjected to "torture" during the annual event and that their concerns are being "ignored"

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

There's too much Fringe stuff to mention but here are a few things...

Firstly, Welcome To The Fringe, Palestine - a mini-festival celebrating Palestinian arts - is back after a 10-year hiatus. It will be at Portobello Town Hall from August 12-15.
www.thestage.co.uk/news/palesti...

Palestinian mini-festival revived at EdFringe after 10-year hiatus

A mini-festival celebrating the world of Palestinian theatre, dance and music is to be platformed once again at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe following a 10-year break

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

James Brining's first Lyceum season includes...

- The Seagull starring Caroline Quentin
- The Glass Menagerie from Dundee Rep
- One Day musical
- Cinderella
- Lynn Nottage's Sweat, co-produced with the Citz
- four new 30-minute plays staged elsewhere
www.thestage.co.uk/news/edinbur...

Edinburgh Lyceum to take plays into people's homes in 60th anniversary season

Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum Theatre will take plays into people's homes as part of its 60th anniversary programme, which will also feature Caroline Quentin in The Seagull

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

More details emerged over the collapse of The Scottish Institute. All here in @thestage.co.uk.
www.thestage.co.uk/news/scottis...

Scottish Institute closure leaves more than £2m in debts, report reveals

The shock collapse of the Scottish Institute appears to have left debts totalling more than £2 million, an interim liquidator’s report reveals

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

Some leadership changes...

- Mike Griffiths is leaving the Lyceum
- Kenny McGlashan is new chief exec of FST
- Susan Douglas-Scott is new chair of Birds Of Paradise
- Brian Cox is a new patron of Dundee Rep
- Patricia Stead is interim chief exec of Cumbernauld
www.thestage.co.uk/news/appoint...

Royal Lyceum Edinburgh boss to step down after six years

Mike Griffiths is to step down from his role as executive director and co-chief executive of Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum Theatre this October

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

Exciting news that four-time winners Vanishing Point will return in 2026 with Flora, a collaboration with Danish company Katapult - and that Confessions Of A Shinagawa Monkey will be back in 2026/27.

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

Also, congratulations to all nominees at the Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland, and particularly to the winners. Here are all the details in @thestage.co.uk.
www.thestage.co.uk/news/critics...

Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland: winners in full

Glasgow-based company Vanishing Point’s production Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey won four categories at the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland

www.thestage.co.uk

Fergus Morgan @fergusmorgan.bsky.social · Jun 24

You can catch up with Dave's reviews of Andy McGregor's Meme Girls (4*), Ramesh Meyyappan's Lear (4*), and Rikki Henry's revival of The Mountaintop (3*) at the Lyceum on The Stage's website, too.
www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/the-...

The Mountaintop at the Royal Lyceum Theatre: striking performances

Read our review of The Mountaintop at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh: stylised revival of Katori Hall’s drama lacks intimacy

www.thestage.co.uk