The Tanner

Not for the faint hearted, this is a searing portrayal of the reality of the battles fought by the Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace, as seen through the eyes of a common soldier (The Tanner). Written and performed by Alex McSherry, this stunning play shows the brutality of war and the heavy costs paid by the ordinary men and their families who choose to follow the leaders, nobles, and clan chiefs into combat – in these instances, to win back their freedom from the oppressive forces of a foreign monarch. The macabre twist that ends the play speaks to the vengeance wrought by those who lose so much.

‘The Tanner’ has received multiple 5-star reviews at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and has been performed at The Hollywood Fringe, The Wolverhampton Literary Festival, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, theatres throughout the UK, and at historic sites in Scotland and England. Notably, the play has been vetted by Historic Scotland and The School of History at the University of Edinburgh and has been verified as a historically accurate depiction of the times and the events portrayed.

After the show, audience members are invited to take part in a discussion about Scottish History with Alex McSherry.

The language used in this production is rough and direct, as you would expect from a ‘common’ soldier and, therefore, could offend. It is advised that the audience be restricted to 18+ (or teens in the company of a responsible adult).