The story of the greatest literary hoax of all time.

Returning to venues across Scotland following a critically acclaimed tour in 2025, Through the Shortbread Tin is a poetic, poignant and playful show, performed in Scots with Gaelic songs, which explores Scottish culture, myths, history and identity.

1760 – Scottish poet James Macpherson sets the world ablaze with stories of the third-century Scottish bard, Ossian. This tartan-trimmed tale of Highland history spreads far and wide, capturing the imagination of thousands – but is it built on deceit?  

2026 – Scottish poet Martin O’Connor reads Macpherson’s epic and questions his own relationship with Scottish culture. The sporrans, the stags, the shortbread – do these ‘gift-shop’ images of Scotland hold us back, or bring us forward? What does it mean to be authentic, and is the truth sometimes better told in a lie?

Join Martin and Macpherson on an oral odyssey spanning centuries of Scottish history, exploring the myths we tell each other and the stories we tell ourselves. Because ‘It takes a lot ae imagination tae tell a true story.’ 

At the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026 at the Scottish Storytelling Centre from 6 to 31 August at 4.45pm. Part of the Made in Scotland Showcase 2026.

Then going on tour from 3 to 19 Sep, with performances at Glasgow Cathedral, Stirling Castle Great Hall and Urquhart Castle

Written and performed by Martin O’Connor
Remount directed by Joanna Bowman
Original production directed by Lu Kemp

A National Theatre of Scotland Production. Tour in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland