Mayday Mayday Mayday!
 

A one-night-only response to the times we are living through, presented by a host of leading Scottish artistic talent from the fields of theatre, music, poetry, comedy and dance.
 

Curated and directed by Cora Bissett and Hannah Lavery
With visuals by Lucas Chi-Peng Kao
 

On 1 May at Edinburgh Central Hall at 7pm.

Featuring Comedy: Sanjeev Kohli(Still Game) / Tia Rey; Music: Dala by Heir of the Cursed performed by Djana Gabrielle /  Cora Bissett, Kathryn Joseph and Joan Clevillé &  Kassichana  Okene-Jameson of Scottish Dance Theatre / Kitti / Loud and Proud Choir / Soapbox / Declan Welsh; Poetry: Shasta Hanif Ali / William Letford / Michael Mullen; Theatre & Dance; An artistic response to Talat Yaqoob’s International Women’s Day Speech (2026) - led by Janice Parker / Apphia Campbell / Reuben Joseph / Hannah Lavery / Uma Nada-Rajah / Sara Shaarawi / Dawn Sievewright performing It’s No a Weans Choice

Live band: Isaac Savage (keyboards/vocals) / Adam Scott (bass) / Djana Gabrielle (guitar/vocals) / Signy Jacobsdottir (drums and percussion) / MJ McCarthy (musical direction).

Created as a rapid-response theatre project, in direct response to the turbulent social and political climate, they have curated and gathered together a constellation of Scottish artists for a one-night-only flare of short, urgent performances and interventions.

Through new work, unique collaborations and community voices, Mayday meets the “dark times” we are living through with wit, defiance, tenderness and imagination. This collective response honours the theatrical space as a place where audiences can think together, dream together and begin to imagine the futures we are still reaching for.

Co-curators/co-directors Hannah Lavery and Cora Bissett said:“Given the times we are living in—where division is being  fuelled by dangerous and deliberately misinformed rhetoric— we feel deeply and personally connected to this Rapid Response Project. We are living through an age of fear: extreme racism and anti-migrant sentiment are being normalised, human rights attacked at every level, climate injustice accelerating, and ordinary people struggling to meet even basic needs. 
 

“We’re  thrilled to curate an event that will bring together bold, fierce, insightful and creatively galvanising voices from across Scotland - an urgent celebration of our shared humanity that challenges the rising tide of hate, calls upon solidarity, inspires change and imagines a more compassionate future.”  
 

Full info and Box office:https://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/events/mayday