Rose Theatre revival for the Fringe

The Rose Theatre will pop up again for this year’s Fringe under the organisation of the Soundhouse live music charity and Edinburgh-based Bellfield Brewery.

The venue had been mothballed pending sale, but over 25 days in August it will rock to the sounds of some 50 concerts featuring some of Scotland’s most talented performers such as Fergus McCreadie, Aidan O’Rourke, Su-a Lee, Shooglenifty, Roddy Woomble, Mr McFall’s Chamber and Georgia Cécile.

The Rose Street venue will be open from 4pm to midnight seven days a week and will have two ticketed performances each day in the Cabaret Bar and the main theatre. There will also be spontaneous performance in the Café Bar all curated by Soundhouse. The Café Bar is child and dog friendly.

Ticket prices are set at £15.00 and are available from the Fringe website from today.

Douglas Robertson from Soundhouse said “We’ll present a showcase of the best of Scottish music at this year’s Fringe: we believe our series will be the best that the Fringe has seen in living memory. Events at the Rose Theatre will provide the excitement, spontaneity and creativity that has long been replaced by the crass commercialism of the London-owned mega-venues around Edinburgh University.Great music, great beer, great venue! What’s not to like?”

Speaking about the venture, Bellfield’s Alistair Brown said, “Together we will offer some of the Fringe Festival’s most exciting acts alongside award winning, locally-brewed craft beers. Locals and visitors will receive the same friendly welcome from our team that they get in our Abbeyhill Taproom (voted the best Taproom in Scotland 2022).”

The Soundhouse Organisation draws on the success of Edinburgh Tradfest whose popularity grows year on year. Bellfield Brewery’s previous festival experience includes a collaboration with Pianodrome at the Old Royal High School in 2022 and at the Hidden Door Festival earlier in 2023.

The partners hope to repeat their Festival successes this year at The Rose Theatre where they have secured a month-long lease, prior to the building being redeveloped.