Mayday by National Theatre of Scotland Review
Written by David for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own
With the Scottish Parliamentary Elections being a matter of days away, Cora Bisset and Hannah Lavery’s MAYDAY: Rapid Responses To Our Times, commissioned by the National Theatre of Scotland, is a timely response to political polarisation in Scotland and the UK. A multi art form collective that champions solidarity, MAYDAY proves itself as a barricade to the current political and social climate.
Bissett and Lavery’s innovative curation of Scottish artists from drama, music, dance, and comedy is energising. From a rousing performance of a song entitled ‘Stonewall’ from Edinburgh’s own Loud and Proud Choir to a short-film on the creation of the Gaza Infant Nutrition Alliance, it’s assured in its exploration of how people, not only artists, respond to periods of division and alienation.
Real-life responses from comedian Tia Boyd on her experience as an Arab-Scottish transgender woman, alongside Sanjeev Kohli’s ode to the grit and work ethic of Asian shopkeepers in Scotland like that of his Still Game character Naveed, are also raw and affecting.
It’s not the most intelligent at times — a few of the dramatic pieces are slightly clinical, misplaced within the strong programme. But, with contributions from organisations like Women Against The Far-Right Scotland and Mothers Against Genocide, MAYDAYis a homegrown and emboldening mandate for change. It reminds us that art is a political force, and it’s perhaps never been more needed.
Mayday was performed on 1 May 2026 in Edinburgh
★ ★ ★
