After an incredible sold out and award-winning run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024, Wonder Fools are delighted to present their brand new show The Kelton Hill Fair. This new thrilling production will be opening at Theatre Royal Dumfries on 21 & 22 March before travelling to the Tron Theatre, Glasgow 25-29 March.
Written by Robbie Gordon and Dumfries & Galloway’s Jack Nurse, The Kelton Hill Fair tells the gripping story of Flora, a defiant and desperately alone care experienced teenager from Castle Douglas. As a mighty storm gathers, Flora runs away and stumbles upon a mysterious fair run by the legendary Billy Marshall ‘The King of the Travellers’. The Kelton Hill Fair, is a place where time stands still, especially as Billy was supposed to have died in 1792 and is buried nearby in Kirkcudbright. Yet here he is at the fair in 2025 and accompanied by other famous Scottish faces connected to Dumfries & Galloway including none other than Robert Burns, William Hare (of Burke and Hare fame) and Lady Florence Dixie. But that’s impossible. Isn’t it?
Rooted in Dumfries & Galloway and co-created with five local young people, this unmissable new production brings captivating storytelling, music and song and explores themes around community, myth, legacy and morality whilst telling the extraordinary story of Billy Marshall who, across his 120 year life, participated in some of the most significant historical events that shaped modern Scotland. As the company’s first new mid-scale production since 549: Scots of the Spanish Civil War, and featuring Wonder Fools’ signature theatrical style focussing on storytelling, movement and music, The Kelton Hill Fair offers a fascinating exploration of contemporary Scotland, as seen through the eyes of the nation’s folklore and legends. Building on their momentous and prolific 2024 and recent Multi Year funding announcement, this ambitious production marks an exciting new chapter for Wonder Fools theatre company.
The Kelton Hill Fair will be performed by an cast of six including Pericles Snowdon who is playing the main character of Billy Marshall. Lady Dixie is played by the wonderful Julie Wilson Nimmo and Martin Donaghy plays the role of the Bard,
Robert Burns. Michael Dylan takes on the character of William Hare and Laura Lovemore is playing Lizzy. The role of the troubled teenager Flora is played by recent RCS graduate and Wonder Fools Youth Board alumni Ava Hickey.
The history of Wonder Fools’ The Kelton Hill Fair started back in 2021 when they delivered theatre skills workshops to schools across Dumfries & Galloway and recruited five young people for paid apprenticeships to work on their show And Then Come The Nightjars. These young people – Charlie McAdam Dorans, Emma Forsyth, Holly Marie Chapman, Sara Thomson, Eilidh Thomson – were then given the opportunity to research and develop a local story for a new Wonder Fools show as well as developing their theatre-making skills with bespoke support from the company. Over the past three years, during multiple residencies, the young people have been central in developing this seed of an idea into this new full-length play – The Kelton Hill Fair.
Again, for this show, Wonder Fools will be offering apprenticeships to five young people from Dumfries & Galloway to work on the show.
Jack Nurse and Robbie Gordon say of the production “We are absolutely thrilled to bring our new production to audiences this spring. It’s been a joy to work so closely with the Young Collaborators in Dumfries & Galloway to create a new show that has such deep roots in the region whilst also holding a wider appeal through its universal themes and bold theatricality. We hope and feel that this is the most ambitious Wonder Fools production yet – we have an unbelievably talented cast and creative team bringing this timeless story to life, and we can’t wait to see people’s reactions in the audience.”
Emma Forsyth, one of the young collaborators says of her experience “To see an idea that was batted around Dalbeattie town hall be something that’s going to appear as a whole world onstage is unreal. The chance to work as an apprentice stage manager in the town next to where I grew up years ago was unheard of, and really motivating for me as an artist to see things can be done down here. I wouldn’t have thought I’d then be involved from the start in creating theatre about my region. Being included in all the stages has been really special and has shaped and consistently motivated my work to add to the rich arts culture in Dumfries and Galloway. It’s just all pretty amazing”
LISTINGS INFORMATION
Theatre Royal Dumfries
Dates: 21-22 March, 7:30pm
Tickets: £12 (£10)
Booking: theatreroyaldumfries.co.uk
Trion Theatre, Glasgow
Dates: 25-29 March, 7.30pm; Sat 29 March 2.30pm
Tickets: Preview £14.50; £18/ £21/ £25
Booking: tron.co.uk
Age: 14+ (Countains Strong Language)
Running time: 90mins no interval
Writers: Robbie Gordon & Jack Nurse; Director: Jack Nurse; Composer & Sound Design: VanIves; Lighting Design: Benny Goodman; Set & Costume Design: Jenny Booth; Dramaturg: Alessandra Davison
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