Monday August 17th 2026
'About a Bogle' cast
Written by Glasgow View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Returning after a successful 2025 run, Scotch Bonnet Productions has brought a brand-new original play, About a Bogle, to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, combining Scottish storytelling, folklore and live music into an imaginative and entertaining performance.
The show follows travelling bards Harris and Hanna, whose journey to a festival is thrown off course after they encounter a mischievous trickster known as the Bogle. As they attempt to find their way through a world where maps shift and confusion reigns, their friendship – and their patience – are put to the test.
Written by Ewan Jardine and Heather Linn, About a Bogle draws on Scottish folklore to bring the mysterious creature to life in a way that feels both familiar and fresh. The production embraces its Scottish roots without becoming overly traditional, using storytelling and original music to create a playful world that feels perfectly suited to the Fringe.
Amongst the five person cast there was clear strong chemistry amongst the performers, with the relationship between Harris and Hanna providing much of the humour while also giving the story an emotional core. The constantly changing journey keeps the audience engaged, while the live music adds another layer to the atmosphere and helps bring the folklore-inspired world to life.
A stand-out performer was Ewan Jardine, playing the Bogle. Having less time on stage than the two main characters, Jardine’s appearances as different characters that the Bogle impersonates elevates the already high-quality acting, especially his solo song mid show.
The performances are where ‘About a Bogle’ really comes into its own. Despite lower production values, such as props which slightly took context away from the performance, all performances were top class. With strong chemistry and comic timing, it allowed for comedic value to shine through in some scenes whilst not taking away from deeper moments in the plot. The live music also adds plenty to the production, helping to create a sense of adventure while reinforcing the show’s distinctly Scottish identity.
Discussing the reasoning behind the show’s plot and themes, Edinburgh-based producer and performer Ewan Jardine highlighted the importance of bringing a Scottish folklore story to the Fringe.
He explained: “Scottish folklore is one of our greatest cultural inheritances, yet so much of it has faded from public memory. With About a Bogle, we wanted to take a creature many Scots have heard mentioned, but few truly know.
“The Bogle isn’t simply a mythical creature, it’s about the fears we pass down, the lessons we learn and the bonds that shape us in a traditional culture at odds with the ever modernising world.”
The performers following the show
Director and performer Heather Lynn added: “Following on from our success with ‘Death on the Clyde’ last year, we are all excited to be bringing more new writing and original music to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2026.
“Featuring returning cast from last year’s show and a new Scottish myth, ‘About a Bogle’ is a fun and enchanting show that draws on Scotland’s rich folklore and reinvents it for a modern audience.”
‘About a Bogle’ is Scotch Bonnet Productions’ follow up after a successful 2025 Fringe run with their show ‘Death on the Clyde’. Being similar in style due to the Scottish folklore storyline, this year’s show is a much bigger step up both performance and production wise, displaying the growing talent of all the performers.
Despite the strong performances, the storyline at times showed room for improvement with the ending seeming rushed at times. But, despite this, overall the storyline was very strong and allowed each performers abilities to shine to full affect.
Overall, About a Bogle is an entertaining and imaginative Fringe production that successfully brings an unfamiliar piece of Scottish folklore to life. While some of the limited production elements occasionally distract from the story, they are outweighed by the strong performances, original music and engaging writing.
The show’s biggest achievement is its ability to make Scottish folklore feel accessible to a modern audience without losing the charm and mystery at the heart of the Bogle legend. There is plenty of humour throughout, but the more heartfelt moments give the story greater depth and ensure it is more than simply a light-hearted folklore adventure.
Following on from Death on the Clyde, Scotch Bonnet Productions have delivered a confident second Fringe offering which showcases the company’s growing talent both on and off stage. About a Bogle is a particularly good choice for anyone looking for something distinctly Scottish, original and a little different at this year’s festival.
‘About a Bogle’ is a 4/5 Fringe performance, being a must-see for fans of Scottish tales.
The show is running until Wednesday, August 19, at The Speakeasy at The Royal Scots Club, with only limited time left to catch it at the Fringe.
