Produced by Shooting Fish Theatre Company, this gripping three-hander follows Mary, Queen of Scots on the morning of her execution as she seizes one final chance to stage her own story of spies, secret codes, and betrayal.
Would you mind giving us an insight into what your show/event/performance is?
The Spy Network is a new play. It’s set in Elizabethan England, the night before Mary, Queen of Scots execution for treason. Mary enters the great hall in Fotheringhay Castle in the middle of the night to contemplate what is to come, here she encounters Barnaby Fulke, an actor preparing to entertain the onlookers before the chop. Is is well documented that Mary herself enjoyed performing and would often take part in plays with her maids (four women also called Mary!.
It therefore wasn’t too much of a stretch for us to enable the circumstances to entice her into a re-enactment of the events that lead to her downfall. So therein begins a play within a play. Mary alongside the visiting actors seizes the opportunity to tell her story, as she sees it. The story certainly is fascinating, we had no idea when we started our journey about the spy network that was utilised to incriminate her, the enciphered letters or lengths to which the crown went to ensure her execution. The production is very playful, three actors play a multitude of characters from Mary’s life; there are moments of despair, of hope, of violence but also some lovely flashes of comedy to balance the drama.
Tell us about the creative team and the process involved?
Our show began in quite a special way. As a company we have a strong focus on co-production and this play began life as part of one of our literacy projects. In 2024/25 we worked with disadvantaged young people aged 16 to 18 living in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. This is an extremely deprived area and the young people we work with have very little opportunity to participate in the arts. Lots have really struggled at school, have mental health difficulties and/or turbulent home lives. We work with young people and professional theatre makers over 8 months to co-write and co-produce a new play that is then performed by professional actors and staged at the local theatre.
The project is designed to build literacy, soft skills and confidence for participants, but I think the best thing about it is that gives them a voice. They can make play about absolutely anything at all and it happened that year that we had one young person who had an insatiable interest in history and he proposed to the rest of the group that the play should be about Mary, Queen of Scots, he was so passionate that the rest of the group really got on board.
With this subject matter research is crucial, the professional team the young people consumed a wealth of information, I always say that our writer Neil Edwards must be the worlds leading expert on this subject matter his research was so extensive and meticulous. The process is guided by professional theatre makers so although the routes of the work are embedded in community the outcome is always highly polished and professional, it’s overseen by some fantastically talented artists and performed by 3 incredible actors. The show previewed in 2025 and was received extremely well by audiences, we knew immediately it deserved a wider platform and we’re thrilled to be realising that vision by brining it to the 2026 fringe.
How does it feel coming to (back to) the Fringe?
We are unbelievable excited to be bringing our show. Not only can we not wait to be and around the buzz of the city, enveloped by incredible creativity but historically, Edinburgh is such an important place for our protagonist, it’s where she was coronated. When we were looking for venues, we wanted to find something that felt authentic for the historical setting, Riddles Court was an obvious choice for us, not only is it a beautiful old building but it was also used to host a banquet by Mary’s son King James VI, so it feels very serendipitous to be staging it there. We hope that audiences will feel that magic.
With shows from all over the world at the Fringe, what sets yours apart?
Our production provides a chance for audiences to engage in the story of an incredibly important Scottish icon in a city that is steeped in the history. The story is absolutely fascinating, and will provide a refreshing and new take on historical events. It’s a quality production, performed by three incredible actors who give an absolute masterclass in performance, slipping seamlessly between characters. If that’s not enough for you, the Elizabethan costumes are also divine!
Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?
I hope audiences will take away a new and refreshed understanding of what is an important part of Scottish and English history, it is quite probable that if these events hadn’t occurred then England would have had Mary upon the throne and seen a return to Catholicism. I also think it’s important for audiences to know about the fascinating and sophisticated ways in which spy operations were managed during this historical period. During development sessions there was lots of discussion in around history and its authenticity – what sources are reliable? From whose perspective is the information being presented? Given the historical context (the methods of recording and relaying information) how reliable is it? This was an element we were really able to play with, both the professional team and the young people enjoyed examining the evidence, unearthing and speculating on the information gaps and navigating our story around them. It’s allowed us to play with the story, adding our own twists but always staying within the realms of possibility given the records of events from the time.
Your Ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t…?
Our ideal audience are theatre lovers who are interested in history. But beyond the history it really is also just a fascinating story, well written, well staged and masterfully performed, if you like espionage, spies and double crossing then it’s definitely for you. It’s suitable for anyone aged 10+ not because there is anything particularly controversial in the play but some of the themes and language are complex. Who isn’t there? Well it’s not crude, rude or silly – you can’t decide if that rules you out.
It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?
In-between shows I will certainly be taking a bit of time out to walk some of the beautiful countryside and coastlines near the city. I also enjoy just sitting and having a quiet coffee in the many cafes. Narrowing down show choices is soooooo difficult, I will mainly be watching new writing theatre, but I’ll also have to squeeze in a bit of comedy because, well, it wouldn’t be the Fringe without that! I haven’t had a minute yet to sit down and start shortlisting my must see productions. But thanks for the reminder – I really need to make some time for that!
The Bob Ross Effect will run at Venue 3, Piccolo Tent at Assembly George Square Gardens
Runs: August 5th – August 31st at 16.05pm
Interested in being featured on our Have a Gander page? With many previews and Q&As lined up, we’re always happy to chat about including your show in future articles. Please do get in touch through the contact page to feature in an upcoming ‘Have A Gander’