Would you mind giving us insight into your art/event/performance?
Our event is a celebration of folklore through the lens of traveler oral history. We examine the much loved fairytale MossyCoat which – like all good stories- has shapeshifted and split into many versions such as Rashiecoat, Brackencoat, Cap-o’-Rushes and The She-Bear. We reimagine the themes of escaping oppression and finding freedom in the face of an unjust world. For many, their happy ending is not marrying the prince, but embracing their self-reliance, connection to nature and true identity. Our performance of ‘MossyCoat – Into the WildWood’ brings the myth into relevance in the modern day, while highlighting the impact of climate change on the Scottish landscape, from the smallest beetles to the larger ecosystem.
Tell us about the creative team and the process involved in producing your performance?
At its core, ‘MossyCoat – Into the Wildwood’ is built on cross-disciplinary collaboration. Our creative process centres on narrative-led improvisation and co-creation. Rather than creating music, dance, and text separately, we developed the work in dialogue – capturing the true spirit of a Scottish ceilidh through an open, gather-round atmosphere where story, music, and movement flow together naturally rather than existing in silos.
The Creative Team:
- Jess Smith BEM (Storytelling & Tradition): An author, storyteller, and campaigner awarded the BEM for services to Traveller heritage. Jess anchors the piece in authentic oral history, lived experience, and traditional lore.
- Natasha Burns (Composition & Music): An internationally award-winning composer and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland alumna. Natasha’s score weaves classical training with the Celtic roots of the local landscape.
- Melissa Heywood (Choreography & Movement): An Edinburgh-based dance artist trained at Trinity Laban. Melissa brings a dynamic, physical narrative to the stage, blending contemporary movement with character and text.
By weaving contemporary movement, traditional and classical music, and the intimacy of spoken word together, ‘MossyCoat’ offers audiences multiple entry points into the story.
With the launch of this year’s programme, Birds and Beasts, how does it feel to be involved in the Festival?
It’s a privilege to bring MossyCoat – Into the Wildwood to this year’s festival, especially under a theme as resonant as Birds and Beasts. The theme feels like a natural home for our work. In Traveller lore and Scottish folklore, the boundary between the human world and the natural world is fluid-creatures aren’t just background elements; they are teachers, allies, and mirrors of our own inner landscapes. To share a story that honors both human heritage and the smaller, often overlooked lives within our ecosystem – from the mycelium to the canopy – feels timely, urgent, and deeply satisfying alongside such a diverse gathering of international artists the thread of storytelling.
With shows from all over the world, is there anything in the production/team’s backgrounds and identity that influences the show?
At its heart, storytelling is about passing wisdom from one generation to the next. Having three generations in our core team, creates a unique intergenerational dialogue.
In this performance, our different backgrounds meet, rather than keeping traditional storytelling, contemporary dance, traditional folk, and classical music in separate boxes, we let them weave together through a shared ceilidh spirit. The raw physical language of contemporary movement gives a body to the emotional landscape of Traveller lore, while blending classical and traditional music lets the piece feel both ancient and urgent.
In an international festival setting, bringing these art forms together allows us to celebrate a deeply local Scottish heritage – the wildwood, the oral lore, and the Traveller identity – in a way that feels universally accessible, contemporary, and alive.
Storytelling in Scotland is a treasured, if often unsung, craft within the media. For those who may be unfamiliar with a live performance, what can audiences expect?
Live storytelling has a rare ability to completely transport people for the duration of the performance, drawing everyone into a shared, imaginative space that can resonate with the entire audience. In our performance, spectators can expect an immediate, intimate experience that weaves spoken word with live music and movement that is accessible and understandable regardless of prior familiarity with folklore.
With one foot in tradition and another in the present, what do you hope for Storytelling’s future, either as a performance or as a community?
Traditionally, stories were never set in stone. They were alive-constantly shifting and reshaping to reflect the world of the people sitting around the hearth. My hope for the future of storytelling is that we keep that spirit alive instead of treating these tales like static museum pieces. Traditional stories have to evolve. For a tale to hold real power today, its core moral needs to speak directly to modern audiences-whether that’s addressing climate change, self-reliance, or how we treat one another. When we allow tradition to adapt while weaving in music, movement, and lived history, storytelling stays what it’s always been: an urgent, living way to pass down wisdom that actually matters in our contemporary landscape.
Mossycoat – Into the Wildwood runs at The Scottish Storytelling Centre as a part of The Scottish International Storytelling Festival on 23rd October
Running time – One hour without interval
Photo credit – Natasha Burns and Aly Robinson
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’