⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fri 7 – Mon 31 Aug, 2:45pm
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Fringe)
🎭 A raw, heartfelt celebration of Scots, identity, and finding your voice
Common Tongue is a brilliant and compelling piece of storytelling, led with magnetic presence by Olivia Caw as Bonnie McKay. What unfolds is a bonnie, sharp, and deeply personal love letter to the Scots language — one that feels both intimate and universal.
Written and directed by Fraser Scott, this one‑lass play follows Bonnie as she navigates her relationship with Scots, the ups and doons of embracing her own voice, and the complicated journey of learning to be proud of the way she speaks.
🗣️ A story about language, identity, and the weight of “proper English”
Spoken mostly in Scots, the play carries a raw authenticity that hits straight at the heart. Hearing Scots in its full, unfiltered glory is cathartic — especially for anyone who’s ever been told to “tone it down” or “speak proper English.” Bonnie’s journey becomes a mirror for so many of us who grew up in working‑class Scottish families, navigating the social and political nuances of dialect, accent, and belonging.
The connection Bonnie finds with Scots when she goes abroad — using it as comfort, as home, as identity — is beautifully relatable. It’s a reminder of how language anchors us, even when everything else feels unfamiliar.
🎭 A flawless, funny, and fiercely Scottish performance
Olivia Caw’s performance is exceptional. Her ability to jump between characters is seamless and compelling, shifting tone, energy, and emotion with ease. She’s sharp, witty, and unapologetically Scottish — delivering humour, heart, and honesty in equal measure.
The writing is relatable, funny, and endearing, capturing the nuances of dialects everywhere and how we all use English differently depending on where we come from. It’s a piece that speaks to Scots, but resonates far beyond Scotland.
✨ Final Thoughts
Common Tongue is cathartic, uplifting, and deeply human. It’s a celebration of language, identity, and the pride that comes from embracing your own voice. Written and directed by Fraser Scott and performed with brilliance by Olivia Caw, this is storytelling at its finest — honest, heartfelt, and absolutely deserving of its ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.
Written by Suzzi Hirst
@suzzisspotlight
*media accredited/press ticket
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