"Tell us, tell us all about it!"

When our Musical Director, Tom Paton (pictured), came up with this project we thought it a little ambitious. But never ones to pass on a good idea, we thought we would give it a shot. Cat-Like Tread are proud to present the 111 Places Challenge!

Project press release (written by our wonderful producer Vinca):

For most people, the chaos of August's Festival Fringe still seems a long way off, but for those putting on shows at the event, preparations are well under way. Edinburgh-based theatre company Cat-Like Tread are currently rehearsing for their production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta ‘The Sorcerer’. Billed as an evening of music, magic and marital mismatchings, the company have decided that in the run-up to the show they want to share not only the magic of theatre, but also the magic of their city with Fringe audiences who may only come to see a few shows, missing out on a whole host of Edinburgh’s most stunning attractions.

Teaming up with Gillian Tait, author and photographer of the book ‘111 Places in Edinburgh That You Shouldn’t Miss’, and herself a keen performer with one of Edinburgh’s other Gilbert and Sullivan groups, Cat-Like Tread will be exploring the city and capturing photos of all 111 places in the book. These photos will be posted on their social media pages, under the hashtag #111PlacesChallenge, in the 111 days before their show opens, encouraging visitors to the Fringe to plan in a few stops that don't involve temporary additions to the city. The project will start on May 2nd with the first entry in the book, Abbey Strand, perhaps one of the lesser known places to explore, being only a short section of the Royal Mile that leads to the gates of the Holyrood Palace. Each day, the company will add another photo, working their way right through to number 111, World's End, on August 20th – you might know the pub, but did you know this spot also marks the limits of 16th-century Edinburgh's city walls?

If you only have a day free to explore, Edinburgh's Old Town boasts more than 20 of the 111 locations within just a few minutes' walk of each other, but if you have a little more time on your hands then it's worth taking the time to explore some of the less central locations. From pottery kilns to a penguin parade, from a rock-cut 'temple' to a tidal island, '111 Places in Edinburgh That You Shouldn't Miss' has something for all the family and locations to suit every taste. Cat-Like Tread also has events planned for during the Fringe itself, including a scavenger hunt and an interview with Gillian Tait.

Join Cat-Like Tread on their journey around this magical city, and don't forget to leave time on your itinerary for that all important 112th sight to see – Cat-Like Tread's production of Gilbert and Sullivan's musical masterpiece, 'The Sorcerer', running from August 21st to 27th at Paradise in Augustine's at 7:30pm. Tickets cost £12/£8 and will be available from the Fringe box office from May 11th.

Cat-Like Tread is an Edinburgh-based theatre company devoted to putting on productions of Gilbert and Sullivan shows during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Aiming to bring a little more life, energy and creativity into a genre that is often viewed as old-fashioned, Cat-Like Tread brings together a dynamic group of performers from the local community and firmly believes that theatre should be accessible to all. 

Contact, Tickets

‘111 Places in Edinburgh That You Shouldn’t Miss’ by Gillian Tait is published by Emons Publishing. It is part of the ‘111 Places’ series and is available at all good bookshops and online retailers (RRP £11.99). 

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