Boroughmuir High pupils make their mark on the Fringe

THE Fringe might attract companies from all over the world but at Revloution on Chambers Street it's a group of local secondary school pupils leaving their mark on the world's biggest arts festival.

Cast of Moik: Prince of Finnland ft.Gus

Eleven pupils from Boroughmuir High are performing as part of the Free Fringe this week in a play they have written and produced.

The hour long piece, written by S4 pupil Toni Renz when she was just 13 years old is inspired by Hamlet and called Moik: Prince of Finnland ft Gus.

Encouraged by their drama teacher David Graham, Toni and her friends asked about the possibility of performing for an audience... the idea of bringing to the Fringe was born.

The drama teacher recalls, “Presenting the piece to an audience is not as easy as it sounds in a school setting and I mentioned the Fringe as a possibility.

“At this point I was really just trying to encourage them to keep going with the project not really thinking they could/would have the opportunity to perform at the festival.”

Determined to fulfil their dream the pupils continued rehearsing and held a fundraising performance and sourced all their own props and costumes.

“These young people should be an inspiration to others across the city and beyond,” says their proud teacher.

“To perform your own work at the largest arts festival in the world at the age of 14 and 15 is not something that happens without hard work, dedication and belief that it is possible. It’s a huge achievement.

“Their age is a huge factor in this too. Now they are 4th and 5th year students but they were all really young when they started this journey.

“Young people perform at the fringe every day but few will have created their own theatre company and work to do so.”

Moik: Prince of Finnland ft Gus, Revolution, Chambers Street, until Thursday, 12.20pm, free