Oscar nominee Maggie O'Farrell to return to native North Berwick for Fringe By The Sea

Ms O'Farrell, who was this year nominated for the prestigious award for her screenplay for Hamnet, which she initially published as a novel six years ago, has been announced to appear at the festival, alongside Joseph Coelho and Shetland performer Marjolein Robertson.

The film, starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal and directed by Chloe Zhao, was nominated for eight Oscars, with Ms Buckley winning the award for best actress.

Her last appearance at Fringe by the Sea was in 2023, while she also spoke about Hamnet at the event in 2021, when she recounted a story about having stolen a skull from North Berwick High School, where she was once a pupil.

Ms Robertson’s show about the body and a near-fatal health condition sparked 18 walk outs and nine faintings when she performed a run at last year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe is among the latest tranche of shows to be unveiled for the festival, which will take place from 31 July to 9 August.

Scottish novelist and poet Jenni Fagan, winner of the Gordon Burn Prize and named one of Granta’s Best Young British Novelists, for an in depth conversation about her fifth novel, The Delusions.

Also appearing will be award winning poet and playwright Hannah Lavery and Edinburgh Makar Michael Pedersen for a conversation about friendship, connection and communities.

Massaoke Movies is a high-energy live band sing-along experience featuring giant screens with lyrics and movie clips. Audiences are encouraged to dress up and belt out hits from popular films and musicals, including Mamma Mia!, The Greatest Showman, Frozen, and Dirty Dancing.

Festival director, Rory Steel said: “The first of our big comedy nights led by Russell Howard is guaranteed to split sides and sell-out while lungs will get a great workout at the Massaoke At The Movies sing-along; a key highlight of our family programme that also includes Joseph Coelho and Kevin Quantum.

“Other must-sees include the welcome return of Maggie O’Farrell as well as Paul Jones and Dave Kelly who first played back at Fringe By The Sea in the noughties. By the end of the month we'll have all 300 events listed, so watch this space."