#Interview with Michael Hughes about his play, The Last Bantam @TheLastBantam @GreensideVenue #EdFringe #Theatre #Play #TheLastBantam

The Last Bantam
Q&A with Michael Hughes

Conducted by Bookmarks and Stages – Louise Cannon

Do you know what a Bantam of the First World War is? Whether you do or not, Michael Hughes, writer and actor of The Last Bantam has a lot of fascinating information about them and what it is like to act this play out. He also has interesting things to say about audiences and what he wishes to do with the play after the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

I, recently had the privilege of interviewing Michael Hughes about his play, The Last Bantem. March downwards on the page to find out the fascinatingly detailed answers to my short, but loaded questions.

The play is on at The Green Venues, George Street, Edinburgh 12:45pm – 13:45pm up to and including Saturday 23rd August. Find the link after the interview for further details…

1 – What drew you to write a play about the First World War Bantams?

Good question! This is where I’d love to be able to say, ‘Well Louise, my grandfather was a bantam’. Sadly, I’d be lying to you if I said that (it would make a great story though!).
I was watching a video on YouTube of a former US special forces soldier interviewing another former special forces soldier. Both men were massively built. Huge shoulders, big arms, no necks. Very big men.

Now, my grandfather, uncle and two cousins served in the military and none o them looked like these guys. It got me thinking: ‘What’s the best size for a soldier?’

I did a little online research and found myself in a forum discussing this very thing. The initial consensus was ‘bigger is better’. Bigger men are stronger, they can carry more kit and they’re more intimidating to the enemy.
Then someone asked, ‘What about the Japanese?’. Someone else asked, ‘What about the Gurkhas?’ And another asked, ‘What about the Bantams?’

Everyone did a double-take at this point, including me. ‘Bantams? What are they?’ That’s when my journey began. I did some more research and discovered that Britain recruited thousands of men between 5′-5’3” during the Great War, those men were called ‘bantams’and there were books written about them!

I promptly hovered up everything I could find on the bantams, beginning with Sidney Allinson’s 1985 book, ‘The Bantams’

I was fascinated to learn about these men and, being a short man myself, inspired by their courage and tenacity in the face of not just physical danger, but also discrimination and prejudice on account of their height.
Regarded as ‘degenerate’ by some because of their short stature, they signed up in their tens of thousands to serve their country.

2 – The Last Bantam is based on real events. What emotions did you feel when creating and acting out the play?

I prefer to say, ‘inspired by real events’ rather than ‘based on’ actually. While there is documentary evidence for a great deal of what happens in my play, there’s a dollop of my imagination in there too!

Researching The Last Bantam, I felt indignation at the way these short men were treated and pride at their achievements.

Acting out the play, I feel a range of emotions, not always associated with the play itself. For example, the other day I felt simultaneously sorry for and irritated by someone who’s position in the room meant they couldn’t easily see my performance. They picked a seat at the end of a row and someone sat down directly in front of them. They could not see me without craning round the person in front. It was the fault of the poor seating layout, but it bothered me that someone who’d invested time and money to see my show could barely see it. I found myself thinking ‘Why don’t you move?!!!’ I even contemplated stopping the show to find great person a better seat, would you believe that? I didn’t of course, but if any of your readers find themselves in a poor seating position, they have my permission to move to a better one. Yes, your movement will be noticed and it will annoy me a little, but knowing you can’t see the show you paid for because of someone in front of you bothers me more.

Move!

There are other feelings I experience though which are entirely play-related. I try as much as I can, not to ‘act’ my character but to ‘be’ my character. When he’s irritated, I’m irritated, when he’s sad, or angry or scared, I’m sad or angry or scared. I summon and use my own feelings when I’m Patrick Michael Wolfe. It’s quite a rollercoaster!

3 – How did you research The Last Bantam?

I read everything I could, and there’s more out there than you might think. In addition to Sydney Allinson’s, ‘The Bantams’, there’s also books focussing on the Manchester bantams as well and the Cheshire Bantams and at least two books on the Battle of Bourlon Wood. I also drew heavily from Maurice Bacon’s, ‘The Blast of War’, a history of the 15th Bantam Battalion, Notts & Derby Regiment. My character, Patrick Michael Wolfe, is based in this battalion and it was hugely useful to know where precisely they were at various points in the war.

The Blast of War is written by Maurice Bacon. His father and grandfather both served in the same bantam battalion and meeting him last year to discuss his book was very special to me.

Interestingly, during the last couple of years there’s been a number of videos on YouTube about the bantams. There’s a very good one by a Youtuber called The History Guy and another called The History Chap. All these videos seem to have emerged over the last couple of years, much as my play has done. Could there be something in the air I wonder!

4 – You’ve taken great care in the detail of the uniform, right down to accessories, such as the watch. How did you source this and was it in easy or challenging process?

I decided right from the start that I wanted to look the part as much as possible. I’m no historian or costume commissar, but whether it’s a play, a tv series or a film, a poor costume undermines everything! If someone doesn’t look like the person they’re pretending to be, if they don’t meet our visual expectations, we find it harder to join them in the world they’re trying to create.

I originally tried sourcing actual British uniforms from the Great War and realised that not only could I not afford to do that, but a 100+ years old garment probably wouldn’t survive too many Edinburgh Fringes!

Instead I purchased reproduction uniform and kit, taking note of advice from re-reactors as to who provides the best quality. Quality was paramount. I wanted a costume I could use in the long term, not something that would fall apart after a few shows. A costume that didn’t just look right, but felt right too. You’d be surprised how many people want to physically touch the fabric of my costume. They want to feel the weight and the roughness of it.

I sourced most of my costume from Soldier of Fortune, an online militaria costume provider. Having purchased my costume I then had to distress it.

My character is meant to have spent to years fighting in France. His uniform should reflect that and it does. It’s dirty and stained and ripped and torn, with many amateurish in-the-field repairs. Holes are patched over and rips crudely stitched back together, as was done in action.

In some respects, the uniform is a metaphor for the man. It’s dirty, worn and damaged, but it’s still functional. It’s still in the fight. One look at the uniform and the audience knows, ‘This man’s been through it’.

Audiences are hugely impressed by my costume. They really appreciate the effort I’ve made to look as authentic as possible. The public appreciates it too and it’s a huge help when I’m flyering, promoting my show. It cuts through the noise of Edinburgh and it makes me smile to know that feature in hundreds of holiday photographs!

5 – The Last Bantam is a one man play, what does it feel like to be
carrying the whole play in your own and asking the audience to imagine the scene, since there is no scenery?

Carrying the play in my own doesn’t bother me at all. It’s rather liberating actually. I determine the rhythm and pace of it and I don’t have to worry about fellow actors missing their cues, forgetting their lines or falling out with each other. I was in a comedy show once in which my two fellow cast members had a spectacular falling-out and it almost scuppered the show!

Being a self-employed healthcare trainer has also prepared me to be a solo performer. The roles aren’t that different. I arrive at a place, get changed, engage with a group of strangers and leave. And I’ve been doing that 25 years!

6 – You were a copywriter many years ago, what or who inspired you to change career and take to the stage?

I’m actually very, very new to acting. After a career in advertising I became a nurse and have been a freelance healthcare trainer for over 25 years. I remain both a nurse and a trainer but I got into stand up comedy in 2015 doing the open mic circuit as a character comic. When I wrote the first draft of Bantam in 2023 I assumed I’d be performing it myself.

I’m retrospect, my assumption that it would be me might seem a little presumptuous, maybe even arrogant. After all, I had no acting training and had never done anything like this before in my life. But I’d spent 8 years doing character comedy and over 20 years addressing groups of strangers as a trainer. I knew I could learn my lines and deliver them.

Whether I could deliver them well…well that was for the audience to decide!

7 – What’s next for you and your play?

I need to focus on my day job! I’m a freelance teacher in care homes and my first priority when the Fringe is over is to drum up some training business!I

With regards to The Last Bantam,I’d love to tour it. There’s lots of small theatres in London I could take it to, and many farther afield too. It’s all a matter of logistics and economics. I can accept a loss doing the Edinburgh Fringe, but future shows will need to cover their costs.

I also plan on publishing The Last Bantam and would absolutely love to have the story made into other a tv series or a movie. I might get Danny DeVito in board! I wish I was doing this ten years ago. Back then the BBC produced several films and documentaries to commemorate the Great War.
It would have been the perfect time for the bantams!

8 – Where can people follow you On social media?

The Last Bantam can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can find more details on the Ed Fringe site here: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-last-bantam

#Interview by Lou with Max Fulham about his show Full of Ham at #EdFringe @ThePleasance @maxfulhamcomedy #Comedy

Interview with Max Fulham about Full of Ham

conducted by Bookmarks and Stages – Louise Cannon

It gives me great pleasure to welcome Max Fulham to Bookmarks and Stages for a Q&A session on his comedy act, playfully named, Full of Ham.

Max Fulham likes to make people laugh through ventriloquism (vent). It’s perhaps not quite all as you’d expect. He has put his own twist on this art-form. He’s worked with some of the biggest stars in show-biz like Craig-Revel Horwood and Mel Giedroyc. He started out in Linlithgow, which is not too far from Edinburgh

Without further ado, let’s find out more through the interview.

You’re known for modernising and bringing new audiences to ventriloquism, but who or what inspired you to take up this artform and create stage shows with it?

How did you train to do ventriloquism?

I taught myself as a child and there was a little worn patch of carpet in front of the mirror in my bedroom where I used to stand and practice. My first puppet was a little pink hand puppet and it was the first of many over the years I asked for for subsequent birthdays and Christmases. It probably took me a few years before I was even half decent and I am grateful I was still a child because being a bit rubbish can be sort of endearing then!

I took up ventriloquism (or vent if you’re really cool) after my parents bought me a puppet for Christmas when I was nine. I have been hooked on it since then! Having done it for a good few years now, one of the things I realised is that a lot of audiences had never seen ventriloquism live before and also had a few preconceptions about it being a bit old and naff. I suppose that is the main inspiration for trying to take it in some new directions or simply to use it to create the funniest things I can. I have been inspired by many of the greats over the years like Ray Alan and Terri Rogers and I think looking back has what has gone before can be a great jumping off point when wanting to take things in a different direction.

Your style is very different from having a dummy on your knee. You’ve decided to create an inner monologue, use inanimate objects and expressions.

What inspired you to do it this way and what themes do you tend to lean towards in this show and why?

It’s fun to play with what people expect from a ventriloquist and twist it into something slightly different. There may be a puppet as you’d expect at one moment but it becomes something unexpected. I have also really enjoyed exploring stuff that doesn’t use a puppet, what happens if there are multiple characters onstage but I’m the only person there? In terms of themes I feel that the show really goes from the everyday to the absurd, from supermarket checkouts to a box full of intrusive thoughts.

You started life in Linlithgow and then headed to clubs and cruise ships, now home to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. How has your travels influenced what you bring to your shows?

My travels have enabled me to perform for such a wide variety of audiences which is invaluable experience for any performer. What will sometimes work in one scenario will not work in another and I hope that I am slightly better at working that out now after performing all over the place. The vibe I always want to create in my shows is a sense of unity that we are all there in a room and I have some fun things to show you.

Rowan Atkinson, Mel Giedroyc, Craig Revel Horwood and Terry Fator famously highly rate you, which is fantastic. How did that come about and how does this add to shaping your career as you progress ever forwards?

I have been lucky enough to work with or meet some phenomenal people and some true comedy heroes. I worked with Craig Revel Horwood in pantomime last year, he was the Hook to my Smee and we had a great time! I worked with Mel Giedroyc on her show Unforgivable and she has been encouraging me to do the Fringe since then! Getting to meet and work with these wonderful people is often a nice reassurance that I’m getting at least something right… it also looks good on the poster and I’m very grateful for their kind words!

You’re billed to be appearing in Panto with Alexandra Burke and Dr. Ranj, how are you preparing for that and are you able to share what it will be and where?

Yes! I’m off to Neverland this Christmas (read: Southampton). It is shaping up to be a fantastic show from what I have heard in the meetings I have had so far. One of the amazing things about panto though is that it comes together so quickly and we only start rehearsals a week and a half before the show opens so preparations come a lot later in the year!

What’s next for your solo ventriloquism shows?

I would just quite like to continue doing my nonsense and making people laugh. I am excited to see where the characters and ideas from this Fringe show go, I have a feeling a few of them may have life beyond this show!

Where can people follow you on social media?

You can follow me on Instagram @MaxFulham and on TikTok and Facebook @maxfulhamcomedy.

Max Fulham has brought his show ‘Full of Ham’ to the Edinburgh Fringe the August, every night at 6.40pm in the Pleasance Courtyard. For tickets and more information, visit:: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/max-fulham-full-ham

#Review by Bookmarks and Stages – Lou of Glass House #EdFringe @GreensideVenue #Theatre @SandCastlesProductions #EdFringe25

Glass House

Review written by Bookmarks and Stages – Louise Cannon

Set on a bus, Glasshouse is a palpable, powerful play that creates an intriguing, palpable atmosphere on a bus.

The bus is caught in a storm and what ensues is evocative and thought provoking. From the outset it has an intriguing, slightly eerie feel as the rain hammers down. On a small stage, there is great attention to detail to make the seats look like the cast are on a bus, right down to what people are wearing, including the driver.

From the bus being plunged into darkness, to getting some light, the audience are introduced to the passengers and a rather intriguing storyline as unexpected events unfold when the bus comes to a sudden halt.

It’s worth mentioning before events change further, there is a rather agile dance routine from one of the passengers, which gives the play a bit of a lift, with exaggerated movements as though they are on a bus. There’s also a bit of humour in that and in some of the dialogue.

Conversationally, between all the passengers, it feels natural. The writing and acting is skilful to keep it this naturalistic and not purely monologue in nature, although later there is a particularly powerful monologue where you get more insight to a passenger, that works particularly well, both feeding into the story and addressing the audience.

If you were on a bus, looking in, you’d see all sorts of people conversing with each other, some listening and others occasionally talking a little over each other. There are also crossed wires, a noticeable glance here, a touch there, creating rising tensions throughout the play, which all becomes quite palpable. This is strong, convincing acting by this young group of actors.

What happens next is even more powerful as the intensity ramps up a gear as decisions to be made as to what to do about a homeless person who is on the bus, but is ticketless. The play at this point has then changed into one that’s quite thought-provoking. It makes you question what you would do in this situation.

This is a group of young actors who are ones to watch for now and hopefully into the future. The quality of writing and acting are great now and will only increase further. The potential is huge for these students. I’ve seen students perform before and this group are one of the more exciting and I can’t wait to see what their future holds.

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the place to see them until and including 23rd August at Greenside Venues on George Street.

Find out more details and how you can get your tickets here: Glass House

Synopsis

Sandcastles Productions

Glass House explores the grimy underbelly of the human beast with unwavering intimacy. A boundary-pushing mocku-theatre piece, the play involves pre-recorded interviews with its ‘real-life’ characters as they share their renditions of what happened on the night of February 14th, 2011. The play uncovers how, on a night of unrelenting rain and flooding in the countryside, a stand-off between a stubborn bus driver and a houseless man who can’t afford a ticket slides into a mire of tension and social conflict.

#Review of Ian Smith – Foot Spa Half Empty by Bookmarks and Stages – Lou. @Iansmithcomedy @TextualHealing2 @BarrelComedy #StandupComedy #Comedy #EdFringe #EdFringe25

Ian Smith – Foot Spa Half Empty

Review by Bookmarks and Stages – Louise Cannon

Stand up comedian Ian Smith from Have I Got News For You; Live at the Apollo, Just A Minute, The News Quiz etc fame has a live stand-up comedy show not to be missed! The Monkey Barrel in Edinburgh provides a great venue for this. If you want an hour of sheer laughter, this is the stand-up show for you.

Ian Smith is a top notch comedian! It is excellently hilarious, always hitting the highest notes of comedy.

To find out what he has to say about Edinburgh Fringe leaflets, what Netflix has to do with roast dinners, some tastefully done IVF jokes of his experiences, stress and basketball hoops, you need to see the show.

Ian Smith goes from story to story, full of jokes, succinctly with excellent comic timing, then expertly weaving references to part of a previous joke together for great linkage.

I went with my friend Orla (not associated with Bookmarks and Stages, just a friend visiting, who says:

‘”Absolutely fantastic – brilliantly told stories woven together into a hilarious, clever performance.”

This show and it’s absolutely fantastic. People who see a full show of this when one materialises are in for a real treat. For now, head to The Monkey Barrell venue in Edinburgh to catch this particular show. It’s an hour of laughter very well spent. You can get your ticket to the show of much entertainment here: Ian Smith Foot Spa Half Empty

#Interview by Lou with Nathan Scott-Dunn and Stirling Sands of 1902 by Saltire Sky to mark Hibernian F.C’s 150th Anniversary. From Football to Social Issues, Class and more… @SaltireSkyTC @saltireskytheatre #EdFringe

Interview of 1902 with Saltire Sky’s

Nathan Scott-Dunn and Stirling Sands
about Hibernian FC and much more…

interview by Louise Cannon – Bookmarks and Stages

There’s more to the Off Westend Award Winning play, 1902, than football, as I discovered whilst asking the questions. As much as it is celebrating 150 years of the club, Hibernian FC, we also talked about other themes, such as toxic masculinity, using music in such a play, reflecting working class.

What makes Hibernian FC, Hibs so special that you chose to create a play with this particular football club at its centre?

Hibernian FC is deeply woven into the identity of Leith and its people. It’s not just a team, it’s family, tradition, and home. For generations, supporting Hibs has been passed down like a birthright. That sense of loyalty, of clinging to hope in the face of disappointment, was what really drew us in.
The 2016 Scottish Cup win, after 114 years, was a moment that felt like something more than football. It was a collective emotional release, a victory for everyone who had ever believed through all the heartbreak. 1902 uses that moment as a backdrop, not to tell a story about football, but to explore the lives and relationships of the people who live for it. It’s about community, resilience, identity, and how something as simple as a match can carry so much emotional weight for working-class people who don’t always feel represented in mainstream narratives.
How do you feel toxic masculinity can change and how do you deal with this to make an impact in your play?

Toxic masculinity changes when we make space for vulnerability and when we show that there are other ways to be a man than the one-dimensional, emotionally repressed version we’ve been sold. In 1902, we look at masculinity in a very real, grounded way. These characters argue, lash out, make mistakes but they also cry, admit fear, and support each other in quiet, powerful ways.
The play doesn’t lecture, it reflects. We see how bottled-up emotions, shame, and societal pressure affect working-class men who’ve grown up being told that showing weakness isn’t an option. Through their interactions, especially in moments of conflict and intimacy, we show that emotional honesty can exist within these tough exteriors.
The goal isn’t to preach, it’s to represent, and in doing so, invite empathy and change. We’re trying to open up a conversation about how men can still be strong while being emotionally present and accountable.
What genre(s) of music do you use in your show and how did you choose what to put in it?

The music in 1902 is deeply rooted in identity and place. At the centre of it is the music of The Proclaimers, which we use to underscore the entire show. Their songs aren’t just a soundtrack, they’re the emotional heartbeat of the piece. Being from Leith themselves, The Proclaimers’ music captures the spirit, struggle, humour, and heart of working-class Scotland in a way that’s unmatched. Their lyrics speak directly to themes of home, belonging, loyalty, and love, all of which are central to 1902.
Their songs allow us to move fluidly between moments of tension, reflection, and celebration. They help us create atmosphere, elevate emotion, and at times give the audience space to breathe or reflect. The music is woven into the fabric of the show, not tacked on, but lived in by the characters.
Alongside that, we also use authentic Hibs football chants throughout the play. These are the songs you hear in the stands, in the pub, on the streets, full of energy, defiance, and unity. The chants bring the community to life on stage and act as a powerful form of collective expression. For the characters, they’re a release; for the audience, they’re instantly recognisable and deeply nostalgic.
Together, The Proclaimers’ music and the Hibs chants create a soundscape that’s unmistakably local, emotionally charged, and completely immersive. It’s not just about setting the scene, it’s about capturing the soul of a community.
What research, if any, did you do so the working class in Scotland is portrayed accurately and so everyone can recognise it.

A lot of the work came from lived experience and working closely with people from the communities we’re representing. This wasn’t about imposing a narrative, it was about reflecting one.
The script was developed through workshops, conversations, and a lot of listening. We made sure the dialogue was honest, not softened for a wider audience, but kept true to how people actually speak in working-class communities. That includes the humour, the swearing, the silences, and the things that are said without being said.
We also paid close attention to the cultural references, the emotional rhythms, and the socioeconomic pressures that shape daily life, from debt and employment struggles to family responsibilities and unspoken expectations. Every detail was considered so the people who live this reality can watch the show and feel recognised, not stereotyped.
How important do you feel that the working class is represented in theatre and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in particular?

It’s absolutely essential. The working class has historically been underrepresented or misrepresented in theatre. When they do appear, it’s often through a middle-class lens, which tends to flatten the complexity and dignity of working-class life.
At the Fringe, which can sometimes feel dominated by shows that are inaccessible either financially or culturally, it’s even more important to create space for stories that reflect real people’s experiences. Representation isn’t just about visibility, it’s about ownership. It’s about giving working-class artists the opportunity to tell their own stories on their own terms.
1902 is part of that effort. It’s theatre rooted in lived experience, told in a language and setting that working-class audiences can connect to. It’s also about making theatre feel like a place where everyone belongs, not just those who can afford a £20 ticket and a glass of wine at the interval. Our ticket prices have remained the same since our inception in 2017 ensuring everyone can access our shows at an affordable price.
Where can people follow you?

You can follow Saltire Sky Theatre on:

📸 Instagram: @saltireskytheatre
🐦 Twitter/X: @SaltireSkyTC
📘 Facebook: Saltire Sky Theatre
🌍 Website: saltireskytheatre.com
Tickets: 1902 | Edinburgh Festival Fringe

We post regular updates, behind-the-scenes content, and info about upcoming shows, and we always love hearing from audiences who’ve connected with the work.

#Review of Scaramouche Jones performed by Thom Tuck by Bookmarks and Stages – Lou #ScaramoucheJones @turlygod #EdFringe #Hoots #Yurt #PottersRow #EdFringe25

Scaramouche Jones
Performed by Thom Tuck

Scaramouche Jones is a 100 year old clown played by Thom Tuck, who you may know from the likes of Horrible Histories and Penny Dreadfuls. He tells the story on Millenium Eve, after he’s come off stage after a show. What unfolds is a fascinating journey through history and tragedy, with a bit of well-placed humour.

Thom Tuck brought a fabulously engaging informality to the show, which brought increased and wonderfully uniquely intense experience that takes you through historical events, some other clowns are also mentioned, which between that and the events of times gone-by creates an authentic play, even though Scaramouche Jones himself is made-up. As the story comes out, Thom Tuck makes you feel, deeply for what unfolds and catches your eye, creating an even deeper, meaningful experience, like he casts a spell on his audience, who lapped up all that they were being told.

If, for now, if it goes on tour, or in 10 years time, when he plans to bring it back to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, this is a show that fascinates and educates as he brings historical events to life and makes you feel all the emotions. Thom Tuck takes some traumatic events of the earth’s history and tells them in an original narrative on one hand and on the other hand, sitting at the juxtaposition, he has elements that will make you laugh. It’s all masterfully woven together to create a performance about a clown with a difference from all the clowns you’ve ever known.

You can still catch it at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Check it out here: Scaramouche Jones