‘Regrets I have a few…’ When Sinatra sings about having ‘too few regrets to mention’ in his song ‘My Way’, I’m pretty sure most people my age start thinking: ‘actually I do have quite a few - so maybe there’s something wrong with me!’ Statistics are against us pensioners. The older we are, the more chance we have to rack up a whole load of decisions that seemed a good idea at the time but now don’t seem so smart. Bronnie Ware (in her book ‘The Top Five Regrets of the Dying’)

OK, Boomer! will be showcased on Saturday 9 May at 2pm at DunsPlayFest26 Nearly 50 years ago…Had you lingered by the side of the winding ‘heads of the valleys’ road in the very early 80’s, you may have heard the laboured sound of a dilapidated ex-Post Office van and watched as it trundled around the various towns and villages of South Wales, on its way to fulfil one of its many ‘community theatre’ dates.   Inside this windowless vehicle, six actors, a handful of costumes, a f

Writing a play can be very arduous and quite lonely. By the time the final draft is written I’m usually sick of my own words having read them over again and again, agonising over whether “that line is funny enough?” and wondering “does that line convey the message I’m trying to put across?” Eventually I can’t even begin to look at it. But all that changes at the first readthrough when actors give voice to my characters and the words leap off the page, afresh and anew. Their d

Having fun at DPF! Have you ever mused that it would be good to live in a city where there is so much going on? Concerts, theatres, dances, clubs, restaurants… I could be out every evening (and spend a fortune on tickets!) Living in rural Berwickshire we are much more restricted for choice but one thing is clear - things only happen when people step forward with ideas and enthusiasm and have the energy to carry them out. It’s no coincidence that Bob Noble’s fabulous play ‘Not

Local Community in Berwickshire, Scottish Borders transforms Duns Volunteer Hall into a theatre for Scotland’s festival of new drama.   Theatre in Berwickshire: A Community Without a Stage The eastern Scottish Borders has many community halls but completely lacks an actual theatre building. Despite this, it has a rich and vibrant community of playwrights and theatre groups, and has seen the rapid establishment of DunsPlayfest. This is an annual festival of new writing for the

The importance of New Writing

Encouraging Emerging Artists lies at the heart of all we do

The hows and whys of our festival

Cerce Millar sings at the Opening party With three-and-a-bit weeks to go until curtain-up on DunsPlayFest ’25, things are hotting up,...

Making Theatre Accessible DunsPlayFest is still quite far from self-sufficiency. We rely heavily on grants for which we are always...

Opening Party 24 A Community Space The head-quarters of DunsPlayFest is, and always will be, the Volunteer Hall in Duns. This...

Karen Anderson's Brokenly Beautiful DunsPlayFest is enthralled by the empty space. The waiting stage, the deserted theatre, the dreams...

We are concerned with art, with performance, with the best possible theatrical expressions of the human spirit

Sensible people do not choose to become artists. The career path is unpredictable, the income stream splutters at best

DunsPlayFest is many things but above all it is a festival of new drama.

Let us run you through the WHOLE NINE days of DunsPlayFest 2024 so you can decide what takes your fancy. Friday 26 April - The Opening...

In the dynamic realm of theatre, where tradition and innovation converge, the spotlight often finds its glow on new writing....

Along with some family friendly performances over the 9 days of DunsPlayFest there is a dedicated Family Day at Duns Castle on Sunday...

As the anticipation builds for DunsPlayFest 2024, there's an air of excitement not only for the infusion of fresh, emerging talent but...

DunsPlayFest aims first and foremost to show people a good time - but that is not just a frivolous aim, it is the outcome of many...