In our ongoing Edinburgh Fringe interview series, we are speaking to artists and creatives who are bringing their shows to the Scottish capital this summer.
In this interview, writer Michelle Burke discusses their show Mind How You Go.
What can you tell me in your words about your show?
Mind How You Go is my new music-theatre show, featuring original songs from my forthcoming studio album, produced by Duke Special. It’s a rollicking and poignant tale, stitched with Irish ghosts, moving statues, and the powerful call of home — where Angelus bells chime alongside echoes of Murder, She Wrote.
Where did the inspiration for this piece come from?
Funnily enough, I never originally set out to make a show. Just before the pandemic, I went to Belfast to record an album with Duke Special producing. I brought with me a scrapbook of stories — mostly family ones — that I had been gathering over the years. I co-wrote songs around these stories with Duke Special, Kathryn Williams, Boo Hewerdine, and Stewart Robbie. We had nearly finished the album when the pandemic hit, and I lost momentum. In that forced pause, I had time to reflect, and slowly, the idea of developing it into a music-theatre piece began to take shape.
The inspiration is really home. Your Irishness gets louder when you’re away from Ireland. Growing up in East Cork shaped me in ways I’m still discovering — the people, the stories, the humour, the contradictions. But it took being away to really hear it. Now I’m neither fully here nor there — a foreigner in Scotland, and somehow a visitor when I go home. That in-between space is where many of my songs and stories come from. It’s like carrying invisible luggage — heavier and more precious the further you travel. That grá for home never really goes away.
The show also draws on family stories: the arrival of glamorous American cousins with their beautiful teeth and magazine hair; the mysterious Twins and Nuns of my childhood; the moving statues phenomenon in Ireland; even Angela Lansbury’s unexpected arrival in my parish while fleeing the Manson family. All of these threads helped shape Mind How You Go into what it is now.
How have you approached developing the show?
I’ve been lucky to work with Gerda Stevenson, who directs Mind How You Go. We’ve collaborated on a number of projects, including three shows for Capital Theatres’ Care Settings Theatre Tour: The Hillman Hunter (2019), The Christmas Box (2021), and Jack in the Box (2024), with musician James Ross also involved. We have built up a creative shorthand over time.
With Mind How You Go, I wanted to push further — to reach new audiences and have more artistic freedom. Unlike our earlier commissions, which were shaped by specific briefs, this project gave us the space to really explore how music and storytelling could intertwine. In March 2024, I did work-in-progress residency, supported by Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund, which was vital in helping refine the show’s creative vision. We also brought on board designer Jessica Brettle, who we had previously worked with on The Hillman Hunter.
With Mind How You Go, I wanted to push further — to reach new audiences and have more artistic freedom. Unlike our earlier commissions, which were shaped by specific briefs, this project gave us the space to really explore how music and storytelling could intertwine. In March 2024, I did work-in-progress residency, supported by Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund, which was vital in helping refine the show’s creative vision. We also brought on board designer Jessica Brettle, who we had previously worked with on The Hillman Hunter.
How would you describe the style of the show?
It’s part music, part theatre, part gig with a dose of storytelling.
Can you describe the show in 3 words?
Funny. Fierce. Folk-infused.
How do you mentally and physically prepare for a run like the Fringe?
Gosh, that’s a good question. I should be doing more walking, building up my stamina, taking vitamins, and getting enough sleep. Honestly, I really need to get my arse in gear.
Away from your show, what are you most looking forward to about being in Edinburgh?
I’m really looking forward to seeing as many shows as possible. The variety at the Fringe is amazing, there’s always something new and inspiring to discover. It’s such a great chance to soak up different styles and stories.
Can you describe the show in 3 words?
Funny. Fierce. Folk-infused.
How do you mentally and physically prepare for a run like the Fringe?
Gosh, that’s a good question. I should be doing more walking, building up my stamina, taking vitamins, and getting enough sleep. Honestly, I really need to get my arse in gear.
Away from your show, what are you most looking forward to about being in Edinburgh?
I’m really looking forward to seeing as many shows as possible. The variety at the Fringe is amazing, there’s always something new and inspiring to discover. It’s such a great chance to soak up different styles and stories.
Are there any other shows at the Fringe you’d like to recommend?
Yes! I’m really looking forward to Haley McGee – Age is a Feeling in SHEDINBURGH — I have my ticket already. I’ve seen it before and absolutely love it. Also on my list is Sh!t Theatre: Or What’s Left Of Us. My friends are launching their new show, Deiseil: Dancing in Time, which I know will be magic. I’m also hoping to see fellow folkies Karine Polwart: Windblown and Mairi Campbell's shows at The Scottish Storytelling Centre.
What was the first piece of theatre you saw which had a big impact on you?
Dancing at Lughnasa was probably one of the first pieces of Theatre I saw when I was a student in Cork.
What do you hope an audience member takes away from seeing the show?
My new record!!! Only messing. I hope people leave smiling — and maybe even wondering what stories live quietly in their own families, or how the places we come from shape who we are.
Where and when can people see your show?
ZOO – Playground One | 1st – 24th August @ 12.45pm
What do you hope an audience member takes away from seeing the show?
My new record!!! Only messing. I hope people leave smiling — and maybe even wondering what stories live quietly in their own families, or how the places we come from shape who we are.
Where and when can people see your show?
ZOO – Playground One | 1st – 24th August @ 12.45pm
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