Touring the UK and returning to Edinburgh Fringe this year is Shotgunned, a relatable and intimate piece of theatre about how the people we lose can shape who we become. A collaboration between Serpentine Productions and Kangaroo Court, Shotgunned tells the story of Dylan and Roz, a couple who unexpectedly fall out of love, taking its audience on a non-linear journey through their relationship.
Shotgunned first toured the UK in 2023 and 2024, and was performed at Edinburgh Fringe in August 2024, where its actors received the Bright Spark Award for emerging Scottish talent. Having received multiple 5* reviews, the play is now touring the UK once more ahead of its return to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2026. We sat down with the play’s writer and director Matt Anderson, as well as actors Lorna Panton and Fraser Allan Hogg to hear all about the play and its exciting future.
Tell us more about the play and what inspired you to write it.
Matt: I started writing Shotgunned while I was coming out of a serious relationship. It was a form of catharsis in a way, helping me come to terms with separating from someone who helped shape me as a person. As I got older, met new people, and had new experiences, the story kept evolving until I was finally happy with everything the play represented. That was back in 2023, and since then it hasn’t really changed. It is a story about two characters who love each other, but through circumstances both in and out of their control, fail to make things work out. Ultimately, Shotgunned is about celebrating break ups and looking back on the people who once played a big role in our lives. It’s about love, loss, joy, and heartbreak.
Matt: I started writing Shotgunned while I was coming out of a serious relationship. It was a form of catharsis in a way, helping me come to terms with separating from someone who helped shape me as a person. As I got older, met new people, and had new experiences, the story kept evolving until I was finally happy with everything the play represented. That was back in 2023, and since then it hasn’t really changed. It is a story about two characters who love each other, but through circumstances both in and out of their control, fail to make things work out. Ultimately, Shotgunned is about celebrating break ups and looking back on the people who once played a big role in our lives. It’s about love, loss, joy, and heartbreak.
Where does the name Shotgunned come from?
Matt: I get asked this a lot and always find it a really fun question. The boring answer is it’s a word that is said within the play - you’ll have to watch it to get context… The more interesting answer is that it describes the feeling you get as an audience member as the play barrels from scene to scene, showing you uplifting, hilarious moments, before quickly pulling the rug from under you. The time-hopping nature of the story means that as a viewer, you never know where in the relationship you will be taken next, and it’s a real testament to our actors that they can pull off such a quick change in emotions so effectively over and over again.
Matt: I get asked this a lot and always find it a really fun question. The boring answer is it’s a word that is said within the play - you’ll have to watch it to get context… The more interesting answer is that it describes the feeling you get as an audience member as the play barrels from scene to scene, showing you uplifting, hilarious moments, before quickly pulling the rug from under you. The time-hopping nature of the story means that as a viewer, you never know where in the relationship you will be taken next, and it’s a real testament to our actors that they can pull off such a quick change in emotions so effectively over and over again.
How do you hope the play makes audiences feel?
Matt: Sentimental.
Matt: Sentimental.
Are there any playwrights who inspire your writing? Or any artists who have influenced Shotgunned?
Matt: Nick Payne, Sam Steiner, Harold Pinter, and Douglas Maxwell are all playwrights I look up to. On the film side, I think Noah Baumbach and Charlotte Wells are incredibly skilled at creating realistic characters and dialogue.
Matt: Nick Payne, Sam Steiner, Harold Pinter, and Douglas Maxwell are all playwrights I look up to. On the film side, I think Noah Baumbach and Charlotte Wells are incredibly skilled at creating realistic characters and dialogue.
You’re coming back to Edinburgh Fringe after a successful 2024 run. Why do you think this show works so well at Fringe?
Matt: Shotgunned really is an ideal size and scale for the festival. With only two actors and minimal set, we’re able to tell an intimate story that takes place over several years and a dozen locations. I think audiences who come to the Fringe hope to find something that moves them, something they can tell their family and friends to go and see. It’s a great feeling when you discover something special, and in 2024, we didn’t have an ounce of marketing, so we really were something that people “discovered”. There are a lot of large production shows at the Fringe, but I know when I go the festival, I’m always on the lookout for things that are smaller budget and produced by passionate artists, telling a story they really believe in.
Matt: Shotgunned really is an ideal size and scale for the festival. With only two actors and minimal set, we’re able to tell an intimate story that takes place over several years and a dozen locations. I think audiences who come to the Fringe hope to find something that moves them, something they can tell their family and friends to go and see. It’s a great feeling when you discover something special, and in 2024, we didn’t have an ounce of marketing, so we really were something that people “discovered”. There are a lot of large production shows at the Fringe, but I know when I go the festival, I’m always on the lookout for things that are smaller budget and produced by passionate artists, telling a story they really believe in.
You’re working with the Made in Scotland showcase this year. Can you tell us more about the initiative and what it’s been like to work with them?
Matt: Made in Scotland is a platform designed with the intention of promoting high quality Scottish work to Fringe audiences and international producers. It’s my understanding that to be selected for MiS, the work must have been produced in Scotland but also have an appeal to audiences all over the world.
Matt: Made in Scotland is a platform designed with the intention of promoting high quality Scottish work to Fringe audiences and international producers. It’s my understanding that to be selected for MiS, the work must have been produced in Scotland but also have an appeal to audiences all over the world.
A lot of times that can mean the work transcends language, possibly by communicating its story via dance or music. However, in the case of Shotgunned, the play tackles universal themes and issues that audiences can relate to the world over. The play isn’t set in a particular time or location, and the story of a relationship breaking down is, unfortunately, something almost all of us have experience with.
It’s been a real joy to work with Made in Scotland; they’re such a lovely team who want nothing but to support the show and ensure we are seen by as many people as possible. The entire programme this year is filled with incredibly talented artists we’re honoured to stand alongside.
What are your hopes for Shotgunned’s future beyond Edinburgh Fringe?
Matt: I would love for Shotgunned to leave the UK and be performed overseas. Seeing how the script translated to a non-English audience would be fascinating, and I would be so curious to know if they found it as funny or as heartbreaking as audiences have here. Alongside our Fringe run this year, the show is being published by Nick Hern Books, meaning that once the festival is done, anyone can acquire the rights and put the play on. Honestly, that’s what I want more than anything. I’ve produced my version of Shotgunned for years now, and what I would love to see now is others tackle the script with creative new ideas. It’s not a difficult show to stage, all you really need is two talented performers, and I think that allows up-and-coming creators a lot of artistic freedom. If anyone does ever put it on, let me know and I’ll be the first to buy a ticket.
Matt: I would love for Shotgunned to leave the UK and be performed overseas. Seeing how the script translated to a non-English audience would be fascinating, and I would be so curious to know if they found it as funny or as heartbreaking as audiences have here. Alongside our Fringe run this year, the show is being published by Nick Hern Books, meaning that once the festival is done, anyone can acquire the rights and put the play on. Honestly, that’s what I want more than anything. I’ve produced my version of Shotgunned for years now, and what I would love to see now is others tackle the script with creative new ideas. It’s not a difficult show to stage, all you really need is two talented performers, and I think that allows up-and-coming creators a lot of artistic freedom. If anyone does ever put it on, let me know and I’ll be the first to buy a ticket.
What has been the highlight of performing Shotgunned since it’s 2023 debut?
Lorna: Our first run at the Fringe in 2024 was definitely a highlight. I hadn’t performed at the fringe is years, and to come back with a show that I was proud of was a great experience.
Fraser: Our final night of the Fringe in 2024. We were able to look back at the journey of the Fringe and see how far we had come. From struggling to get 10 people in the room, to consistently selling out. It felt like our hard work had really paid off.
Describe your character, Roz, in three words.
Lorna: Grounded, Caring, Guarded.
Lorna: Grounded, Caring, Guarded.
Describe your character, Dylan in three words.
Fraser: Endearing, Passionate, Stuck.
Fraser: Endearing, Passionate, Stuck.
What do you think makes these characters so relatable to your audiences?
Lorna: Something that makes the characters relatable is that there is no villain in the story, and their story is incredibly grounded. A lot of love stories focus on grand admissions of love or overcoming an external evil force. Roz and Dylan’s dynamic is far more situational than fated. I think most people can relate to the situation of falling into a relationship you weren’t expecting and doing your best to make the most of it.
Lorna: Something that makes the characters relatable is that there is no villain in the story, and their story is incredibly grounded. A lot of love stories focus on grand admissions of love or overcoming an external evil force. Roz and Dylan’s dynamic is far more situational than fated. I think most people can relate to the situation of falling into a relationship you weren’t expecting and doing your best to make the most of it.
Fraser: Their relationship feels very grounded. Seeing how life can sometimes cause obstacles that, despite all efforts, you can’t overcome, is something many people can identify with.
Are there any other plays coming to Edinburgh Fringe that you’re excited to see?
Lorna: I’m excited to find some hidden gems, I think it’s part of the experience finding shows you didn’t expect for plan to see. I also hope Swamplesque is coming back, I wanted to catch it last year but didn’t get a ticket in time!
Shotgunned will be performed at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Wednesday 29th-30th April, ahead of its run at Assembly Studios August 5th-30th. Find tickets to all performances here.
Follow Kangaroo Court on Instagram to keep up to date with all things Shotgunned.
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