Thistle And Rose Arts proudly announce the final offering of their Edinburgh Fringe programme, queer political thriller Salty Irina by Eve Leigh. Co-produced by Broccoli Arts, this new writing piece joins the prestigious Paines Plough Roundabout line-up in August.

Reading time: 2 mins

A thrilling new play by Eve Leigh and directed by Debbie Hannan, Salty Irina is about two girls falling in love and fighting nazis. Anna and Eireni are in the throes of young love while studying at university. But following a series of racist murders in their town, they decide to turn detectives and infiltrate a far-right festival to find the culprits. But when the true nature of their relationship is uncovered, their safety is under threat and when events take a turn for the worse, they are shocked by what they find. Salty Irina examines fascism, fear and the power of collective action.

Eve Leigh is an award-winning, internationally recognised writer for performance, creating work in collaboration with a range of leading performance and digital artists. Frequent subjects include the internet, Eastern Europe, disability, queer noir, immigrant memory, joy, stupidity, sex, and love. Plays include Midnight Movie (Royal Court); the dance play While You Are Here (The Place/Dance East); The Trick (Bush Theatre, national tour); The Curtain (Young Vic Taking Part). Awards include Jerwood/Royal Court New Playwright Award 2019 (with Jasmine Lee-Jones), Bruntwood Prize shortlist 2019, Berlin Theatertreffen Stueckemarkt selection 2020.

Eve Leigh said, “I wrote Salty Irina because a friend of mine, living in the former East Germany, walked out of his apartment block one morning to find an enormous, fresh bloodstain on the pavement. It was rush hour and everyone stepped around the bloodstain. No one acknowledged it. This is what it feels like to live in a time of far-right ascendency - many of us are simply trying to be on our way and step around the blood. Some of us - among them people who shared their stories with me so I could write this play - make a different, braver choice. Salty Irina is about those of us who make that braver choice”

Broccoli Arts said, “We have loved this play for so long and so many people have worked so hard to get it here. We wouldn’t be here without Eve Leigh, Debbie Hannan, Jessica Stewart, Anthony Simpson-Pike, Salome Wagaine and Thistle And Rose Arts.”

Salty Irina will play at ROUNDABOUT @ Summerhall from the 2nd to 27th of August at 2:30pm. For more information about the production, visit the show page here: thistleandrosearts.co.uk/salty-irina

Tickets are now on sale via the Paines Plough website.