Michelle Burke returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Mind How You Go, a music-theatre show that dives deep into her surreal and poignant family history. Known for her rich vocals and storytelling flair, Burke weaves together original songs and ancestral tales in a performance that is both haunting and humorous.
Directed by BAFTA Scotland winner Gerda Stevenson and accompanied by pianist James Ross, the show explores themes of identity, migration, and the meaning of home. It’s a lyrical journey through Irish roots, Scottish life, and the echoes of generations past.
Mind How You Go runs from 1–24 August 2025 at Zoo Playground, 12:45 daily. Tickets are available here.
You’re bringing Mind How You Go to Zoo Playground – what can you tell us about the 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.
The show blends storytelling with original music. How did your background as a folk singer-songwriter influence the creative process?
It’s all about stories for me. In Mind How You Go, I blend songs and tales to pull the audience into my slightly mad world.
You explore themes like identity, migration, and family folklore. Were there any stories from your ancestry that particularly surprised or moved you?
Yes, my great-grand uncle’s story. I knew bits and pieces growing up — my Grandad had spoken a little about it.
Both my great-grandfather and my great-grand uncle had been political prisoners on Spike Island during the Irish War of Independence. My great-grand uncle had written poems while imprisoned, and over 100 years later, those words became a song in the show, set to music by myself and Duke Special.
It means a lot to give his voice a place in Mind How You Go.
Working with director Gerda Stevenson and pianist James Ross must have been quite the collaboration – what was that dynamic like?
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.
Because we’ve built up a creative shorthand over time, I always hoped we’d get the chance to work together on a full theatre show. 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. James quietly anchors the show.
The show touches on religion, womanhood, and the idea of ‘home’. How have audiences responded to these themes so far?
The Edinburgh Fringe will be the launch of the show, but we did a work-in-progress version last year and the response was very positive. Audiences really connected with the family stories and the humour — it was great to see how people responded.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see Mind How You Go?
A funny, moving mix of songs and stories about family, identity, and the call of home.
