Debuting her new music-theatre show, folk singer-songwriter and theatre-maker Michelle Burke returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Mind How You Go, a lyrical and surreal exploration of her family history. Blending storytelling with original music, the show delves into themes of identity, migration, and folklore, tracing Burke’s Irish roots and her life in Scotland.
Directed by BAFTA Scotland award-winner Gerda Stevenson and accompanied by Scottish pianist and composer James Ross, Mind How You Go is a richly layered journey through ancestral tales—from a great-grandfather imprisoned for Irish independence to glamorous American cousins and moving statues. The show evolved from Burke’s latest album, produced by Duke Special, and captures the chaos and beauty of connecting with one’s heritage.
Burke describes the show as a reflection of her rural Irish Catholic upbringing, seen through the lens of her adopted home in Scotland. With humour, heart, and haunting melodies, the performance weaves songs and stories to confront religion’s constraints and celebrate the resilience of women.
