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The story of the greatest literary hoax of all time. 1760: Scottish poet James Macpherson sets the world ablaze with stories of the third-century Scottish bard, Ossian – but is it built on deceit? 2026: Martin O’Connor questions his own relationship with Scottish culture. Sporrans, stags, and shortbread; do these gift-shop images hold us back or bring us forward? Performed in Scots with Gaelic songs, Through the Shortbread Tin returns to explore the myths we tell each other and the stories we tell ourselves. 'Witty and provocative' **** (Guardian). MadeInScotlandShowcase.com.
This is an archived listing from the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Through the Shortbread Tin is by National Theatre of Scotland, listed under Theatre in the Fringe programme. It plays at Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, EH1 1SR, 6 August to 31 August.
The show runs 75 minutes and is suitable for ages 12+. Tickets from £10. Content warnings: Strong language.