Duns Play Fest

A nine-day festival of Contemporary Dramatic Writing, bringing Brand New Theatre to the Borders and Nurturing New Writing, New Theatre, and New Talent.

DunsPlayFest was established in 2019 as a nine day-long celebration of brand-new theatre and dramatic writing, all staged in the historic Borders town of Duns.

We are now in our 6th incarnation to include a couple of online versions and have expanded with over 60 perfomances, workshops and talks, mostly held at the Hub of the festival, Duns Volunteer Hall-the proudly and rightly named Heart For Duns. We have grown with the dedication of loving volunteers and committed enthusiasts and the support of wonderful funders who believe in the power of theatre as much as we do!

Featuring more than 60 performances: play premieres, rehearsed readings, workshops, cabaret acts, community events, and a couple of parties, this festival with a buzz, has gathered a reputation for quality theatre, music and wonderful atmosphere. DunsPlayFest has mushroomed in popularity, with local people and visitors alike; we hope to make theatre accessible for all and aim to bring people in from far and wide to our little Borders town with Big Ideas.

Performances take place at Duns Volunteer Hall (transformed for the occasion into a unique performance space with two stages, cafe/bar and lounge area). Events are also held in the grounds of Duns Castle (Family Day, Sunday 28th April 12.00-16.00) and at other venues around the town.