Our alumni in the spotlight at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

From Durham stages to the Fringe 

Among the alumni featured this year was Jennifer Leigh (Mathematics, St Chad's College, 2019-2022), who was a producer with Durham University Light Opera Group and the Tone Deaf Theatre Company between 2019 and 2022. Jennifer produced Legendary, a solo musical by award-winning artist Cheeyang Ng that blends Chinese mythology, memory and queer legacy. Since graduating, she has completed postgraduate study at Imperial College London and now works for Sonia Friedman Productions, one of the UK's most influential commercial theatre producers. 

Former Hild Bede Theatre President Charlotte Peters (Applied Psychology, John Snow College, 2013-2016) directed When Vincent Met John. The production imagines a meeting between Vincent van Gogh and John Lennon, exploring themes of art, legacy and human connection. 

Comedy and musical theatre 

Comedy was strongly represented by Durham alumni. Bróccán Tyzack-Carlin (English Literature, College of St Hild and St Bede, 2014-2017), who was involved with Durham Student Theatre and The Durham Revue between 2014 and 2017, performed Good News! It's Been Destroyed, while former Durham Revue President Abigail Weinstock (Arts Combined, Collingwood College, 2013-2016) presented the dark comedy Giraffe. 

Comedy duo Jess Render (English Literature, University College, 2016-2019) and Charlie Lacy (Social Sciences Combined, University College, 2016-2019), both active in Durham Student Theatre between 2016 and 2019, appeared with 123Movies.com, a sketch-comedy show inspired by internet culture and awards ceremonies. 

Musical theatre also featured prominently. Alex Prescott (Physics, Josephine Butler College, 2013-2016), a member of Durham Student Theatre from 2013 to 2016, appeared in Mothman: A Romance Musical, while former Hild Bede Theatre President Francesca Horgan (History, College of St Hild and St Bede, 2021-2024) performed in both Miscast Sondheim and Game Theory. Former Collingwood Woodplayers President Issey Dodd (Liberal Arts, Collingwood College, 2021-2024) featured in You Never Know, a song cycle exploring relationships, memory and self-discovery. 

Durham's student music community was also represented by Adam Critchlow (Philosophy, St Chad's College, 2021-2024), Lucie Fletcher (Music, Hatfield College, 2021-2024), Aislinn de Buitléir (Natural Sciences, Collingwood College, 2021-2024), Nick Lau (Music, St John's College, 2020-2023), Anoushka Pluwak (Music, College of St Hild and St Bede, 2021-2024) and Andy Chan (Criminal Justice Studies, St Mary’s College, 2020–2023), all former members of Northern Lights A Cappella between 2020 and 2024, who performed in After Hours: Welcome to the Club, a late-night vocal production presented by The Menagerie Club. 

New writing, performance and producing 

Several alumni were involved in productions that used innovative approaches to storytelling and performance. 

Shona Graham (History, University College, 2014-2017), who was a Vice-Chancellor's Scholar for Performing Arts between 2014 and 2017, featured in Fractured, a drama exploring memory, grief and the consequences of life-changing events. 

Isabella Thompson (Theology, Hatfield College, 2019-2022), who was involved with Durham Student Theatre from 2019 to 2022, brought Plaything to Edinburgh, a character-comedy show combining clowning and comic performance. Meanwhile, former Durham Student Theatre President Lamesha Ruddock (History, John Snow College, 2019-2022) presented Momme Domme, an experimental performance examining artistic consumption and the commodification of the feminine body. 

Behind the scenes, former Foot of the Hill Theatre President Niamh Hanns (English and History, St Mary's College, 2017-2020) produced two productions at this year's festival: Tell Me, a dance and circus work exploring experiences of HIV across different decades, and Collaborator, a physical theatre piece examining creativity, compromise and partnership. 

Celebrating Durham creativity 

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe continues to provide a platform for Durham graduates to develop and showcase their work on an international stage. As performers, writers, directors and producers, this year's alumni participants demonstrated the lasting impact of Durham's vibrant student arts community and its contribution to the wider creative industries. 

We congratulate all of our alumni who took part in this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe and look forward to following their future successes.  

Durham University takes pride in the achievements and contributions of its 230,000 alumni and supporters. Stories that cite views, talks and published work reflect the individual's contribution in their personal or professional capacity and do not represent the University's position or endorsement.