SASKATOON – Saskatchewan-based theatre company Rumpus Studio has been accepted into the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival this August with its acclaimed play, Iago Speaks.
“It’s a really big deal as a small Saskatchewan performing arts collective to be selected for the first round of Edinburgh Fringe show announcements,” said playwright and producer Daniel Macdonald in a news release. “It was a thrill to receive three invitations from Fringe venues in Edinburgh for this summer.”
Featuring an all-Saskatchewan performance and production team, Iago Speaks will run for three weeks at theSpaceUK, one of the festival’s premier performance venues.
“We’re thrilled to bring Iago Speaks to theSpaceUK this Edinburgh Fringe, offering a bold new perspective on Shakespeare’s most infamous villain,” said Charles Pamment, director of theSpaceUK.
Dubbed “the stage of all stages” in the theatre world, the Edinburgh Fringe is the largest and most competitive arts festival of its kind. Each year, thousands of performances take place across hundreds of venues, drawing artists and audiences from around the world.
Iago Speaks first captivated audiences at Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan in Saskatoon in 2022 and later at Shakespeare in the Ruins in Winnipeg in 2024.
The comedic play picks up where William Shakespeare’s Othello ends, with the notorious villain Iago behind bars, having sworn a solemn vow of silence. When Iago meets his bumbling, infuriating jailor, however, will even one of the most strong-willed, anti-social characters in literary history be able to keep his silence?
The play’s success and critical acclaim prompted the company to submit to the Edinburgh Fringe.
“We knew we had a strong script and a solid production, but stepping onto an international stage of this magnitude is something else entirely,” Macdonald said.
Featuring Saskatchewan-based actors Skye Brandon as Iago and Joshua Beaudry as the Jailor, Iago Speaks is a fast-paced, razor-sharp comedy packed with wit, human pathos, and big questions about storytelling.
“To play one of Shakespeare’s greatest villains is a wonderful opportunity in and of itself,” said Brandon. “But to play him when he’s suddenly been dropped into a comedy – that’s a whole other level of fun.”
To bring Iago Speaks to Edinburgh, a core team of four members and three support staff will travel to Scotland in late July, staging 22 performances throughout August.
In preparation for this milestone, Rumpus Studio is launching a fundraising campaign, including a and fundraising performances in Regina and Saskatoon.
Additionally, as part of its commitment to arts education, the company will tour the show in Saskatchewan schools this May, integrating the production into the arts curriculum and engaging students in theatre and storytelling.
“We are really proud to be representing Saskatchewan, Western Canada, and Canada on this international stage,” said Macdonald. “In a time when there’s so much focus on exporting our arts and culture, we’re ready to step up—not only with our work but with our skills, passion, and dedication.”
