Our Martin in the Background
Our Martin in the Background is a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026, performing at Scottish Storytelling Centre. It has 5 performances listed, running from Wed 26 Aug, 16:30 to Sun 30 Aug, 16:30. The run has finished — every listed performance has taken place.
About this show
England, 1945. The lives of two strangers are changed forever by a chance meeting at a railway station. But this isn't Brief Encounter... We're all extras in the lives of others, but the stars of our own. What happens when you pan the camera away from the leading players? Mark Kydd’s solo show turns the spotlight onto a supporting artist with his own surprising tale of first, forbidden love. Our Martin in the Background is the queer love story Noël Coward didn't write. (Scotsman). (QueerGuru.com).
Details
- Venue: Scottish Storytelling Centre
- Space: George Mackay Brown Library
- Genre: THEATRE, LGBTQ+, Solo show
- Country: UNITED KINGDOM - SCOTLAND
- Running time: 60 minutes
- Room size: about 35 seats (George Mackay Brown Library) — the Fringe box office sells a share of the room, not all of it
- Performances listed: 5, of which 0 still to come and on sale
Accessibility
- Wheelchair access: level
- Access features: Step-free access, Accessible toilet
- Venue notes: Accessible entry: There is step free access at the John Knox House entrance of the building, the main entrance door for Storytelling Centre has 9 steps leading up to to it from street level. If not taking the lift there is then a total of 17 steps up to the library (9 steps, a landing, and then 8 additional steps). All guests enter library through same door once inside the building. Wheelchair access type:Level Access, Lift (Building Lift) Stairs: 20+ Number of stairs is provided as guidance and is not in addition to any wheelchair access type (lift/ramp etc) stated above.
What the reviewers said
We have captured 2 published reviews and 11 audience reviews for this show from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s own listing. The excerpts below are the reviewers’ words, not ours — follow each link for the full review.
Mark Kydd’s Our Martin In The Background expertly weaves the story of a love and loss that exists in whispers and winks rather than shouts from mountaintops.
Immersive Kydd’s greatest talent is subtlety: he manages to express deep emotion with small gestures. There is no theatrical prancing around. He simply sits there and lets the story wash over the audience.
— All Edinburgh Theatre (4 out of 5 stars)
Performance dates and ticket availability
- Wed 26 Aug, 16:30 — Already performed — £14.00
- Thu 27 Aug, 16:30 — Already performed — £14.00
- Fri 28 Aug, 16:30 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sat 29 Aug, 16:30 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sun 30 Aug, 16:30 — Already performed — £14.00