THE TAILOR OF INVERNESS to Tour Scotland with Dogstar Theatre
Matthew Zajac's multi-award-winning solo show visits venues from Lerwick to Lockerbie across Scotland.
Dogstar Theatre will bring Matthew Zajac's multi-award-winning The Tailor of Inverness | Krawiec z Inverness back to Scotland's stages this autumn, with an extensive tour that will cover the length and breadth of the country. The tour opens on Saturday 5 September at Macphail Centre, Ullapool, and from there will travel from Lerwick to Lockerbie, Aboyne to Oban until mid November.
Inspired by the life of Matthew's father, The Tailor of Inverness is a story of journeys, of a boy who grew up on a farm in Galicia (Eastern Poland, now Western Ukraine) and became a tailor in Inverness. Settling in a new country and integrating himself into the fabric of Highland life, he made clothes for thousands of people, constructing the outward trappings which play a part in defining who we are.
With a life that spanned most of the 20th century, his journey is one that is reminiscent of thousands of Poles during the Second World War; a tale of forced migration, subject to the brutal vagaries of war. Travelling and fighting throughout Europe, the Middle East and the Soviet Union, before settling in Scotland.
But this man's story is not so straightforward, and The Tailor of Inverness shows how a life and identity can be reconstructed. One of millions whose fate was determined by massive upheaval over which he had no control.
Originally premiered at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, The Tailor of Inverness was an instant success, taking home a Scotsman Fringe First, the inaugural Holden Street Theatres Award, and The Stage and Critics' Award for Theatre in Scotland for Best Solo Performance and Best Actor. Since its debut, this stunning production has gone on to entrance over 4,000 people globally, playing on prestigious stages in cities such as New York, Adelaide, Malmo and Berlin; to the smallest of community halls in towns and villages across Ireland, Sweden, Wales and Ukraine.
Now, The Tailor of Inverness returns home in a rare chance to see this unforgettable and moving story of displacement and survival in war-torn Europe, a powerful allegory for all victims of war. The extensive Scotland tour coincides with the publication of a new edition of The Tailor of Inverness paperback. Published by Luath Press, writer Matthew Zajac has written a new epilogue that reflects on subsequent events and the author's continuing involvement in Ukraine. A powerful read for fans of poignant, family driven narratives, the book will appeal to anyone with an interest in European and military history, as well as those who enjoy the stage show.
An extraordinary production that tells the story of a tailor's life and his son's relationship to it, The Tailor of Inverness is written and performed by Dogstar Theatre Artistic Director Matthew Zajac. Directed by celebrated Scottish director Ben Harrison, the play brings the story to life through music, poetry, storytelling and projection. With a score from two of Scotland's finest traditional fiddlers, Jonny Hardie and Gavin Marwick, and design by Ali Maclaurin.
Dogstar Theatre brings The Tailor of Inverness to communities across Scotland, September - November 2026.
Tour Dates
September
Saturday 5th – Macphail Centre, Ullapool
Monday 7th & Tuesday 8th – Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
October
Wednesday 21st – Universal Hall, Findhorn
Thursday 22nd – Byre Theatre, St. Andrews
Thursday 23rd – Theatre Royal, Dumfries
Tuesday 27th – Eastwood Theatre, Giffnock
Thursday 29th – Perth Theatre, Perth
Friday 30th – Eastgate Theatre, Peebles
Saturday 31st – Corran Halls, Oban
November
Tuesday 3rd – Paisley Town Hall, Paisley
Saturday 7th – Tullynessle and Forbes Hall
Sunday 8th – The Phoenix Centre, Newton Dee
Friday 14th – Portgordon Village Hall, Portgordon
Wednesday 11th & Thursday 12th – Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
Saturday 14th – Rosehall Hall, Rosehall
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