EDINBURGH 2018: Guest Blog- Army At The Fringe

Guest Blog by Lt Col Gordon Mackenzie, Head of Engagement for the Army in Scotland

Military life with all its extremes, and its social and moral questions has been a source of fascination for writers and performers throughout history.

This year, for the second time ever, the Army has its own Edinburgh Fringe venue (in association with Summerhall) where it will host a programme of shows that put a strong emphasis on diversity.

All the Army@TheFringe shows are independently produced and have been chosen because they raise issues and will, we hope, encourage debate about the role of the military - past, present and future.

The line-up includes InVALID Voices, by Edinburgh writer Helen-Marie O'Malley, which explores the experience of foreign and Commonwealth soldiers.

The Troth, a spectacular combination of dance and archive footage, addresses the sacrifices made by Indian troops in the trenches during the First World War - something many people are sadly unaware of.

The impact of military service on mental health is also an important theme. Wired, by Dunkeld writer Lesley Wilson, follows a young female soldier's struggle with PTSD.

Shell Shock, performed by former sitcom actor Time Marriott, offers another perspective on the same condition - telling the story of an older male veteran as he tries to return to life on Civvy Street.

Cezary Goes to War and Forget Me Nots are both international works that look at Army life for members of the LGBT+ community. In one case it's the modern day Polish Army and in the other it's a British soldier who falls in love with an Icelandic farmer during World War II.

As a serving soldier I'm aware of how much has changed in the Army in recent decades.

It's wasn't that long ago that fears were being expressed that discipline and morale would suffer if it permitted openly gay soldiers.

Even more recently similar things were said about changes that would give women a greater role.

All such fears have proved misplaced.

While we have moved a long way in terms of policy and practice to ensure equality, there is still plenty to do to ensure that individuals do not feel excluded or ill-treated because of their ethnicity, gender or sexuality.

Army@TheFringe provides a time and space to get people thinking and talking about these kinds of subjects.

The venue itself is at Hepburn House, a New Town drill hall with its own distinctive role in Army history.

It's staffed by soldiers, with drinks and snacks in the Mess and after-show discussions where people can raise issues with the cast and with the Army.

Nowadays the Army is smaller than in the past. Fewer people have much contact with it and we have less direct contact with large parts of society.

And some sections of the community feel they are very distant from us.

The arts highlight issues, they are observant and critical, and they can convey profound truths. They allow us to build links and encourage debate.

As society's Army we want to engage with everyone and we hope that Army@TheFringe will allow us to do that.

See www.armyatthefringe.org

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