Edinburgh Fringe: Fife theatre group takes the famous Kelty Clippie back to Fringe

The Kelty Clippie returns to the world’s biggest arts festival for just 12 shows.

It opened at the Greenside@Nicholson Square on Monday, and runs until August 27.

Written by John Murray, Fife Free Press music columnist and broadcaster, it was inspired by the famous song penned by singer-songwriter John Watt.

The Kingdom Theatre Company show follows the adventures of Maggie Blair - played by Jacqueline Hannan from Dunfermline, who is never off stage throughout the show - who wants to follow in her mum’s footsteps and become a bus conductress in the early 1970s.

It ends up at the legendary Kelty Club for a night out.

The show is packed with references to Fife - it’s a beginners guide to the Kingdom for any Fringe visitors - and has a thread of gentle humour, and some smart one-line gags, running though it as the cast of seven fill the stage.

There is music too, and, since it has a 70s’ setting, there’s even a demonstration of The Slosh before it culminates with a rousing rendition of the Kelty Clippie.

Watt’s widow, Cathy has seen the show and enthused about the production.

It brings one of his renowned songs back into the public eye for a new generation to find out more.

Watt was widely regarded as one of Scotland’s great songwriters across five decades.

The Dunfermline-born musician moved from jazz to blues before becoming part of the Dunfermline Howff Folksong Club which hosted many of the genre’s greatest names.

The Kelty Clippie appeared on his 1976 album Shores of the Forth recorded with Davey Stewart.

That turned out to be his only recording until fellow Fifer Rab Noakes got him to produce Heroes in 2000, but he was hugely active on the music scene, hosting numerous radio programmes and documentaries, and giving lectures and workshops.

He was also a key part of Milnathort Folk Festival’s committee.

John passed away in 2011, but the Kelty Clippie remains a popular song to this day, and he is remembered by many as a great singer, composer and storyteller.