We’re doing something a little bit different for Edinburgh Fringe 2024; we’re running a venue. Located in the basement of the Royal Scots Club, The Speakeasy offers a diverse programme of music, events, lectures, comedy and children’s theatre.

We are also producing three in-house events including The Underground Lectures and Murder at the Speakeasy, full listings below.

The Underground Lectures
Ignite your curiosity with this series of fascinating talks. From sex history to nuclear futures and murder mysteries to linguistics, our eclectic line-up of experts will provide engaging insights and lively discussions. Tickets (make sure you book for the correct date).

Programme:
Wednesday 7th August, 6pm
Sex in the City: The Private Lives of Edinburgh’s Past Populations
Dr Kate Stephenson, Freelance Historian
Ever wondered who was doing what, with whom, and how in historic Edinburgh? If so, take a dive between the sheets with Kate Stephenson as she reveals the amorous antics of the last 500 years. Featuring sources from diaries to porn novels and lists of sex workers to the minutes of the Beggar’s Benison, Scotland’s equivalent of the Hellfire Club, this lecture offers a whistle-stop tour of everything saucy, sordid (and possibly syphilitic).

This lecture will include discussions of an explicit nature and strong language used in an historical context.

Thursday 8th August, 6pm
Allan Ramsay and Edinburgh Fashion
Dr Antonia Laurence Allen, National Trust for Scotland
This talk is a behind-the scenes look at curating the National Trust for Scotland’s exhibition Ramsay and Edinburgh Fashion. Using a selection of Allan Ramsay’s portraits of women, Antonia Laurence Allen will reveal the crucial role clothing played in Edinburgh’s polite society. You will meet society hostesses and friends of David Hume, see the extent of the trades dealing in fashion along Edinburgh’s High Street and discover how Ramsay offered women a new kind of portrait.

Friday 9th August, 6pm
“A strong dash of herself”: Golden Age Mystery Writers and their Fictional Alter Egos
Sarah Gulick, Writer
What did Golden Age mystery writers think of themselves and their work? In many novels, the authors included proxy versions of themselves as side characters, and ways that they treated their alter egos depended on the author and the novel. Who is having more fun, and who is revealing more about themselves and their work: Agatha Christie writing a version of herself who can never guess the murderer and complains about fans? Or Dorothy Sayers, taking alter ego and her writing seriously? If readers would traditionally ignore the authors themselves when reading a book, how does that experience change when a version of the author themself is a character?

Wednesday 14th August, 6pm
What Maps (Don’t) Tell Us
Dr Hannah Fitzpatrick, University of Edinburgh
We love maps. We love books about maps. Some of the most popular best-selling books, twitter feeds and subreddits are dedicated to sharing maps of all kinds: terrible, beautiful, eye-opening, unusual. In this lecture Hannah Fitzpatrick explores why maps are so captivating…and why we shouldn’t (always) use them to explain the world.

Thursday 15th August, 6pm
Bonnie Prince Charlie on the Battlefield
Dr Arran Johnston, Scottish Battlefields Trust
Join Dr Arran Johnston as he examines the performance of Charles Edward Stuart as the military commander of the last Jacobite uprising. Drawing on the material in Arran’s new book, The Battles of Bonnie Prince Charlie, this talk will present a refreshing portrait of a capable and engaged leader struggling to wage a war in the face of incredible odds, fractious subordinates, and his own inexperience. It will take us across the battlefields of Prestonpans, Falkirk and Culloden, challenging perceptions of the prince through the evidence of those who served alongside him.

Friday 16th August, 6pm
Whisky Is For Everyone!
Siobhan Sellers, The Macallan
If you are curious about the world of Scotch Whisky or finding the right one for you, then join Siobhan Sellers, who has over 10 years experience in the whisky industry, for an evening of tales, facts and recommendations as we delve into the wonderful world of Scotch Whisky.

Wednesday 21st August, 6pm
Materialising the Cold War in Scotland
Sarah Harper, National Museums Scotland/University of Stirling
Scotland’s unique geography and topography provided a useful base for Allied military preparations and research during the Cold War, a 40-year nuclear stand-off between the USA and the Soviet Union. Scots played an active role in this global conflict, both mobilising and connecting with people around the world. The remains of military and nuclear installations, such as radar stations, bunkers, submarine depots and nuclear power stations, are physical reminders of how the Cold War shaped Scotland. This talk will examine Scottish experiences of the Cold War through the lens of material culture preserved by National Museums Scotland.

Thursday 22nd August, 6pm
Phon Fiction: Descriptions of Speech in Novels
Dr Rebekka Puderbaugh, University of Edinburgh
In literature, descriptions of speech often provide depth and background to characters. Their accent might be described as “broad”, “twang”, “guttural” or “lilting”. Such descriptions may be evocative, but they do not clearly relate to the sounds that the character would produce. In linguistics, speech is typically described in terms of human anatomy such as the tongue and larynx. But what is a character didn’t have a tongue? How would be describe the speech of an alien, or a robot? This talk will explore the limits of speech and how we describe it in fiction across genres and formats.

Friday 23rd August, 6pm
Time Travelling with Nuclear Waste: How to Warn Future Generations about the Dangers of Toxic Waste
Jenna Al Ansari, OKRE
Time travel 10,000 years into the deep future with writer Jenna Al Ansari, who will be discussing the strange and fascinating things happening in nuclear waste disposal. From scientists collaborating with artists to create new religions to fields of terrifying architectural spikes, hear more about the work people are doing to warn future generations about the mess we are leaving behind.

Other Events
Murder at the Speakeasy
Saturday 10th and 17th August, 7.30pm
1926. Prohibition is in full swing, but you can still get a drink if you know where to look. Join the party at the illegal speakeasy run by notorious British crime duo the Fisher sisters and meet their ragtag collection of staff and regulars. Witness fights, rivalries and wrongdoings aplenty and, when the inevitable happens, follow the clues and interrogate the suspects to work out whodunnit. This interactive murder mystery event brings you a glamourous evening of suspense and sleuthing, 1920s dress encouraged.
Tickets

Dog Life Drawing
Saturday 17th and 24th August, 11.30am
Escape the hubbub of the Fringe and spend a relaxing hour sketching in the company of canines.  Whether you’re a seasoned artist or a novice doodler, you can unleash your creativity and make your own pawsome masterpiece(s) to take home with you. Basic drawing materials provided, but feel free to bring your own.
Tickets