Family Portrait is an award-winning interactive video installation full of humour, candour, joy and love. Sitting on swivel-stools inside four screens, join a family on a geographical and emotional journey across stunning Scottish landscapes as stories unfold. The striking choreography shares an intimate portrayal of family life. With space to roam, the children encounter rabbit skulls, converse with spiders, face-paint with berries and discover the fun of burying their mother in bark. A celebration of getting out into nature, Family Portrait is an honest depiction of family – relentless and glorious chaos, intimacy and, most of all, love.
“Sincerely moving but never twee” ★★★★★ The Stage
“Dazzling and full of depth” ★★★★ The Scotsman
“This will delight” ★★★★★ Broadway Baby
“Heartwarming” ★★★★ The List
Winner of Broadway Baby's 'Best in the Fest' Award 2021.
“We are blown away by the beauty of family portrait. What an incredible, intimate, funny, moving piece of art. Just beautiful, and the immersive quality... just wow to the whole thing. Bravissima!” Audience member
”We loved the piece, it was so joyful and positive" Audience member
Screening every day across 4th-20th August, running every 45 minutes from 10am-4.45pm (last showing 4pm) | 10am- 7pm Thursdays (last showing 6.15pm).
All showings are captioned with audio description available upon request. Dovecot Studios is fully wheelchair accessible.
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Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Edinburgh? Just hit 'Like' on our Facebook page, join the What's On Scotland Facebook Group and 'Follow' on our Twitter account and you're all set!Discover this groundbreaking exhibition in partnership with the Fleming Collection, which for the first time showcases the Scottish Colourists in the context of their European contemporaries.
READ MOREThis tapestry weaving experience day at Dovecot Studios is a rare chance to learn the art of tapestry weaving at the UK’s longest running tapestry studio.
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READ MOREIn this two day workshop at Dovecot in April, celebrate the work of Peploe and Cadell and delve deep into their world of colour!
READ MOREJoin Chloe Patience for this intermediate workshop focusing on beading techniques at Dovecot Studios on 26th April.
READ MORESashiko Stitching is a simple form of stitching with very satisfying results. Join Sue Crawley of Sunshine Designs Dollar at Dovecot Studios for this workshop.
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READ MOREJoin Dovecot Studios on Saturday 24th May for a morning crafting paper sunflowers from Italian crepe paper with paper florist, Jen O’Flaherty!
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READ MOREJoin artist Tessa Asquith-Lamb on 31st May at Dovecot Studios as she takes you through the process of creating a small scale, still life watercolour!
READ MOREExplore the history of the world through its fascinating carpets with historian Dorothy Armstrong at Dovecot Studios on Saturday 7th June!
READ MOREAyo Adenekan makes his highly anticipated Fringe debut with a hilarious and heartfelt show about growing up in Scotland.
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READ MOREBack with an all female cast, Singin I'm No a Billy SHE'S a Tim will have you laughing and crying so hard, you'll be begging for full time!
READ MOREThe solid gold, diamante-studded hit is back, bigger and more sparkly than ever in a run at the Fringe from 30 July – 24 August!
READ MORELola is a vibrant new dance musical fusing passionate contemporary flamenco with the rousing rhythms of Latin pop and jazz. Catch it at the EICC as part of the Fringe!
READ MOREThe Edinburgh Fringe returns from 30th July to 25th August 2025 with artists and performers taking to hundreds of stages all over the city to present shows for every taste.
READ MOREGarry Starr is back! The multi-award-winning, sartorially shy comic wunderkind returns to the Fringe with his acclaimed anarchic masterclass: Garry Starr: Classic Penguins!
READ MORE69 sketches in an hour! The UK's fastest sketch show returns to the Fringe for its sixth year, featuring new sketches for 2025!
READ MOREThe 900 are the UK’s first and only Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater cover band and you can catch them at La Belle Angele on 1st August!
READ MOREForth on the Fringe is the annual one stop shop for all the essential acts you need to see at this year’s Edinburgh Festival. Catch it at Edinburgh Playhouse on 1st & 2nd August!
READ MOREThe Lady Boys of Bangkok return to Edinburgh with a sensationally glamorous new show, a must-see new production for 2025 packed with fun filled comedy and outrageous cheekiness!
READ MORELet’s celebrate Robert Burns with a real Hootenanny – a Scottish party of words, music and song!
READ MOREOpen your heart and ears to love as award-winning concert pianist Matthew Shiel exposes the scandalous love affairs of the great composers at St Vincent's Chapel this August!
READ MOREAward-winning pianist-conductor Matthew Shiel leads his acclaimed jazz band on a swinging, toe-tapping odyssey by candlelight!
READ MOREBC Camplight, considered one of indie music’s most forward-thinking artists, plays La Belle Angele on Sunday 3rd August!
READ MOREInspired by ‘Interstellar,’ this show time-warps cinema history, intersplicing modern film music with silent cinematography with live music as we travel through cinema history!
READ MORECome along to St Vincent's Chapel for an immersive musical experience inspired by Studio Ghibli’s anime Spirited Away, Einaudi's meditative piano pieces, and Japanese Zen stories!
READ MOREExperimental piano troupe performs finger gymnastics and rarely heard music for three pianists playing one piano together!
READ MOREThe Piano Teacher is a frank and brutal account of highs and lows of a misunderstood and undervalued profession by award-winning pianist-storyteller Matthew Shiel.
READ MOREDon't miss singer-songwriter, actor, entertainer and public speaker Emmanuel Kelly at La Belle Angele on August 7th as part of the Fringe Festival!
READ MOREEnjoy one of the most magical experiences at the Fringe as three expert magicians illustrate Lauriston Castle’s intriguing past with magic, illusions and sleight-of-hand!
READ MOREProject Smok have fast become a recognised and household name in the traditional music scene, catch them live at La Belle Angele on 9th August as part of the Fringe!
READ MOREMiriam Margolyes returns to the Fringe with more – more characters, more Dickens, and more fascinating stories about the man behind the classics!
READ MORECatch Svaneborg Kardyb are Nikolaj Svaneborg, a multi award winning duo from Denmark at La Belle Angele on Sunday 10 August as part of the Fringe!
READ MOREWith his unmistakable baritone voice and 6-and-a-half-foot charm, Chali 2na has established himself as one of hip-hop’s most celebrated and charismatic personalities.
READ MOREPeter Doherty plays La Belle Angele on August 12th as part of their Big Nights at the Fringe Festival!
READ MOREThumpasaurus have announced they'll bring their Existential Dread tour to La Belle Angele on Wednesday 20th August as part of the Fringe!
READ MOREDon't miss When rivers Meet on Monday 18th August as part of La Belle Angele's Big Nights at the Fringe Festival!
READ MORE80s pop icons Men Without Hats join us at La Belle Angele on August 22nd for a special Fringe headliner!
READ MORELanterns on the Lake will perform live at La Belle Angele on Saturday 23 August as part of the Fringe!
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READ MOREIf you thought you didn't like the banjo, This Is The Kit – the alias singer, songwriter and banjo enthusiast Kate Stables – may very likely prove you wrong!
READ MORECatch South East London's finest grime duo Pete & Bas when they play La Belle Angele on Saturday 30 August!
READ MOREJoin us for the family-friendly Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival at the National Museum of Scotland and learn about the importance of biodiversity conservation for all of us!
READ MOREClose:Up Edinburgh Docufest, Edinburgh's one and only annual documentary film festival, returns on the 25th April to the historic Cameo Cinema.
READ MOREThe Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland presents its fourth Pomegranates Festival which will run from Friday 25th to Wednesday 30th April 2025 at various venues across Edinburgh.
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READ MORESI-FAN Film Festival returns to Edinburgh from 28th April to 4th May bringing the most exciting genre feature and short films on the film festival circuit to Scottish audiences.
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READ MOREGet ready to dance and sing along this May Bank Holiday weekend at Brewhemia’s Mamma Mia Sing-A-Long!
READ MOREThis special live performance from filmmaker/storytellers Nadir Bouhmouch and Soumeya Ait Ahmed combines film, lecture and storytelling!
READ MOREJoin us at the Scottish Storytelling Centre for a celebration of independent film in Scotland through the lens of celebrated filmmaker Douglas Eadie!
READ MORE