Army At The Fringe 2019: Celebrating Diversity

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is up and running in the Scottish capital and the 'Army At The Fringe' event has returned for its third year.

'Army At The Fringe' is being held at the city’s Hepburn House Army Reserve Centre.

This year, the programme is celebrating diversity in the forces, with a special focus on the role of women in the military throughout the decades.

Brigadiers Robin Lindsay and Suzanne Anderson have joined performers to unveil this year’s Army At the Fringe line up.

"There is perhaps not much awareness about the role women play in the Army," said Brigadier Suzanne Anderson.

"All roles are open to women now - they have been since last year - but that change has been gradual and consistent," she added.

One of the shows lined up for this year's Army At The Fringe is opera 'Dead Equal'.

The show tells the story of women in war zones from the First World War to Afghanistan, and it is based on some first-hand experiences from women who have served.

"Our intention was to come in and listen," said Lila Palmer, who performs in 'Dead Equal'.

"We were conscious that the Army, and the Forces in general, often feel misunderstood by the general public," she added.

"We wanted them to know that what they shared with us would be reflected authentically."

'The Happiness Project' is a different kind of performance, and it looks at personal boundaries in their show.

Coming from a diverse background, the performers are looking to bring something a little different to their military environment.

"We like to defy the norm, and in a way, it works perfectly," said 'The Happiness Project'performers Nicholas Alban.

"The idea was that we were going to bring disruption to this hetero-normative Army space and bring our queer, disabled voices in a space where those voices may not traditionally be heard."

It is hoped that opening the doors to the public for these performances will give the crowds a better understanding of the Army and those who serve in it.

"It is important that the people who we serve and we represent understand what we do," said Brigadier Robin Lindsay.

"We are a public service organisation and for the public to understand what we do is really important."

The program is now up and running with shows being performed at 'Army At The Fringe' until the 25 August.