Performance

‘Mackay is a skilled performer.. he knows how to captivate an audience at the tip of his tongue.” All Edinburgh Theatre

In recent years, Dougie has emerged as one of Scotland’s most noteworthy performance storytellers, featuring regularly at the Scottish International Storytelling festival and the Edinburgh Fringe.

Storytelling is a dynamic medium, adaptable to forests, community halls and theatres with equal impact. Although Dougie offers bespoke performance according to settings, audience and season, he has two collaborative shows, currently available for booking, of which he is particularly proud, ‘A Wolf Shall Devour the Sun’ & ‘Animate Lands’.

He also hosts the Hearth Fire Sessions in Edinburgh, and brought his ‘Rekindling the Hearth’ tour to BC, Canada in 2024.

A Wolf Shall Devour the Sun

Respected by ancient cultures yet cast as archetypal villain in European fairy tales, wolves were hunted to extinction in Scotland and beyond.

Dougie Mackay takes a deep dive into the history of our troubled relations with our oldest ally, musing the impact its absence on our environment and psyche. Jemima Thewes provides shadow puppet animation and original, dreamlike soundscape.

This show weaves ancient myth, medieval superstition and anecdotal tales of wolf tracking in mainland Europe to create a storytelling show like no other.

See this show at Edfringe 2025 @ The Scottish Storytelling Centre.

Animate Lands

A journey through the storied soul of Scotland. Tales of ancient bards, wily druids, shapeshifters, wildlings and warrior poets are brought to life in a contemporary storytelling style by Dougie Mackay, with musical accompaniment by Freya Rae.

A sell-out hit at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2022, this fresh and joyful take on Celtic lore and Scotland’s landscape is “graced by light touch and honest humour”, sharing poetic echoes of old animistic cultures of the isles, through the tales of the fabled Fianna.

‘A masterful hour of tale and tune’ ****½ (TheQR.co.uk)

**** (AllEdinburghTheatre.com) **** (Lothian Life Magazine)

‘Ancient Celtic stories filled with druids, shapeshifters, sacred deer and warriors emerge. Rae’s animated score aptly enhances and punctuates Mackay’s delivery with sound effects and heartfelt melodies.’
All Edinburgh Theatre Review, EdFringe 2024

Hearth Fire Sessions

The Hearth Fire Sessions are an eclectic night of ancient myth, contemporary storytelling, post-folk music, and physical artistry. Steeped in the traditions of Scottish storytelling, we evoke the warm atmosphere of peat-smoked hearthsides and ceilidh house revelry, presenting timeless motifs relevant to a discerning modern audience.

Host Dougie Mackay invites a diverse selection of Scotland’s finest storytellers, songwriters, musicians, and performing artists to to create an innovative showcase of Scotland’s contemporary culture.

Guests in 2024 include: David Hughes, Jess Smith, Nana Tomova, Shona Cowie (Storytellers), Jemima Thewes, Sam Gillespie, Kirsty Law, Marit Falt, Diljeet Kaur (Musicians), Iona Lee (Poet), Chris Cook (Magician), Hop Trop Edinburgh (Dance Troupe), Delighters (Circus), Katie Warner (Basket weaving).

2025 Dates: March 20, May 8, July 10, Sep 18, Nov 20

International

Outside Scotland, Dougie has been a featured guest storyteller at festivals across Europe (Germany, Norway, Lithuania, Ireland) and in Jordan and Morocco. He has toured the West of Canada.

In January 2025, he was one of a selection of storytellers at the Marakech International Storytelling Festival who successfully set a Guinness World Record for the Longest continual storytelling session (80 hours and 40 minutes).