Ruth is an Edinburgh based director, arts manager and writer who has been working with young people in a theatre setting for 25 years, primarily in Scotland. She co-founded Strange Town and manages it with Steve Small and also runs the Strange Town Young Actors’ agency. She worked in the marketing department at Edinburgh Festival Theatre in 1995, where she established the theatre’s education programme. From 1996-2000 she lived in Tokyo, setting up a children’s theatre company and working in television and the voiceover industry. As a freelancer she has previously worked with Lyceum Youth Theatre, macRobert, North Edinburgh Arts Centre, Scottish Youth Theatre, Perth Theatre, Stirling Youth Theatre, Borderline Youth Theatre, and Dundee Rep.
0131 629 0292
info@strangetown.org.uk
Meet more of the Team
Lori Cook
Lori graduated from Performing Arts Studio Scotland in 2023 with a BA Hons degree in Dance and Drama with Kingston University.
She has been involved in theatre her whole life from performing to assistant-directing and choreographing for amateur theatre groups. She wants to encourage children get into drama and to make it a fun enjoyable way for them to express themselves.
Grace Marshall
Assistant Director - Wednesday 11-14s
Grace is an actor and theatre-maker based in Edinburgh. She is currently finishing an HND in Acting and Performance with Performing Arts Studio Scotland, and is about to begin a BA Honours degree in Dance and Drama.
She has performed in theatres all across Edinburgh, including at the Royal Lyceum and the Traverse Theatre.
She is passionate about creating theatre that sparks conversation, and using it as a unique tool to educate, and hopes to inspire young people to do the same!
Jenny Duncan
Jenny is a recent graduate from Edinburgh College. She loves performing and entertaining people and has a particular love for interactive theatre, feminist theatre and anything to do with Jodie Comer. She loves trying new things and taking herself out of her comfort zone.
Ellie Duncan
Ellie is a Scottish theatre-maker, facilitator and performer, who graduated with a First Class BA (Hons) in Drama and Dance with Kingston University and Edinburgh College in 2023.
Ellie has been involved in the industry from a very young age and has experience and training in both Film and Stage. Ellie is fascinated about moments of history and implementing that into her work. In 2023, she wrote and co-directed her own show ‘The Fool’ which was set in the regency era and performed in The Voodoo Rooms.
Ellie enjoys exploring theatre through improvisation and play and strives to create work that activates the voice of young people, whilst having a lot of fun in the process.
Thomas Mugglestone
Thomas is an actor and writer based in Edinburgh since 2016 where he graduated from the MGA Academy of Performing Arts with a BA Hons for Acting. During this time he co-wrote, performed and directed a play for schools in the East Lothian area called “Raising Sheep” tackling themes of prejudice in its various forms.
Since graduating in 2019, Thomas has gone on to perform in plays at the Fringe Festival, Voice Over roles for audio dramas and animations, and a TV spot in Outlander.
Prior to his time in Edinburgh Thomas was a part of musical theatre youth company “Phoenix Youth Theatre” in Aberdeen, and before that two different comedy improv troupes “Creatures of Impulse” and “Improv the Nation” in California where Thomas got his start into the world of performing arts.
Rebecca Forsyth
Assistant - Monday 8-18s
Rebecca is a graduate of Edinburgh Napier University where she studied Acting and English Literature. She since joined Strange Town youth agency and has toured extensively around Scotland with performances for high schools, in the premiere of STORM LANTERN in 2022, and BALISONG (Strange Town in partnership with Fast Forward productions).
She has also toured the UK with various shows including ANTIGONE NA hEIREANN (Aulos Productions) and THE SHAKESPEARES; SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE (Storyboard Theatre), which was also taken to high school pupils.
She has enjoyed working with young people in various theatrical settings: post-show discussions/workshops, script development and short film work for BFI/Screen Education Edinburgh. She has a great passion for music in performance and has assisted in teaching songs in a children’s theatre group.
She cares about allowing young people to create and play in a way that lets them learn and express themselves, and she enjoys learning just as much from them.
