New Play from Scottish Theatre Maker Comes to Capital Theatres and Tron Theatre

Following a performance at Dublin’s Scene + Heard Festival in February 2025, emerging Scottish theatre maker Liam Rees brings his new playThe Land That Never Was, to Scottish audiences.

The Land That Never Was tells the true story of Gregor MacGregor who, in 1820, announced that he was not only the son of a local Stirlingshire banker, but also the Prince of Poyais. In an attempt to capitalise on huge investment in colonial ventures in the new world, Gregor created a fictional country complete with parliament, honours system and coat of arms that successfully deceived the British public, including two ill-fated boatloads of hopeful emigrants.

This true story of Scotland’s most infamous con artist asks audiences what and why they believe. The show has Scottish premieres in Edinburgh and Glasgow this March when it visits Capital Theatres and the Tron Theatre. Written and directed by Rees, the new show will visit the Scottish cities on whose streets Gregor MacGregor once employed balladists to sing of the beauty of Poyais.

Blending traditional theatre, storytelling, and confessional stand-up, The Land That Never Was explores not only our collective identity and history of colonialism, but why people lie and why we are often desperate to believe them.The Land That Never Wassees Rees draw parallels between Gregor’s story and his own experiences as a bored Edinburgh tour guide lying to tourists, masterfully toying with the audience by presenting both charitable and unsympathetic accounts – ultimately asking what we’re willing to believe.

This new work has been developed with support from Vanishing Point, Capital Theatres, Summerhall, and National Theatre of Scotland. It previewed at London’s VAULT festival and Camden People’s Theatre in 2024. Liam has worked with the Traverse Theatre, National Theatre of Scotland, A Play, A Pie and A Pint, HOME Manchester, NTGent, Ontroerend Goed and BRONKS. In 2025, he joins Dublin’s Dead Centre as an Associate Artist and will develop a new multimedia project with the Young Vic in London.

Running Time: 60 minutes

Age Recommend: 12+ 

Content Warnings: Contains audience interaction, discussion of colonialism

Venues and dates: Studio at Festival Theatre, Edinburgh – Friday 14th March

Tron Theatre, Glasgow – Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd March

https://www.tron.co.uk/shows/the-land-that-never-was/

Irene Brown