Arts diary: The Fringe hits thriving outside Edinburgh, festival collabs and Scotland's love for Shetland

A couple of weeks ago, it emerged the writer and performer of one of this year's hits, Eat the Rich (but maybe not me mates x), which earned a Scotsman Fringe First Award in August, is in talks over a potential Netflix adaptation led by Adolescence director Philip Barantini.

This week, it emerged another popular play, which started out at the Fringe seven years ago, is, in a new incarnation and with a new name, set for a London run.

Lifeline, which was previously known as The Mould That Changed the World, involves not only professional actors, but real-life medical workers, including doctors, nurses and vets.

Aimed at raising the important issue of antimicrobial resistance, the musical tells the story of the creation of penicillin by Scottish microbiologist Alexander Fleming - through the lens of a modern day scenario in an Edinburgh hospital.

Good luck to them both.

Unlikely alliances

In these cash strapped times - despite a boost from Creative Scotland funding - there is a lot of talk among festivals of "collaboration". Earlier this year, Francesca Hegyi, chief executive of the Edinburgh International Festival, told me that she believed there should be more synergies between the main Edinburgh festivals, including an "integrated front door" in terms of ticketing.

That same festival recently announced a partnership with two European counterparts for a production in the summer which will tour Holland Festival and Festival d’Avignon in France before coming to Scotland.

Now, two other - very different - Scottish festivals have crossed the east-west divide to form an unlikely alliance. Glasgow-based Celtic Connections has joined up with the Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) for a programme of literary themed events in January. Part of the Celtic Connections line up, the joint events include the Rhymes and Reels series, featuring well-known writers including Jackie Kay.

Jenny Niven, director of EIBF, said the aim was to open up both festivals to a new audience.

“This new era for the Book Festival is about opening doors - bringing together writers, musicians, and audiences in ways that spark new ideas and reach further into our communities,” she said.

Shetland fans

Another festival which is broadening its reach is Aberdeen crime writing festival Granite Noir. Ostensibly a literary festival, the event is this year putting a focus on hit long-running TV series Shetland, which was inspired by a novel by Ann Cleeves.

Celebrating its tenth year, Granite Noir X will feature an event with Ms Cleeves, as well as a special screening of Shetland - Raven Black, part one and two of the BBC’s adaptation of the first Shetland mysteries, produced in 2013 and based on the author's first books.

From the incredible interest I've had in an interview I did with Ms Cleeves, who admitted her original character, Jimmy Perez, was unlikely to pop up on the small screen again, her talk at the festival should be a sell out in no time.