A Raw Material Production
WINDBLOWN
By Karine Polwart

A hauntingly beautiful tribute to a palm tree facing its chainsaw demise, Windblown is a spellbinding blend of folk music, conjured sound, intimate storytelling and stunning, immersive visuals.

Step into a world of song, story and stillness with this exquisite, theatrical ‘parting glass’ to a 200-year-old Sabal palm brought from Bermuda to Scotland in the early 1800s, and to the gardeners who loved it.

Beneath a mesmerising canopy of sculpted fronds, accompanied live by pianist Dave Milligan, Polwart gives voice to the palm itself, tracing its extraordinary life and final days; exploring themes of colonial legacy, ecological care, grief and resilience.

Windblown is a deeply moving, luminous production that provoked a powerful emotional response in audiences at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2025, receiving five-star reviews across the board. Join us for this unforgettable meditation on our connection to the natural world and the quiet, enduring acts of love that sustain it.


Written, Directed, Composed & Performed by Karine Polwart
Composer & Sound Design: Pippa Murphy
AV Design: Jamie Wardrop
Set Design: Neil Haynes
LX Design: Lizzie Powell
Movement Direction: Janice Parker
Pianist: Dave Milligan Creative Producers: Gillian Garrity & Margaret-Anne O’Donnell

Commissioned by: Raw Material
Supported by Creative Scotland


REVIEWS: 
★★★★★ “Sublime ... blends songs, poetry and spoken word, all delivered in soothing, honeyed tones, to celebrate the wondrous natural beauty of the tree.”  The Guardian

★★★★★ “A work of monumental beauty.” The Herald

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	A hauntingly beautiful tribute to a palm tree facing its chainsaw demise, Windblown is a spellbinding blend of folk music, conjured sound, intimate storytelling and stunning, immersive visuals. Step into a world of song, story and stillness with this exquisite, theatrical parting glass to a 200 year old Sabal palm brought from Bermuda to Scotland in the early 1800s, and to the gardeners who loved it. Beneath a mesmerising canopy of sculpted fronds, accompanied live by pianist Dave Milligan, Polwart gives voice to the palm itself, tracing its extraordinary life and final days; exploring themes of colonial legacy, ecological care, grief and resilience. Windblown is a deeply moving, luminous production that provoked a powerful emotional response in audiences at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2025, receiving five star reviews across the board. Join us for this unforgettable meditation on our connection to the natural world and the quiet, enduring acts of love that sustain it. Written, Directed, Composed & Performed by Karine Polwart Composer and Sound Design: Pippa Murphy AV Design: Jamie Wardrop Set Design: Neil Haynes LX Design: Lizzie Powell Movement Direction: Janice Parker Pianist: Dave Milligan Creative Producers: Gillian Garrity and Margaret-Anne O’Donnell Commissioned by: Raw Material Supported by Creative Scotland REVIEWS: ★★★★★ “Sublime... blends songs, poetry and spoken word, all delivered in soothing, honeyed tones, to celebrate the wondrous natural beauty of the tree.” The Guardian ★★★★★ “A work of monumental beauty.” The Herald
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Karine Polwart - Windblown

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Karine Polwart - Windblown

Thursday 14th May

7:30 pm

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