Suba Das, director of Hope, Light and Nowhere

Winning the award has been invaluable. Edinburgh is crammed full of amazing work and having a major brand like IdeasTap behind you helps you go in with that extra bit of confidence and legitimacy.

The play is about a young boy surviving after an apocalypse. It's dark, challenging stuff about masculinity, identity, and the possibilities for kindness and horror when no rules apply. A huge attraction to the award was that this scorched world would be built within the incredible, dank vaults of the Underbelly. 

I'm just looking forward to the crazed, adrenaline rush of a few weeks where art truly is the only thing that matters. Perfecting my own show, stumbling upon other people's brilliant work and making random connections at 3am that may spark off a whole new collaboration.”

Hope, Light and Nowhere will be performed at Underbelly, Cowgate, 1 to 25 August, at 5.20pm

Jasmine Woodcock Stewart, Antler Theatre, with their show Where The White Stops

"No-one's been into the white before. Except Crab. Battling against icy blizzards, mythical beasts and his own imagination, Crab leaves the safety of his village to journey across a vast and desolate frozen landscape. He's searching for something else. Where the white stops.”

Using polyphonic song and playful physical storytelling, and fresh from a preview performance at the IdeasTap 100,000 members party, ANTLER tells the adventure of Crab’s tragic obsession with the unknown. 

Where The White Stops will be performed at Underbelly, Cowgate, 1 to 25 August, at 2.40pm.

Tom Searle with The Islanders

The space we’re in is great. It’s big and atmospheric, but the audience are really up close.

We’ve been loosely described as a lo-fi musical, which is kind of a tricky one. In a nutshell, the show focuses on Amy and Eddie’s relationship from ages 17 to 20; specifically the period when they escape their bedsit flat on a holiday to the Isle of White.

It’s all true. Amy found a box of old letters and postcards and got back in touch with Eddie. Whereas Amy remembers everything quite truthfully (and with twinges of regret), Eddie looks back on it with rose tinted glasses. Almost naively. In that sense, the show looks at memories, first loves, growing up and how they eventually drifted apart.

The Islanders will be performed at Underbelly, Cowgate, 1 to 25 August, at 4pm 

Ellie Browning, director of The Love Project 

Our first preview was last night and it went really, really well. The show is a verbatim play about love. We’ve got a couple who have been married for 56 years, a six year who’s girlfriend doesn’t speak to him in the playground, an Hungarian guy who’s family had an argument with his wife.

Four actors play 4-to-5 characters each; they just sort of weave in and out of them on stage. Some of the stories are sad and heart breaking. You kind of want to give one of the characters a cuddle. Some are hilarious.

I think everyone goes away thinking "I know someone like that" or "I’m like that" or "I aspire to be like them". Everybody has an association with love whether it’s familial or romantic.

The Love Project will be performed at Underbelly, Cowgate, 1 to 25 August, 2.50pm

To find out what IdeasTap are up to in Edinburgh this year, visit our Edinburgh microsite. 

For more articles, jobs and opportunities, visit our Performing Arts hub.

Are you taking a show to Edinburgh this year? Well, tell us all about it in our comments section below and we'll help promote it!