Shona Reppe studied Theatre, History of Art and English at Glasgow University (Graduating in 1991) followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Stage Design at the Welsh College of Drama in Cardiff (1992). In 1994 she attended The London School of Puppetry Summer School and established Shona Reppe Puppets in 1996 (now Shona Reppe (Theatre) Scotland.

COMPANY HISTORY

Early shows include The Frog Prince (1995), The Elves and the Shoemaker (1996), The Little Red Hen (1998) and Tom Thumb (2000) all of which toured extensively throughout Scotland including the Puppet Animation Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Festival 1999 (The Little Red Hen).

In 2002 CINDERELLA was co-created with Gill Robertson and Ian Cameron and premiered at the 2002 Imaginate Childrens' Festival. In the same year Cinderella won a Total Theatre Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2002 and in Feb 2003 IPAY's Victory Award for best showcase, Montreal 2003. Since then Cinderella has toured all over the world, including US, Canada, Japan, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Australia, Estonia, Slovenia, Poland and Israel in venues as contrasting as Mull's original Little Theatre to The Sydney Opera House.

Following shows include Spend a Penny (2003) which won the Tron Award for best childrens production and The Ugly Duckling (2004).

OLGA VOLT THE ELECTRIC FAIRY (2007) was co-created with Charlot Lemoine of Velo Theatre France and toured extensively throughout the UK including Baboro Festival Glaway, Young at Art Festival Belfast and The Barbican Theatre London. In 2009 Olga toured to The Sydney Opera House, Australia.

POTATO NEEDS A BATH (2008) was co-created with ANDY MANLEY (White, Pondlife McGurk) and has toured extensively throughout Scotland and the UK including Polka Childrens Theatre, and The Southbank Centre in London. It ran for 3 weeks at The New Victory on Broadway, New York and was perfomed in Flemish at Kopegietery Childrens Theatre, Gent, Belgium and more recently in French at Castilliers Festival Montreal. In addition Potato has toured to Canada several times including Vancouver (Vancouver International Childrens Festival)and Calgary (Calgary International Childrens Festival). Potato was reimagined into a DIGITAL version during lockdown (see below) as an Imaginate Commission and the live show has recently graced the stage at Glastonbury KIDZ field.

THE CURIOUS SCRAPBOOK OF JOSEPHINE BEAN was created in October of 2011, and performed at The Edinburgh Fringe festival 2012 where it was nominated for a Total Theatre award. In October 2012 Josephine Bean was awarded a TMA (Theatre UK) Award for best childrens theatre show 2012. Josephine has toured to both Adelaide International Festival and Perth International Festival Australia in 2014 and was presented at Assitej British Showcase On The Edge in Birmingham in July 2016. In March 2017 Josephine toured to Cairo and has toured to the Southbank in London (2020).

Collaborative and design work includes designing the show WHITE in 2011 with Andy Manley and Catherine Wheels which has won numerous awards including a CAT Award for Design 2011.

HUFF, an art installation for children based on The Three Little Pigs was a collaboration with Andy Manley and opened at The National Galleries of Scotland in September 2013. As part of the Made in Scotland showcase at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2014 it won a Herald Angel and a Critics Award for Theatre Award 2014.

MAGIC SHO was created in 2015 with Gill Robertson and Ian Cameron and toured Scotland in Autumn 2015 and was nominated for a Critics Award in 2016.

In 2016 Shona collaborated with Andy Manley & Andy Cannon on RED BRIDGE ARTS production of BLACK BEAUTY as designer/co deviser for The Traverse Theatre. It continues to tour and will be at The Southbank centre, London for Christmas 2019.

BABA YAGA was created in 2018, a collaboration with Windmill Thetare, Adelaide andChristine Johnson of Brisbane. It was an Imaginate Commission and toured Scotland in May/June 2018 and continues to tour to Australia, China and Ireland through 2019. IN 2019 Baba Yaga won a Critics Award for Best Deisgn

ATLANTIS BANAL : BENEATH THE SURFACE was co-created with Charlot Lemoine of VELO TEATRE, France and premiered at Lyth Theatre Wick in Oct 2019. It toured throughout Scotland finishing at The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. In February 2020 Atlantis toured to Greli Grelo Festival, France beofre COVID struck. Atlantis Banal won BEST PRODUCTION FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES & BEST DESIGN 2020 at the CATS Awards in Septemeber 2020.

Throughout COVID Lockdown 2020/21 POTATO NEEDS A BATH DIGITAL was remounted as a film and a livestream performance and was part of at Imaginate, Young at Art and Spark Festivals.

Shona co-created MILLIPEDE for COP26 with creative partner Andy Manley as part of a collaboration with National Theatre of Scotland & Think Arts India and The British Council. The fantasy shoe shop aimed to raise awareness of carbon footprints and went live in Nov 2021.

In January/February 2022 Shona worked as designer and co-creator of LIGHTENING RIDGE for Catherine wheels Theatre Company, a storytelling show featuring object theatre. The show was performed in February 2022 and then remounted with great success for The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2023.

During 2022 Shona was co-deviser/co-creator with 2 other companies including Ruxy Cantir (Pickled Republic) and Sarah Cosgrove (Princess Pea).

In May 2023 Shona co-created and designed PEKKU with Andy Manley and Ian Cameron in collaboration with Japan, produced by Red Bridge Arts and premiere in Kyoto, Japan in Summer 2023. PEKKU will be part of The Made in Scotland Showcase at The Edinburgh FRinge 2025.

In September 2023 Shona directed PICKLED REPUBLIC by Ruxy Cantir. The show toured throughout Scotland with great success and will be presented at Made in Scotland Showcase at The Edinburgh Fringe 2025.


CURRENT PROJECTS Shona and Tam (her husband and Company Technical Manager) are currently developing The Point of Wasps a musical project about predjudice. Research and development (funding generously by Creative Scotland) includes at Glastobury Festival as a Walkabout act as well as recording music with Ben Seal at The PIggery Studio in Fife. More to come.....

In Nov 2025 Shona will collaborate (after successful R&D in 2024) with Alan Grieve of Workspace Dunfermline on TROLLEYDARITY a project supported and commissioned by NTS and Tonic Arts to bring Art into The Western General Hospital, Edinburgh.

Shona lives in Fife, Scotland with her husband Tamlin, Scotland and her 2 children, Sushi the dog and a cat called Bill and 10 stick insects Branch Dubois, Stickolas cage, Stickola Nurgeon, Twiggy, Rod, Splinter, Pritt, Glue, Pooh and Biggus Stickus. *upadte: sadly all the stick insects are dead.

Shona Reppe is supported by Creative Scotland and produced by Louise Gilmour Wills at Catherine Wheels Theatre Company.