The reinvention of a national icon via the medium of hip hop

A new Scottish musical that reinvents the story of William Wallace through hip hop is set to tour this autumn after its initial run gained both public and critical acclaim.

Wallace has been created by award-winning playwright Rob Drummond, Edinburgh Napier academic and acclaimed rapper Dave Hook, renowned director Orla O’Loughlin and producers Raw Material.

The bold new production reinvents the story of Scotland’s most famous icon to ask whether William Wallace was a hero, a rebel or simply a myth.

The fearless cast go head-to-head in electrifying rap battles, blending history, humour and Dave Hook’s original beats to deliver what has been described as an unforgettable theatrical experience.

Initially devised last year, the musical first came to stage in September 2025 as part of the Play, Pie and a Pint programme at Oran Mor in Glasgow and The Traverse in Edinburgh.

The performances have been so well received that Wallace has now been adapted into a full musical and will tour this autumn at The Kings Theatre in Edinburgh, The Pavillion in Glasgow and Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock.

It has also received critical acclaim after it was shortlisted for the Best Music & Sound Award at the prestigious Critic’s Awards for Theatre in Scotland 2026 where it is in good company alongside fellow Scots Karine Polwart, Alan Cumming and Mark Melville. The winner will be announced at a ceremony at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow on 21 June.

Alongside being part of the creative team behind Wallace, Dave is also part of the cast too as Wallace and as MC. He has lectured on both Edinburgh Napier’s undergraduate and master’s level music programmes at Edinburgh Napier’s Merchiston campus for several years.

On the success of Wallace, he said: “That Wallace's legend has endured for over 700 years is testament to his significance as a figure in the psyche of Scottish cultural memory. Oral storytelling has been a part of Scottish culture for centuries and this medium gives us an opportunity to challenge existing narratives and to ask questions. Why do we need heroes? How does the way we see the past affect who we are now? What does who we are today say about who we’ll be in the future?

“The collaborative efforts of team working on the piece - from Rob Drummond’s writing, to Orla O’Loughlin’s direction, to the production from Raw Material and Steve Lauder-Russell and the incredible cast - are combining to make something really exciting and we can’t wait to bring it to these bigger stages in September and October.”

Tickets for Wallace are now on sale and can be purchased here.

You can also attend a very special Wallace Q&A and performance as part of this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival on Sunday 16 August at 8.30pm. Tickets can be purchased for that here.