Andrew O'Hagan praises new Edinburgh stage adaptation of his novel Mayflies

Andrew O’Hagan’s novel Mayflies has been adapted for the stage by Grid Iron for Edinburgh Festival Fringe, running at Brown’s of Leith from August 7-30. O’Hagan praised the production, which uses music by David Paul Jones, including songs of Joy Division, New Order and the Smiths. Set in post-industrial Thatcher-era Scotland, the play explores male friendship and loss in a former engineering works. O’Hagan avoided a jukebox musical West End version, preferring Grid Iron’s site-specific approach. The show runs daily at 4pm, and the author hopes audiences reflect on their own friendships.