Multi-talented Gerda Stevenson presents her wide-ranging work in Consider the Quines, including her celebrated book QUINES: Poems in tribute to Women of Scotland, as well as songs associated with these remarkable quines.

Gerda Stevenson is an award-winning writer/actor/director/singer-songwriter, working in theatre, tv, opera, radio and film. She has presented her poetry and prose at literary festivals throughout the UK and across Europe. Her play, Federer Versus Murray, toured to New York, sponsored by the Scottish Government, and her first two poetry collections, If This Were Real, and Quines: Poems in Tribute to Women of Scotland, have also been published in Rome in Italian translations. Other publications include a book of short stories, Letting Go: a Timeline of Tales, and a third poetry collection, Tomorrow’s Feast. Nominations include: for the Gilder/Coigney International Theatre Award (New York), for the Trad Awards as Scots Singer of the Year for an album of her own songs, Night Touches Day, and three times for the Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland.

The founder of Scotland’s leading women’s theatre company, Stellar Quines, she has directed and appeared in many theatre productions and films, including Braveheart, winning a BAFTA for her performance in Margaret Tait’s feature film Blue Black Permanent.

Gerda has also directed several films, including The Storm Watchers, a play by George Mackay Brown, commissioned by the St Magnus International Festival, and, most recently, Paper Portraits, a film about the paper makers of Penicuik, once the biggest papermaking town in the UK.

Check out the A Blether O’ Books 2025 Collection for other events in this series.

Refunds will only be given in the event of cancellation by organisers.