The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, a month-long celebration of theatre, music and art is the world's biggest artistic festival with over 50,000 performances of over 4000 different productions - and this year the festival will feature a troupe from Griffith presenting original piece 'Hopes and Dreams.'

The play, written by and starring Bernie Maxwell, began as a years-long university project but first came to life at Rooftop Productions in April last year to widespread acclaim from the community.

The show's gritty, realistic approach compelled audiences and took it to the 2022 Adelaide Fringe Festival and has now taken it all the way to Scotland.

While Jenny Ellis played the lead role of Marion in the initial season, the role has now been taken over by Romina Tappi. Maxwell will continue playing the second half of the small cast.

"Jenny did a fabulous job and we thought we would have to shelve the production once she stepped down, but were fortunate enough to have Romina," Mr Maxwell said.

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Mrs Tappi, who is normally based in San Remo in Italy, found herself stuck in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic, but said that it was 'meant to be' as it offered her the opportunity to take part in the project.

"I really was fated to be in this play, it is such a fabulous project," Mrs Tappi said.

Peter Fordham, a NSW Community Theatre Hall of Fame inductee and long-serving member of GRAPA, will be serving as director alongside a production troupe of nine working behind the scenes to ensure everything goes well.

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is celebrating it's 75^th anniversary this year, and 'Hopes and Dreams' will be bringing 12 performances to The Royal Mile - prime real estate at the heart of the festival itself.

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