Be a Sport, Spike! | Scottish Opera

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Accessibility Key

Audio Described
Dementia Friendly
Relaxed
Surtitles
Touch Tour

Family-friendly performance

Be a Sport, Spike!

14 June - 1 August

Touring to Connel, Fochabers, Stonehaven, Falkirk, Giffnock, Barrhead, Linlithgow, Ruchill, Newtongrange, Blackhill, Kinning Park, Easterhouse, Springburn, Pollokshields, Parkhead, Anderston, and Broomhill.

Join us this summer to experience opera on a miniature scale!
Be a Sport, Spike! is a family-friendly 30-minute performance by Karen MacIver and Ross Stenhouse, brought to life by two singers, two instrumentalists, and a set of specially commissioned illustrations, returning this year to celebrate the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

About Be a Sport, Spike!
Mike 'The Spike’ McTavish is the world’s greatest sportsman. No one can run faster, jump higher, or swim further. But there is one thing that Spike can’t do – sing! Join Spike and his friends as he starts to exercise those vocal cords and finds that a little perseverance goes a long way.

As an added extra, there will be free illustration workshops for kids aged 4 to 8 (accompanied by an adult) in Connel, Fochabers, Falkirk, Barrhead, Linlithgow and Newtongrange, hosted by Be a Sport, Spike! illustrator Iain Piercy. Find out more>>

Kindly supported by Friends of Scottish Opera, The Aberbrothock Skea Trust and JTH Charitable Trust
Part of Scottish Opera's 2026/27 Season
Order a 2026/27 Season brochure>>

Show details

Running time:
Approx. 30 minutes.

Language:
Sung in English.

Tickets:
£7 for performances in Connel, Fochabers, Giffnock, Barrhead, Linlithgow, and Newtongrange (14 June - 5 July 2026)
Free ticketed indoor performances in Kinning Park, Springburn, Pollokshields and Anderston (23 July - 30 July 2026)
Free unticketed outdoor performances in Stonehaven, Falkirk, Ruchill, Blackhill, Easterhouse, Parkhead, and Broomhill (21 June - 1 August 2026)

Concessions:
Free tickets for essential companions.
Babes in arms free (no ticket required).

Venue accessibility:
Please contact tickets@scottishopera.org.uk for more information about accessibility in all of our touring venues.
Outdoor performances: 21 & 28 June, 4 July 2026.
All other performances will be inside.

On stage

Ross Cumming in Pop-up Opera: Be a Sport, Spike!. Scottish Opera 2026. Credit Kirsty Anderson.

The Cast of Pop-up Opera: Be A Sport, Spike!. Scottish Opera 2026. Credit Kirsty Anderson.

Sasha Savaloni and Andrew Drummond Huggan in Pop-up Opera. Scottish Opera 2026. Credit Kirsty Anderson.

Cast & creatives

Storyteller
Marc MacKinnon, Dani Heron

Soprano
Holly Teague, Marie Claire Breen

Baritone
Ross Cumming, Colin Murray

Cello
Andrew Drummond Huggan

Guitar
Sasha Savaloni

Music Director
Derek Clark & Andrew Drummond Huggan

Composer: Be a Sport, Spike!
Karen MacIver

Director
Darren Brownlie

Illustrator: Be a Sport, Spike!
Iain Piercy

Costume Supervisor
Ailsa Munro

Free outdoor performances

Scottish Opera will be hosting six outdoor performances across three days in Dunnottar Castle in Stonehaven, Callendar House in Falkirk, Stockingfield Bridge in Ruchill, Molendinar Community Centre in Blackhill, Provan Hall in Easterhouse, Barrowfield Community Centre in Parkhead and Victoria Park in Broomhill.

These events are free and will NOT require a ticket upon entry.

Details can be found below:

Dunnottar Castle
Stonehaven, AB39 2TL
Sunday 21 June 2026, 1pm

Callendar House
Callandar House, Callendar Park, Falkirk, FK1 1YR
Sunday 28 June 2026, 2pm

Stockingfield Bridge
Stockingfield Bridge, near Brassey Street, Glasgow, G20 9HL
Saturday 4 July 2026, 1pm

Molendinar Community Centre
Molendinar Community Centre, 1210 Royston Road, Glasgow, G33 1HE
Wednesday 22 July 2026, 2:30pm

Provan Hall, Easterhouse
Provan Hall, Auchinlea Road, G34 9PQ
Friday 24 July 2026, 12 & 3pm

Barrowfield Community Centre
Barrowfield Community Centre, 67 Yate St, G31 4AQ
Wednesday 29 July 2026, 1 & 3pm

Victoria Park Commonwealth - Games Community Festival
Victoria Park, Glasgow, G14 9NW
Friday 31 July 2026, 12.15pm & 1.50pm

Stockinfield Bridge - Glasgow Canal Quest
Stockingfield Bridge, near Brassey Street, Glasgow, G20 9HL
Saturday 1 August 2026, 2 & 4pm