Meet the Cast of The Jest is History
Five outstanding performers take the stage for the Fingask Follies 30th Season
This April & May, Fingask Castle plays host to the 30th season of the Fingask Follies, and what a way to mark the milestone. The Jest is History is a brand new musical revue that takes a gleeful romp through the ages, from smoke signals to AI and from Stonehenge to the Fingask Long Barrow. Expect songs, sketches, surprises, and the kind of warmth that has kept audiences coming back for three decades.
At the heart of every Follies is its cast, and this year’s company is a particularly strong ensemble. Here are the five performers bringing The Jest is History to life.
Luke Lane
A familiar face at Fingask, Luke returns for his fourth Follies season. He holds an MA in Shakespeare from the University of Exeter and brings a deep love of classical theatre to the company. When not making history with the Follies, Luke performs his own one-man Shakespeare show and tours a two-hander cabaret with his wife, Jemima Watling. His wider credits range from Shakespeare’s Globe and the Edinburgh Fringe to screen work for Lionsgate and Netflix. Luke’s combination of Shakespearean chops and natural comic instinct makes him a cornerstone of the Follies company.
Daisy-May Hinde
A graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, where she was awarded the Beatrice Lille Scholarship, Daisy-May trained in Acting with a specialism in Musical Theatre. Her training credits include Mary Flynn in Merrily We Roll Along and Cinderella in Into the Woods. She has performed at venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Leicester Square Theatre and The Other Palace, and brings a wealth of concert and touring experience to the Follies stage.
Jakob Welding
Jakob trained at Millennium Performing Arts and has built an impressive musical theatre career that spans continents. His credits include the Scandinavian premiere of Our House the Musical, Warner in Legally Blonde, and a soloist role in the London production of Bernstein’s Mass. He originated the role of Johnny in the Chinese production of Sing the Musical and has toured internationally with The World of Musicals. Jakob is also a recording artist with original music on all major streaming platforms. For The Jest is History, he doubles as an actor-musician on saxophone, and later this year he joins the cast of Ghost the Musical.
Edward Watchman
Edward trained at Guildford School of Acting, graduating in 2020. Since then he has performed across a range of productions, from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and The Tempest to Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore. Most recently, he completed a UK tour with West End in Schools, playing Scrooge in Scroogical. Edward brings strong classical and comic versatility to this year’s company.
Rebecca-Jo Roberts
Rebecca-Jo trained at the Oxford School of Drama and is an alumna of the National Youth Theatre. Her professional credits include Beauty and the Beast at the Theatre Chipping Norton, Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre, The Sound of Music on UK tour, and A Marvellous Party at the Prince of Wales Theatre. She has also appeared in the short movement film Kick Me Under the Table and was selected to take part in the Emma Rice Company Open R&D. Rebecca-Jo brings a strong blend of musical theatre and dramatic experience to the Follies.
The Jest is History runs this summer at Fingask Castle, Rait, Perthshire
