Sonder - Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2026

Imagine this: a London where people actually talk to each other on public transport. Sonder follows four stories unfolding across the same train journey, offering brief glimpses into the lives of the commuters around us. At each stop, we meet new passengers carrying their own anxieties, hopes and secrets.

There’s a soon-to-be father convinced he has already failed, an anxious poet preparing for her first open mic, two best friends struggling to confess a secret before distance pulls them apart, and an exhausted final-year student interviewing a high schooler about her experiences so far. Four very different journeys, brought together by the same train and the fleeting connections we make along the way.

Written and directed by Ellie-Mae Allan, Sonder is interested in those fleeting moments of connection between strangers and friends, and in the idea that everyone we pass on public transport is carrying a story of their own. There is something particularly effective about placing these very different experiences within the same physical space. We see people at completely different stages of their lives, dealing with very different anxieties, but there is a universality to the uncertainty running through all four stories. The structure inevitably evokes Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, with its collection of seemingly disconnected lives gradually forming a larger portrait. 

The cast of Dane Powers-Donegan, Tara Olawoye, Nicholas De Lazlo and Sarah Williams each multi-role, with every performer taking on two characters. It is a lovely showcase for the individual performers, who have to establish distinct personalities and relationships within a relatively short running time.

At just 30 minutes, Sonder is an enjoyable slice-of-life piece that makes good use of its short running time. It is about the stories we carry with us, the connections we make, and the reminder that even the stranger sitting opposite you on the train has an entire life happening beyond the few moments you see.

Lee Hutchison

Runs until August 29th at TheSpaceUK