Sachie Mikawa, a Japanese musician performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, initially cancelled several performances after her instruments were stolen from the Rotunda Theatre during the overnight hours of August 10-11. The theft also included six laptops and an iPad, prompting a police investigation that remains ongoing.
Mikawa described the trumpet as particularly significant, as it was a gift from her late father and one of the few possessions her family retained following the Tōhoku earthquake in 2011. The melodica, which she characterized as vintage with distinctive sound qualities, was also taken. She subsequently decided to proceed with her three remaining scheduled shows, recognizing the financial and professional consequences of cancellation. The cancelled performances had been her highest-selling shows and were expected to attract industry professionals from New York and London.
To enable her comedy show to continue, Mikawa purchased a new melodica from a local music shop. However, she removed a comedic segment that featured the stolen trumpet, as she was unable to locate a replacement instrument in time. She noted that the trumpet act was one of her oldest pieces, created in 2005, and expressed sadness about its removal from the performance.
Mikawa stated that proceeding with the remaining shows felt necessary given the circumstances, particularly as police indicated they were pursuing leads in the investigation. She attributed her decision partly to the emotional support she had received from attendees and the uplifting nature of her show, titled “Egg,” which addresses obstacles faced by artists. The performance comes during a challenging period for Mikawa, as both of her parents died within a year of each other prior to the Fringe.
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