Musician cancels Fringe show after theft of irreplaceable instruments

A Japanese musician has been forced to cancel performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe after her instruments were stolen from the venue.

Sachie Mikawa, 48, said the trumpet and melodia that went missing from the Rotunda Theatre where she was performing a musical comedy held great sentimental value as they were inherited from her father.

She said they were his only things to survive the tsunami which hit parts of Japan in 2011 and were her last connection to her dad, who died last year.

The theatre said the items were stolen on Monday along with six laptops and an iPad among other items of tech. Police Scotland confirmed they received a report of the incident.

Mikawa, who now lives in London with her partner, said the stolen trumpet was one of the only items to survive when her family lost everything in the Tōhoku earthquake in 2011.

The natural disaster caused a devastating tsunami and had a magnitude of 9.0 which produced waves up to 132 feet (40m) high.

Speaking to BBC Scotland, she said: "My dad gifted me the trumpet when I was sixteen.

"It was the only thing I had left connected to him and the only thing that survived.

"In the tsunami we lost everything, all my childhood memories, toys and photos were gone."

Mikawa, who is scheduled to perform at the venue based at George Heriot's School until 16 August, has cancelled two shows so far.

She does not know if she will manage the rest.

"I had carried that trumpet for 32 years, it came all over the world with me and I used it during my first performance as a clown in 2005.

"I have performed at festivals everywhere and nothing like this has ever happened before. I am heartbroken.

"The instruments had massive sentimental value to me. They were both gifted to me by my dad who passed away this week last year," she said.

The musician and performer said the loss was another blow during an already difficult week .

She said she had hoped the Fringe would be a fresh start after both her parents died within a year of each other.

"I have had a really difficult two years. After losing my parents I found it really hard to perform and this was supposed to be my comeback.

"It has been my first time performing in about two years. It was supposed to be a chance to find joy again on stage.

"Before this happened things were going great. The audiences were beautiful, so supportive and warm, then I woke up to the email informing me things had been stolen," she said.

Mikawa asked members of the public to keep their eye out for her belongs which feature egg stickers from her show but said she believes her run at the Fringe is over for this year.

She said: "Even if I can replace the instruments, I don't know if I will be able to perform. I am just heartbroken.

"I have thought about borrowing the instruments but I just don't think I am emotionally there.

"This is my livelihood and they have taken it away. It's already difficult to be a performer, especially over the last couple of years.

"I just don't know who would do something like this."

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said they have not taken a statement yet so could not comment on which items had been stolen.

They said: "We have received a report of theft from the Lauriston Place area of Edinburgh which is believed to have taken place overnight from Monday, 10 August into Tuesday, 11 August, 2026.

"Enquiries are at an early stage."