Edinburgh Festivals Magazine 2014

EDINBURGH FESTIVALS: THE BEST OF UP TO DATE COMEDY MUSIC THEATRE BOOKS DANCE ART LISTINGS AT edfe stmag.com

SUMMER 2014

180 PLACES TO EAT, DRINK AND STAY UP LATE

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS CLIVE ANDERSON RUSSELL KANE ANNE ARCHER PAUL MERTON SOFIE GRÅBØL ARLENE PHILLIPS

FRANK SKINNER IT’S TIME TO SUIT HIMSELF SOPHIE WU TEARING INTO FRESH MEAT JUNG CHANG WILD SWANS AUTHOR’S NEW OBSESSION

JACK DEE

Don’t worry, be happy

NANCYIO DELL’OL VA I FIERCE D

COMEDY HEROES Fest faves are made of funny

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A SPLIT DECISION THE AMAZING BUBBLEMAN AND THEY PLAYED SHANG-A-LANG ANDREW LAWRENCE ANDREW MAXWELL AYE RIGHT? HOW NO? BARBARA NICE BETTE DAVIS AIN’T FOR SISSIES BILLY, THE MONSTER & ME! CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN COCKTAILS WITH THE DIVA DANNY BHOY DAVID KAY DES CLARKE

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CONTENTS www.edfestmag.com

What’s Inside

COMEDY 22 FRANK SKINNER One man, one suit, all rude 26 RED BASTARD Shaping up for comedy 33 JACK DEE Gleefully grumpy 38 MARK WATSON He can’t resist a challenge 41 SOPHIE WU Looking for Fresh Meat 42 CLIVE ANDERSON Whose line is it again?

48 ENNIO MARCHETTO Tearing through celebrities 51 JAMES ACASTER His triumphant return 64 RACHEL PARRIS Taming dragons on Thrones 152 COMEDY GUIDE Funny faces to look out for

DANCE 30 INALA South African good will 86 BRAZOUKA Sexy Brazillian beats 150 DANCE GUIDE For those tapping feet

THEATRE 24 NANCY DELL’OLIO Fabulous and opinionated 44 ANNE ARCHER Fighting for Jane Fonda 46 SOPHIE GRÅBØL From The Killing to queen 72 SIDDHARTHA Buddha’s prison musical 84 EXHIBIT B Art with a performance 92 LETTERS HOME Book Fest addresses identity 94 GANESH VERSUS THE THIRD REICH Fighting over the swastika 142 THEATRE GUIDE All the drama you need

MUSIC 28 NICOLA BENEDETTI Tugs on your heart strings 89 GLEN MATLOCK He was a teenage Sex Pistol 96 OTIS TAYLOR Putting you into a trance 136 MUSIC GUIDE Lift up your soul EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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19 NOVEMBER 2014 - 10 JANUARY 2015 0844 871 3014

atgtickets.com/edinburgh (booking charges apply)

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ART

FOOD

86 JIM LAMBIE Stripes everywhere 90 AMERICAN IMPRESSIONISM Discover the secret school 132 ART GUIDE Your essential must-sees

98 FOODIES FESTIVAL Edinburgh’s food festival 101 RESTAURANT GUIDE Top places to eat

CHILDREN 74 HUFF Blow your house down 148 CHILDREN’S GUIDE Start kidding around

REGULARS 20 DIARY DATES Moments not to be missed 34 A to Z An alphabet of possibilities 53 FESTIVAL FAVOURITES Our top recommendations 67 ONES TO WATCH New kids on the block 162 MY EDINBURGH Paul Merton

BOOKS 80 JUNG CHANG Wild Swans for an empress 82 DIANA GABALDON Exploring the Outlander saga 140 BOOKS GUIDE Lose yourself in the pages

CITY GUIDE 77

21 PLACES TO GO Go beyond the Fringe 127 SHOPPING Pack your shopping bags 128 RELAX Massages, facials and more EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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WELCOME www.edfestmag.com

Common ground

Don’t forget to bsite check our we ag.com www.edfestm for daily reviews

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HIS YEAR MAY WELL GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE MOST significant in Scotland’s history, with the Commonwealth Games happening in July and August, and the Referendum looming on the horizon in September. In the spirit of finding common ground, we’ve adopted a distinctly international outlook in this issue of Edinburgh Festivals magazine. We start with Letters Home, a collaboration between the Book Festival, Grid Iron theatre company and authors including Nigeria’s Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The dramatized letters each reflect on how we cope with homesickness in our own ways.

We have also been speaking to dance and theatre companies from all over the world. Inala, from South Africa, combines traditional Zulu movement with modern dance and the music of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Meanwhile, Brazouka from Brazil is the dream project of Arlene Philips and Pamela Stephenson, who have helped to turn the sexy rhythms of the bordellos into a stage show filled with fun.

We met the minds behind a unique project working with Italian prisoners, who have created a musical based on the life of Siddhartha. If that doesn’t sound unusual enough, how about an Australian company of actors with intellectual disabilities, who are exploring what would happen if a Hindu god confronted Hitler about his use of the Swastika?

Ganesh Versus the Third Reich is their answer to that question.

Of course, the lifeblood of the festival is comedy, and we speak to some of our Fringe favourites. Our cover star Jack Dee is as delightfully curmudgeonly as ever, while up-and-comers James Acaster and Rachel Parris provide some youthful balance. And that’s not to forget Mark Watson, Sophie Wu, Clive Anderson and lots more.

Finally, we simply must mention our exclusive interview with Nancy Dell’Olio, who is bringing her unique spirit and fierce attitude to the festival for the first time. Don’t miss her – people will be talking about her show for years.  SUE HITCHEN

HOW TO BOOK Festival Fringe 5th – 25th August Box Office: 180 High Street Tel: 0131 226 0000 Web: edfringe.com International Festival 8th – 31st August Box Office: The Hub, EH1 2NE Tel: 0131 473 2000 Web: eif.co.uk Book Festival 9th – 25th August Box Office: The Hub, EH1 2NE Tel: 0845 373 5888 Web: edbookfest.co.uk Jazz and Blues Festival 18th – 27th July Box Office: The Hub, EH1 2NE Tel: 0131 473 2000 Web: edinburghjazzfestival.com Military Tattoo 1st – 23rd August Box Office: 32 Market Street Tel: 0131 225 1188 Web: edintattoo.co.uk Edinburgh Art Festival 31st July – 31st August Tel: 0131 226 6558 Web: edinburghartfestival.com

EDITORIAL Editor Sue Hitchen Art Director Angela McKean Production Charis Stewart Digital Imaging Malcolm Irving Editorial Assistant Ellen Laird

EDINBURGH FESTIVALS: THE BEST OF UP TO DATE COMEDY MUSIC THEATRE BOOKS DANCE ART LISTINGS AT edfestmag.c om

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NANCY

DELL’OLIO FIERCE DIVA

COMEDY HEROES Fest faves are made of funny

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Edinburgh Festivals Issue 12 Published annually by The Media Company Publications Ltd, 21 Royal Circus, Edinburgh, EH3 6TL 0131 226 7766 www.edfestmag.com Printed by ET Heronprint. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is strictly forbidden.

All prices and offers correct at time of going to press but subject to change. ISSN 1478-9078

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DIARY DATES www.edfestmag.com

Save the date 30 JULY PRIVATE PEACEFUL MCEWAN HALL A young WW1 soldier awaits the firing squad 31 JULY SOL BERNSTEIN JUST THE TONIC @ THE TRON A new, old show from Harry Hill’s favourite comedian 1 AUGUST THE SCOTTISH ENLIGHTENMENT PROJECT SUMMERHALL Brooklyn’s The Team delves deep 2 AUGUST LADY BOYS OF BANGKOK MEADOWS THEATRE BIG TOP Bringing you Red Hot Kisses JAY RAYNER THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS Restaurant critic explores his worst nights out 3 AUGUST MARK THOMAS CUCKOOED TRAVERSE THEATRE The true story of being spied on 4 AUGUST DRACULA SWEET GRASSMARKET Sensual interpretation of the Gothic classic

Get your diary out: these are the one-off shows, special events and memorable moments that you don’t want to miss WORDS SUE HITCHEN

MICHELLE MCMANUS’ REALITY STAND IN THE SQUARE Life since winning Pop Idol 12 AUGUST GEORGE R R MARTIN CHARLOTTE SQUARE Game of Thrones author THE PIN PLEASANCE COURTYARD Sketchfest winners 13 AUGUST DR BUNHEAD THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS Stunt scientist

6 AUGUST FORGOTTEN VOICES THE PLEASANCE Vivid oral testimonies of First World War veterans

15 AUGUST BAL MODERNE THE HUB A dance film event inspired by wartime Europe

8 AUGUST FOODIES FESTIVAL INVERLEITH PARK MasterChef: The Professionals’ Adam Handling in the Chefs Theatre

16 AUGUST MINETTI ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE Peter Eyre and NY’s Juilliard School

9 AUGUST MACKENZIE CROOK CHARLOTTE SQUARE The Office actor talks about his debut chidrens books.

18 AUGUST SPIN ZOO SOUTHSIDE Four dancers make the impossible possible

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KATE ADIE CHARLOTTE SQUARE Women of the First World war

11 AUGUST BBC SKETCHORAMA BBC@POTTERROW Sketch Comedy showcase with Thom Tuck

14 AUGUST DAME DIANA RIGG ASSEMBLY CHECKPOINT There’s nothing like a dame

EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

20 AUGUST TIBETAN MONKS ART WORKSHOP QUAKER MEETING HOUSE Learn about traditional monastic artwork in this friendly workshop

10 AUGUST ANTHROPOMORPHIC MOUSE TAXIDERMY WORKSHOP 1 ROYAL CIRCUS Dabble in dissection in this four-hour session

5 AUGUST PHILL JUPITUS JAM HOUSE Porky the Poet returns to share his unique perspective

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19 AUGUST TEDFEST UNDERBELLY Cult tribute to Father Ted

21 AUGUST GNOSIS KINGS THEATRE Akram Khan combines classical and contemporary dance

This page: Sol Bernstein, Gnosis

23 AUGUST SWEET MAMBO EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE Pina Bausch’s exploration of seduction, happiness and misery 24 AUGUST CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS Songstress celebrates 10 years 25 AUGUST SARAH WATERS CHARLOTTE SQUARE Previewing The Paying Guest 26 AUGUST FRONT ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE Polyphonic performance based on All Quiet on the Western Front 28 AUGUST UBU AND THE TRUTH COMMISSION ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE Handspring Puppet Co explores South Africa’s post-Apartheid past 29 AUGUST DELUSION OF THE FURY KINGS THEATRE Large scale music theatre performed by Ensemble musikFabrik  www.edfestmag.com

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COMEDY FRANK SKINNER A U G U S T

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RANK SKINNER IS 57. IT’S 23 YEARS year, Skinner’s take on his celebrity is broadly since he won the Perrier award, and it’s self-deprecating and certainly isn’t afflicted by seven years since he last was at the festival name-dropping. for a full run.

“The famous people on my phone are usually However, talking to him before this year’s people who have called me once – by getting my Fringe, it doesn’t seem five minutes ago that I was number from someone else – and I’ve left their watching him celebrate that Perrier win at the old name on so I know not to answer!”

Gilded Balloon, sharing a bill with another hero of “I don’t have many celebrity friends, but then I mine, Mark Lamarr, and the guys from Absolutely. don’t have many friends – not like in my twenties Back in those ‘those-were-the-days’ days, Skinner when I would go to the pub with a gang of 20 had a joke about an inappropriate children’s people. People do the usual things, get partners, entertainer (though not in the Yewtree sense) have children, they move and it all fades away. and a sight gag with cling film doubling I kind of like it really. When I hear myself as a bogey. That snapshot doesn’t say things like that I think ‘is this me, is really do him – or his famed crudity this who I am now?!’”

- justice. As he says himself: “I While there are still growing ’I always always thought – and I still stand pains to be felt in life, Skinner is thought that I did by it – that I did cleverer knob feeling pretty comfortable with his jokes than most people!” cleverer knob jokes stand-up (he considered playing Man in a Suit certainly started one of the free fringe festivals), than most people’ with out its life as an attempt to go his renewed exposure on TV clean, but the demand for filth has (including the unforeseen gig of been hard to resist. “There’s a bit co-hosting a programme on art with of poetry in this show”, maintains the Joan Bakewell on Sky), and also Brummie comic, before adding, “but the with his still new role as a dad. poetry does include some knob jokes.”

“This year I will be bringing my 2-year-old son “I think that every stand up show is a deal with [Buzz Cody] to the Fringe, and so I’m hoping to dip the audience: some of it is for me and some of it is into those shows that you hear about where people for them, and some of it is for both of us.” are dressed as dragons or people are waving glove Skinner’s main concern, however, is keeping puppets around. I’m expecting there’s a whole himself interested in stand-up. He admits he got wealth of untapped joy in the ‘children’s Fringe’. tired of the filth, but the passing of time has seen “I did once get accidentally booked to host a sixhis act grow organically away from ‘Jack the Lad’ hour slot in the children’s tent in Glastonbury. I just impulses and reflect the realities of his life. mucked about and improvised. Maybe I will come “Some of the show is about having money back from that and do a kid’s show – that would and being famous. It’s the difficult second album be a natural way of limiting the filth – but I’m not scenario, like when Oasis start singing about sure I could get away with it all the time, and I’m going down to the chip shop when they are all rubbish with balloons.” multi-millionaires.”

Frank Skinner tours after Edinburgh until 21 “My weakest link as a writer is invention – I am December, starting in Ipswich on November 6th. better at expression – so it might be embroidered The tour DVD will be out in the autumn.  but it’s all essentially true. So, yes, I do go to the WHERE & WHEN chip shop, but I don’t sign on any more and I don’t Frank Skinner: Man in a Suit have sex with random people any more, so the sex Edinburgh: Assembly George Square Theatre, that is in the act is a bit more domesticated.”

1-24 August, 20.45 Like his old sparring partner, David Baddiel, who From £10, Tel: 0131 623 3030 came to the Fringe with a show about fame last

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THEATRE NANCY DELL’OLIO A U G U S T

Pilloried by the press throughout her relationship with Sven Goran Eriksson, Nancy Dell’Olio is on a mission to reveal her true self, as she tells Kate Copstick

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ALWAYS KNEW THAT I WAS A “I have always liked the risk, I have always liked little different. I always felt that my life the challenge” would be ... out of the box. And that has She finds the ‘challenge’ of being accepted as a required courage.” beautiful and smart woman much more difficult We are sitting in the Groucho Club and Nancy in the UK. “The press in this country is very Dell’Olio is sipping a green tisane which she misogynist, very sexist” she says. “The awful WAG carries with her everywhere. She has had two stereotype; it only exists in this country” hours’ sleep and is still looking, well, looking like And British women ?

Nancy: a cascade of jet black hair down one side “Where the fuck are the new feminists? Our of a handsome face lent drama by an immaculate worst enemies are other women. Men group maquillage. Today she is sexy-casual, in the tightest together, they support each other. We have a long of jeans and knee-high suede boots with flowing way to go!” fringes.

And don’t get her started about women and age.

In person Dell’Olio is more physically fragile and “Age doesn’t exist” she says, tossing ebony waves more intellectually robust than the media creation. and smiling a full-lipped smile. “It comes from This is no WAG and there is not the man born who Einstein. Einstein says space and time doesn’t exist” could restrict her to the, as it were, benches of his She is very persuasive. life, as Sven Goran Eriksson discovered.

“Here in the UK the concept of age is so strong “I tried to adjust to a – not to say mindless, but and women don’t really react and campaign against – to a different life as an … appendage, but the it.” She nods emphatically. “That is why you need media never saw a woman like me with a football a little bit of Nancy.” Which is exactly what we’re coach. It was immediately Nancy and Sven. And getting at the Fringe. Dell’Olio has things to say, this caused problems with Sven. He never advice to give, revelations to make. She accepted that you cannot take a girl wants to come out from behind the like me and put her in a box.” headlines.

‘Where the When they met, Dell’Olio was a She has never performed live, highly successful lawyer, having but “you never know until you f*ck are the new studied in Rome and New York, feminists? Our worst dare. gained a Masters Degree, started “I want to be direct with the enemies are other in Criminal Law and gone on audience, for them to get a little to Public Affairs (please, no part of me without there being women’ sniggering at the back) working in another interpreter.”

Rome and Washington. She loved that Dell’Olio has been working on the life: “working with politicians, making show for a while. It started as a new laws, becoming involved in lobbying.” play, she says.

She is still passionate about “combining public and “But who in the world could play you?” I ask. private interests to find the right balance,” and has Dell’Olio withers me with a glance. not ruled out going back to the US. “Me!” she says, dismissing my question as the “Normal life – getting married, having children – idiocy I now realise it to be. However the piece has I never wanted that. I always felt that my purpose developed into a one woman show with a view to in life was bigger. Bigger not just for me, but bigger London performances and TV. Dell’Olio has planned for something that I haven’t achieved yet. It’s one of the performance schedule specifically to maximise my questions for now: what is the purpose of life, networking opportunities during the Television of my life?”

Festival.

From the beginning she did things her way.

Dell’Olio is, she says, at something of a Throughout university she devoted time to her crossroads in her life. There are many things she looks and style as well as to her studies. This is wants to do, political things, surprising things, simply Dell’Olio’s way, the belief that “great beauty” private things. But her things.

“When I came to England I came for love. It was must combine with “great intellect.” It did not make not easy. But you make a choice. I made a choice her universally popular – and still tends to leave to sacrifice my life. I will not make that mistake her pigeonholed as an attention seeking, airheaded again.”  cougar.

She shrugs and sighs and sips her tea. “It is WHERE & WHEN irritating. But when you know who you are,” she raises her eyebrows like ravens taking off into flight, Nancy Dell’Olio: Rainbows from Diamonds Gilded Balloon, 14-24 Aug, 20.15 “you have to make choices and be responsible for From £10, Tel: 0131 622 6552 your choices – you have to take risks.

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COMEDY RED BASTARD

red One of the break-out debuts of last year’s Fringe has actually been over ten years in the making, as the Red Bastard, aka Eric Davis, explains to Kate Copstick PHOTOGRAPHER STEVE ULLATHORNE

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T IS A MARVELLOUS THING IN THIS About three years later, he started turning “Red”. increasingly industrialised comedy business to find “I was taking a workshop one day and someone someone who has been doing his act for ten years suggested to me that I put on a body that was even and is still so delightfully, palpably excited by it. Red more fun to move about in than my own, and I Bastard iridesces with more genuine glee than a drag thought “oh it would be really fun to be voluptuous”. queen in a sequin factory.

I got the shape from a photo of the Venus of He’s a kind of clown, much in the way Willendorf. I think there is a part of all of us that that absinthe is a kind of herbal infusion. His would like to end up looking like that.” extraordinary looks come from the Venus of Before you even consider that the character was Willendorf (four and a half inches high and 22,000 born instantly in a swoosh of red lycra and some years old), and he owes as much to Freud as he does lippy, for his 2005 show, Absence of Magic, “My director provoked me in a theatre for three weeks. to Bozo.

Everything was recorded and transcribed. I mean Born in rural Kansas with an upbringing he likens EVERYTHING. It took forever. 200 pages of text were to that of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Eric Davis whittled down to 10 pages of golden text, crisis, joy (whom you can think of as The Boy in the Bastard) and mayhem” was cripplingly shy as a child. “I cried too much And “crisis, joy and mayhem” are still and knocked my knees together when I fairly central to the show. “People have ran,” he says. But he and his mother quit their jobs, proposed marriage. used to play a game called ‘Make Me ‘A clown is There was someone there who hadn’t Laugh’ (originally a TV show in the spoken to his sibling for eight years US) in which each player has 60 someone who after a family rift, and in front of the seconds to make the other laugh wears all his entire audience he called his sibling.” as many times as possible with the feelings outside There is frequent casting away of proviso they were not allowed to underwear. Once a new mother let touch them. “And I discovered that I his skin’ him climb inside her dress. And that’s loved making my mother laugh.” just what people do on stage.

Davis thinks entertainers fall along a “And you would just call this spectrum from what he calls The Whore to ‘comedy’?” I ask.

The Fascist – the Whore being the entertainer “There is an element of critique, there’s an element who will do anything to please the audience, and of provocation, but the comedy is what makes it the Fascist being the guy who has his own agenda float,” says Eric. “It has been called shamanic” and bends the audience to his whim. Comedy-wise “A good Red Bastard show is like good sex. It’s examples of each might be Michael MacIntyre and incredibly stimulating, you are ultimately connected, Stewart Lee, respectively. Red Bastard, he says, plays there are moments of wild ecstasy that can be up and down that line. “My show is a very funny momentarily uncomfortable, you are entertained, you show: there are constant laughs,” he says, “but there are shocked, some people like to get in the action and is also something that happens that I don’t think will some people just like to watch.”  be happening in any other show in the Festival.” This could be the understatement of the year.

WHERE & WHEN Davis moved from the Midwest to New York and Red Bastard from comedy improvisation to clowning as the Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July – 24 Aug Millenium came and went. “A clown is someone who (not 6, 11, 12, 18), 19.00 wears all his feelings outside his skin” he says. “Will From £7, Tel: 0131 556 6550 Ferrell is a clown. Rodney Dangerfield is a clown”.

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MUSIC NICOLA BENEDETTI

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ARLIER THIS YEAR, NICOLA BENEDETTI took her place on The Times Young Female Power List beside the starry likes of Adele, Emma Watson and the Duchess of Cambridge, recognised not just for her success and stature as a musician but for the positive way she has exercised her crossover appeal. Classical music fans respect her for the poise, command and lyricism of her playing, while her girl-next-door relatability has helped her reach a wider popular audience.

Benedetti makes two appearances at this year’s EIF – firstly, in chamber recital at the Queens Hall with regular collaborators including her cellist partner Leonard Elschenbroich and pianist Alexei Grynyuk, then with the Czech Philharmonic at the Usher Hall, where the programme includes Erich Korngold’s Violin Concerto.

Benedetti has been a great ambassador for this lesser known romantic work in recent years.

“People have begun saying ‘it’s your piece’,” she says.

“I don’t know about that, but I’m quite happy that my identity as a violinist is sewn up with a certain repertoire.”

A U G U S T

trying to create a new symphony orchestra or we’re trying to ensure the future of classical music is safeguarded,” she says. “That’s not the point at all, the point is to give young people an experience with classical music that will allow them to unlock their own creative potential, regardless of what they go on to do in their life.”

Nevertheless, Benedetti relishes the opportunity to take the classical canon to new audiences, crossing over without compromise when she played on the main stage at T in the Park two years ago. “To see a lot of very young people in wellies, expecting to hear McFly, really listen to twenty minutes of classical music was brilliant,” she says.

Benedetti has also proved herself willing to take on the challenge of tackling another tradition. Earlier this year, she performed at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections festival with Scottish folk heavyweights Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham and singer Julie Fowlis, impressing musicians and fans alike with her ability to get to grips with the rhythmical rigours of a very different playing style. Her latest album Homecoming – A Scottish Fantasy

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Heart strings

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Violinist Nicola Benedetti is passionate about sharing her love of classical music with young people

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WORDS FIONA SHEPHERD

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Benedetti, now 26, first took up the violin when she was four years old, simply, she says, because her elder sister (also now a professional musician) had shown an interest and started to play. “It wasn’t like anybody put the violin in her hand. My grandparents on both sides definitely had an appreciation for music in general, but not at all for classical music; it just simply wasn’t a part of the culture.”

The girls were encouraged rather than pushed by their parents to commit to a practise regime. By the age of eight, Benedetti was leading the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain. She moved from her native Ayrshire to Surrey to study under Yehudi Menuhin and was a seasoned performer by the time she won the BBC Young Musician of the Year title, aged sixteen.

Unsurprisingly, she is passionate about music education, whether hosting her own Benedetti Sessions or acting as a “Musical Big Sister” for Sistema Scotland’s Big Noise project, which gives kids in underprivileged areas the opportunity to learn an instrument.

“I think the mistake that everybody makes is that we’re

features Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy as its centerpiece, but also showcases her newfound fiddling skills on a brace of well-loved Scottish folk tunes, including Loch Lomond and Burns’ Ae Fond Kiss and My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose.

“All my albums are deeply personal,” she says, “but anything that is from your home is going to have another level of relevance to you. Part of the job of being a classical musician is to delve deeply into the cultures of all other countries, but I think there’s a sneaky sense of satisfaction feeling like this was written just down the road from me.” 

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WHERE & WHEN Nicola Benedetti The Queen’s Hall, 11 August, 11.00 From £8.50, Tel: 0131 473 2000

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Czech Philharmonic 01 Usher Hall, 22 August, 20.00 From £12, Tel: 0131 473 2000

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04/07/2014 17:13

Pietra Mello-Pittman needed Inala – an abundance of good will – when she decided to combine the Grammy award-winning sounds of Ladysmith Black Mambazo with modern dance WORDS KELLY APTER

Good will hunting

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www.edfestmag.com

04/07/2014 12:50

DANCE INALA A U G U S T

B

RINGING TOGETHER TWO OF THE world’s most acclaimed dance companies, and a Grammy Award-winning music group would prove a challenge for the most experienced of theatre producers. Yet two young women in their 20s are about to do just that - with their first ever large-scale show, Inala.

As if that weren’t achievement enough, Pietra Mello-Pittman and Ella Spira have been invited to perform their ambitious production at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival.

Featuring the formidable talents of dancers from the Royal Ballet, Rambert Dance Company regardless of where they come from, and that they and South African singing group Ladysmith Black understood the concept of the whole project,” says Mambazo, Inala translates as ‘an abundance of good will’. Which is exactly what Mello-Pittman and Mello-Pittman, of the selection process. “But I’m Spira have been shown over the five long years it’s half Brazilian, so I’ve got a thing about rhythm and taken to bring the show to the stage.

I’m obsessed with dancers that have a feeling for The journey started when Spira, a composer this beat. Obviously the music appeals to South and musician, encouraged her friend to attend African dancers like Dane and Mbulelo, so that a performance by Ladysmith Black Mambazo at works really well. And Camille Bracher is a white London’s Cadogan Hall.

South African ballerina in the Royal Ballet, and she “I had never seen them live before,” says Mellobrings a totally different approach to it.”

Pittman, “and I just loved the music. But I was quite Right at the start of the show’s creation, Spira shocked - and pleased – to find that visually, they travelled to South Africa to work with Ladysmith hadn’t taken it to a much more adventurous area.

Black Mambazo and write the score. From there, They were obviously incredibly successful, but Baldwin took over and began to choreograph – had been doing the same thing for a long, not just for the technically trained bodies long time. So I immediately had ideas from Rambert and the Royal, but for in my head about choreography the Zulu dancers in Ladysmith.

‘It was and a stage show with narrative “It’s been such an intimate important for and costumes.” process from the beginning, people to feel the A dancer with the Royal with Ella and the group,” says Ballet since 2002, Mello-Pittman Mello-Pittman. “That it had to music, regardless has also been carving out an be the same approach with the of where they alternative career alongside her movement. And what’s brilliant, come from’ commitments in Covent Garden. is that Mark is so open to using She and Spira co-formed production people’s different strengths. So he company, Sisters Grimm in 2009, with went to South Africa and really the aim of working on a variety of projects took on board their bodies and on stage and screen. But to pursue your dream how they’re used to moving.” outside your day job, you need a very supportive The end result will feature nine dancers, nine boss, which fortunately, Mello-Pittman had. members of Ladysmith and five musicians. Inspired “Inala has gone through a very long period of by the natural world, and bird and animal life in development,” she explains. “And because I’m an particular, the action will be driven by the lyrics in-house dancer at the Royal Ballet I had to tell sung on stage. “We wanted there to be a narrative, Monica Mason, my director at the time, about with emotions and stories that everyone can relate the project. She said that of course I could do it, to,” explains Mello-Pittman. “So that shaped how and that I should go to South Africa to work with the songs were written, because everything is led by Ladysmith Black Mambazo. But that I had to use a the music and words.” choreographer of her choice.”

The enormity of Inala is not lost on MelloThe quest for a choreographer led to Mark Pittman, but after five years of workshops, Baldwin, Rambert’s artistic director, bringing yet fundraising and recruitment, she’s ready to another big-hitter into the project. Crucially, halftake on the Festival. “I think I’ve always been Fijian Baldwin – like many of the people involved in entrepreneurial,” she says. “And been very Inala – has a deep appreciation of music and dance ambitious with it. So I’ve ended up with my first from other cultures, having grown up watching thing as a career transition being a huge production Maori tribal dances. like this. It’s taken an awful lot of hard work, but I Rambert dancers Dane Hurst and Mbulelo like to think it was destiny.”  Ndabeni both hail from South Africa originally, WHERE & WHEN while Mello-Pittman herself (who dances in the Inala show, as well as producing it) was born in Rio de Edinburgh Playhouse, 10–12 August, 20.00, Janeiro before moving to London aged five. from £10, Tel: 0131 473 2000 “It was important for people to feel the music,

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EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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CATCH OUR ACTS ON THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE

JEN BRISTER

JOEL DOMMETT

13:30 WHISTLEBINKIES

21:00 THE COUNTING HOUSE

TOM DEACON

ELLIE TAYLOR

17:00 FREE SISTERS

12:00 THE COUNTING HOUSE

WISHFUL THINKING

GET YOUR DEAC’ON

LUISA OMIELAN

FINDING EMO

ELLIEMENTARY

CHRIS MARTIN

AM I RIGHT LADIES?!

RESPONSIBILLINESS

22:15 THE COUNTING HOUSE

20:30 PLEASANCE COURTYARD

FOIL, ARMS & HOG LOCH’D

22:00 UNDERBELLY COWGATE

CATFACE / RED 24 SHOWCASE 6 AUGUST 18:15 COWGATEHEAD

CATFACETALENT.COM @CATFACETALENT

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COMEDY JACK DEE

FOR ONE WEEK FROM THE 18TH AUGUST, Jack Dee and special guests will play agony aunt to the audience, answering dilemmas in the funniest way possible. After a critically acclaimed run in London’s Soho Theatre, we catch up with the famously curmudgeonly comedian.

QARE YOU REALLY AS GRUMPY AS YOU PRETEND TO BE ON STAGE? AI go to great pains to say that Rick from Lead Balloon is very different from me, but no one believes that!

There’s nothing funnier than someone who thinks life has colluded against him, someone who believes that everyone has got it in for him. That’s not a rare comic attribute – Woody Allen is the master of that style of comedy. But it works brilliantly for me.

QWHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RETURN TO STAND-UP LAST YEAR AFTER SIX YEARS AWAY? AI want to spend less time with my family. I think that’s a very good reason for touring. Everyone with children will surely agree with that. I think a little bit of absence from your family is actually a good thing. There are far too many diligent parents out there overdoing it and putting us to shame. Adolescence should really be regarded as a form of mental illness. Once you’ve accepted that, everything makes more sense.

A U G U S T

QWHAT WAS YOUR FIRST GIG LIKE AFTER SUCH A LONG BREAK? A At the first warm-up gig I felt like a complete novice.

I didn’t know where to begin. But almost immediately it came back.

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QWHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT STAND-UP? A You don’t have to consult any other people – you get immediate feedback from stand-up. When it goes well, it’s almost as if you can fly – that’s how exciting it is for you and for the audience. There is so much risk involved that the tension can become very addictive.

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QHOW DO YOU COME UP WITH NEW MATERIAL? IS IT ALL WRITTEN IN ADVANCE? AWhat is really exciting is when you get an idea just before the show begins. Then you go on stage and the new material immediately gets a big laugh. I keep putting in new stuff, so the act remains very fresh – otherwise it becomes glib. I never want it to become set, like a play.

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QHOW DO YOU UNWIND AFTER TOURING? AWhen I come home, my wife Jane notices that it takes a few days for me to come down from the stand-up cloud.

I’ve been in the mindset of constantly trying to find the funny, and it takes a while to shake that. I’m sure she finds it very tiresome and is quite glad when I’m not around.

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QDO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR UP-ANDCOMING YOUNG STAND-UPS? A Never take it for granted – to do it well takes real application. 

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WHERE & WHEN Jack Dee’s Help Desk Assembly George Square, 18-24 August, 18.30 From £13, Tel: 0131 623 3030

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MISERY LOVES COMPANY

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Comedian Jack Dee returns to the Fringe with a new panel improv show

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WORDS JAMES RAMPTON 30

PHOTOGRAPHER ANDY HOLLINGWORTH

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07/07/2014 19:21

A TO Z www.edfestmag.com

BLACK GRACE Assembly Roxy July 30 to August 22 Traditions of the South Pacific told in a collection of highly physical dance productions

ABANDOMAN Underbelly July 30 to August 25 Join the party with Ireland’s top comedy hip hop improv

CIRCUS INCOGNITUS New Town Theatre July 31 to August 24 Rubber limbed clowning – and funny with it!

THE MAGIC EGG The Space on North Bridge August 2 - 16 Join this interactive adventure and help solve the puzzle of the stolen magic egg

DIXEY Assembly Roxy July 30 to August 24 Dusty Limits presents a cabaret show full of naked male beauty

FAULTY TOWERS DINING B’est Restaurant July 31 to August 26 Basil,Sybil and Manuel are back with shambolic service in an improvised show that includes a three-course meal

GLENN COSBY: FOOD JUNKIE Assembly Roxy July 30 to August 25 Great British Bake Off star will entertain you with secret recipes, stories and a piece of cake

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HALF BAKED: TWISTED LOAF Laughing Horse @ The Counting House August 1st to 25th Funny Women Award-winners unravel their fraught relationships in a completely bonkers way

IN VOGUE: SONGS

BY MADONNA Assembly Checkpoint July 31 to August 25 Madonna as you’ve never seen her before – Michael Griffiths at the piano leads you through her tough life and tender songs

KRONOS QUARTET: BEYOND ZERO Festival Theatre Monday August 18 A journey through the turmoil of the First World War, combining music and film

JULIETTE BURTON: LOOK AT ME

Gilded Balloon July 30 to August 25 Costume changes and comedy combine to ask whether we are what we appear to be

NINA CONTI: WORK IN PROGRESS Assembly Roxy July 30 to August 17 Comedic ventriloquist is back giving a hand to some brand new characters

LOVELY IN LUREX CCBlooms August 2 - 24 Isla Dogs’ drag show

MARGARET THATCHER Assembly George Square July 31 to Aug 24 Comedy cabaret about gay rights, the 80’s and disco, with your host, Mrs T 35

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A TO Z www.edfestmag.com ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY Voodoo Rooms August 18 Can you figure out why a young man, dressed as a gorilla dressed as an old man, will be sitting rocking in a rocking chair for 56 minutes and then leaving?

PIRATE GRAN Underbelly July 31 to August 25 She knits, she bakes, she drinks sherry ... and has a pet crocodile

QUENTIN CRISP: NAKED HOPE Gilded Balloon July 30 to August 25 Solo show draws on the late Englishman in New York and London.

RHYTHMIC CIRCUS

STEWART LEE: ROOM WITH A STEW

Assembly Hall July 31st to August 25 Rapid fire tap and music combine in a hard- hitting percussive dance performance from American hoofers

The Stand Comedy Club August 2 to 25 New material from the comedian’s favourite comedian

TED FEST

Underbelly gust 24 July 31 to Au s up dan Top st e Toilet compete for th d ar Duck Aw

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THE VERY SCARIESOME TOOTH FAIRY Laughing Horse @ The Free Sisters July 31st to August 12 Told in rhyme, this is a story of missing teeth, dishonest dentists and a real tooth fairy

UMBILICAL BROTHERS: KIDSHOW ( NOT FOR KIDS) Gilded Balloon, August 1 to 16 Physical comedy, mime and self produced sound effects in their first Fringe show for 9 years.

FELICITY WARD:THE ICEBERG

Underbelly July 30 - August 25 Does the parrot talk?

This is a show about perspective – what we see, what we think we know and what’s actually happen ing

…

OF MEn t 24 egas dy IS SO loo us as V me AXWE d Bal o Augoca L nd coers A ilde 30 t da L sic a ock G

i r ly a V mu ie Ju a L of uss v p A i V om he ar mt fro

ZOE LYONS:UTTER MUSTARD C

Gilded Balloon st 24 July 30 to Augu show promises w ne d an br e’s Zo pan pipes to everything from r ste lob of the price

WHAT H S RHYME WIT ?

O O R E G N KA

@ Laughing Horse s er st Si ee Fr e Th August 14 to 24 poetry Champion bush plore ex to u yo ite duo inv r rhyme and mete

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FESTIVALS 2014

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04/07/2014 12:56

COMEDY MARK WATSON A U G U S T

Elementary, my dear Watson

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The multi-talented Mark Watson is juggling a new book, a new baby and two new Edinburgh shows

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WORDS KATE COPSTICK 8

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ARK WATSON IS A DELIGHTFUL MAN, but couldn’t go cold turkey on crazy and followed it so disarming he could reduce the Middle up with Mark Watson’s First Ever Week-Long Show in 2010. “I do think that Edinburgh is still supportive East conflict to a pile of discarded AK47s in of ‘mad’.” he says. This year’s ‘madness’ is the ten minutes. Words tumble from him like tiny kittens Comedywealth Games – late night team mayhem, trying to escape a terrier, crashing into each other and involving fruit throwing and competitive admin, but racing off in all directions. mainly “comedians getting drunk and shouting”.

To be fair, the man has a lot on his mind. His wife is After leaving his mark (no pun intended) on on the very brink of giving birth to their second child, comedy, Mr Watson is currently creating a literary he has just added a second show to his Edinburgh genre. His new novel, Hotel Alpha, is set in a high-end plans for this year and he is still putting the finishing hotel, lit up by its five stars but with dark corners. touches to his latest novel, the release of which is As a child, Watson’s father used to take him to the almost as immediate as that of his daughter.

Landmark Hotel in London, and his fascination with He knows it will be a daughter. All the scans show imagining what might be happening behind the that it’s a baby girl. But Watson, who already has a many, many doors has ripened into this novel. But son, is still finding this hard to believe. “I only have where a less questing talent would have left it at experience of boys,” he says, “100% of my children that, Watson opens the door of his novel’s are boys, I was a boy ... it runs in my family.”

For those new to the Watson oeuvre, ‘I liked nothing narrative and lets the minor characters, tiny plotlines and unanswered questions it is endlessly, gloriously, unpredictably more than a huge, escape into the freedom of the creative. Some of his live shows have Internet. One hundred of the stories varied in length from 24 hours to one unwieldy title that become an online companion week, while others have included would annoy people. have to the novel, into which we can dip interactive novel writing and titles I think I was still under at our leisure. I have dipped, dear such as I’m Worried That I Am Starting To Hate Almost Everyone in the influence of the readers; now I dip almost every day.

The World and Can I Briefly Talk To I do hope New Baby Watson grows Smiths’ You About the Point Of Life? up to appreciate how clever and funny “In my twenties I liked nothing more her father is. At least the experience than a huge, unwieldy title that would annoy of having done all those twenty-four PR people, and agents. I think I was still under the hour shows mean he will have no problem staying up influence of the Smiths,” he says. This year’s show all night for her four-hourly feeds.  is, however, different. It has a one-word title and it WHERE & WHEN lasts just one hour. Added to which, Flaws, as the title Mark Watson: Flaws suggests, is a properly personal show.

Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July – 24 Aug (not 11, 18), “I admire shows that cover a bit of emotional 21.00, From £9, Tel: 0131 556 6550 ground in the one hour format – which isn’t that easy to do – but I have tended to shy away from it.

Mark Watson’s Comedywealth Games I don’t like shows where eight minutes go by without Pleasance Courtyard, 7-16 Aug, 23.00 a laugh because someone is ‘being brave’” Watson’s From £8.50, Tel: 0131 556 6550 ‘laugh quotient’, as he calls it, will remain high, he says, reassuringly. “Maybe seventy ... eighty per cent.”

Mark Watson He grins. “Maybe more.”

Charlotte Square, 13 Aug, 18.30 He dropped the 24-hour marathon show format in From £8, Tel: 0131 718 5666 2009 with Mark Watson’s Last Ever 24-Hour Show

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04/07/2014 12:57

THAT’LL DHU NICELY. Debate rages over the distiller’s art but one name unites devotees and dabblers alike: Tamdhu.

Arguably the world’s finest 10-year old single malt whisky; established on Speyside 1897, reborn on Speyside 2013 (in hand-selected sherry casks no less).

So, once more, all can enjoy Tamdhu’s fresh, rich, spicy notes and pure natural colour.

Go on, carpe dhuem.

Rediscover Tamdhu at tamdhu.com

Enjoy your dram responsibly.

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07/07/2014 17:12

COMEDY SOPHIE WU

S

OPHIE WU HAS BECOME KNOWN AS THE GO-TO girl for playing the assured, streetwise and sassy girlfriends of awkward, geeky boys in cult television shows like Fresh Meat, The Fades and The Midnight Beast, as well as in films like the Kick Ass superhero franchise.

Such casting is a long way from the Scots-Chinese actor’s upbringing in Edinburgh, which she recreates in Sophie Wu Is Minging, She Looks Like She’s Dead. Taking its title from her time as one of only ten girls in Edinburgh Academy’s sixth form, she happened upon the boys’ “Banter Book” ranking the girl’s attractiveness, and was distraught to find out that they hadn’t even awarded her a mark out of ten.

“Whenever I talk about it now I tell it as a funny story, which shocks some people” she reflects. “But at the time I was devastated.

I ripped the page out and flushed it down the toilet.”

She kept the rest of the book though. And when she came to write her first solo show, having previously appeared at the Fringe with The Village’s Emily Beecham as surreal comedy duo Time Cats, she wanted to convey something “truthful”, focusing on a formative fortnight as a lonely, acne and eczema-plagued 15-year-old, living alone with her single mother and finding solace in the 90s music scene. “I don’t think about it every day, but I guess writing this has been quite cathartic,” she admits.

These days, she’s in much greater demand. And at 30, she’s belatedly getting the chance to extend herself beyond the youthful roles that have been her métier and occasional shame. For each memorable turn in an intense film like the school detention short See Me with Olivia Colman, there’s been her unfortunate appearance as a young prostitute in the BBC’s overblown Hotel Babylon, “with a terrible Chinese accent, one of the most depressing things ever”.

At least snogging Joe Thomas in Fresh Meat was less embarrassing, despite him being the writing partner and best friend of her real-life boyfriend, former Edinburgh Comedy Award best newcomer Jonny Sweet. As Heather, Kingsley’s on-off girlfriend in the Channel 4 student sitcom, it “was quite a weird little situation,” she concedes, laughing, not least as it was Thomas’ girlfriend who first set her up with Sweet. “But it was absolutely fine, Jonny trusts me.

A U G U S T

Her next screen roles include Fresh Meat writers Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong’s Channel 4 cop comedy-drama Babylon, and, coincidentally, the BBC Three comedy pilot In Deep, in which she plays a Scottish police detective. “After all those schoolgirls and students, I’m really enjoying the transition,” she says.

Her mum, step-dad and brother still live in Edinburgh and she’s staying with them during the festival. “I always used to think ‘God, it’s boring and all I want to do is move to London’. But as soon as I moved to London, I realized that Edinburgh’s actually amazing and I really miss it.” 

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WHERE & WHEN Sophie Wu is Minging, She Looks Like She’s Dead Wee Red Bar, 2-24 August, 17.00 Free, Tel: 0131 651 5859

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WU DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

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Known for her roles in Kick Ass and Fresh Meat, Sophie Wu is glad to be getting rid of her youthful persona, but can’t help revisiting some childhood traumas in her new stand-up show

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WORDS JAY RICHARDSON

EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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COMEDY CLIVE ANDERSON A U G U S T

E V I L CLIVE

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Ends, Anderson e om £14.50, Te Fr os Lo g tin en ines As well as pres show that exam ence - a radio Unreliable Evid

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Becoming Jane

Fatal Attraction star Anne Archer takes on the Trial of Jane Fonda in a powerful new piece of theatre at this year’s Fringe WORDS MARK FISHER

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www.edfestmag.com

04/07/2014 14:10

THEATRE ANNE ARCHER A U G U S T

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NNE ARCHER HAS BEEN Fonda and the vets to get the whole picture. watching a lot of Jane Fonda movies But, balanced or not, for a conservative movie of late: it’s been necessary research. industry, it was too much of a hot potato. Two Taking the title role in The Trial of Jane Fonda, producers turned him down. Undeterred, she has to portray one of the most recognisable he rewrote the screenplay for the stage actors on the planet. The pressure is on to get and Hollywood’s loss is the Fringe’s gain. it right.

Dramatised in the discursive manner of Frost/ Nixon, the play locks Fonda in a small room as The paradox, of course, is that Archer is she squares up to seven hostile opponents. herself one of the most recognisable actors on “Every night I feel I have to fight for my the planet. Having played the wronged wife in Fatal Attraction and been part of the ensemble life,” says Archer, who, as the founder of the cast in Robert Altman’s Short Cuts, as well as campaigning organisation Artists for Human taking key roles in Patriot Games and Clear Rights, sees Fonda as a kindred spirit. “As and Present Danger, Archer has starred in Jane, I have to fight for my viewpoint and I some major Hollywood films. Her co-stars have have to win – and some nights I don’t feel that included Harrison Ford, Donald Sutherland, I do win. That’s what makes it great drama.

Sylvester Stallone and Danny DeVito – and It’s a struggle to bring understanding and it’s surely only chance that she’s never known forgiveness – and let me tell you, these actors Fonda personally. make you feel it’s you against a hundred.”

The Trial of Jane Fonda marks a return “When you’re playing someone who’s still to the stage for Archer, who won acclaim alive, it’s a far greater challenge,” says the in London in 2001 as Mrs Robinson in The actor, who’ll celebrate her 67th birthday on Graduate. As well as being a world premiere, the last day of her Fringe run. “I can’t do The Trial of Jane Fonda will be her Fringe Jane exactly, but I very much represent her debut. “In the theatre, I’ve always done roles soul, spirit and energy. The skin really fits. where I’ve been on stage through I’ve been listening to a lot of her the entire piece and have had to interviews and working with a ‘As Jane, command the stage and sell my dialect coach, but I put my viewpoint. I’ve never gotten attention on her heart and I have to fight for the opportunity to do that what she’s trying to say.” my viewpoint and in film, really. That’s why In more liberal times, the I have to win – and we all do theatre; to know play may well have become a film by now. Written by some nights I don’t that you’re getting your story across is a great feeling.”

Archer’s husband, Terry feel that I do win’ Ever prolific (“there’s no one Jastrow, it is based on a real alive that doesn’t feel better event in 1988 when Fonda went when they’re productive”), face to face with her critics. She was she recently made her first due to shoot Stanley & Iris in Waterbury, Connecticut, home to many war veterans, and foray into producing, with a film by her faced an organised protest in response to her husband, called The Squeeze, due for release next year. Her most recent film, Lullaby (a anti-Vietnam war activism of the early 1970s. “triple-hankie sobfest,” according to the New Rather than ignore them, Fonda agreed to a York Times) came out in the USA in June. Her meeting with 26 representatives. work-rate shows no sign of letting up, as The That struck Jastrow as a compelling Trial of Jane Fonda attests, but even if she situation, and he set about interviewing both were only ever associated with Fatal Attraction, she would have no complaints.

“When we were making Fatal Attraction we thought we were making a good movie, but we didn’t know it was going to be such a hit or that it would resonate in that way,” she says.

“Any artist will tell you that you have moments of work that will get a lot of attention and you’ll always be tagged with it. It’s just something to be proud of. People walked out of that movie and argued about it for hours.

That’s a great thing. If people walk out of this play and have discussions about it, it will have had a real purpose.” 

Fonda opposed the Vietnam War and was known as Hanoi Jane. Image: Dutch National Archives

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WHERE & WHEN The Trial of Jane Fonda Assembly Rooms, 30 July–24 August (not 11), 4.05pm. From £10, Tel: 0844 693 3008

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HEN BRITISH PEOPLE SEE SOFIE GRÅBØL, THEY 19 September, the Scottish electorate will have made their choice. do a double take. She is familiar on these shores as “I don’t think we are here to tell the Scottish people what Sarah Lund, the jumpered Copenhagen detective from to do,” suggests Gråbøl, “and I don’t think we can. What Rona three unmissable series of The Killing. This autumn, however, the has written is a play about personal identity, but it’s also about only thing that will be recognisable about Gråbøl will be those big national identity. Hopefully we can be a mirror.” blue eyes, as she is spirited back to the Middle Ages, bewigged, Her more immediate task in the rehearsal room has been to bejewelled and billowing, to play a queen of Scotland. work out what her fellow actors are saying. “They have so No, not that one. She’s starring as Margaret, the very many dialects. Obviously, when I read the play it’s just capable Danish princess who was betrothed to King in English, until we had the very first read-through James III at the age of 12. Not familiar with the and I heard all these Scottish voices. And I thought, ‘I don’t think we’re ‘oh my God, I should speak Scottish because all name? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

“I’d never heard of her,” says Gråbøl. “But I Queen Margaret’s life was in Scotland.’ here to tell the I’m hoping that some of it will rub off.” don’t think that Scottish people know her either, Scottish people what It’s not quite Gråbøl’s debut in English. do they?” Her legacy is marked on the map of to do. Hopefully we In fact her first ever role, aged 17, was in a film contemporary Scotland: it’s thanks to Margaret about Gauguin starring Donald Sutherland. that the Shetlands and Orkney are no longer part can be a mirror’ Full marks to anyone who saw that, but more of Scandinavia, as they were part of her dowry.

The True Mirror is the third and last of The James familiar to audiences will be her cameo in Absolutely Plays, a trilogy by Rona Munro. In a unique joint Fabulous, in which Lund appears to Jennifer venture timed to mark the referendum, National Theatre of Saunders in a dream to disabuse her of the idea Scotland and the National Theatre of Great Britain have pooled she can speak Danish after ingesting a box set of The Killing.

“I thought the idea of having opposite worlds meet was lovely, resources to dramatize the lives of three kings of an independent because The Killing is the most repressed thing you could ever find, Scotland. The plays open at the Edinburgh Festival, and by the and then the Absolutely Fabulous universe is so over the top.” time James III follows its stablemates down to London on

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07/07/2014 16:43

THEATRE SOFIE GRÅBØL A U G U S T

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Killing time

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Sofie Gråbøl is leaving The Killing’s Sarah Lund behind to play a Scottish queen as part of a new trilogy of historical plays by Rona Munro

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WORDS JASPER REES

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Gråbøl’s English is barely accented and largely flawless, but the surprising thing is the regularity of her smiles and jokes, perhaps all the more so given that Gråbøl is back at work after a year away with breast cancer, which also accounts for the gamine crop.

“Your life is suddenly not as you know it at all. So it’s somehow a huge identity change. I definitely have the feeling that you’re a new person.” A new person she may be, but there will always be interest in the cold, troubled woman she embodied. Does she mind that she will always be answering questions about Lund?

“I wouldn’t mind, honestly. I was never sick of it at all. I was a bit sick of the jumper at one point. But it fills me with pride, that project. It’s like when your child makes you proud.”

It has also brought about a quantum shift in the roles she is invited to play, of which Margaret is the latest. “I used to play the little person against the system. I didn’t play the person in power.

But I do now. Why is that? Maybe it’s age: finally you are ready.

But maybe it’s also that you’ve only seen The Killing over here, which is wonderful for me. You think, oh this is a woman with authority: she has a jumper and a gun.” 

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WHERE & WHEN James I, James II and James III Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 5–22 August, times vary From £12, Tel: 0131 473 2000 www.edfestmag.com

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Can you describe what you do?

It’s a mixture of clowning and mime.

I transform myself into famous people - or in some cases something more surrealistic - wearing costumes made of paper. I have been described as a ‘human cartoon’, and I like that description.

What sort of characters will be in your Edinburgh show?

#

We have a lot of new characters, like Rihanna, Bono, the Dalai Lama, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus. But the show will also include some of the older characters, such as Freddie Mercury, Marilyn and the Mona Lisa.

The creative paper costumes of Ennio Marchetto have won him many celebrity fans, including the Queen and Elton John WORDS CLAIRE SMITH

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Who are your inspirations as a performer?

I have always been a big fan of David Bowie, and I studied for a while with the mime artist Lindsay Kemp who also worked with Bowie. When I first saw his show, my idea was to do something like that but to make it funny.

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04/07/2014 12:29

COMEDY ENNIO MARCHETTO How do you prepare yourself for a performance?

I don’t rehearse much. The most important thing is to learn the words to the songs very well. Once I have the words perfectly the transformation just happens. When I hear the audience laughing I know it works.

Which was the first paper costume you made?

I was twenty years old and I had a strange dream about Marilyn Monroe with boobs made of paper. I woke up and cut out my first costume.

Everything began with that dream.

I would perform on the street in very elaborate costumes, but gradually I had the idea of something simpler, which is where the idea of paper costumes came from.

Have you ever met any of the people you impersonate in real life?

‘I had a dream about Marilyn Monroe with boobs made of paper.

I woke up and cut out my first costume’

I think the greatest moment of my life was meeting Liza Minnelli backstage at the Royal Variety Performance.

For 25 years I closed every one of my shows singing ‘New York, New York’ as her.

You have some famous fans.

Did you always enjoy dressing up?

I was born in Venice in Italy. In the 1980s there was a very big revival of the Venice Carnival, and everyone who lived there used to create a costume. When I started

I performed for Queen Elizabeth twice and I also performed for Elton John. I was invited to perform at his fiftieth birthday and also at his famous Black and White Ball.

Will there be any new, special characters for your Scottish shows?

A U G U S T

We always try and introduce some special characters for shows in other countries. I have learned the words to many songs in many different languages. In Edinburgh we are planning something with Alex Salmond and maybe the pandas. We are making a bagpiper, too.

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How do you feel about returning to Edinburgh?

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When I performed at the Pleasance in 1989 it was the first time I had performed outside Italy, and it was a big success. That show gave me an international career. So I’m very happy to be going back this year, because it was the beginning of everything. 

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WHERE & WHEN Ennio Marchetto: The Living Paper Cartoon Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July – 15 August (not 11), 22.30 From £8, Tel: 0131 556 6550

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COMEDY JAMES ACASTER A U G U S T

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Rising star James Acaster returns to the Fringe this year with his sense of ‘intelligent whimsy’ – and awardwinning comedy – fully intact

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WORDS KATE COPSTICK PHOTOGRAPHS EDWARD MOORE

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GINGER AMBITION

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I

KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING. But yes, not only have James Acaster and Josh Widdicombe been seen in the same room, but they did their first Edinburgh shows together. Acaster is one of the young talents for which, in part, we should thank Peter Buckley Hill and the Free Fringe.

“I got an awful lot out of the Free Fringe,” says James “My first year in Edinburgh I decided to go at the last minute. I got a Mega Bus for 12 hours and camped for two weeks in a field 20 minutes from the Festival via bus. It rained solidly and my belongings got flooded on night one. I didn’t have any gigs booked and if it hadn’t been for the Free Fringe things would’ve stayed that way. I ended up doing 6 gigs a day and emerged ten times better than when I went in.”

In 2009 came that ‘difficult second Fringe’. The then-unknown trio of Josh Widdicombe, Nick Helm and James Acaster did a show at The Voodoo Rooms.

Someone must have had two little curly haired, gingery dolls and a handful of pins because “We got reviewed once, one star – “avoid at all costs” – the total audience for the month was 40, Josh got swine flu, we found a bucket of sick in the venue and my microphone got stolen.”

But he must have done something right because just a few months later he was supporting Josie Long on tour.

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Some comics say Edinburgh ‘defines’ “I saw Josie for the first time when I their year, some just come up to clean was 17. I thought she was brilliant and up, but Acaster maintains a healthy and became a big fan immediately. I think she genuine enthusiasm. is probably one of the reasons I got into “I do actively enjoy Edinburgh. I know comedy, because people like her made me going in that I’ll have my best and worst realise you can talk about whatever you gig of the year within that month. I love want, in whatever style you want”. writing and performing solo shows above In 2011 he warmed up audiences on all else, so Edinburgh is great for giving tour for Milton Jones, before heading me a place I can perform a solo show back to Edinburgh with his first full-length every single day.” show. No Josh, no disasters.

He has created a new show each And what of the social aspect year since, garnering a slew of a city jammed with comics of nominations from the like a jar full of nippy I know going Fosters Comedy Awards sweeties?

(2012 and 2013) and the “One of the best things into Edinburgh that New Zealand Comedy about the job is that there I’ll have my best and are very few dicks, but I Festival (2013) as well worst gig of the year suppose I do fall in with as carving an ‘intelligent whimsy’-shaped niche on within that month the whimsical crowd a bit TV’s comedy panel shows. more, and mostly people Does it, I wonder, add who I was on the open mic pressure when you’re following circuit with. I’m probably a show that has been conspicuously too fragile for proper lad successful? banter, I’m afraid.”

“I think last year I did let the pressure There’s nothing wrong with a bit of get to me, and I stressed myself out for a fragility when it comes in a package as whole year, which was silly. So this year funny as James Acaster.  I’ve ignored all the expectations because WHERE & WHEN most of them are in my head anyway.

James Acaster: Recognise I’ve just enjoyed writing the show that I Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July – 24 want to see and I’ve never enjoyed standAugust, 20:00 up more than I have while writing and From £6, Tel: 0131 556 6550 previewing this show.”

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FESTIVAL FAVOURITES COMEDY

Fest faves These guys have been there, done that, and bought the ‘I Edinburgh’ t-shirt WORDS KATE COPSTICK

GLENN WOOL Tell us about your new show, Wool’s Gold It’s a combination of my last seven solo shows in Edinburgh. These are my favourite bits from all the shows. There are new nooks and crannies in the jokes – and I’m a better comic now.

Isn’t it expected for comics to create a whole new hour for the Fringe?

I think that pressure comes from outside forces. I don’t write a new show every year any more. I’m getting older now and the things I used to put myself through I can’t do these days.

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What’s it like to work in comedy?

If you view it as a job it would drive you crazy.

A lot of the time, the difference between someone struggling and a millionaire is not talent.

Do you have any survival tips?

I don’t know what the Fringe does to a human, but I know what fixes it is Mother Glenn’s chicken soup.

Glenn Wool: Wool’s Gold Underbelly Bristo Square, 30 July – 25 Aug (not 11, 18), 21.30 From £7, Tel: 0844 545 8252

07/07/2014 18:56

NICK HELM You’re known for your loud and obnoxious persona on stage.

I started behaving like that because of Edinburgh audiences, actually.

Everyone is so apathetic – you’re the tenth show they’ve seen and they’ve got laughter fatigue. I just wanted to get a reaction.

Is it good to be back doing your own jokes after Uncle, your BBC3 sitcom?

I did have a bit of input on Uncle.

Oliver Refson, who writes it, and I would get together to go over the scripts, but there was never much I wanted to change. But it was weird to go from total control over my stand-up to having someone telling me how long my beard should be.

Any advice for new stand-ups coming to Edinburgh?

Don’t do it for the wrong reasons.

Do it to learn, rather than thinking you’ll be an overnight success.

Two Night Stand in The Grand Pleasance Courtyard, 11-12 August, 23.00 £15, Tel: 0131 556 6550

Last year you were angry and this year you’re ungrateful.

What happened to the jolly woman who used to dress up as Charles II? I’m older now, and know more about the world, so that’s why I’m less jolly and more angry and ungrateful. Plus, I can’t be arsed to dress up at the moment.

Is there added pressure on the new show, now that you’ve won the Comedy Award?

Only if you allow it. I thought it best to just crack on and do another show straight away, then we can all get back to normal. There’s not much point in worrying about things you have no control over, so I try to just focus on the work.

This year’s show in a nutshell?

A comedian talking for an hour about some things.

Bridget Christie: An Ungrateful Woman The Stand, 2-25 August (not 11), 11.10 From £9, Tel: 0131 558 7272

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PHOTOGRAPHY IDILSUKAN

BRIDGET CHRISTIE

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07/07/2014 18:56

FESTIVAL FAVOURITES COMEDY

FRANCESCA MARTINEZ OK so what the f*ck IS normal?

Apart from a cycle on a washing machine? I think normal is what ever you grow up with. Being wobbly is normal to me. The idea of normal is used by a consumer culture to make all of us feel inadequate – so we’ll keep buying junk we don’t need. I think embracing ourselves is an act of civil disobedience.

Did you always plan to be ‘political’ as a stand-up?

I never had a ‘plan’. I’m not that organised! But I do believe that jokes can communicate ideas of value that can challenge or inspire people to think differently.

Where have you been all this time away from Edinburgh?

Well, I’ve toured Australia, Britain and Ireland – around 100 dates in all. I also wrote my first book also called What the **** is Normal?!, which grew out of the tour.

I really wanted to explore the ideas further and help readers stick two fingers up to the pressure to conform.

Does your Dad still have a hand in your writing?

I wrote the latest show and book myself but writing with him over the years is what gave me the confidence to strike out on my own. He’s making his Edinburgh debut this August as a playwright with his new one-man-play, The Rose of Jericho, which is on at The Space @ Surgeon’s Hall.

Francesca Martinez: What the **** is Normal?!

Venue 150@EICC, 8, 9, 11, 15, 16 August, times vary From £10, Tel: 0844 847 1639

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07/07/2014 18:57

FESTIVAL FAVOURITES DANCE SONICS IN DUUM Is this your first time at the Fringe?

Yes, it is! We’re very excited about attending. We heard that the Fringe is one of the most beautiful and important festivals in the world.

You have to be very fit to do what you do – does this mean no opportunities to sample the Fringe’s famous nightlife?

Since we always perform in the afternoon, and we’re very well trained, I think some nights we could enjoy the Fringe’s nightlife.

How do you even start to put together a show like this?

The secret is to have a very close-knit team in which every

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single performer is not limited to being just a performer. Each member of our team has to have a 360° degree view, dealing with every aspect of the staging of the show, from the costumes to the choreography, from scenery design to make up.

Do you start on the choreography on the ground?

This show, SONICS in DUUM, is not only composed of aerial acrobatic performances: it’s a visual history, in which characters move through every scene in a continuous exchange between ceiling and ground, heaven and earth.

Do you have specific things that you want to do or try during the Fringe?

The Fringe is a great opportunity to present ourselves to audiences and promoters from all over the world, so we will focus our energies on our show above everything else.

But hopefully we will have some free time to discover and enjoy Edinburgh. We are looking forward to seeing its sights, like the Castle, and to trying some haggis! We also plan to see many other shows.

Sonics in Duum Gilded Balloon, 30 July – 23 August (not 31, 12), 16.30 From £5, Tel: 0131 622 6552

07/07/2014 18:57

FESTIVAL FAVOURITES COMEDYAYLOR

RUSSELL KANE Is Smallness back by public demand or because it’s a show you love doing?

A bit of both. Obviously playing that tiny room last year meant many people missed it.

Also, I wanted to force myself to have a fallow year – but couldn’t bear to miss the festival!

What made you want to do the theatre piece?

I wanted to do something that showcased me as an actor. I had the choice – find a good, existing monologue within the canon and put that on; or maybe try and write something myself.

It’s high risk for a comic to make himself as unlikeable as this man sounds.

Indeed: this has been the fundamental challenge. Personally, I enjoy the guilty feeling of watching a thriller (Silence of the Lambs, for example) where one of the main characters is repulsive … and yet, in you are drawn in.

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monster and the urge to stare at it. The creative task with this monologue was to give Craig a disarming humour and charm, so that the audience is inveigled into his faux arguments on the nature of forgiveness and redemption.

Have you always been an actor-in-waiting?

I think many stand-ups naturally “act” the protagonists in their routines. With Fakespeare I was keen to take this side of myself further.

Who knows, full thepsianism may await!

Got good things lined up for the podcast?

Yes. An excellent line-up - and the thrill of being utterly topical in an Edinburgh environment.

Russell Kane: Smallness Underbelly Bristo Square, 20-22 August, 21.00 From £12.50, Tel: 0844 545 8252 The Closure of Craig Solly Underbelly Bristo Square, 18-24 August, 13.30 From £10, Tel: 0844 545 8252 www.edfestmag.com

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FESTIVAL FAVOURITES COMEDY JIMMY CARR You’ve asked people who are easily offended not to be a dick about it if they come to your new show.

Are you expecting hordes of Mary Whitehouses to come along?

The people who know my stand-up don’t have a problem with it, but there’s always the concern that people who see me on TV being relatively well behaved might buy a ticket.

Viewers who only know me from QI might be a bit shocked, but I think that the only people who come along hoping to be offended are journalists.

You are known for your rapid-fire jokes – how do you come up with enough material for a 90-minute show?

I constantly make notes, talking into my phone or a recorder. If something happens to me that strikes me as even vaguely funny, I will write it down. You can always write jokes, but it’s finding the ones that will make the audience laugh – if a joke doesn’t make them laugh, I’ll never use it again. For an hour and a half show I need about 200 jokes, but I’ll write a thousand.

Do you have any advice for young stand-ups just starting out?

Go to the Edinburgh Festival. When I was a new act, I remember driving to Edinburgh and sleeping in the car and on the floors of people’s rented flats. You do what you have to do.

Jimmy Carr: Funny Business Venue 150@EICC, 15-16, 22-23 August, 21.20 £18.50, Tel: 0844 847 1639

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FESTIVAL FAVOURITES FESTIVAL FAVOURITES COMEDY COMEDY ADRIENNE TRUSCOTT Is this what you imagined when you were a little girl growing up?

Ha! Yes! Pantsless on stage doing comedy about rape in a bookshop. Dreams really do come true! But that said, I did play weird solo games as a kid, made wacky shows for family with weird and often naked costuming, and used ‘streaking’ at my own discretion if things got slow.

Do you remember the first ever show?

There was so much I didn’t know about the show yet – weird things, like Cat, the bartender, let some latecomers in, some young gentlemen, and sat them on the floor right in front of me! I hadn’t asked her not too, and my thought was, yeah, pack ‘em in. But once they sat down I thought, oh Jesus, if we’re not careful one of these lads will be wearing my vagina as a hat.

How have reactions been? Any walkouts? Hecklers?

Overall reactions have been amazing, interesting and deeply satisfying. And yes, I’ve had walkouts and heckles here and there, but not too many.

Is the another show in the offing?

Yes! I haven’t had much time to work on it, so it’s all in my head at the moment. But if I can get my shit together I might try a oneoff at the Bookshop. The Wau Wau Sisters are doing a show at Assembly Gardens about the time some ‘religious’ psycho made very serious threats to our lives.

It’s a great show! Can you imagine wanting to kill a couple of showgirls just for running around naked at a festival and stealing peoples drinks?

Adrienne Truscott’s Asking For It Heroes @ Bob & Miss Behave’s Bookshop, 6-9, 13-16 August, 23.00 Free/£8, www.heroesoffringe.com

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DANCE BRAZOUKA A U G U S T

Viva Brasíllia!

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It’s a journey of more than a few steps to take a dance style from a Brazillian bordello to the stage at the Assembly Hall, as choreographer Arlene Phillips explains

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WORDS KELLY APTER 6

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S A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY, BRAZ Dos Santos was forced to spend his days on board a tiny fishing vessel, battling the high seas.

Joined by his older brother, they earned valuable income for his poverty-stricken family in the Brazilian town of Porto Seguro.

Upon their return from the sea, the older fishermen would attend a local bordello, leaving Santos outside to peer through the cracks. What he saw changed his life forever.

Women moving their feet backwards and forwards, their hips grinding seductively in a sultry dance that came to be known as the lambada. Santos and his brother quickly mastered the style, winning local competitions and catching the eye of an international producer who invited them to Paris.

Forbidden by his father from following his dream, Santos nonetheless felt he must “dance or die” – and went on to create his own style of dance, ‘lambazouk’, which has spread across the world.

Santos’ unique movement, his story and his passion lie at the heart of this year’s big Fringe dance show, Brazouka.

Written by Pamela Stephenson Connolly, after she fell in love with the lambazouk scene in Brazil, the show is directed by Arlene Phillips – a woman who couldn’t be more perfect for the job.

Best known in recent times for her astute judging on TV shows Strictly Come Dancing and So You Think You Can Dance, Phillips started her career as a Hot Gossip dancer before working as a choreographer on a string of pop videos and feature films.

Proficient in a range of dance styles, and used to working on large-scale stage shows, Phillips’ credentials are impeccable. But it is the similarities between she and Santos that really make her the ideal fit. Like him, she was torn between familial duty and pursuing the

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thing she loved most: dance. Like Santos, Phillips felt a physical compulsion to dance, despite the guilt of leaving her family, especially her sick father, behind in Manchester when she moved to London.

“There was nothing else for me,” she says, “no other choice – just as there wasn’t for Braz. And when you are consumed by a need to dance, not just a want, you feel as though if you can’t dance, you can’t breathe.”

Phillips has been working closely with Santos and 15 other dancers specialising in ‘Zouk’ styles, helping them make the

transition from partner dancing to largescale production.

“There’s a massive Zouk scene all over the world,” says Phillips, “and these dancers are worshipped when they perform at dance congresses. But then they come into my world and I say ‘I want more’ – because taking a social dance and turning it into something theatrical isn’t easy.”

Phillips was introduced to Santos’ style

by Stephenson Connolly, whose passion for South American dance came to the fore after she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing. The two women had worked together in the 1980s, on Stephenson’s comedy shows, and had “re-united over dance” in recent years.

“Pamela asked the dancers she’d been working with to give me a demonstration,” says Phillips. “And I said ‘oh my gosh, I’ve never seen anything like it, it’s just brilliant.’

It was like the lambada, but with turn after turn after turn. Sometimes the leading man can keep eight girls turning at the same time – it’s like Chinese spinning plates. Very, very exciting.”

Alongside the lambada, lambazouk, salsa, capoeira and other Brazilian styles, Phillips brought in some choreography from her own world of modern and contemporary dance, deeming it necessary to aid Brazouka’s narrative. But as rehearsals went on, she discovered Santos’ style was more adaptable than she thought – and capable of generating more than just excitement.

“I didn’t think I would be able to find ways to tell a story with lambazouk,” she says, “but I have. And I also found out how to capture emotion through the dance – and there’s a moment with two of our very best Zouk dancers that’s really quite beautiful.” 

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WHEN & WHERE Brazouka, Assembly Hall, 31 July – 25 August, (not Mon 11 & 18), 17.30 From £12, Tel: 0131 623 3030

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Taking the Thrones From Austentatious to silly, spectacular songs, from Game of Thrones to the IT Crowd, Rachel Parris is on the verge of becoming the reigning queen of comedy WORDS JULIAN HALL PHOTOGRAPHER IDIL SUKAN

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T’S FAIR TO SAY THAT RACHEL Parris was a capital city attraction last year, drawing big crowds for both her solo musical comedy Fringe show and for her work as part of the improv troupe Austentatious. She held court for both at a Free Festival venue, The Counting House, but this year it’s all change for both Parris and Austentatious as they head across the road to the Pleasance Dome.

After a clutch of great reviews at the Fringe, and more exposure in the last year, including her gig as co-presenter of Thronecast, Sky’s Game of Thrones viewing companion and geekfest, Parris is remaining calm about what this year might bring.

“Last year was better than I ever thought it would be; every performer at the Fringe has that ‘difficult second album’ feeling, but I’m treating 2014 as an adventure.”

Although the 29-year-old’s adventures are not quite as perilous as, say, those of fellow striking blonde Daenerys Targaryen, she wants the results to be just as epic.

“This year the show is effectively The Eagles’ Hotel California played in a Las Vegas casino nightclub, a story about three very different performers trapped in a cabaret, including Felice, a Celine Dion-style power ballad diva who is all gold sequins and megalomania.”

“It’s technologically more complex than last year, with all the songs having backing tracks. Meanwhile, coming out from behind my piano gives me more freedom to dance around and look like a tit.”

It will be a challenge to recreate Las Vegas schlocky glamour in a room much smaller than the one she played previously, but there will be advantages too. Not needing to break the fourth wall will be one of them, and though Parris has nothing but praise for the free festivals, she remarks: “Though I play the warm up, the headliner and everything in between in my show, it will be nice not to have to be the actual bouncer on the door beforehand!”

Austentatious also have a new home, the Pleasance’s Queen Dome, an in-the-round venue that has played host to some very successful acts, including Tim Key, Max and Ivan and Nick Helm.

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The long-form, narrative-driven improv outfit have already scaled the heights at their Free Festival residencies, but their challenge is about maintaining standards and not necessarily bettering them, despite their perfectionist outlook. “We have no director, so that means that we painstakingly do things by committee. We really care about it, because when you have a certain reputation you want to deserve it.”

Austentatious are recognised ambassadors for the genre, and the scene, both for long- and short-form improv, is unquestionably buzzing, as Parris acknowledges. “When I moved to London [from studying music in Oxford] there was a handful of improv acts, now there’s shitloads!” Parris says, profanities comedically at odds with her butter-wouldn’t melt look. “I also remember coming back from my first visit to the US where they have lots of improv jams and thinking ‘I wish we had those here too’ and we’re starting to build that kind of community.

“Austentatious is like being in a family. I used to think that it was cheesy when bands like Girls Aloud and the Spice Girls said that in interviews, but it’s true. We fight, we make up; we’re family.”

When it comes to her actual family, from Syston in Leicestershire (“home of the Pukka Pie”), Parris acknowledges that they have probably spent more time worrying about her career path than anything else.

“They encouraged me to play the piano, but I think they fretted about my performing career ultimately causing me to end up in a ditch. They saw me having very good jobs, such as working in arts admin roles at the Royal Opera House and at the

Barbican, and then saw me leave them. They are much more relaxed about things now.”

It was while studying music in Oxford that Parris started performing with the influential improv outfit The Oxford Imps, but it was partly also through her post-university involvement with fringe theatre in Oxford, London and Edinburgh that she found her way into comedy.

“I tricked myself into doing my first comedy gig. I was talking to the promoter of a small artsy poetry venue who was looking for a 20 minute slot and I said I would do it.

I had been writing comedy songs, but it was a gamble. It went really well, but I didn’t have a game plan for afterwards.”

However, a runner-up slot in 2010’s Funny Women competition followed, as did representation and some acting roles, including the girlfriend of Chris O’Dowd’s Roy in the final episode of The IT Crowd. Parris looks forward to more sitcom roles and is also trying to find time to pen her own.

Meanwhile, her Thronecast role has opened up a new audience and a new skillset for her. “As well as really throwing yourself into Thrones geekdom, there are other things which were new to me, like having a floor manager in your ear say things like ‘your leg looks mental and you need to smile ten times more than you think you are’. I even discovered I had a lazy eye from doing the show!”

Other than medical finds, there are other factors of her new fame that Parris has had to adjust to. “Having clothes picked out for you was something I wasn’t used to, but that’s the control freak in me.”

Actor, singer, musican, comedian, improviser – that’s certainly a lot to control, and Paris has a handle on all of them.  WHERE & WHEN Rachel Parris: Live In Vegas Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July – 25 Aug (Not 12), 4.30pm From £6, Tel: 0131 556 6550 Austentatious Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July – 25 Aug (Not 12), 1.40pm From £6, Tel: 0131 556 6550

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COMEDY ONES TO WATCH

DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME? These comics are losing their Fringe virginity this year – do be gentle

LUCY BEAUMONT Who is she? A winner of the BBC New Comedy Award, her routines are elevated by her ditzy persona. Her sitcom pilot, To Hull and Back, aired on Radio 4 this summer.

What’s the show about? Tracing her journey to becoming a fish out of water.

WTF? Born prematurely on holiday in Truro, she first came to Hull in a cardboard box.

We Can Twerk It Out, Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July – 24 August (not 12), 5.45pm. From £6.

Tel: 0131 556 6550

WORDS JAY RICHARDSON

ADAM HESS Who is he? A nervy, excitable young comic who blurts out his one-liners in jittery salvoes, Hess has lately moved towards a more relaxed style that still emphasises his more embarrassing moments.

A former Chortle Student Comedy Award winner, his wit is pithily encapsulated by his tweets.

What’s the show about?

His 40-minute show hinges on the discovery that he was born a triplet and that his brothers and he were taken from their parents by a mysterious organisation called S.O.R.G and sent to three different continents.

On a journey to find out who they are, the process has him finding out who he really is.

The other 39 minutes are knob gags.

WTF? Knows every word of the film Titanic.

Adam Hess: Mustard, Heroes @ The Hive, 31 July – 24 August, 5pm. Free or pay £5 for guaranteed entry.

Tel: 0131 226 0000

RHYS JAMES Who is he? An accomplished 23-year-old comic, who blends storytelling, gags and poetry. Will shortly be seen in David Baddiel’s Channel 4 sitcom pilot Sit.Com. What’s the show about?

Treading a fine line between confidence and self-lacerating vulnerability. His reluctant

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JESS ROBINSON Who is she? An actress, singer and impressionist, she appeared on the BBC’s Dead Ringers and Impressions Show and took the title role in the UK tour of Little Voice.

What’s the show about? More than 50 impressions in an hour, with 30 of them in one song, she pays homage to everyone from Edith Piaf and Julie Andrews, to Cheryl Cole and Jessie J, Liza Minnelli raps with Niki Minaj and Billie Holiday sings the hits of Nirvana.

Jess Robinson: Mighty Voice, Pleasance Dome, 30 July – 25 August (not 11), 9.40pm. From £6.50. Tel: 0131 556 6550

stumble into adulthood with reflections upon lost love,

adolescent humiliation and a joke about chicken dippers. And three poems!

WTF? Only has one kidney.

And fortunately, some amusing material about it.

Rhys James: Begins, Pleasance Courtyard, Courtyard 30 July – 24 August, 4.45pm.

From £6. £6 Tel: 0131 556 6550

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Three cheers!

Three new classics from mcewan’s

Here’s something worth celebrating. a new and distinctive line up of full flavoured bottled beers from McEwan’s. we think you’ll agree, we’ve raised the bar when it comes to brewing excellence.

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COMEDY ONES TO WATCH JONNY LENNARD Who is he? A stand-up and sketch writer, he’s a former director of the Cambridge Footlights.

What’s the show about?

Recognising the weirdness right in front of your eyes, those things taught to children that are taken

TOM TOAL Who is he? Thomas Kevin John Toal. Or Tom Toal, TT, T Squared or T to the Power of Two, as he’s fond of introducing himself. Proud of his Polish ancestry, he marries easy charm with lyrical delivery.

What’s the show about?

Childhood, fatherhood and moving out of “the hood”.

WTF? Has a weird, tea stain-like birthmark on his hip and used to have an odd growth on his back.

Tom Toal in Prequel, Cabaret Voltaire, 2 August – 23 August (not 11), 2.35pm. Free.

Tel: 0131 226 0000

for granted but which are actually pretty odd. He performs in the guise of a children’s author, imparting cautionary tales for kids growing up in the modern world. .

SUSIE MCCABE Who is she? McCabe has finished in the top three of the last two Scottish Comedian of the Year finals.

WTF? Expelled from ski school on his first day for falling asleep on a mountain.

Jonny Lennard: Tale Blazer, Assembly George Square Studios, 30 July – 25 August (not 12), 5.20pm.

From £6. Tel: 0131 6233030

What’s the show about?

Holidays. Spending precious family time with those closest to you, and the various degrees of anxiety, pressure and stressful situations she’s found herself in.

WTF? Used to be a seamstress and could run you up a pair of curtains.

Susie McCabe: Tourist Misinformation, The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 30 July – 24 August (not 31,11), 7pm. £6. Tel: 0131 558 7272 From £6

DAN SCHREIBER Who is he? He’s the former QI elf who co-created and produces its Radio 4 cousin, The Museum of Curiosity, and applies his love of obscure and unlikely facts to his stand-up.

WTF? Is in a Boyz II Men cover band called Male Energy. Has never successfully blown his nose.

C*ckblocked from Outer Space, Underbelly Bristo Square, 30 July – 25 August (not 9), 5.40pm. From £6.

Tel: 0844 545 8252

ELLIE TAYLOR Who is she? Television quickly picked up on the self-deprecating charm of this former model and she followed her debut on ITV’s Show Me The Funny by hosting BBC Three’s Snog Marry Avoid. Little of which reflects how quickly she’s developed as a confessional storyteller and skilled social observer.

What’s the show about? Matalan, cats and “the deep pit of despair that is my soul because I’m not engaged”.

WTF? Once starred in a yoghurt advert in Athens where she had to speak the local language.

Now a whiz at making small talk with Greeks, so long as it’s about probiotic bacteria.

Ellie Taylor: Elliementary, Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 1 August – 22 August (not 11), noon. Free. Tel: 0131 667 7533

ALEX EDELMAN Who is he? Quick-witted New Yorker with slick, polished routines who mocks his Jewishness.

What’s the show about? Where he ranks among Millennials, and how this generation compares to those that came before.

WTF? Despite being raised Orthodox Jewish, he once got a Sony Walkman with a cast recording of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat for Christmas, making it the best holiday ever.

Alex Edelman: Millennial, Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July – 24 August, 8.15pm. From £6.

Tel: 0131 556 6550 www.edfestmag.com

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COMEDY ONES TO WATCH PIERRE NOVELLIE

ED GAMBLE Who is he? Best known as one half of idiot double-act Peacock and Gamble, the cheeky, affable stand-up is currently starring in BBC America’s British aristocracy spoof Almost Royal. Mildly posh. And diabetic.

What’s the show about?

His favourite routines about his efforts to change himself, including losing weight and becoming the sleeker performer he is today.

WTF? Really likes terrifying and upsetting heavy metal.

Ed Gamble: Gambletron 5000, Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July – 24 August, 9.45pm.

From £6. Tel: 0131 556 6550

ANGELA BARNES Who is she? A former BBC New Comedy Award winner and regular on Channel 4’s Stand Up For The Week who wryly reflects on her misfortunes and subverts conventional wisdom.

What’s the show about?

Being exasperated by life yet still getting by, realising that life’s too short to not say “fuck it” and get on with it.

WTF? Is ichthyophobic (afraid of fish). And only learned to swim this year.

Angela Barnes: You Can’t Take It With You, Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July – 24 August (not 11), 6pm. From £6.

Tel: 0131 556 6550

Who is he? South Africanborn, Isle of Man raised former member of the Cambridge Footlights, an astute social commentator with a caustic wit.

What’s the show about? Identity, preconceptions, his degree in Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic Studies and post-university unemployment.

WTF? Was the face of a line of baby products. When he was a baby, of course.

Pierre Novellie is Mighty Peter, Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July – 24 August (not 12), 9.15pm.

From £6. Tel: 0131 556 6550

CHARLIE O’CONNOR Who is he? With elements of Russell Brand, Noel Fielding, Eric Lampaert and even Quentin Crisp, O’Connor was born in the UK, but after four years in Los Angeles, he’s flourished as a droll dandy who’s more English than the English.

What’s the show about? Tales from California and its music scene, mixed up with sillier routines about bizarre sex pranks and timetravelling animals.

Charlie O’Connor - Dandyisms, Underbelly, Cowgate, 31 July – 24 August, 6.10pm. From £6.

Tel: 0844 545 8252

STEEN RASKAPOULOS Who is he? Charismatic Australian character act who likes to improvise with his audience.

What’s the show about?

An hour of sketches featuring “elaborate characters, physical comedy and unbiased awesomeness”.

TOM SHILLUE Who is he? A storytelling comic from New York, he’s supported Jim Gaffigan in the UK and was urged to play the Fringe by Daniel Kitson.

What’s the show about?

Growing up in New England in the 1970s and how it still affects him today, delivered as a multistrand, one-act narrative.

WTF? Is addicted to hot yoga and hoping to find a good centre in Edinburgh.

Tom Shillue: Impossible, The Assembly Rooms, 30 July – 24 August (not 31, 11), 9pm.

From £8. Tel: 0844 693 3008 WTF? Has bowled out English Test cricket captain Alistair Cook.

Steen Raskapoulos: I’m Wearing Two Suits Because I Mean Business, Underbelly, Bristo Square, 30 July – 25 August (not 12), 8.10pm.

From £6.50.

Tel: 0844 545 8252

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THEATRE SIDDHARTHA A U G U S T

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what you need

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Prisoners in an Italian jail have written a rock musical about the life of Buddha, and you can watch it at this year’s Fringe. As sentences go, that’s a pretty unusual one.

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MUSICAL WHICH BEGAN LIFE AS AN EDUCATION

project in one of Italy’s most notorious prisons will have its UK debut at the Fringe. Based on the life of the Buddha - and on Herman Hesse’s novel - the story follows Siddhartha from his early life as a prince to his rebellious youth and finally to enlightenment.

Siddhartha, The Musical was written by Italian pop star Isabeau together with a group of high security prisoners at the Opera Jail in Milan.US producer Simone Genatt says: “Isabeau - she goes by one name - was originally a rock star who went through her own difficult time with drugs and alcohol.

“After she went through rehab she wanted to give something back to the system. The director of the prison was really keen to set up artistic rehabilitation projects.”

Isabeau was invited to set up a music and theatre project at the Opera Jail, where there are 1,400 prisoners, 1,300 of whom are there for life. To begin with the prisoners were reluctant, but for some reason the former murderers, drug runners and Mafiosi found common ground with the feisty singer and the project went from strength to strength.

Isabeau has now worked at the Opera prison for seven years and has created four musicals, all of which have been performed at the jail, but there was something about the story of Siddhartha and the theme of liberating the mind which particularly resonated with the prisoners.

Genatt says: “It was the prisoners themselves who asked Isabeau to take this show outside the jail system and turn it into a production for the outside world.”

Bringing Siddhartha, the Musical outside the prison walls became a pet project for Gloria Grace Alanis, a Mexican model, close friend of Isabeau and a leading Buddhist who became the show’s producer. “Gloria has a really positive attitude. If you think you can do it, you can do it,” says Genatt.

Alanis and Isabeau assembled a 22-strong cast of professional performers. As well as performing all over Italy the original Italian cast has also performed in New York

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and Switzerland. Gannet says: “If you think about it, it’s a really international production.

It’s based on an Indian story, retold by a German novelist, performed by Italians and with Mexican and American producers.”

In Edinburgh the rock opera/musical will be performed with an English speaking narrator, who will be played by American actor Michael Nouri, who played Nick Hurley in Flashdance. The producers felt the score, which is a rock musical with a touch of Indian influence, worked best when sung in the original Italian.

“One of the reasons we got involved in this production was because we fell in love with the Italian cast - who all have extraordinary voices but are also very sexy and beautiful.”

Both creator Isabeau and Alanis will be in Edinburgh for the Fringe production - which the producers hope will eventually tour the world. “We are excited to come to Edinburgh and we felt very strongly that this is where we wanted to launch this piece internationally. It’s a place where everyone from all over the world gathers for art.”

Isabeau continues her work with prisoners at the Opera jail where at a recent audition she had 45 inmates competing for the same part. Inspired by the story of Siddhartha, the prison has also begun holding classes in meditation. The music and education programme she pioneered is now seen as such a success that it has inspired a change in government policy. Over the next year 28 theatre and music programmes, inspired by the one at the Opera Jail, will be established at other prisons around Italy.

It is just one of the reasons Genatt feels this is a special production. “A lot of the people in the world today are looking for answers and I think Siddhartha really provides a positive experience and message for our time.

“That message about transforming the mind resonates with everyone involved with the production.” 

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WHERE & WHEN Siddhartha: The Musical The Assembly Rooms, 31 July – 24 August (not 6, 13) From £11, Tel: 0844 693 3008

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OR THOSE OF US WHO BELIEVE CHILDREN get all the best theatre, Huff is a case in point. The brainchild of Shona Reppe and Andy Manley, it is a retelling like no other of the story of the three little pigs. Named Best Show for Children and Young People at this year’s Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland, it is an exquisitely realised installation that is experienced by three people at a time. Rather like the three little pigs themselves, the tiny audience ventures through a series of deserted rooms, rich in funny and off-kilter detail, in an attempt to piece together what happened on the day the Big Bad Wolf paid a visit.

You find yourself moving from nursery to kitchen to topsy-turvy bathroom, peering into drawers, checking out the fridge and wondering how the dining table was upturned before the meal was over. With its visual references to straw, sticks and bricks, it leaves you to figure out how the pigs have defended themselves against their huffing and puffing adversary. As well as being witty and inventive, it gives you a chill sense of what life in a house under siege must be like.

Having worked together on the international hit White, Manley and Reppe fell into conversation about the possibility of creating a theatrical installation for children.

Both of them tend to think visually (Reppe is a designer and puppeteer) and liked the idea of telling a story simply

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KIDS HUFF A U G U S T

BLOW YOUR HOUSE DOWN

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The team behind kids’ show White is turning the story of the Three Little Pigs into a detective story with an audience of just three people

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WORDS MARK FISHER PHOTOGRAPHS PAUL WATT

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by getting the audience to walk from room to room. perhaps a little lazy. The clues are there, but they left it “You’re being the actor and the audience at the same up to the audience to figure out their own interpretation. time,” says Reppe. “You’re responding to what we’ve put “Perhaps the brick pig spent so much time being safe and out there, but at the same time it’s your own experience.” secure that he wasn’t living,” she suggests. “Even if a child The stories we tell our children are often much doesn’t know exactly what something is, there’s a feel richer than we give them credit for. The three about it that they can respond to.” little pigs is no exception. “It’s a strange It was touch and go whether they would ‘Even if a child story,” says Reppe. “We read it to our be able to pull it off. They set themselves children, but it’s actually quite violent and the challenge of making it work without doesn’t know heavy with morality. There are so many actors, but had no idea whether the what something is, journey would be clear enough for the ways of reading it.”

As it’s a story about houses – the pigs, there’s a feel about audience. If it didn’t work, they knew you’ll remember, have to build everthey’d have to step in. “How to make it it that they can stronger homes for their own protection work was the biggest thing of all,” says respond to’ – Reppe and Manley thought it appropriate Reppe. “Making it look nice is one thing, to set it in a house. “In a real house, you having interesting concepts is another can’t flow from room to room, so we decided thing, but if the children don’t know what to build it ourselves,” she says. “It’s a bit like a ride to do or if different groups run into one in a funfair. In a house, you can hang strange things on another, then it’s a disaster. And we didn’t want you to things that are familiar, like a kitchen where you open the be so spoon-fed that there was nothing left to do. Luckily, drawer and it’s full of sticks. It’s something you think you people just got stuck in.”  know, but then it’s not what you were expecting at all.

WHERE & WHEN I like the play of that.”

Huff Between themselves, they imagined characters and Traverse, 1–24 August (not 4, 11, 18), 10.30am–7pm scenarios: the pig who used bricks was hard-working and £6, Tel: 0131 228 1404 industrious; the one who used straw was laidback and

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CITY GUIDE 21 PLACES TO GO

Beyond the Fringe There’s loads going on in Edinburgh for kids and grown-ups alike WORDS ELLEN LAIRD

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AIRPUDDLE

Kids and adults alike can bounce into a magical world at Airpuddle.

Hop along to Festival Square and leap into the future with this amazing interactive play zone.

Festival Square, July 28th - August 31st, www.airpuddle.com

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SKETCH WITH COMIC PHILL JUPITUS

Join roving sketchsmith Phill Jupitus at 10am at a different Edinburgh gallery each day. Come watch, join

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in, share your sketches .

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AUDITION FOR THE CAMERA

Learn what it takes to make the most of an on-camera audition.

Veteran casting director Roger Del Pozo will walk you through every step and give you insight gained from over 10 years working for some of New York’s busiest casting agencies.

Chamber Street, August 10-25 www.flamencoflow.com

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Fringe Central, August 15 & 17

STAND UP COMEDY FOR THE KIDS

Assembly Roxy 31 July - 24 August comedyclub4kids.co.uk

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Have a laugh with the kids at ComedyClub4Kids at the Fringe. It’s the perfect way to entertain the whole family and let the kids be as funny and creative as they want to be. There’s even a chance to put on a mini performance at the end of the workshop.

LEARN TO FLAMENCO

Let that southern Spanish energy flow when your child learns rhythms, steps and gives a short performance all to Andalucian Spanish folk music. Costumes and olés will be provided. This sell-out workshop aims to bring children together through music and dance.

National Galleries of Scotland, August 4-8, 11-15, 18-22

BABY LOVES DISCO

Go gaga on the dance floor at Electric Circus, as Dj’s mix retro pop floor fillers. Parents and children alike are invited to dance, sing at the karaoke booth, relax in the chill out rooms and have fun with the face painting and dress up sections.

Electric Circus, 2- 25th August www.babylovesdisco.co.uk

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CEILIDHKIDS

Learn traditional Scottish dancing at simple, child-friendly classes. Skip, clap and march your way to the Counting House or, depending on the weather, Gorgie City Farm for some Jigs with Pigs.

Laughing Horse , August 1-12, 14-19, 21-24. Gorgie City Farm - August 2, 8, 11, 23 , www.ceilidhkids.com EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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Scotland

WELCOMES the world to lunch

Saturday 6th September 2014, South Queensferry Enjoy a delicious taste of Scottish food and drink as we show the world how Scotland celebrates. The menu for this special lunch has been designed by Celebrity Chef Nick Nairn and will be served against the backdrop of the magnificent Forth Bridges. A range of entertainment will provide the perfect accompaniment to this with street drummers, choirs and a children’s fancy-dress show as well as entertainment from Forth One. This fantastic family outing will also feature The Clan, Scotland’s cycling display team who will showcase their daring stunts.

Tickets on sale now at www.forthbridgesfestival.com

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GET YOUR SKATES ON

Roll on over to the Meadowbank Sports centre on August 9th and witness a live, full contact roller derby extravaganza.

It’s the Twisted Thistles vs London Roller Girls Brawl Saints. Good things come to those who skate!

Meadowbank Sports Centre, August 9th www.arrg.co.uk

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MEDITATE WITH BUDDHISTS

Learn to meditate with simple techniques from the Buddhist tradition. Based on the principle of mindfulness, these techniques can help you enjoy more clarity and calm – things that are often sorely lacking as you run from one festival venue to another.

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FROM GARDEN TO PLATE

Head along to the Botanical Gardens and take part in a drop-in session at their Edible Gardens project. From sowing to harvesting, these sessions will have you growing your own feast from scratch in no time.

Perfect for beginners and kids, especially on a sunny day! www.rbge.org.uk

CELEBRATE HAGGIS

Hear the true haggis story, with giant ovens hotter than the Canaries. See the mythical wee beastie hunted and slain, Rabbie Burns evoked, the Haggis Makers’ Waltz and more.

Haggis, Haggis, Haggis Scottish Storytelling Centre Aug 4-11, 15-24 www.ideomstheatre.co.uk

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CREATE YOUR OWN COMIC

Bring your characters to life with the help of one of Edinburgh’s finest storytellers and the Creative Director of Graphic Scotland, Ariadne CassMaran. Ariadne will enlighten you as to the techniques required to create your very own comic strip.

Hendricks Carnival of Knowledge, August 7 www.hendricksgin.com

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JOIN THE SECRET SOCIETY OF SCOTTISH SCOUNDRELS

Investigate the shocking murder of Judge Mental in a murder mystery with a live cast, special effects and the essential creepy atmosphere.

The Edinburgh Dungeons August 8, 15, 22. thedungeons.com/edinburgh/en/

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WALK THROUGH EDINBURGH’S NEW TOWN AND ITS GARDENS

See beyond the railings of New Town’s private gardens and discover the grandeur of Georgian Edinburgh through buildings designed to impress.

Meet outside the Scott monument August 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25 www.greenyondertours.com

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VISIT THE GOLDEN EMPIRE AFTER HOURS

Explore the magnificent National Museum after hours across three exhilarating nights, each with handpicked performers, cabaret, music and access to the spectacular Ming: the Golden Empire exhibition.

National Museum of Scotland, August 8, 15, 22 www.nms.ac.uk

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FOLLOW THE POTTER TRAIL

Get on your broomstick and grab a wand before joining your robed guide at midday everyday. Go on a magical adventure around the streets of Edinburgh, where JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series began. The tour is free and there’s even live magic from Magus Negus.

Meet at the Greyfriars Bobby

28 July - 31, August pottertrail.com

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SAND ART WITH TIBETAN MONKS

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Quaker Meeting House august 20, 21 www.tashi-lhunpo.org.uk

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The Healthy Life Centre, 35-37 Bread Street EH3 9AL, August, 7-10, 14-17 edinburghbuddhist centre.org.uk

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Tibetan while you’re at it.

Tashi Lhunpo Tibetan monks offer you the chance to try your hand at the unique traditions of Buddhist monastic art. There will be sand mandala making, prayer flag printing and butter sculpting, and you can even learn to speak

JUMP ON A TRAM

Celebrate the end of the tram project and see the city as you’ve never seen it before with a trip to the airport. Take in the views as you glide past the Scott Monument and Edinburgh Castle on Princes Street, admire the iconic home of Scottish Rugby as you pass Murrayfield Rugby Stadium and cross over the Water of Leith.

St Andrews Square daily www.edinburghtrams.com

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DEEP SEA WORLD

You and the kids can have a picnic with the seals, touch the starfish and even watch the fish being fed at Deep Sea World.

If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, why not go for a swim with the sharks? Brave kids aged 8-15 can join in too. www.deepseaworld.com

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EDINBURGH ZOO

Visit The City’s Zoo and say hello to the only koala ever to be born in the UK, baby Yooranah, whose name means “loving” in the indigenous language of Australia.

He was born in May 2013 to mum Alinga and dad Goonaroo.

Edinburgh Zoo is home to a wide variety of rare and endangered animals, including the UK’s only giant pandas, plus their worldfamous penguin parade.

www.edinburghzoo.org.uk

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GOLF AT BRUNTSFIELD LINKS

Practice your swing and play the oldest short-hole golf course in the world. If you don’t have your own clubs, they can be hired from the Golf Tavern Pub right beside the Links. www.thegolftavern.co.uk

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A woman of character China’s last empress was a former concubine who rose to power and held on to it for almost 50 years. It’s no wonder that Wild Swans author Jung Chang became fascinated with her story WORDS FRANCES TRAYNOR

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POWERFUL WOMAN IN A SOCIETY RULED However, copies of much of the information on Mao’s rule by men, who instigated changes that improved can be found in Moscow where the two did the bulk of the lot of the peasantry in general, and women their research. in particular.

Fortunately for Jung, the Chinese authorities were A ruthless ruler who, on her deathbed, poisoned her heir much more accommodating when it came to archive items to ensure he did not gain power. on the Dowager Empress. And she was stunned by how Jung Chang has no problems accepting both faces of much contemporaneous information remained intact, Empress Cixi, the dowager empress of China who defied including correspondence, memos and notes in the convention in that most quixotic of cultures to become the Empress’s own hand. power behind the Qing dynasty for half a century.

Jung says: “It was a treasure trove, and it revealed such a The writer spent six years immersed in Cixi’s life, delving different picture of this woman who had been painted as an beneath the image of a figure cemented as brutal, cruel and ogre by the Maoists. She was actually a reformer, someone reactionary in the minds of the Chinese people following who saw that China had to open up relations with Western the Maoist revolution. What she uncovered, she believes, powers. I don’t deny that the evidence remains of how offers a more rounded and more accurate picture of a ruthless she was, but we must remember what kind of woman whose path to power was unconventional even by era she lived in – plots and intrigue were a part of the standards of the time. everyday life.

“When I was growing up,” says Jung, “Cixi was a figure “She had been a concubine who seized power and then to be derided. There were no positives to be taken from her somehow hung on to it for five decades. She was ruthless rule. She was stupid and evil in equal measure. This was because she had to be. She was on her deathbed when she how the Communists presented her to us and we had arranged for her heir, who was also her nephew, to be no reason to question their view.” poisoned. She feared that under his rule, China Jung became intrigued by the dowager would succumb to Japan’s influence and she ‘Empress empress when she began researching her saw that as a very dangerous way forward. first book, the multi-million-selling Wild So she had him killed and then she herself Cixi was on her Swans, which tells the story of three died only a few hours later. This was deathbed when Chinese woman – Jung herself, her an act borne of necessity as she mother and her grandmother. But it would she arranged for her understood it.” be another 15 years before she decided Jung’s fascination for her subject nephew and heir to remains that this most compelling of characters boundless even after six years be poisoned’ would be the subject of her next book. working on the book and almost a year “My grandmother’s feet were bound, travelling the globe promoting the tome. something which had given her lifelong pain,” She’s busy working on the Chinese she explains. translation of the book, a process that “When I started work on Wild Swans, I looked into feet will take her a further year. But she will gladly take a binding and how it had ended. I had always believed break from her work to return to the Edinburgh Book that the Communists were the ones who outlawed the Festival this August. practice and I was taken aback to discover it was “I do love Edinburgh at any time of the year, but it is actually Cixi. especially thrilling at festival time,” she says. “We have been “That piqued my interest, but I was too immersed many times and the thrill never palls. This time we have in Wild Swans at the time. Then my husband and made plans to see a friend’s one-woman show and to catch I began to work on our biography of Mao, and so up with other friends. But the highlight for me is always it was many years before I even had time to think the book festival, where people are so enthusiastic to meet about Cixi again.” writers and authors. It’s a joy to be there.”  Jung and her historian husband Jon Halliday had spent a decade painstakingly pouring through WHERE & WHEN Jung Chang archive material for Mao: The Unknown Story.

Charlotte Square, 10 August, 13.30 In China itself, those documents remain closed, From £8, Tel: 0845 373 5888 inaccessible to anyone outside of the ruling elite.

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BOOKS JUNG CHANG A U G U S T

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BOOKS DIANA GABALDON

vital spark

The

When Diana Gabaldon came to write the first novel in the wildly successful Outlander Saga, it was a chance sighting of a kilted man that provided the flash of inspiration WORDS CLAIRE SMITH

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A U G U S T

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T WAS THE GLIMPSE OF A SCOTSMAN in a kilt in an episode of Doctor Who that set Diana Gabaldon on course to becoming a bestselling author.

At the time she was a biologist, working as a research professor at the University of Arizona, but she had always wanted to write novels. She plunged herself into Scottish history, and in particular the Jacobite era, and went on to create a time-travelling saga that has sold millions.

“I happened to see a very early episode of Doctor Who, in which he picked up a young Scottish man from 1745. So I thought, why not?

“My hero is tall, with red hair, like my husband the kind of man I’m attracted to.”

Gabaldon’s vision of a kilted hero became her character James Fraser – who has appeared in all eight of the Outlander series of books.

Meanwhile, the heroine of the saga is from a different era. Gabaldon says: “She turned up after about three days of working on the book and wouldn’t shut up. She’s English, her name is Claire Beauchamp and she comes from the period just after World War Two, when she was working as a combat nurse.

“She walks through a circle of standing stones and finds herself transported to 1743. The first person she meets is a sadistic bisexual aristocrat who is the great grandfather of her husband.”

After two years she was able to give up her job at the university and become a full-time writer.

She says her background in research is a great asset - but the writing itself is her passion. “I can never understand people who say they can’t start their novel because they haven’t finished the research. The research is never-ending.”

The latest installment of the saga, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, is set in 1778 and covers the American War of Independence, as well as having: “one foot in Scotland”.

Part of the novel is also set in the 1980s, when Claire Beauchamp’s family has run into hard times. Gabaldon says some aspects of the new book may surprise her readers. “I don’t like to do things I have done before, so even though I am dealing with the same characters, each book is unique in terms of voice, structure and thematic approachº.

“With each book I have introduced a new voice - so this one has eight narrators. My agent said it was the literary equivalent of juggling chainsaws.”

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Gabaldon, who had never even visited Scotland when she began writing and researching, said she feels curiously at home in the country, and in the eighteenth century in particular. “It was a time of great excitement: with the Scottish Enlightenment, there was a lot of change going on.”

Today you can go on Outlander-themed tours of the Highlands - and Gabaldon hopes she has played a part in a revival of interest in Gaelic culture. The author has also written a graphic novel based on the first of the Outlander series, and her stories will soon reach a new audience thanks to a television dramatisation currently being filmed.

Gabaldon herself is looking forward to her third visit to the Edinburgh International Book Festival and plans a research and relaxation visit to the Highlands.

“I have always felt very at home there. The Scots are very welcoming to me and to my books and I have yet to find a Scottish person who says: ‘You have got it all wrong.’ Very often they have said to me: ‘You have got us down.’”  WHERE & WHEN Diana Galbaldon Charlotte Square, 18 Aug, 15.00 From £8, Tel: 0131 718 5666

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Human traffic G

ROWING UP WHITE IN SOUTH AFRICA under apartheid, Brett Bailey didn’t know a single black person other than domestic servants. This uncomfortable truth informs everything he does as artistic director of performance company Third World Bunfight.

“My work is very much about the relationship between Europe and Africa and the colonial and post-colonial landscape of Africa,” says Bailey, smoking a cigarette in the sunshine outside the Edinburgh hotel where he is staying while he casts Exhibit B, the piece he is bringing to the Edinburgh International Festival.

It’s hard to believe, but just 100 years ago, human beings from Africa, Asia and other distant lands were routinely shipped to Europe, America and Japan to be displayed in cages or fenced-off tribal villages for the entertainment

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of gawping crowds. These ‘human zoos’ were a hugely popular form of mass entertainment right up until the 1930s, playing to audiences as far afield as London, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo, and New York.

Bailey aims to put the spotlight on this forgotten episode in our collective colonial history with Exhibit B. Hailed by critics as both “terrible and magnificent,” Exhibit B has also been described as “one of the most uncomfortable pieces of art or theatre you may ever be exposed to.”

It presents twelve exquisitely detailed tableaux vivants, each featuring motionless, nearly naked black performers placed in settings inspired by real people and events, both historical and contemporary. Audience members are invited to wander through the performance/exhibit one at a time. The performers, trapped in their ‘cases’, stare back, turning the gaze on the audience or, as Bailey sees it, on the descendants of the white oppressors.

“I’m making highly aestheticised objects of beauty. I want to make these installations look so beautiful that you want to look at them but, at the same time, the true story behind the ‘pictures’ is so shocking, upsetting, horrific,” says Bailey.

In one piece a woman sits with a cooking pot at her feet, holding a skull in one hand and a shard of glass in the other. A plaque describes how in the early 1900s Namibian women were forced to boil and scrape clean the skulls of their menfolk, who’d been killed by their white German colonisers, so that the skulls could be sent to European museums for scientific examination. In another a woman sits on the edge of a bed in chains. Scattered around her is an army officer’s uniform. www.edfestmag.com

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ART EXHIBIT B A U G U S T

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The tragedies of slavery and colonialism are given sharp focus in Exhibit B, a devastating performance art exhibition by Brett Bailey

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WORDS CLAIRE PRENTICE

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The only sounds are the hauntingly beautiful harmonies of a Namibian choir singing traditional lamentation songs.

Bailey often sits in the wings, observing the audience’s reactions. “I’ve seen every human emotion -- shock, anger, people getting down on their knees and praying and once something verging on mass hysteria,” he says.

By including the story of an asylum seeker who suffocated on a deportation flight departing from London, Bailey wants to make audiences think about contemporary attitudes to immigrants, asylum seekers and people whose skin is a different colour to their own.

“This is not just about history. Atrocities committed in the past don’t exist in a vacuum. It’s about today. Look at the rise of right wing political parties in Europe,” he says.

The piece has toured Europe, where it attracted public and critical acclaim, along with bitter remonstrations.

In Berlin it provoked an outcry and Bailey, as a white director, was criticised for “following a colonial racist tradition.”

“I certainly fit in to the trajectory of a white director bringing black performers to Europe for the entertainment of white audiences. But what would the difference be if I were a black director?”

He concludes: “People complain that I’m trying to make them feel guilty. I’m not. But history makes us feel bad.” 

Bailey’s pieces aim to turn an accusatory eye back on the audience

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WHERE & WHEN Exhibit B Playfair Library Hall, 9-25 August (not 14, 21), times vary From £7, Tel: 0131 473 2000 www.edfestmag.com

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Earning his stripes Colour is everywhere in a Jim Lambie artwork, whether as lines on the floor or in reflections of rooms full of ladders WORDS MARK FISHER

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OU WILL KNOW HIM BY THE STRIPY tape. Jim Lambie is a modern-day Pop Artist, whose signature work involves covering the gallery floor with brightly coloured vinyl strips. Called Zobop, it makes an immediate impact: trippy and mesmerising.

It also has a deeper resonance: Lambie’s parallel lines and concentric circles define the space, draw attention to the architecture and make you look twice.

It’s one of two central planks of a solo exhibition at the Fruitmarket that looks back at the work of the Turner-nominated Glasgow artist since the late 1990s. Its complementary piece is a new version of Shaved Ice, a forest of 32 floor-to-ceiling ladders painted in bright gloss colours with mirrors placed between the rungs. Filling the ground-floor gallery, this beguiling work lures you in with its rhythmical patterns, then disorientates you with its reflective surfaces.

“We wanted to show it with Zobop because it does a lot of the things that Zobop does across the years of Jim’s practice,” says gallery director Fiona Bradley. “It’s brightly coloured, it’s made for the room it’s in, it reflects the room back on itself and it completely disorientates the viewer.

You think you know what you’re looking at and you totally don’t. You think you’re looking through the ladders but it’s bouncing the room back at you.”

Characteristic of Lambie’s art is his use of ordinary household materials. In a Lambie exhibition, you’re likely to spot tinfoil, coat hangers, safety pins and plastic bags. Also on show in this retrospective exhibition is the ghoulish mask of The Kid with the Replaceable Head (a title taken from a song by Richard Hell and the Voidoids), the minimalist video of Ultra-Low and the vandalised record sleeves of Stakka.

“With his most recent work, he’s making paintings out of potato sacks,” says Bradley. “They’re set up like paintings, they’re on canvas, but they’re made of potato sacks. It’s very Jim Lambie: using materials that are to hand. He talks about wanting his paintings not to be windows into another world, but rather these paintings should rush back into the room at you and they should reverberate with your own experience. And when he uses the word ‘reverberate’, it’s very deliberately to do with music.”

Lambie’s work has the immediacy of a pop song – and a similarly lingering catchiness. It is bright, brash and slyly subversive. No surprise, then, that music is important to him. Before training at Glasgow School of Art, he played in the Boy Hairdressers, a forerunner of Teenage Fanclub, and he still DJs today. “I was a terrible musician so that’s why I make art, I suppose,” he said in an interview for the Tate Gallery. “Music makes hard edges disappear and what you’ve got with Zobop is a massive collection of edges melting and merging to make one whole.”

It’s a philosophy that chimes with Bradley: “Jim talks very beautifully about what turning on music does to a room, and how he wants to recapture that feeling of changing the mood of a room or changing how you experience ‘I was a it. Both Shaved Ice and Zobop very much terrible musician do that.”

Important too is poetry. In 2012, so that’s why I make he built his own performance spaceart, I suppose’ cum-artwork in Glasgow’s SWG3 called the Poetry Club, especially designed for intimate spoken-word events, unplugged music and exhibitions. Published to coincide with the Fruitmarket show is The Poetry Club, an anthology of work by the people who, according to Lambie, “give us our dreams”, among them Richard Hell and Liz Lochhead. “He made the Poetry Club because he figured he didn’t know enough about poetry and wanted to find out more,” says Bradley.

“It’s a questioning impulse. The book has transcripts of the poetry with a selection of images of Jim’s work and pictures of the Poetry Club. It wraps it up as a work of Jim’s while also being a really great book of poetry.”  WHERE & WHEN Jim Lambie The Fruitmarket Gallery, until 19 October Free, Tel: 0131 225 2383

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ART JIM LAMBIE A U G U S T

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PHOTOGRAPHY INOUE YOSHIKAZU

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Lambie’s work often reflects or reverbarates in some way, throwing the ball back into the viewer’s court www.edfestmag.com

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Foodies Festival with top chefs

Edinburgh Inverleith Park 8, 9, 10 August

MasterChef Professional

ADAM HANDLING COOKING LIVE

See Michelin star chefs cooking live Dine at leading pop up restaurants Wine, champagne & cocktail classes BBQ arena with chilli competition Chocolate, Cake, Bake & Preserves Theatre Vintage Tea Tent Kid’s Cook class Street Food Avenue Real Ale & Cider Farm Enjoy a good day out with friends

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MUSIC GLEN MATLOCK A U G U S T

Accidental birth of an anarchist

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Hanging around Malcolm McLaren’s shop as a teenager, Glen Matlock suddenly found himself the bassist in the worlds’ most iconic punk band – The Sex Pistols

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WORDS CLAIRE SMITH 12

PHOTOGRAPHY ROGER GOODGROVES

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F YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I’m going to do, perhaps the headline should be ‘working on it’.”

Like many solo artists bound for the Fringe, Glen Matlock hasn’t quite nailed down the particulars of his show. However, its title, lifted from his 1990 autobiography, I Was A Teenage Sex Pistol, does provide a clue.

For two years, from the age of 18, Matlock played bass with punk iconoclasts The Sex Pistols, who lit the touchpaper on a

Matlock on stage with The Sex Pistols Image: Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands www.edfestmag.com

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The truth is more prosaic. Matlock left the musical revolution, then lurched from one band because “me and John [frontman controversy to the next.

Johnny Rotten] were chalk and cheese and It’s all great fodder for Matlock’s debut we were arguing all the time.”

Fringe show, which, despite his vagueness Following his departure from the Pistols, on content, will blend songs and personal anecdotes from the punk era, recounted in his Matlock formed The Rich Kids with Midge Ure and was unwittingly attached candid style. Along the way, he will regale the to another, less explosive scene, the New audience with recollections of the characters Romantics. Unsure of the label, he walked he met on the steep rise and swift fall of away from that one too, going on arguably the most influential British to play with his heroes Iggy group of all time.

Pop (“I was shocked at how Despite writing many ‘We wanted to he was”) and of their songs, Matlock shake things up and professional The Faces (“the only band has been sidelined from that’s what we did. at the time that had any the Pistols legend by his replacement, the late Sid We meant everything kind of spirit”).

There have also been Vicious. Matlock wants to that we said but we a number of Sex Pistols set the record straight.

“We wanted to shake also had a laugh’ reunions over the years, from 1996’s Filthy Lucre things up - a lot,” he says. tour onwards. “We’ve got “And that’s what we did. We something in common that meant everything that we said but only four people in the world have: when we we also had a laugh. We were just a bunch get in a room and start playing, we’re The of reprobates who somehow got drawn to Sex Pistols.”  Malcolm McLaren’s weird shop down the Kings Road, because it was the hippest place WHERE & WHEN to be on a Saturday afternoon.”

I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol McLaren became the band’s manager Assembly George Square, 31 July - 6 and was quite the fabulist. One of the most August, 19.30 enduring myths about the Pistols is that From £9, Tel: 0131 623 3030 Matlock was sacked for liking The Beatles.

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First impressions

The often-overlooked genre of American Impressionism is given a fresh perspective in a major new exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art WORDS MARK FISHER

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F FRANCES FOWLE WENT ON Mastermind, her specialist subject would be the French art of the 19th century. She is the Scottish National Gallery’s senior curator of French art, as well as being a reader in history of art at the University of Edinburgh. But despite her erudition, there’s always more to learn, which is why she has found working on the new exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art such an eye-opener.

There should be nothing she doesn’t know about Impressionism, but thanks to American Impressionism: A New Vision, she’s been able to open a whole new chapter.

“I’ve worked a lot on the Franco-British connections, so Whistler and Sargent are well known to me, so it feels like I’m expanding that area,” she says. “And there are these amazing overlaps.”

When we think of the Impressionists, we recall a list of familiar artists such as Monet, Cezanne, Degas and Renoir. But they weren’t the only kids on the block.

In the late 1900s, word got out that this radical new generation was on to something and a mini-school of American artists took note.

“The French are very resistant to the idea of there being any kind of Impressionism but French,” says Fowle, but

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this exhibition, a collaboration between the Terra Foundation for American Art and the Musée des impressionnismes Giverny, proves otherwise.

Some of the artists, such as Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent and James McNeill Whistler, lived in Paris and befriended their counterparts including Degas, Morisot and Monet. Others trained in France and followed in Monet’s footsteps to the artists’ colony in Giverny.

Sure to attract particular attention is a gorgeous series of haystack paintings by John Leslie Breck, reflecting the weather conditions over a single autumn day and making a fascinating counterpoint to the haystack paintings of Monet.

The influence spread to other artists who absorbed the movement’s techniques and gave them more of an American flavour. Back home, however, the critics were suspicious of this new European wave. They accused the new generation of being too French. “Do not attempt to paint America through French spectacles,” warned one.

This exhibition covers the two formative decades from 1880 and includes work by thirteen American artists. To help us get our bearings, there will be a couple of examples of French Impressionist painting, such as Monet’s Haystacks: Snow Effect,

but for the most part, it will be refreshingly unfamiliar. “They’re the equivalent of the Glasgow Boys, in terms of the date,” says Fowle. “That’s a good reference point to think about, because the American artists were going to the same studios at the same www.edfestmag.com

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ART AMERICAN IMPRESSIONISM A U G U S T

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artists who came to Europe, in particular Cassatt, who exhibited alongside the Impressionists and was considered as a bona fide Impressionist in her own right.

The second section looks at artists who brought the ideas back home, such as Sargent, who is best known as a portrait painter and sometimes overlooked as a landscape artist.

Fowle says that the Americans were sometimes more conservative than their French colleagues, but they were redefining American art of the period.

“The subjects they address are similar to Impressionist subjects, but they are, for example, of a Brooklyn park or the green spaces and boulevards that were being created as the cities were built for the rising middle-class population.

Art historians have revisited French Impressionism and given it this political underpinning and no one’s really done it for the Americans yet, but it is possible.

Their work doesn’t seem as radical to us, but in the American context it was.”  Clockwise from top left: Summertime, 1894, Mary Cassatt; Eleanor, 1901, Frank W. Benson; Horticultural Building..., Frederick Childe Hassam; In the Orchard, 1891, Edmund Charles Tarbell; In the Park, William Merritt Chase; Woman Sitting..., Mary Cassatt; Blossoms at Giverny, Theodore Robinson www.edfestmag.com

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time as the Glasgow Boys. The British and the Americans tended to stick together, so they probably would have known each other better than the French.”

She’s dividing the exhibition into two sections. The first looks at the American

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WHERE & WHEN American Impressionism: A New Vision Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 19 July–19 October £8, Tel: 0131 624 6200 EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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Longing for home The Book Festival has teamed up with site-specific theatre company Grid Iron to give voice to four letters by authors including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie WORDS MARK FISHER

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AKE TWO FORMIDABLE EDINBURGH a series of letters that would illustrate the conflicting institutions. On the one hand, you have the loyalties of displaced people. Letters of Cain and Eve by Christos Tsiolkas takes us back to the start of time and the Edinburgh International Book Festival; on the other, original biblical expulsion; England in Pink by Kei Miller Grid Iron. One is an enterprising organisation not known involves two people trying to piece together the story of an for staging theatre; the other is an equally enterprising immigrant who has gone AWOL; Details by Chimamanda company not known for staging theatre in the way other Ngozi Adichie is about two women who have illicitly fallen companies do. It makes them the ideal soul mates for Letters Home, a four-part promenade production in love; and War Letters by Kamila Shamsie is about written by novelists and performed in locations Muslim soldiers fighting for the British Indian all around Charlotte Square. army in the First World War. “We wanted something that would “The Commonwealth theme suggests ‘The letters are reflect what’s going on this year: the the notion of being away and being here,” reflecting something says Harris. “Letters introduce the sense Commonwealth Games, the anniversary of about the nature of of who you’re writing to and what you the First World War and the referendum,” says Zinnie Harris, who is co-ordinating home and what you are sending home. They’re all reflecting the project and making sure the audience something about the nature of home and long for when you of 80, which will split up into four smaller what you long for when you are removed are away from it’ from it. groups, will enjoy a coherent theatrical journey before being brought back at the end “It’s very brave of the writers to be for a communal celebration. so open as to hand the letters over In the year of the Scottish referendum, many completely,” says Harris. “But the Book questions are being asked about the nature of national Festival is a festival of literature, not theatre, and, because identity. Similar questions are being asked in Letters Home, we’ve chosen four directors who bring different textures, it but with a twist. The four novelists come from countries all allows it to be about the letters” over the Commonwealth and write about their relationship For Kamila Shamsie, who recently acquired her British with “home” from a global perspective. citizenship, the commission was a great opportunity not There is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie from Nigeria, Kei only to further her love of theatre but also to make use Miller from Trinidad via Glasgow, Kamila Shamsie from of discarded research material from her latest novel, A God in Every Stone. This concerned the First World Pakistan via London, and Christos Tsiolkas from Greece via War soldiers who mutinied on religious grounds. “They Australia. “It’s relevant for us to ask what identity, removal were quite happy to fight on the western front, but when from the motherland and post-colonial feelings mean for they went into Iraq, they simply didn’t want to fight other people,” says Harris. fellow Muslims in the holiest places of Islam,” says the Their brief was not to write a conventional script, but author. “There are definitely resonances in the contemporary world about what your national and religious identity is, which is stronger and who you are fighting for.”

In this anniversary year, Shamsie is a relatively lone voice in drawing attention to the Indian troops who fought in what is usually seen as a European conflict. “There were at least 500,000 men from India going off to fight this war far away from home for their colonisers,” she says. “It’s not just that it’s a story that isn’t particularly talked about in the UK, it isn’t told in India or Pakistan either. There are silences on both sides.” 

Festival Director Zinnie Harris, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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WHERE & WHEN Letters Home Charlotte Square, 9–25 August (not 12, 19), 6.15pm, From £12, 0845 373 5888

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Gods and monsters What would happen if Hindu god Ganesh confronted Hitler about the swastika? One pioneering Australian theatre company wants to find out WORDS FRANCIS MCLACHLAN

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ONG BEFORE THE SWASTIKA WAS ADOPTED as the emblem of the Nazi party, its distinctive intersecting lines were regarded as sacred. The symbol has been used for centuries by Indian and Far Eastern religions, notably Hinduism. A sign that had been designed to mean “wellbeing” and to express oneness with the universe became associated with the horror of antiSemitism and the evil philosophy of racial superiority.

The change in meaning is more than ironic. But what would have happened, wondered Australia’s Back to Back Theatre, if Ganesh, the elephant-headed Hindu deity, had been able to travel from India to Germany to confront Adolf Hitler about his disrespectful appropriation?

Although the story was ripe with promise, it was one the company was initially reluctant to tell.

“It seemed so fraught with cultural appropriation,” says director Bruce Gladwin, who wondered what right an Australian company had to talk about either the Hindu religion or the Holocaust. “We sat on it for about two-and-ahalf years and then, for me, all the reasons why we shouldn’t make the show became the reasons why we should.”

What gives Ganesh Versus the Third Reich its special power is the nature of the company. Back to Back was

founded in 1987 in Geelong, 50 miles from Melbourne, with a view to creating theatre with: “people who are perceived to have a disability”. The wording is deliberate.

And, of course, in a play about the Nazis, the spectre of Dr Josef Mengele can never be far away. The SS officer would have considered the actors of Back to Back as the perfect subjects for experimentation.

“We had started touring to Germany and Austria and spent quite a bit of time in Linz,” says Gladwin. “There is an institution outside of Linz which, prior to World War Two, was one of the best places for the care of people with intellectual disabilities. It was turned into one of the first gas chambers, and all the people with disabilities were murdered. At that point, I thought, if a company like Back to Back can’t make a show that’s dealing with that atrocity, then I’m not sure who can.”

In this way, Ganesh Versus the Third Reich asks provocative questions about the nature of power and the right to tell stories. A show that starts off light and entertaining takes a darker turn as the company members start being abused by their onstage director, played by British actor David Woods (also appearing at Summerhall in The Eradication of Schizophrenia in Western Lapland). It’s a tension that exists in real life and one that is mirrored on stage.

“I don’t have any hesitation to push the actors,” says Gladwin. “They’re incredibly robust. To maintain their respect I have to treat them as professionals, and part of that is to challenge them.

“There’s a point in the play where the director becomes physically abusive to one of the actors. I’m constantly confronted by points where I have to ask myself if I’m being abusive and pushing people too hard. But the actors push me as a director all the time too. I’m constantly being challenged.”  WHERE & WHEN Ganesh Versus the Third Reich Royal Lyceum Theatre, 9–12 August, 7.30pm (10 August, 2.30pm) From £10, Tel: 0131 473 2000

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MUSIC OTIS TAYLOR J U L Y

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TIS TAYLOR IS THE SORT OF musician that people might know without realising it. Although the Chicago-born, Colorado-raised blues singerguitarist says he couldn’t write a commercial song to save his life, he’s written one song, Ten Million Slaves, that changed his own life when it was chosen for the huge-selling soundtrack of the Johnny Depp movie Public Enemies in 2009.

The wonder is that it took Hollywood so long to come to Taylor for soundtrack assistance (his Nasty Letter also appeared in Public Enemies) because he’s been creating blues with a film-like atmosphere since his re-emergence in the mid-1990s.

Trance blues is one apt description of the singular style that Taylor, who holds a composition fellowship from the Sundance Film Institute, developed.

“When we play live, I don’t tell the band what song I’m going to play. I don’t even tell them what key we’re in. That way they can react to the song honestly and spontaneously and we get a more dramatic atmosphere.”

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‘I’ve made thirteen albums and my wife still says that I don’t write songs, I just tell stories’

Taylor began playing banjo as a youngster hanging out at the Denver Folk Center in the early 1960s. He remembers blues legends Mississippi Fred McDowell and Rev Gary Davis passing through town but finds an amusing irony in the people who actually taught him blues being white.

“I listened to a lot of Appalachian folk songs as well as blues,” he says, “and that’s probably where I got the darkness in my own music. But although my songs talk about slavery and lynchings, I’m not dark onstage. We get a good groove going.”

His family background also provided him with material – his great grandfather was lynched and his uncle was shot dead, prompting the family’s move from Chicago – and for a while in the late 1960s to early 1970s Taylor almost became part of the British blues boom. He was signed

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to Blue Horizon Records and touted around London but nothing came of the association.

Returning to Colorado he started a successful antiques business and kept his music private, until bass guitarist Kenny Passarelli, who has worked with Joe Walsh, Elton John and Hall & Oates, coaxed him out of retirement. Their first gig together, in a small club in Boulder, became the stuff of legend, and Taylor was persuaded back into music.

“I’ve made thirteen albums and my wife still says that I don’t write songs, I just tell stories,” he says. “But for me music is like painting. People can go and look at a Rembrandt and take whatever meaning they want from it, and that’s the kind of experience I want them to have with my music.”  WHERE & WHEN Otis Taylor Queen’s Hall, 21st July, 20.00, From £17.50, Tel: 0131 473 2000

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08/07/2014 02:42

FOOD FOODIES FESTIVAL

Food, glorious Foodies J

OIN FOODIES FESTIVAL AT EDINBURGH’S Inverleith Park, 8th-10th August, for a three-day celebration of Scotland’s finest produce and culinary talents.

Appearing at the festival this year is MasterChef: The Professionals 2013 finalist Adam Handling, who will be cooking his signature chocolate orange dessert for the audience to sample and recreate at home for family and friends.

Joining Adam in the Chefs’ Theatre are fellow MasterChef finalist Scott Davies and Celebrity MasterChef favourite Russell Grant, as well as Great British Menu star Jacqueline O’Donnell and Three Sisters Bake’s Gillan,

TOP 5 AT FOODIES FESTIVAL Chilli Eating Competition Test your will and your tastebuds each day at 5pm, when brave souls can pit themselves against the world record - can you stomach more than 13 varieties?

Russell Grant The Celebrity MasterChef favourite cooks up a storm in the Chefs’ Theatre

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Street Food Avenue An international array of delicious hot and cold foods Ibiza Chill Out Bar Escape to the White Isle at the Riot Bar with exotic cocktails and eclectic DJs Cocktail Competition Sample cocktails and vote for Edinburgh’s best creation from our mixologists

Nichola and Linsey. Also cooking their favourite summer dishes are Edinburgh’s culinary maestros Mark Greenaway of Bistro Moderne, TV chef Tony Singh, Jeff Bland of number one at The Balmoral, Neil Forbes of Café St Honore, and The Pomadour head chef Craig Sandle.

Festivalgoers can also enjoy a beer, wine or cocktail drinks masterclass with experts Melissa Cole, Charles Metcalfe and Neil Phillips in the Drinks Theatre, and vote for Edinburgh’s best cocktail after sampling from competing mixologists. Baking fans are invited to roll-up their sleeves and get kneading with the pros in the Chocolate, Cake & Bake Theatre, where you will learn from the best, or for those who prefer al fresco dining, visit the outdoor BBQ Arena and perfect your meat cooking skills, take part in a meat eating competition and learn how to build your own barbecue.

This year the extended Producers’ Market will be a foodie’s paradise, offering you the chance to discover new flavours. Artisan producers from Scotland and further afield will be in attendance, as well as premium brands such as Pinksters Raspberry Gin and Lavazza Coffee.

Hungry? Head to the Street Food Avenue and enjoy a huge selection of award winning hot and cold food from around the world including hog roasts, Vietnamese buns, exotic meats, tapas, churros, burritos, Moroccan tagines, South American prime beef, Jamaican and Thai street food. The new Feasting Tent offers a place to enjoy this tantalising array of foods at long tables in the company of www.edfestmag.com

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Foodies Festival is coming home, returning to Inverleith Park on August 8, 9, 10 - don’t miss out!

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chefs and fellow foodies, or take a seat at one of the local Pop-Up Restaurants, serving dishes starting from £5.

A new Chilli Market spices things up, with a range of chilli-growers and artisan producers of sauces, sweets and jams. For the adventurous, a Chilli Eating Challenge takes place at 5pm daily, where those brave enough are invited to try and break the current record of 13 varieties of chillies eaten in one sitting. This event attracts a huge crowd, who cheer on their friends and family to lift the chilli-eating crown.

Relaxation comes in the form of champagne tents and pop-up bars such as the Ibiza Chill Out Bar, where guests can travel to the White Isle and lounge on giant beanbags, hanging chairs and hammocks, and enjoy exotic cocktails and live DJs throughout. You might also want to claim a spot amongst the crowds with a picnic rug, while you enjoy a Pimms and soak up the sun and atmosphere, with live music from the Entertainment Stage until 8pm.

Edinburgh Festivals magazine readers can buy 2-for-1 day tickets by quoting Foodies241 at www.foodiesfestival.com or call 0844 995 1111. 

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Edinburgh’s largest selection of wines, fine spirits and craft beers with our knowledgeable, friendly staff on hand to help.

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HIGH-END RESTAURANTS www.edfestmag.com From Michelin star extravagance to simply delicious dinners, sample the best

seasonal, local produce with a touch of the Med is the house style. Think roasted tail of North Sea monkfish wrapped in Ayrshire ham and served on a salt cod brandade with crisp potato and black olive. The three-course lunch is £28.50. One of Edinburgh’s top restaurants.

WORDS JONATHAN TREW

21212 3 Royal Terrace Tel: 0845 222 1212 www.21212restaurant.co.uk Near Five minutes from the Playhouse Having opened in May 2009, Paul Kitching’s opulent restaurant was awarded a Michelin star the following January. The contemporary dining room and open kitchen are housed in an elegant Georgian townhouse but the food is cutting-edge modern.

Expect the unexpected from the daily changing menu, with many of the dishes featuring head-spinning numbers of ingredients all carefully balanced. A typical menu could include a starter of “Johnsons” cauliflower cheese – gruyere cheese risotto with black pudding, apple, walnuts and sultanas, roasted onion and Branston pickle; followed by a fish dish – spring halibut, smoked haddock, barley pudding, pears, exotic leaves, pimento and sauce soubise.

It’s a bold, sometimes baffling and unique experience, though Kitching claims to have calmed his more extravagant tendencies.

AMBER RESTAURANT Scotch Whisky Experience 354 Castlehill Tel: 0131 477 8477 www.amberrestaurant.co.uk Near Two minutes from the Tattoo With 300 malts, this restaurant café at the top of the Royal Mile will put a smile on the face of any whisky fan. During the day, the café menu includes dishes such as Scottish smoked salmon served with homemade soda bread and lamb stovies. In the

CUCINA AT G & V ROYAL MILE HOTEL 1 George IV Bridge Tel: 0131 240 1666 www.quorvuscollection.com Near Two minutes from Underbelly The first-floor restaurant in this Royal Mile hotel is a buzzy space majoring in a modern take on classic Italian cooking. Wellsourced, seasonal ingredients treated simply are the main focus of the regular menu from head chef Mattia Camorani, a protégé of Giorgio Locatelli. Think pork fillet, saffron gremolata and basil crust or guinea fowl stuffed with mushrooms and cabbage with roasted vegetables. The desserts, especially the poached pear, honey ice cream and amaretto jelly, are more experimental.

evening, the candles come out and the operation kicks up a couple of gears, with options such as pressed terrine of wild mountain hare with sourdough toasts and homemade piccalilli. Whisky heads can ask the sommelier to match malts to each course of their meal.

If you want to push the boat out, try private dining in the vault, housing the Diageo Claive Didiz Scotch Whisky Collection.

BLACKWOOD’S BAR AND GRILL 10 Gloucester Place Tel: 0131 225 2720 www.niracaledonia.com Near Ten minutes to Book Festival Impeccably sourced Scottish ingredients, much of it cooked Clockwise from top: 21212, Cucina at G & V Royal Mile Hotel, Blackwoods at Nira Caledonia.

Left: Castle Terrace

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in a charcoal-fired Josper grill, are at the heart of this restaurant.

Blackwood’s is part of the Nira Caledonia hotel and the dining room is as elegant as the Georgian townhouse it sits in. Grass-fed Highland cattle provide the dryaged steaks. Given a light, smoky tang from the Josper served with a shallot and port wine jus, it’s hard to see past the sirloin steak, but there’s a good case to be made for starters such as venison carpaccio with juniper and balsamic vinaigrette, shaved parmesan and pea shoots.

CASTLE TERRACE 33-35 Castle Terrace Edinburgh Tel: 0131 229 1222 www.castleterracerestaurant.com Near Five minutes from Traverse Tom Kitchin, the Michelin hotshot chef and owner of The Kitchin, opened this new venture in 2010 and it was given its own star by the Michelin Guide in October 2011.

Kitchin’s old friend and colleague Dominic Jack, who had had a similarly stellar career to Kitchin, is the main man in the kitchen. They have also won both Restaurant of the Year and Most Innovative Restaurant at the 2012 Scottish Restaurant Awards. Sourced,

THE FORTH FLOOR at Harvey Nichols 30-34 St Andrew Square Tel: 0131 524 8350 www.harveynichols.com Near Five minutes to The Stand With views across the city skyline, very professional staff and a good wine list, Harvey Nicks has a lot going for it. In the recently revamped restaurant (ask for a booth), head chef Stuart Muir rustles up main courses such as seared, line-caught yellow fin tuna, mirin, sesame seeds, baked cipollini onion, blood orange pureé and wasabi cream cheese.

The brasserie menu is simpler and correspondingly cheaper. Typical dishes might be the roast salted pollock with chickpea and chorizo ragu. On a sunny afternoon, if you can get a seat, the balcony is a great place for a steak frites or a seafood platter. They are pretty nifty with a cocktail shaker as well.

THE HONOURS 58a North Castle Street Tel: 0131220 2513 www.thehonours.co.uk Near Five minutes to Book Festival Having kick-started Edinburgh’s Michelin star rush with his eponymous fine dining EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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HIGH-END RESTAURANTS www.edfestmag.com restaurant in Leith, Martin Wishart’s city centre venture is his take on a classic Parisian brasserie.

It certainly looks like a grand old European institution – all high ceilings, mirrors and marble effect floors. The menus consist mainly of polished brasserie classics.

Think sautéed fillet of John Dory with mussels, leeks, curry and Sauternes sauce or hand-rolled tagliatelle with truffle purée and sautéed sea scallops. Paul Tamburrini, an old compadre of Wishart’s, heads up the kitchen.

The set lunch and pre-theatre menus are good value for money, too.

THE KITCHIN 78 Commercial Quay, Leith Tel: 0131 555 1755 www.thekitchin.com Near Ten minutes by taxi to city centre Open less than a year before gaining its first Michelin star, Tom Kitchin’s restaurant has lit up Edinburgh’s dining scene and his subsequent TV appearances have further polished his reputation.

The chef trained with big names such as Pierre Koffmann and Alain Ducasse, which is reflected in the classical French slant to the food. ‘From nature to plate’ is the restaurant’s philosophy and a recent menu boasted dishes

COOL TREATS AFTERZ 66 Home Street www.aftersoriginal.co.uk If you’re talking ice cream, you need to try a sundae from Afterz.

Ideal for sharing.

FRISKY 13 Forrest Road www.friskyfroyo.com Every topping and flavour you can think of, from fresh fruits to Oreo pieces.

NARDINI’S 1 Merchiston Avenue www.nardinis.co.uk Take a step back in time to this retro themed diner, with traditional flavours and one-off originals like their millionaire shortbread ice cream.

such as razor clams from Arisaig cooked to order and served with diced vegetables, chorizo and wild herbs and loin of roe deer from St Boswells served with potato terrine, roasted vegetables and a red wine sauce. You’ll pay top whack, but remember the meal long after the bill stops stinging.

MARY’S MILK BAR 19 Grassmarket www.marysmilkbar.com This is a quiet space for you to enjoy the best quality gelato and chocolate, or you can get your frozen treat to go.

SCOOPZ 25/27 West Nicolson Street www.scoopz-uk.com If milkshakes are your thing, Scoopz have over 500 tasty flavours for you to devour one spoonful at a time.

S. LUCA 16 Morningside Road www.s-luca.co.uk Originated in Musselburgh, this family-run business provides many flavours of sorbet and ice cream.

MITHAS 7 Dock Place Tel: 0131 554 0008 www.mithas.co.uk Near Ten minute taxi to Playhouse Although run by the same people as the populist Khushi’s, Mithas bears as much relation to your Mithas, Plumed Horse, Ondine and Pompadour

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average Indian restaurant as foie gras does to liverwurst.

Having won Best Indian Restaurant at the Scottish Restaurant Awards in 2012 and 2013 Mithas became the first Indian restaurant in Scotland to receive 2 AA Rosettes 2 years in a row, They aim to redefine what its customers think of as a typical Indian restaurant. Mithas is pitched at the fine-dining end of the market: forget chicken tikka masala and think tandoori partridge and chargrilled grouper.

NUMBER ONE Balmoral Hotel, 1 Princes Street Tel: 0131 557 6727 www.restaurantnumberone.com Near Five minutes to Playhouse Head Chef Jeff Bland secured a Michelin star at number one in 2003 and shows no sign of relinquishing it. The basement restaurant is as sumptuous as you might expect at one of Rocco Forte’s flagship hotels and it has deluxe food to match. Challans duck with clementine, chicory, and asparagus is a feature on the menu. The a la carte is £68 for three courses. The multi-course taster menu offers a blow-out at £75 plus £55 if you want to spoil yourself with selected matching wines.

ONDINE 2 George IV Bridge Tel: 0131 226 1888 www.ondinerestaurant.co.uk Near One minute to the Underbelly Ondine is a smart, chic seafood restaurant whose distinguishing features include a horseshoe crustacean bar where diners perch on stools, sip champers and tuck away oysters, clams and lobster.

PLUMED HORSE 50-54 Henderson Street Tel: 0131 554 5556 www.plumedhorse.co.uk Near Ten minutes by taxi to the city centre Complex, classical cooking is the name of the game here. A typical starter would be halibut ceviche with pomegranate, marinated cucumber, milk curd, smoked apple jelly and coriander. Sautéed venison saddle with boulangere potatoes, kale, beetroot puree, and venison stock is the sort of dish that might appear among the changing main courses.

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HIGH-END RESTAURANTS www.edfestmag.com POMPADOUR BY GALVIN The Caledonian, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Princes Street Tel: 0131 222 8975 www.thepompadourbygalvin. com Near Five minutes from Usher Hall The flagship restaurant of the relaunched Caledonian, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Pompadour by Galvin is a classic and high end French restaurant. Chris and Jeff Galvins’ surname is on the door but the day-to-day cooking is done by the talented Craig Sandle. Presented with verve and precision, dishes such as the roulade of foie gras and ham hock, pineapple purée and fennel croutons keep it innovative while respecting French traditions.

The signature dish of chicken cooked in a pig’s bladder with foie gras sauce is a real showstopper.

It won’t be a surprise if this adds to the growing haul of Michelin stars.

cooked in salt clay, pickled ginger, glazed turnips and sauce poivrade.

Expect to pay around £60 for three courses from the a la carte.

RESTAURANT MARK GREENAWAY 69 North Castle Street Tel: 0131 226 1155 www.restaurantmarkgreen away. com Near Five minutes from Assembly Rooms Now in new premises, Mark continues to develop his own take on contemporary British cooking.

Never dull, his dishes aim to surprise without feeling forced. A typical main course might be the 11 hour slow roasted Clash farm belly pork – pork cheek ‘pie’, blackened fillet with roasted sweetcorn and toffee apple jus. A three course dinner is upwards of £37, while the set lunch/pre-theatre starts at £17 for two courses.

WEDGWOOD THE RESTAURANT 267 Canongate, EH8 8BQ Tel: 0131 558 8737 www.wedgwoodthe restaurant. co.uk Near Five minutes to the Tattoo Intimate and cosy, Wedgwood lets the food do the talking. With seasonal, local ingredients, often foraged by the kitchen staff, chef patron Paul Wedgewood sources his flavours and textures with a great deal of care. Enjoy a starter of diver-caught king scallops with pickled squash, puree of Caesar salad, crisp ham and chorizo oil, and perhaps a main course of seaweed-crusted lamb loin with sweet potato, braised Savoy and wakame.

RESTAURANT MARTIN WISHART 54 The Shore Tel: 0131 553 3557 www.martin-wishart.co.uk Near Ten minute taxi to city centre Wishart trained with Michel and Albert Roux and worked alongside Marco Pierre White, so it is no surprise that his elegant cooking is strongly influenced by the classic French tradition. A typical dish might be the Shetland monkfish, with thinly sliced, confit tomato, pecorino sardo, verjus and crispy shallot. Dinner is £70 for three a la carte courses, or £75 for six tasting courses. Unusually for a restaurant of this calibre, it has a dedicated vegetarian tasting menu.

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THE TOWER Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street Tel: 0131 225 3003 www.tower-restaurant.com Near Five minutes to Festival Theatre This venue has some of the best views to be seen in Edinburgh, ranging across the Grassmarket to the castle. Rock oysters, handdived scallops and Isle of Skye lobster are among the shellfish options while the pan-seared Perthshire wood pigeon and crisp poached egg with asparagus, foraged greens, wild mushroom and hollandaise are typical of the Tower favourites. The wine list has won a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.

Restaurant Mark Greenaway, Steak and The Witchery by the Castle RHUBARB Prestonfield House TEL: 0131 225 1333 www.prestonfield.com Near Ten minute taxi to Pleasance Possibly Edinburgh’s most dramatic restaurant, Rhubarb is

part of the James Thomson empire which also includes the Witchery and the Tower. A riot of baroque colour and drapes, this hotel and restaurant has served everyone from Oliver Reed to the Dalai Lama.

A typical main course would be the loin of roe deer, heritage carrots

COSY CORNERS FOR A CUPPA ETEAKET 41 Fredrick Street www.eteaket.co.uk Rekindling our love of proper leaf teas, this colourful spot is a perfect place to take a break.

CLARINDA’S TEAROOM 69 Cannongate www.clarindastearoom.co.uk A vintage tearoom full of character and authenticity.

THE CURIOUS TEAROOM Fredrick Street www.facebook.com/ curioustearooms The Alice in Wonderland theme really provides a quirky edge to this little gem.

THE DOME George Street www.thedomeedinburgh.com Afternoon tea is served everyday from 2pm-5pm in the Grill Room.

THE ELEPHANT HOUSE 21 George IV Bridge www.elephanthouse.biz Made famous as the birthplace of the Harry Potter novels.

THE WITCHERY BY THE CASTLE 352 Castlehill, Royal Mile TEL: 0131 225 5613 www.thewitchery.com Near Two minutes to the Tattoo The Witchery fulfils a lot of people’s fantasies about Edinburgh as a romantic and atmospheric city steeped in history. The building that houses the restaurant goes back centuries and the two dining rooms look as though they may have been there since the adjacent castle was built. Isle of Mull scallops, Orkney lobster and Gartmorn Farm duck are representative of a menu which celebrates Scotland’s larder with gusto. The wine list has won numerous awards. It’s one of a kind. Light lunch and supper menus are available at £15.95 for two courses.  www.edfestmag.com

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Fest on Forth

H A RVEY N ICHO LS F O RTH F LO O R Enjoy the very best in contemporary drinking and dining in Edinburgh, with unparalleled views of the city skyline.

Opt for a gourmet dinner at the awardwinning Restaurant, a casual lunch at the Brasserie or an evening enjoying cocktails at the Window Bar. FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR TO MAKE A RESERVATION, PLEASE CALL 0131 524 8350 OR EMAIL FORTHFLOOR.RESERVATIONS@HARVEYNICHOLS.COM 30-34 ST ANDREW SQUARE, EDINBURGH, EH2 2AD

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A lot more than just burgers. burgeredinburgh www.burgeruk.co.uk

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Edinburgh’s reputation for great food isn’t just restricted to its top-end restaurants

THE ATELIER 159-161 Morrison Street Tel: 0131 629 1344 www.theatelierrestaurant.co.uk Near Two minutes to EICC Since opening in 2013, The Atelier has made quite a splash in the Haymarket area thanks to its confident cooking. The kitchen can play it straight with rib-eye steak and chips, but they can also up their game to produce dishes like the beetroot and goat’s cheesecake with chutney purée, orange gel and balsamic caviar. The decor is stripped back and unassuming but the food on the plate grabs the attention.

WORDS JONATHAN TREW

A ROOM IN LEITH 1c Dock Place Tel: 0131 554 7427 NEAR Ten minutes by taxi to city centre A ROOM IN THE WEST END 26 William Street Tel: 0131 226 1036 www.aroomin.co.uk Near Five minutes from Book Festival Along with the adjoining Teuchter bars, these two friendly restaurants specialise in well sourced, Scottish cooking. Modern but satisfyingly homely, typical dishes on the regularly changing menus might be grilled langoustines from Loch Dunvegan in Skye or a plate of Highland lamb featuring panroasted lamb rump, slow braised lamb shoulder, a wee shepherd’s pie, red cabbage, caramelised onion and port gravy. In Leith, Teuchter’s Landing Bar has a popular terrace.

AIZLE 107-109 St. Leonard’s Street Tel: 0131 662 9349 www.aizle.co.uk Near Five minutes to Pleasance This innovative new bistro caused a splash when it opened in Edinburgh earlier this year. Rather than offering a conventional menu, the kitchen gives diners a list of ingredients and asks them to tick off any they don’t like. The kitchen then rustles up four courses of surprise dishes for £35 a head.

The system allows the kitchen to use the best produce available on the day as well as guaranteeing a fresh experience for diners every time they eat here. The team behind Aizle have an impressive CV

filled with private dining in exotic locations and stints with a certain Gordon Ramsay.

AMARONE 13 St Andrew Square Tel: 0131 523 1171 www.amaronerestaurant.co.uk Near Five minutes to Assembly Rooms Decorated with blown glass and pictures of Italy, Amarone aims to be more of a stylish Milanese restaurant than a rustic trattoria.

The pizza and pasta sell well but don’t overlook popular dishes such as the chargrilled veal cutlet, dressed with a lemon and rosemary-infused olive oil and served with sautéed potatoes.

THE ANGEL’S SHARE 9-11 Hope Street Tel: 0131 247 7000 www.angelssharehotel.com Near Five minutes to Usher Hall The Angel’s Share has an opulent bar, restaurant and late night club called the Devil’s Cut. Lit by numerous chandeliers, the menu flies the flag for Caledonian produce in dishes such as the Orkney cheddar macaroni cheese with a salted beef pot; slow cooked belly of pork stuffed with Stornoway black pudding and prime Scotch beef burgers topped with haggis.

ANGELS WITH BAGPIPES 343 High Street Tel: 0131 220 1111 www.angelswithbagpipes.com Near Ten minutes to Tattoo This atmospheric restaurant specialises in Scottish ingredients given a little Italian tweak. An example might be the rump of Highland lamb with white bean and chorizo, pancetta, kale and sweetbread. Check out the Halo Room which hangs out above Roxburgh’s Close.

APIARY 33 Newington Road Tel: 0131 668 4999 www.apiaryrestaurant.co.uk Near Five minutes to Queen’s Hall Well priced, modern British food is the selling point in this sister restaurant to the Three Birds in Bruntsfield. The Apiary is a casual bistro and, while its cooking techniques and sourcing may be British, the menu is usually rather global. Lamb shoulder braised with coriander, chilli and lager might be an example of the more exotic flavours on offer. The roast monkfish cheeks with bacon lardons and a chive and olive oil mash takes its inspiration closer to home. The sharing platters of Buccleuch Estate rib-eye or the Sumatran veggie rendang are fun if dining a deux.

The Angel’s Share, Aizle and Amarone

THE BASEMENT 10a-12a Broughton Street Tel: 0131 557 0097 basement-bar-edinburgh.co.uk Near Five minutes to The Stand After a much needed refurbishment, The Basement has relaunched as a funky Mexican restaurant and bar. The kitchen knocks out delicious dishes like the sea bream ceviche, pulled pork burrito and a beef chilli cooked in Modelo Negra beer. The guacamole, which is made at the table to diner’s specifications, is wonderfully fresh and zingy. Good tequilas too, especially when partnered with a spicy sangrita.

BAR SOBA 104 Hanover Street Tel: 0131 225 6220 www.barsoba.co.uk Near Two Minutes to Assembly Rooms ‘Eat, drink, dance and get lucky’ is the strap line for this lively, newish bar. You’re on your own when it comes to getting lucky, but the pan-Asian street food is the name of the game and the menu reads like a greatest hits package of South East Asia’s cuisines with Singapore noodles and Korean kimchee broth rubbing spicy shoulders with tempura, sushi and sticky pork salads. The DJs may make Bar Soba more suitable for younger diners rather than a place to take Gran.

BIA BISTROT 19 Colinton Road Tel: 0131 452 8453 www.biabistrot.co.uk Near Ten minutes from King’s Theatre Roisin and Matthias Llorente have worked all over the world, including stints in Gordon Ramsay restaurants. Fresh, local, sustainable and homemade

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MID-RANGE RESTAURANTS www.edfestmag.com is their mantra. This means starters such as roasted bone marrow, red onion jam and toasted sourdough. Main courses might feature caramelised onion tartlet with Portobello mushroom and poached duck egg.

BISTRO MODERNE BY MARK GREENAWAY 15 North West Circus Place Tel: 0131 2254431 www.bistromoderne.co.uk Near Five minute taxi to Assembly Rooms Opened at the end of 2013, Bistro Moderne is the younger sister to Restaurant Mark Greenaway in the city centre.

The dishes are as playful and as innovative as those in the chef’s first restaurant and they use the same, carefully sourced Scottish ingredients, just fewer of them, presented more simply. The chef’s love of toying with diners’ senses comes through in options such as the ‘boil in the bag’ cod, white onion ice cream or the chicken terrine served with a gingerbread sandwich. The three course lunch at £15 is a steal.

BLACKBIRD 37-39 Leven Street Tel: 0131 228 2280 theblackbirdedinburgh.co.uk Near Two Minutes to King’s Theatre This newish pub is all stripped walls, vintage mirrors and artwork from students at the nearby Edinburgh College of Art. Buttermilk-fried chicken with sea salt and lemon or the braised chicken, apple and cider hotpot are among the more adventurous choices alongside the burgers, fish stews and melting lamb shanks.

BLACKFRIARS 61 Blackfriars Street Tel: 0131 558 8684 www.blackfriarsedinburgh.co.uk Near Ten minutes to Pleasance The chef patron here used

BREAD STREET BRASSERIE 34-36 Bread Street Tel: 131 221 5555 www.hilton.com Near Five minutes to Lyceum Part of the DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre Hotel, this bright and cheery restaurant is very well located for the Lyceum, Usher Hall and Traverse.

Naturally, they cater for this market with a good value pretheatre. The cooking is modern British with typical a la carte starters being dishes like the grilled mackerel with pickled vegetables or the black pudding with an apple and quails Scotch egg and pea purée. Main courses on the seasonal menu might include options like the whole baked lemon sole with langoustine butter or the walnut and hazelnut crusted rack of lamb. The vegetarian choices are always interesting here.

BRITANNIA SPICE 150 Commercial Street Tel: 0131 555 2255 www.britanniaspice.co.uk Near Ten minute taxi ride from city Centre Named after the Royal Yacht Britannia, Britannia Spice has a seafaring bearing to its interior.

The menus are also well travelled with options from North India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Without getting your passport out, you can skim between exotic and inventive choices, such as Sri Lankan shahi chicken, Himalayan spicy trout and Blackbird, Bistro Moderne

by Mark Greenaway and Chaophraya

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CHAOPHRAYA 4th Floor, 33 Castle Street Tel: 0131 226 7614 www.chaophraya.co.uk Near Five minutes from Assembly Rooms Chaophraya boasts an extensive menu that covers the Thai classics, plus interesting crossover dishes.

Papaya salads, spicy soups, curries and stir-fries are all present and correct but you may choose to investigate creations such as the seared scallops and black pudding which come with fresh mango.

to be a sous chef at Martin Wishart’s Michelin-starred Leith establishment. The place has a no frills, bare brick decor and concise menus listing simple but tempting dishes. This means crackling and Bramley apple sauce, salt cod fritters and pork pies. Typical starters might include cured sea trout with lemon oil and fennel.

king prawns cooked in Bangladeshi style with mustard paste, green chillies and yogurt.

CALISTOGA 70 Rose Street Lane North Tel: 0131 225 1233 www.calistoga.co.uk Near Five minutes to National Gallery of Scotland Californian cooking is the flavour of the day at this tucked-away venue behind Rose Street, and a typical starter might be the smoked haddock and tiger prawn risotto with butternut squash, while Buccleuch flat iron steak, chargrilled with hand-cut fries and sweet chilli sauce is the sort of dish that appears among the main courses. The owner is a Californian wine enthusiast and sells a wide selection of excellent bottles in the restaurant at just £5 above retail price.

CONTINI RISTORANTE 103 George Street Tel: 0131 225 1550 www.contini.com/continiristorante Near Five minutes to Book Festival This snappy Italian menu is stripped down and relies on the quality of the raw ingredients, some provided by their own kitchen garden in the country, to provide the fireworks.

Try chargrilled Luganega sausage with soft polenta and lentil stew or orecchiette with fresh Italian piccante sausage, cremini mushrooms, dried porcini, rocket, fresh cream and Parmigiano Reggiano. Delicious.

CLERK’S BAR 74/78 South Clerk Street Tel: 0131 667 2701 www.clerksbar.co.uk Near Five minutes to Queen’s Hall Craft ale, sport and fresh food cooked ‘low and slow’ are the attractions in this lively Southside bar. Of course, bars selling burgers, burritos, dogs and wings along with craft ales are not a rarity.

Clerk’s stands out by smoking their own ribs, chicken and pulled pork.

The challenge is to eat a full rack of BBQ baby ribs without licking your lips.

THE CRAFTERS BARN 9 North Bank Street Tel: 0131 226 1178 www.crafters-barn.co.uk Near Two minutes to Assembly Hall If you like beer then you will go doolally for The Crafters Barn.

As well as some 50 bottled Belgian beers, they serve Scottish craft beers and beery cocktails.

Moreover, many of their dishes are cooked with beer. They also offer buffalo steaks cooked on hot stones at the table, moules frites and Neapolitan pizza. Looking out over The Mound to Fife, this new venture also has one of the best views in the city.

DAVID BANN 56-58 St Mary’s Street Tel: 0131 556 5888 www.davidbann.com Near Two minutes to Pleasance Courtyard Long a champion of vegan and vegetarian food in Edinburgh, David Bann’s much-lauded venture is a smart 21st century vegetarian restaurant and bar. As well as snacks and light meals, main courses include dishes such as the chilli pancake with grilled sweet potato, courgette and chocolate sauce, or the beetroot, apple and www.edfestmag.com

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MID-RANGE RESTAURANTS www.edfestmag.com Dunsyre Blue pudding, utilizing one of Scotland’s favourite local cheeses, which arrives as a soufflé. There are some interesting wines and local beers on the drinks list.

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE 9 Advocates Close Tel: 0131 225 4465 www.devilsadvocateedinburgh. co.uk Near Five minutes to Assembly Hall This is a rather cool bar, which is tucked away off the Royal Mile.

With candles and stripped stone walls, it feels very old Edinburgh, despite opening just last year. The food includes such treats as a beef and pork belly burger, which comes with black pudding, blue cheese, beetroot and a quince aioli, while the fish ‘n’ chips features a watercress and pea purée plus a brown shrimp tartare. Or try pan fried coley fillet, roasted sweet potato, chorizo, kale and chilli buerre monté. The splendid collection of whiskies from around the world offers plenty more reasons to spin by.

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DIVINO 5 Merchant Street Tel: 0131 225 1770 www.vittoriagroup.co.uk Near One minute from Underbelly A wide selection of Italian wine available by the glass is the driving force at this suave wine bar, although the well constructed Italian dishes are pretty tempting too. Think Valtellina beef carpaccio with rocket, Parmesan shavings and olive oil, ravioli made in-house and grilled courgette salads with mint and lemon, creamy ricotta and Parma ham.

THE EDINBURGH LARDER BISTRO 1a Alva Street Tel: 0131 225 4599 www.edinburghlarder.co.uk Near Five minutes to Traverse Ethically-sourced, seasonal Scottish ingredients. Expect foraged ingredients and a fair amount of pickling and smoking. Typical dishes are potted Scottish crab, mixed pickles and seasonal leaves and baked Cullen skink with seasonal vegetables.

L’ESCARGOT BLEU 56 Broughton Street Tel: 0131 557 1600 www.lescargotbleu.co.uk Near Five minutes to the Playhouse L’ESCARGOT BLANC 17 Queensferry Street Tel: 0131 226 1890 www.lescargotblanc.co.uk Near Five minutes to Book Festival A hint of Piaf, Pernod ads on the wall and the smell of slowly cooking boeuf Bourgignon drifting in from the kitchen make this pair of familyrun French brasseries very popular.

Carefully-sourced Scottish produce is used extensively here to make dishes such as homemade fresh salmon and cod duet in filo parcel with tapenade and vierge sauce or the Gartmorn farm duck leg confit with Scottish wild mushrooms and Puy lentils.

FIELD 41 West Nicolson Street Tel: 0131 667 7010 www.fieldrestaurant.co.uk Near Five minutes to Gilded Balloon Field is a cosy bistro with big ideas

and a team that boasts some serious CVs. Situated between the Gilded Balloon and the Pleasance Courtyard, the 30-cover restaurant is perfectly located to pick up plenty of festival goers. The menu is inventive. The chicken ballotine starter is stuffed with pancetta, feta and roast red pepper and served with wild mushroom samosa, while grilled Scottish sea trout is served with wild garlic gnocchi, heritage tomatoes and anchovies.

FIRST COAST 97-101 Dalry Road Tel: 0131 313 4404 www.first-coast.co.uk Near Five minutes from EICC This bistro focuses on the simple, wholesome approach. Starters include salt ling fritters with garlic mayo. Expect main dishes like maple glazed ham hough, leek and baby potato. The three course set menu is £25.00.

FISHERS The Shore Tel: 0131 554 5666 Near Ten minute taxi ride to City Centre

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MID-RANGE RESTAURANTS www.edfestmag.com FISHERS IN THE CITY 54-58 Thistle Street Tel: 0131 225 5109 www.fishersbistros.co.uk Near Five minutes to Assembly Rooms As well as offering meaty options, the Leith branch of Fishers and its City Centre offspring make full use of the teeming waters of Scotland’s coastline. Pan-fried Scottish cod fillet with chickpea and Stornoway black pudding stew, cous cous and orange crust and Malayan korma curry with coley and king prawns make appearances on the regularly updated menus. There are daily specials as well as old favourites, such as fish cakes and soup.

GALVIN BRASSERIE DE LUXE The Caledonian, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Princes Street Tel: 0131 222 8988 www.galvinbrasseriedeluxe.com Near Five minutes from Usher Hall As part of a multi-million pound refurbishment of The Caledonian Hotel, Michelin-starred chefs Chris and Jeff Galvin opened two new ventures in the Princes Street landmark. Galvin Brasserie de Luxe is their contemporary tribute to the great Parisian brasseries of yesteryear and Craig Sandle, formerly of The Balmoral, is the much praised Edinburgh chef who has been charged with realising their vision. A Scottish crustacea bar forms the centre piece of the space, while a large circular bar is ideal for people who want to nip in for a quick lunch. Those with more time to spare could start with some razor clams or half a dozen Crerar oysters before moving on to the lemon sole Meuniere or perhaps the calves’ liver. At £16.50 for two courses, the set menu offers good value in a five star setting.

GATEWAY RESTAURANT Royal Botanic Gardens, Arboretum Place Tel: 0131 552 2674 www.gatewayrestaurant.net Near Five minutes from Inverleith House The Gateway Restaurant has cracking views over Edinburgh’s Botanic Gardens. Open for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, locally sourced, seasonal food is the mantra. Typical dishes might be eggs Benedict and smoked haddock or creamed leek and Connage Clava crepes. Upmarket sarnies, afternoon teas and a waistline-expanding cake selection complete the line-up. www.edfestmag.com

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COCKTAIL HOTSPOTS BRAMBLE 16a Queen Street www.bramblebar.co.uk Hidden away but well known by city folk. A broad selection of cocktails is always available.

AMICUS APPLE 17 Fredrick Street amicusapple.com Lots of unusual cocktails to try and a refined menu of foods if you’re peckish.

DRAGONFLY 52 West Port dragonfly cocktailbar.com

GARDENER’S COTTAGE Royal Terrace Gardens Tel: 0131 558 1221 www.thegardenerscottage.co Near Five minutes to Playhouse Gardener’s Cottage is possibly the city’s most radical restaurant.

Housed in the eponymous converted gardener’s cottage, the restaurant comprises two white-washed dining rooms separated by an open plan kitchen.

Guests eat communally at large tables to a background wash of old blues and jazz standards from a record player. In the evenings, dinner is a daily changing six course set menu for £30. Enthusiastically dedicated to local producers, typical dishes might be the duck and salt crust turnip served with a beer and onion purée. It’s genuinely good fun and as rewarding as it is different.

GEORGE STREET BAR AND GRILL 130 George Street Tel: 0131 527 4637 georgestreetbarandgrill.com Near One minute from Book Festival With a splendid location on the

This is an award-winning cocktail bar in the heart of the Old Town.

THE WEST ROOM www.theweatroom.co.uk Situated where the New Town meets the West End, with a lunch menu available and a brilliant selection of cocktails.

JUNIPER 20 Princes Street www.juniperedinburgh. co.uk Relaxing music and drink in hand, Juniper is the place to unwind. Every cocktail is built to order, adding a touch of theatre to your experience.

corner of George Street and Charlotte Square, this plush, all day brasserie is well located for the Book Festival. As well as afternoon tea, the bar and grill offers a pretheatre menu, Sunday lunch and brunch menus. The all day menu is packed with brasserie classics like calves liver and mash; mussels and fries; salad Nicoise and breaded veal escalopes. The grass-fed, dry aged Buccleuch steaks from the grill section are always popular. The outdoor terrace is a pleasant spot for coffee and a cake on a sunny morning.

HANAM’S 3 Johnston Terrace Tel: 0131 225 1329 www.hanams.com Near Five minutes from Tattoo This family-owned restaurant is a popular Kurdish and Middle Eastern restaurant that takes the authenticity of their dishes seriously. Jamal, the owner, has been known to smuggle back spices from his Kurdish hometown.

The wide range of mezze starters are flanked by main courses offering several variations on stews L’Escargot Bleu

and kebabs featuring lamb and chicken. We like the gormeh sabzi – a Persian dish of lamb cooked in fresh spinach, kidney beans, coriander and herbs, all flavoured with Persian dried lime and served with rice and naan bread. Hanam’s offers a selection of alcohol-free wines or guests can BYOB with no corkage. Tobacco-loving visitors can smoke a shisha pipe on the outside terrace, if so inclined.

THE HANGING BAT 133 Lothian Road Tel: 0131 229 0759 www.thehangingbat.com Near Two minutes to Filmhouse One of a new wave of hip craft beer bars which are opening up, The Hanging Bat has its own microbrewery; an ever changing roster of artisan ales; a splendid collection of bottled beers from around the world and a mindwarping spread of gin – all of which are sufficient reason to visit. Should you need any further prompting, they serve dude food/street food such as pulled pork rolls, beer mac ‘n’ cheese, smoked chicken wings and an inventive selection of hot dogs including the Greyfriars Bobby which, of course, is topped with haggis.

HARAJUKU KITCHEN 10 Gillespie Place Tel: 0131 281 05 26 www.harajukukitchen.co.uk Near Five minutes from King’s Theatre Opening towards the end of 2013, Harajuku Kitchen has grown out of a highly successful street food operation, taking over the former Scott’s Deli where Bruntsfield meets Tollcross. Chef Kaori Simpson comes from generations of chefs and her bistro menus offer a mix of traditional and modern Japanese dishes.

Naturally, sushi is prominent on the menu along with teriyaki dishes, tempura, excellent gyoza, noodles and the bento box of the day. Harajuku Kitchnen is one of Edinburgh’s more authentic Japanese bistros.

HEWAT’S 19-21b Causewayside Tel: 0131 466 6660 www.hewatsrestaurant.com Near Five minutes from Queen’s Hall Modern Scottish cooking is the name of the game at this classic Edinburgh stalwart, which means starters such as hot smoked EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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MID-RANGE RESTAURANTS www.edfestmag.com salmon cheesecake with caviar sour cream , and main courses such as roast tenderloin of boar with braised pork belly, apple compote and crackling, served with pulled pork and black pudding mash and Savoy cabbage with chorizo.

HOTEL DU VIN 11 Bristo Place Tel: 0131 247 4900 www.hotelduvin.com Near One minute to Gilded Balloon The wine theme here is much evidenced in terms of the décor, as well as lengthy, interesting wine list.

The food is mainly classic French bistro dishes such as onion soup, beef Bourguignon on the bone and coq au Riesling. The grill menu, especially the Bistro burger, has proved popular. Proper afternoon tea is served in the Whisky Lounge, while the outdoor courtyard is a peaceful haven from the festival crowds.

THE HUXLEY 1 Rutland Street Tel: 0131 229 3402 www.thehuxley.co.uk

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Near Five minutes to Usher Hall Edinburgh has seen a significant number of craft beer bars opening up of late. In general, they are enthusiastic about Scottish beers, keen on American-style menu items and fashionably scruffy. The Huxley is their slightly older, more polished brother. The Scottish craft beers are still on the taps but they also do cocktails. Gourmet sandwiches, burgers and hot dogs feature prominently but they are well travelled. At The Huxley, the Slum Dog comes with mango mayo, crispy onion bhaji flakes and mint crème fraiche. ‘Jai ho!’ as they say around these parts.

IRIS 47a Thistle Street Tel: 0131 220 2111 www.irisedinburgh.co.uk Near Five minutes from Assembly Rooms This city centre restaurant boasts a modern menu that matches its smart casual looks. Some of the starters such as the fried chorizo and morcilla with caramelised apple look abroad for their culinary cue. Others such as the lamb loin

and haggis wrapped in puff pastry with pepper cream find inspiration closer to home.

THE INN ON THE MILE 82 High Street Tel: 0131 556 9940 www.theinnonthemile.co.uk Near One minute to The Tron Making the most of its prominent location on the Royal Mile, The Inn on the Mile offers an all day menu with a distinctly Scottish flavour.

Naturally, haggis, neeps and tatties are available alongside bangers and mash, a steak pie and fish and chips served with that Edinburgh delicacy salt and sauce. Cleverly, they also serve flights of whisky so that the curious can sample three different drams from six whisky regions.

JAMIE’S ITALIAN 54 George Street Tel: 0131 202 5452 www.jamieoliver.com Near the Assembly Rooms The popular TV chef continues to roll out his chain of Italian restaurants. The recently refurbished Assembly Rooms offer a suitably grand setting. During the

festival, the restaurant is not taking bookings for groups of less than eight. In 2012, just after the branch opened, this policy meant that walkins, particularly during peak times, could be looking at a lengthy wait before tucking into their wild rabbit tagliolini. One suspects that Jamie’s pulling power hasn’t diminished since then.

JEREMIAH’S TAPROOM Elm Row Tel: 0131 556 8201 www.jeremiahstaproom.co.uk Near Five minutes from Playhouse A former local boozer turned into a hip craft ale bar with over sixteen beers on draught, Jeremiah’s Taproom offers all the towering burgers, spicy dogs and pulled pork dishes one might expect.

The breakfasts, served until noon during the week and until 3pm at the weekends, will help thirsty culture vultures overcome the wearisome effects of a late night.

We recommend the full Scottish accompanied by a Breakfast Martini made with marmalade, gin and triple sec.

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KANPAI 8-10 Grindlay Street Tel: 0131 228 1602 www.kanpaisushi.co.uk Near One minute to Lyceum Kanpai is Edinburgh’s, some would say, best Japanese restaurant. Indeed, it won the Best Oriental Restaurant at the Scottish Restaurant Awards 2012.

You can sit at the bar and watch the chefs, or just take a table and order a sushi and sashimi feast.

We would recommend the dragon roll, mixed veg tempura and the grilled aubergine in sweet miso sauce – close to paradise on a plate.

KWEILIN 19 Dundas Street Tel: 0131 557 1875 www.kweilin.net Near Ten minutes to National Galleries Kweilin has been serving Cantonese food for more than 25 years.

Barbecued spare ribs, steamed fresh scallops with black bean sauce and chicken siu-mai are popular starters, while main courses range from the familiar char siu pork in honey sauce to fresh lobster.

KYLOE 1-3 Rutland Street Tel: 0131 229 3402 www.therutlandhotel.com Near Five minutes from the Usher Hall The striking ranch-style décor in Kyloe (it’s an old Scots word for cattle) may be distracting for some, but enjoy the tremendous views down Princes Street and across to the Castle. Beef, and more specifically, steak take pride of place on the menu and the latter comes in some interesting cuts as well as the better known forms.

The inventive David Haetzman keeps the non-grill dishes worth investigating as well. Think grilled fillet of Shetland cod or saffron and Jerusalem artichoke risotto.

LA GARRIGUE 31 Jeffrey Street Tel: 0131 557 3032 www.lagarrigue.co.uk Near Ten minutes to the Pleasance Named after his place of birth in the Languedoc, La Garrigue is the award-winning baby of JeanMichel Gauffre. The restaurant is comfortable without being grand and features chunky Tim Stead furniture. Specific dishes will vary www.edfestmag.com

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cooking has its roots in classic French technique but isn’t afraid to be a little experimental on occasion. An example of this collaboration would be the Perthshire venison saddle with chestnut puree, potato fondant, marmalade and Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or.

Kyloe, Iris and Monteiths according to season but French provincial cuisine is the general order of the day so look out for hearty, rustic dishes like the pot roast partridge with mushroom, bacon, onions and a red wine jus. The house speciality is the cassoulet made with pork, lamb, duck confit, Toulouse sausage and lingot beans.

produced, the menus at Café St Honoré make sure to name check their suppliers. Head Chef Neil Forbes is passionate about dishes such as the Gartmorn Farm confit duck leg with lentil salad or the organic ruby veal from Peelham Farm which is served with purple sprouting broccoli, capers and an Arran mustard cream.

LANCERS 5 Hamilton Place Tel: 0131 332 3444 www.lancersbrasserie.co.uk Near Ten minutes to Book Festival The long-standing and ever-popular Lancers can boast Elton John and Billy Connolly among their past customers. If that’s good enough for you then get stuck in to their tandoori chicken or try fenugreek lamb and king prawn biryani.

With three separate dining rooms, the cuisine finds its place somewhere between Bengali and French. If the choice is too much then just let the staff guide you through one of their set menus.

THE LIONESS OF LEITH 21-25 Duke Street Tel: 0131 629 0580 www.facebook.com/ Thelionessofleith Near Five minute taxi to Playhouse A former old man’s boozer, this bar at the foot of Leith Walk has found a new lease of life as a funky gastropub. The food is as much fun as the surroundings. The menu changes regularly but diners are as likely to be offered braised pork belly with a chickpea cassoulet as they are howtowdie – an old Edinburgh dish of chicken breast stuffed with skirlie. The desserts are magnificent.

LE CAFÉ ST HONORÉ 34 North West Thistle Street Lane Tel: 0131 226 2211 www.cafesthonore.com Near Five minutes to The Assembly Rooms Hidden off Thistle Street, this long established restaurant is worth searching out. The decor may be classic Parisian brasserie style but the food is much more modern British cooking. Organic where possible, seasonal and locally

MICHAEL NEAVE KITCHEN AND WHISKY BAR 21 Old Fishmarket Close Tel: 0131 226 4747 www.michaelneave.co.uk Near Five minutes from Underbelly The eponymous Mr Neave is definitely making a splash with this, his first restaurant. Neave is a big advocate of Scotland’s larder and ingredients such as West Coast scallops and Mull cheddar pepper his menus. The

MONTEITHS 61 High Street Tel: 0131 557 0330 www.monteithsbar.co.uk Near Five minutes from Pleasance Courtyard Half funky bar, half proper restaurant, Monteith’s serves delicious dishes, such as haysmoked Jerusalem artichokes with grilled leeks, blue cheese and garlic cream or main courses such as wild boar with grilled leeks, kohlrabi puree and jus. The seriousness of the kitchen is contrasted with playful décor that includes a spider lamp made with several anglepoise lights, and a 3D paper stag head.

MUSSEL INN 61-65 Rose St, Edinburgh EH2 2NH Tel: 0131 225 5979 www.mussel-inn.com Near Two minutes to Assembly Rooms While pots of mussels are prominent on the menu in this busy city centre restaurant, they are by no means the only option on offer.

Char grilled scallops, crab pasta, piri piri prawns, hot smoked salmon and whitebait are also available.

Although seafood and shellfish are the house speciality, the Mussel Inn also dishes up burgers and a good line in affogatos – ice cream mixed with coffee and liqueurs.

NORTH BRIDGE BRASSERIE 20 North Bridge Tel: 0131 622 2900 www.northbridgebrasserie.com Near Five minutes from Edinburgh Festival Theatre The Scotsman Hotel is a beautiful mix of wood panelling, marble and an enviable location in the heart of the city. The dishes tend to be seasonal, locally sourced and with a pronounced Scottish flavour. With three AA Rosettes, this is no tartan tourist trap. Think of wild Scottish rabbit cannelloni with hazelnut, black pudding, wild garlic and carrot or North Sea Pollock with leeks, butter beans, brown shrimps, garlic and parsley. There is an extensive and delicious gluten-free menu, too.

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NUMBER 11 11 Brunswick Street Tel: 0131 5576910 www.11brunswickst.co.uk Near Ten Minutes from Playhouse Part of a recently refurbished Georgian townhouse hotel, the Brasserie at Number 11 offers a spacious dining room, with walls brightened by exhibits from local artists. The Brunswick Street location is also very handy for the Playhouse. Typical starters might be the Beetroot tart tatin with toasted walnut salad, cocoa and balsamic vinaigrette. Among the main courses, a mouthwatering dish of pan-roasted Guinea fowl with roasted and puréed celeriac, wilted greens and port jus features on the sample menu.

ONE SQUARE Sheraton Hotel 1 Festival Square Tel: 0131 221 6422 www.onesquareedinburgh.co.uk Near Two minutes to Usher Hall One Square is the Sheraton’s modern, uniquely British take on the classic grand café and it looks very hip in a pleasingly retro way.

recommend the kimchi soup with pork – a spicy lunch dish will set you up for the day – or for vegetarians, there’s mapo dubu - tofu in a rich chilli sauce.

Local produce is to the fore in dishes like the potted duck from St Brides Farm; a white onion soup flavoured with Thistly Cross cider and accompanied by Mull cheddar toast or the Highland venison served with pickled red cabbage, parsnip and Cumberland sauce. One Square is also great for afternoon tea and an oasis for gin lovers, with the two combined in the Bloom Gin Afternoon Tea. Think finger sandwiches, freshly-made scones and afternoon tea cakes, all served with a gin cocktail.

ONG GIE 22a Brougham Place Tel: 0131 229 0869 www.onggie.com Near Five minutes to King’s Theatre The Korean national dish of kimchi (salty, spicy, fermented cabbage) may be an acquired taste but it is also one of the most effective hangover cures known to man.

At this homely Korean restaurant, diners can partner their kimchi with chicken, pork or beef barbecued at their own table. We would also

THE PANTRY STOCKBRIDGE 1-2 North West Circus Place Tel: 0131 6290 206 www.thepantryedinburgh.co.uk Near Ten minutes to Book Festival Fresh, locally sourced and tasty food is the aim at this New Town farm shop and kitchen. A family-run business, it offers breakfasts such as black pudding and Jerusalem artichokes, apple purée and cider vinegar dressed leaves or, if you are feeling healthy, the ‘bridge boost’: hemp seed pancakes served with walnuts, banana, honey and sea buckthorn yoghurt. Light bites, lunches and cakes baked on the premises complete the day time offer. The menus change regularly but a typical evening main course might be the shin of beef, served with barley, spinach, a shallot purée, and red wine jus. The shop serves much of the menu in eat-at-home form.

Edinburgh’s oldest Gastro-Pub, built in the 17th Century.

We are extremely passionate about food and pride ourselves on using fresh, local produce in all our dishes.

‘Quote foodies’ when booking for 10% off your food order.

open daily 12pm-late

15 MARKET ST | EDINBURGH EH1 1DE tel: 0131 225 1084 | info@the-doric.com www.the-doric.com

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MID-RANGE RESTAURANTS www.edfestmag.com PETIT PARIS 38 Grassmarket Tel: 0131 226 2442 www.petitparis-restaurant.co.uk Near One minute from C venue Petit Paris was founded in 1998 but has been recently revamped. This is a cosy and often bustling little bistro that serves all the classics. Steak, grilled snails with garlic and Pernod, bouillabaisse, grilled Toulouse sausages and crème brûlée: it is all here. The outside seating is great for people-watching on a warm day.

PORT OF SIAM 3 Pier Place Tel: 0131 467 8628 NEAR: Ten minute taxi to Playhouse 1 Barony Street Tel: 0131 478 7720 www.portofsiam.com Near Five minutes to Playhouse While offering all the familiar Thai dishes one might expect, these two restaurants also make some interesting detours from the more well-trodden Thai path. Among the starters, the Thai-style oysters topped with chilli, lemongrass and crispy shallots are outstanding and we also have a soft spot for the marinated quail. Traditional dishes like the pork larb salad come in generous portions and the kitchen is not afraid to get adventurous with dishes like the grilled Scottish scallops in a whisky and ginger reduction served with a Thai salad and samphire.

PURSLANE RESTAURANT 33a St Stephens Street Tel: 0131 226 3500 www.purslanerestaurant.co.uk Near Ten minutes to Book Festival Chef patron Paul Gunning is aiming for casual fine dining at this Stockbridge venue. Purslane has garnered pretty solid reviews for starters like the potted shrimp

CRAFT BEERS AND BEER GARDENS PEAR TREE www.pear-tree-house.co.uk West Nicholson Street For alfresco drinking, Pear Tree has it all, including a cobbled courtyard decorated with fairy lights.

Live music can be heard here during the summer months.

THE HANGING BAT 133 Lothian Road www.thehangingbat.com Since opening in 2012 The Hanging Bat has gained a loyal following among the effortlessly cool. A beer lover’s delight, with 6 casks, 14 keg lines and over 120 bottles and cans to choose from.

with caviar and Melba toast, and mains such as roast salmon with vegetable écrasée, butternut ravioli and saffron cream sauce.

THE RAEBURN No 112 Raeburn Place Tel: 0131 332 7000 www.theraeburn.com Near Ten minute taxi to Book Festival Having looked rather forlorn for a number of years, this B-listed Stockbridge landmark has been given a glorious new lease of life since relaunching this summer.

A bar, restaurant and hotel, The Raeburn adds to Stockbridge’s growing reputation as a culinary hotspot. Modern British dishes are the name of the game in the smart restaurant. Popular dishes include the pork terrine with pickled vegetables and mustard as well as the fillet of North Sea cod served with white onion purée, purple sprouting broccoli and chorizo.

The grill selection features hearty cuts of steak dry aged on the bone for a minimum of 40 days.

Purslane Restaurant and The Scran and Scallie

WOODLAND CREATURES 260-262 Leith Walk www.facebook.com/ pages/WoodlandCreatures/448403238548357 Home to Leith Walk’s best beer garden, which can be accessed through a wardrobe in the bar, Woodland Creatures provides a wide range of beers on tap.

THE THREE SISTERS 139 Cowgate www.thethreesisters.co.uk With a huge open air seating area for the hot summer months, situated right in the centre of the Cowgate, it is a short walk to the Royal Mile.

THE ROAMIN’ NOSE 4 Eyre Place Tel: 0131 629 3135 www.theroaminnose.com Near Ten minutes from Assembly Rooms At night, you might be feasting on grilled chicken, Prosciutto crudo and a squash, fennel and courgette salad or a rabbit stew in red wine.

Yet, tthe Roamin’ Nose are just as happy for visitors to pop in for a coffee and lemon custard tart.

The honey and walnut cake looks good, too.

ROLLO 108 Raeburn Place Tel: 0131 332 1232 www.facebook.com/ barrolloedinburgh Near Ten minute taxi to Book Festival Put together by an architect, a sculptor and a fashion designer, Rollo is an inviting little wine bar and tapas style restaurant in Stockbridge. Divided into plates, bites, bowls and puddings, the menu at Rollo shows influences from around the world. Wood pigeon ravioli, seared tuna with a chilli mango salsa and crispy haggis bon bons with a whisky marmalade have all cropped up on the regularly changing menus.

SCOTTISH CAFÉ AND RESTAURANT The National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound Tel: 0131 226 6524 www.thescottishcafe andrestaurant.com Near The National Gallery Winners of the Best Service Award in 2012, this well-located restaurant

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and cafe concentrates on sourcing the best ingredients direct from independent Scottish producers as well as its own garden. It is all used in starters such as grilled Pattullo asparagus with garden pea shoots, fresh peas, sour cream and gribiche sauce, and main courses such Peelham Farm lamb tagine with grilled lemon balm and mint bread and mint yoghurt.

SCRAN AND SCALLIE 1 Comely Bank Road Tel: 0131 332 6281 www.scranandscallie.com Near Ten minute taxi to Book Festival A ‘public house with dining’ is the strap line for this venture from the team behind The Kitchin and Castle Terrace restaurants – two of Edinburgh’s more high profile, Michelin-starred restaurants.

This translates into stripped back decor and a menu which delivers hearty modern British dishes such as ox tongue, bone marrow, shallot and parsley; the house steak and ale pie or braised hogget shoulder with peas and lettuce SHEBEEN 8 Morrison Street Tel: 0131 629 0261 www.shebeenbar.co.uk Near Five Minutes from Usher Hall Majoring in South African wines, beers and sport, with lively contributions from the braai or barbeque. South African specialities like Boerewers sausage are great, but the steaks are the true stars of the show.

SHILLA 13 Dundas Street Tel: 0131 556 4840 www.shilla-edinburgh.com Near Ten minutes from Portrait Gallery One of Edinburgh’s few Korean restaurants, Shilla has four different rooms, all with different themes.

On the food front, we’re talking fiery seafood hotpots, savoury omelettes, hot and sour soups, sushi, assorted stews and a selection of chargrilled meats.

SPOON 6a Nicolson Street Tel: 0131 557 4567 www.spoonedinburgh.co.uk Near One minute from Festival Theatre Hale, hearty and wholesome are the watchwords in this quirky but very capable cafe bistro. Fantastic EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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for the Festival Theatre, typical main courses might be the panfried pheasant breast with whole wheat, turnip and mushroom ragout or the smoked haddock with baby potatoes, leeks and its own sauce.

rich basil butter or the saltimbocca made with free range chicken.

Valvonas also boasts a remarkable wine collection and you can have any bottle with your meal for a corkage of £6.

WOODLAND CREATURES 260–262 Leith Walk Tel: 0131 629 5509 Near Five minutes from Out of the Blue Drill Hall This newish bar offers a wide selection of veggie dishes such as the herbed mushroom pâté with oatcakes or gnocchi in tomato sauce. Those with more carnivorous preferences can tuck into choices like the Sunday roast of chicken served with roasted root veg, sautéed greens and Yorkshire puds.

THE SHORE 3 The Shore Tel: 0131 553 5080 www.fi shersbistros.co.uk/ theshore Near Ten minute ride to city centre A small but smart dining room off the bar. Look out for favourite main dishes such as the venison casserole, or sea bass with chorizo, butterbeans and black olive tapenade. It’s not unheard of for live music sessions to break out.

STAC POLLY 29-33 Dublin Street TEL: 0131 556 2231 NEAR Ten minutes to the Playhouse 38 St Mary Street, Edinburgh TEL: 0131 557 5754 www.stacpolly.com Near Five minutes to Pleasance Courtyard Aiming to be as Scottish as the mountain they are named after, the two Stac Polly restaurants mix locally sourced ingredients with more cosmopolitan flavours.

Sample dishes might include a starter of sliced smoked chicken breast with a pineapple and black pepper chutney, while a typical main course would be along the lines of the saddle of Borders rabbit stuffed with sage, mushroom and oatmeal, wrapped with Ayrshire ham and delivered with glazed spring vegetables, Stornoway black pudding and a Madeira jus.

SYLVESTERS 55-57 West Nicolson Street Tel: 0131 662 4493 www.sylvestersedinburgh.co.uk Near Two minutes to Bristo Square A family-run business, Sylvesters is very handy for Bristo Square, the Festival Theatre and the Queen’s Hall. During the day, typical offerings might include the steak sandwich or gin-cured salmon and smoked haddock fishcakes. In the evenings, the menu steps up a gear and features complex dishes such as the potted rabbit with a star anise clarified butter and a saddle of local lamb stuffed with roast garlic, chestnut mushrooms and spinach.

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Twenty Princes Street, Valvona and Crolla and The Vintage TIMBERYARD 10 Lady Lawson Street Tel: 0131 221 1222 www.timberyard.co Near Five minutes to Traverse A converted wood merchant’s premises, this open, white-washed space is one of the coolest in town but there’s more to it than hip and ever-evolving looks. The daily changing menu is influenced by the Slow Food movement and restaurants like Noma. This might mean a starter of smoked sea trout, crab, artichoke, knotroot, yogurt, dill and samphire or a main-course sized portion of smoked duck breast with squash, burnt ramson, cabbage, kohlrabi and beetroot.

TURQUOISE THISTLE 51-59 York Place Tel: 0131 556 5577 www.hotelindigoedinburgh.co.uk Near Five minutes to Playhouse Conveniently located for shows at the Playhouse, the restaurant at Hotel Indigo offers a menu which showcases Scottish produce as well as giving the option for more exotic flavours. The menu changes regularly but will feature dishes like the presser Highland game terrine, the Western Isle seafood rockpool and 35-day aged steaks from the Bucchleuch estate.

TWENTY PRINCES STREET 20 Princes Street Tel: 0131 652 7370 www.twentyprincesstreet.co.uk Near Five minutes to Assembly Rooms With a prime Princes Street location, this first floor restaurant has great views over Edinburgh city centre. The menu underlines the Scottish location with Lothian beef, mussels from Leith and venison from Perthshire.

The roasted shellfish platter is a wonderful sight to behold, but many would argue that the real star of the show is the Castle Mey beef cooked on the charcoal-fuelled Josper grill. The cocktails in next door’s Juniper bar are worth looking out for as well.

VALVONA AND CROLLA 19 Elm Row TEL: 0131 556 6066 www.valvonacrolla.co.uk Near Two minutes to the Playhouse Now celebrating its 80th year and regarded by many as Scotland’s finest Italian delicatessen, Valvonas also runs a very busy café bar at the back of the deli. The menu changes daily but you can feast on meals such as handmade pasta filled with spinach and ricotta and served in a

THE VINTAGE 60 Henderson Street 0131 563 5293 www.thevintageleith.co.uk Near Ten minute taxi to Playhouse Opening in the spring of 2013, this craft beer bar is also establishing a serious reputation for its food.

Well sourced charcuterie platters are in keeping with the artisan beer bar vibe but many of the other menu items would put quite a few restaurants to shame. The stuffed pig’s trotter with salted pork, liver and a radish salad underlines the fact that the food here does much more than simply soak up the extensive range of draught and bottled beers.

YENI MEZE BAR 73 Hanover Street Tel: 0131 225 5755 www.yenirestaurant.com Near Five minutes from Assembly Rooms A good place for a light bite or a varied feast, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean meze dishes are offered “pick n’ mix” style, along with a selection of mini-mains such as the Turkish speciality Iskender.

Unlike many Middle Eastern restaurants, Yeni is licensed and offers a good wine list.

YUMMYTORI 90-92 Lothian Road Tel: 0131 229 2206 www.yummytori.co.uk Near Five minutes from Traverse Japanese cocktails, many involving sake, are one of the attractions at this restaurant specialising in a Japanese take on tapas, particularly the yakitori for which it is named.  www.edfestmag.com

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WE’RE A PREMIUM GIN DISTILLED IN SMALL BATCHES. WE’RE DIFFERENT TO MOST GINS, HENCE THE COLOUR. AS WE STEEP FRESH RASPBERRIES IN OUR TRIPLE DISTILLED SPIRIT. JUNIPER AND OUR OTHER BOTANICALS MEAN THAT WE ARE STILL DELICIOUSLY DRY, BUT THE HINT OF RASPBERRIES ADDS A GENTLE FRUITY FLAVOUR AND THE SMOOTHEST OF FINISHES. WELCOME TO PINKSTER, THE AGREEABLY BRITISH GIN. WWW.PINKSTERGIN.COM

Available at all Vino Wine Shops in Edinburgh. Vino Grange Loan.

Vino Broughton Street. Vino Stockbridge. Vino Comiston Road.

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Newest pub in the Southside! (just round the corner from the Meadows)

 Slow Smoked Menu …12 hour slow smoked ribs, chicken &meats ….burgers, dogs & nachos too!  Craft Beer ….as well as cask, cider & some of Scotland’s & the world’s finest brews too  Sports …. Watch all the sporting action at Clerk’s…..  Good Times …. Great chat, family friendly, fun events & free Wi-fi

Open 11am – 3am 7 days a week during the Festival Lunch from £3.50 Beers from £2.50 Spirit & Mixer from £2.55 FRESH FOOD COOKED SLOW EVERY DAY … so you better be quick… when it’s gone, it’s gone! ( till tomorrow :) 74 South Clerk Street, EH8 9PT. T: 0131 667 2701 E:clerks@maclay.co.uk W: www.clerksbar.co.uk F: ClerksBar T: @ClerksBar

VALUE RESTAURANTS www.edfestmag.com Seek out these greatvalue options for excellent Edinburgh dining on a budget

general, the tapas selection is fairly lively. The albondegas meatballs and spicy prawn pil pil are all present, along with slightly more intriguing options like the Andalucian black pudding with onion and apple chutney; the chiperones, or crisp baby squid, and the roast, salted padron peppers. Eating the latter is a little like playing Russian roulette as roughly one in every twenty peppers is rather spicy.

WORDS JONATHAN TREW

BEIRUT 14 - 20 Marshall Street Tel: 0131 667 9919 www.beirutrestaurant.co.uk Near Two minutes to Gilded Balloon Beirut is one of Edinburgh’s growing band of Lebanese restaurants.

As you would expect, they serve a massive range of mezze, or hot and cold starters, such as hummus topped with marinated lamb, falafel and tabouleh salad. Chargrilled meat takes pride of place in the mains selection.

BINDI 44-45 St Patrick Square Tel: 0131 662 1807 www.bindiedinburgh.com Near Five minutes to Potterrow Billed as ‘Edinburgh’s first fully licensed Gujarati/East African fusion restaurant and cookery school’, Bindi is also vegetarian.

If you are champing for some cassava fries or desperate for a dabeli veggie burger then look no further. A mix of home-style cooking and street food from Bombay and East Africa, Bindi is unique in Edinburgh. It is also very keenly priced with the vast majority of menu items at under a fiver.

Handy if you are hankering for a spice hit.

BLUERAPA 6 Torphichen Place Tel: 0131 629 0447 www.bluerapathai.co.uk Near Five minutes from EICC Compact and simply decorated, this Thai restaurant next to Diane’s Pool Hall is a wee cracker.

A family-run affair, its menu offers a tempting mix of familiar Thai restaurant dishes plus some less well-known choices. This means that the expected green and red curries plus pad Thai are all present and correct but there is also a much wider than usual range of spicy salads and lots of seafood.

House specialities include Stir Fried Jungle: a hotter-than-hot mixture of stir-fried king prawns, squid and mussels with chilli, red curry paste, bamboo strips, fresh peppers and holy basil leaves. The prices, not to mention the BYOB policy, will be a pleasant surprise. www.edfestmag.com

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BONSAI BAR BISTRO 14 Broughton St Tel: 0131 557 5093 Near Two minutes from The Stand 46 West Richmond Street Tel: 0131 668 3847 www.bonsaibarbistro.co.uk Near Five minutes from Festival Theatre Living up to its name, this Japanese restaurant is a petite, homely affair serving sushi, sashimi and yakatori dishes. Try the shiitake mushrooms in soy and garlic butter or the beef tataki. Bonsai does do fries, but they come with Japanese brown sauce.

BURGER 94A Fountainbridge Tel: 0131 228 5367 www.burgeruk.co.uk Near Ten minutes from King’s Theatre Operating somewhere in between a fast food joint and a gourmet burger bar, this is an Edinburghbased company that serves Scottish beef burgers in a toasted brioche bun with tomato, pickle and the house burger sauce. All the burgers are cooked to order using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, and beef burgers start at £3.95. What’s not to like?

CAFÉ MARLAYNE 76 Thistle Street Tel: 0131 226 2230 Near Five minutes to Assembly Rooms 13 Antigua Street Tel: 0131 558 8244 www.cafemarlayne.com Near Two minutes to Playhouse The original Café Marlayne on Thistle Street booked up fast, so the more recent and more casual branch on Antigua Street at the top of Leith Walk is a welcome addition.

French cooking comes through most clearly in dishes such as the starter of scallops sautéed potato and rosemary vinaigrette.

CAFE PORTRAIT Scottish National Portrait Gallery Cafe 1 Queen St Tel: 0131 624 6200 www.nationalgalleries.org Near Ten minutes from Assembly Rooms Massive ceilings and windows mean plenty of light, even on the most dreich of August days, while the massive portraits give you something to chew over if your dining companion is dull.

CHEZ JULES 109 Hanover Street Tel: 0131 226 6992 www.chezjulesbistro.com Near Five minutes to National Gallery Dynamic Frenchman Pierre Levicky’s Chez Jules bistro joins his flagship Pierre Victoire on Eyre

Place. Expect simple French bistro dishes such as steak frites, frogs’ legs and coq au vin at keen prices.

CHOP CHOP 248 Morrison Street Tel: 0131 221 1155 Near Five minutes from EICC 76 Commercial Quay Tel: 0131 553 1818 www.chop-chop.co.uk Near Ten minute taxi to city Centre Chop Chop offers authentic dishes from the north east of China and there is nothing else quite like it in town. Highlights of the menu are the dumplings, which come boiled or fried. Try the pork and chive versions, although the pork and celery versions also have their fans. The garlicky, sticky pan-fried aubergines are also a must. An appearance on Gordon Ramsay’s F Word has made it harder to get a table.

THE DOGS 110 Hanover Street Tel: 0131 220 1208 www.thedogsonline.co.uk Near Five minutes from Assembly Hall Idiosyncratic restaurateur David Ramsden has got it right at his quirkily stylish, city centre venue.

The old school British food is honest, straightforward and priced to go. It’s earthy, filling stuff. Think along the lines of warm salad of grilled squid with paprika potatoes and broad bean vinaigrette; pork shoulder, apple and cider pie with potato crust and Arbroath smokie fishcakes with vanilla sauce, soft boiled egg and spinach EARTHY 1-6 Canonmills Bridge Tel: 0131 556 9696 www.earthy.co.uk Near Fifteen minutes from The Stand If farmers’ markets had funky indoor cafes then they would Cafe Portrait, Cafe Andaluz and Bindi

CAFE ANDALUZ 77 George Street Tel: 0131 220 9980 www.cafeandaluz.com Near Five minutes to Book Festival This spacious and largely hidden tapas restaurant looks the part: all Moorish tiles and ceramics. In EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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Find me at www.birramoretti.com facebook.com/morettiuk | twitter.com/morettiuk

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VALUE RESTAURANTS www.edfestmag.com probably look like this. Earthy is all about local, seasonal foods and a fair deal for the people who produce them. Cracking sandwiches; classy salads; elegant risotto and meaty game pies are typical fare, along with very good cakes.

LA FAVORITA 3-331 Leith Walk Tel: 0131 554 2430 www.la-favorita.com Near Ten minutes from Playhouse La Favorita is a smart-casual pizzeria and gourmet pasta restaurant. Using two wood-fired ovens Tony Crolla wants to ‘make the best pizzas in Scotland’. Few would argue that he makes a very decent stab at it and his claim is backed with an AA rosette.

GUCCHI 9/10 Commercial Street Tel: 0131 555 5604 www.guchhi.com Near Ten minute taxi to city centre An Indian seafood restaurant. Yes, they serve the Indian faves that everyone else does but they also dish up more adventurous choices such as the oven-baked scallops in a Bombay duck sauce, tandoori crab and a seafood platter with Indian dips.

THE HOLYROOD 9A 9a Holyrood Road Tel: 0131 556 5044 www.theholyrood.co.uk Near Two minutes to Pleasance Courtyard Love beer? Like burgers? Step this way. Just a short lurch from the Pleasance, The Holyrood is a neat bar restaurant. They have twenty beers on tap ranging from mass market standards to Scottish artisan brews. Gourmet burgers form the meaty heart of the menu.

Take a walk on the wild side with, say, The Bohemian, which pairs the burger with chilli Gouda, sliced turkey, prosciutto and pesto mayo.

ILLEGAL JACK’S 113 Lothian Road Tel: 0131 622 7499 www.illegal- jacks.co.uk Near Five minutes to Lyceum The eponymous Jack has quickly made a name for himself on Lothian Road thanks to his fresh, fast and good value take on Tex Mex or South West food. Burritos, tacos, quesadillas, chilli bowls and fajitas form the backbone of the menu. Where Jack differs from his www.edfestmag.com

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than a down-home curry house.

The menu doesn’t stray too far from the staples of Anglo-Indian cuisine but they do them with care.

The spicing is spot on and the meat is cooked to order.

La favorita and Earthy High Street competitors is that all his food is fresh and prepped on the day, except the meat which is marinated overnight.

KALPNA 2-3 St Patrick Square Tel: 0131 667 9890 www.kalpnarestaurant.com Near Two minutes to Assembly George Square On the go for nearly thirty years, the Kalpna is obviously doing several things right. A vegetarian restaurant specialising in Punjabi, Gujerati and southern Indian cooking, its lunchtime buffets are definitely well

loved. Their signature dish is the dam aloo Kashmeri, potato barrels filled with mixed vegetables, paneer and nuts served in a combination of a fresh tomato, honey and ginger sauce and a creamy almond and saffron sauce.

KASTURI 35-37 Shandwick Place Tel: 0131 228 2441 www.kasturi-ed.co.uk Near Five minutes to St George’s West The linen table cloths and ornate cornicing of Kasturi make it very much an Indian restaurant rather

LUNCH AND BRUNCH HOT SPOTS SPOON 6a Nicolson Street EH8 9DH www.spoonedinburgh.co.uk Freshly made and organic produce every day.

BROUGHTON DELICATESSEN 7 Barony Street www.broughton-deli.co.uk A great deli, healthy lunches and superb, made-from-scratch breakfasts HELLER’S KITCHEN 15 Salisbury Place www.hellerkitchen.co.uk Eat American-style pancakes as the sun rises, and sandwiches on homemade sourdough come lunchtime.

CAFFE E CUCINA 372 Morningside Road www.caffeecucinaedinburgh.co.uk A great place for lunch or just a nibble. Dine alfresco on a sunny day.

FREEMAN’S COFFEE 2-6 Spottiswoode Road www.freemanscoffee.co.uk As much as they can is made on the premises, from pickles to cured meats.

KING’S WARK 36 The Shore www.thekingswark.com An ideal place to enjoy a Sunday brunch. The choice is vast, from bagels to rib eye steak.

CAFFE LUCANO 37-39 George IV Bridge www.caffelucano.com A great selection of breakfast options are available, as is Italian ground coffee. Light pastries and rolls are also on the menu.

TREACLE 39-42 Broughton Street Edinburgh www.treacleedinburgh.co.uk A home from home. Diners can relax on the sofas with a paper and enjoy brunch, served until 12pm.

KEBAB MAHAL 7 Nicolson Square Tel: 0131 667 5214 www.kebab-mahal.co.uk Near Two minutes from Gilded Balloon With its canteen style décor and closely packed tables, the Kebab Mahal is not the place for a romantic evening a deux. However, if you want good, freshly made curries at knock-down prices then this is the place. The most expensive main course is £7.50 and most are under a fiver.

KHUSHI’S 10 Antigua Street Tel: 0131 558 1947 www.khushis.com Near One minute to Playhouse An Edinburgh icon, Khushi’s has been feeding the city curry and tandoori dishes since just after The Second World War. The menu is compact and contains few surprises but, at their best, every dish zings with fresh, vibrant flavours.

KOYAMA 20 Forrest Road Tel: 0131 225 6555 www.koyama.co.uk Near Two minutes to Udder Belly Koyama is one of a number of informal Japanese and Far East restaurants to have popped up in Edinburgh over the last couple of years. Wok-fried and soupy noodles jostle for space on the menu along with the sushi, sashimi and tempura. There are also classic dishes from further afield, such as big bowls of Korean kimchee MAMMA’S 30 Grassmarket Tel: 0131 225 6464 www.mammas.co.uk Near Two minutes to C Mamma’s American Pizza Company has been going strong in the Grassmarket for a quarter of a century. All the pizzas are freshly made and, as well as standard toppings such as mushroom and ham, customers can choose from exotics such as banana, haggis and cactus. Pizza is the point here, but if that don’t float your boat then try the steak and Cajun salmon served on a hot stone.

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VALUE RESTAURANTS www.edfestmag.com LAILA’S BISTRO 63 Cockburn Street Tel: 0131 226 5097 www.lailas-bistro.co.uk Near Five minutes to Waverley Station The sister restaurant to Hanam’s and Pomegranate, Laila’s Bistro is a Middle Eastern restaurant and cafe. With a central location, close to Waverley, this unpretentious little diner is open all day from breakfast through to dinner. The menus take their cue from the Med and the Levant, so stuffed vine leaves rub shoulders with lamb meatballs and chicken shawarmas.

LIAN PU 14 Marshall Street Tel: 0131 662 8895 www.lianpu.co.uk Near Two minutes to Bristo Square A stone’s throw from Bristo Square, Lian Pu is a cheap and cheerful Thai/Chinese. They serve all the rice and noodle dishes you might expect, alongside a selection of less familiar, regional specialities such as sha cha beef flank. Lian Pu is also the place to slake your bubble tea thirst. If you are in need of a lychee black tea with mango poppings then head here.

LOS CARDOS 281 Leith Walk Tel: 0131 555 6619 www.loscardos.co.uk Near Five minutes from Out of the Blue Halfway between a takeaway and a cantina, this Mexican place is ideal for a quick bite between shows. They call it ‘fresh Mex’, and the friendly staff whip up burritos, quesadillas and tacos to order.

Fill ‘em up with marinated steak, chicken, slow roasted pork or even haggis. ‘Arriba, pal!’ as they say on Leith Walk.

MOSQUE KITCHEN 29-33 Nicolson Square Tel: 0131 667 4035 www.mosquekitchen.co.uk Near Two minutes to Festival Theatre For years, the Mosque Kitchen fed the faithful, students and anyone else looking for a decent, cheap curry from the car park of Edinburgh Central Mosque. It has since relocated around the corner to proper restaurant premises but the USP remains the same: filling plates of curry for not much moolah. A plate of any curry is a fiver or under. www.edfestmag.com

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specialises in a wide range of hot and cold mezze, such as fatoush, along with a good selection of meat cooked over charcoal. There’s a shisha lounge if you fancy a puff between shows.

MUSEUM BRASSERIE National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street Tel: 0300 123 6789 www.benugo.com Near Five minutes from Gilded Balloon The recent-ish revamp of the National Museum of Scotland is stunning and the Brasserie in the vaulted basement is pretty neat as well. Whether you want a football- sized scone and cup of coffee or prefer to make a meal of it with Peterhead crab and salmon cakes followed by the Scotch beef burger, their menus are gratifyingly packed with local produce. Service is snappy and they are geared up for children.

MOTHER INDIA’S CAFÉ 3-5 Infirmary Street Tel: 0131 524 9801 www.motherindia.co.uk Near Five minutes to the Pleasance The Mother India brand is a huge success here and in Glasgow thanks to their confident and generous use of fresh herbs and spices. The menu is a tapas- style affair offering a few dozen choice dishes, all under a fiver. Options like the chilli chicken dosa, lamb cooked with mint and aubergine fritters are winning new fans for owner Monir.

NAWROZ 26 Potterrow Tel: 0131 667 2299 www.nawrozrestaurant.com Near One minute from Gilded Balloon Kurdish and Middle Eastern food is on offer at this restaurant which

cakes. The Stockbridge branch specialises in pizza. Called the ‘no compromise pizza’ and made with the best ingredients that the chefs can get their hands on, these come in three simple varieties: veggie, with anchovies and with meat.

THE OLIVE BRANCH BISTRO 91 Broughton St Tel: 0131 557 8589 www.theolivebranchscotland. co.uk Near Five minutes to Playhouse This airy, all day bistro has done well since opening on the ever hip Broughton Street. It’s a breezy, informal place but they take care over what comes out of the kitchen whether you pop in for breakfast, a gourmet sandwich or something more substantial like the aubergine and haloumi moussaka with spiced carrot and chick pea salad.

PIERRE VICTOIRE 18 Eyre Place Tel: 0131 556 0006 www.pierrelevicky.co.uk Near Ten minutes to city centre The founder of the famous Pierre Victoire chain is back in the city where his empire first started, and his venture offers a greatest hits of French bistro cooking. We’re talking fondue Savoyarde for two, with Comté, gruyère and white wine; braised French rabbit with Dijon mustard, rib eye steaks with garlic butter and chips.

THE OUTSIDER 15-16 George IV Bridge Tel: 0131 226 3131 Near Two minutes to Underbelly The Outsider is a funky joint that attracts many of Edinburgh’s young hipsters. The menu includes a section dedicated to ‘chunky, healthy lines’ which are skewers served with pitta bread and an apple, beetroot and raisin slaw.

Typical fillings include roast monkfish, vine cherry tomato and sauce vierge. Conventional choices range from the whole roast sea bass to the skirt steak with pepper and hand cut chips.

POMEGRANATE 1 Antigua Street Tel: 0131 556 8337 www.pomegranatesrestaurant. com Near Two minutes from Playhouse Diners are encouraged to graze on several hot and cold mezze, or to have a mezze dish as a starter before tackling a Qozy lamb dish or one of the chargrilled kebabs.

Desserts such as the saffron and cardamom ice cream look intriguing. There is a shisha pipe area outside and the BYOB policy appeals.

PETER’S YARD COFFEE HOUSE Quartermile, 27 Simpson Loan Tel: 0131 228 5876 Near Five minutes from Gilded Balloon

RICE TERRACES 93 St Leonard’s Street Tel: 0131 629 9877 www.rice-terraces.com Near Five minutes to the Pleasance Edinburgh’s first Filipino restaurant is a homely little place. The menu is a mix of Chinese, American, Spanish and Malay influences.

Barbecue-style grilled pork chops with papaya salad; chicken with plantain bananas, chorizo and vegetables and breaded shrimps in sweet and sour sauce give an idea of the range of main courses.

PETER’S YARD PIZZA 3 Deanhaugh Street Tel: 0131 332 2901 www.petersyard.com Near Ten minutes from Book Festival All about artisan baking: great sandwiches, fantastic bread and The Museum Brasserie and Pomegranate

SERRANO MANCHEGO 297 Leith Walk Tel: 07939 136818 www.facebook.com/ serranomanchego Near Five minutes to Out of the Blue Drill Hall Although not open at the time of writing, this fledgling venture promises a taste of Spain on Leith Walk. The tapas concept EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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VALUE RESTAURANTS www.edfestmag.com has been diluted beyond recognition in the UK but Serrano Manchego aims to be an authentic Spanish tapas bar serving Spanish beers, ciders and coffees with bitesized servings of jamon, cheese and chorizo sandwiches.

SPRIO AND CO 39 St Stephen Street Tel: 0131 226 7533 www.sprio.co.uk Near Ten minutes from Book Festival This family-run Italian café is tiny but the simple panini and soups are lip-smacking. Copies of the sports pages from the Italian press rest under the glass tables, or you can just sit at the window seats and watch Stockbridge’s life stroll by.

STACK DIM SUM BAR 42 Dalmeny Street Tel: 0131 553 7330 www.facebook.com/ pages/Stack-Dim-Sum-Bar Near One minute to Out of the Blue Drill Hall Not terribly promising from the outside, Stack is nonetheless developing a reputation for brilliant dim sum. From soya skin rolls in oyster sauce to the classic Cantonese pot sticker dumplings via steamed pork buns, it’s all made fresh and in-house. Whether you choose a multi dim sum blow out or a couple of sui mai pork dumplings and then move onto a bowl of noodles is entirely up to you.

THE TAILEND RESTAURANT AND FISH BAR 12-14 Albert Place, Leith Walk Tel: 0131 555 3577 Near Ten minutes from the Playhouse A collaboration between an awardwinning chippie owner, this popular restaurant/chippie offers foamfresh seafood in simple surrounds at wallet friendly prices. Pride of place goes to the classic haddock fish tea but other choices include griddled king scallops with herb butter or langoustine tails.

TANJORE 6-8 Clerk Street Tel: 0131 478 6518 www.tanjore.co.uk Near Two minutes from Assembly George Square Specialising in southern Indian dishes, Tanjore is rather different from most of Edinburgh’s Indian restaurants. There are curries, but pride of place goes to the idli www.edfestmag.com

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URBAN ANGEL 121 Hanover Street Tel: 0131 225 6215 www.urban-angel.co.uk Near Two Minutes to Assembly Rooms Fair trade, organic and locally sourced is what the kitchen aims for here. From brunches of oatmeal porridge with honey to slowcooked, pulled pork ciabatta with coleslaw, served with deli salad, this is an inviting and well-located cafe diner.

(steamed rice and lentil cakes), the dosa (crispy crepes) and vadai (lentil donuts) which are variously stuffed, dipped and sunk in subtly spiced sauces. Veggies are very well catered for.

TAPA 19 Shore Place Tel: 0131 476 6776 www.tapaedinburgh.co.uk Near Ten minute taxi ride to city centre Tapas in Leith is good value, fun and as authentic a Spanish tapas bar as you are likely to find. With its white-washed walls and interlinked rooms, it even feels like an authentic bodega. From homemade Spanish chicken croquettes, through traditional Spanish-baked egg cassoulet of chorizo, morcilla and jamon, the menu switches between the inventive and familiar.

LA TASCA 9 South Charlotte Street Tel: 0131 220 0011 www.latasca.co.uk Near One minute to Book Festival Tapas such as wild Patagonian tiger prawns, Spanish black pudding and beef and pork meatballs are among the choices at this cheerful, easygoing place.

TING THAI CARAVAN 8-9 Teviot Place Tel: 0131 225 9801 www.facebook.com/pages/TingThai-CARAVAN NEAR: One minute Bristo Square With communal tables and a utilitarian decor, Ting Thai

Tuk Tuk Indian Street Food Caravan is perhaps not the place to celebrate a big wedding anniversary. However, if you hunger for fresh and vibrant Thai street food then there is no better place in Edinburgh. Try a kuay tiaw nam tak nua: a tasty noodle soup with beef, thai parsley, morning glory, chilli, garlic oil and cap moo. Drinks are even served in plastic bags – just as they would be in a Bangkok night market.

TUK TUK INDIAN STREET FOOD 1 Leven Street Tel: 0131 228 3322 www.tuktukonline.com Near One minute from King’sTheatre Chicken lollipops, pakora platters, samosas and snack-sized portions of curry make up the main thrust of the menu at Tuk Tuk. It’s BYOB for beer and wine but many prefer to drink Thums Up, the cola of Bombay.

OPAL LOUNGE 51a George Street www.opallounge.co.uk Allegedly Wills and Harry’s favourite hangout in younger days, Opal Lounge specialises in house music.

LIQUID ROOM 9C Victoria Street Re-opened a few years back after a major refurbishment, Liquid Room is the place for DJs and live music, and to dance your heart out to the state-of-the-art sound system.

VITTORIA 113 Brunswick Street Tel: 0131 556 6171 19 George IV Bridge Tel: 0131 225 1740 www.vittoriarestaurant.com Near Five minutes from the Castle These two, family-run café restaurants bustle at most times of day. The extensive menu does pretty much everything from pizza and pasta to steak dishes and creamy milkshakes.

WANNABURGER 7/8 Queensferry Street Tel: 0131 220 0036 www.wannaburger.com Near Five minutes from Usher Hall Good fast food usually seems like a contradiction, but this locally owned burger bar does its best. The beef is reared humanely in the Borders.

Aberdeen Angus beef burgers start at £2.99. Shakes, salads and breakfasts complete the picture.

TOP CLUB HAUNTS

SHANGHI 16 George Street www.lemondehotel.co.uk Mainly occupied by students, this bespoke club has a relaxing sofa area and mid-sized dance floor.

VIETNAM HOUSE 3 Grove Street Tel: 0131 228 3383 www.vietnamhousescotland.com Near Five minutes from EICC Pho takes pride of place on the menu at the small but perfectly formed Vietnam House, alongside chicken curries, fresh spring rolls, spicy braised fish and chao ga – a hearty, chicken and rice porridge.

It’s BYOB for a very reasonable corkage of £1.50 per person.

SILK King Stables Road 28a www.silknightclub.co.uk This brand new venue is open Thursday-Saturday, and replaces the former Stereo nightclub.

LULU 125b George Street www.luluedinburgh.co.uk Weekly drinks offers and DJ sets.

WINGS 5-7 Old Fishmarket Close Tel: 0131 629 1234 www.wingsedinburgh.com Near Five minutes to The Tron Does what it says on the tin: chicken wings with dozens of different sauces, rubs and marinades. Worth a visit for the terrible punning menu alone. Dillicious, Jamayocain Crazy and No Big Dill are some of the prime offenders.  EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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07/07/2014 23:07

CITY GUIDE SHOPPING

Shopaholics anonymous Feed your addiction at some of Edinburgh’s best independent stores and boutiques WORDS CLAIRE STUART

Y

OU CAN FIND JUST ABOUT anything in Edinburgh. From highbrow theatre to low-brow comedy, or even pop up dining, you’ll never be at a loose end for something to do in the city. But not too many people know about Edinburgh’s best-kept secret – its worldclass shopping.

Scotland’s capital has a veritable hotbed of independent shops, where you’ll find everything from artisan cheeses to vintage books. It would be easy to stick to Princes Street, with its familiar High Street brands, but where would be the fun in that?

While Harvey Nichols, Mulberry and indeed the city’s Topshop are all worth a visit, of course, Edinburgh’s real shopping soul comes alive with its range of independent www.edfestmag.com

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boutiques and pockets of luxury retailers, tucked away amongst its winding cobbled streets.

Godiva is Edinburgh’s one-stop shop for a mix of new designers and classic vintage. Carefully curated and hand picked by owner Fleur MacIntosh, Godiva provides a home to work from new graduates and more established designers, including their own in-house seamstress Rowan Joy. There really is something for every price point, proving that unconventional and individual designs don’t have to break the bank.

Only a quick jaunt up the road is Totty Rocks.. Counting Kate Moss, Gok Wan and America Ferrera among its fans, Totty Rocks is the place to be for those seeking unique, high-quality pieces crafted in Scotland.

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CITY GUIDE SHOPPING MUST HAVES

Blue Wilbur and Gussie Clutch £180, Arkangel and Felon Finish any outfit with this beautiful blue floral print envelope clutch. With an optional wrist strap (always handy) and crystal art deco brooch detailing Cat Motif Knit by Set £93, Jane Davidson This lightweight and easy to wear linen top

by Set is the perfect fun and quirky design for your holiday wardrobe. With a wide neckline and cheeky cat design on the front, it’s sure to put a smile on the surliest Indie Fuchsia Suede Platform Sandal £80, Helen Bateman An utter steal at £80, these suede platform sandals are perfect for adding a burst of colour to your wardrobe. Check out the hand-stitched flower details, yellow leather piping and turquoise platform

Naromode Silk Scarf £50, Godiva Digitally printed on to silk, Naromode’s Moth from their inaugural collection The White Snake is beautifully illustrated Tartan Dress £169, Totty Rocks With a classic pencil silhouette and sweet bib detailing at the front, the Tartan Dress from Totty Rocks is available in two colours 128

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This independent womenswear label Often cited as one of Edinburgh’s worsthas carved out a niche for itself with its kept secrets, Jane Davidson remains one beautifully cut clothing in heritage fabrics. of the most popular boutique stores in the While in the area you also need to pop city. Launching in 1969, the family-run

by Black Box. With its sleek, minimal business has been at the forefront of design aesthetic, Black Box is an easy one to miss, – known for introducing new labels to but I implore you you to visit this hidden the market as well as some high profile gem. For any fan of jewellery, it’s a treasure in-store exclusives. trove of delights from oversized knitted Speaking of designer exclusives, you necklaces to delicate matchstick earrings. won’t want to miss an inspirational trip For the gents, there is of course Walker to Arkangel and Felon. From Vivienne Slater, offering a premium collection of Westwood for Melissa, to Wilbur & Gussie, the finest tweed suits in the heart of it’s no surprise that Arkangel and Felon the city centre. For true timeless frequently finds itself on round-ups of elegance, their finely the best places to shop in Edinburgh. tailored jackets are a Specialising in the contemporary, real investment. Their the wearable and the elegant, this dedicated ladieswear boutique has become home to a whole store can also be found host of unique brands. a hop, skip and a jump And now for something completely away to help cater to all your different. Doubling as a vintage hair and tweed needs. beauty salon, Miss Dixiebelle’s collection Footwear fans are in luck with of retro-inspired designs has you Edinburgh’s collection of covered from head to toe. From dedicated shoe boutiques – lingerie to circle skirts, Miss ‘Kate Moss, hot foot it to Helen Dixiebelle is perfect if you Bateman on William are looking for something Gok Wan and Street, for example. Since special. And, of course, no America Ferrera are vintage lover’s shopping 2010, Helen Bateman has been making her all fans of the unique tour of Edinburgh would mark with her beautifully be complete without a style you’ll find at designed range of jaunt to Armstrong’s Totty Rocks’ footwear. Inspired by her Vintage Emporium, with love of colour and clothes from every decade her world travels, imaginable.

Bateman creates Edinburgh can help gorgeous bright footwear. scratch your fashion itch, no matter how Her collections are only niche your tastes are. With an expansive made in short runs, so once collection of home grown talent and carefully they’re gone, they’re gone. curated designer collections, one afternoon’s It’s a real local favourite. shopping in Edinburgh is never enough.  Godiva - 9 West Port St, Totty Rocks - 45-57 Barclay Terrace, Black Box 98 West Bow St, Walker Slater - 16-20 Victoria St Helen Bateman - William St, Jane Davidson - 52 Thistle St, Arkangel and Felon - 4 William St, Miss Dixiebelle’s 19 Bruntsfield Place, Armstrongs Vintage Emporium - 83 The Grassmarket www.edfestmag.com

07/07/2014 18:49

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08/07/2014 01:28

CITY GUIDE SPA

Relax, don’t do it Stop rushing from show to show and treat yourself to a spa treatment at one of Edinburgh’s top beauty spots, says Merle Brown

S

UMMER IN EDINBURGH CAN BE a tiring affair. All those Fringe shows, all those hills, and all that fun! But there are plenty of places to recharge your batteries – and we don’t just mean cafes for a quick pit-stop.

No, we recommend taking some proper time out from the hustle and bustle of the Festival and Fringe, and enjoying some downtime in one of the city’s many spas and beauty salons.

First stop has to be the charming Chamomile Sanctuary spa in Alva Street in the city’s west end. They are offering readers of Edinburgh Festivals 20% off individual treatments – including pedicures to pamper those tired feet – for the whole of August. Just quote Edinburgh Festivals magazine when booking.

Nestled inside the impressive Waldorf Astoria Caledonian Hotel is the equally impressive Guerlain Spa, the first (and only) of its kind in the UK. The oldest beauty brand in the world opened their spa doors here last year. Luxurious and relaxing, the Guerlain treatments are wonderful.

The spa is offering readers of this magazine a special deal – an exclusive Summer Sensation Spa Day for £149. Two hours of blissful pampering, it includes a facial, a back, neck and shoulder massage, a gel polish manicure, and a Guerlain Touch of Colour Makeover – oh, and full use of the hotel’s spa facilities. Just call

Chamomile Sanctuary Nail Room and One Spa Hydropool

them and quote “Edinburgh Festivals Magazine Summer Sensation”.

Any glamour fan should take a wander round the beauty hall of Scotland’s only branch of Harvey Nichols. Stop by the Nails Inc Champagne Nail Bar for a glass of fizz and the latest manicure – Alexa Chung’s range for Nails Inc hits the counters in August. Or have your eyebrows perfected at the Shavata Brow Bar.

London based Shavata is the Queen of the brow and has imparted her knowledge to a dedicated team of threaders. You won’t believe the difference a ‘Shavata brow’ can make to your face! And if you fancy a trim, there’s the recently opened Electric Hair salon tucked away behind the MAC counter.

Back along Princes Street to the west end, and down in the bowels of the Lush store, is the retro-styled Lush Spa. Homely, comfortable, warm and inviting, you may find it hard to climb the stairs back to reality once in here – you have been warned! Their latest Hard Day’s Night Treatment is a shiatsu-inspired massage to a Beatles melody, with tea and biscuits at the end. It’s as fab as the Fab Four, of course!

Up Lothian Road, the One Spa welcomes you at the Sheraton Hotel. Possibly one of the most relaxing places in the city, every treatment here includes the ‘Escape At One’ package – full use of the steam rooms and saunas (of which there are many), their pool and their wonderful outdoor, rooftop Hydropool. If this doesn’t relax you, nothing will. The treatments themselves are second to none, and they also offer Sprunch - use of the spa, a luxurious ESPA facial, and brunch.  Guerlain Spa, Waldorf Astoria Caledonian Hotel, 0131 222 8836 Harvey Nichols, St Andrew Square, 0131 Lush Spa, Princes Street, 0131 225 4688 One Spa, Sheraton Hotel, 0131 221 777 Chamomile Sanctuary, 0131 220 1000 www.chamomilesanctuary.com, www. electric-hair.com, www.shavata.com, www.nailsinc.com

Any glamour fan should take a wander round Scotland’s only branch of Harvey Nichols

www.edfestmag.com

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ART www.edfestmag.com JOHN BYRNE DEAD END Bourne F ne Art 4 Ju y – 30 August 2014 A d sp ay o new work by John Byrne to co nc de w th h s retrospect ve at the Scott sh Nat ona Portra t Ga ery A true rena ssance man Byrne s an art st p aywr ght and theatre des gner whose pa nt ngs have an unreso ved and dream ke sense o narrat ve

countr es Tak ng ts t t e rom a work by nd an art st Sh pa Gupta the exh b t on nv tes perspect ves rom across the Commonwea th to nterrogate the deas dea s and myths underp nn ng not ons o commun ty ROSS S NCLA R 20 YEARS OF REAL L FE Co ect ve 28 June – 31 August 2014 2014 marks the 20th ann versary o Ross S nc a r s Rea L e pro ects Th s exh b t on prov des a t me y opportun ty to reflect on h s 20 years o work firm y pos t on ng t n the present wh e mag n ng poss b e utures The exh b t on a so marks the 30th ann versary o Co ect ve estab shed n 1984 to support new and emerg ng art sts n Ed nburgh

URBAN/SUBURBAN C ty Art Centre 1 August – 19 October 2014 Based on work acqu red through the Nat ona Co ect ng Scheme or Scot and (NCSS) Urban/ Suburban w ook at the theme o arch tecture and the bu t env ronment n recent Scott sh art WHERE DO END AND YOU BEG N C ty Art Centre and off s te ocat ons nc ud ng the O d Roya H gh Schoo 1 August – 19 October 2014 Ed nburgh Art Fest va presents a ma or nternat ona exh b t on o contemporary art se ected by five curators rom Commonwea th

THE SK NNY SHOWCASE Creat ve Exchange 31 Ju y – 31 August 2014 The Sk nny s top se ect on rom the Scott sh degree shows s brought together n a spec a exh b t on that w run throughout August

DALZ EL + SCULL ON TUMADH MMERS ON Dovecot Stud os 1 August – 13 September 2014 An exh b t on o power u new work at Dovecot Stud os by Dundee based art sts Da z e + Scu on exp or ng deas o mmers on n the ntens ty o natura orces MASTERS DEGREE SHOW Ed nburgh Co ege of Art 16 24 August 2014 ECAs MA and MSc students rom Art Des gn Arch tecture and Landscape Arch tecture exh b t the r artwork Th s nc udes scu pture pa nt ng ustrat on product des gn and arch tecture A artworks w be on d sp ay and ava ab e or purchase n the ECA Ma n Bu d ng Laur ston Campus CALUM COLV N THE MAG C BOX Ed nburgh Pr ntmakers 1 August – 6 September 2014 Ca um Co v n presents new comm ss ons a ongs de h s arch ve o photograph c transparenc es rom over 28 years pract ce The exp orat on o h s work w engage w th h story dent ty and pub c d scourse

Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven -Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven -Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven -Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders - TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven - Jump Jive Swing - Boogie Jazz Connection - The Jive Aces - Lola and The Lamours - The Swing Commanders - The Revolutionaires - The Declaration Band - The Cosmopolitan - The Iain Ewing Quartet - Allison Affleck with View Carre - The Dominic Marshall Trio - The Scott Madden Trio - The Jazz Pack - The Mary May Quartet - Moodswing - The Beverley Beirne Quintet - The McLaren High School Swing Band - Rose Room - The Remi Harris Trio - Winston's Pennine Jazz - Stevies Uptown Jazz Band - Alex Hahn and The Blue Riders TC and The Moneymakers - The Alan McKelvie Band - Used Blues - Mudslide - Baby Isaac - Louis Hamilton and the Boogie Brothers-Stomphouse Sauce - Jordan and Hillis - The Deke McGee Band - Not Proven -

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CARO MEN PPUS [X2] Ed nburgh Scu pture Workshop 2 30 August 2014 An exh b t on o the work o Pau Carter whose specu at ve mach nes and env ronments reflect the tens on between rap d soc a change and the pu o trad t on

GARAGE GARAGE 2 – 31 August 2014 GARAGE presents new s te spec fic and co aborat ve work by se ected art sts deve oped dur ng a ser es o m cro res denc es n three Ed nburgh New Town garages and a garden KAT E PATERSON DEAS ng eby Ga ery 27 June – 27 September 2014 Kat e Paterson s work s cross med um mu t d sc p nary and conceptua y dr ven w th an emphas s on nature and cosmo ogy JAN E N COLL ROUGH ED T nterv ewroom 11 23 Ju y – 9 August 2014 N co s nsta at on n nterv ew Room 11 s n ormed by her prev ous work created or the O d Ha rdressers G asgow Th s arge sca e co aborat ve nsta at on

emp oys co age pa nt and assemb age n recreat ng the con c mage o Hokusa s Wave Her new work w nvo ve a se ect group o co aborat ng art sts across the UK who w send d g ta mages and text works to be nc uded n the fina p ece SA GENZKEN BOTAN CAL GARDEN nver e th House 19 Ju y – 28 September 2014 The first UK exh b t on outs de London by one o the most rad ca y nvent ve and nfluent a art sts o our t me eatur ng recent works d sp ayed n the natura y– t rooms o nver e th House EARTH MOON EARTH (MOONL GHT SONATA REFLECTED FROM THE SURFACE OF THE MOON) Jup ter Art and 17 Ju y – 28 September 2014 Kat e Paterson w present Earth Moon Earth (Moon ght Sonata Reflected rom the Sur ace o the Moon) her first exh b t on at Jup ter Art and The pro ect nvo ves the art st send ng Beethoven s Moon ght Sonata to the moon and back n Morse code The return ng score w be re trans ated to be p ayed on a grand p ano AN ATTEMPT AT EXHAUST NG A PLACE ( N ED NBURGH) The Manna House Bakery & Pat sser e 4 31 August 2014 A ce F nbow a London based fi mmaker and photographer w partner w th the Manna House Bakery w th the a m o mak ng a romant c nqu ry nto the mage o the art st and h s/her re at onsh p w th the wor d www.edfestmag.com

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ART www.edfestmag.com post-war artists, including Robin Philipson, John Bellany, Steven Campbell, Elizabeth Blackadder, Adrian Wiszniewski and Alan Davie.

MING: THE GOLDEN EMPIRE National Museums Scotland 27 June – 19 October 2014 Discover the extraordinary story of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), a period of China’s history marked by economic strength and a dramatic flourishing of the arts.

DANIE MELLOR: PRIMORDIAL: SUPERNATURAL BAYIMINYJIRRAL National Museums Scotland 1 August – 23 November 2014 Contemporary Australian artist Danie Mellor presents sculpture and work on paper exploring his own indigenous and European heritage.

others monumental, which will be launched later this year. Through this open studio event, the public will be given the opportunity to discuss the methods and thoughts behind his largely situational and participatory work.

LEON MORROCCO: RECOLLECTION Open Eye Gallery 11 August – 6 September 2014 This recollective exhibition of works by Leon Morrocco spans five decades and documents the life of a travelling artist.

ALT-W New Media Scotland 31 July – 30 August 2014 An exhibition of new work by Chris Helson & Sarah Jackets, ~ in the fields, Hadi Mehrpouya & Robert Powell, Donna Leishman and Calum Stirling, all commissioned by New Media Scotland’s Alt-w Fund.

KEITH MCCARTER: ART IN ARCHITECTURE Open Eye Gallery 11 August – 6 September 2014 An exhibition of limited edition bronze casts by Scottish artist Keith McCarter, whose large scale stainless steel and bronze forms have been shown within the built or landscaped environment worldwide.

KEVIN HARMAN - OPEN STUDIO OLD AMBULANCE DEPOT 1-31 August 2014 The Honourable K.W. Harman has been working on a variety of new projects, some small,

SCOTTISH MASTERS: PAINTING AND PRINTMAKING Open Eye Gallery 11 August – 6 September 2014 Scottish Masters features paintings by some of Scotland’s greatest

RODERICK BUCHANAN: CHARLOTTE SQUARED Randolph House 31 July – 31 August 2014 Edinburgh Art Festival audiences are invited to visit Randolph House in the heart of the New Town. This former accountants’ office will, during the month of August, play host to the performative artwork Number Crunching. At the core of this project is Roderick Buchanan’s ambition to increase knowledge and collective awareness of Thomas Muir, an under-appreciated figure who was active within the Scottish Enlightenment.

AUGUSTO CORRIERI AND VINCENT GAMBINI Rhubaba 2 – 31 August 2014 Rhubaba presents video works and a newly commissioned performance by Augusto Corrieri and Vincent Gambini for Edinburgh Art Festival 2014.

GENERATION: OPEN DIALOGUES Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture 28 June – 31 August 2014 Open Dialogues outlines the Academy’s commitment to supporting the careers of emerging artists by showcasing six artists from our successful RSA New Contemporaries exhibitions, which started as an annual event in 2009.

GENERATION: 25 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN SCOTLAND Scottish National Gallery 28 June – 2 November 2014 This extensive exhibition, presented across three venues, celebrates the richness and diversity of contemporary art that has developed in Scotland over the last 25 years.

THE ART OF GOLF Scottish National Gallery 12 July – 26 October 2014 The Art of Golf tells the story of the birth and evolution of Scotland’s national sport by bringing together beautiful paintings and extraordinary photographs.

Clockwise from top left: Danie Mellor, Bayi Minyjirral, 2013, Leon Morrocco, Passing Baziluzzo, Sicily, 2004 and Augusto Corrieri, Diorama, 2013

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ART www.edfestmag.com JOHN RUSKIN: ARTIST AND OBSERVER Scottish National Portrait Gallery 4 July – 28 September 2014 Renowned art critic John Ruskin was also an outstanding draughtsman and watercolour painter. This exhibition illustrates, with the finest examples, the range and quality of his work.

JOHN BYRNE: SITTING DUCKS Scottish National Portrait Gallery 14 June – 19 October 2014 This exhibition explores and celebrates Byrne’s highly innovative and richly varied portraiture. It includes drawings and paintings from across his career, depicting friends, family and famous sitters, such as Tilda Swinton and Billy Connolly. Byrne has also produced many insightful and witty selfportraits, which form a strong element of the show.

A CORNCRAKE IN CHARLOTTE SQUARE Scottish Poetry Library 9-25 August 2014 A recording of this shy bird, now found only in remote locations,

will be played each evening, as a historical reconstruction, or modest reparation. In collaboration with Edinburgh International Book Festival, supported by RSPB. THE KING’S PEACE: REALISM AND WAR Stills 1 August – 26 October 2014 Presented during the First World War centenary, this group exhibition critically relates conflict abroad to culture and society at home.

Co-curated by Edinburgh-based photographer and writer Owen Logan.

SUSAN HILLER: RE-SOUNDING Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 Re-sounding is a new work by American-born, London based artist Susan Hiller. Concerned with unearthing the forgotten or repressed, Hiller is one of the most influential British artists working today. This new video combines sound frequencies and visual patterns translated from radio waves emitted by the Big Bang with a series of eye-witness accounts

of extra- terrestrial phenomena referencing cosmology, dreams and contemporary visionary experiences.

CLAUDE CLOSKY: 10, 20, 30 AND 40% Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 Leading French conceptual artist Claude Closky invites the public to make a mouse click, initiating the rotation of an already wonky projected landscape. As the image spins faster, the sounds of the countryside reverberate with the deceleration and finally cease, dependent on the viewers interaction. The title, Going Around In Circles, mixes two situations – that of the figured, through circular motion, and the figurative, going nowhere. Other works will also be exhibited in Closky’s first exhibition in Scotland for over ten years.

FAILE & BAST: DELUXX FLUXX ARCADE EDINBURGH 2014 Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 Featuring interactive games designed for Art Basel Miami Beach 2013, The FAILE BÄST Deluxx Fluxx Arcade Edinburgh 2014 invites visitors to take a turn with specially programmed video games and pinball machines, or play a round of psychedelic football. This Edinburgh installation marks the first ever showing by the artists in Scotland. In a second exhibition of large painterly works (created on printing boards but completed in situ at Summerhall) Faile will exhibit a number of unique colourful abstracts for the first time anywhere in the world.

KENNARDPHILLIPPS: DEMO TALK Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 Peter Kennard and Cat Phillipps are a collaborative duo who have been working since 2002 to produce art in response to the invasion of Iraq. Their practice has evolved to confront power and war across the globe. This August, they will perform DEMO TALK, an artists’ talk that transforms into a physical demonstration of the methods they use in making their visual cries of protest against corrupt power. DEMO TALK takes place in the War on War Room, a space where kennardphillipps’ posters, prints and assemblages form an installation of dissent.

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GARY BASEMAN: MYTHICAL HOMELAND Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 Gary Baseman’s Mythical Homeland delves into the real and imagined histories of generations past, interpreting the Holocaust and its lasting effects on culture and identity. Drawings, paintings, photographs and a short film documentary entitled Mythical Creatures are installed in a small birch tree forest, referencing the environment into which Baseman’s father fled and survived among other freedom fighters during World War II. This is the Los Angeles artist’s first solo exhibition in the UK. ANTONIO O’CONNELL: VIRUS Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 Antonio O’Connell is a Mexican installation artist and architect who creates extensions and intrusions into buildings using recycled materials and items from a building’s past. For this summer’s programme, O’Connell will create a major new work at the front of Summerhall, incorporating some of the former Vet School’s fixtures and fittings.

TAMSYN CHALLENGER: MONOCULTURE SUMMERHALL 1 August – 26 September 2014 This exhibition by political artist Tamsyn Challenger comprises elements of habitual performance, viral infiltration, a small farm, feminine identity and the impacts of social media; drawing parallels between historical modes of control and mass cultivation. These themes inform an installation that seeks to link www.edfestmag.com

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ART www.edfestmag.com LINDSAY TODD: THE LIVING MOUNTAIN Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 In a specially designed ‘record shop’ in the basement of the Church Gallery, graphic designer and vinyl record collector Todd will be spinning discs daily. Visitors will be allowed to browse and buy LPs, audio cassettes and CDs of his own works and those of the many avant garde artists and musicians who have contributed to a resurgence in artist’s recordings as a major area of artistic practice.

earlier forms of human suppression by pseudo-sexual torture with cultural homogenisation on a global scale. The sculpture is highly coloured, using the trademark blues of Facebook and Twitter, and some of the objects are decorated with text taken from social networks.

AUGUSTIN REBETEZ: HEART (METEORITE) Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 In his first UK exhibition, Swiss artist Augustin Rebetez has developed his own mysterious universe, in which images confront one another – abuzz with discordant interaction, harmonising through their anarchic quality. Heart (Meteorite) brings together strange monotonous beasts, ornate stop-motion videos and rapidly assembled humanoid sculptures, depicting the tragedy and comedy of Rebetez’s bittersweet universe.

CAROLINE MCNAIRN: DREAMING OF HEROIC DAYS Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 This timely exhibition celebrates the year Caroline McNairn spent painting in Russia and Ukraine.

This was the culmination of a cultural exchange between Scotland and the former USSR, organised by Andrew Brown, director of Edinburgh’s 396 Gallery, and Baroness Smith, then chairman of the GB- USSR-Friendship Society.

RICHARD DEMARCO: DEMARCO ARCHIVE Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 A selection of specially curated and selected exhibitions by Richard Demarco.

IGNAZ CASSAR: 444 ARCHIVES Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 444 Archives is an installation based on photographic artwork.

As the title of the work indicates, 444 Archives is a collection of 444 photographs of 444 publicly registered repositories in the Greater London area.

Each photograph is stored in one of the 444 archival boxes that make up the work. Each image is preserved inside the box and is thereby kept ‘alive’ for the future.

At the same time, it is also negated in its visibility both as image and photographic artefact.

Clockwise from top left: Portrait of He, Nanjing Museum, Nomad Exhibitions, Faile & Bast, DeluxxFluxx, 2013 and Katie Paterson, Earth Moon Earth, 2007

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BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON: THE NORTHERNMOST NORTH Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 One of Iceland’s best-known contemporary artists, Birgir Andrésson’s work uses conceptual strategies to explore aspects of Icelandic culture and national identity. Raised in a home for the blind as the sighted child of blind parents, Andrésson was particularly attuned to the relationship between language and perception.

With four large painted works,

each referencing a compass point, the boundaries of Summerhall will be marked directionally, conceptually turning the entire building into an Andrésson work.

GENESIS & LADY JAYE BREYER P-ORRIDGE: LIFE AS A CHEAP SUITCASE (PANDROGENY & A SEARCH FOR A UNIFIED IDENTITY) Summerhall 1 August – 26 September 2014 This is the first British exhibition by influential avant-garde artists Genesis and Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge since 2003, featuring the European premiere of major works from their Pandrogyne project. Featuring explicit images of the artists’ bodies, religious iconography and the British Royal Family, the works challenge the status quo through their visceral, occasionally shocking nature.

Ultimately the work is traditional at its core, with the body as a central image and seeking transcendant visionary change towards a non-violent future for humankind. 

creative fun at doodles! parties for all ages • unique gifts for all occasions • office nights out • team building events • baby prints • clay imprints • commissions • doodles to door • gift vouchers • free tea & coffee or BYOB • 100s of items & colours to choose from what will you paint?!

29 Marchmont Cres EH9 0131 229 1399 www.doodlesscotland.co.uk

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MUSIC www.edfestmag.com AFRICA LIVE! New Town Theatre 15 and 22 August, 10.15pm Pick of the African music on the Fringe in the company of original Bhundu Boy Rise Kagona and Senegal’s Samba Sene and Diwan.

ANATOMY OF THE PIANO Summerhall 1-24 August (not 11), 8.20pm Back after a successful run last year, Will Pickvance offers a lessthan-serious lecture coupled with a virtuosic display of keyboard skills.

ARDITTI QUARTET Greyfriars 16 August, 5.45pm An intriguing clash of the old and the new in this concert by countertenor Jake Arditti and co, combining renaissance pieces by Dowland and Gesualdo and new work by Paredes.

ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION LIVE DJ SET Summerhall 2 August, 11pm After playing the Liquid Room earlier in the evening, the generous

young men of ADF head down to Summerhall for an after-party night of rare mash-ups and hot sounds featuring MC SoomT. BACH AND ZAPPA LATE Royal Over-Seas League 19 August, 10.30pm Feeling indecisive? Can’t decide whether you want a bit of JS Bach or a spot of Frank Zappa? All your problems are solved thanks to the Francoise Green piano duo.

BBC SCOTTISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Usher Hall 30 August, 8pm Illan Volkov conducts the popular orchestra in the last of this year’s Edinburgh International Festival concert series, especially notable for the inclusion of Sandakan Threnody by a certain Jonathan Mills, the Festival’s artistic director who stands down this year.

BEYOND ZERO: 1914-1918 Festival Theatre 18 August, 8pm The Kronos Quartet provide the music for this response to the

First World War by filmmaker Bill Morrison. The music is by Serbian composer Aleksandra Vrebalov. The group also perform at the Usher Hall on 19 August.

IAN BOSTRIDGE AND JULIUS DRAKE Queen’s Hall 12 August, 11am The tenor and pianist come together for an EIF morning concert, featuring pieces by Mahler, Weill and Britten that cover everything from unrequited love to the horrors of warfare.

BROKEN RECORDS Queen’s Hall 2 August, 8pm Often likened to the Arcade Fire, the Edinburgh band come home to celebrate the release earlier this year of Weights & Pulleys, their third album of indie-folk classicism.

MOVIN’ MELVIN BROWN: THE RAY CHARLES EXPERIENCE & THE TAP-DANCING PREACHER C Venue 31 July–25 August (not 18), 6.05pm Playing a different set on alternating nights, the Fringe favourite offers a tribute to the great soul singer Ray Charles and a collection of gospel and inspirational songs.

MARTIN CARTHY Acoustic Music Centre 12 August, 8pm Winner of a BBC Folk Awards Lifetime Achievement gong, the MBE-holding singer has a 40-year and 50-album track record of interpreting traditional songs.

CATHEDRAL CONCERTS St Mary’s Cathedral 1-30 August, times vary Daytime and evening concerts throughout the month, ranging from Bach Before Breakfast for the early birds to Chicago blues, organ recitals and free lunchtime recitals.

CHINA YOUNG Acoustic Music Centre 4-13 August, times vary Catch up with Beijing’s finest upand-coming talents in a series of performances combining traditional Chinese dance with an international range of musical styles.

CLUB SPIEGEL PRESENTS SHOOGLENIFTY The Famous Spiegeltent 19-22 August, 11.45pm In its new location in St Andrew

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Square, the Famous Spiegeltent is aiming to be the Fringe’s social hub and with the compelling electro-folk sounds of Shooglenifty (new album to boot), it should certainly be one of the liveliest.

CONCERTO WITHOUT ORCHESTRA Assembly Rooms 31 July-24 August (not 11), 4.20pm After a sell-out run last year, Worbey and Farrell, the less-than-serious graduates of the Royal College of Music, return with another helping of piano duets that turn their instrument into something approaching an orchestra.

CRAP MUSIC RAVE PARTY Just the Tonic at the Mash House 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23 August, 12am This is more of a warning than a listing, but just in case you think it’s a good idea to spend the early hours of the morning dancing to the worst records ever released, this could be the party you’re looking for.

THE CUBAN BROTHERS Gilded Balloon 21-22 August, 10.30pm A night of comedy-music entertainment as the Edinburghcreated act returns for two nights of funk, soul, break-dancing and laughs.

JUSTIN CURRIE Queen’s Hall 23 August, 7.30pm and 9.45pm Two solo gigs on one evening by the Del Amitri frontman who’ll be demonstrating the songwriting skills that helped him clock up 14 top 40 singles and four top 40 albums. www.edfestmag.com

07/07/2014 23:35

MUSIC www.edfestmag.com HEBRIDES ENSEMBLE Queen’s Hall 9 August, 11am Actor Graham F Valentine joins the Edinburgh-based ensemble in this EIF concert taking in Schoenberg and Stravinsky. Valentine narrates The Soldier’s Tale, setting the mood for this year’s commemoration of the First World War.

CZECH PHILHARMONIC Usher Hall 22-23 August, 8pm Two Edinburgh International Festival concerts by the celebrated orchestra, joined in the first by Nicola Benedetti for Korngold’s Violin Concerto, and in the second by mezzo soprano Bernarda Fink for Biblical Songs by Dvorak.

DELUSION OF THE FURY King’s Theatre 29-30 August, 8pm The enterprising theatre director Heiner Goebbels stages this large-scale music-theatre piece by the eccentric composer Harry Partch, known for inventing his own instruments and tonal system.

ARCHIE FISHER Acoustic Music Centre 23 August, 8pm One of the icons of Scottish folk, Fisher is one of the best song interpreters around with a professional career stretching back over 50 years.

ANTONIO FORCIONE: NO STRINGS ATTACHED Assembly George Square 7-17 August, 9.10pm The Italian virtuoso guitarist has

been gigging since the age of 13 and has become a must-see Fringe favourite. Here, he and his guitar get up close and personal with an intimate series of gigs, taking in Latin, African and Jazz sounds along the way.

DEAN FRIEDMAN IN CONCERT Sweet Grassmarket 6-24 August (not 11, 12, 18, 19), 9.05pm The Lucky Stars singer has become a Fringe institution and is back sharing some of the songs from throughout his 30-year career.

HESPERION XXI, LE CONCERT DES NATIONS AND LA CAPELLA REIAL DE CATALUNYA Usher Hall 12 August, 7.30pm The pioneering Jordi Savall treats us to three ensembles for an EIF concert on the theme of war and peace in western Europe from the 30 Years’ War to the peace of Utrecht.

THE HILLIARD ENSEMBLE Greyfriars 14 August, 5.45pm One of the last chances you’ll get to see the vocal quartet before they step down after 40 years championing early choral music. In tonight’s Edinburgh International Festival performance there’ll be

renaissance work by Dufay and modern work by Heider.

THE HISTORY OF JAZZ PIANO Art Space @ St Mark’s 7 & 9 August, 6.30pm; 8 August, 10pm Learn about the innovations made by great players such as Fats Waller, Oscar Peterson and Herbie Hancock, as Richard Michael pays homage to his heroes and teaches a lesson or two along the way.

HOLST’S THE PLANETS Usher Hall 9 August, 8pm The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra brings in Donald Runnicles to conduct the everpopular showpiece. Its war theme is part of the Edinburgh International Festival’s commemoration of the First World War. HOT DUB TIME MACHINE Underbelly Bristo Square 1-2, 7-10, 13-17, 20-24 August, 12.30am A late-night ride back in time with Adelaide DJ Tom Loud who helps us party through history with the

DICK GAUGHAN Acoustic Music Centre 19 August, 8pm Annual solo appearance on the Fringe from the holder of a lifetime achievement award in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

HARPSICHORDS AT ST CECILIA’S St Celia’s Hall 13, 20, 23, 27 August, 3pm If you’d like to hear a rare harpsichord, the Edinburgh University collection is for you.

These four concerts put them to good use with a choice of music from the relevant eras.

Clockwise from top left: Justin Currie, The Cuban Brothers and Concerto Without Orchestra

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MUSIC www.edfestmag.com most danceable sounds from 1956 to the present day.

they reinterpret the songs from the classic Hollywood musical.

RM HUBBERT WITH EMMA POLLOCK Queen’s Hall 20 August, 9pm Great double header as RM Hubbert, the winner of the Scottish Album of the Year Award for 2013’s Thirteen Lost & Found, joins forces with Pollock, formerly of the Delgados, for a night of emotional indie pop.

NUALA KENNEDY Famous Spiegeltent 9 August, 8.30pm Nominated as Folk Band of the Year in the Scottish Traditional Music Awards, Nuala Kennedy’s band mixes new and old sounds to create a compelling blend of Irish and Scottish folk.

THE JOE CORRIE PROJECT Acoustic Music Centre 5 August, 8.30pm; 9 August, 5.30pm The great working-class minerturned-playwright and poet is celebrated by the Bowhill Players, who come from his heartlands in Fife.

BRIAN KELLOCK AND COLIN STEELE: MY FAIR LADY Jazz Bar 9 and 23 August, 2.30pm Two chances to see award-winning trumpeter Steele, who is influenced

by Scottish folk as well as jazz, with fellow jazz guru Kellock on piano as

UTE LEMPER Usher Hall 15 August, 7.30pm Joining the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for this Edinburgh International Festival performance, the charismatic German singer takes us back to the decadent days of the Weimar Republic with songs by Weill, Eisler and Brecht.

KING CREOSOTE Queen’s Hall 15 August, 8pm Lynchpin of Scotland’s indie-folk scene, Kenny Anderson will be airing tracks from his new album From Scotland With Love, plus a few old Fence Collective favourites.

DOUGIE MACLEAN IN CONCERT Queen’s Hall 1 August, 7.30pm Celebrated as one of Scotland’s national musical treasures – not least as the writer of Caledonia – MacLean kicks off the Fringe with an evening showcasing his skills as a singer-songwriter.

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO Edinburgh Playhouse 9 August, 8pm The South African vocal group are in town to accompany Inala, a dance piece in the Edinburgh International Festival. Taking the chance to give a one-off concert, they show off their patent mix of gospel, soul and a cappella.

MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Usher Hall 21 August, 8pm Sir Andrew Davis joins the Australian orchestra to conduct work by Strauss, Schumann and Grainger in what promises to be a dramatic performance for the Edinburgh International Festival.

RAB NOAKES Acoustic Music Centre 10 August, 8pm Solo set from the Fife singersongwriter who has performed with Lindisfarne, Barbara Dickson and Gerry Rafferty and is rated as one of the country’s finest.

THE ONE ENSEMBLE Summerhall 11 August, 10.30pm After sell-out success last year, the eclectic quartet steps out from behind Scottish Dance Theatre for an evening of genre-defying musical adventurousness.

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EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OPENING CONCERT Usher Hall 8 August, 7.30pm The Edinburgh International Festival kicks off with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Oliver Knussen playing pieces by Schoenberg, Scriabin and Debussy.

ORKESTRA DEL SOL Queen’s Hall 8 August, 10pm Put on your dancing shoes as Scotland’s most outward-looking brass band combines influences from across the globe to create an up-tempo riot of feelgood musical joy.

CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN: 10 Assembly Rooms 30 July–24 August, 9.45pm A big Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival favourite, the Irish-French singer returns after a year away to bring her own, special intensity to her cover versions of Jacques Brel, Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Radiohead.

OTWAY Jam House 2-22 August (not 5, 9, 12, 16, 19), 8pm He may be only a two-hit wonder, but that’s no deterrent to the fun to be had when “national treasure” John Otway takes to the stage.

Always a good time - find out why he’s become a cult favourite.

OWEN WINGRAVE King’s Theatre 15 & 17 August, 7.30pm Chiming with the Edinburgh International Festival’s commemoration of the First World War, Benjamin Britten’s made-forTV opera is a pacifist story about a young man who breaks free of his family’s militaristic tradition. Neil Bartlett directs.

ANNE SOFIE VON OTTER Queen’s Hall 25 August, 11am The mezzo soprano is joined by Daniel Hope, Bengt Forsberg and Bebe Risenfors for a morning concert of songs and instrumental music associated with the Nazi concentration camp of Theresienstadt. Part of the Edinburgh International Festival’s war theme. www.edfestmag.com

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MUSIC www.edfestmag.com Italy, France and the Netherlands with the pure-voiced singers of the Edinburgh International Festival favourites. Peter Phillips directs.

SOWETO SPIRITUAL SINGERS Underbelly Bristo Square 30 July– 25 August, 5pm The 27-strong choir that performed to the world in the opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup bring some South African sunshine to the Fringe with an evening of song and dance.

PETER STRAKER BLACK MAGIC Pleasance Courtyard 31 July–24 August (not 11, 18), 6pm The Jamaican star of London’s West End brings a five-piece band to the Fringe for rocking renditions of classics from Weill to Mercury.

Clockwise from top left: Kareen Polwart, King Creosote and Township Voice

DANIEL PADDEN AND WOUNDED KNEE: AND BLITHELY SPEND THE GOWDEN DAY Scottish Storytelling Centre 12-14 August, 5pm Edinburgh and the Pentland Hills are the inspiration for a new song cycle that promises to be a highlight of the Made in Scotland programme.

KARINE POLWART Queen’s Hall 9 August, 7.30pm A bright star of the Scottish folk scene, the Stirlingshire singer has enjoyed considerable acclaim since stepping out from the Battlefield Band and Malinky.

THE POOZIES Famous Spiegeltent 12-13 August, 8.30pm The four regulars in this tremendous contemporary folk

band make a welcome return to the Fringe.

ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA Usher Hall 27-28 August, 8pm Two concerts for the EIF by the mighty Dutch orchestra under conductor Mariss Jansons. The first features Jean-Yves Thibaudet on piano, and includes pieces by Ravel and Shostakovich; the second features Leonidas Kavakos on violin, and includes Brahms and Strauss.

RICHARD THOMPSON IN CONCERT Queen’s Hall 25 August, 7.30pm Rated alongside Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page for his proficiency on the guitar, Thompson is a prolific songwriter who continues to amaze.

TOWNSHIP VOICES Assembly Rooms 12-14 August, 7.55pm The 30 members of the Dloko High School Choir from South Africa’s Umlazi Township raise funds for local community projects as they perform three gigs of infectious gospel, Zulu songs and dance.

LES TROYENS Festival Theatre 28-30 August, 5pm The major opera presentation of the EIF comes from the Mariinsky Opera which tackles Hector Berlioz’s epic interpretation of the Trojan war in a five-and-a-half hour production.

VIRGIN MONEY FIREWORKS CONCERT Princes Street Gardens 31 August, 9pm Garry Walker conducts the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in pieces by Wagner, Beethoven and Mendelssohn as the fireworks go off overhead and the Edinburgh International Festival comes to a close.  WORDS MARK FISHER

RACHEL SERMANNI Queen’s Hall 14 August, 7.30pm One of Scotland’s brightest young folk stars, the 22-year-old balladeer is on a roll as her distinctive brand of ethereal folk catches on.

ANDRAS SCHIFF Usher Hall 25 August, 8pm A return to the Edinburgh International Festival by the gifted pianist, playing pieces by Beethoven, Bartok. Janacek and Schubert in an evening of contrasts.

THE SIXTEEN Usher Hall 11 August, 8pm More war and conflict in this Edinburgh International Festival showcase of renaissance choral singing with pieces by Josquin, Poulenc, Sheppard and Taverner.

THE TALLIS SCHOLARS Greyfriars 19 August, 5.45pm Renaissance choral music from

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BOOKS www.edfestmag.com KATE ADIE 19 August, 8pm; 20 August, 4.30pm BBC news reporter Kate Adie recalls her days in the crossfire with fellow journalist Allan Little and, in the second event, talking about women in the first world war with Jackie McGlone.

BARROUX & MICHAEL MORPURGO 22 August, 4.30pm As the author of War Horse and Private Peaceful, Morpurgo is known for his stories of the first world war. Here, he talks to illustrator Barroux, whose graphic novel, Line of Fire, is based on the diary of a French soldier.

SEBASTIAN BARRY 22 August, 11.30am In The Temporary Gentleman, the Irish novelist catches up with the McNulty family, who have also appeared in The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty and The Secret Scripture.

LYNN BARBER 21 August, 3pm One of Fleet Street’s great feature writers, Barber has a remarkable

gift for honest interviews of celebrities. In this session, Kate Mosse takes the interviewer’s chair to ask her about A Curious Career.

BRENDA BLETHYN & ANN CLEEVES 23 August, 8.30pm Cleeves is the author of six novels about DCI Vera Stanhope. Blethyn is the actor who has played her on television in four series of Vera.

The two women come together to discuss crime fiction.

ALAIN DE BOTTON 10 August, 3pm De Botton considers the effect the news is having on us. In the company of Richard Holloway, he looks at the way disasters, celebrities and political scandals are reported and wonders what we can do about it.

CHRISTOPHER BROOKMYRE 16 August, 8pm Plenty to talk about with the popular tartan noir writer who is soon to complete Dead Girl Walking, the first Jack Parlabane thriller in seven years.

JUNG CHANG 10 August, 1.30pm The author of Wild Swans has been studying the most important woman in Chinese history, a 19th century concubine who rose to be the Empress Dowager Cixi, the ruler of the nation.

JULIAN COPE 15 August, 9.30pm Not content with producing headspinning pop with the Teardrop Explodes and beyond, the Liverpool musician has reinvented himself as the author of a gnostic whodunit, One Three One, which matches his music for inventiveness.

RICHARD DAWKINS 13 August, 4.30pm The evolutionary biologist most likely to generate headlines in matters religious and secular talks about the scientific mind that gave him An Appetite for Wonder.

ANNE DONOVAN & ROBYN YOUNG 11 August, 6.45pm A double header, as the OrangePrize winning Donovan talks about her medieval Scottish romance, Gone Are the Leaves, while Young takes us back to the time of Robert the Bruce in Kingdom.

MARGARET DRABBLE 12 August, 11.30am Drabble fans have had a seven year wait for The Pure Gold Baby, which is all the more of a publishing sensation given she’d previously suggested her fiction writing days were over.

CAROL ANN DUFFY 9 August, 6.30pm The poet laureate is joined on stage by her regular accompanist John Sampson, a versatile woodwind player, as she reads some of the poems she has written to accompany an exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery.

KEVIN ELDON 16 August, 9.30pm The cult TV comedian talks about his alter ego, Paul Hamilton, an earnest poet with an exaggerated sense of his own importance. “My middle name is Defiance,” he says with characteristic humourlessness.

ESTHER FREUD 20 August, 8.30pm Charles Rennie Mackintosh has been in the news recently after the devastating fire at Glasgow School of Art. Here, the architect appears in

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fictional form as Freud talks about her novel Mr Mac and Me to Jackie McGlone.

ALASDAIR GRAY 13 August, 1.30pm One minute celebrated as a modern renaissance man, the next, condemned for his incendiary contribution to the independence debate, the author of Lanark talks about his career and his life as told through Of Me and Others.

SUSAN GREENFIELD 20 August, 8pm Everyone’s favourite neuroscientist considers what effect, if any, our increasing reliance on computer screens is having on our brains.

Probably best to keep your mobile phone in your bag for this one.

BONNIE GREER 19 August, 3pm A Parallel Life tells the rags-toriches tale of a girl who grew up in a racially segregated district of Chicago before escaping to London and starting to make a name for herself as a playwright, eventually earning an OBE. And it’s all true.

GERMAINE GREER 20 August, 3pm Best known as a cultural pundit and feminist campaigner, Greer also has experience as a back-to-nature activist, thanks to her purchase of a 60 hectare forest in Queensland in 2001. Her book, White Beech, describes how she managed it.

LUKE HARDING 19 August, 3.30pm The Guardian foreign correspondent gets to grips with the story of Edward Snowden and the greatest intelligence leak of our times. Stuart Kelly talks to him about security, surveillance and The Snowden Files. www.edfestmag.com

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BOOKS www.edfestmag.com HARUKI MURAKAMI 23 August, 3pm; 24 August, 6.30pm The remarkable Japanese novelist looks back on the triumph of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle with the Guardian’s John Mullan and, in the second event, launches his new novel, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage.

JAMES NAUGHTIE 14 August, 6.30pm The Radio 4 and Radio Scotland news anchor has branched out as the writer of spy thrillers. His first, The Madness of July, takes us back to the cold war of the 1970.

QUINTIN JARDINE 15 August, 3pm Chief Constable Bob Skinner has clocked up a remarkable 24 novels, the latest of which, Hour of Darkness, kicks off when a body washes up on the banks of the Forth.

JACKIE KAY WITH ALI SMITH 16 August, 11.30am As one of this year’s guest selectors, Smith is popping up all over the place in the programme.

Here, she joins Kay to talk about Orcadian filmmaker Margaret Tait.

AL KENNEDY 14 August, 11.30am The Book Festival favourite talks about her latest collection of short stories, All the Rage, which includes one tale she wrote especially for the Charlotte Square jamboree itself.

VAL MCDERMID 19 August, 6.30pm It’s not out until September, but McDermid will give you a heads up on The Skeleton Road, her psycho thriller in which DI Pirie is called out to investigate a skeleton in the attic of an Edinburgh house.

WILLIAM MCILVANNEY 11 August, 6.30pm Tartan noir is all over the Book Festival – and all of it owes a debt

to the man who invented the form.

Canongate has just republished his back catalogue.

GEORGE R R MARTIN 12 August, 3pm These days, you can’t go anywhere without someone telling you how good Game of Thrones is. Here, the man who wrote the books behind the hit HBO TV series talks about watching his creation reinvented for the small screen.

MAGGIE O’FARRELL 17 August, 6.30pm Shortlisted for the Costa Book Award, the Edinburgh-based author’s sixth novel Instructions for a Heatwave is about an Irish family.

JEREMY PAXMAN 24 August, 11.30apm Taking time out from his one-man Fringe show, the former Newsnight presenter talks about his book, Great Britain’s Great War.

SIMON SCHAMA 25 August, 6.30pm The historian completes a major study, as he launches the second volume of The Story of the Jews, in which he takes us from Stalin’s prisons to the Israel of today.

KIRSTY WARK 10 August, 8pm The Newsnight mainstay has found time to write The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle, a debut novel tracing a century of change in the west of Scotland.

ALAN WARNER 21 August, 7pm The author of Morvern Callar and The Sopranos introduces us to Their Lips Talk of Mischief, a novel set in Thatcher’s London.

LOUISE WELSH 12 August, 6.45pm The Glasgow author has kicked off her Plague Times trilogy in style with A Lovely Way to Burn, which has already given Radio 4 listeners a shock in the Book at Bedtime slot.  WORDS MARK FISHER

FRANCESCA MARTINEZ WITH MARK THOMAS 22 August, 8pm Campaigning stand-up Thomas quizzes Martinez about growing up with cerebral palsy and redefining the word “abnormal”.

DENISE MINA 15 August, 8.30pm The Glasgow novelist has gone into characteristically complex territory in her latest piece of crime fiction, The Red Road, which takes us into a dark area of exploitation and murder.

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KATE MOSSE 21 August, 6.30pm Mosse takes centre stage talks about her novel, The Taxidermist’s Daughter, and her short story collection, The Mistletoe Bride and Other Haunting Tales.

Clockwise from top left: Christopher Brookmyre, George R R Martin, Jackie Kay and Louise Welsh

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THEATRE www.edfestmag.com ANIMAL FARM Assembly George Square 31 July–24 August (not 11, 18), 12pm Guy Masterson has been a fixture on the Fringe ever since making his name with a one-man adaptation of George Orwell’s political parable.

He’s brought back the same script this year, but now he’s staging it with 30 actors from Georgia’s Tumanishvili Film Actors Theatre.

ANTIQUITHON Institut francais d’Ecosse 1–23 August (not 11, 18), times vary The name of Cie des Femmes à Barbe translates as “company of bearded ladies”, so expect a suitably end-of-the-pier sideshow feel in this 30-minute viewing of a cabinet of curiosities. You’ll never look at the Antiques Roadshow the same way again.

BEOWULF: THE BLOCKBUSTER Pleasance 30 July–24 August (not 11, 18), 12.50pm The Nordic myth seems to bring out the best in Fringe performers

and advance word on this one-man Irish interpretation is good. Pitched at the Hollywood generation, it’s about a father trying to connect with his son through a thrilling story of monster fighting.

BLIND HAMLET Assembly Roxy 31 July–25 August (not 12, 18), 2.50pm Actors Touring Company scored a Europe-wide hit with David Greig’s The Events, while Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour caused a stir with White Rabbit Red Rabbit (returning to Assembly George Square this year). The omens are promising, therefore, for their collaboration on this interactive Shakespeare.

BLOODY TRAMS Traverse 5–10 August, 11pm It has been the subject you dared not raise in an Edinburgh taxi for the past few years, but finally the trams are up and running, albeit not the intended route, not to the intended budget and not by the intended date. Compiled by director Joe

Douglas, this verbatim show tells the story from the point of view of the city’s residents.

THE CAROUSEL Traverse 31 July–24 August (not 4, 11, 18), times vary Two years ago, Stellar Quines enjoyed an award-winning Fringe hit with The List, in which Maureen Beattie played a woman obessed with bringing order to her life.

The same team is back again for the second play in a trilogy by Canadian writer Jennifer Tremblay, this one about a woman at her mother’s deathbed.

CHEF Underbelly 31 July–17 August (not 11), 6.10pm Sabrina Mahfouz is a young playwright championed by the Traverse. Here she turns her gift for urban poetry to the story of a one-time haute cuisine head chef who winds up as a convict running a prison canteen.

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THE DAY SAM DIED New Town Theatre 5–24 August (not 11, 18), 1.45pm Last year’s best kept Fringe secret was Water Stain, a classy piece of international theatre from Brazil’s Armazém Cia de Teatro. This year, the company is back in a more central venue with a play set in a hospital corridor where six people have ethical decisions to make DONALD ROBERTSON IS NOT A STAND–UP COMEDIAN Traverse 31 July–24 August (not 4, 11), times vary Glasgow’s Gary McNair looks at the purpose behind stand-up comedy and the impulse behind trying to make people laugh in a clever one-man show that builds on his researches at the New York Comedy Festival.

CONFIRMATION Northern Stage at King’s Hall 31 July–23 August (not 1, 3, 10, 17), 4.35pm A Fringe dream-team combination of Fringe-First winning playwright Chris Thorpe and director Rachel Chavkin (from New York’s the TEAM) in a show about political extremism and confirmation bias, which describes the way our prejudices are reinforced by the attitudes of people around us.

L’ENFANT QUI Institut francais d’Ecosse 6–24 August (not 7, 11, 14, 18, 21), 6pm In a city full of tents, Randolph Crescent gets a big-top of its own as the French Institute expands into the gardens opposite for a display of acrobatics, puppetry and music.

Theatre d’un jour’s grown-up circus is inspired by sculptor Jephan de Villiers.

CUCKOOED Traverse 2–24 August (not 4, 11), times vary Another foray into straight theatre (with laughs) by the campaigning comedian Mark Thomas, this time telling the true story of how he was betrayed by one of his close friends who turned out to be an informant.

THE FAIR INTELLECTUAL CLUB Assembly Rooms 31 July–24 August (not 11), 11am Stand-up Lucy Porter turns playwright, taking us back to the dawning of the Scottish Enlightenment, when three Edinburgh girls set up the Fair Intellectual Club. Based on a true story. www.edfestmag.com

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THEATRE www.edfestmag.com

Bazaar takes Tennessee Williams’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and breaks it down into a funny and inventive piece of physical theatre surrealism.

FERAL Underbelly 14–24 August, 12pm Return of Edinburgh’s Tortoise in a Nutshell with a mesmerising show about a seaside town suffering shop closures, dereliction and violence as a result of a soulless business opening shop. Brilliant live animation turns a black-and-white landscape into a world of chaos.

FRONT Royal Lyceum Theatre 22–26 August, 7pm Timely re-imagining of All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque in which the story of the war to end all wars is told by soldiers on every front. Luk Perceval’s Edinburgh International Festivla production for Hamburg’s Thalia Theater is performed in English, German, French and Flemish.

GANESH VERSUS THE THIRD REICH Royal Lyceum Theatre 9–12 August, 7.30pm (10 August, 2.30pm) Highly recommended Edinburgh International Festival show from Australia’s pioneering Back to Back

Theater Company that imagines the Indian deity Ganesh attempting to reclaim the symbol of the swastika from Adolf Hitler.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS, QUEEN OF HEAVEN ST MARK’S August 6–23 (not 10, 11, 17, 18), 10.30pm Transgender playwright Jo Clifford combines her interest in Christianity and sexual identity in a heartfelt meditation that, predictably, has rubbed the church’s more reactionary elements up the wrong way.

THE JAMES PLAYS Edinburgh Festival Theatre 5–22 August, times and dates vary An unprecedented collaboration between the EIF, the National Theatre of Scotland and the National Theatre of Great Britain, this is the world premiere of Rona Munro’s trilogy about three Medieval Scottish kings. Blythe Duff and Sofie Gråbøl are among the cast.

JANIS JOPLIN: FULL TILT Assembly George Square 31 July–24 August (not 12, 19), 8.50pm Nominated for Best Music and Sound in this year’s Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland, Peter Arnott’s tribute to the great singer features a stunning performance by Angela Darcy. Cora Bissett directs.

KINGMAKER Pleasance Courtyard 30 July–25 August (not 11), 3pm The team behind political satire Coalition returns with a familiar story about a bumbling London

HORIZONTAL COLLABORATION Traverse 31 July–24 August (not 4, 11, 18), times vary As well as presenting the internetonly City of the Blind, David Leddy’s imaginative Fire Exit is presenting this drama about power politics which is performed, sight unseen, by different actors every day.

HOT CAT Pleasance Courtyard 30 July–25 August (not 11), 3.30pm From the USA, Theatre Movement Clockwise from top left: Janis Joplin: Full Tilt, Feral, The Day Sam Died and Hot Cat

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THEATRE www.edfestmag.com mayor who has his eye on the prime minister’s job. Alan Cox stars and Hannah Eidinow directs.

KLIP Summerhall 1–24 August (not 11, 18), 5.20pm Since moving from Edinburgh to Denmark, Pete Livingstone has been creating physical theatre shows under the name of Livingstones Kabinet. Here, he returns with a funny and disturbing exercise in controlled chaos or, as he puts it, a work of “carefully selected coincidences”.

LETTERS HOME Charlotte Square 9–25 August (not 12, 19), 6.15pm Having conquered the Fringe and the International Festival, Edinburgh’s Grid Iron turns its attentions to the Edinburgh International Book Festival with a promenade performance that takes the audience to four locations in the vicinity of the tented village in Charlotte Square. The epistolary script has been written by four novelists on the theme of identity.

See feature.

LIGHT Pleasance Dome 2–25 August (not 11, 18), 5.15pm Much admired for Translunar Paradise and The Ballad of the Burning Star, Theatre Ad Infinitum returns to the Fringe with a topical view of a dystopian future (or is it the present?) in which surveillance and technology are in control.

LIPPY Traverse 5–24 August (not 11, 18), times vary A hit in Dublin, this production by Dead Centre is inspired by a 40day suicide pact between an aunt and her three nieces. Realising we can never know what went on in their boarded-up house, the company makes no attempt to speculate.

LIVE FOREVER Pleasance 30 July–25 August (not 12), 1.50pm First performed at Liverpool Playhouse under the title Di Is Dead, Robert Farquhar’s comic monologue takes us back to the

days of Britpop when one man finds himself unexpectedly taken aback by the death of a princess.

LOOKING FOR PAUL Summerhall August 14–24 (not 18), 10.30pm Some of the most captivating work on last year’s Fringe came under the Big in Belgium banner, so all eyes will be on Wunderbaum’s show about a Rotterdam woman fed up with having to look at a statue

by Paul McCarthy known as the Buttplug Gnome.

MARK RAVENHILL: PRODUCT Assembly Hall 31 July–20 August, 2.45pm Olivia Poulet, star of The Thick of It, takes on Mark Ravenhill’s monologue about a sleazy Hollywood producer trying to persuade an actor to take a role in an action-adventure movie written in the aftermath of 9/11. See feature.

MEN IN THE CITIES Traverse 31 July–24 August (not 4, 11, 18), times vary The talented Chris Goode returns to the Traverse after the success of Monkey Bars two years ago with an examination of the modern male in the light of a suicide of a young gay man, and the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, MS MEADOWS Pleasance 19–25 August, 11.50am The story of Belarus Free Theatre is a testament to survival against an oppressive regime. More remarkable still is the quality of the company-inexile’s work. Its new show is about the persecution of sexual minorities.

MINETTI Royal Lyceum 16–18 August, times vary Created especially for the

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THEATRE www.edfestmag.com PONDLING Underbelly 31 July–24 August (not 11), 1.30pm Genevieve Hulme-Beaman won the award for Best Female Performer in the Dublin Fringe Festival for this play about a rural girl whose overactive imagination gets her into trouble. Pondling is produced by Gúna Nua. THE POST SHOW Assembly George Square 30 July–25 August (not 11), 9.40pm There’s rarely time on the Fringe to squeeze in a post-show discussion so Philadelphia’s Beserker Residents make it possible for you by cutting out the show. This semiimprovised comedy is a discussion of a play you never saw.

Clockwise from top left: Silent Voices, Pondling, Post Show and Lippy Edinburgh International Festival by director Tom Cairns and actor Peter Eyre, this rare revival of a play

by Thomas Bernard features the combined forces of London’s RADA and New York’s Julliard School. It’s the story of a neglected actor who reckons he’s ripe for a return as King Lear.

NATHAN PENLINGTON: CHOOSE YOUR OWN DOCUMENTARY Gilded Balloon 10–25 August, 5pm The return of last year’s Fringe Firstwinning hit, in which the audience gets to see a different show every day depending on the choices it makes at key points throughout the performance. It sounds like a gimmick, but Choose Your Own Documentary is a surprisingly moving show.

NIGHT BUS Pleasance 2–25 August (not 13), 1pm A new comedy by Fringe regulars Linda Marlowe and Sarah–Louise Young, who play the passengers on a late-night bus, sharing their various stories.

THE PURE, THE DEAD AND THE BRILLIANT Assembly Rooms 31 July–24 August (not 18), 2.30pm Novelist and playwright Alan Bissett has been one of the most vocal participants in the debate about

Scottish independence. This artistic contribution is a satire in which the creatures of Scots folklore get involved in the referendum. Elaine C Smith stars.

RETURN TO THE VOICE St Giles Cathedral 6–9, 13–16, 18–21 and 25 August, times vary Song of the Goat, the Wroclaw theatre company that specialises in haunting vocal music, explores the song traditions of Scotland in a performance of Gaelic laments, psalms and songs of exile.

Commissioned by Summerhall, it should be particularly powerful in the sanctified setting of the cathedral.

RIVERRUN Traverse Theatre 2–24 August (not 4, 11, 15, 18), times vary Taking a passage from James Joyce’s experimental Finnegans Wake, Olwen Fouéré becomes the embodiment of the River Liffey in a performance that has been acclaimed in Dublin and London for its mesmerising poetic beauty.

DIANA RIGG: NO TURN UNSTONED Assembly Checkpoint 14–23 August, 1.20pm The Avengers and Game of Thrones star has long had a fascination with the history of theatre criticism.

Based on her book of the same name, No Turn Unstoned collects some of the funniest putdowns and most memorable reviews.

ONE–MAN BREAKING BAD The Famous Spiegeltent 1–11 August, 7pm Miles Allen sets himself the challenge of summing up all 60 episodes of the compelling TV series about the high-school chemistry teacher who takes over New Mexico’s crystal meth market.

It sounds like a stretch, but Allen has previously brought us One-Man Star Wars.

THE PITILESS STORM Assembly Rooms 31 July–24 August (not 11), 12.30pm Trial and Retribution star David Hayman stars in one of this year’s bumper batch of shows about Scottish independence, playing a trades unionist reassessing his beliefs and his party loyalty.

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THEATRE www.edfestmag.com SHOW SIX Summerhall 2–17 August (not 7, 14), 3.50pm Mark Ravenhill is the author of the latest instalment in the Lyric Hammersmith’s Secret Theatre season. This much we know. What we don’t know is the play’s title or subject – that’s all part of the surprise.

SILENT VOICE Assembly George Square 31 July–25 August (not 11), not 2pm What starts out as the story of a dangerous heist takes a philosophical turn as the four criminals reflect on their unfulfilled dreams and their quest to better themselves. Presented by the South African State Theatre as part of a South African season at Assembly.

SIMON CALLOW IN JUVENALIA Assembly Hall 31 July–25 August (not 6, 11, 18), 3.30pm The Fringe regular and star of Four Weddings and a Funeral revives a show he first performed in 1976, a

tribute to the Roman poet Juvenal, famed for his bawdy satires and themes that have yet to go out of fashion.

SIRENS Summerhall 12–24 August (not 18) , 8.30pm Fringe favourite Ontroerend Goed in an all-female show that walks a line between the clichéd images of mother, whore and saint in an attempt to devise a “feminist

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manifesto for the 21st century”.

Token male Alexander Devriendt directs.

SISTER Summerhall 1–24 August (not 5, 12, 19), 8.15pm There can’t be too many sisters like Amy and Rosana Cade. The former is a sex worker, the latter a lesbian performance artist. Together, they’re taking to the stage to investigate feminism and questions of choice.

SLEEPING BEAUTY Institut francais d’Ecosse 1–25 August (not 11, 18), 1pm Colette Garrigan was born in Liverpool but went to France to study puppetry and never came back. She set up Cie Akselere, with which she returns to the UK for a grown-up tale about a princess in a land devastated by unemployment and drugs.

SMALL WAR Traverse 31 July–24 August (not 1, 4, 11, 18, 19, 21, 23), times vary Part of the Big in Belgium season and one of the many Fringe plays commemorating the outbreak of the first world war, this show by Valentijn Dhaenens tells the story of the war in the words of those who were there SPINE Underbelly 31 July–24 August (not 12), 3.30pm First seen as a short script-in-hand early-morning reading for Theatre Uncut, Clara Brennan’s has grown into a full-length show. Telling the touching story of the relationship between a young woman and an elderly widow, it’s a deeply humane celebration of community, tradition and the imagination.

SPOILING Traverse 30 July–24 August (not 4, 11, 18), times vary Another contribution to the referendum debate, John McCann’s political satire is about the foreign minister of a newly independent Scotland who decides to go offmessage. Orla O’Loughlin directs.

SUNDAY MORNING, Assembly George Square 31 July–25 August (not 11), 12.40pm All is going well for photographer Matt until his girlfriend announces she is pregnant. Heading out for a run to process the news, he ends up in an unfamiliar part of the city where he makes a gruesome discovery. Hello Elephant’s production is part of Assembly’s South African season.

SWING Dance Base 1–24 August (not 4, 11, 18), 7.30pm Dublin’s Fringe-First winning Fishamble is back with a rock’n’roll love story about a couple going one step at a time through the dance of relationships and career choices.

SYMPHONY Assembly George Square 31 July–25 August (not 11), 5pm Three playwrights, Ella Hickson, Nick Payne and Tom Wells, join forces to create a hybrid of theatre, concert and stand-up gig, with actors who become musicians and musicians who become actors.

THIEF Hill Street Theatre 31 July–24 August (not 12), 9.30pm Evening News arts editor Liam Rudden is behind several shows on this year’s Fringe, including this oneman play inspired by the life of poet www.edfestmag.com

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THEATRE www.edfestmag.com THE WAR King’s Theatre 9–11 August, 8pm; 10 August, 3pm Vladimir Pankov’s SounDrama Studio specialises in a “sound drama” technique that enhances the stage action with music and rhythm. In this collaboration with the Chekhov International Theatre Festival, he takes a look at a group of bohemians placing their faith in art as the first world war draws near.

Part of the Edinburgh International Festival, don’t miss this short run at the King’s.

and playwright Jean Genet. Well received on its initial airing in Brighton.

13 SUNKEN YEARS Assembly Rooms 11–24 August (not 18), 2.05pm Stellar Quines is fielding two shows this year. As well as staging The Carousel at the Traverse, the company is collaborating with Lung Ha’s on a play from Finland about three generations of women – and the mother who disappears.

3000 TREES Gryphon@WestEnd 1–24 August (not 4, 11), 7.15pm Oddly, one of two Scottish plays with this title on the Fringe (the other by Teatro Magnetico is at Sweet Grassmarket). This one is by George Gunn and is inspired by the nationalist activist and anti-nuclear campaigner Willie MacRae who died in mysterious circumstances in 1985.

TITLE AND DEED Assembly Hall 31 July–25 August (not 11), 6.05pm Irish theatre company Gare St Lazare collaborates with New York’s Signature Theatre for a funny and moving one-man play by Will Eno about a life lived in exile.

THE TRIAL OF JANE FONDA Assembly Rooms 30 July–24 August (not 11), 4.05pm Fatal Attraction star Anne Archer goes head to head with a group of disgruntled war veterans as she plays Jane Fonda in this fact-based drama by her husband Terry Jastrow.

UBU AND THE TRUTH COMMISSION Royal Lyceum Theatre 28-30 August, 8pm; 30 August, 2.30pm These days Handspring Puppet Company is best known for its mesmerising work on War Horse, but the South African company has a long track record. This one, from 1997, is a reworking of Alfred Jarry’s scabrous satire presented in terms of the post-Apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

WHEN IT RAINS Pleasance Dome 2–23 August (not 6, 11, 18), 3.35pm A few years ago, Canada’s 2b Theatre Company took a last-minute decision to come to the Fringe and, despite the odds, scored a critical hit with Invisible Atom. Now it’s back, with more preparation and a show described as a live-action existential graphic novel. A deconstruction of a relationship breaking down, expect black humour and social satire.

WHERE THE WORLD IS GOING, THAT’S WHERE WE’RE GOING Summerhall 1–24 August (not 11, 18), 2.55pm Diderot’s 18th-century comic novel Jacques the Fatalist and his Master is the springboard for this Flemish show by sisters Louise and Ans Van den Eede.

WUTHERING HEIGHTS Summerhall 10–24 August (not 15, 18), 10pm A tremendous all-male response to the Bronte novel (with added Kate Bush), this inventive show by Peter McMaster examines the roles of fathers and sons, and the place of machismo, tenderness and identity.

THE ZULU Assembly George Square 31 July–25 August (not 11), 12.45pm Mbongeni Ngema was one of the authors of the international hit Woza Albert! and the writer of the awardwinning musical Sarafina! In his return to the stage after 27 years, he tells the tales once told to him by his blind great grandmother.  WORDS MARK FISHER

UNFAITHFUL Traverse 1–24 August (not 4, 11, 18), times vary One of the most warmly received plays in last year’s Traverse season was Quietly by Belfast playwright Owen McCafferty. Its success led to the commissioning of this drama about two couples and the affair that comes between them.

Clockwise from top left: Sirens, When It Rains, Symphony and Wuthering Heights

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KIDS www.edfestmag.com THE AMAZING BUBBLE MAN Assembly Rooms 31 July-24 August, 10.50am Whether you like your bubbles square, filled with fog or within other bubbles, Louis Pearl has the bubble for you. Expect to be beguiled and amazed.

BABY LOVES DISCO Electric Circus 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 25 August, 11am and 2pm (not 2, 24) Daytime clubbing with a ten-year track record as club DJs line-up a family-friendly soundtrack of retro favourites. There’s also karaoke booths and facepainting.

BARROUX AND MICHAEL MORPURGO Edinburgh International Book Festival, 22 August, 4.30pm In this anniversary year, two people who know more than most about the First World War come together to commemorate the event.

Barroux’s graphic novel Line of Fire is based on a diary kept by a French soldier. As the author of War Horse, Morpurgo is his perfect partner.

BEC AND TOM’S AWESOME LAUNDRY Gilded Balloon, 30 July-24 August (not 13-15, 18-21), 12.30pm Australian comedian Bec Hill from CBBC’s The Dog Ate My Homework joins fellow stand-up Tom Goodliffe for a much-loved hour of silliness, storytelling and paper puppetry.

BRAVE AND FREE Scottish Storytelling Centre 1-25 August, 1.30pm and 3.30pm Storyteller Calum Lykan brings out his collection of traditional Scottish tales featuring ancient kings, formidable warriors and mythical creatures such as giants, broonies and selkies.

JAMES CAMPBELL’S COMEDY 4 KIDS The Famous Spiegeltent 7-10 August, 2pm Pioneer of child-centred stand-up comedy, Campbell is beloved for his whimsical storytelling and rude word-free gags. This year’s set may or may not include routines about scooters, country dancing and giraffes.

OTIZ CANNELLONI’S HISTORY OF MAGIC (ABRIDGED) The Stand Comedy Club 31 July-17 August, 10.45am Child-centric introduction to the art of illusion, taking us back to the earliest magic trick with lots of demonstrations, even more jokes and the chance to join in.

CELESTE’S CIRCUS Scottish Storytelling Centre 31 July-17 August (not 4, 11), 10.30am Suitable for babies and everyone up to the age of five, this circus-themed show has been a hit from here to Estonia, introducing tiny tots to the big top by way of a series of colourful puppets.

CHALK ABOUT Summerhall 1-24 August (4, 11, 18), 11.30am Part of the Made in Scotland showcase, this dance-based piece by Curious Seed asks big questions and tells big jokes about identity and how the world sees us, with the help of a floor-sized blackboard and chalk.

CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG WITH JOE BERGER AND FRANK COTTRELL BOYCE Edinburgh International Book Festival, 10 August, 10.30am The much-loved story has been brought into the modern age by Frank Cottrell Boyce in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Over the Moon, his third sequel to the Ian Fleming classic.

The book is illustrated by Joe Berger who joins him here.

MACKENZIE CROOK Edinburgh International Book Festival, 9 August, 11.30am Known to millions as Ragetti in Pirates of the Caribbean, Crook is also a skilled illustrator and author.

In this Book Festival event, he shares some of the secrets of how he created The Windvale Spirtes and his new one, The Lost Journals of Benjamin Tooth.

DANGER IS EVERYWHERE WITH CHRIS JUDGE AND DAVID O’DOHERTY Edinburgh International Book Festival, 12 August, 10am Ever wondered what you’d do if a shark came out of the loo? What if a volcano erupted under your house?

Such are the fears of the world’s only dangerologist, Docter Noel Zone, whose work has been collated by comedian David O’Doherty in Danger is Everywhere: A Handbook for Avoiding Danger.

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DENNIS THE MENACE WITH STEPHEN BUTLER Edinburgh International Book Festival, 10 August, 10.30am Every Beano fan will want to find out what’s inside The Diary of Dennis the Menace in the company of the man who was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize for The Wrong Pong.

DINOSAUR ZOO Pleasance Courtyard 30 July-25 August, 11am Travel back in time to meet everything from cute baby dinos to carnivorous theropods with an internationally successful puppet-based show that lets you get up close and personal with the creatures. There’s a “meat and greet” at the end of every performance.

DR BUNHEAD’S SECRET SCIENCE LAB 13-24 August, 11.05am Start the day with a bang as the Brainiac scientist lets you into the secret of all the experiments you can do at home (and probably shouldn’t) in the noisiest, wildest and most explosive way possible.

THE ELECTRA PROJECT The Space @ Surgeon’s Hall 18-23 August, 11.50am Youth theatre show by TV writer David Jackson about a group of A-level students who decide to stage a production of the ancient Greek tragedy Electra – things don’t go according to plan.

EMILY BROWN AND THE THING Pleasance Courtyard 30 July-24 August (not 7), 14.05pm Favourite Fringe company Tall Stories, celebrated for its adaptation of The Gruffalo, brings www.edfestmag.com

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a new staging of Cressida Cowell’s picture book about the little girl who just can’t get to sleep for fear of what’s outside her window.

HORRIBLE HISTORIES WITH MARTIN BROWN Edinburgh International Book Festival, 17 August, 1.30pm To commemorate the anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, one of the illustrators of the Horrible Histories series turns up for a session uncovering some of the foulest facts about the war to end all wars.

I DO, DO I Summerhall 1-24 August (5, 12, 19), 11.05am Cellist Greg Sinclair has taken instructions from a group of children from Edinburgh’s Canal View Primary School about how he should perform, how he should be perform and what he should wear. See where their imagination takes him.

JOAN LINGARD Edinburgh International Book Festival, 9 August, 12pm For children aged 10-14, Lingard’s latest novel Trouble on Cable Street looks back to the rise of fascism in Europe in the run-up to the Second World War. JUMP UP AND JOIN IN WITH CARRIE AND DAVID GRANT Edinburgh International Book Festival, 11 August, 1.30pm The Pop Shop stars return for another lively introduction to making music, spinning off from Jump Up and Join In, their picture book series for younger children.

THE MAN WHO PLANTED TREES Scottish Storytelling Centre 1-17 August (not 11), 3pm This beguiling show by Puppet State Theatre Company is about a man who transforms the landscape.

AIDAN MOFFAT AND THE LAVENDER BLUE DRESS Edinburgh International Book Festival, 10 August, 3.30pm Parents will know Moffat as one half of cult Scottish band Arab Strab. Their children will be more

interested in his first book, a tale about a girl who longs for a dress to wear at the Christmas ball.

ONCE UPON A NIGHTMARE Laughing Horse @ the Counting House, 2-25 August, 12.15pm Labyrinth meets Jumanji meets Shrek in a dark adventure fantasy for all ages about a woman who is convinced there’s a magical world called Somnia.

PIRATE GRAN Underbelly Bristo Square 31 July-25 August (not 13), 11.30am Scamp Theatre, the company behind the hit Fringe adaptations Stick Man and Tiddler, turns its attentions to the books by Geraldine Durrant and Rose Forshall about the swashbuckling OAP. PLAY DOUGH Northern Stage at King’s Hall 2-23 August (not 3, 10), 11am A junior version of Clare Duffy’s Money the Gameshow, in which children get to play with 10,000 real pound coins and find out the real value of money.

READY, STEADY, CEILIDH Assembly George Square 31 July–25 August (not 11), 12.30pm CBBC’s Iain Stirling leads the whole family through the Dashing White Sergeants and Strip the Willows of a traditional Scottish ceilidh.

RED RIDING HOOD Scottish Storytelling Centre 31 July–17 August (not 11), 1pm Horse and Bamboo uses masks and puppets to recreate the classic tale of the girl who ventures into the woods to meet her grandma.

THE SAGAS OF NOGGIN THE NOG Assembly George Square 31 July–25 August (not 11, 18), 12.50pm John Wright directs this witty adaptation of Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin’s Viking adventures, much loved by parents who’ll remember the TV versions.  WORDS MARK FISHER

Clockwise from top left: Dinosaur Zoo, Chalk About and Baby Loves Disco

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BIANCO NoFit State Big Top 29 July – 25 August (not 4, 11, 18), times vary Aerialists, acrobats, singers and musicians transform the world of circus entertainment in NoFit State’s fast-paced show where everyone is on the move – including you.

BLACK GRACE Assembly Roxy 30 July – 22 August, 7.20pm New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance group bring their highly physical work to Edinburgh, rich in the storytelling traditions of the South Pacific.

BOOKING DANCE FESTIVAL Venue 150@EICC 13 – 17 August, times vary Direct from the USA, Booking Festival delivers a different but equally high quality line-up each year, showcasing the latest dance talent, from ballet to contemporary to African.

BRAZOUKA Assembly Hall 31 July – 25 August (not 11 & 18), 5.30pm Written by Pamela Stephenson Connelly and directed by Arlene Phillips, this new show serves up slick blend of Brazilian dance, including salsa, capoeira and the spinning sensation, ‘lambazouk’.

CIRCA: BEYOND Underbelly Bristo Square 30 July – 25 August (not 6, 12 , 20), 7pm Australian circus artistes who know how to strike a balance between bravery and beauty, as witnessed in 2013’s 5-star, Wunderkammer.

This year’s show blends trapeze and Chinese pole, with the surreal and the unexpectedly moving.

GNOSIS King’s Theatre 19 – 21 August, 8pm One of Britain’s most exciting choreographers, Akram Khan performs two Kathak solos, followed by Gnosis, a contemporary duet inspired by characters from the Mahabharata.

Clockwise from top left: Sonic Duum, Tiger and Tiger Tale, Black Grace, Riders, This is Brasil and Circa Beyond piece is inspired by conflict and the impact it has on the world.

INALA Edinburgh Playhouse 10 – 12 August, 8pm Dancers from the Royal Ballet and Rambert Dance Company join forces with South African singing sensation Ladysmith Black Mambazo, for an unforgettable fusion of music and movement.

IWITNESS AND SPECIAL EDITION Dance Base 1 – 17 August (not 4 & 11), 3pm A new double-bill of dance by American choreographer Vincent E Thomas, giving audiences a rare chance to see dancers from Scottish Ballet perform on the Fringe.

MIANN Summerhall 8 – 17 August (not 12) Scottish Dance Theatre perform this new collaborative work by the company’s artistic director, Fleur Darkin, award-winning designer Alexander Ruth and Glasgow quartet The One Ensemble.

I AM Edinburgh Playhouse 16 – 17 August, 8pm New Zealand-based collective MAU presents I AM, the latest work

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DANCE www.edfestmag.com TABULARASA Zoo Southside 1 – 9 August, 3.30pm Choreographer Keisha Grant and joyful music composer Eugene Skeef join forces for this new work

by Keneish Dance, known for its blend of African and contemporary.

MISSING Dance Base 1 – 24 August (not 11 & 18), 6pm Acclaimed Irish dance company CoisCéim use vibrant contemporary choreography in this poignant duet which captures the pain and uncertainty of families left behind when a loved one goes missing.

RHYTHMIC CIRCUS: FEET DON’T FAIL ME NOW Assembly Hall 31 July – 25 August (not 11 & 18) Back by popular demand, the 2012 Fringe sensations return from Minneapolis, USA with their infectiously feel-good mix of live music, exuberant tap dancing and talented beatboxing.

RIDERS Zoo Southside 1-10 August, 5pm Prague-based choreographer Lenka Vagnerova brings her highly regarded contemporary dance company to Edinburgh. Inspired by the life and movement of birds, Riders took home the Czech Dance of the Year Award in 2013.

SONICS IN DUUM Gilded Balloon 30 July – 23 August (not 12), 4.30pm Using aerial acrobatics and highly

THIS IS BRASIL – THE SHOW Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 25 August (not 12), 8pm Doing what Brazil does best – football, passionate dancing and incredible live music – This is Brasil features freestyle footballers, dancers and acrobats – all backed by an 8-piece samba band. Created on the streets and in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.

physical dance, Italian company Sonics take a journey to Agharta, a mythical underworld at the centre of the earth, based on Buddhist mythology.

SPIN Zoo Southside 18-25 August, 3.30pm A dynamic mix of creative contemporary dance, breakdance and parkour from Cardiff-based Harnisch-Lacey Dance Theatre, who are known for bringing the urban environment inside. Inspired by personal stories, Spin explores how people manage to make the impossible, possible.

SWEET MAMBO Edinburgh Playhouse 23-25 August, 7.30pm One of the final works created by the late, great Pina Bausch, exploring the highs and lows of relationships between adults.

Sweet Mambo is performed by the company she left behind to continue her legacy, Tanztheater Wuppertal.

SWING Dance Base 1-24 August (not 4, 11, 18), 7.30pm Heart-warming and comic tale from Dublin’s Fishamble company, about two people who find a new hobby – and each other - across the floor at their local swing dance school.

TIGER Venue 150@EICC 1 – 19 August (not 4 & 11), 6pm Using an innovative set, and dynamic inter-play between three dancers, choreographer Natasha Gilmore updates the children’s picture book The Tiger Who Came To Tea for grown-ups.  WORDS KELLY APTER

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COMEDY www.edfestmag.com ABIGOLIAH SCHAMAUN: IT’S PRONOUNCED ABIGOLIAH SCHAMAUN Gilded Balloon 30 July – 24 August (not 11), 6.45pm Recently relocated to the UK from New York, the outspoken Schamaun made her distinctive name with her compelling frankness about her sex life and memorable side show routines, including breathing fire and eating light bulbs. Although there’s no carnival tricks this time, she shares the Ohio childhood that made her the performer she is today.

ADAM OF THE RICHES Pleasance Dome 30 July – 24 August, 9.45pm Back at the festival after a three year hiatus, just as his knockabout Radio 4 series The Guns of Adam Riches returns to the airwaves, the former Edinburgh Comedy Award winner’s new hour is hotly anticipated. Full of audience interaction as ever, Riches is reintroducing some familiar characters, such as locker room alpha male Victor Legit. But he’s

mostly unveiling new creations, like brooding Lord Sean of House Bean, sexually charged cougar Glade, heartthrob A-lister Ryan Gosling, who’s just in need of a cuddle, plus The Guy You Meet After Coming Out Of A Long-Term Relationship.

AL LUBEL IN … I’M STILL AL LUBEL Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 24 August, 10.30pm Al Lubel had perhaps the most memorable routine of last year’s festival with his extended playfulness on his mellifluous name.

Still, he hasn’t wrung that subject dry yet and returns with further inspired musings on his moniker.

There’s also more on his tricky relationship with his overbearing Jewish mother. Deep but frivolous, odd but relatable, the American is quite unlike any other comic at the Fringe.

ALUN COCHRANE: (ME NEITHER) The Stand Comedy Club 30 July – 24 August (not 31, 11), 10.10pm Ignore the self-deprecating title.

This will be more effortless, understated humour from the droll, Scots-born Yorkshireman.

Alun Cochrane’s world-weary but consistently entertaining grumblings and observations on domestic mundanity befit a man three times his age. Having settled into his groove, he’s unlikely to leave it anytime soon.

THE BRENDON BURNS SHOW The Liquid Room 2 August – 24 August (not 7, 14, 21), 6.15pm Something a bit different from the opinionated Aussie this year, as he launches his own online series mixing stand-up and sketches.

Written, recorded live and uploaded every day, the show’s free, so why not join the audience and get on board? Burns is also rejoining Colt Cabana to commentate on bad, pre-recorded wrestling matches throughout the festival at The Stand in The Square.

BRIDGET CHRISTIE: AN UNGRATEFUL WOMAN The Stand Comedy Club 2 August – 23 August (not 11), 11.10am The reigning Edinburgh Comedy Award winner is once again at The Stand at an unfeasibly early hour with a backlash against her own success. Implying that her feminist

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ire is yet another of her outlandish characters, she’s dodging and weaving around the spotlight and acclaim that last year brought her.

CAREY MARX: ABOMINABLE Canons’ Gait 2 August – 24 August (not 12), 7.15pm A show about the abominability of humanity and the abominability of Carey Marx. Especially the gleefully dark Marx, who compares his abominability to the Abominable Snowman and doesn’t come out of it well. It’s also about principles.

Mostly, letting them go. And about accepting you’re wrong. And this show is wrong. Wrong and ultimately, abominable.

CARL DONNELLY: NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL CARL DONNELLY VOL. 6 Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 23 August (not 13), 8.30pm Despite last year’s great reviews and award nominations, Donnelly was still coping with the breakdown of his marriage. So this is the skilled storyteller’s “moving on” show, with the sardonic but hippyish vegan recounting his travels around India and his escapades as a newly single man.

CELIA PACQUOLA: LET ME KNOW HOW IT ALL WORKS OUT Gilded Balloon 30 July – 25 August (not 11), 8pm Nominated for the prestigious Barry Award in her native Australia earlier this year, Celia Pacquola would be returning to the Fringe full of confidence, were it not for her dependence on fortune tellers to guide her through testing times. For such a smart, assured storyteller, that’s quite a secret to share.

Nevertheless, the likeably effusive comic weaves a hypnotic tale around the darker predictions she’s been given about her future.

CHRIS COLTRANE: THERE’S NO HEROES LEFT EXCEPT ALL OF US Banshee Labyrinth 2 August – 24 August, 3.30pm In the wake of Nelson Mandela, Tony Benn and Bob Crow’s passing, Chris Coltrane laments the paucity of left-leaning inspirations left for him. In an era of widespread cynicism about politicians and celebrities, the impassioned but self-aware rabble-rouser suggests it’s high time we became our own heroes. www.edfestmag.com

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COMEDY www.edfestmag.com to date, with deviant diva Bernie and half-moustachioed Vicky giving an insight into their own twisted relationship. Lately seen on BBC Three’s Live At The Electric, the debauched duo deliver musical vignettes of filth and depravity.

COME HECKLE CHRIST Pleasance Courtyard 31 July – 24 August (not 11, 18), 10.20pm After attracting controversy from Christian groups at the Adelaide Fringe, Messiah-lookalike Josh Ladgrove arrives in Edinburgh with a show in which he invites the audience to question or shout anything at him in the guise of Jesus. Expect random daftness and the occasional exploration of morality. Ladgrove is also performing as the character Dr Professor Neal Portenza at Just The Tonic at the Mash House.

DAVID O’DOHERTY HAS CHECKED EVERYTHING Assembly George Square Theatre 30 July – 25 August (not 12), 7.15pm A show about struggling to find the one, elusive thing that will make you feel fulfilled and happy, Ireland’s troubled, kid’s keyboardtoting comic reflects on buying “so

much useless crap” and wasting time on the internet for his first single-themed hour. He’s also launching his latest children’s book, Danger Is Everywhere, at this year’s Edinburgh Book Festival.

DES BISHOP: MADE IN CHINA Pleasance Dome 30 July – 24 August (not 11), 8pm Des Bishop spent much of the last year living in Beijing, learning Mandarin in order to perform in stand-up in Chinese. Now an established part of the burgeoning comedy scene there, the IrishAmerican offers a culture clash insight into outdated stereotypes and dating in the People’s Republic.

EDDIE PEPITONE: RIP AMERICA, IT’S BEEN FUN Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 23 August (not 11), 9pm After decades of being the comedian’s comedian in New York, the dyspeptic Eddie Pepitone was one of the 2013 Fringe’s mustsees. And the 55-year-old has just filmed his very first special in his home city. Even so, “The Bitter Buddha” is once again decamping to Edinburgh for a month of railing at his homeland.

ELEANOR TIERNAN – HELP THE FRIGID Laughing Horse @ The Counting House 1 August – 24 August (not 11, 18), 8.15pm Warm, offbeat and engaging, Eleanor Tiernan brings appealing understatement to the vividly

surreal imagery she projects onto everyday situations, drawing her audiences in with personal tales that blur fiction and reality via her slightly touched creativity.

ENNIO MARCHETTO: THE LIVING PAPER CARTOON Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 15 August (not 11), 10.30pm Since his Fringe debut in 1989, the gloriously distinctive Ennio Marchetto has delighted audiences worldwide with his quick change artistry, the sheer speed at which he transforms himself from rock icons to musical divas in the blink of an origami flip change staggering to behold. Miley Cyrus joins the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Celine Dion and Tina Turner as one of the 60 celebrities he lampoons in this hour.

ERICH MCELROY: THE BRITISH REFERENDUM Just the Tonic at The Community Project 31 July – 24 August (not 12), 6.55pm It takes a brave stand-up to stick his neck out and argue

EASTEND CABARET: SEXUAL TENSION Underbelly, Bristo Square 30 July – 25 August (not 11), 8pm Switching to the comedy section of the programme, Fringe favourites Eastend Cabaret are promising their most sexually salacious show Clockwise from top left: Brendon Burns, Eastend Caberet and Abigoliah Schamaun: It’s Pronounced Abigoliah Schamaun

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COMEDY www.edfestmag.com against Scottish Independence in Edinburgh on the eve of the vote. But American-born Brit Erich McElroy passionately defends the union. Having struggled to get his UK passport, and mindful of what independence has done for the US, he contemplates the ramifications of a split for both sides of the border, offering a genial, insider-outsider perspective on the situation.

FELICITY WARD: THE ICEBERG Underbelly, Bristo Square 30 July – 25 August (not 11), 9.25pm Based on the premise that you can only see a tiny part of a situation from your limited, singular perspective, Felicity Ward’s new show applies her livewire style of comedy to a dizzying array of phenomenon - from her own personal battles with anxiety, to the self-aggrandisement of social media and the Australian government’s cruel treatment of refugees. Confirming her status as one of the most skilled Antipodeans currently gracing the UK comedy scene, Ward throws everything into a wide-ranging, unpredictable hour.

FRISKY AND MANNISH: JUST TOO MUCH Underbelly, Bristo Square 30 July – 25 August (not 8, 18), 7.35pm Pop parodists and musical mashup maestros Frisky and Mannish haven’t performed at the Fringe since 2011, and in the interim have been pursuing solo projects and recharging their considerable batteries. For this comeback, Laura Corcoran and Matthew Jones’ alter-egos are casting a wry eye on all manner of pop excess, featuring everyone from Clean Bandit to Bette Midler.

GEORGE RYEGOLD: IRON FACE IN A VELVET BEARD Underbelly, Bristo Square 30 July – 25 August (not 11), 9.40pm The bad doctor’s back, celebrating his triumphal return to medicine’s elite with the truth about stockings and economics, Greek mythology, drugs and the joys of gunplay, all the while inviting you to share with him the key to world peace. In a festival full of uncertainties, you can invariably bank on Toby Williams’ wonderfully realised and bleakly humorous creation to deliver the laughs.

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on personal tensions for their second Edinburgh run. Their debut was a blackly funny, knockabout romp, so expectations should be high for more of the same.

HOLLY WALSH: NEVER HAD IT Assembly George Square Studios 30 July – 24 August (not 12), 6.45pm Despite having a number of pilots in production for US television channels, Holly Walsh maintains that whatever the elusive “It” quality is, she just hasn’t got “It”. Even so, when it comes to her stand-up, she’s adept at mining moments of personal embarrassment and a skilled social observer, making her first Fringe show in three years one to look out for.

HANNAH GADSBY: THE EXHIBITIONIST Assembly George Square Studios 1 August – 24 August (not 11, 18), 8pm With her degree in art history, Hannah Gadsby’s alternative tours of Edinburgh’s galleries have become an established August tradition. But here she shines an unflattering light on images of herself. Between numerous recent injuries and unasked for tags on other people’s Facebook pages, she’s had plenty of opportunity to sharpen her self-deprecation.

The dryly witty Tasmanian grows more assured with each passing year.

HENNESSY AND FRIENDS: MURMURS Cowgatehead 1 August – 25 August (not 11), 7.30pm With a nod to the hugely creative but dysfunctional relationships in Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac, sketch trio Hennessy and Friends, aka Miranda Hennessy, her husband Dave Seymour and third wheel Steven Shapland, are drawing Clockwise from top left: Rubber Bandits, Hennessy and Friends, John Robins (Image: Idil Sukan/Draw HQ)

HOORAY FOR BEN TARGET Banshee Labyrinth 2 August – 24 August (not 11, 18), 2pm The committed, entertaining absurdist Ben Target, a former Edinburgh Comedy Award best newcomer nominee, brings a contemporary clown’s sensibility to his shows and is promising an hour of fun and the baking of a cake.

Ambitiously disorientating, he’s an unclassifiable performer who will leave you scratching your head as you depart from his company.

IMRAN YUSUF: ROAR OF THE UNDERDOG Underbelly, Bristo Square 30 July – 25 August (not 17), 6.50pm After two years away from the festival, roaming the international circuit and pursuing television projects, Imran Yusuf returns with a stand-up hour of engaging self-discovery. In a not-altogethersurprising bit of casting, the unwaveringly optimistic, charismatic and quicksilver streak of energy is also appearing in the play Gagging For It at the SpaceCabaret @ 54 venue. Written by fellow comic Tim Clark, he plays an excitable newcomer overthinking everything and irritating older comics on the bill with his insecurity and drive.

IVO GRAHAM: BOW TIES AND JOHNNIES Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 24 August (not 11), 8.15pm After a well-received debut last year, chronicling his lack of success with women, the eloquent young stand-up has finally found himself www.edfestmag.com

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COMEDY www.edfestmag.com a girlfriend and is telling everyone.

Self-deprecation remains one of Graham’s strongest suits but he’s mixing it up more now, his confidence bolstered by the fact that he knows he’s a fine gag writer.

After being “outed” as an Old Etonian, he’s also discussing his privileged schooling.

Fringe with his memorable debut Truthmouth, Joseph Morpurgo is back with another high-concept hour. Using snippets of old VHS recordings, the character comic is once again playing with truth by “artefactualising” the past.

Along with co-star Rachel Parris (see feature) he’s also part of the acclaimed Austentatious, the improvised Jane Austen novel, which is returning again to the Fringe, also at the Pleasance Dome.

JASON COOK: BROKEN Pleasance Dome 30 July – 24 August (not 4, 11, 18), 5.40pm Jason Cook’s autobiographical sitcom, Hebburn, might have ended on BBC Two but he’s already sold the rights for a US adaptation to Adam Sandler’s production company. Meanwhile, the affable Geordie, who perfected the intensely personal, emotional roller-coaster hour at recent festivals claims that he’s a broken man, the demands of his wife and child crippling him as a human being while sustaining his warm, everyman stand-up.

JOEL DOMMETT: FINDING EMO Laughing Horse @ The Counting House 1 August – 24 August, 9pm The likeable, slightly geeky star of BBC Three’s Impractical Jokers’ latest attempt to make peace with his embarrassing past finds him trying to reunite his terrible emo band from when he was 15.

No matter that they only played one gig, decent Fringe hours have been built on less. And Dommett’s excitable delivery belies his assured anecdotal touch.

JOHN KEARNS - SHTICK Voodoo Rooms 2 August – 23 August (not 13), 5.05pm A companion piece to last year’s Sight Gags For Perverts, which won the Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer prize, inventive absurdist John Kearns has retained the daft wig and false teeth for another free show at the same venue. Playfully veering with nonsequiturs through unpredictable set-pieces with his preferred slapdash delivery, he’s musing on the importance of routine, work ethic, pubs and Jerry Seinfeld.

JOHN-LUKE ROBERTS: STNAD-UP Voodoo Rooms 2 August – 24 August (not 12), 6.05pm One of the sharper but whimsically roguish comics currently plying www.edfestmag.com

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JOSIE LONG: CARA JOSEPHINE The Stand Comedy Club 30 July – 24 August (not 11, 16), 8.40pm After writing and starring in her first feature film in Glasgow this summer, triple Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Josie Long is delivering her most personal Fringe hour to date, opening up on her childhood and recent heartbreak.

That’s not to say there won’t be whimsy, effervescent enthusiasm and passionate political diatribes too, but while acclaiming the birth of her niece, Long is staking out new territory. his trade in the UK, John-Luke Roberts’ Stnad-Up mixes smart and stupid jokes, musical diversions and insults hurled from the stage.

But the sometime writer for Have I Got News For You and Radio 4’s Welcome To Our Village will also be sharing a little bit of himself for the first time, talking about rediscovering himself in the wake of an eight-year relationship ending, albeit in his typically forthright style.

JOHN ROBINS: THIS TORNADO LOVES YOU Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 24 August (not 11), 9.45pm Following a storming Fringe in 2013, in which the self-deprecating anecdotalist really broke through with critics and audiences, crowdpleasing John Robins delivers the latest of his gently provocative, thoughtful hours of stand-up.

Exploring the distance between the fantasy and reality of relationships, he tests the age-old saw that happy comedians aren’t funny, before explaining how they deploy material to seduce audience members.

JOSEPH MORPURGO: ODESSA Pleasance Dome 30 July – 25 August (not 11), 5.20pm After cutting his teeth on the Free EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2014

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COMEDY www.edfestmag.com KEVIN DAY: STANDY UPPY Gilded Balloon 30 July – 25 August (not 12, 19), 6.15pm One of a select handful of television comedy writers employed to write on several of the UK’s best known panel shows, including Have I Got News For You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and Mock The Week, sometime Match of The Day 2 correspondent Kevin Day returns to the Fringe for his first full-length hour in 18 years. Although he’s kept sharp on the London circuit, it’ll be intriguing to see if he can still cut it for an entire Edinburgh run.

KRAKEN Underbelly, Cowgate 31 July – 24 August (not 11), 8.40pm A wonderfully enjoyable hour of unabashed silliness, Kraken centres on the rubber-limbed Trygve Wakenshaw clowning with childlike innocence. A hit at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, with his broad array of inventive set-pieces rendered almost entirely in silence, expect similar acclaim when the Kiwi returns to Edinburgh.

Clockwise from top left: Kraken and Luisa Omielan

LAURENCE CLARK: MOMENTS OF INSTANT REGRET Assembly George Square Theatre 30 July – 24 August (not 12), 7.20pm Modifying the recorded aspects of his show to include animation, Laurence Clark’s Fringe return finds him ruminating on humanity’s capacity to make mistakes in the heat of the moment, providing examples of his own that he’d rather forget. After the BBC One documentary We Won’t Drop The Baby, this hour is being backed

by Channel Four, so expect to see him in his own television vehicle soon.

LIAM WILLIAMS: CAPITALISM Laughing Horse @ The Cellar Monkey 31 July – 25 August (not 11), 1.15pm After last year’s critically acclaimed debut, for which he attracted an Edinburgh Comedy Award best newcomer nomination, the poetic, existentially morose Liam Williams has shifted his focus to economic struggle in this free show. This time he’s exploring societal obligation and apathy. Low-key but lyrically verbose, his future is brighter than he gives it credit. His sketch trio, Sheeps, with Daran Johnson and Alastair Roberts, are also performing at the Bedlam Theatre and in The Circus at Assembly George Square.

LUISA OMIELAN … AM I RIGHT LADIES? Laughing Horse @ The Counting House 1 August – 24 August (not 10, 17), 10.15pm Luisa Omielan has recently returned from the prestigious Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, one of only three UK-based acts appearing, and afforded the rare honour of performing her smash-hit show What Would Beyoncé Do in full. Her eagerly awaited follow-up traces a similar pattern of confessional ups and downs but focuses on the ways that society pressures us to conform.

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MAE MARTIN’S WORKSHOP Cowgatehead 2 August – 24 August (not 6, 13, 20), 3.30pm Dipping her toe into improvisation, Canadian emigre Mae Martin will be whipping through songs, stand-up and audience interaction in these “workshop” gigs of which no two will be the same. Blessed with loopy verve and an easy likeability, Martin has been steadily building a following in the UK with her selfmocking stories.

THE NUALAS IN ‘HELLO AGAIN, WE’RE THE NUALAS’ Assembly George Square Studio 30 July – 25 August (not 11, 18), 6.30pm One of Ireland’s most successful comedy exports, the Nualas enjoyed six consecutive sell-out runs in Edinburgh between 1996 and 2001 before disappearing into semi-retirement, so their belated return is grounds to celebrate.

Frothy and accessible, the glamorous trio deliver deceptively dark, twisted and wonderfully witty songs. Fingers crossed they get the attention they deserve this time round.

PETE JOHANSSON: SEVERAL JOKES Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 25 August (not 11), 9.30pm Resident in the UK after a lengthy stand-up career in his native Canada, Pete Johannsson enjoys pushing both boundaries and buttons with his comedy. And when he’s at the top of his game, he’s a relaxed, honest and supremely sharp act who performs right across the English-speaking world.

PHIL WANG: MELLOW YELLOW Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 24 August, 5.50pm Playing up to Phil Wang’s relaxed persona, Mellow Yellow promises another hour blending silliness and sophisticated lines, occasionally smutty but always self-aware.

He reflects on his Chinese heritage, frustrated efforts to escape singledom and Batman, arriving at a number of conclusions on love, race and sugary cakes. www.edfestmag.com

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COMEDY www.edfestmag.com RICHARD GADD: BREAKING GADD Laughing Horse @ The Counting House 1 August – 21 August (not 11), 9.15pm Welcoming you to once again enjoy his pain, Breaking Gadd picks up from the manic intensity of Richard Gadd’s 2013 show Cheese and Crack Whores, with the comic supposedly suffering amnesia after a mysterious car accident. With the aid of a hypnotherapist, he begins to realise just how bad his life was prior to the crash. But with his flashbacks growing in frequency, Gadd finds himself hurtling towards another breakdown ...

RICHARD HERRING: LORD OF THE DANCE SETTEE Assembly George Square 30 July – 24 August, 10.45pm Revisiting his eponymous joke, a piece of visual slapstick he first thought of 30 years ago, Richard Herring ventures the notion that the best comedians aren’t “cool”, slyly acknowledging that he himself has rarely enjoyed that cachet.

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consecutive stand-up show in as many years, he’s also penned the play I Killed Rasputin, debuting at the Assembly George Square Theatre.

ROBERT NEWMAN’S NEW THEORY OF EVOLUTION Stand in the Square 1 August – 25 August (not 11, 18), 8.30pm Former rock star of the standup world turned passionate environmentalist Robert Newman rarely travels anywhere except by bike, so getting him up to Edinburgh is a rare treat. Despite his sevenyear absence from the Fringe, he has been keeping his stand-up polished in London.

ROMESH RANGANATHAN: ROM WASN’T BUILT IN A DAY Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 24 August (not 11), 8.15pm Romesh Ranganathan’s failings, those awkward and rude interactions with others and the dubious example he sets for his kids, makes for splenetically funny stand-up. This year though, he’s

focusing his acerbic wit rather more on himself, as the Stand Up For The Week star reveals how he’s been reading self-help books, watching educational documentaries and striving to seem interesting at parties, all in a doomed effort at improving himself.

RUBBERBANDITS: CONTINENTAL FISTFIGHT Gilded Balloon 30 July – 25 August (not 11, 18), 8.15pm Ireland’s own Rubberbandits return,

plastic bags firmly in place, to dance around and sweat buckets in a brand new musical. They’re promising some of their big hits, so hopefully ‘Horse Outside’ fans won’t be disappointed.

SAM SIMMONS: DEATH OF A SAILS-MAN Underbelly, Bristo Square 30 July – 24 August (not 11, 18), 8.50pm Channelling his erratic eccentricity into a one-man show in which he’s lost at sea, Sam Simmons delivers

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COMEDY www.edfestmag.com things in life, the engaging AngloIranian embarks upon her eighth Fringe with reflections on the breakup of relationships, having a second child and that old familiar stand-up standby, the differences between men and women. Never afraid to bring (most) of the details of her love life to the stage, Khorsandi treads an assured line of being both lyrical and explicit.

a hallucinatory hour in which a windsurfing expedition turns into disaster. Seeing fantastic undersea creatures and having conversations with coconuts, the Australian must draw on the example of his hero, Vin Diesel, to carry him through his midlife and ocean-borne meltdown.

SARAH KENDALL: TOUCHDOWN Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 25 August (not 11), 9.30pm Touchdown is Sarah Kendall’s atonement for her previous show’s artistic licence. Admitting that she fabricated the ending of that last hour’s closing routine for a big final laugh, she instead offers the full backstory to the school swearing incident, drawing out the deeper reality that lurked behind the crowdpleasing gag.

SARA PASCOE VS HISTORY Assembly George Square Studios 30 July – 25 August (not 11), 8.15pm It feels like Sara Pascoe is on the brink of stardom, and if her latest hour sustains the quality of her well-received 2013 show, Vs The Truth, which was adapted for Radio 4, then it’ll be another

provocative trawl of ideas, linked to her personal experience in audacious, imaginative ways. How our childhoods affect our adult selves and which historical events have shaped modernity, these are just some of the big questions she grapples with as she strives to deliver insights on love and gender.

SEANN WALSH: SEANN 28 Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 24 August (not 11, 12, 18), 9.20pm After mining so much material from his ineptitude as a lazy bachelor, moving in with his girlfriend has prompted Seann Walsh to reassess his life. But it’s still the small things that upset him. While she’s a morning person, he’s very much not and he’s learned that the only place he can escape for a lie-down is the bath. Even so, for all his manifest faults as a human being, he remains one of the UK’s most accomplished observational stand-ups.

SIMON MUNNERY SINGS SOREN KIERKEGAARD The Stand Comedy Club 30 July – 25 August (not 31, 11), 3.55pm The entirely singular Simon Munnery offers a unique take on the works of the Danish existentialist philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, performing a selection of the eminent thinker’s writings in the style of Beckettian theatre, Michael Caine impressions and in various Viking helmets. This year as well, he’s adapting his Fylm show for a one-off Fylm School show at the Assembly Rooms, inviting other comics to participate in the unique mix of live comedy and cinema.

STUART GOLDSMITH: EXTRA LIFE Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 24 August (not 13), 7pm Dwelling on the mundanity of a stand-up’s existence, working nights and filling days in unfamiliar town centres, Stuart Goldsmith derives what scant pleasure he can from his interactions with strangers.

Recently though, he’s realised that isn’t enough and he shares the unlikely news that he’s desperate to have a baby. He’ll also be interviewing a number of big names at the festival for his excellent Comedian’s Comedian Podcast at Heroes @ Bob & Miss Behave’s Bookshop.

SUSAN CALMAN: LADY LIKE Underbelly, Bristo Square 31 July – 24 August, 6.30pm While Susan Calman’s career appears to be flourishing on both sides of the border, the diminutive Scot has had to endure a breakdown and almost dying on an Icelandic mountainside during filming of the television show 24 Hours To Go Broke.

And so, with more of the

SHAPPI KHORSANDI: BECAUSE I’M SHAPPI ...

Pleasance Dome 30 July – 24 August (not 11), 8.30pm Determined to celebrate the good Clockwise from top left: The Nualas in ‘Hello Again, we’re the Nualas’, Sam Simmons and Stuart Goldsmith (Image: Idil Sukan/Draw HQ)

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TESTICULATING (WAVING YOUR ARMS TALKING B*LL*CKS) Laughing Horse @ The Counting House 1 August – 23 August, 7.45pm The irrepressible, French-born Eric Lampaert has steadily developed into one of the most improved comedians of recent years, marrying increasingly ambitious storytelling to solid observational skills, which is all allied to greater confidence in his long-limbed physicality. This year, he’s exploring such offbeat topics as homosexual meteorology and inviting his audience to help him improvise. He’ll also be hosting the Comedian’s Cinema Club most afternoons at Just the Tonic at the Tron, featuring well-known comics improvising performances of their favourite films.

Clockwise from top left: Tim FitzHigham and Thunderbards

THÜNDERBARDS: SECONDS Pleasance Courtyard 30 July – 24 August, 4.45pm One of the UK’s most promising emerging sketch acts, Thünderbards’ Glenn Moore and Matthew Stevens take it in turns to play the straight man in their varied skits, exhibiting an impressive range of ideas. Constantly breaking the fourth wall, the pair’s bickering and their dismay when things go wrong are at least as entertaining as the sketches themselves, which this year focus on time travel.

TIFF STEVENSON: OPTIMIST Gilded Balloon 30 July – 23 August, 9.15pm Tiff Stevenson has built a solid following as a circuit comic, but recently has been showing signs that she truly belongs among the UK’s front rank of stand-ups.

Veering between optimism and Everyday Vodka appreciation, she’s channelled her love-hate relationship with celebrity culture into effectively snippy commentary, while prowling the stage with routines that emphasise strong female sexuality.

TIM FITZHIGHAM: HELLFIRE Pleasance Dome 30 July – 25 August (not 13), 6.40pm As Britain’s most notorious and worst kept secret society of aristocratic debauchery, at least until the Bullingdon made headlines, the Hellfire Club has always inspired prurient interest.

And who better to explore this upper-class den of iniquity than the old-fashioned adventurer Tim FitzHigham, best known for rowing a bathtub across the English channel and living a year as a

medieval knight errant?

With typical devil-may-care insouciance, he’ll also feature in his tribute show Flanders and Swann with Duncan Walsh Atkins and in the kangaroo court of This Is Your Trial.

TIM KEY: SINGLE WHITE SLUT Pleasance Courtyard 13 August – 25 August, 9.40pm Previewed as an early work-inprogress last year, this latest offering from the Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa star and former Edinburgh Comedy Award-winner Tim Key concentrates on his sexual misadventures. A double bed inspires elliptical poetry, knowing, high-concept jokiness and bathetic musings.

TONY LAW: ENTER THE TONEZONE The Stand Comedy Club III &IV 30 July – 24 August (not 31, 11), 12.10pm Knowing Tony Law, this show will likely still be coming together at the start of the festival. Regardless, you should expect another chaotic, early afternoon romp full of surreal streams of consciousness and risktaking leftfield nonsense, packed with whimsical buffoonery and bellowing.

WILL ADAMSDALE: BORDERS Underbelly, Cowgate 31 July – 24 August (not 11), 6pm Ever since his sleeper hit Jackson’s Way earned him the Perrier Award in 2004 and propelled him into the wider Fringe consciousness, Will Adamsdale’s rare festival appearances have been a source of cult anticipation.

Here he’s exploring borders, across land and time and at the points at which comedy and theatre intersect.

ZOE LYONS: MUSTARD CUTTER Gilded Balloon 30 July – 24 August, 7pm Ask most comedians and they’ll tell you that Zoe Lyons is on great form right now, and she truly cuts the mustard with this hour about snobbery. A useful, catch-all term for phenomenon she despises, not least the dinner party pretensions of others, she also shares some self-deprecating episodes in which she’s the victim, for an hour of consistently strong social commentary, anecdotal and observational routines.  WORDS JAY RICHARDSON

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PHOTOGRAPHY RICH HARDCASTLE

unabashed openness that has made her such a compelling storyteller, she’s reassuring audiences that they can emerge from the other side of mental health difficulties, even if it means they have to get too familiar with their cats.

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MY EDINBURGH PAUL MERTON Despite his contemporaries hanging up their Fringe pass, Paul Merton has remained steadfastly loyal to the Festival he loves.

Why does Edinburgh keep calling him back?

WORDS KATE COPSTICK

So what brings you back to Edinburgh again and again?

I love it. When I came up at first, of course I had the whole experience of flyering despondently and walking home in the rain after a gig because you can’t afford a taxi.

My first show was in 1984 along with Arnold Brown, Nick Revell and

‘Now we come up, we get a nice flat with a garden to sit in when the rain stops’

Norman Lovett, and there were only about four other stand-up shows around. It was ‘before the flood’, before comedy became a real business. It was fun then.

Once I became successful, it seemed that that was an even more enjoyable way of doing it: without the struggle !

Struggle? At the Fringe?

Oh I was beaten up in the street in 1986, broke my leg in 1987. I did a show in the Wildman Room at midnight every night for the whole run one year, and that just destroys you. Now we come up, we get a nice flat, with a garden to sit in when the rain stops. I don’t have to worry about putting up posters, it’s lovely.

I don’t understand people who get discovered here and then don’t come back. I suppose they regard it as a sort of staging post, so doing a show here again would be a backwards move.

What is the abiding attraction of improv for you?

When I was doing stand-up in the 1980s, I got to doing a 20 minute set and then you just do that same thing over and over; it drove me crazy. And anyway, the only thing I really liked about stand-up was hanging around the bar with the other comics afterwards.

With improv you’ve got that aspect built in. You’re working in a group, so it’s much more sociable. Plus improv is different every single time. You have to listen to and react to everything around you, and if you’re not inspired every single moment it doesn’t matter - someone else will think of something.

After all this time, do you never sort of look at one another and know ‘oh - he’s going to do that thing he does and then I’ll do that thing I do’?

We are too lazy to fake it. If you had ready-made gags I’d be thinking: “Have I used that line already in this show?”

You’ll have to ‘fake it’ in the play you’re in, although you do play a successful comic. Is that typecasting?

My wife Suki wrote it at the beginning of the year. I read it and thought it was a good piece.

She was always going to be the woman in it, but she had a couple of comedians in mind for the male part. Neither of them could do it, and she actually asked me if I could think of someone to play a successful fiftysomething comedian. I said “You really can’t think of anyone?” and she said no! So at least we know it was never written with me in mind. It lasts half an hour and we’ve been rehearsing.

We think it’s funny.

I suppose the audience will let you know Exactly ! They will. That’s the wonderful and exciting thing about live performance with no laughter track to fall back on.

Any advice for Fringe virgins?

Go for it. Enjoy it. Be good. And know when you are funny and why. There are thousands of people coming up here to see comedy and you are part of it. You need to get onstage as much as possible, even if you die. It is like a muscle that needs to be exercised.

I know if I take even a couple of weeks off the Comedy Store Players, when I come back it’s like everyone else has speeded up by fifteen seconds.  WHERE & WHEN My Obsession Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July – 16 August, 14.30. From £5, Tel: 0131 556 6550 Paul Merton’s Impro Chums Pleasance Courtyard, 7-16 August, 16.00. From £12, Tel: 0131 556 6550

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07/07/2014 16:45

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Edinburgh Napier.indd 84

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