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BOOK
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EDINBURGH
FESTIVALS EDINBURGH FESTIVALS MAGAZINE www.edfestmag.com
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1 0 1 COMED
BEST Y
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW JASON MANFORD MELVYN BRAGG SIMON CALLOW RHOD GILBERT PHIL NICHOL JOHN BISHOP SARAH MILLICAN GYLES BRANDRETH JENNIFER COOLIDGE DOON MACKICHAN EMILY WOOF TIM VINE
ALAN CUMMING
457 must see shows
First and foremost fabulous
SUMMER 2010
City Guide Where to Eat, Drink, Shop and Stay Up Late
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CONTENTS
Contents 163
32
60
107
COMEDY
57
FEATURES
32 JASON MANFORD He’s the daddy of comedy
26 DIARY DATES Don’t miss out on these hot tickets
53 JENNIFER COOLIDGE She’s more than a MILF
36 FROM A-Z Alphabetical fun from the festivals
55 GYLES BRANDRETH The former MP gets chatty
42 FESTIVAL FAVOURITES Advice from Edinburgh veterans
57 SARAH MILLICAN Wishing for a cake-shaped pool
100 21 FULL OF FUN Family days out away from the Fest
59 TIM VINE Master of the pun and the bun
113 ROYAL MILITARY TATTOO Celebrates being sixty years young
60 JOHN BISHOP Soon to be Mr Saturday Night
143 SHOPPING Credit cards at the ready
62 CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY Cheers and Ugly Betty stars let rip
149 RELAX Take it easy at a top beauty spot
84 MULTIMEDIA You won’t believe your eyes
65 ONES TO WATCH The Fringe Virgins causing a stir
150 KIDS LISTINGS The shows they’ll be begging to see
87 JACK THORNE The Skins writer on his new play
109 ANDREW CLOVER Why kids always know best
194 DOON MACKICHAN The funny lady on her Fest faves
90 CALEDONIA A surprisingly modern tale
181 COMEDY LISTINGS Tickling your funny bone
163 SCOTT MILLS What’s occuring with the Radio 1 DJ?
107 WHITE A beautiful adventure for kids
193 JOKES PAGE Have a good old giggle
165 FREE FRINGE Cut your costs at these giveaway gigs
171 THEATRE LISTINGS The play’s the thing
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Contents 34
75
BOOK 34 MELVYN BRAGG talks art and his two new books 93 EMILY WOOF Film star on her first novel 95 ANDREW O’HAGAN Marilyn Monroe and her dog 111 CATHY CASSIDY loves to write teenage angst 167 BOOK LISTINGS Read all about it
FOOD 96
116 FOODIES FESTIVAL Top chefs and Fringe favourites 119 FOOD LISTINGS Eat, drink and stay up late
DANCE 116
MUSIC
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78 PACO PEÑA The flamenco master at work 80 GRUPO CORPO Brazilian dance fever takes over
28 ALAN CUMMING Putting the camp into scamp
82 FLAWLESS Britain’s Got Talent with this crew
68 SPRING AWAKENING Broadway smash hits the Fringe
178 DANCE LISTINGS Get your body moving
70 PORGY AND BESS Gershwin’s modern opera 73 GUTTED Buckets of bloody revenge
ART
75 CLARKE PETERS The Wire star on Five Guys
96 MARTIN CREED The ups and downs of an artist
77 CHINA MOSES In tribute to Dinah Washington
98 SURREALISTS Forgotten gems of the Brit scene
159 MUSIC LISTINGS Magical musical moments 22 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
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153 ART LISTINGS A feast of visual treats www.edfestmag.com
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WELCOME
How to book FESTIVAL FRINGE 6-30 August Box Office 180 High Street Tel 0131 226 0000 www.edfringe.com INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 13 August - 5 September Box Office The Hub, Castlehill Tel 0131 473 2000 www.eif.co.uk BOOK FESTIVAL 14- 30 August Box Office Waterstones, 83 George Street Tel 0845 373 5888 www.edbookfest.co.uk
Festival fun
W
elcome to another bumper issue of Edinburgh Festivals magazine, the only guide you’ll need to all of the festivals happening across the city this month. We’ve chatted exclusively to the Fringe’s top names, including Alan Cumming, who is bringing his international cabaret smash-hit, I Bought A Blue Car Today, to the Assembly Hall. Jason Manford and John Bishop have both become household names this year, and look set for even more success next year. Manford is taking over on the sofa at The One Show, while Bishop will be appearing in a Ken Loach film and presenting a TV show of his own. We’ve also spent time with Hollywood stars Jennifer Coolidge and Emily Woof, both of whom are heading to Edinburgh this August but for very
JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL 30 July - 8 August Box Office The Hub, Castlehill Tel 0131 473 2000 www.edinburghjazzfestival.co.uk
different reasons. You’ll know Coolidge as the ultimate MILF, Stiffler’s Mom from the American Pie movies, and she’s bringing her stand-up show, Yours For the Night, to the Fringe. Meanwhile Woof starred in The Full Monty and Velvet Goldmine; she’s just published her first novel, The Whole Wide Beauty, and will be talking at the Book Festival about how writing it brought her closer to her late father. Also appearing at the Book Festival is Melvyn Bragg, who is as busy as ever and has not one but two books out this year. Phew, that barely leaves room to mention star of The Wire Clarke Peters, flamenco god Paco Peña, top comedian Sarah Millican, TV personality Gyles Brandreth, and lots more inside. It looks like this year’s Festival will be bigger and better than ever! Sue Hitchen, Editor
ADVERTISING TEAM Advertising Manager Anouska Curzon Check out all the live music around town Advertising Assistant Manager Matthew Magee Vive le Cabaret at Ghillie Dhu Advertising Sales Lucy Hitchen, Kelly Smith, Bill Mackay, Kris Wallace Advertising Production Chloe Black, Michael Whitham
Every month Foodies magazine brings you recipes from top chefs, plus all the latest news and reviews. www.foodiesmagazine.com
s Don’t forget to check our website www.edfestmag.com for daily review 24 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
ART 29 July -5 Sept www.edinburghartfestival.com FOODIES FESTIVAL EDINBURGH 13,14,15 August Tel: 0871 230 5573 www.foodiesfestival.com EDINBURGH MELA 6-8 August Box Office The Hub, Castlehill Tel 0131 473 2000 www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk.com FESTIVAL OF SPIRITUALITY 7-30 August Box Office The Hub, Castlehill Tel: 0131 473 2000 www.festivalofspirituality.org.uk
HERE ARE THE TEAM’S TOP TIPS FOR EDINBURGH AT FESTIVAL TIME: EDITORIAL TEAM Editor Sue Hitchen Buy vintage at Mary Portas’ charity shop in Stockbridge Art Director Nicola Flynn See Kevin Bridges before tickets sell out. Production Editor Caroline Whitham See Ella Hickson’s new play, Hot Mess Digital Imaging Malcolm Irving Kit yourself out in Fred Perry at Goodstead Events Co-ordinator Roben Hera Watch Abi Titmuss cooking at Foodies Festival Editorial Assistant Dan Piehler, Chloe Black Eat Californian at Redwood Contributing Writers Jonathan Trew, Mark Fisher, Jay Richardson, Jackie McGlone, Ruth Walker, Fiona Gibson, Fiona Shepherd
TATTOO 6-28 August Tel 0131 225 1188 www.edintattoo.co.uk
EDINBURGH FESTIVALS ISSUE 8 Published annually by The Media Company Publications Ltd. 21 Royal Circus, Edinburgh EH3 6TL Tel: 0131 226 7766 www.edfestmag.com Printed by ETHeronprint. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is strictly prohibitied. All prices and offers correct at time of going to press but subject to change. ISSN 1478-9078
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Diary dates These are the events not to miss at this year’s Festival.
1 August Melba Joyce leads a free charity gospel concert St Cuthbert’s Church, 6pm 2 August Party Cuban style with Havana Swing Royal Overseas League, 12.30 3 August Hypnotic Brass Ensemble flies in from Chicago Princes St Gardens, 9pm 4 August Unique storytelling from Danny Bhoy Udderbelly, 8.15pm 5 August Amazing acapella with The Magnets Udderbelly, 5.25pm 6 August Curtis Stigers proves that he’s a sax god The Hub, 8.30pm 7 August Parade through Leith with Patiala Pipe Band Mela Festival, 12pm 7 August Help kids’ theatre group Tall Stories make their new show Pleasance Courtyard, 4pm 7 August Whip it with the Auld Reekie Roller Derby Meadowbank Arena, 2pm
9 August Encounter artist Martin Creed at the Traverse Traverse Theatre, 2pm 10 August It’s Funtime at this quiz run by robots The Bongo Club, 7.30pm 11 August Mark Watson celebrates the launch of his new book Portrait Gallery, 2pm 12 August Kids can join in with the choir at the Big Sing-a-long Queen’s Hall, 2pm 13 August Find yourself at the eye of the storm with El Niño Usher Hall, 8pm 13 August Shed Blood, Sweat and Tears at this dance show Zoo Roxy, 1pm 13 August Sabrina’s Aunt Hilda, Caroline Rhea joins top chefs Foodies Festival, 2pm 16 August John Hegley sets sail in the Animal Alphaboat Pleasance Courtyard, 5pm
8 August Catch the best sketch comics at Sketchatron Bedlam Theatre, 1pm
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DIARY DATES
16 August Radio One’s Scott Mills performs his one man show bbc.co.uk/radio1 17 August Paul Merton and Nicholas Parsons last Just a Minute Pleasance, various times 18 August Stewart Lee celebrates his Silver Stewbilee Festival Theatre, 8pm 19 August Comedy and music with Arthur Smith’s Edinburgh Pleasance, 12 noon 20 August Falsetto flutterings from nu-soul’s Plan B HMV Picture House, 7.30pm 20 August Mozart’s operatic stylings in concert at Idomeneo Usher Hall, 7pm 21 August Jimmy Carr, king of the cutting one liner, returns Venue 150, 9.30pm 22 August Eat in the altogether at the Naked Brunch C Central, 11am 23 August Why don’t you like him? It’s Mika HMV Picture House, 7pm 24 August Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs is at the Book Festival Charlotte Square, 8pm
24 August Josie Long releases her Monsters of Whimsy The Caves, 11.40pm 25 August Sean Lock opens up his Lockipedia Assembly, 7.25pm 25 August Eels are Going Over To Susan’s House HMV Picture House, 7pm 26 August Contemporary classical ballet from Alonzo King Festival Theatre, 8pm 26 August Fix up, look sharp! It’s UK rapper Dizzee Rascal Corn Exchange, 7pm 27 August Cutting remarks at the Book Festival from Vidal Sassoon Charlotte Square, 6.30pm 28 August Musical fun from the Really Terrible Orchestra St Mary’s, 3.30pm 28 August Spooky thrills with the Paranormal Ghost Hunt Meeting Point, 1.45am 29 August Humble rat? No, it’s America’s Modest Mouse HMV Picture House, 7pm 30 August Sing Songs of Ascension at the International Festival Royal Lyceum, 8pm 31 August Mariss Jansons leads the Royal Concertgebouw Usher Hall, 8.30pm
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MUSIC ALAN CUMMING
The bare essentials He’s won awards on Broadway, starred in Hollywood movies as a superhero and been nominated for an Emmy as a devious image consultant, but now Aberfeldy lad Alan Cumming is ready to tell his own story in the place where it all began. Words Jacke McGlone
“M
y feet are still killing me,” moans Alan Cumming. “It beats me how women walk around in stiletto heels – and as for the false nails... Hell!” Cumming has just returned from South America, where he played a transvestite in a US TV mini series. Relaxing in his New York home, it’s not hard to see why the actor, singer and performer has had such a wildly varied career. In a flounce of gold lame pleats, he made his cheeky entrance as the debauched Dionysus in the National Theatre of Scotland’s sensational production of The Bacchae by descending from the heavens and revealing what every proud Scotsman doesn’t wear beneath his kilt. Baring his buttocks for Edinburgh International Festival audiences in 2008 was all in a day’s work for the puckish Perthshireborn actor, who a decade earlier shockingly turned the other cheek as the divinely decadent Emcee in Cabaret. At the end of the musical, which took the West End and Broadway by storm, Cumming flashed his swastika-painted rump. Later, as Nightcrawler in the movie X Men 2, he appeared on screen in nothing but blue body paint. Now, though, Edinburgh Fringe-goers have a rare opportunity to see Cumming – the man who puts the camp into scamp – with his clothes on. The 45-year-old promises, however, that he’ll actually be revealing a great deal about himself, his romantic encounters with both men and women, and the
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Cumming starred in the National Theatre of Scotland’s production of The Bacchae
surreal world of American celebrity that he inhabits, in his one-man show. I Bought A Blue Car Today is a mischievous piece in which namedrops keep falling on your head, as he tells hilarious anecdotes about the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Lauren Bacall and legendary broadcaster Walter Cronkite. Revelatory and ribald, it has already played to packed houses in Los Angeles,
“I became an American citizen because I wanted to vote for Obama” London and Australia since opening at New York’s Lincoln Center in autumn 2008, when the LA Times critic raved: “He is first and foremost fabulous.” The up-close-and-personal cabaret is named for a sample sentence Cumming had to write for his nationalisation test to become a US citizen (he now holds dual citizenship.) “I thought it was quite childlike and sweet, then I realised it says quite a lot about American
consumerism and capitalism, and the US’s addiction to gas-guzzling automobiles. “So, yeah, the show has a political edge, too, because that sentence so neatly encapsulates the culture’s financial and energy concerns,” he says thoughtfully. Awarded an OBE by the New Labour Government, the self-confessed “frolicky pan-sexual sex symbol for the new millennium,” is a passionate and persistent advocate of gay rights, tirelessly blogging and relentlessly campaigning for same-sex marriage – he and his graphic artist partner, Grant Shaffer, married in London in 2007. An eloquent member of the artists’ lobby group Creative Coalition with A-listers such as Anne Hathaway, he was in Washington for President Barack Obama’s inauguration. “It was amazing to be among so many people from so many different walks of life.” He’d raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Obama’s campaign, with an auction of celebrity memorabilia. “I became an American citizen because I wanted to vote for Obama. Unfortunately, I was sworn in three days after the election so I just missed it,” he sighs. Had Obama not won the Presidency, Cumming says he would not have gone ahead with the citizenship process. “If John McCain had been successful I don’t know whether I’d have wanted to be a citizen of this country. But now I’ll be able to vote for Obama’s second term.” Becoming a US citizen has given him a voice that he is not afraid to raise in righteous anger for causes dear to his » www.edfestmag.com
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MUSIC ALAN CUMMING
heart, nor is he slow to criticise the new regime. “I feel I’m both qualified and entitled to speak out now about gay rights and the civil rights imbalance in this country, whether I’m blogging or speaking at rallies. Becoming a citizen gives your opinions about things much more credence and weight.” Cumming wanted to bring his cabaret act to the Fringe to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Assembly Theatre. Unfortunately for Edinburgh audiences, he’s only able to do three nights, since he has to fly back to New York to film the second series of the gripping Channel 4 drama series The Good Wife, with Julia Margulies and Chris Noth. Originally cast as a guest star, Cumming plays Eli Gold, a devious political campaign manager. So gorgeously venal was his performance that the character is now a regular, and Cumming was nominated for an Emmy. Meanwhile, he has two movies coming soon, Burlesque, with Cher and Christine Aguilera, and Julie Taymor’s version of The Tempest, with Helen Mirren and Russell Brand. In 2011 his dulcet tones can be heard in three animated films, The Smurfs, Sir Billi, with Sean Connery, and Jackboots on Whitehall, in which he plays Braveheart. For now, though, Cumming can’t contain his excitement about returning 30 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
Cumming’s character in The Good Wife is so popular he’s been made a series regular
to the Fringe. “I Bought A Blue Car Today isn’t just me taking off my emotional knickers, although I am talking about me. But I’m also singing some songs as me, so yes, it is all about me, I’m afraid. I have no characters to hide behind,” says the drolly-engaging performer. A talented tenor, he sings 15 eclectic songs, some originals that he’s written himself, as well as a medley from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Dory Previn’s Dance and Dance and Smile and Smile and Sinatra’s That’s Life. He opens with his friend Cyndi Lauper’s Shine, pausing to consider the ill-fated 2006 revival of The Threepenny
“It isn’t just me taking off my emotional knickers”
If you like this try... The Tiger Lillies at Pleasance Courtyard, 4-21 Aug (not 11)
Opera in which they both appeared in New York. His costume, designed by Isaac Mizrahi, included trousers so skintight that “my package got better reviews than I did,” sighs Cumming, adding that his Edinburgh show will change every evening. Fans hoping for a glimpse of the feted trousers are out of luck, but those longing for a taster of his greatest Broadway triumph, Cabaret, won’t be
disappointed. He was particularly celebrated for his fabulously venomous version of Mein Herr, which must have been nerve-racking since its most famous performer, his bosom buddy Liza Minnelli, was in the audience on the opening night, clapping and yelling her approval. Minnelli had encouraged Cumming over dinner in Glasgow to create his own show and to sing in it, too. “Liza’s been really supportive – and, yes, I’ll be singing Mein Herr,” says Cumming. The show marks his first appearance on the Fringe since the glory days 20 years ago of those lisping thesps Victor and Barry. He created the camp-asChristmas double act with his great friend and fellow actor Forbes Masson, and the pair went on to write cult TV sitcom The High Life. Cumming smiles at the memory of those early career steps. “I Bought A Blue Car Today has its roots in Victor and Barry, so I feel I’ve come full circle.” ★
WHERE & WHEN I Bought A Blue Car Today, Assembly @ Assembly Hall, 13-15 August, 11.59pm, From £18, Tel: 0131 623 3030
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COMEDY JASON MANFORD
Who’s the daddy? The only way is up for Jason Manford, the new host of The One Show, but he still worries he’s turning into his dad. Words Jonathan Trew
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hen Edinburgh Festivals rings to speak to Jason Manford, it’s at the end of what he quite rightly calls a “mad week”. After all, it’s not every seven days that you turn 29, discover that you are about to become a dad again and be offered the job of replacing Adrian Chiles on The One Show sofa. Thanks to his team captain slot on 8 Out Of 10 Cats, plus appearances on the Michael McIntyre Comedy Roadshow and Live at the Apollo, not to mention his nationwide live tours, the Lancastrian is already well known to comedy fans. Co-hosting the BBC’s prime time The One Show with Christine Bleakley will make him a household name. Naturally, he’s taking his big break very seriously, but not so seriously that he can resist a gag. “It will either go really well or I’ll take the show down with me,” he laughs. Manford reckons that his ten years of experience in stand-up will hold him in good stead. “I’m quite nosy. When I’m onstage, I’m always asking about people and asking what they get up to. The big difference is that doing The One Show is not just about doing gags and being funny. The show is more fun than funny, if you see what I mean.” A light-hearted magazine program, The One Show covers topical news and human-interest stories among the fluffier items. Nonetheless, some commentators have already had a dig at Manford, asking how a comedian is going to be able to deal with serious issues. The implication is that Manford won’t be able to introduce a famine story without an accompanying joke. “I’m still an actual person,” he says. 32 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
“I’m human. I’m a Dad and I have the same worries that everybody else has about the world. I’m not always thinking, ‘how can I do a joke about this?’” It’s almost become a comedy legend that Manford’s stand-up career started by accident. In 1999, he was working as a glass collector at a Manchester comedy club when two acts had to pull out. Manford ambled on stage, stormed it and, within months, was being hailed as the North West Comedian of the Year. A Perrier nomination in 2005 boosted his career, but, perhaps curiously for such a mild-mannered comic, Manford indirectly owes his current popularity to the mistakes of the genres’ more foulmouthed practitioners. Manford’s warm-hearted comedy is not squeaky clean, but he’s unlikely to experience a Jonathan Ross/Russell Brand moment. “There was a point when I had been doing stand-up for six or seven years, and everybody seemed to want edgy comedy,” he recalls. “That’s what TV producers wanted. At that point, I thought OK, obviously TV is not for me. And then, I don’t know what happened, but people started thinking, “I don’t want to turn on the telly and be abused. “That’s when there was a sudden demand for people like Michael McIntyre and myself. People who just want to make you laugh. That was a big change and I thought “Here we go. I might be alright here.”’ He certainly is alright. Manford plays five Fringe dates in Edinburgh as part of his ten month long I’m Turning Into My Dad tour. Over the duration of the tour, he will play to over 200,000 people. Ask Manford why he thinks he is so popular and he will talk about hard work and the importance of gaining experience but also the value of being a decent bloke.
“People started thinking e ‘I don’t want to turn on th TV and be abused’” Manford draws comparisons to Michael McIntyre’s more easygoing style of comedy
“I’ve always been nice to people and when I go back they remember me,” he says. “Runners become researchers and they become producers who give you work. It’s a full circle. Be nice to people, just like you would in any walk of life.” If that all sounds a little too, well, nice, then don’t worry. Manford is not a comedy reincarnation of Mother Theresa. “I can hold a grudge,” he cackles. “I’ve got a list, although, to be fair, there are only two people on it. They come knocking, it’s not happening.” ★
WHERE & WHEN I’m Turning Into My Dad, EICC, 7-11 August, 1.40pm, From £6, Tel: 0844 545 8252
www.edfestmag.com
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★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Spotlight You’re a fan of musicals. Which is your favourite? Les Mis. I like the war aspect. It’s a bit manly but there is also a bit of singing going on. If you could be any other comic for the day, who would you be? I think I would like to be (famously offensive) Jim Jefferies. Just to see what it’s like. What was your favourite stat from 8 Out Of 10 Cats? There was one survey that stated that 15% of men would swap their partner for a robot. Really? That many? I’ve thought about this. Has there ever been a good enough robot?
If you like this, try...
Des Bishop, Assembly @ George St, 5-29 Aug, (not 16, 23)
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BOOK MELVYN BRAGG
The read
baron
Presenter and novelist Baron Melvyn Bragg has always been at the forefront of the arts scene in Britain, and is passionate about making the arts accessible to everyone. Words Fiona Gibson
L
ife for Melvyn Bragg has always been a juggling act. Best known as the driving force behind the flagship arts series, The South Bank Show, the prolific broadcaster, writer and former Controller of Arts at ITV has 21 novels and 13 works of non-fiction to his name. Diversity is his trademark: during The South Bank Show’s 33-year history, we were as likely to be treated to an insight into Dolly Parton or Billy Connelly as more highbrow subjects such as Francis Bacon or the Royal Shakespeare Company. “That’s exactly what I set out to do when I was given my own arts programme back in ‘77,” he says. “I wanted to bring popular art into the same tent as established art. It wasn’t going to be the odd tokenist gesture. Everything from pop music to grand opera to theatre and TV would all be given serious attention.” Serious it was, but then Bragg’s talent is to create extremely engaging TV. “It’s a fine balancing act,” he explains. “You have to treat your viewers with respect and not patronise them by dumbing down. You also need to treat your artist with respect and not thin down what they want to say.” While he clearly loves to collaborate, Bragg is equally comfortable with the »
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In Our Time (£8.99, out now) and The South Bank Show Final Cut (£8.99, out in Nov) are both published by Sceptre
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BOOK MELVYN BRAGG
solitary nature of writing. “I like writing,” he stresses. “I enjoy the contrast of being just me and the sheet of paper. I can be solitary for long periods, but I couldn’t do it ad infinitum – I do need a social life too.” With the understatement that he “likes to be busy”, Bragg is launching two new books at the festival. In Our Time is a companion to his eponymous BBC Radio 4 programme, which charts the history of ideas, covering subjects as diverse as The Great Wall of China, Munch’s The Scream and the development of the infant brain. The South Bank Show Final Cut, comprising 25 vignettes, is a homage to the show’s finest moments. “I won’t say I’m proud,” he says, at pains not to sound smug, “but I am pleased that we brought the arts to so many people and got across the idea that it’s not something you can access only in a theatre or a concert hall. TV is fantastic,” he enthuses. “You don’t have to dress up for it, or travel to London or be with people who intimidate you. You can just turn it on like a tap, and an arts programme is right there next to Coronation Street.” Now in his 70th year, he says he feels “incredibly lucky” to have enjoyed being at the forefront of arts broadcasting. “There was never any great career plan. I was twenty-one and married and needed to earn money. I was lucky to stumble into the BBC.” While Bragg lives in Hampstead, he and his second wife, TV producer and writer Cate Haste, have kept a cottage in Cumbria, close to Wigton where he grew up, for forty years. “I walk and see old school friends, who I’m still very lucky to have in my life. But I don’t fish or play golf, or do things that take up enormous amounts of time. Yes, I work www.edfestmag.com
Bragg has interviewed many famous faces over the years, including Annie Lennox, Judi Dench and Billy Connelly
hard, but it’s not unusual to have two jobs. In fact most writers do.” Appointed to the House of Lords in 1998 as a Labour life peer, he still sits on numerous arts boards and was recently awarded a BAFTA fellowship. ITV’s statement that he was retiring was clearly off the mark. He has secured a further three-year contract for In Our Time and is working on a history of the King James Bible. However, he has no current plans to write another novel, as his last one, Remember Me, “completely drained me” (it was based on his first, doomed marriage to French artist Lisa Roche, the mother of his eldest daughter, who suffered serious mental
“There was never any great career plan; I needed to earn money. I was lucky to stumble into the BBC” health issues and committed suicide). He won’t divulge whether he’ll be fronting a new arts series, although there are rumours of enticing offers from Sky Arts. “It’s an incredibly exciting time,” he says. “The arts in this country have never been in better shape or more accessible to everyone.” In our quick-fix, throwaway culture, does he believe there is still a role for a programme like The South Bank Show? “Yes,” he says, “more than ever. But then, I would say that, wouldn’t I?” ★
If you like this, try... Martin Bell at Charlotte Square, 23 Aug
WHERE & WHEN Charlotte Square, 28 August, 11.30am, From £8, Tel: 0845 373 5888
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AtoZ Don’t get stuck at the back of the Q, book now for our selection of alphabetically awesome acts
A Alex Zane senter Zane is Wild-haired, wide-eyed pre orld alumnus Simon following in fellow-Popw having a go at stand up. Amstell’s footsteps, and , Pleasance Dome, ★ Just One More Thing 4-30 Aug (not 16)
B Brazil! Brazil! A glorious dance mix of circus, samba and football fever at this sell-out show. ★ Brazil! Brazil!, Udderbelly’s Pasture, 5-30 Aug (not 16)
C Charlene Yi She’s starred in Knocked Up and is bringing her musical whimsy to this year’s Festival. ★ Dances On the Moon, Assembly @ George St, 5-30 Aug (not 17, 24) 36 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
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A TO Z
E Emo Phillips The squeeky-voiced master of the surreal demonstrates why his comedy is so influential. ★ Pleasance Courtyard, 5-29 Aug (not 9, 16)
D
David O’Doherty The return of the brilliantly offbeat Comedy Award winner and his trusty Casio keyboard. ★ Somewhere Over the David O’Doherty, Pleasance Courtyard, 4-30 Aug (not 16)
I
F Farm Boy Kids’ theatre at its finest from Michael Morpurgo. ★ Farm Boy, Assembly @ George St, 5-30 Aug (not 17)
G
Gospel at Colonus A radical and soulful take on Oedipus at Colonus, with a full gospel choir. ★ Gospel at Colonus, Edinburgh Playhouse, 21-23 Aug
Idiots of Ants Another selection of inspired nonsense from the sketch show Idiots ★ The Red Button, Pleasance Courtyard, 4-30 Aug (not 16, 23)
H Hairy Maclary Based on the beloved books by Lynley Dodd, kids will love this fun show. ★ Hairy Maclary and Friends, Assembly @ George St, 5-29 Aug www.edfestmag.com
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A TO Z
K
King Lines Ballet King Choreographer Alonzo n Sa ss -cla rld brings his wo to y pan com let bal Francisco l. tiva Fes nal atio ern Int the llet, ★ Alonzo King Lines Ba g Au -29 26 re, eat Th l Festiva
J Jason Bryne ge, Arguably King of the Frin h wit r ove es tak rne By Jason his anarchic style. ★ Jason Byrne 2010, Hall, Assembly @ Assembly ) 23 16, t (no g Au 0 5-3
L Laura Solon You won’t be hearing about men, dating, tampons or Sex and the City from this off-the-wall female comedian. ★ The Owl of Steven, Pleasance Courtyard, 4-29 Aug
M Midori The violin prodigy makes her International Festival debut with a programme of sonatas. ★ Midori, The Queen’s Hall, 26 Aug 38 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
N Nathan Caton Last year’s most promising newcomer muses on life, love and family. ★ Breakfast at Stephanie’s, Pleasance Courtyard, 4-30 Aug (not 16)
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A TO Z
O
P
Onquoto
Pappy’s
Latin rhythms drive this ce inventive Brazillian dan . rpo Co po Gru piece from
One man down but not out, the artists formerly known as Pappy’s Fun Club return with more sketch-based madness.
elo, ★ Onquoto and Parab Festival Theatre, 20-23 Aug
★ Pleasance Courtyard, 4-30 Aug (not 16)
R Rich Fulcher
Q
Arguably the weirdest member of The Mighty ter Boosh brings his charac ge. Frin the Eleanor to
Quality Control If you like your comedy black, Proud Exposure have got the play for you.
★ An Evening with , Eleanor, the Tour Whore e, tur Pas Udderbelly’s 21-30 Aug
★ Quality Control, Underbelly, 5-29 Aug (not 16)
S
Soweto Gospel Choir Inspiring and uplifting, the Soweto Gospel Choir are always a hot ticket at the Fringe. ★ Soweto Gospel Choir, Assembly @ Assembly Hall, 5-30 Aug www.edfestmag.com
T
Twinkle Twonkle Tall Stories inject their particular brand of magic into a new kids’ tale. ★ Twinkle Twonkle, Pleasance Dome, 4-30 Aug (not 18)
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A TO Z
V Vaudevillians
U Up ‘N’ Under Abi Titmuss stars in the 25th Anniversary production.
Les Enfants Terribles take over the Pleasance Dome for a night of murder, mayhem and music. ★ The Vaudevillians, Pleasance Dome, 16 Aug
★ Assembly @ George St, 5-30 Aug (not 16)
W Wendy Wason Do you want to know a secret? Comedian Wason will let you in on a few. ★ Gilded Balloon, 4-30 Aug (not 17, 24)
X Garth Nix Children’s author Garth Nix talks about finishing his Keys to the Kingdom series – OK, so his name doesn’t start with X, but it’s got one in it! ★ Charlotte Square, 14 Aug
Z
Zambezi Express h Feel the beat of Africa wit a ut abo w sho ul this powerf m fro boy ad ll-m footba Zimabwe.
Y
Your Dream Wedding
★ Assembly @ Assembly Hall, 6-30 Aug (not 23)
Hilariously odd site-specific theatre in a bridal shop from hot young company Anything Bloody Goes. ★ Assembly @ George St, 4-28 Aug (not 10, 17, 24) 40 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
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Festival favourites If you’re coming to the Festival for the first time, let these veterans guide your steps.
SIMON CALLOW What advice would you give to someone performing for the first time? It’s a fantastic opportunity, and you never know who might be sitting in that audience – the author’s grandmother or Steven Spielberg. It’s the most diverse crowd in the world What’s your first memory of the Festival? My first festival was also my first job ever, so I remember quaking. I was playing the front end of a horse in Büchner’s Woyzeck.
Shakespeare, the Man from Stratford, Assembly @ Assembly Hall, 5-30 August (not 9, 16, 23), 2.30pm, From £10, Tel: 0131 623 3030
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FESTIVAL FAVOURITES
PENNY DREADFULS What’s your best memory of the Festival? It’s the same every year: that blessed outpouring of relief about 25 seconds into our first show of the Fringe, when you get the first big laugh that ripples back through the crowd and then comes flapping forward like a flock of jolly bats. That’s when you know you’ve found something universally funny, and not just something that made you laugh on the bus. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Take each show as it comes. If you died on stage, the next show is a blank slate. Start again, learn from your mistakes, polish your act. Also, no matter how hungry you are, don't eat the hot dogs in the Pleasance courtyard. Sir Laurence Olivier told me that. What would you say to new acts coming to Edinburgh for the first time? Don’t place too many expectations on your show or yourself. Go and see things that sound rubbish; some will be, and you’ll feel great about having nothing to do with them; some will blow you away and make you come back harder, faster and stronger next year.
The Penny Dreadfuls, Pleasance Courtyard, 4-30 August (not 17), 6pm, Tel: 0131 556 6550 www.edfestmag.com
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FESTIVAL FAVOURITES
TOMMY SMITH What is the best advice you have ever been given? When I was 18 years old Gary Burton told me to keep my own publishing rights, not to sell them to Blue Note or EMI. That decision worked out very well. Chick Corea told me to breathe before I go out on stage and don’t fear the butterflies. Do you have advice for any new performer coming to the Festival for the first time? Gorgeous Edinburgh is my beautiful home and one of my favourite cities in the world to perform in and visit. It’s got a wealth of history, tradition and, during the summer, the world’s greatest artists, but very few parking spaces. My advice is ditch the car and walk; keeping your petite umbrella to hand to avoid getting sunburnt. What are you looking forward to at the festival this year? Obviously, I’m looking forward to working with Joe Lovano and Gunther Schuller again, but more than that, I believe the musicians in the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra will have a fantastic time playing in the Usher Hall. It’s a first for us, and we can’t wait to see our audience and play for them. I’m also looking forward to taking some time out to watch some of the other great acts at the Edinburgh International Festival. Your best memory from a previous festival? My best memory is seeing Le Sacre Du Printemps with the RSNO at the Usher Hall – an unbelievable work and performance.
Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, Usher Hall, 26 August, 8pm From £8, Tel: 0131 473 2000
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FESTIVAL FAVOURITES
What’s your best memory from a previous festival? Well, the memory most vivid in my mind was performing with Sir Richard Norrington and the amazing Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in the newly refurbished Usher Hall, and not more than a minute into our dramatic opening the lights went completely out! What I remember most was the good natured response of the wonderful public, and when the problem was finally corrected, they held their attention divinely and we gave, I hope, a really memorable performance. What are you looking forward to at the festival this year? I try not to carry too many expectations when I arrive for a new performance, but I do know that working with Sir Charles Mackerras on Mozart’s astonishing work, Idomeneo, will challenge me greatly – and hopefully be one of the musical highlights of my career.
Joyce DiDonato and David Zobel, Usher Hall, 22 August, 8pm, Tel: 0131 473 200
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PHOTO: SHEILA ROCK COURTESY OF VIRGIN CLASSICS
JOYCE DiDONATO
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FESTIVAL FAVOURITES
RHOD GILBERT What are you most looking forward to at the Fringe this year? Doing it on my terms. It’s the cruelest, most intense month for comedians. But this year I’m doing a short run of a show that I know very well, so there’s nothing to prove. I may even go and see other shows and relax a bit. Any memorable Fringe experiences from previous years? I can very vividly remember Steve Hall from We Are Klang playing the recorder with his bottom in a flat in the New Town around dawn one year. It wasn’t that tuneful as I remember. Any advice for Fringe virgins? Have somebody visit who’s got nothing to do with the festival, because they’ll remind you that there is a world outside Edinburgh. Best advice you’re ever been given? That as long as it’s not an out-and-out disaster, the audience have no idea whether it’s going well or not.
Rhod Gilbert and the Cat That Looked Like Nicholas Lyndhurst, Venue 150, 21-29 August (not 23), 8pm, Tel: 0844 847 1639
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PHIL NICHOL How do you prepare for the Festival? I always put myself through an endurance event to get in shape for it. What advice would you give performers coming to the Festival for the first time? The Festival is the most brilliant place to grow your act and to try things – where else will you get the chance to perform every single day for a whole month? Make sure you at least go and see every other show performing in the same room as you. What are you bringing to the Festival this year? This is my ninth year and I’m bringing back Bobby Spade, a legendary lost beat poet, one of the inspirations for punk rock music. His wife Tamara died of testicular cancer and in 1984 he made history when he killed his mother, two members of his family and himself. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Jerry Sadowitz “Remember Phil, if they’re laughing, loath them for it”. Stewart Lee “Go and see as many forms of performance as possible – dance, theatre, art”. Owen O’Neill: “When you’re telling a story and you want it to be believable, take the jokes out. If you pull the rug from underneath them the audience wont believe you.” What’s your favourite memory of the fringe? A special memory is performing on stage with Christian Slater in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and then Steve Harley of Cockney Rebel inviting me to “Come Up and See Me Sometime”. In 2006 I did a one off special performance of The Naked Racist – it had won the if.comeddie award in an intimate venue, and there was a lot of anticipation, but the show was lost in a big space. There was a lot of heckling, and about 200 people walked out. I remember going through a great deal of misery and grief, watching them leave, but then being elated when 100 naked dancers stormed the stage and there was a standing ovation at the end of the show.
Phil Nichol – Welcome to Crazytown, The Stand, 4-30 August (not 16), various times, Tel: 0131 558 7272
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MISS BEHAVE What advice would you give to a performer coming to the festival for the first time? Know why you’re coming up and don’t put yourself in major debt. Don’t waste time flyering the Royal Mile. If you’re the inevitable ‘young girl in bra and knickers lying down on the street, handing out pieces of paper about your fingerpuppet musical version of Hamlet’, you’re wasting your time. Flyer around your venue 1-2 hours before your show. What’s your best memory of appearing on the Fringe? Highlights have been performing in La Clique back in 2004 and 2005; we would play to amazing crowds and then dance the night away. I remember one time when you could still smoke in the tent and someone was smoking a joint! I stole the joint, had a toke and handed it to an old lady, who had a toke and passed it to her granddaughter, who had a toke and handed it round the front row. That was pretty classic. What are you most looking forward to? I’m very excited to play in the Assembly Rooms’ new tent in Princes Street Gardens. Having the chance to bring The Crack to Edinburgh is going to be amazing. Let anarchy rule!
The Crack, Assembly @ Princes Street Gardens, 5-29 August (not 16), 9.30pm, Tel: 0131 623 3030
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STEPHEN K AMOS What advice would you give to performers coming to the Festival for the first time? The Fringe is one of the best places to start and to learn your craft. Embrace it and enjoy it, but don’t get lost in the excitement in case your show suffers. You never know who is in the audience – casting agents or reviewers – so you can’t afford a bad show What’s the best career advice you’ve ever been given? Don’t believe you’re in competition with anyone else. Your time will come when its right to come. What’s your best Festival memory? I was in a show at the Gilded Ballon when the fire alarm went off and the entire building had to be evacuated. Like the Pied Piper the audience followed me, numbers swelled, other comics joined and it turned into an impromptu outdoor festival.
Stephen K Amos – The Best Medicine, Pleasance Courtyard, 4-29 August (not 11, 16, 17, 23, 24), 9.40pm, Tel: 0131 556 6550
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COMEDY JENNIFER COOLIDGE
More than a MILF Those who don’t know her for the ‘Bend and Snap’ in Legally Blonde will recognise her as Stifler’s Mom from American Pie. But that doesn’t mean Jennifer Coolidge is willing to be typecast, as her new stand up show proves. Words Jay Richardson
B
If you like this try... Caroline Rhea at Gilded Balloon, 6-25 Aug
est known as Stifler’s mom, American Pie’s mother of all MILFs, Jennifer Coolidge is widely regarded as one of America’s foremost character actors. And of course, a male fantasy who likes her men like she likes her Scotch – aged about 18 years. With a resumé that includes Friends, Frasier, Seinfeld and Sex and the City, her comedic reputation was sealed forever after memorable turns in the Christopher Guest mockumentaries Best In Show, A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration. Stifler’s Mom also prompted some interesting dates, as she reveals in her Fringe debut, Yours For The Night. Typecasting became a problem too, which was a factor in Coolidge’s decision to try stand-up for the first time last summer, with Sex and the City’s chief writer Michael Patrick King acting as her unofficial editor. “When you’ve achieved success playing a certain person, the scary thing is that you’re seen that way. It’s hard to tell a director ‘I’d rather play this person, I haven’t done that yet’. I’ve played a lot of horny women at this point.” After Legally Blonde, Zoolander and Austin Powers 3, Coolidge recently claimed her first dramatic role, as Nicolas Cage’s alcoholic stepmother in Werner Herzog’s Bad Lieutenant. But, she says, “I’m pretty sure Herzog had never seen me in anything, so I don’t think he had any prejudice”. In Edinburgh, she’ll be relating her “weird life in the last couple of years, how weird Hollywood’s gotten, the weird auditions I’ve had to go to and the weird boyfriends I’ve had. Oh, and the drugs”. Boston-born, she waited tables in New York
with Sandra Bullock. “Most of us were pretending to be actresses, just partying after work, while she was busy making it happen”. Getting nowhere, she joined The Groundlings, a legendary LA improv troupe that included Will Ferrell and Friends’ Lisa Kudrow. “It was inevitable Will was going to do incredibly well. Not only was he immensely talented, but if there was a Mr Congeniality contest everyone would have voted for him.” When Guest happened upon The Groundlings, he inducted Coolidge into the close-knit circle of brilliant improvisers he retains for his movies. And after his unconventional direction, stand-up offers few challenges or surprises. “He just lets you say whatever you want. But you never know which tape he’s going to use. You could do a scene three completely different ways and never know which one he’s going to choose until you see the movie at the premiere.” And, of course, stand-up also offers many benefits. “I like that I’m not having to deal with a 14-year-old producer kid in an audition room, then waiting for that kid to call and tell me if I’ve got the job,” the 48-year-old actress deadpans. “I’m calling all the shots.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Yours for the Night, Assembly @ George St, 5-29 August (not 16, 24), 8.15pm, From £5, Tel: 0131 623 3030
At a glance Coolidge first came to the attention of most cinema-goers in 1999, when she starred as Stifler’s Mom in the teen gross-out comedy, American Pie.
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Mockumentary maker Christopher Guest saw Coolidge in comedy troupe The Groundlings and cast her in 2000’s Best in Show, as well as two more of his films.
Coolidge’s appearance in 2001’s Legally Blonde paired her with Reese Witherspoon and gifted the dating world with the ‘Bend and Snap’.
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COMEDY GYLES BRANDRETH
Trouble brewing Put the kettle on, put your feet up and settle in for a good old gossip with the master of the quick-change career, Gyles Brandreth. Words Jonathan Trew
I
t might seem unlikely, but Madonna and Gyles Brandreth have at least two things in common. First off, both seem to relish appearing in public wearing stockings and suspenders: Madonna in her stage shows and Brandreth in Zipp!, the musical he brought to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2001. We’ll move swiftly on to the other characteristic that Brandreth and Madge share: a chameleon-like ability to shapeshift, change career and re-invent themselves. In his 62 years, Brandreth has been an MP, government whip, journalist, author, broadcaster, actor, businessman and, perhaps surprisingly, the support act for Bernard Manning. “It’s true,” he laughs, “hard to believe but true. It was in the early 1970s. He was filthy, politically incorrect, totally unacceptable but utterly brilliant.” Manning may be long gone, but Brandreth is still going strong and his latest incarnation is as a stand-up, with The One to One Show. “It’s an hour of me,” he says delightedly. “An hour of anecdotes about the people I’ve met in the theatre, in politics and at Buckingham Palace.” His incredibly varied career means that Brandreth has
indeed pressed the flesh with many famous names, and he’s in no way shy about dropping them. In the course of a 20-minute chat, he manages to shoehorn in mentions of his friends Kenneth Williams, Frankie Howerd and David Mitchell. He has well-polished stories about them all and absolutely no shame in using them. “Oh yes, the show is full of terrible namedropping,” he acknowledges happily. “As the Duke of Edinburgh said to me recently, “The amount of name dropping you do is very vulgar, Gyles. It’s bad form.”’ Intriguingly, Brandreth’s show time clashes with that of another well-known showbiz name. Nicholas Parsons’ chat show starts soon after Brandreth’s, and both are at the Pleasance. How does Brandreth feel about going toe-to-toe with his old chum from Radio 4’s Just A Minute? “I’ve been head to head with Nicholas before. Thirty years ago, Nicholas and I competed to give the longest-ever after dinner speech for charity. After eleven hours, the charity organisers begged us to stop. “I wanted to fight to the death. I thought I would win. After all, I’m 20 years younger than he is.”★
At a glance Gyles joined Carol Vorderman and Richard Whiteley on the team of Countdown, where his colourful sweaters and cheerful personality were a big hit with daytime viewers who already knew him from his stints on kids’ and morning TV.
It seemed like an unlikely leap at the time, but in 1992 Brandreth ran for parliament, becoming the Conservative member for the City of Chester. He served as a junior minister and whip in John Major’s government, losing his seat in the 1997 election.
Brandreth brought musical revue Zipp! to the Edinburgh Festival in 2001, and was quite happy to expose an unexpected side of himself, donning stockings and suspenders on stage. The show later went on to a West End run in 2003.
WHERE & WHEN The One to One Show, Pleasance One, 4-30 August, (not 11, 18), 4.30pm, From £10, Tel: 0131 556 6550
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COMEDY SARAH MILLICAN
If you like this try... Jo Caulfield at The Stand, 5-29 Aug (not 16, 23)
wery blouses, orange Sarah Millican talks flo d swimming pools foundation, cake-shape on-holed. and refusing to be pige
E
ver since she won the If.com Best Newcomer Award at Edinburgh in 2008, Sarah Millican has become a bit bored with the pigeonholes that most interviewers try to stick her in. “I understand that they need to find an angle,” she says, “but it’s always “She’s a bit common, she’s from the North or she’s a woman’”. Well, two of those are true while one of them is both snobbish and patronising but they all seem a very limited way to describe Millican. You could colour in some of the large gaps in that incomplete picture by adding that the down to earth Geordie loves cakes, is fiercely ambitious and one of the fastest rising stars of the UK comedy scene. Her secret weapon is the element of surprise. “People think that you won’t talk about rape if you have a flowery top on,” is how she cheerily puts it. Unusually, Millican won the Newcomer Award for her very first solo show in Edinburgh. She hasn’t looked back from that flying start. Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo and Michael McIntyre’s Roadshow are just some of the many TV programs she has appeared on in the last year, along with dozens of radio spots. Her star is very much on the up. So is it all cake-shaped swimming pools at Millican Mansions these days? “No,”she laughs. “I still live in the same flat and drive the same car, but I do like the idea of the cake-shaped swimming pool. It’s my birthday on Saturday and that’s going on my wish list, although I’m much more likely to get a swimming poolshaped cake.” Millican describes moving between live stand-up and TV work as like being good at plumbing and then being asked to try out as a carpenter, but she’s enjoying knock-on benefits beyond the valuable increase in exposure. “I enjoy getting my make-up done because, I’m not very good at being a girl. I bought a foundation the other day and it made me orange.” ★
Words Jonathan Trew
n i r e h e c n e Don’t f WHERE & WHEN The Stand One, 4-29 August (not 16), 8.20pm, From £7, Tel: 0131 558 7272
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COMEDY TIM VINE
Blowing his
own trumpet Gagmeister Tim Vine is hoping to tickle your funnybone and your tastebuds at this year’s festival. Words Jonathan Trew
H
e won’t thank you for the comparison, but the comedian Tim Vine and the Duracell Bunny have at least one thing in common: both can go on and on long after their rivals have collapsed in a dazed heap. As well as his role in the BBC sitcom Not Going Out, Vine has invented and hosted several TV game shows, won Celebrity Mastermind and, at one time, held the World Record for telling the most number of jokes in an hour (499, if you think you can do better). He is bringing similar energy levels to Edinburgh this year, where, in addition to his regular stand-up performances, he is also doing a three-night stint with his own chat show. Factor in the knowledge that his endearingly daft stage shows are well-known for their seemingly inexhaustible supply of absurd oneliners and his title for this year’s Fringe show, The Joke-amotive, could hardly be more apt. Gags and puns shoot from his gob like sparks from the furnace of a runaway steam train. It is a production rate that, if they could emulate it, would have the Greek economy
u’re “If you write fifty songs yo od song. more likely to write one go jokes” That’s how I look at writing back on its feet in no time. Vine wouldn’t have it any other way. “I take the view that you should write a lot,” he says. “If you write fifty songs then you are more likely to write a good one than if you just write three. That’s how I look at writing jokes.” When preparing a new show, he tries to come up with fifteen fresh gags a day, and it will take him at least six months to accumulate enough material to feed his voracious stage act. And that’s just the jokes. “When I do an hour long show, it’s a big mix,” he explains. “It’s not just one-liners. There are a lot of them in there but there are also lots of silly songs and there’s also a bag of props that I dip into. When I feel one thing outstaying its welcome, then I can pull something else out of
the prop bag. It’s like plate-spinning, in a way.” Vine, a Perrier Newcomer Winner in 1995, will be plate wrangling in a different way when he takes on a cookery demo slot at Foodies Festival in addition to his stand-up run. “It’s good to be a bit experimental at the Fringe,” says Vine of his latest venture. “A possible problem is that I can’t cook. I don’t know if it’s allowed, but I may bring my own chef.” Failing that, his back-up plan won’t have Jamie Oliver looking over his shoulder in worried horror but, like most of Vine’s ideas, it does sound like an absolute hoot. “Popcorn would be fun,” he says dreamily. “I’ve often thought that a good game would be to put popcorn in the pan, pull on some boxing gloves and then you have to try and hit the corn as they pop out.” ★
WHERE & WHEN
If you like this try... Jimmy Carr – Laughter Therapy 21-29 Aug (not 23)
The Joke-amotive, Pleasance One, 4-30 Aug (not 11, 18), 8.43pm, From £10, Tel: 0131 556 6550 The Tim Vine Chat Show, Pleasance Cabaret Bar, 26-28 Aug, 5.10pm, From £9.50 Foodies at the Festival, Holyrood Park, 13-15 Aug, daily 10am-6pm, From £6, Tel: 0871 230 5573, www.foodiesfestival.com
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COMEDY JOHN BISHOP
If you like this try... Andrew Maxwell at Assembly Hall, 17-21 Aug
The Church of Bishop The sun is shining on John Bishop, with a new Saturday night TV show and a Ken Loach film coming out in the next year. It’s a good thing he’s determined to keep his feet firmly on the ground.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Spotlight
Words Jay Richardson
W
hen Ken Loach came to cast his latest film, the Iraq War drama Route Irish, the director knew he needed a comedian for the pivotal role of Frankie. John Bishop maintains the character had to have “a big personality, so audiences can appreciate the distress his family goes through”. Or maybe Loach just understood that after telling Bishop his character would be killed early on, he needed someone with a robust sense of humour to train with paratroopers at a tough Winchester boot camp. “He might have wanted a few jokes on set,” ventures the 44year-old Scouse stand-up. “Ken must have thought ‘ah, you wouldn’t want to watch him on screen for any length of time.’” Ironically, we’ll be seeing plenty of Bishop on our screens soon. The former semi-pro footballer, nightclub doorman and sales director’s profile has been significantly raised by appearances on stand-up showcases such as Live at the Apollo, panel shows and a team captaincy on the sports quiz A League Of Their Own, alongside James Corden. And this August, he hosts John Bishop’s Britain, a primetime Saturday night show on BBC One, interspersing his stand-up with anecdotes from the public. “The idea is that if 60 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
I’m joking about love and marriage, we’ll have vox pops dropped in from people from all over the country,” he explains. Despite all this attention, he was determined to tour the UK this autumn, beginning at the festival where he earned an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination last year. “I’m just trying to enjoy my time in the sunshine” he says. “I wanted to celebrate the fact that I’ve played a Portakabin with 55 seats, and that now I can enjoy the experience, without having to be on the Royal Mile flyering.” Performing in the 1,000-seater McEwan Hall holds few concerns for a comic who recently sold out Liverpool’s 10,000 plus Echo Arena. And he’s dismissive of those critics who slate him for being too mainstream. “I couldn’t give a shite to be honest, because that’s one of the few irritating things about Edinburgh,” he retorts. “I’ve been to see ‘interesting comics’ and comics with political points. They don’t make me laugh, you know what I mean? If someone wants to comment on existentialism, I’m happy to do that. Just don’t stand on stage trying to be clever. Be funny. “I’m not doing anything different to what I did five, ten years ago when I started. It’s not my fault if other people like it.” ★
How was promoting Route Irish at the Cannes Film Festival? Unbelievable. Because Ken is held in such esteem by the French and because of the film’s political undertones, there was real gravitas to the occasion and I basked in his reflected glory. As a passionate fan of Liverpool Football Club, you’ll have really suffered this season? Being a Liverpool supporter this year was like being in a Catholic wedding 30 years ago. You’re looking at each other going ‘we’re not happy, but there’s nothing we can do about it’. You’ve got to carry on haven’t you? Do your teenage sons respect your success and the fact that you’ve performed for the England team? Spend a day in our house, it’s not changed. I can get them tickets to things now, but they still think I’m a dickhead.
WHERE & WHEN John Bishop – Sunshine, Udderbelly’s Pasture, 4-30 August (not 16), 9.50pm, From £10, Tel: 08445 458252
www.edfestmag.com
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COMEDY CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Starsand their lies
The vacuous world of the celebrity autobiography is lovingly punctured in a new show featuring some of comedy’s best-loved actors. Words Mark Fisher
T
here was a time when to publish an autobiography by the age of 30, a person would have had to make a major contribution to humanity such as discovering a continent or eradicating a major disease (preferably both). That time is not now. Today, bookshops are laden with memoirs by people whose achievements are hard to quantify; people such as Katie Price, aka Jordan, who has needed three – yes, three – volumes to do justice to her life so far as a former topless model. We have only ourselves to blame. The celebrity autobiography is big business and they wouldn’t write them if we didn’t buy them, which is why quantity triumphs over quality. And that, for the man who had the inspired idea to turn these learned texts into a show, leads the way to comedy gold. “You need the right person to read the right material, but it’s a simple concept,” says Eugene Pack, creator of Celebrity Autobiography. “You have someone like 15-year-old Miley Cyrus writing her memoirs. You think, ‘How 62 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
Michael Urie played the bitchy Marc on Ugly Betty
can this be?’ You open up one of these books and,without even doing an imitation, read a section about what someone has in their refrigerator or what their morning routine is, when they make their bed and if they have pulpy orange juice. You just need an audience to be listening and it’s funny.” For the past three years, Pack has been getting a cast of stand-up comedians together to read passages from these unintentionally hilarious books. In Edinburgh, the line-up will include George Wendt who played barfly Norm Peterson in Cheers; Michael
“You have someone like 15-year-old Miley Cyrus writing her memoirs” If you like this, try... Bette/Cavett at Zoo Roxy, 6-30 Aug (not 18)
Urie who played Marc St James in Ugly Betty; and Steve Schirripa who played Bobby Baccalieri in The Sopranos. Other performers will join them as well. Favourite works include the memoirs of Sylvester Stallone, Tommy Lee, Britney Spears and Madonna. For the
Edinburgh run, Pack and his co-creator Dayle Reyfel might slip in some choice celebrity writing from this side of the Atlantic. The key is to find writers who take themselves too seriously or whose accounts don’t tally with the accounts of the same events in rival autobiographies. “For example, we’ll read from the memoir of Elizabeth Taylor and then we’ll intersperse Eddie Fisher and then Debbie Reynolds,” he says. “They all have their own memory of what happened. Then you have people like David Hasselhof, who are just living in their own reality. Hasselhof talks about playing Jekyll and Hyde, both parts, in a Broadway musical. He writes it seriously, we perform it seriously, but it proves to be funny when you put it in front of an audience.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Udderbelly, 5-30 August, 7.25pm, From £12.50, Tel: 0844 545 8252
www.edfestmag.com
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ONES TO WATCH COMEDY
Dave Hill ar that Dave Hill even Who is he? It’s not cle t one. In the guise knows the answer to tha is an American l Hil s of several character interviewer, TV e ativ voc comic, but pro nder of fake death chat show host and fou could all be listed metal band Witch Taint on his CV. t? Actually, he is What’s the show abou in Edinburgh. doing two shows while one man’s rock Big In Japan is a story of Explosion is a l Hil ve obsession. The Da t show. cha ht nig late whacked out, him I would t ou ab ing eth som Tell me ed an album ord never guess? He has rec with Moby. Honest. ★ Big in Japan, Pleasance Courtyard, 4-29 Aug (not 16), 8.15pm, Tel: 0131 556 6550
Doc Brown Who is he? His real name is Ben Smith. Doc Brown was his nom de rap in another life, one in which he supported Mark Ronson and Lily Allen, playing for 40,000 people a night. What’s the show about? His reasons for turning his back on the fame game. The problem is that his new comedy career looks set to reach similar heights to his musical accomplishments. Tell me something about him I would never guess? His sister is Zadie Smith, the much acclaimed author of White Teeth. ★ Pleasance Attic, 4-30 Aug (not 16/30),
★ The Dave Hill Explosion, Pleasance Courtyard, 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 26-28 Aug, 11pm, Tel: 0131 556 6550
7pm, Tel: 0131 556 6550
★★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★★★★★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★★★★★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★★★★★
h c t a w o t s One
Words Jonathan Trew
e. sh on the comedy scen la sp a g in ak m s er m -ti The Fringe first
Seann Welsh
Abandoman Who are they? Rob Broderick and James Hancox are genuinely skilled but spoof rappers who recently won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year Award. What’s the show about? They improvise their hip hop rhymes from audience suggestions. An Eminem style lyrical smackdown aimed at the manufacturers of Haribo is one of their past triumphs. Tell me something about them I would never guess? They performed at the birthday party of the model Daisy Lowe. Oh yes, these boys hang with the A-list. ★ Pleasance Courtyard, 4-29 Aug (not 17), 9.45pm, Tel: 0131 556 6550 www.edfestmag.com
Who is he? A young bloke from Brighton who is rapidly carving a decent comedy career by being grouchier than an itchy-arsed man who has both arms in plaster casts. What’s the show about? The fact that what might be minor irritations for most people make Welsh boil with rage. He moans with charm though. Tell me something about him I would never guess? Not the most smartly dressed man about town, he describes his sartorial style as “Thundercat on heroin”. He was once passed over by a homeless person who took one glance at Welsh and decided he looked too shabby to ask for money. ★ Pleasance Courtyard, 4-30 Aug (not 11, 18), 8.30pm, Tel: 0131 556 6550
Helen Arney Who is she? A 29-year-old, London-based ukulele maestro with a neat line in quirky songs. Makes a nice change in pace from all those shouty twenty-something boys. What’s the show about? Lurve. Specifically, how hard it is to find it in the modern age. Perhaps it was easier when choice and expectations weren’t so high. Tell me something about her I would never guess? Helen is a physics graduate, which partially explains why she was such a big hit at this year’s Geek Pop Fest in London. The festival’s motto is ‘Be there and be square’. These restrictions don’t apply to her Fringe shows. ★ The Caves, 7-29 Aug (not 17), 7.35pm Tel: 0131 556 5375 EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 65
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ONES TO WATCH COMEDY
Kevin Eldon Brass Eye, I’m Alan Who is he? Come off it. ’s been in them all. He ? Partridge, Fist of Fun t? Well, it’s called What’s the show abou expect tightly-scripted Titting About, so don’t arkable is that for all political satire. What’s rem comedy career, this hed his long and distinguis urgh, stand-up gig. is Eldon’s first solo, Edinb out him I would never Tell me something ab at he would do if guess? Once asked wh him, he replied that he to comedy were closed s. would probably kill cat ★ The Stand, 5-30 Aug (16, 23), 1pm (5th) 2.30pm, Tel: 0131 558 7272
Gary Delaney Who is he? Having written for comics like Russell Howard and Jason Manford, the Solihull stand-up is moving to centre stage. What’s the show about? No theme, no message, no voyage of self-discovery. Just expect lots of sharp one-liners. Oh and heart-felt complaints about people who post other people’s sharp one-liners online. Tell me something about him I would never guess? The comic Sarah Millican is his girlfriend. You want more? In a previous career, he met Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton and Gordon Brown. Not all at the same time. ★ Pleasance Courtyard, 4-29 Aug (not 16),
Andrew Bird Who is he? A fast rising stand-up who looks like he should have been a poster boy for the Loaded generation but is far too thoughtful for the lager, breasts and football demographic. What’s the show about? Identity, acceptance and the hoops a bloke may have to jump through in order to find approval with the new Slovakian in-laws. Tell me something about him I would never guess? He once watched all eleven hours of The Beatles Anthology in one sitting. Is it any surprise that he also worships Noel Gallagher? ★ Pleasance Joker Dome, 4-29 Aug (not 17), 8.45pm, Tel: 0131 556 6550
Stuart Goldsmith
8.30pm, Tel: 0131 556 6550
Gemma Goggin ntysomething with a Who is she? A late twe ing experience. wealth of hard-won dat t? There is a clue in What’s the show abou Trying. Gemma is not Die the title: Get Laid or sh when it comes to one to beat about the bu e women who take a affairs of the heart. “I hat with him,” she ep man home and don’t sle a bad name.” us of t says. “It gives the res her I would t ou ab ing Tell me someth foray onto the stage never guess? Her first e has also played was as a Munchkin. Sh Hindley, so typecasting ra Moors murderer My rries about. is not something she wo ★ Gilded Balloon, 4-30 Aug (not 23),
Who is he? A former street performer, Goldsmith can eat fire and juggle chainsaws. Handy skills when facing a hostile stand-up crowd. What’s the show about? Having run away to join the circus at a young age, Goldsmith has always shied away from the conventional life. His show is about what happened when he made an attempt to embrace normality. Tell me something about him I would never guess? Goldsmith regularly warms up the Loose Women studio audience, hence his nickname ‘Cougar Snax’. Some of that may not be strictly true. ★ Pleasance Joker Dome, 4-30 Aug, 7.35pm, Tel: 0131 556 6550
1.30pm, Tel: 0131 556 5375 66 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
www.edfestmag.com
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MUSIC SPRING AWAKENING
Awake onthewildside
There’s something special about the students of RSAMD, which is why producers and writers fly in from all over the world to work with them. Words Mark Fisher
R
ead the credits for Rocket Science, a musical doing the rounds in New York City, and you’ll see an unexpected name. The show, which won this year’s Richard Rodgers Award for talented composers, owes a big debt to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD). If it strikes you as odd that a Glasgow theatre school should be considered a player on Broadway, it does not seem so to the Great White Way composers who want to get their shows off the ground. They have discovered that the RSAMD’s commitment to training actors and singers – and to giving them experience working on original material – allows them an invaluable opportunity. “We have a great reputation as a place where new work can be developed,” says Maggie Kinloch, the RSAMD’s director of drama, recalling a trip to New York earlier in the year when she met two young Broadway writers at an audition. “They were terribly excited because there was an opportunity for them to develop something here – to the point that they were quite happy to pay their own air fares and accommodation in order to spend a week working with a good group of students and musical directors. We’ve got a reputation out there.” The one-year masters course in musical theatre gives students realworld experience on the high-profile and high-pressure Edinburgh Fringe. Under the banner of One Academy Productions, they are presenting three shows in Edinburgh this year and discovering for themselves the 68 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) students rehearse Spring Awakening together for the first time
“Any of the students could be spotted by an agent and get their big break”
If you like this try... Desire at New Town Theatre, 5-29 August (not 17)
opportunities and the challenges of playing in the world’s biggest arts festival. On the one hand, they could be spotted by an agent and get their big break; on the other, they have to work as hard as everyone else to attract and please audiences. The company’s headline show is the indie-rock musical version of Spring Awakening, Frank Wedekind’s upfront study of adolescent sexuality. Staged by Andrew Panton – the director behind last year’s Rocket Science – the show gives a 21st century spin to the 1891 play that was so scandalous it wasn’t
publicly staged in Britain until 1965. The musical version by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik was an OffBroadway hit in 2006, winning no fewer than 11 Tony Awards. The London version picked up four Olivier Awards. As well as this high-energy production, One Academy is drawing on the talents of Guy Hollands, of Glasgow’s TAG, and Philip Howard, formerly artistic director of Edinburgh’s Traverse, to direct In Touch and Closest to the Moon, two musical works in progress.“They get a chance to carry the development work through from the early stages and to learn about the input of the musical theatre performer,” says Hugh Hodgart, the RSAMD’s head of performance. “The Fringe is when the wider musical theatre world comes » www.edfestmag.com
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MUSIC SPRING AWAKENING
Top tips
1
Get as much experience as you can in youth theatre, school drama and any other activity of that sort. Experience genuinely makes a difference to what you do and it shows a drama school that you are seriously committed.
2
Recognise that we seek rounded individuals who are intelligent, imaginative, collaborative, responsible people. So study hard, take up activities other than drama (sport, community work, etc) and work towards being as engaged with your world as you can.
3
Don’t give up if you don’t get into training first time round. It’s enormously competitive and many people try for three or four years before being successful. In 2005 when Conference of Drama Schools last did research on the statistics, there were around 12,000 people trying to get into a UK drama school, with only about 700 places available. It was easier at that time to get into Oxford or Cambridge than it was to get into a UK Drama Conservatoire. Don’t give up! to Scotland, so it’s a great opportunity for them to be seen by London-based and internationally based people.” For the students as much as the composers, it’s a tremendously valuable stepping-stone towards a professional career. Andrew Keay is starring in Spring Awakening as Melchior, the charismatic schoolboy with a booklearned knowledge of sex. The singer, actor and musician agrees the Fringe presents a great chance to kick up a storm with a youthful rock’n’roll musical and also to try something new with the two works in progress. “It’s exciting to work on Spring Awakening, especially because it flips between 19th century Germany and the contemporary music side, which is quite a challenge,” says Keay, 22, who also helped develop Douglas Maxell’s debut www.edfestmag.com
musical, The Bookie, which will tour Scotland in the autumn. “With the platform productions, it’s good to work on something that’s so new and to get ownership of them, whereas Spring Awakening is fully formed from the professional West End and Broadway productions, so you don’t have creative input into what’s on the page.” He has been performing since the age of five, but this is his Fringe debut and he is looking forward to opportunities it will open up. “I’m really excited about the challenge,” says Keay, who was brought up in Ayr. “To make your show work is a lot of effort. It’s important experience for me to be able to rehearse in a professional environment, to move to high-calibre venues at the Pleasance and to have a varied audience and lots of feedback.” ★
This will be the first production of Spring Awakening in Scotland
Maggie Kinloch, Director of Drama, RSAMD
WHERE & WHEN Spring Awakening, Pleasance Courtyard, 4–30 August (not 17, 18, 25), 3.05pm, From £8.50, Tel: 0131 556 6550 In Touch, Pleasance Dome, Selected dates, 12.10pm, From £5, Tel: 0131 556 6550 Closest to the Moon, Pleasance Dome, Selected dates, 12.10pm From £5, Tel: 0131 556 6550
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MUSIC PORGY AND BESS
Andthelivingiseasy George Gershwin’s classic Porgy and Bess is finding new life with a French opera company introducing film and dance to create a visual feast. Words Mark Fisher
I
t has been called the first American folk opera, and it’s as rooted in the Deep South as soul food and Mardi Gras. So for George and Ira Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess to be staged by – whisper it – a French opera company is a challenge to convention. Even more of a challenge is that the creative team behind it – directors José Montalvo and Dominique Hervieu – have built their reputation not with musicals or operas, but as choreographers who routinely set their dancers in front of exuberant large-scale video projections. It was their production of On Danse that provided the Edinburgh International Festival with its much-used image of an elephant on a flying carpet in 2007. Now working with Opéra de Lyon, they are applying their special visual flair to the Gershwins’ 1935 opera, the story of a poor black community in Charleston, South Carolina, where Bess takes up with Porgy, a crippled beggar, only for her former boyfriend, the murderous Crown, to claim her back. Ira Gershwin based the book on Porgy, a 1927 play by Dorothy and DuBose Heyward, which avoided black stereotypes and offered a frank portrayal of gambling, drinking and drug-taking. What George Gershwin brought to the table was a grounding in the European operatic tradition and a sensitivity to black American rhythms. “We were attracted to the genius of Gershwin,” says Hervieu. “The music mixes up popular and high-brow 70 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
Directors José Montalvo and Dominique Hervieu are breathing new life into the show
culture, the African part and the European part, which was really new for the time and can still be considered innovative today.” The original production was also the first time an all-black company had been cast in an opera, something that intrigued Hervieu and Montalvo, especially working in today’s Europe where immigration is a political issue. In their video projections, they show images of black American history from the 1930s. “We are Europeans and that brings a distance to this story,” says Hervieu. “There is a universal dimension to the theme of racial segregation, poverty and violence in society, but at the same time, there is a distance compared with the vision of the US, which is very painful.
“It’s such a different approach to the production; people will be really intrigued to see it”
If you like this try... Nine at C, 7-14 Aug, 3.45pm
Our distance can provide something new.” “It’s such a different approach to the production; people will be really intrigued to see it,” says Edinburgh International Festival director Jonathan Mills. “It’s the multicultural energy of the street, set in a coastal, down-at-heel environment that could be Marseille or Barcelona. It’s performed by new migrants to Europe and very much deals with the links between the Creole culture, the Caribbean culture, the Deep South of the United States and Africa itself.”
By introducing film and dance, they are treating opera as it has often been regarded in the past, as the sum of all the artforms. “Opera is the ultimate form of total art,” says Hervieu, who gives each artistic element equal weight and considers the visuals with the same seriousness as the live performance. “We don’t add video to live dance. They are synchronised and created together.” The purpose of the film element is to introduce a metaphorical dimension that would otherwise be hard to achieve. “It’s the dream part of it,” she says. “The video symbolises what we can’t express on stage with a physical body. We travel, we swim, we go through imaginary worlds, all things we physically can’t do on stage.” So much for innovation. What is not new is the evergreen quality of songs such as Summertime, It Ain’t Necessarily So and I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’, examples of George Gershwin’s radical ability to fuse classical, jazz and popular styles. The show is now regarded as the first truly indigenous American opera, but on its debut it was panned by critics who were not ready to appreciate the composer’s groundbreaking approach. Only on its revival in 1942 did they give it the acclaim it was due. “Musically speaking, the score is brilliant,” says Hervieu. “It made me realise that different cultures and imaginations can live together. That’s what Gershwin brought to modern music. It’s also why he’s difficult to classify. He is both jazz and classical, according to the way you see it.” ★ www.edfestmag.com
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Bess falls in love with the crippled Porgy, only to face heartbreak
WHERE & WHEN Porgy and Bess, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 14-17 (not 15) August, 7.15pm From ÂŁ14, Tel: 0131 473 2000
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MUSIC GUTTED
Killer queen Playwright Danielle Ward is currently pondering how to set a chainsaw to music for her new show Gutted: A Revenger’s Musical. Words Jay Richardson
“A
pparently, we’re hiring someone whose sole job is to mop up all the blood at the end of the show, then clean it out of the clothes!” exclaims Martin White of Gutted: A Revenger’s Musical, the gory, late-night comedy musical he’s penned with regular collaborator Danielle Ward. “The characters end up absolutely drenched, so there’ll be a lot of wipe-clean costumes. There’s a few beheadings.” Along with The Revenger’s Tragedy, the all-singing, all-dancing, alldecapitating musical has shades of Hamlet and, amusingly, Batman Begins.
“I like the idea that people might be coming in a little bit nervous about what to expect”
If you like this, try... The Not So Fatal Death of Grandpa Fredo at Traverse, 2-29 Aug (not 3-6, 9, 16, 23)
www.edfestmag.com
When young Sorrow witnesses her parents’ murder, she plots to become the killer’s ideal woman, marry him and then murder his entire family on the weekend of their wedding. Yet all is not as it seems. “It’s not that dark, it’s very cartoonish!” protests Ward. “I wanted to write something with a very traditional tragedy format, but make it funny as well. Her quest is obviously a sad one, but the family she kills are all ridiculously horrible characters, so you don’t feel any sympathy for them and they get bumped off fairly quickly.” Gutted will be brought to life and to pre-meditated slaughter by an all-star comedy cast, including Fringe favourites like The Penny Dreadfuls, Colin Hoult and Doc Brown. White leads the accompanying band and is currently
wondering how to “set a chainsaw to music”. “I like the idea that people might be coming in a little bit nervous about what to expect. It’s got a midnight movie feel to it.” After meeting at Robin Ince’s Book Club gigs, Ward asked multiinstrumentalist White to score her 2007 Fringe musical Psister Psycho about a killer robotic lesbian nun. The pair went on to create Karaoke Circus, the cult London show where comics and the public sing with a live band, which returns to the festival for one night only on August 17 at Assembly @ Princes Street Gardens. “We just wanted to do a really fun thing where we got to play instruments” recalls Ward. “There’s never been a grand ambition for it. I guess most comedians want to be pop stars and to sing a song they love with a live band in front of a cheering audience. The people we’ve had on stage have been amazing – Jessica Hynes, Ben Miller, Tim Minchin.” For now though, they’re focused on turning Gutted into an absolute bloody triumph. Ward would “love it to have a life beyond Edinburgh. There have to be more people than me who like both musicals and horror!” “Ultimately Broadway” agrees White. “West End at the very least!” ★
WHERE & WHEN Gutted: A Revenger’s Musical, Assembly @ George St, 6-29 August (not 10, 17, 24), 11.15pm, From £5, Tel: 0131 623 3030
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MUSIC CLARKE PETERS
Let the good times roll Clarke Peters is an accomplished actor, star of The Wire, playwright and singer. Now he’s returning to the stage with the musical he created two decades ago – Five Guys Named Moe. Words Jonathan Trew
“P
eople like to rock ‘n’ roll and they like to party, and that’s what Louis Jordan was about,” says Clarke Peters. “As a jazz musician he was about a good time, and if you take a look at the state of the world right now, don’t you feel like you want to have a good time and forget about things for a minute?” he pauses. “I tell you, right now, I do.” Peters is saying this at 5am in Albany Airport, New York. His wife has just missed her flight to their home in London. When he says that he “just wants the good times to roll,” he does so with understandable conviction. Peters’ career has been nothing if not varied. From singing backing vocals for Joan Armatrading to playing Nelson Mandela in the film Endgame, via a pivotal role as Detective Lester Freamon in seminal TV drama The Wire, the 58year-old American has never had to complain about being typecast. This August, he’s in Edinburgh to assume yet another guise: that of Nomax in a 20th anniversary revival of the musical Five Guys Named Moe. Peters wrote the the story and dialogue two decades ago, bringing Jordan’s songs together into a cohesive show. It debuted www.edfestmag.com
Clarke Peters is currently starring in HBO’s Treme
at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, before going on to be an Olivier-winning hit in the West End and on Broadway. The show follows the fortunes of broke and unlucky in love Nomax. Equipped with Louis Jordan songs such as Early In The Morning and Choo Choo Ch’Boogie, the Five Moes burst out of Nomax’s radio to brighten his day. “Five Guys is about Louis Jordan,” Peters explains. “You can watch a biopic and you’ll come away with facts and figures, but you won't get the person's character, you won't really get them.”
“Let’s just get to the music. Find out what the cat was about” If you like this try... Soho Storeys at Pleasance Grand, 8-21 Aug (not 17)
Its upbeat, feel-good vibe is a long way from the heroin-ravaged Baltimore of The Wire, but Peters is as happy in a musical as he is in a gritty drama. “With Five Guys, I wanted the audience to get Louis Jordan’s persona,” says Peters. “He influenced Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and so on but it’s no good telling people that. You want
to make them hear it. Let’s just cut to the chase and get to the music. Find out what the cat was about. “The Wire, on the other hand, speaks for itself. It’s a docu-drama that feeds the intellect, rather than dumbing us down. It’s been three years since we finished filming the final series, and even now it is still part of people’s conversation.” Peters landed his first professional part in the hippy musical Hair! in 1971. Nearly four decades later, he is still inundated with attention-grabbing offers of work, including a juicy role on David Simon’s post-Hurricane Katrina tale, Treme. Does he have any advice for aspiring actors in Edinburgh in August? “Question whether you want to be an actor or a waiter, because you will be out of work more often than not.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Five Guys Named Moe, Underbelly’s McEwan Hall, 4-29 August (not 27), 5.15pm, From £10, Tel: 0844 545 8252
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MUSIC CHINA MOSES
C If you like this try... Barbara Morrison at The Outhouse, 8-12, 14, 16-21, 27-29 Aug
hina Moses may have begun her career as a fifteen-year-old soul and R’n’B singer and moved on to present the hip-hop show Shake Ton Booty on French television, but the songs she’ll be singing at the Jazz & Blues Festival are some of her earliest musical memories. Indeed, jazz is in her blood. As the daughter of Dee Dee Bridgewater, arguably the leading jazz singer of her generation, Moses grew up on the road, watching her mum “go through good times and bad times, playing in classy clubs, humungous venues and shitty dives and seeing how it was to be a musician.” Armed with such an education and insight, she didn’t know if she wanted to follow her mother into the music business.“I didn’t think I had enough talent, to be honest,” she says. “But my mum pushed me into my first record deal. She said, ‘It doesn’t matter how much talent you have, it’s what you do with the talent you have that counts.’” Born in Los Angeles, Moses moved to Paris and signed with Virgin, releasing her first single, Time, in 1996. It was while working as a backing singer with French songstress Camille in Paris’s Café de la Danse that the move that Moses swore she’d never make, into her mother’s jazz footsteps, happened.
e l b a t t e g r o f Un China Moses was determined not to follow in her jazz singer mother’s footsteps – that is, until her secret love of Dinah Washington overcame her doubts. Words Rob Adams Invited to sit in by Camille, pianist and producer Raphael Lemonnier heard Moses singing. He immediately asked her to join his theatre show Dancing and invited her on a drive through the Camargue. Rummaging through the CDs in Lemonnier’s car, Moses found one by Dinah Washington, the jazz singer whose sassy, sometimes risqué interpretations had been Moses’ secret passion since she was a seven-year-old sneaking listens of her grandmother’s Washington albums. “I didn’t realise Dinah was being risqué when I was seven,” she says. “I just thought she sounded like she was having fun and that’s what appealed.” She and Lemonnier set about devising a tribute, This One’s for Dinah, which has turned Moses into one of jazz’s hottest vocal properties. She is currently preparing for a gig at Birdland, New York, the club that has been a second home to just about every major jazz musician of the past 60 years. “The history’s daunting, but you can’t worry about that,” she says. “For me, jazz is about being who you are. Singers today are too caught up in trying to be the next Ella or whoever. I’m not trying to be Dinah, but I am trying to follow her example: choosing good songs, singing them in – I hope – a distinctive voice, showing emotion and having fun.” ★ www.edfestmag.com
WHERE & WHEN The Hub, 31 July, 8.30pm, £15, Tel: 0131 467 5200
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Immigrant song
What inspired the Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre to drop everything and work on a flamenco show? One man: Paco Peña. Words Kelly Apter
W
hen your reputation for excellence is as strong as Paco Peña’s, you don’t work with just anybody. So it comes as no surprise that the flamenco star’s choice of director is just as accomplished. Awarded an OBE in 1997 for services to theatre, Jude Kelly is one impressive woman. Currently Artistic Director of London’s Southbank Centre and a senior figure in the 2012 Olympics’ cultural programme, it’s remarkable she finds time to do anything else. 78 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
When you hear Kelly talk passionately about flamenco, however, it becomes obvious why she cleared space in her schedule to direct Peña’s upcoming festival show, Quimeras. “I love the intensity and detail of flamenco,” she explains, “and it’s fascinating the way it’s so embedded in Spanish culture. If you go to Spain, everybody knows flamenco – and after a performance you go to a bar and people carry on singing, dancing and clapping. It’s an extraordinary thing to see.” » It’s not just flamenco that Kelly www.edfestmag.com
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DANCE PACO PEÑA
admires, however. This is the fourth time she has directed one of Peña’s shows – what keeps her coming back for more? “We have a great sympathy for each other’s way of working,” says Kelly, “and we like searching through ideas and finding something truthful. There’s also something about putting together an evening musically and emotionally through dance that we both find fascinating. We’ve spent a lot of time talking and listening to each other, and Paco has an extraordinary knowledge of music and is very curious about trying out new things.” As somebody used to working in the theatre, where the written word communicates so much, flamenco was a whole new challenge for Kelly. Few dance styles can claim to be as expressive as flamenco, however, which gave the director an interesting box of tools to work with. “Flamenco artists are dancers and singers, they’re not actors,” says Kelly. “So you have to work out how much you can communicate through them – because they’re not there simply to display their talent, but to express something that changes from mood to mood. So I’m very concerned
particular story from beginning to end, it will be fragments of a story that we’ll express out from.” For Peña, being part of Spanish culture and observing how the social landscape has changed over the years has been a very personal period of research. So it was important for he and Kelly to learn how it feels to be on the other side of that – to leave your homeland and try to establish roots elsewhere, as portrayed by the African performers in Quimeras. “On one level we’re trying to create a troupe who are telling one story together,” explains Kelly. “But at the same time, some of the performers need to represent the people who feel they have ownership of land – and the others are people who are seeking ownership. So our conversations with the African musicians and dancers has really informed the piece, because we’ve devised it with them.” Despite the obvious sacrifice and hardship the immigrants go through, Peña and Kelly are determined that Quimeras should demonstrate the positive aspects of two cultures coming together. Fittingly, flamenco itself is a
If you like this try... Flamenco con Fusion, C plaza, 17, 20 Aug
Peña himself takes to the stage to play guitar during performances
“The roots of flamenco are displacement and poverty, but even if it’s forged from despair, it moves very quickly into something joyful” with what the body and face look like, the gestures and what comes across without words. We’re communicating something abstract, though, and we’re not saying that at the end of the show the audience will know exactly what the thinking was. But we want them to feel they had an experience, an emotional journey and a really exciting evening.” Inspired by the many immigrants Peña has seen arrive in Spain from Africa looking for a better life, Quimeras mixes straightforward narrative with a more atmospheric approach. The catalyst for the show was a news story Peña came across, in which an African immigrant was set on fire during an intense period of racial tension in Cataluña. But, as Kelly says, the underlying emotions in Quimeras could apply to pretty much anywhere, anytime. “Displacement is a story of humanity that’s always been there,” she says. “Being rejected, trying to find safety and discovering that place is no longer safe – these are things that all communities at some point have experienced. So we’re not telling one www.edfestmag.com
melting pot of cultures and styles, and is renowned for its ability to turn sorrow into celebration. “The roots of flamenco are a combination of displacement and poverty and the need to find a way to express pain and community determination,” says Kelly. “But even if it’s forged from despair, it moves very quickly into something where the human spirit is just so joyful to be making art. Flamenco is incredibly flamboyant, technically awe-inspiring and sometimes, when you get two male dancers together, almost violently competitive. I don’t think any of the shows Paco and I have made together have ever been miserable, they’ve always been very life enhancing, and this one will be, too.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Quimeras, Edinburgh Playhouse, 2-4 September, 8pm, From £8, Tel: 0131 473 2000
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Body
language Working together as a family is just as important as the sheer joy of movement for the passionate Grupo Corpo, Brazil’s original contemporary dance troupe. Words Kelly Apter
W
hen you’re hard at work every day, fitting in family visits can be a challenge. Unless you’re a member of the Pederneiras clan, that is, in which case it’s all rather handily under one roof. Based in Brazil’s Belo Horizonte district, Grupo Corpo is one of South America’s most exciting dance companies – and a real family affair. Formed in 1975 by brothers Paulo and Rodrigo Pederneiras, they’ve since been joined by sister Miriam who runs their education project and assists with choreography, and brothers Pedro and José as technical director and company » photographer respectively. More
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If you like this try... Intertwine at Zoo Roxy, 5-29 Aug (not 15, 23)
www.edfestmag.com
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recently, a younger generation has swelled the Grupo Corpo pack, with Rodrigo’s son Gabriel taking on the role of technical co-ordinator. So, what is it like working in such close proximity with your family? “It can be hard sometimes,” says artistic director Paulo. “But the positions within the company are very well defined and each of us has our specific function – just like a ‘body’ (Grupo Corpo literally meaning ‘Body Group’ in English). And the good thing is that we know we can trust each other.” Today, the company is a regular feature on the international touring
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Audiences are always impressed by the joy and passion that Grupo Corpo bring to the stage
circuit, taking its unique mix of classical ballet, contemporary dance and Brazilian flavour to a wide audience. Back in the 1970s, however, things looked very different. “Professional contemporary dance companies didn’t exist in Brazil in 1975,” explains Paulo. “There was popular dance in the streets and classical dance in the theatres, but dance performances were restricted to a select, rich audience. So my idea was to create a professional company where we could work hard to earn enough money to survive and make dance a profession, and then bring that dance closer to the audience.” As audiences at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival will discover, the Grupo Corpo style is highly accessible and crowd-pleasing, yet steeped in artistic collaboration. Both Paulo, who is responsible for set and lighting, and choreographer Rodrigo interact with visual artists, musicians, architects and new media designers when creating work. The result is joyful to watch and, according to Paulo, equally fun to make. “We enjoy our work,” he says. “The joy you can feel on stage is the joy of those
who are lucky enough to do what they like.” Since 2000, that joy has been passed on to some of Brazil’s most underprivileged children, thanks to Grupo Corpo’s education project. Run by Miriam Pederneiras, it offers dance, visual art and music classes to 6-25year-olds, many of whom go on to work in the arts professionally or use their new-found skills in other ways. “Here in Brazil there is big social inequality, and many, many children can’t grow up with dignity,” explains Miriam. “So we felt we must contribute something to change this sad reality. Any experience with art is very valuable, and we work to rescue the self-esteem of children and young people, making them realise the enormous potential they have.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Grupo Corpo, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 14-17 (not 15), August, 7.15pm, From £10, Tel: 0131 473 2000
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DANCE FLAWLESS
Nothing less than perfect Diversity may have grabbed the headlines, but Flawless, another group of Britain’s Got Talent veterans, are determined to forge something new and exciting on their own terms. Words Kelly Apter
S
tanding in front of Simon Cowell can be a make-orbreak moment for many performers. The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent judge is synonymous with caustic comments and career-ending remarks – so when he says you’re “one of the best acts I’ve ever seen”, you know you’ve got something special. Marlon Wallen recalls the moment he and his fellow dancers found themselves in just such a position, during the 2009 auditions for Britain’s Got Talent. “It was really nervewracking,” he recalls. “Just having Simon Cowell sitting there and not knowing what he’s going to say. I remember standing at the side of the stage and seeing that buzzer table and thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’ve seen this on TV so many times, and now we’re actually here’. But we were confident in what we had, and got a really good response.” Wallen had every reason to be confident. His streetdance troupe, Flawless, impressed the judges within seconds, and had the crowd up on its feet by the end of the routine. Dressed 82 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
Flawless are determined to inspire other hip hop dance crews with their passion and style
in stylish suits and dancing with razor sharp synchronicity, the group more than lived up to its name. Any other year, Flawless could easily have sailed to the top spot but as fate would have it, another hip hop company – Diversity – danced its way into the public’s heart. Surprisingly, there’s not a trace of bitterness amongst the Flawless crew. “It was never about the competition for us,”
“It was really nerve-wracking, Simon Cowell sitting there and not knowing what he’s going to say to us”
If you like this, try.... Roam at Zoo Southside, 6-30 Aug (not 12, 13, 17, 24)
says Wallen. “We want to be legends and leave something behind, and I think the fact that we didn’t win but are still successful is a huge message for people who are struggling on their own path. It doesn’t come easy, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.” Despite not taking the Britain’s Got Talent crown, Flawless remained true to its motto, “chase the dream, not the competition”. Five years after Wallen started the group in North London, that » www.edfestmag.com
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dream is well and truly coming true. Having danced with the likes of Madonna and Beyonce, Flawless recently appeared in the box office smash StreetDance 3D and will be performing its first full-length show, Chase The Dream, at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. “It’s a phenomenal feeling,’ says Wallen. “To come from where we started, then get that national profile on TV, and now people want to come and see what we can do in a full-on production. We can’t wait.” Performing a two-minute routine on Britain’s Got Talent requires considerably less material than a 60-minute live show, however. How have the ten Flawless boys risen to the challenge? “There are a lot of different dance styles in it,” explains Wallen. “So people www.edfestmag.com
are going to see us do things they haven’t seen before. There are also solos and duets, because if you have everybody on stage dancing full-on all the time, it can get boring, and we want to build up the crowd. Everything is important to us – not just the dancing, but the music, the clothing. We know how to entertain people and what they want to see, and we really appreciate the audience so it’s important for us to engage with them.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Flawless – Chase The Dream, Udderbelly, 5-30 August (not 16), 3.45pm From £8, Tel: 08445 458 252
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e f i l l e e In r
Mixing live action with projected film is taking theatre to a whole new, exciting level. Words Mark Fisher
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heatre critics don’t always get it right. Take George Jean Nathan. Writing about cinema in 1931, the American critic wrote: “The talking pictures, even imagining them in a future state of perfection, will obviously at their very best be mere theatre plays at second hand.” What Nathan wasn’t to know was that, far from remaining a poor derivative of the stage, the cinema would flourish as an artform in its own right. What he certainly could not have foreseen is that after several decades of independent development, the moving image would return to the theatre and reinvigorate it, creating fascinating hybrids in the process. 84 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
Above, scenes from Reel to Real: The Movie Musical
Multimedia theatre is not new, of course, but in this year’s Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe, theatre-makers are melding the artforms more than ever. The advent of digital editing and sophisticated projection techniques means theatre directors are no longer satisfied with film being a mere decorative addition. Instead, they are making it an integral part of the stage picture. Reel to Real: The Movies Musical, one of this year’s major shows at the Pleasance, is so technologically advanced that it would have seemed almost impossible to stage before the show’s opening night in Beijing last year. “It’s very new and very different and yet it’s grounded in what makes
Broadway and Hollywood as fantastic as they are,” says Simone Genatt, executive producer of the Broadway Asia Company. “Our front projector uses a very powerful system that has the ability to cover multiple screens and multi-task. It came out a week or two before we opened and, without it, we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the front projection the way it appears.” The feelgood production, which has its sights on an international tour, gathers together clips from the golden age of MGM, Warner Brothers, Fox and Paramount musicals and teams them with an ensemble of modern-day Broadway dancers. Thanks to digital trickery and clever splicing, a live performer gets to hot-foot it with Gene » www.edfestmag.com
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THEATRE MULTIMEDIA
Teenage Riot uses video cameras and projections to tell its intimate story
Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain; the leading lady enjoys a romantic affair with Humphrey Bogart as Rick from Casablanca; and a chorus line goes through its paces with the best of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin and Stephen Sondheim. “The setting for the show is all cinematic, and there are probably 20 film surfaces,” says Genatt. “It’s a very careful blending of front projections, rear projections, steep projections that come from the top, all mixed with the dancing and the live performers. It’s a fine balancing act, but when it takes off, it’s quite fantastic.” Elsewhere on the Fringe, in Teenage Riot, the brilliant Belgian company Ontroerend Goed is using live video cameras to make its cast of teenagers, hidden in a box, feel more comfortable
“For me, the first cinema scripts are Shakespeare plays. He changes the setting just like this”
If you like this try... The Sum of It All at Zoo Roxy, 6-30 Aug (not 14)
www.edfestmag.com
about sharing their darkest thoughts with an audience. “It’s quite a technical show, but it doesn’t feel that way when you see it,” says director Alexander Devriendt. In the International Festival, meanwhile, it’s becoming de rigueur to blend live and recorded action. In Porgy and Bess, directors José Montalvo and Dominique Hervieu add film to the mix of opera and dance, a way of working that has become what they call their “choreographic signature”. The Wooster Group has a long history of juxtaposing
old movies with the stage action and is doing the same in Vieux Carré, forcing a collision between a Tennessee Williams play and experimental films produced by Andy Warhol in the early 1970s. And the multidisciplinary Meredith Monk is working with video artist Ann Hamilton in Songs of Ascension. None of these companies, however, blurs the line between theatre and film as much as Teatro Cinema. As its name suggests, this Chilean company offers a 50/50 split between live and recorded action. Director Juan Carlos Zagal places his actors between a normal screen and a transparent gauze, sandwiching them in the middle of front and back projections. Their scenery is the filmed landscape; their props appear and disappear with the speed of an editor’s cut. For Calderón, it’s a chance to break free of theatre’s physical limitations and go where his imagination takes him. “For me, the first cinema scripts are Shakespeare plays,” says the director. “He changes the settings just like this,” he clicks his fingers. “We’re taking the same liberties with our little story.” In fact, he is bringing two little stories to Edinburgh: Sin Sangre, about postcivil war reconciliation, and The Man Who Fed Butterflies, a fantasy about an old man’s imagined deathbed journey. In both cases, the shows were storyboarded before rehearsals began, a technique more usual in Hollywood animation than the theatre. “We’ve travelled a lot,” says Zagal. “And in every country, every place and every language people have told us they have never seen anything like this.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Reel to Real: The Movies Musical, Pleasance Grand, 4-30 August (not Tue), 6pm, From £13.50, Tel: 0131 556 6550 Teenage Riot, Traverse, 17-29 August (not Mon), times vary, From £17, Tel: 0131 228 1404 Porgy and Bess, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 14-17 August (not 15), 7.15pm, From £14, Tel: 0131 473 2000 Vieux Carre, Royal Lyceum, 21-24 August, 7.30pm, From £10, Tel: 0131 473 2000 Sin Sangre, King’s Theatre, 28 & 30 August, 1 & 3 Sept, 8pm, From £12, Tel: 0131 473 2000 The Man Who Fed Butterflies, King’s Theatre, 29 August, 2 & 4 Sept, 8pm and Sep 4, 2pm, From £12, Tel: 0131 473 2000 Songs of Ascension, Royal Lyceum, 28-30 August, 8pm From £10, Tel: 0131 473 2000
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THEATRE JACK THORNE
PICTURE: CHANNEL 4
Celebrity skins
There’s something about creating stories for teenagers that Shameless and Skins writer Jack Thorne can’t resist, as his new play, Bunny, demonstrates. Words Mark Fisher
J
ack Thorne has a confession to make. The writer might be best known for his work on Skins, the cult TV series about teen life, but he’s so far removed from his target market that when he had a job in Vodafone customer support, he didn’t even own a mobile phone. “I had no idea how to fix any of the problems,” laughs the 31-year-old. “A lot has changed since I was a kid. I didn't grow up with mobile phones.” Despite this, he’s always felt comfortable writing teenage characters. He recalls seeing filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski being asked at a Q&A session what he had learned about teenage girls when directing the young actors in My Summer of Love. The director leaned forward and said, “I am far more of a teenage girl than they will ever be.” Thorne feels much the same. “I hope I can write any sort of character,” says the playwright, who has strayed from writing about teenagers in work such as Cast Offs, the Channel 4 www.edfestmag.com
series about a group of disabled people living on an island as part of a reality TV show. It just so happens that with his latest play, Bunny, he’s back in teen territory. Staged by new writing company Nabokov, it’s a fast-paced drama about Katie, an 18-year-old white girl whose black boyfriend is beaten up by an Asian youth. Set in Luton, where the writer has lived for four years, it’s a vision of a fragmented multicultural society. “It’s about the racial politics of Luton,” says Thorne, who grew up in the predominantly white town of Newbury. “Luton is a town that is totally divided racially. There are two very clear town centres: the Bury Park which is largely Pakistani, Kashmiri and Bangladeshi; and then George Street which is more exclusively white and black. The two communities don’t mix.” Wary about making too obvious a comment about racism in the town that gave us the English Defence League, Thorne has tried to avoid the clichés of
Thorne wants to be able to write any kind of character
If you like this try... Oi! For England at Venue 13, 14-29 August (not 16)
white-Asian conflict and write something more sophisticated. He has aimed to capture the character of life in a modern-day British town. “It’s trying to engage with the town,” he says. “Luton is also a really good place, I love it here. My neighbours are amazing.” His hope is that in setting the play so specifically in one place – with the scene set by multimedia animated projections – audiences will draw a universal story from it. “There are towns like Luton all over the place,” he says. “And the problems that are true for Katie are just as true for a kid growing up in Newbury. It’s just the specifics of the town that are different.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Bunny, Underbelly, 5-29 August (not 18), 2.10pm From £6, Tel: 08445 458 252
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THEATRE FAIR TRADE
Tricks of the trade Writing a serious play about sex trafficking was a difficult task for young graduate Anna Holbek, but with Emma Thompson in her corner she had the chance to spread her wings. Words Anna Burnside
I
t was Anna Holbek’s first job. Aged 21, straight out of the Italia Conti Academy, she found herself on the set of Pride and Prejudice, teaching Emma Thompson and the rest of the cast a song. In Latin. Suddenly, the lowly gofer was one of the team. Chatting over lunch, Thompson asked Anna if she could possibly rattle up a few of her drama school chums for a photo shoot. They would be dressed as prostitutes for an installation on sex trafficking that Thompson was working on. As the Latin lesson shows, Holbek is not the type to hide under the duvet when a gauntlet is thrown down, which is how she, and a gang of friends in hotpants, became lifesize cutouts in a container in Trafalgar Square. It was part of The Journey, an art installation that brought the seedy, scary reality of sex slavery into the centre of London. “Emma said, let’s not just have a load of middle aged people out on a march, that’s what everyone expects. Let’s have people who are 21, full of fire, and can really make a point.” Once The Journey was over, Holbek was back to reality. “It was September and I didn’t have a job. I wanted to do something, and then it dawned on me that I had learned all about this issue; what an ideal source for writing.” She www.edfestmag.com
Thompson is passionate about the issues raised by the play
immediately began meeting with trafficked women to hear their stories. Thompson read Holbeck’s script, called Fair Trade, and her response could not have been more enthusiastic: “She said, this is f*cking fantastic,” recalls Holbek, who was trying not to be phased by Nanny McPhee swearing like a sailor. “I can’t wait to get started.” With Thompson on board as executive producer – her first job being to write a cheque for £5,000 to book a theatre and hire the cast – Fair Trade was on its way. “When she came into rehearsals she was gobsmacked by how good it was,” says Holbeck. “She trusted that we would do a good job but I think
“Emma said, ‘this is f*cking fantastic. I can’t wait to get started’”
If you like this try... Roadkill at Traverse Theatre, 7-29 Aug (not 9, 16, 23)
she breathed a bit of a sigh of relief – it was way beyond what even she expected.” After the first production, in the Pleasance Theatre, Islington, it was clear that this was a show with legs. The Pleasance were convinced the Edinburgh audience would love it. Holbek, however, felt everything was moving too fast. She was producing, writing and acting in the show,
“something I would never advise anyone to do again”. So she put her hands up and suggested, why not wait a year, make the show really, really good and take it to Edinburgh then. Everyone involved agreed. It is not as if, they added with heavy hearts, that sex trafficking is going away. So in the run up to the London Olympics, which is predicted to bring a surge of trafficked women, the show that comes to Edinburgh will be, she says “a piece that is inspiring and entertaining, as well as honouring these women’s stories. Somehow we have got to push this issue forward.” So will we be seeing Thompson at this year’s festival? “She has been our guardian angel, we still have to fill her in on everything that is happening. If she can, she will pop into rehearsals and she will be coming to see the show when she’s back in the country at the end of August.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Emma Thompson Presents: Fair Trade, Pleasance King Dome, 4-30 August (not 16, 23), 3.30pm, From £6, Tel: 0131 556 6550
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THEATRE CALEDONIA
Allatsea If you think that the Royal Bank of Scotland caused the country’s greatest economic disaster, you’d be forgetting your history, says Alistair Beaton. Words Mark Fisher
F
or politicians, Alistair Beaton is a man to be wary of. The Glasgow-born writer has a dangerous reputation for producing satirical send-ups of the great and the good. He was the man behind The Trial of Tony Blair, the Channel 4 film in which Robert Lindsay played a prime minister struggling to face up to the legacy of war in Iraq. One commentator called the BAFTAnominated drama a “vindictive fantasy”. Two years earlier in A Very Social Secretary, Beaton took a wry look at David Blunkett’s scandalous affair with publisher Kimberly Quinn, taking great delight in lampooning the Labour administration’s love of the high life. Blunkett’s solicitors wrote to broadcaster More4 in advance, but transmission went ahead. As a founder of Not the Nine O’Clock News and a song lyricist on Spitting Image, Beaton has been taking these kind of side-swipes at our leaders for three decades. “I like responding to real events,” he says. “I don’t think that’s quite the same thing as simply writing about them.” In the Edinburgh International Festival, the facts he is responding to are of a different kind. Instead of satirising a topical event, he has gone all the way back to 1698. In Caledonia, staged by the National Theatre of Scotland, he tells the story of Scotland’s 90 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
Beaton’s fascination with politics caused him to write A Very Social Secretary
calamitous attempt to set up a colony in Panama, then known as the Isthmus of Darien. “It’s a drama with satirical edges,” he says. “It’s a rip-roaring tale.” Leading the scheme was a financier called William Paterson who persuaded not only his wealthy cronies in the Company of Scotland, but also many much poorer citizens to invest in sending five ships to what would be called New Caledonia. He raised £400,000, a remarkable figure for the time. “I’m fascinated why a whole nation can be obsessed by the idea that it’s possible to get rich quick,” says Beaton. “It absorbed vast amounts of Scotland’s national wealth – maybe as much as half.”
“A nation can be obsessed by the idea that it’s possible to get rich quick”
If you like this, try... The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui at C Central, 5-14 Aug
If the expedition had been a success, perhaps it would have been worth the expense. It was, however, a terrible flop. For one thing, the would-be colonists were poorly prepared for the climate and suffered a wave of fatal illness. For another, the English were unwilling to offer assistance for fear of angering Spain, which had its own colonial ambitions in the region. Paterson’s great project was a writeoff within eight months, despite the best
efforts of a second fleet of ships. The adventure had required bravery, enterprise and fortitude, but its failure led to a financial crisis so great that, a few years later, Scotland had little option but to sign the Treaty of Union with England. Beaton has tended to write about the politics of today, but he was unable to resist a story with such striking repercussions down the centuries. “It has a natural dramatic shape, because it’s got vision, hope, energy, courage and it all comes to naught,” says Beaton. “It played a central part in the loss of Scotland’s independence as a nation. That’s a pretty big story.” The audience, like him, will spot the modern-day parallels for themselves, not least in the fact that the directors of the Company of Scotland got more than their money back on the investment. “I want to tell the story of what happened in the 1690s, but I would be astonished if people didn’t leave the theatre thinking it has echoes of today.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Caledonia, King’s Theatre, 21, 22, 24, 25 August, 7.30pm; 22, 25, 26, August, 2.30pm From £12, Tel: 0131 473 2000
www.edfestmag.com
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BOOK EMILY WOOF
If you like this, try... Marina Endicott and Lisa Moore, Charlotte Sq, 24 Aug
Flyingstart She began her career as a trapeze artist, then became a Hollywood star. So what prompted Emily Woof to turn her hand to writing? Words Fiona Gibson
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mily Woof has crammed a lot into her life so far. As a stage actor she has written and performed her own material; as a movie star she appeared opposite Rufus Sewell in The Woodlanders, and jostled with male strippers – including Robert Carlyle – in The Full Monty. As a professional trapeze artist, she trained for eight hours a day, building up her strength on a diet of sheep’s livers. Yet she admits that writing her debut novel, The Whole Wide Beauty, was the scariest proposition yet. “When you’re on stage,” she says, “there’s an illusion of being slightly in control. You can hide behind characters and feel that you’re somehow steering the thing. Writing
“I started writing after my father died, as a way of keeping him alive in some way”
The Whole Wide Beauty by Emily Woof (Faber, £12.99) is out now www.edfestmag.com
fiction is far more open, especially as most of the characters were slightly different versions of me.” The novel tells the story of Katherine, a young mother trapped in a failing marriage and mourning her previous, highly-charged existence as a dancer. Through her father, who runs a struggling poetry foundation in Northumberland – Woof was born in Newcastle and her father was Director of The Wordsworth Trust – she meets a poet with whom she falls headlong in love. Woof’s spare prose crackles with passion as Katherine succumbs to a heady affair. “I never planned to write a novel,” Woof admits. “Quite the opposite. In fact, for ages I called it “the thing”. I just started writing in a notebook after my father died, as a way of keeping a
conversation going with him, to keep him alive in some way. Eventually, I realised I was creating the seed of a character.” It took Woof, 43, two years to write the book, during which she had her second child. “I wrote whenever I could, usually in the evenings or when my youngest son had a nap – I’d be desperate to get on with it. With young children,” she adds, “you dive in. There’s no sitting around, waiting for inspiration to strike or battling with doubt – you’re fired up and there’s a hunger to get the words down.” She mentions a male writer friend “who goes off to European cities to come up with ideas which he’ll then mull over. Imagine having the leisure and freedom to do that.” She peels with laughter. “I’d love to think that writing and raising a family makes for a healthy balance, but in fact it’s extremely demanding.” She was warned that the launch of her novel would lack the pizzazz of an opening night: “There’s no event at all. It just sort of… seeps out there. You don’t know if you’ve reached anyone.” Unlike performing on her trapeze, I suggest. “Oh yes. It’s such an intense form of physical expression. You become addicted to the endorphins firing around your body.” While she hasn’t performed for many years, she still has her trapeze in the attic. “Sometimes I’m tempted to put it up. Not in our garden – it’s too small. But maybe in the park someday…”★
WHERE & WHEN Charlotte Square, 16 August, 6pm, From £5, Tel: 0845 373 5888
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BOOK ANDREW O’HAGAN
Telling the story of Marilyn Monroe’s dog in his own words was an interesting challenge for acclaimed author Andrew O’Hagan. Words Fiona Gibson
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henever Andrew O’Hagan is quoted as saying that there weren’t any books in his childhood home, his father is quick to correct him. “He says it’s not true – we had the phonebook,” says the Glasgow-born novelist who grew up in Ayrshire. There was another book too: a biography of Marilyn Monroe. To the young, hungry-eyed O’Hagan, she was “a modern myth, a fairy story, a woman from a poor background who was magically transformed. She was a manifestation of post-war optimism, and I was completely beguiled by her.” It’s fitting, then, that his latest novel is entitled The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog, and of his friend, Marilyn Monroe. Mafia Honey, or Maf, was the Maltese terrier given to Marilyn by Frank Sinatra. O’Hagan has made Maf his story’s wry and witty narrator, absorbing every detail as he accompanies his beloved mistress everywhere during the last two years of her life. “Although it’s a dog, in some ways the voice of Maf is the closest I’ve come to writing in my own voice,” O’Hagan says. “At the oddest moments – like seeing turnips in the supermarket – I’d find myself thinking, what would Maf make of that? “Writing it was a lovely experience. The research I’d gathered over ten years took me all over the world, including the absurd highways and byways of Hollywood – it was important to make www.edfestmag.com
If you like this try... Paul Murray & Simon Rich at Charlotte Square, 19 Aug
The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog, and of his friend Marilyn Monroe, is published by Faber, priced £12.99
it factually correct. For instance, when I was writing a scene where Marilyn and Maf attend a literary party in New York, I was compelled to read the biographies of everyone I possibly could who had attended that party.” He pauses and laughs. “At some points I did worry that the whole project would blow up in my face, and that I’d turned into this insane person. But any writer has to keep the faith. I told myself that, if I was going mad, then at least I was in good company.” O’Hagan’s knack of seamlessly blending fact and fiction was pulled off with aplomb in his second novel, Personality, which was loosely based on the tragic life of child star Lena Zavaroni. He says he has always had a fierce desire to write: “I was born a storyteller and was quite unstoppable. As a young socialist I’d fire off letters to the Red Clydesiders asking if I could interview them.” Born in 1968, one of four brothers, O’Hagan was raised mainly by his mother who worked as a cleaner (his father was often absent). His debut
novel, Our Fathers, was nominated for the Booker prize. As for Maf, who lived at the White House during the Kennedy era after Marilyn’s death – with the movie rights already sold, surely he is begging for a sequel? “Maf is only three at the end of the book, which is young, even in dog years,” he says. “There’s so much liveliness and human spirit there that I think there’s another story to be told. I’ll need to wait a few years though, to de-doggify myself.” His six year-old daughter, from his relationship with author and journalist India Knight, is keen for him to continue the canine theme. “I’m sure it’ll happen,” he says. “In some part at the back of my brain, there’s still a little dog basket for Maf.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Charlotte Square, 15 August, 11.30am, From £8, Tel: 0845 373 5888
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Ups and downs Controversial Turner Prize winner Martin Creed is looking forward to playing with your mind this festival. Words Mark Fisher
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recent article in The Times elevated Martin Creed to the “pantheon of irritants” alongside Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin. Indeed, many people must have assumed the Scottish artist was some kind of artworld fraud after he won the Turner Prize in 2001 for Work No 227, The Lights Going On and Off, an installation that was exactly that: the lights going on and off. Today, however, Creed laughs at the idea. “I don’t feel like an irritant, but I do think that if something gets under one’s skin, at least that’s something,” he says. “I like to give people pleasure, not pain, but working for me is a matter of trying to poke yourself to see if you can feel something.” In truth, Creed’s ideas have a purity that captures people’s imaginations. His intentions are serious but, whether he is »
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ART MARTIN CREED
Piles of furniture are sure to annoy the establishment as much as lights turning on and off
creating a room full of balloons, getting joggers to race around a gallery or displaying a neon sign telling us “Everything is going to be alright”, Creed is great fun. “I hope people enjoy my work and also find it entertaining, but I do it to help me to live,” he says. “For me, it’s more like looking for excitement, and excitement can come in many forms.” Whatever way you approach the festivals this year, you’re sure to come across the 42-year-old artist. He is at the Traverse with his Ballet Work No 1020, and over the road in Festival Square, where the large-screen TV monitor will show a one-minute film of him trampling on flowers. At the Book
Creed is fascinated by the idea of journeying from one state to another
“I hope people enjoy my work and also find it entertaining, but I do it to help me to live” Festival, he will launch Martin Creed: Works, the first comprehensive survey of his output, and at the Fruitmarket Gallery, he will present a major new show. If you wait long enough, you will also find him at The Scotsman steps where, in the autumn, he will be laying a permanent installation in marble. “It’s amazing and I’m really happy about it,” he says. “I really like www.edfestmag.com
If you like this try... Work Ethic at Roxy Art House, 11-26 Aug (not 15, 22)
Edinburgh and I haven’t done much in Scotland, even though I grew up here.” What links his various works in Edinburgh is the idea of stepping from one stage to the next. Whether it is his Traverse show in which the dance is based on the five ballet positions, or the Fruitmarket show where the staircase makes music when you tread on it, he is fascinated by the idea of incremental change. “A lot of the things I’ve made have got things going up and down,” he says. “It’s steps and staircases, building something up and building it down again. It’s to do with getting from one place to another. That’s what a scale is in music: it’s a way to get from one note to a higher or lower note, while understanding the route on the way. For me, it’s got to do with making my life more bearable. Having things divided into scales or steps is a comfort.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Martin Creed: Down Over Up, Fruitmarket Gallery, 30 July – 31 October, daily 10am-7pm, Free, Tel: 0131 225 2383 Ballet Work No 1020, Traverse Theatre, 3, 7-8, 10-15 August, various times, From £17, Tel: 0131 228 1404 Martin Creed, Edinburgh International Book Festival, 16 August, 8.30pm £10 (£8), Tel: 0845 373 5888
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Sublime and ridiculous A new exhibition at the Dean Gallery sets out to prove that Surrealism isn’t just Dalí. Words Mark Fisher
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ART SURREALISTS
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alvador Dalí, René Magritte and Joan Miró we think we know. But what about Ithell Colquhoun, Marion Adnams and John Armstrong? Those are three of the names chief curator Patrick Elliott is hoping will turn heads at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art this summer, even as they share wall space with their more famous peers. On the one hand, Another World: Dalí, Magritte, Miró and the Surrealists is one of the blockbuster exhibitions for which the National Galleries is famous. A lot of people will want to get a good look at the in-house collection of these world-renowned surrealists as well as work by Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst and Alberto Giacometti. But on the other hand, Elliot has seen his chance to present many overlooked figures from the British surrealist movement who, he argues, are also worthy of attention. “It’s very fresh to find this whole www.edfestmag.com
Discover work by top British surrealist artists
seam of artists who were really quite important in the 30s and 40s and have been pretty much forgotten about,” he says. “People will be happy with the Dalís, the Magrittes and the Mirós, but will get an extra bonus when they see all this British surrealism which, to me, is the kernel of the show.” For that show, he had two ambitions. The first was to avoid giving it an intellectual theme, such as “surrealism and sex”; the second was to highlight the British work. “I just wanted to put on a big show with lots of really good surrealist pictures and sculptures,” he says. “The second thing was to dig out a lot of British surrealism, which isn’t well
“In the 70s surrealism was treated as a bit of a jokey thing. There’s a Monty Python naughtiness to it” If you like this try... A Celebration: Craigie Aitchinson at Talbot Rice
known at all – even the names of the artists are pretty obscure – and put them alongside their European counterparts to show how good they are.” Another World brings together over 300 paintings, books and etchings that date from 1910 – with the Dadaist precursors to surrealism – to the post-
war period when surrealism was replaced by abstract expressionism. Conveniently, the surrealists believed in filling as much wall space as possible, so Elliott can justify doing the same. “They liked hanging in a higgledypiggledy, dense fashion, often with very small works next to very big works to manipulate the viewer,” he says. As well as rehabilitating some forgotten names, he hopes the display will create a renewed awareness of the importance of surrealism. “In the 70s and even the 80s, surrealism was treated as a bit of a jokey thing,” he says. “There’s a Monty Python naughtiness to it and I don’t think it was taken all that seriously. But if you look at the auction prices now, Magritte is in the top half-dozen. Philosophically, it’s got more depth to it than it lets on at first. Dalí is technically brilliant and he’s getting to be seen a bit more like Duchamp in that his strategies for mucking people around and signing empty pieces of paper before they’d even put prints on them – acting like a business – is now seen as a radical way of doing things.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Another World: Dalí, Magritte, Miró and the Surrealists, Dean Gallery, 10 Jul - 9 Jan, daily, 10am-6pm, £7 (£5), Tel: 0131 624 6200
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fulloffun When the festival madness gets a bit much, head for one of the brilliant attractions in and around the city – we have lots for you to choose from.
1 Get scared silly at
The Real Mary King’s Close Discover what life was like for people living in Edinburgh in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, by descending to a warren of streets and houses deep underground. Look out for the ghosts and ghouls that are still said to haunt here. www.realmarykingsclose.com
2 Shake a tail feather at
Edinburgh Zoo Enter a world of colourful lorikeets, who will perch on your shoulder and drink nectar from your hand. The zoo also has 22 chimps in a custom-built enclosure that lets you get close to the action, and a penguin parade. » www.edinburghzoo.org.uk 100 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
3 Go clubbing at
Braid Hills Golf Course One of the prettiest golf courses around is also one of the most challenging. Try not to get caught up in the gorse as you enjoy views of Arthur’s Seat and the Firth of Forth. » www.braidhillsgolf.co.uk www.edfestmag.com
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DAYS OUT
5 Mix it up like a
MasterChef at Cookingmania Try your hand at a ‘Dads in the Kitchen’ cookery course, where fathers and their kids can learn to cook together. Even better, you won’t just be cooking the food, you’ll get to eat it too! » www.cookingmania.co.uk
4
6 Slice it up at
Surgeon’s Hall Museum
Conquer the city at
Edinburgh Castle
Those of a gristly bent, or precocious future doctors, will love this museum of medical history. Real human skeletons jostle for space with ancient surgical equipment and an exhibition about the invention of plastic surgery. It might just put you off having that nip and tuck. » www.museum.rcsed.ac.uk
Download the free Children’s Trail guide on the Edinburgh Castle website and follow in the footsteps of Scotland’s kings and queens. You might even be lucky enough to see the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny! » www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk
7 Become a pottery
Picasso at Doodles Kids will love producing their own colourful masterpieces on plates, mugs or even eggcups at Doodles Ceramic Workshop in Leith. Grown-ups can join in the fun, too, and babies can make hand or footprints to commemorate their visit. » www.doodlesscotland.co.uk
9 8 Say ‘Om’ at the
Yoga Garden Start Tuesday mornings the relaxing way, with a family yoga class at Bristo Yoga School. Even young kids are welcome to attend, so don’t worry if your little ones get a bit noisy! » www.bristoyogaschool.com www.edfestmag.com
Pack a picnic for
Arthur’s Seat It takes at most two hours to walk up and down Edinburgh’s extinct volcano, depending on which route you choose. When you get up to the top, all your hard work will be rewarded with fabulous views of the city – perfect to enjoy over a packed lunch. EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 101
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DAYS OUT
10 Throw tourists around at
Camera Obscura A brilliant combo of science and fun, Camera Obscura teaches kids about optical illusions and lets them pick up cars, people and buses passing outside on pieces of paper in real time. » www.camera-obscura.co.uk
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12
Crack the code at
Share high times and high tea at CAMERA OBSCURA & WORLD OF ILLUSIONS
Rosslyn Chapel Fans of Dan Brown will love ferreting out all the secrets of Rosslyn Chapel, the backdrop for the book’s climactic final scenes; while the uninitiated will simply enjoy the remarkable stonework and stained glass. » www.rosslynchapel.org.uk
No 28 Charlotte Square Jane Austen fans can pretend they’re swooning over Darcy at an elegant Georgian townhouse on Charlotte Square. The sophisticated Afternoon Tea includes sandwiches, cream scones and lots of cakes. » www.nts.org.uk
13 Be a Wonka wonder at
Coco Chocolate Over 10s can go with a parent to experience all the pleasure of proper chocolate at a tasting evening in Coco, Bruntsfield. Over 14s are even luckier, as they can join a parent at an all day chocolate course, inventing their own sweeties. » www.buycoco.co.uk
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15
Jog on with a
Scramble like a spider on
kilt tour
the Tower Wall
Fit visitors can tour the city like a true Scot with a Kilt Jogging Tour by top Edinburgh trainer Gavin Moreton. Participants can even wear their own kilts whilst they visit some of the city’s hidden gems. » moretonpts.com
Everyone from beginners to experts will find something to challenge them at Ratho’s climbing centre. Trainers are on hand if you’re a little unsure, and they’ll have you scaling the 28 metre high Tower Wall in no time. » www.eica-ratho.com
www.edfestmag.com
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16 Kid around at the
Museum of Childhood Big and little kids will enjoy this trip down Memory Lane, rediscovering beloved toys of the past and present. Described as ‘the noisiest museum in the world’, you won’t have to worry about breaking anything, either. » www.edinburgh.gov.uk
17 Get puffin at the
18
Scottish Seabird Centre
Swing through the trees at
Go Ape
Jump on board a high-speed boat for an exciting seabird safari in the waters off North Berwick. In an hour-long tour you'll circle Bass Rock and get a good look at the local population of puffins. Longer tours are also available. » www.seabird.org
Get away from all the festival madness and have an active day in the countryside at Go Ape near Linlithgow. The giant obstacle course includes zip lines, ladders, walkways, bridges and tunnels made of wood, rope and superstrong wire. » www.goape.co.uk
19 Explore at the TLAND PICTURE: HISTORIC SCO
Botanic Gardens Budding naturalists will love exploring the jungle-like interiors of the Victorian glasshouses and discovering all kinds of interesting plants imported from every corner of the planet. » www.rbge.org.uk
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21
Get medieval at
Bob about on the
Craigmillar Castle
Union Canal
Built in the 14th century and extended by generations of lairds, Craigmillar Castle is a wonderland of ruined walls, banqueting halls and nooks and crannies to explore. Discover the dungeons or take a walk in the park. » www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Hire an authentic narrowboat and take a relaxing cruise down Edinburgh’s lovely Victorian canal. An expert crew will be on hand to help, and they will point out some of the wildlife that makes its home here. » www.re-union.org.uk
www.edfestmag.com
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KIDS THEATRE WHITE
Whiter than white A new show for 2-4-year-olds explores the wonder of change and the joy of colour. Words Mark Fisher
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f you think the two-to-four-yearold market is as young as theatre gets, then think again. While Andy Manley has been rehearsing White for an audience of toddlers, he has been planning a second version of the show that will appeal to babies. You’ll have to wait until December to see that production – which, he says, will be more interactive and even less verbal – but, for now, anyone who has passed the grand old age of two will surely be delighted by a show that begins even before they get into the theatre. “The audience come down one of the closes from the Royal Mile and we’re going to put little white bird houses and things of interest to the children along the way,” says Manley, who is working
A blank world slowly discovers colour in White
with Edinburgh’s Catherine Wheels company. “It’s quite daunting for twoto-four-year-olds to come into a black box, so it’s about making it friendly before they come in. At the end, we’ll lead the audience out into the garden,
“In the end, it will be a celebration of the fact that our world is different” If you like this try... A World of Pure Imagination at The Three Sisters, 5-22 Aug
where they’ll see lots of coloured birdhouses up in the trees.” The show is built on a beguilingly simple premise. We find two figures dressed in white and inhabiting a white landscape where even the birdhouses are various shades of beige, cream and grey. Their job is to collect birds’ eggs,
which are – you guessed it – white. Unexpectedly, however, a red egg shows up. “It’s about how that colour starts to infiltrate our world and how we feel about it,” says Manley. “The colour is a bit like a virus and eventually starts to influence us as well. At the end, it will be a celebration of the fact that our world is slightly different.” It’s the kind of idea that would be straightforward to achieve in a cartoon, but to introduce colour slowly into a three-dimensional set requires a special degree of control. Fortunately, Manley has drafted in the talented designer Shona Reppe – a great performer for children in her own right – whose set will transform itself as if by magic. “Shona’s model is amazing,” says Manley. “People look at it and ask if it’s the set, but, no, it’s just a model. Eventually, all the birdhouses will open to reveal the colours within, and the eggs will hatch into colour.” The actor, whose recent performance in The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk for the same company was spotted by the Sydney Opera House and booked in for dates next year, says the best way to appeal to a young audience is to pursue the artistic ideas that interest him the most. “Being a child is very hard and I wouldn’t for a minute think I was here to put on some bit of rubbish entertainment just to get them through an hour,” he says. “For me, it’s about helping them to understand the world in which they live. Art is one of the few things that deals with our emotions and that’s really important.” ★
WHERE & WHEN White, Traverse @ Scottish Book Trust, 5-29 August (not 9, 14-16, 23), 1.30pm, From £4, Tel: 0131 228 1404
www.edfestmag.com
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KIDS COMEDY ANDREW CLOVER
Kids know best the game when you’re Creativity is the name of ort of ideas, they’ll sh re u’ yo if t bu , ds ki ith working w , says Andrew Clover. always be happy to help Words Andrew Clover
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omedy is about being playful, and adults aren’t always ready for that. You have to butter them up first with a few jokes about IT. With kids, you just come out and shout: “All the boys, say “Hello Andrew” like you’re Buzz Lightyear!” and then 100 Buzz Lightyears roar back at you “Hello Andrew!” and you’re off. My show is about telling kids The Seven Secrets of Storytelling. Secret Three is Put The Hero In Trouble, and
Andrew Clover wrote the Dad Rules column in Sunday Times Style, and stars in My Almost Famous Family on CBBC
“I had a dad who was so into being a gorilla, he climbed the balcony” I’m grateful to the school in Wandsworth, where a Year One shouted: “Then we must put YOU in trouble!!” All 400 of them then set eagerly to work, imagining the evil things they could do to me. A girl in Year One said that there could be someone watching me who is a witch (“someone like Ms Winsmore!” she suggested) and “you’d be TURNED into a FROG!” Before that moment, I www.edfestmag.com
If you like this try... Animal Alphaboat at Pleasance Courtyard, 15-22 Aug
never knew I could impersonate a frog so well. In the end, I foiled Ms Winsmore, by lashing my 20-foot tongue at her and snatching her wand. That’s the thing about kids: they’re very warm and giving. They’ve also got strange, twisted imaginations. Secret 4 is Find Your Superpower. “We’ve got Batman,” I explain. “We’ve got Spiderman. What animal could you be?” So far I’ve had ChickenMan. (“If anything bad happened I would fly over and EGG THEIR HEADS!”). Last Sunday I met a boy who’d be a fish. (“I would trail around a bit of poo… And I’d stare at the robbers going blub blub. Then I’d hit them with the poo!”) The strange thing is the parents often enjoy it as much as the kids. I had a dad who was so into being a gorilla, he climbed the balcony and beat his chest. For mums, I explain that every story must finish with the words: “And she fell faaaast asleep.” Then I tell the kids that mums say that, because they want to go downstairs and drink wine. I tell the kids tactics for delaying her; I tell the mums how to get away. The most exciting bit is Secret 5, Become Psychic. I make them hush and
shut their eyes (such a clever ruse!) then afterwards we discover what they saw. In Salisbury Playhouse a boy told a story about a beserk Tellytubbie, and it was while I was acting out the beserk Tellytubbie, that a girl guide laughed so much she weed the blanket. That remains my proudest moment as a comedian. I’ve got to admit, my main show this summer will be an adult one, Love Rules, but I couldn’t resist doing some kids’ shows as well. However well Love Rules goes, I’m very unlikely to achieve a wetting. ★
WHERE & WHEN Andrew Clover’s Almost Famous Story Session, Pleasance Courtyard, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22 August, 11am, From £7, Tel: 0131 556 6550 Andrew Clover: Love Rules Pleasance Courtyard, 4-29 August (not 16), 6pm, From £5, Tel: 0131 556 6550
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KIDS BOOK CATHY CASSIDY
Here come the girls
If you like this, try... Louise Rennison at Charlotte Square, 18 Aug
PICTURE: CHRIS WATT
With her teenage years “full of angst” and two children for inspiration, it’s no wonder Cathy Cassidy’s books strike such a chord with her readers. Words Fiona Gibson
W
hen Cathy Cassidy completed her first novel, she didn’t have an agent. Picking one at random “because of her funny name” – Darley Anderson – she sent off her book. Then came two surprises: “‘She’ was actually a very well spoken English gentleman,” she says. The other surprise was Anderson admitting he had never dealt with a children’s author before. “He only confessed when he’d sold it,” she laughs, “and said he hadn’t wanted to miss out on the next big thing.” Although Puffin sealed the deal, five other major publishers were vying for Cassidy’s book. Novels such as Dizzy, Scarlett, Indigo Blue and Angel Cake – she has thirteen books in print – struck an immediate chord with her predominantly female, 9-14 readership. “It’s a time when you’re poised on the edge of life, ready to dive in,” she says. “Emotions are heightened and there’s a sense that everything is possible.” It’s a life stage which, with two teenagers of her own, Cassidy recalls in vivid detail. “I was full of angst,” she recalls. “I wish someone had told me that things you think are huge at the time probably aren’t. Through my books, I try to encourage kids to stick www.edfestmag.com
“I try to encourage kids to stick up for what they believe in” Cherry Crush, the first in Cathy Cassidy’s new five-book series The Chocolate Box Girls, is published on 2 September (Puffin, £10.99)
up for what they believe in, and show that all shapes and varieties of families are good as long as love is there.” Raised in Coventry, Cassidy had her first short story published in Look In magazine when she was 16. For twelve years she was Shout magazine’s agony aunt, but receives far more adviceseeking letters from readers of her books than she ever did at the magazine. “They seem to recognise themselves in my stories and feel understood,” she says. “Working on Jackie and Shout and teaching in
schools has kept me in touch with this age group. I tried writing all sorts – adult fiction, younger picture books – but nothing ever took. Once I’d found the right voice, it all came together.” Cassidy has spent the past two decades in rural Kircudbrightshire and lives with husband Liam, a postman, her children and a menagerie of cats, rabbits and a lurcher called Kelpie (who starred in her debut novel). She does book tours in a covetable burgundy VW camper van, and writes in a pale blue writing shed specially built for her in the garden. Fans bombard her with emails, drawings and gifts. It sounds like a charmed life. “What I love is being able to see the world in so many different ways,” she says. “Whether it’s the rebel, the bully or the girl who’s just arrived from overseas – all those characters become very real to me. An idea takes hold and bangs away at my imagination. Then it feels as if anything is possible.” ★
WHERE & WHEN Charlotte Square, 17 August, 10am £4 Tel: 0845 373 5888
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TATTOO
Swingin’
sixty The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo turns 60 this year, and Major General Euan Loudon promises it will be one of the most exciting and exhilarating shows yet. Words Jonathan Trew
T
his year is the Diamond Jubilee of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and it promises to be one of the most spectacular shows in the event’s sixty year history. The Tattoo’s Chief Executive and Producer, Major General Euan Loudon, tells us why Edinburgh Castle will be rocking all August. » www.edfestmag.com
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The massed pipes and drums show the sheer scale of the Tattoo
How will the Tattoo mark its sixtieth birthday? We’re going to start with a big band performing six decades of music; beginning with Bill Haley or Chuck Berry from the Fifties and ending up with Take That or Westlife in the Noughties. Our Director of Music has also written a new opening fanfare called Diamond Jubilee, while the director of army bagpipe music has written a new tune for the Massed Pipes and Drums, which reflects not only the Diamond Jubilee, but also the fact that on the 4th of January, the Queen very graciously bestowed a Royal title on us. Will the show look back at previous Tattoos? To some degree. My first couple of Tattoos were entirely musical. They had no displays. This time, I thought it was important to remind ourselves that some of the displays were an absolutely critical part of the entertainment on the Esplanade. The Imps motorcycle display team, who are celebrating their 40th anniversary, are coming back, as are the Army Physical Training Corps, who are celebrating their 150th anniversary. They are doing a high horse display, which culminates in them diving through neon light hoops. It’s hard enough to do on level ground so I think performing it on a surface that www.edfestmag.com
“A high horse display culminates in them diving through neon hoops”
WHERE & WHEN The 2010 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo runs 6-28 August with performances on Monday to Friday at 9.00pm and on Saturday at 7.30pm and 10.30pm. Tel: 0131 225 1188 www.edintattoo.co.uk
has a 14 degree angle is posing them some challenges. I’m looking forward to watching their rehearsals. What will be new to the show? The Polish military will be here for the first time ever. Given Scotland’s wartime connections with Poland, it has long been a personal ambition to deliver a Polish musical act to the Esplanade. So, the representative band of the Polish Border Guard are coming for the first time. They wear rather swanky uniforms with capes and eagle feathers in their hats. What are you personally looking forward to? The band of the Royal Army of Jordan are coming for only the second time in sixty years. I am looking forward to seeing them coming over the drawbridge of Edinburgh Castle. They will be led by a group of Bedouin soldiers mounted on horseback. That will fill the Esplanade with a sound and a sight that hasn’t been seen since 1963. The King of Jordan is taking the salute one night. After this, how will you maintain interest for next year? Easily. In 2011 we will be unveiling the new stand and, hopefully, the opening season for the new stand will be seen as a bumper piece of entertainment as well. The new stand is one third bigger in terms of volume but has the same number of seats so there will be more space, better sight lines, better facilities and more comfort. ★ EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 115
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Food,
glorious food! If you’re looking forward to a true flavour of Edinburgh at this year’s Festival, look no further than Foodies Festival, celebrating another bumper year in Holyrood Park. Words Roben Hera
O
ver the weekend of 13, 14, 15 August, Edinburgh’s annual food and drink event, Foodies Festival Edinburgh, joins forces with the Fringe to combine cooking with comedy in Holyrood Park. Visitors will be treated to a delicious taste of the Edinburgh Fringe, as comedians take to the stage in the Chefs Theatre. Fringe funnymen including Stephen K Amos, Tim Vine and Brendon Burns will join Scotland’s Michelin star chefs to cook their favourite dishes live for you. Celebrity guests such as Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s Aunt Hilda, stand-up star Caroline Rhea, will be popping in too. This year, you will be inspired by top chefs including Geoffrey Smeddle of the Peat Inn, winner of the Scottish Restaurant Awards’ ‘Chef of the Year’ and ‘Restaurant of the Year’ 2010; Edinburgh’s beloved Mary Contini of Valvona & Crolla, and Michelin star Tony Borthwick of the Plumed Horse; Visitors will even get the opportunity to meet the chefs afterwards. Food lovers can take a break from
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Celebrities and top chefs will be cooking live in the Chefs Theatre
shopping and sampling to enjoy even more live entertainment on the edfestmag.com stage, which will showcase award-winning Fringe performances including music, dance and comedy. In the Food and Drink Masterclass Theatres, you will get a chance to take part in hands-on tutored tasting sessions, including a Heston Blumenthal-inspired liquid nitrogen class; speciality beer tasting from entertaining and energetic double
Fringe funnymen Stephen K Amos, Tim Vine and Brendon Burns will join Scotland’s Michelin star chefs act Ben and Tom of Dwink.com; cocktail mixing classes led by Edinburgh’s top mixologists, and food and wine matching with Discover the Origin. Budding young chefs are treated to Cooking with Kids masterclasses, while parents enjoy whisky nosing and gin tasting. You can also sample signature dishes from your favourite restaurants
1 2 FOR FOR TS TICKE URGH EDINBIVALS FEST ERS READ and enjoy summer cocktails from top local bars. Foodies Director Sue Hitchen commented: “Each Foodies Festival event is a great opportunity to celebrate local culinary and restaurant talent, and a commitment to fresh, seasonal and local produce. Foodies Festival brings together a passionate and discerning foodie audience with Britain’s finest producers, connoisseurs and top chefs.” ★ » Edinburgh Festivals magazine is teaming up with Foodies at the Festival to offer our readers two tickets for the price of one when you order online. Simply visit www.foodiesfestival.com, click on Buy Your Tickets Here, and enter the code ‘foodies241’ when prompted. www.edfestmag.com
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★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Funny faces Stephen K Amos was a huge success at last year’s Foodies, demonstrating his own creation, Amos Bassey, the dish that he originally made on Celebrity MasterChef. He’s looking forward to another storming demo in the Chefs Theatre.
Chefs Geoffrey Smeddle, The Peat Inn Tony Borthwick, The Plumed Horse Pete Gottgens, Ardeonaig Jacqueline O’Donnell, The Sisters Paul Tamburrini, Hotel du Vin Mattia Camorani, Hotel Missoni Mary Contini, Valvona & Crolla Neil Forbes, Atrium, Blue, Café St Honore Fred Berkmiller, L’Escargot Bleu Marc Robertson, Dakota Stephen Newman, YO! Sushi Ian Perrie, Edinburgh School of Food & Wine Matt Powell, Hotel du Vin
www.edfestmag.com
Exhibitors Visitors are spoilt for choice with over 150 exhibitors showcasing local, seasonal produce and speciality food and drink. Food-lovers won’t know what to try next from small artisan producers such as Arbroath Smokies and Belhaven Fruit Farm, specialist producers such as Summer Harvest Oils and Stewart Brewers and favourite local restaurants including Hawke and Hunter and Passorn Thai. Wash everything down with a class of bubbly from Veuve Clicquot.
Brendon Burns is a new addition to the comedy line-up. Fellow comic Jim Jefferies called him a “wicked chef”, something of a departure from his aggressive comedic style. This should be an explosive demo, although hopefully not literally. Tim Vine is best known for his rapid-fire oneliners. Will the master of the pun show that he’s also the master of the bun? With an appearance on Market Kitchen under his belt, he should definitely know his way around an oven.
WHERE & WHEN Foodies Festival Edinburgh, Holyrood Park, 13-15 August, From £6, Tel: 0871 230 5573
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No matter how many shows you manage to pack into your visit to the Festival, you’re going to need to stop and eat occasionally. Jonathan Trew tucks in at the top table.
TOP END 21212 3 Royal Terrace TEL: 0845 22 21212 www.21212restaurant.co.uk NEAR: 5 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. Chinese style fish was the deceptively straightforward description of a complex dish from a recent menu. It’s bold, adventurous, sometimes baffling and a unique experience although Kitching claims to have calmed his more extravagant tendencies of late. AMBER RESTAURANT Scotch Whisky Experience 354 Castlehill TEL: 0131 477 8477 www.amberrestaurant.co.uk NEAR: 2 minutes from the Tattoo With 300 whiskies on hand, this restaurant café at the top of the Royal Mile will put a smile on the face of any malt fan. During the day, the café menu includes dishes like the sea bass in oatmeal with whisky butter. In the evening, the candles come out and the operation kicks up a couple of gears with options such as the beef fillet with blue cheese ravioli served with Royal kidney potatoes and green beans. Real 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 spectacular vault housing the Diageo Claive Vidiz Scotch Whisky Collection. THE ATRIUM 10 Cambridge Street TEL: 0131 228 8882 www.atriumrestaurant.co.uk NEAR: 1 minute to Traverse Despite marching deeper into its www.edfestmag.com
very professional staff and a good wine list, Harvey Nicks has a lot going for it. In the restaurant, head chef Stuart Muir rustles up meals such as the braised Aberdeenshire pork cheek, roast lobster, parsnip puree and gingerbread sauce. The brasserie menu is simpler and correspondingly cheaper. On a sunny afternoon, the balcony is a great place for a steak frites or seafood platter. They are pretty nifty with a cocktail shaker as well.
3 festival bars C SOCO URBAN GARDEN Off Chambers Street Tel: 0845 260 1234 www.CtheFestival.com Licensed cafe-bar serving food and drink all day until late in ample outside seating. UDDERBELLY’S PASTURE Bristo Square Tel: 0844 545 8252 www.underbelly.co.uk A massive purple cow leads the way to what has become arguably the heart of the Fringe and a great place for spotting acts. GHILLIE DHU 2 Rutland Place Tel: 0131 222 9930 www.ghillie-dhu.co.uk A new venue at this year’s Festival, Ghillie Dhu offers an edgy take on traditional Scottish fun, such as its regular ceilidh nights.
second decade, Andrew Radford’s Atrium is still very much one of Edinburgh’s destination restaurants. Local ingredients and their suppliers are given prominence by head chef Neil Forbes in dishes such as the Perthshire roe deer, served with creamy potatoes and purple sprouting broccoli. Expect to pay upwards of £30 a head for three courses from the a la carte in the evening. The two-course set lunch is £15 and something of a bargain. CASTLE TERRACE 33-35 Castle Terrace www.thekitchin.com NEAR: 5 minutes from Traverse Tom Kitchin, the Michelin hotshot chef and owner of The Kitchin, opened this new venture in mid July. His old friend and colleague Dominic Jack, who has had a similarly stellar career to Kitchin, has been installed at the helm of the kitchen. It’s too soon for specifics but fresh, seasonal, Scottish ingredients cooked with care and precision are almost certainly on the cards. THE FORTH FLOOR AT HARVEY NICHOLS 30-34 St Andrew Square TEL: 0131 524 8350 www.harveynichols.com NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms With views across the city skyline,
THE KITCHIN 78 Commercial Quay, Leith TEL: 0131 555 1755 www.thekitchin.com NEAR: 10 minutes by taxi to city centre Open less than a year before gaining its first Michelin star, Tom Kitchin’s eponymous restaurant 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 such as roasted guinea fowl from Gartmorn Farm, served with Eassie Farm asparagus and French morels a la crème, as well as Kitchin’s signature starter of roasted langoustine tails from Anstruther with boned and rolled pig’s head, served with a crispy ear salad. You’ll pay top whack but remember the meal long after the bill stops stinging. LA CUCINA AT HOTEL MISSONI 1 George IV Bridge TEL: 0131 240 1666 www.hotelmissoni.com NEAR: 2 minutes from Underbelly Opened in June 2009, Hotel Missoni is the first in a planned series of hotels from the Italian fashion and design house Missoni. The first-floor restaurant is a buzzy space that majors in EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 119
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classic Italian cooking. Wellsourced, seasonal ingredients treated simply are the main focus of the menu. Think along the lines of homemade tagliatelle with traditional pork ragout, or the roasted duck breast, served with chilli and garlic braised broccoli. The desserts, especially the tiramisu, are more experimental. Just like designer clothing, there is the occasional feeling that you are paying quite a premium for the label, but nobody said fashion was going to be cheap. NUMBER ONE Balmoral Hotel, 1 Princes Street TEL: 0131 557 6727 www.restaurantnumberone.com NEAR: 5 minutes to Playhouse Head chef Jeff Bland secured a Michelin star at number one in 2003 and shows no sign of relinquishing it. With its rich, red lacquer walls the basement restaurant is as sumptuous as you might expect at one of Rocco Forte’s flagship hotels, and it has the deluxe food to match. Loin of Borders venison, Pommes Anna and parsley root with a date and Armagnac purée featured recently on the dinner menu. Obviously it’s not cheap, but you get what you pay for. The a la carte is £57.50 for three courses. The multi-course taster menu offers a blow-out at £62.50 (plus £50 for matching wines). The more informal Hadrian’s Brasserie upstairs should not be overlooked either. OLOROSO 33 Castle Street TEL: 0131 226 7614 www.oloroso.co.uk NEAR: 2 minutes to Assembly Rooms Sleek, contemporary looks and progressive cooking are a hot combo at Oloroso. As well as its rooftop restaurant, the space also boasts a hip bar and terrace with views to the castle in one direction and Fife in the other. Chef Tony Singh has developed a broad range of seasonal menus that encompass locally sourced ingredients matched with flavours from around the globe. Think potroasted quail with white bean purée, bitter wild rocket and sweet onion salad. Alternatively, hit the grill menu for properly 120 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
classic French tradition. The menus change according to the seasonal produce available but a typical dish might be the loin of Borders Roe deer with a gratin of asparagus, goat’s cheese gnocchi and sauce Grand Veneur. Despite extending through to the nextdoor premises, getting a table in the evening can require a lot of forward planning. Lunch is easier and incredible value at £27.50 for three courses. Three courses from the a la carte are £60. Unusually at this level, Restaurant Martin Wishart has a dedicated veggie tasting menu.
matured Highland beef. Book well in advance, or just get a drink at the bar and enjoy the views from the terrace. ONDINE 2 George IV Bridge TEL: 0131 226 1888 www.ondinerestaurant.co.uk NEAR: 1 minute to the Underbelly Roy Brett’s keenly anticipated fish and seafood restaurant has been pulling in glowing reviews since opening in the summer of 2009. It’s a smart, chic place whose distinguishing feature is a horseshoe crustacean bar, where diners perch on stools, sip champers and tuck away oysters, clams and lobster. The hot shellfish platter with aioli is Brett’s signature dish, but there are plenty of earthy meat options as well. Brett used to work for Rick Stein and shares the Padstow chef’s enthusiasm for sustainability. It’s always nice to know that your grilled langoustines in a pastis butter are ethically sourced. PLUMED HORSE 50-54 Henderson Street TEL: 0131 554 5556 www.plumedhorse.co.uk NEAR: 10 minutes by taxi to the city centre In January 2009, chef proprietor Tony Borthwick regained the
Michelin star that he had to relinquish when he first moved the Plumed Horse from Castle Douglas to the capital. Now an established feature on Leith’s Michelin Mile, he is cementing his position in Edinburgh’s top flight restaurants with dishes like this: pan fried rib-eye of Scottish veal, served with a fricassee of seasonal and wild mushrooms, mashed potato and two veal sauces. Three courses from the a la carte dinner menu will come in at £48. A three course lunch is £25.50. RESTAURANT MARTIN WISHART 54 The Shore TEL: 0131 553 3557 www.martin-wishart.co.uk NEAR: 10 minutes by taxi to city centre The first of Edinburgh’s five chefs to be awarded a Michelin star, Martin Wishart has expanded his operations in recent years to add a cook school and a West Coast offshoot at Cameron House Hotel. None of this has distracted him from ensuring that his eponymous restaurant remains one of the very best in Edinburgh if not all of Scotland. Wishart trained with Michel and Albert Roux and worked alongside Marco Pierre White, so it’s no surprise that his elegant cooking is strongly influenced by the
RHUBARB Prestonfield House TEL: 0131 225 1333 www.prestonfield.com NEAR: 20 minutes to Pleasance Rhubarb is part of the James Thomson empire, which also includes the Witchery and the Tower. Before he took over, Prestonfield House was showing its considerable age; Thomson has turned it into a riot of baroque colour and drapes, which the theatrically minded will appreciate. A lavish hotel as well as a restaurant, it has been winning awards ever since it opened. A typical dish might be the tranche of turbot served with confit lemon, golden raisins, razor clams and caper butter. The staff can pamper with the best of them and have served Vin Diesel, Michael Stipe and the Dalai Lama since Rhubarb opened its doors. Expect to pay around £40 for a three-course dinner. RISTORANTE SANTINI 8 Conference Square TEL: 0131 221 7788 www.santiniedinburgh.co.uk NEAR: 2 minutes to Usher Hall Part of the Sheraton Grand, Ristorante Santini is the hotel’s Italian equivalent to its equally upmarket Grill Room, which boasts top notch beef from around the globe. Beef is also on the menu at Santini, where it might be wrapped in smoked bacon and served with green lentils. Perhaps more typical are dishes such as the home made black tagliolini pasta with scallops, prawns and vanilla sauce, or the grilled red mullet with crab, gremolata and a cherry tomato risotto. www.edfestmag.com
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5 cocktail bars BRAMBLE BAR 16a Queen Street Tel: 0131 226 6343 www.bramblebar.co.uk Sample a signature Bramble cocktail: Plymouth Gin, fresh lemon juice and Creme de Mures. BAR MISSONI 1 George V Bridge Tel: 0131 220 6666 www.hotelmissoni.com Try a Biennale: prosecco with a hint of homemade vanilla and fig conserve. ROSELEAF CAFÉ 23/24 Sandport Place, Leith Tel: 0131 476 5268 www.roseleaf.co.uk Sip away Prohibition-style with a cocktail in a teacup, such as the signature Rosewater o’ Leith: vodka, rose syrup and chilli flakes. DRAGONFLY 52 West Port Tel: 0131 228 4543 www.dragonflycocktail bar.com Sip a French martini or something a bit fancier while tucking into retro snacks such as Monster Munch or Space Raiders. BAR TONIC 34a North Castle Street Tel: 0131 225 6431 Any bar that has a cocktail called a Flaming Pornstar, which actually arrives at your table on fire, is doing something very right. Order a Basil Snap if you fancy something savoury.
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TEMPUS AT THE GEORGE 19-21 George Street TEL: 0131 240 7197 www.eh2tempus.co.uk NEAR: 2 minutes from the Assembly Rooms With its raised captain’s table, antique chandeliers and outsized flower displays, the flagship restaurant at The George looks invitingly decadent. It’s easy to imagine slightly scandalous parties taking place here. The menu majors on modern British dishes, such as the organic salmon fillet served with new potato and sea vegetable salad or the ballotine of chicken with truffled stuffing, creamed mushrooms and wilted greens. Local suppliers such as the Buccleuch estate are to the fore when it comes to beef and game. The cocktail bar is a smooth spot to try and forget the trials and tribulations of the working day over a couple of Angry Pirates or a more straightforward Cosmo. THE TOWER Museum Of Scotland, Chambers Street TEL: 0131 225 3003 www.tower-restaurant.com NEAR: 5 minutes to Festival Theatre Now in its second decade, James Thomson’s Tower is still very much a place to see and be seen in Edinburgh. Perched on top of the Museum of Scotland, some of the best viewing is to be had across the Grassmarket to the castle. Rock oysters, smoked eel tempura and lemon sole are among the fishy options while the 21-day fillet steak is always popular on a menu that also includes a pancetta, rabbit and wild mushroom salad, chicken cordon bleu and the brown crab Thai omelette. The wine list has won a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. THE WITCHERY BY THE CASTLE 352 Castlehill, Royal Mile TEL: 0131 225 5613 www.thewitchery.com NEAR: 2 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. Candlelight, oak panelling and beamed ceilings complete the picture. The food is classic, with seafood platters jostling for space with beef Wellingtons, panroasted duck breasts and pork cooked three ways. The wine list has won numerous awards. One of a kind. Light lunch and supper menus are available at £13.95 for two courses.
MID RANGE ANGELS WITH BAGPIPES 343 High Street TEL: 0131 220 1111 www.angelswithbagpipes.com NEAR: 10 minutes to Tattoo Just opened in July, this new Scots Italian restaurant is run by Marina Crolla, a member of the family synonymous with the Valvona and Crolla brand. Highquality seasonal ingredients from Scotland and Italy are used in dishes like the haggis millefeuille, homemade ravioli, beer battered haddock and Scottish king scallops cooked with Stornoway black pudding. Check out the Halo Room, which seats four people and hangs out above Roxburgh’s Close. A ROOM IN TOWN 18 Howe Street TEL: 0131 225 8204 NEAR: 2 minutes to St Stephen’s
A ROOM IN THE WEST END 26 William Street TEL: 0131 226 1036 NEAR: 2 minutes to St George West A ROOM IN LEITH 1c Dock Place TEL: 0131 554 7427 www.aroomin.co.uk NEAR: 10 minutes by taxi to city centre These casual but cosy bistros have a distinct Scottish feel. This is borne out on the menus, where the sea trout is marinated in whisky, ginger and lime and the pan-seared scallops, served on crab and scallion pancakes, come from the Shetlands. All three establishments are licensed but also do BYOB with a small corkage charge. Handily, the William Street branch is in a basement under the amiable Teuchter’s bar so you can nip upstairs for any liquid refreshments you have forgotten to bring yourself. The Leith branch, the latest addition to the group, offers the same service in the adjacent Teuchters’ Landing bar. L’ARTICHAUT 14 Eyre Place TEL: 0131 558 1608 www.lartichaut.co.uk NEAR: 15 minutes to Assembly Rooms A sister restaurant to La Garrigue, L’Artichaut is Jean Michel Gauffre’s take on a vegetarian restaurant. His idea is to use classic European techniques rather than the Asian methods and flavours used by many other EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 123
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veggie places. L’Artichaut features several regularly changing menus depending on what’s in season. Typical main courses might be the spiced cauliflower and date tagine served with toasted almond and sultana quinoa or a whole roasted onion with a nutty chickpea and apricot stuffing, smoked red pepper purée and wild rice. BLUE 10 Cambridge Street TEL: 0131 221 1222 www.bluescotland.co.uk NEAR: 1 minute to Traverse A cosy, modern bistro bar, Blue is the little brother to the considerably plusher Atrium downstairs. Seasonal, local produce is to the fore on the menu, with some ingredients coming from the farmer’s market held across the street. A typical main course at dinner might be the braised featherblade of Borders beef, garlic mash, carrots and jus, or the wild mushroom and tarragon tagliatelle. A couple of the more popular dishes are available in two sizes, which is useful given the way normal meal times tend not to apply during the Festival. It’s a handy place if you fancy something more substantial than a snack but don’t want a full-blown formal four-courser. Alternatively, just have a well-made drink at the bar. BONSAI 46 West Richmond Street TEL: 0131 668 3847 www.bonsaibarbistro.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes from Festival Theatre Living up to its name, this Japanese restaurant is a petite, homely affair that serves sushi, sashimi and yakatori dishes at surprisingly reasonable prices. If the fish doesn’t appeal then try the enoki mushrooms in garlic butter or the beef teriyaki. For those whose tastes don’t adventure much beyond meat and two veg, Bonsai does do French fries, but they come with Japanese brown sauce. BRITANNIA SPICE 150 Commercial Street TEL: 0131 555 2255 www.britanniaspice.co.uk NEAR: 10 minute by taxi from city centre www.edfestmag.com
Named after the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is berthed less than a nautical mile away, 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 skip between Thai tom yum soup, Himalayan spicy trout and king prawns cooked in Bangladeshi style with mustard paste, green chillies and yoghurt. Now celebrating a decade in business, Britannia Spice has scooped multiple awards for its bordercrossing take on Asian food. LE CAFÉ ST HONORÉ 34 North West Thistle St Lane TEL: 0131 226 2211 www.cafesthonore.com NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms Hidden off Thistle Street, this long established little restaurant is worth looking out. The classic Parisian brasserie style décor remains but the menu has moved away from France towards modern British cooking over the last couple of years. Organic where possible, seasonal and locally produced, the menu at Café St Honore makes sure to name-check its suppliers. A typical dish at dinner might be the Borders beef carpaccio served with a Pentland Dell potato salad, or the Scrabster halibut, which comes with a mussel and English asparagus linguini.
CALISTOGA 70 Rose Street Lane North TEL: 0131 225 1233 www.calistoga.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes from Assembly George Street Californian cooking is the flavour of the day at this just-off-thebeaten track, city centre restaurant. The menu changes regularly, but a typical starter might be the BBQ pork, crab and cashew roll with pickled cucumber relish, while lamb gigot with a smoky red wine and shallot sauce served on a Colcannon cake is the sort of dish that appears among the main courses. The owner is mad for Californian wines, and sells a wide and interesting selection of them in the restaurant at just £5 above cost price. Dinner is a very reasonable £23 for three courses. CENTOTRE 103 George Street TEL: 0131 225 1550 www.centotre.com NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms Just turned six years old, this snappy Italian sits in an imposing converted bank. The quality of the ingredients shines through here, in simple dishes such as a taster plate of prosciutto di Parma, mozzarella di Bufala, Pachino tomatoes, chargrilled vegetables marinated with extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs and garlic bruschetta. Their pizzas are critically acclaimed, the pastas are prepared fresh on the premises and the carne dishes,
such as the southern Italian rabbit stew with bucatini in a rich Taggiasche olive, caperberry and tomato sugo, are made with care. Some enthusiastic festival fans even make it in for breakfast but we would rather sip a Sophia Loren at the bar later on in the day. CLUB INDIA 105 Lothian Road TEL: 0131 229 7747 www.club-india.com NEAR: 5 minutes from Traverse This newly opened restaurant tries to be a little different from the usual Anglo-Indian curry house. The familiar lamb rogan josh, samosas and tandoori dishes are all there but so are less commonly spotted choices, such as the marinated halibut rolled in fresh spiced spinach leaves, served on fenugreek leaves, or the Badami Gosht, which is marinated lamb pieces cooked in a nutty sauce with a hint of asafoetida. LA CONCHA 24 Deanhaugh Street, TEL: 0131 332 0414 www.laconcharestaurant.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes from Workshop theatre This basement restaurant in Stockbridge does simple but satisfying Italian dishes. Rather than offering dozens of different dishes, chef patron Richard Morana keeps the menu select and the attention to detail shows on the plate. A recent menu included a starter of homemade EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 125
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3 outside spaces ravioli with prawn and crab meat in a cherry tomato, white wine, oregano and butter sauce, and a range of main courses that featured a roast rump of Dornoch lamb, ratatouille, smoked bacon and cannellini beans. It is off the main Festival drag, which may make it all the more appealing for a visit in August. CREELERS 3 Hunter Square TEL: 0131 220 4447 www.creelers.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to Festival Theatre Tim and Fran James have roots in and extensive contacts with the fishing industry on the West Coast, and the fruits of those relationships end up on the plate in dishes such as the West Coast king scallops served with spiced cauliflower velouté and a crab and baby caper linguine, or the Campbeltown monkfish tail wrapped in Puddledub pancetta, braised leeks, pumpkin purée and Scottish girolles. The seafood platters are a huge favourite, but if the fruits of the sea don’t float your boat then venison or beef options will take up the slack. Al fresco dining may be available, depending on the ever-unreliable elements. THE DOME 14 George Street TEL: 0131 624 8624 www.thedomeedinburgh.com NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms and Book Festival The former headquarters of the Commercial Bank of Scotland, it is no surprise that the Dome looks suitably grand. The most striking feature of the Grill Room is the eponymous glass dome, which soars above the island bar. Wicker chairs and myriad plants give it a colonial feel, and it attracts a thirty- to fortysomething, smartly heeled crowd. The indoor dining options include the Club Room, which serves burgers, club sandwiches and steaks, and the Grill Room where dishes such as the peppered pork steak are dished up with braised red cabbage, fondant potato, roasted apple and a Calvados cafe au lait. If the weather is unusually clement, the garden out back is worth a visit. In a word: swish. www.edfestmag.com
HAWKE & HUNTER 12 Picardy Place Tel: 0131 557 0952 www.hawkeandhunter.co.uk The perfect spot for sophisticated outdoor sipping, even if the weather isn’t kind – plus you can sample a shisha pipe while you chat. OLOROSO 33 Castle Street Tel: 0131 226 7614 www.oloroso.co.uk Possibly some of the best views of any bar in the city, Oloroso’s balcony overlooks Edinburgh Castle. BEEHIVE 18-20 Grassmarket Tel: 0131 225 7171 If you prefer a pint at a proper pub instead of a lah-de-dah cocktail on the terrace, The Beehive has a huge beer garden tucked away at the back – just follow the signs.
L’ESCARGOT BLEU 56 Broughton Street TEL: 0131 557 1600 www.lescargotbleu.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to The Stand L’ESCARGOT BLANC 17 Queensferry Street TEL: 0131 226 1890 www.lescargotblanc.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to Usher Hall Pitchers of wine, Pernod ads on the wall and the smell of bouillabaisse fish stew drifting in from the kitchen make this pair of French brasseries very popular. FIRST COAST 97-101 Dalry Road TEL: 0131 313 4404 www.first-coast.co.uk NEAR: 5minutes from EICC This buzzy, family-run neighbourhood bistro is a little off the Festival rat runs but is worth seeking out. Starters might feature grilled mackerel in a soy and lime dressing, while grilled honey and mustard chicken, lentil, bacon and avocado salad is the sort of dish that crops up on the regularly changing menu. Three courses from the dinner a la carte menu should scrape in at a wallet-pleasing £20. FISHERS The Shore TEL: 0131 554 5666 NEAR: 10 minutes by taxi to city centre
FISHERS IN THE CITY 54-58 Thistle Street TEL: 0131 225 5109 www.fishersbistros.co.uk NEAR: 5 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. Mallaig hake, Arbroath smokies and lemon sole landed at Fraserburgh all make appearances on the regularly updated menus. There are always daily specials but there are also old favourites such as the fish cakes. The dishes can take on exotic flavours like the Kin Loch turbot steak with sweet potato puree and ginger pesto, or go for more trad tastes like the whole North Berwick lobster served with a garlic and herb butter. GATEWAY RESTAURANT Royal Botanic Garden TEL: 0131 552 2674 www.gatewayrestaurant.net NEAR: 5 minutes to Inverleith House Part of the new John Hope Gateway visitor centre, the Gateway Restaurant has cracking views over Edinburgh’s lovely and relaxing Botanic Gardens, as well as offering some much-needed respite from the chaos of the city centre. Very much a sit-down restaurant with table service rather than a caff, the Gateway goes big on locally-sourced, seasonal food, some of which comes from within the Gardens. The menus change with what’s available but typical dishes might be a veggie green Thai curry, chargrilled chicken on focaccia with sweet red peppers or BBQ spare ribs. GLASSHOUSE OFF THE MILE 12-26 St Giles Street TEL: 0131 225 4564 www.theglasshouseoff themile.com NEAR: 10 minutes to the Tattoo Part of the Fraser Suites hotel, this new restaurant has smart, contemporary looks and prides itself on using locally sourced ingredients that are prepped from scratch. This might mean a starter featuring Abroath Smokie mousse and main courses such EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 127
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as the poached Scottish chicken breast served with roasted Med vegetables, and a basil and celeriac salad. If you want to keep it simple then the grill menu has a range of Scottish steaks, starting with the eight-ounce ribeye for £16. For those looking for a bite on the run, The Glasshouse also runs a snack menu of sharing plates, gourmet sarnies and burgers. HARD ROCK CAFÉ 20 George Street TEL: 0131 260 3000 www.hardrock.com/edinburgh NEAR: 2 minutes to Assembly @ George St Burgers, steaks and homesmoked ribs are the belt-busting order of the day at Edinburgh’s incarnation of the Hard Rock chain. Familiar American classics served against a backdrop of rock music and memorabilia. HEWAT’S 19-21b Causewayside TEL: 0131 466 6660 www.hewatsrestaurant.com NEAR: 15 minutes to the Pleasance Dome Since opening in 2004, chef proprietor Richard Hewat has been building up business in his Southside venture with his wife Margaret looking after the front of house. There are Scottish flavours a plenty in starters like the pan fried black pudding on haggis risotto with pancetta but, elsewhere, Med influences crop up in dishes such as the wild mushroom and rocket penne pasta with shavings of parmesan. As well as the a la carte menu, there are several set price options starting with a two-course lunch at £10.95. HOTEL DU VIN 11 Bristo Place TEL: 0131 247 4900 www.hotelduvin.com NEAR: 1 minute to Gilded Balloon Since it usually pours down for most of August, this new Hotel du Vin is likely to be very popular for its courtyard smoking lodge. Nonpuffers will enjoy the bistro, which serves fashionably retro classics given a polish. Duck rillettes, beef and snail pie, mac ‘n’ cheese and the heavenly combo of crab and chips are the sort of thing they www.edfestmag.co.uk
dish up. As the name suggests, the wine list is worth getting lost in as is the excellent whisky bar.
three-course dinner will set you back between £20 and £25. Two courses at lunch are £11.95.
IGG’S 15 Jeffrey Street TEL: 0131 557 8184 www.iggs.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to the Pleasance Iggy Campos made his home in Edinburgh a long time ago but his menu hints strongly at his Spanish roots. A typical starter might be the grilled fillet of cod, prawns, pea puree and coral jus while the mains might contain options such as the slow-cooked pig cheeks served with a potato and olive oil puree, crisp sage and grilled fennel. While Iggs is aiming at the top end of the market, next door is his jolly Barioja tapas bar which is particularly good at catering to large dining parties. Iggy is a wine enthusiast and it shows on the list.
KWEILIN 19 Dundas Street TEL: 0131 557 1875 www.kweilin.co.uk NEAR: 10 minutes uphill to Assembly Rooms The Kweilin has been serving Cantonese food in the New Town for quarter of a century, and a recent change of ownership has done nothing to rock the boat. Dim-sum, crispy duck and crab soup are among the popular starters, while main courses range from familiar char sui pork to rather more adventurous stewed duck feet and Chinese mushrooms. Seafood, such as the classic steamed sea bass with ginger and spring onion, forms a major part of the menu’s appeal. The smart New Town premises are reflected in the smart New Town clientele, but it is far from stuffy.
IRIS 47a Thistle Street TEL: 0131 220 2111 www.irisedinburgh.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms This city centre restaurant boasts a modern menu that matches its smart casual looks. Some of the starters, such as the rack of lamb roasted in a herb crust with celeriac and harissa mash, scream flashiness while some of the mains, such as the ribeye steak with black pepper and a squeeze of lemon, are much more straight down the line. A
LA P’TITE FOLIE Tudor House, 9 Randolph Place TEL: 0131 225 8678 NEAR: 10 minutes to Traverse Theatre 61 Frederick Street TEL: 0131 225 7983 NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms George St Two city centre locations serve up delicious traditional French cuisine, such as moules marinieres, breast of barbary duck with prunes and armagnac
sauce and char-grilled sirloin steak with beurre. The Randolph Place branch has a dedicated wine bar attached. LANCERS 5 Hamilton Place TEL: 0131 332 3444 NEAR: 1 minute to Theatre Workshop Sometimes it has to be a curry, and the recently refurbished Lancers can boast Elton John and Billy Connolly among their past customers. Get stuck into paneer cutlets, chicken chasni and king prawn biryanis. If the choice gets too much then just let the staff guide you through one of their Bengali set menus. LEVEN’S 30-32 Leven Street TEL: 0131 229 8988 NEAR: 2 minutes to the King’s Theatre A striking mix of dishes go to create the fusion menu at Leven’s. The main influence is Thai, but there are Italian and Scottish touches aplenty. The chef is certainly not afraid to take risks, many of which the restaurant pulls off with aplomb. LOCANDA DE GUSTI 7-11 East London Street TEL: 0131 558 9581 www.locandadegusti.com NEAR: 10 minutes from The Stand Formerly Bella Mbriana, there has been a change of name, management and ownership at this popular neighbourhood EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 129
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3 new venues Italian, but Rosario Sartore remains at the helm in the kitchen. Recently awarded an AA Rosette, the regularly changing menu is very flexible. The house pizza, featuring tomato and buffalo mozzarella, fresh rocket, parmesan and Parma ham, is £7.95. A more substantial dish of charcoal grilled sea bream, tuna, swordfish, prawns, langoustines and scallops is a pocket-pleasing £14.95. A bargain among the Festival’s often wallet-bruising offers. MONTEITHS 61 High Street TEL: 0131 557 0330 www.monteithsbar.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes from Pleasance Courtyard Quirky styling and a sense of humour makes Monteiths stand out on the Royal Mile. Half funky bar, half proper restaurant, it serves grown-up dishes like a starter of ox cheek tortellini and veal jus, or a main course of panfried skate wing, crab rosti and caper salsa verde. The serious intent of the kitchen is matched with a playful décor that includes a spider lamp made with several Anglepoise lights, clear Perspex seats and a 3D paper stag head. It’s a sister operation to the West End’s fashionable Sygn and the West Room bar.
QUEENS ARMS 49 Frederick Street Tel: 0131 225 1045 www.signaturepubs.com A total revamp has turned this former old man boozer into a rather posh cocktail and foodie hotspot. THE SAINT 44 Saint Stephen Street Tel: 0131 225 9009 www.thesaintedinburgh.co.uk A swish new cocktail bar has set up shop in well-heeled Stockbridge, from the team behind Bramble. TREACLE 39 Broughton Street Tel: 0131 557 0627 www.treacleedinburgh.co.uk A relaxed and funky vibe dominates at this new bar, where the menu includes such homely yet decadent delights as a deep-fried jam sandwich.
PETIT PARIS 38 Grassmarket TEL: 0131 226 2442 www.petitparis-restaurant.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to Underbelly Edinburgh’s Grassmarket has a different charm from that of the Left Bank of the Seine but Petit Paris injects some French flavour into the mix. Founded in 1998, this is a cosy and often bustling little bistro that serves all the classics. Steak frîtes, grilled snails, bouillabaise, grilled Toulouse sausages and crème brûlée: it is all here. The intimate atmosphere makes it seem all the more continental.
showcases her home state’s cooking here and it is fresh, colourful and exciting. The menu changes fortnightly and costs £21.95 for two courses or £26.95 for three. Fusing the culinary ideas of Vietnam, Mexico, Japan and France with Scottish ingredients, Sprague comes up with plates of swordfish with orange-coriander sauce served with fennel, olive and saffron couscous, or togarashi-rubbed flank steak served with a warm vegetable and soba noodle salad. They offer BYOB for wine on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
REDWOOD RESTAURANT 33A St. Stephens Street TEL: 0131 225 8342 NEAR: 2 minutes from Theatre Workshop www.redwood-restaurant.co.uk Californian chef Annette Sprague
THE RUTLAND 1-3 Rutland Street TEL: 0131 229 3402 www.therutlandhotel.com NEAR: 5 minutes from the Usher Hall After a massive revamp a couple
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of years back, The Rutland has emerged re-energised and ready to take on the glitzy leisure temples of George Street. From the basement nightclub to the ground-floor style bar it’s a fashionable operation, but the first floor restaurant is what really shines. Bold décor and great views of the castle and Princes Street are striking, but the food is what will stick in the memory. Local produce, cooked with care and innovation, produces dishes like the Orkney beef carpaccio, Loch Etive mussels and saltimbocca of Sunnyside Farm rose veal. The puds are fab and the wine list is a belter. SCOTTISH CAFE AND RESTAURANT The National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound TEL: 0131 226 6524 www.thescottishcafeandrestaurant.com NEAR: 1 minute to the National Galleries The Continis are synonymous with the authentic Italian food they serve in their Centotre and Zanzero restaurants. For their latest venture, they have focused on sourcing the best possible ingredients from independent Scottish producers. ‘Fresh, Scottish, Simple’ is their motto and it translates into hot Aberdonian butteries stuffed with crowdie and beetroot; steamed organic salmon served in a mussel, razor clam, cream and shallot broth and afternoon teas which feature ham from the Borders, Isle of Mull cheddar and homemade buttermilk scones.
SHILLA 13 Dundas Street TEL: 0131 556 4840 www.shilla-edinburgh.com NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms Edinburgh’s only Korean restaurant, Shilla is tucked away in a New Town basement. It has four different dining rooms, all decorated in a different Korean style. Understandably, given Korea’s location, the food is somewhere between Chinese and Japanese food. We’re talking fiery seafood hotpots, savoury omelettes, hot and sour soups, sushi, assorted stews and a selection of chargrilled meats. Good fun and quite different from anything else in town. THE SHORE 3 The Shore TEL: 0131 553 5080 www.theshore.biz NEAR: 10 minutes by taxi to city centre One of Leith’s many bar restaurants, where the relaxed atmosphere belies the carefully prepped food, the Shore has a small but smartish dining room off the lively bar area. A recent change of hands means fewer fish dishes but old Shore favourites such as the West Coast oysters with Bloody Mary sauce remain. From the main menu, expect the likes of a rack of lamb served with a sweet potato puree, aubergine, feta and pine nut galette and salsa verde. Live music in the bar is scheduled every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, along with jazz on EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 131
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Sunday afternoons, but it’s not unknown for spontaneous jam sessions to break out on other nights. SKIPPERS 1a Dock Place TEL: 0131 554 1018 www.skippers.co.uk NEAR: 10 minute by taxi to city centre Seafood has been served in Leith’s comfortably cluttered Skippers for 30 years. It’s now part of the Room In group of Edinburgh restaurants but has retained its own identity and cooking style. The menu depends on what is available on the day but baked Buckie crabs are often on the menu, as are West Coast mussels. A more complex dish might be the seared Shetland king scallops with maple-roasted pork belly, shallot puree and rosemary oil. There is always a meat dish such as a char-grilled 10 oz organic Aberdeen Angus sirloin steak with roasted cherry vine tomatoes and café de Paris butter for those not so fond of fish. STAC POLLY 8-10 Grindlay Street TEL: 0131 229 5405 NEAR: 1 minute to Usher Hall 29-33 Dublin Street TEL: 0131 556 2231 NEAR: 5 minutes to the Stand 38 St Mary Street TEL: 0131 557 5754 www.stacpolly.com NEAR: 5 minutes to Pleasance Courtyard Aiming to be as Scottish as the mountain they are named after, the three Stac Polly restaurants mix locally sourced ingredients with more cosmopolitan flavours. The décor of the Dublin Street restaurant has a rough-hewn Highland charm compared to the more soigné feel of its theatreland brother. Sample dishes might include a starter of seared king scallops with Stornoway black pudding, frieze leaves and spiced red pepper drizzle, while a typical main course would be something along the lines of the seared calf’s liver served with Dijon mustard mash and a sherry vinegar and game reduction. Their list of malt www.edfestmag.com
html/vincaffe.html NEAR: 5 minutes from Assembly Rooms Sassy offspring of the venerable Valvona and Crolla, VinCaffe is a smart, stylish Italian that makes the most of the seasons. The menu should suit both ladies who lunch and those with more robust appetites. A couple of tapas style snacks such as the calamari and a trio of crostini plus a glass of wine are yours for a tenner. More substantial choices could include the brown shrimp linguine or the pork escallops pan-fried in egg and breadcrumbs, served with peperonata and roasted polenta chips. Thanks to a complicated looking bar contraption that keeps opened bottles fresh, VinCaffe offers a large range of wines by the glass.
VALUE whiskies is wider than most if you want to finish your meal with a dram. TIME 4 THAI 49 North Castle Street TEL: 0131 225 8822 NEAR: 10 minutes to the Assembly Rooms George St Thai favourites served in relaxing surroundings is the order of the day at Time 4 Thai. The food is a million miles away from the greasy offerings found in Far Eastern restaurants elsewhere. Look out for starters such as moo thod takrai grob, shredded pork neck with crispy lemongrass, and main courses such as phed sam rod, grilled sliced duck breast on bakchoi with tamarind sauce and fried shallots. TONY’S TABLE 58a North Castle Street TEL: 0131 226 6743 www.tonystable.com NEAR: 5 minutes from Assembly Rooms George Street Run by Tony Singh, who also operates the much more upmarket Oloroso around the corner, Tony’s Table offers a wellcooked, globe-trotting menu at sweet prices. At dinner, three courses are a set £20. The menu changes daily, but you might find confit duck with a Dijon cream and wild mushroom sauce, a chilli pig pie or a minced lamb curry
with rice and sambals. Lunch might mean a simple mug of leek and potato soup served with bread from the restaurant’s bakery next door, or it could mean a pea and broad bean risotto. A city centre gem and one which was awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand earlier this year. VALVONA AND CROLLA 19 Elm Row TEL: 0131 556 6066 www.valvonacrolla.co.uk NEAR: 2 minutes to the Playhouse Regarded by many as Scotland’s finest Italian delicatessen, Valvona’s 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 the crespelle Italian pancakes rolled with ricotta and spinach, baked in a tomato and basil sugo with bechamel and parmigiano or the fritto misto of lightly fried squid, prawns, halibut and courgettes, served with a light salad. Valvona’s also boasts a remarkable wine collection, and you can have any bottle with your meal for a corkage of £6. Open for reservations in the evening during the Festival. VINCAFFE 11 Multrees Walk TEL: 0131 557 0088 www.valvonacrolla.co.uk/
ALWAYS SUNDAY 170 High Street TEL: 0131 622 0667 www.alwayssunday.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to Tattoo It’s worth wading through the crush of the Royal Mile to get to this sunny café. It can sort you out with everything from a cup of coffee and slice of homemade carrot cake or a chunk of their aptly named banana bonanza to a healthy three-course lunch. Whether you want a full cooked breakfast, a lunchtime chicken pie or simply a scone, Always Sunday can provide. The fresh fruit smoothies are a good pick-me -up after a long night’s carousing and it does Fairtrade coffee so you can feel good about your caffeine addiction. AMORE DOGS 104 Hanover Street TEL: 0131 220 5155 www.amoredogs.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes from Assembly Rooms A recently-arrived Italian cousin to the dogs (see below), amore offers hearty, rustic Italian cooking at knock-down prices. Much more than a run of the mill pizza pasta joint, it offers less well known dishes such as polenta crusted ox liver with tomato chutney; baked hake, potatoes, tomato and anchovy and even EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 133
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3 great cuppas braised pork cheek with zampone (stuffed trotter) and lentils. ANN PURNA 45 St Patrick’s Square TEL: 0131 662 1807 NEAR: 5 minutes to Queen’s Hall A recently refurbed vegetarian restaurant that specialises in Gujerati cooking, the Ann Purna has long been a quiet success. A temple to healthy living, it is one of the few kitchens in Edinburgh that can take vegan customers in its stride. Typical dishes include aubergines, peas and potato in a mustard sauce or stuffed tomatoes with paneer and mushrooms. Wash them down with a glass from their large range of exotic fruit juices and lassis. BLACK BO’S 57-61 Blackfriar’s Street TEL: 0131 557 6136 www.black-bos.com NEAR: 10 minutes to the Pleasance Despite the fact that it has buzzed along in the heart of the Old Town for almost twenty years, Black Bo’s vegetarian restaurant still has a welcome underground feel to it. The cooking is adventurous and colourful. Think along the lines of aubergine stuffed with pasta, grapes and peanut cream, topped with parmesan or a potato, butter bean and leek roulade with cherry tomato and balsamic gravy. An easy-going affair, the kitchen is happy to cater to any non-meat dietary requirements. The surroundings are ramshackle rather than rococo, but don’t let that put you off. The restaurant is not quite as bohemian as the adjacent bar, but it still makes for a unique experience. CAFÉ FISH 60 Henderson Street TEL: 0131 538 6131 www.cafefish.net NEAR: 10 minute taxi ride to Playhouse Formerly an old Victorian boozer, now a sleek-looking fish restaurant, Cafe Fish has thrown down the gauntlet to some of Leith’s more established fish restaurants. As you might hope, www.edfestmag.com
THE BALMORAL 1 Princes Street Tel: 0131 556 2414 www.thebalmoralhotel.com Edinburgh’s most famous afternoon tea is served with an air of true refinement. SCOTTISH CAFÉ AND RESTAURANT The National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound Tel: 0131 226 6524 A long way from a typical drab museum caff, the Scottish Café impresses with seriously good food and fab views. ETEAKET 41a Frederick Street Tel: 0131 226 2982 www.eteaket.co.uk A bright and cheery boutique tea room is just what the New Town needed, and with a selection of cupcakes and home baking to die for, Eteaket delivers.
most of the fish is sourced from Scottish waters. Dinner is £19 for two courses and might include choices such as grilled hake, cockles and clams in a seafood broth or the Isle of Raasay diver scallops with celeriac mash and sour onions. Remarkably, around two thirds of the wine list is under £20. CAFÉ MARLAYNE 76 Thistle Street TEL: 0131 226 2230 NEAR: 5minutes to Assembly Rooms 7 Old Fishmarket Close TEL: 0131 225 3838 www.cafemarlayne.com NEAR: Five minutes to Edinburgh Festival Theatre The original Café Marlayne on Thistle Street booked up fast so the more recent branch just off the Royal Mile is a welcome addition. French cooking is the background note and it comes through most clearly in dishes such as the boudin noir with seared king scallops and asparagus. It is all hale and hearty stuff at bistro rather than restaurant 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: 5 minutes to Mela An appearance on Gordon Ramsay’s F Word has made it harder to get a table, but also helped Chop Chop open a new branch in Leith. Both branches offer authentic dishes from the north west of China and there is nothing else quite like it in town. The utilitarian décor and canteen setting mean that this isn’t the place to try and charm a young thespian but it’s great for filling up with interesting dishes that offer good value for money. Highlights of the menu are the dumplings, which come boiled or fried. Try the pork and chive versions although the beef and celery versions also have their fans. DANIEL’S BISTRO 88 Commercial Street TEL: 0131 553 5933 www.daniels-bistro.co.uk NEAR: 10 minute by taxi to city centre A Leith stalwart, Daniel Wenckler’s cheery bistro specialises in provincial French cooking (with more than a passing nod to his home region of Alsace), and has prospered in a location where many restaurants with more high-flying menus have floundered. Raclette, fish soup, escargots, moules marinieres, cassoulet and confit duck are all present and correct. There are all manner of lunch and set dinner menus but the a la carte is pretty reasonable as well. NB The business was up for sale as a going concern earlier this year. DAVID BANN 56-58 St Mary’s Street TEL: 0131 556 5888 www.davidbann.com NEAR: 2 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 grilled aubergine and Puy lentils with Old Winchester cheese mash and a red wine and onion gravy. As you might expect, there is a wide range of fresh fruit EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 135
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juices and yoghurt drinks available but don’t overlook the short but potent cocktail list. Edinburgh’s best veggie restaurant? Lots of people would say yes and many would just call it one of Edinburgh’s best overall. THE DOGS 110 Hanover Street TEL: 0131 220 1208 www.thedogsonline.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes from Assembly Rooms Idiosyncratic restaurateur David Ramsden has got it right with this down-to-earth but 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 a rabbit terrine with red onion marmalade; braised ox tongue with gherkins and mash or a creamy chicken leg stew with potatoes. One of Edinburgh’s more unlikely but lovable success stories, the dogs has gone on to sire amore dogs and seadogs. LA FAVORITA 3-331 Leith Walk TEL: 0131 554 2430 www.la-favorita.com NEAR: 10 minutes from Playhouse The sister operation to old favourite La Vittoria, La Favorita is a pizzeria and gourmet pasta restaurant. Using two wood-fired ovens, Tony Crolla wants to make ‘the best pizzas in Scotland’. There are a number of contenders for that crown but La Favorita is heading in the right direction with a purposeful glint in its eye. Try the Diavolina: tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy Italian sausage, mushrooms and chilli. If pizza isn’t your thing then investigate the secondi section where fresh Mediterranean sea bass fillets pan-seared with pink grapefruit juice and a side of Greek yogurt and caviar will set you back £11.95. Unusually, gluten-free pizzas are available here. HANEDAN 41 West Preston Street TEL: 0131 667 4242 www.hanedan.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes from Queens Hall This small, plainly decorated www.edfestmag.com
Turkish restaurant has made itself a welcome fixture in the Southside. The mixed mezze are fresh and zingy, but save space for the chargrill. There are veggie options available, but the various kebabs are a meat-eater’s dream. There isn’t a single dish over a tenner, which, combined with the generous portions, means you would be hard pushed to eat more than £15 per head here. They sell raki, but the Efe’s pilsner is a better bet if you want to remember how the night before panned out. The apple tea offers a refreshing, non-alcoholic alternative. HOWIES VICTORIA 10-14 Victoria Street TEL: 0131 225 1721 www.howies.uk.com NEAR: 1 minute to Underbelly HOWIES BRUNTSFIELD 208 Bruntsfield Place TEL: 0131 221 1777 NEAR: 10 minutes to King’s Theatre HOWIES WATERLOO PLACE 29 Waterloo Place TEL: 0131 556 5766 NEAR: 10 minutes to Festival Theatre HOWIES ONE ALVA STREET 1a Alva Street TEL: 0131 225 5553 NEAR: 5 minutes to Playhouse This is a popular group of Edinburgh restaurants that thrives on cooking Scottish produce at agreeable prices.
The four branches have individual chefs, who are all encouraged to develop their own style and dishes under the Howie’s umbrella. As a result, each will have its own menu, but a bowl of cullen skink soup with a cheddar cheese crouton, or a milk-fed loin of pork steak infused with lemon and thyme and served with a horseradish mash, slow roast shallots and rich gravy would not look out of place in any of them. The premises are all light, airy and laid back. About £20 for a three course dinner. ILLEGAL JACK’S 113 Lothian Road TEL: 0131 622 7499 www.illegaljacks.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to Lyceum A newcomer to Lothian Road, the eponymous Jack has quickly made a name for himself 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 High Street competitors is that all his food is fresh and prepped on the day, except the meat, which is marinated overnight. Sounds simple but it’s enough to have won quite a following very quickly. LOS CARDOS 281 Leith Walk TEL: 0131 555 6619 www.loscardos.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to Out of the Blue
Halfway between a takeaway and a cantina, this new 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. MAMMA’S 30 Grassmarket TEL: 0131 225 6464 www.mammas.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to Gilded Balloon Mamma’s American Pizza Company has been going strong in the Grassmarket for nearly three decades. It’s a laid-back place that packs out quickly, especially on sunny days when the Grassmarket is heaving and the outside seating looks especially inviting. 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. MONSTER MASH 20 Forrest Road TEL: 0131 225 7069 www.monstermashcafe.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to Gilded Balloon A celebration of the great British café, Monster Mash has its tongue ever so slightly in its retroEDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 137
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5 stay up late chic. Formica tables, tomatoshaped ketchup squeezees and comics all play up the caff theme. The food is no-nonsense home cooking with chicken and ham pie, fish and chips and platefuls of sausage and mash all washed down with Sweet Heart Stout and milkshakes. MOTHER INDIA’S CAFÉ 3-5 Infirmary Street TEL: 0131 524 9801 www.motherindia.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to the Pleasance The Mother India brand is already a success in Glasgow, thanks to their confident use of fresh herbs and spices. This first Edinburgh branch, opened in 2008, brings the same new school of Indian cookery to the east coast. Boy, are we grateful. 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 the owner Monir. Good for a quick bite if time is of the essence. THE OLIVE BRANCH BISTRO 91 Broughton Street TEL: 0131 557 8589 NEAR: 5 minutes from The Stand 9 Colinton Road TEL: 0131 452 8453 www.theolivebranch scotland.co.uk NEAR: 10 minutes from King’s Theatre This airy, all-day bistro has done well since opening on a previously volatile site 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 a rib-eye steak with all the trimmings. The Colinton Road branch runs along the same lines. THE OUTSIDER 15-16 George IV Bridge TEL: 0131 226 3131 NEAR: 2 minutes to Underbelly The younger brother of Bruntsfield’s Apartment restaurant, the Outsider is a funky joint that attracts many of Edinburgh’s young hipsters. Forsaking the normal starter, www.edfestmag.com
THE ONE BELOW Rutland Hotel, 1-3 Rutland Street, Tel: 0131 229 3402 www.therutlandhotel.com Very few places in Edinburgh can boast quite such a hightech outlook, with a funky moving bar and iPod booths. SHANGHAI @ LE MONDE 16 George Street Tel: 0131 270 3900 www.lemondehotel.co.uk An intimate venue for late night drinks, Shanghai is in the basement of boutique hotel Le Monde on posh George St. THE CAVES 8-12 Niddry Street South Tel: 0131 557 8989 www.thecavesedinburgh.com Get a true taste of Edinburgh past at this occasionally sweaty but always good-value subterranean stronghold.
main course, dessert route, the Outsider has menus divided into categories such as soupy stirfries, crunchy baguettes and fish things. PINK OLIVE 55-57 West Nicolson Street TEL: 0131 662 4493 www.ilovepinkolive.co.uk NEAR: 1 minute from Gilded Balloon This cheery little neighbourhood bistro is in the heart of studentland, and is priced accordingly with lunchtime main courses starting at a fiver and three courses in the evening pegged at £19.25. Handily placed for a lot of Fringe venues, it serves up dishes such as Korean sticky chicken with kimchi; a smoked coley, horseradish and pea salad and, of course, steak and chips.
RICE TERRACES 93 St Leonard's Street TEL: 0131 629 9877 www.rice-terraces.com NEAR: 5 minutes to Queen’s Hall Edinburgh’s first Fillipino restaurant is a homely little place. It won’t win awards for its decor but deserves plaudits for the pride and passion invested in the food. The menu is a mix of Chinese, American, Spanish and Malay influences, with fried pork spring rolls sitting next to pork meatloaf and papaya salad among the starters, while pork belly cooked in a vinegar, garlic and soy sauce, chicken with plantain bananas, chorizo and vegetables and breaded shrimps in a sweet and sour sauce give an idea of the range of main courses available. Wash it down with San Miguel pale pilsen, brewed in the Philippines. SEADOGS 43 Rose Street TEL: 0131 225 8028 www.seadogsonline.co.uk NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms The most recent addition to David Ramsden’s pack of good value city centre restaurants, seadogs repeats the restaurateur’s winning formula of back-to-basics cooking at value for money prices. As the name suggests, fish and seafood are the mainstay of the menu. Typical dinner dishes might be the kipper spaghetti carbonara; the herring milts on toast or the poached smoked coley served with a duck egg and champ.
THE TAILEND RESTAURANT AND FISH BAR 12-14 Albert Place, Leith Walk TEL: 0131 555 3577 www.tailendrestaurant.co.uk NEAR: 10 minutes from the Playhouse A collaboration between an Arbroath fish merchant and an award-winning chippie owner, this popular restaurant/chippie offers foam-fresh seafood in simple surroundings at wallet friendly prices. Pride of place goes to the classic haddock fish tea at £9.50, but more chi-chi choices include griddled king scallops served with a herb butter at £5.50 or a plate of Fraserburgh langoustine tails at £10.25. If you want to push the boat out, they recently had lobster on the menu at £18. TAPA 19 Shore Place TEL: 0131 476 6776 www.tapaedinburgh.co.uk NEAR: 10 minute taxi to Playhouse Slightly tricky to find, this relatively new tapas joint set up shop in an old whitewashed warehouse in 2009. It’s run by the man behind Edinburgh’s much-loved and long deceased Tapas Ole restaurants, and has the same sense of fun about it. All the tapas favourites you would expect are there, as are a few curveballs. The global tapas section is cute with dishes of Greek style lamb chops and a tortilla made with Scottish shrimp and smoked haddock. The prices are very reasonable. EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 139
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5 Clubs CABARET VOLTAIRE 36 Blair Street Tel: 0131 220 6176 www.thecabaretvoltaire.com Famous for its live music nights, Cabaret Voltaire won’t turn you away for wearing trainers. LULU 125b George Street Tel: 0131 1 225 5075 www.luluedinburgh.co.uk Popular with George Street’s after-work crowd, Lulu is worth a visit simply to marvel at the Swarovski crystal room divider and luxurious furnishings. PO NA NA 43b Frederick Street Tel: 0131 226 2224 www.edinburghponana.com Part of the Po Na Na chain, this is the place to hit if you like boogying to the latest R&B and pop tunes. GHQ 4 Picardy Place Tel: 0131 550 1780 www.socialanimal.co.uk A gay-friendly hotspot in Edinburgh’s Pink Triangle, this is where you’ll find the beautiful people in beautiful surroundings. OPAL LOUNGE 51a George Street Tel: 0131 226 2275 www.opallounge.co.uk Rumoured to be where Wills and Harry hang out when they’re in town, you’ll find a royal welcome at this George Street club.
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FESTIVAL IN THE SKY Princes St Gardens www.festivalinthesky.com NEAR: 5 minutes from Ghillie Dhu If you’re looking for a bit of excitement with your entrée, this year’s Festival-goers have the chance to eat at 100ft. Those of daring persuasion will love the views as they sit suspended from a crane in Princes Street Gardens. Start the day with a Top O’ The Morning breakfast, have a Light Lunch or finish up with High Tea, with prices starting from £32.50 per person.
TIAN TIAN 8 Gillespie Place NEAR: 5 minutes to King’s Theatre With no phone number or website, this Chinese hotpot restaurant is not the most accessible but it’s worth persevering with. Guests are served a cauldron of spicy, boiling broth and a tray of thinly sliced meats, a mass of raw seafood and plenty of fungus, seaweed and noodles. The rest is up to you. Like an Asian fondue, the idea is to cook the ingredients yourself and hook them out of the broth with a selection of tongs, ladles and chopsticks. It’s messy and a bit daunting at first but it’s also one of the cheapest seafood feasts in Edinburgh. URBAN ANGEL 121 Hanover Street TEL: 0131 225 6215 NEAR: 2 minutes from Assembly Rooms 1 Forth Street TEL: 0131 556 6323 www.urban-angel.co.uk NEAR: 2 minutes from Edinburgh Playhouse A breath of fresh air when it opened in 2004, Urban Angel expanded in 2008 to include a slick new branch just off Broughton Street. The menu in each is slightly different but sticks to the core ethos of being, as far as is possible, free range, Fair Trade, organic and locally sourced. Just as importantly, it’s delicious. The menu changes regularly but runs from breakfasts of organic porridge
with heather honey to dishes of spiced organic lamb meatballs via salads of spiced roast pumpkin with herb couscous and grilled vegetables. As good for a three course blow-out as they are for a mid afternoon coffee. VITTORIA 113 Brunswick Street TEL: 0131 556 6171 NEAR: 10 minutes from Playhouse 19 George IV Bridge TEL: 0131 225 1740 www.vittoriarestaurant.com NEAR: 5 minutes from Gilded Balloon Something of a Leith Walk institution, this family-run Italian is a bustling sort of place at most times of day. The extensive menu does pretty much everything from pizza and pasta to steak dishes and creamy milkshakes. When the sun is out the chairs and tables on the pavement are quickly taken with people soaking up the warmth and a Peroni or two. It’s equally as handy for those mornings after the night before when the restorative powers of the full Vittoria breakfast with spicy Italian sausage come into their own. The more recent George IV Bridge branch is cut from the same, cheery cloth. WANNABURGER 7-8 Queensferry Street TEL: 0131 220 0036 www.wannaburger.com NEAR: 5 minutes from Usher Hall As the name suggests,
burgers are the real deal here. A very distant relation to the cardboard discs peddled by the fast food giants, these start at just £4.50 for a plain beef burger rising to £7.50 for the double cheese. Veggie versions such as the portabello mushroom, roast peppers, mozzarella, sundried tomato, homemade relish, tomato, rocket and red onion mean that nobody need feel left out. Shakes, salads and breakfasts, all served with a smile, complete the picture. ZANZERO 14-16 North West Circus Place TEL: 0131 220 0333 www.zanzero.com NEAR: 5 minutes from Theatre Workshop Light, bright and airy, Zanzero is the sister restaurant to the well regarded Centotre in the city centre and the Scottish Cafe and Restaurant at the National Gallery complex. The modern Italian food served here focuses on being fresh and healthy. Think along the lines of the starter selection of mozzarella di Bufala, speck di prosciutto, sun dried tomatoes, roasted aubergine and Pachino tomatoes or roasted skewers of marinated tiger prawns and scallops, served on a mixed leaf salad with a fresh tomato, spring onion, lime and extra virgin olive oil salsa. The stone baked pizza are also worth a spin. It’s generally a buzzy place and is particularly welcoming to families with children. www.edfestmag.com
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Until you drop With some of the best independent boutiques in the UK, Edinburgh is a haven for the happy shopper. Words Ruth Walker
E
ver since Christopher Kane became the designer name on everyone’s lips, Scotland has been recognised as a destination with more than a little style. And, with a reputation for knowing a bargain when we see it, one thing’s for sure – we Scots certainly know how to shop. We’re innovative too. Pam Jenkins (www.pamjenkins.co.uk) was stocking Christian Louboutin shoes long before those red soles became a fashion icon. Her wonderful shop on Thistle Street is a world away from the cut and thrust of the main shopping drags, and
“With a reputation for spotting a bargain, we Scots know how to shop” is widely acknowledged as a ground-breaker, stocking Kate Spade, Jimmy Choo, Tory Burch and Pretty Ballerinas as well as those Louboutins. And since it’s the sale right now, you could save as much as £200 on a pair. Tell yourself it’s an investment. The shop was recently voted Independent Footwear Retailer of the Year by Drapers and is one of only two Scottish outlets listed in Vogue’s guide to the UK’s Best Boutiques. The other one, as convenience would have it, is just a hop, skip and a jump across the road. A real family concern, Jane Davidson (www.janedavidson.co.uk) is now run by Sarah Murray, the daughter of the original owner, and she attends all the major fashion shows to personally pick out her favourite pieces. Labels include Diane von Furstenberg, Halston Heritage and Herve Leger, but it’s not all about dressing up, and I adore its range of cool jeans » brands, including MiH, Joe’s and MET. www.edfestmag.com
Must buy The classic black peep-toe Yolanda by Christian Louboutin will never date, though its wooden 120mm heel gives it a fashion edge. Love them, love them. Pam Jenkins, Thistle Street, £525.
When you’re in a hurry to freshen up, but don’t want the drying effects so many wipes leave, Rodial’s Glam Balm wipes do the job beautifully, and leave skin lusciously moisturised. There are no chemical nasties, either. Dollyleo, Raeburn Place, £14.
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All things bright and beautiful Edinburgh’s shops are great fun to browse around
Must buy MiH jeans is a great British brand, whose Marrakesh flares are probably the most flattering pair you will ever wear. Trust me. You’ll never want to take them off. Jane Davidson, Thistle Street, and Andiamo, Bruntsfield. £155. The fascinator has officially taken over from the hat as the wedding headwear of the season, so stand out from the crowd with a hot pink feather headpiece by Margolily. Kakao by K, Thistle Street, £40. The Liberty print skirt from APC has retro written all over it. With a cute blue and yellow floral print and with oversized button detailing, it was made for summer picnics and long days at the beach. £85 (reduced from £139.95), from Goodstead, Rose Street. Who over the age of 35 could resist this Creamola Foam shopping bag? The fizzy powdered drink was a Scottish favourite throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and it is still much missed. Eero & Riley, Easter Road, £17.95.
www.edfestmag.com
Further along Thistle Street, you’ll find more designer labels, but with a difference, because Stock Xchange (www.stockxchangeuk.com) specialises in pre-owned clothes and accessories, with names like Armani, Gucci and Prada at a fraction of the original price. Goodstead (www.goodstead.co.uk) in Rose Street may be tiny, but it packs a powerful punch. Blink and you’d miss its hand-picked range of street smart men’s and women’s brands such as APC, Farah and Sessun. There’s funky footwar from Onitsuka Tiger, Clarks Originals and Nike, as well as cool, minimalist chic from Margaret Howell. There are burlesque delights at new store Miss Dixiebelle (www.missdixiebelle.co.uk), housed in a former taxi office in the leafy suburb of Bruntsfield. A treasure trove of vintage glamour, I love the stockings, corsetry and retro jewellery. Miss Dixiebelle herself is even planning workshops on flirting and sensuality to help bring out every girl’s inner pin-up. A streamlined, Scandinavian feel dominates at Kakao by K, back in Thistle Street, where
labels you won’t find anywhere else such as Edith and Ella, House of Lykke and Mimosa sit alongside accessories by local designers. Look out for wonderful headpieces by Margolily, leather brooches by Amanda Forrest and Harris Tweed bags by Margo Elder. Eero & Riley (www.eeroandriley.com), at the top of Easter Road, has a great range of fun homewares – from plates and coasters to cook books – for Marmite lovers, as well as colourful jewellery, some of which is made from recycled vinyl records, and funky wall art too. And, to ensure you always look your best while pounding the streets in search of a bargain, don’t miss a trip to Dollyleo Apothecary (www.dollyleo.co.uk) in Stockbridge. A sumptuously designed apothecary, it’s the brainchild of make-up artist Sadie Jean Sloss, who stocks unique beauty brands such as Rodial, Becca and Butter London. In her treatment rooms, she also gives magical facials, fabulous lash extensions and groovy Minx nail art. Katy Perry can’t get enough of these fab foil nail coverings. So what are you waiting for? Get shopping! ★ EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 145
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One Spa
Pure
A The big chill If running from venue to venue is winding you up, relax and pamper yourself at some of the city’s most luxurious spas and salons Words Ruth Walker
www.edfestmag.com
day of pounding the streets has a nasty habit of taking its toll on the tootsies. Blisters, cuts and generally sore and swollen feet can happen to even the most seasoned of Festival-goers. Which is why putting your feet up for a spot of post-purchase pampering should be top of your shopping list. The luxury pedicure at Zen includes not just a general buffing of nails and a coat of polish, but a pressure point foot massage and paraffin wax treatment, while you just lie back with a soothing eye mask and get a relaxing head massage. (£62, Zen, salons in Bruntsfield Place and Teviot Place, 0131 477 3535, 0131 226 6777, www.zen-lifestyle.com) Voted one of Edinburgh’s top salons by InStyle magazine, Lulu, housed in a former bank in Tollcross, is all designer wallpaper, chic black furniture and Buddha-tastic decor. And if you happen to be feeling your age at the end of a long trek round the Festival, its Decleor anti-ageing facial will be right up your street. Stimulating collagen and elastin, it claims to smooth out lines and wrinkles, improving firmness and radiance. Customers agree, reporting a 77% reduction in wrinkles, while 98% said their skin was brighter following a four-week course of treatments. (£55, Lulu, Leven Street, 0131 221 1900, www.lulubeautyspa.co.uk) Maybe it’s your back and shoulders that are aching from the weight of carrying bags from pillar to post. The clue’s in the name, but in case you haven’t guessed, the Turkish Detox Glow treatment at Pure is inspired by
the ancient art of the Turkish baths. Combining a salt scrub, a soap lather and a muscle-stretching massage, the body is finally drizzled with oil to ensure you leave soft, supple and tingling all over with vitality. (£65, salons at Ocean Terminal and Lothian Road, 0131 561 1320, 0131 221 9133, www.purespauk.com) Don’t neglect your nails either. The bonus at Nails Inc is that you don’t just get a fabulous manicure, with a shape, polish and hand massage, you also get to sup on a glass of champagne while it’s all going on, and do a spot of people watching at the same time. Opt for the three-week manicure and you won’t even have to worry about the colour chipping. The nail bar is in the ground floor of Harvey Nichols, right next to the handbags and cosmetics counters. (From £38 for a champagne manicure, £50 for a three-week manicure, 0131 524 8335, www.nailsinc.com) However, if only full-on, total relaxation will hit the spot, the only place in the city to be is One Spa. Perched atop an office block, opposite the Sheraton hotel, its thermal suite features a series of heat treatments including hammams, laconiums, bio and rock saunas and rainforest showers. It‘s a fragrant, cocoon-like space that is completed with a plunge into the rooftop hydropool. The powerful water jets will wash away any remaining tension. No wonder Conde Nast Traveller voted it one of the best spas in the world. (£70, available Monday-Friday or as part of a spa day, One Spa, Conference Square, 0131 221 7777, onespa.com). ★ EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 149
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Clowning about and playing the fool isn’t just for grown-ups at the festivals. Mark Fisher kids around with the best shows for children.
THE AMAZING BUBBLE SHOW C Too 5-30 August (not 17), 2.30pm & 1.30pm The Amazing Bubble Man blows bubbles bigger, weirder and more beautiful than you ever thought possible. ANIMAL ALPHABOAT Pleasance Courtyard 15-22 August, 5pm Entertaining poet John Hegley ill be encouraging a bit of a singalong in this freewheeling afternoon of songs and stories. ARABIAN NIGHTS Scottish Storytelling Centre 7-30 August (not 8), 1pm Puppet company Theatre of Widdershins routinely leaves Edinburgh with a clutch of five-
star reviews, so expect visual delights in this retelling of the popular tales. BELT UP’S OCTAVIA C Soco 4-30 August (not 25), 12pm One of the most talked about adult companies to emerge from the Fringe welcomes a younger audience to this interactive tale. CHARLIE AND LOLA’S BEST BESTEST PLAY Pleasance Courtyard 4-18 August (not 11), 10am & 11.30am First time in Scotland for Polka Theatre’s adaptation of Lauren Child’s much loved books about the sensible brother and the naughty sister, featuring puppetry, live action and music.
THE COMEDY CLUB 4 KIDS Bongo Club 6-29 August, 5.30pm All the trappings of a regular adult stand-up show, except no swearing. EXCALIBUR Duddingston Kirk Manse Garden 2-15 August, 11am (8, 15, 2.30pm) Idyllic setting on the far side of Arthur’s Seat for Theatre Alba’s sword-in-the-stone adventure in which the audience helps King Arthur solve clues.
Charlie and Lola, Jacqueline Wilson, Stick Man, Just Macbeth, List Operators
JOHN FARDELL Charlotte Square Gardens 17 August, 1.30pm The genial Edinburgh illustrator and children’s novelist wants to draw your off-beat inventions. FARM BOY Assembly Rooms 5-30 August (not 17), 11.45am New Perspectives theatre company brings to the stage the sequel to War Horse, an illuminating insight into the changing countryside of England. HAIRY MACLARY Assembly Rooms 5-29 August, 10.40am Entertaining rhyming stories by Lynley Dood about a scruffy dog and his adventures. JAMES CAMPBELL’S COMEDY AND SONGS FOR KIDS Assembly Rooms 5-29 August (not 18, 19, 24), 2.30pm Silly stories and songs from the children’s stand-up, giving younger audiences a taste of what their parents are laughing at. JUST MACBETH Assembly Rooms 5-29 August (not 10, 17), 11.45am Not one for the purists, this Australian treatment of the Scottish play features a garden gnome and a severed head as well as the witches and ghosts.
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THE LAST MINER Hill Street Theatre 5-29 August (not Tue), 3pm Time to go underground as Edinburgh children’s theatre company Tortoise in a Nutshell ventures into a mineshaft. THE LIST OPERATORS Pleasance Courtyard 4-31 August (not 17), 2.30pm More inspired silliness from Matt Kelly and Richard Higgins, loved by big people as well as little ones for their surreal sketches. THE MOOMINS Charlotte Square 14 August, 10.30am & 12.30pm Children have been beguiled by Tove Jansson’s bestselling classics for 65 years, so here’s a birthday celebration with dances, songs and games. THE NIGHT KEEPER Hill Street Theatre 21-30 August, 11am Physical theatre company Gomito journeys back in time into a mysterious museum full of strange creatures.
latest series of hilarious books, about the teenage Tallulah Casey and her summer drama school. RETURN TO THE HUNDRED ACRE WOOD Charlotte Square Gardens 19 August, 4.30pm David Benedictus is the man charged with providing a new set of stories for the ever popular Pooh, Piglet and Tigger. THE SONGBIRD Royal Botanic Garden 19-28 August (not 24), 4.30pm Twice nominated in this year’s Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland, this piece of sensory theatre features a haunting live score. STICK MAN LIVE ON STAGE! Udderbelly’s Pasture 5-30 August (not 16), 12.30pm The team that took We’re Going on a Bear Hunt to the West End, turns its attentions to Julia Donaldson’s story of the stick man who lives in a tree.
TALL STORRIE AND WEE GODLEY Pleasance Dome 4-30 August, 12.45pm Comedian Janey Godley keeps it in the family as she takes to the stage with her own daughter, Ashley Storrie, for games, storytelling and music. Feel free to bring your own instrument. TWINKLE TWONKLE Pleasance Dome 4-30 August (not 18, 25), 2pm Tall Stories, the team that enjoyed such success with The Gruffalo, in a play about two children who notice something’s gone array with the sky. JACQUELINE WILSON Charlotte Square Gardens 21 & 22 August, 10am Two chances to quiz the prolific author of the Tracy Beaker books about her characters. The posttalk book signing will be so popular that only those whose names are drawn from a hat will be eligible.
STORIES FOR KIDS WHO CAN RUN FASTER THAN SNAILS Gilded Balloon 4-29 August (not Mon, Tue), 3.15pm Best known as an adult comedian, Patrick Monahan branched out into kids’ theatre last year and returns with an hour of interactive entertainment. PINOCCHIO Zoo Roxy 6-24 August, 10.20am Much admired version of the favourite tale staged by up-andcoming puppetry company Indefinite Articles. THE PRINCESS’ BLANKETS Scottish Storytelling Centre 8-23 August, 3pm The Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, joins John Sampson and Ella Duffy for an afternoon of poetry, music and fairytale, featuring old rock’n’rollers and even older classical heroes. LOUISE RENNISON Charlotte Square Gardens 18 August, 4.30pm A chance to get an introduction to Withering Tights, the author’s www.edfestmag.com
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From the gentle brushstrokes of the Impressionists to the hard-edged drama of Atsuo Okamoto’s granite sculptures, Edinburgh is going all arty in August.
EAF EXPO EXHIBITIONS 6 TIMES Various sites From 22 June 6 Times is a landmark series of sculptures by celebrated British artist Anthony Gormley, whose other work includes the iconic Angel of the North, has positioned six life-sized figures between the grounds of Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and the sea. Discover these striking figures along the scenic Water of Leith.
talents of Denmark’s Golden Age, ever to be shown outside Denmark.
7 ARTISTS: EDINBURGH SOUL Union Gallery www.uniongallery.co.uk 5 August - 6 September, Mon-Sat, 10.30am-6pm; Sun, 12-6pm An exhibition featuring seven of Edinburgh’s finest and most exciting artists, full of iconic and powerful imagery.
DOVECOT ART & MAKING: A NEW COLLECTION Dovecot www.dovecotstudios.com 30 July - 5 September, 10.30am-5.30pm A new collection of tapestries produced in collaboration with the William Scott Foundation, Barbara Rae and William Crozier.
A CELEBRATION: CRAIGIE AITCHINSON Talbot Rice www.trg.ed.ac.uk An exhibition celebrating the achievements of the painter Craigie Aitchison, including iconic still life, portrait and landscape paintings all suffused with his instinctive use of colour.
DUTCH LANDSCAPES The Queen’s Gallery www.royalcollection.org.uk 30 April - 9 January 2011, Mon-Sun, 9.30am-6pm, (last admission 5pm) Remarkable landscapes from the ‘golden age’ of Dutch 17th-century painting. Includes works by Jacob van Ruisdael, Aelbert Cuyp and Meyndert Hobbema.
DECAY Patriothall Gallery www.landenbeeld.nl 8-28 August, Tues-Sat, 12-4pm; Sun 8 August, 12-4pm Two Dutch and two Scottish artists whose work collides on the theme of ‘Decay’ present their multimedia work together for the first time at the 2010 EAF.
CITY BEACH Big Things On The Beach www.bigthingsonthebeach.org.uk 29 July - 29 August, Thu, 10am-6pm; Fri, 10am-8pm; Sat, 1-8pm; Sun, 1-6pm City Beach records a year long exploration of Portobello as a site for the expression of imagination in public space by public and artists.
EDINBURGH PEOPLE Edinburgh City Library www.edinburgh.gov.uk/libraries 12 August - 24 September, Mon-Thu, 10am-8pm; Fri, 10am-5pm; Sat, 9am-1pm Edinburgh People is a collection of new photographic portraits seeking to challenge public perception of photography.
CHRISTEN KØBKE: DANISH MASTER OF LIGHT National Gallery Complex www.nationalgalleries.org 4 July - 3 October The most exhaustive selection of paintings by Christen Købke (1810– 1848), one of the foremost
EDWARD WESTON: LIFE WORK City Art Centre www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk 31 July - 24 October, Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm; Sun, 12-5pm A survey of the work of this iconic American photographer. Contains 117 vintage prints, and previously
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Ed Cross; Kate Robertson; William Wegman
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unpublished masterpieces interspersed with signature images.
LIFE.TURNS New Media Scotland www.mediascot.org 29 July - 26 August, Wed-Sun, 12-8pm life.turns is a community-wide call to action, seeking to revive the technology of the Victorian zoetrope, a forerunner to film.
FARAWAY MOUNTAIN Corn Exchange Gallery www.cornexchangegallery.com 30 July - 30 September, Mon-Fri, 11am-4.30pm Large granite works crafted by renowned Japanese stone sculptor Atsuo Okamoto, best known for his use of the ancient art of wari modoshi. GRANTON LIVE. CULTURE CRUNCH – MEANWHILE – OUTSIDE INSIDE – POP UP MOCK UP gallera1, The Lighthouse www.artinarchitecture.co.uk 20 August - 5 September, Tues-Sun, 11am-4pm Inspired by cultural proposals for the seafront at Granton. Enjoy an indoor lido, artist gardens, visual concepts and more. HITO STEYERL Collective www.collectivegallery.net 29 July - 19 September, MonSun, 11am-6pm, 29 July - 31 August, Tues-Sun, 11am-5pm Hito Steyerl | After the Crash, a new co-commission between Collective, Edinburgh, Chisenhale, London and Picture This Bristol. A single screen film work, it will be premiering at Collective. IMPRESSIONIST GARDENS National Gallery Complex www.nationalgalleries.org 31 July - 17 October, Daily, 10am5pm (6pm during August), Late Opening Thurs, 10am-6pm Impressionist Gardens will be a major international exhibition of around 90 works, and will be the first ever to be devoted to this subject. There will be fine examples by Monet, Pissarro and Sisley. IN OUR OWN IMAGE: REPRESENTING THE HUMAN FORM City Art Centre www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk 31 July - 24 October A range of Scottish artists and sculptors pay homage to the artist’s preoccupation with the human figure. Drawn from the City Art Centre collection.
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Joan Mitchell, Inverleith House; Komach IRAN DO ESPIRITO SANTO Ingleby Gallery www.inglebygallery.com 29 July - 18 September, MonSat, 10am-6pm; Sun, 12-5pm A major site specific installation, and first ever UK exhibition by one of Brazil’s leading living artists. Gallery artist Peter Liversidge will present a series of proposals to celebrate the gallery’s 50th anniversary; one each day from 30th July to 17 September.
swimming to celebrate the Dovecot building. KIM COLEMAN & JENNY HOGARTH Staged, City Observatory 30 July - 15 August, Mon-Sun, 11am-6pm Staged is an off-site multi-channel video installation by collaborating artists Kim Coleman and Jenny Hogarth, combining live video with pre-recorded footage.
MAGAZINE 10 Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop www.edinburghsculpture.org Mon-Sat, 12–5pm 1-8 August, Katie Orton 14-22 August, Paul Rooney 28 August - 5 September, Kate V Robertson A series of three solo exhibitions featuring new work by Paul Rooney, Katie Orton and Kate V Robertson. MAIRI GILLIES – NATURA SENSUS Atticsalt www.atticsalt.co.uk 31 July - 4 September, Tues-Thu, & Sat, 1-5pm; Fri, 2-5pm Using real plant material in
JOAN MITCHELL Inverleith House www.rbge.org.uk 27 July - 3 October, Tues-Sun, 10am-5.30pm Inverleith House presents the first UK museum exhibition of paintings and works on paper by the influential American abstract expressionist artist Joan Mitchell. A film about the artist will be screened throughout. JUPITER ARTLAND YEAR TWO Jupiter Artland www.jupiterartland.org 29 July - 5 September, Thurs-Sun, 10am-4.30pm; Bank Holiday Mon 30 August, 10am-4.30pm Jupiter Artland Year Two brings three additional site-specific works by Nathan Coley, Jim Lambie and Cornelia Parker to this burgeoning private collection, set in parkland and woods. KEEPING MY HEAD ABOVE WATER Dovecot www.dovecotstudios.com 30 July - 5 September, 10.30am-5.30pm UK sculptor Julie Westerman shows large cibachrome prints of
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sculptural installations, complex plants reworked into something completely new and inventive.
cities, showcasing a number of provocative proposals from a select group of international participants under the curatorial direction of Oliver Chapman and Mark Cousins.
PLAN B Scottish Poetry Library www.spl.org.uk 29 July - 4 September, Mon-Fri, 11am-6pm; Sat, 1-5pm A collaborative exhibition exploring correspondences between the Pulitzer prizewinning poet Paul Muldoon and photographer Norman McBeath. Julie Roberts; Plan B THE PURSUIT OF FIDELITY (A RETROSPECTIVE) Stills www.stills.org 30 July - 24 October, Mon-Sun, 11am-6pm Stills presents the first solo exhibition in Scotland of Glasgowbased artists Alexander and Susan Maris. The Pursuit of Fidelity (a retrospective), curated by Lisa Le Feuvre, takes a journey through the last twenty years of the artists’ practice.
SHELFLIFE: A BIBLIO-SIDESHOW Jaaliceklarr www.jaaliceklarr.blogspot.com 30 July - 5 September, Mon-Thurs, 9.15am-4.30pm; Fri, 10am-4.30pm A potentially nomadic library ‘sideshow’: a celebration of ‘Do-ItYourself’ publishing and artists’ Bookworks as a tangible vehicle for complete and transportable ‘exhibition-making’.
SITTING AND LOOKING Dovecot www.dovecotstudios.com 10 July - 4 September, Tues-Sat, 10.30am-5.30pm; Mon, 10.30am-5.30pm during August An exciting cross art-form exhibition curated by furniture designers Jim Partridge and Liz Walmsley with the financial assistance of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. THE SPACE BETWEEN Amber Arts www.amberarts.co.uk 29 July - 18 September, Tues-Fri, 10am-5pm; Sat, 10am-2.30pm; Closed Sun and Mon Specially commissioned artwork from local and international contemporary printmakers, responding to the notion of ‘The Space Between’. TKX Totalkunst Gallery www.theforest.org.uk/tk 26 July - 5 September, Mon-Sun, 10am-10pm Katalin Hausel (Hungary/UK), 26 July - 7 August Szajner (France), 8-21 August Mik Godley (UK), 22 August 5 September An exciting triple bill of utting edge contemporary art, situated within a vibrant cultural events space in the heart of the city. TRAM SPOTTING/TRAIN STOPPING SCHOP www.schop.org.uk 10 August - 10 September, Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm This exhibition takes a fresh look at how to shape our towns and
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VICTORIA CROWE – NEW WORKS The Scottish Gallery www.scottish-gallery.co.uk 6 August - 4 September, MonFri, 10am-6pm; Sat, 10am-4pm; Closed Sundays Venice, the artist’s own garden and the landscape of the Scottish Borders form the main inspirations for this show of new work by one of the most lyrical painters working in Britain today. WHAT YOU SEE IS WHERE YOU’RE AT: PART 3 Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art www.nationalgalleries.org From 31 July, Mon-Sun, 10am-5pm The third major wave of displays celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. The fourteen new displays feature masterpieces from the Gallery’s world-famous Collection, as well as exciting new works and commissions by international contemporary artists. WILLIAM WEGMAN: FAMILY COMBINATIONS City Art Centre www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk 31 July - 24 October, Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm; Sun, 12-5pm An exhibition by renowned contemporary artist William Wegman that explores the extraordinary photographic relationship between Wegman and his beloved family of Weimaraner dogs. WITNESS – THE SPECTRE OF MEMORY IN CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART Ed Cross Fine Art www.edcrossfineart.com 6-30 August, Mon-Sun, 10am-6pm Four African artists engaging in different ways with memory and history. Memory is a source of inspiration, and this is the artists’ contribution to the collective memory. www.edfestmag.com
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Take note: some of the world’s best musicians will be in town for the festivals. Mark Fisher conducts a tuneful investigation into who’s top of the pops.
THE BALA BROTHERS Assembly @ Princes Street Gardens 9 & 16 August, 8pm Infusing western classical music with the traditions of African song, the award-winning trio create an easy-listening “popera” hybrid that goes down a treat. BEIRUT HMV Picture House 22 August, 7.30pm Put on your Sunday Smile as Zachary Condon and his band turn out their singular mix of Balkan, European, Gypsy and Mexican influences. BLISS Festival Theatre 2-4 September, 7.15pm Picking up five-star reviews in Sydney and Melbourne, this opera based on the black comic novel by Peter Carey tells the story of an advertising exec whose life is turned upside down after a neardeath experience. SIMÓN BOLÍVAR STRING QUARTET Queen’s Hall 4 September, 11am South American music plus Bach, Brahms and Shostakovich from a quartet that has emerged from Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra. ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS Queen’s Hall 6 August, 8.30pm With a four-decade solo career behind him and fans ranging from Iggy Pop to Bruce Springsteen, Burdon has more to offer than House of the Rising Sun. JON CLEARY Assembly @ Princes Street Gardens 31 July, 6pm Funk, soul and Caribbean rhythms from the New Orleans piano professor with his Piano, www.edfestmag.com
Bass & Drums line-up of Doug Belote on drums, multiinstrumentalist Matt Perrine and James Singleton on upright bass. THE CORAL HMV Picture House 26 August, 7.30pm With an album, Butterfly House, newly in the shops and an appearance at T in the Park under their belts, the Hoylake five-piece are back with their infectious eclecticism. ALAN CUMMING – I BOUGHT A BLUE CAR TODAY Assembly Hall 13-15 August, 12am With a nod to his cabaret routes in double-act Victor and Barry, the Perthshire-born Hollywood star sings some of his favourite songs and tells an anecdote or two.
Clockwise from top: Bliss, Jason Derulo, Alan Cumming
JASON DERULO HMV Picture House 24 August, 7.30pm After a successful career writing hits for other musicians, Derulo scored a major hit with this year’s eponymous debut album and will be generating much excitement with the R&B crowd. JAZ DHAMI Big Top, Leith Links 8 August, evening Part of the Mela, the Birminghamborn Dhami was named best male at the 2010 Brit Asia Music Awards and is putting his lessons from Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts to good use. THE DIVINE COMEDY Liquid Room 6 August, 7pm Producing literate pop with a flamboyant sparkle and an ironic undertow, Neil Hannon is in the middle of a European tour to showcase this year’s Bang Goes the Knighthood album. EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 159
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DOVES HMV Picture House 8 August, 7.30pm The mournful Mancunian popsters celebrate 10 years as lost souls, with a gig looking back over the highlights of their atmospheric career. DREVER, MCCUSKER AND WOOMBLE Queen’s Hall 29-30 August, 8pm Idlewild singer Roddy Woomble joins Orkney-born guitarist Kris Drever and seasoned fiddler John McCusker for two nights of folktinged favourites and new songs. EDINBURGH JAZZ FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA: SWINGING FOR BASIE Queen’s Hall 4 August, 8pm Joe Temperley, Brian Kellock, Dennis Rowland and an all-star cast pay tribute to Count Basie, drawing on the arrangements of Quincy Jones and Buck Clayton. EELS HMV Picture House 25 August, 7.30pm Trading on the acclaim of their eighth album, End Times, Mark Oliver Everett’s alt-rockers kick up a storm after dates in Japan and Australia. FEEDER Liquid Room 17 August, 7pm Revitalised after leaving their record label and returning to the world as Renegades – also the name of their seventh album, just released – the Welsh chart-toppers show why they are one of the country’s best live acts.
surprising to find them stepping out under their own name. The multi-instrumentalist will be playing Gomez favourites.
PICTURE: DARIO ACOSTA
DIZZEE RASCAL Corn Exchange 26 August, 7.30pm One of the highest profile names on this year’s Fringe, Mr Rascal brings his Mercury Award-winning grime sound to town. Some people think he’s bonkers, but we just think he’s free.
Eels at HMV Picturehouse, Susan Graham at Usher Hall stunning player, using his acoustic guitar for its percussive possibilities as well as its melodic power and putting on a breathtaking show of virtuosity. JON FRATELLI The Electric Circus 22 August, 7pm The hit-maker puts the Fratellis and Codeine Velvet Club behind him to strike out on his own. Early indications are he has lost none of his foot-stomping melodic gifts.
SUSAN GRAHAM Usher Hall 22 August, 8pm A favourite with EIF audiences, the mezzo soprano performs songs by American composers, as well as pieces by Mozart and Mahler. TOM GRAY The Electric Circus 16 August, 7pm There are so many singers and songwriters in Gomez, it’s not
ARLO GUTHRIE Queen’s Hall 19 August, 8pm The son of Woody Guthrie has carried on the family tradition of folk protest music, not least in his Alice’s Restaurant Massacree, a song he has been known to string out to 45 minutes. IDOMENEO Usher Hall 20 August, 7pm The 84-year-old conductor Sir Charles Mackerras demonstrates his brilliant grasp of Mozart as he leads the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. BERT JANSCH Queen’s Hall 26 & 27 August, 8pm The sometime Pentangle guitarist lists musicians from Jimmy Page to Johnny Marr among his fans.
BENNY GALLAGHER Acoustic Music Centre 22 August, 9pm Rare appearance by one half of Gallagher and Lyle, the Scottish song-writing team that came to prominence on the Beatles’Apple label and had a series of hit albums under their own name. GOL Voodoo Rooms 5 August, 10pm Edinburgh band creating a fusion of dub, jazz, funk and traditional Persian arrangements with sax and samples, congas and keyboards.
ANTONIO FORCIONE’S GREATEST (ALMOST) HITS Assembly @ Princes Street Gardens 23-29 August, 6.15pm The Fringe favourite is a simply www.edfestmag.com
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FREDDIE KING The Hub 30 July, 8.30pm The master of bebop and blues appears with Frank Perowsky, better known as Liza Minnelli’s musical director, and a ten-piece band to share his love of Nat King Cole and Billy Eckstine. KRONOS QUARTET Usher Hall 21 August, 8pm The San Francisco chamber music ensemble tackles three extraordinary pieces by Aleksandra Vrebalov, Steve Reich and George Crumb. AMY MACDONALD Corn Exchange 18 August, 7.30pm The Scottish singer-songwriter plays to the home crowd with favourites from her multi-million selling debut This is the Life. MAHLER SYMPHONY NO 8 Usher Hall 4 September, 8pm
4-30 August (not Tue), 10.25pm Fringe favourite O’Sullivan uses her stunning voice to find sultry beauty in songs such as Radiohead’s No Surprises and Bowie’s Rock’n’Roll Suicide.
Arlo Guthrie at Queen’s Hall, Meow Meow at Assembly Mahler’s epic is one of the largest symphonies ever written. Bringing it to life is the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. MEOW MEOW – FELINE INTIMATE Assembly @ Princes Street Gardens 5–29 August (not Mon), 8pm Post-modern kamikaze cabaret from the Australian star of La Clique.
MIKA HMV Picture House 23 August, 7.30pm The boy who knew too much is sure to add to Edinburgh’s summer theatricality after touring all year with his falsetto pop stage show. MODEST MOUSE HMV Picture House 29 August, 7.30pm After appearances at the Leeds and Reading festivals, the Seattle band should be on top form with their edgy powerhouse indie. MONTEZUMA King’s Theatre 14, 15, 17 August, 7.15pm Claudio Valdés Kuri, one of the hottest talents in Mexico, directs this Aztec opera composed by Carl Heinrich Graun in 1755 using a libretto by Frederick II, king of Prussia. It’s sung in Italian, just to add to the cosmopolitanism. THE NEON BIBLE PROJECT Church Hill Theatre 20, 21, 23, 25 August, times vary Only on the Fringe could you hope to come across a Canadian high school company using the Arcade Fire’s 2007 album as the basis for a dystopian fantasy musical. EL NIÑO Usher Hall 13 August, 8pm The opening concert of the Edinburgh International Festival is John Adams’ modern take on the nativity story, performed by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN – CHAMELEON Assembly Rooms
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STEVEN OSBORNE PIANO Queen’s Hall 31 August, 11am Joplin, Gershwin, Ravel and Rachmaninov get the dextrous attention of this masterful pianist who will also be treating us to one of his own breathtaking improvisations. PLAN B HMV Picture House 20 August, 7.30pm Disturbing East London tales of sex, violence and imprisonment from Benjamin Drew, who is riding high on the success of this year’s concept album, The Defamation of Strickland Banks. PROFESSOR GREEN Liquid Room 20 August, 7pm Championed by Mike Skinner and Lily Allen, Stephen Manderson brings his sharp-talking East London raps to Edinburgh with his second album, Alive Till I’m Dead, freshly in the shops. REFUGE TRIO The Lot 7 August, 6pm Progressive rock meets avantgarde jazz as the Grammynominated Theo Bleckmann throws new light on old favourites in the company of keyboardist Gary Versace and drummer John Hollenbeck. RHAPSODIES IN RED, WHITE AND BLUE Usher Hall 14 August, 7.30pm Gunther Schuller conducts the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and pianist Steven Osborne in music by Copland, Gershwin and Ives. RHYTHM, DRUM AND DANCE Venue 150 @ EICC 7-22 August, 6pm Mainstream dance show powered by a bank of drummers bashing out a specially written percussive score. Developed in Berlin with an eye on the global market. www.edfestmag.com
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Scott Mills The Radio 1 DJ confesses he hasn’t got a clue what’s occuring. Words Jay Richardson
A
fter last year’s Scott Mills The Musical, the hastilyconceived production created from suggestions and songs by Radio 1 listeners, which saw the eponymous DJ grace his own life story as David Hasselhoff, Mills has foolhardily agreed to return to the Fringe with a stand-up show. On successive nights from 16-20 August, fellow DJ Nick Grimshaw, producer ‘The One That Doesn’t Speak’, assistant producer Beccy Huxtable and Mills himself will perform an hour of entertainment while broadcasting live to the nation on Radio 1. If that wasn’t nerve-wracking enough, Mills has virtually no clue what else he can do and is humbly pleading with listeners to once again furnish him with ideas. “The more I talk about it, the more I feel a bit sick” he confesses. “I just don’t know. We’ve had a suggestion from David Mitchell, who reckoned we ought to blindfold the audience and throw different types of pâté at them, an idea I actually quite like. We’ve talked about doing the life story of Britney Spears in half an hour or simply me tasting wine, but I’m not sure that’ll really work.” Tickets for the musical were given away free to listeners, creating the mainstream exposure he feels makes the festival “a little bit less arty farty.” “I know some people will hate that and say ‘well, that’s not what it’s all about’. And there were some worries that with our young audience we couldn’t make a very good Radio 1 show. But the broadcasts we did last year were great, we got some really good people involved and gave a real flavour of what was happening in Edinburgh.” ★
The Scott Mills Show, 16-20 August, bbc.co.uk/ radio1
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Third Strike, which is out later in the year.
RHYTHMS OF THE DRUM: SOUNDS OF THE CICADA New Town Theatre 5-29 August (not 10, 24), 1.40pm Miao-wood drum dances and Dongzu love songs from the Guizhou Ethnic Arts Ensemble, celebrating the culture of the minority Dong and Miao peoples. ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA Usher Hall 30-31 August, 8pm Two programmes by the formidable Dutch orchestra conducted by Mariss Jansons. SHOOGLENIFTY The Famous Spiegeltent 11-13 & 26-27 August, 7pm Call it “acid croft”, call it “hypnofolkadelia”, call it what you like, but make sure you put on your dancing shoes as this pioneering Scottish band break down the musical barriers. SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR Assembly Hall
TAZ Big Top, Leith Links 8 August, evening The lead singer of Stereo Nation and a pioneer of British-Asian pop fusion, showcases his newly released album, Twist and Shout, at the Mela.
Plan B, Sydney Symphony Orchestra 18-30 August, 5.30pm Breathtaking gospel music from the two-time Grammy Awardwinning choir making an unexpected – and certainly very welcome – visit to the Fringe after saying last year would be their last. MERCY, MERCY, MERCY! COLIN STEELE QUINTET Jazz Bar 19-22 August, 9pm
The award-winning trumpeter, who is influenced by Scottish folk as well as jazz, is joined by saxophonist Martin Kershaw in this tribute to the music of Cannonball and Nat Adderley. STORNOWAY Liquid Room 5 August, 7pm Despite the name, they’re from Oxford, but we won’t hold that against a band that sounds this good. Recalling the euphoric sound of James, they hit a compelling folk-pop groove. SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Usher Hall 1-2 September, 7.30pm Vladimir Ashkenazy conducts Australia’s leading orchestra in two concerts featuring Elgar, Sibelius, Ravel and Strauss, as well as Australian composers such as Ross Edwards, Peter Sculthorpe and Matthew Hindson.
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TREASURES AND TRADITIONS AT GREYFRIARS Greyfriars Kirk 16-20, 23-24 August, 5.45pm From as early as the 15th century, European composers took inspiration from South America. Early-music specialists including the Tallis Scholars and the Sixteen reveal the cultural collisions. FRED WESLEY AND THE NEW JBS Assembly @ Princes Street Gardens 31 July, 9pm With a track record that ranges from helping define the sound of James Brown to playing with Ike and Tina Turner and the Count Basie Orchestra, Wesley knows everything there is to know about funk. Discover why this veteran is so respected by his peers. WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS Liquid Room 21 August, 7pm With the best name ever, the Glasgow-based, Edinburghformed four piece have been steadily picking up a loyal following, not least through touring with Frightened Rabbit in the USA.
THE TIGER LILLIES – LIVE IN CONCERT Pleasance Courtyard 4-21 August (not 11), 9.45pm Outrageous, scatological and a lot of fun, the Tiger Lillies always find a ready Fringe welcome for their singular lowlife, late-night cabaret and gypsy-influenced tunes.
ANDY WHITE Acoustic Music Centre 13 August, 9pm The much-loved Belfast singersongwriter will be playing from his most recent album, appropriately titled Songwriter, and a back catalogue that stretches to the mid-1980s.
TINCHY STRYDER HMV Picture House 13 August, 7.30pm Another helping of East London grime from possibly the only man to go straight to number one with a song called Number One. look out for his third album,
LLYR WILLIAMS PIANO Queen’s Hall 28 August, 11am The pianist performs Charles Ives’ Concord Sonata, in honour of the EIF’s New World theme, as well as work by Beethoven where Ives found his inspiration. www.edfestmag.com
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Andrew Collins The charming and erudite 6music DJ and one half of the Collings and Herrin Podcast will be doing some Secret Dancing at Bannermans.
PICTURE: PAUL BAILEY
★ 7-21 Aug, 12.30pm
Robin Ince The evangelist of the free show returns with not one but two giveaway gigs at Canon’s Gait. ★ Carl Sagan, 7-18 Aug, 12.10pm ★ Asks Why? 7-18 Aug, 7.15pm
★★★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★★★★★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★
Free Fringe
e fun, Don’t miss out on all th Words Caroline Whitham some shows are free! Berlin for Beginners Life isn’t easy for a 21-year-old wannabe model, especially in a city like Berlin. ★ Jeckyll & Hyde, 12-21 Aug, 0.10am
Hairy Pretty Things If you like your men hirsute and musical this is the show for you. Catch a bonus glimpse of Luke Meredith’s enormous organ. ★ Fingers Piano Bar, 7-27 Aug (10, 17, 24), 3.10pm
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Book yourself a seat to see some of today’s most exciting authors talking about their work. Mark Fisher browses the bestsellers.
TARIQ ALI 25 August, 4.30pm A chance for the forthright author to reflect on 20 years of work as he comes to the end of his Islam Quintet with the publication of Night of the Golden Butterfly. MARTIN BELL 18 August, 6.30pm The ex-BBC man reinvented himself as the voice of honesty in politics, putting him in prime position to reflect on the expenses scandal. FATIMA BHUTTO 15 August, 3pm A woman who knows only too well the perils of political life talks about the experience of having several close family members assassinated in the course of Pakistan's turbulent struggles for power. ANTHONY BOURDAIN 28 August, 9.30pm The success of Kitchen Confidential wasn't all good for the American chef and, in Medium Raw, he reveals the dark side of celebrity, warts and all. HEATHER BROOKE 21 August, 12pm Without Brooke, the expenses scandal would never have broken. Here the campaigning journalist talks about parliamentary transparency and her years of frustration trying to get straight answers. ALISTAIR DARLING 17 August, 6.30pm The last chancellor of the exchequer gives a first-hand insight into three crucial years at 11 Downing Street, in one of his first public appearances since returning to life as a backbencher. LOUIS DE BERNIERES 16 August, 3pm The Captain Corelli's Mandolin will no doubt charm the audience once more with his latest set of tales, reflecting on his Surrey childhood. www.edfestmag.com
Veteran authors Fay Weldon and Tariq Ali RODDY DOYLE 26 August, 11.30am Lots to talk about as the Bookerwinning author considers more 20th century Irish history in The Dead Republic and presents the short story he has written for the Book Festival's Elsewhere project. GAVIN ESLER 19 August, 1.30pm The Newsnight co-presenter knows all about real-life politics, which gives him a distinctive perspective in his second career as a writer of political thrillers. MICHEL FABER 15 August, 6pm One of the authors commissioned by the Book Festival to produce a story about the idea of elsewhere talks about why he chose to write about a woman who says she’s been abducted by aliens. FREDERICK FORSYTH 30 August, 4.30pm The highly popular thriller writer has produced another pageturner in the form of The Cobra, about cocaine cartels. NORMAN FOSTER & DEYAN SUDJIC 18 August, 1.30pm Time for some heavyweight architecture discussion as Foster, the designer of the new Wembley Stadium and Beijing airport, talks to Sudjic, the leading critic who has written a book about him. EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 167
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ANTONIA FRASER IN CONVERSATION WITH IAN RANKIN 30 August, 3pm The late Harold Pinter was himself a big draw in the Book Festival. Here, his widow looks back at their relationship with family friend and Rebus author, Ian Rankin. AC GRAYLING 21 August, 4.30pm The leading philosopher looks back to Plato and Aristotle as he considers the fundamental question of freedom of speech and the knotty problems it throws up. JOANNE HARRIS 27 August, 11.30am The Chocolat author has captured the mood of the times with her latest thriller, Blue Eyed Boy, about a man who reinvents himself on the internet. SEAMUS HEANEY 24 August, 6.30pm One of the Book Festival's hottest tickets, the great Irish poet reads from his latest work, Human Chain. FERGAL KEANE 14 August, 12pm The BBC war correspondent uses his first-hand experience to make sense of the 1944 battle in which British and Indian troops came face to face with a ferocious Imperial Japanese Army. SHAPPI KHORSANDI 22 August, 12pm The stand-up comedian explains what it was like growing up in London after her family escaped Iran in fear of their lives. HANIF KUREISHI 24 August, 11.30am The writer of My Beautiful Laundrette and The Buddha of Suburbia talks about his sometimes controversial short story collection. ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH IN CONVERSATION WITH ANDREW SACHS 24 August, 8pm The much loved Edinburgh author is making a number of appearances in the Book Festival, but this one promises to be the www.edfestmag.com
ZADIE SMITH 17 August, 3pm The White Teeth author focuses not on her own fiction but on the work of other writers, inspired by her collection of essays, Changing My Mind.
Young pretenders Shappi Khorsadi and Zadie Smith liveliest as he is joined by actor Andrew Sachs . CANDIA MCWILLIAM 19 August, 8.30pm The leading author comes with a remarkable story. Not only has her sight returned after a period of blindness, but so too has her creative muse after she was stumped by writer's block.
the right, as the author of His Dark Materials goes head to head with Richard Harries, the former bishop of Oxford, in a discussion about who Jesus really was. VIDAL SASSOON 27 August, 6.30pm You might go in search of haircare tips, but you will leave illuminated by a life story of East London poverty and fighting for a fledgling Israel.
POLLY TOYNBEE AND DAVID WALKER 29 August, 3pm As the country adjusts to a new political order, the leading commentators reflect on the Blair-Brown years and the rise and fall of New Labour. FAY WELDON 16 August, 1.30pm The prolific novelist talks about her latest work, Kehua!, an amusing look at life in suburban London. JEANETTE WINTERSON 16 August, 11.30am The author reflects on the significance of her groundbreaking novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit.
HILARY MANTEL 23 August, 11.30am Wolf Hall is a doorstopper of a book and required extensive historical research. Hear the best-selling Booker prize-winner explains how she got the measure of Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell. DAVID MITCHELL 22 August, 11.30am No, not the Peep Show comedian, but the brilliant author of Cloud Atlas, who is gathering acclaim for his latest novel, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. JOYCE CAROL OATES 29 August, 11.30am With a back catalogue exceeding 50 novels, the brilliant American author has another two to talk about, this time concentrating on the idea of young people and sexuality. DBC PIERRE 22 August, 8pm The author of Vernon God Little considers the fate of a generation hooked on hedonism in his third novel, Lights Out in Wonderland. PHILIP PULLMAN 14 August, 11.30am Atheists to the left, believers to EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 169
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Brilliant, bold and wildly creative – theatre in Edinburgh has never been more exciting or accessible, says Mark Fisher.
APPLES The Traverse @ St Stephens 11-28 August (not 16, 23), 4pm Telling the story of Adam and Eve re-imagined in the world of 21st century teenagers, this adaptation of Richard Milward’s debut novel is staged by Newcastle’s Northern Stage and Company of Angels. THE AUTHOR Traverse Theatre 6-29 August, times vary Acclaimed in London, Tim Crouch’s provocative play puts the audience centre stage and asks us whether it is acceptable to allow violence to flourish in the name of art. BEAUTIFUL BURNOUT Pleasance 4-29 August (not Mon), 7.30pm The National Theatre of Scotland captures the excitement of the boxing ring in a new play by Bryony Lavery performed in conjunction with physical theatre specialists Frantic Assembly. BETTE/CAVETTE Zoo Roxy 6-30 August (not 18), 3.05pm Thanks to the Made in Scotland fund, Grant Smeaton brings back his audacious and acclaimed recreation of a legendary television interview between Bette Davis and chatshow host Dick Cavette. BELT UP C Soco 4-30 August, times vary Turn up at C Soco at lunchtime and stay all day as the adventurous Belt Up company presents back-to-back theatre ranging from Antigone to Quasimodo, in immersive and up-front style. BLACKOUT Underbelly 5-29 August, 2.55pm Davey Anderson created the music for the National Theatre of Scotland’s Black Watch and Peter www.edfestmag.com
Pan. He is also a talented playwright in his own right and 2008’s Blackout is his tough look at a Glaswegian young offender. BUSTING OUT! Assembly Rooms 5-29 August (not 16), 6.50pm A broad and bountiful celebration of the female body, Busting Out arrives heaped with praise from Australia and aims to pass on its empowering message through music, sketches and a little nudity. CARGO Leith Links 6-8, 11-15, 17-22 August, 9.15pm Appearing first in the Edinburgh Mela then continuing in the Fringe, Iron Oxide presents a large-scale piece of outdoor theatre that considers the lot of the migrant as two travellers try to find a home for themselves.
Clockwise from top: Busting Out!, Cirque de Legume, Apples
CARNIVAL OF SOULS Cameo Cinema 6-11 August, 10.30pm Not for the faint of heart, Sample Theatre’s immersive production aims to create a spooky evening of multimedia horror inspired by the cult cinema classic about a woman who survives a terrible accident and finds herself in a deserted carnival. CIRQUE DE LEGUME Gilded Balloon 4-30 August (not 16), 2.30pm Rarely will you have as much fun with a vegetable as when Ireland’s Cirque de Legume combines clowning and carrots, laughter and leeks. When their mothers told them not to play with their food, they didn’t listen. THE DAY THE SKY TURNED BLACK C Soco 4-30 August (not 16), 5.30pm The day in particular was early last year when Australia’s outback was engulfed in fire storms. Ali Kennedy-Scott relives the trauma with real-life stories of survival. EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 171
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DECKY DOES A BRONCO Scotland Yard Playground 5-21 August (not 9), 7.30pm Revived by Grid Iron for a tenth anniversary run round the playgrounds of the UK, Douglas Maxwell’s adolescent drama takes place on the swings of Scotland Yard. DICIEMBRE Royal Lyceum Theatre 2-4 September, 8pm From Chile, Teatro en el Blanco imagines a near future where South American neighbours are engaged in a territorial war and a soldier home on leave is torn between his twin sisters, one a pacifist, the other a patriot. EN ROUTE Traverse Theatre 7-29 August, times vary A hit in Australia for the company One Step at a Time Like This, En Route sends you out into the streets equipped with an iPod and a mobile phone to enjoy the choreography of the city. FLESH AND BLOOD AND FISH AND FOWL Traverse @ St Stephen’s 4-28 August (not Mon), 7pm From the company that scored a hit in this venue with All Wear Bowlers, this atmospheric piece of physical comedy is about office politics and the apocalypse. FREEFALL Traverse Theatre 8-29 August, times vary A hit at last year’s Dublin Theatre Festival, Michael West’s play is about a man trying to make sense of his life as it flashes before his eyes after a sudden shock. THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW DRESS Traverse Theatre 6-29 August, times vary South African playwright Craig Higginson considers the politics and sensibilities of his country by way of a story set in Paris, where a relationship develops between an English teacher and her FrenchCongolese pupil. GOSPEL AT COLONUS Playhouse Theatre 21-23 August, times vary Mabou Mines has enjoyed www.edfestmag.com
IT’S ALWAYS RIGHT NOW, UNTIL IT’S LATER Traverse Theatre 11-29 August, 10am A brilliant stand-up and also a sublime storyteller, Daniel Kitson grabs an early-morning time slot for a one-man show about the everyday wonder in the simplest of things.
Decky Does a Bronco, Flesh and Blood and Fish and Fowl success in Edinburgh with DollHouse and Peter and Wendy. Now the American company returns to the International Festival with its oldest show, an extravagant gospel reworking of an Ancient Greek tragedy. HI, HOW CAN I HELP YOU? Laughing Horse @ Café Renroc 6-29 August (not Wed), 9.15pm Up-and-coming New York actor Scout Durwood – whose eclectic CV includes a Miss America title – performs a one-woman musical set in a “house of domination” at the time of the last presidential election.
between four young people in a nightclub. IMPERIAL FIZZ Assembly Rooms 5-30 August (not 17, 24), 3.40pm Writer Brian Parks and actor Dave Calvitto are frequent visitors to the Fringe and caused a stir with last year’s meta-theatrical The Event. This surreal comedy also stars Olivier nominated Issy van Randwyck.
JACOBITE COUNTRY Udderbelly 5-30 August (not 16), 3.50pm Dogstar, which is also reviving the award-winning Tailor of Inverness on the Fringe, premieres this Highland comedy by Henry Adam, author of the hilarious The People Next Door. JULIEN COTTEREAU: IMAGINE-TOI Assembly @ Princes Street Gardens 5-29 August (not Mon), 4.15pm Part of the day-long package of family entertainment under canvas on the site of the Ross Bandstand, Cottereau turns his
HOMO ASBO Gilded Balloon 4-30 August, 5.45pm Comic play by Richard Fry in which a local tough guy decides to change his ways and get his head around the gay lifestyle. Poetic comedy by the acclaimed creator of Bully. HONEST Assembly Rooms 4-30 August, times vary In DC Moore’s black comedy, Dave is a man with an unpleasant habit of telling the truth, even if it means upsetting his niece or falling out with his boss. On a dark night of the soul, he discovers the truth about himself. HOT MESS Hawke and Hunter 6-30 August (not 28), 6pm Ella Hickson has been attracting attention since Eight, a collection of short plays, won the Carol Tambor Award and transferred to New York. Hot Mess is an exploration of sexual politics EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 173
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Cirque du Soleil experience into an afternoon of feelgood clowning.
repeatedly dazzled with its magical and inventive stagecraft. The company’s new show is a black comedy about a community that discovers a frozen body.
KAFKA AND SON Bedlam 6-28 August (not 16, 17), 5.30pm Acclaimed on its recent tour of Canada, this one-man play is a bleakly funny examination of Franz Kafka’s fraught relationship with his overbearing father. LA LOCANDIERA Assembly @ Vittoria Restaurant 4-30 August (not 16, 23), 8.30pm Kill two birds with one stone by getting a fine Italian meal at the same time as enjoying Goldoni’s classic comedy. Much acclaimed at a similar restaurant in Dublin. LITTLE BLACK B**STARD Gilded Balloon 4-30 August (not 16, 23), 12pm The venerable Noel Tovey is Australia’s most distinguished indigenous performer, with a career that spans an appearance in the London premiere of Oh! Calcutta! and helping organise the welcoming ceremony of the 2000 Olympics. This is his story. LOCKERBIE: UNFINISHED BUSINESS Gilded Balloon 4-30 August (not 18), 2.30pm Fringe regular David Benson shows his serious side as he tells the true-life story of father Jim Swire who lost his daughter in Britain’s worst terrorist atrocity and has been campaigning to find out the truth ever since. THE LONESOME FOXTROT New Town Theatre 5-29 August (not 17), 8.30pm A Russia/UK collaboration, this is an adaptation of a story by Andrey Platonov in which a young engineer goes in search of utopia while his wife tries to get him back. LOVELACE – A ROCK MUSICAL Udderbelly’s Pasture 5-30 August (not 17), 10.35pm Not one for the Cats crowd, this rock musical is about notorious porn star Linda Lovelace, who went from star of Deep Throat to feminist campaigner. Co-written by Charlotte Caffey of the Go-Gos. www.edfestmag.com
PEDAL PUSHER Zoo Roxy 6-30 August (not 15, 22), 4pm The battle to win the Tour de France is recreated physicaltheatre style in a much admired production that draws on the real life stories of Lance Armstrong, Marco Pantani and Jan Ullrich. Kafka and Son at Bedlam, La Locandiera at Assembly THE MAN WHO WAS HAMLET Hill Street 5-30 August (not Tue), 7.10pm It’s a mystery why people persist in the daft conspiracy theory that Shakespeare was not the author of his own plays. George Dillon, however, is a powerful performer, so could appeal to more than just Oxfordian cranks. MEMORY CELLS Pleasance Dome 4-30 August (not 17, 24), 5.20pm This chilling play by thriller writer Louise Welsh is being revived in a new production by Fringe Firstwinning director Hannah Eidinow after a first airing in Glasgow last year. It’s about a man who abducts a woman believing he is protecting her.
Scottish audiences with his teen comedies The Wall and The Duckie. Now he teams up with England’s Bush, Sheffield Theatres and Birmingham Rep for a play about a couple who can’t get over their childhood loves.
PENELOPE Traverse Theatre 8-29 August, times vary Enda Walsh, the celebrated author of The Walworth Farce and The New Electric Ballroom, teams up again with Galway’s Druid Theatre Company.
THE NOT SO FATAL DEATH OF GRANDPA FREDO Traverse Theatre 8-29 August, times vary Glasgow’s Vox Motus has
POLAND 3, IRAN 2 Pleasance @ Thistle Street Bar 4-28 August (not 9, 10, 16, 23), 5pm Even the keenest British football
MORE LIGHT PLEASE New Town Theatre 5-29 August (not 10, 17, 24), 2.45pm With music by the Tiger Lillies, this one-woman show from Poland is based on the experiences of actor and co-writer Natalia Kostrzewa as she tried to establish a new life. MY HAMLET Assembly Rooms 5-29 August (not 14, 24), 5.20pm Linda Marlowe joins forces with Tbilisi puppet company Fingers Theatre to give a miniature version of Shakespeare’s great tragedy as imagined by a cleaner, picking up the pieces after a show. MY ROMANTIC HISTORY Traverse Theatre 6-29 August, times vary DC Jackson has delighted EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 175
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fan will be hard pressed to recall the 1976 clash between Poland and Iran, but for the Iranian and Pole who meet in this two-hander (performed in a working bar), it means everything. PRIMADOONA Gilded Balloon 4-30 August (not Tue), 5.30pm Best known as one of the Smack the Pony comedy team, Doon MacKichan goes into serious autobiographical territory as she tells the story of her son’s battle with childhood cancer. ROADKILL Traverse Theatre 11-29 August, times vary Cora Bissett, the star of last year’s Midsummer, turns director for this hard-hitting look at people trafficking and prostitution. It is performed in a secret location which the audience is driven to. SONGS OF ASCENSION Royal Lyceum Theatre 28-30 August, 8pm The Edinburgh International Festival has filed Meredith Monk’s performance under theatre, but such is its adventurous collage of music, video and movement, it is a show that defies easy categorisation. SPEECHLESS Traverse Theatre 6-29 August, times vary Shared Experience and Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre join forces to retell the remarkable story of June and Jennifer Gibbons, aka the silent twins, who developed their own private language and refused to speak to adults. SUB ROSA Hill Street Theatre 5-30 August, times vary David Leddy triumphed with the first outing of Sub Rosa in which small groups ventured into the hidden corners of Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre for a gruesome Gothic tale of backstage murder. It will be fascinating to see how well the show adapts to Hill Street. THE SUN ALSO RISES Royal Lyceum Theatre 14-17 August, 7.30pm From New York, Elevator Repair www.edfestmag.com
is directed by Zinnie Harris, no mean playwright herself. The theme of the piece is truth and lies.
Primadoona, The Man Who Was Hamlet Service is an experimental company that has developed a taste for novel adaptations of novels. This version of Ernest Hemingway’s debut chops out the description and leaves only the dialogue. SUNSET SONG Assembly Rooms 5-30 August (not Tue), 11.40am First of two major productions originally seen at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen and directed by Kenny Ireland. Following on from this absorbing adaptation of the Lewis Grassic Gibbon classic is a staging of Neil Gunn’s The Silver Darlings at 2.30pm.
being knocked into shape by a charismatic gym instructor, played by nurse-turned-modelturned-actor Abi Titmuss. WHILE YOU LIE Traverse Theatre 6-29 August, times vary The Traverse’s only in-house production is by the up-andcoming Sam Holcroft, who made a splash with Cockroach for the National Theatre of Scotland, and
WONDERLAND Assembly Rooms 5-29 August (not 17), 1.45pm This comedy musical is written by Gyles Brandreth (who appears in his own chat show elsewhere in town) and stars British film veteran Michael Maloney. The show explores the fascinating relationship between Lewis Carroll and actress Isa Bowman. VIEUX CARRÉ Royal Lyceum Theatre 21-24 August, 7.30pm The Wooster Group, New York’s pioneering avant garde theatre troupe, makes its mark at the International Festival and turns its attentions to a little-known Tennessee Williams play and, naturally, juxtaposes it with experimental cinema from the 1970s.
SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE C Too 5-30 August (not 17), times vary Direct from the streets of New York, this “iPod noir” is a thriller performed in the closes of the Old Town with the audience setting off at hourly intervals with iPod in hand. 2010: A SPACE ODDITY The Zoo 6-30 August (selected days), 12.30pm Every space movie you have ever seen – from Alien to War of the Worlds – recreated by the brilliant mime team of Company Gavin Robertson with wit and physical skill. UP ‘N’ UNDER Assembly Rooms 5-30 August (not 16), 5.25pm Fringe favourite Hull Truck performs a 25th anniversary lap of honour with John Godber directing his own comedy about a low-scoring rugby team EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 177
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Step it up at one of the dazzling dance performances around the city this month. Kelly Apter leads you through the options.
ALONZO KING LINES BALLET Festival Theatre 26-29 August, 8pm Blending classical ballet training with contemporary dance moves, San Franciscan choreographer Alonzo King brings two works to the International Festival. Dust & Light is set to Baroque music, while Rasa features live tabla playing from Grammy Awardwinner Zakir Hussain. BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS Zoo Roxy 13-21 August (not 17), 1pm One of the most interesting dance companies in Britain, balletLORENT presents this well-observed dance piece about a young couple adjusting to life with a young baby.
CAPE DANCE COMPANY Zoo Roxy 15-29 August, 2.30pm Drawn from the cream of the Cape Academy of Performing Arts, the company has more than proved its mettle at previous Fringes. Expect diverse choreography, neo-classical dance and lots of youthful energy. FLAWLESS – CHASE THE DREAM Udderbelly’s Pasture 5-29 August (not 16), 3.45pm Streetdance group Flawless shot to fame in the 2009 series of Britain’s Got Talent, with their sharp suits and even sharper moves. In their first ever fulllength show, these talented guys will prove there’s more to them than a 5 minute routine.
GRUPO CORPO Festival Theatre 20-23 August, 8pm A double-bill of crowd-pleasing dance from this entertaining Brazilian company. Mixing contemporary dance with the infectious rhythms of their native land, Grupo Corpo may well prove to be a highlight of this year’s International Festival. HARLEKIN Pleasance Courtyard 4-29 August (not 9, 16 & 23), 1pm Multi award-winners Derevo return to the Fringe with their inimitable blend of dance and physical theatre. New work, Harlekin (Harlequin) is filled with mime, butoh, ballet, bizarre costumes and a good deal of eccentricity. INSIDE Zoo Roxy 6-4 August, 6.25pm Brazilian born, London-based choreographer Jean Abreu uses dance theatre to explore the intensity of prison life. Featuring five male dancers and live music from instrumental guitar group 65daysofstatic. LA LUTTE Zoo Roxy 15-30 August (not 23), 7pm Led by Belgian choreographer Filip Van Huffel, Retina Dance Company present La Lutte (‘The Wrestle’), an athletic duet set in a fighting arena, in which two men struggle to communicate. MARTIN CREED – BALLET WORK NO. 1020 Traverse Theatre 3, 7-15 August, times vary Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed turns his attention to the world of ballet for this humorous and intricate work for five dancers and a live band – with Creed himself on guitar. MAU Edinburgh Playhouse 14-15 August, 8pm (Tempest: Without a Body); 17 August, 8pm & 18 August, 2.30pm
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(Birds with Sky Mirrors) Two thought-provoking works by New Zealand-based Samoan choreographer Lemi Ponifasio and his company, MAU. Tempest explores political freedom, while Birds with Sky Mirrors is inspired by environmental issues.
RHYTHM DRUM & DANCE EICC 7-22 August, 6pm All the way from Europe’s edgiest city, Berlin, comes a new show combining virtuoso drumming and acrobatic dance.
MY NAME IS MARGARET MORRIS Dance Base 11-22 August (not 16), times vary One of the movers and shakers in Scottish dance for many years, and wife of famous painter, J.D. Fergusson, Morris’ fascinating life story is told through movement and words.
RHYTHMS WITH SOUL New Town Theatre 5-29 August (not 17), 3.50pm Miguel Vargas Flamenco Dance Theatre takes us on a journey from Spain to South America and back, charting the origins of flamenco in a blaze of vibrant and innovative music, song and dance.
NOT WHAT I HAD IN MIND Dance Base 11-22 August (not 16), times vary Experimental choreographer Robin Dingemans, presents the findings of his in-depth research project, in which 28 different people talked about the ideas, images and moments that mattered to them.
ROAM Zoo Southside 6-30 August (not 12, 13, 17 & 24), 4.20pm Known for creating atmospheric contemporary dance, choreographer Tom Dale returns to the Fringe with this dynamic work, looking at our instinctive need to explore.
SCOTTISH DANCE THEATRE Zoo Southside 7-22 August (not 10 & 17), 7pm Two very different, and equally watchable, programmes from Scotland’s national contemporary dance company, performed on alternate days. NQR takes integrated dance to a whole new level, while The Life and Times of Girl A is both witty and moving. TAP OLÉ C Plaza 5-30 August (not 17) The Fred and Ginger of the flamenco dance world burst onto the stage in a flurry of percussive dance, backed by virtuoso guitar playing. A WEE HOME FROM HOME Acoustic Music Centre @ St Brides 10-22 August (not 16), 5.20pm With music from Michael Marra and choreography by Frank McConnell, this powerful piece of dance theatre follows one man’s return to Glasgow.
120 BIRDS Dance Base 11-21 August (not 16), times vary Blending real archive footage and fiction, choreographer Liz Lea takes us back to the international dance tours of the 1920s, when global ballet stars such as Anna Pavlova trod the boards. PACO PEÑA FLAMENCO DANCE COMPANY Edinburgh Playhouse 2-4 September, 8pm Inspired by the struggle of African immigrants living in Spain, Paco Peña has created a brand new work specially for the International Festival. Entitled Quimeras (Chimeras), the show fuses flamenco dance with African rhythms.
From flamenco to Flawless, there are dance shows to suit every taste
www.edfestmag.com
PINA BAUSCH’S TANZTHEATER WUPPERTAL Edinburgh Playhouse 27-29 August, 7.30pm After Bausch’s untimely death last year, the company soldiers on without her, presenting Água, a cocktail of music, images and dance inspired by the late choreographer’s time in Brazil. EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 179
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If laughter is the best medicine, write yourself up a repeat prescription with some of the funniest acts around the city this month. Jay Richardson will see you now.
ALEX HORNE: ODDS Pleasance Courtyard 4-30 August (not 16), 8.30pm Currently striving to become the oldest man in the world, the We Need Answers tech geek talks all manner of numbers in his latest high concept show. At the Pleasance Dome, he’ll also be orchestrating musicians and comedians in The Horne Section. ALUN COCHRANE: JOKES. LIFE. AND JOKES ABOUT LIFE The Stand Comedy Club III 6-29 August, 9.15pm The droll, Scots-born Yorkshireman and former Perrier Best Newcomer nominee shares his latest musings and frustrations. He can’t abide the kinky. Arj Barker at Assembly, Alun Cochrane at The Stand ANDREW LAWRENCE: THE TOO UGLY FOR TELEVISION TOUR 2010 Pleasance Courtyard 4-29 August (not 16), 9.20pm Let’s hope an impressionable commissioning editor takes the show title as a dare and gives the “rapist-eyed” double Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee his own TV vehicle shortly. ANDREW O’NEILL Downstairs at the Tron 16-26 August, 10.20pm A cult act with a growing following, this vegan, anarchist, musician and Jack the Ripper tour guide is also an accomplished, thoughtful and consistently dark comic. His steampunk band The Men that Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing perform at the same venue on August 16 and 17. ARJ BARKER – LET ME DO THE TALKING Assembly @ George Street 5-29 August (not 16), 9.20pm After a decade away, the Flight of the Conchords co-star returns to the Fringe with a compelling mix of new and classic material. Expect aggressively blinkered conspiracy theories and hard-hitting slamming of pirates. www.edfestmag.com
BO BURNHAM: WORDS, WORDS, WORDS Pleasance Dome 4-29 August (not 16), 9.35pm The teenage wunderkind of American musical comedy makes his Fringe debut with a series of songs, beat poetry and porn rendered in Shakespearean verse. Currently writing an “anti-High School Musical” with Superbad and Funny People director Judd Apatow; catch this precociously talented act while you can. BRENDON BURNS: Y’KNOW – LOVE ‘N’ GOD ‘N’ METAPHYSICS ‘N’ SHIT Udderbelly’s Pasture 5-29 August (not 17), 9.55pm As provocative as ever, the Australian former if.comedy award winner takes aim at the prevailing spirit of atheism in stand-up, while confessing to his own sexual failures. He’ll also be launching his memoir, Fear & Hat Loss in Las Vegas. CARL DONNELLY: HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE CARL DONNELLY? Underbelly 5-29 August (not 16), 8.55pm Last year’s Edinburgh Comedy Award best newcomer nominee EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 181
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muses on his freshly acquired semi-fame, no longer totally anonymous, but still more likely to be mistaken for Sean Penn’s character in Carlito’s Way.
a show that’s been garnering rave reviews. For sheer wit and kooky innovation over 30 years and more, there’s no one to touch this one-liner maestro.
CELIA PACQUOLA – FLYING SOLOS Gilded Balloon Teviot 4-30 August (not 17), 6pm The candid young Aussie follows last year’s disarmingly honest hour about her partner’s infidelity with a show about taking risks. Owning up to further humiliations, she’s also set herself a challenge of learning the piano solo from the Pointer Sisters’ I’m So Excited.
FRISKY AND MANNISH: THE COLLEGE YEARS Underbelly 5-29 August (not 17), 9pm One of the most popular, breakout hits of last year’s festival, the twisted cabaret duo are back with more brilliant mash-ups, inventive juxtapositions of genres and bitchy asides to get your feet tapping and set your heart racing. They’ll also be reprising their School of Pop show for one night only at the Underbelly on August 12.
CHRIS ADDISON Assembly @ George Street 16-30 August, 8.25pm Eschewing the big, awardnominated themes of yesteryear, The Thick Of It star is easing himself back into stand-up with more personal but eloquent material that’s as witty as ever. DAVE HILL: BIG IN JAPAN Pleasance Courtyard 4-29 August (not 16), 8.15pm Cult, shambolic US act Hill makes his Fringe debut with the true story of Valley Lodge, his rock band who are so big in Japan, they’re idolised “pretty much like Princess Diana or something”. He’ll also be hosting his own variety night chatshow, The Dave Hill Explosion, on select nights at the Pleasance Courtyard from 11pm. DAVID O’DOHERTY: SOMEWHERE OVER THE DAVID O’DOHERTY Pleasance Courtyard 4-30 August (not 16), 10.20pm Ireland’s foremost purveyor of gentle whimsy on a child’s keyboard explains the pitfalls of travelling with such an instrument on a train’s Quiet Coach, and showcases new songs, including Ladies, When Are You Going to Realise (I'm Awesome)?
Carl Donnelly at Underbelly, Celia Pacquola at Gilded Balloon model and actor who narrowly missed out on playing 007 in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. EDWARD ACZEL: EVER TRIED. EVER FAILED. NO MATTER. TRY AGAIN. FAIL AGAIN. FAIL BETTER. Underbelly 6-29 August, 7.35pm Brand new, though probably not appreciably different show from the shuffling anti-comic with no jokes and little stagecraft, just plenty of time to outline his thoughts on ambition, politics and why he’d prefer to be a rock star. Funny, if you enjoy witnessing a crowd’s tolerance pushed beyond all reasonable limits.
Fringe offering last year. The charismatic storyteller returns with a desperate attempt to make the sleepy market towns of Great Britain sound interesting. EMO PHILLIPS: PLEASE WITNESS MY ACT Pleasance Courtyard 5-29 August (not 9,16), 8pm Nine years on from his previous appearance at the Fringe, one of America’s true greats is back with
GARY DELANEY: PURIST Pleasance Courtyard 5-29 August (not 16), 8.30pm Nothing but one-liners with a dark edge from this circuit stalwart making his long overdue Fringe debut, showcasing some of the more brutal gags in his repertoire.
ELIS JAMES – DAYTRIPPER Downstairs at the Tron 5-29 August (not 19), 7.40pm Earning comparisons to countryman Rhod Gilbert for his everyday tales hi-jacked by the surreal, bilingual Welsh comic Elis James impressed with his first
DES BISHOP – MY DAD WAS NEARLY JAMES BOND Assembly @ George Street 5-29 August (not 16, 23), 8.05pm A thoughtful, emotionally naked but very funny show from the Irish-American about his relationship with his father, a www.edfestmag.com
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GEORGE RYEGOLD: THE ORDEAL OF DR RYEGOLD Pleasance Dome 4-30 August (not 16), 10pm Recently suspended from the medical register, the not so good doctor returns with more gruesome tales leavened by his wonderful turn of phrase, the most horrific ailments rendered delightful in his deliciously disgusting descriptions. Now with added sense of grievance. GREG DAVIES: FIRING CHEESEBALLS AT A DOG Pleasance Courtyard 4-29 August (not 16), 9.45pm A solo show from the hulking We Are Klang and Inbetweeners star, Davies paints surreal images of himself wandering around Bangkok as a giant, plumbing his own fat, middle-aged despair and delighting in the strange behaviour of his father. HANS TEEUWEN: SMOOTH AND PAINFUL Pleasance Courtyard 4-29 August (not 11, 18, 25), 10.30pm Performing a whole run at the Fringe will be a physical and mental challenge for the supremely talented Dutch master, so committed is he to obdurate weirdness, endless reinvention and physical silliness. HANNAH GADSBY – THE CLIFF YOUNG SHUFFLE Assembly @ George Street 5-29 August (not 23), 8.30pm Taking its name from a 64-yearold potato farmer whose slowand-steady approach allowed him to win a race between Melbourne and Sydney, this new show from compelling Kiwi storyteller
quarters to look down upon the stand-ups who recount the stupid little things we all do, it takes an especially keen eye, such as that belonging to Australia-based Northern Irishman Jimeoin, to stand out as an observational comic.
Frisky and Mannish at Underbelly, Hans Teeuwen at Pleasance Gadsby lightheartedly recounts how, for no fathomable reason, the overweight comic walked coast-to-coast across England. IDIOTS OF ANTS: THE RED BUTTON Pleasance Courtyard 4-30 August (not 16, 23), 8.25pm First-rate performances bring the best out of this prankish quartet’s imaginative scripts. Last year’s Edinburgh Comedy Award nominees present sketchy insights into a Shakespearean play, uncover the origins of the song Two World Wars And One World Cup and unveil a skit in German.
rollercoaster, with the conclusion scheduled for next year’s festival, Cook assesses his life up to now. Prompted by a heart attack scare, he outlines his list of things preoccupying him, specifically the people he’d like to kill. JIMEOIN – SOMETHING SMELLS FUNNY Udderbelly’s Pasture 5-30 August (not 15), 8.20pm Despite a tendency in some
JIM JEFFRIES: ALCOHOLOCAUST Udderbelly’s Pasture 4-30 August (not 16), 8.20pm, except August 27, 11.20pm Now living and thriving in the US, the graphically outspoken Australian, former social worker and opera singer returns to these shores with more drinking tales and politically incorrect insights. JOHN HEGLEY – MORNING WORSHIP Pleasance Courtyard 12-29 August, 11.30am An early morning outing for the always delightful, dog and spectacle-obsessed John Hegley. This show presents poems from his Anglo-French work The
JANEY GODLEY – THE GODLEY HOUR Pleasance Dome 4 -30 August 30 (not 16), 7pm Performing all over the world, this redoubtable raconteur is as happy chatting to George Clooney and Woody Allen as she is the endless succession of junkies, waifs and strays she encounters on her travels. JASON BYRNE 2010 Assembly @ Assembly Hall 5-30 August (not 23), 9pm; plus 20 & 21 August, midnight The Fringe’s record selling comic has a new prop this year, giant foam hands with microphones that’ll make latecomers an even bigger part of the crazed Irishman’s show. JASON COOK: THE END (PART 1) The Stand Comedy Club III 4-29 August (not 16), various times Part one of the affable Geordie comic’s latest emotional
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Adventures of Monsieur Robinet, channelling the Bard of Bedfordshire’s fraught relationship with his French father and encouraging audience participation. JOHN-LUKE ROBERTS DISTRACTS YOU FROM A MURDER Pleasance Courtyard 4-30 August (not 16), 8.10pm One of the country’s most promising young writers, Roberts puns his way through a series of expertly crafted one-liners, insulting the audience as he goes, all the while distracting you from the sickening deed he’s committing.
Clockwise from top: Jim Jefferies, Kevin Bridges, John Luke Roberts
JONNY SWEET – LET’S JUST HAVE SOME FUN (AND LEARN SOMETHING FOR ONCE) Pleasance Courtyard 4-30 August (not 16), 7.30pm Last year’s Edinburgh Comedy Award winner for best newcomer follows his turn as the young David Cameron in More 4’s When Boris Met Dave, with what he promises will be a “rip-roaring lecture” on the recently decommissioned naval frigate HMS Nottingham. JON RICHARDSON: DON’T HAPPY, BE WORRY Pleasance Courtyard 4-30 August (not 16), 7.40pm Concerned about constantly being labelled a misanthropic, grumpy young man, Jon Richardson has resolved to try harder to be happy. Fail or succeed, this is as likely to be a top notch hour as any in Edinburgh. He’ll also be appearing in GIT with Lloyd Langford and Dan Atkinson at the Gilded Balloon Teviot. JOSIE LONG: BE HONOURABLE! Just The Tonic at the Caves 5-29 August (not 17, 22, 23), 7.40pm About to start writing her first book, an eccentric tome on living a happy life in England, comedy’s poster girl for enthused, exuberant whimsy is back at the Fringe, pledging advice on being saintly and eating breakfast. She also hosts Monsters of Whimsy at the same venue on August 17 and 24.
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KEVIN BRIDGES Assembly @ George Street 5-29 August (not 23), 8.30pm After selling out Glasgow’s 10,000-seater SECC and appearing on Channel 4’s latenight satirical swipe Stand-Up For The Week, Scotland’s young stand-up sensation returns with a burgeoning reputation to uphold. KEVIN ELDON IS TITTING ABOUT The Stand Comedy Club 5-30 August (not 16, 23), various times Versatile actor Eldon, whose TV credits span some of the finest comedy of the last two decades, including Fist of Fun, Brass Eye, I’m Alan Partridge and Nighty Night, makes one of the most eagerly awaited solo debuts of the festival. LAURA SOLON: THE OWL OF STEVEN Pleasance Courtyard 4-29 August, 5pm Expectations are running high for Laura Solon’s latest narrative, after last year’s brilliant Rabbit Faced Story Soup confirmed the Perrier winner’s capacity for writing grotesque characters into a snappy script of one-liners. MARK WATSON – DO I KNOW YOU? Assembly @ Assembly Hall 5-30 August (not 16, 23), 10.30pm A Fringe favourite, thanks in large part to his marathon 24-hour shows, Mark Watson nevertheless suffers an ambivalent relationship with television panel shows and members of the public who confuse him with other, more famous comedians. The neurotic stand-up will be musing on this and his recent foray into fatherhood. NEIL HAMBURGER Assembly @ George Street 16-22 August, 11pm Possibly the most divisive comedian at the festival, Gregg Turkington’s washed-up showbiz lag will inevitably provoke walkouts. But those that remain will be rewarded by one of the most superbly realised characters around. Hamburger’s utter contempt for celebrity and basic human decency is a delight. www.edfestmag.com
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NINA CONTI: TALK TO THE HAND Pleasance Dome 4-30 August (not 16, 23), 8.30pm Reinventing the traditional art of ventriloquism, the hugely likeable Conti and her simian sidekick, the irascible Monk, are joined by brand new characters for a show full of imaginative set-pieces. Highlights include Conti phoning a random hotel in character and a sequence in which she turns audience members into puppets. PAPPY’S: ALL BUSINESS Pleasance Courtyard 4-30 August (not 16), 7.20pm Streamlined to a trio, Pappy’s are tackling the global economic meltdown with characteristic panic and the usual uproariously silly sketches. They produced one of last year’s best shows, so laughs are practically guaranteed. THE PENNY DREADFULS Pleasance Courtyard 4-30 August (not 17), 6pm Performing sketches again for the first time since 2007, Dreadfuls Thom Tuck, David Reed and Humphrey Ker have set their skits late at night, promising a surreal glimpse of secret underground wrestling and joyriding capers. PAUL SINHA: ‘EXTREME ANTI-WHITE VITRIOL’ The Stand Comedy Club III 4-29 August (not 16), various times Inspired by a radio contretemps with the deputy leader of the BNP, the criminally underrated comic and qualified GP examines Britain’s complex network of bigotry and prejudice, before attempting to make a definitive diagnosis of the nation. PETE JOHANSSON – PETE’S ON EARTH Assembly @ George Street 5-30 August (not 16), 9.30pm After last year’s Eddie nomination for best newcomer, the disarmingly frank Canadian returns with an hour recounting his many travels across the globe, trying and failing to fit in. Don’t expect a grand narrative, just punchy stand-up routines loosely held together. www.edfestmag.com
PHIL KAY: IN TWEED Gilded Balloon Teviot 6-29 August (not 16, 23), 7pm This freewheeling maverick embodies the Fringe spirit more than most. Alongside this early evening gig, the gifted improviser will also be appearing in the radio show RadioFree, hosting the kid’s show Gimme Your Left Shoe and collaborating with surrealist folk singer Cammy Sinclair in Late Night Nonsense. PHIL NICHOL: WELCOME TO CRAZYTOWN The Stand Comedy Club 4-30 August (not 16), various times Back as his alter-ego, beat poet Bobby Spade, the demented Canadian and former Edinburgh Comedy Award winner recreates Spade’s magnum opus from 1974. Conceived just after the death of his third wife Tamara during a period of grieving and excessive substance abuse, Welcome to Crazytown captures Nichol in his extremes of light and shade.
Clockwise from top: Laura Solon, Paul Sinha, Neil Hamburger
REGINALD D HUNTER: TROPHY NIGGA Pleasance Courtyard 4-29 August (not 17), 8pm The triple Perrier Award nominee is back for a full run at the Fringe, his profile markedly raised after a succession of recent TV appearances. Nevertheless, this is the provocative American in his element, promising in his own words some “very pressurised comments”. RICH FULCHER – AN EVENING WITH ELEANOR, THE TOUR WHORE Udderbelly’s Pasture 21-30 August, 11.30pm A late night hour with the world’s greatest groupie, this lively show from Mighty Boosh sidekick Fulcher delivers a high-energy romp of innuendo, surrealism, puns, props and riotous audience participation, as he strives to explain how to sleep your way to rock stardom. RICHARD HERRING – CHRIST ON A BIKE: THE SECOND COMING Assembly @ George Street 5-30 August, 9.45pm Reprising his 2001 Fringe show with additional material, Richard EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010 | 191
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How I Escaped My Certain Fate: The Life And Deaths of a StandUp Comedian.
Herring ponders once again whether he’s the next messiah in a characteristically mischievous exposé of religion. He also pairs up with Andrew Collins for ten live recordings of their Collings and Herrin Podcast at the GRV. ROBIN INCE AND MICHAEL LEGGE – POINTLESS ANGER, RIGHTEOUS IRE The GRV 7-8 August, 2pm Two of the more splenetic voices in comedy, the agitated Ince has cajoled the furious Legge into returning to Edinburgh for an afternoon rant. Ince also indulges his love of the universe in the all new Carl Sagan Is Still My God and mines further existential angst when he Asks Why?, both at the Canon’s Gait. RUSSELL KANE: SMOKESCREENS AND CASTLES Pleasance Courtyard 4-30 August (not 11, 18), 9.10pm The triple Edinburgh Comedy
Sean Hughes at Gilded Balloon, Shappi Khorsandi at Pleasance Award nominee is a seasoned class observer and here relates the consequences of his racist, overbearing father buying their council house. From this central preoccupation, expect challenging ideas on identity and family. SEAN HUGHES – DUCKS AND OTHER MISTAKES I’VE MADE Gilded Balloon Teviot 4-19 August (not 11), 8pm Appearing for 15 nights only,
the youngest ever Perrier Award winner continues his slide into misanthropic old age, still trying to recapture the brilliance of his youth but affording enough glimpses to suggest why he was such a potent comedic force. SEANN WALSH – I’D HAPPILY PUNCH MYSELF IN THE FACE Pleasance Courtyard 4-30 August (not 18), 8.30pm One of the most assured new comics on the circuit, his doubleheader with Paul McCaffrey last year offered only a brief impression of his ability. Embarking upon his first solo offering, great things are predicted for this wry, gifted observer. SHAPPI KHORSANDI: THE MOON ON A STICK Pleasance Courtyard 4-30 August (not 18), 7.50pm Now a single mother, the effervescent Anglo-Iranian contemplates whether it’s still possible to have it all. Reflecting on the last 12 months, expect selfdeprecating wit and sharp observations on contemporary relationships from the Radio 4 regular.
SUSAN CALMAN – CONSTANTLY SEEKING SUSAN Underbelly 5-29 August (not 17), 8.10pm The diminutive Scot has decided it’s time to take stock of her life. Smart, opinionated and with an enviable rapport with a crowd, Calman will be cheerfully unveiling her own obituary, self-penned while inebriated. She’ll also be having a proper blether with guests in Susan Calman Chats Up ... at The Caves. TOMMY TIERNAN: CROOKED MAN Gilded Balloon Teviot 20-30 August (not 26), 8pm Quite simply one of the best stand-ups in the world, the rascally Irishman remains an irrepressible force of nature, even in the face of censorship. Tackling sex, religion and his own sizeable family, the impassioned former Perrier winner is on blistering form just now. TOM WRIGGLESWORTH’S NIGHTMARE DREAM WEDDING Pleasance Courtyard 4-29 August (not 17), 6.20pm Last year’s Open Return Letter To Richard Branson confirmed the lanky Yorkshireman as a skilled storyteller and led to a change in train pricing legislation. Uncomfortable with the Mr Nice Guy image he acquired, the Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee here recounts the story of his ill-fated Las Vegas wedding and the terrible consequences of his petty criminality.
STEWART LEE: VEGETABLE STEW The Stand Comedy Club 4-30 August (not 18), various times Join one of the UK’s most respected comics as he develops material for a second television series of his Comedy Vehicle. He’s also headlining the variety show Stewart Lee’s Silver Stewbilee at the Festival Theatre on August 18, launching his book 192 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
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JOKES
Make us laugh Top Fringe comedians giving us a good old giggle. My mum wants more kids but my dad doesn't, so he got that thing that men get to stop having babies... Old and fat.
JIM JEFFERIES
Daniel Sloss
es, Life is like a box of chocolat finished too quickly by the clinically obese. Jason Cook They say that during the W orld Cup domestic violence went up, which I can totall y understand. What with all the excitement, alcohol, disappointment and ange r, my boyfriend was a nightm are so I punched his face in. Murray Susan
‘Imagine’ by John Lennon is almost impossible to masturbate to. Almost. Dave Hill
How many realists does it take to change a light bulb? One.
A prisoner has been refusing to use any punctuation or full stops wh en writing. He’s now got an extended sentence.
Sammy J
Susan Harrison
Ever bite your cheek whilst not concentrating and think, ‘Wow! I can’t even be relied upon not to eat myself’? Brendon Burns
chat Met a 14-year-old girl in a an be to room who turned out ne agi Im . undercover detective . age achieving that at her
AN EVENING WITH You’ve relocated to the US – how are you feeling about coming back to Edinburgh? I’m very excited about being able to stay in one place for a month. Touring America is a lot more taxing than touring the UK, because of the constant travel. I used to look at Edinburgh as a place where I got drunk the whole time, but now I think it might be like a health trip. Your show is called Alcoholocaust. Will you be talking about drinking? There’s always an alcohol element to all my shows. The word ‘holocaust’ to me means the death of something and I consider the Festival to be killing yourself with booze. What’s the best drinking environment at the Fringe? I like all the outdoor places, where you can grab a hot dog and drink a few beers out of plastic cups. When they brought in the smoking ban, it took everyone outside. It made it so much more sociable than before. Best Fringe beverage? The problem is you can’t drink beer for twenty days straight, or you’d just become the fattest person on earth. So if I’m not trying to lose weight, I’ll go beer. Otherwise, I’ll get all girly and drink a vodka soda. What is in your Edinburgh survival kit? Berocca and condoms. What else would you need? What kind of Fringe shows do you like to see? There’s always something quirky at the festival – some dance show, something physical or some freakshow and I always go to one of them. Favourite non-Fringey place in Edinburgh? Why would I leave the Fringe? That’s the funnest bit of the town, isn’t it?
Jimeoin
xi, and the taxi I was sat in the back of a ta obia of rats. He said, driver told me he had a ph ay from a rat!” I said, “You’re only ever 6 foot aw to clean your cab!” “Well, you probably want
WHERE & WHEN Jim Jefferies – Alchoholocaust Udderbelly’s Pasture, 4-30 August (not 16), 10.30pm, From £12, Tel: 08445 458252
Patrick Monahan
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MY EDINBURGH Back on the Fringe for the first time since 1998, Smack the Pony’s Doon MacKichan is looking forward to dinner at The Witchery and celebrating her Scottish heritage. Words Jay Richardson
Are you looking forward to performing at the festival again after such a long gap? Yes. I’m trying to think how long it’s been. 12 years! I’m very nervous though. I’ve never done anything more than 20 minutes by myself and this is an hour of me talking. Is there anything you’re really looking forward to seeing this year? I like to see bits of the International Festival, though I do find that simultaneous translation very funny – when you get a Spanish troupe talking, then hear a weird translation in your ear. I’ll be seeking out non-commercial things too. And Kevin Eldon, he’s my number one show to see. What are your best and worst memories of performing at the festival? One year I did three shows a day. I remember after the last night thinking, “my God, I’ve finished this marathon”, going up Arthur’s Seat with a bottle of Laphroaig and watching the sun come up. My worst was the first time, sleeping in a toilet, because my bedroom was a Ladies in the venue. What can we expect from your Fringe show, Primadoona? I hope you’ll laugh and maybe cry. It’s an autobiographical piece that’s funny in places. It’s not about being Scottish, it’s about being human. What inspired you to bring a show up to the festival this year? I’d written it and it’s where I wanted it to open, because it’s a world premiere and I didn’t want it to open in London. I wanted to come back to where I’ve always tried stuff out in the past, before getting sucked into television. If you have a day off, what are you planning to do? Go back to my old house! Drive out to Upper Largo where I grew up and show the kids place I used to live. Do you have a favourite restaurant in the city? I had a lovely meal at The Witchery once. But I’m really looking forward to finding out what’s hot and what’s not. ★ 194 | EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2010
WHERE & WHEN Primadoona, Gilded Balloon, 4-30 August (not 10, 17, 24), 5.30pm, £5, Tel: 0131 622 6552
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