The List 685 by List Publishing Ltd

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11–18 AUG 2011 / ISSUE 685 / £1.95

FESTIVAL BOOKS • COMEDY • KIDS • THEATRE •

ART • FOOD& DRINK LIST.CO.UK

150 SHOWS REVIEWED:

FRISKY AND MANNISHI 9 770959 191784

JERRY SADOWITZI DANCE MARATHONI MARGARET CHOI

2 FOR

SIMON CALLOWI

1 F R EXCLU INGE OFF SIVE TIC

DAVE GORMANI JULIAN SANDSI PAUL DANIELSI

ERS IN KET SIDE

L MAXWEL ANDREWEW CROSBY

RUSRE FIGHT IT OUT & MO

Let’s

Wrestle! TOP COMEDIANS. REAL WRESTLING. ONE NIGHT ONLY

9 770959 191791

N BURNNE S O D N E R B SELL KA

MATTH

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DF CONCERTS AND EVENTS PRESENTS THE EDGE FESTIVAL

OVER 40 GIGS THROUGHOUT AUGUST DURING THE FRINGE IN EDINBURGH... CORN EXCHANGE 18th

CORN EXCHANGE

THE SCRIPT

23rd SOLD OUT

THE NATIONAL

OUT

23rd

OUT

EXAMPLE GOMEZ THE VACCINES

25th

+ DOT J.R.

27th

6th 7th 8th+ 9th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th+ 17th 19th

AMANDA F**KING PALMER CAST PANIC! AT THE DISCO

ELECTRIC CIRCUS

WARPAINT

5th

LIQUID ROOM 4th

+ WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS

(OF DRESDEN DOLLS)

26th

THE QUEEN’S HALL 23rd

JIMMY EAT WORLD

HMV PICTURE HOUSE

+ WOODENBOX

24th SOLD

25th

+ WYE OAK

HMV PICTURE HOUSE 15th SOLD

CORN EXCHANGE

C.W. STONEKING + ANDREW MILL

CABARET VOLTAIRE

ANDY MCKEE ELI PAPERBOY REED BEN HOWARD PROUD MARY CHARLIE SIMPSON GUILLEMOTS JACKIE LEVEN NEWTON FAULKNER + REVERIEME BRIGITTE APHRODITE AERIALS UP + THE LAYMANITES + LITTLE KICKS KITTY, DAISY & LEWIS HEATHER PEACE THE CAVE SINGERS ADMIRAL FALLOW KRISTIN HERSH STEVE-O (STAND-UP COMEDY) SOMA RECORDS 20th BIRTHDAY NIGHT MORCHEEBA + ALEX CORNISH JILL JACKSON LUKE HAINES SHARON CORR + KAT HEALY SEBADOH HIP PARADE + CALLUM BEATTIE + LOST IN AUDIO WILLY MASON WIZ KHALIFA + RIZZLE KICKS JACK SAVORETTI ROD JONES AND THE BIRTHDAY SUIT CAGE THE ELEPHANT THE BONGO CLUB MONA BEST COAST JAMES BLAKE JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN PART OF THE EDINBURGH COMEDY FESTIVAL + KRYSTLE WARREN 5th 8th

+ THE SLAVES + MATT NORRIS

9th

+ SEBASTIAN DANGERFIELD

2 SPECIAL CLUB SHOWS

11th

+ DAVEY HOME + STEVE WARD

12th

+ ANDY TUCKER + EMMA FORMAN

15th

+ DEBUTANTE

17th

+ BLANK CANVAS

18th+ 19th 19th

(PARADOXICAL UNDRESSING)

with SLAM, GARY BECK & ANIMAL FARM (live) 11pm - 4am

20th

20th 21st 22nd 24th 28th 30th 31st

22nd+ 23rd 24th 25th SOLD OUT 26th 31st

30th

FOR FULL LINE UP AND DETAILS, LOG ON TO...

WWW.THEEDGEFESTIVAL.COM

TICKETS IN PERSON: TICKETS SCOTLAND & RIPPING RECORDS

24HR TICKET HOTLINE: 08444 999 990

(THE NORTH SEA SCROLLS)

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11–18 AUGUST Festival Cover Story

list.co.uk BOOKS

Ali Smith Christopher Brookmyre Julia Donaldson

COMEDY

Vir Das Jerry Sadowitz Luke Wright

36 48 50

DANCE

LOL Enclosure 99 – Humans Silent

The Wrestling For those that thought the only laughs to be had in wrestling were at Lycra-clad warriors’ expense, think again. Now fully-fledged comedians are climbing in the ring and taking on the pros. See our interview with one of the show’s creators (and former wrestler), Max Olesker, on page 16.

59 60 61

KIDS

Mr Benn The Just So Stories Bagpuss

62 62 64

THEATRE

Jasmine Gwangju A Celebration of Harold Pinter 2401 Objects I Hope My Heart Goes First Mission Drift Tuesday at Tescos

72 76 78 80 82 84

VISUAL ART

Tamsyn Challenger David Mach Anton Henning Ingrid Calame

87 87 88 88

CLUBS

LuckyMe Club Noir Betamax

92 93 94

AROUND TOWN MUSIC

Kristin Hersh Washed Out Nick Pynn

67 68 68

Book Fringe Fair Trade Fringe

CHINA China remains one of the most mysterious nations in the world, at least through Western eyes. We asked some of the Chinese theatremakers and authors visiting Edinburgh this August to share their unique perspectives.

97 98

2 for 1 tickets to Foodies Festival

2 for 1 tickets at Assembly

Win your own private cocktail party

Win VIP Fireworks Concert tickets

Win Tickets to the Robert Burns Experience

2 For 1 tickets at The Stand Comedy Club

JASMINE GWANGJU The Gwangju uprising of 1980 got the ball rolling for democracy in South Korea. The event, in which 144 civilians were killed, is remembered in this dramatic multimedia Fringe performance.

Published by The List Ltd HEAD OFFICE: 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE Tel: 0131 550 3050, Fax: 0131 557 8500, list.co.uk, email editor@list.co.uk GLASGOW OFFICE: at the CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD Tel: 0141 332 9929, Fax: 0141 353 2803, glasgow@list.co.uk ISSN: 0959 - 1915 ©2011 The List Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without the written permission of the publishers. The List does not accept responsibility for unsolicited material. The List provides this content in good faith but no guarantee or representation is given that the content is accurate, complete or up-to-date. Use of magazine content is at your own risk. Printed by Acorn Web Offset Ltd. Normanton, West Yorkshire. Subscriptions: 30 issues UK £30

Outside the festivals

FESTIVAL COVER: JANNICA HONEY

GREAT OFFERS

Highlights 20

28 30 31

From page 99

Continuing our exploration of non-Festival happenings, we look at some of the farther flung corners of the nation in our travel feature. Meanwhile, tech aficionados should check out our tablet playtests, to see if any can rival the iPad.

Around Town

110

Clubs

111

Film

115

Features

Comedy

122

FOOD TOUR OF SCOTLAND 102 A guide to the fine food on offer in the north of Scotland, from St Fillans to Mull, Oban, Balquhidder and back again.

Theatre

122

Kids

121

Music

123

Visual Art

131

TABLET TEST 106 Portable computing technology from the likes of Archos, BeBook, Binatone, ASUS, Pierre Cardin and, of course, market leaders Apple.

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{FRONT} FirstWord

FirstWord

The Boy With Tape On His Face We asked The Boy to answer our Q&A – the only problem being that can’t speak. He put together these revealing photographic responses instead (with some interpretations by The List) First record you ever bought

First great piece of advice you were given Never use a pig as a phone.

First three words your friends would use to describe you Silence is golden.

First word you spoke

Last thing you recommended to someone The Boy With Tape On His Face. Last extravagant purchase you made The Boy bought Zimbabwe.

Last great meal you cooked Frog sandwich.

Last time you made an impulse buy and regretted it Zimbabwe (again).

■ The Boy With Tape On His Face, Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 9.10pm, £10.50–£12.50 (£9.50–£11.50).

FESTIVAL

WeLike

RIGHT NOW ON

list.co.uk Have you seen our Top-rated page at list.co.uk/festival? A thing of beauty, it ranks every Edinburgh Festival show based on reviews received from all sources. Not that you can’t trust our dedicated List critics of course, but it’s nice to get the big picture. 2 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

The things making our Festival just that little bit better

■ We’re loving the efforts of listingsbased dating site festafriend.com to match Fringe-goers up with people to see shows with, or goers at the Fringe with a vague pretext for congress with random strangers. Also making good use of all that lovely Fringe event data (our research team get hot under the collar just thinking about it) are fakefringe.com, who've set up a simple but brilliant multiple-choice game of 'guess the fake Fringe show'.

One of the more improbable real shows in the programme is urinary cabaret When Women Wee, who were kind enough to send a Shewee to The List's offices (complete with leaflet detailing accessories such as zipfronted ‘X-fronts’, a somewhat alarming Shewee Extreme extension pipe and the QeeZee sick bag). Granted, some of us spend a lot of time at our desks in August, but really, there are limits.

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SI M O N

C A L L OW

MAGNETS

Federer v Murray

Shylock

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{FRONT} Top 20

Top 20

THE WEEK’S UNMISSABLE SHOWS

BOOKS

MUSIC / FILM

COMEDY

CAITLIN MORAN

THE QATSI TRILOGY

THE BOY WITH TAPE ON HIS FACE

Moran joins the Book Festival to discuss her contribution to the post-Greer school of feminism: her memoir, How to be a Woman. See preview, page 30. Charlotte Square Gardens, 14 Aug.

The Philip Glass Ensemble provide live accompaniment to Godfrey Reggio’s celebrated Qatsi trilogy over three nights. See feature at list.co.uk/festival. Playhouse, 13–15 Aug.

One of last year’s List cover stars returns with his revolution in mime. And possibly a frog sandwich. See interview-of-sorts, page 2. Pleasance Courtyard, 15–28 Aug.

CLUBS

VISUAL ART

LUCKYME

400 WOMEN

Shakespeare is transplanted to the Far East twice in this year’s EIF: with the Korean Mokwha Repertory Company’s The Tempest and Taiwanese actor Wu Hsing-Kuo’s one-man King Lear. King’s Theatre (The Tempest), 13–16 Aug; Lyceum (King Lear), 13–16 Aug.

The Glasgow DIY label fires up its Fringe party bandwagon, with guests Mike Slott, Eclair Fifi and Machinedrum. See page 92. Party at Cabaret Voltaire, 12 Aug; Afterparty at Summerhall, 13 Aug.

Tamsyn Challenger’s installation by around 200 international artists was created in response to the murders of 400 Mexican women. See review, page 87. Canongate Venture, until 4 Sep (not 15, 22, 29 Aug).

THEATRE

BOOKS

DANCE

COMEDY

JASMINE GWANGJU

ALI SMITH

SILENT

TODD BARRY

A drumming and dance performance to commemorate the 1980 Gwangju uprising, a major milestone in South Korea’s journey to democracy. See feature, page 72. Venue 150 @ EICC, 13–19 Aug.

The diminutive Scottish literary star attends the Book Festival to chat about her latest novel, There but for the. See interview, page 28, and extract, page 29. Charlotte Square Gardens, 14 Aug.

Fishamble and Pat Kinevane follow up their 2007 collaboration Forgotten by tackling the rapidly diminishing sanity of a ‘hopeless, helpless, in-theway person’. See review, page 61. Dance Base, until 20 Aug (not 15).

You may have caught him in Flight of the Conchords or Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler; now you can see the deadpan New Yorker in his natural stand-up habitat. See interview, page 37. Stand III & IV, 16–28 Aug.

THEATRE

FESTIVAL

THE TEMPEST / KING LEAR

4 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

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Top 20 {FRONT}

LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

MUSIC

AROUND TOWN / THEATRE

VISUAL ART

COMEDY

EVELYN EVELYN

FOREST FRINGE

DAVID MACH

JERRY SADOWITZ

Dresden Doll Amanda Fucking Palmer (her words) and good buddy Jason Webley present their conjoined-twin alteregos, ‘Eva’ and ‘Lyn’ Neville. Assembly George Square, 17–21 Aug.

Edinburgh arts institution the Forest Café celebrates its final Fringe in its current premises, with a programme of theatre, comedy and art. See preview, page 74, and profile, page 97. Forest Café, 15–27 Aug.

The King James Bible, in its 400th year of existence, is the subject of Mach’s stunning exhibition of collage and sculpture. See review, page 87. City Art Centre, until 16 Oct.

The Comedian, Magician, Psychopath isn’t in town for long, so catch him while you can (unless you’re the easily offended type). See review, page 48. Assembly Hall, until 14 Aug.

THEATRE

BOOKS

COMEDY

ELEGY

JULIA DONALDSON

THE WRESTLING

Understated yet powerful representation of homophobic persecution in Iraq, directed by Douglas Rintoul. See review, page 78. Whitespace, until 28 Aug (not 16, 23).

Donaldson plays guest selector, storyteller and playwright across several events. See preview, page 31. Charlotte Square Gardens, 13, 16 & 27 Aug. For full details, see edbookfest.co.uk.

Swapping punchlines for clotheslines, an all-star line-up of comedians and wrestlers climb into the ring for a unique Fringe performance. See feature, page 16. Pleasance Courtyard, 15 Aug.

FESTIVAL

KIDS

COMEDY

BAGPUSS

LUKE WRIGHT

The 1970s TV show has been lovingly adapted for the stage, with a full cast of puppet characters brought to life by two talented performers. See our five-star review, page 64. Assembly George Square, until 28 Aug (not 15).

The dapper young poet, comedian and Aisle 16 ringleader delivers a truly blistering selection of Cynical Ballads. So blistering, in fact, we gave him a five-star review – see page 50. Underbelly, until 18 Aug (not 16).

THEATRE

ALMA MATER Live art and theatre company Fish & Game present a technology-embracing, purpose-built show for one audience member at a time, complete with a specially-written score by Ensemble Thing. See review, page 76. Remarkable Arts at St George’s West Church, until 29 Aug (not 15). 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 5

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ReaderOffers WIN YOUR OWN PRIVATE AND STYLISH COCKTAIL PARTY WITH COINTREAU RENDEZ-VOUS PRIVÉ

2 FOR 1 TICKETS

✁

AT ASSEMBLY

Iconic French liqueur Cointreau is offering you the chance to host your very own private and stylish cocktail party courtesy of Cointreau Rendez-Vous Privé – a series of elegant at-home events available in Edinburgh throughout the summer. Hosted by a trained Cointreau mixologist, who will arrive armed with everything needed for a pop-up cocktail evening, you and up to 14 friends can enjoy the glamourous night-in you’ve always dreamed of.

Assembly in 2011 are once again bringing the best theatre, comedy, dance, cabaret, music and family shows to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at Assembly Hall and our new home at Assembly George Square. We are delighted to offer you a special 2 for 1 ticket offer to three amazing shows. Kevin Cruise, Soy De Cuba and Federer vs Murray. Just cut out this voucher and take it to the Assembly Box Office (George Square or Assembly Hall) from Wednesday 10th August to take advantage of this offer.

Kevin Cruise Assembly George Square - Bosco, 3.50pm

Available from just £200 for up to 15 guests a Cointreau Rendez-Vous Privé evening can be booked at www.cointreaurendezvous.co.uk. However, to celebrate the launch, we have one to give away. To enter, just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Join Kevin for teatime cruise ship capers with the legendary high seas host and star of Britain’s Got Talent. Comedy, magic, game shows, sing-along classics and bingo. Pack your bags and party on down.

Which fruit gives iconic French liqueur Cointreau its sumptuous taste and aroma?

www.cointreaurendezvous.co.uk TERMS & CONDITIONS: THE CLOSING DATE IS 17 AUGUST AND PARTIES MUST BE BOOKED BY 22 AUGUST FOR A THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY OR SUNDAY EVENING BEFORE 15 SEPTEMBER. PARTICIPANTS MUST BE AGED 21 OR OVER. FOR A FULL LIST OF T&C'S VISIT WWW.COINTREAURENDEZVOUS.CO.UK. THERE IS NO CASH ALTERNATIVE. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY.

WIN VIP FIREWORKS TICKETS

“I love Kevin Cruise” Amanda Holden

Soy De Cuba Assembly Hall – Main Hall, 10.30pm Red hot from Havana – a dazzling display of Cuban music and dance. Let a legendary 10 piece Salsa band and 14 exotic Cuban dancers take you on a passionate journey though a wild island of music. Get ready to rumba ...

Federer Vs Murray Assembly Hall – Rainy Hall, 12.30pm

Situated next to the Castle, this quirky house of fun is guaranteed to provide the best seats in town for the star-lit spectacular. Guests will be treated to canapés and bubbles throughout the show, plus the chance to indulge their inner-child in the attraction, which is home to the famous Vortex Tunnel and mind bending Mirror Maze. The List has teamed up with Camera Obscura to offer five pairs of tickets to the money-can’t-buy event, to be in with a chance of winning, just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

What famous building is Camera Obscura next to?

www.camera-obscura.co.uk TERMS & CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES 24 AUG 2011. ENTRANTS MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE. THERE IS NO CASH ALTERNATIVE.USUAL LIST RULES APPLY.

6 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

All’s unfair in love and war. A new tragiccomedy by Gerda Stevenson about war on several levels: man v wife, nation against nation and Scotland V … the Swiss. “Hilarious and heartbreaking” The Herald Terms and Conditions: Tickets available from Assembly Box Offices from Wednesday 10 August. Valid only on tickets for performances on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 August. The tickets in the offer are limited and are subject to availability. Usual List rules apply.

✁

Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is hosting an exclusive VIP rooftop reception for this year’s Festival Fireworks Concert on Sunday 4 September 2011.

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ReaderOffers WIN TICKETS TO REBECCA HUNT & CORNELIUS MEDVEI

3 FOR 2 TICKETS AT SUMMERHALL Welcome to the Summerhall ‘Arts Laboratory’ 2011. Introducing Edinburgh’s most vibrant new Festival venue – with 10 unique performance spaces and a bar named The Dissection Room, which looks like it was designed by Damien Hirst. Summerhall has transformed into the Fringe hub for alternative theatre, art, music and film. They are offering List readers an exclusive discount offer: The Summerhall Hat Trick includes a choice of 1 literary event, 1 film screening and 1 gig for the price of £12. How it works: Just cut out this voucher and take it to: Summerhall Box Office, 1 Summerhall, Edinburgh EH9 1QH

ANIMAL MAGNETISM It is often said that those with depression can gain solace from their relationships with animals. Winston Churchill referred to his bouts of depression as his 'black dog', and in Rebecca Hunt's story the dog is made flesh in the form of a massive black hound with the power of speech. Cornelius Medvei's Caroline is a donkey whose meeting with a tired elderly man gives his life a splendidly peculiar and moving Indian summer. Meet two young authors with Dr Doolittle tendencies. To enter, just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

What did Winston Churchill refer to his bouts of depression as? REBECCA HUNT & CORNELIUS MEDVEI AUG 29 @ 3.30PM, WRITERS RETREAT TERMS & CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES 17 AUG 2011. THERE IS NO CASH ALTERNATIVE. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY.

2 FOR 1 TICKETS TO FOODIES FESTIVAL Edinburgh’s annual Foodies Festival returns to Holyrood Park on August 12, 13 & 14 to celebrate the finest food, drink and culinary talent and they are offering List readers 2 for 1 tickets which means you can get two Day tickets for £15 or two Three Day tickets for £18. Visitors can watch Michelin star and top chefs cooking live, passing on culinary secrets, sample from over 100 specilaity food and drink producers and pick up exclusive ingredients. Try masterclasses and tasting sessions including food and wine matching, chocolate tasting and cocktail mixing, with cooking for kids classes for budding young chefs. Indulge in signature dishes and sip summer cocktails whilst enjoying live music and dance from Fringe acts.

To claim your 2 tickets for the price of 1, simply quote ‘list’ when booking online at www.foodiesfestival.com TERMS & CONDITIONS: OFFER IS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY AND IS VALID UNTIL 11 AUG 2011. THERE IS NO CASH ALTERNATIVE. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY.

The Summerhall Hat Trick (£12) will entitle you to: a ticket for an event of your choice from the These Silences Writing Festival, a ticket for a film screening from our Celluloid Trips programme and a ticket to our cinéconcert performed by FOUND.

LITERARY: These Silences Writing Festival Red Lecture Theatre, 14 Aug, 3.30pm £5 Booker shortlist nominee Tom McCarthy turns the spotlight on novelists who have overhauled and reinvented modernist developments in fiction, to bring up to the minute literary experimentation kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century. “English fiction’s new laureate of disappointment” Time Out

MUSIC: FOUND / Tokamak / Lipsync For A Lullaby Main Hall, 12 Aug, 8.00pm £10 Ten Tracks, l’Institut Français d’Écosse and Summerhall present part one of two events dedicated to the cinéconcert format – the creation and performance of new soundtracks to existing films of the musicians’ choice. FOUND, Tokamak and Lipsync for a Lullaby’s styles contrast, but all of them share a creativity and intensity, which suits accompaniment to film. Influenced by the French pioneers of the cinéconcert, this concert unveils the films to which these three Scottish bands are developing live soundtracks for full cinéconcert performances later in the year. The night will feature a sneak preview of scenes from the forthcoming project, as well as straight up performances of their existing, celebrated work to live visuals. This is a gig with a difference for the Fringe’s most exciting new venue.

CINEMA: Celluloid Trips Red Lecture Theatre, 10, 14 & 17 August, 8.30pm £5 Escape the mayhem of the Fringe and let us take you on a journey to the edge of cinema. This August Summerhall presents a programme of films that embrace the weird and wonderful, featuring surreal worlds, eccentric characters and alternative road trips. A chance to explore the margins of cinema and immerse yourself in a unique cinematic universe: perfect viewing for the culturally curious.

www.summerhall.co.uk TERMS & CONDITIONS: TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM SUMMERHALL BOX OFFICE. THE TICKETS IN THE OFFER ARE LIMITED AND SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY.

11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 7

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ReaderOffers WIN TICKETS TO FOSTER’S EDINBURGH COMEDY AWARDS SHOW 2011

2 FOR 1 TICKETS AT THE STAND COMEDY CLUB The Stand offers great variety and value this Fringe with 46 shows every day. Now you can get an even better deal. Take this voucher to the box office to claim 2 tickets for the price of 1 for the following shows (valid on Wednesday 10, Thursday 11 and Friday 12 August). STEVE GRIBBIN Laugh at First Sight – 7pm GAVIN WEBSTER All Young People are C*nts – 5.50pm MARTIN MOR The Call of the Golden Frog – 8.10pm SALLY-ANNE HAYWARD Don’t Judge Me – 12.05pm TIFFANY STEVENSON Cavewoman – 2.25pm Box Office: Stand One, 5 York Place 0131 558 7272

COMEDY AT THE HEART OF THE FRINGE For one time only the 2011 winners and nominees of Foster’s Best Comedy Show and Foster’s Best Newcomer will be on stage at the Pleasance Grand on Sunday 28 August at 3.50pm. This is the most-wanted ticket and most talked about line-up of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The question everyone is asking is who will be this year’s winners and nominees? The show is a sell-out hit every year but Foster’s Funny are offering readers of The List the chance to win one of 5 pairs of tickets available to the Gala and see the stars of tomorrow.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: OFFER CLOSES 12 AUG 2011. THERE IS NO CASH ALTERNATIVE. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY.

WIN TICKETS TO THE ROBERT BURNS EXPERIENCE

Foster’s Funny has so far brought you Alan Partridge’s Mid Morning Matters, Vic & Bob’s Afternoon Delights and soon some great Russell Kane coverage of Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards Nominees from August 26, all on: www.fostersfunny.co.uk To be in with a chance of winning, just log on to www.list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Who was the winner of the 2010 Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Comedy Show ? The Robert Burns Experience is brought to the Fringe in association with Talisker® Single Malt Scotch Whisky to celebrate the infamous bard. We’re used to raising a dram in January, but why not extend the celebrations to Edinburgh’s most famous festival as well? Held at the award winning restaurant Monteiths, the show offers a whistle stop tour of the Burns’ legacy with poetry, songs and stories accompanied by a traditional three course Burns feast. The experience will be completed with a dram of Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky, and of course, the skirl of bagpipes. With two shows running daily throughout the month, at 12.30pm and 3pm, and at only £17 each, there’s no excuse to miss this unique event. Or, for the chance to win two free tickets, just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Talisker is distilled on which Isle?

www.fostersfunny.co.uk

TO BOOK TICKETS HEAD TO WWW.EDFRINGE.COM/WHATS-ON/EVENTS/ ROBERT-BURNS-EXPERIENCE-IN-ASSOCIATION-WITH-TALISKER OR SEARCH ‘BURNS EXPERIENCE’ AT WWW.EDFRINGE.COM

TERMS & CONDITIONS: ENTRANTS MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OVER. PRIZE PROMOTION CLOSES 22 AUG 2011. THERE IS NO CASH ALTERNATIVE. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: ENTRANTS MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE. COMPETITION CLOSES 24 AUG 2011. THERE IS NO CASH ALTERNATIVE. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY.

8 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

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{FRONT}

LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

Caught in the Act

STAR RATING AND HATING

LETTE OF TH RS WEEK E

Re: Casablanca: The Gin Joint Cut (●●●●●) I agree – my only five-star show yet this year. Suitably sentimental but very funny show which just washes over you a nostalgia for the golden age of cinema. Ian Ritchie, Edinburgh Re: Dave Gorman’s Power Point Presentation (●●●●●) I loved this show! One of the best shows on the Fringe by far! I'm a bit biased as I have been a HUGE fan of Dave since his Are You Dave Gorman? show over ten years ago. Please don't be put off by this review and try and see this show! It's fantastic! James McKay, Edinburgh

This week we shine the spotlight on a couple of performers who didn’t so much lie about positive List reviews, as get creative with the truth. First up, Sophie Gatacre of Samantha’s Hotline (pictured). Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see the cabaret performance when it was in Edinburgh last year, but that apparently hasn’t stopped Gatacre from crediting list.co.uk with dubbing her ‘the sexiest voice on the Fringe’. Upon closer inspection of our web archives it turns out that the comment was left not by a journalist but by a member of the public visiting the site, who also gave the show four stars. At least she wasn’t cheeky enough to quote that. A quick mention also to James Sherwood, presenting his show I Fed My Best Friend Her Favourite Cow. He was honest enough in saying that we called him ‘hilarious’; he was less open about the fact we put the word ‘sporadically’ in front, with an accompanying two-star review.

Look out for another exposé next issue!

Editor’s note: At the time of going to press List reviewers had awarded a total of five Festival shows a five-star review. So far no shows have received one star. Make your comments at list.co.uk/festival

THE LETTERS OF THE ISSUE WILL RECEIVE ONE BOTTLE OF THE BLACK GROUSE WHISKY Smoky and smooth – a marriage of fine peated Scotch malt whiskies and The Famous Grouse

FESTIVAL BOOKING INFORMATION

CONTRIBUTORS Publisher & General Editor Robin Hodge Director Simon Dessain

EDITORIAL Editor Jonny Ensall Deputy Editor Claire Sawers Assistant Editor Henry Northmore, Allan Radcliffe Research Manager Laura Ennor Research Siân Bevan, Alex Johnston, David Pollock, Fiona Shepherd, Kirstyn Smith Editorial Assistant Niki Boyle Editorial Intern Kate Russell

SALES & MARKETING Media Sales Manager Juliet Tweedie Media Sales Executive Jude Moir, Nicky Carter, Lindsay Paul Digital Sales Executive Freya Cowan Digital Commercial Manager Brendan Miles Sponsorship & Promotions Manager Sheri Friers Promotions Executive Amy Russell Circulation Executive Murray Robertson

PRODUCTION Senior Designer Lucy Munro Production Manager Simon Armin

DIGITAL

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL Dates: 13–29 Aug 2011 Online booking: edbookfest.co.uk Telephone booking: 0845 373 5888 In person: The Hub, Castlehill, and the box office in Charlotte Square Gardens

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE Dates: 5–29 Aug 2011 Online booking: edfringe.com Telephone booking: 0131 226 0000 In person: Fringe Box Office, 180 High Street

ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Georgette Renwick

SECTION EDITORS Around Town Kirstin Innes Books/Comedy Brian Donaldson Clubs/Play Henry Northmore Dance/Kids Kelly Apter EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL Dates: 12 Aug–4 Sep 2011 Online booking: eif.co.uk Telephone booking: 0131 473 2000 In person: Edinburgh International Festival, The Hub, Castlehill

FESTIVAL OF POLITICS Dates: 20–27 Aug 2011 Online booking: festivalofpolitics.org.uk Telephone booking: 0131 473 2000 (RNID Typetalk: 18001 0131 473 2000) In person: The Hub, Castlehill

Food & Drink Donald Reid Film Paul Dale LGBT Lauren Mayberry Music/Shopping Claire Sawers Noticeboard Anna Millar Theatre/Visual Art Allan Radcliffe 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 9

FESTIVAL

EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL Dates: 4 Aug–4 Sep 2011 Online: edinburghartfestival.com Telephone booking: Please call individual venues. Most events are free, though some are paying exhibitions

Web Editor Hamish Brown Senior Developer Andy Carmichael Senior Designer Bruce Combe Software Developer Iain McCusker Digital Design Assistant Daniella Zelli

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Festival

Noticeboard NEWS • GOSSIP • OPINION The Brand Baggs brings his loony logic to the Fringe

F NON-OFR NE SEST SEE PW AGE

101

5 Things ...

QUIZZES

They make you laugh, but they also make you think Comedy Countdown Considerably more entertaining than its daytime TV equivalent. Teams of comedians attempt to beat the Countdown clock.

Al Murray’s Compete for the Meat Untimely Christmas quiz with festive dinner on a plate for the winners, in the form of a frozen turkey.

Fingers on Buzzards: The Improvised PubQuiz A quiz gone pear-shaped with improvisational challenges and points for wrong answers.

The Ultimate Quiz Show featuring Silly Milly Game show love-child mixing games and quizzes with magic and balloon animals at the Friday night kids’ party.

Quiz in my Pants Popular quiz team name gets its very own Fringe show. Aptly titled rounds include ‘chortle torture’ and ‘set-up stand-up’.

FESTIVAL

In the Baggs The Apprentice’s most memorable contestant prepares

IN EDINBURGH

to take on the Fringe – for one day only

’m alive: there are so many people that aren’t alive or have died, unfortunately. I’m alive; that’s a gift, frankly. I wake up early every morning once I’ve had the sleep I need. I go out and make money. Everything I touch turns to sold.’ Oh Lord. Those who witnessed Stuart ‘The Brand’ Baggs on the Beeb’s The Apprentice could barely forget him. Arguably more memorable than

‘I

10 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

OVERHEARD

any actual winner of the series, this hapless contender ensured his linguistic lunacy kept him ahead of the game. Until, that is, he was unceremoniously fired. What the heckers he’s doing at the Fringe is anyone’s guess but at the Fringe he is. Check him out for an informal lunch chat at The Bog Room @ The Caves on Sat 27 Aug. You have been warned.

‘But I’ve got friends coming through from Glasgow. They’ve got tickets and they’re not even an anybody.’ A last minute telephone plea from one incredulous Edinburgh art scene resident, disgruntled to not get a ticket to this year’s List party. Charming.

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g n i f e i r B The

Fact Attack

ARTS AND CULTURE NEWS COVERED IN TWO MINUTES

Want to baffle the out-of-towners? Try these spurious Fest facts courtesy of comedian Maff Brown • The purple cow is purple because it has been • • • • • • • • • • •

holding its breath for too long. Scottish people don’t even like haggis; it’s a practical joke they play on the English. All street performers are really agoraphobics going through therapy. The Gilded Balloon has often been mistaken for The Guild of Baboons. When a comedian gets an erection he calls it his funny bone. North Bridge and South Bridge often swap places when no one is looking to fool tourists. The most popular tattoo in Edinburgh is a tattoo of the Tattoo. The most visited venue by comedians at last year’s Fringe was the massage parlour on Blair Street. The Scottish love it when English people do their accent at them. Paying £4000 for a month’s rent for a one-bedroom flat is very reasonable. It’s illegal to run on Leith Walk. To order a fried breakfast in Edinburgh you must ask for a salad.

• The EICC stands for Edinburgh Is Cocking Cold. • Arthur’s Seat has been replaced by Arthur’s Futon. • The Royal Mile is what Prince Charles calls his intestines.

• The free Fringe is only free because it is out on bail. • It’s impossible to look cool while walking on cobble stones.

• The Pleasance Dome was the location for filming Mad Max 3.

• Summer time in Edinburgh lasts 2 hours and 13 mins.

• Leith Walk has the highest number of people called • • •

Keith in one area in the country and can often be known as Leith’s Keiths. The film Groundhog Day was modelled on the Edinburgh Festival. The Assembly Rooms will be full of schoolchildren singing hymns. Sons of clowns never take after their fathers as their shoes are too big to fill.

■ Maff Brown: Pacman is actually Allergic to Ghosts, Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug, 5.15pm.

SCREEN TIME

FRINGE So, we get that there are a lot of shows to decide between but the jury’s still out on the latest venture to capitalise on the mass indecision beholden of many a tourist to the city. Fringe Master essentially plans your itinerary so you don’t have to. Consultations are held in person with one day’s itinerary sorting of five or more shows – all for the princely sum of £30. Go meet them for yourself at Circus Café & Bistro, St Mary’s Street, until 30 Aug from 2.30–4.30pm, or check them out online at fringemaster.co.uk. INTERNATIONAL Many of us know what it’s like to go to a show and wonder at the magic that goes on behind the scenes. Well, we need wonder no more, as those innovative folks at the EIF have created online initiative Festival Backstage, allowing us the chance to take a sneaky peak behind the curtain. Check out eif.co.uk/ festivalbackstage for a series of short films, as well as interviews with actors, dancers and musicians, directors, designers and technicians, make-up artists and more, from this year’s Festival programme. Highlights include a guide to Peking opera, a look at the original stories behind One Thousand and One Nights, an interview with Die Frau ohne Schatten director Jonathan Kent as well as insight from EIF director Jonathan Mills. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 11

FESTIVAL

Leith’s Fringe festivities enjoy a filmic injection While the Festival is, for the large part, about what can be seen on stage, Leith on the Fringe are offering something a little different down Out of the Blue way. As part of their programme, keep ’em peeled for a series of film-making events taking in documentary, fiction and live performance, held weekly throughout the Fringe. Film buffs can also enjoy workshops and presentations each Sunday before the screenings. Ray Bird, co-director of the event explains: ‘Live Film in Leith is a weekly programme of unique cinematic content, where documentary, fiction, live performance and music video merge seamlessly in a series of interactive screening events, dynamic workshops and open studios. Linked thematically, the target is to use the mediums of film and music to engage with the audience’s imagination and challenge the modern mainstream cinema.’ Enjoy. ■ Live Film in Leith, Leith on the Fringe @ Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 554 8092, 7, 14, 21 & 28 Aug, 9.15pm, £7 (£5).

AROUND TOWN A festival wouldn’t be a festival without a hearty mix of awards going begging, and Amnesty International have revealed that they have had a record number of entries for this year’s gong. Last year’s award went to Roadkill; look out for this year’s winner when it’s announced on Thu 25 Aug.

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Festival

INSIDER Canada’s cabaret comedy diva Sharron Matthews hits the high – and low – notes of life on the Fringe

ou know my fave place to take a nap in Edinburgh? The hill right beside the Half Price Hut on Princes Street: it is soft, it is shaded by trees and if you place yourself properly, no one can see you sobbing into

BRIB OF E W THE

your phone on a million dollar phone call to Canada . . . on a cell phone . . . from Princes Street Gardens . . . in EDINBURGH! When you are a new, international performer at the Fringe, like I was just last year, and no one knows you, you have got to fill those seats. Being the

FESTIVAL

EEK !

STUFF AND NONSENSE Stuff and Nonsense is a celebration of the random tat on sale at jumble sales, charity shops and the like. The show’s creator, Paul Harry Allen, shared this love by sending us a set of coasters, tumblers and creepy drinks stirrers, packaged in a homemade box with pictures of puppies stuck on and tied with a paisley ribbon. Top marks for presentation. We also got a bunch of other stuff that you can check out on our Bribe Blog at list.co.uk/festival; alternatively, you can still send in your own bribe to: Big Fat Fringe Bribe, The List, 14 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1TE. ■ Stuff and Nonsense, Laughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 15–26 Aug (not 21), 4.45pm, free (ticketed). 12 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

performer, producer and promoter, this gal (me) had to come up with a plan. After battling my jet lag (I know, boo hoo for me, right?), I tried my wares in the Fringe ticket line-up for three hours on my first day. It was not going well. Not well at all – like super bad. I stuffed my

sweaty-handed flyers in my bag and took off in a funk. I walked and walked (Edinburgh is freakin’ hilly) and ended up on the aforementioned hill, questioning my existence, my reasons for coming to the Fringe, the clothes that I packed (sundresses and open-toed shoes) . . . and then I pulled out my recently purchased cell phone and called my husband in Canada, and just cried and complained . . . and cried . . . and whined. All the tourists were staring at me. So what, people? Have you never seen a grown woman in a sundress (with sport socks, trainers and a hoodie) have a good cry in public? And then I turned my head . . . there it was . . . the Half Price Hut. Like a beacon. Like a mirage. Like a place for me to figure out how to sell my freakin’ show. The people in this line-up, they wanted to be won over, they wanted the show before the show, they wanted to pretend not to look at you, they wanted you to make them love you and they wanted it all for half price. Those minxes: they’re like a slutty boyfriend who you know will put out eventually, but just needs to be convinced that it’s worth the bother to take off their clothes. Let it be said that I sold many a ticket there. I sang all of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ for one dude. This year, I want to sell all my tickets for full price. Greedy, I know. But I’ll maybe go and have a skanky cheat with the Half Price Hut a couple of times for old time’s sake. Sharron Matthews Superstar: Jesus Thinks I’m Funny, Space Cabaret @ 54, 0845 557 6309, until 27 Aug (not 21), 8.05pm, £12.50 (£10.50).

NewsExtra NEWTON FIRST BOOK AWARD ■ Here at The List we are delighted to be sponsoring this year’s Newton First Book Award, as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Unlike many literary awards, it is up to you, the reader, to take the chance and cast your vote for who you want to crown the most promising debut novelist appearing at this year’s Festival. Take the opportunity to peruse them all online at edbookfest.co.uk/thefestival/ newton-first-book-award then make your choice.

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11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 13

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THE LIST

FESTIVAL PARTY

FESTIVAL

The List’s annual Festival Party, held on 4 August, was an evening to remember, with roaming troubadours, marathon dancers and cabaret divas keeping things going until late into the night

14 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

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The List would like to thank the incredible Summerhall venue and everyone who worked so hard behind the scenes to make the evening a success. We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone at Stoli and Heineken UK for sponsoring the event and supplying a truly generous amount of Stoli vodka and Fosterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gold respectively, and to Dale Harvey (weplayhouse uk) and Iain Gibson (audiablo recordings) for the Stoli DJ set. Special thanks also goes to YOURgb for the seamless event management, Tallah, El and Ryan from Electric Circus for providing the tunes and to our photographer, Jannica Honey. And a special shout out goes to Le Gateau Chocolat for compering the evening. And of course, the party would not have been the same without all of the brilliant acts: 2Face2d Dance Company: In the Dust

Kitty Cointreau

Blind Summit Theatre: The Table

Luke Wright's Cynical Ballads

Dance Marathon David Morgan: Triple Threat

Piff the Magic Dragon: Last of the Magic Dragons

Desiree Burch: 52 Man Pickup

The Poetry TakeAway

Gareth Morinan: The Truth (Explained in Doodles!)

Traumatikon

Hotel Medea

Wet Paint: A Magic Show

Le Gateau Chocolat

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Vive le Cabaret

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{FRONT} The Wrestling

ints to W cke NG

tTiHE WRESTLI

TO HEADK/OFFERS

FESTIVAL

O.U LIST.C

PHOTOS: JANNICA HONEY

This image: Patrick Monahan as The Cuddler; Max Olesker as Max Voltage; Colin Hoult as Thwor. Right: comedians taking part in The Wrestling, L–R: Ivan Gonzalez; Andrew Maxwell; Colin Hoult; Patrick Monahan; Matthew Crosby; Jessica Ransom; Max Olesker; Rich Fulcher.

16 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

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rumble! LET’S GET READY TO

A host of comedy’s biggest stars are turning nasty for a one-night only ‘wrestletainment’ royal rumble. Julian Hall talks to organiser Max Olesker – a comic and former pro wrestler – about his spandex dreams

‘wrestletainment’, which they designed ‘to give anyone who has never been to a wrestling match the feel of what it’s like’. Before the audience delivers its verdict, The Wrestling has enjoyed a huge response from fellow comedians including Brendon Burns, Andrew Maxwell, Russell Kane, Matthew Crosby, Patrick Monahan, Angelos Epithemiou, Jessica Ransom, Nick Helm, Tom Rosenthal, Colin Hoult and Penny Dreadful Humphrey Ker, who will be playing a 1970s Nazi wrestler called The Vinyl Solution. Appearing as wrestlers but also trainers, commentators and reporters too, the comics will be joined by renowned pros including PAC (‘The Man That Gravity Forgot’), Johnny Moss, Dave Moralez and Mark Haskins – and Olesker will reprise his Max Voltage role, for which he has recently trained up to four times a week. Meanwhile, the other comedians taking part won’t be thrown into the ring cold either. Many of them took a course beforehand at the Lucha Libre Wrestling School in Bethnal Green, East London. ‘They were quite literally taught the ropes for something that takes a year to train for,’ explains Olesker. ‘When they were getting “in-thezone” there was a wonderful moment where some of them realised the enormity of what they had agreed to, for example performing a “spinebuster”, where you send your opponent into the ropes, lift them up by their waist and then grab them by their legs and drive them down into a pinned position on the crashmat.’

‘SOME OF THEM HAVE REALISED WHAT THEY’VE AGREED TO’

Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 15 Aug, 11pm, £10. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 17

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he Wrestling won’t be the last Fringe show to trace its roots back to loose talk in the bar of The Pleasance, but its fusion of standup and professional wrestling, in the name of a semi-improvised, good-versus-evil romp, makes this mid-Festival spectacle quite the curiosity. The wheeze came up last year when sketch performers Max Olesker and Ivan Gonzalez were grappling with the idea of mixing the disciplines, both distinct but both, of course, united by moments of unashamed showing off. Other comedians overheard, and before you could say ‘twitter rumour’ the idea was as sure as spandex. It wasn’t merely idle bar-room chatter though; Max Olesker was the UK’s youngest pro wrestler when he was 15. While some teenage boys were more taken with an Xbox or the six-yard box on a football field, the young Max was attending the Frontier Wrestling Alliance’s Wrestling School (‘Europe’s finest wrestling school,’ Olesker explains to me), in his home town of Portsmouth. Soon Max Olesker was Max Voltage, the Human Dynamo, and playing church halls to 2000-seaters around the UK and encountering the cream of the wrestling crop from here and abroad. ‘I carried it on until my second year at university, combining drinking and wrestling and studying, but not at the same time. I started to write comedy material on a wrestling tour of Italy and teamed up with Ivan later after seeing him do some stand-up.’ Now playing their second Edinburgh Fringe as Max and Ivan, the duo are excited about their Festival venture into what one might call

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{FRONT} The Wrestling

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Wrestlers from the two teams – Heroes and Villains – square up against their opponents EROES THE H

RUSSELL KANE TEAM MANAGER

I remember when my daddy first read to me from the Holy Book. He said, ‘Son, all the answers you need are in there’. Well daddy, God rest your soul, you were almost right. Because some of those answers lie in the ring, and the righteousness of the people will be resolved in the ring! And the evil hegemony of Adam Riches and his scourge upon the wrestling humanity will be taken down! Brendon Burns, may you BURN in hell with the indignation of Satan upon your soul! Tom ‘Explosenthal’ Rosenthal, we’re going to take you down, and your daddy [Jim Rosenthal] is going to commentate upon it! Takedown! Both physical and metaphorical! Humphrey ‘The Vinyl Solution’ Ker, I don’t even know what you do, I don’t wanna see what you do, because you’re going to get elbow dropped, right in the face! And, last but not least, the Book proclaims the demise of Rich Fulcher. Even the surname sounds like someone getting squished by the Almighty. So look out, because today is the day.

ADAM RICHES TEAM MANAGER

Kane, as with most things in life, I think Dolph Lundgren said it best, when he too squared up against a short, fey, Mediterranean-looking soft porn star and said, ‘You vill lose.’ And you vill. Your team consists of a rapper, a retard, a wannabe demi-god and a not-gonna-be-able-to-after-he’s-been-clothes-lined stand-up. Your dad may well have read you the Good Book, but we are the Good Book, only bad and you douches don’t get past page one. Burns is gonna get all Cane Toad on your ass. Rosenthal is gonna make love to your face with his wrestling prowess. And the only thing you need to know about Ker is that he is so big, elephants wash him. So turn up, pick up your cheque and book your place facedown on the mat. Good may well descend, but after one swift double-kick from Fulcher and Ransom, balls will ascend.

COLIN HOULT AS . . .

TOM ROSENTHAL AS . . .

THWOR

EXPLOSENTHAL

People of Midgard! Tis I, Thwor! God of Thwunder! Thou hast heard of my legendary adventures, thou knows of my epic strength and prowess, thou may have seen my drinking a can outside Londis, shouting at people! Aye! Some people doubt that I be a God, they say, ‘If you art Thwor why do you sound like a bloke from Leeds?’ And I say, ‘SHUT UP! I am Thwor! And I tell thee I shall smite this little posh bastard Tom “Explosenthal” Rosenthal! I’ll shall twat him with my hammer, posh bastard! I shall kick him up the arse and pull his skinny little arms off and then hit him with them. Really hard. For verily Thwor be not a mere greasy little mortal, Thwor be unto a God!’ By the way if anyone’s got a spare floor I can kip on Thwor wouldst be most grateful.

FESTIVAL

S ILLAIN THE V

The Mighty Thwor was yelling out and stumbling, And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime. Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. If in some smothering dreams you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, The Mighty Thwor’s hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin; If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, My friend, you would tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, ‘Explosenthal is a bad man. A bad man. He will mess you up like a McDonald’s breakfast.’ (With apologies to Wilfred Owen. Read a longer version of this poem at list.co.uk/festival)

PATRICK MONAHAN AS . . .

HUMPHREY KER AS . . .

THE CUDDLER

THE VINYL SOLUTION

There are only three things I was born to do on this world: 1. Cuddle. 2. Wrestle. 3. Wait at bus stops and cuddle! When I heard that I'd have to face my archenemy Humphrey ‘The Vinyl Solution’ Ker, I was shocked. I've never been to a car boot sale before – is that where we’re going to meet? Don’t get me wrong, I love the 70s, but like most people I got over it and bought an iPod and an Afro comb. He may have the lanky height but I have over 72 special moves. 71 of them are cuddles. Even if The Vinyl Solution has backed up his 12”s onto a hard drive, he's going down, 70s-style, like Jimmy Saville hosting the Best of Top of the Pops 1979 Christmas Special in a velour tracksuit . . . in a house fire. Bring it on! And be prepared to be cuddled to death!

18 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Was ist los Jive Turkeys? It is I, the be-bop brownshirt! The Iron Cross boss! The cat that got the cream of Germanic youth! The Vinyl Solution! A Nazi super soldier frozen in time and re-awakened in the height of the 70s soul-funk explosion. 50 per cent Aryan Superman – 50 per cent down dirty daddio. It is time for a 45rpm Reich, ruled over by the Führer of Funk, James Brown. I am told that ‘The Cuddler’ seeks to destroy the purity of our dream. That he believes that a man should be judged on the content of his character, not the content of his record collection. I say, ‘nein!’ For too long the tide of electro funk has dirtied the purity of soul-funk. Patrick ‘The Cuddler’ Monahan's blood is weak and his sense of rhythm is poor at best. I shall annihilate him with my patented Blitzkrieg Boogie and the Eagle Strike. The Cuddler will stare defeat in the face and weep for his baby mama.

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{FRONT} China The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan

FESTIVAL

Pow 20 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

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ollution. Ai Wei Wei. Lamborghinis. The Olympics. A toxic baby milk scandal. A horrible high speed train crash that has left 40 people dead and a nation questioning safety versus rapid industrialisation. And that, for most of us, is the sum of our knowledge of the People’s Republic of China, population 1.3 billion. This vast landmass – 3.7 million square miles – ruled by the Communist Party of China will soon overtake the debt-crippled US in terms of economic prowess. Yet most of us know more about The Only Way is Essex than we do about the coming superpower of the 21st century. Enter a raft of shows and events throughout Edinburgh this August, showing the diversity of work being produced and giving some insight into life as it is lived in China today. ‘There is a gap of understanding in both directions,’ says Alison Friedman, an American who runs Pingpong Productions in Beijing. ‘People question why I need to bring work from China, which has a Starbucks on every corner, every product you could ever want to buy and Hollywood films, to the west. But that’s a consumer culture. And the news is all about economics and politics. It’s not about individuals and the spirits of the people.’ That sense of individualism and personality is exactly what lies within the pages of a novel, or in the script of a play. Bi Feiyu, talking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival about his Man Asian literary prize-winning Three Sisters, illuminates the horrors of the cultural revolution and its aftermath more clearly than any documentary. Chairman Mao’s ten-year purge of everything beautiful, spiritual, historical and meaningful, from 1966-76, still echoes through the capitalist din. Feiyu’s father was in the thick of it and, for his son, ‘Politics was not just something I read about, it was something I saw written on the face of my father.’ Dancers and musicians are rediscovering the traditions that even the Maoist machine failed to destroy, and mixing them up with other

China {FRONT}

But, Friedman says, these stately productions are no longer the only shows in town. ‘Ten years ago, the concept of freelancers didn’t exist. Now there is a growing population of them. We even have a word for them, “bei piaio”. It means “northern floater”. There’s a market for that now, more projects, more opportunities.’ Outside the state sector, China is a creative frontier town. For another American, Rosita Jankabash, this throws up opportunities that she could only dream of at home in LA. Her company, Shanghai Repertory Theatre, is at the Fringe for the first time. She is producing the show, Drift, as well as appearing in it. She is 26. ‘I’m running my own theatre company. Being here in Edinburgh is surreal. I feel that I’m playing with the big dogs. If I’d stayed in the US, I’d be getting the coffee.’ Jankabash’s company is made up of international ex-pats, their performances so far have been in English and French and their home audience is made up of 90 per cent foreigners plus locals whose language skills are up to tackling the works of Shakespeare and Eugène Ionesco. She started SRT to provide an alternative to the monolithic touring shows – ‘Mamma Mia, The Lion King five years late – we just got Cats last year’. Two years ago they were the first indie in Shanghai, although others have since joined them. ‘There are very few artistic professionals, we are all very close and collaborate. In the US, everyone chases the money. In Shanghai, basic living costs are less and you can do things purely for love. It means we are working like crazy people, but we are paying our dues.’ She wanted to bring a show to Edinburgh that represented the company and was set in the China that she lives in. Drift, by Chinese playwright Nick Yu, looks at the whirlwind of industrialisation and the impact living at 100mph has on a city’s inhabitants. ‘It shows a bit about modern China as it is.’

ower Trip A large numbers of creatives are journeying from China to Edinburgh this festival. Can their output tell us any more about the mysterious superpower? Anna Burnside speaks to a range of theatremakers and authors about their experience of working under the Chinese regime

Like much contemporary theatre Drift is not overtly political and Jankabash is nervous of speaking out about the regime that issues the licences for all public performances. During the Olympics, she said, ‘we were very conscious that the government was keeping order, it did infiltrate into what we do. When the World Expo was in Shanghai last year, we could tell there was more of a police presence. But on a dayto-day basis, I would say it doesn’t directly affect us.’ Even Alison Friedman, who has been in China for longer, has not come across many companies making overtly political work. She puts this down to self-censorship but also a lack of engagement. ‘The current generation are interested in very personal issues, they are not up there attacking the government. They are the products of the onechild family. They are very introspective.’

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influences. At the International Festival, the European premiere of the National Ballet of China’s The Peony Pavilion shows what happens when a traditional western-shaped corps de ballet brings in elements of traditional dance to tell a quintessentially Chinese story, written by 16th century master Tang Xianzu. The symphony orchestra – with additional Chinese instruments – plays an original score by a Chinese composer that references Debussy, Holst and Prokofiev. According to Friedman, these traditional state-funded companies are still the mainstays of the high arts, now producing ambitious work on a scale that is out of the new generation of independents’ reach. The Peony Pavillion and another EIF show, Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe’s The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan – a lavish martial arts-laden reworking of Hamlet – are sponsored by the Ministry of Culture.

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{FRONT} China The older generations have a wider focus. Playwright and novelist Gao Xingjian, who won the Nobel prize for literature in 2000, has lived in exile in France since 1987. He is discussing the full range of his work – screenplays, translations, his most recent project, a libretto for a dance performance – at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. There is a also lot of heat around Chan Koonchung, whose novel The Fat Years is an Orwellian look into the very near future. Not officially available in his homeland, it is being translated into 11 languages, is widely available in neighbouring Asian countries and is also online in China if you know where to look. ‘From early on I have decided that, if my novels cannot be published in China, so be it,’ he says by email from his home in Beijing. ‘If you can live with that, with giving up the huge Chinese mainland market, you have freed up half of your self-censor impulse. The other half comes from the fear that you may have displeased the authority. That I have also made a conscious effort to disregard when I decided to write The Fat Years.’ That is an understatement: the title comes from an archaic Chinese term meaning the prosperous age, of the time of glory. Out of use for a century, it has recently made a comeback. The story is set a few years in the future, when the superpower nation has universally forgotten a month of harsh repression. It was written in the wake of the Olympics and the economic meltdown in the west, when Koonchung sensed a switch in the country’s mindset. ‘It’s a political mystery and a love story with some thriller elements. It’s about people who give up the urge to find the truth.’ It’s an unmissable metaphor, yet Koonchung is not a spokesman for anything other than his own work. ‘I feel the responsibility to continue writing about China, not to represent the country but to present as authentically as possible my feeling about China through fiction.’ He operates at arms length from the state: not published but not harassed either. ‘The regime has never come to me directly. I’m not constrained in my writing. In China, whether one is a dissident or not is ultimately up to the state. It is not up to you. You are on the receiving end. If the state apparatus decides to mess you up, then the outside world will label you as a dissident. Before the state does that, anyone trying to express critical views of the state is just a citizen exercising his or her constitutional rights.’ That’s the voice of maturity. Friedman sees a lot of the current performance output as juvenilia, a culture’s adolescent experimentation and facile culture blending. (She calls this, wearily, ‘hip hop with a fan’). But this won’t last. ‘China has such an ancient and rich and diverse cultural heritage. At the moment artists are colouring outside the lines, they’re in the 22 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

experimental phase of trial and error. There’s a lot of kitsch, a lot of amateur work. But in a couple of years, I think we’ll see things we’ve never seen before. Just as the US gave us modern dance and Germany gave us tanztheater, China will create new genres we have never seen before. It is going to blow our minds.’ Drift, Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug (not 17), 1pm, £9-£10 (£8-£9). Gao Xingjian, Charlotte Square Gardens, 27 Aug, 8.30pm, £10 (£8). For details of other events see edfringe.com, edbookfest.co.uk and eif.co.uk. For a full list of Chinese events at the Edinburgh festivals 2011 see bit.ly/edfestchina

‘THERE’S A GAP OF UNDERSTANDING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS’

Drift. Above left: The Peony Pavilion. Above: Qing Cheng on the Fringe.

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{FRONT} Food & Drink SIDE DISHES

Food&Drink

NEWS TO NIBBLE ON

Foodies for Luvvies

A HIDDEN haven in the Old Town, Divino Enoteca at 5 Merchant Street (off Candlemaker Row) is celebrating its first birthday with a full programme of free live music throughout August, accompanied by good food and wine to midnight.

As the Foodies Festival prepares to set its stall, Donald Reid takes a bite out of what you can expect this year

MORE ITALIAN culture to be found, of course, at Valvona & Crolla on Elm Row. The headline show there this year is Italia ‘n’ Caledonia, a new show telling the history of Italian emigrants to Scotland.

or many years, the missing Edinburgh food festival was a void waiting to be filled. After all, it was festival season in August and lots of food was being eaten. And, of course, everywhere else in the country was running food festivals. Five years ago, Foodies was one of a number of responses, but it has endured and matured, with a three-day event dedicated to food and drink taking place in Holyrood Park from 12 to 14 August. In fact, the Foodies Festival brand has now gone national, with seven festivals this year around the UK attracting 140,000 people in total. In many ways the format is familiar enough, with produce stalls, cooking demos and drinks promotions. At their Restaurant Village, newcomer The Salisbury Arms and Italian Hitlister Locanda di Gusti are prominent. According to event organiser Roben Hera, Foodies is a little bit different because it puts an emphasis on participating in masterclasses and tasting sessions, all included in the ticket price.

Another draw is the atmosphere. ‘It’s very family friendly,’ says Hera, ‘and with the green field setting, people enjoy sitting on picnic blankets and really enjoying themselves for the whole day. The live entertainment stage with Fringe performers creates a fun festival vibe.’ ■ foodiesfestival.com

DURING AUGUST, the new Whiski Rooms on North Bank Street at the top of The Mound has daily tutored whisky tasting sessions at 5pm, including a tour of the regions.

IN CO-PROMOTION WITH REAL FOODS, EDINBURGH cocktail ingredients so if you fancy trying the recipes at www.realfoods.co.uk pop into either of the Real Foods shops with your shopping list. For a fresh twist on party drinks add a healthy splash or two of organic spirits from Real Foods – where you’ll find the best selection of organic wine and spirits in Scotland. Whether you are looking to make a splash at a party or need a vitamin energy boost there is a unique force of nature cocktail recipe to suit your taste buds! Real Foods hold regular, fun and informative events. See www.realfoods.co.uk for details and the next organic cocktail night.

REAL FOODS Natural Healthy Ethical Shopping ■ LOCAL SEASONAL PRODUCE

FESTIVAL

■ WHEAT-FREE/DAIRY-FREE/GLUTEN-FREE ■ SUPERFOODS & RAW FOODS Hilary mixing up a Heart Beet cocktail for our friends at Ronde, 66 Hamilton Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh. Find out what nutritional qualities this combination of Beetroot juice, pressed apple juice, agave nectar, Hibiscus tea, fennel and apple crisps reveals at realfoods.co.uk or read Hilary’s blog at hilarybonnedonald.wordpress.com

UNIQUE HEALTHY COCKTAILS! Hilary Donald is an art student and Real Foods customer who has mixed some flavoursome and unique cocktails packed with energy and nutritional qualities. Fed up with nights out and unhealthy cocktails full of sugar, egg white and cream, Hilary had the

idea of creating her own healthier mixes by really considering what goes into each recipe to create the most nutritional punch. These cocktails are not your usual run of the mill smoothies though, their delicious and delicate flavour combinations really enliven the palate, as well as your mind and body. Real Foods stocks all of Hilary’s fabulous

■ ORGANIC WINES AND SPIRITS ■ ORGANIC HEALTH & BEAUTY • 10% Early Bird discount available in both shops. See website for details. • Free recipes, health advice & online shop. • Free UK delivery on orders over £10. • Student & Senior Citizen discounts.

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Festival Menu includes Tail End favourites: Scallops 3 ways, roasted seabass with tomato and basil pesto, cranachan made with fresh raspberries and whisky ice cream and, of course, the best haddock and chips in Edinburgh! 14-15 Albert Place, Leith Walk EH7 5HN • Phone: 0131- 555 3577 • Email: info@tailendfishbar.co.uk 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 25

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Festival

EDI INTERNNBURGH BOOK F ATIONAL 13–29 ESTIVAL All even AUGUST ts in C

{BOOKS}

Square harlotte Gardens

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Q&A

HITLIST JULIA DONALDSON The new Children’s Laureate shows up this year as one of the Festival’s guest selectors and in this week’s events she discusses dragons and fairies before helping kids to devise their own short play from a picture book alongside Vivian French and Simon Puttock. See preview, page 31. I 13 Aug, 10am, £4.50; 16 Aug, 11am, £7.

Michael Longley One of the UK and Ireland’s finest poetic talents, and a former winner of the TS Eliot Poetry Prize, gets a chance to air his versey wares in front of his admiring fanbase. See Top 5, page 32. 18 Aug, 10.15am, £10 (£8).

Caitlin Moran Moran has turned into a heavyweight columnist and literary talent with How to Be a Woman, her take on the current state of feminism, as viewed via a semi-memoir. See preview, page 30. 14 Aug, 12.30pm, £10 (£8).

Stephen Kelman A debutant with a slot on the Booker longlist, Kelman is a prime example of a chap who followed his dream, no matter what. Pigeon English is now the talk of the town. See preview, page 31. 17 Aug, 3.30pm, £7 (£5).

Ali Smith A third Booker nomination may have slipped her by, but there is little doubt that There but for the is one of the top Scottish novels of the year. See feature, page 28. 14 Aug, 11.30am, £10 (£8).

Alexei Sayle This early 80s pioneer of alternative comedy has settled into a literary career pretty much as though he was born to it. His memoir, Stalin Ate My Homework, is a must-read. See Top 5, page 30. 13 Aug, 8pm, £10 (£8).

Christopher Brookmyre He may now be called Chris to his fans, but thankfully there’s no change in the quality of his novelistic output. Where the Bodies Are Buried is his latest pageturner. See preview, page 30. 16 Aug, 8pm, £10 (£8).

Give us five words to describe The Possessions of Doctor Forrest? The ones I’d borrow from reviews would be ‘gothic’, ‘gripping’, ‘spine chilling’ and ‘seductive’. Which author should be more famous than they are now? Everyone ought to read James Lasdun’s superb stories in the 2009 collection It’s Beginning to Hurt. Lasdun has a masterly way of leading his characters from innocence to experience, and his prose shines (and cuts) like a diamond. What do you love about book festivals? Meeting and talking to readers; a refreshing antidote to what writers spend the rest of their time doing . . . What was the last book you read? The Unsettled Dust by Robert Aickman, one of the finest writers of the supernatural. Aickman’s stories conjure a recognisable world that feels wholly foursquare; until you realise that the narrative has been built as a cage, a personal hell, and the protagonist is walking toward death as if in a dream. Which dead author do you wish was still alive today? Gordon Burn was a superb stylist, a keenly questing mind, and a true northerner, who brought real artistry to bear on raw (sometimes terrifying) true-life subject matter, be it politics or poverty, football or serial murder. Whenever there’s a controversial story in the news now, I always think, ‘What would Gordon have made of this?’ (Interview by Brian Donaldson) I 13 Aug (with Kevin MacNeil), 10.15am, £10 (£8). 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 27

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Ned Beauman A slimy and icky debut novel in parts it may well have been, but Beauman’s Boxer, Beetle was still one of 2010’s most vital opening literary salvos. See preview, page 32. 14 Aug, 10.15am, £10 (£8).

In his second novel, RICHARD T KELLY conjures up a thrilling romp about three Scottish medics. Here he offers his prognosis on our sickly Q&A

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{BOOKS} Ali Smith

PLAY FOR TODAY Both important and impish, the books of Ali Smith are loved by countless readers.I

FESTIVAL

Brian Donaldson hears from the Scottish writer about celebrity culture and human spongesI

28 THE LIST 11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;18 Aug 2011

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Ali Smith {BOOKS}

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existential puzzle. Meanwhile, each of the four lengthy chapters (entitled ‘There’, ‘but’, ‘for’ and ‘the’) looks at a different individual who has some connection with Miles (eventually, inevitably, he is dubbed ‘Milo’ by the gossip hacks). There is a wonderful playfulness about the book, which swarms with puns and jokes and layer upon layer of cunning references, particularly in the chapter which belongs to nine-year-old Brooke, a precocious aspiring writer who is obsessed with the concept of time. ‘I don’t think you can strive to be playful, otherwise you end up looking like a children’s TV presenter from the 1960s pretending you were ten,’ warns Smith. ‘People have complained about the number of puns in the book but I think playfulness is a door into understanding our species and the sensitivities and the connection points that go beyond our simple existence. It’s not surprising to me that people have come to call theatre “plays”; the root of drama is a kind of playfulness. There’s a real sense of lightness or a comic form even in the darkest of places.’ But that kind of darkness is something that Smith is well aware of, having thrown herself into the writing of There but for the as her dad became gravely ill before eventually dying. ‘All hell breaks loose when someone dies. I’m actually still astonished there is a book; I hold it in my hand and I don’t remember where it came from. It’s a revelation to me that something keeps us going even when we think we’ve just completely stalled.’ For critics, readers and bookish judges, Smith’s literary exploits have continued to move forward at a frighteningly impressive pace. Her 1995 debut was the Saltirewinning short story collection Free Love with her full-length debut, Like, arriving two years later. Since then, acclaim has been more or less universal for her theatre work (The Seer), non-fiction (The Book Lover) and novels (including Whitbread winner The Accidental). The twice Booker-nominated author has spoken before about the purpose of cultural consumption: ‘Do you come to art to be comforted, or do you come to art to be reskinned?’ she asked in a 2003 interview with Jeanette Winterson. This reskinning is at the heart of Ali Smith’s literary philosophy. ‘Like the sponge nature of being human, books are also organic things; they are formed of tree while the spine originally comes from the leather-bound spine of an animal. I’ve got nothing against Kindles or digital reading, it’s fine by me that all these classics are being read on the train. But books don’t have a battery, they’re a throwback to our own organic existence. Art should help to reproduce, and find a new version of ourself.’

‘I HAVE A COMIC OPTIMISM IN HUMAN CLEVERNESS’

Ali Smith, Charlotte Square Gardens, 14 Aug, 11.30am, £10 (£8).

THERE BUT FOR THE EXTRACT There was no more talking out loud now, and there wouldn’t be neither, not for any money, not for anybody. May Young was old. You’ll always be ‘young’ now you’ve married me, Philip had whispered in her ear at the altar, June 7, 1947. But she was no fool, she knew exactly how old she was. She knew it was January. She knew it was Thursday. She knew very well who the prime minister was, thank you very much. She knew plenty, no thanks to them. And here she was, in a bed that wasn’t hers, now don’t go getting ideas, she didn’t mean anything funny by it, ha ha. She looked down and saw the thing, plastic bangle-shape thing round her wrist. 13.12.25. No date for the other yet. So there we are, chum. Proof. Still here. But oh dear Jesus Mary and Joseph, was that thing there really hers, that old woman’s rough raw wrist there, coming out of the end of the sleeve of a nightie May didn’t know? Well, not intimately she didn’t. Imagine not knowing the very clothes you’re in. Finding yourself in pink when you wouldn’t be seen dead in pink. Finding yourself in a colour you’d never’ve said yes to in a million. Not even if you’d been in the dark. Old age doesn’t come its lone: old saying of her long-gone mother up with the angels since October ‘64. Well, no, mother, old age didn’t come its lone, for look at this, it brought a whole other person with it, a stranger whose wrists were old, who wore pink when you’d never have chosen pink and anyone who knew the first thing about you would never have put you in pink. Well, but it was sore enough, that wrist on the bed, to be her own wrist, no stranger’s wrist after all, there where the plastic bit into it. That’s how you knew it was you and nobody else, then, was it, when things were sore? She lifted a hand. Or, an old hand that looked like it belonged to some other body, an old body, lifted, and it nearly did what she asked of it, it wavered, it took its time about it, it felt its way, missed its target, came at it anew, if at first you don’t succeed, and in the end it got one of its raw old red fingers in between the plastic that had her date on it and the skin under it and look! look at that! it was so tight! there was hardly room for a finger between this here and that there. So it was no wonder it hurt like it did. She did not say any of this out loud. She said it within the confines of her head. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 29

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here can be few more anxious experiences for an author than turning to the literary section of a newspaper as the book they have slogged over for possibly years is taken apart by a faceless critic. One national paper gave Ali Smith the fright of her life as she spotted a review of her latest novel, There but for the. The name Isobel Murray may not have meant much to the casual reader, but to Smith, it brought back a flood of memories from way back when. ‘She was my tutor from Aberdeen,’ says the Inverness-born, Cambridge-based writer, recalling her days as an English literature student at the Granite City’s university. ‘It was much better not to know that she was going to review the book. From what I remember, she was always furious at me for not using semi-colons. It was a bit close to home to have your 20-year-old self being graded once more.’ But sometimes it can be an eye-opener in different ways to hand a completed novel over to a dispassionate reader who may make surprising connections that the author, perhaps being too close to their own work, may not have consciously observed. ‘When I gave the book to a friend to read, they said, “Well, it’s Middlemarch isn’t it?” I haven’t read that since I was 18, but it is there: Miles’ second name is Garth and Brooke is in it too. When I opened Middlemarch again, I found this thing about lives being quietly lived. I was astonished but I know that every single thing you’ve read influences you at some level; human beings are very porous and what we take in will come out. The importance of quiet lives in celebrity culture looks like an anathema but they’re not because the removed and private person will be the most fascinating to the most number of people.’ For Smith, this celebrity culture is both a fascination and a distraction, with its perpetual focus on the surface of things, aided and abetted by the internet, which has turned swathes of individuals into collective skimmers, flicking through pages and dashing from image to image in search of the somehow perfect visual trope. ‘For all of us in the world, the internet is a fantastic encyclopaedic help; it’s a new way of sourcing things but we have to always enquire about its truth. Our brains are changing and as a species we have become much more surface. But I have a comic optimism and faith in the human cleverness to use all sources for the best as well as the worst.’ The book is riddled with these kinds of concerns, opening with Miles leaving his seat at an awful dinner party and heading upstairs where he will trap himself in a spare room for months, wilfully cutting himself off from civilisation, like the hordes of addicted internet-users in their airless chambers. Eventually, rather than getting a locksmith on the case, panicked hostess Genevieve contacts the press to try and solve this

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Top 5

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AUTHORS ON TV Think you know their faces? Chances are you’ve seen them on the telly. Brian Donaldson screens a familiar quintet Lucy Worsley Delving into the intimate history of old homes and buildings is the prime passion of Worsley (pictured) and her BBC Four series and book If Walls Could Talk pretty much sums it up. During her years of research, she has uncovered the fact that bedrooms used to be semi-public places before the Victorians decreed them to be a place of sleeping and canoodling, while bathrooms only became separate rooms late into the Victorian era. 13 Aug, 5pm, £10 (£8). Bettany Hughes While Lucy Worsley is into old buildings, Hughes has made many docs about her chosen area, ancient history. The Moors, the Spartans and Helen of Troy have been the people she has fascinated us with on TV. 13 Aug, 3.30pm, £10 (£8). Alexei Sayle It seems a very long time since ‘Hello John Got a New Motor?’ and his way-overthe-top ravings as the unhinged landlord Bolowski in The Young Ones. And that’s because it is. Nowadays he is a highly respected short-story writer and novelist who has written an engrossing autobiography entitled Stalin Ate My Homework. The title alone is near-genius. 13 Aug, 8pm, £10 (£8). Kirsty Wark The esteemed broadcaster asks the questions in two major events. First up is an interview with short story writer and memoirist Tobias Wolff, while near the end of the month she shares a stage with Ingrid Betancourt, the presidential candidate who was held captive by Colombian guerrilla forces for six long years. 14 Aug, 3pm; 29 Aug, 4.30pm, £10 (£8). Peter Taylor Former teacher Taylor has developed a reputation for hard-hitting and compelling journalism ever since joining ITV’s This Week back in 1967. While his work on Northern Ireland made him a familiar face on the small screen, he has been busy investigating Islamist extremism for the last decade. 16 Aug, 10.30am, £10 (£8). 30 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

CHRISTOPHER BROOKMYRE Name-shifting Scottish scribe retains his trademarks When Christopher Brookmyre has three syllables thrown at him, he knows he’s done something wrong. Despite his full first-name appearing on every book jacket since his debut novel in 1997, those around Brookmyre have called him Chris for years. ‘I tend to be Christopher to my mum,’ he says, ‘or my wife when I’m in trouble.’ But now his fans can also call him by that more intimate moniker. Where the Bodies are Buried, Brookmyre’s 12th novel, was written by Chris, not Christopher. While the decision to change was initially suggested by the jacket’s designer – ‘he thought it would look better’ – it also signals a slight change in tone for the author. His new work features poignant descriptions of the emotional scars left by bereavement, sitting tastefully alongside a more measured humour. Although as Brookmyre says, ‘It’s the wrong way round;

when I was being flippant I should have been Chris.’ Fans of Brookmyre’s trademark black humour, twisting plotlines and likeable characters have not been disappointed, however, as Where the Bodies are Buried still has a healthy dollop of all three. Having introduced readers to a new set of characters, in particular the smart but sensitive police detective Catherine McLeod and rookie private investigator Jasmine Sharp, Brookmyre will be hoping for positive feedback from his Edinburgh Book Festival audience. ‘Although my new book is more serious, I’ve selected passages that have some degree of humour, but also introduce the two characters and their narrative voice,’ he says. ‘When you’re writing a book, you wait a long time for any kind of feedback, so when you get an instant response from an audience, it’s quite reassuring. And if you’re getting laughter back, you know you’re hitting the spot.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ 16 Aug, 8pm, £10 (£8).

CAITLIN MORAN A self-deprecating take on womanhood With Germaine Greer’s recent Newsnight debacle dragging the feminist cause kicking and screaming back to the dark days, it’s time to hail the new messiah: Caitlin Moran. Not for nothing has this Brighton-born writer impressed. Aged just 15, the young Moran had already picked up The Observer’s Young Reporter award, going on to write for it and sister title The Guardian; by 18 she was writing a column for The Times and fast becoming a TV presenter to watch. Almost two decades on, Moran has created a best-selling book out of ‘issues’ with her memoircum-pondering on lady life, How to Be a Woman. Instead of harping on like some strangulated feminist manifesto, Moran opts here for the jugular, reminiscing about her council estate upbringing and her first experiences with boys, alongside wonderings on what to call your vagina. Plus, there’s an array of other surprisingly funny and bizarrely revelatory ditties as she laments the journey from pre-pubescence to womanhood. Applauded for being ‘laugh-out-loud funny’ (it is), this is self-deprecation and witty reflection at its finest. (Anna Millar) ■ 14 Aug, 12.30pm, £10 (£8).

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JULIA DONALDSON What other authors think of the new Children’s Laureate ‘Julia Donaldson is unique in the nicest way,’ says former Book Festival children’s writer in residence Vivian French. ‘She’s passionate about stories, whether in the form of books, songs or plays, and her enthusiasm is infectious.’ French is ‘delighted’ about Donaldson’s recent appointment as Children’s Laureate, and believes the creator of magical tales like The Gruffalo is the ideal candidate. ‘She can persuade even the starchiest of teachers to be a snail or a whale, and they end up enjoying every minute. If anyone can give children and adults a genuine love of books, Julia will.’ French – author of popular children’s series such as The Tiara Club – will lead EIBF youth drama workshop Curtain Up! alongside Donaldson and award-winning picture book writer Simon Puttock. He too is heartened by Donaldson’s literary assignment. ‘Every now and then I meet someone who is more than happy to admit complete ignorance of that fact that picture books can actually have writers,’ he says. ‘I’m therefore delighted that a writer of predominantly picture books is our new laureate. If we neglect to instil a love of books and of story in each new generation right from the start, we are pretty well sunk.’ In her role as a guest selector this year, Donaldson has devised a programme that celebrates literature as a dynamic art form, featuring interaction, drama, illustration and song. It’s an approach that’s set to resonate throughout her laureateship. ‘It’s great that Julia is focusing on performance during her tenure,’ says acclaimed children’s author and playwright Guy Bass. ‘I got into writing through drama – it’s a wonderful, often overlooked way in to reading and storytelling. She’s done so much to inspire confidence in children already. And she can sing! What more could you ask for in a children’s laureate?’ (Nicola Meighan) ■ See edbookfest.co.uk for full details of events featuring Julia Donaldson, Simon Puttock, Vivian French and Guy Bass.

KEVIN MACNEIL

STEPHEN KELMAN

Revisiting Germany’s troubled past

Revamping a classic RLS tale

An overnight literary success

‘An extraordinarily strong book by a major German author, ingeniously translated, produced with love by an idealistic publisher . . .’ The words of Michel Faber writing in The Guardian last year. High praise indeed for Jenny Erpenbeck and her third novel, Visitation, but not out of turn. Erpenbeck’s history of a house and the surrounding land by a lake in Brandenburg outside Berlin is incantatory, uncanny and really quite wonderful. The history of the house unfolds through a succession of occupants who oust and are ousted by one another during the course of events in Germany’s tumultuous 20th century. Erpenbeck’s style is gloriously idiosyncratic, from her eschewing of neat characterisations to her patchwork narrative structure to highly poetic prose. None of which is to say her writing is difficult. In point of fact, it’s so on the mark that in just 150 pages she has the reader hooked on the (largely tragic) lives of the house’s various inhabitants. It even succeeds in elucidating the ‘life’ of the property itself, via the recurring appearance of the mysterious and unknowable gardener, who maintains the dwelling through changing times. (Miles Fielder) ■ 18 Aug (with Michel Faber), 8.30pm, £7 (£5).

A sense of place is very important to Kevin MacNeil. You can see it in his 2005 novel, The Stornoway Way, and it’s there with the evocative Edinburgh setting he’s conjured up for A Method Actor’s Guide to Jekyll and Hyde. ‘I like the place where a novel is set to be a character in itself,’ MacNeil says. ‘And while Stevenson’s original is actually set in London, when I read the original or watch one of the film versions, I’m thinking of Edinburgh not London.’ Aspiring thespian Robert Lewis (can you see what he’s done there?) is on his way to rehearsals for a new stage play of the iconic RLS tale when he has a serious bike accident. He survives but his personality is transformed, the previously meek and mild Lewis taking no nonsense from anyone, particularly among the play’s cast and crew. This leads to some surreal set-pieces and a curious second half, when he appears to meet a bed-ridden MacNeil. ‘It’s about this idea of duality and multiplicity: do you only get one chance in life? Is your identity fixed or is it more fluid? And in the book I’m suggesting that life is defined by change and that there is more than one chance.’ (Brian Donaldson) ■ 13 Aug (with Richard T Kelly), 10.15am, £10 (£8).

Probably most humdrum offices in Britain hide an aspiring creative type who dreams of ditching the day job and succeeding at what they love. For Stephen Kelman, the dream came dramatically true. Penned while he worked as a council administrator, his debut novel Pigeon English was subject to a 12way publisher auction in 2010. ‘I never expected that it would attract the interest it did,’ he says. ‘When a dozen publishers entered the bidding it was surreal.’ Kelman signed with Bloomsbury, but only after meeting the competition. ‘I think that’s known as a beauty parade in the industry,’ he laughs. The funny and poignant tale of an 11-year-old Ghanaian boy, Harrison Opoku, and his charmingly naïve efforts to solve a murder on his London sink estate, Pigeon English earned glowing reviews and has just been longlisted for this year’s Booker. Its engagement with resonant issues, chiefly knife crime, is one of the book’s undoubted strengths. But Kelman hopes Harrison is what really makes it special. ‘He has a spark and spirit that I’d like to think readers have responded to.’ If there’s a lesson in his own story, Kelman says, ‘. . . it’s to just keep plugging away.’ (Malcolm Jack) ■ 17 Aug (with Faïza Guène), 3.30pm, £7 (£5). 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 31

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POETS Across the Book Festival, some top poets are appearing or being lauded. Brian Donaldson picks five of the finest exponents of this ancient form Michael Longley One of the most decorated verse-conjurors at this year’s Festival, the Belfastborn writer (pictured) has the TS Eliot Poetry Prize, a Whitbread and the Hawthornden Prize under his belt as well as being the proud recipient of the 2001 Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry. Should you wish to do a bit of boning up before his appearance, among his celebrated collections are Fishing the Sky, The Ghost Orchid and The Weather in Japan. 18 Aug, 10.15am, £10 (£8). Robin Robertson The acclaimed editor of James Kelman, AL Kennedy and Irvine Welsh, RR is a feted poet in his own right. We described his last collection, The Wrecking Light, as ‘compelling’, ‘startling’ and having ‘a strongly developed sense of the domestic’. 20 Aug, 10.15am, £10 (£8). Czeslaw Milosz This year marks the centenary of the birth of Poland’s legendary poet and in a trio of events, the likes of critic Michal Pawel Markowski, philosopher John Gray and the Scottish Poetry Library pay tribute to his genius and legacy. 18 Aug, noon, 3.30pm; 23 Aug, 1.30pm, £10 (£8). Wendy Cope The witty poet was in fine form with her most recent collection, Family Values, which mixes the gently serious with the mildly caustic featuring some light trumpeting of universal emotions. 22 Aug, 7pm, £10 (£8). John Burnside In 2006, the multi-disciplinary scribe gave us his Collected Poems, a beautiful set which showcased his gift as a chronicler of the natural, human and mystical worlds. 17 Aug, 10.15am, £10 (£8).

For even more Festival reviews see

list.co.uk/festival 32 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

NED BEAUMAN Debutant with a palate for the distasteful Ned Beauman’s first novel, Boxer, Beetle, comes prefaced with the rather haughty caveat: ‘This is a novel for people with breeding. Only people with the right genes and the wrong impulses will find its marriage of bold ideas and deplorable characters irresistible.’ The 26-year-old author – speaking from Berlin, where he’s doing a summer writer’s residency – finds some people’s reactions to his book a bit OTT. ‘A few film companies were interested in my book,’ he explains, ‘but no one’s bought it so far because they said there were too many damaged people in it, and no likeable characters. A lot of reviews pick up on that too, as if that’s a problem? That just seems like criticising a book because the weather’s always rainy in it or something.’ The characters doing all the off-putting are a collector of Nazi memorabilia, a beetle breeder, a 1930s boxer, and someone with a rare condition that means

he stinks permanently of rotting fish. Thankfully, the plot unravels at a fizzing pace and in such a densely detailed, shamelessly un-PC manner that the characters’ more rancid sides only add to the fun. ‘It never occurred to me that it’d be agitating as I was writing it,’ insists Beauman, who also writes articles for Dazed and Confused and The Guardian. ‘I’ve read plenty books with more Nazis, more violence or more sex. Something like Hubert Selby Jnr’s Last Exit to Brooklyn: now that’s unpleasant.’ Boxer, Beetle was nominated for last year’s Guardian First Book Award, and will be published in the States next month, but Beauman isn’t one to rest on his laurels, and has already finished book two. It returns to the 1930s, and focuses on a group of Weimar émigrés who end up in LA. ‘It’s not any purer though, and the human beings aren’t any easier.’ With a laugh, he concludes: ‘That just wouldn’t be playing to my strengths.’ (Claire Sawers) ■ 14 Aug (with Zoë Strachan), 10.15am, £10 (£8).

JOANNE LIMBURG Feeling the fear a little too acutely We all have stuff we worry about. Job security; an awful accident happening to our loved ones; what tune we should have played at our funeral? That kind of thing. But when it comes to full-on fretting, most of us are rank amateurs next to poet Joanne Limburg. She has pinpointed the bullying at school and a miscarriage as events in her life which may well have contributed to the inner turmoils which led her to constantly believing that bad things were about to happen to her or her family. It took 24 years for her to have OCD diagnosed, and with her memoir, The Woman Who Thought Too Much, she has laid her story out in minute and often too-painful detail. In an enlightened age when mental illness can be spoken openly by everyone from Stephen Fry to Neil Lennon, Limburg’s memoir acts as a source for those OCD sufferers who may feel, with some justification, that their affliction is merely comic relief next to manic depression or schizophrenia. Those who take an hour to get to bed at night or leave the house in the morning because they’re too busy playing with light switches or rattling locks should grab this book for both comfort and solidarity. (Brian Donaldson) ■ 17 Aug, 5pm, £10 (£8).

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{BOOKS} Week Planner SATURDAY 13 Alasdair Gray The Book Fest beanfeast is officially launched with this appearance by the godfather of Glasgow literature. 11.30am, £10 (£8). Joan Lingard The Edinburgh-born writer launches The Stolen Sister, the third in her series of books about orphans living in a London boozer. 2pm, £4.50. Simon Stephenson A true story of hope and redemption, Let Not the Waves of the Sea tells the tragic tale of the death of the author’s brother in the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004. 2.30pm, £10 (£8). Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series This year’s AI talks kick off with a discussion about torture with Sophie Hardach among the scribes appearing. 5.30pm, free. Alexander McCall SmIth The everpopular AMS is in town to chat about the gentle side of crime writing and social analysis. 6.30pm, £10 (£8). Tom McCarthy With C, McCarthy brought us an experimental romp dubbed an ‘anti-novel’ in some quarters which laid his admiration of Joyce and Beckett out for all to, em, C. 7pm, £10 (£8). Alan Warner Oban’s finest is always a welcome addition to the Charlotte Square Gardens roster and here he reflects on the writing process and gives us a sneak preview of his 2012 publication. 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

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SUNDAY 14 Horrid Henry with Francesca Simon With the film out and about now, we imagine some more HH books will be fleeing the shelves shortly. Henry’s creator chats about his latest mischiefs. 1.30pm, £4.50. Darian Leader In The New Black, Leader wrote about how depression may well be a mere invention of the modern drugs industry. Rather than pills, he suggests that art and culture are better suited as a remedy to melancholia. 11am, £10 (£8). Lila Azam Zanganeh This FrenchIranian writer offers up her own slant on the legacy of Vladimir Nabokov in her own novel/essay, The Enchanter. 4pm, £10 (£8). The New Scotland Head of Creative Scotland, Andrew Dixon, is joined by ex-Deputy First Minister, Jim Wallace, to discuss how Scotland sees itself as a nation into the 21st century. 5pm, £10 (£8). Sarah Brown The former PM’s wife takes us Behind the Black Door and reveals as much as she is allowed to about her previous life in Number 10. Which probably seems a very long time ago now. 6.30pm, £10 (£8). Hari Kunzru In his new novel, the author and commentator has given us a spectacular vista involving parents at the centre of a media witch-hunt, a rock star hiding out at a run-down motel and a teenage Iraqi refugee living a surreal role-playing life. Recently, we said the book made ‘a masterful use of 34 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

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language and tone [to] ensure we are hooked from beginning to end.’ 7pm, £10 (£8).

MONDAY 15 Lucy Hawking The daughter of youknow-who chats about their latest collaboration, George and the Big Bang, a high-octane adventure featuring wormholes and the very edge of knowledge. Lofty ambitions indeed. 10.30am, £4.50. William McIlvanney Having blazed a trail across the Scottish literary scene since the late 60s, the Kilmarnock-born writer is in town to talk books with Ruth Wishart. 11.30am, £10 (£8). Jonathan Agnew We’ve all heard the clip of him reducing Brian Johnston to a fit of uncontrollable giggles live on air, right? See if he can tickle your stuff as he chats about a life in cricket. 3pm, £10 (£8). Pamela Stephenson-Connolly The antipodean former comedian and actress took a sharp change of career gear by becoming a clinical psychologist specialising in the world of sex and how it informs our everyday lives. You may have seen her putting the likes of Sarah Ferguson, Salman Rushdie and Tony Curtis through the emotional wringer on More4’s Shrink Rap and here she fields the penetrating questions from Ruth Wishart. 4.30pm, £10 (£8). Jennifer Egan & Karen Russell Two rising stars of the north American fiction game join up to discuss their novels A Visit from the Goon Squad (Egan) and Swamplandia! (Russell). 7pm, £7 (£5). John Hartson The former Celtic, Wales and Arsenal striker faced up to his most difficult challenge to date when he suffered cancer shortly after retiring from football. Happily he pulled through and chats about his life in and out of the game with celebrity St Johnstone fan Stuart Cosgrove. 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

TUESDAY 16 Miriam Toews & David Vann Two exciting authors from across the pond bring their particular backgrounds to bare in their fiction. Toews is a Canadian of Mennonite descent while Vann hails from Alaska. 10.15am, £10 (£8). Sebastian Barry The award-winning writer’s new novel is On Canaan’s Side, a heart-rending panorama that travels across over half a century. 1.30pm, £10 (£8). Ilan Pappé This esteemed chronicler of ancient history takes us back to the early 18th century and through to the post-war years of the Husaynis, a Middle East family which dominated Palestinian life during that period. 3pm, £10 (£8). Michelle Paver Her Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series is now a wrap. Fans of Torak, Wolf and Renn should get here quickfast. 5pm, £4.50. David Millar The true story of how a talented Scottish cyclist lost almost everything before dragging it all back after a doping scandal threatened to ruin his career. Bike writer Richard Moore hosts this event. 7pm, £10 (£8). Kelly Link with Audrey Niffenegger Guest selector Niffenegger introduces us to Link, whose titles include Magic for Beginners and The Best of Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet. 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

WEDNESDAY 17 Maggie O’Farrell If I was compared to Daphne du Maurier and Rebecca West, I’d be telling people that too. But the Northern Ireland-born writer is very much her own scribe and has gained an ever-bigger fanbase with the likes of The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox and After You’d Gone. 1.30pm, £10 (£8). Neil Gaiman with Audrey Niffenegger Guest selector Niffenegger does more selecting of

guests with the writer of The Sandman and Coraline today’s chosen one. The subject at hand may well be sparked off by the fact that it’s a decade since his landmark American Gods publication. 3pm, £10 (£8). Operation Eiffel Tower with Elen Caldecott Lauren and Jack have sent their parents off to France to see if they can start being nice to one another again. But is arranging dinner for two under the Eiffel Tower in the local crazy golf attraction the right way to go about it? 5pm, £4.50. Tam Dalyell with James Naughtie The man who singlehandedly took on Thatcher over the sinking of the Belgrano during the Falklands conflict is grilled by the broadcaster who was once accused of ‘kebabing’ the former Labour leader Neil Kinnock. Should be a juicy event. 6.30pm, £10 (£8). Edwin Morgan International Poetry Prize The late Glasgow poetry legend and good friend of the Book Festival is honoured once more with this prize in his name. David Kinloch chairs this no-doubt poignant ceremony. 7pm, £10 (£8). Kristin Hersh With Paradoxical Undressing, the former Throwing Muse laid bare her mental illness and here will take further courageous steps in bringing it more into the open. 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

THURSDAY 18 Angus Peter Campbell & Gwyneth Lewis Two writers who deal in delicious and strange myths and legends in their novels meet up to chew some literary fat. Noon, £7 (£5). Best of European Fiction 2011 Kevin Barry, Lucian Dan Teodorovici and Manon Uphoff share a busy stage to discuss their various fictions, with literary critic Stuart Kelly sparking off the discussion. 2.30pm, £10 (£8). John Byrne One of our nation’s true renaissance men sets aside all the record sleeves he’s designed and pictures he’s painted to chat about his written work. 4.30pm, £10 (£8). Simon Puttock A chance to find out how to go about creating the ideal picture book with the man behind the superbly-titled Goat and Donkey in Strawberry Sunglasses and Earth to Stella! 4.30pm, £4.50. Richard Wiseman Do ghosts exist or are spooky apparitions just a figment of our over-active imaginations? The good prof who has written books such as Quirkloogy and The Luck Factor will amusingly reveal all. 7pm, £10 (£8). Candia McWilliam She wooed Charlotte Square Gardens with her appearance, which marked the publication of McWilliam’s book about the loss of her sight, which has now been restored after surgery. Sheena McDonald welcomes her back. 8.30pm, £10 (£8). Compiled by Brian Donaldson

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HITLIST JERRY SADOWITZ He’s a magician, a comedian and a psychopath. Not our words, it’s what he’s saying about himself on his poster. A visceral and very bumpy ride through the dark edges of a man’s soul. See review, page 48. ■ Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 14 Aug, 9pm, £16.50–£19.50 (£15.50–£18.50).

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Matthew Crosby The short, speccy, bearded one from Pappy’s strikes out on his own with a gloriously geeky solo show. See review, page 54. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 4.45pm, £9.50–£12 (£8–£10.50).

Vir Das This household name back in India makes his Fringe debut with the puntasmagorically-named Walking on Broken Das. See feature, page 36. City Edinburgh, 226 0000, 12–20 Aug, 7.30pm, £10 (£8).

Barry and Stuart A double-header in which B&S do some mad magic stuff and then tell us how they did it. See review, page 38. Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 10.15pm & midnight, £12–£14 (£11–£13) & £10–£12 (£9–£11).

Frisky and Mannish A rollicking ride through the hits of Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Madonna. See review page 47. Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 15, 22), 9.30pm, £12–£14 (£10.50–£12.50).

Luke Wright A withering analysis of fractured Britain with his Cynical Ballads. Mesmerising and powerful stuff. See review, page 50. Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 16), 4.15pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50).

Todd Barry The laconic New Yorker makes his first trip to Edinburgh for seven years. In the interim period, he’s bullied a screen icon and bashed bongos with some crazy Kiwis. See feature, page 37. The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, 16–28 Aug, 3pm, £10.

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Fiona O’Loughlin Battles with booze in a, thankfully, extremely funny show entitled Spirited (Tales from an Angel in a Bottle). See review, page 44. Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug (not 15), 9pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).

Chat Masala with Hardeep Singh Kohli The loquacious Mr K (pictured) returns for more culinarybased Fringe chin-wagging. Probably the only chat show where you might end up with haggis curry stains on your cagoule. Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug, 2pm, £11–£12 (£10–£11); 16 Aug, 8pm, £11 (£10). Olivia Lee: Chats up the Fest This naughty star of Balls of Steel and Dirty Sexy Funny cites dead American rabble-rouser Bill Hicks as her ultimate inspiration. Take care celeb guests. Assembly George Square, 623 3030, 16–29 Aug, 5.45pm, £12.50–£14.50 (£11.50–£13.50). Arthur Smith’s Pissed Up Chat Show He used to like an ale or two, but these days Mr Smith is sobriety personified. It’s his guests who need to be inebriated. Last Fringe, he insisted that he would only let reviewers in if they juggled a wet fish on stage. This year, they need to be sozzled before being allowed admittance. Insert your own joke here. Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 27 Aug (not 15–18), 9.40pm, £10–£11.50 (£8.50–£10.50). Gemma Goggin’s Celebrity Sleepover Gossip and bedtime stories for which you may arrive in your pyjamas. This has the potential to be quite rude. Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug (not 15–17, 22–24), midnight, £8–£9 (£7–£8). Pokermen Potentially disorganised chatter here as a bunch of comics lose all their Fringe earnings at a game of cards. Given that they all claim to lose money in August, bets will be placed with potato chips. Assembly George Square, 623 3030, 11–28 Aug (not 15–18, 22–24), 11.59pm, £10.

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{COMEDY} Vir Das

JOSH A Harvard graduate and grossout film star, Vir Das is a household name in India. Jay Richardson met him on his home turf before he tests himself at the Fringe

s the most populous and one of the fastest growing democracies in the world, India is embracing unprecedented change, not least in its demand for English-language comedy. No one sells more tickets globally than Indian-Canadian comic Russell Peters, while The Comedy Store’s year-old branch in Mumbai hosts some of the UK’s best headliners and local acts up to five nights a week. Next year’s Fringe promises an influx of comedy and theatre from the sub-continent, but at the vanguard is Vir Das, whose Walking on Broken Das arrives here for nine nights. ‘Edinburgh is a chance for me to pit myself against what’s out there, to see where I stand,’ the Harvard graduate explains. With a stand-up and character act initially developed in American strip joints and on cruise ships, he’s already toured England, Australia and Asia extensively. ‘A lot of people do comedy about India but they’re not from India, it’s a Kwik-E-Mart perspective. I want to provide a genuine view and maybe one on how we see the West. Did you know Indians are the only people who can lovingly beat the shit out of you at drinking?’ Although supported by Rohan Joshi, he appears as his own opening act, a mystic with flowing hair delivering one-liners on Indian stereotypes: ‘to get the elephant in the room out of the room’. Nevertheless, it’s ‘a very personal show, in that I talk about my grandmother, my grandfather and the first time I had sex.’ One of the first Indian stand-ups to tour theatres, I saw the 32-yearold perform his 60,000-plus selling show, History of India, at Mumbai’s Sophia Bhabha Auditorium in early July. Charting the ancient, Indus Valley civilisation’s path to contemporary political corruption, indicting The East India Trading Company and Liz Hurley along the way, this ambitious, cheek mic-presented lecture was inspired by Eddie Izzard’s theatrical shows and remains the only occasion I’ve stood for a national anthem before a gig. Three days later, terrorist bombs ripped through Mumbai, a terrible reminder of the nation’s difficult ongoing progress. But that week, Das’ life was already changing dramatically. His role in a cult Bollywood comedy had transformed him from a comedian and promising actor, with bit-part appearances in ITV sitcom Mumbai Calling, to a bona fide film star, unable to walk his British bulldog, Mr Watson, without being stopped for photos. Like Zach Galifianakis, who cancelled his 2007 Fringe run, Das postponed his Festival debut last year to shoot a contrived caper in which three friends stumble into deep shit. Internationally, Delhi Belly

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HING ‘YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW IMPORTANT INDIANS ARE!’

Vir Das: Walking on Broken Das, City Edinburgh, 226 0000, 12–20 Aug, 7.30pm, £10 (£8).

HOT STUFF A big fan of British comedy, New Yorker Todd Barry is happy to be back in Scotland. Brian Donaldson hears from the man who was exceptionally rude to Mickey Rourke and lived to tell the tale When Todd Barry made his Fringe debut in 2004, the experience didn’t seem to be to anyone’s liking. Stuck in a cavernous hall with a near-midnight start time, people failed to show up in their droves and those who did couldn’t quite get to grips with his deadpan schtick. Expressing good grace, Barry describes it as ‘not the most joyous experience I’ve had. It was a little rough. I didn’t expect Edinburgh to be dancing in the streets because I was arriving in their city; I guess I didn’t really know what to expect.’ Since that largely ill-fated trip, he’s appeared on TV in Flight of the Conchords as a bongo-playing megalomaniac and showed up at last year’s Glasgow Comedy Festival, a visit which rekindled his desire to try Edinburgh again. ‘I do enjoy festivals and I play so much in the States that I take the chance to work overseas when it comes up. Seven years seems like a good cooling down period. This year I’m going on nine hours earlier, so that might help.’ But perhaps the most curious addition to his CV was playing a mean and sarcastic deli boss in Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler, opposite the mighty (in both size and reputation) Mickey Rourke. ‘I was very nice to him off camera,’ says Barry, reflecting on having torn Rourke a scripted new one in the movie. ‘It was very surreal because he’s one of those guys I’ve always admired and by a fluke I get this part. There was not a lot of chit-chat beforehand so I was just diving in and insulting this gigantic, famous actor.’ Among the current batch of British comics he’s a fan of, Daniel Kitson, Dave Gorman and Stewart Lee figure highly, all of whom usually revel in dreaming up weird and wonderful show titles. With American Hot, Barry admits to not having realised a title on a par with If You Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask for One or Love, Innocence and the Word Cock. ‘We don’t really go in for titles in America, we just kind of go around doing stand-up. But they asked me for a title and American Hot is a pizza that they serve in Pizza Express. I’m not saying I’m hot or anything.’ ■ Todd Barry: American Hot, The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, 16–28 Aug, 3pm, £10. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 37

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might have grossed a fraction of The Hangover, but the riotous, diamonds-switched-for-diarrhoea farce seems set to spawn a new genre of Indian cinema. One critic called its snappy blend of gross-out humour, sex and swearing, ‘Bollywood’s most daring, cheeky, irreverent, blasphemous, raunchy youth film to date . . . the lurid content . . . has never been witnessed on the Hindi screen before!’ Unlike the downtrodden, uptight Arup he plays in the film, Das is chatty and affable, indiscreet about the prevalence of Bollywood hair implants and his co-stars’ lack of sexual chemistry. But he considers himself an angry stand-up: ‘I’m very whiny about what I don’t understand. It’s called Walking on Broken Das because I wrote it after a break-up, a horrible personal situation.’ Writing his routines in film-set trailers, the workaholic seems tired but content as we chat backstage. Performing 90-minute sets while plugging Delhi Belly, he recently wrapped his first serious film lead. He’s in an improv troupe, sings in a comedy rock band called Alien Chutney and runs Weirdass Comedy, a collective of comics offering services that range from ‘funnying up’ Bollywood scripts to founding India’s first open mic nights. He intends to record an album and direct a television show shortly, but insists he’ll always return to stand-up. ‘It’s got me into every room I’ve ever been in,’ he maintains. ‘I’m not from a Bollywood background or a film family and in ten years’ time I might not have a film career. But I’ll always be funny.’ At 25, and visiting his parents in Delhi, he’d planned to return to England to teach theatre. But an invitation to perform in Mumbai led to his first television break. Having grown up in various parts of India and Nigeria, he first tried stand-up at Knox College in Illinois, then later Harvard, keeping his scholarly change of ambition from economics to theatre from his parents. ‘I think of myself as an Indian comedian but I’ve had British and American schooling,’ he reflects. ‘I always had this feeling of not fitting in anywhere, of observing situations from the outside.’ While a security guard and dishwasher in Chicago, he began attending open mics. ‘I was booed off, 11 weeks in a row,’ he smiles. ‘I was saying, “Hey, you know what’s funny about cockroaches?” and I got slaughtered. But the best way I get good at something is if you tell me I can’t do it. In week 12, I had a meltdown: “You Americans are just stupid, ignorant hicks! You have no idea how important Indians are! We drive your taxis, we sell your newspapers, we sell you condoms and food, our doctors check your wives and children! Without Indians you’d be starving, stranded, sexually sterile and stupid!” And I got my first laugh.’ Woody Allen notwithstanding, he prefers British comedy to American – ‘it’s drier and requires more thinking from the audience’ – but cites Sam Kinison, Dave Chappelle, Eddie Murphy and Saturday Night Live as inspirations. ‘That was an interesting time for America and led to interesting comedy. And that’s what’s happening in India right now.’

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{COMEDY} Reviews BARRY AND STUART

Showing and telling their magical mysteries ●●●●● Be-suited Aberdonian purveyors of macabre magical comedy, Barry Jones and Stuart MacLeod have struck upon one hell of a gimmick. First comes The Show, filled with their favoured brand of slightly gory trickery and presented by the twosome with their usual genial hokey banter. In addition to escapology, mind-reading, plenty of card tricks and endangering a goldfish, there’s some nice interactive stuff with Facebook and Twitter (keep your phone on). Viewing also requires wearing red tinted glasses (issued at the door) and the duo invite the audience to remove these spectacles at will if they want to have ‘the truth’ revealed. Baz and Stu have levelled up in venue size and excel in their larger pond, turning out a series of quirky feats in a highly entertaining, if slightly insubstantial, hour that’s lighter on the darkness than in previous years. But then comes The Tell. In a much more intimate venue next door, the boys risk exposing the secrets behind their tricks. It’s less a dry re-hashing of earlier events and more a show in its own right. They reveal their props and techniques as well as few extra surprises. As suits the later hour, things take a turn for the sinister, none more so than footage of them as spotty, teenaged magic geeks. While most magicians spend their time trying to prove their veracity, it’s a change of pace to have Jones and MacLeod show off the hard work and learned skills that go into their act. Their respect for old-time magicians is palpable as they explain the history of certain tricks. Rather than coming across as a rude affront to the Magic Circle, they can’t resist inviting the audience to marvel at the hidden beauty of their acts, proving the magic is in the details. (Suzanne Black) ■ Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 10.15pm & midnight, £12–£14 (£11–£13) & £10–£12 (£9–£11).

KIERAN AND THE JOES

FESTIVAL

Teambuilding seminar with more laughs than cringes ●●●●● Taking a cue from Office-style humour, which seeks to entertain with the toe-curlingly cringeworthy, Joe Markham, Joe Parham and Kieran Hodgson’s show takes the form of a teambuilding seminar. From the inspirational music to matching pink ties, all signs point to an hour of trying to avoid the eyes of the performers and thus being chosen to participate in an awkward skit. With Joe 1 in the lead, Joe 2 constantly trying to exert his authority and Kieran filling the role of workexperience dolt, things, predictably, go awry and Joe 1 loses his grip on proceedings. What could have been a tiresome hour of David Brent-type white collar horror is instead filled with a whole variety of gags. While the participation aspect is actually fairly mild, on this particular day a lively audience contributes greatly to material that could have been undermined by a less willing crowd. By the end of the hour the boys do succeed in creating a bonded group: one whose aim is to fully invest in and enjoy the show. Surely that’s a team worth building. (Suzanne Black) ■ The Store, 556 5375, until 28 Aug (not 16), 1.20pm, £8.50 (£7). 38 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

VINEGAR KNICKERS

THE REAL MACGUFFINS

Sketchy just about sums this show up. Despite high-energy, enthusiastic performances from Samantha Baines, Katie Burnetts and Harriet Fisher, like a cheap chicken Caesar salad the meaty bits are too few and far between, and the ‘lettuce’ material is excessive enough to give the whole thing a limp and tedious feel. The routines seesaw from protracted, predictable Catherine Tate-esque teen caricatures to more unexpected, innovative sketches, including a notably well-acted sketch about Adolf Hitler’s unlikely old flame, where Burnetts marks herself out as the star of the show. They’re certainly a genuinely likeable trio, which makes the abundance of average jokes and gagworthy London chav impersonations very frustrating, and their refreshingly unpretentious stage presence lends itself well to the sketchgenre. Plus, the snippets of pleasant vocals suggest the ladies could sift away the bog-standard ‘ginger jokes’ and flesh out the less-hackneyed characterisation. (Rebecca Ross) ■ C soco, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug (not 15), 4.35pm, £7.50–£9.50 (£6.50–£8.50).

From the preposterous dance that opens this impeccably smooth sketch show, there’s a sense of fun and an appealing silliness to The Real MacGuffins that are hard to resist. They have the knack of being funny without doing much, so in a show as ably scripted and as tightly put together as this one, the laughs come thick and fast. Entitled Skitsophrenic, a theme of madness vaguely binds things together, but the three guys can’t stop themselves branching off, whether into a stomach-churning job interview or a truly disturbing impression of our beloved monarch. Things could probably do with some tightening up in the middle – a Christmas Carol-based routine goes on a bit too long – but it all comes together in a surprisingly moving operatic ending. The threesome aren’t afraid to leaven their sometimes clever humour with knob gags and crudity, but they do focus a little too much on gay sex and closet queens, themes that pall when you’ve seen them several times. Still, it’s held together by superb deliveries, a sure sense of timing and a tremendous confidence. (David Kettle) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 4.30pm, £9–£11 (£8–£9.50).

A well-titled ‘sketchy beast’ ●●●●●

Sketch comedy verging on madness ●●●●●

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THE STAND COMEDY CLUB

comedy at the heart of the fringe T: 0131 558 7272 www.thestand.co.uk Alun Cochrane // Andy Zaltzman Ava Vidal // Bob Doolally Bridget Christie // Bruce Devlin Craig Campbell // Dave Fulton Damien Crow // Francesca Martinez Fred MacAulay // Gavin Webster James Dowdeswell // Joanna Neary Josh Howie // Lee Camp // Lloyd Langford Markus Birdman // Martin Mor Michael Legge // Mick Sergeant Mitch Benn // Omid Djalili // Paul Sinha Phil Nichol // Phill Jupitus Raymond Mearns // Richard Herring Ro Campbell // Robin Ince Sally-Anne Hayward // Seymour Mace Simon Donald // Simon Munnery Singing' I'm No a Billy, he's a Tim Stephen Carlin // Steve Day // Stewart Lee Steve Gribbin // Susan Murray The Stand Late Club // Tiffany Stevenson Todd Barry // Tony Law // Vladimir McTavish Wendy Wason // Wil Hodgson

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{COMEDY} Reviews DAVE GORMAN

Inspired PowerPoint presentation from the genial everyman ●●●●●

Fringe shows that rely heavily on technical apparatus always stir a slight sense of apprehension. There’s always the risk that a large measure of the show’s impact will be neutered by some unforeseen meltdown. ‘Do you like the big screen?’ asks a clearly delighted Dave Gorman, aiming his pointer (no pun intended) at the floor-to-ceiling monitor that, in the course of an hour’s stand-up, will show the subtext to Gorman’s banter with a man in the front row, test his audience’s Pavlovian response to prompts such as ‘knock knock’, and even carry extracts from the script, stage directions included. The show’s PowerPoint presentation structure isn’t just a conceit, though. Gorman’s on a mission to highlight the inconsistencies, errors and downright stupidities he’s discovered in social networking, advertising and the media, with the visual aids adding credence to his material. The most inspired routine stems from the fact that the comic is often mistakenly thought to be Jewish, including having been placed at number 13 in a magazine round-up of the 25 most influential Jews. He puts this error down to his inoffensive everyman quality, which allows the disaffected to project a certain image onto him. Twitter has brought him a step closer to these people, and he retains a particular affection for those fans that send him pictures of their friends claiming a resemblance to their favourite comic. Gorman whizzes through a cleverly constructed script that seamlessly marries the writing to his visuals. His weakest material (a routine about gorging on foods that make your urine smell) comes right at the end, leaving a slight feeling of anti-climax. But it’s hard not to stay onside with such a genial performer whose passion for the internet and its legions of oddball followers is infectious. (Allan Radcliffe) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 28 Aug, 7.40pm, £15 (£13.50).

DEANNE SMITH

Boys want to be her, girls want to sleep with her

FESTIVAL

●●●●●

DeAnne Smith is a cutie and she knows how to use it. With a perky demeanour and little-girl voice, Bieber-esque fringe and a wardrobe nicked from Billy Joe Armstrong’s slimmer days, she strides onto the stage and lulls us into a false sense of saccharine security. Ruthlessly tapping the potential of a sweet smile and outsider schtick, she sugar-coats some material that sails surprisingly close to the wind, and gets away with it. No overly original corners are explored as she talks and sings about racist grandmas and unrequited sexual urges towards her ex-girlfriend, but all the elements are pulled together into such a neat package and served up with such charm that you can’t help but fall for it, and her. There’s a sense she’s playing with you, using that appeal to win you over and inviting a generous admiration with her self-deprecation, or acting all blokey and testosterone-fuelled in a way that may or may not be tongue-in-cheek. As she points out herself, it’s one way to cater to all demographics. (Laura Ennor) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug (not 15, 22), 8.15pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). 40 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

AHIR SHAH

BRIDGET CHRISTIE

Ahir Shah is 20, pretty, and used to write for Skins, while his posters for Astrology have him doe-eyed and holding a sparkler. These may well be the chief reasons that he’s not quite reaching the audience his set needs. Not to worry, though, as he’s got an early ‘niche joke about Iranian politics’ designed to sort the wheat from the chaff. ‘Chaff!’, he says, firmly, withering a section of the front row with the sort of high-minded disdain that only a 20-year-old Oxbridge undergraduate can muster. Abrasively intelligent, given to frenzied riffing on Max Weber’s prescience and unafraid to drop to his knees and pronounce in (mock?) despair, that ‘the very stars have been demystified’, Shah’s onstage presence is fascinating. A mixture of charm, arrogance and self-loathing, motivated by the sort of questing spirit that means his (frequently brilliant) punchlines are declaimed, almost a by-product of the enquiry process we’ve gone on to get there. Some of his techniques are clearly studied, and his subject matter still tends towards the onanistic, but catch him now, because when he gets out of this naval-gazing phase he’s going stellar. (Kirstin Innes) ■ Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug, 5.25pm, £8.50—£9.50 (£7—£8).

The wife, mum and stand-up is back at the Fringe with a new show based on her Catholic upbringing. The fact that Bridget Christie is not at all sure doing an hour about religion is a good idea is completely in keeping with her happily shambolic performing style. An opening dance routine, to a ska version of the Doctor Who theme dressed as a bishop, drags on too long and while that might be heavily choreographed, elsewhere gags fizzle out with some desultory face-pulling. It’s all very haphazard, but in no way half-hearted. As often as not her act falls flat, but she cheerfully continues and her disorganised stage presence becomes quite infectious, not least because she’s got a pleasant, easy-going way about her. Occasionally her sloppy schtick produces unexpectedly hilarious results, as is the case when she has a go at working a dummy, but doesn’t bother with the ventriloquism, and subsequently sets the venue’s sound engineer up with a belated punchline. That this gets the biggest laugh of Housewife Surrealist is much to Christie’s shammed chagrin. (Miles Fielder) ■ The Stand II, 558 7272, until 28 Aug (not 15), 4.40pm, £8 (£7).

Stars in his eyes ●●●●●

Slapdash slapstick sloppy stand-up ●●●●●

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{COMEDY} Reviews DIANE SPENCER

Don’t judge a comic by their gentle demeanour ●●●●● One of the first thoughts that might enter your head when popping along to a Diane Spencer gig is whether or not she will play on the fact that her name is but a single letter away from one of the most famous women of the 20th century. Actually, playing on it is not quite what she does, but there are three mentions of the dead Di which at least feel justifiable within the thread of her story. All-Pervading Madness is a tale of urban depravity stemming from what should have been a simple journey home, which she describes as ‘all-true’. Immediately alarm bells will ring in some heads, with that phrase remaining in your head as the ludicrous scenarios and bloody imagery mutate and multiply. Whether the grand finale of an apocalyptic scene in a late-night tube train is true or not, the fact that Spencer felt the need to express its veracity leaves a sense of doubt. What is far easier to believe is that she would spend her 23rd birthday watching an episode of Inspector Morse. The thing that will be picked up on as her run continues is the way her innocent looks and polite accent are violently betrayed by the utter filth and gruesome bile that is emitted from her mouth via a clearly polluted brainsack. This is both a boon and a bane to her act. As the references of crudity are stacked up on one another, you eventually find yourself immune to their power. Within the course of a career this might be understandable, but over an hour-long debut Fringe show, it seems like something of a wasted opportunity. Still, there is clearly enough talent in her comedy armoury to suggest that a great show is not far from her grasp. One is quite amused. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug (not 16), 5.45pm, £9 (£8).

CATIE WILKINS

CRAIG CAMPBELL

DAVID REED

While children can be so cruel, parents are nothing less than a walking embarrassment to their offspring. Especially if they, like the blood-line guardians of Catie Wilkins, are an over-emotional firecracker (mum) and a cold, pedantic robot (dad). Marking her Fringe debut, we hear all about the many flaws of her parents and how the comic fears that she is finally turning into them. It may sound like the kind of thing you’d hear a circuit comic spending two jokes on in their club set but Wilkins’ boundless enthusiasm is infectious as she portrays her nearest and dearest as a hopeless anal-retentive (papa) and a wired loose-cannon (mama). She’s not even put off by the terrible decision to allow a trio of latecomers to gain entry a mere 30 minutes into the show. You and I might think it polite to shuffle in quietly and take a seat at the back: not this lot, who march straight to the front row, giving the ever-generous Wilkins little choice but to make continued reference to the fact that they won’t get many of the references or any of the call-backs. Still, this is a charmingly feelgood and wry show about irritating individuals. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug (not 15), 8pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50).

Raised in Canada but now residing in southern England, Craig Campbell holds the perfect vantage point to view Britain, along with the many idiosyncrasies of its inhabitants, from the perspective of an outsider. With a recent TV appearance on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow as well as a supporting slot for Frankie Boyle, Campbell has established himself as a name to look out for. Delivering a near faultless routine of observational comedy, Campbell is a natural storyteller and possesses an acute ability to recognise moments when his rendition requires an injection of gusto and others when he should rein in his enthusiasm. On top of an ability to provide his own brand of humour, Campbell is able to portray his stories in such a way that there is never a point where the audience would think to question the authenticity of its content. A heavy reliance on jokes surrounding Scottish stereotypes might be viewed as the only blot on an otherwise unblemished copybook, but the show is brilliantly conceived and full to the brim with topclass, expansive humour. (Jamie Cameron) ■ The Stand, 558 7272, until 28 Aug (not 15), 9.20pm, £10.

Luckless losers have great comic potential. From Brent to Fawlty, classic comedy is littered with the hubris of idiots. Branching out from Fringe stalwarts The Penny Dreadfuls, David Reed welcomes a collection of ‘tragic, lonely characters’ into his Shamblehouse. Opening strongly with his one recurring character, Reed’s surreal musings mutate through several guises, including a man haunted by his ability to impersonate Morgan Freeman, and Dresden the South African, whose great innovations include the decaffeinated apple. His strongest sketch features Milo the doughnut and his attempts to fly, a sublimely ridiculous concept embellished with a mini superhero costume. There are some great lines scattered throughout and Reed is well-equipped to go off-script if suitably distracted, but there’s not too much to distinguish the characters beyond the way they speak. Although his script is sporadically hilarious, there’s a lot of filler between gags, and what would work brilliantly in a tighter show here feels a little stretched. (Murray Robertson) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 16), 8.30pm, £10–£12 (£8.50–£10.50).

FESTIVAL

Enthusiastic and wry story about parents ●●●●●

42 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Natural observational storytelling ●●●●●

Great lines but lots of filler ●●●●●

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{COMEDY} Reviews TOM GREEN Porn and meat-fuelled non-event ●●●●●

FESTIVAL

On the most relentlessly wet Fringe day since the sodden floods of 2008, it’s perhaps understandable that a late show might start half an hour late. That our bone-dry Hollywood host made no mention whatsoever of the endurance test his devoted fans (and the mildly curious) had just suffered on his behalf is not so easily cast aside. This lack of empathy could have been steadily forgiven had Tom Green come to Edinbro with an actual show. Instead, he throws up a sequence of blunt observations, tame routines and flat punchlines, all of which merely play on the tolerance of his disciples. This is an hour of endless, unfunny contradictions. He derides the LA celebrity lifestyle but has a cheery anecdote about his unhappy experience on Celebrity Apprentice while berating the lack of fame of his fellow failed entrepreneurs. The bit about how he longs for a simpler time when having a phone meant the one that sat in your house pales in anaemic comparison to a similar routine by Louis CK. Arguably most irritating of all is his pre-August insistence that his gigs are constantly ruined by fans hollering out lines from the notoriously awful Freddy Got Fingered. Yet during one of the many lulls, he practically implores his crowd to shout out quotes. Green’s audience interaction amounts to pointing out Michael Winslow among the gathering, charmlessly mocking inaudible contributions and high-fiving a front-row like-mind who whoops at every mention of porn and chicken. Did you know that back in the pre-internet day, kids used to find discarded jazz mags in the woods? Wow, no one has ever said that in a comedy show. And, hey, vegetarians are retards! Which is a perfectly justifiable opinion for a comic to hold if they have any material whatsoever to back it up. If this is Tom Green’s idea of a ‘partaay!!’ then I’m leaving my unopened invite in a drawer. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 14 Aug, 10.55pm, £13–£15 (£12–£14).

DOCTOR BROWN

FIONA O’LOUGHLIN

FORD & AKRAM

Silent and vulgar tedium ●●●●●

Bloody funny, just don’t show her the Bloody Marys ●●●●●

Yin and yang do silly and surreal ●●●●●

Surrealism and silent comedy have a long and healthy relationship. Ask Mack Sennett, Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton. You’d have to dig them up first, but that may be preferable to spending time with the hirsute Doctor Brown. In his silk dressing gown and Victorian smoking hat, Brown is every inch the inept performing mystic. If it wasn’t for the very modern vulgarity, he could have just stepped out of a Gold Rush-era saloon bar. An hour of near-silent comedy is a big ask for a modern audience, and if you trade on a few stock poses and routines – the crucifixion, a confused bug-eyed child, the silly savant and silent pervert – the minutes crawl by. This anaemic vaudeville occasionally shudders into life, usually with the help of an audience member. The Doctor has next to no material, the running joke is that you are witnessing a deliberately badlyexecuted show by a real talent. But the art of making bad showmanship come good can be achieved only with an understanding of some basics of comedy. More stick than slap. (Paul Dale) ■ Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 15), 9.50pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). 44 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

An Irish-Australian who loves to get drunk? Now there’s a novel idea. Don’t be fooled though, Fiona O’Loughlin strides comfortably through what should be a cliché minefield, and finds comedy gold in the true story of her struggle with alcoholism. Her wicked, ‘couldn’t give a rat’s arse’ sense of mischief steers the show clear of any schmaltzy, overly earnest moments, as she looks back at the ‘red flag’ episodes that led to her hitting rock bottom about two years ago, and realising she needed to get sober. Expertly taking the piss out of the Oprah/Dr Phil school of navel-gazing, hating the 19-year-old goody goody girl who (unnecessarily) attends her AA meetings, and reminiscing about the horrible day when the Duke of Edinburgh told her off for behaving inappropriately, she is an effortlessly smooth and relaxed storyteller who chuckles through a good deal of her own material. But there’s a bravery and honesty to her show. Candour and desert-dry wit make this a very funny confession. (Claire Sawers) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug (not 15), 9pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).

Many double acts rely on a natural chemistry to get them by. Others might be strong on material but just don’t have that onstage zing. So thank the blazes that Louise Ford and Yasmine Akram have got both elements down to a fine art for their Humdinger of a show, which tracks the true relationship of how this duo came to be in showbusiness together (that is if truth comes in at roughly 95% to 97% fictionalised). It starts off not too promisingly with nervy English girl Ford appearing on the verge of a panic attack as she states that she may well be doing the show on her own. Cue ballsy Irish lass Akram (‘my daddy is brown’), and that two-way chemistry starts whirring. The shy/confident double act power struggle feels like it’s been done a few times before, but F&A crank up their version with a fine script that allows them to platform their full range of actorly quirks: Ford’s awkward physicality certainly makes a permanent mark on the watcher’s mind-memory while Akram’s ‘Colin Farrell’ is a thing of rugged beauty. Theirs is a splendidly surreal and excellently performed hour which will be difficult to match for sheer joyful silliness. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 15), 3.30pm, £8–£9.50 (£7–£8.50).

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www.boundandgaggedcomedy.com

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31 YEARS OF DISCOVERING COMEDY GENIUS

Shortlist Announcement: 24 August Winner Announcement: 27 August Awards Show - 28 August – 3.50pm – Pleasance Grand comedyawards.co.uk fostersfunny.co.uk

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Reviews {COMEDY}

LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

FRISKY AND MANNISH

Wry ribbing of pop culture ●●●●● For those still unfamiliar with Frisky and Mannish, where have you been? It’s time to get up to speed with the flamboyant cabaret sensations. The pair, who have previously had great success at the Fringe with 2009’s School of Pop and 2010’s follow-up, The College Years, like to poke fun at pop culture idols du jour; and their latest show, Pop Centre Plus, seems to be coming from the same sarcastic place. Under the pretence of providing help to fame-seekers and musical wannabes, Laura Corcoran (Frisky) and Matthew Jones (Mannish) run through a set that mashes up tunes from the cream of the pop crop, from Lady Gaga and Madonna to Missy Elliot and George Michael. Both performers are unexpectedly gifted in the vocal pipe department, Corcoran especially mastering everything from a classical, operatic piss-take of ‘Papa Don’t Preach’, to a cover of Jessie J’s ‘Do it Like a Dude’ in the style of kookie indie fodder, Ellie Goulding. Their onstage personae are larger than life, always glam in the utmost, wonderfully camp and musically flawless. Crowd interaction is a must for this one, so be prepared to make a fool of yourself for the sake of good fun. Highlights include their mutated, nursery rhymeinspired version of Girls Aloud’s ‘Sound of the Underground’ and a snigger-inducing rendition of ‘Rude Boy’ by Rihanna in the style of sexy 70s hair and tooth siblings, The Bee Gees (complete with eardrumlacerating high notes). Clever, accessible and undeniably hilarious, this is a Festival tour de force. Sure to sell quickly if their previous Fringe success and YouTube hits are anything to go by, so jump aboard now to avoid missing the popular pop parody boat. (Lauren Mayberry) ■ Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 15, 22), 9.30pm, £12–£14 (£10.50–£12.50).

FRANCESCA MARTINEZ

GLENN WOOL

JAMES ACASTER

She may be ‘the world’s wobbliest comedian’, but the force of Francesca Martinez’s convictions and the energy with which she puts them across never falter in a show that’s as hard-hitting as it is caustically funny. She takes to the stage with this poser: ‘What do you do when you’re labelled abnormal in a world obsessed with normality?’ And then makes a fierce and affecting argument against the gloss of the media, discouraging careers advisers and so-called school ‘friends’ (‘bitches!’), lampooning Sarah Palin, Nick Clegg and Rupert Murdoch as she goes, not only to bare her political fangs but as foils for her own good fortune. She swithers conversationally between the particulars of her childhood and difficult teen years at the local comp, and anecdotes about Grange Hill, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Irish poets and (not) carrying an Olympic torch, her delivery direct, warm and charming. Though the ending is slightly at odds with the rest, the sentiment is nevertheless touching; a powerful, thoughtful curtain closer on an altogether inspiring lesson, for folk who wobble as well as folk who don’t. (Peggy Hughes) ■ The Stand V, 558 7272, until 28 Aug (not 15, 22), 7.35pm, £9 (£8).

Gruff Canadian Glenn Wool hasn’t been at the Fringe for a couple of years, instead travelling the world, performing and gathering material inspired by his en route adventures. The hobo comic’s set opens with an account of the time he was stripsearched in an Indonesian airport, stopping short at the point where the border guard was lubing-up a plastic-gloved finger. But why was the comic smiling as the finger inched towards his anus? Was it because he’d already had his worst day ever, having been too drunk to attend a free Iron Maiden concert? Or because he realised that no matter how bad things got, his travails could never compare to the hardships endured by some members of the animal kingdom? Wool’s anecdotes tend to be delivered in a rasping holler that would be intimidating if it weren’t for the self-deprecation behind the ire. At times he comes across as a little shambolic, but you know he’s about to hit you with a killer line; and in No Lands Man, the final pay-off is eye-wateringly, excruciatingly funny. (Allan Radcliffe) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 15), 9.30pm, £12–£14 (£10.50–£13).

In the modern stand-up world, there seems to be a desperate need to fill every moment with highoctane verbiage, constant blather and, maybe, a spot of shouting while running, hoping to dear christ that your mic-cheek stays in position. You won’t find yourself Live at the Apollo any time soon with all that taking-your-time nonsense. There are few comics who dare to use a lot of space and a little bit of silence to their advantage, but solo debutant James Acaster is one such rare breed. He takes absolute real-time ages to impersonate someone creeping around in the dark, messes around with a semi-willing audience member to re-enact a recent skydive and even departs the stage to let his old teddy bear do the talking. But it’s a glorious bonus when he does simply tell tales, as he just so happens to be blisteringly funny and highly original, riffing intriguingly on flavours of doughnuts, the joys of hiding and how to make surprise parties more, well, surprising. Perhaps Acaster has simply observed the competition and realised that standing out in standup means mixing it up a little. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 9.45pm, £9.50–£12 (£8–£10.50).

A charmingly caustic look at ‘normal’ ●●●●●

Hobo comic’s killer dispatches ●●●●●

Mixing up the comedy flavours ●●●●●

FESTIVAL

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{COMEDY} Reviews JERRY SADOWITZ

A bloody but cathartic experience ●●●●● We all know the Jerry Sadowitz schtick by now. A tirade of filth and obscenity screamed into the ether by a curlyhaired man in a top hat, usually in a reasonably decent jacket over a scabby T-shirt. Tonight he strolls on stage, his jacket a bold bright green, a rare moment of colour in a show which is as black as a serial killer’s heart. All the hardcore topics of the day are either touched on briefly (Amy Winehouse) or violently manhandled in extreme depth (Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik, for whom Sadowitz has dreamed up a series of elaborate and stomach-churning punishments). He even gives Greenwich Mean Time a right old kicking. The New Jersey-born comic-magician hates Nazis, isn’t too keen on liberals, Aberdonians, women and gays, but mostly he struggles to get on with himself. The relentless jakey-like outpourings of loathing might be the only way he can get this stuff out of his head. As he readily admits, the audience wants to hear his views and observations on Madeleine McCann and Milly Dowler almost as much as he wants to air them. Perhaps Sadowitz is frustrated that he’s akin to a performing monkey, with liberal intellectuals and Record readers all as one, diving up the baronial steps of the Assembly Hall to see what crazy shit Jerry will throw at us now. Or maybe, more likely, he’s at a stage in his career (not even Five will put him on TV now) where actually he just can’t be bothered to give a fuck. When you break if all down, an hour with Jerry Sadowitz is torment, catharsis and blood. A compelling performer and uncompromising talent, you might not like what he says, but you can comfort yourself with the knowledge that when he disappears behind that curtain, at least you can escape from it all. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 14 Aug, 9pm, £16.50–£19.50 (£15.50–£18.50).

KATHERINE RYAN

FESTIVAL

An edgy story of pageant culture ●●●●● When Katherine Ryan is stopped in her tracks on hearing that someone in the audience has relatives in her very small Canadian home town of Sarnia, it marks a first for her Fringe debut show. There seems very little that will get in the way of this stage dynamo, whether it’s achieving her dreams at the Pleasance or in the outside world, not even the hairy man who puts his arm up and whoops at every question she asks of her crowd, no matter how improbable or inappropriate. Given the content of the show, it seems she gets her forthright attitude from her (‘hot’) mum, who thrust her into an early showbiz spotlight by entering her for pageants, despite the strength of competition. Through songs, chatty stand-up and a surprise finale, Ryan pieces together a story of chasing dreams, no matter how impossible they might seem. At this early viewing, there are more than a fair share of rough edges that need to be quickly smoothed out before the show’s quality does its creator justice. But once in full flight, Katherine Ryan will be a compelling act. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 15), 10.55pm, £8–£9.50 (£7–£8.50). 48 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

LAURENCE CLARK Uncovering the truths about US health care ●●●●●

Laurence Clark takes you beyond the realm of conventional stand-up comedy for this informative look at his life with cerebral palsy. Clark’s ability to put a light-hearted spin on subject matter ranging from social attitudes towards those with disabilities to the deeply flawed American health system, is a testament to his skills as a comedic writer. Health Hazard! fully justifies his two-year absence from the Festival while travelling stateside on a mission to uncover the truths behind a privatised health system and the repercussions it would have for himself and others, were it to be introduced in Britain. Using video footage as a visual aid as well as a point of reference, the audience is shown clips of Clark’s American adventure, where he attempts to promote a socialised health-care system. With an appearance on Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies to go alongside his US ‘business’ venture, Laurence Clark is no stranger to being in front of a camera. And he’s there again as this year’s Fringe performance is part of a BBC One documentary to be broadcast in the autumn. (Jamie Cameron) ■ Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 16), 6.40pm, £9.50–£11 (£8.50–£10).

MY NAME IS HANNIBAL

Intelligent dissections of comedy and life ●●●●● Hannibal Buress is halfway through explaining that yes, that’s his real name, when a heckler pipes up and questions him on it anyway. ‘Why you gonna do that, man?’ Buress responds. ‘Why you gonna repeat back to me what I just said? What do you get out of that?’ The response is indicative of Buress’ style. Rather than treat the heckler to a dose of humiliation or outright profanity, Buress makes inquiries, taking a scientific approach and working to discover the psychological root of the problem. He gets laughs not by making obvious observations but by deconstructing the situations he describes, whether it’s wanting to be a hero on the subway for nonaltruistic reasons, dealing with ‘diversity’ in amateur student journalism or loving apple juice to the extent that it makes him oblivious to racism. It’s not for everyone – the heckler leaves halfway through – but it should appeal to those who like a little thought put into their comedy. Plus, the Disneybaiting subtitle for the show (The Hannibal Montanabal Experience) is one of the best at the Fringe, if a little misleading. (Niki Boyle) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 15), 9.45pm, £10-£11.50 (£9-£10.50).

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{COMEDY} Reviews LUKE WRIGHT

Wonderful slices of fractured Britain ●●●●● As part of ‘poetry boyband’ Aisle 16, Luke Wright helped to bring spoken verse to a new generation. In his previous solo shows, he has had a dig at Andrew Motion for having the temerity to be Poet Laureate when clearly Luke was the right man for the job (Poet Laureate), riffed about being a grownup in the 21st century (Poet and Man) and tackled his own petty concerns (The Petty Concerns of Luke Wright). All of which have been laudable showcases for his vibrant comedic and poetic talents. But Cynical Ballads is truly the real deal. This exquisite hour is partly a history lesson about the origins and development of balladry but mainly taken up by a set of poems about a Britain that Wright views as not so much broken as fractured with characters and stories representing the delicate and chaotic nature of this sceptred isle. There’s Fat Josh, a wannabe Al Capone who goes on an extreme diet to snare the object of his swollen desire; a tale of inheritance which ends in brittle and ironic calamity; and a soured love story set in a chip shop. When he really gets down to brass tacks, as in ‘The Ballad of Barlow Burton’ (a powerful piece influenced by the case of Fiona Pilkington who killed herself and her disabled daughter after years of abuse from local kids), the result is truly mesmerising. But while the poet on stage might often cut an isolated figure, Wright is not alone. The screen illustrations by Sam Ratcliffe offer an extra Steadman-esque charge and there are recorded vocals on the final story about a war hero and the addict who burgles him, a raw and uplifting tale where redemption is victorious against retribution. John Cooper Clarke has said of the poet: ‘He must be on some kind of dope’. Whatever it is that Luke Wright has been ingesting, artists of all genres need to get it bottled right now. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 16), 4.15pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50).

NATHAN DEAN WILLIAMS

FESTIVAL

Twisted pick ’n’ mix ●●●●●

A clown accidentally sending a child into anaphylactic shock. A bullied teacher forcing chocolate cake into the mouth of a sex doll he calls ‘mummy’. A put-upon husband dressing up like Velma from Scooby Doo to meet the demands of his dominatrix wife. These are just a few of the monologues that Nathan Dean Williams has crammed into his hour of dark comedy from the very fringes of bad taste. Every scatty costume change brings with it a wave of disgusted giggles as Williams transforms from man to woman and back again. The initial laughs as each character is revealed make up the best bits of this rollercoaster show but every one of Williams’ weirdos manages to outstay his or her welcome. The performance is more than shambolic, it’s deranged, and lacks the jokes that would help the audience to not mind being covered in cake and spit. Some well-chosen turns of phrase, and one exceptional performance of the dance routine from Beyoncé’s ‘Girls’, rescue a show that otherwise takes League of Gentleman-style creepiness to unnecessary extremes. (Jonny Ensall) ■ The Store, 556 5375, until 28 Aug (not 16), 8pm, £6.50–£7.50 (£5–£6). 50 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

NEIL BY MOUTH Energy and whimsy but far too many groans ●●●●●

In his first and foremost career as a presenter on MTV and covering all manner of extreme sports, Neil Cole may have come across as a funny guy, but here he flatly fails to make the leap into live stand-up. It’s certainly not for a lack of energy: he leaps onto the stage to a rock anthems mash-up soundtrack, all scissor-kicks and windmill arms, roaring his welcome song into the mic in the manner of many a frustrated rock star. But for all his physical vigour, the jokes are decidedly lazy, and sometimes repeated for extra cringe. It’s one thing to play with the boundaries of naff with the occasional self-conscious clanger, but the groan-worthy punchlines come thick and fast. There are a few nicely whimsical musings, but they’re lost amid the ragged waffling. The odd fluffed line, a failed attempt to hide cribbed notes for one of the more amusing parts of the show, and an inability to make anything of frequent exchanges with the audience set the seal on this underwhelming experience. (Laura Ennor) ■ Cabaret Voltaire, 226 0000, until 29 Aug (not 15, 25), 6.15pm, £5—£8 (£4—£5).

PAUL DANIELS

You’re going to like this . . . ●●●●● ‘Do I look better than Donald Trump?’ asks Paul Daniels as he walks on, wigged up. He shouldn’t be here, really. The Sun newspaper has run a story saying he’s been hospitalised at the hands of Sooty and a flying piece of pizza. Silly tabloids. The audience chortles. Ten minutes of chit-chat later and the magic begins. Comedy too (so says the Fringe programme). Certainly his comic commentary isn’t that shabby for a man who has been far longer in the magic business than he’s been out of it. The obligatory card tricks, note tricks, rabbit in-ahat tricks and ball-in-the-cup tricks ensue. To his credit, Daniels’ rapport with the audience and his obvious love of the game help things along nicely, duly assisted by the (unintentionally) hapless comedy duo from the front row, called upon to help him on stage. Lovely Debbie’s there too, of course, shimmying on in a pink 90s-style cocktail number. ‘Shall I clear up after you?’ she coos as the pair exchange their trademark (and somewhat tired) domestic interplay. There’s nothing fresh here, but if some old-school retro magic is your bag, this could be your ticket. (Anna Millar) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 28 Aug, 5pm, £14—£15 (£13—£14).

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E 6 G N 2 I FRNUE VE

Welcome to Summerhall, Edinburgh’s most exciting new multi-arts festival venue (Fringe venue no. 26). Formerly the Royal Dick Veterinary School, Summerhall has been transformed into a vibrant arts hub for the Edinburgh Festival 2011. This major new Festival venue will become the Fringe focus for high-quality alternative and experimental Theatre, Art, Music, Literature, Film and Special Events. With 10 unique performance spaces and a Dissection Room Bar (that looks like it was designed by Damien Hirst), Summerhall invites you to come and soak up the atmosphere of the Fringe in one of Edinburgh’s iconic buildings. Take a look out our exciting range of unique venue spaces and check out our spectacular Summerhall Programme 2011!

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{COMEDY} Reviews MARGARET CHO

San Franciscan in town to have lots of sex, please ●●●●● There’s an audible audience cringe when Margaret Cho explains – with all the detail of an autopsy report – what she thinks might have put off the man about to have sex with her. ‘I’d like to apologise to all the people who didn’t know what to expect, but came here because they liked Memoirs of a Geisha,’ shrugs Cho, the potty-mouthed San Francisco TV comedian (Sex and the City, 30 Rock, Drop Dead Diva). And no, she’s not Japanese, or Alaskan for that matter, she’s Korean, getting her biggest laughs from playing around with Asian stereotypes she gets landed with. Her flyer-avoidance strategy in Edinburgh is to giggle cutely, wear knee-high socks and carry a camera. When she first arrives on stage, there’s roughly a twominute wait before the first mention of Cho’s genitals, and from then on, the camel toe, pussy and bush jokes are never more than about 30 seconds away. (Insert rant about female comedians over-playing the anatomy card here.) Her sex life also gets a thorough going-over: ‘I have sex with men, and with women; and transgendered people too,’ offers Cho, trying to label her own sexuality. ‘I guess I’m just greedy.’ On the music front, a country song with the chorus ‘I’m Sorry I Shot You in the Face’ is a highlight. Pot smoking and sext-messaging habits are also explored, allowing for an always welcome visit from one of Cho’s expert impersonations, this time of her mother, an over-protective, heavily-accented fusser whom Cho clearly adores. Cyndi Lauper and a Sloaney woman also showcase her uncanny ability for silly voices. But despite Cho’s confident performance, and a packed-out, queer-friendly audience, the gags seem over-reliant on show-off stuff about being ‘like, such a fucking stoner?’ We know to expect ‘adult’ material from Cho, just not so adolescent. (Claire Sawers) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 17), 9pm, £15–£16 (£13–£14).

ROISIN CONATY

FESTIVAL

‘Dickhead’ on a mission to achieve zen ●●●●● This 32-year-old from Camden Market is on a mission ‘to get zenned out, and be more functioning’. With four and a half years of singledom playing on her mind, plus an appalling sense of direction (not good when trying to storm off after an argument, she grimaces), she feels she has a long way to go having only just moved out from her nan’s house. Roisin Conaty’s a pally sort, all chummy and warm with the crowd, with a lot of her set drawing on advice she’s had foisted on her by an invisible backstage cast of her mum, nan and some close female friends. Cringing at her own ‘dickhead’ tendencies, she tells stories of drool-related shame during a massage and an inability to operate chopsticks (‘Why learn? I can’t even drive – I need to be careful what I use my brainpower for,’ she explains). But despite her likeability, a nervy delivery and an often impenetrable mash-up of ideas don’t do her material any favours. If the yoga relaxation classes she’s taking ever do finally pay off, it would be interesting to see the results of a more zen delivery of her stories. (Claire Sawers) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 15), 5.45pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7–£8). 52 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

SANDERSON JONES

Pleasingly foppish semi-shambles ●●●●● This is one of those shows that you’re loathe to have to put a put a star rating on. There’s no telling what’s going to happen on any one night, though you can probably predict some Venn diagrams, a bit of Phil Collins and gleefully bad taste jokes. Sanderson Jones’ gimmick is that he’ll meet up with all of his audience members before the show to sell them their ticket personally. Sadly, if you’re reviewing you can probably just get the ticket through the usual PR channels but not meeting up was compensated by getting a kiss on the cheek from the bearded man at the gig. It would have been disappointing if the ticket ruse turned out to be the only unusual thing about Jones but it’s reassuring to discover that he’s a foppish eccentric. Easily distracted, he freely admits that the time spent selling the tickets for the show meant less time for preparing his hour but there’s a flyingby-the-seat-of-his-pants feeling to the whole event anyway. Some technical parts go wrong, there are inappropriate clips from the internet and background research of some audience members’ Linkedin pages. (Marissa Burgess) ■ The Caves, 556 5375, until 28 Aug (not 17), 9.20pm, £9–£10 (£7–£8).

SHEEPS Confidence and skill ooze from Footlights alumni ●●●●●

The Sheeps trio have hit the ground running as their comedy freight train ploughed through 55 minutes of sketches, skits and songs. As three former Cambridge Footlights members, their show was as slick and well-rehearsed as you’d expect. Beautifully timed gags, confident character performances and off-the-wall scenarios peppered their act. Stand-out pieces were the mutant friend created for a lonely young boy by his well-meaning but slightly creepy father and the elderly woman responsible for providing hit tunes for ABBA by singing them songs about the ghost upstairs. In both of these sketches, Alastair Roberts manages to steal the show. His grasp of comic timing and selfassured performance of both grotesque and understated characters is brilliant. The boys all have charisma and charm in spades but yet more promising is the material. The devil is in the detail and this show is brimming with wicked specifics. Clever, sharp and fresh, you can expect to see much more from Sheeps. (Suzanne Neilson) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 16), 4.45pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7–£8).

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{COMEDY} Reviews MATTHEW CROSBY

A safe and hilarious haven for geeks and nerds ●●●●● Any fears that Matthew Crosby would be exposed under the Fringe glare without the back-up of his showbiz buddies have been put resolutely to bed with this debut solo effort, the distinctly Pappy’s-esque entitled AdventureParty. Let’s get one thing straight off the bat: just because he wears glasses, has facial fuzz and dresses like a nerdy-geek (‘schoolboy chic’, Crosby calls it) doesn’t necessarily mean that he is a manchild riddled with petty obsessions and hampered by social awkwardness. Except, of course, that is exactly what he is. And this terrain is where he sows his most fertile comedic seeds all over the floor of the Pleasance Cellar. As if you hadn’t guessed already, the show is motored with the aid of PowerPoint, which he uses to devastatingly caustic and humorous effect. He introduces matters with a B-feature about Victorian men, analyses the differences between himself and that other favourite son from his home borough of Bromley (it’s Charles Darwin and there are a lot of differences) and witheringly chastises anyone who still has a hotmail account. But his fascination with Nando’s lifts everything to a whole new level of hysteria. At first, you think it is simply a set-up for one quick gag, but soon (and quite scarily) his intense affair with the Portuguese chicken chain is revealed and built upon, leg by bone by breast. A show like this would not be complete without elements of self-deprecation, but again Crosby hikes it up, happy to fully flagellate himself by allowing us to stare at a series of his fashion statements down the years (what’s not to like about his Racist Roundhead period?) As if all that wasn’t enough, the quality of Crosby’s audience chit-chat might be difficult to beat this August. But then, who else is going to have a front row littered with nerds and geeks? (Brian Donaldson) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 4.45pm, £9.50–£12 (£8–£10.50).

FESTIVAL

SINK OR SPIN

It’s gym life, but not as we know it ●●●●●

WEDDING BAND: A COMEDY BY CHARLIE BAKER

A site-specific comedy set in the working environs of Bannatyne’s Health Club, you’ll spend most of Sink or Spin on an exercise bike in a distinctly unusual class taught by Clement (Donal Coonan). The situation demands a certain level of audience interaction and light exercise, so don’t be surprised by the odd trickle of sweat, but mercifully it’s definitely not a full work-out. Any mild droplets you exude are worth the effort though, as there’s some wonderful absurdist physical comedy here, including an inspired mounted dance routine. There’s more depth still as we work our way though his ‘seven modules’. His wife has left him, the breakdown of his marriage matching the slippage of his sanity. To Clement, spin is akin to religion, his class a mix of self-help, philosophising and desperation. As with the best comedy, there’s an element of realism to the show and Coonan presents a brilliantly constructed character. It’s an inspired set-up that really drags you in as you pedal away, making you complicit in the madness. Funny, thoroughly entertaining and wholly unique. (Henry Northmore) ■ Bannatyne’s Health Club, 226 0000, until 29 Aug (not 17), 2.15pm, £9.50 (£8).

What’s the worst thing that could happen to you as the head of a jobbing wedding band? High on the list would be mislaying the PA, having a keyboardist who can’t stop muttering about being fed and, arguably most awkward of all, discovering that you might actually have once known the bride-to-be. These are the core dilemmas at the heart of Charlie Baker’s Fringe comedy play, Wedding Band. The gruff yet boyish comic, who in the last year has appeared in Doctor Who and was the Let’s Dance for Comic Relief champ, chose to croon only once in this hour, as he turned a tacky 80s Eurovision hit into luxurious jazzy gold. Featuring Baker’s tuxed-up singer, the ever-hungry piano man, a haughty caterer (‘I’m a wedding planner’) and a slightly obvious wacky/troubled DJ, the play itself is a gentle meander through a series of tricky situations which resolve themselves with little fuss. Baker smartly avoids firing Chekhov’s gun (in the shape of a precariously positioned cake) and the final twist is as satisfying as a thick slice of marzipan. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug (not 15, 22), 2.45pm, £10.50–£12.50 (£8.50–£10.50).

54 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Crooner delivers a gentle comic play ●●●●●

WHO ARE THE JOCKS?

A multi-faceted tale of love and loss ●●●●● Having cultivated a persona for being a callous shock-comic, it was something of a surprise to learn that Scott Capurro was turning to the death of his mother as the basis for his latest Fringe show. Dubbing her his ‘best friend and coke dealer’, he flits in and out of his grief and the atypical message she left behind for him, weaving in tales of a horrendous gig in Cardiff and the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. The words of Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, as they prepared to open fire on their peers, gives the show its title, Capurro happily clearing up that it has nothing to do with a quest for Scotsmen. There’s not a glaringly obvious link between these threads, other than possibly being an ode to ‘the outsider’ and they mainly act as a springboard onto the kind of unapologetically dark material that has been the San Fran stand-up’s trademark for over two decades. Anyone who feared the comic had withdrawn his talons will be blissfully relieved with a rapid opening ten minutes which crams in abortion, AIDS, Madeleine McCann and the Holocaust. That Capurro is now showing us his sensitive side can only add to his appeal. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 8pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8–£9).

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FESTIVAL

{COMEDY} Reviews at a Glance Alistair Green ●●●●● Outpatient retells Green’s experience of having lifethreatening kidney disease diagnosed, and is as hard to stomach as HenochSchönlein purpura is to pronounce. Not for the squeamish or hypochondriac, though ‘technically interesting’ with some entertaining riffs, it’s like hospital food: well-meant but unfulfilling. (Peggy Hughes) The Caves, 556 5375, until 28 Aug (not 17, 23), 4.35pm, £7–£8. Amateur Transplants ●●●●● The man who brought the world YouTube hit ‘London Underground’ has cobbled together a show which spreads the joke achingly thin; essentially a series of puns of varying success. Each is set to a rejigged pop song, but veers between too obvious and uncomfortably risqué, and Adam Kay resorts to a reliance on toilet humour to win over the crowd. (Kirstyn Smith) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 7pm, £10–£11.50 (£9–£10.50). Andi Osho ●●●●● Although potentially predictable subject matter to those familiar with her persona, Osho is as affable live as she appears on television. Self-deprecating with a sailor’s mouth, she confidently breezes through an hour of female-focused comedy equally enjoyed by men in the audience. (Lauren Mayberry) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 6.40pm, £12–£14 (£10.50–£12.50). Anil Desai ●●●●● The comedian himself admits that this is a ‘best of’ show to celebrate his tenth Fringe, combining everything he enjoys most: stand-up, character comedy, impressions and music. He has an easy, likeable charm with a fantastic audience rapport, and there’s a steady stream of jokes. It’s just a shame that in seeming so eager to please, he doesn’t try more challenging material. (David Kettle) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 18 Aug, 7.45pm, £10–£12 (£9–£11). Bob Downe ●●●●● Celebrating his 20th Fringe anniversary, Aussie polyester sensation Downe presents his usual shtick of fine-voiced covers of popular song, high camp, face-pulling and silly dancing interspersed with DVD giveaways and quiz questions. It’s a lively hour but one sadly without much substance and with only a handful of gags. For hardcore Downe fans only. (Marissa Burgess) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug (not 16, 25), 8pm, £12–£14 (£10.50–£12.50). Brett Goldstein ●●●●● Stand-up Goldstein puts on his raconteur cap to narrate a tender coming-of-age tale. Set in a strip club. Softly spoken and exuding a quiet confidence he articulately and admirably wins over a small crowd. The material, though a little lacklustre, is elevated by his endearing personality and the lively finale is a tantalising glimpse at his potential. (Suzanne Black) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 15), 5.30pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Bring Me the Head of Adam Riches ●●●●● Riches returns to the Fringe to perform as leading male in his own unique array of comedy skits. Regularly demanding the onstage assistance of uncomfortable audience members the show is not for the faint of 56 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

heart as he visibly thrives on a growing air of anxiousness, derived from his increasingly provocative onstage antics. (Jamie Cameron) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 4.45pm, £10–£11 (£8.50–£9.50). Brown and Corley ●●●●● This is like watching a bad school drama production – where if those involved aren’t your offspring, you’re not obliged to laugh. Brown is relentlessly abrasive, which makes Corley’s blandness a comparative blessing. The best thing about it is the soundtrack punctuating the sketches and the fact the show ended 15 minutes before its hour was up. (Rebecca Ross) The Caves, 556 5375, until 28 Aug (not 17), 7.25pm, £7.50 (£5). Catriona Knox ●●●●● The platter of characters here are, at best, well-acted and have the right foundations to be spun into entertaining sketches. However, the dialogue doesn’t pack enough punch and the material quickly grates; that doesn’t deter Knox, who even returns to the same insubstantial characters later on. It seems a waste of the sparkle that this young lady clearly has. (Rebecca Ross) Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug (not 15), 1.35pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Clare Plested ●●●●● Ever wondered what Barbara Nice was like at 30? Clad in animal print and great shoes, the glam half of Fringe vets Plested and Brown tells the story of her Vegas wedding, aided by a big box of Pinot. It’s touching, with some nicely observed impressions, and she’s adorable, but the comedy is patchy: unusual from such an experienced performer. (Kirstin Innes) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 15), 5.20pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Colin Hoult ●●●●● Somewhere between Angry Boys and The League of Gentlemen lies Colin Hoult. A clearly talented and energetic performer, Hoult’s bag is the grotesquery of the provinces. Crap Welsh poets, crime stoppers from East Midlands, gleeful northern dogs and fantasy enthusiasts people his hyperactive show. It’s silly but not especially funny and the unrelenting use of the audience is exhausting. (Paul Dale) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 7.05pm, £12–£14 (£10.50–£12.50). Colm O’Regan ●●●●● When it comes to Ireland, what O’Regan does not discuss is not worth knowing. His social networking guide to Irish history and economics embraces themes like sandwich culture, national identity, Mills and Boon, skyscraper sexuality, Rapunzel’s weight and legal concepts of comedy. It’s funny, informative and resourceful. (Nicola Meighan) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug (not 16), 4pm, £8.50–£10 (£7.50–£8.50). David Morgan ●●●●● Subverting a popular football reference (‘Running, Passing, Kicking’) for the amateur dramatic variant (‘Actor, Singer, Dancer’), Morgan goes heavy on musical theatre and high-camp tropes, which juxtapose with his accounts of childhood bullying and homophobia. The relentless jazz hands get a bit tiresome, but if Les Mis in-jokes float your boat then Triple

Threat is worth a look. (Nicola Meighan) The Tron, 556 5375, until 28 Aug (not 16), 2.20pm, £6 (£5). Des Bishop ●●●●● An ode to Bishop’s late father, Mike, this should leave the most emotional tough-nut shaken and stirred, as Des tells the story of his dad’s life, from stage actor, Ford model and ‘almost Bond’ to regular ‘Queens, New York’ dad. Walking the line between pathos and pity, this is largely funny, tender and acutely observed. (Anna Millar) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 14 Aug, 9.10pm, £14 (£12.50). Des Clarke ●●●●● With jokes coming fast and a wit as sharp as a knife, Clarke will leave you in a good place. Illustrating the difference between Scots and the rest of the world, Clarke tirelessly delivers memorable zingers while keeping up a stream of hilarious patter, seemingly completely off the cuff. Locals and out-of-towners alike will love him. (Carmody Wilson) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug (not 17), 8.15pm, £12–£13 (£11–£12). Dregs ●●●●● Max Dickins and Mark Smith present an hour which thrives on its unpredictability, offering characterbased sketches while maintaining a constant audience engagement. The show takes slightly too long to gather momentum after an awkward start, and would benefit from less shouting on occasion. However, the pair emerge as endearing and self-aware with a good deal of promising material. (Rebecca Ross) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 15), 9.30pm, £9–£10.50 (£8–£9.50). Fear of a Brown Planet ●●●●● Aamer Rahman and Nazeem Hussain both studied law back home in Australia but from what they say on stage, their parents are probably not best pleased with their ultimate career choice. They needn’t worry though, as this pair are surely going places with their audiencefriendly jovial banter about Islam, Michael Jackson and Barack Obama. (Brian Donaldson) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug (not 15, 22), 7.15pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Fred MacAulay ●●●●● With his particularly Scottish brand of stand-up, MacAulay returns for his 23rd Festival. By his own admission the majority of the audience was of a certain age, but all were charmed by tales of ‘predominantly orange’ airlines, a glance through Scottish papers and some cheeky audience banter. For some straightforward traditional stand-up, MacAulay’s your man. (Suzanne Neilson) The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 17 Aug, 7.50pm, £10. Guilt and Shame ●●●●● After a hedonistic night, Robbie and Gabe just want to perform their Fringe show, but previous excesses keep showing up at the most inopportune moments. A moralistic drug dealer clamours to impart her addled wisdom over sketches which get increasingly filthier and funnier until the only logical conclusion is either pornographic mime to Justin Bieber or a spot of murder. (Kirstyn Smith) The Caves, 556 5375, until 28 Aug (not 17), 10.15pm, £7–£8 (£6–£7).

Hal Sparks ●●●●●

EDFRINSGEE FOR MOR E.COM E IN FO

Humankind’s ongoing evolution from apes is the buff American stand-up’s central thesis. En route to his conclusion that only the reintroduction of dinosaurs into the food chain will save us, Sparks blasts the crowd with a string of more commonplace observations. The material is occasionally a touch routine, but the delivery is impressively high velocity. (Miles Fielder) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug (not 15), 10.45pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Indoor Fox Hunting ●●●●● There are some lovely ideas to be found here, with several leaps of the imagination and a nicely absurd viewpoint. But stretched out across 50 minutes, the material wears very thin and a tightening up of both content and delivery is required. You suspect it’s an overambitious venture at this point in Joe Munrow’s promising career. (Marissa Burgess) C aquila, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, 7.30pm, £7.50–£9.50 (£6.50–£8.50). Jason Cook ●●●●● Cook’s latest frenzy of silliness is an exploration of happiness (as defined by Wikipedia), researched thoroughly by the comic and his dear old mum. The problem with a show that openly aims not to please everyone is that there’s no challenge to the material; an hour spent in Cook’s pleasant company offers little with any friction to make it memorable. (Niki Boyle) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 17), 5.30pm, £12–£13 (£10.50–£12). Jeff Leach ●●●●● After a promisingly energetic opening, Leach lost momentum due to drunken heckling and had trouble getting the audience onside. His material, dealing mostly with emergent sexuality and humiliating experiences, is divisive and makes for uncomfortable tittering, rather than belly laughs. And he totally lost his crowd in a gross-out finale. (Carmody Wilson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 19–21), 11pm, £8–£9.50 (£7–£8.50). Jessica Fostekew ●●●●● Fostekew is a down-to-earth posh bird. Luxury Tramp pertains to the grotty habits which conflict with her plush background, such as eating a kebab washed down with Dom Pérignon. This is observational humour with a confessional edge. (Lauren Mayberry) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug (not 16), 7pm, £8–£9.50 (£7–£8.50). Joel Dommett ●●●●● Dining out on the retelling of one week spent in the company of an unnamed celebrity crush, Dommett weaves a charming and selfeffacing love story. Behind the trendy haircut and gleeful grin is an assured performer with the skills to back up his confidence. Let’s hope another crazy encounter comes along in time for his 2012 Fringe. (Suzanne Black) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 6.50pm, £9.50–£12 (£8–£10.50). Joe Wilkinson ●●●●● Bounding on stage with arms aloft, the loveable Wilkinson plays around with his front

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Pete Firman ●●●●● This comic magician takes his tricks seriously. From the opening escape out of a locked box through various sleight-of-hand illusions to the climactic guillotining of an audience member, Firman proves himself to be a very capable conjurer. But he also embellishes and undercuts his magic routines with an enjoyable line in pottymouthed sarcasm. (Miles Fielder) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 8.30pm, £12–£14 (£10.50–£12.50). Pope Benedict: Bond Villain ●●●●● He’s already tackled Jesus: The Guantanamo Years and toured with EcoFriendly Jihad, and this year Abie Philbin Bowman is still looking at the bigger political landscape with a provocative and brilliantly witty hour drawing parallels between religion and the worldwide economic meltdown. This is another show of the kind of intelligent, common sense approach we’ve come to expect from APB. (Marissa Burgess) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 8.45pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Rayguns Look Real Enough ●●●●● Glee fans are well catered for in this mash-up of thematically-arranged medleys, but the laughs come thin and slow. Frontman Ray Gun is an emphatic performer, tucking into lead vocals with relish, but his cat costume is a gimmick that long outstays its welcome, existing only to serve a laboured set of puns. (Murray Robertson) Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 6.40pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). Ray Time in the Daytime ●●●●● Second-rate daytime TV presenter Ray Green – a loveable yet disturbing creation of comic Dave Gibson – sits halfway between Partridge and Brent. He’s stronger in his unscripted banter than he is in the internet TV show he attempts to pull off in this rough and ready hour. Great facial expressions, impeccable timing, but some of the humour is too easy. (David Kettle) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug (not 15), 2.30pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Ro Campbell ●●●●● In this marginally bitter show, the current

Scottish Comedian of the Year and fullon Aussie tells the story of his intriguing background as a retort to those who loudly jeered his victory. There’s some nice stuff about the ‘true’ roots of Kevin Bridges and an amusing bit about the venue, but it’s all a bit limp with his tale containing few genuine laughs. (Brian Donaldson) Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 28 Aug (not 15), 10.35pm, £8 (£7). Run, Deaf Boy, Run! ●●●●● Finding himself in his late 40s, deaf comedian Steve Day was feeling like he was falling apart at the seams, so he responded by deciding to run the London Marathon. Despite the fact that the only thing that defined him as a runner was that he owned a pair of trainers. An engaging, heart-warming tale told with skill. (Marissa Burgess) The Stand II, 558 7272, until 28 Aug (not 15), 1.10pm, £8 (£7). Sex You (I’m Gonna) ●●●●● Like the ‘grower, not show-er penis’ that Nathan Phillips tells us about, this act sells itself short, proving mercifully more sophisticated than it advertises itself to be; in fact, he’s quite the gentleman. The inescapable problem is that it doesn’t work without an audience willing to participate, and when they don’t, it reveals a flimsy side to Phillips’ repartee. (Rebecca Ross) The Store, 556 5375, until 14 Aug, 9pm, £7–£9. Stuart Goldsmith ●●●●● Our affable host is one of life’s nice guys: he likes to help. Whether appeasing young godson Tom with some robot dancing or dealing with life’s many anxieties, Goldsmith’s (trying to be) your man in a crisis. A pleasant romp, amusingly delivered, this is easy, assured comedy. (Anna Millar) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 17), 7pm, £9–£10 (£7.50–£9). Suitcase Royale ●●●●● Some latenight, top-notch junkyard theatre from this trio of talented Aussies, as our hapless heroes fight to save their caravan park from an invasion of zombie wombats. Cue a chaotic hour of blues music, B-list horror shtick and highenergy slapstick, as cardboard caravans, over-sized fur suits and crumpet-filled

bazookas transport us to a world of nonsensical make-believe. (Anna Millar) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 16), 11.10pm, £10 (£9). Tim Clare ●●●●● A frequently inventive follow-up to last year’s excellent debut from Clare, How to Be a Leader is a handy guide to anyone who wants to rule over people and land. After drawing links between suicide cultist Jim Jones and chocoholic Willy Wonka, he closes with a rousing series of raps about iconic women who have led the way. Another wonderful chance to boo at Thatcher. (Brian Donaldson) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 15), 8.55pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Tom Price ●●●●● Torchwood actor Price spins a scattershot, shaggy yarn from the schoolyard to Billie Piper. From the off, he’s ebullient and thoroughly engaging, delicately interweaving material about his disabled mum that absolutely drips with warmth while still being deliciously funny. Striking a fine balance between confidence and modesty, his hilarious middle-class ruminations are a joy to behold. (Murray Robertson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 16), 9.45pm, £9.50–£12 (£8–£10.50). Tom Stade ●●●●● Gripping the mic, MC-style, Stade is a salty Everyman. Saying what no one else dares say and with much better timing, he’s the buddy your wife fancies but doesn’t want around. There are a few misses, but gags about marriage, famine and national pride are good targets, and his naked whimsy coupled with shock humour make for easy, if not entirely guilt-free, laughs. (Carmody Wilson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 15), 9pm, £10.50–£12 (£9–£10.50). Tony Law ●●●●● It’s noon and Tony Law bursts on stage bedecked in the getup of a 19th century Arctic explorer. If you’re not fully awake, you will be soon. The next hour is a surrealist joyride through a dangerous world. His delivery is brash, loud and joyously raucous. Confident and bizarre, Law’s act will go way out there taking you with him. (Suzanne Neilson) The Stand II, 558 7272, until 28 Aug (not 15, 21), noon, £8 (£7). Totally Tom ●●●●● Straight out the trap, Toms Palmer and Stourton launch into a run of standalone sketches. With great versatility they eschew running gags and call-backs; each sketch is a snapshot of a fully realised world which displays their impressive range of comedic prowess and accents. A few of the later skits lack punch but the overall hit rate is high. (Suzanne Black) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 15), 3.45pm, £8.50–£10 (£7.50–£9). Zeus’ Pamphlet ●●●●● This fivepiece sketch troupe isn’t bringing anything spectacularly new to the genre but nevertheless it’s an enjoyable show that’s worth seeing. Where some characters are familiar – rude girls on the back of a bus – there are a few ideas that are more inventive, in particular the backstage CCTV that cuts in between skits. (Marissa Burgess) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 16), 2.40pm, £8–£9.50 (£7–£8.50). 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 57

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row for a bit before settling into the kind of underpowered affair you’d rightly be expecting having seen his work on BBC Three’s Him & Her and onstage in Two Episodes of MASH. A Fringe oven is possibly not the ideal place to see a show about a guy who had really good parents who failed to screw him up and so failed to provide him with traumatic material for a career in comedy. The irony is not altogether lost. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 17, 24), 5.45pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7–£8). John Robertson ●●●●● Australian Idol reject Robertson has constructed a tightly-scripted monologue full of fascinating true stories. He wraps his infectiously toothy grin around an autobiographical tale festooned with convoluted gags and dreamlike meanderings. The surreal asides are so tightly interwoven that sometimes it’s difficult to separate fact from fiction although it all fits into his philosophy that ‘nothing means anything’. (Murray Robertson) Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 10.30pm, £9 (£8). Lady Garden ●●●●● Opening with a lovely scene which links hen nights to war movies, the LG quintet offers up a series of standalone and recurring sketches (best of those being the woman whose life keeps falling apart, the least successful being the tattoo parlour scenes). There’s a subtle switch in mood for the second half and the finale will be either a treat or a torment depending on your viewpoint. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 6pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7–£8). The Life Doctor ●●●●● Written by Adam Lawrence and Phil Wang, Lawrence channels the most irksome of TV lifestyle gurus. The premise quickly falls flat as jokes fail to land or are utterly baffling. A stand-out turn by George Potts and some surprisingly witty pre-recorded video skits can’t save this disappointment as it stumbles towards a fittingly pessimistic ending. (Suzanne Black) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 17), 8.10pm, £9–£10.50 (£8–£9.50). Matt Rudge ●●●●● While he’s the sort of nice, respectable boy you might take home to meet your mother, Rudge isn’t lighting any fires in this lolloping show, which features meandering dialogue and humour with little spark. The routine seems a bit too earnestly practised, lacking fluidity or flair, though Rudge’s natural warmth does keep the whole thing afloat. (Rebecca Ross) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 (not 17), 7.15pm, £11–£12 (£9.50–£11). Nathan Caton ●●●●● Likeable but palpably nervous, Caton’s material shows promise. Observations on his eccentric grandmother and the questionable lyrics of Tinie Tempah are tentative but there are glimmers of brilliance. With an audience willing him on, the show may well gain momentum over the coming weeks. A title that reflects the two ways a stand-up career could go, will Caton Get Rich or Die Cryin’? (Suzanne Neilson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 8.15pm, £9.50–£12 (£8–£10.50).

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PEONY PAVILION The National Ballet of China gets this year’s Edinburgh International Festival dance programme under way, with this 16th century love story. ■ Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 473 2000, 13–15 August, 7.30pm, £12–£44.

FESTIVAL

A few words with AUSTIN MCCORMICK, founder and choreographer with New York dance outfit, Company XIV

Korean Drum – Journey of a Soul Traditional and modern Korean percussion and dance combine in this dazzling large-scale show. See review. Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 15, 22), 4pm, £13–£15 (£11–£13). Swimming with my Mother Tender and moving duet based on swimming memories from a real-life mother and son by acclaimed Irish company CoisCéim. Dance Base, 225 5525, until 21 Aug, (not 15), times vary, £7. 58 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Silent Pat Kinevane writes and performs this stunning one-man physical theatre piece about homelessness. Enjoy one of the best shows at this year’s Fringe. Dance Base, 225 5525, until 20 Aug, times vary, £7.

Last Orders David Hughes Dance Company takes a trip into the dark soul of 16th century Scottish cannibal Sawney Bean. See preview, page 61. Traverse Theatre, 228 1404, 17–28 Aug (not 22), times vary, £17–£19 (£6–£13).

Slender Threads London’s Chicken Shed tackle the emotive issue of cancer in this powerful piece of dance theatre. Zoo Roxy, 662 6892, until 28 Aug (not 10, 17, 24), 5.15pm, £9–£10 (£7–£8).

Soy de Cuba Slick dance routines, fantastic original music played live, amazing vocals and a whole lot of hot Havana passion make this a show to savour this Fringe. Assembly Hall, 0131 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 15), 10.30pm, £15 (£12).

Pinocchio: A Fantasy of Pleasures New York’s excellent Company XIV turns the popular children’s tale into a far more adult affair. See Q&A, right. New Town Theatre, 220 0143, until 28 Aug, 7pm, £12–£14.

Who or what inspired you to choreograph? I was inspired from an early age by the combination of mediums in Baroque performance (1600-1750); movement, scenic design, music, and costumes combine to give an audience a 360 degree experience at the theatre – this is what I attempt to do with Company XIV. What do you look for in a dancer? Classical training is very attractive but I have to say that I first and foremost look for artistry and individuality in my collaborators. I am inspired by the performers in Company XIV and enjoy building each show specifically around their unique gifts. In Pinocchio we fuse period movement with flexing (street dance) and an exquisite opera singer. What do you hope audiences will take away from your show? Our mission as a company is to re-imagine classical stories, twisting the familiar into something unexpected and new. My hope is that Pinocchio will be an entertaining and beautiful spectacle, it is also quite haunting and operatic. We aim to take the audience on a sexy, beautiful, sensuous journey to pleasure Island and back. Who would be at your fantasy choreographer’s dinner party, living or dead? I would have to invite Raoul Auger Feuillet who codified Baroque dance technique under the reign of Louis XIV, Bronislava Nijinska and Vaslav Nijinsky of the Ballets Russes, and of course Pina Bausch, the pioneer of dance/theatre. That would be quite a quartet. ■ Pinocchio: A Fantasy of Pleasures, New Town Theatre, 220 0143, until 28 Aug, 7pm, £12–£14.

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LOL (Lots of Love) {DANCE}

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DIGITAL LOVE

Kelly Apter speaks to Luca Silvestrini of Protein Dance about a new show that explores the difficulties of making human connections online

online life. Although they’re not even separate anymore, because they cut into each other so easily.’ Silvestrini came up with the notion of ‘isolated togetherness’, capturing the way people can have more ‘friends’ than ever

before, but still be completely alone. Those familiar with Protein’s work will know that set and props usually play a starring role. This time, however, Silvestrini stripped it right back. Three iPhone shaped screens give the work some context, but other than that, the performers are on their own. ‘It’s the first time I haven’t used a set – just an empty space, to give the idea of isolation,’ says Silvestrini. ‘Which was very challenging, but I didn’t want to make a piece about the technology, I wanted it to be about the consequences on humanity. So all I had to play with was the distance and space between people.’ Throughout the piece, the six characters share their stories with the audience. An aspect of the show which benefitted hugely from research Silvestrini carried out with a crossgenerational group of ordinary people. ‘There was a clear difference between what young people think about online experiences, and how people my age and older feel about it,’ he says. ‘Young people don’t question it because it’s always been part of their life. For older people, we can separate it, because it wasn’t like that before. So it’s a very interesting and complex subject, and very timely.’ LOL (Lots of Love), Zoo Southside, 662 6892, 22–27 Aug, 2.05pm, £12 (£10). 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 59

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ow do you meet the love of your life. At work? Down the pub? Or maybe just sitting alone in your bedroom? No, we’re not talking about onanism, but the increasingly popular art of internet dating. Whether it’s through a bona fide matchmaking site, or simply getting pally on Facebook, the web has become the perfect way to meet somebody who ticks all our boxes. Or has it? For Luca Silvestrini of Protein Dance, exploring the ways we connect has led to the creation of new work LOL (Lots of Love). One aspect of which is how we present ourselves online. ‘You go through profiles looking for the person who fits your requirements exactly, which is weird because it’s almost like you’re looking for a person just like you,’ says Silvestrini. ‘And when you write your own profile, you’re selecting your best bits, or who you want to be – but is it the real you or an ideal that you’re selling?’ LOL also looks at our need to be permanently plugged in to others, sometimes to the detriment of those sitting right opposite us. ‘I think social networking and the fact that we can use our phones every second to post our thoughts on Facebook makes you not be right in the moment with the people you are actually with,’ he says. ‘People are physically together but mentally they’re somewhere else, because you’re sending or receiving messages or sharing experiences the moment they happen. So I wanted to look at these parallel lives – the real life, and the

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ENCLOSURE 99 Janis of the apes When Janis Claxton took up daily residence in an Edinburgh Zoo enclosure during the 2008 Fringe, she had no idea how much attention she and her fellow dancers would generate. ‘I was only doing it as an experiment,’ Claxton avows, ‘absolutely unaware it’d be considered a cool idea and get so much press.’ The Australian-born choreographer wound up with a hit on her hands and bagged a Herald Angel award. Part of the pleasure of Enclosure 44, as it was then called, was the people-watching between public and performers. Dance of a kind materialised inside the enclosure, in the form of improvisational movement games based on Claxton’s research. ‘The three main animal groups visitors tend to gravitate towards are birds, big cats and primates,’ she says, ‘but the most emotional connection is with monkeys and apes.’ This became Claxton’s springboard for a questioning yet playful study of human behaviour, social interaction and status. Gifted and frequently outspoken, Claxton has become a real mover and shaker on the Scottish dance scene since relocating to Edinburgh from southwest England six years ago. She’s also established links with China, having spent seven of the past 24 months there teaching, making and presenting dance. For this revival of the Enclosure project (now identified as 99, a number derived from the maximum percentage of DNA some scientists claim humans and great apes share) Claxton is one of a ten-strong cast of Western and Chinese dancers, including three men. For two weeks straight they’ll be cooped up together seven hours a day, in what Claxton dubs ‘a creative exchange between two cultures.’ As with other zoo inhabitants, feeding these animals is not allowed. (Donald Hutera) ■ Edinburgh Zoo, 314 0350, 14–29 Aug, 10am–6pm, free (Zoo admission £11–£15).

PREVIEW

ROCK THE BALLET

Endangered species?

Pop-rock ballet makes for pure entertainment from Rasta Thomas’ Bad Boys ●●●●●

DOT504 made its Fringe debut in 2008 with Holdin’ Fast, a woozy, delicate work about desire. The company returned by popular demand in 2009 with the darker 1000 Wounded Tears, picking up Herald Angels, Total Theatre Awards and huge audiences. Running for five days only, Mah Hunt is its first Edinburgh production in two years, a lean, paredback duet created and performed by two of the company’s longest-standing members. ‘I began looking at hunting: how many animals are on the verge of extinction and how cruel a game humans have made of it,’ explains choreographer/performer Lenka Vagnerova. ‘They don’t need to kill so many animals; they don’t need to kill them so brutally. It seems to be something dark in humans. So I set this piece in a future where there are no animals: the two characters can only read about them, and when they set out to discover what it is to hunt, they have to learn it on each others’ bodies.’ A leaner version of DOT504 it may be, but the playful wit and murkily sexual physicality that made audiences fall for them is still there. ‘The strange game of struggle and desire they play is very human and recognisable,’ says Vagnerova. (Kirstin Innes) ■ Zoo Southside, 662 6892, 14–20 Aug, 2pm, £12.

Rasta Thomas’ Bad Boys of Dance have come to town and swapped tights and Tchaikovsky for snug black trousers and an unashamed pop-rock soundtrack. New York-based ballet dancers they may be, but there’s not a whiff of neurotic Natalie Portman about them – in fact here the effect is definitely more Kids from Fame than Black Swan. The seven-strong ensemble throw their fine-tuned ballet skills as hard as they can at numbers from the Black Eyed Peas, Queen and a whole lot of Michael Jackson. Classical music does feature once, in the form of Bizet’s Carmen, but then the boys are dancing with blow-up dolls at the time. There are some beautiful moments of sinuous, acrobatic choreography, but for the most part it’s pure entertainment, of the prime-time Saturday night kind. And there’s something a bit earnest in some of the rockier numbers which rubbed the edge off the fun just a touch. But it didn’t stop the crowd from baying for more twice in a row, and the Bad Boys came into their own in a brace of brawny and fabulously showy encores. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 28 Aug (not 15, 22), 6pm, £16–£20 (£14– £18).

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DOT504: MAH HUNT

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KOREAN DRUM: JOURNEY OF A SOUL Dance to the rhythm of life ●●●●●

Sometimes words are not required. Sometimes a single performer beating a frenetic rhythm on a drum suspended from an ornate frame is enough to raise the hairs on your arm. For those who love a bit of variety in their Fringe life, though, this showcase of the best in traditional and modern Korean percussion has something for everyone. Each sequence showcases a different instrument, and consequently a fresh mood and style, whether that be the relentless thundering hooves of seven large barrels playing at once or the light, playful tones of the smaller hand-held drums. As well as the of the 20-strong troupe of performers, the choreography, by Korea’s most famous dancer, Soo-Ho Kook, also greatly impresses. Admittedly there’s little in the way of a narrative here, beyond the rituals and traditions behind the music, and there’s not much attempt to reach out to the audience apart from one moment of offbeat humour in the plate-spinning section. But for sheer joyous exuberance there’s little to beat this show. (Allan Radcliffe) ■ Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 15, 22), 4pm, £13–£15 (£11–£13).

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PREVIEW

LAST ORDERS

Dining at the dark side Anthony Hopkins’ quivering lips, as he extols the fava beans, Chianti and human liver combo, is one of the most disturbing yet compelling images in Silence of the Lambs. For while serial killers might be scarily fascinating, they’re ten a penny compared to cannibals. ‘It’s the final taboo,’ says Al Seed, director/choreographer of Last Orders, a dark new show inspired by the 16th century Scottish cannibal, Sawney Bean. ‘Whatever vicious, horrible thing you do to somebody, there’s one final thing you can do – eat them.’ Last Orders reunites Seed with David Hughes Dance Company, the winning team behind 2008’s excellent The Red Room. The show promises to be an ambitious dance/theatre representation of Bean and his flesheating family, who spent decades living in caves and bringing passers-by home for dinner. Although what Bean and his family really got up to is a matter of historical debate. ‘There was certainly a figure called Alexander Bean,’ says Seed. ‘But the more you read about him, you begin to realise that if he actually did all the things attributed to him, he would have to be in a dozen places at once and live to 115. So many myths have grown up around him, it’s hard to separate the history from the legend – which was very attractive for us, because it gave us a lot of room to explore the mystery of the whole thing.’ With so many accounts of Bean’s feasts to choose from, Seed and Hughes have opted for a more abstract approach. ‘Rather than going for a narrative angle, it’s more about using structures from visual art and music, like rhythm, tempo and shapes,’ says Seed. ‘We’re taking people on a hallucinatory theatrical journey.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ Traverse Theatre, 228 1404, 17–28 Aug (not 22), times vary, £17–£19 (£12–£13). Preview 16 Aug, 10am, £12 (£6).

DANCE MARATHON

Sweat-slicked endurance test ●●●●●

Witty and moving portrayal of life on the streets

UNCHARTED WATERS

●●●●●

Homage to life on the waves told through aerial circus skills ●●●●●

Shuffling across the stage under a blanket, Pat Kinevane slowly makes his way towards the audience. Peering out from underneath the dirty and torn material, glittery eye shadow adorning each lid, he starts to speak. What are we expecting him to say? A monologue about homelessness will surely begin with something dark and depressing about life on the streets. Instead, Kinevane delivers an opening gambit so laugh out loud funny it instantly catapults us into his world. Using the slow-release method, he gradually tells us how he ended up with a blanket for a home, relying on the kindness of strangers to feed his Merlot habit. Along the way we encounter parental abuse, suicide, failed marriage and silent movies. If this sounds like a recipe for a morose night at the theatre, don’t be deceived. Truly comic descriptions punctuate even the darkest incidents. Part of the Dublin-based Fishamble company, Kinevane is a formidable talent, both writing and performing this remarkable work. A Fringe must-see if ever there was one. (Kelly Apter) ■ Dance Base, 225 5525, until 20 Aug, times vary, £7.

The wayward charm of running away to sea is beautifully captured by aerial dance and roguish shanties in this three-part collaboration between innovative companies Strange Bird Zirkus and All or Nothing. Lucy Deacon and Jennifer Paterson lure us in with their parallels between sailors and circus acrobats, hoisting the rigging, shimmying up the Chinese pole and lolling at the top as if it’s a crow’s nest, wrapping themselves up in sails and soaring weightlessly like seagulls circling. There’s a free energy to this first part, full of playful camaraderie, but before long sickness creeps in and brutal storms are whipped up. Part two is a darker, more tender tale, where Moritz Linkmann’s lonesome sailor enters a port bordello to play upon his fantasies. His painful, passionate tango on the Chinese pole is an absolute show-stealer, but what makes this whole piece so special is the perfect marriage of circus skills with story. If anything could make you dream of stowing away, it’s definitely this. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Dance Base, 225 5525, until 20 Aug (not 8–12, 15–17), 9pm, £10 (£8). 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 61

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At three hours in, the fatigue has begun to show. As per the First Rule of Dance Marathon, we’re all still moving our feet constantly, but it’s descended to a listless, obedient shuffling. Sweating strangers, inhibitions completely lost, smile at each other with the battered camaraderie of the utterly knackered. Based on the cruel endurance tests of Depressionera America, on one level Dance Marathon is a very interesting experiment in participatory theatre: the audience become the contestants. The rammed, chaotic dance floor is occasionally shot through with cohesion as the ‘embedded’ dancers (cast members who had arrived with us and donned the same numbered bibs) suddenly pull together like a flash mob, showing us fleeting moments of beauty amid the exhaustion. However, ultimately, it’s a rather frustrating experience. ‘Characters’ are half-heartedly established from the embedded dancers, but it’s never clear why we’re supposed to care about them – the company seem almost frightened of examining the desperation that drove people to these lengths in the first place. (Kirstin Innes) ■ Traverse Theatre, 228 1404, until 14 Aug, 7.15pm, £19 (£13).

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BAGPUSS Nostalgic parents, prepare to be captivated all over again by the saggy old cloth cat, while your young ’uns enjoy this five-star show just on its merit. See review, page 64. ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 28 Aug (not 15), 12pm, £12–£14 (£8).

FESTIVAL

Co-founder of Tall Stories, and currently presenting Brilliant Books for Kids at the Fringe, TOBY MITCHELL tells us about his book choices.

Mr Benn Tall Stories bring the ’70s costume changer to the stage in a show full of catchy songs. See review, page 63. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 18 Aug (not 6), 11.30am, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). One Thousand Paper Cranes The poignant yet funny true-life tale of a friendship between two young girls, set in a sea of origami. Highly recommended. Assembly George Square, until 27 Aug, 1.10pm, £10 (£8). 62 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Stick Man Live on Stage! Last year’s all-singing, all-dancing show based on Julia Donaldson’s popular book returns. Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug (not 15), 11.15am, £10–£11 (£9–£10).

The King’s Got Donkey’s Ears Puppeteer Andy Lawrence of Theatre of Widdershins creates some of the most intricate sets you’ll ever see. Go! Scottish Storytelling Centre, 556 9579, until 28 Aug, 1pm, £8.50 (£6.50).

The Man Who Planted Trees Another chance to see this charming puppet version of Jean Giono’s tale – with possibly the Fringe’s funniest dog. Storytelling Centre, 556 9579, until 21 Aug, 3pm, £8.50 (£6.50).

The Amazing Bubble Show Back for yet another Fringe, the Bubbleman’s popularity shows no sign of waning. Especially good for tinies. C too, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug (not 15), 12.05pm & 1.05pm, £7.50£9.50 (£6.50-£8.50).

James Campbell’s Comedy 4 Kids The original and best when it comes to children’s stand-up, entertaining young (6+) and old alike. Assembly George Square, 623 3030, 11–14 Aug, 2.30pm, £7.

What was your favourite story book as a child? I had many favourites, but there are two that stick out: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster is like a modern-day Alice in Wonderland, full of clever word-play and ways of seeing the world in entirely new ways. And Rebecca’s World by Terry Nation (creator of the Daleks) is about a young girl from Earth who has a fantastical adventure on a strange planet. Which book do you most enjoy reading to your own child now? Apart from any and every Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler book, our favourite right now is Emily Brown and the Thing by Cressida Cowell and Neal Layton. Emily Brown and her toy rabbit Stanley try to get friendly monster the Thing to sleep – just like an adult does with a child. What three books should every under ten have on their book shelf? Winnie the Pooh, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland – to be read in that order – plus the two from question one! Who would be at your fantasy children’s author dinner party? Lewis Carroll, AA Milne and Roald Dahl (for the books above); and then CS Lewis and Philip Pullman – because they would have the most fascinating discussion about religion and children’s literature. ■ Brilliant Books for Kids, Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 22–25), 1.45pm, £5 (£4).

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MR BENN Suddenly, a great show appeared . . . ●●●●● It’s 40 years since David McKee first turned his series of picture books into a TV series. In an instant, shop dressing rooms became the doorway to potential adventure, where anything could happen. For an entire generation, Mr Benn signified the potential for change – where the ordinary could become extraordinary. Which is exactly the angle Tall Stories has gone for with its new production. Receiving an invitation to a fancy dress party through the post, Mr Benn claims ‘I don’t go to parties’ and throws it away. Fifty minutes later, having gone through the portal at ‘Fancy That’, the local costume emporium, he’s ready to change the world. Who knew that dressing up could have such a powerful effect? Well, children, of course – which is why this timeless character is now appealing to a whole new generation. Tall Stories has taken two of McKee’s original tales – The Cook and The Frogman – and breathed new life into them. Finding himself in the palace of a picky princess who won’t eat, Mr Benn solves the problem of why (she’s lonely) and leaves her happily scoffing a banquet. He then descends to the sea bed and helps an Elvis Presley-style monster outwit a tenacious photographer. A whistle-stop tour of The Red Knight, The Cowboy, The Wizard and The Spaceman follow, until it’s time to go back to Festive Road. While the company has undoubtedly stayed true to McKee’s stories, they’ve also added layers of innovative theatricality. The set is pushed and pulled into all manner of new locations, catchy songs abound and, as with all Tall Stories productions, the talented cast leaps effortlessly from one clearly defined character to another. (Kelly Apter) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 18 Aug, 11.30am, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50).

COMEDY CLUB 4 KIDS

THE JUST SO STORIES

Heckle-happy crowd nearly stump the pros

Charming and cheeky fairytale sequel ●●●●●

●●●●●

Colourful and engaging adaptation of Kipling’s well known tales ●●●●●

A sequel to the classic outsider tale, these chronicles are best suited to the suggested 7+ age range – those younger are likely to find the matters at hand (bullying and exclusion) upsetting, and the concurrent threads of the story hard to follow. The action is set around an urban pond, where two lonely bird-watchers bond over shared observation of similarly awkward avian characters: the familiar Ugly Duckling – now a cranky, reclusive ‘celebrity’ of the bird pond and nicknamed ‘Twisted’ – and ‘the one that went the other way’ – a Bitter Duck who’s grown up among cruel, proud swans. There’s some charming, if at times clunky, puppet work, and a cute set whose manipulation presents some teething problems. While the plot fits into a predictable fairytale mould, it’s told with a dose of cheeky attitude and plenty of contemporary references to appeal to kids and adults alike. Among many character-driven funnies emerges a sweet but slightly garbled message about being different from the crowd, and friendships are forged in the human and bird worlds alike. (Laura Ennor) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 15), 11.50am, £7–£8 (£6–£7).

It’s perceived wisdom that kids are a tough crowd. No matter how naturally witty you are, getting a child to laugh is often a triumph of hard-nosed perseverance. But who knew nippers could deliver the most savage of heckles, here displaying the kind of withering backchat that would have Brendon Burns running to his mammy. ‘DIE!!’ was a frequent demand from one 11-year-old towards compere Tiernan Douieb and closing act Tim FitzHigham. By the finale, the lad’s sister had joined in and, for all FitzHigham’s unhinged jollity, he was the seasoned comic who came closest to fulfilling their wishes. Douieb is an amiable host who clearly knows his crowd, while still chipping in the odd reference for the adults, and the gangly Eric Lampaert made hay with some surrealist banter. There is already a childlike quality to the adult stand-up of Douieb, FitzHigham and Lampaert but what I’d love to see here is Jim Jefferies headlining, Jerry Sadowitz doing some magic and Doug Stanhope at the door. Is there a bairn alive brave enough to heckle that lot? (Brian Donaldson) ■ The Bongo Club, 557 2827, until 28 Aug, 5.30pm, £8–£10 (£6–£7.50).

There’s no cosier venue at the Pleasance Courtyard than The Green, the huge inflated igloo that’s home to many of its shows for children this year. In The Just So Stories, kids and grown-ups are invited to dive into the Snuggle Pit, an enticing fluffy mass of colourful floor cushions and cuddly toys. It’s the perfect vantage point for Red Table Theatre’s engaging adaptation of four tales from Rudyard Kipling’s much-loved collection of stories. Using old-fashioned suitcases, parasols and mesmerising swathes of fabric, the agile performers create a rich and varied landscape that’s a delight to behold. In addition to skilful acting, there’s some beautifully melodic singing that rounds off each tale. But the antiquated language doesn’t grab everyone’s attention, and some young minds start to wander after the first tale. The company suggests the show is suitable for ages 4+ but 6 might be a better baseline, though even the youngest audience members are still charmed by the kaleidoscope of images the performers create. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 10, 22) 12.30pm and 2.45pm, £9 (£7). 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 63

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THE CHRONICLES OF BITTER AND TWISTED

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{KIDS} Reviews BAGPUSS Stage adaptation that’s just about purrfect ●●●●● In 2001, Bagpuss came fourth in Channel 4’s 100 Greatest Kids’ TV Shows opinion poll – and for good reason. Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin’s 1970s programme had a warm simplicity that hooked you in with imaginative tales, then rocked you gently in its arms. So too Soho Theatre’s inspired adaptation. Set in Emily’s infamous shop, the show takes three original episodes – The Hamish, The Ballet Shoe and Uncle Feedle – and reinvents them for the stage. The programme’s major players, Professor Yaffle, Madeleine the rag doll, Gabriel the toad, the organ mice and, of course, Bagpuss himself, are all manipulated by two talented performers. While the short films, once shown through the thought bubble above Bagpuss’ head, are now acted out in full. The central conceit (which is more for the nostalgic adults in the audience than their young charges) is that Emily is now grown up, and has returned to the shop on the day of her father’s funeral. There, she encounters a young girl (her younger self presumably) and a whole heap of memories. Together, they bring the toys to life, peppering the tales with some of Postgate’s most memorable lines. There are so many things that Soho Theatre has got right in this beautifully constructed production, it’s impossible to list them all. But the set is certainly one of them, perfectly evoking the original shop, with a few innovative embellishments. The two hard-working performers deliver each character with gusto and sing beautifully, keeping children engaged throughout. While the use of the original music, and re-worked sepia-tinged photographs ensure this is a touching trip down memory lane for the adults. (Kelly Apter) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 28 Aug (not 15), 12pm, £12–£14 (£8).

POP-UP! THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF MOO-DONG

FESTIVAL

The art of entertaining ●●●●● Theatre Bom’s Pop-Up! is based around the inspired notion of recreating famous paintings, such as Arcimboldo’s ‘fruit faces’ and Seurat’s ‘Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jette’, live onstage. Don’t be nervous: in-depth knowledge of art history is not required, just a free hour and a daft sense of humour. There’s a very sketchy (sorry) story here, about a girl whose interactions with well-known artworks tend to lead to chaos, but this is really a pretext for a load of silly visual gags and some striking tableaux. There’s also a lovely sequence in which Moo-Dong stumbles across a giant-sized jigsaw version of Arcimboldo’s ‘Summer’ and has to put all the pieces together with a little help from the audience. Another episode features a carnival of ingenious puppet zoo animals, including an elephant, a zebra and a snake, who chase Moo-Dong around the stage. Only the rather insipid deconstruction of Seurat’s work falls a little flat, but otherwise there’s plenty of colour and movement here to keep younger kids and daft grown-ups entertained. (Allan Radcliffe) ■ C Chambers Street, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug (not 15), 11.10am, £7.50–£8.50 (£6.50–£7.50). 64 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

THE TIM BAT TRICK SHOW

UNDER THE BAOBAB TREE

Slickness and silliness in equal measure ●●●●●

Animal tales from Africa ●●●●●

Tim Bat has been doing the Fringe for so long, he could probably deliver his act with his eyes closed. Which is actually not a bad idea – it might make the tricks he delivers a touch more daring. In an age when circus performers push the boundaries of capability on a daily basis, Bat’s juggling/spinning/ twirling is all rather tame. But then that’s part of his charm. Over the course of an hour, this likeable ‘gentleman juggler’, as he calls himself, more than endears himself to the audience. When it comes to silliness, Bat is a serial offender, and while his between trick banter isn’t exactly comedy gold, it’s very often a pleasingly polished bronze. For the most part, his tricks are slick – in particular a rather nifty knife/spinning top combination – and clearly hard-won after years of practice. Naughty but loveable puppets, Mongo McMongoose and Lucy and Lamb also make an appearance, along with some cowboyesque rope spinning, city gent brolly twirling and messy food juggling, in a show that’s warm hearted but won’t set the world on fire. (Kelly Apter) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 18 Aug, 10.20am, £7–£8 (£6–£7).

Do you know how the hyena got its laugh or the ostrich got its long neck? Performed by Edinburghbased Toto Tales and Singapore’s I Theatre, Under the Baobab Tree is an hour of gentle storytelling dressed up in an array of colourful costumes. Toto’s Mara Menzies hails from Kenya, so we’re all invited to say ‘Jambo!’ to each animal as it appears – and there’s no shortage of them. As well as the aforementioned hyena and ostrich, Menzies’ tales also feature a lion, chameleon, monkey, a beautifully made crocodile and a witty, RSC-aspiring zebra. Aimed at ages 3-8, the tales are short and simple, but performed with exuberance, with a few original songs thrown in. There’s nothing dazzlingly innovative at play here, but Menzies knows how to build up a rapport with children and keeps them engaged throughout. (Kelly Apter) ■ C too, 0845 260 1234, until 27 Aug (not 14, 21), 10am. £6.50–£8.50 (£4.50–£7.50).

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EAT, SLEEP and BREATHE

BECC SANDERSON This Australian cabaret singer just did a tour of people’s living rooms, performing songs about flowers (eg Radiohead’s ‘Lotus Flower’, Edith Piaf’s ‘La Vie En Rose’). She’s in Edinburgh now, talking to us about jodhpurs

THE QATSI TRILOGY

FESTIVAL

One of the EIF’s most hotly anticipated events; minimalist composer Philip Glass makes his EIF debut playing keyboard with his Ensemble, for a live score of the Godfrey Reggio trilogy of films, over three nights. ■ Koyaanisqatsi, 13 Aug; Powaqqatsi, 14 Aug; Naqoyqatsi (pictured), 15 Aug, Edinburgh Playhouse, 473 2000, 8.30pm, £12–£35, eif.co.uk

Washed Out Ernest Weatherly Greene brings his dream-wavy synthpop to town. See interview, page 68. Sneaky Pete’s, 0844 847 2487, 14 Aug, 7pm, £8. Kristin Hersh The Throwing Muses singer chats to The List about her recent memoirs, see page 67. Cabaret Voltaire (Paradoxical Undressing), 0844 4999 990, 18 &19 Aug, 7pm, £12.50, part of The Edge. 66 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Evelyn, Evelyn Before her Arches/ Picture House shows later this month, Amanda Palmer (Dresden Dolls) stars in a creepy, conjoined twin cabaret. Assembly George Square, 623 3030, 17–21 Aug, 9.10pm, £13 (£12).

Orchestre symphonique de Montréal Three concerts from the world-class orchestra. ‘01’, 16 Aug & ‘02’, 17 Aug, Usher Hall, 473 2000, 8pm, £12–£42; 18 Aug, Queen’s Hall, 473 2000, 11am, £8–£29, eif.co.uk

Henry Rollins Aggressive and amusing spoken word, politics and personal anecdotes from the charismatic Black Flag frontman. The Queen’s Hall, 668 2019, 18 &19 Aug, 7pm, £15.

Shonen Knife See our preview of the Japanese poppunkers, who once opened for Nirvana, on page 123. Nice’n’Sleazy, Glasgow, Tue 16 Aug, with Isosceles; also Sneaky Pete’s, 225 1757, 15 Aug, 7pm, £10, part of The Edge.

Nick Pynn One man and his impressive chamber folk orchestra. Look out for his customised coconut shell. See our review, page 68. Inlingua Edinburgh, 220 5119, until 28 Aug, 9.15pm, £10 (£8.50)

What time is breakfast? Whenever I get up, after a vat of tea. Tea or coffee? Darjeeling tea. Coffee is one of my life’s greatest disappointments. Why doesn’t it taste like it smells? Why God, why? Smoking or non-smoking? Non. Very non. Sweet or savoury snacks? Sweet. Especially at around 11am. And 3pm. And 5pm. And 10pm. And 1am if I’ve had a gig. What food do you miss when you tour? Home-cooked. Mine. Who’s the best cook you know? My friend Pamela Timms; never known her to fail. She lives in Delhi now and has a wonderful blog called ‘Eat and Dust’ that makes me swoon with longing regularly. What’s on your rider? Preferably a tight pair of jodhpurs and knee high boots. Slightly muddied. . . Which country/ city has the best food? Melbourne. Although Perth (Australia, my home town) has the best seafood. Do you eat out a lot? I wish, I wish, I wish . . . That’s a no, sadly. Do you eat or drink onstage? I’m wearing a corset designed by the fabulous Joyce Paton, I can barely sit down let alone eat, darlings! I can just about manage a few sips of water though. . . ■ PassionFlower, New Town Theatre, 220 0143, until 28 Aug (not 16), 10pm, £10–£12 (£8–£10). See beccsanderson.com for info.

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KRISTIN HERSH

Indie rock goddess brings a new memoir and live music Alt rock idol Kristin Hersh is spoiling us. She’s playing four shows this festival, but doesn’t realise it. ‘Am I? I don’t know!’ she laughs. ‘I’ll do whatever you say . . .’ The List is tempted to exploit the offer; book a monthlong residency, keep her here forever – but we remind Hersh of her dates: UNBOUND’s words and music event, an EIBF panel and two live music shows. Hersh has been a singular figure in US indie rock for over 25 years. As leader of Throwing Muses, she overthrew gender stereotypes, blazed a trail for underground rock and brought The Pixies to the UK. (‘They were our opening band – we were such babies that we were all homesick. We’d sit in the van and sing old folk songs about being away from home.’) She also records as a solo artist and in power-punk trio 50FOOTWAVE – not to mention her pioneering, fanfunded business model, CASH Music. ‘A lot of creativity

comes out of necessity,’ she enthuses. ‘Being broke will keep you really vibrant!’ Hersh’s memoir, Paradoxical Undressing, is at the heart of her shows. Detailing a year in her late teens in which she bagged a record contract, became pregnant and had bipolar disorder diagnosed, it underlines Hersh’s efforts to disentangle mental illness and art. ‘I honestly believe that a clear, healthy mind is capable of creating what we need to hear. When I was younger, I just thought, “let the songs do whatever they want”,’ she reflects. ‘Now I’ve come to a point where I let the song say whatever it wants – and that can be very uncomfortable – but I edit out the crap that nobody needs.’ (Nicola Meighan) ■ UNBOUND, Spiegeltent, 16 Aug, 9pm, free; ‘On Surviving Mental Illness’, ScottishPower Studio Theatre, 17 Aug, 8.30pm, £10 (£8), both part of the EIBF, 0845 373 5888; Cabaret Voltaire (Paradoxical Undressing), 0844 4999 990, 18 & 19 Aug, 7pm, £12.50, part of The Edge.

CLASSICS AT GREYFRIARS

Beethoven concert series with church backdrop

FESTIVAL

Taking advantage of the unique way that music can be presented in a festival context, Greyfriars Kirk (at the top of Candlemaker Row) is presenting all of Beethoven’s piano sonatas and string quartets over a new two-week long run. The quartets are spread out over ten late-night performances by the phenomenal Heath Quartet, a young ensemble whose reputation is growing fast. For the piano sonatas, some of the most sublime music ever composed, the ideal exponent is internationally acclaimed Welsh pianist Llyr Williams (left). He gives 12 tea-time concerts, combining the well-known and less familiar in each, beginning with the Pathétique and concluding with the monumentally demanding Hammerklavier. ‘There is so much life [in the sonatas],’ says Williams, ‘from humour to profundity. They can be angry one minute and gentle the next.’ The string quartets also have variety, but ‘they don’t reflect Beethoven’s life in the same way.’ Much as he would love to, he may not hear his late-night Heath colleagues. As he says, ‘I think I’ll have to always be in bed when they are playing.’ (Carol Main) ■ Greyfriars Kirk, 668 2019, 12–26 Aug, 5.45pm and 10.30pm, £17.50 (£14). 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 67

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{MUSIC} Previews & reviews PREVIEW

WASHED OUT

Chillwave from Georgia, following up a very excellent debut album in July The List catches up with Ernest Greene the night after a gig in Berlin. It was someone in the band’s birthday apparently, so a bit of partying had to be done afterwards. Now he’s in the awkward post-coffee but pre-breakfast part of his hangover, and in half an hour he’ll be back on the road, going to tonight’s show in Nuremberg. But the Georgia boy’s far too Southern and polite to be grumpy. ‘I’m moving a little slower than usual, I guess,’ he says with a sleepy laugh. Since his debut album Within and Without came out this July (Weird World), his airmiles and fans have been steadily building up as he tours his dream-wave pop round Japan, America and Europe. Originally a bedroom producer, Greene’s now joined by a full band; a ‘live rock band set-up’ that includes his wife on keyboards, plus friends from back home in Atlanta on drums and bass. ‘We up the tempo for the club shows, to make them more fun and more dancey, and move away from that subdued headphone feel of the album,’ he explains. Not that subdued is a bad thing though; his first full album was a shimmery, slinky blur of synth-pop beats, and it firmly cemented his place in the chillwave Walk of Fame (if such a thing existed, for a genre that he effectively created with the two EPs he put out in 2009). It was produced by Ben Allen, who’s also worked with Animal Collective and Deerhunter. ‘I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to hold my own,’ says Greene, ‘but actually it gave me a bit more confidence in my own instincts. I definitely learned a lot. Actually, I look forward to producing for other people in the future, maybe a couple albums down the line.’ Greene’s looking forward to the Edinburgh show – especially because he’s heard Sneaky Pete’s is a small venue, which he thinks is way more fun to play. After that, he’s looking forward to getting back home and making more music. ‘Travelling is really great for giving you tons of ideas, but it’s hard to actually record anything. I look forward to working more on that stuff, and also getting back to our bed, and eating some familiar food. ‘It’s funny – Mexican food? I didn’t realise how much I ate Mexican food, like tacos and burritos three times a week, until I came to Europe, and couldn’t find any.’ (Claire Sawers) ■ Sneaky Pete’s, 225 1757, 14 Aug, 7pm, £8, part of The Edge. Listen to Washed Out’s Rough Trade remix at abeano.com/washed-out-rough-trade-mix/5586, or the cover of ‘Wicked Game’ at siriusxm.com. For a full version of this interview, see list.co.uk

REVIEW

PREVIEW

One-man folk orchestra ●●●●●

Moving, Holocaust inspired score by Steve Reich

FESTIVAL

NICK PYNN

Nick Pynn’s set-up resembles a madcap music shop. Instruments hang from stands; some conventional, others more esoteric, like a ‘cocolele’, a ukulele made from a coconut shell. He dazzles on a ‘lopsided’ dulcimer too, adding almost dissonant voicings to its Appalachian stream of sound. Most pieces see him play several instruments, layering guitar and mandola into graceful chamber folk. Fiddle and viola pieces such as ‘Michigan Sleeping’ stand out, blending folky melodies with minimalist repetition. It’s reminiscent of Penguin Cafe Orchestra, sharing their gentle English eccentricism, and incorporating unusual sounds into acoustic arrangements. ‘Guests’ include The Crystal Sisters (four wine glasses, looped into a celestial chorus) and the sampled voice of Shetland singer Astrid Williamson. Quirky composition methods, such as writing a melody in morse code, produce delightfully off-kilter results. This playful approach, combined with his considerable instrumental and song-writing skills, creates a rough magic. (Stewart Smith) ■ Inlingua, 220 5119, until 28 Aug, 9.15pm, £10 (£8.50); also Kate Daisy Grant with Nick Pynn, Fingers Piano Bar, 225 3026, until 27 Aug (not 15, 22), 6.40pm, free. 68 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

THE TRAINS

Songs from the Holocaust might seem too dark a subject to tackle. But Greek singer Marika Klambatsea is convinced even music from this bleakest of periods can be life-affirming. ‘Music can help people overcome tragedy . . . to be able to survive.’ Her show The Trains brings together music from the concentration camps, as well as modern pieces. She sings Jewish songs – ‘In one Yiddish lullaby, a mother tells the terrible story of the tragic events to her baby,’ – alongside pieces by Weill, Mahler and Puccini. Steve Reich’s Holocaustinspired string quartet Different Trains, given a video reinterpretation, binds the performance together. Polish composer Aleksander Kuliesiewitz wrote 54 songs while in the Sachsenhausen camp near Berlin. ‘I don’t have the courage to sing more than one of them,’ admits Klambatsea. ‘To perform it, you have to go inside the person, to try to understand what they were experiencing.’ ‘The audience will feel quite emotional – people are often in tears at the end,’ notes Klambatsea. ‘I hope I can make the point that racism and prejudice are terrible.’ (David Kettle) ■ Sweet Grassmarket, 243 3596, 15–28 Aug, 9.20pm, £10 (£8).

REVIEW

SOWETO ENTSHA ●●●●●

South African songs from the heart In 2008, Morgan, Lwazi, Jabu and Zensele were ekeing out a living, busking on the streets of Soweto. Hearing that a French producer was in a nearby restaurant, the a cappella singers headed down to try and impress him. They did. Three years later, they’ve toured France as opening act for the African Footprint musical, recorded an album and performed at the opening of the 2010 World Cup. Now, these talented young South Africans are playing the Fringe with a show that sounds sparse – no costume changes, musicians or set – but in reality is full to the brim. With enough energy to power the lighting rig, Soweto Entsha (Zulu for ‘new’) fill the room with their stage presence. Wearing sharp grey suits and their hearts on their sleeve they imbue each song with deep emotion. Their smooth, warm voices perfectly complementing each other. Most of the time, we don’t know what they’re singing about – which is fine, they convey enough feeling for us to fill in the gaps. Then, at the close of the set, they deliver a spine-tingling cover of Adele’s Rolling in the Deep, effectively wiping the floor with the original. (Kelly Apter) ■ Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug, 4.30pm, £11–£14.50 (£9.50–£13).

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AIRY DELIGHTS 2011 St Clements Wind Ensemble First Performance of the Gulda Cello Concerto in Scotland!

EDINBURGH

FESTIVAL 2011

BEETHOVEN CONCERT SERIES

THE COMPLETE BEETHOVEN PIANO CYCLE

Llyr Williams

THE COMPLETE BEETHOVEN STRING QUARTETS

Soloists: Johannes Oesterlee (Cello), Edward Hughes (Tenor)

GULDA - Concerto for Violoncello & Wind Orchestra MAHLER - Schoenberg/Riehn: 3 Songs for Tenor from ‘Song of the Earth’ LISZT - Arr. J. West: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

Canongate Kirk (Venue 60) 15 & 16 August 2011 at 5pm Tickets £10/£7 (online or on the door) Tel: 0131 226 0000 Web: www.scwe.vpweb.co.uk

The Heath Quartet

“ A real, genuine, dyed-inthe-wool, priceless gem of a musical series.” Michael Tumelty, The Herald

12-26 August 2011 www.greyfriarskirk.com

11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 69

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5 – 29 August

Over 2,500 shows, more than 250 Venues, one Fringe Visit the Fringe Box Ofﬁce Your one stop shop for every ticket on the Fringe. Buy online at www.edfringe.com, over the phone on 0131 226 0000 or in person at 180 High Street.

Ticket Collections There are three locations where you can pick up all of your Festival Fringe Society tickets. The Fringe Box Ofﬁce 180 High Street 09:00-21:00 daily throughout August and all times when the Box Ofﬁce is open The University of Edinburgh Visitor Centre 2 Charles Street 03-29 August 09:30-20:00 Mon-Sat, 12:00-20:00 Sun Virgin Money Half Price Hut Mound Precinct 10-29 August 10:00-21:00 daily

Download the Fringe Mobile Apps The ofﬁcial Edinburgh Festival Fringe iPhone and Android Apps are free and offer you the most up-to-date and comprehensive show listings directly uploaded to your phone.

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70 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

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Festival

{THEATRE}

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HITLIST

Stage WHISPERS NADIRA JANIKOVA ON THE PERSONAL CONNECTION SHE FEELS TO MEDEA

A Slow Air David Harrower’s closeto-the-knuckle meditation on family loyalty, money and Scottish culture. See review, page 80. Traverse Theatre, 228 1404, until 21 Aug (not 15), times vary, £15–£17 (£11–£12). Alma Mater Fish and Game create an immersive new theatrical experience. See review, page 76. St George’s West, 225 7001, until 29 Aug (not 15), every ten minutes from 11am–6.50pm, £5.

Whistle Monologue that beautifully, skilfully recreates aspirational 1960s Northern England and a harrowing real-life event. See review, page 84. Zoo, 662 6892, until 29 Aug (not 15, 25), 1.45pm, £7.50 (£5).

Jasmine Gwangju Multimedia extravaganza celebrating the Gwangju Uprising that launched South Korea towards democracy. See feature, page 72. EICC, 0844 847 1639, 13–19 August, 5.30pm, £10 (£7).

Elegy Moving, deeply compassionate one-man show based on true stories of homophobic persecution in Iraq. See review, page 78. Whitespace, 226 0000, until 28 Aug (not 16, 23), 8.30pm, £10 (£7).

Forest Fringe The creative hub reopens for what may be its final year at the Forest Café. See preview, page 74. Forest Café, 220 4538, 15–27 Aug, times vary, free (visit forestfringe.co.uk to reserve places).

I Hope My Heart Goes First Junction 25’s remarkably poignant and insightful exploration of matters of the heart. See review, page 80. St George’s West, 225 7001, until 16 Aug, 2pm, also 24 Aug, 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

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FESTIVAL

PHOTO: ZBIGNIEW KOTKIEWICZ

The Edinburgh International Festival’s theatre programme kicks off with a pair of Shakespeare adaptations from, respectively, Korea’s Mokwha Repertory and China’s Contemporary Legend Theatre. ■ King’s Theatre (The Tempest), Royal Lyceum (King Lear), 473 2000, 13–16 Aug (The Tempest matinee 15 Aug, 2.30pm), £10–£30.

PHOTO: RICHARD CAMPBELL

PHOTO: DIRK BLEICKER

THE TEMPEST / KING LEAR

Medea represents a huge challenge for any actress. To help me in the role I looked at those aspects of my own experience relating to those of Medea. Like her, I am from Central Asia – she from Colchis, I from Samarkand. I grew up in a society where women’s roles are defined for them and where the wealthy and powerful often have more than one wife. Like Medea I am also a political exile. When I first came to the UK, my situation was very similar. My partner had been sacked as British Ambassador to Uzbekistan for his criticisms of the Uzbek government. I was on holiday with him in the UK, and suddenly I could never go back. My visa expired and I faced the prospect of having absolutely nowhere I could go, a devastating scenario that mirrors the situation Medea finds herself in. I lived stateless for three years. I was helped by the President of Ghana, who granted me temporary citizenship – there is a parallel here with Medea turning to the Athenian king for help – in 2010 I was finally given a British passport. Beyond all this, I am a new mother. For a parent the horror of Medea murdering her children is the most terrifying thought of all. Getting under the skin of a woman like Medea is quite a life-changing experience. ■ Medea, Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 6.30pm, £12–£13 (£10).

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{THEATRE} Jasmine Gwangju

Cry freed

fweee! Pfweeeeeeeeeee!’ Jun-tae Kim is recreating the noise of fighter jets swooping over the South Korean city of Gwangju. It was 18 May 1980 and he was a young geography teacher, on the streets with thousands of other students and citizens protesting against the repressive military dictatorship. In rolled the US military machine, with gunships, helicopters and even fighter jets. Tanks and 30,000 American troops took over the main thoroughfare of Gwangju, population 180,000. ‘The sky was dark even though it was daytime,’ he recalls. ‘It was like Vietnam.’ The Gwangju uprising, the start of the painful process of democratisation in South Korea, was long and bloody. One hundred and forty-four civilians died and around the same number were wounded. Many were still in their teens. The authorities dumped their bodies on the edge of town. For Koreans like Kim, in their 50s and 60s,

‘P

72 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

it was the pivotal political event of their lives. The parallels with the recent Arab uprisings are unmissable: Geumnamno, the street leading from the university to the regional government office was the focal point, Gwangju’s Tahrir Square. Yet it has quickly become ancient history for subsequent generations and is virtually unheard of in the west. Now Jasmine Gwangu, a multimedia requiem mass based on the events of May 18, attempts to give the uprising the status it demands. The time is right: earlier this year, UNESCO gave the uprising’s archive world heritage status. But this is not, the artistic team are at great pains to point out, a heavyweight piece of political theatre. Instead it is a theatrical move towards reconciliation, a ceremony in which the restless spirit of one of the victims of the uprising, trapped between worlds of the living and the dead, finally finds peace.

The show is told mainly through traditional Korean music, with dance, shamanic rituals and digital art supporting the narrative. Archive footage, photos of people who died in the uprising, calligraphy and other evocative imagery flash behind the action, add another layer to the experience. ‘The whole process started with victims of May 18,’ says Sam-Jo Jeong, the show’s producer. ‘Some revolutionaries come on the stage, we try to release them, help them take off the whole history and sadness and painful memory. Once we take it off from them, we can let them go to heaven. That is the whole process. The audience is alive and, with the performers on the stage, they are healed together. It is not only for the dead people but the live people also. That is the point.’ The menace that Kim recalls so vividly is absent from the stage, perhaps because the three men behind Jasmine Gwangju were in their early teens when the tanks rolled in. This is not an angry dispatch from the front line but a measured, adult response.

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Jasmine Gwangju {THEATRE}

LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

dom

Apart from a couple of previews, Edinburgh audiences will be the first to see Jasmine Gwangju. The creative team are convinced that the message is strong enough to overcome cultural and language issues and have decided against supertitles or other distracting add-ons. It is quite a lot for a western viewer to absorb but the unfamiliarity of the material adds to the power of the piece. The show’s climax, when the victim’s unhappy soul is finally released, takes the form of a traditional shaman ceremony. Although few people now practise shamanism, it remains at the core of much Korean culture. It is visually spectacular, a

‘THE SKY WAS DARK EVEN THOUGH IT WAS DAYTIME’

On 18 May 1980 the Gwangju Uprising kicked off the painful process of democratisation in South Korea. Now a multimedia extravaganza premiering at the Fringe celebrates the event, as Anna Burnside discovers ritual cleansing performed in magnificent white ceremonial robes, with fluttering strips of paper on a long pole signifying the paper money that will help the soul to ascend. Even to western eyes, the neck-prickling music and the tender attentions of the healing figure make it quite clear what is happening. ‘Shaman rituals are common on Jin Island,’ says Il Won, the musical director. ‘It is a ceremony which can be understood by people all over the world. When Catholics hold mass, everyone understands that. It is similar with shaman rituals.’ Won composed all the original music for Jasmine Gwangju, using traditional Korean instruments but pulling in contemporary forms. He found inspiration in an unexpected place: the work of Italian avant garde composer Luigi Nono: ‘He made music from the tragedy of the Nazi occupation of Europe and the Second World War. I have listened to his music a lot. The music in Jasmine Gwangju is an homage to him.’ Like the ceremonies and visual language of

the piece, the sparse, heterophonic soundtrack is unfamiliar to western ears. Yet it is powerfully affecting. ‘It is,’ says Won, ‘not harmonic, it has its own rhythmical vibration and sound, with strong vibrations.’ The heterophonic structure is another Jin Island influence: ‘Usually the instrument follows the human voice, but their music depends on the other voice. One person sings a song first, the others follow.’ It’s typical of a show that uses modern forms to give a history lesson. Unlike many products of modern, iPad-using, Abercrombie and Fitch-wearing South Korea, Jasmine Gwangju’s creators are willing to look back as well as forward. ‘People of our age experienced a lot in those days,’ says Jae-ho Son, the director. ‘We need to do something to commemorate the dead. Many of us feel guilty that we survived when others lost their lives.’ Jasmine Gwangju, EICC, 0844 847 1639, 13–19 August, 5.30pm, £10 (£7).

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{THEATRE} Reviews PREVIEW

FOREST FRINGE 2011 Lauren Mayberry looks ahead to the creative bonanza as it gears up for its final year in the soon-to-close Forest Café

FESTIVAL

Many Edinburgh-dwellers agree that it will be a sad day when the Forest Café finally closes its doors at the end of this summer. The rough and ready creative hub will be badly missed, but at least it’s staying open long enough for the Forest Fringe to serve up its latest selection of alternative theatre, dance and performance art. Andy Field, co-director of the Forest Fringe alongside Debbie Pearson, explains why their ‘off the beaten track’ approach to the festivals has proved so popular since it began in 2007. ‘Every year, it has felt more like this belongs as much to the artists as it does to Debbie and I,’ he says. ‘It’s a collective project, so rather than us programming everything, we’ve chosen a small group of artists that we really like and trust – dancers, musicians, poets, live artists – and we’ve allowed them to do a lot of the programming themselves.’ Andy, an advocate of unusual, interactive theatre, is pleased with the mix of artists they have been able to line up, including Forest Fringe favourites Action Hero performing Watch Me Fall, a show focusing on daredevils and an interpretive solo show from dancer Dan Canham. Meanwhile, staff at the Forest venue are currently waiting to see if the café will be bought over after their former landlord went into administration last year. ‘The Forest Café has such a strong community of people around it that I’m sure they will find a new space,’ says Field. ‘There’s a sense of importance of it being there as an alternative to the more aggressive, commercial venues. This is the third building The Forest have used. It’s like Doctor Who – it never stops, it just changes shape. ‘As it stands, the lease runs until the 31 August, so it’s going to be one wild summer of goodbyes.’ ■ The Forest Fringe, Forest Café, 220 4538, 15–27 Aug, times vary, free (visit forestfringe.co.uk to reserve places).

THE ONE MAN SHOW

101

Late-night high-tech deconstruction with Jaffa Cakes ●●●●●

Group hugs, cult chants and it’s all your fault

So post-modern it hurts, The One Man Show is a piece of theatre about watching a piece of theatre. It has a mysterious start, a set of emotional states, a philosophical moment where we cough and eat sweets, a cheesy musical interlude and a point when we clap. It even has an interval in which actor Nigel Barrett hands out Jaffa Cakes and Babybels. Created by Barrett and Louise Mari of cult London company Shunt, and playing to an appreciative latenight audience, the show picks apart the conventions of actorly pretence and lays them bare in a high-tech theatrical cabaret. In Fringe terms, it is done with impressive technical flair with its multiplescreens, projections, captions, extreme lighting states and abrasive soundscapes. Barrett is a strong enough actor not to get lost amid the cacophony, holding us with his controlled, ironic performance. It’s impressive stuff, but the emptiness at its heart means it doesn’t get beyond the navel-gazing to turn the tables on the audience in the way John Clancy’s similarly deconstructed The Event did a couple of years ago. (Mark Fisher) ■ C Chambers Street, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug (not 15), midnight, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50).

Back with three new immersive scenarios after causing a stir last year, the 101 team show just how compelling theatre can be with the most elementary of resources. No special effects, no set, scarcely anything you’d call a costume and yet the young company does a thoroughly persuasive job in commandeering your imagination. In the 11am scenario, you are co-opted into a primitive religious sect, pagan chants, ritualistic gestures and all. There is a good deal of cultish hugging and call-and-response liturgy as you await the coming of a living goddess, a figure of terror or liberation depending on the depth of your faith. By the time the show mutates into a Beauty and the Beast-style myth, you realise you have been a participant in a morality tale with a bitter and unhappy ending. You could make a case for the show being about the perils of group thinking or the hazards of blind faith. You could make an equal case for it being a load of made-up tosh. What you can’t dispute is the utterly absorbing and intense nature of a thrilling performance. (Mark Fisher) ■ C Soco, 0845 260 1234, until 21 Aug, times vary, £7.50–£9.50 (£6.50–£8.50).

74 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

●●●●●

AFTER THE END

Gripping if uneven thriller adaptation ●●●●● The action of Dennis Kelly’s thriller takes place in a nuclear shelter in the aftermath of an explosion, but the play’s politics are of the personal rather than global kind. The two-hander opens immediately following the atrocity. Louise (Helen Darbyshire) is initially grateful to Mark (Tony McKeever) for having rescued her, but seems suspicious. The two colleagues have never been friends as such: Louise is popular and attractive while Mark is nice enough but a bit on the intense side. Gradually Mark’s insecurities bubble over and his role shifts from protector to captor, rationing Louise’s food and chaining her up. While sympathetic actor McKeever struggles to make Mark sinister as well as pathetic, Darbyshire really rings the changes as Louise’s situation gets more desperate. There’s something a little lopsided in the tone of the production, however. Not enough is made of the absurdity of the situation, with the result that some of the humour in the script gets lost. The piece is frequently gripping, though, director Emma Faulkner carefully building the tension of the power game being played out in the shelter. (Allan Radcliffe) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 1.50pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9).

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{THEATRE} Reviews THIRSTY

Powerful physical evocation of the relationship between women and alcohol ●●●●●

JEN DAVIES

In a bathroom, on a hen night, two boozed-up young women dance, shriek and hector the audience, the epitome of Booze Britain. In one of the three toilet cubicles Shane Durrant sits astride the porcelain throne surrounded by music-making accoutrements. To his musical score Jemma (McDonnell) and Kylie (Walsh) introduce their project: to tell the stories of women who drink. With drinking stories collected from a blog and questionnaire and drunken ramblings culled from a hotline the duo weaves verbatim extracts with the story of their friendship, measured by the bottle. As the action moves from flat to pub to club to taxi rank Durrant sets the scene sonically, adding moments of humour without stealing focus. Fiammetta Horvat’s set evolves into playful versatility. Leeds company The Paper Birds are known for the dynamic movement of their work and, as expected, McDonnell and Walsh inhabit all the women they portray with a full-blown physicality. Combined with adroit prop work a red patent show becomes an emblem of a whole tract of society, a glass becomes a talisman, a party dress both uniform and armour. While the cast purport to only be interested in showing the highs of drinking, the flipside of blackouts, poor decisionmaking, hangovers and regret spills in. This is when their movement capabilities really begin to shine. Scrolling through the postures and actions of sobriety, drunkenness and dizzying sickness, they express a whole night’s agonies and ecstasies. While dealing with a topic that obliterates the senses they tell the stories of those who can barely speak, perform the dances of those who can barely stand. Without preaching or demonising, Thirsty engages with its subject with vitality, warmth and humour to create a powerful piece of physical theatre. (Suzanne Black) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 15), 5.45pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).

ALMA MATER

FESTIVAL

Immersive, lovely look at childhood innocence and loss ●●●●● There’s been so much recent chatter about the use of digital technology in theatre that you can practically hear the inevitable Luddite backlash grinding up already: don’t let ’em drown out this tiny, beautiful ghost story. Using – at face value – just an iPad and a small white room, Glasgow company Fish and Game have managed to create a wholly new theatrical experience. The solo audience member treats the iPad like a camera, matching the corners and doorknobs up to a film shot in apparently the same tiny space. Through the screen, the room becomes a little girl’s bedroom, and as she directs the user wordlessly about, the terrors and joys of her imagination spool out around you. She feels real; she’s right there, sitting beside you on her bed, and the film’s slick, horror movie-editing plays on this feeling to crank up the tension. It’s an utterly immersive and ultimately lovely look at childhood loneliness and loss, but the delicate, haunted worlds she drags you through are occasionally so unsettling you can feel them on your skin. Ball’s in your court, Microsoft. (Kirstin Innes) ■ St George’s West, 225 7001, until 29 Aug (not 15), every ten minutes from 11am–6.50pm, £5. 76 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

A CELEBRATION OF HAROLD PINTER

Pinter wonderland survives the hype ●●●●● The danger that accompanies any theatre event accompanied by movie star hype is that the piece itself becomes lost under the brouhaha surrounding its presenters. With John Malkovich directing Julian Sands for this piece, that was always the danger, but given the low-key nature of the project, there was bound to be a certain sinkage beneath the weight of the stars. Still, an appropriately healthy crowd was attracted to this retrospective of the poetry of the late, great pause-meister. Sands engages in anecdotes about his experience of Pinter, whom he found alternately fascinating and intimidating, goes on to explain the playwright’s own take on the subtle variations and meanings of his celebrated silences and throughout reads many extracts from Pinter’s much underrated poetry. It seems surprising, though, that early poetry about love, cricket and the human condition is favoured over the poetry of political anger that Pinter increasingly favoured. This latter period is given rather short shrift, but the piece as a whole does fairly well what it claims to do. (Steve Cramer) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 21 Aug, 3pm, £12.50–£15 (£11.50–£14).

THE CURSE OF MACBETH

Great staging, shame about the acting ●●●●● From the knife-wielding thugs that welcome you into the venue, it’s clear that this production of Macbeth is going to be in your face. And in those terms the show doesn’t disappoint. Its striking design – all bloodstained mirrors and dry ice – matches the sepulchral Baroque glory of the venue itself. The leather- and bondage-influenced costumes and visceral sound design only help to define a production that’s dark, physical and aggressive. If only this sumptuous staging were matched by the content. Shakespeare’s original has been rather hacked about in reducing it to just over an hour in length – and in any case, words are often lost behind the set’s towering mirrored panels. The acting is variable: Guy Woolf is a petulant Macbeth (it’s hard to believe he really has designs on the crown), there’s a passionate yet fragile Lady Macbeth from Eve Hedderwick-Turner, and Jack Hudson delivers a strong Macduff, full of impotent rage on discovering the death of his family. If the effort devoted to the staging had been applied to the delivery, this could have been a winner. (David Kettle) ■ The Playhouse at Hawke and Hunter Green Room, 0844 871 3014, until 29 Aug (not 15), 4pm, £10.50 (£9.50).

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“Their work proposes a wonderfully skewed and humorous vision.” Henri Loyrette, President of the Louvre

The Tempest European Premiere ADAPTED AND DIRECTED BY TAE-SUK OH ADAPTED FROM THE TEMPEST BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Mokwha Repertory Company Shakespeare’s The Tempest is transported to 5th century Korea in this dramatic and comic tale of betrayal, love and forgiveness.

Saturday 13 – Tuesday 16 August 7.30pm King’s Theatre, Edinburgh Supported by

Léan Scully EIF Fund

Supported by

Tickets from only £10 eif.co.uk/tempest 0131 473 2000 Photo: 2DOHEE 2010

Charity No SC004694

11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 77

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{THEATRE} Reviews 2401 OBJECTS

Remarkable neuroscience story ●●●●●

ZBIGNIEW KOTKIEWICZ

This piece of devised theatre tells the story of the man with the most famous brain in the world, Henry Molaison, or patient HM as he became known to the international medical community that studied him for decades before he died. Molaison was born in Connecticut, America in 1926 and suffered from debilitating epilepsy from his childhood. In 1953 his parents agreed to surgical treatment and a neuroscientist named William Beecher Scoville operated on his temporal lobes, removing his two hippocampuses, the parts of the brain that process new experiences and turn them into memories. Subsequent to that procedure, Molaison could no longer make new memories and he spent the rest of his life in a care home, dying in 2008. 2401 Objects contrasts Moliason’s largely happy preoperation life, focusing on his relationship with his loving parents and his burgeoning romance with the girl next door, and post-op, when he became a tragic figure unable to retain memories beyond a few moments including the news that his parents had died many years ago. Molaison’s story is a very sad one, but this show frames it in a way that celebrates patient HM through the narration of Dr Jacopo Annese, the neuroscientist who sliced Molaison’s brain into 2401 pieces allowing the medical community to greatly advance our understanding of amnesia. The way in which the show is devised – cutting back and forth in time and replaying scenes over and over again – cleverly approximates Molaison’s unique medical condition. The narrative confusion is underscored by the cast of three constantly switching roles and by a giant moveable screen onto which various backdrops are projected. If there’s one criticism of 2401 Objects it’s that is feels slightly rushed. Otherwise, it’s cleverly conceived, smartly executed and emotionally engaging. (Miles Fielder) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 16, 23), 4.40pm, £10–£12 (£9–£11).

DEATH SONG

ELEGY

THE INFANT

Focusing on a bereaved father and daughter in the 1980s, Death Song is engaging and impeccably performed. Juan, a single father following the death of his wife, is a Mexican immigrant in America struggling to get work and keep his daughter safe, when a new love finds its way into his life. Juan’s daughter attempts to deal with the emotional fallout of seeing her father move on with another women, and her own confusing adolescence – but things are not quite what they seem, with the true gravity of the family’s situation seeping out over the course of the play. Backed by a multi-instrumentalist creating ambient sounds with loop and effects pedals, the actors multi-task, adding sounds to complement mimed actions happening onstage – tooth brushing, television, cooking. The small cast make the meagre floor space operate as many sets at once, with certain characters freezing in order to allow action to continue in an implied alternative location. It’s an intense, visual display and an impressive, enjoyable hour. (Lauren Mayberry) ■ Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 15), 6.35pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).

The last time Douglas Rintoul was in Scotland was to direct a revival of David Greig’s Europe at Dundee Rep. There’s something of the flavour of that migratory play in this powerful production for the internationally minded Transport company, as actor Jamie Bradley tells the story of a refugee traversing the no-man’s land of empty train stations, border crossings and bomb-blasted towns, a man wanted neither by his own country nor anyone else’s. Based on true stories of homophobic persecution in Iraq, Elegy is a compassionate study of a man enduring brutality, fear and exploitation. He is no more guilty of sin than a left-handed man in a righthanded world, yet his repression becomes so extreme he can scarcely articulate his reasons for fleeing even to himself. Staged simply and strikingly in a white-cube gallery space on a long bed of discarded clothes, like the shadows of so many human lives, the play avoids the tub-thumping obviousness of some humanrights drama in preference for Bradley’s vivid storytelling with its clever interweaving of narrative strands and understated humanity. (Mark Fisher) ■ Whitespace, 226 0000, until 28 Aug (not 16, 23), 8.30pm, £10 (£7).

Maestros of the dark fairytale, Les Enfants Terribles (who brought us Ernest and the Pale Moon and The Terrible Infants), bring back to Edinburgh a play they debuted here in 2006. In a cell in an unnamed location a man is subjected to an interrogation, his crime unknown. His questioners exude an off-kilter menace: Samedi (Anthony Spargo) is well-dressed, well-spoken and sinisterly well-mannered; Castogan (Martyn Dempsey) is his brutish sidekick. A wickedly funny Kafka-esque trial ensues, eventually drawing the man’s wife into the accusations. Little has changed since the 2006 show. New staging augments the atmosphere created by writer/director Oliver Lansley, a chilling Gothic noir reminiscent of Tim Burton and Neil Gaiman. The persecuting double-act, bringing to mind Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, really shine with Spargo’s incarnation on Samedi the highlight of the show. Yet the same flaws are present and as the investigation slips into a repetitive pattern the pace flags. It is a small complaint about an otherwise witty, mirthful and intriguing absurdist sketch about the immutability of truth. (Suzanne Black) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 15 & 16), 2.35pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).

FESTIVAL

Intense story of loss and secrets ●●●●●

78 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Moving story of a flight from persecution ●●●●●

Absurdist comedy with a Gothic feel ●●●●●

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Reviews {THEATRE}

LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

FREE RUN

Heavily padded parkour spectacle that comes alive in the final act ●●●●● The warning that diffuses through the auditorium is ominous. ‘What you are about to see is not restricted to the stage’. Sure enough, this is one of those Fringe shows where you’re definitely not safer in the back row. Within moments of the house lights going down the performers are readying themselves by clambering along the railings, scaling walls and leaping up and down stairs the length and breadth of the Udderbelly. The first point to make is that the team of urban acrobats who take centre stage in this show are undoubtedly highly skilled at what they do: we can gauge that from the short routines performed here and from the big screen at the back of the stage, which show scenes of them tumbling, climbing and jumping between buildings on London’s South Bank. Yet, despite the fact that parkour is often practiced in gyms, there’s something a little unsatisfactory about seeing free running along railings indoors and over a few inoffensive obstacles rather than out in the wilds of the city. Moreover, the show itself feels somewhat thin, a few truly enjoyable sequences set to a frenetic soundtrack padded out with filmed footage that seems inspired by anti-perspirant or trainers adverts, while the performers simply wander the stage emoting. There’s also a bizarre cops and robbers segment that ups the show’s camp quotient a few notches with its gratuitous display of smooth chests and the wearing of arm stockings. All is forgiven in the last ten minutes, when the audience finally comes alive, clapping and whooping along to some highly impressive feats of strength and skill and daring, with each of the team given their moment to shine. It’s just a pity that this sense of excitement doesn’t extend to the full hour. (Allan Radcliffe) ■ Udderbelly’s Pasture, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug (not 16, 22), 6.20pm, £15–£17 (£13.50–£15.50).

IT’S UNIFORMATION DAY

JOHN PEEL’S SHED

MAN OF VALOUR

Surreal from start to finish, It’s Uniformation Day, directed by award-winner Jamie Wood, aims to analyse ideas of happiness, human frailty and relationships in modern life. Other than that, it’s hard to say what happened. The three actors are our representatives on a strange rocket mission into space that will allow them to end it all following bad experiences with love. They must complete a series of bizarre tasks in order to decide whether life is worth living or a complete and utter waste of time. This requires a mess-load of plastic, cardboard boxes and dance moves worthy of ’90s Irish popsters B*Witched, as well as a healthy dose of audience interaction – this show is decidedly not for those who prefer to be a quiet spectator. An enthusiastic display culminating in a dance display involving what appears to be clay phalluses (note: The List believes they were intended to be rockets, given the accompanying lyrical content but suppressed giggling did ensue), this is a performance which remains a head-scratcher even on conclusion. (Lauren Mayberry) ■ Zoo Roxy, 662 6892, until 29 Aug (not 16, 23), 2pm, £9–£10 (£7–£8).

In 2002 author John Osborne won a competition to write the best two-sentence description of John Peel’s radio show and win a box of the DJ’s records. ‘Songs you want to hear. Played by a man who wants you to hear them.’ earned Osborne the prize, and he proudly displays some of the vinyls on the floor of the faux living room he uses as his set. As he talks he glances at these albums, looking to them for reassurance as he flicks through a series of anecdotes, observations and opinions – telling jokes, creating romantic anticlimaxes, and investigating how even Scott Mills can play a meaningful role in a human’s life. His love for radio is evident and, mixed with palpable shyness, even his memory of something as recent and innocuous as receiving his first digital radio sends nostalgic shivers down the spine. Osborne’s endearingly low-key wisdom does sit alongside duller material on his own contribution to East Anglian community radio, but in a handful of his most witty and passionate moments he shows how a lifetime of tuning in to great broadcasters can teach the listener a thing or two about audience connection. (Jonny Ensall) ■ Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 15), 5.30pm, £9–£10.50 (£8–£9.50).

Haven’t we been through this before? Wasn’t it some time in the ’70s we stopped being dazzled by mime artists? Didn’t we realise the means of telling a story are never as interesting as the story itself? It seems not in the case of Dublin’s Corn Exchange which, in Paul Reid’s solo performance, goes through all the Marcel Marceau clichés you can see for free any day on the High Street. Playing Farrell, an urban Everyman, he shows us every door he walks through, every train he catches and every colleague he works alongside. That he does this with skill and precision is secondary to the familiarity of it all – and it doesn’t take long for his accompanying vocal clicks to get irritating. All this establishes an atmosphere of such inconsequentiality that you can’t take seriously the developing story in which he takes delivery of his father’s ashes and flushes them down the toilet only to go on a video game-style hunt to retrieve them. There are latent themes about stunted father-son relationships and the indifference of big business, but nothing to convince you this is not a case of style over substance. (Mark Fisher) ■ Traverse Theatre, 228 1404, until 14 Aug, times vary, £15–£17 (£11–£12).

2001: A Space Odyssey got weird ●●●●●

Intimate musings on the joy of radio ●●●●●

Mime and punishment ●●●●●

FESTIVAL

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{THEATRE} Reviews I HOPE MY HEART GOES FIRST Remarkable young company delves into matters of the heart ●●●●●

RICHARD CAMPBELL

If you want to know what it feels like to watch this show, you could do worse than to listen to the song from whose lyrics it takes its title – Cardiff indie-poppers Los Campesinos’ ‘We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed’ – a four-minute scrunched-up ball of cynicism and bounce, self-consciousness and devilmay-care recklessness, spat out cliché and riveting, unadorned frankness. Length aside, all of the above applies to this show about matters of the heart from Glasgow’s Junction 25, now much fêted makers of devised theatre about the world as real teenagers see it. The company was born out of a desire to see young people represented in the contemporary performance world, and the result is a performance possessed of a rare naturalness and ease. It has a workshoppy feel too – the same sequences are repeated over and again with subtle differences, people butt in when someone’s getting carried away, and a light-hearted camaraderie underlies the whole thing. This is a show about the heart, and it runs the gamut from physical sequences portraying a young couple’s magnetic push and pull, to a profound monologue about maternal love, to facts about the physiology of the organ, to liberal (and gleeful) use of squashed tomatoes. The performers take knowing swipes at teenagers and their ways – and why not, when everyone else can and does – and neatly skewer the clichés from film and music that come to stand in for how we really feel, at the same time offering a tip of the hat to the way they help us work out exactly that. Characterised most of all by remarkable insight, keen wit and youthful energy, I Hope My Heart Goes First contains truths about growing up that anyone who’s tried it can relate to, and crucially reminds us that it’s a process that we’re all, to some extent, still clumsily engaged in. (Laura Ennor) ■ St George’s West, 225 7001, until 16 Aug, 2pm, also 24 Aug, 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

SHYLOCK

FESTIVAL

Behind the mask of Shakespeare’s Jew ●●●●● In a festival overflowing with one-actor shows, Gareth Armstrong’s Shylock, performed by Guy Masterson – a much-loved master of the Fringe monodrama – stands out as a work of real quality. The script, which is offered to us by the character of Tubal (Shylock’s Jewish friend in The Merchant of Venice), is a carefully considered combination of research and performed excerpts from both the Bard’s play and, its predecessor, Christopher Marlowe’s notorious drama The Jew of Malta. Played in front of simple canvases which are covered with the word ‘Jew’ in various languages, the piece (which is also directed by Armstrong) is a powerful explanation of, and statement against, antiSemitism. However, Masterson’s Tubal has such physicality, intellectual sophistication and bleak humour that the show is never in danger of toppling from theatre into lecture. Indeed, when the actor dons the hooked-nosed mask and ginger wig which characterised Jews on the Renaissance stage (as Judas was believed to have been red-haired), it is as shocking a moment of pure theatre as one is likely to experience at this year’s Fringe. (Mark Brown) ■ Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 15), 3.45pm, £12.50–£14 (£11.50–£12). 80 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

SCARY GORGEOUS Witty performances explore the difficulties of being a ‘normal’ girl ●●●●● 2010 Fringe First winners RashDash ask why girls allow themselves to be defined by their sexual prowess in the mess that is modern femininity. Two classic ‘frenemies’ and bandmates, Helen and Abbi, demonstrate the difficulty of being a ‘normal’ young woman in a Loaded/Nuts-loving society, each pushing themselves outside their comfort zone to do things they believe are attractive to guys and compete for validation through the attention of men. Songs and sections of drama between the two girls are interspersed with dance segments portraying elements of the story, such as the competitive nature of their friendship or sex itself. The backing band provides instrumentation for the acted scenes, loaded with wry, observational humour. A final scene involving Pussycat Dolls club-style sailor girl outfits questions whether this is something women do because they want to, or whether they believe it is the only thing they think they can do to get noticed by men. It’s a witty performance that never preaches to its audience. (Lauren Mayberry) ■ Bedlam Theatre, 225 9893, until 20 Aug (not 14), 9pm, £10 (£8).

A SLOW AIR

Nationhood explored and deplored ●●●●● In David Harrower’s new play a middle-aged builder (Lewis Howden) is provoked into reflections about his estranged sister (the performer’s real-life sister Kathryn Howden) by the visit of her taciturn, recalcitrant 21-year-old son. The siblings launch into duelling monologues, uncovering the bitter rancorous row about family loyalty, money and relationship to Scottish culture itself that has caused their long separation. Both are debilitated by a willingness to bury slights and allow them to fester unspoken that Harrower sees as a tendency in Scottish identity. Meantime the text boasts a couple of brilliant character studies in the artisan entrepreneur who has never quite made it beyond petty economic anxieties and his sister, whose feckless, resolute Holly Golightly nonconformity is bound by a repressive desire never to leave Edinburgh. At the centre, there’s a brilliant, subtle authenticity to the sibling performers, who between them play out a breathtaking high-scoring draw of vast and entrancing emotional power. Highly recommended. (Steve Cramer) ■ Traverse Theatre, 228 1404, until 21 Aug (not 15), times vary, £15–£17 (£11–£12).

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A full blown musical to blow you away!

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MAD ABOUT THE BOY by Gbolahan Obisesan

Underbelly Dairy Room 2:20pm

VENUE 53 www.thespaceuk.com @ The Royal College of Surgeons, Nicholson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DW

is he What ing? k thin

“... a gripping look at the both the humour and pain of the tragic comic ... with ﬂashes of brilliance, mixing comedy and pathos, and with his original and bitingly powerful writing, the redoubtable Chris Sullivan’s performance is his most memorable to date.” Saul Reichlin RemoteGoat.co.uk

JMP presents

the

2 Sides of Eddie Ramone A NEW PLAY BY CHRIS SULLIVAN

Preview: Saturday August 6th at 6pm Runs from 8th-27th August Mondays-Saturdays at 6pm Email reservations: boxofﬁce.surgeons@thespaceuk.com Fringe Box Ofﬁce 0131 226 0000

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Follow on Twitter: twitter.com/eramo 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 81

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{THEATRE} Reviews MISSION DRIFT

The TEAM achieve the huge size of their ambitions ●●●●● The TEAM (Theatre of the Emerging American Moment) don’t deal in the small. Since their Fringe debut in 2005 with the Richard Nixon-fixated solo Give Up! Start Over!, their chaotic, rambunctiously-expressed subject matter has been a mythmaking factory of America, the stories a country tells itself about itself. Big hopes, big dreams, big money making schemes. In Mission Drift they’re looking at the peculiar character of American capitalism, here represented by Joris and Catalina, two ferocious, fecund Dutch adolescents just off the boat in New Amsterdam, who turn themselves immortal and commence on a 400-year rampage across the country profiting off the developing country’s lust for liquor and brothels. Of course, they end up in Vegas, baby. Still with us? This sort of high-concept personification is not unusual for the company, but Mission Drift feels like a distinct step forward. Partly because Joris and Catalina’s story is wrapped around that of Joan, a cocktail waitress in presentday Vegas, who is made redundant when the stock market forces them to close their supercasinos, and because Joan is played with grounded, very human clarity by Amber Gray; partly because this is The TEAM’s first musical. Setting the whole enterprise to bluesy, gospel-tipped song, led by showgirl and beauty queen Miss Atomic, the razzlin’, dazzlin’, manipulative spirit of Las Vegas, the company finally achieve the huge, soaring size of their ambitions. The (collectively-done) writing is crisply poetic, and each performance sharp – composer/band-leader Heather Christian, doing double duty as husky platinum blonde sexpot Miss Atomic is a standout, because she seems to be having the most fun. At two hours it’s overlong and could lose 20 minutes, but the whole experience is such an immersive, enthusiastically-rendered spectacle that it’s impossible not to be swept away by the sheer vavavoom. (Kirstin Innes) ■ Traverse Theatre, 228 1404, until 14 Aug, times vary, £17–£19 (£12–£13).

SOMEWHERE BENEATH IT ALL, A SMALL FIRE BURNS STILL

SPENT

Sharp-as-a-tack agit prop satire ●●●●●

Monologue that’s less than straightforward

FESTIVAL

●●●●●

‘This is true.’ Comedian Phil Nichol implores you to believe in his story midway through this experimental monologue, seemingly trying to inject clarity into a deliberately fractured play from Royal Court young writer Dave Florez. Somewhere Beneath It All . . . wilfully exploits its own harrowing subject matter to play with audience expectations. In fact it’s hard to know what to believe, if anything, about Nichol’s attempt to portray Kevin, a damaged young man, infatuated with a Lithuanian waitress, struggling with oscillating impulses, both tender and violent. This is a piece that is written for Nichol, and his wobbly route through the script’s tightly crafted wordplay consciously allows room for the person to seep through the character. But Nichol isn’t himself either – he’s a bigoted version of an already extroverted comic. The play’s title shows the two ways in which the work can be received: as compassionate and moving, or as smug poetic trickery. Nichol’s performance suggests the latter, which makes this a highly interesting but ultimately unfulfilling play. (Jonny Ensall) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 662 6552, until 29 Aug (not 15), noon, £9–£10 (£8–£9). 82 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Agit prop theatre is, it seems, alive, well, and indeed thriving. An impressive exemplar exists in the shape of this sharp satire, which incorporates clowning, physical theatre and quick-witted dialogue. Spent is a co-production by various Toronto companies that couldn’t be more timely. It focuses on two businessmen rendered suicidal by the 2008 financial crisis, but uses this pair (Ravi Jain and Adam Paolozza) as a starting point for a sprawling rogues gallery of the financial collapse. From the self-serving and sociopathic CEO of Lehman Brothers, whose indifference to the suffering he has created is produced seemingly verbatim, to a foreclosed home-owner and on through a series of media anchormen engaged in a carrion feast of coverage of the crisis, the anger of the piece is infused with humour by the grotesque characters. The two performers display boundless energy and inventiveness in their shape shifting, and even manage a tender warmth in the finale. If just one or two pieces of mime are more about themselves than the subject matter, it’s a minor flaw in a thoroughly enjoyable piece of political theatre. (Steve Cramer) ■ Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 17, 23), 2,55pm, £9–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50).

THE TABLE Puppet show silliness backed up by serious skill ●●●●●

Blind Summit are a company of puppetry geeks, and the triptych of pieces here lovingly reflects that. They’re also a company with a great sense of fun, and this hour-and-a-bit sends fits of the giggles coursing through the audience (and from time to time the performers) more or less constantly. Perhaps causing the evening to peak too early, the first and longest piece is an extended monologue from a cantankerous old puppet (three-manoperated Japanese bunraku) who lives on the titular table. It takes a confident puppeteer to draw attention to their techniques, but that’s exactly what Blind Summit do with this knowingly self-reflexive show – and they’re good enough to get away with it. Even an unplanned mishap provides space for some hilarious improvisation that only serves to show how intuitively they manipulate their creations. Different forms of puppetry are showcased in the remaining two parts, but common to all three are silliness and showing off in equal measure – more than matched by impressive skill and an originality that never ceases to surprise. (Laura Ennor) ■ Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 15), 10pm, £12–£14 (£11–£13).

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{THEATRE} Reviews WHAT REMAINS

Plenty of creep, not enough deep ●●●●●

REDPATH

There is something in all of us that relishes a scary story, and Ben Harrison’s production for Grid Iron certainly doesn’t stint in this regard. Set at the medical school of Edinburgh University, this piece alludes ceaselessly through music and visuals to pop-cultural movie frighteners from Halloween to The Innocents, providing much rich fare for the horror movie buff. In it, David Paul Jones’ deranged piano maestro makes for a splendid grimacing, sneering high camp baroque villain, flitting through the successive site-specific locales as a menacing shadowy presence, muttering the occasional injunction to we, his piano student audience. Among the displays of old bones and fairground ghost train devices, musical instruments are presented as torture devices. Meanwhile, a sub plot involving an abducted child, tortured by a madman in a music conservatoire is hinted at, but not quite realised. Everything from the grim memento mori of bones and pictures of long dead posh people, to the moment where the audience is literally put to bed in a grim dormitory and left to answer the swelling existential question posed by the piece’s title on a form, adds to the immersive character of the piece. But it’s hard to say to what purpose. This production seems to imitate genre without making any real point about it, which feels disappointing for a company of Grid Iron’s unquestioned quality. So, too, given that such art forms as the horror film have contributed far more profoundly to our culture than you might expect, it’s sad that little has gone into elucidating this fact. That said, the recompense comes in Jones’ musical contributions and the meticulous presentation of the installations, which will not leave you thinking very deeply, but will certainly prove equal to the ticket price. (Steve Cramer) ■ Traverse @ Edinburgh University Medical School Anatomy Department, 228 1404, until 28 Aug (not 15, 22), times vary, £17–£19 (£12–£13).

TUESDAY AT TESCOS Transgender monologue that’s dressed to kill

FESTIVAL

●●●●●

Anything performed by Simon Callow comes with a certain guarantee: that you’ll be entertained, impressed by the actor’s skill, and perhaps moved to laughter and/or tears. Almost all of which Tuesday at Tescos achieves. Emmanuel Darley’s French play started life as Le Mardi à Monoprix and has now been relocated to a London suburb. It centres on Pauline, a transvestite who spends every Tuesday looking after her disapproving widowed father. Callow cuts quite a dash in blonde wig, skirt and heels, sharing the stage with a pianist who inexplicably plays the occasional note and jots down musical thoughts on sheet music. Switching back and forth between the voices of Pauline and her gruffly spoken father, Callow takes us into the transvestite world. The questioning looks, the heartbreaking disregard she faces daily and Pauline’s desire to be seen, and loved, for who she is. Less moving than we might expect from the subject matter, but certainly entertaining, Darley’s dénouement comes from nowhere with an unexpected punch. (Kelly Apter) ■ Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 15, 22), 2pm, £17.50–£20 (£15–£18). 84 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

WHISTLE

WONDROUS FLITTING

It’s easiest to just come out and say it: when Martin Figura was nine, his father killed his mother. Almost 50 years later, Martin’s on stage in front of us, still overwhelmed at times, but working through things; almost as a by-product, it seems, he’s created this extraordinary piece of theatre. Based around Figura’s award-winning 2010 poetry cycle, Whistle is deceptively simple: one man on stage, performing an extended narrative poem. To his left, a projector rotates through faded family snapshots. To his right there’s an old Box Brownie camera, spot-lit and unreferred to, the conduit for recording this family’s life. Words and pictures: that’s all. The myths we make of our own histories. Figura reaches back into the past, presents aspirational Northern English life in the 1960s using language so skilful and understated you taste what it was like without realising that’s what he’s done to you. He probes his parents’ psychologies with tenderness and humour: there’s still pain there, but Whistle isn’t about retribution, hurling blame or griefstruck indulgence. What it represents is an exceptional act of empathy. (Kirstin Innes) ■ Zoo, 662 6892, until 29 Aug (not 15, 25), 1.45pm, £7.50 (£5).

Inspired by Edinburgh College of Art teacher Ed Hollis’ book The Secret Lives of Buildings, Lyceum artistic director Mark Thomson’s first play for the Fringe since his much lauded Moving Objects is an absurdist-realist parable that doesn’t quite work. Set in modern-day Scotland, it opens with the inexplicable appearance of an ancient stone wall inside a working class home. This turns out to be the Holy House of Loreto (the dwelling in which Mary conceived Jesus, originally located in Nazareth but teleported – or flitted – to Italy 300 years ago, we’re informed via a clunky bit of exposition), the arrival of which disillusioned young lad Sam takes to herald a miracle, despite the fact that the wall has crushed and imprisoned both his parents. Said miracle prompts Sam to leave the house(s) and go on a walking tour to fathom the meaning of it. Unfortunately, all he gets is grief, from, variously, neds, their junkie parents, his cheating girlfriend, a mad dentist and a stressed executive. It’s a wellacted show, but despite some funny lines the script isn’t strong enough to carry the interesting premise, and the conclusion is terribly trite. (Miles Fielder) ■ Traverse Theatre, 228 1404, until 28 Aug (not 15, 22), times vary, £15–£17 (£11–£12).

Extraordinary true-life tale ●●●●●

Absurdist parable doesn’t quite work ●●●●●

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tale of an uptight psychology professor deciding to expand his consciousness, the end result is self-indulgent rather than revelatory. Many of the play’s images are striking, and the acting is energetic, but ultimately you’re left wondering what point it’s trying to make. (David Kettle) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug, 2.30pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Generation 9/11: So Far / So Close ●●●●● Don’t let the subject put you off. This is a captivating and quietly profound one-man show by San Franciscan Chris Wolfe that refracts 9/11 through the memories of ordinary people, right up to the present day. He’s a charismatic performer, and his characterisation is strong and bold, yet finely etched. At times the show is shocking, at others funny, and Wolfe isn’t afraid to challenge his audience’s preconceptions. (David Kettle) theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 0845 508 8515, until 27 Aug (not 14, 21), 1.05pm, £7 (£6). Life Still ●●●●● A wordless piece of dystopian object theatre, worth seeing for the incredible technical skill on show alone. The two performers bring life to the most obscure and simple objects, creating mesmeric images of intriguing originality. Abstract and sometimes just a little too po-faced, the show disturbs and disorients with a series of strange vignettes that evoke a post-apocalyptic world. (Laura Ennor) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16, 25), 3.40pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). The Magical Faraway Tree ●●●●● If you’re looking for a familyfriendly rendering of an Enid Blyton tale, beware – this isn’t it. Instead, the supremely silly boys of Sleeping Trees Theatre have concocted a multi-character comedy with only the slenderest of roots lodged in Blytonian soil. The pacing is frantic, the actors quick-witted and the language occasionally profane – and so much the better for it. (Niki Boyle) Just The Tonic at the Caves, 556 5375, until Sun 28 (not 17), 1pm, £4 (£3). Minute After Midday ●●●●● Pared-down performances resonate here as three very different stories are told, in overlapping monologues, from the day the Omagh bombing devastated Ireland. A young survivor, a widow, and the driver who left the car bomb on Lower Market Street, relive the moments before and after the attack, to poignant effect. (Anna Millar) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug (not 16), 1.30pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Nobody’s Home: A Modern Odyssey ●●●●● Confined to his bathroom (and his own mind), returning soldier Grant battles war-born demons, which parallel the perils faced by Ulysses, tussling with wife Penny (who doubles as Homer’s monsters) for firm mental ground. Excellently devised and performed by Dorie Kinnear and Will Pinchin, this is a powerful portrayal of mental illness, by turns shockingly funny and devastatingly moving, and always compelling. (Suzanne Black) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug (not 16, 23), 1.15pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). The Oh Fuck Moment ●●●●● We’re ushered into a boardroom where two performers join us in discussing

horrifying human errors, from the embarrassingly rude, through the sexually ill-fated, and on to the physically terminal. This is an uneasily entertaining afternoon of reflection on human frailty that teaches us not to beat ourselves up too much, and no doubt provokes further anecdotes afterwards from an audience who are encouraged to fess up to their social toe-curlers. (Steve Cramer) St George’s West, 225 7001, until 29 Aug (not 17, 24), £10 (£8). One Night Stan ●●●●● This excellent one-man show written and performed by Miles Gallant dramatises the life of Stanley Jefferson aka Stan Laurel of. With his partner taken ill on the penultimate week of their 1954 UK tour, Stan looks back on his career, from its beginnings in a Glasgow variety hall through his move to America to make movies with Ollie and back to the variety circuit again. Highly informative and beautifully performed, it’s a funny-sad showcase for one half of the greatest comedy duo ever. (Miles Fielder) Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 3.45pm, £11–£12 (£9–£10). One Under ●●●●● This energetic piece of devised theatre looks beneath the sweat and stress of the cramped carriages to unearth the inner lives of people travelling on the London Underground. Their stories are variously poetic and passionate, and although the fellow travellers remain distant from one another, there’s a final moment of connection that provides light at the end of tunnel. (Miles Fielder) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 15, 23), 12.45pm, £7.50–£8.50 (£6–£7). Radio Deluxembourg ●●●●● A parodic retro-kitsch adventure in which a sibling pop duo are kidnapped by an evil alien overlord and forced to perform radio plays on his intergalactic frequency could work, but here it doesn’t. The cast of four look weary and barely in on the joke, but the main culprit is an utterly unfunny script. (Laura Ennor) Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 220 5911, until 29 Aug, 7.40pm, £9.50 (£8.50). Remembering Annabel ●●●●● Riding high on the critical success of their 2010 show Pale Moon, the young members of Cathartic Connections chose to adapt Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee as their follow-up. While there are clever flashes of humour, much of the plotting feels messy and unfocused, and the acting lacks subtlety. There’s a great show in the company, but this unfortunately isn’t it. (Niki Boyle) theSpaces on North Bridge, 0845 557 6308, until 13 Aug, 3.05pm, £7.50 (£5). Roar ●●●●● If you want your ‘sexy romp’ boxes ticked, this is the place to do it. Dumbshow’s Roar is a stylish, exuberant tale of gin-soaked 17thcentury wenches led by a ‘Moll Cutpurse’ channelling Beyoncé in full-on she-lion mode. Bawdy, slick and unselfconsciously anachronistic in their deployment of everything from Wild Beasts to a joke about David Cameron, they create a show that is frequently hilarious but not without emotion. (Laura Ennor) C Chambers Street, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug (not 16), 8.45pm, £9.50–£11.50 (£7.50–£9.50).

The Seagull Effect ●●●●● It’s raining on the way to Idle Motion’s The Seagull Effect, setting the audience up to appreciate a play about small but consequential events in the world and the weather. Unfortunately the performance is similarly damp with overly literal metaphors and unnecessarily dramatic score and direction. However, the experience is elevated by the enthusiasm of the players and some clever visual techniques. (Tammy Le Vasan) Zoo Roxy, 662 6892, until 27 Aug (not 16, 23), 4.20pm, £10 (£8). Shhh: The Musical ●●●●● There is little doubting the enthusiasm of this young cast, as they do their best with a ‘romcom’ script about finding love in a bookshop. Sadly their energy is largely wasted on a script lacking in originality and punch. The characters are roundly unlikeable, side stories are left hanging and the songs are totally forgettable. Shhh just about covers it. (Anna Millar) theSpaces @ Venue 45, 0845 508 8387, until 13 Aug, 8.10pm, £7 (£6). Sideshow ●●●●● Surrounded by the paraphernalia of the freakshow, Robert Ingham (Lewis Davidson) reminisces on his life as an oddity and the world behind the velvet curtain. Switching between biography and sideshow acts, Davidson’s one-man show plays out like the pitch of a long-winded Coney Island barker, with the only levity coming from a brief trapeze interlude. There’s an awful lot of build up for very little pay-off. (Suzanne Black) C ECA, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug (not 15), 3.20pm, £7.50–£9.50 (£6.50–£7.50). Slavery to Star Trek ●●●●● Andreea Kindryd has lived a fascinating life. She knew Martin Luther King, was friends with Malcolm X and worked on the original Star Trek series. She’s an engaging storyteller whose tale starts in the days of her great grandparents and slavery, progresses through the civil rights movement of the 60s before finding work at Lucille Ball’s production company. The ending feels rushed but only because you get the feeling there are so many stories left untold. (Henry Northmore) C ECA, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug (not 16), 4.20pm, £7.50–£9.50 (£6.50–-£8.50). Terezin: Children of the Holocaust ●●●●● Writer Anna Smulowitz, who lost relatives in the Holocaust, presents a fictionalised account of a concert performed at Czech concentration camp Terezin. Using a revolving cast of youngsters to portray the daily suffering of camp internees the piece struggles and ultimately fails to convey the emotional weight of an unspeakable atrocity. (Suzanne Black) theSpaces on the Mile, 0845 508 8316, until 20 Aug (not 14), 1.40pm, £8 (£6). Toulouse-Lautrec: The Musical ●●●●● Toulouse Lautrec’s life was a colourful one, worthy of musical exploration, and this Japanese company’s dedication is admirable, in a one-man show, helmed by performer Jun Sawaki. But while he gives his all to the piece, it lacks the pace and musical gravitas to make it truly memorable. (Anna Millar) C Aquila, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, 4.10pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 85

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Alice in Wonderland and Other Adventures With Lewis Carroll ●●●●● Actor Richard Smithies looks ‘surprisingly like’ Lewis Carroll says the Fringe catalogue – unfortunately, this is where the positives end. The songs are badly sung to midi backing tracks, the costume ill-fitting, the delivery stilted and crucial episodes in the Alice saga are skipped over entirely. The sole infant attending the same performance as The List slept through the latter half – a wise move on her part. (Niki Boyle) New Town Theatre, 220 0143, until 28 Aug (not 16), 11.30am, £7–£8 (£5–£6). At The Sans Hotel ●●●●● Being invited to ‘come feel from the front’ of the stage is indicative of a bohemian love-in, but At the Sans Hotel is instead a sophisticated exploration of the form/content dichotomy. The play balances large ideas of perceived reality with humour and charisma and references to Sontag’s German tourist, the dramatic arc and lack of a ‘resolution’ all make this play a very intelligent and thoroughly self-relexive performance. (Tammy Le Vasan) Assembly Hall, 623 3000, until 28 Aug (not 15), 7.20pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10). Belt Up’s The Boy James ●●●●● The Boy James, loosely based on the childhood of JM Barrie, begins with childish enthusiasm but gradually moves into more sinister ground, and ends with no firm resolution. Although the acting and script occasionally falter, the effect is one of well-constructed and wellexecuted drama. James doesn’t reach the highs of some of Belt Up’s earlier Fringe successes, but it’s a worthwhile addition to their canon. (Niki Boyle) C Soco, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, 10.50pm, £10.50–£12.50 (£8.50–£10.50). The Billie Holiday Story ●●●●● Under the pretence of a gig, actress Nina Kristofferson uses the ‘stage patter’ sections of the show to provide narrative about the singer’s tragic life, whilst nailing down Holiday’s voice and mannerisms. Enjoyable insight into a unique talent, plagued by men, drugs, racism and the law. (Lauren Mayberry) Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 14 Aug, 5.45pm, £14 (£13). The Dipper ●●●●● What should have been the sting in The Dipper’s tail is inexplicably revealed in one of the very first moves anyone makes in this show, rendering the next 40 minutes pointless. A convoluted set-up results in a well todo housewife cum jewel thief befriending her maid’s convict sister. Utter nonsense ensues and the sudden ending misses the mark completely. (Kirstyn Smith) Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 557 5830, until 12 Aug, 4pm, free. Dream Pill ●●●●● Based on real experiences, this minimalist performance focuses on two young girls trafficked from Nigeria. The two actresses adopt child-like language and mannerisms to provide a poignant insight into the unsettling reality of sex work in the UK. (Lauren Mayberry) Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 15), 4.05pm, £8–£9 (£7–£8). Dr Apple’s Last Lecture ●●●●● Depicting a drug trip live on stage was always going to be challenge. But in this

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ARTBeat

JEREMY MILLAR

Jeremy Millar discusses his contribution to the Ingleby’s Mystics or Rationalists show

DAVID MACH: PRECIOUS LIGHT

FESTIVAL

Reverence and parody come together in this epic exhibition inspired by the King James Bible, by the 1988 Turner Prize nominee. See review, page 87. ■ City Art Centre, 529 3993, until 16 Oct, £5 (£3).

Mystics or Rationalists? Group show reacting against the often coldly rational nature of contemporary art. See Artbeat, right. Ingleby Gallery, 556 4441, until 29 Oct, free. Left to My Own Devices Intriguing show looking at the ‘device art’ genre, with contributions from China, Japan and Scotland. See picture caption, page 91. New Media Scotland, Inspace, 650 2750, until 4 Sep (not Mon/Tue), free. 86 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Elizabeth Blackadder Excellent exhibition reminding us that the Falkirk artist is about so much more than cats and flowers. Scottish National Gallery, 624 6200, until 2 Jan, £8 (£5).

Robert Rauschenberg: Botanical Vaudeville Collection of shine-buffed collages and sculptural detritus from the late American master. Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden, 248 2971, until 2 Oct, free.

Tamsyn Challenger: 400 Women Tribute to victims of gender violence the world over. See review, page 87. Canongate Venture, 07870 935 442, until 4 Sep (not Mon), free.

Tony Cragg: Sculptures and Drawings Fascinating insight into the British sculptor’s prolific artistic journey, featuring around 50 major works. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 624 6200, until 6 Nov, £7 (£5).

Ingrid Calame Charmingly chaotic exhibition of drawings and paintings from 1994–2011 by the American artist in her first solo show in the UK. See review, page 88. Fruitmarket Gallery, 225 2383, until 9 Oct, free.

How far do you agree with Sol LeWitt’s comment that ‘conceptual artists are mystics rather than rationalists’? I think I’d tend to agree: they’re certainly rather more mystics than rationalists. Art isn’t rational, but it can be mystical. What is the process of selecting work for a group show on a theme? First of all, create the circumstances by which the exhibition might begin to accumulate, and then generate, its own intelligence; then, follow what it does. It’s nearly always right. How important is the space at the Ingleby to your current work? The works I’m showing weren’t made especially for this space but they are activated by it, the mirror cubes, especially. They create more space than they take up so they’re as important to the space as it is to them. Can you tell us about your next project? (I’ve heard that you are making a musical theatre piece with some Balinese performers) I’m working on a number of projects. The Bali project is rather long term, and work continues; more immediately, a number of videos: I’ve just finished one for the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, am working on another about Samuel Beckett’s secret marriage in Folkestone, and I’m developing another on curiosity and museum collections. I’m always developing new works, in one way or another. And it’s usually ‘another’. ■ Mystics or Rationalists, Ingleby Gallery, 556 4441, until 29 Oct, free.

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KATRI WALKER: NORTH WEST

Intriguing exploration of Scottish/Wild West links ●●●●● This triptych of work by Edinburghborn artist Katri Walker recasts the landscape of Scotland as the wilderness of the American old west, quite literally in the case of the titular central work. Projected over three connected screens, the rocky cliffs and plains of Assynt are recast in ‘North West’ as an undiscovered prairie promising exploration and adventure simply through their widescreen cinematic presentation. In the context of the rest of the exhibition, we consider the Scots who settled in America in its early years and their reaction to the arid landscapes of the Midwest compared to the grassy glens of their home country: a lone sheep on a hilltop in ‘North West’ echoes the desolation of the Highlands post Clearances. Elsewhere, the perspective of America from Scotland is brought up

TAMSYN CHALLENGER: 400 WOMEN

Timely memorial to victims of gender violence ●●●●● What unites the collection of heterogeneous portraits in 400 Women is the fate of each subject depicted. All are the victims of rape, abduction and murder, devastating crimes which have taken place in the Mexican border region of Ciudad Juàrez. In direct opposition to the passive acknowledgement of these crimes by the region’s authorities, who consistently issue a generic statistic of 400 deaths per year to ‘record’ this gender persecution, Tamsyn Challenger’s intervention on Canongate is sensitively constructed, taking each of the women into account. The project atomises the government’s anonymous approach. Through collaboration with Amnesty International, the victim’s families and the 175 artists Challenger has so far commissioned to produce an artistic memorial in their honour, she manages to reinstate the women’s formerly lost individual identity. The subsequent portraits are then installed alongside one another, this time in a collective that symbolises resistance and strength. Every woman has gained a voice in this project and

her image is transformed. The postcards desperately thrust into Challenger’s hands by the victim’s families are the starting point for painterly works influenced by the art-historical canon and carefully constructed according to each woman’s story. Canongate Venture, the deteriorating school that they are currently grouped within, instils further poignant, symbolic layers. Paint crumbles from the walls, ceilings have fallen in and dirt is scattered over the carpet. The damage highlights and emphasises the destructive violence endured by the women that peer out from the walls. The works are not hung to correlate with the order in the accompanying pamphlet so viewing the exhibition becomes a search for the missing once again. Yet, unlike in reality, when they are eventually found the viewer is confronted with a message of hope. For what is encountered is the memory of a woman who shall no longer be forgotten. To be aware of these past crimes is to move closer to their future end. (Rachael Cloughton) ■ Canongate Venture, 07870 935442, until 4 Sep (not Mon), free.

DAVID MACH: PRECIOUS LIGHT Exhibition of biblical proportions ●●●●●

11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 87

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Methil-born artist David Mach’s work ‘Golgotha’ will stand out as the defining image from this year’s EAF. Three enormous figures of threaded steel nailed to metallic crosses, which take up the entire ground floor of the newly refurbished City Art Centre, they recast the crucifiction as a strikingly modernist monument and an otherworldly tableau of religious art. Although it’s subtitled ‘King James Bible, a Celebration, 16112011’, it’s hard to tell where reverence and parody diverge in this epic exhibition. A similar cruciform mounted in the escalator well, for example, is titled ‘Die Harder’, while the large-scale photographic collages, which comprise most of the show, are laden with the visual weight of a Hollywood movie. In these often stunning narrative pieces, ‘Noah’s Ark’ is a timber frame mounted on Salisbury Crags; ‘The Nativity’ occurred in a postapocalyptic shack made of telegraph poles and upturned cars, and ‘The Destruction of Jericho’ is viewed from the inside of a family people carrier as if it were a scene from Cloverfield. Although this is superficially a bright and modern update of unfashionable religious art, there are also deeper contexts and meanings to be found. In ‘The Resurrection’, for example, a pair of holed and bloody feet shuffle through a trash-strewn dump, a possible commentary on the wastelands of consumerist outflow left behind in countries where religious feeling remains most powerful. (David Pollock) ■ City Art Centre, 529 3993, until 16 Oct, £5 (£3).

to date and focused quite precisely through the lens of half a century of Hollywood interpretation. In the film ‘The Making of Three Guns for a Killing’ a group of enthusiasts are filmed making a low-budget home movie in one of their Aberdeen gardens, amidst a custom-built Western town set called ‘Tranquility City’. Their enthusiasm is endearing, their accents earnestly mid-Atlantic, the tropes they use – dirty leather dusters, low-slung six-shooter belts, grizzled verbal drawling – studiedly culled from the films of John Wayne and John Ford. As in the photographic portrait ‘Pipe Major Wyatt Earp’, a kilt-wearing piper whose huge moustache echoes that of Earp on his tattooed upper arm, this work reflects historical representations of both countries that are largely constructed, yet enduringly ‘real’ through the repetition of cultural narratives. The idea is intriguing, yet the subject feels only partially explored here. (David Pollock) ■ The Old Ambulance Depot, 77 Brunswick Depot, until 4 Sep (not Sun/Mon), free.

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{VISUAL ART} Reviews LINEAGE: MICHAEL CRAIG-MARTIN, IAN DAVENPORT AND JULIAN OPIE Printmaking, Jim, but not as we know it ●●●●●

Drip, drip, drip go the variations on a theme that form the quartet of works culled from Ian Davenport’s ‘Etched Puddle’ series, in which assorted rainbow-arrayed, candy-striped, multicoloured streams trickle down into a similarly hued liquid carpet at the bottom of each frame. Seen together, they appear playfully and trippily retro, recalling the opening credits of that groovy 1970s teatime alternative to Blue Peter, Magpie. In the next room, something similar occurs in one of Julian Opie’s four ‘Japanese Landscapes’, a series of threedimensional reflective treats akin to old-time breakfast cereal free gifts. This is printmaking, Jim, but not as we know it, and it’s perhaps telling that both Davenport and Opie are

ANTON HENNING: INTERIEUR No. 493

Curious and bemusing conceptual art salon ●●●●●

FESTIVAL

If, as critic and writer Cyril Connolly once noted, ‘vulgarity is the garlic in the salad of life’ German artist Anton Henning might just have halitosis. Henning’s first solo show in Scotland is just about as curious and bemusing an exhibition as you are likely to see this festival but that is no bad thing. The thing to remember is this is a ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’ – a total work of art. The vision here is a complete one, from the individual art works to the plush furnishings and fittings – this is an art salon as imagined by Wilde’s ‘unspeakable and the uneatable’, those with more money than taste. Hemming goes for the feet first. The deep shag pile almost gives the game away immediately. The gallery walls are block painted in turquoise, bright yellows, green, and, with certain valuable exceptions, the art on show is of a foundation art level. These half-arsed abstracts, gothy drawings of skulls, appalling sculptures and wild stabs at religious iconography

former students of Michael CraigMartin, whose other Goldsmiths alumni include the YBA generation of self-styled art stars. Davenport’s penchant for minimalist repetition is further explored in his ‘Ovals’ series, in which a simple shape moves from black and white definition to lemon yellow blanching out to a rich black and blue moonlight. The two examples of Opie’s series ‘This is Shanoza in 3 Parts’, meanwhile, suggest TV spy The Saint doing gymnastics. Craig-Martin’s own works are a mix of the classical and the mundane, dominated by ‘Tokyo Sunset’, a series of six sunnily-delighted strip-cartoon depictions of everyday consumables: a watch, an opened drink can, a mobile phone, a light bulb, a guitar and some innocuous-looking handcuffs. Turning Japanese has rarely looked so lip-smackingly enticing. (Neil Cooper) ■ Edinburgh Printmakers, 557 2479, until 3 Sep (not Sun/Mon), free. 88 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

would not look out of place in a particularly witless Russian billionaire’s lair. There are, of course, hints that all is not as it seems here. High above, the exquisite bird on a blossom painting, ‘Abendlied’, witnesses the incredulity of the visitor – and then there’s all the nakedness. The series of pin-up and female nudes that pepper the exhibition are sexier and better than what they are hung next to but they also seem to objectify women. Hennings is goading us; he is even cutting into our attempts to find something to like. This is conceptual art as reinterpreted by Lacanian philosopher Slavoj Zizek via Monty Python. Upstairs, the crass agenda continues. There’s a light box painting that wouldn’t look out of place on a Happy Mondays album, sub-Terry Gilliam-style illustrations, more female nudity, terrible resin sculptures and awful video installations. If good men can do bad things, then good artists can do bad art. Henning’s provocations may be childish and infantile but they are oddly complete. (Paul Dale) ■ Talbot Rice Gallery, 650 2210, until 22 Oct, free.

INGRID CALAME

Water water everywhere with only a doodle to drink ●●●●● A river runs through Ingrid Calame’s work. But this river has been drained and all that remains are detritus and old stains. Somewhere between Google Earth screen-grabs, weighty childhood nature books with their own illustrative key codes and fey graffiti lies Calame’s vibrant and polished body of work. It represents a journey towards that moment snatched from eternity with all its itinerant blemishes. This exhibition of drawings and paintings from 1994-2011 kicks off with a bang. Her enormous 1997 painting ‘sspspss . . . UM biddle BOP’ is an amazing riddle of green and grey abandon that’s part Pollock and part bubbling sewer caught in the Los Angeles light. Tracing paper soon gives way to enamel paint on aluminium, however, with a series of Calame’s signature paintings. They are beautiful and baffling, the spirit of Rorschach threatens to make a parody of them but charm and chaos seem part of their very make-up. Further in, a shipping vibe takes hold. Simulated numbered steel sheeting that could have once been forged in the docks of Glasgow fill the walls alongside pencil works and studies like a half thoughtout proletarian pop art experiment. Upstairs the light meets Calame’s beautifully tasteful etchings and scribblings. It’s all about the water metaphors, the river basins, the desalinated concrete troughs that cleave and cut through her native land. These are the tracings of a barge-dwelling mad lady. Happy and serene in her liquidy grid lock. These are memorial maps to an old world that man has made new but not better. (Paul Dale) ■ Fruitmarket Gallery, 225 2383, until 9 Oct, free.

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Listings {VISUAL ART}

LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

Events are listed by city, day, type then alphabetically by name. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to clubs@list.co.uk. Edinburgh listings are compiled by Laura Ennor. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

EDINBURGH ■ 9/1 LEARMONTH PARK Stockbridge. FREE Spring Has Sprung But The Stance Still Stand Thu 18–Sun 21 Aug, noon–5pm. Hilary Donald and Joe Sloan explore the idea of the removal of a façade through an exhibition doubling as an interactive experiment. ■ ACANTHUS 201–203 Bruntsfield Place. Tue–Sun 10am–5.30pm (Fri until 7pm). FREE Celebrating Chinoiserie Until Sun 4 Sep. Laquer work, embroidered silks, lighting, ceramics and more in the chinoiserie style. Fringe. ■ THE ADAM POTTERY 76 Henderson Row, 557 3978. Mon–Sat 11am–6pm. FREE Clay 2011 Until Sat 3 Sep. Selling exhibition by six resident potters. Fringe. ■ ART’S COMPLEX St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road, 661 1924. Opening times vary, see individual exhibition listings for details. FREE Haleh Jamali: Pose Until Sun 4 Sep, daily 11am–6pm. Portraiture aiming to address the social aspects of representation. FREE Recrea(c)tion: Versatile Beings Until Tue 30 Aug, daily 11am–6pm. Ongoing research into crossartform work in dance and visual art conducted by Adeline Bourret. FREE Ragged Arts Until Sun 28 Aug, Mon-Thu 5–10pm; Fri 2–10pm; Sat & Sun 10am–10pm. Works from resident artists. Leith on the Fringe. ■ ASIMI JEWELLERY 40 George Street, 220 5070. Mon–Sat 10am–6pm; Sun noon–5pm. FREE Asimi – New Designers Jewellery Show Until Mon 29 Aug. Handmade crafts and jewellery. Fringe. ■ ASSEMBLY GEORGE SQUARE George Square, 623 3030. Sun–Thu 10am–10pm; Fri & Sat 10am–midnight. FREE Dazzle Jewellery Exhibition Until Mon 29 Aug. Jewellery by 50 contemporary designers. Fringe. ■ ATTICSALT 50 Thistle Street, North East Lane, 225 2093. Wed & Fri 2.30–4.30pm; Thu & Sat 10.30am–4.30pm. FREE Boris Bittker: Passing Through Zero Until Sat 27 Aug. Photographs offering a personal take on the history of the late 20th century. EAF.

■ BLACKWELLS 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. Mon–Fri 9am–8pm (Tue from 9.30am); Sat 9am–6pm; Sun noon–6pm. FREE Jennifer Thomson Until Sun 4 Sep. Original paintings and prints by the Edinburgh-based artist. ■ BOURNE FINE ART 6 Dundas Street, 557 4050. Mon–Fri 10am–6pm; Sat 11am–4pm FREE Five Centuries of Scottish Portraiture Until Mon 5 Sep. Examples of the Scottish portrait by artists including Ramsay, Raeburn and Gillies. EAF.

■ BROUGHTON DELICATESSEN 7 Barony Street, 558 7111. Mon–Sat 8am–7.30pm; Sun 11am–5pm. FREE Edinburgh Mapped Until Sun 28 Aug. Works by over 20 local artists inspired by selected points on a fold-out map of Edinburgh. ■C Chambers Street, 0845 260 1234. Daily 10am–2am. FREE Roads by Night, Lanes by Light Until Mon 29 Aug. Photography by Gary Cockburn shot in inner-city Australian and the Lake District. Fringe. ■ CANONGATE VENTURE 5 New Street, 226 0000. Tue–Sun 11am–7pm. FREE 400 Women Until Sun 4 Sep. A conceptual installation by Tamsyn Challenger created as a response to gender violence around the world. EAF & Fringe. ■ CARAVAN 28 Lady Lawson Street, wearecaravan.tumblr.com FREE We Are Caravan Until Mon 5 Sep, daily 10am–5pm. New painting, drawing and illustration from recent Scottish graduates. ■ CENTRAL LIBRARY George IV Bridge, 242 8000. Mon–Thu 10am–8pm; Fri 10am–5pm; Sat 9am–1pm FREE Costume and Custom in Japanese Art Until Wed 31 Aug. Art from the 18th- and 19th-century Japan with a particular focus on dress and daily rituals. EAF. FREE This Is Not An Exhibition Until Wed 31 Aug. A non-exhibition by ECA students, designed to be deliberately inconspicuous. ■ CITY ART CENTRE 2 Market Street, 529 3993. Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun noon–5pm David Mach: Precious Light ●●●●● Until Sun 16 Oct. £5 (£3.50). Daring exhibition of large-scale collage and sculpture works confronting the narratives of the King James Bible. See review, page 87. Fringe & EAF.

■ COBURG HOUSE STUDIOS 15 Coburg Street, 554 6888. FREE Inspired Thu 18 Aug–Thu 1 Sep, 10am–6pm. An off-site exhibition of new work created by members at Edinburgh Printmakers. EAF. ■ COLLECTIVE GALLERY 22–28 Cockburn Street, 220 1260. Daily 10am–6pm (festival opening hours, until Sun 4 Sep). FREE Hans Schabus: Remains of the Day Until Sun 2 Oct. An installation commissioned by Collective, consisting of the rubbish accumulated by the artist and his family during one calendar year. EAF.

evoke the press of cattle bodies through the bottleneck created by the archway that supports South Bridge over the Cowgate. EAF. ■ CRAIGMILLAR COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE 58 Newcraighall Road, 669 8432. Mon–Fri noon–4pm. FREE Artistic Creations Until Fri 26 Aug. Craigmillar Community Arts’ annual show. ■ DESIGNSHOP UK 116 Causewayside, 667 7078. Mon–Sat 10am–6pm; Sun noon–4pm. FREE . . . And the World Went Crazy for the Beatles! Until Sun 4 Sep. Vast range of Beatles memorabilia, in honour of the 50th anniversary of the Fab Four’s first concert. Fringe. ■ DOVECOT STUDIOS 10 Infirmary Street, 550 3660. Daily 10.30am–5.30pm. FREE Chris Drury: Land, Water and Language Until Sun 4 Sep. Mixed media exhibition based on a canoe trip across North Uist. EAF. FREE Heirlooms Until Sun 4 Sep. Historical display of brightly coloured Indian and Javanese cloths, silks and batiks, juxtaposed with three contemporary pieces chosen to represent the influence of Indian textile traditions on contemporary Scottish textile artists. EIF. ■ EDINBURGH CENTRAL MOSQUE 50 Potterrow, 667 1777. Mon–Thu, Sat & Sun noon–5pm; Fri 2–5pm. FREE Discover Islam Exhibition Until Tue 16 Aug. Dynamic introduction to Islamic art and culture. Fringe. ■ EDINBURGH COLLEGE OF ART 74 Lauriston Place, 221 6000. Daily 10am–5pm. FREE Body Bags / Simonides Until Fri 9 Sep. Epitaphs by Greek poet Simonides appear in translations by Robert Crawford alongside evocative, square format, black and white photographs by Norman McBeath. EAF. FREE Somewhere in Time: Postliminal Until Fri 26 Aug. See picture caption, page 90. EAF. FREE Anish Kapoor: Flashback Until Sun 9 Oct. Two major works – ‘White Sand, Red Millet, Many Flowers’ (1982) and ‘Untitled’ (2010) – by the celebrated sculptor, on show in the sculpture court. EAF. ■ THE EDINBURGH GALLERY 20a Dundas Street, 557 5002. Mon–Fri 11am–5pm; Sat 10am–3pm. FREE Joan Renton Until Sat 13 Aug. Much-garlanded watercolourist. FREE A Variety of Paintings from our Gallery Artists Tue 16 Aug–Sun 18 Sep. Group show.

■ EDINBURGH PRINTMAKERS 23 Union Street, 557 2479. Tue–Sat 10am–6pm FREE Lineage Until Sat 3 Sep. Prints by Michael Craig-Martin, Ian Davenport and Julian Opie. See review, page 88. EAF & Fringe. ■ ERIC LIDDELL CENTRE 15 Morningside Road, 447 4520. Mon–Fri 9am–9.30pm; Sat 9am–4.30pm (please call to check). FREE One Until Tue 23 Aug. New paintings and prints from Edinburgh College of Art students Rhona Taylor and Morag Donkin. ■ FETTES COLLEGE East Fettes Avenue, 332 2281. FREE The Indirect Exchange of Uncertain Value Until Sun 28 Aug, daily 11am–5pm. Installation by Joanne Tatham and Tom O’Sullivan, commissioned by the Collective Gallery. Fringe & EAF. ■ FILMHOUSE 88 Lothian Road, 228 2688. Mon–Sat 10am–midnight; Sun noon–midnight. FREE Benghazi Speaks: Revolutionary Images from the Libyan Uprising Sun 14 Aug–Sun 4 Sep. Photographs of revolutionary graffiti and cartoons.

■ FRAMED GALLERY 11b Gayfield Square, 07809 758670. Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 10am–4pm. FREE Mark Tough Until Fri 19 Aug. Lacquered paintings, industrially inspired steel sculpture and furniture. ■ FRUITMARKET GALLERY 45 Market Street, 225 2383. Daily 10am–7pm (festival opening hours, until Tue 30 Aug). FREE Ingrid Calame Until Sun 9 Oct. Real-world marks and tracings (such as tyremarks and stains on buildings) transformed into intricate and colourful paintings. See review, page 88. EAF. ■ GALERIE MIRAGES 46a Raeburn Place, 315 2603. Daily 10am–6pm. FREE Jewellery of the World Until Sun 4 Sep. Original in-house designs, antique beads and tribal jewellery. Fringe. ■ GARAGE 51a Northumberland Street, 07917 668044. FREE Garage: Micro-residencies Sat 13–Sun 28 Aug, Sat & Sun noon–4pm. Site-specific work developed during a series of ‘micro-residencies’ by UK-based artists. EAF. ■ GEORGIAN ANTIQUES 10 Pattison Street, Leith, 553 7286. Mon–Fri 8.30am–5.30pm; Sat 10am–2pm. FREE Leith Rules Golf Until Mon 29 Aug. Over 300 golfing items from between 1790 and 1930. Fringe.

FESTIVAL

■ AXOLOTL 35 Dundas Street, 557 1460. Tue–Thu 11am–4pm; Fri & Sat 11am–6pm. FREE Richard DeMarco & Joseph Beuys Until Mon 5 Sep. Works by the two collaborating artists, including those inspired by Beuys’ many visits to Scotland. EAF.

■ BRASS & COPPER COFFEE 18 William Street, brassandcoppercoffee.co.uk Mon–Fri 8am–4pm. FREE David Smith Until Wed 31 Aug. Solo exhibition of contemporary work.

■ CORN EXCHANGE GALLERY Constitution Street, 561 7300. Tue–Fri 11am–4.30pm FREE Hayashi Takeshi: Haku-u ●●●●● Until Thu 22 Sep. Serene stone sculptures from the Japanese artist. EAF. FREE Martin Finnin: The Forgotten Art of Floating Until Thu 22 Sep. Richly coloured paintings in oil, acrylic and watercolour by one of Ireland’s most interesting artists. ■ COWGATE Old Town, edinburghartfestival.com FREE Body of Evidence Until Sun 4 Sep. Site-specific installation by Chris Moore: a polished trace line designed to 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 89

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{VISUAL ART} Listings FREE Made in Scotland Until Mon 29 Aug. Antiques dating from the Georgian period through to the 20th century. Fringe. ■ GLADSTONE’S LAND 477b Lawnmarket, 226 5856. Tue–Sun 10am–7pm. FREE Photographic Exhibition: Edinburgh and Beyond Until Sun 14 Aug. Original photographs of the capital. Fringe. FREE 4Art Tue 16–Sun 21 Aug. Group show from Contemporary Arts Dunfermline. ■ HENDERSON’S VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT 94 Hanover Street, 225 2131. Mon–Sat 8am–10pm; Sun 11am–4pm. FREE Four Artists, One City: An Edinburgh Story Until Fri 30 Sep. Work by four young Scottish artists looking at the Edinburgh cityscape: Zanna Wilson, Caroline HepburnScott, Cat Outram and Annabel Illingworth. ■ INGLEBY GALLERY 15 Calton Road, 556 4441. Mon–Sat 10am–6pm; Sun noon–5pm. FREE Mystics or Rationalists? Until Mon 24 Oct. Conceptual art by the likes of Susan Collis, Iran do Espirito Santo, Jeremy Millar and Cerith Wyn Evans. See Artbeat, page 86. EAF. ■ INHOUSE 28 Howe Street, 225 2888. Tue–Sat 9.30am–5.30pm. FREE For You From Me Until Sat 3 Sep. Retrospective of design work by architect and founder of Inhouse Bill Potter. Fringe. ■ INSPACE 1 Crichton Street, 650 2750. Wed–Sun noon–8pm. FREE Left to my Own Devices Until Sun 4 Sep. A playful, accessible array of device art from artists practising in China, Japan and Scotland. EAF. ■ INVERLEITH HOUSE Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place/Inverleith Row, 248 2971. Tue–Sun 10am–5.30pm FREE Robert Rauschenberg: Botanical Vaudeville ●●●●● Until Sun 2 Oct. The first large-scale solo show of Rauschenberg’s work to be presented in the UK for 30 years, consisting mainly of pieces dating from the 1980s and 90s. EAF.

FESTIVAL

■ LEITH GALLERY 65 The Shore, Leith, 553 5255. Mon–Fri 11am–5pm; Sat 11am–4pm. FREE Festival Exhibition Until Sat 1 Oct. An ever-changing selection of landscapes, figurative painting and still lifes.

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■ LEITH LIBRARY 28–30 Ferry Road, 529 5517. Mon–Thu 10am–8pm; Fri 10am–5pm; Sat 9am–1pm. FREE Auld Artistic Allies Until Mon 29 Aug. A Scotsman’s photographs of France and a Frenchman’s watercolours of Scotland. Fringe. ■ MANSFIELD TRAQUAIR 15 Mansfield Place, 555 8475. Sun–Fri 11am–1pm. FREE Phoebe Anna Traquair Murals Until Mon 29 Aug. Arts and crafts mural scheme in ‘Edinburgh’s Sistine Chapel’. Fringe. ■ MARCHMONT GALLERY 56 Warrender Park Rd, 228 8228. Tue–Sat 10am–6pm. FREE Cat Outram & Kelly Stewart Until Sat 27 Aug. Prints and etchings of local scenes and animals, by two Edinburgh-based artists. ■ MCNAUGHTAN’S BOOKSHOP 3a & 4a Haddington Place, Leith Walk, 556 5897. Tue–Sat 11am–5pm. FREE Mothers and Daughters Until Sat 20 Aug. An exhibition by four Fife women, all related, all artists, working in etchings, oils, collage and photography. Fringe. ■ MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD 42 High Street, 529 4142. Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun noon–5pm FREE Fringe Schools Poster Competition Until Wed 31 Aug. Shortlisted designs and 15-year-old Ailsa Purdie’s winning entry. Fringe. ■ NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND 33 Salisbury Place, Causewayside, 623 3918. FREE Housing Paper Worlds Until Fri 26 Aug, Mon–Fri 9.30am–5pm (Wed from 10am); Sat 9.30am–1pm. Architecture students from the University of Dundee display designs for a new Cartographic Institute. ■ NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. Daily 10am–5pm. FREE A Passion for Glass Until Sun 11 Sep. Modern British and Irish glassworks. Fringe. ■ THE NOMADS TENT 21 St Leonard’s Lane, 662 1612. Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun noon–4pm. FREE An Ancient Thread: 7,000 Years of Anatolian Kilims Until Sun 4 Sep. Forty miniature Anatolian kilims (textile floor coverings), full of ancient symbolism. Fringe. ■ OLD AMBULANCE DEPOT 77 Brunswick Depot, peacockvisualarts.com FREE Katri Walker: North West Until Sun 4 Sep, Tue–Sat noon–6pm.

Installation curated by Aberdeen’s Peacock Visual Arts, comprising video art from Walker exploring Scotland’s ties with Wild West culture. See review, page 87. EAF. ■ OPEN EYE GALLERY 34 Abercromby Place, 557 1020. Mon–Fri 10am–6pm; Sat 10am–4pm FREE European Masterprints 1890–1980 Sat 13 Aug–Sat 24 Sep. Lithographs, etchings and silkscreen prints from artists including Picasso, Miro, Toulouse-Lautrec and Dufy. EAF. FREE John Byrne RSA Sat 13 Aug–Mon 5 Sep. New works by idiosyncratic artist and playwright John Byrne. EAF. FREE Life Forms Sat 13 Aug–Mon 5 Sep. New figurative sculpture. FREE Teena Ramsay Sat 13 Aug–Mon 5 Sep. New gold and silver jewellery. ■ PATRIOTHALL GALLERY WASPS Patriothall Studios, off 48 Hamilton Place, 226 7126. FREE Heimat Until Sun 28 Aug, Tue–Sun noon–6pm. Intriguing exhibition by four young artists, billed as ‘boys who sew, girls who weld, the best of Bavarian contemporary sculpture and giant toads’. ■ PERSIAN RUG VILLAGE 34 Morningside Road, 446 7071. Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun noon–4pm. FREE Bridge the Cultural Gap Between West and East Until Wed 31 Aug. Hand-knotted Persian rugs. Fringe. ■ PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION CENTRE 68 Great King Street, edinburghphotographicsociety.co.uk Mon–Fri 10am–7pm; Sat 1–7pm; Sun 1–5pm. International Exhibition of Photography Until Sun 4 Sep. £4 (£3). Selected images from the thousands of entries to the 149th Edinburgh Photographic Society competition. Fringe.

■ THE QUEEN’S GALLERY Palace of Holyroodhouse, 556 5100. Daily 9.30am–6pm. Northern Renaissance: Dürer to Holbein ●●●●● Until Jan 2012. £6

(£5.50; under 17s £3; under 5s free; family ticket £15.50). An impressive collection of works by Northern European artists of the turbulent 15th and 16th centuries. EAF. ■ ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Daily 10am–6pm. FREE Thomas Houseago: The Beat of the Show Until Jun 2012. Outdoor sculptures, mostly in bronze, referencing cubism and futurism. EAF.

FREE Gold Glass Rubber and Recycling Until Sun 11 Sep. Danish design work informed by recycling and resourcefulness. FREE Found in the Fields Until Sun 4 Sep. Lithographs and linocuts by artist Carry Ackroyd accompany poems by 19th century poet John Clare. ■ ROYAL OVERSEAS LEAGUE 100 Princes Street, 225 1501. Daily 10am–6pm. FREE Scottish Landscapes by Rail Until Sun 4 Sep. Leo de Feu displays paintings and sketches of the views from Scotland’s railways. Fringe. ■ ROYAL SCOTTISH ACADEMY The Mound, 225 6671. Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun noon–5pm. NB certain exhibitions are open Mon 10am–5pm only. FREE In Japan: Highlights of Academicians Projects in Contemporary Japan Until Sun 18

Sep. Group show investigating elements of collaboration and practice in the work of RSA members whose work has been directly influenced by Japan and Japanese artists. EAF. FREE Muse: Paintings from the RSA Collections Until Mon 9 Jan. Mon 10am–5pm. Pictures of women by male painters from the Academy’s collections. ■ SAPPHIRE ROOMS 81–83 Lothian Road, 229 6391. Sun–Thu 2–6pm. FREE Pot of Dreams Until Mon 29 Aug. Photos by Jannica Honey and Holly Davidson depicting Edinburgh’s lap dancing community. Fringe. ■ SCHOP 36 St Mary’s Street, schop.org.uk Mon–Fri 9am–5.30pm. FREE Nick Sargent: A Scottish Land Until Fri 7 Oct. Two large painted and embroidered canvases which investigate the nature of the picturesque. ■ SCOTLAND-RUSSIA INSTITUTE 9 South College St, 668 3635. Tue–Fri 11am–4pm; Sat 1.30–4pm. FREE Alexander Voitsekhovsky: My Never-Ending Friend Until Sat 3 Sep. Works by the contemporary Russian graphic artist. EAF. ■ SCOTLANDART.COM 2 St Stephen Place, 225 6257. Tue–Fri 10.30am–5.30pm; Sat 10am–5.30pm; Sun noon–5pm. FREE Cosmopolitan Until Sun 28 Aug. Paintings by Lesley Anne Derks, Lesley Mclaren and Pam Carter taking in the bright lights of the city and the quiet idylls of the Scottish countryside. ■ THE SCOTSMAN STEPS North Bridge/Market Street,

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edinburghartfestival.com FREE Martin Creed: Work No 1059 Ongoing, daily 5am–midnight. Beautiful public art installation (and functioning set of steps to boot) created by Martin Creed in response to a commission from the nearby Fruitmarket Gallery.

■ SWEET GRASSMARKET Apex City Hotel, 61 The Grassmarket, 0870 241 0136. Spelling the Myth Fri 12–Sun 14 Aug 4.15–5.35pm; Mon 15–Sun 28 Aug 12.20–1.20pm. £4. A daily, one-hour ‘fringe show’ of recent video art works by four Irish artists, curated and selected by video art channel The Agent Ria: registered in art. EAF.

Left to My Own Devices

■ THE SCOTTISH GALLERY 16 Dundas Street, 558 1200. Mon–Fri 10am–6pm; Sat 10am–4pm. FREE Elizabeth Blackadder,

■ TALBOT RICE GALLERY University of Edinburgh, South Bridge, 650 2210. Daily 10am–5pm (festival opening hours, until Mon 5 Sep). FREE Anton Henning Until Sat 22 Oct. Anton Henning combines different media into colourful and exuberant Gesamtkunstwerke that aim to surround and surprise the viewer. See review, page 88. EAF. FREE Ragamala: Indian Miniature Paintings Until Sat 22 Oct. Unique miniatures from the University collections, their colourful narrative depictions enhanced by scholarly commentary. EAF.

Jacqueline Mina and Colin Reid

Until Sat 3 Sep. Down the road from her National Gallery retrospective (see below) are some of Blackadder’s most recent paintings. Also on show are works in gold and glass by Mina and Reid respectively. EAF. ■ SCOTTISH NATIONAL GALLERY The Mound, 624 6200. Daily 10am–5pm (Thu until 7pm). Internationallysignificant collection of classical art from the early Renaissance to the end of the 19th century, including pieces by Raphael, El Greco, Velázquez, Rubens, Van Gogh, Monet, Cézanne, Degas and Gauguin. The collection also features a comprehensive overview of pre-20th century Scottish painting with pieces by Ramsay, Raeburn, Wilkie and McTaggart. FREE Portrait of the Nation ●●●●● Until Sun 4 Sep. A taster of the new Scottish National Portrait Gallery before it reopens in the autumn. FREE Dürer’s Fame ●●●●● Until Tue 11 Oct. Prints, paintings and drawings by this master of the Northern Renaissance and artists inspired by him. Elizabeth Blackadder ●●●●● Until Jan 2012. £8 (£6). Major retrospective of the work of the Falkirk-born Edinburgh University and ECA alumnus in her 80th year. EAF. The Queen: Art & Image Until Sun 18 Sep. £7 (£5). Charting the changes in royal portraiture over Queen Elizabeth II’s 60-year reign. EAF. ■ SCOTTISH NATIONAL GALLERY OF MODERN ART ONE 75 Belford Road, 624 6200. Daily 10am–6pm (festival opening hours, until Wed 31 Aug). Outstanding collection of international postwar art and the country’s most significant collection of modern Scottish art, featuring works by Francis Bacon, David Hockney, Andy Warhol and Lucian Freud alongside more contemporary pieces by artists including Antony Gormley, Gilbert & George, Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin. The collection also includes early 20th century French and Russian art, Cubist paintings and important examples of Expressionist pieces, including works by Picasso and Matisse. Tony Cragg: Sculptures and Drawings ●●●●● Until Sun 6 Nov.

■ SCOTTISH NATIONAL GALLERY OF MODERN ART TWO 73 Belford Road, 624 6200. Daily 10am–6pm (festival opening hours, until Wed 31 Aug). Formerly known as the Dean Gallery, the second of Scotland’s modern art galleries is home to a worldfamous selection of works from the Dada and Surrealist movements by artists such as Dalí, Miró, Ernst, Magritte and Picasso, and houses a large collection of works by Edinburgh-born sculptor Sir Eduardo Paolozzi. The gallery also houses The Stairwell Project, an ambitious large-scale permanent piece commissioned by the Edinburgh Art Festival from 2009 Turner Prize winner Richard Wright and comprising several

■ UNION GALLERY 45 Broughton Street, 556 7707. Mon–Sat 10.30am–6pm; Sun noon–6pm. FREE Philip Braham: Still Until Mon 5 Sep. Studies that explore moments in the artist’s life, with immersive woodland interiors as their backdrop.

There are numerous shows at this year’s Edinburgh Art Festival exploring ideas in traditional Western art, but what about an exhibition looking at the practical use of art objects? Left to My Own Devices considers the phenomenon of hardware as content in the ‘device art’ genre through an exchange of ideas between artists and technologists from Scotland, China and Japan. ■ New Media Scotland, Inspace, 650 2750, until 4 Sep (not Mon/Tue), free. thousand individually hand-painted forms. Hiroshi Sugimoto Until Sun 25 Sep. £7 (£5). Work from two of the Japanese photographer’s most poetic and abstract series, Lightning Fields and Photogenic Drawings. EIF. ■ SCOTTISH STORYTELLING CENTRE 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Mon–Sat 10am–6pm; Sun noon–6pm. FREE Joyce Gunn Cairns Until Tue 6 Sep. Portraits of writers, actors, storytellers and musicians, including Alasdair Gray. ■ SIERRA METRO Ground Floor North, 22 West Harbour Road, sierrametro.com FREE Peles Empire: Carmen Sylva Until Sun 11 Sep, Thu–Sun noon–6pm. New sculptural works created by international project Peles Empire. EAF. ■ ST ANDREW SQUARE New Town, edinburghartfestival.com FREE Karen Forbes: Solar Pavilion Until Sun 4 Sep, daily 10am–5pm. A new installation created specially for the Art Festival by Edinburgh College of Art professor Karen Forbes. ■ ST JOHN’S CHURCH Princes Street, 221 2273. FREE Life After Iraq Until Mon 29 Aug, daily, times vary. Photos and written works depicting life in Syria for

Iraqi refugees. Festival of Spirituality and Peace. ■ ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL 23 Palmerston Place, 225 6293. Mon–Sat 9am–1pm & 2–5pm (closed Wed 17 Aug in the afternoon); Sun noon–3pm. FREE The Battle of Prestonpans Tapestry Until Mon 29 Aug. Vivid tapestry with 104 panels designed by Andrew Crummy. Fringe. ■ ST MARY’S METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL Broughton Street, 556 1798. Daily 10am–6pm. FREE A View From Two Volcanoes – Arthur’s Seat and Mount Kilimanjaro Sat 13–Sun 21 Aug.

Artworks from both emerging and established artists. Fringe. ■ STILLS 23 Cockburn Street, 622 6200. Mon–Thu 11am–7pm; Fri–Sun 11am–6pm. FREE Stephen Sutcliffe: Runaway, Success Until Sun 30 Oct. A tender trawl through the archives of cultural history in ten years of Sutcliffe’s video work plus newer drawings and photographs. EAF. ■ SUCH AND SUCH 105 Brunswick Street, 07851 283718. Daily 11am–6pm. FREE Such and Such: Residents Sat 13 Aug–Sun 11 Sep. Work in silver, mixed media and printmaking by the studio’s resident artists.

■ MAIN LIBRARY University of Edinburgh, 30 George Square, 650 3384. FREE Singing the Reformation Until Fri 2 Sep, Mon–Sat 10am–5pm. Enter a Reformation Scotland soundscape with the help of contemporary books, manuscripts, paintings, needlework and maps. Fringe. ■ VARIOUS VENUES see edinburghartfestival.com / waspfactories.blogspot.com for details. FREE WASP Factories Until Sat 13 Aug, times vary. An ‘open sculpture’ made by British and Finnish artists, touring around different outdoor sites in Edinburgh. EAF. ■ VERMILLION STUDIOS 76-78 East Crosscauseway. FREE Vermillion Studios Open Exhibition Until Wed 31 Aug, daily 10am–5pm. A range of work from artists Ashley More, Anna Geissler, Laura Delahunt and Darren Duddy. ■ WHITESPACE 11 Gayfield Square, 07814 514771. Wed–Mon 11am–5.30pm. FREE Memories of You Until Fri 19 Aug. Constantly evolving sound installation by John Hails. Fringe.

OUT OF TOWN ■ JUPITER ARTLAND Bonnington House Steadings, Wilkieston, 01506 889900. Thu–Sun 10am–5pm. Jupiter Artland Until Sun 18 Sep. £8.50 (seniors £6.50; children & students £4.50; family ticket £23.50). Celebrated outdoor sculpture park with works on show by Andy Goldsworthy, Antony Gormley, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Charles Jencks, Anish Kapoor, Marc Quinn and others. EAF.

For even more Festival reviews see

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£7 (£5). Focusing mainly on work from the last ten years but including some earlier pieces too, a retrospective of the work of the British sculptor. EAF & Fringe.

■ TORRANCE GALLERY 36 Dundas Street, 556 6366. Mon–Fri 11am–6pm; Sat 10.30am–4pm. FREE Mapped in Metal Until Sun 28 Aug. Jewellery by Sheana M Stephen.

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LUCKYUS

FESTIVAL

Scottish record label LuckyMe is heading to Edinburgh for two nights of electronica. Their club night features Machinedrum, Éclair FiFi, Rustie and many more, followed by a live film score from Mike Slott the next day. The List talks to various members of the collective for an insight into the world of LuckyMe

MIKE SLOTT

ÉCLAIR FIFI

MACHINEDRUM

PRODUCER

I met Dom [Flannigan] who runs LuckyMe in Borders Books. He was sneaking flyers into hip hop magazines. We got chatting, we liked similar music and in Glasgow, if you’re into a certain kind of music, you bump into the same people at the same nights. Then I met Hudson Mohawke and we all lived very close to each other, so we’d go and buy records together. Then, LuckyMe was an open mic night, then an open deck night. We always had an idea of eventually being a label of some sort, but it took a good few years to put out a record. I never considered myself a big fan of electronic music. I always wanted to make hip hop when I was younger but I guess when you do something for a certain amount of time it begins to morph into something else, whether it was your intention or not. For my Festival show, the idea was to choose a film, compose a new soundtrack and perform it live. I chose [Andrey Zvyagintsev’s] The Return. It was a film I’d seen before, and for some reason it’d really stuck in my head. It’s really interesting when you sit down and have visuals as well as music, as it allows you to be a lot more subtle. You don’t have to fill in all the blanks. They complement each other. One side takes care of the other. (Interview by Henry Northmore)

Several years ago, I started going through to Glasgow because I was a little bored with the Edinburgh scene at the time. I instantly made friends with a lot of people actively involved in clubs and met the likes of Konx-om-pax, Rustie and HudMo way before I’d heard of LuckyMe. A few years later I was asked to play at one of the first LuckyMe events in Edinburgh, and a little while after that they asked me to be part of the crew. I’m one of the only members that doesn’t really produce music – I am a DJ – so I guess I am trusted to always bring a good vibe to our events and get the label’s tracks heard. There is definitely a LuckyMe sound, but to describe it in words is so difficult. If I was to choose one word it would be ‘colourful’. So much thought and care goes into each piece of merchandise, the website, record releases and events. I think it’s also nice for fans to know that we are a big group of friends not a soulless money-driven company. I genuinely think every single guest on the bill is brilliant, and there’s at least 16 of us playing – for a mere fiver. Machinedrum and Rustie both have new albums, and everyone needs to hear their new material in such an explosive atmosphere. Last year was incredible, so I have no doubt it will be just as dope this year. (Interview by Henry Northmore)

I started talking to Dom [Flannigan] a couple of years ago when I was sending around demos of unreleased stuff. I really liked his vibe and loved the music on the label, so it was a natural fit. The Many Faces album I did with them was a few different projects I’d submitted released together under one name. We put out the ‘Alarma’ 12” last month and I’m planning a new EP this fall called SXLRD. I started [new album] Room(s) a little over a year ago while travelling in Europe. The main thing that keeps everything rooted in my tunes is urban dance or club music, this time with more of a focus on jungle, juke, footwork and its relationship with hip hop. So not necessarily more mellow, but maybe less obviously thugged-out. Scotland’s great. People really like to party, so it’s no wonder dance music is so big there. About eight years ago the Numbers guys took me straight to the bar at 10am in the morning when they found out it was my 22nd birthday, I went to the Art School that night and fell on my ass. But at the same time the gorgeous countryside maybe offers producers a certain subliminal peace. A lot of them tend to have a very acute sense of melody and harmony which is missing in a lot of dance music. (Interview by David Pollock)

■ Festival Party at Cabaret Voltaire, 220 6176, Fri 12 Aug, 11pm–5am, £5; Festival Afterparty (with Mike Slott) at Summerhall, 226 0000, Sat 13 Aug, 8pm-11pm, £9. 92 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

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HITLIST

THE BEST CLUB EVENTS

Events are listed by city, day, type then alphabetically by name. Submit listings at least 16 days before publication to clubs@list.co.uk. Edinburgh listings are compiled by Henry Northmore. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

Edinburgh Thursday

Clubs

Coalition The Edge Festival brings the rockabilly electronic punk breaks of Drop the Lime to the intimate surrounds of the Sneaky’s for a rough, dirty, raw and ready electro mix. Sneaky Pete’s, 225 1757, 14 Aug, 11pm–5am, £3 (members free).

Bass Syndicate The bass lovers celebrate their fourth birthday, with favourite Festival guests Plump DJs, who should get the dancefloor pumping. The Liquid Room, 225 2564, 13 Aug, 10.30pm–5am, £10.

Filthy Dukes The Edge returns with more big DJs in tiny clubs as the Kill Em All head honchos headline. Sneaky Pete’s, 225 1757, 17 Aug, 11pm-5am, £3.

Wonky Glasgow electronica producer S-Type teams up with Edinburgh MC Profisee for a unique new double act. The Bongo Club, 558 7604, 12 Aug, 11.30pm–5am, £5.

Chart & Party

LuckyMe Festival Party Cutting edge electronica as LuckyMe descend on the Fringe with Rustie, Mike Slott and more. See feature, left. Cabaret Voltaire, 220 6176, 12 Aug, 11pm–5am, £5; Summerhall, 226 0000, 13 Aug, 8–11pm, £9.

bETAMAX Chris Fast’s new wave, postpunk and mutated disco club night launches with a live set of trashy electro rock from HRH. Studio 24, 558 3758, 12 Aug, 11pm–5am (approx), free before 11.30pm; £5 (£4) after.

Club Noir The world’s biggest arts festival meets the world’s biggest burlesque club for an extravagant, glamourous and decadent cabaret. See interview, right. HMV Picture House, 221 2280, 13 Aug, 9pm–3am, £21.

FREE Cheese & Crackers at Sin. Weekly 10pm–3am. ‘Cheesy’ classics and ‘cracking’ anthems. FREE Frisky at the Hive. Weekly 10pm–3am. Chart and dancefloor anthems in the main room with indie and 90s hits out back.

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Crate DIGGING We all know about the burlesque shows that are the centre piece of every Club Noir, but what about the music? We ask their resident, DJ LOVELESS, to tell us more as they prepare for their Fringe special Crossing genre’s and tastes Urban Voodoo Machine ‘Love Song #666’ (Gypsy Hotel Records) is a perfect companion to the extravagance and spectacle that is a Noir show, with hints of mariachi, punk and rock’n’roll they never fail to cause a commotion. Rockabilly legend and former Stray Cat Brian Setzer ‘Gene & Eddie’ (Surfdog Records) will blow the roof off any event with instrumental standards, rockabilly hits and big band class. Next I’m gonna choose Imelda May ‘Johnny Got A Boom Boom’ (Decca), this Irish songstress has taken the music world by storm over the past couple of years and is currently enjoying the public and critical acclaim she rightly deserves. With fans and contemporaries as talented as Jools Holland and Jeff Beck who could deny her rise to fame. Gogol Bordello ‘American Wedding’ (SideOneDummy), they’re gypsy punks with attitude and talent by the bucketload. Unsurpassed energy and incredible live shows are the backbone of this impressive and unpredictable collective of musicians. On Kim Lenz & Her Jaguars ‘Zombie For Your Love’ (Riley Records) style and class combine to give this talented femme fatale a showcase of classic tracks from an era gone by and sadly missed. ■ Club Noir at The HMV Picture House, 221 2280, Sat 13 Aug, 9pm–3am, £21. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 93

FESTIVAL

Killer Kitsch Hard electro and techno kicks from up-and-coming Scottish production duo Clouds, signed to Tiga’s Turbo Recordings. Cabaret Voltaire, 220 6176, 14 Aug, 11pm–5am, £3.

FREE Animal Hospital at Sneaky Pete’s. 11 Aug, 11pm–3am. Techno and minimal night with decor and live visuals. ■ Bump at the Liquid Room. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. Free before midnight; £2 after. Master Caird and Johnny JunkHouse supply fresh cuts, remixes and requests at this night of house, indie, hip hop, funk, 80s, 90s, electro and disco night. FREE Camp at CC Blooms. Weekly 11pm–5am. Deejay Bird spins camp classics form Hi-NRG and disco to pop. FREE Funky Doodle Do at the Bongo Club. Weekly midnight–5am. DJRed6 (of Give it Some! fame) returns with a night of ‘big drums, fat bass, soaring horns and chunky grooves’, in other words classic hip hop, funk, soul, disco, R&B and reggae. FREE Glock’n’Shpiel at the Store. 11 Aug, 11pm–3am. Hip hop and future funk. FREE Homegrown at Sneaky Pete’s. 18 Aug, 11pm–3am. Focusing on up-andcoming drum & bass talent. FREE I’m Gladys Thursday Night at Cabaret Voltaire. Weekly 11pm–5am. We Were Promised Jetpacks and friends take over the Speakeasy as they spin a multigenre mix. ■ Late, Live & Loud at Electric Circus. Weekly 11pm–5am. £7 (£6). A cross section from across the Fringe with music, comedians, DJs, theatre and cabaret. ■ Madame Belle’s at Lulu. Weekly 10pm–3am. £5. Hip hop, R&B, electro, house and dancefloor anthems with a burlesque twist. ■ Octopussy at the HMV Picture House. Weekly 11pm–3am. £4. Student night of chart, R&B, electro and indie classics. FREE Sick Note at Cabaret Voltaire. Weekly 11pm–5am. Indie/electro night from the Cab, with residents from Clash and Spies in the Wires. FREE Speaker Bite Me at Espionage. Weekly 11pm–3am. The Evol DJs take charge at this alternative disco night of indie, hip hop and a dash of electro, which features everything from Dizzee Rascal to The Cribs. ■ Supa Bass at the Green Room. Weekly 10pm–3am. £5. Sexy R&B, hip hop, dancehall and UK funky with DJs PStylz, P45, Fabuloz and So Fly. ■ Vanity at Opal Lounge. Weekly 10pm–3am. £5. Cutting edge soul, R&B, electro and funky house. ■ White Mink at the Voodoo Rooms. Weekly 11.59pm–3am. £10. A 21st century remix of 20s and 30s style cabaret, live music, DJs and movies. Featuring French swing-beat quartet Le KKC Orchestra, The Twilight Players and DJ Chris Tofu on 11 Aug followed by French electro swing trio AngloRhythmik and Charleston breakdancers East London dance (18 Aug)

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Clubs

at Studio 24. 12 Aug, 11pm–5am. Free before 11.30pm; ✽ £5 (£4) after. New mutant disco, post bETAMAX

ELECTRO/NEW WAVE/POST PUNK

BETAMAX

Studio 24, Edinburgh, Fri 12 Aug ‘In our heads bETAMAX will be halfway between some legendary NY night like Danceteria and a local disco in Basildon circa 1982. If the Tories want to drag us back to that era in the worst of ways, we can at least enjoy the soundtrack,’ explains DJ/promoter Chris Fast as he gears up to launch his new night. ‘It’s pop music with edge and danceability mostly from the late 70s and early 80s. A night for music that shares a certain something whether it’s new wave pop, punk, synth, disco or reggae.’ This isn’t Chris’ first venture into alternative clubbing with nights like FAST and Vintage Violence already under his belt. A champion of local bands, Her Royal Highness will be on hand for a live set on opening night. ‘HRH are easily one of the best live acts in Scotland at the moment,’ says Fast. ‘Super danceable, ace tunes and a really top frontwoman. But also their electro, cassette player pop segues perfectly into the retro future music we’ll be DJing.’ ‘It’s a bit of a mish mash between electro, rock and a little bit of goth,’ adds Heather Craig of HRH. Formerly with girl punks The Gussets until they split in 2009, now HRH are headed down a more electric avenue. ‘I went out with the drummer, but we split up so we got rid of the drummer and got a drum machine in, so it was a relationship malfunction that made us go even more electronic,’ she laughs. ‘Stuff drummers.’ (Henry Northmore) ■ Studio 24, 220 2987, Fri 12 Aug, 11pm–5am (approx), free before 11.30pm; £5 (£4) after.

EDINBURGH CLUB VENUES ■ Bacaro 7–11 Hope Street Lane, 247 7004. Stylish bijou clubbbing and cocktails. ■ The Bongo Club Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, 558 7604. One of the coolest and most eclectic clubs in town. See listings for details. ■ Cabaret Voltaire 36-38 Blair Street, 220 6176. Mixed bag from house and techno to drum & bass and indie. See listings for details. ■ The Caves Niddry Street South, 557 8989. Great subterranean venue (as the name suggests) getting more and more popular due to its unique atmosphere. See listings for details. ■ CC Blooms 23-24 Greenside Place, 556 9331. One of the city’s most enduring gay clubs, with hiNRG tracks every night of the week.

94 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

■ The Citrus Club Grindlay Street, 622 7086. Mainly studenty venue that goes for an indie vibe as well as a dash of punk, new wave and 80s classics. See listings for selected highlights.

for details.

■ City: Edinburgh 1a Market Street, 226 9560. From student nights and pop to big guest DJs. See listings for selected highlights.

■ Henry’s Cellar Bar 8-16a Morrison Street, 228 9393. Eclectic and experimental nights from surf rock to electro. See listings for details.

■ Electric Circus 36-39 Market Street, 226 4224. Eclectic dance beats and indie plus private rooms for a unique clubbling experience.

■ Hive 15–17 Niddry Street, 556 0444. Rock, indie, student nights and electronica. See listings for details.

■ Espionage 4 India Buildings, Victoria Street, 477 7007. Five floors of varied chart and dancey action. ■ Faith Wilkie House, Cowgate, 225 9764. Commercial dance sounds, pop hits and R&B. ■ GHQ 4 Picardy Place, 550 1780. Swish gay club. See listings

■ The GRV 7 Guthrie Street, 220 2987. Intimate club venue mixing art, techno, dub, live acts and beats. See listings for details.

■ HMV Picture House 31 Lothian Road, 0844 847 1740. Home to indie clubbing and big name oneoff special events. See listings for details. ■ The Jazz Bar 1 Chambers Street, 467 2539. Cool beats from global sounds to straight ahead jazz. See listings for details. ■ Karma Nights

punk, new wave and 2Tone night hosted by Chris Fast (Vintage Violence), Gig Gus (The Go-Go) and Jake Barnes (Confusion is Sex). Her Royal Highness play live for opening night. See preview, left. ■ Bound For Glory at Cabaret Voltaire. 12 Aug, 11pm–5am. £4 (£3). Beefy and Flyin’ Saucer host this monthly night where all the door money goes to Oxfam. Joined by special guest Kris Wasabi (Wasabi Disco). ■ Buddha Fridays at Opal Lounge. Weekly 10pm–3am. £tbc. A night of Eastern mysticism and hot house/electro. ■ Electrikal at the Store. 12 Aug, 11pm–5am. £3. Funk, reggae and soul blended with dubstep, electro and hip hop. FREE Everybody at Electric Circus. Weekly 10pm–3am. The night starts with live band karaoke (until midnight) followed by a mix of pop, rock, indie, electro, disco and party tracks from 1960–2010. ■ Evol at the Liquid Room. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. Free before 11.30pm; £6 after. Edinburgh’s longest running indie night. With the usual mix of the best current and classic alternative and crossover tunes, Evol’s an institution. ■ Funk Me It’s Friday at Sin. Weekly 10pm–3am. Free before midnight; £4 after. Classic funk, disco and remixes. ■ Girls & Boys at the HMV Picture House. Weekly 11pm–3am. £5 (£3). Launch of Edinburgh’s biggest indie night with a rock attitude. ■ Heavy Gossip at Medina. 12 Aug, 11pm–5am. £5. Fresh house cuts, disco funk and reworked edits from residents Craig Smith and Nick Yuill. Billed as a ‘Homecoming’ special as HG return to their original venue for a one off Festival special. ■ Late’n’Live at the Jazz Bar. Weekly 2–5am. £5 (£3). Late night jazz and funk acts and DJs with funk rock from Federation of the Disco Pimp. LuckyMe Festival Party at Cabaret Voltaire. 12 Aug, 11pm–5am. £5. LuckyMe go into club mode as they team up with Red Bull for three rooms of diverse electronica,

✽

23 Lothian Road, 229 9197. Club classics, chart nuggets and party tunes. ■ The Lane 3 Queensferry Street Lane, 467 7215. Selection of cool house nights. See listings for details. ■ Lava Ignite 3 West Toll Cross, 228 3252. Chart favourites, pop hits and R&B. ■ The Liquid Room 9c Victoria Street, 225 2564. Home to indie, electro, dubstep, house and visiting big name DJs. ■ Lulu (under Tiger Lily) 125b George Street, 561 2245. Cool funk, house and other grooves from the people who brought you the Opal Lounge. ■ Medina 45-47 Lothian Street, 225 6313. Laid back vibes with cool hip hop and other sounds. See listings for details. ■ Mood Omni, Greenside Place, 550

dubstep, experimentation and abstract party beats. Highlights include Rustie, Machinedrum, Nick Hook, The Blessings, Eclair Fifi, Bamboo Palace, Konx Om Pax and many more. See preview, page 92. ■ Lulu at Lulu. Weekly 9pm–2am. £tbc. Electro, club hits, sexy disco and chart favourites. ■ Midnight Club at the Green Room. Weekly 10pm–3am. £tbc. Featuring a double bill of We Own regulars as One Dollar Dave spins electro, house and commercial dance and Jordan Cochrane mixes disco, deep house and tech-house. ■ Misfits at the Hive. Weekly 9pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £4 after. DIY indie, electro, punk and rock. ■ Planet Earth at Citrus Club. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £6 after. Music from 1976 through to 1989. In other words, a healthy dose of punk, new wave, new romantic and electro. ■ Static Underground at City Nightclub. Weekly 10pm–3am. £5. House, electro and progressive house. FREE The Rock Bomb at Opium. Weekly 10pm–2am. The best rock and metal from across the years. ■ This is Music at Sneaky Pete’s. Fri 11pm–5am. £3 (members free). Indieelectro night hosted by the Sick Note DJs. ■ White Mink at the Voodoo Rooms. 12 Aug, 11.59pm–3am. £10. See Thu. Featuring French swing-beat quartet Le KKC Orchestra, The Twilight Players and DJ Chris Tofu (12 Aug). Wonky at the Bongo Club. 12 Aug, 11.30pm–5am. £5. Another night from the heads at Trouble who team up with Wolfjazz for a night of hip hop, beats, bass and dubstep with Afrobeat. Hosting a unique collaboration between electronic producer S-Type and MC Profisee.

✽

Chart & Party

■ Boogie at Lava Ignite. Weekly

10pm–3am. £5.50. Old school disco and chart classics.

■ Broke at City Nightclub. Weekly

10.30pm–3am. £2. DJ Gentleman Johnny mashes-up chart indie, hip hop, dance anthems and drinks promos. ■ Entice at Shanghai. Weekly 10pm–3am. £8. Floorfilling anthems. FREE Espionage at Espionage. Weekly 11pm–3am. Five bars over five floors, playing everything from R&B to

1640. Chart, dance and party tunes.

stylish venue in the heart of Edinburgh.

■ Opal Lounge 51 George Street, 226 2275. House and funky beats for a dressed up crowd.

■ Siglo 184 Cowgate, 240 2850. Charty, party, indie nights until 3am.

■ Opium 71 Cowgate, 225 8382. Rock, punk and metal, no messing. ■ Po Na Na 43b Frederick Street, 226 2224. Student nights, funky beats, house and more. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Potterrow Teviot, Bristo Square, 650 9195. Student heaven and home to some big one off parties. ■ Sneaky Pete’s 73 Cowgate, 225 1757. Underground clubbing at its best, from techno and dubstep to indie. See listings for details. ■ Shanghai Le Monde, 16 George Street, 270 3900. Slick and

■ Stereo King Stables Road, 229 7986. More big party tunes and drunken dancing. ■ Studio 24 Calton Road, 558 3758. Down and dirty club nights, specialising in techno and rock. See listings for details. ■ The Voodoo Rooms 19a West Register Street, 556 7060. Sophisticated clubbing and entertainment. See listings for details. ■ The Wee Red Bar Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, 229 1442. Student nights for the arty set. See listings for details. ■ Why Not? 14 George Street, 624 8311. Hits from the 80s to last week.

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mainstream chart action with plenty of dark corners for copping off in. ■ Hot & Gold at Stereo. Weekly 10pm–3am. Free before midnight; £4 (£2) after. Disco, dance and raunchy R&B on the mainfloor while upstairs you get 80s classics.

Edinburgh Saturday

Clubs

■ Ascension at the Banshee Labyrinth.

13 Aug, 10.30pm–3am. £4. Mix of upto-date and classic darkness, electro, industrial, EBM, with goth, rock and alternative 80s in room 2. Bass Syndicate at the Liquid Room. 13 Aug, 10.30pm–3am. £10. A one-off special at the Liquid Rooms with the party starting breaks to electro house of the Plump DJs as they make their annual trip to the Edinburgh Festival, joined by Peo de Pitte. ■ Beat Control at the HMV Picture House. Weekly 11pm–2am. £1 before midnight; £5 (£3) after. The Evol DJs dish out the best in twisted pop, indie and alternative beats as clubbing returns to the Picture House. ■ Boutique at GHQ. Weekly 10pm–2am. Free before 11pm; £5 after. Electro and house from DJ Dowzer while DJ Darren plays mainstream chart, disco and cheese. ■ Bubblegum at the Hive. Weekly 9pm–2am. Free before 11pm; £4 after. A student friendly chewed up, spat out mix of electro, pop, dance, disco, soul and indie. Club Noir at the HMV Picture House. 13 Aug, 9pm–3am. £21.00. Festival special for the great burlesque club. Presenting their vintage, retro and modern soundtrack while thrilling to their trademark tassel twirling, human curiosities, burlesque shows and more. No jeans and trainers, please. See preview, page 93. FREE Deejay Bird at CC Blooms. Sat 11pm–5am. Scene favourite Deejay Bird (Furburger) kicks off her new residency at CC’s. ■ Eden at Cabaret Voltaire. 13 Aug, 11pm–5am. £5. A hedonistic mix of funky house and electro in the Cab’s Speakeasy. ■ Edit at the Green Room. 13 Aug, 10pm–3am. £10 (£8). Disco house night with the classic/bang up to date disco sounds for ‘people who love smiling and dancing’. ■ Filth at Sin. Weekly 10pm–2am. £5. Mash-ups from Richie Ruftone and DJ Babes. ■ Kapital at the Store. 13 Aug, 11pm–5am. £4 before midnight; £6 after. A melodic mixture of deep minimal house and stripped down techno. ■ Land of 1000 Dances at Studio 24. 13 Aug, 11pm–3am. £5. Dedicated to northern soul, Stax records, Detroit soul and Chicago blues. ■ Late’n’Live at the Jazz Bar. Weekly 2–5am. £5 (£3). Late night jazz and funk acts and DJs, featuring Latin beats form Das Contras. LuckyMe Festival Afterparty at Summerhall. 13 Aug, 8pm. £9. LuckyMe’s second day at the Festival sees Mike Slott performing an electronic soundtrack to Andrei Zvyaginstev’s 2003 film The Return. Support comes from Dam Mantle and Asthmatic Astronaut. See preview, page 92. ■ Messenger Sound System at the Bongo Club. 13 Aug, 11pm–5am. £6 before midnight; £7 after. The mighty Messenger Sound System blasts out the best in righteous reggae, dub and roots. ■ Pulse at Cabaret Voltaire. 13 Aug, 11pm–5am. £9. The techno night is joined by Dutch producer Steve Rachmad, plus more deep house and techno from Silicone Soul and Harvey McKay. ■ Shakedown at the One Below. Weekly 10pm–2am. £5. Funky music at this new night inspired by the lounge club scene in New York, Paris and Los Angeles.

✽

■ Studio 24 Rawks at Studio 24.

Weekly . £5 (£4). Studio 24’s rerebranded rock night with DJs Soo and Matt27. FREE Sunday Skool at CC Blooms. Weekly 11pm–5am. Strictly 90s dancefloor fillers music policy from DJ Shelle La Belle. ■ Tease Age at Citrus Club. Weekly 9pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £6 after. This indie stalwart dishes up everything from swinging 60s hits to baggy Manchester faves as well as a host of current ‘NME’ chart botherers with DJ Monkee Mickee. Edinburgh’s longest continually running indie night. ■ Volume! at Sneaky Pete’s. 13 Aug, 11pm–5am. £3 (members free). The Volume! crew brings the dubstep to Sneakys for an intimate set of heavy bass at this bi-monthly residency. ■ White Mink at the Voodoo Rooms. 13 Aug, 11.59pm–3am. £10. See Thu. Featuring French swing-beat quartet Le KKC Orchestra, The Twilight Players and DJ Chris Tofu (13 Aug).

Chart & Party

■ Love Groove at Stereo. Weekly 11pm–5am. £5 (£2) before midnight; £6 (£3) after. Mix of chart anthems, disco and classic dance tunes. ■ Social Network at City Nightclub. Weekly 10.30pm–2am. £10 (VIP £15). Big house, chart and R&B anthems with a live facebook feed broadcast on screens across the club. ■ Tease at Lava Ignite. Weekly 10pm–2am. £8. Chart, pop, cheese and mainstream dance.

Edinburgh Sunday

Clubs

at Sneaky Pete’s. Weekly 11pm–5am. £3 (members ✽ free). Drum & bass, breaks, dubstep, Coalition

techno and electro from the resident team every week. NYC’s house maverick and heavy bass champion Drop the Lime guests on 14 Aug. Part of the Edge Festival. ■ Fuzzy Logic at Lava Ignite. Weekly 10pm–3am. £5. Student night of dance, electro, R&B and indie. Killer Kitsch at Cabaret Voltaire. 14 Aug, 11pm–5am. £3. Killer Kitsch returns to Edinburgh as Euan Neilson and David Sinclair import their mix of dance, electro, 80s synth pop, new wave and punk to the Cab. Featuring Turbo Recordings signings Clouds and Boom Monk Ben. FREE Mile High Club at GHQ. Weekly 11pm–3am. Take off with Head Stewardess Cilla Slack for a night of mid-air frolics in the cockpit. ■ R&B Sundays at Karma Nights. Weekly 10pm–3am. £tbc. R&B (surprise surprise) and urban from DJ Fabuloz. ■ Rise at Opal Lounge. Weekly 10pm–3am. £5. Johnny Frenetic mashes up a unique and energetic three deck mix of funky house, sexy urban and indie infused electro and club classics. FREE Say It Loud at the Bongo Club. Weekly, midnight–5am. Liquid drum & bass mixed into a deep dubby cocktail of beats, garage and dubstep. FREE Sunday Service at Sin. Weekly 10pm–3am. Big backpacker party. FREE The Sunday Rock Show at the Hive. Weekly 10pm–3am. Modern and classic rock anthems. ■ Tipsy at Lulu. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. £tbc. R&B, urban and hip hop from residents Nick G and DJ Prospect at what they promise will be ‘the hottest Sunday night party in town’.

✽

Edinburgh Monday

Clubs

■ Decadence at Lulu. Weekly

10pm–3am. £tbc. OK so fair enough, it’s Mon, but that’s no excuse. FREE Mixed Up Mondays at the Hive. Weekly 10pm–3am. R&B, hip hop, pop and floor fillers.

FREE Notorious at Espionage. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. R&B, hip hop and dancehall from P45 and P Stylz. FREE Nu Fire at Sneaky Pete’s. Weekly 11pm–5am. Showcase of underground hip hop, dubstep, drum & bass, electro and MCs. ■ Ran$om at Opal Lounge. Weekly 10pm–3am. £tbc. Party night with a ransom/crime theme. FREE Synthetic at the Bongo Club. Weekly midnight–5am. Techno, electro, breaks and drum & bass night. ■ Trade Union at Cabaret Voltaire. Weekly 11pm–5am. £2 (students/hospitality staff £1). Taking care of Monday nights at the Cab with a mix of techno, beats and pieces from WolfJazz, Beefy and guests.

Edinburgh Tuesday

Clubs

FREE Antics at the Hive. Weekly 10pm–3am. Rock, emo, punk and metal dispatches from Edinburgh’s alt.scene. ■ Blackout at Opal Lounge. Weekly 10pm–3am. £4 (£3); ladies free before midnight. Mr Meeks, P-Stylz and Prospect mix up hip hop, house and dubstep. ■ Cool Kids at Cabaret Voltaire. Weekly 11pm–5am. £5 before midnight; £6 after. New student night for the Speakeasy with a hip hop, house, electro and dubstep soundtrack. FREE I Love Hip Hop at the Bongo Club. Weekly midnight–5am. Hip hop classics and brand new rap tracks, plus live performances, MCs and guest DJs. FREE Love Traffic at GHQ. Weekly 11pm–3am. Pulling doesn’t get any easier than this. At a traffic light party everyone knows where they stand: red for no thanks, amber for maybe, green for definitely. With DJ Dale Lush. ■ Motion at the Liquid Room. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £2 (£1) after. An eclectic mix from across the decades. FREE Poison at Opium. Weekly 10pm–3am. Classic rock night. FREE Pop du Jour at CC Blooms. Weekly 11pm–3am. Chart, dance and pop from DJ Paton. FREE Soul Jam Hot at Sneaky Pete’s. Weekly 11pm–5am. Old school, real deal soul, garage and R&B. FREE Split at Cabaret Voltaire. Weekly 11pm–5am. Drum & bass, electro, techno and breakbeat with Shadowskill, the Dropout DJs, Dogma and guests. ■ TwentyTwenty at the Store. Weekly 11pm–5am. £3. Future bass, garage, house and UK funky.

Chart & Party

■ Enigma at Shanghai. Weekly 10pm–3am. £5. Vocal house and mainstream dance classics. FREE Phat Tuesdays at Sin. Weekly 10pm–3am. Dancefloor favourites.

Edinburgh Wednesday

Clubs

■ Bangers & Mash at the Hive.

Weekly 10pm–3am. £1 before 11pm; £3 after. Student night of chart R&B and dance from the Big Cheese DJs. ■ Chic at Opal Lounge. Weekly 10pm–3am. £tbc. ‘Dress to impress’ at this glamorous night of house and beats. Filthy Dukes at Sneaky Pete’s. 17 Aug, 11pm–3am. £3. DJ set from the synth pop duo and heads of Kill Em All (Fabric). Part of the Edge Festival FREE Hush at Electric Circus. Weekly 10pm–1am. Northern soul and funk at this lounge session. ■ Indigo at the Liquid Room. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. £3 (students £1). Midweek indie and alternative night from DJ Keiron (Evol). FREE JungleDub at the Bongo Club. Weekly midnight–5am. Showcasing the Scottish dub, dubstep and jungle scene.

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5REASONS TO GO TO . . . PLUMP DJS 1 ‘Big Groovy Fucker’ An early Plumps production (their second release on Finger Lickin’) that takes its name literally. A big pumping groove machine that ends in a flurry of acidic breakbeat. 2 ‘Creepshow’ sees Andy Gardner and Lee Rous at their funkiest as videogame sound fx build to a massive horn section. 3 ‘Mad Cow’ Centred round a big blaring breakdown that sounds almost exactly like the titular insane bovine on a robotic rampage. Cowbells and kick drums add to the madness. 4 ‘Water Born Virus’ has a more tropical housey rhythm but still has a big fat acid squelch running slap bang through its core before the bpms spin deliriously out of control at about the three minute mark. 5 ‘Strobe’ The Plumps’ remix of Deadmau5 turns this contemplative trance track into a big booming electro number complete with laser beams and head wobbling bass. (Henry Northmore) ■ Plump DJs guest at Bass Syndicate, The Liquid Room, 225 2564,13 Aug, 10.30pm–5am, £10. ■ Mansion at the Green Room. Weekly 10pm–3am. £6 (£5). Huge and very popular student night of R&B and urban sounds. FREE Minimalism at the Store. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. Can you guest what style of electronica they favour? Minimal house and techno all night. ■ Movida at GHQ. Weekly 10pm–3am. £6 (students £5). Midweek gay student clubbing from DJ Karl. FREE Night Nookie at Sin. Weekly 10pm–3am. Electro, hip hop, dubstep, funk and bassline mash-ups. ■ Promiscuous at Lulu. Weekly 10pm–3am. £5. Each night starts with a ‘ladies only hour’ with cocktails, pitchers, chocolate strawberries and male butlers, followed by a chart/electro mix. FREE Slap Bang at Cabaret Voltaire. Weekly 11pm–5am. Musical mish mash of disco, funk, house and electro from DFault and Picassio. FREE The Pit at Opium. Weekly 10pm–3am. Rock and metal night by rock and metal fans for rock and metal fans. FREE Witness at Sneaky Pete’s. Weekly 11pm–5am. Garage, UK funky, dubstep and bassline house.

Chart & Party

■ Illegal Eagle at Lava Ignite. Weekly

10pm–3am. £4.50. Student night of chart music, party tunes, R&B and commercial dance. FREE Miss Guided at Espionage. Weekly 11pm–3am. A night of glorious

11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 95

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{AROUND TOWN} LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

HITLIST

FINGERS, FRINGES, FAIR TRADE

Events are listed by city, then type. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to sport@list.co.uk for sport or aroundtown@list.co.uk for all other events. Listings compiled by Laura Ennor. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

EDINBURGH Activities & Events

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FREE Edinburgh Book Fringe Thu 11–Thu 25 Aug, times vary. Word Power Bookshop, 43 West Nicolson Street, 662 9112 Alternative to the EIBF, hosted by literary radicals Word Power Books. See picture, page 97, and Hitlist. Inky Fingers Minifest Until Sat 13 Aug, times vary. By donation. The Forest Café, 3 Bristo Place, 220 4538. A mini literary festival from writer/performer collective Inky Fingers. Each day there are lunchtime readings from collective members from 12.30pm, then further events throughout the day including poetry-related film screenings (Thu 11 & Sat 13 Aug, 3pm), a poetry showcase from Salt publishing (Fri 12 Aug, 7pm) and an evening Cargo publishing (Sat 13 Aug, 7pm). See Hitlist. FREE Edinburgh Interactive Thu 11 & Fri 12 Aug, 10.30am–4pm. Radisson Blu Hotel, 80 High Street, edinburghinteractive.co.uk An unusual festival now in its ninth year, celebrating the diversity and inventiveness of video games and other interactive media in Scotland. As well as an industry conference with speakers and networking opportunities, there’s the chance for the public to play brand new games and attend screenings and expertled seminars. See Hitlist. FREE Skeptics at the Observatory Thu 11 Aug, 6–7.30pm. Royal Observatory Visitor Centre, Blackford Hill, 668 8404. An evening of science and music with speakers from the Royal Observatory Edinburgh and music from Sarah Angliss, a musician and engineer who performs as Spacedog, using a theremin, a saw, percussion, various other electronic kit, and even the odd robot helper. Booking essential. See Hitlist.

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Fair Trade on the Fringe A nine-day sale of fashion, jewellery, crafts, food, drinks and accessories from around the world, all ethically traded. See picture, page 98. Castle Street, 13–21 Aug, 10am–6pm, free.

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Skeptics at the Observatory An evening of science at the Observatory, with tunes from theremin-wielding engineer Spacedog. No, really. Royal Observatory Visitor Centre, 668 8404, 11 Aug, 6–7.30pm, free.

Edinburgh Book Fringe With guests including Alasdair Gray and Mark Thomas. See picture, page 97. Word Power Bookshop, 662 9112, 11–25 Aug, times vary, free. See word-power.co.uk for details.

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FESTIVAL

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Until Sat 27 Aug. Mon–Fri, 9pm,

Continental Shifts As the old centres of power and wealth move east, EIF’s discussion series consider politics, religion and philosophy. Speakers include Shashi Tharoor. The Hub, 473 2000, 13 Aug–2 Sep, times vary, £6. See eif.co.uk for details. Beyond Words PopUp Shop The much-missed and fondly-remembered Cockburn Street shop is (temporarily) back with a week-long sale of the year’s best photography books. Stills, 622 6200, until 13 Aug, 11am–7pm. 96 THE LIST 4–11 Aug 2011

Inky Fingers Minifest Another mini-lit fest, this one including daily lunchtime poetry readings, and evening events from Scottish publishing hubs Salt and Cargo. The Forest Café, 220 4538, until 13 Aug, times vary, free (by donation).

06 | 16 : Six poets at the Fruitmarket Simon Barraclough, Isobel Dixon and Helen Ivory are some of the names reading in the Festival-defying calm of the Fruitmarket Gallery. Aaah. Fruitmarket Gallery, 225 2383, 16 Aug, 7.30pm, £3.

Edinburgh Interactive Free screenings and playtests for the public, networking conferences for industry insiders. Radisson Blu Hotel, 07990 522 004, 11 & 12 Aug, 10.30am–4pm. See edinburghinteractive.co. uk for details.

Sat, 7.30pm & 10.30pm. £25–£58. Castle Esplanade, Edinburgh Castle Royal Mile, 225 1188. Glittering military entertainment including the Massed Pipes and Drums, the Dutch Mounted Bicycle Band and South Africa’s water-buffalohorn toting Navy Band. FREE Midlothian Walking Festival Fri 12–Mon 15, times vary. Various locations around Edinburgh, 01875 821990. A range of walking, cycling and horse riding activities take place in beautiful locations within striking distance of Edinburgh over this four-day festival, including Dalkeith Country Park, Musselburgh and Vogrie Country Park. Girl in Suitcase Fri 12–Sun 14 Aug, 7.30pm. £7.50 (£5). Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. Interactive life modelling performance art. Part of Leith on the Fringe. FREE Gallery of Modern Art Highlights Tours Sat 13 Aug, 2–2.45pm & 3–3.45pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, 75

Belford Road, 624 6200. A tour of the permanent collection in the Gallery, which spans the period from the 1890s to today. Ruskin Live! Mon 15, Tue 16, Thu 18 & Fri 19 Aug, 3pm. £10 (£8). Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. Art critic and crusading polymath John Ruskin wrote enough books to sink a barge, but he was also an indefatigable performer. Actor and art historian Paul O’Keeffe recreates Ruskin’s celebrated 1853 lectures at the Philosophical Institution, on architecture (Mon & Tue), Turner (Thu) and the Pre-Raphaelites (Fri). Next year, how about Clement Greenberg: Live and Dangerous? FREE Blackwell Book Group Mon 15 Aug, 6pm. Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. Share the reading experience with a group of fellow booklovers, with an evening of friendly discussion. The chosen book is Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos. FREE Detours: Ross Sutherland Mon 15 Aug, 6.30pm. Open Eye Gallery, 34 Abercromby Place, 557 1020. In response to the John Byrne exhibition on show at the gallery as part of the Edinburgh Art Festival, author Sutherland plays a short piece from Byrne’s legendary 1987 TV series Tutti Frutti, layering a new story from his own life over the top of it. FREE The Grey Hen Press Presents: An Afternoon of Poetry

Tue 16 Aug, 3–4.30pm. Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. This new press from West Yorkshire focuses on the work of older women living in the north of England, and today’s showcase features readings from Marianne Burton, Margaret Christie, Julia Deakin, Angela Kirby, Wendy Klein, Eleanor Livingstone and Rosemary McLeish.

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06 | 16 : Six poets at the Fruitmarket Gallery Tue 16

Aug, 7.30pm. £3. Fruitmarket Gallery, 45 Market Street, 225 2383. Enter the serenity of the Fruitmarket Gallery for readings from six poets. See Hitlist. FREE Douglas Jackson: Defender of Rome Wed 17 Aug, 6.30pm. Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. Jackson discusses his latest historical novel, the sequel to Hero of Rome, as well as his alter ego James Douglas, whose novel The Doomsday Testament has also just been published. Salsa Dance Night Wed 17 Aug, 6.45pm. £5 (students £4). Harry’s Bar, Randolph Place, 07734 435354. Evening salsa dance classes, one for beginners at 7pm and a further, intermediate class at 8pm. A free taster session is offered from 6.45pm–7pm to get you in the mood. Café Voices Wed 17 Aug, 7pm. £5. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. A relaxed session of oral storytelling, poetry by memory, music and song. FREE Detours: Nigel and Louise of Shunt Wed 17 Aug, 7pm. Bourne Fine Art, 6 Dundas Street, 557 4050. The artist duo creates a live soundscape in response to the 500 Years of Scottish Portraiture exhibition. FREE Skeptics at the Observatory Thu 18 Aug, 6–7.30pm. Royal Observatory Visitor Centre, Blackford Hill, 668 8404. A heady cocktail of science and comedy with speakers from the Royal Observatory plus special headline act comedian Helen Keen. Booking essential.

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Listings {AROUND TOWN}

LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

Edinburgh Book Fringe

VENUE Vitals

ALTERNATIVE FRINGE HUBS

THE FOREST CAFÉ

Hosted by Word Power Books, this festival gives a platform to radical-edged publishers and writers, whether polemicists or comedians, in a series of free afternoon readings during the festival month. Highlights this week include a launch event with Alasdair Gray (Thu 11 Aug, 1pm), comedian Mark Thomas discussing his new book about rambling along the Israeli separation barrier (Sat 13 Aug, 2.30pm), Triple Twist, an event featuring Scottish-based poets Sophie Cooke (pictured), Peter McCarey and Alexander Hutchison (Thu 18 Aug, 1pm) and comedian David O’Doherty launching his latest weighty tome, 100 Facts About Sharks (Thu 18 Aug, 5pm). ■ Word Power Bookshop, 43 West Nicolson Street, 662 9112, 11–25 Aug, times vary.

Exhibitions

Man of Letters, Scientist of Man

Until Sat 17 Sep. Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun (during Aug only) noon–5pm. Writers’ Museum, Lady Stair’s Close, Lawnmarket, 529 4901. Celebrating the 300th birthday of one of Edinburgh’s brightest intellectual lights, this exhibition includes rare books and original manuscripts written by Hume, plus many images of Hume and other important Enlightenment figures. FREE Benghazi Speaks: Revolutionary Images from the Libyan Uprising Sun 14 Aug–Sun 4 Sep. Daily 10am–10pm. Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, 228 2688. Images of the revolutionary graffiti and cartoons that appeared on Libyan walls, buildings and streets during the recent uprising, photographed by Dutch photojournalist Teun Voeten.

Fairs

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FREE Beyond Words Pop Up Shop Until Sat 13 Aug, 11am–7pm. Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, 622 6200. One of our favourite and most-missed bookshops returns in pop-up form. See Hitlist, page 96. FREE Fair Trade on the Fringe Sat 13–Sun 21 Aug, 10am–6pm. Castle Street, handupmedia.co.uk/events A nine-day sale of fashion, jewellery, crafts, food, drinks and accessories from around the world, all ethically traded, and with promises of free tastings, samples, inspiration and education. See Hitlist, page 96, and picture, page 98. FREE Edinburgh Festival PBFA Book Fair Sun 14–Sat 20 Aug. Sun noon–6pm, Mon–Sat 10am–6pm. MacDonald Roxburghe Hotel, 38 Charlotte Square, pbfa.org Interesting second hand and antiquarian books, maps and prints.

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Food & Drink

FREE Angus Dundee Distillers Whisky Sampling Thu 11 Aug, noon–4pm. Scotch Whisky Experience, 354 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, 220 0441. Angus Dundee Distillers offer a chance to try a few of their finest malts and blends in the Whisky Experience shop. Foodies Festival Fri 12–Sun 14 Aug. Fri noon–7pm, Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 11am–5pm. Day tickets £10 (£8); weekend tickets £18 (£15). Holyrood Park, 0871 230 5573. Michelin-starred chefs galore at this giant noshing extravaganza. Edinburgh Farmers’ Market Sat 13 Aug, 9am–2pm. Castle Terrace, 652 5940. More local, quality, ethical produce than you could shake a stick at.

FREE The Food Market & Tinker Tailor Sat 13 Aug, 10am–2pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. A weekly local shop for Leithers in search of quality ethical goods and help with fixing broken items. FREE Whisky Samplings Wed 17 & Thu 18 Aug, 10am–5pm. Scotch Whisky Experience, 354 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, 220 0441. Samples on offer from Tomatin Distillers (Wed) and Ian MacLeod Whisky (Thu).

Sport Malungos Capoeira Classes Fridays, 6.30–8.30pm, Tollcross Community Centre, 117 Fountainbridge, 07850 942259; Nelson Hall Community Centre, 5 Spittalfield Crescent, 07850 942259, Mondays & Wednesdays, 7–9pm. £4.50. Friendly classes, open to all, in the Brazilian cultural art form that mixes martial arts, dance and music. Suitable for all abilities and ages 10+. FREE Joseph Pearce’s Jogging Club Tuesdays, 7–8pm. Joseph Pearce’s, 23 Elm Row, 556 4140. Weekly running club following the very best kind of route: one with a bar at each end. After meeting at Joseph Pearce’s the group jogs down to sister bar Sofi’s for some refreshing lingonberry juice, before heading back up to JP’s, which is a route of 3.5 miles.

For even more Festival events see

list.co.uk/festival

4–11 Aug 2011 THE LIST 97

FESTIVAL

FREE Banned Books Until Sun 30 Oct. Mon–Fri 10am–8pm; Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 2–5pm. National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. Interesting exhibition from the National Library of Scotland looking at the history of book censorship, with examples ranging from early Scottish proclamations to Nabokov’s Lolita and even, somewhat surprisingly, the Harry Potter books. FREE World Press Photo Exhibition 2011 Until Sat 27 Aug. Mon–Fri 10am–5.30pm; Sat 11am–5.30pm. Scottish Parliament, Holyrood Road, 348 5200. The World Press Photo Award highlights the best press photography from around the world. This exhibition has the shortlist on display in Edinburgh as part of a global tour. FREE David Hume, 1711–1776:

Occupation: Leader of the resistance, home of Edinburgh’s true creative spirit. Resembles: A glorious, shambolic cluster of plants, art, rugs, hippies and graffiti, spread across several rooms. What’s on there, then? Usually a loose free-space hosting semiregular gigs, spoken-word events and discussion forums, as well as a variety of madcap one-off events. During August the Forest becomes the home of Forest Fringe, full of free, experimental theatre and performance. This week you can also catch some lunchtime poetry as Inky Fingers are running a literary minifest (see Hitlist, page 96). Quick, how do I get there? A refreshing alternative to the corporate, comedy-focused intensity of the main commercial Fringe hub at Bristo Square, and only two minutes round the corner? Why yes. Cross the road as though you were going to Princes Street and stop when you smell falafel. Mmm. Is there a café? Yes, all food is veggie, cheap, and put together by the Forest’s volunteer team. You’re more than welcome to have a drink (wine and beer only), but you have to BYO and pay a spot of corkage. Any good for celeb-spotting? Aren’t you listening? The Forest isn’t about celeb-spotting. Man. Which is exactly why you’ll sometimes find the odd lefty comedian or author going incognito in there . . . Sounds like a real credit to the city. You’d think. Unfortunately, it’s the organisation’s last Fringe – at least in this venue. They’ve been fighting the closure of the building for a while, but August 31 is their last day. Make the most of this great place while you can. ■ The Forest Café, 3 Bristo Place, 220 4538, 10am–late, blog.theforest.org.uk. Forest Fringe programme at forestfringe.co.uk.

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{AROUND TOWN} Listings Talks

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Continental Shifts Sat 13

Aug–Fri 2 Sep, times vary. £6 per talk. The Hub, Castlehill Royal Mile, 473 2000. The east-west theme of the EIF provides plenty to talk about, hence this series of a dozen discussions programmed in association with the British Council. Considering politics, religion and philosophy as much as art, they are designed to provoke debate about a rapidly changing world as the old centres of power and wealth move east. The first week of talks includes a discussion on ‘Why China isn’t the New West’ and an exploration of the enduring legacy of Shakespeare’s plays in Korean culture as well as Anglophone. Part of Edinburgh International Festival. See Hitlist, page 96. Conversations with Artists Sat 13 Aug–Sat 3 Sep, times vary. £6 per talk. The Hub, Castlehill Royal Mile, 473 2000. Artists performing around the festival discuss their work. This week alone you can hear words of wisdom from Philip Glass, Melvyn Tan and Taiwanese actor Wu Hsing-Kuo. Part of Edinburgh International Festival. The Unknown Whistler Mon 15 Aug, 10.30am. £8. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Margaret MacDonald examines the work of James McNeill Whistler, one of the most influential printmakers of the 19th century. FREE George Mackay Brown Biography Launch Mon 15 Aug, 5.30pm. St John’s Church, Princes Street, 229 7565. Ron Ferguson reads from and discusses George MacKay Brown: The Wound and the Gift. Dovecot Studios and Elizabeth Blackadder: Forty Fruitful Years

Tue 16 Aug, 12.45–1.30pm. Included in £8 (£6) exhibition admission. Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 225 6671. David Weir, the director of Dovecot, together with a master weaver from the studios, talks about the gallery’s long relationship with Scotland’s finest artists, illustrated with examples from previous collaborations with Elizabeth Blackadder. Writing and Illustrating for Children with James Mayhew Thu

18 Aug, 10.30am–12.30pm. £12 (£10). Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. James Mayhew is the writer and illustrator of the Katie books, a rather trippy series of volumes about a small girl who persistently keeps having accidental adventures inside paintings. Here he shares his working methods, techniques and inspiration, having just published Katie in Scotland. FREE The King James Bible Language and Literature Thu 18 Aug, 1.30–2.30pm. £5 (£3.50) exhibition

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Sometimes it’s nice to have traditions around this time of year, which is why we always like paying a visit to Fair Trade on the Fringe’s capacious castle-view marquee, now well ensconsed in its Castle Street home. It’s great for ethically-traded accessories and crafts, but as there are always tasting stalls and foodie goods for sale, we like stopping by for karmically-positive snacks between shows. ■ Castle Street, 13–21 Aug, 10am–6pm. admission, talk is included. City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, 529 3963. A talk by Professor Gordon Campbell on the Scottish roots of the definitive English bible, and the linguistic implications of this, in conjunction with the David Mach exhibition Precious Light. Booking essential.

Workshops

FREE The Drawing Room Thu 11 Aug, 5.30–6.45pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, 75 Belford Road, 624 6200. Monthly experimental drawing sessions inspired by works in the collection, each led by a contemporary artist. All materials are provided. Booking essential. Inspired by Blackadder – A TwoDay Course Fri 12 & Sat 13 Aug,

10.30am–4pm. £60 (£55). Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. Make a low-relief composition using

carved woodblocks, then applying colour and embellishing with fake gold or silver leaf. Artists Campbell Sandilands and Yeung Joo Han lead the workshop. Post-Pop Printmaking Sat 13 Aug, 2–3pm. £5. Edinburgh Printmakers, 23 Union Street, 557 2479. Inspired by the work of Michael Craig-Martin in the festival exhibition, the Printmakers offers a studio tour and demonstration of the most up-to-date printmaking technologies. Ages 16+. Fabulous Felt Hats Sun 14 Aug, 10.30am–3.30pm. £18. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Learn how to make felt hats and decorate with buttons and beads. Ages 16+. Screen Bandita Summer Workshops Sun 14 Aug, 11am–noon.

£5. Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, 228 2688. Those cinema outlaws at Screen Bandita present their collection of found Super 8 films, gramophone and 78

FESTIVAL

@thelistmagazine

Fair Trade on the Fringe

FROM:

98 THE LIST 4–11 Aug 2011

records, and share their passion for outdated technology and film in a workshop celebrating the old fashioned in filmmaking technology. FREE Discovering Family History at NLS Tue 16 Aug, 2pm. National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. Delve into your family’s past as NLS reveals research techniques in this practical workshop. Booking essential. Taste of Paper and Air Wed 17 Aug, 1.45pm. £6. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. Aerial expression workshop for all levels of ability, using silks, trapeze, rope and more. Part of Leith on the Fringe. Woodcut Workshop Thu 18 Aug, 10.30am–1pm. £35 (£30). Edinburgh Printmakers, 23 Union Street, 557 2479. Create a woodcut print in the style of Albrecht Dürer, the subject of a major exhibition at the National Gallery of Scotland this summer. Booking essential.

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OUTSIDE the

FESTIVALS GREAT THINGS TO DO IN GLASGOW AND BEYOND

This issue we’re headin’ for the highway, as part of a culinary feast that takes you, the reader, through some of Scotland’s prettiest hot spots. Prepare to be wet of mouth as we cherry pick the accommodation, bars, eateries and routes (page 102), so you don’t have to. Elsewhere in the Play section (page 106), Henry Northmore gets up close and personal with the world of tablets, as he compares and contrasts the best on the market. In Food and Drink (page 109), section editor Donald Reid gets his teeth into new venture, The Honours. While in Noticeboard (page 101), we ask what the cancellation of this year’s Hogmanay party means for Glasgow, and bring you all the latest news in brief.

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TheRealist So much culture, so little time. We boil it down to five of the best events Project Nim

FILM English director James Marsh scored a hit with his stunning 2008 documentary Man on Wire, about the French daredevil who walked a tightrope between the World Trade Center towers in 1974. His follow up returns to New York in the 1970s, but concerns a plot considerably closer to the ground: Nim, a chimpanzee, is adopted into a human family and raised as a child in order to see whether or not apes can learn to communicate with humans. The experiment was inspired by Noam Chomsky’s belief that language is inherently human; the full name of the protagonist (Nim Chimpsky) was designed as a pun to keep the eminent philosopher at the forefront of the project. See review, page 116. Selected release from Fri 12 Aug.

Ben UFO @ Kollektiv

CLUBS Ben UFO has been surfing the second wave of dubstep to great acclaim, developing his Hessle Audio record label from a radio show while promoting some stars of the genre along the way. He’s in town to show the Kollektiv posse how to get it on. See interview, page 113. The Admiral, Glasgow, Fri 12 Aug.

100 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Shonen Knife MUSIC Lo-fi grrrl punk from Japan, beloved by Kurt Cobain and the Seattle grunge set. They’ve got almost 20 albums’ worth of material to keep them going, with a Japanified tribute to The Ramones on the cards for their 30th anniversary. See preview, page 123. Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, Mon 15 Aug; Nice’n’Sleazy, Glasgow, Tue 16 Aug.

Live Your Questions Now VISUAL ART Inspired by a quote from Rainer Maria Rilke (‘Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it, you will live along some distant day into your answers’), this show focuses on works by artists over 60 from at home and around the world. See review, page 131. Mackintosh Museum, Glasgow, until Sat 1 Oct.

Pilot AROUND TOWN Part performance evening, part radio show, this event from the Flatrate team (they of Initial Itch and Subcity’s All Day Cheeky Breakfast Show fame) is performed throughout various nooks and crannies at the CCA, all the while being recorded for podcast. Listen to the first instalment at bit.ly/pilot1. CCA, Glasgow, Thu 18 Aug.

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Noticeboard

g n i f e i r B The

NewsGossipOpinion

ARTS AND CULTURE NEWS COVERED IN TWO MINUTES

OPINION

For whom the bell tolls

AROUND TOWN Joanna Lumley has added her support to a fundraising drive to renovate Moat Brae House and Garden, birthplace of Peter Pan, and create Scotland’s first Centre for Children’s Literature. Lumley, who is the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust’s new patron, voiced her backing for the £4m project. The venue has significant historical interest because the gardens were used to inspire JM Barrie’s writing. For more information see peterpanmoatbrae.org.

Glasgow clubs editor David Pollock looks at the potential impact of scrapping Glasgow’s Hogmanay street party

MUSIC Noel Gallagher has announced that he will be playing with his new High Flying Birds project in a series of dates around the UK in late October. The singer-songwriter had previously announced a Dublin date but will now appear at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on Thu 27 Oct. See noelgallagher.com for tickets and more. Elsewhere, it’s been confirmed that the next Electric Frog club night in Glasgow will take place on Sat 10 & Sun 11 Sep. Confirmed acts include Mogwai, The Fall, Errors, Slam, Optimo and more. VISUAL ART And finally, congratulations to Glasgow School of Art graduate Euan Ogilvie, who has been picked as the winner for this year’s Arches Blackbox Graduate Visual Art Award. Check out his work at Arches Live! in September.

he decision by Glasgow City Council to scrap this year’s Hogmanay street party on George Square might have more of an impact on the city’s sense of tradition than on the plans of its regular revellers. While the pride of Scotland’s biggest city may have been swelled by the fact it could sustain an al fresco booze-up of its own without letting many of its residents decamp to the capital, the numbers have clearly stopped adding up. Seventy thousand tourists from around the world attended one of the UK’s largest festival events in Edinburgh on 31 December last year, yet fewer than 5000, predominantly local, party-goers made their way to George Square. The writing was most likely already on the wall back then, of course, when the organisers decided to forego booking big-name bands (recent years have seen Deacon Blue and Paolo Nutini perform) in favour of a high-concept ceilidh show, which drained the event of any star quality or sense of occasion. For what it had become, Glasgow’s street party won’t be

missed. For what this decision represents – the erosion of a little more fun from Scotland’s cultural landscape in the face of ever more tightly-squeezed public budgets – is a dispiriting and grimly inevitable turn. Although in all fairness, reported costs of £34 per head are certainly unsustainable, and Glasgow City Council are more supportive of the city’s cultural scene than many other authorities. So where’s the silver lining? It might not mean much to Glasgow audiences, but Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has at least had its foreseeable future guaranteed (2011-2012’s event will enjoy an inevitable Olympic theme), while families will still be able to enjoy a programme of music, ceilidh dancing and curling on George Square up until 10pm on 31 December, as well as the city’s usual Glasgow Loves Christmas events throughout winter. That Glasgow also enjoys one of the best bar and club scenes in Europe should also help keep the crowds entertained into the New Year. Failing that, you might want to try First Footing.

NewsExtra GEORGE MICHAEL STILL LIVE & KICKING ■ Lock up your mothers (and fathers). George Michael will make a return to the stage with Symphonica: The Orchestral Tour later this year. Expect hits from the former Wham man’s 30-year career, with added orchestral backing. It marks Michael’s first return to the stage since 2008, when he showcased his 25Live Tour. See him at the SECC in Glasgow on 6 & 7 Dec. See secc.co.uk for more.

11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 101

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TRAVEL SCOTLAND

Please sir,

Mhor I want some

102 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

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TRAVEL SCOTLAND

Fancy a food-based holiday around this nation’s most exciting culinary hotspots? Anna Millar uses a road trip north to explore the delights Scotland has to offer, from five-course meals to locally caught fish and chips and top-notch delis

tanding in the Scottish drizzle at the heart of Monachyle Mhor, a dramatic vista greets us. In front, a stunning Loch Voil. Behind us, bounding black labrador, Betty, a relatively new addition to owner Tom Lewis’ family. The air is fresh, the pitter-patter of rain the only noise. A fellow guest, an American, Mr de Winter, has moments before emerged from a day’s fishing nearby. Greeted by Tom, he happily hands over his catch: a bucket of large, shiny, fly-caught trout. Within an hour, they will land on our plate, a spontaneous last-minute addition to a menu already boasting Kyle of Tongue oysters and Isle of Mull scallops. Our plan, five days before this, had been to head north from Edinburgh, and explore some of the interesting chefs, delis and innovators making their mark on the culinary scene. The result: a full-bellied success.

FRIDAY EDINBURGH TO ST FILLANS AND LOCH EARN There are, of course, many ways to get from Edinburgh and Glasgow to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, whether by plane, train or automobile, but for the purposes of our trip we rely on our old banger Dusty to do the hard work, allowing us to make the most of a scenic early evening drive over the Forth road bridge into the heart of Perthshire towards Loch Earn and the Four Seasons Hotel (see panel, page105). Nestled at the end of St Fillans village, this former school master’s house has been converted into a hotel with chalets also available on the wooded hillside nearby. As the night comes in, the bedroom window affords stunning loch views, with Ben Vorlich just sightable far beyond the jetty outside. A relaxed ambience is encouraged by a couple of informal, quirky living rooms; while the artwork and artefacts from the owner’s global travels give the hotel a pleasantly unfussy and interesting feel. We’re here though for the food and there’s little doubt that new chef Peter Woods takes his seriously, sourcing locally, and providing salmon from his own smokehouse, which he set up in his home at Comrie. Any visit should include a taste of his special whisky and lemon-cured Shetland salmon. The view from the Meall Reamhar restaurant, over the Loch, adds a slightly ethereal feeling to proceedings as a four-course meal is presented in leisurely, friendly but informed style, complemented by a very reasonable wine menu. Keen to bring only the tastiest produce to the plate, menus are changed quarterly, with signature dishes of

gateau of limousin beef fillet and hand-dived Scrabster king scallops remaining a fixture throughout the year. A night cap in the bar and early night prepare us for a pleasant lochside walk the next morning, fuelled by a breakfast of Peter’s finely smoked salmon and fluffy scrambled eggs. As a side note, those food lovers with dogs can take advantage of the hotel’s pet concierge service, while water babies can, and should, take full advantage of the nearby watersports centre at Lochearnhead farther along the A85.

SATURDAY ST FILLANS TO MULL The drive from St Fillans to catch the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry is a pleasant one, with Ben More and Ben Lui to gaze up at en route. If you’re on an early crossing, give yourself time to get there early and pick up a snack at the Kitchen Garden delicatessen (see panel, page 104) or indulge in a crab sandwich, its filling fresh off the boat that morning, from the shack on the pier at the ferry port. Once on Mull, prepare to embrace a world of single track roads and culinary pit-stops. A drive from Craignure ferry port to Tobermory offers a sight of Loch Linnhe and Fishnish Bay, both home to some of the produce likely to land on your plate in meals to come. Tobermory itself is a treasure trove of finds, from Tobermory chocolate and Tobermory fish to the distillery (see panel, page 104), and all are well worth a visit. We’re staying on the hilltop, recently renovated Western Isles Hotel (see panel, page 105) overlooking Tobermory’s colourful bay, facing out to Calve Island and the Sound of Mull. While the set dinner in the hotel’s restaurant proves undoubtedly tasty and worth a visit if you’re looking for a more formal sit-down experience, the Conservatory Bar proves to be the real find, with its incredibly good views and great value for money. A deliciously rich tomato based fish soup, boasting huge prawns, mussels and haddock, is just £5, while the cheese board, including local champion Mull cheddar is big enough to share and doesn’t disappoint as an afternoon snack. For lunch, down on the front, Café Fish (thecafefish.com), perched above the old ferry waiting room on the pier overlooking the bay, is unmissable for fish fans, with owners cooking up shellfish from the restaurant’s own boat along with other fish produce from in and around Mull. On our second day, a meander to the island’s white sands at Calgary Bay, finds us just a stone’s throw over the water from the Isle of Ulva. Rumour has it that The Boathouse is

PERTHSHIRE PICKS Don’t miss the array of farmhouse and deli spaces sourcing local produce around Perthshire

HOUSE OF MENZIES The House of Menzies is a unique example of what can happen when Scottish farmers decide to diversify. The doocot and barn at this working farm have been converted into a bright, contemporary space, housing a bustling café, an up-market gift shop and an award-winning New World Wine specialist. The wines here are clearly selected with knowledge and passion, and include some of the greats of Australia and New Zealand in particular. Castle Menzies Farm, Aberfeldy, 01887 829666, houseofmenzies.com

J.L. GILL A charming little food shop that looks like it belongs to times past. On the outside it looks like a traditional old greengrocers; inside it lives up to its appearance. It stocks all the larder basics, such as oatcakes, preserves and cooking sauces. But you can also stock up the drinks cabinet with their extensive range of Scotch malt whiskies, Scottish wines and ales. 26 West High Street, Crieff, 01764 653011, scottishproduce.co.uk

MCNEE’S OF CRIEFF A culinary labyrinth of locally sourced produce (home-made preserves, dry-cured bacon) and far-flung ingredients (Italian Vincotto, Spanish Brotes de Ajo), McNee’s is a lively delicatessen and tempting chocolatier: the truffle range is a particular favourite. A lot of McNee’s stock is created at home or on the premises – quiches, pies, cakes, jams etc – but nearby businesses are also well-represented: Dalchonzie Fruit Farm vinegars, for example, and Summer Harvest’s cold-pressed rapeseed oil and dressings. 23 High Street, Crieff, 01764 654582, mcneesofcrieff.co.uk

THE WATERMILL Aberfeldy’s former flour mill is still associated with food: while the building is, in the main, an inspiring bookshop and art gallery, the small ground floor café serves soup, quiche and sandwiches as well as good coffee. Mill Street, Aberfeldy, 01887 822896, aberfeldywatermill.com 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 103

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TRAVEL SCOTLAND very good for lunch, so we grab the diminutive ferry – a tiny boat manned by the weathered fisherman responsible (yes, really) for what we find on our plates minutes later. A huge plate of seafood – langoustines, mackerel pate, crab and oysters is laid before us with slabs of homemade bread for a princely £16 – but it’s worth every bite and big enough to share. After washing that down with some cold ginger beer, inspired by the Scottish sunshine, we take off to adventure round the surrounding woodland walks. A nice spot for wildlife lovers, visitors have been known to spot otters, seals, red deer and have recorded more than 100 bird species. A few hours later, our return to Mull sees us meandering through a small unmarked village

MULL & OBAN From delis to distilleries there’s much to indulge the taste-buds, without breaking the bank

KITCHEN GARDEN DELICATESSEN This bustling enterprise is heaving with Scottish produce. The small but overstuffed entrance reveals a bounty of rustic breads, cheeses, fresh ground coffee and shelves groaning with hundreds of whisky brands. There’s more browsing space in the back shop boasting vinegars, jams and chutneys plus modern Scots delicacies such as Inverawe trout caviar and bloody mary salsa. A mezzanine level hosts a sprightly coffee shop, which makes the most of inhouse produce such as Mull cheddar or local smoked fish. 14 George Street, Oban, 01631 566332, kitchengardenoban.co.uk

OBAN CHOCOLATE COMPANY Established in 2003, this once small business has grown to become an awardwinning enterprise, making sweet treats entirely by hand on their premises in Oban. The shop and café are open plan, and viewing windows allow you to watch the chocolatiers at work in the factory, with interpretive panels to explain the process. They produce two types of chocolate: truffles and moulded chocolates, and all recipes are developed in-house with no artificial additives. 34 Corran Esplanade, Oban, 01631 566099, obanchocolate.co.uk

TOBERMORY CHOCOLATE Established in 1991 in a derelict stone workshop, Tobermory Chocolate has been producing handmade chocolates for nearly 20 years. Now operating from larger premises, they have room for a gift shop and café where you can choose from an array of cakes, pastries and luxury hot chocolate. 56/57 Main Street, Tobermory, 01688 302 526, tobchoc.co.uk

TOBERMORY DISTILLERY This quaint old distillery, the only one on the island of Mull, reopened in 1990 and continues to produce two whiskies – a malt and blend, namely the Tobermory and Ledaig. A £3.50 tour proves thoroughly enjoyable with a free dram offered at the end for good measure. Tobermory, Isle of Mull, 01688 302645, tobermory.co.uk

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to get ‘home’. Outside one farmhouse, a simple, colourful chalk board reads ‘Strawberries £2’. I jump out and drop my money into an honesty tray overflowing with notes and coins, and pick up a bulbous brown bag of goodies. They are delicious – and the island is brimming with just such finds. The next day in Tobermory we indulge in the more obvious ones, namely the fabulous Mull Cheese farm (again it runs on an honesty box), we sample some Tobermory chocolate and indulge in an afternoon dram, courtesy of the Tobermory distillery (see panel, below left). Having snacked all day on some of the island’s finest exports, we round things off with a poke of fish and chips from the cabin on the stone pier (there year-round and well worth a trip if you want to enjoy some local fish without breaking the bank). We wash it down with a pint of the local ale at the popular Mishnish pub. As we’re here during the Mendelssohn on Mull festival we indulge on some of their extraordinary concerts, while checking out some of the island’s other famous landmarks, including Duart and Glenmore castles.

TUESDAY BARCALDINE, OBAN Having navigated the single-track roads of Mull for a few days, there’s something pleasing about getting off the boat at Oban and heading towards Barcaldine House (see panel, page 105). Pitching itself as something of a home-away-from-home feel, this country house, 20 minutes outside Oban, is just that – assuming your house is beautifully furnished and immaculate, that is. Having been greeted at the door, we are taken into a wide hall, there is no reception as such, all adding to the homeliness it intends to instil. Recently renovated and with chef Oskars Kalinins at the helm, this culinary find at the heart of the Argyll countryside is a good shout if you’re looking for total R&R. Walking, climbing and boat trips are available nearby, as well as the obligatory slew of castles and gardens, but guests are encouraged to simply enjoy the food at hand, and use the house as their own. The food certainly doesn’t disappoint, with highlights including pan-fried Loch Linnhe langoustines and a roasted loin of red deer with pomme fondant and venison jus; the whole thing is rounded off beautifully with peppered strawberries and lemon, and various textures of chocolate. Those looking for a little in-house entertainment can enjoy the vast billiards room upstairs. Breakfast focuses equally on local produce with the full Scottish breakfast proving to be the star of the show. Replenished, we head to our next stop.

WEDNESDAY OBAN TO BALQUHIDDER Reaching Mhor is like entering another world. Their motto is ‘Be Mhor, Live Mhor’, and they’re not wrong. While so many of Scotland’s foodies harp on about local produce with big community spirit, Tom Lewis and his family do it with bells on. Tom’s methods are simple: be slow with food, be seasonal and Scottish, be involved with the community and be green and clean. Those who have seen him on the TV will know him as larger than life. And his food certainly packs a punch too. Having taken over the business from his father, Tom has taken

boutique hotelling to a whole new level. Set in the heart of the Trossachs National Park, visitors must wind along a four-mile road just outside the village of Balquhidder (home of their sister operation The Library Tearoom). Located right on the banks of Loch Voil, everything is hands-on here: organic vegetables come straight from the garden, bread comes fresh from their bakery, eggs come courtesy of their hens, while any of the cattle on their 2000 acre farm could end up on your plate. Run by brothers and sister Tom, Dick and Melanie Lewis, with Tom’s wife Lisa holding fort at the tearoom, this is a

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TRAVEL SCOTLAND

L–R: Lovestruck at Mhor; St Fillans; Isle of Ulva; Tobermory on Mull.

WHERE TO STAY Whether it’s a converted truck, a country home or a loch-side hotel, there are culinary feasts to be found THE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL St Fillans, Perthshire, PH6 2NF, 01764 685 333, thefoursesasons.co.uk Bed and breakfast rates from £61 per person. Four course dinner £38. THE WESTERN ISLES HOTEL Tobermory, Isle of Mull, PA76 6PR, 01688 302012, westernisles.co.uk Bed and breakfast rate from £105 per room. Dinner from £22; bar meals from £7. BARCALDINE HOUSE Barcaldine, Oban, Argyll, PA37 1SG, 01631 720219, barcaldine.co.uk Bed and breakfast rate from £90 per person. Six course dinner £49.95. MONACHYLE MHOR Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, FK19 8PQ, 01877 384622, mhor.net Bed and breakfast rate from £186 per person in Mhor hotel; Lovestruck £300 for two nights, canopyandstars.co.uk. Five course dinner £49.95; afternoon scones and tea from £5.95 Also see sister operations: Mhor Bread, 8 Main Street, Callender, Perthshire, FK17 8BB, 01877 339518; The Library, Balquhidder village. Look out too for the re-opening of Mhor Fish, 75–77 Main Street, Callander, Perthshire, FK17 8DX, 01877 330 213, in the coming months. FORTINGALL HOTEL Aberfeldy, PH14 2NQ, 01887 830367, fortingall.com B&B rates from £100 per person. 2 course dinner £29.95; 3 course dinner £37.95. Bar food from £6.

family affair. Open days are held throughout the year to encourage locals and visitors to get involved with the food; inside, the rooms are finished to an incredible standard, Tom’s eye for detail and design evident in each of the uniquely inspired spaces. Highlights of a typical evening menu include Kyle of Tongue Oyster, Isle of Mull scallop and the aforementioned de Winter fly-caught trout; Balquhidder mushrooms and garden beetroot add flourish to the dishes. The latest addition to their accommodation for those interested in the latest glamping craze, is Lovestruck at Mhor (see panel, page above right), an old

horse lorry charmingly converted into a romantic lochside hideaway. It’s kitted out should you fancy self-catering, with stunning views of Loch Voil from the raised double bed within. Whether you choose to stay the night or not, those not looking for dinner can simply pop in of an afternoon for some homebaked scones and sandwiches.

THURSDAY AND SO TO FORTINGALL The final lap of our foodie-off finds us in Fortingall Hotel (see panel, page above), with a beautiful run along Loch Tay to get there.

The picturesque spot is perhaps best known for its neighbouring Glen Lyon and the historic Yew tree – believed to be the oldest living creature in Europe at a whopping 5000 years old, it ensures a regular stream of visitors to the hotel. The ten en-suite rooms are designed with care – and the wee dram left as a welcome is a nice touch. Beyond the pretty surrounds and easy access to seven munros, this is a good spot for whisky lovers, situated as it is within easy reach of Dewar’s World of Whisky and Edradour distillery. While the chef is due to change in the coming months, all evidence indicates it will do little to sacrifice the quality on show here. Guests can eat in the bar or Yew restaurant space, the latter of which offers a very reasonable set menu. Plates come to the table beautifully attired, with local, seasonal produce very much the message of the day. A succulent pink perfect sirloin steak eventually beats us but only after we’ve washed down the lion’s share with a glass or two of delicious shiraz; before warm chocolate pudding and pistachio is presented to round off the meal. The following morning, a leisurely walk concludes that our foodie jaunt was just the tip of the iceberg. Roll on the next road trip. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 105

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Lifestyle

For more lifestyle visit list.co.uk/technology

Technology

Keep taking the tablets Tablet computers have become the new must have electronic accessory. Henry Northmore compares some of the best and most interesting tablets on the market

1 iPad 2 Storage: 16, 32 and 64GB models Operating System: iOS 4.3 Price: £399–£659 (depending on storage and 3G compatibility) Screen Size/Weight: 9.7”/603g (608g with 3G). Pros: The market leader with the smoothest operating system and thousands of apps already available. Cons: Doesn’t support Flash or HDMI.

2 Pierre Cardin PC-7006 Tablet PC Storage: 4GB Operating System: Android 2.2 Price: £275 Screen Size/Weight: 7”/520g Pros: The first designer tablet, from fashion house Pierre Cardin (comes with a logoed ‘faux leather protective case’). Cons: Accessories cost extra.

3 Archos Generation 9 Storage: Up to 250GB Operating System: Honeycomb 3.1 Price: 8” starts at £199, 10.1” from £249 Screen Size/Weight: 8” or 10.1”/weight tbc Pros: Tons of storage, up to a whopping 250GB, full 1080p HD and a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor (‘50% faster than the iPad 2’). Cons: Android hasn’t caught up with the iPad’s apps yet.

4 Asus Eee Pad Transformer Storage: 16GB Operating System: Honeycomb 3.0 Price: £429 Screen Size/Weight: 10.1”/680g Pros: Compatible keyboard docking station can be attached for faster easier typing. Cons: No 3G support so you’ll have to rely on Wi-Fi hotspots (although 3G is expected soon).

5 BeBook Live Storage: 4GB Operating System: Android 2.2 Price: £229 Screen Size/Weight: 7”/426g Pros: Excellent value for money, small, light and portable it offers all the basics at a decent price. Cons: This isn’t the flashiest model out there and offers limited screen resolution.

6 Binatone Homesurf Tab 8 Storage: 2GB Operating System: Android Price: Currently £70 at Comet or Amazon Screen Size/Weight: 8”/weight unconfirmed Pros: Super cheap, if you desperately want a tablet this is a great entry level machine. Cons: You get what you pay for, just don’t expect any bells and whistles.

GAMES REVIEWS

Gran Turismo 5 PS3 (Sony) ●●●●● After five years of development, Gran Turismo 5 features over 1000 cars and 71 tracks. It’s a petrolhead’s dream, although its claim to be ‘the real driving simulator’ is somewhat undermined by moronic AI drivers and some flat textures. Still, there’s a huge amount of content, and the urge to replay races in search of that elusive gold medal remains strong. 106 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters Xbox 360/PS3 (EA Sports) ●●●●● Another year, another slightly improved iteration of EA’s allconquering golf game. This year’s new features include the groundbreaking ability to save a game mid-round. In fairness, the addition of The Masters is a long-awaited trump card and against precious little competition it remains the best golf game.

Bulletstorm PC/PS3/Xbox 360 (EA) ●●●●● Bulletstorm distinguishes itself by its over-the-top combat. It’s not enough just to shoot enemies, instead you’re encouraged to leash them into the air and kick them into the environment to earn credits for better weapons. It’s a gloriously creative kick in the face of a genre that rarely innovates.

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FEEL LIKE DINING OUT TONIGHT? >> CHOOSE A RESTAURANT >> BOOK YOUR TABLE >> BRING YOUR LIST CARD >> GET 2 FOR 1 ON EVERY COURSE YOU ORDER The LIST Card allows you to eat out for half the price at around 100 leading restaurants across Glasgow and Edinburgh. So now you can dine out more often and still keep your wallet happy

LIST.CO.UK/CARD EAT 2 FOR 1 – ENJOY GREAT FOOD – EXPLORE NEW RESTAURANTS

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For more food and drink visit list.co.uk/food-and-drink

Food&Drink News&Reviews SIDE DISHES NEWS TO NIBBLE ON LOCAL FOOD WRITER Sue Lawrence has published a new cook book, focussing on recipes for laid-back meals for sharing with family and friends at home. Among the mainstays of Eating In are 21st century dishes that retain a link to Scottish culinary heritage. GLASGOWBASED RESTAURANT booking site 5pm.co.uk has a new string to its bow this month with the launch of a new service featuring local takeaways. It provides a one-stop site for online menus, ordering and secure payment.

Honoured guests

Despite austere times Martin Wishart and partner chef Paul Tamburrini have opened the doors on a glittering, superbly engineered Edinburgh brasserie, as Donald Reid reports

n a city packed with restaurants Starters range from soups and In cooking, ambition and and a respectable array of salads to charcuterie plates and a looks, it’s a notch above upmarket and glitzy places to soufflé – the cheffiest item on eat, The Honours brings offer. Further down the posterCan capital diners create the buzz this place needs? something new to Edinburgh. It is sized menu and you’ll find not fine dining, nor fine-dining macaroni, cottage pie, John Dory lite, nor pastiche French. Rather, it’s a classic in a Sauternes sauce and a plate of veal sweetbreads. metropolitain brasserie of the kind long admired in It’s certainly a menu with lots to discover. Prime Paris, New York and Singapore, one defined by its steaks are cooked in a state-of-the-culinary-art impressive interior, range of dishes and service-led Josper Grill, an indoor charcoal barbecue delivering approach. 300C-plus temperatures, and the dessert list makes It opened three weeks before the Festival and while its own bid for the common touch by bigging up icebedding in will be an ongoing process for a team cream sundaes. First-time diners here might be with exacting standards, it’s already purring along excused an indulgence in the menu’s flashier options nicely. For a chef who doesn’t do telly, the thousands – and you can spend £40 a head without effort – but of bookings the 70-cover restaurant has already in time the integrity of the simpler-sounding dishes, taken is testament to the respect and loyalty Martin and the appealing value of a daily prix fixe option Wishart has earned among locals in the ten years (three courses for £17.50 at lunch, or £19.50 presince he won Edinburgh’s first Michelin star. For this theatre), should sustain a wide range of diners and venture, however, Wishart remains at the helm in his eating occasions. original Leith restaurant, with Tamburrini running the Honours kitchen. THE HONOURS A comprehensive makeover of the former Cosmo and Tony’s Table site sees an interior of tiled floors, 58a North Castle Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3LU mirrored walls, grand lampshades and golden daubs. 0131 220 2513, thehonours.co.uk The main action is in a single, long dining room with the kitchen just visible at one end, to and from which Tue–Sat noon–2.30pm, 6–10.30pm; the staff, led by the brusque bonhomie of distinctive Sun 12.30–2.30pm. Closed Mon. maitre d’ Steven Spear, emerge. They have a key role in setting the tempo of the place – and a brasserie Ave. price two-course meal £26 like this needs buzz not subdued reverence.

ALSO in the world of virtual food and drink is DrinkBritain.com, a website which aims to map local British drinks producers. They’ve invited List readers to tell them of a favorite place in Scotland to enjoy local drinks. Send your answer to competitions@drinkbritain.com by 24 August, with an exclusive tour for six people of WEST brewery in Glasgow up for grabs.

+ –

BAR CRAWLER BREWDOG

1397 Argyle Street, Glasgow BrewDog’s controversial craft beer revolution rumbles ever onwards with the opening of its latest bar in Glasgow’s West End. Joining outlets in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, the new bar – modern and industrialesque – has a prime site with views of Kelvingrove Art Gallery through large branded windows. Their heady range of beers are offered on draught or bottled, from the relative calm of 4.1% Trashy Blonde to Hardcore IPA at 9.2%, plus other craft beers from around the world. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 109

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AroundTown HITLIST CYCLING, CRAFT, CHAT

Anne Carson in conversation with Robin Robertson

GLASGOW Activities & Events

FREE British Art Show 7 Drop-in Tours Thu 11 & 18 Aug, 1pm, 3pm & 6pm. CCA, 352 4900; Tramway, 0845 330 3501; Gallery of Modern Art, 287 3050. Your last chances to take guided tours of the three sites hosting the British Art Show before the exhibition draws to a close. FREE Cpt Stuart Samson: The Land Of Bens, Glens and Heroes

Cycle Glasgow 2011 The ninth sponsored cycle organised by the University of Glasgow to promote this fun and healthy activity and raise essential funds for leukaemia research. Families and riders of all abilities are welcome and you can chose between a 13and a 26-mile route, both starting and finishing in Kelvingrove Park. Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, Sun 14 Aug. Anne Carson in conversation with Robin Robertson The Canadian poet, this year’s Creative Scotland/Cove Park Muriel Spark Fellow, comes to Scotland. See picture, right. CCA, Glasgow, Fri 12 Aug. Women Make History Film Night As part of the GWL’s series of history workshops, the library is screening two shorts based on the Govan rent strikes of 1915-16, Red Skirts on Clydeside and You Play Your Part. Glasgow Women’s Library, Thu 18 Aug. Pilot Open-mic night-cum-live radio show, which you can either come along and be part of, or download as a podcast afterwards. It’s organised by interesting young theatre company Flatrate, though, so definitely worth a look. CCA, Glasgow, Thu 18 Aug. Sadako and the Paper Cranes – A Girl from Hiroshima An exhibition of posters borrowed from the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Museum and relating to the story of Hiroshima victim Sadako. Mitchell Library, Glasgow, until Fri 26 Aug. Craft Clachan Let’s get back to our roots, with a Piping Live!-affiliated fair of ‘traditional food and craft’ in Glasgow’s city centre. George Square, Glasgow, until Sun 14 Aug. Write Camera Action A series of creative workshops for film writers, directors and actors on the third Monday of every month. CCA, Glasgow, Mon 15 Aug. 110 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Thu 11 Aug, 4.45pm. The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. A book launch and performance by Samson and friends. Part of Piping Live! Kelvingrove Dancers Thu 11 Aug & 18 Aug, 7–8.30pm. £5. SDTA Studio, 101 Park Rd Kelvinbrige, 564 4824. Learn traditional Scottish step dance. FREE Anne Carson in

✽

conversation with Robin Robertson Fri 12 Aug, 7pm. CCA, 350

Poet, classicist, librettist, winner of the TS Eliot and Griffin poetry Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. See picture, prizes, and now this year’s Creative Scotland Muriel Spark Fellow, right, and Hitlist. Canadian writer Anne Carson’s got pedigree. This evening she’s FREE Reading Allowed Fri 12 Aug, 8pm. Tchai-Ovna House of Tea, 42 Otago discussing her work in company with fellow poet (and her UK editor) Lane, 357 4524. A monthly evening of Robin Robertson; should be a fascinating event. storytelling and poetry reading. ■ CCA, Fri 12 Aug, 7pm, free. FREE British Art Show 7: Curatorled Exhibition Tour Sat 13 Aug, 3pm. CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. A George Mackay Brown: The Wound and tour of the British Art Show with expert Glasgow 100 Sun 14 Aug, 7am. commentary from Jamie Kenyon, the Gift. Registration £28. Starting from Bishopton Programmer at the CCA. FREE Pilot Thu 18 Aug, 8pm. Community Centre, Greenock Road, FREE Barrio Fiesta Sun 14 Aug, CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 Bishopton. action.org.uk/glasgow_100 9am–6pm. Kelvingrove Park, Otago 4900. See Hitlist. New Scottish charity ride offering up city, Street. Celebration of Filipino culture coast and countryside views on a range of involving artists from the Philippines and Exhibitions tough terrains. Choose from a 100-mile or more local talent. 100-km route. FREE Sadako and the Paper A Question of Scottish Sport Sun 14 Cycle Glasgow 2011 Sun 14 Cranes – A Girl from Aug, 7pm. £55. Mar Hall, Mar Hall Aug, 10am. From £8. Kelvingrove Hiroshima Until Fri 26 Aug. Mon–Thu Drive, Bishopston, 226 3793. Annual 9am–8pm; Fri & Sat 9am–5pm. Mitchell Park, Otago Street, charity event hosted by Gordon Smith, glasgow.ac.uk/cycleglasgow See Hitlist. Library, North Street, 287 2999. See former chief executive of the Scottish Hilist. Football Association, in aid of Crossroads FREE Curious From Thu 18 Aug until Talks Caring Scotland. Aug 2012, Tue–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm; FREE Themed Tours at the Burrell FREE Blochestra Mon 15 Aug, 9pm. Fri & Sun 11am–5pm. St Mungo Thu 11 & 18 Aug, 2.30–3.30pm. Glasgow Bloc+, 117 Bath Street, 574 6066. Rock Museum of Religious Life and Art, 2 Museums Resource Centre, 200 and pop ad-hoc orchestra. Castle Street, 553 2557. The St Mungo Woodhead Road, Nitshill, 276 9300. FREE Glasgow Life Welcome Visits Museum has collaborated with a wide Themed tours of Glasgow’s vast museum Wed 17 Aug, 11am at City Halls, range of community groups from across collections. This week it’s highlights of Candleriggs and 12.15pm at Royal Glasgow to tell the personal stories the Human History Collection. Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, behind some of the many and FREE Breaking the Renaissance 353 8000. Forty-minute tours of varied objects in Glasgow Code: Emblems in Art Tue 16 Aug, Glasgow’s fine concert halls, Museums’ vast collection. 1pm. Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery, OUTS IDE with interesting facts about the University of Glasgow, 82 Hillhead Street, buildings and their history, and Fairs & Markets 330 5431. Gallery talk by curator Peter THE the chance to access areas not FREE Craft Black. FESTI VALS normally open to the public. Clachan Until Sun 14 FREE Curator’s Favourites Aug, 9am–10pm. George Workshops Wed 17 Aug, 12.30–1pm. Burrell Creative Drawing Season Sat 13 Square, pipinglive.co.uk. See Collection, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, Aug, 10.30am–4pm. £25. Kelvingrove Art Hitlist. Part of Piping Live! 287 2550. A member of museum staff Mansfield Park Farmers’ Market Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 discusses a 17th-century English Sat 13 Aug, 10am–2pm. Mansfield Park, 9599. A season of drawing workshops for embroidery from the collection. 5 Hyndland Street. Over 40 stalls of local adults. Places are limited, advance Glasgow’s Gaelic Pub Quiz Wed 17 produce, direct from the manufacturers. booking required. This session is on still life drawing, making use of an elaborate Aug, 7.30pm. £2. The Park Bar, 1202 FREE Merchant Square Craft Fair stage setting and contemporary techniques Argyle Street, Partick, glaschu.org Sat 13 Aug, 11am; Sun 14 Aug, noon. Monthly pub quiz with a variety of topics. Merchant Square, 71–73 Albion Street, to create some unusual images. Sew a Skirt Sun 14 Aug, All questions are asked in Gaelic but if 552 5908. Crafters and designers you don’t speak the language you can still showcase their wares. 11am–5.30pm. £45. Make It Glasgow, 3 turn up and someone will help you. FREE Little Birds Market Sun 14 Osborne Street, 07597 122809. If you can Women Make History Film Aug, 11am–5pm. Sloans, 62 Argyll sew a straight seam with a sewing Arcade, City Centre, 229 5270. New machine, you can make yourself a Night Thu 18 Aug, 6pm. £3 (free). Glasgow Women’s Library, Mitchell market with a tantalising selection of perfectly fitting skirt, with help from this class. Library, 15 Berkeley Street, 248 9969. As vintage, craft and design vendors. part of the GWL’s series of history Write Camera Action Mon 15 workshops, the library is screening two Sport Aug, 6pm. £5. CCA, 350 Sauchiehall shorts based on the Govan rent strikes of FREE Glasgow Rocks Open Trials Street, 352 4900. A series of creative 1915-16, Red Skirts on Clydeside and You Sat 13 Aug, 11am–1pm. Kelvin Hall workshops for film writers, directors and Play Your Part. See Hitlist. International Sports Arena, 1445 Argyle actors on the third Monday of every FREE George Mackay Brown Street, 334 4600. Open trials for anyone month. Pre-submitted scripts are matched with a director and actors to workshop over 18 who thinks they might have what Biography Launch Thu 18 Aug, 6.30pm. Waterstone’s, 153–157 it takes to join Glasgow’s basketball team. together. The night closes with a Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. Ron Email info@glasgowrocks.co.uk if you performance from each group. Observers Ferguson reads from and discusses wish to take part. welcome. Ages 18+. See Hitlist.

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HITLIST THE BEST CLUBS STUFF

GLASGOW Events are listed by city, day, type then alphabetically by name. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to david.pollock@list.co.uk. Glasgow listings are compiled by David Pollock. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

Glasgow Thursday

Clubs

■ Bitter Glitter at the Polo Lounge.

Back Tae Mine Having taken an extended time out from the scene, indie club the Flying Duck’s cosy house party is back once more to keep regulars dancing to the jingliest of tracks. Now every Saturday night, regular residents will include Singles Night’s Andy Divine and Chris ‘Beans’ Geddes, with former resident DJ Gavin Dunbar (Camera Obscura) returning for a one-off set this weekend. Flying Duck, Glasgow, weekly Saturdays. Men & Machines Third Birthday After three years of excellent special guests and memorable nights, the club twin of the Radiomagnetic podcast is closing its doors for good. Before it goes, enjoy a four-hour residents special of house, techno, disco and more. Stereo, Glasgow, Fri 12 Aug. Kollektiv Already an established techno and house night, Kollektiv add another genre to their palette here with the appearance of guest Ben UFO, the alias of Londoner Ben Thompson. Alongside old uni friends Pangea and Ramadanman he’s the boss of the firstrate and nationally lauded dubstep label Hessle Audio, and a renowned DJ in his own right. Admiral Bar Basement, Glasgow, Fri 12 Aug. Bigfoot’s Formerly the location of Glasgow’s first and only curry’n’karaoke joint, this site on the banks of the River Clyde will play host here to a special indoor and outdoor all-day party from the Bigfoot’s team. On the menu will be a barbecue, shisha pipes, vodka jelly and cuttingedge sets from DJs like Simon Stokes, Brian D’Souza (Highlife’s Auntie Flo) and Quail (Animal Farm).100 Stobcross Road, Glasgow, Sat 13 Aug. Return to Mono You can see and hear Glasgow house overlords Slam every month at this Sub Club residency, but it’s not often you get to enjoy them for the whole night. This date will feature an epic four-hour set from the duo. Sub Club, Glasgow, Fri 12 Aug.

FREE Laid Back at the Polo Lounge. Weekly 9pm–3am. DJ Suave Gav presents a party that’s anything but laidback. ■ Onederful at Play. Weekly 5pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £5 (£3) after. Party sounds from DJ Chris Stewart and Tobin. FREE Pour Homme, Pour Femme, Pour Queens at FHQ. Weekly 9pm–3am. New weekly night from TLC Glasgow with DJ Shawn Roberts, free entry and a whole lotta tunes. ■ Rubbermensch and Jellybaby at O2 ABC2. Weekly 11pm–3am. £4. A night for indie lovers with Andy Wilson in charge. ■ Rumble Thursdays at the Garage. Weekly 11pm–3am. Free before 11.30pm; £5 (£3) after. Chart, pop, indie, R&B and hip hop fight it out for your aural affections. ■ Skint at the Viper Bar & Club. Weekly 9pm–2am. Free before 11pm; £5 (£3 students) after. Stephen Foy plays indie dancefloor anthems, pop hits and classic house. ■ Thursday at Milan at Milan. Weekly 11pm–3am. £tbc. DJ Naeem and DJ Sketch present a night of sleek and sexy urban tracks to get you moving. ■ iDJ at the Shed. Weekly 11pm–3am. £2. DJ Li’l Rich plays party sounds to start the weekend early. Monthly special events include bouncy castles, karaoke nights and the famous Shed roller disco.

Weekly 11pm–3am. £3. Madame S (Utter Gutter) and Fraser Bone (Lock Up Your Daughters) with a weekly party, playing a mix of homo-disco, electronic treats, jackin’ house and tech beats. ■ Classic Grand Thursdays at Classic Grand. Weekly 11pm–3am. £3 (students Free). DJs Barry, Dec and Young Blood provide a mix of rock, electro, emo and industrial. ■ Dirty Booty Butter at Nice’n’Sleazy. 18 Aug, 11.30pm–3am. £3. Resident DJ Otis plays hip hop, breakbeats, Afrobeat, funk and deep house. FREE Feel My Bicep at Flat 0/1. Weekly 11pm–3am. 80s sleaze, analogue funk, old school house, disco flexx and sweat on the walls. FREE Salsa Tumbao at Boteco do Brasil. Weekly 8pm–3am. Salsa and dancing with Farah Portela Alonso and Glasgow Friday Tumbao Salsa School. Clubs ■ Skint and Vengeance at the Cathouse. Weekly 11pm–3am. £3 (£2 ■ Ballbreaker and Vice at the Cathouse. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. £5 students). DJs Billy and Colin play rock, emo and pop-punk in the main room, (£4). DJs Billy and Martin Bate play a selection of rock, metal, emo and even while DJ Q Ball has the sickest black metal, death metal and thrash in the hip hop over two floors. back. ■ Common People at the Flying ■ Sol’s Club at Sol’s Club. Weekly Duck. 12 Aug, 9pm–3am. Free before 10pm–3am. £5. Bollywood, Latin, Afro11pm; £3 before midnight; £5(4) after. Caribbean and reggae club nights. The 90s are fair game for a nostalgia ■ Soul Glo at the Buff Club. Weekly night now that a decade has passed, says 11pm–3am. £3. DJ Snafu scratches this monthly night, and who are we to funk, soul and old rhythm and blues. argue? With 90s bingo from 9pm. Includes entry to Primitive Painters. ■ Sub Thursday at the Sub Club. Weekly 11pm–3am. Free before ■ Damnation at Classic Grand. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. £5 (students midnight; £tbc after. Some of the city’s best DJs and producers as residents, Free). Rock, metal, punk and emo. ■ Kino Fist at Nice’n’Sleazy. 12 Aug, including Bunty (Mixkings, 90s Hip 11.30pm–3am. £3. Night of cross-genre Hop), Noface (Mixkings, Mixed Bizness), Homebass DJs (Jakebeats, delights, new wave, Krautrock, spiky Mixkings), Floyd (Bangers & Mashup, pop and freak beat from Charlotte and Sub Friction), Foley (Voltaic) and more. Rafla. ■ Teenage Lust at Nice’n’Sleazy. 11 Kollektiv at the Admiral. 12 Aug, Aug, 11.30pm–3am. £3. A mutant disco 11pm–3am. £tbc. Doug Behaviour of wedding standards, 80s and 90s indie and Marco Calzone welcome a range of and American punk from the special guests playing house, techno and Aberdonian night, now relocated to more. With British producer Ben UFO, Glasgow. co-founder of the Hessle Audio label. FREE The 4.45 Club at the Flying See preview, page 113. Duck. Weekly 4.45pm. The weekend FREE Men & Machines starts here, with classic 45s from at Stereo. 12 Aug, 4.45pm in the kitchen bar and 11pm–3am. Disco, house and OUTS rather generous drinks promos. more from Men and IDE ■ Walk’n’Skank at Club Machines at this irregular but T HE 520. Weekly 11pm–3am. £4 worth waiting for night. The F (£3). The new night from the wait for the next M&M will ESTIV ALS Mungo’s Hi-Fi crew, playing be a long one, sadly. This reggae and dancehall every third birthday residents party Thursday. Also featuring DJ will also be the last date thanks Kokoro and Breezak in the front to relocation to London, but you can room, and rotating monthly guests still hear the Men & Machines monthly Metropolis Sounds, Mixkings, Matthew podcast on Radiomagnetic. Craig and Ali T in the back. FREE Only Fools and House at Flat 0/1. Weekly 11pm–3am. Tom, Anton and Chart & Party Ewan play a fine selection of New York ■ Bump at Hummingbird. Weekly and Chicago house, cosmic italo disco 11pm–3am. £tbc. R&B and hip hop and classic 80s electro. from DJs Naeem and Sketch. ■ Primitive Painters at the Flying ■ Common Room at Common. Duck. 12 Aug, 11pm–3am. £3 before Weekly 10pm–3am. Free before 11pm; midnight; £5 (£4) after. Indie-popping on £5 (£3) after. DJs Craig Kelman and the second Saturday of the month in the Craig McHugh play party tunes in a Kitchen Bar. Includes entry to Common house party style. People. ■ Dirty Sexy Money at O’Couture. Propaganda at O2 ABC. Weekly Weekly 11pm–3am. £tbc (free for 10.30pm–3am. £4. Indie Friday students before midnight). That Tall Guy nighter. Scott plays cheese, pop and R&B. ■ Return to Mono at the Sub Club. 12 ■ Eureka at Bamboo. Weekly Aug, 11pm–3am. £7 (£6). A first-class 11pm–3am. £4 (free with a matric card). house and techno party from residents DJ Toast plays rock, indie, dance and Slam. With a four hour set from the hip hop. hosts.

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CLUBBER’S

Decktionary HOBBES GUIDES US THROUGH CLUBBING’S MYRIAD GENRES

Moombahton (moombar-tonn) proper noun.

Midtempo style (105-115 BPM), characterised by the same shuffling rhythms of reggaeton and dancehall with heavy bass and beats, plus electro/rave motifs such as build-ups, break-downs, horns, sirens, bleeps, whistles and vocal snatches often of a trashy or comical nature. The derivative styles favour samples/themes from soul (Moombahsoul) and dubstep (Moombahcore/ Moombahstep). ORIGINS In Autumn 2009, Washington-based DJ Dave Nada was invited to play at a ‘skipping’ party (thrown by and for kids playing truant) in a friend’s basement, but instead of his conventional style (hard, fast, ravey electro), they were listening to reggaeton and Latin American music. Rising to the challenge, he opened his set with one of his regular tunes – DJ Chuckie & Silva Cuomo’s ‘tropical’ electro shuffler, ‘Moombah’ – pitched right down to the 110 BPMs of reggaeton: the party went off and, in barely 18 months, Moombahton has gone global. KEY FIGURES Dave Nada and Matt Nordstrom record together as Nadastrom and run the Moombahton Massive night in Washington with DJ Sabo. LA’s Dillon Francis and North Carolina’s Dave Heartbreak are fellow US champions alongside Philadelphia’s Diplo. Never one to miss a trick, Diplo has just released a Moombahton compilation by Dave Nada on his Mad Decent label. French electro star Brodinski and Sheffield’s Toddla T are currently its highest profile European purveyors. (hobbesmusic.co.uk) ■ You’re likely to hear some Moombahton at Walk’n’Skank, Club 520, weekly Thu and Bass Warrior Sound System, Stereo, Sat 13 Aug (both Glasgow); Wonky, Bongo Club, Fri 12 Aug and Volume, Sneaky Pete’s, Sat 13 Aug (both Edinburgh).

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Clubs ■ Riot Radio at Maggie May’s. Weekly 11pm–3am. £5. DJ Dan South presents indie rock’n’roll from the 60s to the present day. ■ Sound at Club 520. Weekly 11pm–3am. £6 (£5). A collection of some of the finest DJs in Glasgow and beyond, with regulars including Dave Sinclair (Killer Kitsch), Wee Cheesy and more.

Chart & Party

■ Audiofilth at Common. Weekly

9pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £7 (£5 students) after. Friday nights are getting dirty with Ross McMillan and Big Al orchestrating some of the filthiest house, electro, hip hop and indie. ■ Bespoke Fridays at O’Couture. Weekly 11pm–3am. £6 (£3 students). Indie, dance, pop and cheap drinks at this club from residents Rob Etherson, Jenny and Mash. ■ Boho Fridays at Boho. Weekly 9.30pm–3am. £6. Fridays at Boho are funky, with DJ Robin B. ■ Canvas at Arta. Weekly 11pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £5 after. Live bands plus DJs Martin Black (Fri) and Norman Robinson (Sat) playing funk and party classics. ■ Cheesy Pop at Queen Margaret Union. Weekly 9pm–2am. £3–£4 (£2

GLASGOW CLUB VENUES ■ Admiral Bar Basement 72 Waterloo Street, 221 7705. A great venue that has managed to get a new 3am licence. ■ The Arches Argyle Street, 0870 240 7528. Probably the biggest venue in Glasgow and home to famous names like Colours, Death Disco and Pressure. ■ Arta 62 Albion St, 552 2101. An incredibly flash bar, restaurant and club space in the Merchant City. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Bamboo 51 West Regent Street, 332 1067/8. A musical programme that takes in modern soul and funky house makes this a favourite venue. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Basura Blanca at the Brunswick Hotel 106108 Brunswick Street, 552 0001. From electronica to soul and funk, a wide range of party nights abound at this basement venue. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Blackfriars 36 Bell Street, 552 5924. Rock, pop and indie DJs, with occasional bands earlier in the evening. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Black Sparrow 241 North Street, 221 5530. It’s an early-closing bar venue, but this new addition to Glasgow’s scene deserves mention for its fine selection of guest DJs. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Boho 59 Dumbarton Road, 357 6644. Glossy weekend clubbing at the foot of Byres Road. See listings for selected highlights. 112 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

members). After many years, rampant hordes of mucky-minded, vodka fuelled urchins still flock to hear DJ Toast’s edam selection. ■ Crash at the Shed. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £5 after. Euan and Andy play all the party tracks you know and love. ■ Famous at Kushion. Weekly 4pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £7 (£5 students) after. James Lithgow and DJ Status take it through to 3am with indie, electro, house and hip hop. ■ Fashion Fridays at oVo. Weekly 11pm–3am. Free before midnight; £5 after (£3 students). Chart and club sounds from DJs Paul Rea, Kash and Asim. ■ Friday at Milan at Milan. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. £tbc. House and electro at this mainstream party night. ■ Hummingbird Friday at Hummingbird. Weekly 10pm–3am. Free before 10.30pm; £5 (£3 students) after. Carlo Carozzi and Andrew Melrose take charge of two rooms of house and party tracks. ■ Lip Service at FHQ. Weekly 6pm–3am. £tbc. Long-running lesbian club night with a focus on all things sensual. Includes facepainting, dressingup box, spin the bottle booths and a ‘sexual postbox’. Ooh-er.

■ Box 431 Sauchiehall Street, 332 5431. Rock, punk, indie and alternative sounds. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Braehead Arena Kings Inch Road, 886 8300. Occasional large one-off events in this shopping centre-based arena. ■ The Buff Club 142 Bath Lane, 248 1777. A number of fine nights take place at this upstairs-downstairs venue. ■ The Bunker Bar 193–199 Bath Street, 229 1427. Pre-club indie and rock sounds, with late opening at the weekend and occasional big-name guest DJs. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Byblos Unit Q, Merchant Square, 71 Albion Street, 552 3895. Flash mainstream dance sounds for mainstream clubbers in the heart of the Merchant City. ■ Carnival Arts Centre 2nd Floor, 34 Albion Street, 946 6193. Occasional, mostly world music-themed club nights at this Merchant City haunt. See listings for selected highlights. ■ The Cathouse 15 Union Street, 248 6606. The most popular metal and goth club in the city. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Classic Grand 18 Jamaica Street, 847 0820. Regular clubs and live music including Souldiggin’ and more. ■ Club 30 22 Cambridge Street, 332 3437. Billed as a discotheque, expect the most commercial of pop sounds with the occasional bigger name guest. ■ Common 25 Royal Exchange Square, 204 0101. A flash club which offers

soul, R&B and house on the site of the old Belo. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Corinthian Ingram Street, 552 1101. Uppercrust clubbing. Smart clothes are a prerequisite over the weekend. See listings for selected highlights. ■ The Courtyard 84 West Nile Street, 354 0049. A pub with a small al fresco space to the rear for some legendary daytime house parties. ■ The Ferry Anderston Quay, the Broomielaw, 553 0606. This floating venue on the Clyde plays host to various one-off nights, and the genius monthly that is VEGAS! ■ Firewater 341 Sauchiehall Street, 354 0350. Student-friendly indie-rocking bands and party choons late into the night. See listings for selected highlights. ■ The Flying Duck 142 Renfield Street, 572 0100. An eclectic, indie-focused club which - rather impressively - features a room made out to look like a kitchen. ■ The Garage 490 Sauchiehall Street, 332 1120. Student venue playing party tunes. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Glasgow School of Art 167 Renfrew Street, 332 0691. Record Playerz/Mixed Bizness (on Thursday) and Divine (monthly Saturdays) every week make this student venue a consistent winner. ■ Ivory Blacks 56 Oswald Street, 248 4114. Featuring a mixture of rock gigs and hardcore techno clubs. See

■ Music For Pleasure at Bamboo. Weekly 10pm–3am. Free before midnight with a matric card; £5 after. Gavin Sommerville, Gerry Lyons and Andy Wilson play R&B, hip hop, house and pop. ■ My Mum Told Me I Could DJ at the Viper Bar & Club. Weekly 11pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £5 (£4 students) after. The West End comes alive with Friday night chart and party sounds from DJs Nelson and Richie McColm. ■ NOW Fridays at Òran Mór. Weekly 11pm–3am. £6 (students £4). Chart, R&B, house and electro from Dave M. ■ Old Skool at the Buff Club. Weekly 11pm–3am. £6; £3 entry through the Butterfly & Pig. Funk, soul and disco from DJs Craig Thompson, Jack and Gordie. ■ POP Junkie at the Polo Lounge. Weekly 11pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £5 (£3 students) after. DJs Steven and Suave Gav inject your ears with pop sounds. ■ REplay Fridays at Play. Weekly 4pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £7 (£5 students) after. Will Ruane plays R&B and chart in room one, while Craig McHugh and Dave Wilson have the house anthems covered in the back room. listings for selected highlights. ■ The Ivy 1102-1106 Argyle Street, 337 3006. It’s a bar, but it still manages an enviable selection of local house and techno DJ talent all week round. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Karbon 4 Buchanan Street, Springfield Court, 221 8099. Student night TIT is always full, with Electroball Fridays giving it a bit more of an edge. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Karibu 95 Hope Street, 221 7002. Glossy but commercial sounds in the heart of the city, with R&B a particular speciality. ■ Kushion 158-166 Bath Street, 331 4060. Studentfriendly house, pop and indie sounds. See listings for selected highlights. ■ La Cheetah 72 Queen Mary Street, 221 4851. Dance, electronica and cutting-edge rock’n’roll at the venue formerly known as Twisted Wheel. Studentfriendly house, pop and indie sounds. See listings for selected highlights. ■ MacSorley’s 42 Jamaica Street, 248 8581. It’s a pub, but one owned by (and just along the street from) the Sub Club, so the DJs are very good. ■ Maggie May’s 50 Trongate, Merchant City, 548 1350. A punk-themed music venue with a 3am license after the bands have finished. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Milan 50 42 Queen Street, 548 8002. Sleek and sexy urban and house music at Glasgow’s newest party joint, formerly Cube. See listings for selected highlights.

■ Tempted at Tusk. Weekly 10pm–2am.

Free before 11pm; £5 after. Party sounds from DJ Norman Robinson. ■ United Nations of Dance at the Tunnel. Weekly 11pm–3am. £8. Clubland anthems, hip hop and R&B from Scotty Boy, Marc Anderson, Steve Clarke, John Thomson and more.

Glasgow Saturday

Clubs

■ Anthem City at Retrospect. 13 Aug, 10pm–3am. £5. Old skool techno and rave with residents Paul Norval, Tony Oldskool, Marc Loage and Shaun K. With guest DJ Smurf. Back Tae Mine at the Flying Duck. 13 Aug, 9pm–3am. £5 (£4). Going out is the new staying in, as this night offers booze, tea, toast, bands and DJs to create a houseparty vibe. After a sabbatical it’s back on weekly Saturday nights at the Flying Duck, with rotating resident DJs including Andy Divine and Chris ‘Beans’ Geddes from Singles Night and Jamo from Freakbeats. With guest DJ Gavin Dunbar (Camera Obscura). ■ Bass Warrior Sound System at Stereo. 13 Aug, 11pm–3am. £5. DJ Dirtsman brings you a blazin’ night of total reggae dancehall, with a bit of jungle thrown in to keep you on your toes.

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■ Nice’n’Sleazy 421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900. One of Glasgow’s most down-to-earth and exciting bars, now with a late license at the weekend. See listings for selected highlights. ■ O2 ABC 300 Sauchiehall Street, 332 2232. This gig venue turns into a massive club night all through the weekend with a mix of indie and freeform mixing. ■ O2 Academy 121 Eglinton Street, 08700 771 2000. Host to big one-off parties ranging from Club Noir to Back to The Future. ■ O’Couture 373–377 Sauchiehall Street, 333 3940. Commercial and studentfriendly, in the heart of Glasgow’s busiest street. ■ The Old Fruitmarket Candleriggs, 353 8000. One of the city’s most atmospheric live venues, which hosts a selection of one-off clubs. ■ Oran Mor Byres Road, 0870 0132 652. Huge Gaelicstyle venue in the West End that plays host to Thursday, Friday and Saturday party nights. ■ Polo Lounge Wilson Street, 553 1221. The gay community of Glasgow votes with its feet every weekend, making this the most popular club of its kind in the city. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Queen Margaret Union University Gardens, 339 9784. Various club and cluborientated gigs occur at this student emporium. See listings for selected highlights. ■ The Shed 26 Langside Avenue, 649 5020. Commercial party nights in the heart of the Southside. See listings for selected highlights.

■ Soundhaus Hydepark Street, 221 4659. House, techno and live venue with Off The Record & DEFF and Monox every month. ■ Stereo 20–28 Renfield Lane, 222 2254. The venue which discovered Franz Ferdinand is revived in a new location, playing host to fine indie gigs and clubs in the basement. ■ Strathclyde Students’ Union University of Strathclyde, Students Association, 90 John Street, 567 5023. Housing a selection of cheesy and/or specialist student nights. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Sub Club Jamaica Street, 248 4600. One of the best club venues in Glasgow and host to Subculture and Optimo. ■ The Tunnel 84 Mitchell Street, 204 1000. A venue famous for its welldressed crowd and popularity. Dance tunes dominate the weekend. See listings for selected highlights. ■ Universal 157 Sauchiehall Lane, 332 8899. This smart venue hosts drum & bass and laid-back club nights, making it a varied space in which to relax. ■ The Viper Bar & Club 500 Great Western Road, Kelvinbridge, 334 0560. This west end institution has been recently refurbished, but it’s still an unashamedly mainstream affair. See listings for selected highlights. ■ The Winchester Club 49 Bell Street, 552 3586. A former jazz bar, this Merchant City basement venue attracts the kind of night and clientele which befits its elegant décor.

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Bigfoot’s at 100 Stobcross Road. 13 Aug, 2pm–midnight. £8 in advance; £12 on the door. An eclectic techno and electronic music party. A special indoor and outdoor party featuring a great local line-up including Simon Stokes, Brian D’Souza (Auntie Flo), Wrick Hedley, Christopher Kelly, Quail (Animal Farm), Niz, Dave Scott and Redux (visuals). ■ Elements of Soul at Basura Blanca at the Brunswick Hotel. 13 Aug, 9pm–2am. £6. Deep and soulful house music from residents Nick Ferrara and Stephen Rodgers. With guest DJ Paul Stuart (The Sands, Southport Weekender). ■ Front to Back at Club 520. Weekly 2pm–midnight. £7 (£5). Bouncy reggae business from Chungo Bungo, DJ L-IAM on beat patrol, the Marquee DJs, La Bamba and more. ■ Global Motion Tour at Soundhaus. 13 Aug, 9.30pm–3am. £6. A lengthy list of techno artists, featuring Stuart Trainer, Kris Day, Andy Raeside, Alan Forrest, Peter Farley and more. ■ Love Music at O2 ABC. Weekly, 9.30pm–3am. £7 (£5). Soul, rock’n’roll, indie and electro with Gerry Lyons. ■ Nu Skool at the Buff Club. Weekly 11pm–3am. £6; £3 entry through the Butterfly & Pig. Nick Peacock, John Ross and Alex O provide a fine line in disco, northern soul and all things funky. ■ Osmium at Blackfriars. 13 Aug, 11pm–3am. £3. Italo, synthpop, funk and more. ■ Pass the Peas at Blackfriars. 13 Aug, 11pm–3am. £5. Andy Taylor (Resense, Wack Records) and weeG (Four Corners, Electrikal) play four solid hours of the international funk and soul scene’s very best tracks with special guest Chris Carter (Rec/TCR). FREE Power Tools at Flat 0/1. Weekly 11pm–3am. Korben Dallas and Nushta Droganova play Italo, disco and house. ■ Pretty Ugly at the Admiral. 13 Aug, 11pm–3am. £3 before midnight; £5 after. The Pretty Ugly girls will be playing sexy, glamorous indie rock’n’roll, electro beats, 60s soul and experimenting with some new artists to get everyone in the mood for dirty dancing. ■ The Rock Shop at Maggie May’s. Weekly 9pm–2am. Free before midnight; £5 (£3) after. Resident Lee Craig plays a selection of rock, indie and metal classics in Maggie’s basement. ■ Saturdays at the Cathouse. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. £6 (£5.50). DJs Eric and Muppet offer classic and current rock on level one, while DJ Billy and Framie belt out emo and metal on level two. ■ Subculture at the Sub Club. Weekly 11pm–3am. £10. Glasgow’s wellestablished house institution continues to reign supreme, with residents Harri and Domenic, and rolling residents Junior, Telford and Esa. ■ Sugar Rush at FHQ. Weekly 6pm–2am. £tbc. Pop, house and dance from DJ Devine. ■ Vertikal Drop at Chambre 69. 13 Aug, 11pm–3am. £6 (£5). House and techno from residents Fraser McMartin and Andy Lyon. This launch night features guests Jan Cree and Craig Murphy. ■ Voodoo at the Cathouse. Weekly 4–9pm. £6 (£3). Under-18s club, featuring two floors of rock, metal, punk, emo and requests with DJs Framie and Am-y. ■ Wrong Island at Nice’n’Sleazy. 13 Aug, 11.30pm–3am. £3. Electro, techno and all kinds of mash-ups at this bassment party from the Wrong Island DJs Dirty Larry and Teamy.

Chart & Party

■ Base at the Tunnel. Weekly 11pm–3am. £10. DJ Sketch, Harri Miller and John Thomson put together a blend of funky house and R&B over two huge and consistently packed rooms. ■ Bob’s Full House at Òran Mór. Weekly 11pm–3am. £8. Chart, R&B,

DUBSTEP/HOUSE

BEN UFO

Kollektiv at the Admiral, Glasgow, Fri 12 Aug Alongside Ramadanman and Pangaea, Ben UFO is one of the founders of second wave dubstep label Hessle Audio, which was one of the first of the genre’s dedicated labels to originate outside London. Although he’s originally from the capital (with a mother from Dundee, and he ‘has the freckles to prove it’), the radio show the trio began before starting the label was a result of their days together as students in Leeds. Back when he was just Ben Thomson, the DJ and label boss remembers Kevin McAuley, aka Pangaea, ‘cramming decks into his tiny room at halls, we used to spend hours learning to mix on the floor’ and randomly bumping into David Kennedy, Ramadanman, in the queue for pioneering London dubstep club FWD, where he discovered Kennedy

house, indie and electro with DJ Bobby Bluebell. ■ Boho Saturdays at Boho. Weekly 9.30pm–3am. Free before 10.30pm; £8 after. Li’l Rich packs the dancefloor every Saturday with a li’l bit of everything. ■ Homegrown at Bamboo. Weekly 10pm–3am. £7 (£5 with a matric card). Big Al, Dominic Martin and Robin B play R&B, indie, rock and soul. ■ Hummingbird Saturdays at Hummingbird. Weekly 5pm–3am. Free before 10.30pm; £5 (£3 students) after. Party sounds from DJs Aaron Petrie and Kid Sleazy. ■ I Love Garage at the Garage. Weekly 11pm–3am. £7 (£5). Chart, indie, R&B and hip hop, with karaoke in Snapshotz. ■ Kinetic Blue at the Viper Bar & Club. Weekly 9pm–2am. Free before 10.30pm; £6 (£5 students) after. Indie and funky house from Ross McMillan. ■ Kinky Disco at Kushion. Weekly 7pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £7 (£5 students) after. The self-styled sexiest party in town is hosted by DJs Stevie Foy and Gav Somerville. playing house, electro and urban hits.

would also be studying in Leeds the following year. United by common taste, their Hessle Audio radio show began in 2006 and ‘people would send us tunes, a lot of which were good enough for us to think about putting out. There wasn’t much of a platform for these producers at that point.’ As dubstep was a relatively new genre, Hessle crucially found a distribution deal easier to come by. There is no Hessle manifesto, says Thomson, although ‘we play more house than our peers, not exactly bridging the gap but showing what these disparate genres might have in common.’ Although his reputation as a DJ is strong, he does feel a certain envy for artists on his label like Martyn and Untold. ‘I’d love to produce at some point,’ he says, ‘but every successful producer I know didn’t have anything else to think about when they started. I feel a weight of expectation that it’s probably best just to ignore . . .’ (David Pollock)

■ O’Couture Saturdays at O’Couture. Weekly 11pm–3am. £8 (£5 students). Big-room party, dance and R&B sounds from Rob Etherson and That Tall Guy Scott. ■ PLAY Saturdays at Play. Weekly 5pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £8 (£6) after. Big room tunes from Will Ruane, Iain Pollock and Ross McFadyen. Note that the opening time will be 10pm on the first Saturday of every month. ■ Saturday at Milan at Milan. Weekly 11pm–3am. £3 before midnight; £5 after. DJs Robbie and Cruz serve up chart, dance, R&B and hip hop. ■ Stepping Up a Notch at the Polo Lounge. Weekly 9pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £5 (£3 students) after. DJs Suave Gav and Leah give it their all on Saturday nights. ■ Worship at Tusk. Weekly 5pm–2am. Free before 11pm; £5 after. Party sounds from DJ John Heally. ■ Yoyo at the Shed. Weekly 10pm–3am. Free before midnight; £6 after. DJs Euan and Derek play pop and hip hop hits. ■ oVo Saturdays at oVo. Weekly 11pm–3am. Free before midnight; £5 after (£3 students). Chart and club sounds, with DJs Stevie Lennon, Naeem, AJ and Asim.

Glasgow Sunday

Clubs FREE Button Up at Flat 0/1. Weekly 9pm–2am. Duncan Harvey and Jack Isosceles play a mix of sleazy R&B, 50s and 60s pop, jump jive, Jamaican vibes and exotica from a bygone age. FREE MHA Sunday Sesh at Ivy. 14 Aug, 6pm–midnight. A kaleidoscopic array of booze, beats’n’banter brought to you by Mount Heart Attack on semiregular Sundays. FREE Sundays at the Cathouse. Weekly 11pm–3am. DJ AM-Y playing killer rock, metal, punk and requests.

Chart & Party

■ Banana Split at Play. Weekly 9pm–2am. Free before 10.30pm; £5 (£3 students) after. James D plays house and indie. ■ Big in Japan at O’Couture. Weekly 11pm–3am. £tbc. Dance if you want to, or take advantage of the cheap drinks instead. ■ Discobadger at Bamboo. Weekly 10pm–3am. Free before 11.30pm with a matric card; £5 (£4) after. DJ Kash, Domsko and Gerry Lyons play hip hop, house, funk and electro. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 113

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Clubs ■ Encore at Kushion. Weekly 9pm–3am. £5 (£3). Party sounds, and note it’s free entry all night with a retail wage slip. ■ Hummingbird Sundays at Hummingbird. Weekly 9pm–1am. £tbc. Half price cocktails and party tracks. ■ Liquid Cool at Common. Weekly 10.30pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £5 (£3 students) after. Iain Thomson, AJ and Gordon ‘Harri’ Miller play vocal garage and house. ■ Mayhem Sundays at Bennets. Weekly 11pm–3am. £tbc. Party tunes for an up for it gay crowd with Marc. ■ Quids In at the Buff Club. Weekly 11pm–3am. £1. DJs Marky Mark and Mash playing a mix of electro, funk and disco. It’s £1 in, and at the end of the night all these pounds go in a pot and someone wins the lot. ■ Shedkandi at the Shed. Weekly 11pm–3am. £2. Sisters Lisa Mafia and Li’l Gem present a house and R&B playlist. FREE Sports Sunday at FHQ. Weekly 6pm–3am. Live football, a free jukebox and party sounds. ■ Sunday ‘Sentials at Play. Weekly 10pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £tbc after. Party sounds from DJs Chris Stewart and Ross McFadyen. ■ Sunday Service at Òran Mór. Weekly 11pm–3am. £5 (students £3). Chart, R&B, house and electro from Dave M. ■ Sunday Sesh at Boho. Weekly 11pm–3am. £5 (£3 students before midnight). Resident DJs play party anthems to wind you down or pick you up. ■ We Started Everything at the Garage. Weekly 11pm–3am. Free before 11.30pm; £5 (£3) after. A night of ‘unadulterated musical magnificence’ (we’re quoting) with Brian McMaster. ■ Weekends With a Bang! at the Polo Lounge. Weekly 9pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £5 (£3 students) after. DJ Leah takes you out with a bang at this explosive end to the week.

■ Wild Combination at

Glasgow Wednesday

Nice’n’Sleazy. 16 Aug, 11pm–3am. £tbc. Drunk disco, fun house and acid rock at this new midweek party.

Clubs

Chart & Party

11.30pm–3am. £3. An electro, disco and dubstep night from the Homebass DJs. ■ Milk at Flat 0/1. 17 Aug, 9pm–3am. £4 (students £3). A new indie night with two live bands plus an acoustic act, visuals and DJs. ■ Muso at the Buff Club. Weekly 9pm–3am. £4. A night of up and coming bands, with Detour DJs Ally Mcrae and David Weaver until 3am. FREE Open Mic at Boteco do Brasil. Weekly 8pm–3am. If you like to play music for others or just like listening to live artists then Boteco’s open mic night is for you. ■ Subversion at Classic Grand. Weekly 11pm–3am. £3 before midnight; £4 after. DJs Catnip and Pasta play 80s and 90s alternative pop hits, dance, industrial and classic rock. Requests are always welcome, from 2 Unlimited and Erasure to Judas Priest and Van Halen. It’s not normal, the pair say, and neither are they. ■ Vice City at Club 520. Weekly 11pm–3am. £5 (£4). An indie and alternative night for the midweek market. ■ We Play Records at Bar Petite. Weekly 8pm–midnight. Free. An electronic pre-party, with Level32 and friends. ■ Wednesdays at Flat 0/1 at Flat 0/1. Weekly 11pm–3am. £tbc. Darrell plays 80s and urban funk jams and Dom plays a mix of early 80s slap synth funk rap grooves.

■ Dubbed at FHQ. Weekly 11pm–3am.

£3. DJs Rob Technic and Colin Reid play house, R&B, hip hop and indie. FREE Ipop at the Polo Lounge. Weekly 5pm–3am. Start the week very early with DJ Devine. ■ Juicy Tuesday at Kushion. Weekly 9pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £5 (£3 students) after. A night to entertain the masses across two rooms. Room one sees Stevie Foy rocking out indie pop and electro, while Li’l L and Ray Woods get the party started with hip hop beats and R&B grooves in room two. ■ Lust at O’Couture. Weekly 11pm–3am. £5 (£3 students). Indie anthems and urban beats. FREE Nectar & Nails at Hummingbird. Weekly 5pm–1am. Off the wall party sounds with DJ Ed Nygma. ■ Quids at Queen Margaret Union. Weekly 9pm–2am. £1 before 11pm; £3 (£2) after. Gerry Lyons provides the soundtrack for this new student indie night. ■ Switch Tuesdays at Bamboo. Weekly 11pm–3am. £4 (free for students). Dan South and Robin B mash up hip hop, R&B, pop and electro. ■ Tuesday at Viper at the Viper Bar & Club. Weekly 9pm–3am. £tbc (free for students). Free entry to all students, as DJ Callum Lawson plays all the anthems you’ll hear down the union. ■ Y’Uptae Tuesday at the Garage. Weekly 11pm–3am. Free before 11.30pm; £5 (£3) after. DJ Andy Wilson plays club anthems, party hits and requests, plus karaoke in the Snapshotz bar.

■ Jakebeats at Nice’n’Sleazy. 17 Aug,

Chart & Party

■ Clubhouse at the Viper Bar & Club.

Weekly 9pm–2am. Free before 11pm; £5 (£3 students) after. DJ Nelson plays ‘Rihanna to Bananarama.’

■ Foreplay at FHQ. Weekly

6pm–3am. Free. DJ Shazza presents a party for girls. ■ Gaga Wednesdays at the Garage. Weekly 11pm–3am. £5 (£3). Chart, classic and current hits, and drink promos too. Free entry for UWS and Glasgow University students. ■ Gay as F**k at Play. Weekly 11pm–3am. Free before midnight; £3 after. Cheap drinks and gayness with DJs Darren and Michael. ■ Lollapalooza Wednesday at O’Couture. Weekly 11pm–3am. £5 (£3 students). Derek Ho, Rob Etherson and Stevie ‘Lost’ Foy play indie, pop, cheese and R&B. ■ Octopussy at the Arches. Weekly 11pm–3am. £7 (students £5). Jacuzzis, bouncy castles and a Chapel of Love at this weekly student night of indie, pop and electro. ■ Spank at Milan. Weekly 11pm–3am. £tbc. DJs Kris Keegan and Ian Stirling spin disco, house and classic anthems. ■ Tongue in Cheek at Bamboo. Weekly 10pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £5 (£4) after. Gavin Sommerville plays R&B in the main room, DJ Toast plays chart in the lounge and Andy Wilson plays rock in the red room. ■ Twisted Fairytale at Kushion. Weekly 9pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £3 (£2 students) after. DJ Big Al takes charge, with cheap drinks and teapot shooters. ■ Vicious Circle at Hummingbird. Weekly 10pm–1am. £tbc. Party sounds from DJ Iain Thompson. ■ West End Wednesdays at Boho. Weekly 11pm–3am. £5 (£3 students before midnight). A student night for the West End, with cheap drinks and dancing.

Men & Machine

Glasgow Monday

Clubs FREE Boteco Intimo at Boteco do Brasil. Weekly 8pm–3am. Explore the intimate sounds of bossa nova, tropicalia, exotica and breezy lounge pop every Monday with your hostess DJ Mingo-go. ■ Burn at the Buff Club. Weekly 11pm–3am. £5 (£3). Burn provides all the disco songs you’ve forgotten about and the ones you can’t forget. Presented by Normski, Zeus and Mash. ■ Duo at Club 520. Weekly 11pm–3am. Free before midnight with wristband; £5 (£3) after. A new Monday trade night playing disco, electro, dubstep and more.

Chart & Party

■ Alibi Mondays at the Garage. Weekly 11pm–3am. £5 (£3). Andy R plays requests from all genres. ■ Hangout Mondays at O’Couture. Weekly 4pm–3am. £tbc. Indie, dance, pop and cheap drinks. FREE Passionality at FHQ. Weekly 11pm–3am. Passion’s the fashion on a Monday with this night from TLC and DJ Shawn Roberts.

Glasgow Tuesday

Clubs

■ CU Next Tuesday at Chambre 69.

Weekly 11.30pm–3am. £5. New gay club night aimed at a ‘fierce’ young crowd. ■ I AM at the Sub Club. Weekly 11pm–3am. £2–£4. A new house and techno night from hosts Beta and Kappa, whose aim is to try and recapture the Optimo vibe of old on a Tuesday night. ■ Killer Kitsch at the Buff Club. Weekly 11pm–3am. £4 (£3). Upstairs, Euan and Dave play electronic music of all ages for all ages, while downstairs, Duncan plays funk, soul and swing. In the Butterfly & Pig Davie plays nu and old disco, and more. 114 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Having carved a less regular groove on Glasgow’s club scene in recent months, Men & Machine’s third anniversary celebration will be a bittersweet occasion. After this date Alasdair Stewart will be moving to London, leaving fellow resident Ewan Dunnett behind to focus on the monthly M&M Radiomagnetic podcast. Sadly, that means the club night will be no more. Although Dunnett cited ‘the work pressures and family commitments that come with being just a little bit older’ to The List as one reason for the pair giving up their bi-monthly residency at Stereo late last year, saying goodbye to a club which for a long time had a first class special guest policy will still be an unhappy occasion. Over the years M&M entertained bigger names like Gavin Russom, Shit Robot, and Manuel Gottschiing, rising stars such as Pantha du Prince, Maelstrom and Cousin Cole, and local heroes such as JD Twitch, JG Wilkes, The Niallist and Ewan Chambers. After this residents-only finale, it will be missed. (David Pollock) ■ Stereo, Glasgow, Fri 12 Aug.

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Film HITLIST

list.co.uk/film

THE BEST FILMS

ALS HE FESTIV OUTSIDE T

DRAMA/BIOGRAPHY

THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE (18) 106min ●●●●●

Rise of the Planet of the Apes Smart, exhilarating and ingeniously executed prequel to those famous ape master race sci-fis, based on a novel by Pierre Boulle. See review, page 116. General release from Fri 12 Aug.

The Devil’s Double Rip-roaring thriller based on a book by the man who was forced to be Uday Hussein’s body double for years. See review, right. General release from Fri 12 Aug.

Subtlety is not in director Lee Tamahori’s repertoire. His excellent 1994 debut, Maori drama Once Were Warriors was full of well caught masculine bravado and tearful repercussions but the director’s career went wayward and reached its nadir with the 2002 Bond yarn Die Another Day. The Devil’s Double about Uday Hussein and his body double Latif Yahia (who wrote the source novel) is a return to winning form, mostly because the director plays to his melodramatic strengths, telling the egomaniacal tale with tongue firmly in cheek. It’s the work of a mad man about a mad man. At its heart is a career changing performance from Dominic Cooper, hitherto only seen playing middle class twits in The History Boys, Mamma Mia! and Tamara Drewe. The British actor is released from his acting shackles playing the crazy son of the notorious Iraqi dictator. He channels Tony Montana as he rapes and murders his way to respect just as George Bush Sr is ordering the troops to liberate Kuwait. Tamahori mixes archive footage with the fictionalised account of Uday that adds to the schizophrenic nature of the picture. This rambunctious romp is not for the faint-hearted but it is packed with over-the-top lines to quote for weeks after. (Kaleem Aftab) ■ General release from Fri 12 Aug.

Elite Squad 2 – The Enemy Within Back on the streets with Brazil’s deadliest anti-crime force and world-weary Captain Nascimento. See review, page 116. Selected release from Fri 12 Aug.

COMEDY/ROMANCE

BEAUTIFUL LIES (DE VRAIS MENSONGES) (12a) 104min ●●●●● The Salt of Life Gianni Di Gregorio’s low budget, low-key follow-up to 2008 autobiographical foodie film MidAugust Lunch. See review, page 116. GFT, Glasgow and Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Fri 12–Thu 25 Aug. Super 8 A reminiscent mystery involving children in a small American town in 1979. Spielberg produces, JJ Abrams directs – you are in the hands of master storytellers. See review at list.co.uk Out now on general release.

Project Nim More apes! Genius documentary about a social experiment in the 1970s that went embarrassingly wrong. See review, page 116. Selected release from Fri 12 Aug.

Raise Ravens (Cría Cuervos) Digital reissue of overlooked 1976 Spanish fantasy by veteran filmaker Carlos Saura. A major influence on Guillermo del Toro Pan’s Labyrinth. Cameo, Edinburgh, Fri 12–Thu 18 Aug.

Film Socialisme Political French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard is back to twist our melons about the ethics and crimes of the global community. Matinees only. See review at list.co.uk Cameo, Edinburgh, Fri 12–Thu 18 Aug.

Despite the efforts of a fine French cast – which includes Nathalie Baye, Sami Bouajila and Audrey Tautou – this visually unremarkable romantic comedy from writer/director Pierre Salvadori (Wild Target, Priceless), in which mother and daughter clash over the same sensitive man, never entirely comes alive. Riffing off Lubitsch’s The Shop Around the Corner, it’s set around a beauty salon in a southern French seaside town. Cultured handyman Jean (Bouajila) improbably turns out to be a multi-lingual ex-translator and declares his amorous feelings for the shop’s brusque, self-centred owner Emilie (Tautou) via an anonymous letter. The recipient proceeds to forward the billet-doux to her depressed single mother Maddy (Baye), who’s naturally keen to meet the author of such heartfelt prose. The stage is set for a predictable procession of misunderstandings and complications, leading to the generic happy ending, with Salvadori struggling to engineer actual laughs from his convoluted tale. In fact these lonely, troubled characters – Jean for example shields a painful secret from his past, whilst the parent-child relationship between Emilie and Maddy is riddled with resentments and tensions – seem better suited to being the subjects of a more intimate drama. (Tom Dawson) ■ Selected release from Fri 12 Aug. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 115

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Film REVIEWS SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (12A) 106min ●●●●●

After the folly that was Tim Burton’s remake of Planet of the Apes in 2001, many questioned the wisdom of trying to teach old apes new tricks, but Rupert Wyatt’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes takes an intelligent, sometimes exhilarating and even poignant look at the origins of the story that pays clever homage to the classic 1968 original while potentially reestablishing the franchise as a force once again. The story focuses on a scientist (James Franco) who attempts to develop a cure for Alzheimer’s that will help his ailing father (John Lithgow) by testing it on apes, thereby giving one in particular, Caesar, a hyper intelligence and an ability to communicate with humans. When Caesar is eventually placed into captivity and abused by his new owners, however, the stage is set for rebellion. Wyatt, who previously directed the little seen but highly rated The Escapist, proves himself highly adept at marrying headline-influenced narrative with the visual spectacle required of a blockbuster. The early part of the story will be familiar to anyone who has seen the recent Project Nim (see review, below) in its account of the human interaction with Caesar, while issues of drug testing on animals and corporate greed are also thrown into the mix. It lends the film a credible and highly relatable core. The effects, meanwhile, are astonishing, and Andy Serkis’ motion-capture depiction of Caesar enables audiences to really connect on an emotional level with the central players and probably even root for the apes. There are flaws, including one-dimensional villains (Tom Felton and David Oyelowo especially) and occasional heavy handedness, but in most respects this expertly mixes intelligence and spectacle to hugely impressive effect, while the clever nods to Charlton Heston and company merely supply the icing on the cake. (Rob Carnevale) ■ General release from Thu 11 Aug.

DOCUMENTARY

DRAMA

THRILLER/POLITICAL

PROJECT NIM

(12A) 99min ●●●●●

THE SALT OF LIFE (GIANNI E LE DONNE)

Project Nim was an ill-conceived experiment in which Columbia University behavioural psychologist Herb Terrace took a baby chimp – Nim – and convinced Stephanie LaFarge, one of his exgirlfriends, now married with children, to take the chimp into her home, and treat Nim as one of the family. ‘Only in the 70s,’ is how one interview subject aptly describes it. James Marsh’s film plays out through detailed interviews with everyone involved, alongside some amazing archive footage and dramatically charged reconstructions. It’s a very similar filmmaking approach to Marsh’s previous Man On Wire, but Marsh makes up for playing it safe stylistically by plumbing the subject’s thematic depths to pull out a deeply affecting story. This is an animal story that’s populated by a fascinating cast of humans, and Marsh successfully draws out their considered and contradictory opinions. What emerges is both a heartbreaking tale of the mistreatment of one ‘dumb animal’ and a complex meditation on the very best and worst aspects of human nature. (Paul Gallagher) ■ GFT, Glasgow and Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Fri 12–Thu 25 Aug.

(12A) 89min ●●●●●

ELITE SQUAD 2 – THE ENEMY WITHIN (TROPA DE ELITE: O INIMIGO AGORA E OUTRO)

Rome-born Gianni Di Gregorio’s follow-up to MidAugust Lunch is moderately wider in scope but retains its predecessor’s loose, naturalistic style. It focuses on Gianni’s anxieties about ageing and his relationships with a variety of women including his wife, his daughter, a party-girl neighbour, old flames, as well as the force of nature that is his mother. Played once again by the wonderful Valeria De Franciscis Bendoni, Donna Valeria is seen frittering away her son’s inheritance (expensive champagne, designer clothes for her maid, organising poker tournaments) while he struggles on a basic pension. The central problem for Gianni, however, remains his own crisis of confidence. As with the director’s previous film, The Salt of Life is unashamedly autobiographical. Di Gregorio pokes fun at his own insecurities, providing an image of the older Italian male that is in many ways the antithesis of Berlusconi. It’s a film of great warmth and sincerity, a bittersweet comedy that consolidates Italian cinema’s recent revival. (Pasquale Iannone) ■ GFT, Glasgow and Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Fri 12 – Thu 25 Aug.

Returning to the favela killing fields of his reactionary 2008 thriller, the schizophrenically talented writer/director José Padilha (Bus 174, Garapa) resurrects Captain Nascimento, but this time the right wing, law-and-order sympathies are being torched quicker than a drug dealer’s ghetto hideout. The Enemy Within unsurprisingly finds Nascimento (Wagner Moura) going after dirty cops and government officials while explaining in great wordy detail the labyrinthine connections between Rio’s criminal and law enforcement organisations. Throw in some topical plotlines and some serious kickass violent set pieces and you have Brazil’s biggest box office hit ever. Where the wordy laborious script drains the life out of what is essentially a Lumet-ian thriller with Nascimento crossing the yard to stand next to the likes of Serpico and Daniel Ciello (Prince of the City), Padilha as director more than compensates with a breathless feel for pace and plot with great help from editor Daniel Rezende. (Paul Dale) ■ Selected release from Fri 12 Aug.

116 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

(18) 114min ●●●●●

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INDEX

list.co.uk/film Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, star rating, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Paul Dale ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry Aftershock (15) ●●●●● (Xiaogang Feng, China, 2010) Fan Xu, Jingchu Zhang, Chen Li. 135min. The epic story of a family separated as a result of the enormous Tangshan earthquake of 1976. Sloans, Glasgow. All the President’s Men (15) ●●●●● (Alan J Pakula, US, 1976) Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jack Warden. 138min. Released in 1976 during the Carter-Ford presidential campaign, Pakula’s political thriller traces the real-life story of journalists Bob Woodward (Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Hoffman) as they uncover an attempted crime in Washington DC’s Watergate Complex that led to the Watergate Scandal and Nixon’s resignation. A classic of the much abused crusader journalist genre. Scotsman Screening Room, Edinburgh. Apocalypse Now (18) ●●●●● (Francis Coppola, US, 1980) Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper. 153min. Vietnam as ‘the ultimate trip’. We follow US Army assassin Sheen downriver and deeper into the Heart of Darkness ruled over by Brando’s mad Colonel Kurtz. Alternately pretentious and visually overpowering (the Valkyries helicopter attack, for example), the film’s grandiloquent folly pierces right to the bone of the conflict. Macrobert, Stirling. Arrietty (U) ●●●●● (Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Japan, 2010) Mirai Shida, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Shinobu Otake. 94min. Fourteen-year-old Arrietty (voiced by Shida) and the tiny Clock family live under the floorboards of a suburban home, exploring and borrowing from the human world above. Arrietty may not have the scope of Studio Ghibli’s earliest works, but the result is a beautifully realised smallscale drama. Selected release. Beautiful Lies (12) ●●●●● (Pierre Salvadori, France, 2010) Audrey Tautou, Nathalie Baye, Sami Bouajila. 110min. See review, page 107. Selected release. Bedknobs and Broomsticks (PG) ●●●●● (Robert Stevenson, US, 1971) Angela Lansbury, David Tomlinson, Roddy McDowall. 117min. An apprentice witch and three English kids make their contribution to the war effort via some enjoyable set pieces (the animals’ football match) and some less than wonderful songs. Glasgow Film Theatre. Beginners (15) ●●●●● (Mike Mills, US, 2010) Ewan McGregor, Christopher

Plummer, Mélanie Laurent. 104min. 106min. Pixar’s charmless sequel replaces McGregor is Oliver, whose father Hal the homespun values of the original with (Plummer) has recently died from cancer, impressive racetrack backdrops, violent having at the age of 75 come out as gay and guns-and-missile action, and juvenile enthusiastically embraced the life he had comedy from the belching, flatulent Mater. long denied himself. Whimsicality runs A mechanical slew of pop-culture gags through every frame and incurable romantics indicate a considerable drop in the level of will clutch it to their hearts. Selected release. invention from Finding Nemo or Up. A Better Life (12A) ●●●●● (Chris General release. Weitz, US, 2011) Demián Bichir, Eddie Cars 2 3D (U) ●●●●● (John Lasseter, Brad Lewis, US, 2011) Larry the Cable ‘Piolin’ Sotelo, Joaquín Cosio. 97min. A Guy, Owen Wilson, Michael Caine. Better Life is the simple tale of illegal 106min. See above. General release. Mexican immigrant Carlos’ (Bichir) attempt The Conspirator (12A) ●●●●● to make a better life for his son Luis (Robert Redford, US, 2010) James (Julián) in Los Angeles. When Carlos’ pick McAvoy, Robin Wright, Kevin Kline. up van and tools are stolen the pair know 122min. This courtroom drama about the they must find them to survive. Morally woman charged alongside John Wilkes commendable and mildly successful. Booth – the man who shot Abraham Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Lincoln – is clearly just as inspired by The Big Picture (L’homme qui more recent politics. The results are voulait vivre sa vie) (15) ●●●●● (Eric Lartigau, France, 2010) Romain intermittently preachy and starchy, Duris, Marina Foïs, Niels Arestrup. better suited to stirring a 115min. Duris plays an anti-hero classroom debate than a cinema OUTS deep in emotional crisis. His audience. Macrobert, Stirling. IDE The Devil’s Double wife is having an affair and T H E (18) ●●●●● (Lee when he confronts the object of F E STIVA Tamahori, Belgium, 2011) her affections his problems really L S Dominic Cooper, Ludivine begin. Director Lartigau’s control Sagnier, Raad Rawi. 108min. See of atmospherics is impressive and review, page 107. General release. Duris proves that he is always more Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick watchable when playing tormented souls. Rules (U) ●●●●● (David Bowers, US, Filmhouse, Edinburgh. 2011) Zachary Gordon, Devon Bostick, Bridesmaids (15) ●●●●● (Paul Feig, US, 2011) Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rachael Harris. 99min. Anaemic sequel to Rose Byrne. 125min. When her newlylast year’s adaptation of Jeff Kinney’s bestengaged best friend Lillian (Rudolph) asks selling books. Macrobert, Stirling. Elite Squad 2 (Tropa de Elite: her to be chief bridesmaid, Annie (Wiig) is O Inimigo Agora É Outro) (18) delighted, until she meets Lillian’s new best ●●●●● (José Padilha, Brazil, 2010) friend; a beautiful, rich bitch. The cast list Wagner Moura, Irandhir Santos, André overflows with comedy talent and the jokes Ramiro. 115min. See review, page 108. are very funny. General release. Selected release. Captain America: The First Film Socialisme (PG) ●●●●● Avenger 2D (12A) ●●●●● (Joe (Jean-Luc Godard, Johnston, US, 2011) Chris Evans, Hugo Switzerland/France, 2010) Catherine Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan. Tanvier, Christian Sinniger, Jean-Marc 123min. Joe Johnston, director of The Stehlé. 101min. Still mad and provocative Wolfman and The Rocketeer, takes us back after all these years, legendary French to the early days of the Marvel with the filmmaker and polemicist Jean-Luc Godard archetypal superhero. When Steve Rogers new feature is set on a garish cruise ship (Evans) volunteers to participate in an that’s traveling around the Mediterranean experimental program, it turns him into (with Patti Smith among its guests). There’s super soldier Captain America. As Captain no narrative to speak of: this is part treatise America, Rogers joins forces with Bucky on the state of the European Union, part Barnes (Stan) and Peggy Carter (Atwell) to philosophical debate, part aesthetic wage war on the evil HYDRA organization, experiment and part journal on the decline led by the villainous Red Skull (Weaving). of European civilization. See review at See review at List.co.uk. General release. list.co.uk. Dundee Contemporary Arts, Captain America: The First Dundee. Avenger 3D (12A) ●●●●● (Joe Johnston, US, 2011) Chris Evans, Hugo Flashdance (15) ●●●●● (Adrian Lyne, US, 1983) Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri, Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan. Lilia Skala. 90min. Alex (Beals) is a welder 123min. See above. General release. by day and an erotic dancer by night. Iconic Cars 2 2D (U) ●●●●● (John Lasseter, Brad Lewis, US, 2011) Larry the Cable 80s dance classic with a storming Guy, Owen Wilson, Michael Caine. soundtrack. Macrobert, Stirling.

✽

✽ ✽

RBS First Film: Super 8

Outdoor film screenings are about as Scottish as a gladiatorial contests but that hasn’t stopped the Royal Bank of Scotland launching a series of alfresco screenings throughout the summer. That’s the good news, the bad news is you have to be an RBS current account customer to purchase a ticket, now that’s what we call a captive audience. The season opens with JJ Abrams’ excellent sci fi mystery Super 8. rbs.com/filmfirst ■ Hopetoun House, South Queensferry, on Thu 18 and Fri 19 Aug. Pollok Country Park, Glasgow on Thu 25 and Fri 26 Aug.

Film ✽

Profile EYAD ZAHRA Born 20 Safar 1403 AH (Islamic calendar) in Cleveland, Ohio. Background Zahra’s family is Syrian. He was the first of his family born in America, his older brother was born in Syria. Growing up, his mother taught him about Islamic culture, which he now sees as a blessing and a curse. Zahra always had a strong interest in filmmaking and took classes at the undergraduate film program at Florida State University. He made two short films: Jazima (2003) and Distance from the Sun (2004). What’s he up to now? Zahra has just made The Taqwacores, an adaptation of the novel about the US Punk Islam scene by Michael Muhammad Knight. On Punk ‘We deal with some basic themes that you see in many films but look at these issues in a bizarre, off-beat way. That is what punk is to me. I was not a punk expert before this film, not that I am now, but I did my best to reflect the genre and the community and culture and that is what we are aiming for, a rough and tumble film.’ On the vernacular ‘The book had more leeway, the conversations were longer and if you go on the internet someone had made a glossary of all the terms used in the book. What I didn’t want to do was make a film where we have a scene that’s just for the white people in the audience explaining what’s going on. I tried to stay as close to how you would hear people speak should they be living in such a commune.’ On Hollywood movies ‘A lot of times these days people get pumped up about a Hollywood movie, wait for it for weeks and then they go see it, ejaculate and never talk about it again. Obviously a good film is opposite, you don’t know what you are going into, get floored by it and are thinking about it and talking about it with friends for weeks.’ Interesting fact When Knight wrote the novel, the Muslim punk scene did not really exist but since the novel came out the Muslim punk scene has grown. (Kaleem Aftab) ■ The Taqwacores is on selected release from Fri 12 Aug. See review at list.co.uk/film. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 117

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Film INDEX Food Inc. (PG) ●●●●● (Robert Kenner, US, 2008) 94min. Dismantling some cherished myths about its agrarian way of life, Kenner’s persuasive Oscar-nominated documentary seeks to lift the veil surrounding the food industry in America. The broad thesis is that agriculture in America has undergone a radical transformation in recent decades – a handful of multinational corporations now controlling how produce is planted, grown, distributed and sold. ACE, Edinburgh. Gallivant (15) ●●●●● (Andrew Kotting, UK, 1996) Gladys Morris, Eden Kotting. 104min. Director Kotting takes his grandmother and daughter around the entire coast of mainline Britain, catching various eccentrics en route and charting a growing relationship across the generation gap. Villages and seascapes whizz by at high speed as Kotting concentrates on the mundane and the incidental, but allows a delicious sense of silliness to perk up interest. Summerhall, Edinburgh. General Nil (15) (Ryszard Bugajski, Poland, 2009) Olgierd Lukaszewicz, Alicja Jachiewicz, Magdalena Emilianowicz. 125min. A film about the last few years of Polish resistance leader General Emil ‘Nil’ Fieldorf, who was a national hero but whose nationalism was deemed a threat by the Communist government that came after the war and marked him for assassination. Part of Play Poland festival. Glasgow Film Theatre. Getting Out (15) (Various, Uganda, 2011) 60min. A documentary about sexual persecution in Africa, the need to ‘get out’ before ‘coming out’, and the hypocrisies and failures of asylum systems around the world. Part of the Festival of Spirituality and Peace. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Gnomeo & Juliet 2D (U) ●●●●● (Kelly Asbury, UK/US, 2011) James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine. 83min. Featuring a star-studded British voice cast (including McAvoy and Blunt as the eponymous lovers) and some fun visual jokes, this animated adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is ultimately undone by a few too many pop

CINEMA INFORMATION

GLASGOW CCA 350 Sauchiehall Street. 0141 352 4900. ccaglasgow.com Prices vary (free–£5). Cineworld Parkhead Forge Shopping Centre, 1221 Gallowgate. 0871 200 2000. cineworld.co.uk £5.90–£6.50 (£4.40–£4.80; family ticket £18.80); 3D supplement £2.10 (£1.50); glasses 80p per pair. Off peak prices Mon–Thu before 5pm. Cineworld Renfrew Street 7 Renfrew Street. 0871 200 2000. cineworld.co.uk £6.30–£7.50 (£5.20; family ticket £21.20); 3D supplement £2.10 (£1.50); glasses 80p per pair. Off peak prices Mon–Thu before 5pm and Fri–Sun before noon. Empire Clyde Regional Centre, 23 Britannia Way. 0871 471 4714. empirecinemas.co.uk £5.20–£6.75 (£5; family ticket £20); 3D supplement £1.50. Off peak prices Mon–Thu 118 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Raise Ravens (Cría Cuervos)

Don’t miss the brief resurrection (courtesy of a new digital print) of Carlos Saura’s neglected fantasy film from 1976. This subtle indictment of Franco’s repressive regime centres on a young girl’s possibly delusional belief that she has committed patricide. Unsettling, moving and quite brilliant, Raise Ravens (Cría Cuervos) is one of the best films in Scottish cinemas this month. ■ GFT, Glasgow, from Sun 14–Tue 16 Aug; Filmhouse, Edinburgh, from Sat 27–Tue 30 Aug. culture references and by the decision to concentrate on Elton John’s material rather than the bard’s. Selected release. Green Lantern 2D (12A) (Martin Campbell, US, 2011) Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Mark Strong. 113min. Summer superhero blockbuster as Reynolds is bestowed the power of the Green Lantern in this sci-fi action romp. An Lanntair Arts Centre and Cinema, Isle of Lewis; Macrobert, Stirling. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 2D (12A) ●●●●● (David Yates, UK/US, 2011) Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint.

before 5pm; SaverDay Tuesday £3.95. Glasgow Film Theatre 12 Rose Street. 0141 332 6535. glasgowfilm.org/theatre £6.90 (£5.20). Grosvenor Ashton Lane, Hillhead. 0845 166 6002. grosvenorcafe.co.uk/cine ma £5–£7.75 (£4–£6; sofa seats £15–£30). Various peak and off peak prices throughout the week. IMAX Theatre Glasgow Science Centre, 50 Pacific Quay. 0141 420 5000. gsc.org.uk/imax Feature films £9.95 (£7.95); IMAX science films: add £2.50 to Science Mall admission. Odeon at the Quay Springfield Quay, Paisley Road. 0871 22 44 007. odeon.co.uk £7.10–£8.40 (£4.85–£6.25; family ticket £19.40–£23); 3D supplement £2 (£1.60); glasses £1 per pair. Off peak prices Mon–Thu before 5pm. Odeon Braehead X-scape, Kings Inch Road. 0871 2244 007. odeon.co.uk £7.10–£8.40 (£5.20–£6.80; family ticket

£20.80–£24.60); 3D supplement £2 (£1.60); glasses £1 per pair. Off peak prices Mon–Thu before 5pm. Showcase Cinema Barrbridge Leisure Centre, Coatbridge. 0871 220 1000. showcasecinemas.co.uk £5.90–£7.20 (£5.40); 3D supplement £2; glasses £1 per pair. Off peak prices before noon. Showcase Cinema Griffin Avenue, Phoenix Business Park, Paisley. 0871 220 1000. showcasecinemas.co.uk £5.90–£7.20 (£5.40); 3D supplement £2; glasses £1 per pair. Off peak prices Mon–Fri before 6pm; Sat & Sun before noon. Sloans 62 Argyle Arcade, 108 Argyle Street. 0141 221 8886. sloansglasgow.com/eatfil m Free.

EDINBURGH Autonomous Centre Edinburgh 17 West Montgomery Place. Free. Screening organised by ethicalvoicefor animals.org.uk

130min. The end has arrived for Harry and happily the last installment really satisfies with its breakneck pacing, breathtaking setpieces and a genuinely heart-warming ending. See review at List.co.uk. General release. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 3D (12A) ●●●●● (David Yates, UK/US, 2011) Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint. 130min. See above. General release. Hop (U) ●●●●● (Tim Hill, US, 2011) Voices of Russell Brand, James Marsden, Hugh Laurie. 94min. Animated riff on the Easter Bunny myth in which the deliverer Cameo 38 Home Street. 0871 902 5723. picturehouses.co.uk £5.30–£7.30 (£2–£5.80). Sunday double bills £7.30 (concessions £5.80; members free).Off peak price Tue–Fri before 5pm, all late shows and all day Mon; Wed first screening £2 for concessions. Cineworld Fountainpark Fountain Park, 130/3 Dundee Street. 0871 200 2000. cineworld.co.uk £6.70–£7.90 (£5.10; family ticket £21.60); 3D supplement £2.10 (£1.50); glasses 80p per pair. Off peak prices Mon–Fri before 5pm. Dominion 18 Newbattle Terrace. 0131 447 4771. dominioncinemas.net £6–£10.90 after (£4.60–£7.90; seniors discount Sun–Thu only). Off peak prices before 6pm. Filmhouse 88 Lothian Road. 0131 228 2688. filmhousecinema.com £5.60–£7.50 (£2.60–£5.50). Off peak prices Mon–Fri before 5pm (extra discount on Fri). Odeon 118 Lothian Road. 0871 22 44 007. odeon.co.uk

of eggs is hit by a car not long before the big day. Selected release. Horrible Bosses (15) ●●●●● (Seth Gordon, US, 2011) Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx. 97min. Three downtrodden employees (Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day) hatch a plan to kill off their bosses, swapping murders to conceal their guilt. There’s a smattering of blackly comic lines and situations that keep this film watchable but it’s let down by a lack of chemistry between the central trio. General release. Horrid Henry: The Movie 2D (U) ●●●●● (Nick Moore, UK, 2011) Theo Stevenson, Anjelica Huston, Richard E Grant. 92min. Big screen off-shoot of popular British children’s television show about a naughty boy and some pretty scary adults. General release. Horrid Henry: The Movie 3D (U) ●●●●● (Nick Moore, UK, 2011) Theo Stevenson, Anjelica Huston, Richard E Grant. 92min. See above. General release. The Illusionist (12A) ●●●●● (Sylvain Chomet, UK/France, 2010) Voices: JeanClaude Donda, Eilidh Rankin. 83min. The product of five years’ work in an animation studio that Chomet (Belleville Rendezvous) set up in Edinburgh when he fell in love with the capital after attending its International Film Festival, this is an uncannily accurate portrayal of Edinburgh and Scotland. The story is an unfilmed script from Jacques Tati and the main character, an ageing magician whose beloved act no longer interests the rock’n’rolling 1950s youth, is based somewhat on Tati himself and is carefully and emotively rendered by Chomet and his team. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Jackass 3D (18) ●●●●● (Jeff Tremaine, US, 2010) Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Bam Margera. Chris Pontius. 93min. Knoxville and his daredevil buddies get up to more mischief. This time in 3D. Glasgow Film Theatre. Just Do It (E) ●●●●● (Emily James, UK, 2010)Documentary about the activities of UK climate activists. Filmhouse, Edinburgh; Glasgow Film Theatre.

£7.50–£8.85 (£5.50–£6.90; family ticket £22–£26); 3D supplement £2 (£1.60); glasses £1 per pair. Off peak prices Mon–Thu before 5pm. Odeon Wester Hailes 120 Wester Hailes Road, Westside Plaza. 0871 22 44 007. odeon.co.uk £6.60–£7.85 (£4.75–£6; family ticket £19–£22.60); premier seat upgrade £1.10 (family £4.40); 3D supplement £2 (£1.60); glasses £1 per pair. Off peak prices Mon–Thu before 5pm. Scotsman Screening Room Scotsman Hotel, 20 North Bridge. 0131 556 5565. scotsmanscreenings.com Screenings on Sundays only. Film only £10. Meal packages £39. Summerhall 1 Summerhall. 0131 560 1590. summerhall.co.uk £5. Vue Ocean Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Victoria Dock, Leith. 0871 224 0240. myvue.com £5.95–£8 (£4.50–£6.10; family ticket £18–£23.80); 3D supplement £2.40 (£1.80). Off peak prices all day Mon–Thu and Fri

before 5pm (extra discounts Mon–Thu before 5pm). Vue Omni Omni, Greenside. 0871 224 0240. myvue.com £5.95–£8 (£4.50–£6.10; family ticket £18–£23.80); 3D supplement £2.40 (£1.80). Off peak prices all day Mon–Thu and Fri before 5pm (extra discounts Mon–Thu before 5pm).

OTHER INDEPENDENTS The Hippodrome 10 Hope Street, Bo'ness. 01324 506850. falkirk.gov.uk/hippodrom e £5.55 (£4.25; family ticket £15.20). Macrobert University of Stirling, Stirling. 01786 466666. macrobert.org £4.75–£5.75 (£4.25–£5.25). Off peak prices before 6pm. Dundee Contemporary Arts Nethergate, Dundee. 01382 909900. dca.org.uk £4.50–£6 (£3.50). Off peak prices before 5pm (extra discounts Mon–Thu).

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Film INDEX Kirikou and The Sorceress (U) ●●●●● (Michel Ocelot, France/Belgium/Luxembourg, 2003) Voices of Antoinette Kellerm, Fezele Mpeka, Kombisile Sangweni, Theo Sebeko, Mabutho ‘Kid’ Sithole. 74min. Kirikou is impatient to get on with life, but as soon as he is born he learns a terrible truth: his family have been eaten up by the evil Karaba and the village is decimated. But fearless Kirikou is determined to fight her and rescue everyone. Charming animation. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Knut Asdam: Tripoli and Abyss (tbc) (Knut Asdam, Various, 2010) 67min. Two shorter films by Norwegian film and video artist Asdam. The first, Tripoli, is part architectural documentary and part historical drama, dealing with the destruction of an ambitious building project during the Lebanese civil war of 1975. The second film deals with the travels of a character through an ever-changing urban landscape. CCA, Glasgow. Kung Fu Panda 2 2D (PG) ●●●●● (Jennifer Yuh, US, 2011) Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan. 90min. Sequel to the popular animated comedy about the martial arts master in a chubby panda body (voiced by Black). Vue Ocean, Edinburgh. Life in a Day (12A) ●●●●● (Kevin Macdonald, US, 2011) 95min. This YouTube project, directed by Kevin Macdonald, asked people around the world to make a film of their life on a specific day, 24 July 2010. From the 80,000 videos submitted, Macdonald and his army of editors have meticulously crafted this overwhelmingly positive, indeed joyful mix of disparate lives. Macrobert, Stirling. Life in a Day (12A) ●●●●● (Kevin Macdonald, US, 2011) 95min. This YouTube project, directed by Kevin Macdonald, asked people around the world to make a film of their life on a specific day, 24 July 2010. From the 80,000 videos submitted, Macdonald and his army of editors have meticulously crafted this overwhelmingly positive, indeed joyful mix of disparate lives. Cameo, Edinburgh. Little Rose (Rózyczka) (15) (Jan Kidawa-Blonski, Poland, 2010) Andrzej Seweryn, Magdalena Boczarska, Robert Wieckiewicz. 118min. A beautiful informant is set the task of betraying a Jewish writer in vehemently anti-Semitic 1960s Poland, only to find her loyalties pulled in more than one direction as time goes on. Part of Play Poland festival. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Lynch (Lincz) (15) (Krzysztof Lukaszewicz, Poland, 2011) Leszek Lichota, Agnieszka Podsiadlik, Wieslaw Komasa. 81min. In 2005 a 60-year-old man was lynched by youngsters in a Polish village. The old man had been a habitual offender and had terrorised the town for years and this film explores the issues behind the story. Part of Play Poland festival. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Mammuth (PG) ●●●●● (Gustave de Kervern, Benoît Delépine, France, 2010) Gérard Depardieu, Yolande Moreau, Isabelle Adjani. 92min. Sporting flowing hair and an ample belly, Depardieu seems to be enjoying himself enormously as the boorish Serge, who discovers that his pension is in doubt. On a road trip to collect affidavits testifying that his claim is genuine, he pieces together the value of his past in a film that nicely balances melancholy with mischief. Macrobert, Stirling. Midnight Cowboy (18) ●●●●● (John Schlesinger, US, 1969) Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman, Brenda Vaccaro, Sylvia Miles. 113min. Voight is the dim-witted Texan getting by in the Big Apple by acting as a gigolo for the rich ladies of New York, while Hoffman is the tubercular conman he befriends and helps through the cold winter in this seminal buddy movie, which helped both protagonists to major stardom in the early 1970s, set Schlesinger off on an intermittently successful career, and further shifted the censorship parameters of mainstream American film. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Miranda (15) ●●●●● (Marc Munden, UK, 2003) Christina Ricci, John Simm, 120 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Thumbsucker/Napoleon Dynamite

to the big screen in this hybrid liveaction/animation family comedy. When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the Smurfs out of their village, they’re forced through a portal, out of their world and into ours, landing in the middle of New York’s Central Park. Stuck in the Big Apple, they must find a way to get back to their village before the evil wizard finds them. General release. The Smurfs 3D (U) (Raja Gosnell, US, 2011) Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry. 102min. See above. General release. Super 8 (12A) ●●●●● (JJ Abrams, US, 2011) Elle Fanning, Riley Griffiths, Kyle Chandler. 111min. A science fiction adventure harking back to the character-driven values of late 1970s and early 1980s films, particularly all those Spielberg classics, and it’s a potent reminder of why Close Encounters . . . and its like continue to stand the test of time. While Abrams’ rarely-seen monster is wrapped up in a suitably exhilarating tension, it’s the coming-of-age story and the endearing young characters at its heart that are really the masterstroke in this enjoyable homage to the way blockbusters used to be. General release. Transformers: Dark of the Moon 2D (12A) ●●●●● (Michael Bay, US, 2011) Shia LaBeouf, Rosie HuntingtonWhiteley, Josh Duhamel. 154min. Latest adventure in the Transformers franchise. Our shapeshifting heroes learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the moon, and a race against the bad guys to reach it and unlock its secrets ensues. Selected release. Transformers: Dark of the Moon 3D (12A) ●●●●● (Michael Bay, US, 2011) Shia LaBeouf, Patrick Dempsey, Hugo Weaving. 154min. See above. Selected release. The Tree (12A) ●●●●● (Julie Bertuccelli, France, 2010) Charlotte Gainsbourg, Morgana Davies, Marton Csokas. 100min. A fine study of loss in this psychological drama as a seemingly perfect family deals with the fallout of a tragedy, and the huge fig tree in their garden comes to represent their collective conscience. Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee. The Tree of Life (12A) ●●●●● (Terrence Malick, US, 2011) Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain. 138min. The lives of a 1950s family are contrasted with a history of life on Earth (including CGI dinosaurs). Soaring music, gliding camerawork, the frequent absence of dialogue and a constant sense of yearning gives The Tree Of Life the feeling of a heartfelt sermon urging a re-engagement with spirituality. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Who Needs a Heart (tbc) (John Akomfrah, UK, 1991) Caroline Burghard, Treva Etienne, Ruth Gemmell. 79min. Controversial drama by the Black Audio Film Collective charting the history of British Black Power through the story of a fictional group of friends moving in the same circles as the movement’s central figure, anti-hero Michael Abdul Malik, or Michael X. CCA, Glasgow. X-Men: First Class (12A) ●●●●● (Matthew Vaughn, US, 2011) James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence. 132min. The X-Men series goes back to the beginning of the saga to chart the early days of Professor X and Magneto, when they were plain old Charles and Erik. General release. Zookeeper (PG) ●●●●● (Frank Coraci, US, 2011) Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb. 104min. James plays zookeeper Griffin Keyes, whose beach-side wedding proposal is turned down by Bibb’s money-grabber. Helping him win her back are Dawson’s shy vet and the various animals he looks after. But no one can breathe life into the tedious script. General release.

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Show us your awkwardness, teenage alienation and Ritalin dreams. Mike Mills’ odd satire of parental obsession and teenage stubbornness goes up against the greatest geek story ever told for a good old-fashioned indie double bill. ■ Cameo, Edinburgh, on Sun 14 Aug. Kyle MacLachlan, John Hurt. 90min. Simm plays Frank, a librarian who wears Hawaiian shirts and speaks his mind in a no-nonsense way. Of course, the object of his desire Miranda (Ricci) is not what she seems, and Frank is soon deeply involved with some crooked businessmen. The Film Council yet again pour our public money into the work of a first-time scriptwriter (Rob Young) who you wouldn’t trust to write a pre-school nativity play. John Hurt and Kyle McLachlan turn up to pocket a few grand from the public purse too. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Mr Popper’s Penguins (PG) ●●●●● (Mark Waters, US, 2011) Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino. 94min. Family comedy starring Carrey as Mr Popper, a humourless businessman who inherits six penguins. The penguins turn his posh New York apartment into a winter wonderland and they change his life in ways he never imagined. This likeable adaptation of popular book was controversially filmed on a refrigerated sound stage with real Emperor Penguins. General release. Potiche (15) ●●●●● (François Ozon, France, 2010) Catherine Deneuve, Gérard Depardieu, Fabrice Luchini. 103min. When Robert (Luchini) is taken ill, supposed trophy wife (the potiche of the title) Suzanne (Deneuve) steps in to take charge of the family business, rediscovering her power and potential. Featuring hidden depths and unexpected layers, nothing is quite as you might have expected in this irresistible Cinderella story. Cameo, Edinburgh. Project Nim (12A) ●●●●● (James Marsh, UK, 2011) Bob Angelini, Bern Cohen, Reagan Leonard. 93min. See review, page 108. Filmhouse, Edinburgh; Glasgow Film Theatre. Radio On (18) ●●●●● (Christopher Petit, UK/West Germany, 1979) David Bearmes, Lisa Kreuzer, Sandy Radcliff. 104min. In 1970s Britain, a factory worker drives from London to Bristol to investigate his brother’s death. The purpose of his trip is offset by encounters with a series of odd people. One of the seminal British films of the 1970s. Part of Summerhall@Fringe festival. Summerhall, Edinburgh. Raise Ravens (Cría Cuervos) (12) ●●●●● (Carlos Saura, Spain, 1976) Geraldine Chaplin, Mónica Randall, Florinda Chico. 110min. A fusion of the personal and political into a portrait of how fasicsm effects a middle-class family, foreshadowing Pan’s Labyrinth in its

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portrayal of childhood. Glasgow Film Theatre. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (12A) ●●●●● (Rupert Wyatt, US, 2011) Tom Felton, James Franco, Andy Serkis. 104min. See review, page 108. General release. The Salt of Life (Gianni e le donne) (12A) ●●●●● (Gianni Di Gregorio, UK, 2011) Gianni Di Gregorio, Valeria De Franciscis, Alfonso Santagata. 90min. See review, page 108. Filmhouse, Edinburgh; Glasgow Film Theatre. Sarah’s Key (Elle s’appelaitlait Sarah) (12A) ●●●●● (Gilles PaquetBrenner, France, 2010) Kristin Scott Thomas, Mélusine Mayance, Niels Arestrup. 111min. The life of a journalist in present-day Paris becomes entwined with that of a young Jewish girl who died in the Holocaust as she investigates a shameful chapter in France’s history. Unsurprisingly earnest and visually restrained, director Paquet-Brenner is aided by a fine ensemble cast in his creation of a real sense of moral ambiguity. Selected release. Senna (12A) ●●●●● (Asif Kapadia, UK/France/US, 2010) 106min. Recently voted the greatest driver of all time and winner of 41 Grand Prix and three drivers’ championships, Brazilian Ayrton Senna was the last F1 driver to die behind the wheel. Exploring his life from 1984 to his death ten years later, this documentary incorporates previously unseen Formula One footage of the almost mythical man. Macrobert, Stirling. A Separation (PG) ●●●●● (Asghar Farhadi, Iran, 2011) Peyman Moaadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat. 123min. A couple debate the ramifications of their impending divorce before a series of events unravel that will lead to a single tragic incident. This morally complex tale is a rich and thought-provoking consideration of the nature of judgment and the role of law. Cameo, Edinburgh; Macrobert, Stirling. The Smurfs 2D (U) (Raja Gosnell, US, 2011) Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry. 102min. The little blue woodland creatures make their first 3D trip

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Looking for screening times? Visit list.co.uk/events/film for up-to-date film times for every Scottish cinema.

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HITLIST

The Singing Kettle: Funny Farm

THE BEST KIDS’ STUFF

Farm Open Day A free afternoon down on the farm, where as well as the usual selection of cute and not so cute animals, you’ll find music, games and other nature-based fun. Tollcross Children’s Farm, Glasgow, Sun 14 Aug. The Singing Kettle: Funny Farm Stalwarts of the world of children’s entertainment, the Singing Kettle pour out another cup of sing-a-long fun, featuring new songs and old favourites such as Dingle Dangle Scarecrow. City Halls, Glasgow, Sat 13 Aug. Professor Egghead’s Tern Around the World Escape from the city and out to the seaside at North Berwick, where the very engaging Professor Egghead finds all manner of interesting ways to teach you about the hard-working Arctic Tern, which flies roughly 34,000 miles in a lifetime! Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick, until Sun 4 Sep. Events are listed by city, then type. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to kids@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Laura Ennor.

GLASGOW

Activities & Fun Summer Tee Club Until Fri 12 Aug,

8.30am–12.30pm & 1.30–5.30pm. £28 per session. World of Golf, 2700 Great Western Road, Clydebank, 944 4141. Last chance for a little summer holiday golfing fun at the driving range. As well as tuition from professional instructors, mini-golfers can expect some fun games, arts and crafts and other outdoor activities. The Forgotten Island Until Sun 18 Sep (not Tue/Wed), 10am–5pm. £6 (children £4.50; under 3s free). Glasgow Harbour, between the Riverside Museum and Glasgow Heliport, Stobcross Road, 0844 481 8898. A mystery travelling island has landed on Glasgow’s riverside, and it needs some intrepid explorers to discover its many treasures, as well as helping plant flowers and plants to keep it blooming. PHarty Club Thu 11 & Mon 15 Aug, 10am–noon. children £5. Pollok House, Pollok Country Park, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 0844 493 2202. Two sessions of Pollok House’s holiday club based around a ‘Victorian Concertina Theatre’ project, where kids will design sets and props,

The fab four fae Fife (Cilla, Artie, Gary and Kevin to the uninitiated) never tire of finding out what’s inside their eponymous boiler. Which is just as well, because there’s always a new generation of wee fans ready to join in with the Kettler’s lively sing-alongs. This time, they’re down on the farm, where a Sheep Dip Derby is set to cause much hilarity, and Bonzo the Dog is raring to meet the farmyard cat. Costumes reminiscent of your favourite farm animal are heartily encouraged. ■ City Halls, Glasgow, Sat 13 & Sun 14 Aug. write a script and get everything ready for a performance for friends and family. Limited spaces. Booking essential. FREE Pollok Heritage Walk Fri 12 Aug, 11.30am–1pm. Pollok Country Park, Pollokshaws Road. Join the rangers on a gentle stroll to discover more about the estate’s cultural and natural heritage. Dog walkers welcome. The Wee Organic Art Club Sat 13 Aug, 10am–noon & Sun 14 Aug, noon–2pm. £5 per session. West End Arts, Hidden Lane, 1103 Argyle Street, Finnieston, 07868 243213. Art club with a conscience for kids, with plenty of world-friendly activities like potato printing, recycled sculpture and mud painting. Numbers are very limited so advance booking is advised. FREE Saturday Art Club Sat 13 Aug, 10.30am–12.30pm. Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. Art activities run by a different art educator each week relating to the art on display with drawing, collage, sculpturemaking and games. Parents can get stuck in too. Ages 3–11. FREE Scavenger Hunt Weekend Sat 13 & Sun 14 Aug, 11am–1pm & 2–4.30pm. Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. Find out if you have what it takes to be a good scavenger by calling at the RSPB’s stand to see if you can find all the hidden treasures on their list. FREE Wheelie Wonderful Sat 13 Aug, 11am–12.30pm. Kelvingrove Park, Otago Street, 276 0927. A cycle around some of the city’s most scenic and tranquil routes. Some of the route is on roads. Please wear a helmet. FREE Farm Open Day Sun 14 Aug, noon–3.30pm. Tollcross Children’s Farm, Wellshot Road, 763 1863. Fun for the whole family with nature-based music, games, face painting and more. Particularly suitable for families with young children. FREE Farrier at Pollok Country Park Tue 16 Aug, 9.30am–noon. Pollok Country Park, Pollokshaws Road. How are horses shoes made? Find out in this special demonstration. FREE Highland Hop Wed 17 Aug,

1.30–3.30pm. Pollok Country Park, Pollokshaws Road. Learn all about the life of the park’s Highland cattle with this tour around the park. Wellies or boots are essential.

Music The Singing Kettle: Funny Farm Sat 13 Aug, 2pm & Sun 14 Aug, noon & 3pm. £12 (family ticket £44). City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. Cilla, Archie, Gary and Kevin host another couple of afternoons of musical madness. Party with the pigs and carouse with the cows at this Funny Farm adventure. Bonus points for dressing up as your favourite farmyard animal!

OUTSIDE THE CITIES Activities & Fun Wild Adventures Until Sun 14 Aug,

10am–5pm. £5 (£3.50; family ticket £17) centre admission; activities are included. Almond Valley Heritage Centre, Millfield, Livingston, 01506 414957. Go back in time this summer to recreate a prehistoric encampment through workshops in shelter-building, crop planting, hunting, food preparation and clothes making. FREE Ice Cream Making in the Georgian Kitchen Thu 11, Wed 17 & Thu 18 Aug, 2–2.30pm. Callendar House, Callendar Park, Falkirk, 01324 506850. Learn how to make ice cream the traditional way and try some more unusual flavours from the Georgian period, including lavender, parmesan and brown bread. Booking essential. FREE Professor Egghead’s Tern Around the World Until Sun 4 Sep, daily 2–2.45pm. £7.95 (£5.95; children £4.50) centre admission; activities are included. Scottish Seabird Centre, The Harbour, North Berwick, 01620 890202. The prof ponders how far we’d all go to get a good meal, then applies this to the life of a tern, who doesn’t have it as easy as we do. Landforms! Fri 12 Aug, 10.30am–12.30pm & 1–3pm. £5. Jupiter Artland, Bonnington House Steadings, Wilkieston, 01506 889900. Hands-on art workshops for ages 5–15 based on

Charles Jencks’ Landforms, part of Jupiter Artland sculpture park. Booking recommended. Part of Edinburgh Art Festival. So You Want to Dance? Fri 12 Aug, 2pm. £5. Belhaven Spiegeltent, North Berwick Harbour, North Berwick, 0844 481 8898. Learn a routine to perform to a favourite chart hit. Ages 10–13. Part of Fringe by the Sea. FREE Family Fundae Sun 14 Aug, noon–4pm. SNO!zone Scotland, Xscape Braehead, Kings Inch Road, Braehead, Renfrew, 0871 222 5672. Lots of fun for families both on and off piste: there are special deals on skiing, plus a snowboard painting gallery, snowplay area and a snowboard simulator ride. Kids Jewellery Making Workshops

Tue 16 Aug, 10am–2.30pm. children £7.50. Scottish Mining Museum, Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange, 0131 663 7519. A chance for kids to take their pick from a tantalising array of colourful bits and bobs and make a necklace or something else to wear with pride. Limited spaces, please call to book. Printmaking Workshops for Children Tue 16 Aug, 10am–noon. £5.

Callendar House, Callendar Park, Falkirk, 01324 506850. Artist-led workshop in mono printing, relief printing and collographs for children aged 9–12. Children can bring photos, drawings or other images they have found to turn into prints.

Books

FREE Book Bugs Fri 12 Aug, 10.30am. North Berwick Masonic Halls, 8/10 Forth Street, North Berwick, 0844 481 8898. Fun and friendly 40-minute story sessions for babies, toddlers and their families, with songs and rhymes into the bargain. Part of Fringe by the Sea.

Theatre Puppet Adventures by the Sea Sat

13 & Sun 14 Aug, 11am. £6. Belhaven Spiegeltent, North Berwick Harbour, North Berwick, 0844 481 8898. A riproaring 50-minute adventure story populated by pirates, princesses and furry beasts. Part of Fringe by the Sea. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 121

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Comedy Janey Godley Comedy Dinner

Events are listed by city, then alphabetically by venue. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to theatre@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Laura Ennor. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

GLASGOW ■ CORINTHIAN 191 Ingram Street, 552 1101. Midweek Magic Wed 17 Aug, 7.30pm. £10, or £25 with dinner and wine. Wonder at the magical powers of Douglas Cameron as he performs feats of mind reading, illusion, and conjuring. Over 18s only.

What could be better than a night in the company of the ‘Godmother of Scottish Comedy’ Janey Godley? Why, a night of laughter courtesy of the caustic stand-up accompanied by a three-course dinner and wines against the refined backdrop of the Malmaison restaurant, that’s what! The perfect antidote to the Fringe. ■ Malmaison, 278 West George Street, Glasgow, Thu 18 Aug, 7pm, £39.50. Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to comedy@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Kirstyn Smith. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

Thursday 11

Glasgow Bruce Morton’s Pick of the Fringe

The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £9 (£8; members £4). Bruce Morton introduces a handpicked selection of Fringe acts. Tonight featuring the steam train ramblings of Zoe Lyons.

Falkirk Russell Kane: Manscaping Falkirk Town Hall, West Bridge Street, 01324 506850. 8pm. £10. The Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award winner presents a new show about masculinity.

Friday 12

Glasgow Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre, 121

Renfield Street, 332 1846. 7.30pm. £11–£14. Hypnotist act from Powers, who has been called ‘the Ali G of stage hypnosis’. Tonight’s show is a childfriendly ‘Family Fun Night’. Foster’s Comedy Live @ highlight

Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £12–£15. Punchy observations from Gary ‘not so’ Little, plus Tim Clark, Gordon Southern and Rory O’Hanlon. Jongleurs Comedy Show Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15. Upbeat humour from Bristol-based Mark Olver alongside purveyor of the shaggiest of dog stories, Owen O’Neill. Bruce Morton’s Pick of the Fringe

The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £12 (£10; members £5). Tonight our trustworthy Fringe guide steals Michael Legge, Tony Law and Carl Donnelly from Edinburgh with promises to return them in (almost) perfect condition.

Saturday 13

Jongleurs Comedy Show Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15. See Fri 12.

■ THEATRE ROYAL 282 Hope Street, 0844 871 7647. Verdict Until Sat 13 Aug, 7.30pm (Thu & Sat mat 2.30pm). £8.50–£30.50. Agatha Christie’s original play follows an idealistic professor Sunday 14 faced with a terrible dilemma OUTS when forced to take on a IDE Glasgow manipulative pupil to earn T H E Michael Redmond’s Pick money for his invalid wife’s F E STIVA treatment. Starring Susan of the Fringe The Stand, 333 L S Woodlands Road, 0844 335 Penhaligon (Emmerdale), 8879. 9pm. £6 (£5; members £3). Robert Duncan (Drop the Dead Fringe treats, among them eclectic Donkey), Peter Byrne, Elizabeth storyteller extraordinaire Gerry Howell, Power and Mark Wynter. Nat Luurtsema and Ava Vidal.

Monday 15

Glasgow Janey Godley Live The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £8 (£4). Lady Godley’s brand of humour takes no prisoners.

OUTSIDE THE CITIES ■ BYRE THEATRE Abbey Street, St Andrews, 01334 475000.

■ DUNDEE REP Tay Square, Dundee, 01382 223530. Our House Wed 17–Sat 20 Aug, 7.30pm. £11 (£8). The energetic songs of Madness are pitted against a witty and romantic tale of young love in the We Will Rock You/Mamma Mia’ jukebox musical vein. Performed by Back to Back, the senior section of Dundee Schools Music Theatre. ■ EAST KILBRIDE ARTS CENTRE Old Coach Road, East Kilbride, 01355 261000. The Steamie Thu 11–Sat 13 Aug, 8pm. £9 (£7). Bookend Theatre Group presents Tony Roper’s popular play. Eavesdrop on the lively banter of three 1950s Glaswegian women at the laundrette on food, family and the plight of a working class woman. The Warrior Ancestry of Dr David Livingstone Sat 13 Aug, 8pm. £7. A

character piece studying some surprising aspects to the roots of the famous explorer, played by Duncan Brown, featuring a musical score by Brown, Dave Gibb and John Malcolm. ■ PITLOCHRY FESTIVAL THEATRE Port–na Craig, Pitlochry, 01796 484626. My Fair Lady Sat 13 Aug, 8pm, and in repertoire until October. £21–£32.50. One of the most successful shows in the history of American musical theatre, the classic musical adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, is brought to the stage to celebrate 60 years of magic at the Theatre in the Hills.

Verdict

Tuesday 16

Glasgow Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £2. Tonight, James Dowdeswell who’s popped in from the east to give his take on the world’s eccentric personalities.

Wednesday 17

Glasgow Billy Kirkwood’s Pick of the Fringe

The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 7.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). With Tiffany Stevenson pontificating on women’s evolution, or the lack thereof, and Ryan McDonnell.

Falkirk Stand Up Wednesday North Star Bar,

28 Vicar Street, scotlandinsession@gmail.com 7.30pm. £3 (£2). Headliner Chris Conroy is supported by Dan Petherbridge, Derek Baillie, David Innes and Jamie Andrew.

Thursday 18

Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre, 121 Renfield Street, 332 1846. 7.30pm & midnight. £11–£14. See Fri 12. The 7.30pm show is safe for teens; the later show is over 18s only.

Janey Godley Comedy Dinner

122 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Thu 18–Sat 20 Aug, 7.30pm. £12–£15. Atmospheric evenings inspired by New York cabaret with a mix of entertainment, song, dancing and drinking provided by Theatre South Productions, responsible for recent successful evenings at the Eastwood Park Theatre.

The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £15. Tonight’s picks include musical satirist Mitch Benn, Kerry Godliman and Josh Howie.

Glasgow

Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £12–£15. See Fri 12 for line-up, except Rory O’Hanlon is replaced by Tom Allen.

Theatre South Cabaret Evenings

Bruce Morton’s Pick of the Fringe

Glasgow

Foster’s Comedy Live @ highlight

■ THE REDHURST HOTEL 27 Eastwood Mains Road, Giffnock, 638 6465. Email theatresouthproductions@hotmail.co.uk for tickets.

The Way Back Home Thu 11 Aug, 2pm; Fri 12 & Sat 13 Aug, 11am & 2pm. £6 (£4). Play for ages 3+ about a boy who accidentally flies to the moon where he meets a passing Martian who is also lost. Together they have to see past their differences to work towards finding their way home. A Song, a Sip and a Sandwich Fri 12 Aug, 7.30pm. £12 (£10). Musical stars from the West End to Scotland perform well-known songs from the best shows out there. Ticket includes a drink and a sandwich.

Malmaison, 278 West George Street, 572 1001. 7pm. £39.50. See caption. Bruce Morton’s Pick of the Fringe

The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £9 (£8; members £4). Vladimir McTavish waxes lyrical about the gambling adventures that lead him to this year’s Fringe, with Pat Burtscher and Ed Patrick.

What on earth would the soap stars of yesteryear do without the Agatha Christie Theatre company? This summer’s major production from the touring troupe named after the Queen of Crime features not one but two former cast members from Emmerdale (Susan Penhaligon and Lyndon Ogbourne) as well as Elizabeth Power, who played Arthur Fowler’s bit on the side in EastEnders. Expect plenty of intrigue and a smattering of genteel homicides in this original play about a professor who ends up in the power of one of his pupils when his wife falls ill. ■ Theatre Royal, Glasgow, until Sat 13 Aug.

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Music

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HITLIST

ALS HE FESTIV OUTSIDE T

THE BEST MUSIC

Haarfest The Kingdom of Fife is home to another weekend festival from the Fence Collective, featuring performances by King Creosote, The Pictish Trail, FOUND and others, in a handful of locations across the fishing villages of Anstruther and Cellardyke. Various venues, Anstruther & Cellardyke, Thu 11 Aug–Sun 14 Aug. (Rock & Pop) PREVIEW

SHONEN KNIFE

Japanese lo-fi punk girl group return to the UK ‘We have been to Edinburgh a few times but all of them were in the 90s. The first time was with the Nirvana tour, I think,’ says Naoko Yamano, guitarist and lead vocalist of Shonen Knife. Yamano, the only remaining member of the original 1981 line-up, is referring to the time her cult Japanese three-piece opened for the Seattle icons just prior to the bombshell that was Nevermind. This is the kind of stuff that comes up in conversation as if it ain’t no thing. The fact that their merits have been heralded by Sonic Youth, Fugazi, John Peel and Kurt Cobain doesn’t faze the poppunk veteran.

Personally, I first saw Shonen Knife’s sunshineinfused, pop-centric garage rock live at the Matt Groening-curated All Tomorrow’s Parties Festival at Butlins in 2010. The amount of musicians who turned out for their set (and cheered like my mother does at the sight of Donny Osmond) seems further testament to the respect the trio are afforded, almost 20 albums into their career. And the albums keep on coming. ‘We are about to release a cover album of Ramones songs, Osaka Ramones. The end of this year is our 30th anniversary so we wanted to do something special to celebrate that.’ (Lauren Mayberry) ■ Nice'n'Sleazy, Glasgow, Tue 16 Aug, with Isosceles; also Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, 225 1757, 15 Aug, 7pm, £10, part of The Edge Festival.

SOUND ENGINEERING COURSE, AT A BARGAIN PRICE

CHEM19 SOUNDLAB With the backing of Creative Scotland, the Blantyre-based Chem19 music studio (left) is offering a brand new ten-month course for aspiring young engineers. Emma Pollock, one of the founders of the studio’s parent Chemikal Underground label, explains more. What’s the thinking behind Soundlab? ‘We get so many requests for work experience and we don’t do it as a rule, because it’s not that useful for a student to just sit in the corner and watch a producer at work. So this is something for those who show a real aptitude and discipline, regardless of whether they’ve done an academic course or not.’ What will the students be taught? ‘We want to start with an assumption they’ll know the basics of multi-track recording, which is a simple thing in theory, but full of complicated detail that you can’t actually get to grips with unless you’re in front of a recording desk. We don’t want to mimic other courses, it’ll be explained very much from Chem19’s point of view. In London the engineer’s the guy who operates the machinery, whereas in smaller Scottish studios it’s a much more creative role, so students will be shown a way of working that’s as artistic as it is technical.’ What will they take away from the course? ‘That’s a difficult one to answer. In the arts courses don’t necessarily give you a defined skill-set. It’s an opportunity to develop hands-on, problem-solving experience under supervision, and after that it’s really up to the individual’s own determination and ability to use what they’ve learned.’ (David Pollock) ■ Applications for Soundlab close on Fri 9 Sep. The course is open to 18 to 25-year-olds, priced at £50 for all 17 sessions. Full info is available at chem19.co.uk

Shonen Knife See our preview of the Japanese pop-punkers, left. With Isosceles, Nice’n’Sleazy, Glasgow, Tue 16 Aug; also Sneaky Pete’s, 225 1757, 15 Aug, 7pm, £10, part of The Edge. (Rock & Pop) Kelburn Brazilian Festival A bright and riotous burst of colour in the countryside, with capoeira, carnival parades, samba workshops and live music, including Senegalese/ Scottish Afrobeat group Samba Sene and Divan (see below for their Edinburgh Festival dates too). Kelburn Castle and Country Centre, Fairlie, Sat 13 & Sun 14 Aug; Samba Sene & Diwan: Africa Calling, until 22 Aug (not 11–14), Assembly George Square, 623 3030, 2.30pm, £10 (£8). (Rock & Pop) Golden Grrrls Fuzzy guitar pop from the Glasgow trio. With Palms, The 13th Note Café/Bar, Thu 18 Aug. (Rock & Pop) Chad VanGaalen Canadian bedroom musician and creator of his own psychedelic animated videos. Read our interview with Chad (pictured, above) in the next issue, out 18 August. To win tickets, see page 125. Captain’s Rest, Glasgow, Thu 18 Aug; Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, 225 1757, Fri 19 Aug, 7pm, £7, part of The Edge. (Rock & Pop) Piping Live! The annual festival wraps up this week, with percussion workshops, tours of the Museum of Piping, live performances and more. Various venues, Glasgow, until Sat 13 Aug. (Folk) 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 123

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Music RECORDS

TRIBUTE ALBUM

GUITAR POP

PSYCH-ROCK

Johnny Boy Would Love This . . . A Tribute to John Martyn (Hole in the Rain/Liason) ●●●●●

Young Pilgrim (Nusic) ●●●●●

West (Thrill Jockey) ●●●●●

VARIOUS ARTISTS

CHARLIE SIMPSON

WOODEN SHJIPS

However affectionate a tribute album, they can still make you wish classic songs, like historic buildings, could somehow be listed to preserve their original splendour. Case in point on this set dedicated to late, great folk and jazz man John Martyn: Snow Patrol’s demolition of ‘May You Never’. ‘Shall we protect its understated intimacy?’, you can almost hear Gary Lightbody consider. ‘Sod that – string section.’ The rest ranges from play-it-safe and vanilla (two tracks by Morcheeba – really?) to plain WTF? (Phil Collins). But a few geniuses ride to the rescue – Robert Smith’s moody ‘Small Hours’, Beck’s supercool ‘Stormbringer’ and Vashti Bunyan’s gorgeous ‘Head and Heart’. Johnny would definitely have loved that. (Malcolm Jack)

From those unedifying but undoubtedly popular days with Busted, teen crush magnet Charlie Simpson deserves credit for finally reaching a musical plateau that might be referred to as ‘grown-up’. Following his noisy emo breakout with Fightstar, this worthily named, debut solo album – paid for by fans’ pledges – hits the heights of maturity with a sound that almost matches Nickelback in its forlorn dad-rockery. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s very rarely inspiring. There’s a pleasant, nostalgic shuffle to ‘Thorns’ and an ambling Evan Dando-sounding bittersweetness to ‘I Need a Friend Tonight’, while ‘All at Once’ stands out as the only song that picks up the pace. If you consider Coldplay to be one of the greatest rock bands ever, you’re strongly encouraged to give this a try. (David Pollock)

Any fears that Wooden Shjips’ first trip into a recording studio would compromise the fug of their psychrock are swiftly allayed by ‘Black Smoke Rise’, the opening track from the San Franciscans’ new long-player. It revokes their bygone DIY tendencies yet reveals that Ripley Johnson (also of Moon Duo) is as in thrall to 60s garage, 70s psych, Crazy Horse and Suicide as ever. (The power-chord amulet of The Kinks’ ‘You Really Got Me’ also swings throughout, to hypnotic effect). ‘Black Smoke Rise’ sets the scene and pace for an album inspired by the ideology and mysticism of the American West, but while Wooden Shjips remain explorative and intoxicating, (and the backwardsconceit of ‘Rising’ notwithstanding), they break little new ground. (Nicola Meighan)

POST PUNK

ROCK/ POP

WORLD

The Coldest Winter For A Hundred Years (Occultation) ●●●●●

Slave Ambient (Secretly Canadian) ●●●●●

Cumbia! Bestial (Chusma Records) ●●●●●

THE WILD SWANS

After 30 years of hurt, Paul Simpson’s band of reignited pop classicists are on a mission. A supergroup of crusaders recruited from Echo and the Bunnymen, Spiritualized and Brian Jonestown Massacre, this manifesto of epics sounds like a one-man war on the sort of botched urban regeneration that has left Simpson’s beloved Liverpool so bereft of character and heart. Amid jangling guitars and piano flourishes, Simpson’s brooding baritone trainspots a litany of desecrated pop cultural iconography, from Turner’s sunsets in pools of vomit to William Blake in Cash Converters. Mrs Albion, as well as a lovely daughter, you have a brand new champion to call your own. (Neil Cooper) 124 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

THE WAR ON DRUGS

Philadelphia’s The War On Drugs (a group which once included Kurt Vile as the guitarist) aims to fuse the heartland American rock of Dylan and Springsteen with shoegaze guitars, spectral keyboards and motorik beats. Nice idea, and on songs like ‘Best Night’ it works quite well, suggesting Paul Westerberg driving down the Autobahn to Düsseldorf. Early 80s synthpop is the main reference point, and ‘Baby Missiles’, a peppy homage to The Boss’ ‘Dancing In The Dark’, wouldn’t sound out of place in a John Hughes movie. Sadly, when the martial drums of ‘Come To The City’ kick in, it all goes a bit U2, sacrificing subtlety for anthemic banality. (Stewart Smith)

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Americans have been dancing in time with the Colombian cumbia music style, with its easy slide side-to-side moves in 2/4 time since the 60s, but it only really hit the international club scene in the 21st century. Cumbia! Bestial offers a continental perspective by bringing together cutting-edge DJ remixes from Bogotá, México and Buenos Aires. Voices layer above zippily rhythmic accordion and keyboard melodies, playfully fusing with blasts of brass, electronica and bass-ily raucous industrial textures with plenty hip hop, reggae, rap and other ingredients. While it may help that one of the DJs is head of EMI Mexico it just shows how hip that scene is. Very good to dance to. (Jan Fairley)

SINGLES & DOWNLOADS Quite a light singles bag this week at The List, and sitting atop the puny stack is Hard-Fi. Why must you offend us so with tracks like ‘Fire in the House’ (Atlantic) ●●●●●, which sounds depressingly like a Saturday night down the A&E pressing a bloody rag to a broken nose? Speaking of blood on the dancefloor, it’s Glasgow trash mob How To Swim with ‘Corpsing’ (Personal Hygiene) ●●●●●, three minutes of manic thrash-disco thrills examining ‘the dichotomy of dancing and dying’. Speaking of copping it, Wynter Gordon drops a party-pop firecracker with ‘Til Death’ (Big Beat) ●●●●● but London wasted youths Tribes, a new band set to meet their pop maker sooner rather than later judging by sub-Suede glammy contrivance ‘Sappho’ (Island) ●●●●●. Another three-star effort is Toddla-T’s wiggly synth workout ‘Watch Me Dance’ (Ninja Tune) ●●●●●, which we’d speculate could make for a decent Ibiza summer anthem – if we’d ever actually been. But forget summer because Christmas has come early, with free downloads from two fine artists readying long-awaited new LPs. For their excellence and unseasonal generosity a joint Single of the Week goes to swoonsome Swedish indie crooner Jens Lekman with the characteristically groovesome and witty ‘An Argument With Myself’ (Secretly Canadian) ●●●●●, and electro-shoegaze Frenchman M83’s ‘Midnight City’ (Mute) ●●●●●, a certified banger to get fists and hearts pumping feverishly. The latter’s worth a click for the triumphant 80s sax solo alone – go forth and download. (Malcolm Jack)

■ Download M83 at ilovem83.com/midnight-city and Jens Lekman at scjag.com/mp3/sc/argument. mp3

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ROCK&POP

list.co.uk/music

EXPOSURE

ROCK&POP

Friday 12

Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication for Glasgow to glasgow@list.co.uk and for Edinburgh to henry@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Fiona Shepherd and Henry Northmore. For ticket outlet information, see Book Now. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

Thursday 11

Glasgow

■ Here By Chance, Blood Red Visions, Alone Among Company and Explicit Creed Ivory Blacks, 56 Oswald

CAFÉ DISCO Café Disco. What’s that then? Are we on the brink of a revolution in clubbing/ dining? Actually, it’s an excellent pop-rock four-piece from Scotland’s west coast, although they have said that the band ‘is actually just a way in which we hope that one day we’ll be able to fund our burgeoning careers in the catering industry.’ We salute a band with creative ambition. That’s good forward planning. Seriously, though? ‘It was a nightmare trying to come up with a name but then as luck would have it Clare [Gallacher, drums] and Paul [Swinton, guitar] independently watched the ‘Café Disco’ episode of The Office one night, and when we next met up and were spit-balling names again, that was one that we all liked.’ Fair enough. What do they sound like then? You’re not really giving much away with this ‘pop-rock’ . . . We’re not, but that’s because they’re a fairly broad-ranging band – great guitar hooks courtesy of Paul and twin sister Rachel; tight, driving drums from Clare, with singer Fraser Welsh’s charming Irvine brogue weaving through it all. ‘We are not afraid of pop,’ they say. ‘We love nice melodies, we are all fans of Jimmy Eat World, as they’ve got great pop melodies which is something we look to convey in our music. We like the balance of something quite rocking that you can still sing along to.’ Sounds good. Where can I see them? ‘Just now, because we’re quite new, we’re just trying to play live, free gigs, work on our own stagecraft type of thing,’ says Fraser. ‘We’re doing that just for ourselves at the moment, then in October we’ve got a single launch, so we’ll take a break after playing these shows, then focus on getting as many people along to gigs as possible.’ (Niki Boyle) ■ Café Disco play Box, Glasgow, Fri 12 Aug; and Brel, Glasgow, Wed 31 Aug supporting Courtney Marie Andrews. Debut single ‘Persona’ to be released in October. Listen at facebook.com/CafeDiscoband.

Street, 248 4114. 6.30pm. £6. Over-14s show. EP launch for the headliners. ■ Angelspit and Surgyn Classic Grand, 18 Jamaica Street, 847 0820. 7pm. £10. Industrial electronica from the New York and Berlin-based cyberpunk outfit. ■ The LaFontaines Stereo, 20-28 Renfield Lane, 222 2254. 7pm. Fusing hip hop, pop and indie to create a colourful sound. ■ Ashesh & Nekhvam Nice’n’Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900. 7.30pm. £8. Nepal’s ‘leading blues-rock band’ on their first ever UK tour. ■ Dead Boy Robotics, Any Color Black and Blank Canvas Pivo Pivo, 15

Music

Glasgow

FREE Bootleg Wonderland Chambre 69, Stock Exchange House, 69 Nelson Mandela Place. 6pm. Guitarbased funk, soul and pop covers. ■ Firebrand Super Rock, 15 Times Dead, Mair and Kahbela

Ivory Blacks, 56 Oswald Street, 248 4114. 6.30pm. £6. Big riffs and power chords. ■ Breaking Curfew, Tear Jerks and Death Trap City Barrowland 2, 244 Gallowgate, 552 4601. 7pm. £6. Over14s show. Alternative pop rock. FREE Diana Schad The Living Room, 150 St Vincent Street, 229 0607. 7pm. Singer/pianist performing originals and covers. ■ River-side, Dazell and Sunflower Tuesdays O2 ABC2, 330 Sauchiehall Street, 332 2232. 7pm. £8. Four-piece indie rock band influenced by Arctic Monkeys and The Fratellis. ■ Male Pattern Band Nice’n’Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900. 7.30pm. Junkyard pop from MPB. ■ Henry Cluney, Eddy & the TBolts and Alan Bishop Captain’s

Rest, 185 Great Western Road, 332 7304. 8pm. £8. Solo show from the Stiff Little Fingers man. ■ Herculean The 13th Note Café/Bar, 50–60 King Street, OUTS 553 1638. 8pm. Indie rock trio IDE from Glasgow.

THE Waterloo Street, 564 8100. ■ Hollow Point, Exit Set, FESTI 8pm. £5. New Wave electro Pablo Eskimo and Coat V A L S punk sounds. Hooks Maggie May’s, 60 ■ Tragic City Thieves and Trongate, 548 1350. 8pm. £5. Bandito Fleeto The 13th Note Biffy-style alt rocking. Café/Bar, 50–60 King Street, 553 1638. ■ Straighten Out The Ferry, 25 8pm. Glam punk. Anderston Quay, 01698 360085. 8pm. FREE Jam Session Samuel Dow’s, £8.50 in advance; £10 on the door; 67–71 Nithsdale Road, 423 0107. 8.30pm. £22.45 with early dinner at 6pm. Hosted by Independence. Stranglers tribute. ■ The Low Suns King Tut’s Wah Wah ■ Alex Wayt, DIRTYsally and Till Hut, 272a St Vincent Street, 221 5279. This Night King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 272a St Vincent Street, 221 5279. 8.30pm. £5. London-based five-piece drawing on the influence of Jeff Buckley, 8.30pm. £5. Heartfelt Americana from Wayt. Flaming Lips, old time gospel and sci-fi soundtracks. With Slim Mistress and No FREE Isis Samuel Dow’s, 67–71 Fxd Abode. Nithsdale Road, 423 0107. 8.30pm. Soft FREE Nick Mercer Slouch, 203–5 Bath rock. Street, 221 5518. 8.30pm. Formerly of FREE Sonic Templars, Killing Sergeant. Singer/songwriter bill Spree and Scott Logan Slouch, 203–5 Bath Street, 221 5518. 8.30pm. completed by Phil Campbell and Danny Mahon. Alt.rock from Glasgow. FREE Acoustic Open Mic 1901 Bar and Bistro, 1534 Pollockshaws Road. Anstruther 9pm. Weekly open mic. Haarfest Various Venues, FREE Dweller, Notebooks and fencerecords.com. Times vary. £65 for the weekend; £15 per night for Atlas:Empire Bloc+, 117 Bath Street, evening concerts. See Thu 11. 574 6066. 9pm. Free before midnight. Punk and hardcore line-up. Stirling FREE Open Mic Night The Bay, 142 West Regent Street. 9pm. With a free ■ Fish Tolbooth, Jail Wynd, 01786 drink for all performers. 274000. 8pm. £17.50. The ex-Marillion FREE Live at Lebowskis Lebowskis, singer embarks on his first far-reaching 1008 Argyle Street, 564 7988. 9.30pm. Scottish tour in over 20 years, Weekly acoustic showcase hosted by showcasing material from his David Duffy. forthcoming new album A Feast of Consequences.

WIUNFF

WIN AC/DC DVDS

The year before Bon Scott’s tragic death in 1980, AC/DC played a storming live show in Paris as part of the Highway to Hell tour. That final live performance is being reissued on Warner Home Video DVD, complete with backstage interviews with Scott and the rest of the band. To win one of three copies of the DVD, enter at list.co.uk/offers.

WIN SYSTEM 7 ALBUMS Techno ambassadors System 7 had a riotously good time in Berlin recently, so much so that euphoric club crowds influenced them to call their latest album UP. Album collaborators including A Guy Called Gerald, Japanese electric violinist Yuji Katsui and DJ Funky Gong Minoru. If you want to hear how that comes together, you’re in luck, as we have five copies to give away.

WIN CHAD VANGAALEN TICKETS

✽

Anstruther

Various Venues, ✽ fencerecords.com. Times vary. £65 for the weekend; £15 per night for Haarfest

evening concerts. Yet another small-butperfectly-formed musical long weekend from the clever fellows at Fife’s Fence Records, this high summer shindig features walks and workshops around the picturesque seaside towns of Anstruther and Cellardyke in the afternoons, and gigs in the evenings featuring all the usual suspects, including the now Mercurynominated King Creosote, plus James Yorkston, Jonnie Common, Found, Gummi Bako, Withered Hand, Kid Canaveral and many more.

Isle of Mull

■ Southern Tenant Folk Union An

Tobar Arts Centre, Argyll Terrace, Tobermory, 01688 302211. Times tbc. £tbc. Gospel-influenced seven-piece with their own mix of old-time, bluegrass and Celtic folk music.

Saturday 13

Glasgow

■ Beat Down Battles The 13th Note

Café/Bar, 50–60 King Street, 553 1638. 2pm. £5. Over-14s show. Rappers Steg G and Bigg Taj host this MCs and beatboxers battle. FREE The MeatMen Maggie May’s, 60 Trongate, 548 1350. 6pm. Rockabilly, bluegrass and skiffle from Glasgow trio The MeatMen. ■ Heavy Load and The Easy Riders Ivory Blacks, 56 Oswald Street, 248 4114. 6.30pm. £3. Brighton punk band Heavy Load is uniquely made up of musicians with and without learning disabilities and starred in a documentary of the same name from director Jimmy Rothwell. ■ Crazy Alice, Zaun, Note to Self, The Hardlines and Without Aeroplanes Barrowland 2, 244

Gallowgate, 552 4601. 7pm. £6. Over14s show. Mix of alternative rock.

Canadian artist/musician Chad VanGaalen is riding high at the moment. His fourth album, Diaper Island, is a guitar-driven mash-up of psychedelic, rock and folk styles, and it’s been getting rather fine reviews wherever it goes. He’s also amassed quite a following on YouTube for his selfanimated music videos. He’s dropping in on Glasgow’s Captain’s Rest on Thu 18 Aug and Edinburgh’s Sneaky Pete’s the night after. We’ve got one pair of tickets to each gig up for grabs – to win, enter at list.co.uk/offers. See next issue for an interview with Chad.

HOW TO ENTER Log onto list.co.uk/offers. Closing date for competitions is Wed 17 Aug, unless otherwise stated. There is no cash alternative. Usual List rules apply. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 125

✽

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Music ROCK&POP Book Now ■ Denotes just announced

Tickets are available from:

Tickets Scotland 239 Argyle Street, 0141 204 5151; 127 Rose Street, 0131 220 3234, www.tickets-scotland.co.uk See Tickets 0870 895 5505, www.seetickets.com Ripping Records 91 South Bridge, 0131 226 7010, www.rippingrecords.com Ticketmaster 08444 999990, www.ticketmaster.co.uk Ticketweb 08444 771000, www.ticketweb.co.uk

AUGUST ■ Morcheeba Liquid

Room, Edinburgh, 19 Aug. ■ Dolly Parton SECC,

Glasgow, 20 Aug.

■ Sharron Corr Liquid

Room, Edinburgh, 20 Aug.

■ New Found Glory

Garage, Glasgow, 22 Aug. ■ Wiz Khalifa HMV

Picture House, Edinburgh, 22 Aug.

■ Gomez HMV Picture

House, Edinburgh, 23 Aug. ■ Interpol O2

Academy, Glasgow, 23 Aug.

■ James Blake Liquid

Room, Edinburgh, 30 Aug.

ABC, Glasgow, 14 Sep.

■ 3 Blind Wolves O2

■ The Kooks

■ Steve Earle O2

■ Will Young O2 Academy, Glasgow, 11 Nov.

■ CSS Stereo,

■ Jon Fratelli Oran

■ Love & Money

■ Sons & Daughters

■ Red Hot Chilli Peppers SECC,

■ Joan as Policewoman Liquid

■ Scott Matthews

Glasgow, 31 Aug.

Room, Edinburgh, 31 Aug.

SEPTEMBER ■ Arcade Fire

Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, 1 Sep. ■ Toots & The Maytals O2 Academy,

Glasgow, 1 Sep. ■ Bryan Ferry

Mor, Glasgow, 15 Sep. Oran Mor, Glasgow, 15 Sep. ■ Skip ‘Little Axe’ McDonald O2 ABC,

Glasgow, 15 Sep.

■ Crystal Fighters

Stereo, Glasgow, 16 Sep. ■ Wilko Johnson O2

ABC, Glasgow, 16 Sep.

Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, 3 Sep.

■ Cosmo Jarvis King

■ Mac Miller* O2 ABC, Glasgow, 4 Sep.

■ Howling Bells Oran

■ PJ Harvey Royal

Concert Hall, Glasgow, 4 Sep.

SECC: Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, 19 Sep.

■ Kurt Vile Stereo,

■ Young Rebel Set

Glasgow, 6 Sep.

■ Public Enemy O2

Tut’s, Glasgow, 17 Sep. Mor, Glasgow, 19 Sep. ■ Nigel Kennedy

King Tut’s, Glasgow, 19 Sep.

ABC, Glasgow, 6 Sep.

■ The National Corn

Exchange, Edinburgh, 23 Aug; O2 Academy, Glasgow, 24 Aug. ■ The Blackout O2

■ King Creosote &

■ Doug Paisley O2

■ Cage the Elephant

■ Hayseed Dixie O2

Liquid Room, Edinburgh, 24 Aug.

■ Sebadoh Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, 25 Aug. ■ The Vaccines HMV

ABC, 8 Sep.

ABC, Glasgow, 9 Sep. ■ Joe Gideon & The Shark O2 ABC,

Glasgow, 9 Sep.

■ This Frontier Needs a Hero O2

Picture House, Edinburgh, 24 Aug.

ABC, Glasgow, 10 Sep.

■ The Twilight Singers Liquid Room,

■ Thrum King Tut’s,

Edinburgh, 25 Aug. ■ Willy Mason

Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, 25 Aug. ■ Amanda Palmer

HMV Picture House, Edinburgh, 25 Aug; Arches, Glasgow, 26 Aug. ■ Face to Face King

Tut’s, Glasgow, 25 Aug. ■ Best Coast Bongo

Club, Edinburgh, 30 Aug.

126 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

Glasgow, 10 Sep.

■ Fenech Solar O2

ABC, Glasgow, 22 Sep.

■ Ghostpoet Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, 23 Sep; Captains Rest, Glasgow, 24 Sep.

■ Po’Girl O2 ABC,

Glasgow, 12 Sep.

■ Tinie Tempah

Garage, Glasgow, 4 Oct.

Glasgow, 1, 3 & 4 Nov. SECC, Glasgow, 2 Nov.

■ Sylosis Cathouse,

■ The Subways Oran

Mor, Glasgow, 24 Sep. ■ Adele Usher Hall,

■ Darren Hayes O2

ABC, Glasgow, 16 Oct.

■ Wretch 32 O2 ABC,

■ All The Young King

■ Professor Green

Glasgow, 16 Oct.

Glasgow, 27 Sep.

Barrowland, Glasgow, 16 Oct; HMV Picture House, Edinburgh, Oct 17.

■ Echo & The Bunnymen Royal

■ Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

■ Hard-Fi O2 ABC,

Concert Hall, Glasgow, 28 Sep.

■ The King Blues

Arches, Glasgow, 5 Nov. ■ Lemonheads Oran

Mor, Glasgow, 5 Nov. ■ Motörhead O2

Academy, Glasgow, 5 Nov.

Concert hall, Glasgow, 6 Nov.

King Tut’s, Glasgow, 25 Sep. Tut’s, Glasgow, 26 Sep.

Academy, Glasgow, 2 Nov.

■ Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat Cabaret

Academy, Glasgow, 15 Oct.

Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 27 Oct.

Room, Edinburgh, 14 Nov. ■ Anna Calvi Oran

■ The Secret

■ Wiz Khalifa O2

■ The Rifles Garage,

■ City & Colour O2

■ Wild Beasts Liquid

Glasgow, 15 Nov.

Academy, Glasgow, 13 Oct; Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, 15 Oct.

Academy, Glasgow, 14 Oct.

SECC, 14 Nov.

■ The Naked & Famous O2 ABC,

■ Staind Garage,

■ Katy B O2

Glasgow, 24 Sep.

■ Tinie Tempah

Academy, Glasgow, 15 Nov.

Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, 6 Oct.

■ Big Talk Arches,

Room, Edinburgh, 12 Nov; Arches, Glasgow, 13 Nov.

■ Motorhead O2

■ Spiritualized

Voltaire, Edinburgh, 14 Oct.

■ KT Tunstall Liquid

Garage, Glasgow, 15 Nov.

Tut’s, Glasgow, 4 Oct; Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, 5 Oct.

■ Erasure O2

■ Yes SECC: Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, 12 Nov.

■ Medina Lake

■ Marcus Foster King

O2 ABC, Glasgow, 13 Oct.

Glasgow, 12 Nov.

Mor, Glasgow, 15 Nov.

Glasgow, 4 Oct.

Mor, Glasgow, 23 Sep.

■ Connan Mockasin

Concert Hall, Glasgow, 11 Sep.

■ Roddy Woomble

■ Cage the Elephant

Mor, Glasgow, 2 Oct.

■ Metronomy Oran

■ Big Deal Captain’s

■ Brian Wilson Royal

NOVEMBER

■ Katy Perry SECC,

■ Maverick Sabre

Glasgow, 10 Sep.

ABC, Glasgow, 11 Sep.

Glasgow, 31 Oct.

■ Nerina Pallot Oran

Barrowland, Glasgow, 13 Oct.

■ Young Guns QMU,

■ The Bluetones O2

■ Bruno Mars SECC,

Oct.

■ Enter Shikari

Edinburgh, 24 Sep; O2 Academy, Glasgow, 25 Sep.

Rest, Glasgow, 11 Sep.

O2 ABC, Glasgow, 28 Oct.

O2 ABC, Glasgow, 1 Nov; Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, 2 Nov.

■ Bombay Bicycle Club Barrowland, 2

Glasgow, 10 & 11 Oct.

Jon Hopkins Grand Old Opry, Glasgow, 7 Sep.

ABC, Glasgow, 24 Aug.

OCTOBER

■ Rihanna SECC,

ABC, Glasgow, 7 Sep.

Glasgow, 7 Sep.

O2 ABC, Glasgow, 30 Sep.

Glasgow, 10 Oct.

■ Caitlin Rose O2

■ Owl City O2 ABC,

■ The Revival Tour

■ Wolf Gang and SCUM King Tut’s,

SWG3, Glasgow, 7 Sep.

Hall, Edinburgh, 23 Aug.

Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, 30 Sep.

Academy, Glasgow, 27 Oct.

Glasgow, 6 Oct.

■ The Black Angels

■ Warpaint Queen’s

Barrowland, Glasgow, 30 Sep.

Glasgow, 5 Nov.

Sisters Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, 15 Nov. ■ WireLiquid Room, ,

22 Nov.

■ DJ Fresh Arches,

Glasgow, 23 Nov.

■ Skrillex O2 ABC,

Glasgow, 26 Nov. ■ Little Dragon

Arches, Glasgow, 30 Nov.

DECEMEBER

■ Tori Amos Royal

■ Example O2

■ The Airbourne Toxic Event Arches,

■ George Michael

Glasgow, 7 Nov.

■ Guillemots Oran

Mor, Glasgow, 7 Nov. ■ Artic Monkeys

SECC, Glasgow, 8 Nov. ■ Evanescence and The Pretty Reckless

O2 Academy, Glasgow, 8 Nov. ■ Fozzy Cathouse,

Glasgow, 8 Nov.

■ Alison Krauss

SECC: Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, 10 Nov. ■ Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Arches,

Glasgow, 11 Nov.

Academy, Glasgow, 5 Dec. SECC, Glasgow, 6 & 7

MAARCH 2012 ■ Bjorn Again Royal

Concert Hall, Glasgow, 9 Mar. ■ Killing Joke O2

ABC, Glasgow, 12 Mar.

■ Chris Rea SECC,

Glasgow, 29 Mar.

APRIL 2012 ■ The Osmonds

Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 22 Apr; Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, 25 Apr.

JUNE 2012 ■ Blink 182 SECC, Glasgow, 20 Jun.

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ROCK&POP

list.co.uk/music ■ Darrell Muldoon, Vicki Paxton, Scott Beaton and Amanda William

O2 Academy 2, 121 Eglinton Street, 0844 477 2000. 7pm. £6. Bill of singer/songwriters.

Music

Kelburn Brazilian Festival

■ The Jury, The Sneaky Russians,

Sleepyheads and Eyes Own O2 ABC2, 330 Sauchiehall Street, 332 2232. 7pm. £5. Indie bill. ■ Maiden Scotland, Gallus Cooper and Chasar g2, 490 Sauchiehall Street,

353 3111. 7pm. £tbc. Iron Maiden tribute outfit support by a tribute to Alice Cooper. ■ Silent Screams, Here Lies a Warning, My Friend the Arsonist and Winters Horizon Stereo, 20-28

Renfield Lane, 222 2254. 7pm. £4. Metal bill. ■ Moloch and Closure Nice’n’Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900. 7.30pm. Doomcore sounds. ■ Benny Gallagher City Halls: Recital Rooms, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £17. A songwriter of sheer class whose songs have been covered by Bryan Ferry, Don Williams, Garth Brooks, Phil Everly and Simon & Garfunkel plays this Acoustic Affair gig. ■ Confusion The Ferry, 25 Anderston Quay, 01698 360085. 8pm. £8 in advance; £9 on door; £21.95 with early dinner at 6pm. Local rock band play covers from the 70s. ■ Hotter Than Hell and HeHatesUs The Ferry, 25 Anderston Quay, 01698 360085. 8pm. £11.50 in advance; £13 on the door; £25.45 with early dinner at 6pm. Kiss tribute act plus hard rock support. ■ Six Pack, Jackhammers and Spoutmouth The 13th Note Café/Bar, 50–60 King Street, 553 1638. 8pm. Bruising punk rock. FREE The Shiverin’ Sheiks 1901 Bar and Bistro, 1534 Pollockshaws Road. 8pm. Rock’n’roll, country and gospel from members of The Five Aces, Bottleneckers and Hidden Masters. ■ The Works and The Speak Easy Maggie May’s, 60 Trongate, 548 1350. 8pm. £5. Live music. FREE Devor, The Jury and The Sneaky Russians Slouch, 203–5 Bath Street, 221 5518. 8.30pm. Rootsy rock’n’roll in a Black Crowes style. ■ The Last of the Free, The Dirty Cuts, The Puppet State and Mocker King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 272a

St Vincent Street, 221 5279. 8.30pm. £5. Alt.pop and rock bill. FREE 2 Bob Rocket Samuel Dow’s, 67–71 Nithsdale Road, 423 0107. 8.30pm. Rock covers.

Anstruther

Various Venues, ✽ fencerecords.com. Times vary. £65 for the weekend; £15 per night for Haarfest

evening concerts. See Thu 11.

By Oban

■ Southern Tenant Folk Union

Easdale Island Community Hall, Easdale Island, 01852 300113. 8.15pm. £10 (£8). See Thu 11.

Largs

✽ Kelburn Castle and Country Centre, Fairlie, 01475 568685. noon. Weekend Kelburn Brazilian Festival

tickets £32; day tickets £10; under 17s £7; family £30. Exoticism on the West Coast of Scotland as Kelburn Castle hosts its Brazilian Festival. Expect capoeira demonstrations, live music and dance, samba workshops and colourful carnival parades. Line-up includes dub, reggae, Latin, electronica and funk from the likes of Samba ya Bamba, Samba Sene & Diwan, The Fontanas, Auntie Flo, DJ Astroboy and many more.

Sunday 14

Glasgow

■ Defining Affinity, Dana O’Hara and Slabheed Stalker Ivory Blacks,

56 Oswald Street, 248 4114. 2pm. £6. Over-14s show. Afternoon gig.

Scotland gets a little dose of South American heat, in this two-day celebration at Kelburn Castle, with capoeira, carnival parades, samba workshops and live music, including Senegalese/ Scottish Afrobeat group Samba Sene (pictured) and Diwan, who are also playing a run of dates in the Edinburgh Festival too, see below for details. ■ Kelburn Castle and Country Centre, Fairlie, Sat 13–Sun 14 Aug; Samba Sene & Diwan: Africa Calling, Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 22 Aug (not 11–14), 2.30pm, £10 (£8). FREE Michigan The Ferry, 25 Anderston Quay, 01698 360085. 2pm. Afternoon gig. FREE Acoustic Butterfly 1901 Bar and Bistro, 1534 Pollockshaws Road. 4pm. Folk rock. FREE Forever Fallen, Ludovico and Death by Disco Slouch, 203–5 Bath Street, 221 5518. 6pm. Alt.rock and punk pop from Birmingham band at this week’s Blues Kitchen. With posthardcore support from Glasgow’s Ludovico. ■ Deviation, Fallen Riot and Cemtex Ivory Blacks, 56 Oswald Street, 248 4114. 7pm. £6. Metal bill. ■ Brothers Reid Nice’n’Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900. 7.30pm. Folk, rock and bluegrass sounds.

O2 ABC2, 330 Sauchiehall Street, 332 2232. 7pm. £6. Over-14s show. Alt synth rock show. Glasgow piano based rock quartet headline.

FREE Acoustic Jam Nice’n’Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900. 8pm. Weekly showcase for local songwriters performing original material.

■ Country Roads: A Celebration of John Denver Pavilion Theatre, 121

Renfield Street, 332 1846. 7.30pm. £17.50. Wayne Denton and a full live band play John Denver’s classic country hits. ■ Trenches, Citizens and Fat Janitor Captain’s Rest, 185 Great Western Road, 332 7304. 8pm. £5. Downtempo hardcore from Galway headliners. Plus intricate hardcore from Glasgow’s Citizens. FREE Bloc+ Jam Bloc+, 117 Bath Street, 574 6066. 9pm. Open mic night hosted by Louis Abbot (Brother Louis Collective) and Craig Grant (Union of Knives). FREE Open Mic The Cathouse, 15 Union Street, 248 6606. 9pm. Free before 11pm; £3 (£2) after. New weekly open stage at the rock club. FREE Open Mic Lebowskis, 1008 Argyle Street, 564 7988. 9.30pm. Hosted by Fried Medicine.

Largs

✽ Kelburn Castle and Country Centre, Fairlie, 01475 568685. noon. Weekend Kelburn Brazilian Festival

tickets £32; day tickets £10; under 17s £7; family £30. See Sat 13.

Monday 15

Glasgow

■ The Corleones, The Celestians, Broken Indigo and Kevin McGuire 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 127

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Music ROCK&POP FREE Brel Sessions Brel, 39–43 Ashton Lane, 342 4966. 8pm. Folky jam session with an indie edge from Laura Wilkie (Rachel Sermanni Band) and Sarah Hayes (Admiral Fallow). ■ Jason Webley and Kristina Cox The 13th Note Café/Bar, 50–60 King Street, 553 1638. 8pm. Stomping accordion-wielding troubadour from Seattle. FREE Michael Simons Tchai-Ovna House of Tea, 42 Otago Lane, 357 4524. 8pm. Glasgow-based guitarist playing folk, blues and beyond. FREE Acoustic Session Live Slouch, 203–5 Bath Street, 221 5518. 8.30pm. Weekly unplugged session.

Tuesday 16

Glasgow

✽

Shonen Knife and Isosceles

Nice’n’Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900. 7.30pm. £10. Return of the Japanese lo-fi pop trio, favourites at one time of Kurt Cobain. FREE Acoustic Sessions and Open Mic Òran Mór, 731-735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. 8pm. Free acoustic night hosted by Ross Clark. ■ Brontide, Dalzel and As In Bear Captain’s Rest, 185 Great Western Road, 332 7304. 8pm. £5. Riff-heavy math rock from Brighton. FREE Spotlight @ Slouch Slouch, 203–5 Bath Street, 221 5518. 8pm. Open mic night. FREE The Cosmic Dead Mono, 12 Kings Court, King Street, 553 2400. 9pm. Heavy psych rocking. FREE Open Mic Box, 431 Sauchiehall Street, 332 5431. 9pm. Weekly open stage.

Wednesday 17

Glasgow

■ Bury Your Dead Ivory Blacks, 56

Oswald Street, 248 4114. 6.30pm. £10. Over-14s show. Massachusetts metalcore five-piece. ■ H2O, Chief, Shields Up and First Step to Failure Stereo, 20-28 Renfield Lane, 222 2254. 7pm. £11. Melodic hardcore from New York, with support from positive hardcore punks Chief. ■ An Evening With Alex Laurie

Classic Grand, 18 Jamaica Street, 847 0820. 7.30pm. £10 (£6). Laurie tackles the musical theatre songbook in this show.

■ To Kill Achilles, Dreams & Empires, Definitions and Montesano Walkway Nice’n’Sleazy,

421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900. 7.30pm. £5. Heavy sounds at this Gigs for a Cure charity night. ■ Acoustic Tribute Night The 13th Note Café/Bar, 50–60 King Street, 553 1638. 8pm. This month, it’s the battle of the superbands: Super Furry Animals vs Supergrass. ■ Bear Arms Captain’s Rest, 185 Great Western Road, 332 7304. 8pm. £tbc. Indie pop. ■ Ian McLagan and Pete Macleod King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 272a St Vincent Street, 221 5279. 8.30pm. £15. Legendary keyboard player of The Small Faces/The Faces, who has also shared the stage with Billy Bragg and Paul Weller. ■ Milk Flat 0/1, 162 Bath Street, 07583227912. 9pm–3am. £4 (students £3). A new indie night with two live bands plus an acoustic act, visuals and DJs. FREE Rustic City Fathers Bloc+, 117 Bath Street, 574 6066. 9pm. Free before midnight. Alt.rock with a rootsy vein running through it.

Whiting Bay

■ Fish and The Usual Suspects

Whiting Bay Hall. 7pm. £17.50. See Fri 12.

art loving, comedy laughing, attraction visiting, theatre going, hill walking, scotland touring, club dancing, beer swilling, sport crazy, film watching, music listening, hotel staying money spenders?

We’ll target them

Thursday 18

Glasgow

■ Fire of Rome, Swallows, As Faith Fades, Set Astray and Definitions

Ivory Blacks, 56 Oswald Street, 248 4114. 6.30pm. £6. Over-14s show. Local band bill. ■ Farewell Singapore Nice’n’Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900. 7.30pm. See Mon 15. ■ Andi Neate and Jinski Woodend Tennis & Bowling Club, 10 Chamberlain Road, 959 1428. 8pm. £10. Singersongwriter Neate. FREE Andrea Heins Tchai-Ovna House of Tea, 42 Otago Lane, 357 4524. 8pm. Canadian singer/songwriter on guitar and auto-harp. Chad VanGaalen and Tesla Birds Captain’s Rest, 185 Great Western Road, 332 7304. 8pm. £7. Bedroom musician and artist from Calgary. Golden Grrrls and Palms The 13th Note Café/Bar, 50–60 King Street, 553 1638. 8pm. Indie pop and noisy punk. ■ Matsuda Cafe The Garage, 490 Sauchiehall Street, 332 1120. 8pm. £3. Alternative music/cabaret night in the upstairs room at the Garage, featuring Spangled Cabaret regulars Scunner, plus Second Hand Marching Band, Miaoux Miaoux, Bert Finkle & Markee de Saw, Serpent and The Acid Darling. ■ The Cave Singers and The Sea Kings King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 272a St Vincent Street, 221 5279. 8.30pm. £10. Wistful, noirish atmospheres from this Seattle bunch. FREE Jam Session Samuel Dow’s, 67–71 Nithsdale Road, 423 0107. 8.30pm. See Thu 11. FREE Acoustic Open Mic 1901 Bar and Bistro, 1534 Pollockshaws Road. 9pm. See Thu 11. FREE Cherri Fosphate, Death by Misadventure and Visions Of Bloc+, 117 Bath Street, 574 6066. 9pm. Free before midnight. Trio of acts play this month’s Cast the Net night. FREE Open Mic Night The Bay, 142 West Regent Street. 9pm. See Thu 11. FREE Live at Lebowskis Lebowskis, 1008 Argyle Street, 564 7988. 9.30pm. See Thu 11.

✽ ✽

St Andrews

■ Hotel California Byre Theatre, Abbey

Street, 01334 475000. 8pm. £15 (£12). Hotel California perform a range of Eagles classics and Joe Walsh and Don Henley solo works. All profits from the show go directly to Marie Curie Cancer Care.

JAZZ Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to henry@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Henry Northmore and Kenny Mathieson. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

Thursday 11

Glasgow

■ Ashesh & Nekhvam Nice’n’Sleazy,

421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900. 7.30pm. £8. Nepal’s ‘leading blues-rock band’ on their first ever UK tour.

Saturday 13

Glasgow

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■ Penman’s Jazzmen King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 272a St Vincent Street, 221 5279. 2pm. Donations. The late George Penman’s band continue to keep the faith with their take on vintage New Orleans jazz. FREE The Alan Gilbert Quartet Brel, 39–43 Ashton Lane, 342 4966. 3pm. Straightahead jazz from the gifted guitarist plus band.

Milngavie

■ Mike Whellans Milngavie Folk Club,

The Fraser Centre Douglas Street, 07743

885991. 7.30pm. £10. One of the few remaining one-man blues outfits in Scotland, playing electric and acoustic guitar, mouth harp, drums and mouth percussion.

Sunday 14

Glasgow

FREE Alan Nimmo & The Magic Blues Surfers Bobar, 383 Byres Road, 341 6516. 8pm. Sunday blues session.

FOLK Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to henry@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Henry Northmore and Norman Chalmers. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

Thursday 11

Glasgow

FREE World Amateur Solo Piping Competition Millennium Hotel, George Square, 332 6711. 10.30am. CLASP present a competition for Grade 3 to 1 pipers on consequent days. Part of Piping Live! ■ Come and Try: Piping The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 2.30pm & 11am. £2. A basic introduction to playing the bagpipes. Part of Piping Live! FREE Museum of Piping Tour The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 11am & 3pm. Get a guided tour of the Museum of Piping by Professor Hugh Cheape. Part of Piping Live! FREE Piping in the Square George Square, 353 0220. 11am. Some of the best pipers in the world perform every day. Part of Piping Live! FREE Live Music At The Street Café The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. noon, 1.15pm, 4.45pm & 5.30pm. A daily selection of live music at the National Piping Centre street café. Georgi Makris (noon), Will Woodson & Andy Lamb (1.15pm), Edelmiro Fernandez (4.45pm) and Cullen Pipe Band (5.30pm). Part of Piping Live! ■ Piobaireachd of the Day College of Piping, 16–24 Otago Street, 334 3587. noon. £2. Classic Ceol Mor with Brian Donaldson and guests. Part of Piping Live! FREE Pipe Up!: Understand & Appreciate Your Bagpipe The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. noon. Craig Munro, bagpipe crafter, charts the journey from the African Blackwood to the finished instrument. Part of Piping Live! ■ Glenn Brown: Lunchtime Recital Series The National Piping

Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 12.15pm. £6 (£4). A performance from Canadian gold medallist of 2009. Part of Piping Live! FREE Inveraray & District Pipe Band College of Piping, 16–24 Otago Street, 334 3587. 1pm. A free concert at the College of Piping. Part of Piping Live! ■ Come and Try: Gaelic The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 1.30pm. £2. Get a basic introduction to the Celtic language of Scotland. Part of Piping Live! FREE Pipe Up!: Crossing The Borders The National Piping Centre,

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FOLK

list.co.uk/music 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 1.30pm. Advice on the potential challenges of taking your band away from bonnie Scotland. Part of Piping Live!

Music

Chad VanGaalen

■ Angus MacColl: Glenfiddich Champions Recital Series George

Square, 353 0220. 1.45pm. £6 (£4). MacColl, the current Glenfiddich champion performs. Part of Piping Live! FREE Music of The Nations: Greece The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 1.45pm. Georgi Makris takes you through the history of the Greek bagpipe. Part of Piping Live! ■ D2 Percussion Drumming Masterclass The National Piping

Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 2pm. £6 (£4). A two-hour workshop on percussive pipe drumming. Please bring your own sticks and pad, and participants must be able to play. Part of Piping Live! FREE Wallace Bagpipes Presents The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 2pm. A performance led by soloists from the St Laurence O’Toole pipe band. Part of Piping Live! FREE Begg Bagpipes Demonstration BeggBagpipes.com, 202b Bath Street, 333 0639. 3pm. Informal session for advice, chat and more from experts in hand crafted bagpipes. Part of Piping Live! FREE Fred Morrison Reel Pipes Pipe Idol The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 3pm. Four of the world’s best young pipers will battle it out each day to be this years Pipe Idol. Heat 4 features Emmett Conway, Scott Wood, Jonathan Graham and Glen Walpole. Part of Piping Live! FREE Armagh Pipers Club: George Square Sessions George Square, 353 0220. 4.15pm. A performance of lively traditional music and song. Part of Piping Live! FREE Cpt Stuart Samson: The Land Of Bens, Glens and Heroes The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 4.45pm. A book launch and performance by Samson and friends. Part of Piping Live! FREE The Worlds Present George Square, 353 0220. 5pm. A variety of performers from around the world showcasing their best in dance and music. Part of Piping Live! ■ Anxo Lorenzo Trio and the Fred Morrison Trio Royal Concert Hall: Strathclyde Suite, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £16 (£12). The Galician area of Spain has its own

This Canadian bedroom musician got into music through his love of comic books. When the local comic book store (that he’d been going to since he was five) added a mini vinyl section, he was hooked on looking at the album covers. Years later, he started making his own gentle indie rock, meandering into quirky electronica at points. Read our interview with Chad in the next issue, out 18 August. To win tickets, see page 125. ■ With Tesla Birds, Captain’s Rest, Glasgow, Thu 18 Aug; Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, 225 1757, Fri 19 Aug, 7pm, £7, part of The Edge. bagpipe, and the Anxo Lorenzo Trio perform a wide variety of styles with it, alongside, the Fred Morrison Trio hold their own with lively traditional music. Part of Piping Live! ■ Gaberlunzie St Andrews in the Square, 1 St Andrews Square, 559 5902.

8pm & 7.30pm. £8 (£6). Both modern and traditional tunes, plus between-song banter in their inimitable style from these all-round entertainers, who have been in the performing game for over 30 years. ■ Pipes of Peace SECC, Finnieston Quay, 0844 395 4000. 7.30pm. £18.50.

Featuring current world champions St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band from Dublin and six-time world champions Simon Fraser University Pipe Band from Canada alongside Celtic Spirit, Lomond & Clyde Pipe Band from Glasgow and Robert Worrall. Part of Piping Live!

line-up. Former lead singer of Runrig, Donnie Munro, will headline on the opening Friday night with performances also from: the Bay City Rollers’ Eric Faulkner; Dundee’s Michael Marra; Jill Jackson; and Glasgow’s The Gospel Truth Choir.

THE FAMOUS GROUSE FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND! After months of counting down the first ever Famous Grouse Festival is now upon us with the festival kicking off this Friday. There are still some tickets available for the much anticipated event celebrating some of Scotland’s best musical talent with Scotland’s favourite whisky. NME award winning band Glasvegas are set to entertain crowds at the festival on Saturday, fresh off the back of their Australian tour. The band is no stranger to the festival scene having performed at festivals around the world as well as Glastonbury, T in the Park and Oxegen.

Saturday’s line-up also includes: Skerryvore, the award winning Scottish band known for their fusion of traditional music with the urban sounds of rock and funk; modern Gaelic band, Mànran; and former front-woman of rock band Speedway, Jill Jackson. Dundee based five-piece The Trade competed in the ‘Gig with Grouse’ competition run by Radio Tay and won themselves the final spot in Saturday’s

The music and whisky festival will be held for the first time at The Famous Grouse Experience in Crieff on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th August*. Ticket prices are £30 per day from www.ticketmaster.co.uk & www.ticketsoup.com. Tickets are restricted to those aged 14 and above and all over 18’s will be treated to three free drams (ID required). Disabled access and parking available on prior request. For more festival news please visit: www.thefamousgrouse.com /festival Please enjoy our whisky responsibly

*Subject to licensing

11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 129

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Music FOLK ■ University of Strathclyde Piping Recital Challenge Lord Todd Bar,

Campus Village, University of Strathclyde, 548 2435. 7.30pm. £10. A competition featuring Andrew Bonar, Stuart Liddell, Angus MacColl, Niall Stewart and Pipe Major Gordon Walker. Part of Piping Live! ■ Festival Club The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 10pm. £5. A live music experience that will take you merrily through the night into the morning. Part of Piping Live!

Friday 12

Glasgow

■ Come and Try: Piping The National

Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 2.30pm & 11am. £2. See Thu 11. FREE Museum of Piping Tour The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 11am & 3pm. See Thu 11.

■ Cameron Drummond: Lunchtime Recital The National Piping Centre,

30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. noon. £6 (£4). An afternoon of music with double silver medallist Cameron Drummond. Part of Piping Live! FREE Live Music At The Street Café The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. noon, 1.15pm, 3pm, 4.45pm & 5.30pm. A daily selection of live music at the National Piping Centre street café. Armagh Pipers Club (noon), Angus Nicolson Trio (1.15pm), Celine Donoghue & Neil Sturgeon (3pm), Second Stringers (4.45pm) and ScottishPower Pipe Band (5.30pm). Part of Piping Live! FREE Piping in the Square George Square, 353 0220. noon. See Thu 11. ■ Come and Try: Gaelic The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 1.30pm. £2. See Thu 11. FREE Pipe Up!: Composers Rights and Royalties The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street,

Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 1.30pm. Part of a series of talks presented by Piping Live!, aiming to inform and support the working musician. Part of Piping Live! FREE Music of The Nations: Galicia, Spain George Square, 353 0220. 1.45pm. Explore the Spanish bagpipe traditions with Edelmiro Fernandez. Part of Piping Live! ■ Stuart Liddell: Glenfiddich Champions Recital Series George

Square, 353 0220. 1.45pm. £6 (£4). Liddell, Grade 1 Pipe Major, will close this series of recitals. Part of Piping Live! FREE Neil Selbie & Co Present The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 2pm. An afternoon session with some of the best from North East of Scotland. Part of Piping Live! FREE Begg Bagpipes Demonstration BeggBagpipes.com, 202b Bath Street, 333 0639. 3pm. See Thu 11. FREE Cillian Vallely: George Square Sessions George Square, 353 0220. 4.15pm. Irish music featuring the Uilleann Pipes wit Cillian Vallely of Lunasa. Part of Piping Live! FREE Seudan The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 4.30pm. The CD launch featuring replica pipes of 1758. Part of Piping Live! ■ The Red Hot Chilli Pipers The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £16 (£12). Piping Live! presents The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, bagpipe rockers with new tracks from their latest album as well as old classics. Part of Piping Live! ■ Festival Club The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 10pm. £5. See Thu 11.

Isle of Mull

■ Southern Tenant Folk Union An

Tobar Arts Centre, Argyll Terrace, Tobermory, 01688 302211. Times tbc. £tbc. Gospel-influenced seven-piece with their own mix of old-time, bluegrass and Celtic folk music.

Saturday 13

Glasgow

■ World Pipe Band Championships Glasgow Green,

Greendyke Street, 353 8000. 7.30am–7pm. £9–£26 (£5–£7; family ticket £23). So far, 140 expert pipe bands from all over the world will be entering the World Pipe Band Championships. But it’s not all about wind blowing down tubes and drums being hit; there’s also a craft fair, highland games and a traders area for you to take home pipe-related merchandise and fudge. (Not to mention the bar, if the piping starts to get to you). Part of Piping Live! ■ Benny Gallagher City Halls: Recital Rooms, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £17. A songwriter of sheer class, whose songs have been covered by Bryan Ferry, Don Williams, Garth Brooks, Phil Everly and Simon & Garfunkel, plays this Acoustic Affair gig. ■ After Worlds Shindig The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8.30pm. £16 (£12). The World Pipe Band Championships after party with highlights including Lunasa from Ireland and the Angus Nicolson Trio. 16+ only. Part of Piping Live!

(£4). Part of the Piping Live! Masters Solo Piping Championship, this is your chance to see the very best in piping. Part of Piping Live! ■ March, Strathspey and Reel Competition RSAMD, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 1pm. £6 (£4). Part of the Piping Live! Master Solo Piping Championship, this is your chance to see Gold Medallists compete for the solo title. Part of Piping Live! FREE Sunday Survivor Session The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 1pm. More piping for anyone left standing. Celine Donaghue & Neil Sturgeon (1pm), Maverick Angels (2pm) and Steven Blake & Chris Waits (3pm). Part of Piping Live! ■ Lev Atlas Café Cossachok, 10 King Street/Trongate 103, 553 0733. 9pm. £6. Popular Russian folk tunes from the violinist.

Monday 15

Glasgow

FREE Brel Sessions Brel, 39–43 Ashton Lane, 342 4966. 8pm. Folky jam session with an indie edge from Laura Wilkie (Rachel Sermanni Band) and Sarah Hayes (Admiral Fallow).

By Oban

Stirling

Easdale Island Community Hall, Easdale Island, 01852 300113. 8.15pm. £10 (£8). See Fri 12.

County Rugby Football Club, Bridgehaugh Park, Causewayhead Road, 01259 218521. 8pm. £tbc. Lively, multiinstrumental folk trio led by accordionist Lynn Tocker.

■ Southern Tenant Folk Union

Peebles

■ Old Blind Dogs Eastgate Theatre &

Arts Centre, Eastgate, 01721 725777. 7.30pm. £13. Old Blind Dogs present an intoxicating mix of delicately phrased traditional songs and blistering fiddle pipe tunes.

Sunday 14

Glasgow

■ Piobaireachd The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 10.30am. £6

Haarfest

■ Lyra Stirling Folk Club, Stirling

Thursday 18

Glasgow

■ Nathan Rogers St Andrews in the

Square, 1 St Andrews Square, 559 5902. 8pm. £8 (£6). Traditional and original tunes mixing folk, blues, country and rock, from the son of Canadian folk singer Stan Rogers.

CLASSICAL Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to suzanne@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Carol Main & Tasmin Campbell. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

Thursday 11

Glasgow

FREE Kelvingrove Organ Recitals Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. 1pm. Free lunchtime organ recitals every day by different organists.

Saturday 13

Glasgow NYOS with Jane Irwin Glasgow Royal

Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £10–£18. The youth orchestra performs Ravel’s Rhapsodie Espagnole, Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and MacMillan’s Symphony No 3 (Silence). Jane Irwin (soprano) is the soloist; Christoph Mueller conducts.

Sunday 14

Glasgow

August in the Kingdom of Fife can only mean one thing: time once again for the Fence Collective to host their weekend-long music fest, featuring performances by Kenny Anderson, aka King Creosote, Johnny Lynch, aka The Pictish Trail (pictured, above), FOUND and others, in a handful of locations across the fishing villages of Anstruther and Cellardyke. ■ Various venues, Anstruther & Cellardyke, Thu 11 Aug–Sun 14 Aug. See fencerecords.com for line-up and ticket info. 130 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

FREE Live Music in the Bandstand Mugdock Country Park, Craigallion Road, Milngavie, 956 6100. 2–3pm. A variety of musical ensembles perform every Sunday this summer in the peaceful surroundings of the Victorian Walled Garden. Please phone for details of individual bands. FREE Kelvingrove Sunday Organ Recitals Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. 3–3.45pm. Sunday promenade concerts with different organists.

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VisualArt

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ALS HE FESTIV OUTSIDE T

THE BEST EXHIBITIONS

British Art Show 7 Time is running out to catch this touring exhibition of works by some of the finest contemporary artists at work today. Expect provocative pieces by the likes of Sarah Lucas, Juliette Blightman, Christian Marclay and Charles Avery. CCA, Gallery of Modern Art and Tramway, until Sun 21 Aug.

REVIEW GROUP SHOW

LIVE YOUR QUESTIONS NOW

Mackintosh Museum, Glasgow School of Art, until Sat 1 Oct ●●●●● As a triumphant call to the graces of old age and experience Live Your Questions Now is a survey show reacting to the art world’s obsessive youth fads. The show’s title is derived from a letter seeking guidance from poet Rainer Maria Rilke: ‘live your questions now, and maybe they will lead to answers in later life.’ It’s an apt quote for a show based on older age, setting up the premise of life as a test or question that we can only answer through our own individual actions and creations. Bringing together eight internationally recognised artists, each working in different styles and contexts, the show is impressively varied. The fact that three out of the eight have all died within the past decade accentuates the age/experience theme. Ana Jotta’s work stands out as discarded slide projector screens mimicking theatrical displays with varying styles, jumping from cartoon hands and

abstract landscape backgrounds to Escher-like eternal ladders mimicking some kind of retirement purgatory. Jotta’s use of line and form complements Alasdair Gray's draftsmanship, his working and reworking of drawings from the 60s and use of monochrome space. A piece that stands out for its raw emotion is Sam Ainsley’s painting ‘Where there are hopes, there will be fears’. In it are images of human cells and on closer inspection within two cells are the words ‘I am scared’ handwritten over and over again against the printed canvas. Ainsley’s work for this exhibition was inspired in part by her deeply personal reaction to a piece by the celebrated New Zealand artist Colin McCahon. Her unflinching work raises the issue of old age and the path we take after the age of 60: retirement, society’s at times cruel rejection and eventual death. Ainsley comments openly on a theme of ageing and life’s sorrow and beauty. The exhibition is a celebration of experience and reeks not of an old folk’s home but of tenacity and lives well lived. (Alistair Quietsch)

REVIEW PAINTING, DRAWINGS & SCULPTURE

FIRST OF THE SUMMER WINE

Cyril Gerber Fine Art, Glasgow, until Wed 31 Aug ●●●●● Cyril Gerber’s annual summer show is full of variety, placing artists from different generations alongside one another. A mix of modern British and Scottish masters includes Joan Eardley, Vanessa Bell, George Leslie Hunter, Donald Clark, Philip Reeves and many others. The salon style show makes for a pleasant visiting experience if you are more used to overly didactic interpreted exhibitions. Director Jill Gerber is at hand to point out highlights and keenly discussing lesserknown hidden gems. Charcoal drawings by Scott McMurdo, who graduated from the GSA in 2007, trace the contours of a face or a hand, over and over, searching and tapping into the memories etched on elderly skin, so that the form becomes solid and monumental. Ann Christopher’s bronze sculptures merge ancient lithic forms with modern day abstraction to create futuristic totem objects. An arresting work by Heather Nevay, ‘Alchemists in an industrial landscape’, plays with symbols and newfound mythology. Meticulously painted in the style of the illustrated manuscript, two children dressed in Elizabethan apparel confront the onlooker whilst engaged in a strange game or ritual that imitates the alchemical distilling process. The complexity of their childhood innocence mixes gothic sinisterism with Hieronymus Bosch’s eschatological playfulness. (Talitha Kotzé)

First of the Summer Wine Mouth-watering collection of works by renowned artists. See review, left. Cyril Gerber Fine Art, Glasgow, Until Wed 31 Aug. Ciara Phillips: In Residence New work, the result of a residence with one of Glasgow’s newest contemporary galleries, by Canadian/Irish artist Phillips, who uses screenprinting, textile techniques and wall painting to create context-specific installations. Kendall Koppe Gallery, Glasgow, until Mon 5 Sep. Live Your Questions Now Fascinating collection of works by established artists over the age of 60 in reaction to the enduring focus on youth in the art world. See review, left. Mackintosh Museum, Glasgow, until Sat 1 Oct. Breaking the Renaissance Code Examples of work by Dürer, Rembrandt and Holbein are placed alongside contemporary artists in this small but interesting exhibition looking at emblematics and symbolic referencing. Hunterian Gallery, Glasgow until Tue 4 Oct. Peace at Last! Glasgowbased artist Kate Davis, who has attracted attention for her sculptures, videos, drawings and installations, unveils work responding to the Glasgow Museums collection. Gallery of Modern Art, until Sun 16 Oct. Ruth Ewan: Brank & Heckle Images and sounds that explore the active nature of history. See picture caption, page 132. Dundee Contemporary Arts, Fri 12 Aug–Sun 9 Oct. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 131

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VisualArt Exhibitions are listed by city, then alphabetically by venue. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to art@list.co.uk. Listings compiled by Laura Ennor. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

GLASGOW ■ ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN SCOTLAND

Level 2, The Lighthouse, 11 Mitchell Lane, 225 8350. Mon–Sat 10.30am–5pm. FREE Cedric Price: Think the Unthinkable Until Sat 3 Sep. New graphic renderings of the architect’s projects alongside work by current architecture undergraduates. FREE Material Considerations: Stone Until Fri 12 Aug, 10.30am–5pm. Uses of stone in Scotland. ■ BIG MOUTH COFFEE BAR AND CAFÉ

167 Dumbarton Road, 337 7023. Mon–Fri 8am–7pm (Fri until 6pm); Sat 9am–6pm. FREE Seeing You There Until Wed 28 Sep. Caroline Watson exhibits drawings and mixed media work exploring themes of nature and solace as well as cultural memory and attachment. ■ THE BRIGGAIT

141 Bridgegate, 553 5890. FREE Emilia Muller-Ginorio & Thomas PR Horak Until Fri 26 Aug. Daily 2.30–5.30pm. Muller-Ginorio’s Contexts for Sewing is an exploration of artistic labour and production in an attempt to confront globalization while Horak’s Time is a Piece of Glass concerns time. ■ CASTLE GALLERIES

Level One, Princes Square, 48 Buchanan Street, 221 6867. Mon–Sat 10am–6pm; Sun noon–5pm FREE Bob Dylan: Drawn Blank Series 2011 Until Wed 31 Aug. Signed prints of the singer’s colourful and mysterious paintings. ■ CCA

350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. Tue–Sat 11am–6pm. FREE British Art Show 7 Until Sun 21 Aug, Tue–Sun 11am–5pm. See Hitlist. FREE Kai Fischer: Entartet Until Sat 20 Aug. An exhibition reflecting on the Third Reich’s 1937 Exhibition of Degenerate Art (Entartete Kunst), which aimed to ridicule non-conforming artists and ended up as an inadvertent celebration of modernism.

✽

■ GALLERY OF MODERN ART

Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. Mon–Wed & Sat 10am–5pm; Thu 10am–8pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm. FREE British Art Show 7 Until Sun 21 Aug, Tue–Sun 11am–5pm. See CCA, Glasgow. FREE Peace at Last! Until Sun 16 Oct. Work created by Glasgow artist Kate Davis in response to objects from the Glasgow Museums collections.

✽

■ GLASGOW BOTANIC GARDENS

730 Great Western Road, 334 2422. Daily 10am–6pm. FREE Ghost Orchids Until Thu 15 Sep. A site-specific sculptural installation in the gardens’ Orchid House by Siobhan Healy. ■ MACKINTOSH MUSEUM

The Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfrew Street, 353 4500. Mon–Fri 10.30am–4.30pm; Sat 10am–2pm FREE Live Your Questions Now ●●●●● Until Sat 1 Oct. See review, page 131.

✽

■ GLASGOW UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

University of Glasgow, Hillhead Street, 330 6704. Mon–Fri 9am–4.55pm; Sat 1–4.55pm. FREE Weathering: An Alastair Reid Retrospective Until Fri 30 Sep. Illuminating works on the poetry of Pablo Neruda and Jorge Luis Borges. ■ GOETHE INSTITUT

3 Park Circus, 332 2555. Mon–Thu 10am–5pm; Fri 10am–4pm FREE From Death Zone to Nature Reserve: The European Green Belt Until Fri 19 Aug. Photographs,

maps and text providing an insight into a unique European nature conservation project along the line of the Iron Curtain.

■ HEART BUCHANAN

380 Byres Road, 334 7626. Mon–Fri 8.30am–9.30pm; Sat 9am–9.30pm; Sun noon–7pm. FREE Ingo Glaetsch Until Wed 31 Aug. A huge canvas featuring a sketch of a scene on the Great Western Road.

✽

FREE Breaking the

Renaissance Code ●●●●●

Until Tue 4 Oct. See Hitlist. ■ KELVINGROVE ART GALLERY & MUSEUM

Argyle Street, 276 9599. Mon–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm FREE Drawing (on) Riverside Until Sun 14 Aug. Studies of the development of the new Riverside Museum. FREE Scottish Glass at Kelvingrove Until Sun 1 Jul. Glass art and artefacts from the 18th century to the present day. ■ LILLIE ART GALLERY

Station Road, Milngavie, 578 8847. Tue–Sat 10am–1pm & 2–5pm FREE Breaking Boundaries Until Thu 11 Aug. Group exhibition celebrating 25 years of the Batik Guild. ■ MITCHELL LIBRARY

North Street, 287 2999. Mon-Thu 9am–8pm; Fri & Sat 9am–5pm FREE Eyes of the Street Until Wed 31 Aug. Glasgow’s streets from the perspective of the homeless.

4027. Mon–Fri 9.30am–5.30pm; Sat 10am–1pm. FREE Artists’ Prints Until Mon 15 Aug. Prints by artists from two major printmaking workshops, London’s Advanced Graphics and Aberdeen’s Peacock Printmakers. ■ SCOTLANDART.COM

193 Bath Street, 221 4502. Tue–Fri 10.30am–5.30pm; Sat 11am–5pm; Sun noon–5pm FREE Alumni: Glasgow University Until Sun 28 Aug. Scenes from around Glasgow University painted by popular gallery artists including Peter Nardini, Karen Cairns, Todd Garner, Jack Frame, Lee Robertson and Adrian McMurchie. ■ SMITHY GALLERY

74 Glasgow Road, Blanefield, 01360 770551. Tue–Sat 11am–5pm; Sun 1–5pm FREE Gordon Wilson Until Sun 28 Aug. Paintings ranging from quirky portraiture to dynamic landscape and figurative work. ■ STREET LEVEL PHOTO WORKS

■ THE MODERN INSTITUTE

14–20 Osborne Street, 248 3711. Mon–Fri 10am–6pm; Sat noon–5pm FREE Urs Fischer & Georg Herold ●●●●● Until Sat 3 Sep. Work by young Swiss artist Fischer and veteran German artist Herold.

Trongate 103, 552 2151. Tue–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun noon–5pm FREE Futureproof Sat 13 Aug–Sun 9 Oct. The third in a series of annual exhibitions which profile rising young artists from Scotland’s photography and visual arts courses.

■ OFFSHORE

■ TRAMWAY

3/5 Gibson Street, 07748 363354. Mon–Fri 8am–10pm; Sat & Sun 9am–10pm. FREE Lightscapes Until Tue 23 Aug. Scottish landscape photography. ■ PROJECT ABILITY

Centre for the Developmental Arts Trongate 103, 552 2822. Tue–Sat 10am–5pm FREE Young Talent Until Sat 20 Aug. Work created as part of Project Ability’s Create Programme.

■ HUNTERIAN MUSEUM & ART GALLERY

■ ROGER BILLCLIFFE GALLERY

University of Glasgow, 82 Hillhead Street, 330 5431. Mon–Sat 9.30am–5pm

134 Blythswood Street, 332

Ruth Ewan: Brank & Heckle

25 Albert Drive, 0845 330 3501. Tue–Fri noon–5pm; Sat & Sun noon–5pm FREE British Art Show 7 Until Sun 21 Aug, Tue–Sun 11am–5pm. See CCA, Glasgow. ■ THE VIRGINIA GALLERY

45 Virginia Street, 552 5699. Mon–Sat 11am–6pm; Sun 12.30–5pm FREE John, I’m Only Dancing Sat 13 Aug–Mon 12 Sep. Abstract painting and photography by Robin Burgess and Michael James exploring Glasgow’s queer culture. ■ WELCOME HOME

OUTS IDE THE FESTI VALS

CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, welcomehomestore.co.uk Tue–Sat 11am–6pm FREE Fabricated Until Wed 31 Aug. Textile design showcase featuring playful interpretations of theme, scale and material from makers based in Glasgow and London.

OUTSIDE THE CITIES ■ DUNDEE CONTEMPORARY ARTS

152 Nethergate, Dundee, 01382 909900. Tue–Sat 10.30am–5.30pm (Thu until 8.30pm); Sun noon–5.30pm. FREE DCA Editions – Martin Boyce Until Wed 30 Nov. Prints created at in the DCA print studio. FREE Ruth Ewan: Brank & Heckle Fri 12 Aug–Sun 9 Oct. See caption, left.

■ COLLINS GALLERY

22 Richmond Street, 548 2558. Tue–Fri 10am–5pm; Sat noon–4pm FREE Contemplation: Sadia Gul Ibrahim Until Sat 13 Aug. Mixed media installation inspired by Pakistani art, architecture and culture.

✽

■ CYRIL GERBER FINE ART

■ MOUNT STUART HOUSE AND GARDENS

✽

Rothesay, Isle Of Bute, 01700 503877. Daily 10am–6pm. House admission (includes exhibition entry) £10 (£8; children £5).

178 West Regent Street, 221 3095. Mon–Sat 9.30am–5.30pm FREE First of the Summer Wine ●●●●● Until Wed 31 Aug. See review, page 131.

Modernism has two faces . . .

■ THE DUCHY GALLERY

23 Duke Street, 237 8754. Fri–Sat noon–6pm. FREE Karen Cunningham & Zara Idelson Until Sat 3 Sep. Joint show by emerging Scottish artists. ■ EASTWOOD PARK THEATRE

Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, 577 4970. Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 11am–4.30pm FREE Georgie McGowan Until Wed 31 Aug. Exhibition of art works inspired by memories of Neilston Mill in East Renfrewshire. 132 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

For her first major solo show in the UK, Aberdeen-born artist Ewan explores notions of silence and protest by taking historical objects, images and sounds and rendering them ‘active’ through use. Her ongoing interest in radical histories and Dundee’s social heritage is reflected in the show’s title, which combines ‘brank’, the Scots word for the Scold’s Bride, used to silence and torture women, with ‘heckle’, in common usage now and thought to have originated in Dundee’s jute mills. ■ Dundee Contemporary Arts, Fri 12 Aug–Sun 9 Oct.

Until Mon 31 Oct. Work by contemporary artists inspired in part by the work of Dadaist artist, sculptor and weaver Sophie Taueber-Arp. ■ VARIOUS VENUES

pittenweemartsfestival.co.uk FREE Royal Burgh of Pittenweem Arts Festival Until Sun 14 Aug, times vary. A celebration of visual arts taking place in homes, galleries and public venues throughout Pittenweem. This year’s featured artists include Kate Downie, Pum Dunbar and the students of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art.

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Creative

To boo job adk your contavcerts t

ads@lis 0131 55 t.co.uk 03 list.co.u 060 advertis k/ ing

Jobs

* Arts * Media * Creative * Culture * Volunteering

PLUS many, many more . . . . . How did you get that job?

Name: Gilly Bain Job title: Freelance Event Manager Company: YOURgb When did you start your job? I have been in the events industry since 2005 and took the leap to go solo and launch YOURgb in July 2010. So what does your job actually involve? It involves creativity, variety, contacts, logistics, decision making, learning, paperwork, pressure, travel, multitasking, red tape, laughing, mucking in, listening, giving advice, contingency planning, flexibility, risk assessments and more laughing . . . I

created YOURgb in direct response to six years of event feedback collated from my clients about what they felt worked in their event planning process, as opposed to what they felt didn’t achieve the end goal. The feedback was consistent, in that it was unfailingly different. All clients are unique and as such should be treated in an individual way. It was this realisation that gave me the push I needed and YOURgb was created to the resonant cry of “let’s do things differently, because we are all different, aren’t we?” Or something along those lines. There are a few elements that are always involved in event management, no matter what the

event: legislation, policy, procedure, health & safety, risk assessment, red tape and terms & conditions. However, event management on the whole isn’t formulaic. Every event, the planning involved, and every client differs and because of this, I adapt. I design bespoke event management plans around the individuals I work with. Operating as an extension to my clients’ teams, I can take the reigns and ride their events into the sunset sharing their saddle, or I can stand in the shadows and covertly manage and protect them. So, it’s tricky for me to tell you what I 'do'. I can tell you what I don't 'do': weddings. No thank you. Unless you would like it to be quirky, with a nice budget . . . then maybe . . . I digress. YOURgb events range from media parties, tour management, conferences, incentive trips and award ceremonies to press conferences, product launches, theatre productions and experiential marketing. My clients can be found in a variety of industries including media, publication, public sector, record label, financial, motorcycle, pharmaceutical, entertainment, electric vehicle, PR, energy and theatre. Best / Worst Aspects? Best - I simply love what I do and I am passionate about it. I get opportunities to draw on my theatrical experience. Every element is relationship driven, the

connections I have made with clients and suppliers have been inspiring. Worst – YOURgb is founded upon transparency; I do hate the whiff of subterfuge. Looking back, what advice would you give to a young Gilly at the start of her career? Don’t lose heart. I remember that feeling. The one where your stomach flips, your top lip starts to perspire, the colour drains from your face and all you can do is bow your head and stare at your keyboard. We ALL make mistakes, thankfully these days they are few and far between (phewf). I do wish the ‘experienced me’ had been there, every now and then, to put my hand on my shoulder and say, ‘don’t worry – there is nothing that can’t be fixed, you will find a way around it and although you won’t believe it now, you’ll laugh about this in a few years.’ And finally . . . what are you most looking forward to in 2011? What could top working with The List?! I’m feeling positive and loving the work I have on. I have some press events scheduled in the coming months and some creative proposals out for tender, so we shall see . . . Keep in touch with me on Twitter! @YOURgb. 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 133

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Classified JOBS

COURSES

PROPERTY

PERSONAL

MUSIC

FLATSHARES cont.

I SAW YOU

Edinburgh

Saxophone & Music Theory Lessons All ages/abilities catered for. Learn for fun or exams. Lessons can be tailored for individuals or small groups. Edinburgh City Centre. Email for info: zack@zackmoir.com www.zackmoir.com

■ Large, sunny, double room available in very comfortable, city centre flat (Castle Terrace area). Professional non-smoker preferred. Sharing with flat owner. £400 pcm plus council tax. Tel: 07766 992 725

❤ I SAW YOU

Come and Sing! Enjoy the sheer pleasure of singing in a large Edinburgh choir, and savour the thrill of performing an exciting repertoire, including Brahms, Bach, Palestrina and Parry. Open Rehearsal Tuesday 20th September, 7.30pm. Contact membershipsecretary@ edinburghbachchoir.org.uk www.edinburghbachchoir.org.uk

PROPERTY

. . . at bus stops. You got me home safe in the rain. I slept through your shoot. I'd like to buy you a coffee to say thank you. (U/685/01)

■ Room for rent in bright 2 bedroom flat just off Leith Walk. Would suit professional. Sharing with one other and cute cat! Rent £350 pcm inc CT/phone/internet. Tel: 07768 024 803

Glasgow ❤ I Saw You 1st Aug, 30ish, you on a bike, you go, no you go, you go I insist . . . U/685/02

■ Huge luxury double room Morningside AUGUST. Six month minimum let. £350 month inc. C.Tax. N/S professional 21-30's. Lounge, Virgin phone/TV/Broadband. Call Nadine 07771 644 472 or 0131 332 6718

❤ I Saw You on CIA's tarmac, South-West Postmistress, a dream in blue, light-green eyes, white pearls, irresistible smile, Spanish steps, Scone, November, PIK. Was a fool, would love to meet again. U/685/03

FLATSHARES

Glasgow NOTICEBOARD

MIND & BODY

TRAVEL

ACUPUNCTURE

Around the World tickets Multi-stopover & Round the World Adventure specialists www.unicorntravel.co.uk 01786-472023 info@unicorntravel.co.uk Widely world-travelled. Expert help and advice for all your travel needs. Open Monday to Sunday.

ACTIVITIES

Glasgow RU enthusiastic, active and sociable? We are looking for new members for our social and activities club. We do everything from wining and dining to walks and badminton. Join Glasgow IVC FREE trial membership today! Call 07546 570139 or www.glasgowivc.org.uk or www.meetup.com/ GlasgowIVC

CYCLING

Edinburgh Acupuncture Quintus Farrell, British Acupuncture Council member. TCM and 5 Elements, practising in Edinburgh since 1997. working at Napiers Clinic 0131 225 5542 Neal's Yard Remedies 0131 226 3223. Mobile: 07767 874633. www.quintus-acupuncture.co.uk

COURSES LANGUAGES

Edinbugh Berlitz Language centre. Language courses. Evenings.15 hours. Foreign Languages £140 for 10 weeks. English £99 for 5 weeks. 14 Frederick Street. 0131 226 7198. edinburgh@language centres.com

SOUND & LIGHT

Edinburgh

Edinbugh

SOUL CYCLES Soul Cycles is Edinburgh's premier second hand bicycle shop. All types of used bicycles bought and sold. We aim to get you on the road with the minimum of fuss safely and cheaply. We also carry a full range of spares, accessories, and do low cost repairs. Find us on Facebook to see our 'Bike of the week'. 2 Brougham Place, Edinburgh EH3 9HW Tel: 0131 228 5913 www.soulcycles.net

Edinburgh Lighting & Sound School Technical training for the entertainment industry. One year intensive course. Applications now being accepted for September 2011 entry. www.edinburghlightingandsoun dschool.co.uk

134 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

To advertise here go to

list.co.uk/advertising

■ GAY FRIENDLY. Furnished room in modern flat, opposite Kinning Park subway . Shared kitchen, bathroom & living room. £325pcm includes BILLS! View NOW! Deposit required. Call Billy/Gerry: 0141 419 9556 ■ Friendly flatmate wanted for large double room in New Gorbals. Rent 290 plus bills available 13.08.11. 5 mins walk to town and near all local amenities. Tel: 07949 420 811 ■ Beautiful modern 2 bedroom flat with private car parking in Muirend, near all local amenities. Rent 500pm. Available 1.08.11 Tel: 07949 420 811

❤ I Saw You sculpting your guns at the office. U/685/04

Flat to let? list.co.uk /shop

❤ I Saw You walking along the street in a pink fluffy jacket. What are you twelve? U/685/05 ❤ I Saw You breaking up with me, its not me its you, heartbroken forever. U/685/06 ❤ I Saw You walking home at 6am admiring the sky. Lets do it more often. U/685/07

R FIND YOU IDEAL FLAT MATE.

■ Second person to share luxury flat in Woodlands, close to parks and amenities. Non smoker pref.Suit quiet professional or mature student. All mod-cons. £360 pcm. (NoBills) Tel. 07889-236-009 ■ Furnished room for rent (inc. closet), suited to tidy individuals. Five minute walk from City Centre. Those interested should be available to move in August 30th or 31st. Tel: 07816 756 065 ■ Gay Friendly: Double room in house sharing with 1 other. Living room, kitchen/ dining. Garden and free parking. 20 mins walk from city in G5 area. £370 inc all bills. Tel: 07773 767 973 ■ Double room in 2 story Southside tenement. sharing lounge, dining room, study, dining kitchen and 2 bathrooms with 1 other. rent £450pcm inc bills and broadband, deposit £375. Tel: 07710 427 889

FIND YOUR IDEAL FLAT.

facebook.com/citylets for exclusive deals, rental tips and competitions.

.co.uk The UK’s No.1 residential lettings site* *Source: Hitwise. February 2011.

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Classified PERSONAL I SAW YOU

CONT.

❤ I SAW YOU

Find partners for fun, dating and love with The List’s new dating website!

Edinburgh Blackwells girl, we smile most Saturdays. Long to ask – scared to embarrass you & dispell hope. Just a sign Y/N? U/685/22

I SAW YOU

CONT.

❤ I Saw You bottomless pit. Eating two breakfast rolls after a big night out. Where do you put it? You are the girl for me. U/685/08

❤ I Saw You brown eyed boy, checked shirt, old looking bike. Me: black haired girl, green eyes, red dress. Say hi? U/685/14 ❤ I Saw You and your new kitten! Awwww. U/685/15 ❤ I Saw You George! This is your moment to shine! Muahahaha. U/685/16 ❤ I Saw You painting different things on your nails every day. Obsessed... U/685/17

❤ I Saw You salt and pepper hair and the personality of Philip Schofield. It won't be long until the transition. I'll look out for you on daytime tv. U/685/09 ❤ I Saw You and it was as if I suddenly started seeing everything in colour. You radiate beauty. U/685/10

❤ I Saw You last Saturday again throwing something slightly unexpected into the mix but this time it was perfect. Thank you! :) xx U/685/18 ❤ I Saw You BMX boy hanging about near the uni. I stayed behind and pretended to play on my phone. Keep it up! U/685/19

❤ I Saw You Edinburgh Blackwells girl, we smile most Saturdays. Long to ask-scared to embarrass u & dispel hope. Just a sign Y/N? U/685/23

❤ I Saw You getting the early morning train to Edinburgh at the same time as me, every day. Are you a festival lover too? Maybe we could go see a show together? U/685/12 ❤ I Saw You asking me questions all day, every day. Take a hint! U/685/13

❤ I Saw You Heartbroken, been tying up loose ends before I leave, wish I could scream "coward" to your face, I'm done now - you have no idea what you were to me. U/685/24 ❤ I Saw You stressed Eric. Looking all stressed and flappy. Is it Festival fever? U/685/25 ❤ I Saw You going on two BNOs in a row! You are inspiring partiers. U/685/26 ❤ I Saw You sawing the sea saw in half at C - Venues. U/685/27 ❤ I Saw You Cannon Belles! You are my heroes! U/685/28 ❤ I Saw You at the List festival party - new fringe show "man who sleeps on chair"! U/685/29 ❤ I Saw You trying to sell tshirts with pictures of dead people. You're a nutter! U/685/30 ❤ I Saw You at the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble gig Fo-Sho! Such a good night! U/685/31 ❤ I Saw You reading the I saw you section of the List...I am behind you right now! U/685/32 ❤ I Saw You on a BNO (Big Night Out) You fell asleep quite soon after it. Missed you getting escorted out. Gossip is cruel. I didn't listen. You looked fine to me. A very happy drunk... U/685/33

❤ I Saw You sleeping on the train to Edinburgh Waverly. Mouth open, catching flies. The usual routine for the early morning commute. It's okay I do it too but on the way home - stop staring! U/685/11

❤ I Saw You brown haired Scottish author at The List Festival Party. Remember a drunk night out in Dusk? I meant to come say hello! U/685/34 ❤ I Saw You charging up the office stairs like a MAD MAN. U/685/20 ❤ I Saw You planning the bbq of dreams! U/685/21

I Saw You

Edinburgh

❤ I Saw You Lauren. I saw you at the 7/11 rave at Stewarton 30/7/11 please phone me again for your fly fishing lessons. Richard Fish U/685/23

isawyou.list.co.uk

How to place an

❤ I Saw You white t-shirt, show logo on it, handing out flyers on the royal mile. Looking like a love machine but really a lonely heart. Hopefully see you at the next party. U/685/35

Who Saw You? I Saw Yous are a fun way to let someone know you’re thinking about them, be it in a witty, cheeky or sexy way. You might have seen someone you fancy, want to post a message to a friend or even propose to a loved one... The only limit is that you have 30 words to express yourself. After each issue of The List recipients can reply via email or post using the box number at the end of each message. Set the ball rolling today by placing your I Saw You at www.list.co.uk/i-saw-you Online Go to www.list.co.uk/i-saw-you and ﬁll out the web form By e–mail You can reach us at isawyou@list.co.uk Please supply a postal address when using e–mail. By post box Fill in the free postcards available from the following venues: The Basement, Filmhouse, The Street (Edinburgh). You must supply your full name and address with your I Saw You for it to be printed in The List.

How to reply to a

box number

1. Email isawyou@list.co.uk with your reply and we will forward it. Mark the subject line with the box number (e.g. U/669/21). 2. Or send a letter to: The List Classifed, 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE with the box number written clearly in the top lefthand corner. Send multiple replies in one envelope/email. s Replies will be forwarded once a week s Box numbers are valid for 3 months 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 135

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{FESTIVAL INDEX} 101 74 2401 Objects 78 400 Women 86, 87 Adam Riches 18, 56 After the End 74 Ahir Shah 40 Al Murray 10 Alan Warner 34 Alasdair Gray 34 Alexander McCall Smith 34 Alexei Sayle 27, 30 Ali Smith 27, 28-29 Alice in Wonderland 85 Alistair Green 56 Alma Mater 71, 76 Amateur Transplants 56 The Amazing Adventures of Moo-Ding 64 The Amazing Bubble Show 62 Amnesty International 34 Andi Osho 56 Angus Peter Campbell 34 Anil Desai 56 Anton Henning 88 Arthur Smith 35 At the Sans Hotel 85 Audrey Niffenegger 34 Bagpuss 62, 64 Barry and Stuart 35, 38 Bass Syndicate 93 Becc Sanderson 66 Belt Up’s The Boy James 85 Best of European Fiction 34 bETAMAX 93, 94 Bettany Hughes 30 The Billie Holiday Story 85 Bob Downe 56 Botanical Vaudeville 86 The Boy With Tape On His Face 2 Brett Goldstein 56 Bridget Christie 40 Brilliant Books for Kids 62 Brown and Corley 56 Caitlin Moran 27, 30 Candia McWilliam 34 Catie Wilkins 42 Catriona Knox 56 A Celebration of Harold Pinter 76 Charlie Baker 54 Christopher Brookmyre 27, 30 The Chronicles of Bitter and Twisted 63 Clare Plested 56 Classics at Greyfriars 67 Club Noir 93 Coalition 93 Colin Hoult 18, 56 Colm O’Regan 56 Comedy Club 4 Kids 62, 63 Comedy Countdown 10 Contemporary Legend Theatre 71 Continental Shifts 96 Craig Campbell 42 The Curse of Macbeth 76 Czeslaw Milosz 32 Dance Marathon 61

Darian Leader 34 Dave Gorman 40 David Hughes Dance Company 61 David Mach 86, 87 David Millar 34 David Morgan 56 David Reed 42 David Vann 34 Deanne Smith 40 Death Song 78 Des Bishop 56 Des Clarke 56 Diane Spencer 42 The Dipper 85 DJ Loveless 93 Doctor Brown 44 DOT504 60 Dr Apple’s Last Lecture 85 Dream Pill 85 Dregs 56 Drift 21-22 Edinburgh Book Fringe 96, 97 Edwin Morgan International Poetry Prize 34 Elegy 71, 78 Elen Caldecott 34 Elizabeth Blackadder 86 Enclosure 99, 60 Evelyn, Evelyn 66 Fair Trade on the Fringe 96, 98 Fear of a Brown Planet 56 Filthy Dukes 93 Fingers on Buzzards 10 Fiona O’Loughlin 35, 44 Fish and Game 71 Foodies Festival 24 Ford & Akram 44 Forest Fringe 71, 74, 97 Francesca Martinez 47 Francesca Simon 34 Fred MacAulay 56 Free Run 79 Frisky and Mannish 35, 47 Gao Xingjian 21, 22 Gemma Goggin 35 Generation 9-Nov 85 Glenn Wool 47 Guilt and Shame 56 Gwyneth Lewis 34 Hal Sparks 56 Hardeep Singh Kohli 35 Hari Kunzru 34 Henry Rollins 66 Horrid Henry 34 Humphrey Ker 18 I Hope My Heart Goes First 71, 80 Ian Davenport 88 Ilan Pappé 34 Indoor Fox Hunting 56 The Infant 78 Ingrid Calame 86, 88 Inky Fingers Minifest 96 Interieur No. 493 It’s Uniformation Day 79 James Acaster 47

Board Meating

FESTIVAL

COMEDIANS DRAW THEIR SHOWS

TOM ALLEN The lovely Tom Allen was kind enough to draw this picture for us straight after finishing his preview show. Isn't that nice? In his own words, 'Me talking to some very small, rather ill people'. The drawing, he means, not the show. A great way to get some anarchic civility into your afternoon. See more Board Meetings at list.co.uk/festival

Tom Allen's Afternoon Tea, Gilded Ballon Teviot, 3–28 Aug (not 15), 3.15pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). 136 THE LIST 11–18 Aug 2011

LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

James Campbell 62 James Naughtie 34 Jasmine Gwangju 71, 73 Jason Cook 56 Jeff Leach 56 Jennifer Egan 34 Jenny Erpenbeck 31 Jeremy Millar 86 Jerry Sadowitz 35, 48 Jessica Fostekew 56 Jesus Thinks I’m Funny 12 Joan Lingard 34 Joanne Limburg 32 Joe Wilkinson 56 Joel Dommett 56 John Burnside 32 John Byrne 34 John Hartson 34 John Peel’s Shed 79 John Robertson 57 Jonathan Agnew 34 Julia Donaldson 27, 31 Julian Opie 88 Junction 25, 71 The Just So Stories 63 Karen Russell 34 Katherine Ryan 48 Katri Walker 87 Kelly Link 34 Kevin MacNeil 31 Kieran and the Joes 38 Killer Kitsch 93 King Lear 71 The King’s Got Donkey’s Ears 62 Kirsty Wark 30 Korean Drum 58, 60 Kristin Hersh 34, 66, 67 Lady Garden 57 Last Orders 61 Laurence Clark 48 Left to My Own Devices 86 The Life Doctor 57 Life Still 85 Lila Azam Zanganeh 34 Lineage 88 Live Film in Leith 11 LOL (Lots of Love) 59 LuckyMe 92, 93 Lucy Hawking 34 Lucy Worsley 30 Luke Wright 35, 50 Maff Brown 11 Maggie O’Farrell 34 The Magical Faraway Tree 85 Mah Hunt 60 Man of Valour 79 The Man Who Planted Trees 62 Margaret Cho 52 Matt Rudge 57 Matthew Crosby 35, 54 Medea 71 Michael Craig-Martin 88 Michael Longley 27, 32 Michelle Paver 34 Minute After Midday 85 Miriam Toews 34

Mission Drift 82 Mokwha Repertory 71 Mr Benn 62, 63 My Name is Hannibal 48 Mystics or Rationalists? 86 Nathan Caton 57 Nathan Dean Williams 50 Neal By Mouth 50 Ned Beauman 27, 32 Neil Gaiman 34 The New Scotland 34 Nick Pynn 66, 68 85 Nobody’s Home North West 87 The Oh Fuck Moment 85 Olivia Lee 35 The One Man Show 74 One Night Stan 85 One Thousand Paper Cranes 62 One Under 85 Operation Eiffel Tower 34 Orchestre symphonique de Montréal 66 Pac Man is actually Allergic to Ghosts 11 Pamela Stephenson-Connolly 34 Passionflower 66 Patrick Monahan 18 Paul Daniels 50 The Peony Pavilion 21, 58 Pete Firman 57 Peter Taylor 30 Pinocchio: A Fantasy of Pleasures 58 Plump DJs 95 Pokermen 35 Pope Benedict: Bond Villain 57 Pop-up! 64 Precious Light 86, 87 The Qatsi Trilogy 66 Quiz in my Pants 10 Radio Deluxembourg 85 Rasta Thomas’ Bad Boys 60 Ray Time in the Daytime 57 Rayguns Look Real Enough 57 The Real MacGuffins 38 Remembering Annabel 85 The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan 21 Richard T Kelly 27 Richard Wiseman 34 Ro Campbell 57 Roar 85 Robert Rauschenberg 86 Robin Robertson 32 Rock the Ballet 60 Roisin Conaty 52 Run, Deaf Boy, Run! 57 Russell Kane 18 Sanderson Jones 52 Sarah Brown 34 Scary Gorgeous 80 The Seagull Effect 85 Sebastian Barry 34 Sex You (I’m Gonna) 57 Sharron Matthews 12 Sheeps 52 Shhh: The Musical 85

Shonen Knife 66 Shylock 80 Sideshow 85 Silent 58, 61 Silly Milly 10 Simon Puttock 34 Simon Stephenson 34 Sink or Spin 54 Skeptics at the Observatory 96 Slavery to Star Trek 85 Slender Threads 58 A Slow Air 71, 80 Somewhere Beneath It All, A Small Fire Burns Still 82 Soweto Entsha 66 Soy de Cuba, 58 Spent 82 Stephen Kelman 27, 31 Stick Men Live on Stage! 62 Stuart ‘The Brand’ Baggs 10 Stuart Goldsmith 57 Stuff and Nonsense 12 Suitcase Royale 57 Swimming with my Mother 58 Table 82 Tamsyn Challenger 86, 87 Tempest 71 Terezin 85 Thirsty 76 Tim Bat Trick Show 64 Tim Clare 57 Toby Mitchell 62 Todd Barry 35, 37 Tom Dalyell 34 Tom Green 44 Tom McCarthy 34 Tom Price 57 Tom Rosenthal 18 Tom Stade 57 Tony Cragg 86 Tony Law 57 Totally Tom 57 Toulouse-Lautrec: The Musical 85 Trains 68 Unchartered Waters 61 Under the Baoab Tree 64 Vinegar Knickers 38 Vir Das 35, 36-37 Washed Out 66, 68 Wedding Band 54 Wendy Cope 32 What Remains 84 Whistle 71, 84 Who are the Jocks? 54 William McIlvanney 34 Wondrous Flitting 84 Wonky 93 Wrestling 16-18 Zeus’ Pamphlet 57

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