The List Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011

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THE LIST EDINBURGH FESTIVAL GUIDE 2011

EDINBURGH

LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

SH2O30 WS 480 E PLAC

FESTIVAL Guide AT & ES T DRIN O K

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LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

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S E K I Y

H S I N N FF A M & ND O Y K SOU FRIS

TOM GREEN DAVE GORMAN SARAH MILLICAN THE NATIONAL MARGARET CHO DAVID MACH ART MALIK FREE RUN SHEN WEI

£2.50 08 9 771744 390023

ART | BOOKS | FRINGE | INTERNATIONAL | JAZZ | POLITICS | TATTOO | CITY GUIDE

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Slow down!

As the pace of life speeds up around us, SLOW down, relax and take it easy with a glass of Glengoyne.

Distilled more slowly for the highest quality. Glengoyne - THE REAL TASTE OF MALT

Glengoyne actively encourages responsible drinking – slow down

www.glengoyne.com

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FOR FESTIVACOMPLETE L LIST. LISTINGS:

{CONTENTS} WELCOME TO THE FESTIVAL The mood around The List office is currently one of mixed excitement and apprehension. A quick flick through this guide should explain the excitement part. Apprehension because out of 2500+ Festival shows it's only physically possible to see some and not all of them.

With such difficult decisions ahead this guide is designed to give you the jump on those other punters who are poised to snaffle all the best tickets.

So, make yourself a cup of tea, turn to our Top 20 (pages 6–8) and start booking. If we send you to see something you don't like, first of all, you should question your own tastes (you really didn't enjoy that hour of invasive performance art?), but you should also consider that any shows you bitterly hate will make the good ones seem all the sweeter. After all, the Festival is all about branching out, taking risks and finding hidden gems. Come with an open mind and, though you might leave with an empty wallet, you're guaranteed to see some amazing spectacles.

CO FESTIVA.UK/ L

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Lounge Room Confabulators Fringe cabaret in your living room

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News in Brief Catching up with 2011’s new venues

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Frisky and Mannish ‘My girls are increasingly on show’

ART

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David Mach Interpreting the King James Bible

26

Tamsyn Challenger Bringing Mexico’s missing women to life

BOOKS 30 John Hegarty Ad man extraordinaire 34 World Map International writers to look out for 36 RBS Children’s Programme Kids pick their authors of the Festival

FRINGE

78

Festival Guide editor Jonny Ensall Books, Comedy & Politics editor Brian Donaldson City Guide editor Anna Millar Editorial assistants Niki Boyle, Lauren Mayberry

40 Comedy Dave Gorman, Margaret Cho and Paul Daniels 66 Dance Brazilian dance culture shimmies into town 71

Kids Ever heard of a luminarium?

74

Music The National, plus the pick of the Edge gigs

78

Theatre Free runners, TEAM and Art Malik

INTERNATIONAL 94 One Thousand and One Nights Bayonet penises and quashed preconceptions

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98 Shen Wei ‘I explore beauty, nature and life and death’ 102 Godfrey Reggio’s Qatsi Trilogy Same great films, new live score

PRODUCTION Design & art direction Lucy Munro Production manager Simon Armin Subeditors Allan Radcliffe, Rhona Taylor

JAZZ

ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP Juliet Tweedie, Jude Moir, Sheri Friers, Nicky Carter, Lindsay Paul

108 Trombone Shorty No slouch with a bit of brass

DIGITAL Simon Dessain, Andy Carmichael, Bruce Combe, Iain McCusker, Brendan Miles, Adam Coulson, Hamish Brown

POLITICS 114 Jodi Bieber This year’s World Press Photo winner

THE LIST Publisher Robin Hodge Editor Jonny Ensall Accounts Georgette Renwick

TATTOO

116 Published in July 2011 by The List Ltd Head Office: 14 High Street Edinburgh EH1 1TE Tel: 0131 550 3050 Fax: 0131 557 8500, www.list.co.uk

COVER IMAGE: IDIL SUKAN

11

20 Edinburgh favourites Sarah Millican celebrates Edinburgh’s chips

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL GUIDE EDITOR

Words Kelly Apter, Niki Boyle, Neil Cooper, Paul Dale, John Darley, Brian Donaldson, Sophie Dunlop, Jonny Ensall, Miles Fielder, Mark Fisher, Julian Hall, Kirstin Innes, Brian Logan, Carol Main, Lauren Mayberry, Anna Millar, David Pollock, Allan Radcliffe, Jay Richardson, Claire Sawers, Stewart Smith, Yasmin Sulaiman

FRONTLINES & FEATURES

Extensive efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication; however the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any errors it may contain. ©2011 The List Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of The List Ltd. ISSN: 1744-3903 Printed by Acorn Web Offset Ltd, W. Yorkshire. Maps ©2011 The List Ltd.

116 The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Buffalo, bicycles and lots of bagpipes

CITY GUIDE 120 Area Guides 126 Eating 132 Al fresco dining 138 Out of the city centre 148 Drinking 151 Shopping 156 Clubs 157 LGBT

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FESTIVAL BOOKING INFORMATION

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

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

QUICK-START GUIDE Never been to Edinburgh in August before? There are a few things you’ll need to get your head around before you begin

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

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

EDINBURGH JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL Dates: 22–31 Jul 2011 Online booking: edinburghjazzfestival.com Telephone booking: 0131 473 2000 In person: The Hub, Castlehill

FESTIVAL OF POLITICS Dates: 25–27 Aug 2011 Online booking: festivalofpolitics.org.uk Telephone booking: 0131 473 2000 (RNID Typetalk: 18001 0131 473 2000) In person: The Hub, Castlehill

irstly, there’s no such thing as the ‘Edinburgh Festival’, just a large collection of festivals going on at the same time in the same city. By far the biggest of these is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which lasts for almost all of August, and hosts over 2500 performances including comedy, theatre, music and cabaret. The Fringe covers the full spectrum of shows: some beautifully polished, some rough and exciting. More reliable, but more expensive, is the Edinburgh International Festival. This was the first Edinburgh festival, founded in 1947, and keeps up a solid reputation for world-class opera, theatre, dance and classical music performed by internationally recognised companies. International Festival shows are held in the big theatres around town, the Festival Theatre, the Playhouse, the King’s Theatre and the Usher Hall among them. Some great cheap deals are available through the Festival’s IN membership scheme. It costs £25 to join and is available to people in their 20s or 30s.

Also important is the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the world’s largest literary gathering.

Unlike the other festivals, all EIBF events are contained within a sanctuary-like site on Charlotte Square in the city’s New Town. The Edinburgh Tattoo is a military display held in the grounds of the Castle at the top of the Royal Mile. It’s not part of any festival, but it is very popular in August. Read more about it on page 116.

Though it’s possible to see up to six or seven shows in a day, it’s a good idea to pace yourself. Buy some tickets in advance, but just for the shows that you are desperate to see. You can usually get tickets at short notice from the venues themselves. For Fringe shows, you can also use the Fringe Box Office, which is located on the Royal Mile (the mile-long street that runs up to the Castle). For the International Festival you can visit The Hub, right at the top of the Royal Mile.

Choosing which shows to see can be a minefield. Almost every show will claim to have been given fouror five-star reviews, but be warned, these are often not from the most reliable sources. It’s best to decide which newspapers or magazines you trust and stick to their opinions, or to go by word-of-mouth. If you want an overview of how a show’s been reviewed, The List has an online tool that compares star ratings from different sources. Check it out at list.co.uk/festival.

If you’re feeling brave, you can visit the pedestrianised section of the Royal Mile where Fringe artists perform and flyer in an attempt to lure punters to their shows. If you can avoid getting suckered by a good sales pitch, you could pick up some interesting tips.

In between shows there are lots of good places to have a drink or a bite. Keep away from the Royal Mile, which is for less-discerning tourists (though The Baked Potato Shop at the top of Cockburn Street is one of a few exceptions to this rule). Venues including the Pleasance Courtyard, Assembly George Square and Udderbelly’s Pasture have nice spaces to sit out and have a drink. Edinburgh is a fantastic place for dining out, so take a look at the Eating section from page 126 for The List’s recommendations.

Though there’s plenty more to discover, the suggestions in this guide are a good place to start. Several ‘hot tickets’ will emerge as the festivals gather pace. The List comes out every week during August, so pick it up from a newsagent, or keep referring to list.co.uk/festival to stay completely up-to-date. (Jonny Ensall)

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THE STAND COMEDY Y

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DY Y CLUB

0131 558 7272 thestand.co.uk

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{FRONTLINES} Best of the festivals

Top 20

With so many shows to cover in just a handful of weeks, we’ve narrowed things down to a must-see top 20 featuring theatre, comedy, book events, exhibitions and one four-hour participatory dance event

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FRINGE

BOOK

FRINGE

BUG HOSTED BY ADAM BUXTON

ALI SMITH

BAGPUSS

Just when you thought the music video has gone and eaten itself, along comes one half of Adam & Joe (Adam, left) to show us, in his own excellently silly style, what’s hot, new and good in the form. See Other Highlights, page 60.

Pleasance Courtyard, 25–29 Aug.

With There but for the, the Inverness-born scribe has simply continued the rich seam of fiction form that she has produced over the last decade.

Another Booker nomination? Only if there’s some justice in the world. See Other Highlights, page 38. Charlotte Square Gardens, 14 Aug.

Everyone’s favourite saggy old cloth cat takes to the stage featuring the much-loved characters Emily, the mice, Gabriel the toad, Madeleine the rag doll and Professor Yaffle. One for kids and nostalgics alike. See Other Highlights, page 72.

Assembly George Square, 3–28 Aug.

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INTERNATIONAL

JAZZ & BLUES

BOOK

QATSI TRILOGY

TROMBONE SHORTY AND ORLEANS AVENUE

SAPPHIRE

Directed by Godfrey Reggio with a pulsating and uplifting score by Philip Glass, this trilogy of films is given the perfect platform as we see our world in flux. Performing a live soundtrack, Glass makes his Festival debut. See page 102.

Playhouse, 13–15 Aug.

Funk, blues, rock, New Orleans jazz, pop, Latin, R&B, hip hop . . . is there actually nothing that this 24-year-old can’t do? His debut appearance in Edinburgh is a must for jazzers of all shades.

See page 108. Queen’s Hall, 24 Jul.

Fourteen years after her acclaimed debut, Push, she catches up with the story of Precious’ son Abdul in The Kid. Author and broadcaster Bidisha is in the big chair to host this highly anticipated event. See page 29. Charlotte Square Gardens, 22 Aug.

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FRINGE

FRINGE

FRINGE

FUTUREPROOF

MIRAZOZO

HOT TUB WITH KURT AND KRISTEN

Dominic Hill’s farewell as Traverse artistic director is Lynda Radley’s first play for the theatre, set at the tail end of the freak show phenomenon with a family struggling to make ends meet as the appeal of bearded ladies wanes. See Other Highlights, page 88. Traverse Theatre, 6–28 Aug.

A mesmerising 20-minute tour c/o Architects of Air, as all the family can experience a ‘sanctuary of the senses’ within a large-scale inflatable filled with winding paths and soaring domes. An extravaganza of colour and light. See page 71.

Assembly George Square, 3–29 Aug.

Mr Braunohler and Ms Schaal get all wet and bothered with their beloved New York variety night making its way Edinburghwards, featuring a bunch of comedians, musicians and general oddities. See Other Highlights, page 64.

Assembly George Square, 12–27 Aug.

6 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

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Best of the festivals {FRONTLINES}

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10

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ART

FRINGE

INTERNATIONAL

EDGE

ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG

FREE RUN

SHEN WEI DANCE ARTS

THE NATIONAL

The first large-scale exhibition of works by the US artist to be presented in Britain for 30 years, Botanical Vaudeville focuses on pieces from the 80s and 90s that explore the textural, sculptural and thematic effects of reflective surfaces. See Other Highlights, page 28. Inverleith House, 2 Aug–4 Sep.

The first ever free-running stage show comes to the Fringe led by UK parkour performers 3RUN. A high-octane, jaw-dropping event for all the family is guaranteed. Just make sure that no one tries to copy the more dangerous moves straight after. See page 78. Udderbelly’s Pasture, 3–29 Aug.

The principle choreographer for the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, Shen Wei brings us Re-Triptych, a trilogy of moving, transcendent stories of ‘homecoming’ told through a bold merging of movement, music and visuals. See page 98. Playhouse, 1–3 Sep.

The band from Ohio are very happy now that their most recent album, High Violet, has shot them into the big time. They’re fixed to deliver an incendiary performance at the Edge Festival on the Fringe. Factoid: they put Kristen Schaal and Roger from Mad Men in a video. See page 74.

Corn Exchange, 23 Aug.

7

6

FRINGE

FRINGE

DAVE GORMAN

FRISKY & MANNISH

After eight long years away from the Fringe when he last went on a Googlewhack Adventure, the former mathematics student who popularised the concept comedy show delivers a PowerPoint Presentation. See page 40. Assembly George Square, 3–28 Aug.

For fans of pop parodies, this is an unqualified treat as Laura Corcoran and Matthew Jones take on and gently rip apart the tunes of Mariah Carey, Florence and the Machine, Whigfield and Radiohead. See page 16.

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 3–28 Aug.

5

4

BOOK

FRINGE

ALASDAIR GRAY’S FLECK

JULIAN SANDS IN A CELEBRATION OF PINTER

Another genuine innovation from the good people at the Book Festival as Gray’s take on the Faust myth features performances from the likes of Will Self, AL Kennedy and Ian Rankin as well as the man himself (pictured). See Other Highlights, page 38. Charlotte Square Gardens, 29 Aug.

When illness prevented Harold Pinter (pictured) from performing his own poems at a London benefit in 2007, he asked Julian Sands to take over. The collaboration has now become a show, directed by none other than John Malkovich. See Other Highlights, page 88. Pleasance Courtyard, 5–21 Aug.

list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 7

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{FRONTLINES} Best of the festivals

3

2

FRINGE

INTERNATIONAL

DANCE MARATHON

THE WIND-UP BIRD CHRONICLE

Toronto’s bluemouth inc. presents a new endurance event that will have Fringe crowds up on their feet for hours. Theatre, dance, video and live music merge in this nod to the gruelling, depression-era spectator sport. See Other Highlights, page 68. Traverse @ Lyceum, 3–14 Aug.

Based on the Haruki Murakami novel, this layered production is a detective story, an analysis of a broken marriage and an insight into WWII secrets featuring a hypnotic mix of performance, music, puppetry, dance and film.

See page 93. King’s Theatre, 20–24 Aug.

1

FRINGE

TIM KEY Two years after his Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning show The Slutcracker, the former Coward and recent comrade of Charlie Brooker and Steve Coogan is upping the slut-ante once again. This time, he is the undisputed Masterslut. Back in those whimsically innocent days of 2009, Key was indulging in a truly beautiful mix of film, poetry, sidekick-taunting and audience-handling. Mercifully, he is only too willing to warn us that we should expect more of the same heady, happy brew. See Other Highlights, page 62, and issue 684 of The List (out 3 Aug). Pleasance Dome, 3–29 Aug.

8 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

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N O S P IM S E E L E • C H N C N A RA E PLEAS V D R A H AN C I H R D S c N • N A M w o O h R E s T K 22-25: 4pm om G R I E M M • L PAU WEBSTER nd 4pm shows 0000 edfringer.inc.com 19-27 AUG SUKnId 26-27: 11.30aanmce.aco.uk 01p3la1y2e2rs6.com mickper 19-21 a 6550 pleas comedystore 56 0131 5

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{FRONTLINES News + Gossip + Opinion } POETRY IN MOTION The Poetry Takeaway is the world’s first purpose-built mobile poetry emporium.

Housed in a real fast food trailer (bought off eBay), it’s staffed by a rotating cast of the UK’s best performance poets and specialises in the production of free, made-to-order poems, delivered and performed to the discerning customer. The List asked head chef Tim Clare to cook up an Edinburgh poem . . .

EACH YEAR Each year, this city eats people; I have seen Simon Callow hypnotised By the slow, cud-chew spin Of his own dirty smalls in a laundrette, Giant Toblerone clutched to his chest Like the key to some ancient pyramid.

Each year, idiots recite nonsense to empty rooms; Penises are tugged from trousers like balloon animals And shoehorned into increasingly desperate shows: Macbeth Gets His Cock Out The King and I and Some Penises Junior Masterchef of the Penis Each year, a plague descends upon this city, Like ten thousand indefatigable zombie double-glazing salesmen Handing out business cards, Opening and unopening the muddy roses of their hands, Gurgling through ruined throats: ‘Comedy, 3pm. Four stars.’

COMEDY OF ERRORS The Room is infamous as one of the worst films ever made. Yet its popularity just keeps on increasing. Ahead of debut Fringe screenings, John Darley looks at the story so far, revealing the true horror behind the ‘Citizen Kane of bad movies’ Since its release in 2003, Tommy Wiseau’s The Room has continued to shake the world of bad movies. Originally met with mass walk-outs and fabulously diabolical press, Wiseau has now been classed as a pioneer (of sorts) by cult film buffs.

But who is Tommy Wiseau and what is The Room? Wiseau is a lank-haired mystery man who grew up in New Orleans, later spending some time in Europe and, rumour has it, got together the $6m required to make the film by importing leather jackets into the US. The movie tells the story of Johnny (played by Wiseau), a successful banker with the promise of a big promotion. His future wife, Lisa, has doubts and decides to make things interesting by sleeping with Johnny’s best friend, Mark.

The plot covers everything from lies and betrayal, to grown men playing American football in tuxedos. It introduces us to an alternative, but not intentional, Lynchian dream world where coffee shops hand out free slices of cheesecake and drug dealers are automatically sent to prison without questioning or trial. Awful as all that sounds, there’s worse to come from the hammy acting,

gaping plot-holes and monumentally terrible dialogue. From the Brando-esque, ‘You’re tearing me apart Lisa!’ to the classic, ‘Leave your stupid comments in your pocket’, audiences are normally found quoting the best lines before and after each showing.

Fans have also added their own Rocky Horror-style traditions by dressing up as their favourite ‘characters’ to enhance the screenings, while plastic spoons are ritualistically thrown at the screen. Meanwhile, it’s not unknown for groups of people to dash headlong to the closest bar to down a swift one before the climax of the many elongated sex scenes.

The film’s popularity shows little sign of waning. US cable channel Adult Swim airs it every April Fools’ day, and as a thank you, Wiseau appeared and guest directed an episode of Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show, Great Job! With The Room on the Fringe, why not take some of Wiseau’s advice: ‘You can laugh, you can cry, you can express yourself. But please don’t hurt each other.’

■ The Room, Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 7, 14, 18, 21 Aug, 11.59pm, £8.

Each year, a strange, communal brainfever takes hold; I visit my orthodontist about the filling in my back right molar But instead he performs a show called Dentistry of the Penis.

I do not say ahh.

My newsagent refuses to sell me a pack of AA batteries Until I watch him do a comedy PowerPoint presentation.

Even my local chip shop has succumbed to the popularity of burlesque – Terry glum-faced behind the counter In a studded leather thong His nipple tassels hissing in the deep fat fryer Each time he leans forward for a battered black pudding.

■ The Poetry Takeaway, Bristo Square, 4–28 Aug, noon–8pm, free. Tim Clare has his own show, How to Be a Leader, Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 6–28 Aug (not 15), 8.55pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9).

Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £6. Clare also appears in Aisle 16 R Kool!, Banshee Labryrinth, Niddry Street, 0131 226 0000, 5–27 Aug (not 16), 10pm, free.

10 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

TOP 10 ||

PUNNING SHOW TITLES FROM THE FRINGE PROGRAMME

1 Premature Ejokeulation

2 Beer and Loathing and Lost Wages

3 Neil by Mouth

4 Fly Me to Baboon

5 Shock and Ahhh!

6 Asian Provocateurs

7 Cab Fare for the Common Man

8 Festival of the Spoken Nerd

9 Gagtanamo Bay

10 Fingers on Buzzards

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F THROUOGR NEWS FESTIVAHOUT THE L SEE

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PHOTO: JOHN SINCLAIR

HOME AND A PLAY Lounge Room Confabulators have hit on a wonderful idea in performing their show only in punters’ homes. List editor Jonny Ensall invites them to appraise his flat as a performance space ot much that exciting has happened in my lounge. The odd party, the occasional game of Scrabble – not until now had I considered using it as performance space for a two-man cabaret show. Yet Stuart Bowden, the extremely affable young Australian who is this morning assessing the possibilities of doing just that, seems to think it would be a bloody brilliant idea.

‘I love this fireplace,’ he coos, waving at my mantle. ‘Most people’s lounge rooms are angled towards the TV, but it’s nice to have that fireplace, to sip port in front of.’ ‘Even if there’s no fire in it?’ I ask.

‘Sure,’ he encourages. ‘We can light a candle or something.’

Bowden is one half of Lounge Room Confabulators, an Australian double act who’ve hit upon the novel idea of only performing their show in local living rooms. As the Fringe programme states, their venue is ‘Your Lounge, Where You Live’. Anyone can book them to play for an hour at either 6 or 9pm, with all audience members (minimum of 10) paying a ticket price. From a financial point of view, it’s genius as there’s a guaranteed audience for every show, and no overheads apart from the cost of transporting Bowden, his co-star Will Greenway, a ukulele, a guitar and a rug to the venue.

The idea was ‘born out of laziness,’ Bowden admits, ‘but we realised the potential of it.’ It does appeal. Having a modern-day troubadour play my living room feels more wholesome than watching a massive telly comic in a suped-up student union, and the show, Bowden assures me, is an especially intimate theatre experience. ‘We get the host to dim the lights to a spooky/sexy level,’ he describes, assuming a crouching

N

position in front of the fire to meet my eye-level. He fills me in on the premise: Lounge Room Confabulators are a cursed theatre troupe, destined to voyage around different homes telling stories that start out magical and end up ‘a little bit shit . . . Always, one of us messes up the ending. It’s just ruined and the atmosphere is broken.’ Up until this moment of dramatic bathos there are songs, some humour, what Bowden describes as a ‘sexy love scene’ and a nasty episode involving an ice cream scoop and a lost eye (mimed, thankfully).

My lounge room has passed muster, and we start to talk about dates for a performance. I was worried that it would be a little small, but I’m told he’s played much cosier gigs, including one in a room half this size to just two audience members. That wasn’t his most memorable performance however: ‘We did a 21st birthday show to a large group of women. They were all drinking their pre-mixed spirits, and then we came in . . . I think they would have been very, very happy, if we’d been strippers. We just had to play up to all the humourous and funny stuff.’

There are no future plans for a lounge room striptease, though if the model takes off there could be comedians, cabarets and burlesques colonising lounges, kitchens and cupboards the city over. What’s next, I ask Bowden, a toilet show? He likes the idea. ‘Maybe that’s the sequel?

A show where we perform to one person with their pants down!’

Lounge Room Confabulators, Your Lounge, Where You Live, 0844 545 8252, 6–29 Aug, 6pm & 9pm, £12–£14. Previews 3–5 Aug, 6pm & 9pm, £10. list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 11

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{FRONTLINES}

{FESTIVAL NEWS}: IN BRIEF

Skin up

It may get the moral minority’s g-string in a twist, but nudity and Edinburgh go hand in hand. Here are some naked highlights

DAD TALK

TRUDIE STYLER

MAKING HIS MARK

Michael Whitehall, father of Jack, will appear with his little boy at the Pleasance Courtyard for a chat show with a difference. The pair will be sending each other off to shows they wouldn’t normally dream of attending and reporting back.

Co-adapted by Max StaffordClark from a James Boswell book, A Dish of Tea with Mr Johnson will feature Trudie Styler in her first stage role for two decades while Ian Redford reprises his acclaimed performance as Mr Dictionary Corner.

Suffering for one’s art is an unwritten part of the Fringe contract, but Jim Smallman has taken it all-too literally by having the name of his show, Tattooligan, painfully etched onto his body. Hasn’t he heard of flyering?

DRUNK THRIVING

WE CAN BE BOUGHT

ASSEMBLY MOVE

Among this year’s vat of shows about booze and boozing, Arthur Smith’s Pissed Up Chat Show stands out. The affable host will be stone cold sober, but his guests (and apparently, reviewers) will have to be properly sozzled before being allowed to appear.

Important message to all acts and PRs: The List editor is once again availing himself of Festival bribes this year. While a bribe still can’t guarantee a review (never mind a good one), we will feature the best efforts in the magazine throughout the Festival.

While George Street will be significantly quieter this August, Assembly is joining the Old Town throng with a new venue on George Square. Among the names performing there are Al Murray, The Mess, Bryony Kimmings, Dave Gorman and Bang Bang Circus.

SUMMERHALL

STAND UPPED

BBC AT THE FRINGE

In the former ‘Dick Vet’ Edinburgh Uni building is new Fringe space, Summerhall, which will house theatre productions such as the near six-hours long Hotel Medea, while Battersea Arts Centre presents a rolling showcase of devised events and cabaret.

Like the Fringe itself, The Stand is growing bigger each year, now adding a fifth venue at the Metropolitan Hotel in Picardy Place. Among the acts appearing there are Joanna Neary, Dave Fulton, Francesca Martinez and Phil Nichol.

The BBC is taking over the corner of Potterrow and Marshall Street to give us a host of mainly free events, including Stephen K Amos (pictured) fronting Life: An Idiot’s Guide and David Mitchell hosting panel show The Unbelievable Truth.

FIREWORKS CONCERT

JAZZ FEST MOVE

KIDZ STUFF

Virgin Money makes its debut as the sponsor of the International Festival’s spectacular Fireworks Concert which brings the curtain down on the Festival. The 4 Sep event features the Scottish Chamber Orchestra accompanied by over 100,000 fireworks.

The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival has brought itself forward a week, taking place this year between 22–31 July. Among the highlights are Courtney Pine (pictured), Trombone Shorty and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. See page 107 for more.

The Pleasance will host an all-improved Kidzone in the Courtyard which is to be transformed into a polar landscape complete with igloos, polar bears and penguins. Plus you can catch shows from the ‘Duke of Uke’ Robin Grey (pictured).

JANNICA HONEY & HOLLY DAVIDSON PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION The multifaceted human aspects of Edinburgh’s lap dancing community are revealed (pictured). Sapphire Rooms, Lothian Road, 7–29 Aug, Sun–Thu 2–6pm, free.

THE NAKED BUSKER In nothing but his boxers, Donnie Rust hitchhiked across Britain and came back with tales of girlfriends, employment, masturbation, drunkenness and bathtubs.

Laughing Horse @ City Café, Blair Street, 0131 220 0125, 20–28 Aug, 6.45pm, free.

STRIP SEARCH A frank performance piece from Titus Rowe about a male stripper who used to be a squaddie. theSpaces on North Bridge, Carlton Hotel, North Bridge, 0845 557 6308, 8–20 Aug (not 14), 9.05pm, £10 (£7). Previews 5 & 6 Aug, £7 (£5).

SKITCH TEASE Wearing nothing but heels, fishnets and a tiny squeezebox, Liz Skitch delivers an intimate accordion cabaret. C aquila, Roman Eagle Lodge, 0845 260 1234, 4–29 Aug (not 16), 10.30pm, £8.50–£10.50 (£7.50–£9.50).

PRINCESS BARI World class Korean dance can also contain some rude bits and there’s a ‘partial nudity’ warning for this EIF show. Edinburgh Playhouse, Greenside Place, 0131 473 2000, 19–21 Aug, 7.30pm, £10–£30.

FOUND IN THE FRINGE PROGRAMME

A favourite entry from 2011

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SI M O N

C A L L OW

MAGNETS

Federer v Murray

Shylock

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{FRONTLINES}

BATTLE OF BRITAIN Comedians Dave Gibson (moustachioed, northern) and Charlie Talbot (stubbly, southern) will be tackling one of the great philosophical problems encountered at the Festival each and every year: which is better, the North or the South?

Here the brawling pair argue the point in some key categories. Corrie or ‘Enders? Oasis or Blur? Greggs or not?

SOAPS

FOOD & DRINK

CHARLIE: Well it’s easy isn’t it?

EastEnders is drama, excitement, weddings, fights and baby-snatching.

Corrie is a live-action Wallace & Gromit borefest in which nothing ever happens.

For 50 years. Oh, there was a tram crash once. How thrillingly Edwardian.

DAVE: The last time I gigged in London a pint cost four quid. And who needs 12 kinds of coffee? Or 25 different ways to describe a sandwich with foreign words? It’s not a foccacia, it’s a roll. It’s not a ciabatta, it’s a bap. It’s not a panini, it’s a toastie. Northerners know the most efficient way to deliver all the essential nutrients: in a pie. As I’ll demonstrate in the show. I’m hoping to get a Greggs endorsement contract.

DAVE: EastEnders isn’t drama, it’s depression on tap. People find out their wife’s been cheating on them but don’t say anything until they can yell about it in the Queen Vic. On someone’s birthday. And you get a better class of actor in Corrie; I’ve never seen Gandalf in Albert Square.

CHARLIE: How old were you when you realised there were other food groups beyond fried? Last time I gigged in Blackpool the poshest restaurant I saw was Bella Pasta. The best (sorry, least horrible) coffee was on sale in McDonalds. I clutched gratefully onto a bottle of Tropicana there because 48hour scurvy felt a very real proposition.

I don’t even want a ‘steak’ bake from Greggs, never mind an endorsement.

MUSIC DAVE: This one’s in the (record) bag.

The homes of British music are Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow.

You know, who come from the South?

Bloody Coldplay! And Simon Cowell.

And the three Spice Girls who can’t even sing. You lot invented dubstep.

And grime. It’s all just noise. If you want a tune written, ask a Northerner.

Other Festivals

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION FESTIVAL At this year’s telly bash the McTaggart Lecture is delivered

by Doc Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, there’s a comedy masterclass from Miranda Hart (pictured), and the star and producer of The Killing are in town to discuss the Danish show’s cult appeal.

■ EICC, Morrison Street, 26–28 Aug, mgeitf.co.uk, 0207 278 9515.

PHOTO: STEVE ULLATHORNE

CHARLIE: Hang on, Sporty and Scary are by far the most irritating two-fifths of the Spice Girls. The coolest band in every decade has been southern: the Stones were way cooler than the Beatles, the coolest punk band by miles were the Clash, even Blur were marginally less twattish than Oasis.

Though that’s a close call I grant you.

And if you ask a Northerner for a tune you might get ‘On Ilkley Moor Bah Tat’.

Or ‘When Tha Bow-at Cooms In’.

AUTHORS’ NOTE: It has been pointed out to us that many visitors at an international arts festival, those from other actual countries or made up ones like Scotland, may consider themselves to be neither Northern nor Southern. They’re just glad not to be English. Don’t worry, during the show we will work out which side you are all on. It’ll be like Hogwarts. But with a man with a moustache instead of a talking hat.

■ Battle of Britain: North vs South, Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 7–28 Aug, 5pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £6.

There are even more festivals than the seven covered in this Guide. Try the following for size

EDINBURGH MELA Settled into its new venue at Leith Links, this celebration of cultural diversity through artistic endeavour delivers yet another programme packed with dance, music, theatre, circus, crafts, fashion and food. Expect a feast of world, traditional and urban music plus a bunch of world premieres.

■ Leith Links, 2–4 Sep, edinburgh-mela.co.uk, 0131 332 2888.

14 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

EDINBURGH FOODIES FESTIVAL New to the August beanfeast is the Foodies Festival, which has had major success throughout the UK. Visitors will be able to brush up against Michelin-star chefs, taste some of Scotland’s best dishes and cocktails and take part in food masterclasses.

■ Holyrood Park, 12–14 Aug, foodiesfestival.com /edinburgh, 0871 230 5573.

FRINGE BY THE SEA If you’re in the middle of Edinburgh and feel the need to swallow some sea air while maintaining a festival vibe, get yourself off to North Berwick.

Among the Fringe by the Sea highlights are Christopher Brookmyre, Mr Boom, Eddi Reader, Fish and Maggie O’Farrell.

■ Various venues, 8–14 Aug, fringebythesea.co.uk, 07510 695 996.

FESTIVAL OF SPIRITUALITY AND PEACE The clashing of worldviews and the possibility of bloodshed-free resolutions to global problems are among the themes of this year’s Festival with appearances from Dr Jim Swire, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Julian Baggini and members of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

■ Various venues, 6–29 Aug, festivalofspirituality.org.uk, 0131 221 2277.

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{FRONTLINES}

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{FEATURES} Frisky and Mannish

‘MATTHEW’S TROUSERS ARE EVER MORE FITTED AND MY GIRLS ARE INCREASINGLY ON SHOW’

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Frisky and Mannish {FEATURES}

IF YOU’VE

GOT IT,

FLAUNT IT Frisky and Mannish‘s infectious pop parodies have brought them five-star reviews and widespread Fringe adulation. This year they’re launching their most ambitious show to date.

But, they tell Jay Richardson, they’re still happy to do weddings t has often been remarked that in times of recession, we all seek reassurance from flamboyant pop parody duos.

Hence the buzz around Frisky and Mannish’s creation for the 2011 Fringe, Pop Centre Plus, which after School of Pop and The College Years, completes their devilishly glam riposte to Simon Cowell’s production line of singing automatons. Mashing up the likes of Rihanna, Justin Bieber, The Bee Gees and Elvis Presley, Laura Corcoran (Frisky) and Matthew Jones (Mannish) will show how to fake it until you make it in the music industry via the twisted side streets of camp cabaret.

After a ‘rollercoaster’ first two festivals, in which the pair became a word-of-mouth phenomenon and Corcoran contracted swine flu, they’ve quit their original cave venue ‘with plague growing in the walls’ and relocated to the giant inflatable Udderbelly.

No longer punchy Oxford University upstarts, they’re now in the comedy big leagues, thanks in part to regular Radio 1 appearances on Scott Mills’ show, and a well-viewed collection of YouTube videos. In response, they’ve gone more glam.

‘We’re so excited about upping the spectacle,’ Corcoran enthuses. ‘We’ve got a bigger stage, bigger lights, a projector, fantastic sound system and we’ve been working with a producer making tracks to accompany us every now and then, just to fully realise the spoofs. It’s been amazingly fun staying true to what we’ve been doing but raising the stakes a little.’

Mindful of being perceived as prima donnas for having an entourage (‘it’s just one person’), they’re otherwise embracing divadom. ‘At the start, our real selves and who we are on stage were separate,’ Corcoran explains. ‘We

I

wouldn’t have worn anything like we do now but it’s starting to creep into our real lives. Matthew’s trousers are ever more fitted and my girls are increasingly on show.’

‘Conceived in a bedroom’ three years ago, the pair have already graced such grand venues as Sydney Opera House.

So it seems equally conceivable that they might some day eclipse the pop stars they’re parodying. ‘I’m not sure our act is too arena-friendly,’ muses Jones, ‘but if you asked us to play the O2, we’d absolutely do it.’

And what about the acts they spoof? Have they had any feedback from targets such as Destiny’s Child or Girls Aloud? So far, they’ve only met Kate Nash, ‘although we did get a tweet from Whigfield saying she enjoyed our version of “Saturday Night” on Radio 1’, Corcoran reveals.

‘Nothing from Girls Aloud yet. Quite frankly, that’s the only reason we do “Wheels on the Bus” [set to the music of “Sound of the Underground”]. I’m obsessed with them and living for the moment when Sarah Harding gets in touch.’

Until then they’re keeping down to earth. They respond to all electronic correspondence personally, however weird and sexualised, and sign every pair of breasts thrust at them – ‘always boobs, never chests,’ Jones observes. They even do weddings. ‘Our best was an 80s-themed lesbian civil partnership,’ Corcoran recalls. ‘One was dressed as Michael Jackson, the other as Madonna from “Like a Virgin”. With roller skating drag queens as bridesmaids. If they want us at their wedding, then it’s going to be a good one.’

Frisky and Mannish, Udderbelly’s Pasture, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 6–28 Aug (not 8, 15, 22), 9.30pm, £12–£14 (£10.50–£12.50). Previews 3–5 Aug, £7.

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{FEATURES} Frisky and Mannish

NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL

Edinburgh

FOLL ON TWOITW US @ TER

TH MAGAEZLI IST NE

FRISKY AND MANNISH‘S SOUNDTRACK TO THE 2011 FRINGE THE RALLYING CRY OF THE OPTIMISTIC THESP

THE BIG HIT

DRINK THE BAR DRY

‘Let’s Get Ready to Rumble’

‘2 Man Show’

‘Pass Out’

TIMBALAND AND ELTON JOHN

TINIE TEMPAH

What everyone’s been going to see. Hip hop’s biggest mogul and the world’s most famous gay, in a two-hander about AIDS. Assembly’s big production, in a 4000-seater venue, that’s been sold out since June.

All that’s left is to help with the clean-up by emptying the contents of the bars. Pass out? If you don’t, you’re not doing it right.

PJ & DUNCAN After months of preparation, you are ready to charge, armoured with show hoodies, full-colour flyers, and game-face. BRING IT. THE FIRST BIG SHOP

‘The Trolley Song’ JUDY GARLAND

WHY?

‘Why’ ANNIE LENNOX

Gaily skipping around Scotmid, optimistically buying fresh vegetables (that will rot in the salad crisper) and flyering weary native cashiers. NB: they will not come and see your show. They work in Scotmid.

THE FIRST SHOW REVIEWED

‘You Make Me Wanna Die’ THE PRETTY RECKLESS Just when you thought you had a few days to work it in, Three Weeks go and send their most embittered critic (a second year from Exeter) to your preview. Two stars: ‘the performers certainly give it their all.’ Ouch.

Why-y-y-y-y-y? Just why?

THE ROYAL MILE

‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ GREEN DAY What was once a place of rosy-cheeked students in tableaux is now a sodden stretch of disappointment, plastered with yesterday’s posters, selling yesterday’s shows. Ooooh, look! A Korean gymnastic team!

THE PATHETIC FALLACY

‘Why Does it Always Rain on Me?’ TRAVIS As your spirits sink (and you sink more spirits), the weather will reflect your mood with the classic Edinburgh downpours. Dry off your galoshes in Chocolate Soup. Oh wait, you can never get a FRICKIN TABLE! THE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES/PLAGUE

‘What Goes Around . . . Comes Around’ JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE Everyone will get ill. It’s just a question of when, and what.

THE PRODUCER’S WOE

‘Breakeven’ THE SCRIPT As if. You’d need to sell 350% of your remaining tickets. Good luck with that. Oh, and nice badges.

18 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

REFLECTIONS FROM SEPTEMBER

‘The Winner Takes it All’ ABBA Some shows are transferring to the West End, going on an Australian tour, and being made into TV shows. You have debt, liver damage and chlamydia.

But you’ve already booked your accommodation for next year.

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Photo: Annemie Augustijns

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‘Pure bliss.’ Opera Now

Semiramide

BY GIOACHINO ROSSINI LIBRETTO BY GAETANO ROSSI

Book your tickets now eif.co.uk/semiramide 0131 473 2000 Charity No. SC004694

Vlaamse Opera Babylon, a world of politics, lust and murder. A world waiting to be punished.

Thursday 25 and Saturday 27 August 6.00pm Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Supported by

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{FEATURES} Sarah Millican and Russell Kane

EDINBURGH FAVOURITES There’s a lot to love about the city in August, especially if you know where to look. Two top comedians and Festival old-timers give us their insiders’ insight

SARAH MILLICAN

RUSSELL KANE

Now a familiar TV face, the delightful Ms Millican considers Edinburgh’s ‘delicious chips’

Last year’s Edinburgh Comedy Award winner discusses unexpected Thai boys

Favourite venue?

Whichever venue I am playing that year. It’s the place that feels like home for the month.

Favourite tacky souvenir?

I always keep a Fringe Guide as a souvenir. With circles on and the map torn out.

Favourite venue?

Pleasance Cellar. It’s been demolished but it was a corker.

Head to The Stand – legendary also.

Favourite watering hole?

Anywhere I can get a milkshake at daft o’clock in the morning. Favorit [19-20 Teviot Place] is, uncannily, a favourite.

Favourite garden?

Are there gardens? I mostly just see venues and chip shops.

Favourite place for dinner?

I love David Bann [56-58 St Mary’s Street], the vegetarian place. It feels like an injection of vitamins during an unhealthy month.

Favourite place for lunch?

We eat breakfast at lunchtime during the Fringe so at home in my nightie.

Favourite shop?

No time for shops during the Fringe.

Too busy trying to sell yourself. Not like that, you mucky pup.

Favourite quiet spot?

Like I’m going to tell you that so that everyone comes.

Favourite hotel?

The only time I go in a hotel during the Fringe is for a sneaky wee.

Favourite unexpected discovery?

That you can get fat even though you’re walking everywhere (it’s the chips, they’re delicious).

Favourite Edinburgh fact?

It is all uphill.

Favourite other comedian?

I don’t really have a favourite. I have circled 80 shows. I’ll probably manage 15, which will include Tony Law, Paul Sinha and Tim Key. Least favourite thing about the Festival?

That by the third weekend I’ll be crying and won’t know why.

■ Sarah Millican: Thoroughly Modern Millican, Assembly Hall, Mound Place, 0131 623 3030, 12–28 Aug, 7.30pm, £14–£16 (£13–£16).

20 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

Favourite watering hole?

The secret bar in the Pleasance Dome. Not that secret but worth the investigation.

Favourite place for dinner?

Long live the haggis of The Mitre [133 High Street] on the Royal Mile.

Favourite place for lunch?

Red Fort Indian [10 Drummond Street]. Amazing king prawns.

They do a Festival menu too.

Favourite shop?

Topman. What a loser. I’m addicted.

Favourite quiet spot?

Arthur’s Seat.

Favourite hotel?

Missoni [1 George IV Bridge].

Favourite tacky souvenir?

Wool. Any type.

Favourite garden?

The Meadows.

Favourite unexpected discovery?

A Thai boy in my bathroom.

Favourite Edinburgh fact?

The English are welcome.

Favourite flyering technique?

Throwing them into the air and screaming.

Favourite shortcut through the city?

Heading down past the Parliament. [The List wonders where this is a shortcut to: TK Maxx on London Road?]

Favourite other comedian?

Daniel Kitson.

Least favourite thing about the festivals?

Self-doubt, pressure, sobbing and loneliness.

■ Russell Kane: Manscaping, Pleasance Courtyard, 12–26 Aug (not 22), 8.50pm, £17.50 (£15.50).

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DISCOVER

SURGEONS’l HALLl MUSEUMl PATHOLOGYl HISTORY | ARTl & MOREl Mon-Fri: 12-4pml Now also open at weekendsl (12-4pm, Apr-Oct)l Nicolson Streetl Edinburghl 0131 527 1649/1711l

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EDINBURGH

FESTIVAL 2011

BEETHOVEN CONCERT SERIES

THE COMPLETE BEETHOVEN PIANO CYCLE

Llyr Williams

THE COMPLETE BEETHOVEN STRING QUARTETS

The Heath Quartet

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

Michael Tumelty, The Herald

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museum@rcesed.ac.ukl

12-26 August 2011

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www.museum.rcsed.ac.ukl

www.greyfriarskirk.com

&KHFN RXU ZHEVLWH IRU VSHFLDO RIIHUV

An n Ancientt Thread:: 0 yearss of f 7000 n Kilimss Anatolian Venue 142 ''For their 28th Edinburgh Fringe exhibition, The Nomads Tent has recreated an old Turkish tradition of quarter size kilims from Anatolia.

Each of these kilims is hand woven in Konya,Turkey with 100% natural dyes. At the heart of this very old weaving tradition is an instinctive use of pattern, sumptuous colours and very ancient motifs."

Friday 5 Aug to Sunday 4 Sept 2011

21 St Leonard’s Lane Edinburgh EH8 9SH 0131 662 1612

Mon to Sat 10-5 Sun 12-4

www.nomadstent.co.uk

We are on

Trading fairly with our suppliers

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MARTIN CREED: WORK 1059 Now in its eighth year, the Edinburgh Art Festival (EAF) has done wonders in raising the profile of the capital’s rich assortment of galleries while showcasing an eye-watering array of works by international artists. No stranger to Edinburgh, Turner Prizewinner Martin Creed unveils his latest piece of permanent public art this summer, a transformation of the Scotsman Steps, which runs from the North Bridge to Market Street, bringing together contrasting marbles from around the world.

■ Scotsman Steps, connecting North Bridge and Market Street, from 24 Jun, free. 2011, © the artist.

list.co.uk/festival/art

14 August – 4 September

EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL

{ART}

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{ART} David Mach

David Mach returns to his native Scotland this August with his first major exhibition in years, celebrating 400 years of the King James Bible. Paul Dale visits him in his studio as he packs up for his trip north of the border

t’s just after 9am in Forest Hill in South London. The denizens of launching myself into something immediately, but a seed had been this leafy area have walked their children to school and boarded sown. A few years later I was driving through Glenrothes with a their commuter trains. In David Mach’s messy but unfussy twoteaching colleague and friend and we are talking about ideas for floored studio, two handfuls of assistants and technicians have had projects and stuff and she said: “You should do The King James their orders for the day and are buzzing around huge, collaged Bible,” and I said, “Fuck, yeah I should.” It took me eight years to get canvases, drawing boards and storage drawers. the thing going but this was before we knew its 400th anniversary was Upstairs, Mach sits across from me, manically flicking through the coming up. It took me a long time to mull it over but meanwhile I’m recent issue of The List and The List’s Eating and Drinking Guide that collecting things that made their way into the final show, so in a way I he requested I bring. ‘I’m looking for pictures I can use,’ he says. ‘I was compiling the material subconsciously. I went through the Bible ask people to bring me magazines and I sit there ripping them up as looking for quotes to guide my collages and realised I knew so much we talk, you’re always looking for that new image when you do of it because of a religious upbringing but I was also struck by how collage, something fresh. For me it’s like listening to the news or much The King James Bible is about how we speak now, the language keeping up with world events. It can be the beginning of my day of today comes off those pages.’ sometimes, just ripping stuff out.’

Mach stops to drain his coffee mug. ‘And then you take the plunge Tall, scrawny and angular, Mach could be John Byrne’s younger and loads of stuff happens because it’s costing a bloody fortune to brother or Shaggy from Scooby Doo, now slightly greying but still make it because so many guys are involved. Since 2008 we’ve been chasing ghosts. Almost two score years of living and working in working on this exhibition here, up in Scotland and over in Deptford London – far longer than he lived in his hometown of Methil in Fife – where we have another studio. Plus you’re producing books, have not altered the ‘scoop’ – the perceptible rise in vowel sounds – or catalogues, postcards – you name it, you have to have the money to the sharply up, gradually down sing-songyness of his Fife accent. spend on it and then decide that you are not gonna spend it on a nice ‘It’s a major sin to leave and go and live house in the country or a nice car but on in London. I’ve lived here longer than I this. For a long time you end up thinking, lived in Scotland but I never feel away “Why the fuck am I doing this anyway?”’ from the place, which is quite odd.’ He Mach, who could well be responsible for grimaces into his coffee mug. ‘You can the Festival’s blockbuster show, is very interpret that any way you like: “I’m happy to be utilising the capital’s working class and Scottish, blah blah.” But undervalued City Art Centre. ‘Art-wise, the that’s still how I feel, I go to events now City Art Centre is the only bit of Glasgow and people still ask me how long I’m in Edinburgh. It’s got that kind of edge to staying down for and I point out that I’ve it. It’s also a difficult space, it’s got a great lived here for 35 years.’ first couple of floors there but the rest of it Contrary, funny and wilfully is more “regular”, shall we say. I love the unpretentious, Mach has been out of the art challenges it presents. For instance, at the world spotlight for far too long. Having beginning of this whole process, I was told spent most of the 1980s and 90s garnering that the downstairs was to become a shop acclaim and controversy in equal measure space and I thought, “Fuck, that’s the best for his huge, so-called ‘public art’ space they’ve got,” and I thought, “Shit, sculptures and installations featuring I’m gonna have to rethink this now.” And textually rich, mass-produced objects such then, after a while, you think, “Actually, I as tyres (1983’s Polaris) or magazines quite like that.” It’s a difficult show (Adding Fuel to the Fire, Barcelona, 1990). anyway, it’s a kind of religious show, a Mach’s last high-profile piece in the UK show about religion and art and you have a was for New Labour’s Millennium Dome: bloody shop right in the middle, a bloody ‘We did a 100 ft-long, stupidly detailed ‘Walking on Water’ (top, 2010) and ‘The Plague of Frogs’ retail space right next to these big fuck off portrait of the nation, which I hated. (2011) – part of David Mach’s Precious Light exhibition, collages and crucifixion pieces, that’s the Portrait of the nation, for fuck’s sake, inspired by the King James version of the Bible reality of the situation. I like that. I’ve makes it sound like Tony Blair speak, always hated that idea of working in doesn’t apply to us at all.’ Mach smirks like a naughty school kid, galleries and museums where the curators or whoever is running these before settling into what feels like a well-practised rant. places treat the space like they are bloody churches and that they are ‘A weird thing has happened to me because I used to work exhibition high priests of blah blah blah.’ He laughs. ‘It’s still a special cultural after exhibition, but I actually work way more now and do an awful lot place, it’s not like I’m showing a pile of rubble in Beirut or less exhibitions. A lot of it is solo commissions or corporate something.’ commissions. People think I have crossed over from public art to Mach will be working on-site for the entirety of the Festival, turning commercial art but I think I’ve always been commercial. I remember one floor of the gallery into a studio. ‘We are going to make a Last being in New York and this guy says to me, “I love your work, it’s Supper,’ he boasts. Will he be inviting Alex Salmond to sit for him? great, but it’s a shame you don’t have anything to sell.” It was like a ‘No way!’ He smiles. ‘But we’re gonna have a second opening when knife to my heart. I thought someone was going to buy this 100-tonne it’s finished so we may invite him then.’ magazine sculpture, that was me being commercial, as much as I am With exhibitions coming up in Dubai and Hong Kong plus new commercial now, it may look like lunacy to most but that’s just the international commissions for his giant gorillas and stags, Mach is a way I go after these things.’ busy man, but that doesn’t stop him ruminating on a future project.

Five years in the making, Mach’s first major Scottish exhibition for ‘After The King James Bible I’d really like to tackle The Kama Sutra. some time deals with the always thorny issue of religion. The agnostic Now there’s something I’d really like to get my teeth into. If you’ll son of a devoutly Christian mother and an atheist father, Mach may pardon the pun.’ And a deep chuckle pierces the mid-morning lull. have inherited a certain masochistic Protestant work ethic but The David Mach: Precious Light, City Art Centre, Market Street, 0131 King James Bible is hardly a natural fit for him.

529 3993, 30 Jul–16 Oct, £5 (£3.50).

‘The Millennium Dome project was exhausting and I didn’t feel like

I

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David Mach {ART}

‘I WAS STRUCK BY HOW MUCH THE KING JAMES BIBLE IS ABOUT HOW WE SPEAK NOW, THE LANGUAGE OF TODAY’

PHOTO: DAVID MACH WITH ‘DIE HARDER’, ALAN WILEY

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{ART} Tamsyn Challenger

In living

memory Tamsyn Challenger has defied the notion that political art is dead by collaborating with 200 artists in response to the murders of 400 Mexican women. She tells Kirstin Innes about the tragic events that inspired her installation or the last couple of decades of least, the gallery-centred world of contemporary art has been a largely apolitical space, with the popularity of conceptual and often oblique work tending to overshadow that of artists engaging with or responding directly to actual issues.

The prominence given to Tamsyn Challenger’s installation 400 Women in this year’s Edinburgh Art Festival programme suggests this may be changing, although it’s not necessarily a change the artist herself, whose work has always tackled gender politics head-on, and on a global scale, welcomes.

‘In some ways I think it’s important for political art to remain unfashionable,’ she says.

‘As soon as political action becomes commercial it has the potential to lose the strength behind its focus. I’m in two minds really: on the one hand it’s vital that challenging work is being made and artists wed their intellect to their aesthetic but it’s retrograde if it’s a temporary trend.’

400 Women is nothing if not a challenging work. It’s a response to the seemingly systematic murder, rape and abduction of over 400 women and young girls, which has happened over a decade in the Mexican border region of Ciudad Juárez. Born out of

PHOTOS: INSTALLATION IMAGES, 400 WOMEN, SHOREDITCH TOWN HALL, 2010. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST.

F

Challenger’s own experience talking to the mothers of the victims, the installation is deliberately intended to unsettle the viewer.

‘One mother in particular affected me,’ says Challenger. ‘Her name is Consuelo Valenzuela. Her daughter, Julieta Marleng Gonzalez Valenzuela, went missing in March 2001 when she was 17. I’d first met Consuelo in a hotel but it was when we left the room and were in the foyer, a much more public place, that she decided to press the postcards of her daughter into my hands. I was nervous, then ashamed of feeling like I wanted to get away from this person who was suffering so much. The shame of my reaction made everything immediately vivid: her proximity, her smell, her grip, the translator nearly shouting, “She wants you to take them, to give them to anyone, anyone you know,” but the most arresting memory for me is Julieta’s face, zinging out from this three-colourway postcard. It had been reproduced from a snapshot and the face was blurred. She had no eyes, a bleached-out nose, everything was faded. And I think I just wanted to bring her face back.’

Since returning from Mexico in 2006, Challenger has commissioned over 200 artists to create portraits of the missing women. She tried to find links between the artists and their subjects, even if this was simply making pairs with the same initials or ages.

‘As just one individual artist, I understood I needed a critical mass of voices to realise the

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idea within a singular installation. It was vital for me and for the concept that these women didn’t remain part of a number, but continued on, through the work, as individuals. If I had made all the works myself this individuality in memorium would be lost; it would have only expressed my character. So I knew I needed individuals, with all their unique qualities, to express the individuality of the woman or girl I gave them to represent.’

It’s also been important to Challenger that the way audiences access these portraits feels distinct from the white cube gallery experience. 400 Women originally ran in a Shoreditch basement composed of concrete tunnels, chiming with the environment many of the women were held captive in. In Edinburgh, the venue is a former schoolhouse (a number of the girls were ‘harvested’ from the same computer school). It’s immersive, and designed to leave a lasting impression.

‘I hope that, unlike the ease with which these women’s lives were disposed of, the 400 Women works won’t be easily disregarded. The importance we bestow upon objects like this is a tragic irony embedded in the concept. Ciudad Juárez has become an open wound, but ideally I would like 400 to stand against gender violence globally and for the work to resonate on a personal level.’

‘I JUST WANTED TO BRING HER FACE BACK’

Tamsyn Challenger: 400 Women, Canongate Venture, New Street, 07852 928 533, 4 Aug–4 Sep, free.

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Tony Cragg

30 July to 6 November 2011 Belford Road, Edinburgh £7/£5 With support from

Media partner

SCULPTURES AND DRAWINGS National Galleries of Scotland is a charity registered in Scotland (No. SC003728) Tony Cragg, Bent of Mind, © The Artist; photography © Charles Duprat

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{ART} Other highlights

Other highlights MYSTICS OR RATIONALISTS The Ingleby Gallery assembles a who’s who of international artists who have created works that challenge the rigid scientism that can overwhelm contemporary conceptual art. Among the artists displaying their objects of mystery and intrigue are Iran do Espirito Santo, Jeremy Millar and Cornelia Parker. Ingleby Gallery, Calton Road, 0131 556 4441, 4 Aug–29 Oct, free.

ANISH KAPOOR: FLASHBACK A fascinating exhibition of sculptures by the Indian-born, Turner Prize-winning artist. Flashback features a couple of important early works by Kapoor as well as more recent sculptures created from pigment, stone, polished stainless steel and wax and bearing the artist’s signature sensual style. Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, 0131 221 6000, 4 Aug–9 Oct, free.

INGRID CALAME

TONY CRAGG: SCULPTURES AND DRAWINGS Another Turner Prize-winner, Liverpoolborn Cragg is best known for his freestanding sculptures created from found objects and detritus or readymade items from plastic or stone. This major exhibition, which fills the whole ground floor of the Gallery of Modern Art, focuses on work created in the past ten years. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Belford Road, 0131 624 6200, 30 Jul–6 Nov, £7 (£5).

ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG: BOTANICAL VAUDEVILLE He may have been one of the most influential American artists but there hasn’t been a major retrospective of works by Robert Rauschenberg in the UK for 30 years. This showcase, presented in natural light, brings together paintings and sculptures displaying the artist’s characteristic use of reflective surfaces such as metal and glass. Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Inverleith Row, 0131 248 2971, 27 Jul–2 Oct, free.

ELIZABETH BLACKADDER The first woman to be elected to both

the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy, Elizabeth Blackadder’s work forms the basis of a major exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery. The exhibition displays many of her paintings, prints, watercolours and drawings as well as some less well-known works. Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 0131 624 6200, 2 Jul–2 Jan, £8 (£6).

JOHN BYRNE He may be better kent these days and very much in demand as a playwright, but John Byrne has maintained an equally successful and industrious career as a painter. This show features works inspired by his plays and screenplays as well as striking figurative and abstract works.

Open Eye Gallery, Abercromby Place, 0131 557 1020, 13 Aug–5 Sep, free.

LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES One of the most interesting developments in contemporary art over the last 25 years is the emergence of ‘device’ art. This exhibition focuses on the genre through an exchange of ideas between artists and technologists from Japan, China and Scotland.

New Media Scotland, Crichton Street, 0131 650 2750, 4 Aug–4 Sep, free.

FOR OF ALL E DETAILS EDIN VENTS SEE

BU FESTIVARGHART L.COM

IMAGE: ‘UNTITLED', 2002. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND BLAINE SOUTHERN, LONDON. COURTESY ANTON HENNING AND VG BILDKUNST.

IMAGES, TOP TO BOTTOM: ‘WHITE SAND, RED MILLET, MANY FLOWERS', 1982. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST. COURTESY ARTS COUNCIL COLLECTION, SOUTHBANK CENTRE, LONDON; ' ‘#321 DRAWING (TRACING FROM BUFFALO, NY)', 2010; 'BEACH BOY #9'. COURTESY OF OPEN EYE GALLERY; 'BAMHUE/ROCI JAPAN', 1987. COURTESY OF GAGOSIAN GALLERY.

The Fruitmarket presents the first solo show in Scotland by American artist Calame, whose coloured drawings and paintings are inspired by the urban landscape. The artist creates her work

by tracing overlooked patterns such as marks and cracks on the ground before recreating these on paper or canvas.

Fruitmarket Gallery, Market Street, 0131 225 2383, 4 Aug–9 Oct, free.

ANTON HENNING

From top: Anish Kapoor, Ingrid Calame, John Byrne, Robert Rauschenberg

A German iconoclast who dropped out of art school to develop his own practice, Henning has become internationally renowned for his museum installation, which he frames and lights and even designs the surrounding wallpaper and carpets for. In his first solo show in Scotland, Henning brings together furniture, lighting, painting and sculpture to create his Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art).

■ Talbot Rice Gallery, Old College, South Bridge, 0131 650 2210, 5 Aug–22 Oct, free.

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SAPPHIRE Now in its second year under new directorship, the Edinburgh International Book Festival is striding with yet more purpose across the August landscape. As well as the usual array of dazzling literary talent from around the globe and on our doorstep, the innovations just keep on coming. Another excellent Unbound programme has been unveiled, while the last-night starstudded performance of Alasdair Gray’s Fleck will be a major highlight. Among the individual authors coming to town, Sapphire is a clear stand-out. Her debut novel was turned into the Oscar-winning movie Precious (pictured), and 14 years later, she is publishing a sequel, The Kid. ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 22 Aug, 8pm, £10 (£8).

list.co.uk/festival/book

13 – 29 August

{BOOKS}

6/7/11

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL

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{BOOKS} John Hegarty

‘90% OF WHAT IS PRODUCED IN ADVERTS IS SHITE’

Edinburgh International Book Festival RBS is pleased to be associated with one of Edinburgh’s most prestigious festivals as title sponsors of the RBS Schools and Children’s Programmes and the RBS Main Theatre.

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John Hegarty {BOOKS}

THE

persuader For almost half a century, John Hegarty has been selling us ideas and helping to mould iconic brands. Brian Donaldson meets the black sheep of advertising to talk puppets, Mad Men and the future

n the end, virtually everything I work on is, to a certain didn’t know that, but I had to persuade them; it could have fallen extent, irrelevant.’ After the best part of an hour’s chat in absolutely flat and been the biggest disaster, but the rest is history.’ which John Hegarty has pretty much sold me on the When it comes to knowing advertising history, few will match unparalleled joys and benefits of advertising, it’s a refreshing up to Hegarty. He is often quoting the major figures in his industry shock to the system to hear him speak so honestly about the such as Bill Bernbach, the man he credits with starting modern vocation that has kept him obsessively busy and in deep pocket advertising with his late 50s US adverts for the VW Beetle (‘think throughout his adult life. ‘If Johnnie Walker suddenly closed small’) or there’ll be unattributed gems such as ‘someone once down tomorrow, people’s lives wouldn’t change; they’d drink said that the easiest thing to kill is an idea’. But mainly Hegarty Bell’s or Whyte & Mackay or whatever. Yes, I can argue that expresses his own beliefs, neatly bottled in tricksy soundbites, what we do for St John Ambulance can save lives and what we epitomising the adman’s ethos that less is more. He’ll say things do for Barnardo’s helps children, but really . . .’ like, ‘I always say that all roads lead you to the work’, or ‘I say to He delivers this frank confession in a people that I do my best thinking when whisper, just in case the teams of I’m not thinking.’ Or he’ll often say, ‘I impressionable young creatives often say, when I go into a meeting darting back and forth along the and sell an idea, I’ve got my audience corridor outside his office get wind of in my mind’, or ‘I always say that what the boss’ view of their industry. Truth we do is create characters, even in a is, though, Hegarty is as passionate 60-second commercial.’ about his trade as he ever was. For a His book, Hegarty on Advertising: man who is expertly versed in the Turning Intelligence Into Magic, and snappy slogan (‘Vorsprung Durch our 60-minute conversation are Technik’) and coined phrase (‘The peppered with buzzwords that seek to Lynx Effect’), he can talk until the underpin his thinking: irreverence, cows come home. Though in the case fearlessness, subversion and of his company, Bartle Bogle Hegarty persuasion are all key aspects of the (BBH), the farm animal of choice job. ‘All of life is about persuading; would no doubt be a sheep. when you have a debate about your In particular, a black sheep called football team and you’re talking about Zag, who can be spied everywhere whoever you support, you’re trying to around this building in deepest Soho. put forward your point of view about Zag is above the door at the entrance, why they’re great. Or you’re talking stamped on visitors’ passes and a toabout a movie with friends, and that’s scale version stands positioned in the argument. There’s nothing wrong with middle of Hegarty’s office. ‘When the that; as long as you conduct your world zigs, zag’ was the line he came debate with integrity and openness, up with for his newly launched then why not? Persuasion is fantastic.’ company’s debut in 1982 with the John Hegarty has been persuading Levi’s ad for black denim and it was people since getting his break in swiftly adopted as the BBH motto. advertising in the mid-60s working as Later campaigns turned out to be John Hegarty’s ads for Barnardo’s gave him a strong sense a junior art director with the Saatchis icons of their time: Nick Kamen that his industry can do work that is worthwhile before leaving in the early 70s to be a getting down to his boxers in a creative director with TWBA, the firm launderette to the strains of Marvin Gaye; the highly charged that made its name with the early 80s ads for Absolut vodka.

Häagen-Dazs series; Melanie Sykes passing a pint of Boddingtons Hegarty went into advertising straight from his studies at the then out of her ice cream van with the immortal words: ‘Do you want a London College of Printing (Printing has since been replaced by Flake in that, love?’

Communication), where his teachers convinced him that he was Meanwhile, the sight of hundreds of Amazonian women in furry better at having ideas than being a painter. ‘As a kid I used to go bikinis sprinting towards an equally scantily-clad lad who had caddying to earn money and rapidly realised at about the age of sprayed some deodorant in the air caused something of a media ten and a half that if you could play the game then you could earn stink. And then there was Flat Eric, the puppet who starred in the a bit more money. I loved the golf course and my parents were Levi’s Sta-Prest campaign. ‘They thought I’d really gone,’ recalls fine with that because they knew exactly where I was. When I got Hegarty with a hearty laugh. ‘The account director and the planner to 13, I thought that I wanted to be a professional golfer; then I got sat in that seat there and said “John, it’s a fluffy puppet; are you to 15 and looked around me and saw no one of the opposite sex. I

sure?” I tried to convince them that it would be brilliant. Now, I decided to go to art school to meet them.’

‘I

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{BOOKS} John Hegarty

Bartle Bogle Hegarty’s ground-breaking ads for (clockwise from top) Robertson’s, Boddingtons, Levi’s and Reebok

RBS Children’s Programme at the Edinburgh International Book Festival RBS recognise the importance of encouraging children and teens to connect with the world of books through participation, imagination and creation.

Like the world which it plunders for inspiration, advertising has witnessed seismic changes across the six decades Hegarty has been working in the industry.

But none of which can possibly compare with the shifts caused by the explosion of technology in the last few years. This is where Hegarty’s fearlessness comes in handy. Grasp the nettle, take your chances and ride the storm. It’s this ethos that led to BBH setting up a virtual agency in the online world of Second Life, a shortlived venture as it turned out. ‘We went into it because we thought it would be interesting. We play with things, and had a go at it, but it never went anywhere. I don’t know if anyone even goes on it anymore: has Second Life died? But everyone got very excited about it for a while, and we thought, “Let’s open up an agency there”. But there’s nothing wrong with playing with things to see if they work.’

For Hegarty, it’s a case of letting the worlds of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube settle down. For now, the medium might well be the message and the true worth of the relationships between social networking, new technology and advertising may not be realised for some time yet. ‘I do think that this is the most exciting time ever to be in the industry because there is so much opportunity. The walls have come down, established order has broken and you can communicate with your audience in ways that 20 years ago were just not possible. Young entrepreneurial companies can break through far easier than before. Talking to a large audience can cost a lot of money and you could look at the old ad industry and see it as a preserve of the rich,

32 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

whereas now it’s open to everybody; technology has democratised our industry. Do I think the work is as good as it could be? No, I don’t think it is; to be honest, 90% of what is produced is shite. And I think that’s because we’ve slightly become obsessed with the technology, and not concentrating enough on what we’re putting onto it.’

Talk, inevitably, turns to a more innocent time, for advertising and us all, as represented by Mad Men. The US drama has done for scotch-guzzling advertising persuaders what Six Feet Under did for family-run funeral parlours, Nip/Tuck did for plastic surgeons and The Sopranos did for duck-fixated, Prozac-popping New Jersey gangsters. Mad Men’s tussles with clients, the dramatic pitches and the last-minute hitches must make the show seem occasionally like a documentary for Hegarty. But how does he feel about the domestic plotlines? He just wants the writers to get back to the ad-making, right?

‘I think the characterisation is the thing I love and that’s what [show creator Matthew] Weiner has done,’ says Hegarty. ‘He’s written very complex characters so I want to see them in all their forms, all their milieu.

What I really love about it is that here is a programme about America at its zenith; in the 50s and 60s, America was it. And they’ve set it in advertising which sells happiness. And yet everyone is unhappy; they’re all dissatisfied.’

John Hegarty is at Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 23 Aug, 7pm, £10 (£8).

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Debut Authors {BOOKS}

OPENING LINES Charlotte Square Gardens will be teeming with quality first novels for the whole of August. Brian Donaldson looks at the cream of this year’s debutants MARY HORLOCK

LUKE WILLIAMS

THE BOOK OF LIES

THE ECHO CHAMBER

Five-word pitch Guernsey secrets reveal dark past Main character When 15-year-old Catherine Rozier lost her best friend on the cliffs near her home, it echoed a dark episode within her family. At that time, the Nazis ruled the island, but can those two stories be closely connected?

Who liked it? ‘An unforgettable and brilliant debut’: Hanif Kureishi

Five-word pitch The woman who hears everything Main character Evie Steppman, a middle-aged lady with an almost supernatural sense of hearing, has locked herself away in a decaying house in Gullane to write her memoirs, telling the story of everything from Nigeria’s fight for independence to a Ziggy Stardust-esque US tour.

Who liked it? ‘Original, brilliant and inconceivable’: Ali Smith

NED BEAUMAN

CHAN KOONCHUNG

BOXER, BEETLE

THE FAT YEARS

Five-word pitch For people with wrong impulses Main character Kevin Broom runs errands for a mysterious property developer, one of which results in the discovery of a dead private investigator, a note written by Hitler and the strange tale of a Jewish boxer called Sam Roach.

Who liked it? ‘An astonishing debut fizzing with ideas’: Jake Arnott

Five-word pitch China has banned this book Main character Noir fan Lao Chen narrates a sardonic and disturbing fictional analysis on the ‘harmonious society’ engineered by the Beijing leadership since the tumultuous events of 1989. Set in 2013, this has been dubbed ‘China’s 1984’.

Who liked it? ‘A compelling, dry-humoured, vividly-drawn story’: China Heritage Quarterly

STEPHEN KELMAN

ADAM LEVIN

PIGEON ENGLISH

THE INSTRUCTIONS

Five-word pitch Surviving the modern urban jungle Main character Newly arrived in the UK from Ghana, 11year-old Harrison Opoku is an aspiring athlete who draws designer logos on his trainers. A gangland killing springs Harri into brave action as he seeks to discover the truth behind this callous slaying.

Who liked it? ‘This fantastical love letter to the world made me laugh and tremble’: Emma Donoghue

Five-word pitch 1000 pages of literary pyrotechnics Main character At the age of ten, the highly precocious Gurion Maccabee has already been expelled from three Jewish day-schools for acts of violence and messianic tendencies. Separated from his flock, Gurion becomes a leader whose aim is to create an almighty revolution.

Who liked it? ‘A hysterical, heartfelt journey of selfdiscovery’: Village Voice

JULYA RABINOWICH

REBECCA HUNT

SPLITHEAD

MR CHARTWELL Five-word pitch Can you escape your roots?

Main character Seven-year-old Mischka and her family have fled the oppressive USSR for Austria. But even as she’s busy with her Barbie, perfecting German, and chomping on fresh fruit, Mischka is aware that she’ll forever be connected to her homeland’s history, prejudices and secrets.

Who liked it? ‘The importance of folklore in Germanlanguage writing is both honoured and subverted in this stunning debut’: thinkgerman.org.uk

Five-word pitch Churchill, depression, a talking dog Main character Mr Chartwell is an enormous, noisy, clumsy, smelly black canine who pays regular visits to Britain’s wartime leader just as he is set to announce his resignation from Parliament, and to Esther, a young library clerk at the House of Commons who has recently been widowed.

Who liked it? ‘A darkly comic debut that hits all the right notes’: Lesley McDowell

NAT SEGNIT SUNJEEV SAHOTA

PUB WALKS IN UNDERHILL COUNTRY

OURS ARE THE STREETS Five-word pitch On the road to fanaticism Main character Sheffield-born Imtiaz Raina is a young father and husband, and son of loving parents who has convinced himself that he believes in a cause that must end in his death. But before he takes that final journey, he wants his family to understand the reasons behind it.

Who liked it? ‘A moral work of real intelligence and power’: John Burnside

Five-word pitch Strolling into a fictional land Main character Graham Underhill is a rambler, local councillor and watercolourist dubbed the ‘Wainwright of the West Midlands’ who delivers pointed analysis of the times he lives in and an exposé of his own domestic story through the bogs and proposed bypasses of the Malvern region.

Who liked it? ‘If Vladimir Nabokov had written The Archers, then he might just have struck a note that chimed with the peculiar music of this beguiling first novel’: Boyd Tonkin

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{BOOKS} World Map

World Map

With authors coming to Edinburgh from Sweden and South Africa, and from Mexico and Morocco, this year’s Book Festival can call itself truly international

USA

CANADA

ENGLAND

WALES

TC BOYLE

MIRIAM TOEWS

WILL SELF

MARI STRACHAN

For his 13th novel, When the Killing’s Done, Boyle was inspired by the turf war between Californian animal rights activists and biologists over the elimination of non-native species of plants and animals.

This Manitoba-born writer’s latest novel is Irma Voth, the story of a girl who plans to escape her strict Mennonite upbringing in a north Mexican community.

There are few writers who divide readers quite like the author of Great Apes and The Butt, and bringing along a pocket thesaurus to a Self event is never a bad idea.

Her second novel is Blow On a Dead Man’s Embers, in which a young woman tries to bring her husband back to his former self when he returns home after the Great War.

MEXICO JUAN PABLO VILLALOBOS This Guadalajara-born author has had an eclectic career but he may well have settled on literature now.

Down the Rabbit Hole features a young boy, his drug trafficker father and a Liberian hippo.

HUNGARY LÁSZLÓ KRASZNAHORKAI Hailed across Europe for years, his 1985 debut Sátántangó is finally being translated for an English audience, thanks to the patronage of Irish writer Colm Tóibín.

CROATIA DASA DRNDIC This distinguished Croatian novelist delivers an inventive collage of documentary and fiction in Trieste, a powerful literary response to Nazi atrocities.

ROMANIA LUCIAN DAN TEODOROVICI

RBS Transport Fund Providing financial assistance to schools to transport their pupils to the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

This Romanian renaissance man certainly knows how to name his books and stories: The World Seen Through a Hole the Width of a Spliff and Shortly Before the Extraterrestrials Descended Among Us are but two examples.

SPAIN JAVIER CERCAS

ISRAEL

The abortive Francoist coup in the 1981 Spanish Parliament is the focal point of Cercas’ The Anatomy of a Moment, which tackles the ‘national neurosis’ triggered by the worry that tyranny might one day return.

ILAN PAPPÉ

BULGARIA

NIGERIA

In The Rise and Fall of a Palestinian Dynasty, this acclaimed historian retells the saga of the Husaynis, a clan who dominated Palestinian politics and society for centuries.

MIROSLAV PENKOV In East of the West, Penkov has penned stories specifically about his homeland, featuring a grandson who tries to buy the corpse of Lenin on eBay, and a failed wunderkind who steals a golden cross from an Orthodox church.

COLOMBIA

BEN OKRI

MOROCCO TAHAR BEN JELLOUN The Fes-born poet and professor had Beckett and Barthes among his admirers, and here brings us A Palace in the Old Village, a novelistic meditation on the final stages of life.

INGRID BETANCOURT

IRELAND

Even Silence Has an End is the story of how this Colombian presidential candidate was kidnapped in 2002 and held by guerrilla forces for six years.

EDNA O’BRIEN

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Unbelievably now 80 years young, the doyenne of Irish literature has just published Saints and Sinners, a new collection of stories about redemption, regret, longing and loss.

In A Time for New Dreams, the Nobel winner carves out some thoughts on childhood, censorship, beauty, education and global economics, asking questions about who we are and where we might be going.

EGYPT AHDAF SOUEIF Author, commentator and essayist, Cairo and London-based Soueif was nominated for the Booker in 1999 with The Map of Love, the story of a romance fought out on the backdrop of Egyptian nationalism.

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World Map {BOOKS}

FOR OF ALL E DETAILS ED VENTS SEE

BOOKFE .CO.UK ST

ICELAND

FRANCE

SCOTLAND

THE NETHERLANDS

SJÓN

LILA AZAM ZANGANEH

CHRISTOPHER BROOKMYRE

MANON UPHOFF

The Rekjavik-based author and poet has been a long-term collaborator with Björk, while his new novel, From the Mouth of the Whale, recounts the tale of a 17th-century poet sent into exile for heresy.

This French-Iranian author’s debut is The Enchanter, in which she espouses the joy of reading Vladimir Nabokov via his use of time, memory, passion, nature, loss and love.

The popular Tartan Noirist delivers his latest Glasgow-set bestseller, Where the Bodies Are Buried, featuring an actress, a detective and a gangland enforcer.

This Utrecht-born writer is known best for her short story and novella work but has also penned an acclaimed novel, The Players, in which a woman follows a man to his ravaged ex-Yugoslav homeland.

NORWAY JO NESBØ Inspector Harry Hole returns in the Oslo writer’s latest blockbuster, The Leopard, in which the bodies of two women are discovered, both with curious wounds.

SWEDEN LEIF GW PERSSON For over three decades, this Stockholm scribe has chronicled the political and social development of modern Swedish society in awardwinning novels such as The Profiteers and Between Summer’s Longing and Winter’s Cold.

GERMANY JENNY ERPENBECK A Berliner with a burgeoning reputation here, the books to get a hold of are The Old Child, The Book of Words and last year’s Visitation, the story of a house by a lake in Brandenburg.

SWITZERLAND URS WIDMER

POLAND

Set against the backdrop of the Depression and WWII, My Mother’s Lover is the story of a lifelong and unspoken love for a man, recorded by the woman’s son, who begins this novel on the day his mother’s lover dies.

MICHAL PAWEL MARKOWSKI This literary critic, journalist and translator has been plying his trade in Chicago of late and is in town to discuss the legacy of important East European poet, Czeslaw Milosz.

BELARUS EVGENY MOROZOV In The Net Delusion, the US-based writer and researcher warns that the idea of the internet setting the world free is a dangerous myth.

PAKISTAN

SOUTH AFRICA

LIBYA

CHRISTOPHER HOPE

HISHAM MATAR

This Jo’burg-born author continues to question his own country with forthcoming novel, Shooting Angels, which looks at an exiled man dipping into the truth about his past.

The Booker-nominated writer’s latest novel is Anatomy of a Disappearance, which tells the story of a boy whose father is abducted by his political enemies. Roddy Doyle and Michael Frayn are fans.

NORTHERN IRELAND MICHAEL LONGLEY The long-awaited book from the Belfast recipient of the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry is A Hundred Doors, a collection of verse breaking a published silence of seven years.

REPUBLIC OF CONGO ALAIN MABANCKOU African Psycho brought this USbased author to the English-speaking world’s attention and his latest book, Memoirs of a Porcupine, brings new life into the field of magic realism.

KAMILA SHAMSIE

AUSTRALIA

In Offence, the Karachi author takes a non-fiction look at the way critics of the Quran have been wrongly analysing that ancient text to track the rise of Islamic extremist ideology.

GAIL JONES

LEBANON ELIAS KHOURY This Arab intellectual will be discussing his latest Beirutset book As Though She Were Sleeping, concerning a young woman with the gift of seeing the past in her dreams, as well as predicting the future.

Sydney’s quayside and opera house provide the focal point for Five Bells, a novel that draws together four very different characters, charting their worlds through a single day.

INDIA MIRZA WAHEED This journo turned novelist’s debut, The Collaborator, details the casual violence of life in Kashmir, a land caught in a tug of war between India, Pakistan and China.

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{BOOKS} Kids Events

THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE Of course, stuffy literary critics shouldn’t always have the final say. Kelly Apter finds out which authors actual children (including List critics’ own) are getting excited about SEE

FEST EDBOOOK.UK .C L DETAILS OF FOR FULCHILDREN’S THE GRAMME PRO

RBS Main Theatre

PHOTOS: JANNICA HONEY

The RBS Main Theatre has played host to over 20 Booker Prize winners, 8 Nobel Prize winners, 6 Pulitzer Prize winners and 100s of Whitbread Prize winners, along with welcoming audiences of over 55,000 people annually.

POPPY APTER 14

TILLY BRADLEY BEVAN 10

NANCY DONALDSON 9

I like Malorie Blackman because she writes about things that are happening in the world, and how the characters feel about them is the same way real people would. The stories are interesting and I always want to read more. Her books are good for people my age because the stories are not too simple, but not too hard to follow either. I have read Hacker, Thief!, Pig Heart Boy, all of the Noughts & Crosses series, and liked them all.

I also like Jacqueline Wilson because her stories are usually about young girls and their problems, which is helpful and interesting to me and other people of a similar age. I particular enjoyed Lily Alone because the story could be true (mostly!) and I liked the characters.

I love Liz Kessler’s Emily Windsnap books. She turns into a mermaid and the books are interesting, telling how she tries to keep this a secret. She only does it at night! There’s quite a bit of suspense in the books, which makes me want to read on. Keeping her secret about being a mermaid causes Emily lots of problems and there are some funny bits in the books when she tries to stop people finding out. It’s interesting that she has other problems in her life as well as a shiny tail!

I like the Flat Stanley books by Jeff Brown because they are funny and exciting, and when you read them you can see the scene in your head. My favourite character is Stanley because he is brave, and kind to his brother Arthur and other people. I love Scott Nash’s illustrations because they have lots of detail. My favourite books are Flat Stanley, Invisible Stanley and Stanley, Flat Again!

I also like the Horrid Henry books by Francesca Simon because they’re funny and so are the names of people, like Moody Margaret and Beefy Burt. I like the pictures and the fact there are girls in them, even though they sound like boys’ books. My favourite stories are ‘Horrid Henry’s Sick Day’ and ‘Horrid Henry’s Nits’.

THEO BRADLEY BEVAN 8

DANIEL MASON BONE 6

TANSY BRADLEY BEVAN 4

I love Eoin Colfer because he is a talented writer. I would say he has a great imagination! I really like graphic novels and he is very good at writing these too. I like the character sketches.

Artemis Fowl is calm and intelligent. I also really like all the detail the writer puts in his books and the character names are really good! I love all the adventures and travels to interesting places. I learnt a lot about different places from reading the books.

I like the black and white illustrations and smudgy pages in Andy Stanton’s Mr Gum books. The stories make me laugh and Alan Taylor (a gingerbread man) is my favourite character. My favourite book in the series is Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout because the character Ben shouts out ‘surprise’ every time he appears and that makes me happy. My favourite bit in You’re A Bad Man, Mr Gum! is when the author tricks you into thinking it’s the end of the story when it isn’t; that makes me giggle!

I love Charlie and Lola by Lauren Child. I love the pictures in the books.

They are very funny. Charlie is like my big brother: he’s very bossy! My brother says I am like Lola but I will never not ever eat a tomato!

36 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

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Edinburgh International Book Festival, sponsored by RBS. We would like to think that as well as the Edinburgh International Book Festival, supporting events such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo & the Royal Highland Show helps make Edinburgh a more colourful place.

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{BOOKS} Other highlights

Other highlights AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IMPRISONED WRITERS SERIES Celebrating half a century of defending freedom of expression, AI continues to leave no stone unturned in fighting that good fight. This year, there will be readings of a Death Row prisoner, a look at the work of journalists plying their trade in peril and words from Gypsy and Roma communities.

13–28 Aug, 5.30pm, free tickets.

JOE DUNTHORNE

FOR OF ALL E DETAILS ED VENTS SEE

His debut Submarine was made into a delightful movie by Richard IT Crowd Ayoade, but what fate awaits his upcoming second novel, Wild Abandon, the story of a young boy’s fear of the apocalypse?

19 Aug, 10.15am, £10 (£8).

Psychopath Test is the Cardiff-born journalist’s latest trip into the weirder edges of society.

24 Aug, 4.30pm, £10 (£8).

GRANT MORRISON

BEN MEZRICH

The Glasgow comics legend has put his own creative pen down for a bit to analyse the history of the superhero with Supergods, which looks at the icons as well as some of the forgotten characters.

20 Aug, 9.30pm, £10 (£8).

Inspired by the true story of a bizarre heist, Sex on the Moon revolves around the planned theft of rocks from the Apollo missions. Given that his last book was turned into the Oscarfriendly The Social Network, a surefire hit awaits.

26 Aug, 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

BOOKFE .CO.UK ST

SAPPHIRE HEATHER BROOKE

With a new novel due out next year, the Obanite gets our juices flowing with an early reading and a discussion on how he goes about creating his work.

13 Aug, 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

After a literary silence of 14 years, the author and performance poet returns with The Kid, the story of an orphan reaching manhood. Bidisha interviews the author whose first book was turned into the Oscar-winning Precious.

22 Aug, 8pm, £10 (£8).

ALI SMITH

JON RONSON

If there’s any justice in the world, another Booker nomination will be whizzing its way towards the Inverness-born author for There but for the, a typically rich and insightful affair.

14 Aug, 11.30am, £10 (£8).

Witty, sinister and in some ways actually quite informative, The

■ All events at Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888.

Compiled by Brian Donaldson

ALAN WARNER

Having put the MPs to the sword over their expenses, this intrepid journalist turns her attention towards the brave new world of web campaigning and the WikiLeaks phenomenon.

29 Aug, 3.30pm, £10 (£8).

UNBOUND One of last year’s true innovations makes a bold return with more literary and non-bookish performances and happenings from those appearing at Charlotte Square Gardens.

14–29 Aug, 9pm, free.

PAMELA STEPHENSONCONNOLLY The Aussie comedian made a dramatic switch of career to become a sex therapist, and in Sex Life she has produced a vast work detailing how our erotic world shapes everything about us.

15 Aug, 4.30pm, £10 (£8).

EDWIN MORGAN INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION There will be pathos in the air as the first anniversary of the Makar’s death arrives but tempered with hope as the winner of this esteemed prize is announced.

17 Aug, 7pm, £10 (£8).

KRISTIN HERSH One of the key figures of the 80s/90s US indie music explosion, the Throwing Muses leader opened up this year about her mental health issues with Paradoxical Undressing.

17 Aug, 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

JOHN BYRNE From top: Alan Warner, Heather Brooke, Kristin Hersh, Joe Dunthorne.

Our very own Renaissance Man discusses his literary output. If your ambition is to be a polymath, get along to this.

18 Aug, 4.30pm, £10 (£8).

38 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

ALASDAIR GRAY An event with the writer of landmark works such as Lanark and Poor Things is exciting enough, but the Book Festival has cranked up the fever to 11 with another excellent first. In 2007 Gray wrote Fleck, an adaptation of Goethe’s Faust and the closing event of this year’s Book Festival features the first public reading of that play.

Narrated by Liz Lochhead, there will be performances from Alan Bissett, Ron Butlin, Janice Galloway, Rodge Glass, AL Kennedy, Will Self, Aonghas MacNeacail, Ian Rankin and the author himself. At the other end of the Festival, Gray opens proceedings with an event that looks at the close relationship between his literature and visual art output.

■ 13 Aug, 11.30am, £10 (£8); 29 Aug, 8pm, £10 (£8).

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CIRCOLOMBIA: URBAN For many people, Edinburgh in August is all about the Fringe, the brash, sprawling, upstart baby sister to the International Festival, and whose programme this year features more than 2500 shows across theatre, comedy, dance, cabaret, music and children’s entertainment. While the unjuried nature of the world’s largest arts festival means a dizzying mix of the great and not so good, Circolombia’s Urban, a showcase of the best dance and acrobatics from the Colombian National Circus School, Circo Para Todos, is a joyous entertainment that’s not to be missed.

■ Assembly Hall, Mound Place, 0131 623 3030, 6–29 Aug (not 15), noon, £14–£15 (£13–£14). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £10.

list.co.uk/festival/fringe

5 – 29 August

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE

{FRINGE}

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{FRINGE: COMEDY} Dave Gorman

} Y D E M O C : E G N {FRI

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Dave Gorman {FRINGE: COMEDY}

‘I’M NOT A FIGHTER’

Back at the Fringe after eight long years, Dave Gorman remains single-minded about his craft, even in the face of attacks from ‘mad Christians’. Brian Donaldson hears tales of weird games, motherly advice and thuggish creationists

hen Dave Gorman was pottering away on his latest project – finding and playing obscure and unique games – he came to the conclusion that maybe there wasn’t a book, documentary series or stand-up tour in it. Meeting people and playing their games in pubs and houses just seemed like a nice thing to do. He was having fun. And then a ‘mad Christian’ assaulted him. At which point, Gorman thought there might well be a book in it. ‘When I say “mad Christian”, I feel I need to clarify,’ Gorman tells me over an early morning cup of tea in his local East London café. ‘I’m an atheist and have lots of friends who are of faith and that’s not an issue for me; he is a mad Christian because he’s a creationist and I do think creationists are mad and also Christian.’

The game which Gorman had been invited to play in a remote part of Hampshire was called Intelligent Design Versus Evolution, a Trivial Pursuit-y affair in which you move little green rubber brains around a board, land on squares and answer questions which are, in fairness, somewhat loaded. ‘I landed on “Darwin” and picked up a card which explains that Darwin was wrong. I wasn’t thinking that I needed to confront him about this, I was thinking, let’s get this game done as quickly as possible because this is awful – hilariously bad.’

Frustrated by the lack of heated debate and mindful of previous comments Gorman had made about creationism, the Christian launched his flying attack initially with a solid fist, which flattened out to become a weedy slap by the time it made contact with Gorman’s cheek. ‘I’m not a fighter but he’s even less of a fighter than me; still, there was a little bruise. It was a shocking and weird moment more than anything else. And then he ran upstairs and hid in his bedroom, eventually coming downstairs very sheepishly.’

The resultant book, Dave Gorman vs the Rest of the World, is out now featuring lovelier memories such as meeting the guys who play sock golf (indoor golf with a rolled-up sock as your club) and discovering games with names such as Khet (aka Deflexion) and Smite (croquet meets boule). However, it was that violent episode which gave Gorman’s book its impetus.

‘My wife had expressed concern about me going to see strangers I’d met on the internet. I’d certainly be concerned if she was doing that and this incident proved that it was an odd, dangerous thing to be doing. He could have been violent in a more telling way and I cancelled some things and didn’t really want to go out the house for a while. The book’s point is the discovery that I like who I am

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and all those other gentle, nice experiences are valid and that allowing one dick to dictate terms to you isn’t quite right. My mum got burgled and wasn’t herself for a couple of years afterwards and we all know people who have shunned relationships because they got hurt once. The message here is don’t let the bastards grind you down.’

With his return to the Fringe comedy fold, the message Dave Gorman is sending out is that he’s ready and willing to join the August party again, his last appearance coming eight years ago with Googlewhack Adventure. Between 1998 and 2003, Gorman was a solid staple of the Fringe with the likes of Reasons to be Cheerful (a show which analysed the Ian Dury song with forensic detail), Better World (based on his letters to local newspapers asking the public for suggestions on how to make the world, well, better) and the classic Are You Dave Gorman? (a drunken bet with Danny Wallace resulted in a journey from Fife to Florida tracking down 54 namesakes and nabbing himself a Perrier nomination in the process).

Googlewhack Adventure came about thanks to his prevaricating nature, with him not writing the novel for which he’d received a healthy advance and instead typing two words into Google which came back with one matching page. Anyone other than Dave Gorman would have had a bit of a chuckle, logged off and got back to the task in hand. Only he would then travel 90,000 miles around the world to uncover a series of eccentric characters connected to ‘googlewhacks’ in a story with more twists than a 24 box set.

Fortunately, he was able to transform this quest into a stage show and book allowing him to pay back the advance for the novel that remains unwritten.

While his continued absence from the Fringe has not gone unnoticed, Gorman hasn’t shied away from other media outlets, now hosting his own show on Absolute Radio, fronting the BBC’s Genius and trekking across the US for a Channel 4 documentary (and book), America Unchained. ‘I missed Edinburgh massively, especially at the beginning. There were a couple of years when I was in the States when it was happening and being busy is the best way of solving it. But when you’re sitting on your tod in London and all your friends have gone to Scotland, you miss it then.’

At the time of our meeting in early June, the content of his PowerPoint Presentation was still gestating, though he is clear on what it isn’t. ‘When we were getting the artwork done, there was list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 41

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{FRINGE: COMEDY} Dave Gorman

an assumption that it would be a parody of an office: “and the annual sales figures for the third quarter ...” but it’s none of that. You can’t go to clubs, put up your nine foot by twelve foot screen and say, “can I do five minutes?” I do a club where once a month there’s a screen and projector in situ for the whole night and I introduce four other people and do about 50 minutes of new stuff. I have a couple more of those to do and as far as I’m concerned, the show’s not written until I’ve done all of those and ferreted out the best bits. But everything is mutable. If you’ve not seen me, you might think it’s a parody; if you have, that’ll tell you something of the methods and style, but no more than that.’

Gorman’s methods and style have been carefully moulded over a long period of time in response to him harbouring more comedic ambition than just crafting an hour of jokes. But when he was starting out on his grand adventuring, the idea of themed concept shows replacing straight stand-up was as welcome as an electric Dylan. ‘The landscape has certainly changed now, but at the time you couldn’t convince a theatre to take on a comic they didn’t know to do a 90-minute show about an Ian Dury song, but you could take on a bill with three comics telling jokes; that’s a safer risk for a fiver.’

Soon, the notion of

doing a comedy show about ‘something’ caught on.

‘People would do themed shows that weren’t really themed. “My show is called The Best Kettle I’ve Ever Owned” and you’d go and watch it and the first bit is about them buying a kettle in Argos, taking it home and making them think of something else. And they’d then launch into 40 minutes of their club set with nothing to do with kettles. At the end, they’d say, “And that, ladies and gentlemen, was why it was the best kettle I ever owned.” That’s not a themed show. You’ve cheated!’

The effort, dedication and singlemindedness, which can occasionally border on mania, that Gorman puts into his shows leaves no one feeling short-changed. It’s an attitude that led him to abandon the safety net of education for comedy, his degree in mathematics unfinished. ‘I’m still interested in it as a subject, but I wasn’t doing it from a career point of view. It was my best way of moving out. When I dropped out my mum kept saying I needed something to fall back on.

But I felt as though I needed to go without a safety net to commit to what I was doing. I dread to think what I’d be doing, probably been a maths teacher.

I could have always gone back to it, but my primary motivation initially was proving my mum wrong.’

‘ALLOWING ONE DICK TO DICTATE TERMS ISN’T RIGHT’

PowerPoint TO THE PEOPLE

Dave Gorman’s PowerPoint Presentation, Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 6–28 Aug, 7.40pm, £15 (£13.50). Previews 3–5 Aug, £8.

Brian Donaldson finds a quartet of other shows that feature big screen presentations

MATTHEW CROSBY

LITTLE HOWARD’S

I AM GOOGLE

TIM KEY

The small, bearded, bespectacled one from Pappy’s takes the solo plunge this year with Adventure Party, promising some hot screen action and audience interaction bits.

Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 16), 4.45pm, £9.50–£12 (£8–£10.50).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

BIG SHOW

Hollywood actor Craig Ricci Shaynak gives us a show that guarantees to have his astonished audiences ‘twittering all over your facebook and screaming yahoo’. Get along to find out what on earth all that might mean. Espionage, Victoria Street, 0131 477 7007, 5–28 Aug (not 11, 18, 25), noon, free.

He won the Edinburgh Comedy Award with a show that merged film, poetry and audience touching.

Masterslut is the ex-Coward’s first fully-formed stage offering since his 09 victory.

Pleasance Dome, Bristo Square, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 15), 9.45pm, £12–£14 (£11–£13).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £6.50.

42 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

Big Howard is a chap whose surname is Read and Little Howard is the messy-haired CBBC star. Together they make the world’s only human/cartoon double act beloved of little kids and big kids alike. Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 3–29 Aug (not 17), 4.40pm, £10 (£8).

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DVD INFO AND PRESALES

6-14 AUGUST

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9PM ASSEMBLY HALL 0131 623 3030 assemblyfestival.com edfringe.com OCTOBER 2011 BATH Komedia 27 LINCOLN Performing Arts Centre 28 HARLOW Playhouse 30 NOVEMBER 2011 YORK Grand Opera House 1 BIRMINGHAM New Alexandra 2 LEEDS City Varieties 4 STAFFORD Gatehouse 5 LANCASTER Grand 6

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EDINBURGH FESTIVAL - NINE NIGHTS ONLY!

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{FRINGE: COMEDY} Tom Green

He was the original television prankster, a former Mr Drew Barrymore and the brains behind the universally reviled Freddy Got Fingered. Canada’s Tom Green tells Jay Richardson a thing or three about notoriety hen the bestiality-heavy, incest-evoking, gross-out cult Freddy Got Fingered won Worst Picture, Worst Actor, Worst Director, Worst Screenplay and Worst On-Screen Couple at the Golden Raspberry Awards, Tom Green became the first actor in history to accept his awards in person, turning up at the ceremony in a white Cadillac and tuxedo, before rolling out his own red carpet. He was unceremoniously dragged away from his acceptance speech still playing the harmonica.

In 2001, only Osama Bin Laden provoked more revulsion and hatred in America. So it was bizarrely apposite that Green was first to break the news of the al-Qaeda leader’s death. Announcing it on Twitter, the Canadian comic pre-empted President Obama and the world’s media by several minutes. Of this truly 21st century coup, he maintains, ‘you never saw CNN reporting the fact that “Tom Green, the guy that humped the dead moose, scooped us”. Nobody wanted to admit that.’

Arriving in Scotland for the first time to perform stand-up at the Fringe, Green is hoping to ruffle more feathers and frighten more horses than the ill-fated equine he once infamously pleasured on celluloid, promising a ‘dangerous, crazy show, man. It’s so nice to be able to get up on stage and just say the most disgusting, ridiculous, outrageous, offensive thing, knowing it’s just between you and the audience,’ he reflects. ‘People say to me that stand-up’s a more “traditional” form of comedy than I’ve done in the past. But that makes me cringe, because I like to push buttons and talk about things you can’t really talk about on television. Whenever you go on TV, there are so many checks and balances, it’s a big business with a lot of rules. Stand-up is intimate and the freest, most lawless place I’ve ever been able to go.’

Green started performing stand-up at 15 but gave it up to pursue a brief rapping career. After hosting comedy call-in shows on college radio, in 1994 he progressed to The Tom Green Show on public access television in Ottawa, where the outrageousness of his pre-taped stunts led to the show being picked up by MTV. Long before Sacha Baron Cohen began harassing the public as Borat or Bruno, or Jackass were shattering their families’ sleep with juvenile imbecility, Green – who turns 40 just before the Fringe starts – was conducting vox pops with dog faeces on the mic and depositing a cow’s head in his parents’ bed as they snored.

‘I have a real close relationship with my parents and yeah, they forgave me for most of that stuff, shortly after each bit was filmed actually,’ he recalls. ‘Of course, I’d get them in the dead of night when they weren’t able to rationalise what was going on.’ Fame delivered roles in Hollywood movies like Road Trip and in Charlie’s Angels after producer Drew Barrymore, who was a fan, requested his presence in the blockbuster. She reciprocated by appearing in Freddy and the pair married in July 2001, though they split less than six months later.

When he returned to stand-up two years ago, he toyed with satisfying prurient interest in their relationship and his recovery from testicular cancer, despite having previously screened graphic footage of his surgery in The Tom Green Cancer Special. ‘I don’t really talk about my divorce anymore, I stopped about

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six months ago,’ he says. ‘When I started doing standup again, I had this insecurity that “everybody’s thinking about this, I better talk about it”. But I do a lot less of the self-deprecating stuff now. I realised that the audience and I have a lot more fun if I keep it aggressive and positive. That’s not to say my previous marriage doesn’t come up but I never plan on it. I do sometimes talk about my cancer because that’s something people relate to a lot, as we’re all going to die. Because I’ve been close to death and won, I have strong opinions about it and I’ve learned how to discuss it and keep the energy high in the show.’

Seeing him reflect upon the Bin Laden exclusive from his living room in the Hollywood Hills, via his ground-breaking, hugely popular internet call-in show, Tom Green’s House Tonight, afforded a surreal clash of genuine historical significance and irreverent, cigar-smoking triumphalism. He alluded enigmatically to ‘his sources’, pointed to a recent stint in Afghanistan entertaining the troops, yet admits that the story derived from a combination of being ‘plugged in to internet chatter’ and educated guesswork.

This atypically close relationship with his fans across the world and the web, engaging with them via Skype on the show, supplements the fact that he’s at ease documenting every element of his life. He carries a video camera with him to most places, if not a small camera crew, and has been busy shooting his stand-up odyssey. ‘I’ve been touring by myself for the last few weeks and enjoying the feeling of being a lone wolf, a road warrior,’ he admits. ‘But I’ve never been to Scotland before and I’m hugely excited, so I’ll be bringing cameras, for sure. I’ve already shot so much footage, maybe 400 hours.’

Happy to chat and pose for photographs after gigs, he looks less favourably upon those who shoot their own footage, just as he does with those interrupting his flow with lines plucked from Freddy. ‘I like to get into a rhythm and hit the punchlines just right; it’s like I’m still rapping. So while I think I’ve got better at controlling it, if someone blurts out “daddy, would you like some sausage?”, I find it harder to get into the pocket. And I’ll just go right after those people filming on their phones, hard, because we’ve got to watch we don’t get too sucked into all this technological craze that’s going on right now. A big part of the show is about how it’s destroying our privacy: Facebook, cellphones and cameras have changed the landscape of the world we’re living in.’

He might even go so far as to transport his chat show (which has hosted the likes of Pamela Anderson, Val Kilmer and Thora Birch) out of his living room. He claims Tom Green’s House Tonight has received up to 8m views an episode, ‘far, far more than I ever got on MTV’, and he intends to expand the channel into a self-funding network by autumn. Hosting the shows of friends like fellow Fringe attendee Neil Hamburger, he’ll only be syndicating on to TV as an afterthought.

‘Television’s dead man, television’s dead. Get ready because here we come: a 24-hour-a-day internet network full of straight-up stupidity!’

Tom Green: World Comedy Tour, Udderbelly’s Pasture, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 6–14 Aug, 10.55pm, £13–£15 (£12–£14). Previews 3–5 Aug, £10.

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Tom Green {FRINGE: COMEDY}

‘IT’S NICE TO BE ABLE TO SAY DISGUSTING, RIDICULOUS, OFFENSIVE THINGS’

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{FRINGE: COMEDY} The Penny Dreadfuls

Money talks The Penny Dreadfuls continue to carve a successful swathe through historical sketch comedy. Yet Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck are striking out with solo shows and crossing swords with the competition. This year that includes each other.

Jay Richardson speaks to the trio about going it alone

HUMPHREY KER ith a title like Humphrey Ker is Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher!, you might imagine that his show is a Boche-bashing, Boy’s Own-style romp in which our hero takes on Hitler’s war machine. And you’d be right. But it’s also based on the real-life exploits of Ker’s maternal grandfather who, as part of the secretive Special Operations Executive, parachuted into enemy-held Romania in 1943 to coordinate with local resistance and destroy oil pipelines.

‘Nobody in my family knew about his story until he died, until there were obituaries in The Times and The Western Mail,’ Ker explains. ‘My mum was astonished.’

Often working alone, SOE agents had poor survival prospects. Watson’s file is locked under the Official Secrets Act until 2032, so Ker – the Dreadfuls’ resident history buff – garnished his research with a certain amount of artistic licence, reassuring his concerned mother that ‘no, I don’t believe he wrestled a Nazi on top of a dam. But I do think it will make for a better show’.

Watson’s magic skills are an invention as well, but the brutal reality is that his grandfather was sent ‘to kill’, acknowledges Ker. ‘And it doesn’t matter how much

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you make out that the Nazis were robots, they were people too. The subject is close to my heart and I’m determined not to make comedy capital out of a war in which so many did appalling things and so many sacrificed their lives.

My grandfather was a hero and reminds me that I can’t be blasé with characters, situations and jokes.’

Released from the creative censorship of a sketch trio, he’s promising ‘all that boring historical detail the others did extremely well to trim out and all those sketches relying on in-depth knowledge of the Battle of Balaclava. I suspect I’ll find my audience over the course of the Festival: men in army jackets with paint on their fingers from decorating their models.’

Despite presenting spoof History is Now videos for Channel 4 online, Ker remains envious of his friend Dan Snow’s television career and maintains his ultimate dream ‘is to do a Michael Palin, for historical rather than geographical exploration. Hopefully, Edinburgh will be a springboard that secures me my own channel interspersed with Blackadder repeats.’

Till then, Festival-goers should check out Nazi Smasher! because ‘I’ll refund the price of their ticket if they do. Wait, don’t write that. No, in the ten years I’ve been working with Dave and Thom, they’ve built up an extreme disdain for their audiences which they hide while they’re onstage. But afterwards they’re real jerks about them. Whereas I’m really cool, I help people move house and that.’

Humphrey Ker is Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher!, Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 17), 7.15pm, £10–£12.50. Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

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The Penny Dreadfuls {FRINGE: COMEDY}

DAVID REED ‘It’s not the best PR being called “the middle one”, is it? “The most castable one”? “The handsome one”, would you say? “The funny one” would be good, wouldn’t it?’ David Reed is giving his profile some thought. The Yorkshireman seems to have cynically calculated the lure of calling a show Shamblehouse, because ‘after the name Dreadfuls sunk everyone’s expectations to rock bottom, we could dazzle them with our mediocrity. If I’ve pulled it off again, that’s a bonus.’

In reality, Reed wants the title to embody many things without actually saying a great deal. ‘It’s a mish-mosh of characters, short stories and me messing about. This is where you can come to see a shambles rather than “The Most Amazing Show on Earth, on Ice!” Though I haven’t finished writing it yet, so the Pleasance may yet have to freeze the venue each night.’

Those characters include a Spaniard who’s dead (‘that’s his overriding personality trait’); a Doctor Watson-esque figure (‘who has almost no short or longterm memory’), an ‘incredibly sweet but phenomenally nerdy young boy’ who loves Vikings; and ‘a closet heterosexual called Alan Water’. Delivered from the interfering counsel of a sketch trio, Reed is now ‘fulfilling my life-long dream of doing all my accents. They can’t stop me.

I’m looking forward to the luxurious,

THOM TUCK Just as the emotional yearning of The Little Mermaid reinvigorated animated cinema on its release in 1989, Thom Tuck hopes his analysis of that movie’s followups, plus various other Disney sequels, spin-offs and shameless House of Mouse cash-ins has a similar impact. The poster for Thom Tuck Goes Straight to DVD has already provoked a disturbed reaction in at least one journalist and he begins his hour with a physical display that’s likely to bring tears to the eyes of both young and old.

In between discussion of Lady and the Tramp 2, in which a puppy’s desire to run wild is never once tempered with warnings about rabies, Tuck will be referencing moments of personal heartbreak in his narrative, ‘wildly varying the tone. The Disney bits are the Trojan horse of the show, the heartbreak is the little soldiers that get out and slaughter people.’ This unnecessary, somewhat complex relationship with Disney sequels began when an ex-girlfriend named Charlotte brought another of his former girlfriends (also named Charlotte) The Little Mermaid trilogy box set. Such are the tangled webs Tuck weaves.

‘We watched the first one again, and it was great. So we watched the sequel and it was bloody awful. And then we felt we had to watch the third and it was brilliant!

frightening possibility of developing characters further, because you can create something a bit weirder and more wonderful in a solo show.’

Along with his girlfriend, fellow comic and bass player Danielle Ward, Reed is returning to Edinburgh with his drum kit as the ‘rhythm section’ of the joyously fun Karaoke Circus. ‘We actually met at the first Circus,’ he explains, ‘so it’s kind of like our baby with this weird surrogate figure of Martin White. He’s been there the whole time, like some sort of creepy uncle.’

The couple are currently adapting Gutted, Ward and White’s musical from last year’s Fringe, into a screenplay ‘to see if we can get a low-budget film made, the new Rocky Horror.’ And he’s anticipating reuniting with Humphrey Ker if BBC Two recommissions improv show Fast and Loose, all of the Dreadfuls having begun their comedy careers while at Edinburgh University as part of The Improverts troupe.

When lightly nudged, Reed is fairly sure that audiences should opt for his show before Ker’s or Tuck’s, ‘because I’ve been dragging their sorry arses for years and it’s time the glory went to the one truly deserving of it. Put it this way, if you don’t like straight-to-DVD Disney sequels and you’re not obsessed with Hitler, this is the show for you.’

■ David Reed: Shamblehouse, Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 16), 8.30pm, £10–£12 (£8.50–£10.50). Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

So it feels like an amusing public service to be telling people which to watch and which to stay away from.’ Having temporarily forsaken the rough and tumble homoeroticism of a sketch trio, he’s ‘curbing the physicality, all that gurning and those faces I have to pull. Of course, there’ll be some of that, but hopefully it’s well-written. Me words, me words: I’m really enjoying the lyrical aspects of all this writing.’

Directing a couple of other shows at the Fringe – Nish Kumar and Tom Neenan as The Gentlemen of Leisure and Meryl O’Rourke’s Bad Mother – Tuck reveals that the Dreadfuls are also developing a new kids’ show for television. The need to secure merchandising before completing the script has renewed his admiration for Disney, reinforcing that ‘a good company shouldn’t be moral’.

So he urges punters to ‘forget the other two. I’m the entertainingly bendy one, the one who can put his legs behind his head.

I’ve already begun thinking about my next show, which will be about why I stopped doing gymnastics. My favourite thing was the asymmetric bars. But I was told it wasn’t a man’s event at the Olympics, so I got upset and took up swimming instead.

Next year, I’m going to have the bars on stage and literally flip out!’

■ Thom Tuck Goes Straight to DVD, Pleasance Dome, Bristo Square, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 21), 8.10pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

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Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee {FRINGE: COMEDY}

Just an

illusion For their first trip to the Fringe since 2003, Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee are happy to give us a bit of old-fashioned magic. Brian Logan talks to the pair about living in their own personal sitcom

he Hamiltons are well-established on the Fringe. Now Edinburgh braces itself to greet Neil and Christine’s rivals for the title of Britain’s Battiest, Tory-est, Publicity-Hungriest Couple. Step northwards, Paul Daniels and ‘the lovely’ (it’s obligatory) Debbie McGee, magician and assistant, husband and wife, old-school entertainer and the woman who struggles to keep his foot away from his mouth. They’ve survived rejection by the BBC, condescension from Louis Theroux and firstround eviction on The X Factor: Battle of the Stars, and now they’re coming back for more. ‘You can’t deny the law of gravity,’ says Daniels. ‘And yet, magicians float.’Yes, Paul, you surely do.

When we speak, Daniels is fresh from a successful preview of his Edinburgh show on London’s South Bank. ‘He got a standing ovation,’ says McGee, every inch the proud wife. ‘I know what audiences like,’ says Daniels. ‘I work hard at it, and I want them to have a good time.’ Spoken like a true pro. Daniels, now 72, has been in magic since the 1960s, when he plied his sleight-of-hand trade in working men’s clubs in the north of England. Opportunity Knocked, and the rest is TV history: a 16-year primetime run of the Paul Daniels Magic Show, during which he met and married his young, leggy sidekick, McGee. Fast

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forward to another iconic TV moment, the funniest line ever uttered by Caroline Aherne’s spoof chatshow host Mrs Merton: ‘So, Debbie, what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?’

‘Taxi drivers still shout that at me,’ says McGee today. ‘But I loved doing that show: it was great fun.’

She wasn’t offended by the quip, McGee insists, although she’s quick to point out that Daniels was broke when they met, whereas she ‘owned properties’.

If that sounds self-validating, it’s nothing compared to her other half, whose amour-propre has been mocked

by Theroux and a legion of critical hacks. Today, his attempts at modesty are endearingly ham-fisted.

‘Fortunately for me,’ he says, unconvincingly crediting lady luck, ‘what I am seems to appeal to all age groups and colours and creeds. Just give me a gang of people and we’ll have fun. Party time.’

In 2001, the Theroux documentary was the lowwater-mark of Daniels’ and McGee’s wilderness years.

Fashion had cast out slick old pros like Paul with glamorous assistants in evening wear, like Debbie.

He’d threatened to leave Britain if Labour won power, and he might as well have done, for all we saw of him around the turn of the century. But husband and wife aren’t bitter about their fall from grace, mainly, says McGee, because they didn’t notice it. list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 49

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{FRINGE: COMEDY} Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee

‘We always stayed very busy. We never went unrecognised. So it never felt like there was a down period.’

Daniels is spikier about the ‘backlash’ years. ‘In my life, I’ve gone through the period of sick comedians, who told jokes that were disgusting. They didn’t last.

I’ve come through these alternative comedians who eff and blind all over the place. And in the meantime, you wait, you never stop working, and round it comes again.’ Entertainment today – he cites Michael McIntyre and Peter Kay – is ‘back in the old-fashioned style, isn’t it?’

Daniels is proudly oldfashioned, as you may have noticed from recent furores sparked by his retro attitudes to homosexuality (directing a ‘sausage jibe’ at Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood) and race (defending the use of the word ‘Paki’ on Twitter).

McGee, one senses, is his moderating influence; modernising too, judging by a photo shoot of the pair, semi-naked and posing as David and Victoria Beckham, in a recent issue of a celebrity magazine.

Daniels attracted yet more outrage when he posted bikini pictures of McGee online two years ago, calling her ‘better looking than Madonna’.

So thick and fast come Daniels’ and McGee’s odd contributions to the gaiety of the nation, they hardly need to get back onstage. But they’re fans of the Fringe (‘it’s like Rio meets Disney,’ says Daniels), and haven’t visited since their debut stint back in 2003.

The new show combines magic tricks with comic banter, which will be funnier, says Daniels, than you expect. ‘I can’t tell you the number of times people have said to me after a show, “I never knew you were funny”,’ he says. ‘That’s because the BBC used to take gags out of my show when they edited it.’ There

will also be unexpected contributions from McGee, whose days as mere eyecandy are behind her. ‘I’m not involved a great deal,’ she says, cheerfully. ‘But I get to talk, which is nice. I come onstage and nag Paul, which gives audiences quite a shock. It’s a bit of a sitcom between us these days.’

The show will also feature Paul’s greatest conjuring hits, including the cup-andball routine of which he is the world’s acknowledged master: ‘Last time I was on the Fringe, six American magicians flew over just to see me do that one routine.’

Of course, there’ll be new tricks as well, so don’t go thinking Paul’s creative juices have run dry. ‘If anything, making up new tricks gets easier. My brain hasn’t thought about much else than magic for years.’

But not to throw in the crowd-pleasers would betray everything Daniels has spent a lifetime learning. ‘I was once backstage,’ he recalls, ‘when [the boyband] Bros were talking to Cliff Richard. They were boasting that they were going to play all new stuff. And Cliff whispered some advice to them. He said, “I find it best to sing the stuff people like, and sing it well. Then I bring in new stuff if it feels right.” But the Bros lad said, “Oh no, they’ll take anything we give ‘em”. And then,’ says Daniels, with glee, ‘Bros disappeared!’

Don’t expect Daniels ever to follow suit. ‘Debbie’s got instructions that if I ever become a doddery old so-and-so on the stage, she’s got to shoot me. But until then, I stay with the times, I try to keep breathing and I always have great fun.’

‘I CAN’T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF TIMES PEOPLE HAVE SAID TO ME AFTER A SHOW, “I NEVER KNEW YOU WERE FUNNY”’

Paul Daniels: Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow, Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 6–28 Aug, 5pm, £14–£15 (£13–£14). Previews 3–5 Aug, £8.

of nowhere, Brian Donaldson plucks five MAGIC MOMENTS || Out more acts with a few tricks up their sleeves

PETE FIRMAN Comedy conjuring at its most splendiferous as we get a real dash of Jiggery Pokery, care of the Middlesbrough magic man who’s not afraid to make his audience squirm.

Pleasance Dome, Bristo Square, 0131 556 6550, 6–28 Aug, 8.30pm, £12–£14 (£10.50–£12.50).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £6.

50 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

ALI COOK He’s performed magic at private parties for Damien Hirst, Minnie Driver and Basement Jaxx: yes, he really is that good. But can he top last year’s Houdinistyle finale? Gilded Balloon Teviot, Bristo Square, 0131 622 6552, 6–29 Aug (not 10, 17), 9.30pm, £12–£13 (£11–£12).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £6.

NATHAN PENLINGTON Uri and Me features clairvoyance, telepathy and stunts as this wag deconstructs the controversial spoonbender. And it all comes with the Geller seal of approval. Udderbelly’s Pasture, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 6–29 Aug (not 15), 4.10pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £6.

PIFF THE MAGIC DRAGON This year’s follow-up to Piff-tacular is a true smorgasbord of sly one-liners and slinky sleight-of-hand as we meet the last of the magic dragons. The Store, Guthrie Street, 0131 556 5375, 6–28 Aug (not 16), 6.40pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9).

Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £5.

BARRY AND STUART The Scottish duo give us Show and Tell. Part one has them doing their magical thing, part two lets us in on the secrets. Udderbelly’s Pasture, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 6–28 Aug, 10.15pm, £12–£14 (£11–£13); midnight, £10–£12 (£9–£11). Previews 3–5 Aug, 10.15pm, £7; midnight, £6.

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{FRINGE: COMEDY} Katherine Ryan

Baby talk

Katherine Ryan dressed her sister up as Hitler and flirts with offensiveness on stage. The Canadian comic tells Brian Donaldson that she can justify every joke she’s told s a little girl growing up in the Canadian smalltown of Sarnia (not a made-up place), Katherine Ryan’s parents put her forward into those pageants that only north Americans are capable of laying on. Yet even at an early age, Ryan showed a healthy aptitude for being a mite contrary. ‘In the talent round of my pageants, I’d do weird things that nobody understood,’ recalls Ryan with some relish. ‘I’d always want to sing a man’s song or do a funny sketch. One time, I dressed my sister up as Hitler for a school history project on the war. She was four years old and giving out these

A

facts and I thought this was a very serious project.

Well, the school counsellors were called in and asked what was going on. But I guess I always had this different way of presenting information.’

Ryan has taken a circuitous route to becoming a professional comic, having waitressed at Hooters, hung out at the Playboy Mansion, done a bit of presenting (‘I sometimes said things that weren’t appropriate’), had a cancer scare and given birth (her daughter is now two, but can be seen in an earlier, more unborn guise in mommy’s Fringe publicity shot).

Not long after her arrival on UK shores, she made it into the final of the Amused Moose competition (she came second behind Mike Wozniak) and won Funny Women (beating off the likes of Girl & Dean, Sara Pascoe and Pippa Evans on the night) with a stage presence that has her smiling sweetly while saying some dangerous things, including the odd gag about rape, race and anorexia. But don’t go calling her a shock comic.

‘I’d never say something that I didn’t feel I could defend,’ she insists. ‘I’m very careful not to tell a joke just to get a reaction.

The beautiful thing about comedy in the UK is that it has a clever twist to it and when you really break it down, the joke isn’t filthy at all, it’s clever. I’m a flirt by nature and I like flirting with that line of what’s passable and what’s not and I genuinely don’t believe that I cross it.’

Hoping to stay on the right side of the line, Ryan brings us her Fringe debut, Little Miss Conception, an hour about growing up with her stage mom and strict Irish dad, using a mix of stories, slides and pop parodies. ‘The show is about how we can never really escape who we were when we were three,’ Ryan concludes. ‘Having a little girl, I’m very aware that whatever I invest in her now is pretty crucial. As much as I pushed against the pageants and didn’t want to do them and I never won and was awful, I’m still doing pageants now. Only it’s this cynical, less dressed-up version of them. I’m still a misfit in the comedy world, and still being paraded around.’

Katherine Ryan: Little Miss Conception, Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 15), 10.55pm, £8–£9.50 (£7–£8.50). Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

52 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

NEW SEEKERS Brian Donaldson picks out five more hot debutants

CATIE WILKINS She’s a little bit nice and a lottle bit naughty. A Chip off the Odd Block should result in some sparks flying.

Udderbelly’s Pasture, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 6–29 Aug (not 15), 8pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). Previews 3–5 Aug, £6.

LEE CAMP Another of those smart US types with a history of lambasting his country’s crazy right wing. The Stand III & IV, York Place, 0131 558 7272, 5–28 Aug (not 15), 11.45pm, £8 (£7). Preview 4 Aug, 8.30pm, £7 (£6).

TOM ROSENTHAL Son of Jim the ITV sports pundit guy, this star of C4’s Friday Night Dinner discusses his magical upbringing.

Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 16), 9.30pm, £9.50–£12 (£8–£10.50).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

DANA ALEXANDER Yet another eagerly awaited north American (she’s Canadian) with some sharp and sassy opinions to offload. Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 6–28 Aug (not 15), 8pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £6.

VIKKI STONE Actress, comedian, musician: there’s not much she can’t do. As her show suggests, she’ll soon be up in Big Neon Letters. Gilded Balloon Teviot, Bristo Square, 0131 622 6552, 6–28 Aug (not 15), 11pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £6.

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{FRINGE: COMEDY}

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{FRINGE: COMEDY} Not one, but TWO sketch shows from...

3,500 tickets sold

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.

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Ticket Collections There are three locations where you can pick up all of your Festival Fringe Society tickets.

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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.

Fringe Merchandise Take home a piece of the world’s largest arts festival.

Come along to 180 High Street to check out our selection of t-shirts, posters, mugs and lots more or shop online at edfringe.com.

Be our Friend Make the most of your Fringe experience and support the Festival Fringe Society by signing up as a Friend of the Fringe and receive fantastic membership benefits including 2 for1 ticket offers, a dedicated booking line and Priority Box Office during August.

INSTITUT FRANÇAIS D'ÉCOSSE AND MYTHOS FESTIVAL (FRANCE) PRESENT

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A site-specific creation for the 5 – 26 AUGUST 2011 (12PM, 2PM, 4PM, 6PM / WEEKDAYS ONLY) 13 RANDOLPH CRESCENT EDINBURGH VENUE 134

54 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

INFO: WWW.IFECOSSE.ORG.UK BOOKING 0131 225 53 66

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Margaret Cho {FRINGE: COMEDY}

‘I CHOOSE TO BE SLUTTY’ The daring Margaret Cho will test the resolve of the most hardcore Fringe-goer.

Claire Sawers girds her loins and speaks to the US-Korean star about being in rude health

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{FRINGE: COMEDY} Margaret Cho

hether or not Edinburgh crowds will recognise Margaret Cho probably depends on their TV viewing habits.

British followers of Sex and the City may remember Cho as the terrifying, black-uniformed fashion producer who orders Carrie to model on the catwalk. She was the shouty, stony-faced one swearing loudly as Carrie tripped on her high heels and landed, knickers-up, on the runway.

Or maybe they’ll have spied Cho more recently on Sky Living’s Drop Dead Diva, playing another no-nonsense type in the fluffy, legal comedydrama. Failing that, it may be only the US tourists in the audience who can place her face, which pops up regularly on American TV. Cho is something of a household name in the States, after she grew up on screens in the sitcom All American Girl, a show based around her actual upbringing above the San Francisco bookstore that her Korean parents ran. Soon she’ll be manning up in an episode of 30 Rock, as her fellow Korean Kim Jong-Il. Whether or not Fringe audiences will warm to her comedy, however, is another story. A lot will depend on how they like their stand-up: boundary-pushing, gender-bending, pottymouthed and accompanied by a banjo? Step this way. If they’re after something polite, heterosexual and shying away from bodily functions, they should perhaps turn to the next page in the Fringe programme.

Cho is nothing if not provocative.

She’s the show-off at the party who will take that dare. She’s the one making talk-show hosts wince live on air. A crass, in-your-face attention-seeker, Cho waves an extended middle finger at decorum and any restrictive notion of what it means to be a modern-day queer.

‘My show is filthy,’ she states. ‘But it’s also fun, and I’m proud of it.’

Fifteen or so years after her All American Girl debutante days, Cho’s CV now has comedy, acting and singing on it, and she’s on her way to Edinburgh with a stand-up show based around her Grammy-nominated comedy album, Cho Dependent. So what delights can we expect? ‘Um, “Eat, Shit and Die”: I guess that’s a pretty good song,’ she offers, down the phone from America’s West Coast. ‘“Asian Adjacent” too – that’s about those people who look Asian, but you’re not really sure? You know, Meg and Jennifer Tilly? Björk? Where they could be Cherokee or Asian or Alaskan.’

Cho also intends to sing Edinburgh crowds through such anthems-in-the-making as ‘My Puss’, a rap about the virtues of her front bottom; ‘Calling in Stoned’, which harks back to her potsmoking days; or ‘I’m Sorry’, a regretful murder ballad, originally recorded with quirky multiinstrumentalist Andrew Bird. Cho has no shortage of indie music pals as it turns out: Tegan and Sara show up on the album version of ‘Intervention’ and Ani DiFranco lends a hand with ‘Captain Cameltoe’.

In fact, the singing part first came about when Cho toured with Cyndi Lauper, who was highly complimentary about her voice. Cho’s impression of Lauper’s bubblegum New Yorker accent, urging her to ‘sing it loike it’s a lullaby to a lil’ chi-yuld!’ is a high point of her routine, as are Cho’s impressions of her dear old mum, the thickly accented, well-meaning Young Hie. Apparently Cho’s mum had a bad habit of leaving

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lengthy answer-phone machines probing her teen daughter on whether she was gay or not. Hearing Cho struggle over her mum’s verbs and consonants is a rare moment of cute in her standup routine, a glimmer of family affections and her softer, non-braggadocio side. But let us not digress; let us allow Cho to return to the smut.

‘I choose to be slutty,’ she declares, as a lapdog-sounding animal yelps somewhere in the background. ‘When it comes to my sexuality, I’m beyond definition. Being queer is not about being sexy for me, it’s a political thing; it’s about being empowered.’ Cho’s personal life is very simple to her; although she acknowledges some people struggle to get their heads around it. Married to her husband Al Ridenour for almost a decade, Cho supplements this very ‘conventional, primary relationship’ with lots of other same-sex arrangements.

‘Being partnered is very important to me. But, being in a polyamorous relationship is just more honest for me. It’s more respectful to my nature,’ she explains, in the type of San Franciscan drawl than can’t help turning statements into questions.

‘I have poor impulse control!’ she laughs, before returning to a more serious tone. ‘Fidelity: I don’t personally agree with it? And monogamy doesn’t seem purposeful to me? But that doesn’t mean I would recommend my lifestyle to others either.’

And here emerges another trait of Cho’s, another very San Franciscan facet, almost as stereotypically caricatured as the drag queen friends and Haight Street hippies in her act. Cho loves to soapbox. Having taken stick throughout her life for being too Asian, too fat, not Asian enough, too thin, too queer, her outsider complex drove her at one point into a struggle with drugs and anorexia.

Now, stronger and more politicised, Cho has multiple axes to grind, and comedy is her sharpening block. ‘There is so much absurdity to conquer,’ she shrugs. ‘How is gayness societally problematic? I just don’t get that. And since when was someone’s ethnicity seen as something transgressive? There is such pressure to conform, and I really want to challenge that.’ So, besides entertaining crowds with the cabaret-style ditty ‘Eat, Shit and Die’ (the video for which features dancing stools of the non-wooden kind), Cho wants her comedy to be thought-provoking. Her puerile preaching is an outspoken call to arms that has attracted legions of fans, whether gay, straight, Asian, Caucasian: to her they are all equally fabulous.

‘It’s very moving to see so many different people in my audience,’ Cho has commented in the past about her shows. ‘I think for a lot of people what I do is more than entertainment; it’s a way of feeling like we belong, a way to feel validated.’ Does that mean the outsider has finally come in from the cold? ‘I’ll probably always feel like an outsider in showbusiness,’ she confesses.

‘But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel settled. I’ve spent so many years being miserable, now I’m just about being happy, and bringing the kind of discussion that lets others be happy too.’ Right on, Cho.

‘BEING QUEER IS NOT ABOUT BEING SEXY, IT’S A POLITICAL THING’

56 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

Margaret Cho: Cho Dependent, Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 6–29 Aug (not 10, 17), 9pm, £15–16 (£13–14). Previews 3–5 Aug, £8.

ChoBusiness Words straight from Margaret’s potty mouth ON BEING BISEXUAL:

‘I don’t even care who it is anymore, I just want people to like me. I’m not “bi” I’m “I”. I just want people to be into me.

I’m not a lesbian either, which is a shame, because I’m so good at softball.’

ON CHRISTIAN GROUPS OPPOSING GAY MARRIAGE:

‘They have no right to call themselves Christians. They have no kindness to them, no compassion, no charity. I want Jesus to come back and be like: “THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT!”’ ON HER LACK OF ASIAN ROLE MODELS DURING CHILDHOOD:

‘I would dream, maybe someday, someday, I can be an extra on M.A.S.H. Or a hooker in something: “Me love you long time?”

ON CC BLOOMS:

‘They have one gay bar in Scotland, it’s called CC Blooms.

CC Blooms is the name of the character Bette Midler played in Beaches. That is the gayest thing I’ve ever heard. That place should just be called “Fuck Me in the Ass: Bar & Grill”.’

ON 9/11:

‘I got a chance to go down to Ground Zero. And I was there, day after day, giving blowjobs to rescue workers. We all have to do our part.’

ON HER UPBRINGING:

‘I grew up in San Francisco on Polk Street. Some people were raised by wolves; I was raised by drag queens.’

ON SELF-IMAGE:

‘I have a really hard time looking at myself. To me, I look like the Eskimo woman on Northern Exposure. I feel like I should be in The History of Man Museum, ice fishing.’

ON MEL GIBSON:

‘He’s not said anything about Asian people. I’m like, what about us?’

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{FRINGE: COMEDY} Offensiveness

Shock tactics If boundary-pushing comedy is your thing, or if you just like smutty jokes, you’ll no doubt find a suitably impolite act at the Fringe. Jonny Ensall ranks 2011’s controversial shows by their level of offensiveness MARK NELSONI

MILDLY UNSETTLING

The Glasgow jokesmith was once the Scottish Comedian of the Year, though he doesn’t need accolades like that now that his niche of sharp and rather rude observational comedy is so well-carved. Specialising in ‘you can’t say that’ pay-offs, the former ScottishPower employee has been described as the ‘sick man of Scottish comedy’, though we haven’t given him that accolade here (see Jerry Sadowitz, below). He’ll leave you giggling rather than gasping in disgust, but you probably wouldn’t want to take your granny to hear his musings on Britney Spears’ vagina.

■ Mark Nelson: Guilty Pleasure, Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 6–28 Aug (not 17), 7.10pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £6.

STEWART LEEI Lee has divided critics for the majority of his career, with his supporters (The List included) touting him as postmodern comedy’s genius, and his detractors claiming he’s just a grumpy old git who looks like a fat Terry Christian. His shows are more hard-hitting than offensive, but he did once base an entire act around the phrase, ‘And then I vomited into the gaping anus of Christ.’

■ Stewart Lee: Flickwerk 2011, The Stand, York Place, 0131 558 7272, 5–29 Aug (not 15), 5.15pm, £10.

Previews 3 Aug, 8.05pm & 4 Aug, 4.10pm, £9.

THE TWO WRONGIESI A cabaret show performed by two women that subverts expected norms about female sexuality as represented on stage. In other words an hour of costume changes (with nudity in between), simulated sex, general daftness, a few jokes and some beautiful dance-like sequences – all designed to cause a bit of a mind-opening riot. One of The Two Wrongies’ directors is the brilliant Kim Noble, who’s previously pushed the envelope of comedy to the point of urinating into his own mouth.

■ The Two Wrongies, Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 6–28 Aug (not 15, 22), 10.30pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

KUNT AND THE GANGI Like Depeche Mode, Kunt and the Gang is a synth-pop band from Basildon. Unlike Depeche Mode, Kunt and the Gang is not a wildly popular and epoch-defining act; it is, in fact, just a bloke who likes singing about willies and muffs. The humour never rises above the level of a back-of-the-school-bus conversation between 13-yearold boys – song titles like ‘My Erection’ and ‘Have a Wank’ will give you an impression of the key themes. It’s not big, and it’s certainly not clever, but KatG do have some unexpected rhymes for the word ‘quim’. Unrestrained immaturity.

■ Kunt and the Gang, The Hive, Niddry Street, 0131 556 0444, 5–28 Aug (not 7, 12), 9.15pm, free.

DOCTOR BROWNI This troublingly weird Aussie slapstick comic produced a sleeper hit in 2010 with Doctor Brown: Because. The show combined Beckettian absurdity with the puerile fascinations of a monkey, featuring the Doctor (not a qualified medical professional) simulating oral sex, lunging at audience members and, at the show’s climax, exposing a single testicle. One for fans of the more extreme antics of Vic and Bob . . . and hairy men covered in baby oil.

■ Doctor Brown: Becaves, Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 7–28 Aug (not 15), 9.50pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). Previews 4–6 Aug, £6.

NEIL HAMBURGERI The archetypal ‘anti-comedian’, Neil Hamburger’s aggressive stage manner and litany of tasteless jokes (many of which survive in his act only because he can’t be bothered to write new ones) have split audiences across the globe. Death metal bands have taken to using him as a warm-up act to whip audiences into a frenzy of hatred.

Expect him to scrape the barrel of sick jokes about the dearly departed King of Pop. Warning: if you sit in the front row, you could end up with a drink in the face.

■ Neil Hamburger: Discounted Entertainer, Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 15–28 Aug, 10.40pm, £12 (£11).

JAWDROPPINGLY OFFENSIVE

JERRY SADOWITZI Jerry Sadowitz holds an entertainment triple crown of sorts. Not only is he a world-renowned magician (his sleight-ofhand skills are second to none), he’s also one of the UK’s finest comedians, and the most offensive act that’s able to pack out a major Festival venue like Assembly Hall. Of course he had to be our number one sick stand-up. Watching Sadowitz – a man to whom swearing comes as easily as breathing in and out – is a dark journey into distinctly dubious territories. Racist, xenophobic, misogynistic, even anti-Semitic (Sadowitz is a Scottish Jew), his act is a cathartic purge that frankly ignores any lines of acceptability. Not for everyone then, but he does reaffirm comedy’s crucial status as the only public forum in which you can really say anything, and for that we applaud the cranky old bastard.

■ Jerry Sadowitz: Comedian, Magician, Psychopath, Assembly Hall, Mound Place, 0131 623 3030, 6–14 Aug, 9pm, £16.50–£19.50 (£15.50–£18.50).

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{FRINGE: COMEDY}

Sapphire Rooms Pot of Dreams 7-29th Aug Mon-Thurs & Sun 2-6pm 'Strippers 'stripped' - An exhibition of images by photographers Jannica Honey and Holly Davidson disrobing the mystery and laying bare the more human aspects of Edinburgh's lap dancing community.

Candid Cabaret 14 Aug - 25 Aug Mon-Thurs & Sun 7-10:30pm top-quality evening performances ranging from mischievous burlesque shows to exciting live music and from acrobatic aerial performances to avantgarde comedy shows.

81– 83 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH3 9AW 0131 229 6391 www.SapphireRooms.co.uk

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{FRINGE: COMEDY} Other highlights

Other highlights BUG HOSTED BY ADAM BUXTON Releasing himself from the shackles of his buddy Joe, Mr Buxton makes a bold return to the Fringe with his hugely popular London night, BUG, in which he does his irreverent thing while some new, hot and dangerous music videos play to the throng.

Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 25–29 Aug, 10.30pm, £15.

THE BOY WITH TAPE ON HIS FACE One of the breakthrough hits from last August, quiet Kiwi Sam Wills returns on the back of his Best Newcomer nomination. Expect little in the way of audience banter (of the spoken kind anyway) but much tittyfalarious physical jesting. Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 15–28 Aug, 9.10pm, £10.50–£12.50 (£9.50–£11.50).

NICK HELM Musical comedy has been dying on its flat-noted behind of late, but Helm could be the Alice Cooper-obsessed man to save the day. Bring some cough sweeties along in case his voice packs in with all that shouting.

Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 10, 17), 4pm, £11–£12 (£9.50–£11).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £6.

CLAUDIA O’DOHERTY One of the undoubted quirky treats of last year, the antipodean who is no relation whatsoever to David (even though they’ve written a book together: weird?) blasts back with the big questions of today. This time it’s What is Soil Erosion? Gilded Balloon Teviot, Bristo Square, 0131 622 6552, 6–28 Aug (not 16), 8.45pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

OMID DJALILI

EDFRINSGEE FOR FUL E.COM L DET AILS

A big national tour is penned in for the autumn, so the Godzilla impersonator is returning to the Fringe with a series of warm-up gigs. See him up close and personal before all you can spot is a speck of Omid from the back row of a massive hall. The Stand III & IV, York Place, 0131 558 7272, 18–28 Aug, 7.50pm, £10.

PAJAMA MEN The finest physical duo in the funny business do more of their buttonedup cotton comedy thing by charging around In the Middle of No One. Assembly Hall, Mound Place, 0131 623 3030, 6–29 Aug (not 15), 9pm, £13–£14 (£12–£13). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £5.

LUKE WRIGHT Promising his most serious show to date, the ex-Aisle16 performance poet gives us some Cynical Ballads, a forthright travelogue across the state of Britain today. Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 6–28 Aug (not 16), 4.15pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £6.

PHILL JUPITUS Stand Down is the Buzzcocks chap’s first Fringe show in absolute ages (though he was spotted laughing like a happy drain at a Sean Lock Pleasance show a few years back), which he will couple with an improv thing at the Gilded Balloon. The Stand, York Place, 0131 558 7272, 5–28 Aug (not 15, 22), 8.25pm, £12.

Previews 3 Aug, 10pm & 4 Aug, 7.40pm, £11.

THE THREE ENGLISHMEN Another sketch group that came right out of the blue to tickle us pink in 2010 aims to capitalise on that glory with more exquisite broken comedy.

The Caves, Cowgate, 0131 556 5375, 6–28 Aug (not 17), 4pm, £8–£9 (£7–£8). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £5.

TODD BARRY

From top: Phill Jupitus, Todd Barry, Omid Djalili, Claudia O’Doherty.

Back after a lengthy absence, the US guy you may well have seen in The Wrestler and/or Flight of the Conchords is here for some low-key banter and tossing off an endless stream of seemingly effortless oneliners.

The Stand III & IV, York Place, 0131 558 7272, 16–28 Aug, 3pm, £10.

60 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

DAVID O’DOHERTY Two shows this year from the beloved man of lo-fi musical comedy with the high-laugh quotient. His usual brilliant sit-down/stand-up fare, David O’Doherty is Looking Up, is augmented by his debut on the one-man comic play scene. Rory Sheridan’s Tales of the Antarctica is set in 1917 and features the pitfalls and perils experienced by Ireland’s legendary snowy explorer.

■ David O’Doherty is Looking Up, Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 15), 7.20pm, £14–£15 (£12–£13). Previews 3–5 Aug, £6; Rory Sheridan’s Tales of the Antarctica, Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 6–28 Aug (not 15), 3.20pm, £9.50–£10 (£8.50–£9).

Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £6.

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{FRINGE: COMEDY} TH R 50 ’S YEA Y Y ST R NE SA AM IVER N AN

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{FRINGE: COMEDY} Other highlights

recall his late mother, the life and soul of many a party, in a show that you probably still won’t be able to take your own parents to. Pleasance Dome, Bristo Square, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 16), 8pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8–£9). Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

MARK WATSON Everyone’s favourite not-Welsh standup uses this year’s Fringe to showcase some new material he fancies trying out. It will, of course, be a million times better than many of the programme’s ‘fully-developed’ hours.

Gilded Balloon Teviot, Bristo Square, 0131 622 6552, 19–27 Aug, 7.45pm, £15 (£12.50).

MARK THOMAS The thorn in the side of ‘authority’ gives us a two-hour show related to his journey to the Middle East as he considers what makes an effective separation barrier.

The Bongo Club, Holyrood Road, 0131 557 2827, 8–20 Aug, 7.30pm, £14.50 (£10).

IMRAN YUSUF FREE COMEDY As the ticket-price end of the Fringe gets ever wider and, occasionally, a wee bit on the riskily expensive side for an hour’s entertainment, thank heavens for free fun. But, you’ll cry, free means rubbish doesn’t it?

No, actually, it doesn’t. There is an increasing number of comics getting their August fix in buildings putting on free gigs such as the Laughing Horse venues, the Banshee Labyrinth, The Street, the Voodoo Rooms and Dragonfly. Established names such as Robin Ince, Aisle16, Norman Lovett, Tara Flynn and Lewis Schaffer (pictured) will all simply be looking for cash to be chucked in a bucket at the end of their gigs.

Fair play to them.

■ See freefringe.org.uk and edfringe.com for full details.

The man who will go down in the history books as the first Free Fringe act to get a spot on an Edinburgh Comedy Award shortlist returns with the fully-paid big boys to do more of his jovial physical schtick. Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–28 Aug, 7pm, £11–£12 (£9.50–£11). Previews 3–5 Aug, £6.

JOANNA NEARY Joanna Neary

JOSIE LONG She went fully on the attack last year with a show that platformed her tougher side and it earned her a shiny award nomination. Which Josie will be in town this year? Pleasance Dome, Bristo Square, 0131 556 6550, 6–28 Aug (not 15, 22), 7pm, £10–£12.

Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £7.

Another one who’s been away from the Fringe for too long is the comic actress who played the nervy Judith in Ideal. Here she drops into a Youth Club with another potpourri of carefully crafted characters. The Stand V, Picardy Place, 0131 558 7272, 5–28 Aug (not 15), 3.50pm, £9 (£8). Preview 3 Aug, 5.50pm, £8 (£7).

RUSSELL KANE ALUN COCHRANE One of the sure-fire safe bets of the Fringe as the man they call Alun brings us some affable fare. Whether any double denim will be on display is a matter for his own conscience. The Stand, York Place, 0131 558 7272, 5–29 Aug (not 15), 6.50pm, £10.

TIM KEY The 2009 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner is here with yet another ‘slut’entitled show. This time it’s Masterslut. Poems, films and a little bit of non-threatening audience touching are on the agenda.

Pleasance Dome, Bristo Square, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 15), 9.45pm, £12–£14 (£11–£13).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £6.50.

SCOTT CAPURRO A contemplative Capurro is in town to 62 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

Having scooped the big prize last year after being nominated for the umpteenth time, Kano could easily have wielded the winner’s prerogative and not bothered coming back.

Gratifyingly, he’s here for the bulk of August indulging in a hearty bit of Manscaping. See interview, page 20.

Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 12–26 Aug (not 22), 8.50pm, £17.50 (£15.50).

DANIEL SLOSS It only feels like yesterday that the Fife lad was doing open spots at local comedy clubs but now he has a BBC3 sitcom pilot under his belt, is playing the Glasgow Pavilion in the autumn and is back at the Fringe for his third solo show. Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 6–29 Aug (not 16), 7.35pm, £11.50–£13.50 (£10–£11). Preview 3 Aug, £7.50.

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JOSH HOWIE He insists that he’s not a twat or a cock or a prick. But Josh Howie is fully aware that he’s a dick. After all, his show is called I Am a Dick and features a series of socially awkward scenarios that have allowed him to reach that painful conclusion. The Stand V, Picardy Place, 0131 558 7272, 5–28 Aug (not 15), 6.20pm, £9 (£8). Previews 3 Aug, 8.25pm & 4 Aug, 1.40pm, £8 (£7).

DES BISHOP Since last year’s triumphant run of My Dad Was Nearly James Bond, Bishop Snr has sadly passed away. This revisit will have an added poignancy.

Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 5–14 Aug, 9.10pm, £14 (£12.50). Previews 3 & 4 Aug, £11.

BRIDGET CHRISTIE The self-proclaimed Housewife Surrealist has dressed up as Charles II on stage and accidentally worked for five years at the Daily Mail. What insanities await this year? The Stand II, North St Andrew Street, 0131 558 7272, 5-28 Aug (not 15), 4.40pm, £8 (£7). Preview 4 Aug, 5pm, £7 (£6).

CARL DONNELLY One of the country’s most fluid and naturally funny comics with a natty line in 70s shaded specs might have an eye on a prize or two with his latest stand-up affair, Carl Donnelly 3: Carl Donnelier!. Don’t think he’ll win anything for easy on the eye/tongue show title though. Udderbelly’s Pasture, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 6–29 Aug (not 15), 7.50pm, £10–£12 (£9–£11). Previews 3–5 Aug, £7.

CHRISTMAS FOR TWO Two comics whose tastes were too bold for a national TV channel that had asked them to write some sketches. Sticking Sarah Campbell and Amy Hoggart into a cave might well be the only answer. The Caves, Cowgate, 0131 556 5375, 6–28 Aug (not 17), 4.55pm, £6.50. Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £5.

HOT TUB WITH KURT AND KRISTEN Mr Braunohler and Ms Schaal team up once more for a different kind of off-kilter comedy show as they do their own thing as well as inviting some other funny folks and music acts on for a bit of good old-fashioned ‘variety’. And if you simply can’t get enough of king Kurt, get along to his solo show which bears the notcontentious-at-all title of The Amish Guide to Fucking.

■ Hot Tub, Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 12–27 Aug, 7.35pm, £15–£16 (£14–£15); The Amish Guide to Fucking, Assembly Hall, Mound Place, 0131 623 3030, 6–28 Aug (not 16), 9.15pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7–£8). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £5.

Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 6-28 Aug (not 16), 7.40pm, £6.50–£11 (£6-£10.50). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £6.

HAL SPARKS Pescatarian comic Sparks was in the US version of Queer as Folk and performed CPR on an elderly chap at LA International Airport. Evolution Overdrive is his Edinburgh debut featuring a very specific take on pop culture. Gilded Balloon Teviot, Bristo Square, 0131 622 6552, 6–28 Aug (not 15), 10.45pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

PAUL FOOT From top: Bridget Christie, Josh Howie, Paul Foot, Des Bishop.

Whether he’s talking at length about racist shire horses or conducting elongated one-sided phone calls, you know you’ll have to strap yourself in for an evening with Mr Foot.

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JOHN-LUKE ROBERTS AND NADIA KAMIL The Behemothers are back after not being here for a bit, promising (though they haven’t actually said as much) weird impersonations, actual audience involvement and jolly offkilter set-ups and smackdowns.

Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 16), 4.45pm, £9–£11 (£7.50–£9.50).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

RICHARD HERRING He described our review of last year’s Christ on a Bike: The Second Coming as ‘slightly pissy’ but we believe much

kissing and making-up will occur when he asks, What is Love Anyway?

Udderbelly’s Pasture, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 6–29 Aug, 8.50pm, £12.50–£14.50 (£10.50–£12.50).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £8.

TIM CLARE Using video lecture, stand-up, song and verse, this is Aisle16er Clare’s guide on How to be a Leader, in which he explains how he escaped a tooled-up heckler, reveals the Rules of Leadership and pays tribute to some of history’s most influential women.

See also Clare’s poem about the Festival on page 10. Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 6–28 Aug (not 15), 8.55pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9).

Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £6.

Compiled by Brian Donaldson

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PROUD SPONSOR OF THE FOSTER'S EDINBURGH COMEDY AWARDS

fostersfunny.co.uk

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{FRINGE: DANCE} Brazil

} E C N A D : E G N I {FR

Giant STEPS

Long known for its rich dance tradition, Kelly Apter finds Brazil’s contemporary dance companies responding to all aspects of the country’s diverse culture

n 23 July 1993, eight boys aged 11–20 were shot and killed as they lay sleeping beside a church in Rio de Janeiro. Many of the off-duty policemen who committed the murders were tried, but only two convicted. The Candelária Massacre, or Chacina da Candelária as it’s called in Brazil, led to a national outcry about police brutality and – for a brief moment at least – highlighted the plight of the thousands of children sleeping rough on the streets of Rio each night.

Written and performed by physical theatre actor Eduardo Okamoto, Now and at the Time of Our Turn takes us back to that tragic night, from the point of view of a street kid who witnessed, but survived, the shooting. Okamoto found a way to embody somebody much younger and used to living in such extreme circumstances while working on a community arts project in the city of Campinas.

‘After the first few months co-ordinating the workshops, I started to imitate the street kids, collecting stories, actions, gestures, voices, etc,’ he says. Okamoto continued his work in São Paulo and then went on to Rio. It was there that the tragic events of 1993 began to emerge as possible material for a show.

‘Incorporating the Chacina da Candelária made me realise how revealing the event was on the subject of street kids’ lifestyles,’ he says, ‘and their interaction with a society that

O

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denied their existence until their death.’

Okamoto plays the fictional character of Pedrinha in the piece, a young boy who hides under a news stand while the shooting takes place. But although the show is based on a real-life event, Okamoto is keen for audiences to see beyond that, to the world-wide problem of childhoods lost through poverty.

‘Unfortunately, the slaughtering of those street kids was not an isolated case and still persists,’ he says. ‘That’s why our responsibility lies not with the kids that died but with the ones who are still alive. Now and at the Time of Our Turn is not a play about death, but about the life that is lost daily in corners of every big city in the world.’

Growing up in Brazil also helped to shape Parallel Memories, a dance duet which premiers at this year’s Fringe. Performed by Jean Abreu (whose powerful representation of prison life, Inside, was a highlight of last year’s Fringe) and Jorge Garcia, the piece is a very personal exploration of their lives to date.

‘Many strong and emotional moments came up,’ says Abreu. ‘Issues like childhood illness and conflicting relationships within the family were present for both of us. Parallel Memories looks at our journeys, where we are from and where we are now.’

A co-founder of Protein Dance before starting his own company, Abreu was born in

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Brazil {FRINGE: DANCE}

My Voluntary Punishments.

Below: still from the film City of God, which, like Now and at the Time of Our Turn, explores the hardships of Rio de Janeiro street kids.

Brazil but has lived in London for over a decade. He and Garcia first met in São Paulo in 2009, while Abreu was researching Inside.

Garcia had made a dance work about a notorious Brazilian prison, and Abreu quickly realised the two man had ‘very similar artistic intentions’.

Like everyone, Abreu and Garcia were shaped to a degree by the culture and landscape that framed their childhood. And growing up in the fifth largest country in the world brings a

‘OUR SOCIETY DEVELOPED ITSELF AS A CULTURAL MELTING POT’

lot of diversity. ‘We are both hugely influenced

by Brazil, the culture, the people, the environment,’ says Abreu, ‘and we try to deconstruct and analyse those influences during the course of the piece. However, it’s important to point out that Brazil is a huge and diverse country and although Jorge and myself are from a similar region – the north east – there are still major differences in our individual experiences of Brazil.’

Yet another aspect of Brazilian life is captured in Another Cappadocia, an intimate solo by contemporary dancer Daniel Jaber.

Hailing from the city of Belo Horizonte, Jaber has explored the multifarious spiritual beliefs spread throughout his country. ‘Our society developed itself as a cultural melting pot,’ he says, ‘and there are more than 14 religions that coexist peacefully in the Brazilian culture.

Each one has its own body language, movements, beliefs, and systems of worship linked to its roots.’

Like Abreu and Garcia, Jaber also used his childhood memories to shape the piece. ‘The concept of death, the rituals of spiritual protection, the constant presence of angels and their struggle to defeat evil – these are all images and impressions of my childhood reminiscences,’ he says, ‘which now impact on the creative process. My body is working to remember how the cultural context affected my life, my thoughts and my movement.’

Jaber’s solo is part of a double-bill of contemporary dance that also features My Voluntary Punishments, a group work by company Trama Cia de Dança. Inspired by French visual artist Annette Messager, the piece looks at how women are viewed in modern-day Brazil, both by themselves

and others.

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{FRINGE: DANCE} Brazil

Other highlights AGNES AND WALTER (A LITTLE LOVE STORY)

FLAWLESS: INTERGALACTIC DREAM

Based on the fictional daydreamer, Walter Mitty, this new work by Smith Dance Theatre features a cast aged 28–78, including former members of DV8 and Punchdrunk. Zoo Southside, Nicolson Street, 0131 662 6892, 5–13 Aug (not 10), 2pm, £10 (£8).

The boys are back in town! After last year’s sell-out Chase the Dream show, the Britain’s Got Talent finalists return, slicker than ever. This time, they’re taking streetdance into outer space.

Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 15), 6pm, £14.50–£18.50 (£13.50–£17.50).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £10.

CASTLE ROCKS BREAKDANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS Scotland’s biggest breakdance battle attracts some of the world’s finest b-boys and girls and is just as thrilling to watch as to take part in. A total sell-out for the past four years, so book early.

City Nightclub, Market Street, 0131 226 0000, 13 Aug, 3.30pm, £10 (£9).

SCOTTISH BALLET Old and new school ballet rub shoulders in this double-bill from Scotland’s national company. Playhouse, Greenside Place, 0131 473 2000, 26–28 Aug, 7.30pm, £12–£44.

LOL (LOTS OF LOVE) Facebook, internet dating and how we find friendship and love in the age of the web come under the spotlight in this critically acclaimed show from Protein Dance. Zoo Southside, Nicolson Street, 0131 662 6892, 22–27 Aug, 2.05pm, £12 (£10).

ENCLOSURE 99 – HUMANS Janis Claxton and dancers return to the Zoo following their award-winning 2008 performance, here joined by dancers from China. Don’t miss ‘feeding time’ at 1pm and the ‘human animal talk’ at 3pm each day. Edinburgh Zoo, Corstorphine Road, 0131 314 0350, 14–28 Aug, 10am–5pm, free (Zoo entry applies).

ROCK THE BALLET Proficient in ballet, tap, musical theatre, hip hop and gymnastics, the performers in New York-based company The Bad Boys of Dance are true all-rounders, showcasing their skills against a backdrop of rock and pop classics.

Assembly Hall, Mound Place, 0131 623 3030, 6–28 Aug (not 8, 15, 22), 6pm, £16–£20 (£14–£18). Previews 4–5 Aug, £10.

Compiled by Kelly Apter.

From top: Now and at the Time of Our Turn, Parallel Memories.

‘The work aims to defend and re-think women’s place,’ says director Joelma Barros. ‘It criticises the way women often accept and corroborate with the artificial models of beauty imposed on them by society. These frustrating models are causing emotional and social damage, but sometimes a problem is only perceived when it’s exaggerated in front of our eyes.’

In My Voluntary Punishments, the dancers perform before video projections, giving an abstract representation of what is taking place on stage. For Barros and company, the work deals with both the personal and political, posing questions about women’s lives and the country as a whole.

‘Brazil is a developing country with a very strong cultural background, but the external pressures are too great and we are suffering from the influence of the North American way of life,’ she says. ‘Brazil is one of the leading countries in plastic surgery and one of the main consumers of breast silicone prosthetics – it’s a contradictory title for a nation still struggling to overcame corruption, poverty and illiteracy.’

Now and at the Time of Our Turn, St George’s West, Shandwick Place, 0131 225 7001, 8–19 Aug, 12.20pm, £9–£12 (£7.50–£9.50); previews 5–7 Aug, £7.50. Parallel Memories, C, Chambers Street, 0845 260 1234, 14-29 Aug, 2.15pm, £9.50–£11.50 (£7.50–£9.50). My Voluntary Punishments – Another Cappadocia, Greenside, Royal Terrace, 0131 557 2124, 15–27 Aug (not 21), £8 (£6.50).

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DANCE MARATHON Award-winning Canadian theatre collective, bluemouth inc. invite you to take part in this four-hour endurance test of a show. Strap on your number, pull on some comfy shoes and start dancing. Based on the competitions born out of hardship in 1930s America, the Dance Marathon blends theatre, dance, video and live music. Those more inclined to spectate than participate can rest easy – the company allows anyone with ‘two left feet’ the option to just sit back and watch.

■ Traverse @ Lyceum Rehearsal Room, Grindlay Street, 0131 228 1404, 3–14 Aug (not 4, 8, 11), 7.15pm, £17–£19 (£6–£13).

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{FRINGE: DANCE}

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HOME DANCE

Box Office 0131 225 5525 HOME.dancebase.co.uk

The best Scottish & international dance, on the hour, every hour from just £5

Dance Base (venue 22), 14 – 16 Grassmarket EH1 2JU

Charity No. SC022512

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LOST? CONFUSED?

WONDERING WHERE TO GO?

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Mirazozo {FRINGE: KIDS}

S} D I K : E {FRING

The

colour

of magic

Kelly Apter gets the lowdown on the luminarium, a womb-like dome of colour, light and ambient music, and one of the more unusual venues at this year’s Fringe

icture the scene – you walk inside a Fringe venue, and find no actors, no musicians, no dancers, in fact no performers at all. You’d be forgiven for wanting your money back. Unless, that is, your ticket is for an Architects of Air creation – because, as one critic wrote in 1992, ‘if ever the show was the venue itself, this is it’.

Nottingham-based company Architects of Air has been making large-scale inflatable structures for almost 20 years, and its latest venture, Mirazozo, is taking up residence at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The vast ‘luminarium’ is made of thin, grey plastic with colourful translucent seams, to create a unique sensory experience of light and sound.

‘The daylight filters through the coloured parts and reflects on the grey inside,’ explains managing director Mado Ehrenborg. ‘People sometimes find it very difficult to believe there is no artificial lighting, because even when it’s cloudy, an amazing radiance comes through, which means we can use it in any weather. And the ambient soundtrack isn’t intrusive, it’s just there to help you forget what’s outside.’

Slipping off their shoes, visitors walk through a labyrinth of domes and corridors, or simply lie back and soak up the atmosphere. Children have compared Mirazozo to a rocket ship, adults to a cathedral. ‘What’s interesting is that everybody has their own experience and feeling about being

PHOTO: JASON NAKRANI

P

MIRAZOZO IN NUMBERS 0.5 MILLIMETRES Mirazozo is made of material that’s less than half a millimetre thick.

3 YEARS The average lifespan of an Architects of Air sculpture.

4 MONTHS How long it took to make Mirazozo, with 6 people working on it full-time.

6 HOURS How long it takes to assemble the structure on the first day.

20 MINUTES The time that visitors have to explore the piece.

80 PEOPLE The maximum number allowed inside the structure at the same time.

1200SQ METRES The amount of space that Mirazozo occupies. It is 48 metres long and 29 metres wide.

inside the structure,’ says Ehrenborg. ‘Personally I feel a bit like I’m inside a massive, breathing animal. Because when the door opens and closes as people come in, the structure goes down very slightly, then blows back up, so the wall moves with you as you lean against it.’

Remarkably, given its robustness, the material is less than one millimetre thick, meaning a few gentle rules have been put in place to handle more boisterous visitors. ‘The plastic has been designed specifically for us,’ says Ehrenborg, ‘so it’s thin enough to let the light through but resistant enough so that people can walk around, lie on it and lean against it. But we do ask people not to run, bounce or slide on it and explain that the structure has been handmade and is fragile.’

Architects of Air make the bold statement that no two visits to Mirazozo are the same. Partly, this is due to weather and time of day, but mostly it’s down to whoever happens to walk in the door at the same time as you. ‘It really depends on the people who are inside the structure and that you’re sharing the space with,’ says Ehrenborg. ‘That’s a very strong part of it. Because if you’re sharing the experience with a lot of children, or if you’re sharing it only with adults, it will have a very different feel.’

This has led to the company running the occasional ‘adults only’ session, because as Mirazozo’s designer Alan Parkinson says, your list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 71

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{FRINGE: KIDS} Mirazozo

Other highlights MR BENN: THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF AN ORDINARY MAN

‘IT FEELS A BIT LIKE BEING INSIDE A MASSIVE, BREATHING ANIMAL’

The wonderful Tall Stories (Gruffalo, Room on the Broom) is back with its new version of the TV programme.

Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 556 6550, 4–18 Aug (not 6), 11.30am, £8.50 (£7.50). Preview 3 Aug, £5.

THE KING’S GOT DONKEY’S EARS Theatre of Widdershins made its Edinburgh debut with this show in 2006, which features remarkable sets and puppetry. Scottish Storytelling Centre, The Netherbow, High Street, 0131 556 9579, 8–28 Aug (not 7), 1pm, £8.50 (£6.50).

STICK MAN LIVE ON STAGE! Fringe regulars Scamp Theatre make a welcome return with this lively adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s book.

Udderbelly’s Pasture, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 6–29 Aug (not 15), 11.15am, £10–£11 (£9–£10). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £6.

response to the structure depends very much on age.

‘Basically, adults go in and feel as though they can relax and slow down,’ he says. ‘But the majority of children have exactly the opposite reaction.’

Parkinson named this latest structure after his own two children, Nico and Zoe. ‘Mira is Spanish for look,’ he explains. ‘And my wife obliged me to incorporate our children’s names into the structures. So far we’ve had Amococo, Amozozo, Mirazozo and the next one’s going to be Miracoco – but that will be the last one, because it’s getting a bit repetitive.’

To date, Architects of Air has created and toured 15 structures, winning fans the world over. For Parkinson, each structure is an ‘experiment’, pushing the boundaries of what both he and the materials are capable of. Which is pretty much how it all started, when Parkinson was working with a group of offenders in Nottingham during the early 1980s. They built an inflatable mattress, it had some flaws, he tried to improve upon it – and so it went on. Until in 1990, he created Eggopolis – a structure large enough to house a dance company.

‘I’d been running a community project,’ recalls Parkinson.

‘Then the director of the Edinburgh Children’s Festival saw a video of a dance company using Eggopolis to perform in, and was interested in what he saw in the background so invited us up. Until then, I hadn’t thought that the public would pay just to go into one of the structures.’

But pay they did, and in 1992, Architects of Air was born.

Parkinson has been creating inflatable installations ever since, where the structure itself is the star of the show, rather than something happening inside it. To what does he attribute his creations’ success?

‘It’s very womb-like,’ says Parkinson, ‘and there’s something innate in human beings about going into a tent or a cave or something like that – that sense of enclosure. I think what the inflatable does, because of the roundness of the environment, is feel very, very reassuring.’

Mirazozo, Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 3–14 Aug, 10am–8.30pm; 15–29 Aug, 9.30am–8pm, £5.

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based on the true story of a Japanese girl who took up origami to save her best friend. Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 6–27 Aug (not 9, 16, 23), 1.10pm, £10 (£8). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £5 (£4).

SNOW PLAY Lyngo Theatre’s interactive show finds Mr White and Mr Green doing battle over who’s allowed inside the house.

Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug, 11.20am, £8 (£6). Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

HAIRY MACLARY AND FRIENDS A new crop of stories and songs based on Lynley Dodd’s popular picture books. Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 6–20 Aug, 10.30am, £9 (£7). Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

BUBBLEWRAP AND BOXES Set in a post room filled with lost parcels and unclaimed letters, this Australian show is both funny and touching. Gilded Balloon Teviot, Teviot Row House, 0131 622 6552, 6–21 Aug (not 8, 15), 10.45am, £8–£9 (£7–£8). Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

BAGPUSS Soho Theatre and Birmingham Stage Company present a stage production of Bagpuss, based on the 1970s TV series. Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 6–28 Aug (not 15), 12pm, £12–£14 (£8). Previews 3–5 Aug, £8.

ONE THOUSAND PAPER CRANES Lu Kemp’s witty and poignant play Mr Benn

THE INCREDIBLE BOOK EATING BOY Climb inside this unique installation for five minutes of performance, puppetry and projection adapting the popular book by Oliver Jeffers. Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 16), every 20 minutes from 10.20am–2.14pm. Previews 3–5 Aug, £3.

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{FRINGE: MUSIC} The National

} C I S U M : E G N I R {F

‘LIKE ANY FAMILY, YOU SAY THE WORST THINGS TO THE PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT THE MOST’

L–R: Matt Berninger, Scott Devendorf, Bryan Devendorf, Bruce Dessner, Aaron Dessner

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The National {FRINGE: MUSIC}

PURPLE

PATCH

The National‘s Matt Berninger has a way with a tear-jerking lyric. However, as he tells David Pollock, the release of album High Violet has ushered in good times for the Ohioan band. That, and Obama getting elected . . . he National are a band who crept up on all of us. In their twelve years of existence the Cincinnati, Ohio-formed group have released five acclaimed albums, each of which has scratched them a little more hard-earned but well-deserved success in alternative circles – until last year’s High Violet, which swiftly exploded into the top five in Britain, America and around the world. Of the forty-five shows booked for this year’s Edge music festival on the Edinburgh Fringe, theirs is comfortably the biggest and most hotly-anticipated.

‘Every one of our records feels like a breakthrough to another level, and High Violet’s definitely been the biggest step so far,’ says the band’s singer and lyricist Matt Berninger from his home in Brooklyn. He talks about the band’s life being a ‘gradual process’ of ‘slow growth’, and he takes the point that they fit into the same category of slow-burners as, say, Elbow and Flaming Lips.

‘We’ve never had that breakthrough hit,’ he says. ‘We just make good records that people tell their friends about, and slowly our name gets around.

‘Plus a lot of it’s down to the fact that people can now share music online. I don’t think a band like ours would have found an audience before, but we’re the product of a new kind of dynamic in the way people find out about music. Hundreds of amazing bands in the past, because they were never able to crack radio or get mass media attention, they just fizzled out and went away, yet now those kinds of bands, the good ones, can go another way and slowly find another audience. So we were in the right place at the right time, but we’re fully aware how rare that is and we don’t take it for granted. We spend all our time trying to live up to it.’

After the whirlwind of touring activity which followed High Violet, Berninger is speaking from the middle of a month off at home with his wife and daughter. He is – other wives and girlfriends might be overawed to hear – the kind of guy who sands and repaints his wife’s bike just because he has a day spare to do it: ‘doing normal things,’ as he puts it. Having had a bit of space to reflect on the last album, he’s still convinced of its merits. ‘It’s our best, although I know any group will say that about

T

their last record. It works on an emotional level and on a purely visceral level because we trusted our guts on it.’

Unsuprisingly, given their strict touring schedule and lengthy ascendency, the band has subjected its members to the trials any hard-working rock group might face.

Berninger and guitarist Scott Devendorf have been in bands together since they met at the University of Cincinnati in 1991, with Devendorf’s brother Bryan and Aaron and Bryce Dessner, another set of siblings, joining them as The National in 1999.

‘In the early years we had nothing going for us and nothing to worry about, because there was nothing to lose. Then we encountered some awkward phases as we tried to figure out how to balance real life when [the band] kept pulling us away from home, and we weren’t immune to the trappings of the rock‘n’roll lifestyle. It’s the small things that can ruin people’s relationships and we worked through that stuff and didn’t let it ruin us. We’re five adults in a rock band and it’s just like any family, you say the worst things to the people you care about the most.’

The trappings of the rock‘n’roll lifestyle? ‘I know you want me to tell you drug stories or whatever,’ he laughs, ‘but it’s really not that kind of thing. We’re not Mötley Crüe. I’ve started to hold back on the fact I drink on tour, which is a really healthy thing for me, but it’s probably really boring and lame by rock ‘n’roll standards. This lifestyle makes your brain get soft and it led to the kind of arguments that would pull us down individually and collectively, so we’ve had to learn to bury the hatchet. I mean, there are still hatchets flying round all the time, but we’ve learned to catch ‘em and put ‘em down, I guess, because it’s a great gift to have, to be part of a rock band. It’s better than winning the lottery.’

Perhaps another little-mentioned contributing factor in The National’s popularity surge has been their championing of Barack Obama, both in the 2008 election and in the 2010 mid-terms, through benefits and the dedication of their song ‘Mr November’ (‘I’m Mr November / I won’t fuck us over’). ‘We never thought of ourselves as a political band,’ admits Berninger. ‘The closest I came to it on High Violet was the song

“Afraid of Everyone”, which is more about the media and how it’s so hard to trust whatever spin a TV network is putting on the truth. But after having George W Bush as our president for so long, especially after he won the second time, we thought we couldn’t stand aloof and cool about it any more.

‘I believe that Washington is a completely dysfunctional place and that one guy isn’t going to be able to change it overnight, but living with Bush for so long made us realise that you have to fight for even the smallest victory. The most disappointing thing now is seeing how hard it is for there to be any progress in America, in terms of healthcare, education, gay rights, all these things that it feels like we should be doing much better than we are in the 21st century and I’m embarrassed we still have to fight for. But now it’s going slowly in the right direction whereas before it was going quickly in the wrong direction, and we’re honoured and proud to have been a tiny, tiny part of that.’

Much like America, The National’s future is also a work in progress. They haven’t started work on a sixth album yet, although they are thinking about it with the spirit of rediscovery, if not reinvention. ‘We want to do things we haven’t done before,’ says Berninger. Usually good ideas come at you from the side when you’re not really paying attention, so we’re all in that “collecting stuff” mode just now.’

Might it yield that elusive breakthrough hit, does he think? ‘It’s not that we don’t put the effort into every song to make it a hit,’ he says, ‘not that I think anyone knows what that really entails. We’ve learned to trust the album form, though, and to try and write records that we’re going to like in twenty years time, and which have honest, true passion. We only stick with songs that keep growing on us, that still satisfy us a month after we’ve first worked on them.

That’s a measure of how hard it is to find a good song, and how you shouldn’t trust easy first impressions all the time. I think that’s served us well.’

Edinburgh Corn Exchange, Newmarket Road, 0131 477 3500, 23 Aug, 7pm, sold out.

Part of The Edge Festival. Also O2 Academy, Eglinton Street, Glasgow, 24 Aug, 7pm, £22.50.

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{FRINGE: MUSIC} Other highlights

Other highlights SHONEN KNIFE The all-girl Osaka trio bring to Edinburgh a show which is rich in serrated punk-pop anthems, timeless exuberance and day-glo humour that’s not nearly as naïve as you’re meant to think it is. Sneaky Pete’s, Cowgate, 0844 499 9990, 15 Aug, 8pm, £10. Part of The Edge Festival.

WARPAINT One of the most hotly-tipped of all the Edge Festival’s roster of new artists, all-girl LA quartet Warpaint have been courting serious stardom ever since last year’s brooding, shoegaze-heavy debut album The Fool on Rough Trade. Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 0131 668 2019, 23 Aug, 8pm, £19.50. Part of The Edge Festival.

EVELYN EVELYN Mrs Neil Gaiman and sometime Dresden Doll Amanda Palmer joins forces with Jason Webley for ‘the world’s only conjoined-twin singer-

songwriter duo’. Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 17–21 Aug, 9.10pm, £13 (£12).

JAMES BLAKE The poster boy for intelligent, British electronic music, 23-year-old Londoner Blake’s eponymous debut album and striking live shows fuse Antony & The Johnsons-style piano balladeering with crunching dubstep bass. Liquid Room, Victoria Street, 0131 225 2564, 30 Aug, 7pm, £10.

Part of The Edge Festival.

ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER Brooklyn experimental musician and vintage synth enthusiast Daniel Lopatin will no doubt bring a crowd to one of Edinburgh’s smallest venues, playing tracks from last year’s breakthrough, Returnal. Sneaky Pete’s, Cowgate, 0844 499 9990, 7 Aug, 7pm, £9. Part of The Edge Festival.

JACKIE LEVEN An enduring under-the-radar Scots artist, Leven – originally from Kirkcaldy, Fife – has been performing since the late 60s, first with his band Doll By Doll and latterly as a solo artist. His signature folk, blues and punk style, a big favourite of author Ian Rankin, is primed for rediscovery here. Cabaret Voltaire, Blair Street, 0131 220 6176, 11 Aug, 7pm, £7.50. Part of The Edge Festival.

SOWETO ENTSHA Tipped as ‘the African Magnets’, these four smart-suited Soweto lads combine a cappella harmonies with a crowd-pleasing take on the sounds of their home continent. A fresh spin on a classic Fringe style, in other words.

Udderbelly’s Pasture, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 6–29 Aug, 4.30pm, £14.50 (£13). Previews, 3–5 Aug, £7.

WITHERED HAND Edinburgh indie songwriter Dan Willson became something of a cause celebre earlier this year when a petition had to be raised to win him a visa to SXSW. Supported here by friends from the Scottish scene, his excellent music deserves international acclaim. Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 0131 668 2019, 25 Aug, 8pm, £10.

LACH’S ANTIHOOT Anti-folk instigator and ‘the man who discovered Beck’ Lach brings his New York open-mic club back to the ‘Burgh, this time on the back of a new album named Ramshackle Heart on the local Song, By Toad Records.

Gilded Balloon Teviot, Teviot Row House, 0131 622 6552, 4–29 Aug (not 9, 12, 13, 16, 19, 20, 23, 26, 27), midnight, £12 (£10).

THE BURNS UNIT Formed at a Robert Burns-themed writing retreat five years ago, this Scots supergroup (featuring King Creosote, Karine Polwart, Emma Pollock and more) released their debut album Side Show onto the alternative folk scene last year.

Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 0131 668 2019, 24 Aug, 8pm, £17 (£15).

BIG DEAL

LUCKYME: 3 DAYS The LuckyMe collective of artists and designers is one of Glasgow’s most successful cultural exports of recent years, and the group’s August party will once more give festivalgoers a chance to find out what they’re all about. This year, they’re having not one party but three in a row. First, they’ll be presenting their new signing, Montreal producer, DJ and singer ANGO, alongside club-based art from fellow Canadian Tyson Parks and a live set from American Men. On Saturday, the full LuckyMe resident crew will be out in force for a set headlined

by Warp signing and friend of the label Hudson Mohawke and Planet Mu’s Machinedrum. On Sunday, Mike Slott presents an electronic live score to Andrei Zvyagintsev’s 2003 film The Return.

■ Quarter Mile, Laurieston Place, 11 Aug, 7pm, free; Cabaret Voltaire, Blair Street, 0131 220 6176, 12 Aug, 11pm, £5; The Summerhall, Summerhall, 0131 650 6130, 13 Aug, £10 (£9).

For those who think fellow fuzz-toned newcomers and Edge performers Best Coast are just a bit too all over the place, try up-and-coming London boy-girl duo Alice Costelloe and KC Underwood instead. Cabaret Voltaire, Blair Street, 0131 220 6176, 13 Aug, 7pm, £7. Part of The Edge Festival.

PO’GIRL One of a series of roots and alternative country sets at St Bride’s throughout August, this date sees Canada’s former Be Good Tanyas affiliates Po’Girl return to Edinburgh.

Acoustic Music Centre @ St Bride’s, Orwell Terrace, 24 Aug, 8.30pm, £12.

Compiled by David Pollock.

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5 TO TRY:

Cabaret Shows MEOW MEOW A firm Fringe favourite, this purrfectly glitzy performer brings her edgy post-feminist cabaret woes to the International Festival, as part of a muchanticipated work-in-progress. The Hub, Castlehill, 0131 473 2015, 17 & 18 Aug, 2.30pm, £6.

FASCINATING AIDA: CHEAP FLIGHTS When you’re racking up over 6m hits on YouTube, chances are you’re doing something right – and these longrunning comedy cabaret ladies most certainly are. Gilded Balloon Teviot, Teviot Row House, 0131 622 6552, 5–29 Aug, 6.45pm, £12.50–£14 (£11.50–£13).

ALI MCGREGOR: SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW If a night of jazz, pop, classicaltinged highs and velvety lows appeals, McGregor’s your gal. Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 3–11 Aug, 7.40pm, £12–£14 (£11–£13).

Previews 3 & 4 Aug, £5.

CABARET WHORE: MORE, MORE, MORE Hailed as one of Time Out’s Top 10 Cabaret Acts for 2011, awardwinning singer Sarah Louise Young introduces desperate divas from around the globe. Underbelly, Cowgate, 6–28 Aug (not 17), 4.55pm, £9 (£8). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £6.

LE GATEAU CHOCOLAT Anything La Clique-related tickles The List’s fancy and this delicious showman, and operatic diva-in-waiting, is sure to offer an appetising solo performance. Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 6–28 Aug (not 8, 12, 22), 9.15pm, £12–£14 (£11–£13). Preview 5 Aug, £8.

(Anna Millar)

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{FRINGE: MUSIC}

Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club Live at Malones 11 Aug 10pm Tickets available from the Fringe Box Office and Malones directly

One of Ireland's most unique and entertaining acts, sure to astound and amaze any audience www.jerry-fish.com/

Tucan Live at Malones 25 Aug 10pm Tickets available from the Fringe Box Office and Malones directly

Hugely talented instrumental acoustic guitar based band from Ireland. www.tucanmusic.com/

Malones Live Music Free Live Music seven nights a week from 10pm Daily trad sessions at 5pm Fri-Sun Showcasing an array of talented local and Irish musicians.

For full listings visit www.malonesedinburgh.com

14 Forrest Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2QN

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{FRINGE: THEATRE} Free Run

} E R T A HE T : E G {FRIN

SHOW

Jumping ‘IF I CAN DO A BACK SOMERSAULT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, I CAN TALK TO THEM’

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Free Run {FRINGE: THEATRE}

Sing it from the rooftops! Free-running has entered the theatre. Mark Fisher catches his breath as the athletes of 3Run blur past him. Plus, parkour specialist Sam Parham gives a masterclass in some of his favourite moves

T

o see Sam Parham in his element, you would need to be on a beach in South Africa. With no one else around, you’d see him bounding from boulder to boulder, oblivious to the world.

Not so long ago, the 24-year-old from Basingstoke was in just such a place. ‘I had the day to myself so I went down to the beach,’ he says. ‘There were these huge rocks all along the bay and I just started jumping from one to the other. Four hours went by with me jumping from rock to rock, completely in my own world. It was like my form of meditation, the only time I was completely me.’

Where you are more likely to see Parham – and where he is almost just as much in his element – is on the city streets, leaping from pavement to wall, from wall to stairwell, from stairwell to rooftop. He is a free-runner, a leading light of 3Run, a group of friends whose love of parkour (from the French ‘parcours du combattant’, a military obstacle course) developed from a hobby into a career. When they’re not out and about enthusing the next generation of Basingstoke teenagers, they are appearing in James Bond, Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean movies or doing adverts for Nestlé, Sprite and Microsoft.

Now, on the Edinburgh Fringe, you can see them in Free Run, an hour-long show that attempts to capture something of the skill, agility and excitement of their freeform sport. Directed by Annabel Haydn and performed in the upside-down cow of the Udderbelly, it takes place on all sides of the audience, as the eight-strong crew swing, leap and dive around the space, while video footage suggests the concrete playground that is their more usual habitat. In a blur of movement, they take turns to show off their street stunts, acrobatics, body-popping, martial arts, climbing skills and cool athletic moves.

What is striking about Parham, when I catch up with him before a performance of Free Run on London’s South Bank, where the Udderbelly is grazing, is how much he defies expectation. Short, muscular, articulate and good natured, there is nothing about him to suggest the lawlessness and danger that free-running’s anarchic disregard for the usual uses of architecture might call to mind. On the contrary, he talks about his life’s passion not as an anti-social pursuit, not even as a sport, but as an art.

It is an art, he makes clear, informed by strict discipline and serious philosophy. The 3Run website talks about the group’s

determination to develop ‘not only as physical performers, but also as “good” people [and] supportive friends’. As mission statements go, it wouldn’t be out of place in a Christian Union newsletter.

Yet this is an activity with a less than squeaky-clean reputation.

In a recent court case in Southampton, a man accused of stealing lead off a roof claimed he’d spotted his haul while indulging in what a newspaper called ‘the daredevil sport of free-running’.

When a teenager fell 20ft from the roof of Poundland in Twickenham, the police considered pressing charges. In Bristol, a policeman ended up in hospital after one of the men he was talking down from a rooftop fell on top of him.

This, though, is not the kind of free-running Parham recognises.

As he sees it, parkour, with its aim to get from A to B as efficiently as possible, and free-running, with its belief in aesthetics and individuality, are high-minded pursuits. ‘It develops your body and your balance and it develops you mentally and psychologically as well,’ he says, adding that his own approach is influenced by Buddhism. ‘It also develops your confidence. I never used to be able to speak to people in a room, whereas now I know if I can do a back somersault in front of people, I can talk to them. Any challenges I come across in life, parkour and free-running has helped me.’

But what of the media image of free-running as a form of vandalism? ‘That’s the misinterpretation that some free-runners are going to give,’ he says. ‘There are vandals out there and it may get confused with parkour and free-running. I always say the environment is our playground. If we don’t respect it, and if we’re not respectful of private property, then we’re no longer going to have this environment – people will put up anti-climb paint and barbed wire. It’s not something I would ever condone.’

He admits there’s a grey area between the acceptable and the illegal, but sees no problem as long as participants are respectful.

‘Just be mindful that, if a place is a private property, to try and stay away from it. Don’t be jumping off a public staircase when there are children trying to walk down it. It’s those commonsense things.’

An element of risk is part of the fun, but far from being an adrenaline junkie, he is a cautious runner who knows his physical limits. The 3Run team are more likely to be found working on their moves in a confined area than to be scaling the city skyline. list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 79

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MAKING YOUR MOVE SAM PARHAM TALKS US THROUGH THREE KEY FREE-RUNNING MOVES

‘It’s actually those small beautiful intricate movements that are more appealing to me than just finding the biggest roof jump,’ says Parham, who has never broken a bone. ‘The philosophy is to prepare your body for something that may or may not happen. I do roof jumps, however I would never tackle one where if I fell I would die, unless I knew I was going to make it.’

For many young people, free-running is a craze that comes and goes, like skateboards or rollerblades. But for the 3Run friends, it was less a fad than a way of life. ‘We started off as kids with no intention of this being a profession whatsoever,’ says Parham. ‘We watched Jackie Chan.

He was our biggest inspiration. We saw Jackie’s films and went out almost trying to recreate them. We were just practising in sandpits and swimming pools and heard about parkour and free-running as a discipline slightly after that. We realised it was similar to what we were doing except we didn’t have a philosophy.’

They took on board the philosophies developed in France by Sébastien Foucan and David Belle, spent time in the local gymnasium and, on the streets, started coaching each other. The form was so new, there was no way to learn it unless they taught themselves. In doing so, they realised they could integrate their existing passions and skills into the sport.

‘Essentially, it’s just movement,’ he says. ‘You can incorporate the same kind of movement you’d use in climbing or skateboarding or martial arts and you don’t need anything except your body.’

For 3Run, the freedom of the form was not an excuse for anarchy, but an opportunity for self-expression. ‘We always consider ourselves as students of movement,’ he says. ‘Parkour and free-running fit that idea so well for us because there are no rules, there is no competition. If you look at three people doing exactly the same thing, it would be totally different every single time.’

Having a similar enthusiasm for making videos – member Chase Armitage being a particular whizz behind the camera – they started uploading films of themselves onto YouTube. Before they knew it, they were getting hits in the hundreds of thousands. ‘It showed us there was a potential for this,’ says Parham. Advertising agencies also recognised their potential and soon the requests for commercial cameos, public appearances and sponsorship deals started coming in. ‘It was so surreal,’ says Parham, who studied business at university but is making a living from 3Run. ‘One day you’re just training and having fun and then the next day you’re training and having fun but you’re getting paid for it.’

There is a contradiction, of course, in bringing a free-ranging sport into the enclosed space of a theatre, but that’s a small hurdle for 3Run to leap and their combination of athletic skill and enthusiasm is infectious.

‘We love doing it,’ he says. ‘That’s something that I hope comes across in our shows. It’s the reason why we keep doing it and why we keep wanting to improve. Getting good is the by-product of enjoying it.’

Free Run, Udderbelly’s Pasture, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 6–29 Aug (not 16, 22), 6.20pm, £15–£17 (£13.50–£15.50). Previews 3–5 Aug, £10.50.

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THE CORKSCREW ‘It’s quite a flashy move. Shaun Andrews is going to show us one now. He’s going to take off with one foot and he’s going to swing the other leg as if he’s kicking a football. As he goes into the air, he’s going to go almost into a flat spin. He’s going to rotate 360 degrees horizontally as well as 360 degrees vertically. It’s like a back-flip on an axis with a horizontal spin as well. It’s quite cool, quite fancy, it looks good and in the show we’ve got moments when a few of us do it in unison.’

THE FRONT FLIP ‘Cane Armitage is going to show us this one. We like to do moves where it’s not just in one place, because free-running involves travelling from A to B. So he’s going to do a running precision jump and then do the front somersault afterwards. This could, for example, be two walls and a roof gap. He’s going from one place to another, showing creative flair by doing the jump then adding the summersault. He’ll do the jump, land on the other side, punch off his two feet, project himself into the air and then as he takes off the second block, he’ll reach forward, throw his arms down, bring the knees into his chest, tuck his chin in, rotate over 270 degrees forwards, kick out and land on his feet.’

CAT PASS OR KONG VAULT ‘Mat Amitage is going to do more of a parkour movement, getting from one place to another efficiently. We would create scenarios in our heads: here are two walls, there’s a gap in the middle, he wants to get from one to the other as quickly and efficiently as he can. He’s going to run, take off with two feet, push off with his hands like a Superman dive, monkey-style, projecting himself forward then tucking in his feet through the middle where his hands have come, through the gap, then extend his feet down to wherever his landing place might be.’

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ANITA DOBSON

SIMON MERRELLS

‘The bravest, most exciting and moving Greek tragedy in years.’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘Utterly distinctive production.’ GUARDIAN ‘Remarkable… properly thrilling.’ TIMES

Pleasance Courtyard - Fringe Venue 33 3-29 Aug (not 9, 10, 17, 24 Aug) 1.20pm (100 mins) 0131 556 6550 Festival Highlights.com www.pleasance.co.uk

East Productions and Pleasance Theatre Trust in association with Seabright Productions present the Nottingham Playhouse co-production with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatres

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GROWING

PAINS The multi-award winning TEAM return to the Fringe with an ambitious new work that takes in 400 years of American history.

Yasmin Sulaiman meets the company that considers Edinburgh its second home

ince their 2005 Fringe debut, New York City’s cutting-edge-but-chaotic theatre company the TEAM has attracted critical praise, sold-out runs and won three Fringe Firsts – not bad for a group of NYU graduates that initially came together to perform just two Edinburgh shows but are still going six years later. ‘I honestly have no idea whether we would still exist as a company if it wasn’t for that first year in Edinburgh,’ says founding artistic director Rachel Chavkin, speaking to me before a 12-hour techrehearsal in Boston. ‘Because things went so well and people were asking what’s next, it suddenly dawned on us that we were just beginning to create what would become a body of work.’

Their first under-the-radar Edinburgh plays, A Thousand Natural Shocks and awardwinner Give Up! Start Over! (In the Darkest of Times I Look to Richard Nixon for Hope), were followed by 2006’s Particularly in the Heartland and 2008’s Architecting at the Traverse. Both were award-recipients that, as their name (which stands for Theatre of the Emerging American Moment) suggests, dealt with major issues plaguing the United States’

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social and political landscape. In 2011, they’ll add to this corpus with Mission Drift, which was originally meant to premiere at the Traverse last year but was delayed due to funding issues. This seems apt, given that its subject matter is the unique nature of American capitalism and it will be performed during one of the worst periods of recession in living memory. However, the work wasn’t conceived as a response to the current economic situation and instead takes a much broader view of American fiscal history.

‘There are two interweaving stories,’ Chavkin says. ‘One takes place in the present moment and is quite realistic, and one is a sort of mythic story that runs through 400 years of American history. “Mission drift” is a financial term but this play is about the marriage between the idea of the frontier and capitalism and the mission to grow uncontrollably that early Americans had on really a geographic level, in terms of the speed at which the country was occupied and the American Indian population decimated.

But then that marriage between the frontier and capitalism has persisted despite the disappearance of a geographical frontier. For

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us, that’s really the core of the “mission drift” – what happens to American capitalism when the frontier goes away.’

Set in Las Vegas, a frontier town in the 19th century and one of the epicentres of the recent US housing crash, the TEAM spent a month in the city last year on an intensive research project, interviewing several people from the financial community. But rather than collate these interviews into a piece of verbatim theatre, they’re utilising their characteristically innovative performance style to produce an alternative take on the economic crisis that’s distinct from the mounds of articles, TV and radio material they encountered in the research process.

Simultaneously, the company have also tried to move away from the messiness that has been such a large feature of their previous shows.

Chavkin explains: ‘I definitely think that people who know our work well are going to look at Mission Drift and think that this feels different, certainly compared to Architecting. It is not as chaotic as our previous work so I think it’ll probably have a wider appeal than some of our more far-out stuff.

But I think we’re always trying to construct something that is incredibly dense but consistently satisfying if you’re paying attention.’

Perhaps the biggest change audiences will see is that Mission Drift is a musical, and comes complete with a cast album that will be available to buy during the August run.

However, in true TEAM style, it’s a nontraditional take on the genre and the songs – composed by New York-based singersongwriter Heather Christian – occur outside of the story.

Christian, who describes herself as ‘an odd singer’, performed in Architecting during its stint in New York and has used the power of her character in this new work to influence her songwriting as well.

‘In the show, I play Miss Atomic Bomb,’ she says, ‘who’s based on a real-life figure that disappeared in the 1950s. We made her quite ominous and I decided that this character, who sort of functions as a narrator, should possess the play not just with this story and this narration but also with the music. I wanted the songs to feel like a series of incantations. Hymns and dirges are incantory but so is really sexy blues music, which I chose to make the audience and the characters want to

plummet themselves into this emotional and colourful space.’

This strong blues emphasis is at odds with one of Christian’s proclaimed inspirations for Mission Drift’s music: Neil Young’s sparse soundtrack to Jim Jarmusch’s 1995 western Dead Man. However, it’s Young’s immersive, audience-conscious approach to this score rather than his musical style that’s been most influential.

Christian explains: ‘I did write this music with the specific purpose of entertaining an audience. I am very audience conscious and, not to be too judgemental, but many experimental theatre productions can be quite pretentious when music is added to them. I’ve tried to strip out this pretension from my music and make something that is emotionally evocative and quite joyful, so I hope that that comes through.’

But for Chavkin, there’s also an inherent dejection in the play as a whole. ‘Mission Drift is quite a sad show,’ she says. ‘In the show we ask, if you’ve been a certain way for 400 years, how do you change your behaviour? For one of the main characters, it ends in suicide. When we’ve talked about this and Architecting in the past, the word “requiem” has come up so maybe it’s a new phase for us.’

After two-and-a-half years in development, Mission Drift will premiere in Lisbon in July with many new faces and without some original company members. It will have only nine Edinburgh performances before moving on to the Salzburg Festival. ‘I’m always excited to show theatre in Europe,’ Christian says, ‘much more than in America. The audiences are much better – more thinking and active.’

For Chavkin, the tour will be more bittersweet.

‘Honestly, I think we’re all quite heartbroken that we can’t stay for the whole Festival,’ she admits.

‘Edinburgh really does feel like home to me.

Over the years, its has become a very treasured place in our hearts and we’re all really excited to return.’

‘IF YOU’VE BEEN A CERTAIN WAY FOR 400 YEARS HOW DO YOU CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOUR?’

Mission Drift, Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 0131 228 1404, 7–14 Aug (not 4 & 5, 8), times vary, £17–£19 (£12–£13).

Previews 3 Aug, 7pm, 6 Aug, 2pm, £12 (£6).

5 TO TRY:

Musicals THE LITTLE SHOP OF HOMOS! The London Gay Men’s Chorus welcomes you to Hardy Dick’s where the staff always aim to please. Expect melody and mirth.

C Chambers Street, 0845 260 1234, 14–20 Aug, 6pm, £9.50–£11.50 (£7.50–£9.50).

SHOWSTOPPER! THE IMPROVISED MUSICAL You shout out the suggestions, they’ll make up a different funny scenario every night.

Gilded Balloon Teviot, Teviot Row House, 0131 622 6552, 6–29 Aug (not 17), times vary, £11.50–£12.50 (£10.50–£11.50).

Preview 5 Aug, 10.50pm, £7.50.

FROM THE FIRE In 1911, 146 young women perished in a New York factory. The event galvanised 20,000 women to march for social reform.

This musical tells their inspirational story.

Zoo Roxy, Roxburgh Place, 0131 662 6892, 9–20 Aug, 10.30am, £10–£12 (£10).

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS Set in Depression-era America, this blend of opera, dance and theatre by Scottish Opera and Company Chordelia depicts a woman who falls into disrepute. HMV Picture House, Lothian Road, 0844 847 1740, 29 Aug, 9pm & 3 Sep, 7pm, £12.50 (£10).

FRESHER – THE MUSICAL Winner of Best New Musical at the MTM:UK awards in 2010, this show returns to Edinburgh to amuse undergrads and nostalgic grads who still recall that first week. Pleasance Dome, Potterrow, 0131 556, 6–29 Aug (not 15), 3.50pm, £11–£12 (£9.50–£11). Previews 3–5 Aug, £8.50.

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{FRINGE: THEATRE} Art Malik

Family affair

Art Malik’s acting career has taken him from the RSC to playing opposite Arnie in Hollywood.

Now he’s tackling his biggest challenge to date: acting alongside his daughter. Yasmin Sulaiman meets him

rt Malik is no stranger to the stage, despite being better known for his film and TV roles – which range from a psychotic terrorist in 1994 Hollywood blockbuster True Lies to a heartthrob anaesthetist in hospital drama Holby City. Over the past 30 years, the veteran British actor has worked at the Old Vic, the RSC and more recently in the Royal Court’s production of The Seagull, which played on Broadway in 2008. But in 2011, he’ll be taking on two entirely new theatrical challenges: firstly, making his Edinburgh Fringe debut, and secondly, by acting alongside a family member – his daughter, Keira.

In August, Keira and Art Malik will perform in Rose, a new play by Hywel John, in which they appear as a father and daughter trying to reconcile their Middle Eastern heritage with their life in Britain. John, a Welsh actor and playwright whose lauded drama Pieces recently transferred to New York, was last at Edinburgh in the awardwinning Guardians in 2005, and Malik is effusive about his latest work.

‘It asks who is a Brit today,’ Malik tells me, ‘and what does it mean to be British. We explore the dynamic between father and daughter, which is particularly interesting here because the mother is absent.

The father, who I play, calls himself Arthur because he wants to be with Britain, he wants to be more Anglicised

A

‘IT’S NOT ABOUT ART AND KEIRA, IT’S ABOUT THESE TWO CHARACTERS’

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than the English. So we explore what he desires – and what he wants for his daughter, who we see grow up on stage from the age of eight.’

At the centre of Rose is the mystery surrounding Arthur, who is hiding his past from his daughter as she tries to uncover more about her own background. But Pakistan-born Malik is insistent that he won’t bring any of his real-life relationship with his daughter into his role. ‘I think if you’re an actor, you shouldn’t need to use your memories as the key to get to your acting,’ he says, ‘Those are yours. The best thing to do is keep them to yourself.’ And although the play is billed in the Fringe programme as ‘Rose (Starring Keira and Art Malik)’, he is keen to move away from this celebrity association.

‘It’s not about Art and Keira,’ Malik explains, ‘it’s about these two characters, so I’ve been trying to keep that aside.

The other day, someone asked if there were any photographs of the two of us they could use.

But if I’m going to go through a family album and take out a photograph, I have to ask what the point of it is. If it’s to get publicity, then that’s not good enough. If it’s to enhance the play, then those images will be in the play. And if they’re not, then they’re staying where they are – in my private collection.’

Still, with his other daughter Jessica acting as producer on Rose and Keira having recently graduated from LAMDA, Malik is excited about a summer of working with his family before returning to his screen commitments filming the next six episodes of the BBC’s Upstairs Downstairs update. ‘I’m feeling fantastic about it,’ he says. ‘Keira is a cracking little actress. I’ve seen her do things and she’s extraordinary so I only hope I can come up to her level.’

Rose, Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 5–29 Aug (not 16), 5.25pm, £13.50–£14.50 (£12.50–£13.50). Previews 3 & 4 Aug, £6.50.

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Traditional Spanish Tapas Restaurant

##### COMPANY PRESENTS

THE HERALD

T THE GIN JOINT CU

13 / A Brougham St EH3 9JS

t: 0131 478 2856 w: www.quijotetapas.co.uk

FRINGE FIRST WINNERS 2009 IRON SHOES in association with the National Theatre Studio & ScenePool

MAD ABOUT THE BOY

by Gbolahan Obisesan

Underbelly Dairy Room 2:20pm

PREVIEWS WED 3 +THU 4 AUGUST

FRI 5 - MON 29 AUGUST 2011 16.30 (1hr) £11- £15 (£9.50-£12)

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{FRINGE: THEATRE} I Hope My Heart Goes First

‘IT WAS ALL ABOUT YOUR OPINION, YOUR VOICE AND WHAT YOU WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THE WORLD’

THE YOUTH WILL OUT I Hope My Heart Goes First has been given the thumbs up from the Made in Scotland fund. Remarkably, finds Mark Fisher, it is performed by teenagers ay what you like about Junction 25, but don’t call it a youth theatre. ‘The young people we work with experience the world the same as an adult would,’ says Jess Thorpe, co-director of the Glasgow company.

‘We reject youth theatre as an idea. It suggests young people are somehow less able to perform or less able to have an idea.’

It’s certainly true your average youth theatre doesn’t get asked to tour to London and Norway, nor end up with backing from the prestigious Made in Scotland fund for a two-

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week run on the Edinburgh Fringe. It’s also true your average youth theatre doesn’t get reviewed in the daily papers, let alone attract five-star raves. ‘Pure joy,’ said The Scotsman.

‘Outstanding,’ said The Herald.

Those write-ups were for I Hope My Heart Goes First, an hour-long amalgam of theatre, dance, music and comedy in which 20 teenagers expound on the workings of the human heart. At the centre is Adam, the group’s youngest member, now 13, for whom adult relationships are a mystery. While he sets to work writing an improvised list of all the things he loves – from Shredded Wheat to computer games – the rest of the cast put him right by sharing their experiences of romance.

‘It came from adults saying, “Oh, you don’t understand it when you’re only that age – it’s not real love,”’ says Thorpe. ‘But the show expresses that it is.’

What distinguishes the company’s work are two things. One is the high production values.

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‘When we started, our remit was to produce a young company with a professional aesthetic,’ says co-director Tashi Gore. The other is that what you hear is the true expression of the actors themselves. ‘We make really good theatre and it’s us that makes it,’ says Megan Reid, 18, a member for five years. ‘It’s our input, our performance. You’re performing as yourself and you’re performing something you’ve made and you’re proud when you show it.’

Francesca Lacey, 19, was the first member to sign up to Junction 25 when it launched at Glasgow’s Tramway six years ago. She is now a student on the contemporary performance practice course at the RSAMD, but still acting in I Hope My Heart Goes First for as long as it tours. ‘I’d gone to drama groups when I was younger and they’d give you a script and you’d learn your lines,’ she says. ‘Junction 25, I found really different. It was all about your opinion, your voice and what you wanted to say about the world as a young person. That was really exciting. It felt as though I was being listened to.’

It also feels to the performers as though they are being treated as artists. ‘Not only is Junction 25 a place where young people can take ownership of the material, but also it is the opportunity to be part of something that is quite professional,’ says Megan’s sister Rosie, 19, also at the RSAMD. ‘The work speaks for itself, not only in terms of young people making it, but in the wider theatre context.’

For the directors, the trick is not to impose their ideas but to tune into what interests the young performers. In this way, the actors become raw materials for Gore and Thorpe to shape into a finished production. ‘We get excited about their different qualities and then build something using those qualities,’ says Thorpe. ‘People ask us how we got that performance out of them, but that’s what they’re like all the time. There’s a poetic framework around it and a craft that goes alongside it, which is what we do.’

It’s a democratic process in which the directors allow the actors to be heard, perhaps as a slightly exaggerated version of themselves, but close enough to let them speak with confidence about real experiences. ‘The stories I tell are stories that have happened to me – ridiculous stories about failures in love,’ says Lacey, blushing. ‘Every time I tell them it’s funnier for me. I think, ‘Why did I do that?’ It’s so embarrassing. And if the audience are in a particularly funny mood, I’ll throw some things in that’ll make them laugh even more.’

I Hope My Heart Goes First, St George’s West, Shandwick Place, 0131 226 0000, 8–16 Aug, 2pm; 24 Aug, 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

Previews 5–7 Aug, 2pm, £7.

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{FRINGE: THEATRE} Other highlights

Other highlights

Street, 0845 260 1234, 3–29 Aug (not 15, 22), 3.35pm, £12.50–£14.50 (£8.50–£10.50).

4 TO TRY:

AN INSTINCT FOR KINDNESS

WHAT REMAINS

AUDIENCE

Hannah Eidinow, who directed last year’s Lockerbie: Unfinished Business, explores similarly hard-hitting subject matter in this monologue, which reflects on writer/performer Chris Larner’s experience of accompanying his terminally-ill wife to Switzerland’s Dignitas clinic. The candid story expands to take in the ethical implications. Pleasance Dome, Potterrow, 0131 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 10, 17), 4.10pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £5.

The award-winning Belgian company Ontroerend Goed is back, turning the tables on the audience to focus on what’s going on in the stalls and circle. Expect another visceral theatre experience from the company that brought us Internal and Once and For All . . . St George’s West, Shandwick Place, 0131 225 7001, 8–28 Aug, 10.55pm, £10–£12 (£8–£10).

Previews 5–7 Aug, £5.

THE WHEEL Written by award-winning Scots scribe Zinnie Harris and directed by Vicky Featherstone, The Wheel follows a woman and a little girl as they embark on a journey through a world in conflict, and explores whether it is possible to remain unaffected by war. Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 0131 228 1404, 7–28 Aug (not 8, 15, 22), times vary, £17–£19 (£12–£13). Preview 6 Aug, 9.15pm, £12 (£6).

DORIS DAY CAN F**K OFF Taking a leaf out of Richard Herring’s book of high-concept Fringe show ideas, performer Greg McLaren challenged himself to live life as a song for several months, including singing his order for a book of stamps, warbling on the phone and even crooning in court. Witness the results in this fascinating show. Zoo Southside, Nicolson Street, 0131 662 6892, 6–29 Aug (not 16), 6.15pm, £9 (£7). Preview 5 Aug, £7.

FUTUREPROOF SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE The RSAMD’s One Academy returns to the Fringe following last year’s Spring Awakening. This year the company tackles Stephen Sondheim’s landmark exploration of art, love and obsession, inspired by the Georges Seurat painting, ‘Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte’. C Chambers

Outgoing Traverse director Dominic Hill helms the new play by Lynda Radley, the first co-production between the theatre and Dundee Rep. The story follows Riley as he battles to keep the wolf from the door of his family when the freak show goes out of fashion.

Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 0131 228 1404. 7–28 Aug (not 8, 15, 22), times vary, £17–£19 (£12–£13).

Preview 6 Aug, 10am, £12 (£6).

EDFRINSGEE FOR FUL E.COM L DET AILS

Site-specific shows Theatre company Grid Iron celebrates ten years on the Fringe with this eerie piece set in the bowels of Edinburgh University.

Music comes courtesy of composer David Paul Jones.

Traverse @ University of Edinburgh Medical School Anatomy Department, Teviot Place, 0131 228 1404, 4–28 Aug (not 8, 15, 22), times vary, £17–£19 (£12–£13). Preview 4 Aug, £12 (£6).

EVEN IN EDINBURGH/GLASGOW Poet Ishbel McFarlane takes the audience on a ‘literal and literary tour’ from Edinburgh to Glasgow aboard a ScotRail train. Simply buy a return ticket and prepare for some poetic ponderings. Meet under the departure boards at Waverley Station, 07814 985 357, 13 & 20 Aug, 11.30am.

MAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE . . . ?

Adrian Howells regales us with his best man experiences as guests gatecrash a wedding breakfast. Traverse @ The Point Hotel, Bread Street, 0131 228 1404, 17–28 Aug (not 20, 25, 26), times vary, £17–£19 (£12–£13). Previews 15 & 16 Aug, £12 (£6).

YOU ONCE SAID YES

A CELEBRATION OF HAROLD PINTER A starry triumvirate of elements conspires to make this one of the hottest tickets on the Fringe. Hollywood star John Malkovich directs British actor Julian Sands in a loving tribute to the late Nobel winner, drawing on his poems and personal memoirs in a show that has received endorsements from the celebrity likes of David Hare and Annette Bening.

■ Pleasance Courtyard, The Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–21 Aug, 3pm, £12.50–£15 (£11.50–£14). Preview 5 Aug, £7.50.

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Keep saying yes and this one-on-one interactive show may never end, as Look Left, Look Right Productions take you on a part city tour-part theatrical adventure. Meet 15 minutes before show time at Underbelly box office. Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 3–29 Aug (not 16), every ten minutes 12.30–2.50pm, £12 (£12.50).

Previews 3 & 4 Aug, £12.50 (£10). (Anna Millar)

fr

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THE HIT SHOW AS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 4 Hardeep Singh Kohli

CHAT MASALA

HARDEEP COOKS CURRY AND TALKS SHOP WITH VERY SPECIAL GUESTS

#### #### ‘Hit the mark...

‘Left a reassuringly warm aftertaste.’ Times

##### ‘Achingly funny. A new full-length

musical every time.’ Time Out - Critics’ Choice ##### ‘Makes your jaw drop in amazement and your ribs ache with laughter. ’ Mail on Sunday

####

left a reassuringly warm aftertaste.’

‘An excellent host.’

The Festivals Times Magazine

Guests include…

Arthur Smith Art & Keira Malik Bob Downe Camille O’Sullivan Dan Clark Fascinating Aida Mike McShane Phil Nichol The Magnets & many more Check online at HardeepLive.com for full line-ups

Gilded Balloon Teviot 3-28 August 2pm 0131 622 6552 www.hardeeplive.com

Gilded Balloon 0131 622 6552 5-28 Aug 10.50pm plus familyfriendly shows Tuesdays 3.20pm ShowstopperMusical.com

FestivalHighlights.com 7 POTTER BOOKS IN 70 MINUTES! STARRING CBBC’S DAN AND JEFF BEST ENTERTAINMENT - OLIVIER AWARDS (Nomination 2011 for Potted Panto)

“A fabulously funny parody, with serious Jeff taking the Ernie Wise role and silly Dan as a latterday Eric Morecambe.”

Daily Telegraph

BACK IN EDINBURGH FOR TWO WEEKS ONLY! Pleasance Courtyard 3-16 August 4pm 0131 556 6550 www.pleasance.co.uk www.pottedpotter.com

www.CabaretWhore.com

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{FRINGE: THEATRE} Other highlights

(not 10, 17, 24), 1.20pm, £16 (£14).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £10.

SOMEWHERE BENEATH IT ALL, A SMALL FIRE BURNS STILL Edinburgh Comedy Award alumnus and founder of the Comedians’ Theatre Company Phil Nichol dons his thesp hat to perform a monologue by Dave Florez. The piece focuses on a bizarre love triangle while exploring the need for forgiveness in an unrelenting world. Gilded Balloon Teviot, Teviot Row House, 0131 622 6552, 6–29 Aug (not 15), noon, £9–£10 (£8–£9).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £6.

JASMINE GWANGJU

THE ANIMALS AND CHILDREN TOOK TO THE STREETS Beg, borrow, steal or forge a ticket for this unique show from 1927 theatre company. Like the group’s previous Fringe hit Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, The Animals . . ., which arrives in Edinburgh for a limited run after touring Australia and Europe, blends live action, music and animation to bring to life the twisted goings on at the eerie Bayou Mansions.

■ Pleasance Courtyard, The Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 19–28 Aug, 4.10pm, £12 (£10).

This sumptuous show celebrates the cultural history of the Korean city of Gwangju and commemorates the 518 residents killed during the 1980 uprising. The show draws on music, drumming and dance to tell the story of the city’s Democratisation Movement, which paved the way for freedom in South Korea. Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Morrison Street, 0844 847 1639, 13–19 Aug, 5.30pm, £10 (£7).

BELARUS FREE THEATRE Belarus Free Theatre

LIBERACE: LIVE FROM HEAVEN The irrepressible Liberace, once the highest-paid entertainer in the world, arrives at the Pearly Gates and has to play to Saint Peter for the right to enter heaven. Former Opportunity Knocks winner and Fringe virgin Bobby Crush plays the flamboyant entertainer, in what might well be the campest show you’ll see this or any other Fringe year.

Assembly George Square, 0131 623 3030, 6–28 Aug, 6.25pm, £13–£14 (£12–£13). Previews 3–5 Aug, £8.

OEDIPUS Steven Berkoff makes a welcome return to the Fringe, playing Creon in his own adaptation of Sophocles’ tragedy. Featuring the director’s signature expressionist performance style and an 11-strong cast, the show is surely worth the price of a ticket to see ex-EastEnder Anita Dobson in the role of Jocasta. Pleasance Courtyard, The Pleasance, 556 6550, 6–29 Aug 90 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

Banned in their own country by the authoritarian Lukashenko government, the Belarus Free Theatre have teamed up with Fringe award-winning company Fuel to present their first performance of a show in development. Expect a meditation on human rights from the company, which counts Mick Jagger, Steven Spielberg and Tom Stoppard among its supporters. Pleasance Courtyard, The Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 22–29 Aug, 1pm, £10 (£8).

THE GIRL WITH THE IRON CLAWS The Fringe debut from brand new company The Wrong Crowd is an adult fairytale about a young girl who defies her family to run off into the forest with a bear. This inventive take on a Nordic myth that shares its roots with Beauty and the Beast is told through a mix of live performance, puppetry, text and music. Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 6–28 Aug, 1.35pm, £8.50–£10 (£7.50–£9). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £6.

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{FRINGE: THEATRE}

Kurt Weill

The seven deadly sins There’s a world of temptation out there HMV Picture House, Edinburgh

O2 ABC, Glasgow

Mon 29 Aug 9pm Sat 3 Sep 7pm & 9pm 0844 847 1740

Wed 31 Aug 9pm Thu 1 Sep 9pm 0844 477 2000

Book online at scottishopera.org.uk Registered in Scotland Number SCO37531 Scottish Charity Number SCO19787

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TEN PLAGUES Pop icon and one-time Soft Cell lynchpin Marc Almond stars in this intriguing new musical theatre experience inspired by the London Plague of 1665. Created by acclaimed playwright Mark Ravenhill (Mother Klapp’s Molly House, Shopping and Fucking) from witness accounts, Ten Plagues relates one man’s journey through the devastated city.

■ Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 0131 228 1404, 7–28 Aug (not 8, 15, 22), times vary, £17–£19 (£12–£13).

Previews 1 Aug, 7pm, & 6 Aug, 6pm, £12 (£6).

2401 OBJECTS The acclaimed Analogue head back to the Fringe with a new show about the world’s most famous amnesiac patient.

Opening with the dissection of Patient HM’s brain in front of a global internet audience in 2009, 2401 Objects then jumps back to the childhood bicycle accident that led to his affliction.

Pleasance Courtyard, The Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 6–28 Aug (not 9, 16, 23), 4.40pm, £10–£12 (£9–£10).

Previews 3–5 Aug, £6.

DAVID LEDDY’S UNTITLED LOVE STORY Untitled Love Story is the first piece to be presented in a conventional space by Scotland’s edgiest theatrical maverick in some years, following the jaunts around the Botanics and a defunct Masonic Lodge that were Susurrus and Sub Rosa. The twist is that the audience is asked to close their eyes and take part in a meditative imagining of a journey across four decades. St George’s West, Shandwick Place, 0131 225 7001, 6–25 Aug (not 10, 17, 24), 6pm, £15–£17 (£12–£15). Preview 5 Aug, £10.

From top: Two Johnnies, Tuesday at Tesco’s, Federer vs Murray, 2401 Objects.

TUESDAY AT TESCO’S Having stormed the Fringe with his oneman interpretations of works by Dickens

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and Shakespeare, Simon Callow takes to the Assembly stage once more as loving daughter, carer and transvestite Pauline. The play was a stonking success in its native France, receiving a Molière nomination. Assembly Hall, The Mound, 0131 623 3030, 6–29 Aug (not 8, 15, 22), 2pm, £17.50–£20 (£15–£18). Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £10.

A VISIT FROM MISS PROTHERO Edinburgh and Radio 4 veteran Nicholas Parsons swaps the comfort zone of his chat show for a bona fide acting job with this Alan Bennett play.

The Just a Minute host plays retired Arthur Dodsworth whose afternoon nap is rudely interrupted by his brash former boss, Peggy Prothero, who arrives bearing unwelcome tidings. Pleasance Courtyard, The Pleasance, 0131 556 6550, 23–28 Aug, 1pm, £9 (£8).

operate its own bistro, run by L’Escargot Bleu. Institut français d’Ecosse, Randolph Crescent, 0131 225 5366, 8–26 Aug (not 13 & 14, 20 & 21), 6pm, £10 (£8). Preview Aug 5, £8.

TOULOUSE-LAUTREC: THE MUSICAL Renowned Japanese performer/songwriter Jun Sawaki presents the European premiere of his one-man show about the French painter whose images of the Moulin Rouge still hang from restaurant walls across the world. While Sawaki has never before performed outside of his native Japan but is well known at home as the original Phantom in the Tokyo version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical. C Aquila, Johnston Terrace 0845 260 1234, 4–29 Aug, 4.10pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50).

FEDERER VS MURRAY TWO JOHNNIES LIVE UPSTAIRS Scotland’s French Institute teams up with Brittany-based company Paroles to create an ‘embassy’ in Randolph Crescent. This play traces the lives of a Breton family whose descendents live in Edinburgh with a mix of comedy, music and performance. The venue will also

Not a recreation of the Australian Open final, rather a new play by the respected Scottish actress Gerda Stevenson, dealing with war in all its aspects, from the conflict in Afghanistan to a sporting rivalry and a private war. Assembly Hall, The Mound, 0131 623 3030, 6–29 Aug (not 15), 12.30pm, £13–£14 (£12–£13).

Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £10.

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THE WIND-UP BIRD CHRONICLE

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

The Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) has been a benchmark for quality and innovation in the performing arts since its inauguration nearly 65 years ago. This year artistic director Jonathan Mills builds his programme around the multi-faceted cultures of the Far East, with opera, dance, theatre and classical music from China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Korea and Vietnam. A particular highlight of the theatre programme is Stephen Earnhart and Greg Pierce’s adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s bestseller, which follows an unassuming everyman on a quest that traverses the boundaries between reality and dreams.

■ King’s Theatre, Leven Street, 0131 473 2000, 20–24 Aug, 7.30pm; 21 Aug, 2.30pm, £10–£30.

{INTERNATIONAL}

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12 August – 4 September

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{INTERNATIONAL} One Thousand and One Nights

TALES OF THE

unexpected

Watching rehearsals in a Moroccan palace, Mark Fisher finds a production of One Thousand and One Nights with a shockingly authentic flavour

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One Thousand and One Nights {INTERNATIONAL}

‘WE’VE CENSORED IT IN THE WEST, IT’S BEEN CENSORED IN THE EAST AND IT’S BEEN DENIED ITS BAYONET PENISES’

t begins in classic once-upon-a-time style. ‘A long, long time ago lived two kings who were brothers,’ goes the opening line of One Thousand and One Nights. ‘The elder, King Shahrayar, ruled India and Indochina. The younger, Shahzaman, ruled Samarkand.’

All these centuries later, it doesn’t take much imagination to picture Shahrayar and Shahzaman standing in the Palais El Mokri. This stately home on the edge of the Fes medina – the city’s old Arab quarter – is every bit the kind of place the kings would have hung out. True, it’s a little dilapidated today, but the cool colonnades and archways, the beautiful tiled floors, the elaborate Islamic designs and the line of fountains in the courtyard are all suggestive of a fairytale medieval court.

Here in the grandest room, with its red stained-glass windows, mosaic wall tiles and a ceiling of golden starbursts, we find a troupe of actors deep in rehearsal.

They are working on a staging of One Thousand and One Nights under the direction of Tim Supple, former artistic director of London’s Young Vic. No ordinary staging, it is a production that brings together over 20 performers from countries including Morocco, Egypt, Syria and Tunisia in an attempt to reclaim the authentic flavour of these ancient stories. The product of years of research and eight weeks of rehearsal, it will be performed in three languages over two nights – or in one marathon six-hour session – as the centrepiece theatre production of the Edinburgh International Festival.

I

Heading into rehearsals, we find actors Mohamed Berikaa Ali and Hajar Garigaa sitting on a carpet in the centre of the room and having a furious row. You may not understand their Arabic tongue, but the intensity is clear. So too is the brutality of the tale. It’s about a newly-wed husband who insists his wife should never look at another man. Madly in love with him, she agrees, but weakens her resolve when a shopkeeper offers her some beautiful material in return for a peck on the cheek. She accepts, but instead of kissing her, the shopkeeper bites a chunk out of her face. As if that wasn’t indignity enough, her husband punishes her with a brutal flogging. This is only after he has been persuaded not to chop her in two and throw her in the Tigris River.

‘There’s got to be something so final, so decisive about that,’ Supple tells Ali about the moment his character resolves to kill his wife. ‘Don’t do it quickly.

Take time to build up the music. Take time to decide.

And then take out the sword.’

It is uncompromising stuff. These stories in their original form are not the anodyne bedtime tales you remember from childhood. They are vicious, sexual, urgent and defiantly adult. ‘What I love about the Nights is its surprising truthfulness,’ says Supple.

‘They’re far more interesting, complex and truthful than we made them in the west in the 19th century.’

The framing story of the two kings is a case in point.

You can imagine the younger brother, Shahzaman, wandering over to the balcony of the rehearsal room and looking down at the courtyard below. There he list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 95

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{INTERNATIONAL} One Thousand and One Nights

would see Shahryar’s wife leading a procession of what he takes to be 20 female slaves, ten black and ten white. Except, in the words of this translation by Hanan Al-Shaykh, ‘Shahzaman nearly cried out in surprise when he realised the ten black slave girls were in fact men, who stood with their penises erect like bayonets, their firm buttocks jutting out as though a cup and saucer might balance on them.’

If anything will upturn your preconceptions of the Middle East being a place of modesty, restraint and demureness, it is this. Only last year, a group of Islamist lawyers in Egypt called for the book to be banned, describing it as a call to ‘vice and sin’. They were unsuccessful, but it shows the power of these folk stories many centuries after they were first set down in print. ‘Very rarely are they pretty stories,’ says Supple over dinner after the 11-hour rehearsal. ‘They’re usually combative and difficult.’

His purpose is not sensationalism for its own sake, but to show us a classic work of literature afresh. ‘My personal pleasure is in the revelation of what I believe to be truly there but buried under cliché, diversion and adaptation,’ he says, tucking into a Moroccan salad. ‘If our presentation of One Thousand and One Nights is provocative, it’s provocative simply because it tries to show what is there rather than join the long list of versions that have hidden what is there. I would never want to provoke for no reason. I yearn to be provocative for a reason and the reason here is to stir and prod people to see what is there and deal with it.

We’ve censored it in the west, it’s been censored in the east and it’s been denied its bayonet penises. It’s been denied the fact that Shahrazad has to fuck the king every night before she tells her stories. It’s been turned into the kind of romantic, exotic fantasies that we grew a taste for in the west.

The provocation is simply to awaken what it is.’

As well as upturning the clichés about One Thousand and One Nights, he wants to confront the prejudices the west has about the region as a whole. The Arab countries are as varied as any others, neither as exotic as the romantics would have us believe nor as repressive as the cynics would have it.

‘There’s a provocation in seeing the direct truth of who these performers are,’ says Supple. ‘I want to cut a straight line through the clichés about the Arab world.

There are some tough truths that make that whole exotic cliché ridiculous. On the other hand, there are clichés about the religious fanaticism – that they can’t act, dance or drink and all the women are in hijab – but you look at the guys and they’re just people living lives.’

Playing the part of King Shahrayar is Assaad Bouab.

He has the unenviable task of finding the humanity in a character whose reaction to his wife’s infidelity is to kill her and her lover with a single sword stroke. After 96 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

that he marries and kills a new virgin every night just so he won’t be cuckolded again.

The French/Moroccan actor says the sanitisation of the stories is not just a European phenomenon: the true version was a revelation to him as well. ‘It was supposed to be something for kids,’ he says, remembering his own childhood encounters with One Thousand and One Nights. ‘I didn’t realise how much we ignored about what it contained. It’s strange how sometimes the world goes back and how free of mind people once were. They would listen to stories about sex, adultery and violence in a free way.’

The only woman who can stop Shahrayar in his tracks is Shahrazad, the vizier’s daughter, played here by Houda Echouafni. To save her own life she tells him a story each night, leaving so many cliff-hangers that he has to keep postponing her death.

‘The commander of the faithful is drinking wine and sleeping with different women – and there is no hint of there being any wrongness in that,’ says Echouafni, who has mixed Egyptian and Moroccan parentage. ‘I found it quite liberating, being an Arab and being a Muslim myself.

Shahrayar is creating a law unto himself and it has nothing to do with religion, which is amazing.’

For Supple, whose equally multinational version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream played Edinburgh in 2007, these tales have a power that goes beyond sex and violence. What he wants to bring out – in a collection of 20 stories which have no trace of our old panto friends Ali Baba and Aladdin, both western additions – is a sense of the deep reasons for the work’s status as a classic.

‘The One Thousand and One Nights as it was in its oldest Arabic texts was a linked piece of work in which one person was telling the story to save her life, and who sets up other narrative frameworks in which other characters try to save their lives,’ he says. ‘You get this constant, labyrinthine movement from frame to frame. It has a unique structural contribution to world art and literature, which was copied by Voltaire, Borges and you could say films like Inception and The Matrix.

‘The stories themselves have deep emotional truths. They are about power, fate, property, money, within what was an emerging social structure.

How do men and women live together? What is the relationship between the ruler and the ruled? What are the relationships within families? I wouldn’t say we have chosen the most true Nights but we have chosen a selection that attempts to be true to the core of the Nights and render it coherent and theatrical.’

One Thousand and One Nights, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay Street, 0131 473 2000. Part 1: 23, 25, 30 Aug, 7pm; Part 2: 24, 26 Aug, 1 Sep, 7pm; Parts 1 & 2: 21, 27, 28, 31 Aug, 2 & 3 Sep, 2pm and 7pm, £10-£36.

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BEST LOVED IN SCOTLAND FOR OVER 30 YEARS

(QMR\ 5HVSRQVLEO\ ZZZ WKHIDPRXVJURXVH FRP

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{INTERNATIONAL} Shen Wei Dance Arts

Rule of three He choreographed the Beijing Olympics’ opening ceremony. Now New Yorkbased Shen Wei has created a dance trilogy that voyages from Tibet to his homeland of China. Kelly Apter explores each of its three parts

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Shen Wei Dance Arts {INTERNATIONAL}

RE – (I) Shen Wei was standing in a record store in New York City when he felt the power of Tibetan spirituality. Despite having made three trips to the region, exploring its temples, it was not until he returned home to America that the music for Re- (i) presented itself. Hearing the chanting of Ani Choying Drolma, a Buddhist nun based in Nepal, on CD had an immediate impact on the choreographer.

‘As soon as I heard it I was so touched by it,’ recalls Shen Wei. ‘These people don’t think like a composer, they just follow their passion.

There’s a natural flow that comes from the heart, and a natural rhythm to the words. For me, it’s the most honest and pure music, and that really moved me.’

With breathing such a fundamental part of both chanting and dancing, Shen Wei set about understanding how Ani Choying Drolma and her fellow chanters used their breath to deliver each sentence. This was then incorporated into the choreography – calling for a little preparation time on the part of the performers.

If you arrive at the theatre early this August, not only will you see the dancers covering the stage with a confetti Mandala (a concentric religious symbol they later destroy with their bodies) but also learning to breathe as one.

‘As the audience comes in, the dancers are trying to co-ordinate their breathing,’ says Shen Wei. ‘And throughout the piece you can see that everybody is really concentrating on their breath. When there is no music, none of the normal cues, they actually feel each other just by breathing together. And once they’re doing that, the movement can be co-ordinated.’

RE – (II) In 2007, a year after Re- (i) premiered, Shen Wei created a companion piece, this time inspired by his visit to Cambodia – or more specifically the temple complex of Angkor Wat. It was here he happened upon a group of disabled musicians, whose bodies had been ravaged by bombs, but whose joyful spirit shone through.

‘Some of the musicians had been blinded or didn’t have legs,’ recalls Shen Wei, ‘but when they played, they forgot how poor they were

and the condition of their bodies. Their music was so beautiful it made you smile – I stayed there for hours just listening to them.’ He also recorded the band and bought their CD (‘so I could always remember that moment’) both of which can be heard during the first half of Re(ii), along with sounds captured in the jungle surrounding Angkor Wat. For the second half, Shen Wei chose a piece of music which has long been in his own personal collection, John Tavener’s Tears of the Angels. ‘I have been a huge fan of John Tavener for a long time,’ he says. ‘His music, and especially the piece I’m using, is so spiritual – it’s romantic and sad at the same time. The second half of Re- (ii) is the spiritual part, the part about feelings where I explore beauty, nature and human life and death, so it worked well with his music.’

RE – (III) In 2009 the final instalment of Re-Triptych was born, ending with a rather sentimental journey for Shen Wei back to his homeland. Re- (iii) is an abstract representation of his travels along the Chinese stretch of the Silk Road, which took him 40 days to complete.

‘I travelled to southern China, with its beautiful mountains and landscapes,’ says Shen Wei, ‘not like Beijing or Shanghai with their skyscrapers. Then I tried to work out how to talk about the China of today, but it’s so complicated. At the same time, I was going back and forth to New York, and thinking about how both western and eastern culture influences life in today’s China and today’s New York – so that was my focal point.’

Having used human voice and traditional folk music in the first two works, Shen Wei wanted to take a different approach with the third. He commissioned Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and fellow New Yorker David Lang to create a piece of electronic music. ‘Each part of the triptych is so independent and different from the others in terms of movement and the statement of the work,’ says Shen Wei. ‘So I wanted David to take the music in a completely different direction, too.’

For Lang, ensuring his composition was unlike those which had gone before was also important. ‘If my piece was coming at the end

of all this really beautiful music, I had to do something that was not going to remind you of that music,’ he says. ‘The Tavener is very beautiful, the folk music is very lovely and powerful – so I really didn’t want to give anyone the opportunity to say, “Well that sounds sort of like the first section, but I liked that first section so much better!”’ Lang may be laughing as he says this, but whether he means it or not, the end result is the same – the music for Re- (iii) could not be more different.

Before he’d created a single note, however, Lang shared ‘many, many cups of coffee’ with Shen Wei, hearing his hopes for the piece and tales from the Silk Road expedition. ‘He talked about that a lot,’ says Lang, ‘and about going back to somewhere he used to know and finding it suffused with this incredible hyperactivity and confusion – but a kind of positive confusion, an energetic mass of people moving at the same time and making things. He wanted to have that in the piece, which helped me build a trajectory for what I was going to do.’

Unlike Re- (i) and (ii), where Shen Wei had to adapt to music already in place, this final piece slowly emerged, both musically and choreographically, as the two men worked together. ‘All the music was present at the very first rehearsal I saw,’ explains Lang. ‘but there’s nothing that made it into the final version that wasn’t changed by what happened in the rehearsal room. It’s like going to a tailor – they bring out a beautiful suit and then say, I’ll pin it here, I’ll take it out there.’

Although Lang worked closely with Shen Wei during the creation of Re- (iii), it wasn’t until he saw it on stage that he fully appreciated what both choreographer and dancers had done with his music. ‘When you’re in rehearsal, you think you know what it is, but you don’t, not until it’s perfectly realised in front of an audience – especially with those amazing dancers,’ he says. ‘I always think it’s like the difference between watching a movie in black and white on television and then seeing it in colour in a movie theatre. You know the plot, you know how it turns out, but you haven’t really seen it. I was very, very happy.’

Re-Triptych, Edinburgh Playhouse, Greenside Place, 0131 473 2000, 1–3 Sep, 7.30pm, £10–£30.

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{INTERNATIONAL} Die Frau ohne Schatten

SPIRITED AWAY Anna Millar looks at the epic journey between worlds promised

by Jonathan Kent’s and Mariinsky Opera’s ambitious staging of Die Frau ohne Schatten o say Jonathan Kent’s EIF opus is ‘a bit’ epic is like saying Edinburgh gets ‘a bit’ busy in August. This summer the Brit director joins forces with Russia’s Mariinsky to stage the little-seen Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman without a Shadow). A cast of over 150 men, women and children will perform one of Richard Strauss’s most sumptuous scores, while Die Frau’s fairytale libretto – penned by long-time Strauss collaborator Hugo von Hofmannsthal – takes the audience on a journey between Earth and the spirit world. A hefty feat, admits Kent, even for a director and company of Kent and Mariinsky’s calibre.

‘We knew it was going to be an undertaking,’ smiles Kent, ‘but I like a challenge and this is a wonderful one.’ It’s not for nothing, he acknowledges, that Die Frau doesn’t often grace the boards, so gargantuan is the production in execution and design, requiring a vast cast and an extraordinary orchestra to truly bring the story to life.

Kent – who gained international acclaim as one of the directors of London’s Almeida Theatre and later worked with the Mariinsky on Elektra in 2007 – had faith that with dynamo conductor Valery Gergiev at the helm he could use the Mariinsky’s scale to drive his artistic vision for the piece. He wasn’t wrong. Following the show’s outing in Russia, Kultura newspaper referred to it as ‘an aesthetic revolution in opera’ and ‘visual spectacle’.

Die Frau tells of an empress who must acquire a shadow – a symbol of

T

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motherhood – or the emperor will be turned to stone. In despair she travels from the spirit world to the world of humans, striking a deal with a dyer’s wife, whose shadow she might receive. As the piece reaches its crescendo the two women, whose lives are now entwined forever, must decide who they really are and whether they can live with the lives they have chosen.

‘It’s a story about the search for identity,’ explains Kent. ‘Both women are striving to find their identities through relationships with their men, and through relation to the motherhood issue.’

As well as masterminding a way in which to show the symbolism, Kent had to co-ordinate the demanding roles with some intense orchestration.

‘With dancers, singers and a children’s chorus to direct it was about making a homogenous whole out of the separate pieces,’ says Kent. ‘It’s a vast, sprawling piece and there’s no doubt it needed the resources of the Mariinsky. It needed their size and vision to really appreciate the savage, visceral music, which is conducted by Valery Gergiev here like nothing else.

‘There were these two worlds: the imagination and the grim reality of the life lived now, so we needed two poles. Because of when it was written [in the early 20th century], you see a lot of Nietzsche in the libretto; there’s references too to Jung’s concept of the shadow – everything that is repressed, we wanted to capture that.’

Visually, the production requires the characters to move freely between Earth and the spirit world, and Kent called in the experts to help. ‘I know the magic that the Mariinksy can create and Jonathan [Kent] has a very filmic approach,’ says video and projection designer, Nina Dunn. ‘The music is fantastically rich, so it was about integrating the projections to help capture a mood or location or story arc.’

Dunn hopes audiences will be surprised and wooed in equal measure. ‘The story has an almost non-operatic, soap opera feel to it, but at the same time it’s about the state of the individual and their personal struggles.’

Dunn, like Kent, is keen to keep schtum on the specifics but promises floods, fires and fantastical journeys from one world to the next.

‘The music, like the story, is both bombastic and deeply sensitive and small, so it was about using the technology effectively, while still staying true to the story of these women.’

Die Frau Ohne Schatten, Festival Theatre, Nicolson Street, 0131 473 2000, 1–3 Sep, 6pm, £16-£72.

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{INTERNATIONAL}

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{INTERNATIONAL} Qatsi trilogy

The EIF’s screening of Godfrey Reggio’s Qatsi trilogy will be accompanied live by the composer Philip Glass.

Neil Cooper looks at the journey of their remarkable collaboration

Sensory

development Stills from Powaqqatsi, Naqoyqatsi (right) and Koyaanisqatsi (top).

Opposite: Philip Glass (left) and Godfrey Reggio.

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Qatsi trilogy {INTERNATIONAL}

ne of the earliest Edinburgh screenings of Koyaanisqatsi, the first of Godfrey Reggio’s remarkable trilogy of films scored by minimalist composer Philip Glass, was in an old porn cinema opposite what is now the Festival Theatre, then a bingo hall. Shown in tandem with Luc Besson’s suitably subterranean The Last Battle, Koyaanisqatsi’s dizzying panorama of aweinspiring landscapes was lent an extra frisson by the venue’s seedy gloom, and by the late-night weekend melée occuring just outside the venue doors. The phrase ‘Life out of balance’, which the Hopi Indian word ‘Koyaanisqatsi’ translates as, seemed highly appropriate.

Now, almost three decades since Koyaanisqatsi’s release, both it and its two sequels, 1988’s Powaqqatsi (Life in transition) and 2002’s Naqoyqatsi (Life as war), are being screened at the Edinburgh International Festival on consecutive nights. To show how far the trilogy’s standing has come since the porn cinema days, all three films will be accompanied live by the Philip Glass Ensemble playing the soundtrack, with Glass himself at the keyboard in, remarkably, the New York-based composer’s EIF debut.

The appearance of both Glass and the Qatsi trilogy mark Festival director Jonathan Mills’ ongoing introduction of more left-field contemporary musical forms. Though laudable, there is room to wonder whether the transition of such an obliquely countercultural body of work from low-level cult status to the establishment acceptance of Edinburgh Playhouse might cause something to be lost in translation.

Speak to the trilogy’s director, however, and Reggio makes clear that his films aren’t as underground as they’re presumed to be.

‘To a person,’ Reggio recalls, ‘everyone on the crew felt the film wouldn’t be seen, and that it would be viewed as an oddity.

Then to mine and everybody else’s surprise we were invited to screen it at the New York Film Festival at the Radio City Music Hall, which holds 5000 people. On opening night at 7.20pm the only person there was the mother of one of the crew, then at 7.45pm the hall was packed, and it played to full houses for the next three weeks.’

In the intervening years, Reggio’s mesmeric visual meditation, which took seven years to complete, has ducked in and out of view, appearing on DVD in 2002 after a decade out of print before being selected for preservation by the United States Library of Congress on the ground of its cultural significance. Koyaanisqatsi’s two sequels are similarly breathtaking in their scope and ambition, and, particularly in the case of Naqoyqatsi, a sense of historical happenstance. During filming, the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre had a profound influence on the film.

The roots of such a remarkable body of work – wordless, panoramic, and with footage slowed down or speeded up to indicate the contradictory rhythms of urban and pastoral environments – date back to the time Reggio spent as a monk with the Roman Catholic Christian Brothers and later as an

O

activist concerned with the use of technology to control behaviour.

‘I had never made a film before,’ Reggio says. ‘I had never been to film school, but the world we lived in was upside down, and with Koyaanisqatsi we wanted to try and give people watching it a feeling for that rather than feed them information. So the film is a baby of naïveté, where we were doing things with the film that we might not have done if we had been to film school. These films get called documentaries, but they’re not really documentaries.

They’re not about meaning. They’re a visceral experience in the way that art films are.’

While the visual poetry of the trilogy is itself a stunning feat, Glass’ score is essential to the overall sensory experience. The composer’s presence, both on the soundtrack and at live events such as the EIF screenings and performances, also undoubtedly helps to boost the box office. If some people had had their way, however, Glass might never have been involved with the project.

‘Nearly everyone to a man was against my choice of Philip Glass,’ says Reggio. ‘He’s an extraordinary composer, and I knew I wanted him from the start, but the crew felt he was a member of the broken needle. They wanted Bach or Beethoven or one of the other old masters. Anything that wasn’t new. But I knew the soundtrack had to be new, so I contacted Glass and I knocked on his door, and he said that he didn’t do film work.

Eventually he agreed to come to a screening of the film, I think just to get me off his back, and he watched the film, and straight afterwards he said, “When do we start?” In the films one medium illustrates the other. It’s a hand-in-glove operation, so the music and the film become at one with each other, and I’m delighted to say that our collaboration is now going into its 34th year.’

Making feature-length art films with the breadth of the Qatsi trilogy, though, even with Glass on board, is something probably even harder sell to Hollywood now than when Reggio set out on his fantastic voyage.

‘These films are an anomaly,’ he admits. ‘No one watched anything from these films until they were finished, because they’re very difficult to explain in advance of making them. You can’t say what a meal’s going to taste like until it’s cooked, and equally you can’t explain what such a collaborative process as making these films is going to result in. So it’s been a very big journey, and I’m very proud of my children.

They make me very happy.’

And so the Qatsi journey goes on, with screenings accompanied live by Glass already seen and heard across the globe, and dates with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and at New York’s Lincoln Centre taking place later this year.

‘These are real events,’ Reggio observes, ‘that are about more than just the films. You don’t just hear the music at these events. You feel it in your solar plexus so you can’t move from it.’

‘THEY’RE NOT ABOUT MEANING. THEY’RE A VISCERAL EXPERIENCE, AS ART FILMS ARE’

All performances at Edinburgh Playhouse, Greenside Place, 0131 473 2000, Koyaanisqatsi: 13 Aug; Powaqqatsi: 14 Aug; Naqoyqatsi: 15 Aug, 8.30pm, £12–£35.

CRITICS’ CORNER Press reactions, good and bad, to Godfrey Reggio’s Qatsi Trilogy

KOYAANISQATSI LIFE OUT OF BALANCE (1982)

‘Koyaanisqatsi, void of performers, dialogue and overt story line, delivers satisfaction on so many levels that it could very well excite mass audiences if promoted properly . . . The film’s score

by Philip Glass is an outstanding achievement in itself. Striking and intense, it has been so well executed that it melds with the visuals perfectly, always enhancing, never detracting or overpowering . . .’

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

POWAQQATSI LIFE IN TRANSFORMATION (1998)

‘A lot of this footage is impressive, as much for Mr Reggio’s enterprising way of finding unusual faces, places and artifacts as his gift for framing these glimpses in interesting ways. But these virtues have as much to do with coffee-table art as with cinema.’

THE NEW YORK TIMES

NAQOYQATSI LIFE AS WAR (2002)

‘At times painful to watch, at times as gentle as an Eskimo kiss, the film slowly softens your resistance to its lack of narrative by means of a non-stop barrage of often surreal imagery accompanied only by composer Philip Glass’s chanting, swirling, droning, pounding score. What it wants to do is not so much make a point, but to leave you drooling into your popcorn from the corner of your mouth.’

THE WASHINGTON POST

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{INTERNATIONAL} Amjad Ali Khan

SPIRITUAL

resonance Amjad Ali Khan, one of India’s greatest musicians, is to play a set of morning ragas on the sarod. He tells David Pollock how each of his improvisations on the stringed instrument is one of a kind he sarod may not be as familiar an instrument to western audiences as the sitar made famous by Ravi Shankar, but virtuoso player Amjad Ali Khan is happy to establish its proper context. ‘Ravi Shankar’s teacher was a sarod player,’ says Khan on the line from his home in New Delhi, ‘and he was also my father’s teacher.’

Both instruments have equal prominence in India, and for Khan the sarod is in his blood – legend has it that one of his ancestors invented it, while he’s passed on the techniques of playing it to his sons Amaan and Ayaan.

‘The sarod is a stringed instrument,’ says Khan, ‘but if you compare it to a sitar, a sitar has frets. Whereas a sarod is plain metal, there are no sign of any notes. So when you press the string you slide your hand, like [sings] “daaaa-aaa-aaa”, and also there are staccato sounds, like [sings] “da-da-da-da-da-da-da”.’

Even just singing the notes, Khan makes them sound mesmerising and hypnotic.

‘It’s a human expression,’ he continues. ‘So when I play the sarod it’s like writing a letter, it’s whatever comes to my mind, and when the concert is over I cannot play identical again. If you record the concert you can hear it again, but every concert is essentially different. It’s so fresh. Some compositions I play for two minutes, some for ten minutes, some maybe for half an hour. It depends on the mood of the concert and the audience.’

These improvisations are informed by a lifetime of playing. Khan’s father and teacher

T

Head-to-head

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AMJAD ALI KHAN RAVI SHANKAR

Age:

65

91

Instrument:

The sarod

The sitar

Origin:

Gwalior, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.

Now lives in New Delhi.

Varanasi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.

Now lives in California.

Awards:

Three Grammys The Padma Vibhushan (India’s and an Academy Award nomination. second highest civilian award) and a Grammy nomination.

Celebrity friends:

Khan has performed for Prince Charles, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

George Harrison; Richard Attenborough; Philip Glass. John and Alice Coltrane named their son Ravi in tribute.

Talented progeny:

His sons Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan both also play sarod and are television celebrities in India.

His daughter Norah Jones is a multi-million selling, Grammyscooping star in her own right.

Playing:

A series of morning ragas at the Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Wed 24 Aug.

A series of evening ragas at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Mon 22 Aug.

was the eminent Indian sarod player Hafiz Ali Khan, and the younger Khan played his first sarod concerto at the age of six. ‘When I was 25 years old, on my birthday,’ he recalls fondly, ‘I played from 9pm until 7 in the morning. Of course, this was in Calcutta.

They’re a very knowledgeable audience there.’ He’s now an international ambassador for the instrument, having played before the United Nations in New York and earned a Grammy nomination in the traditional folk category. He also toured Samaagam, the world’s first sarod concerto, around India alongside the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Here he will be performing a set of morning ragas, to accompany a series of evening ragas played later on by Ravi Shankar. ‘The way you play a certain raga is a convention,’ he says, ‘but one which allows innovation and interpretation. Which is good, because I don’t have much time for convention.’ The way he describes it, it sounds almost spiritual. ‘Yes, music is a spiritual activity. When I’m practising I feel closer to the God almighty.

‘There are only two types of music in the world. One has no words, just vibration, and anyone can appreciate it. The other kind has words and language, and this language creates barriers. So in my music, you might not be able to understand my word of mouth, but you will understand my vibration.’

Amjad Ali Khan, Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 0131 473 2000, 24 Aug, 11am, £8–£29.

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When booking in advance at eastcoast.co.uk * Fares quoted must be booked in advance at eastcoast.co.uk only and no later than 18.00 the day before travel. 56,000 tickets to London released each week, and 12 weeks in advance.

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{INTERNATIONAL} Other highlights

Other highlights THE PEONY PAVILION Tang Xianzu died in the same year as Shakespeare, but whereas the latter’s Romeo and Juliet ends with the death of the young lovers, Xianzu’s The Peony Pavilion is about the eternal love that happens after death. The National Ballet of China, complete with its own orchestra, re-enacts the romance in lavish style. Festival Theatre, Nicolson Street, 13–15 Aug, 7.30pm, £12–£44.

SEMIRAMIDE Rossini’s great opera – over four hours of it – is staged in spectacular style by Vlaamse Opera. British director and designer Nigel Lowery evokes Baghdad during the fall of Saddam Hussein as he tells the story of Queen Semiramide’s tyrannous rule over Babylon, incestuous lover and all. Alberto Zedda conducts. Festival Theatre, Nicolson Street, 25 & 27 Aug, 6pm, £16–£68.

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 Hub, Castlehill, 13 Aug–2 Sep (selected days), 2.30pm, £6.

KING LEAR Taiwanese performer Wu Hsing-kuo takes Shakespeare’s great tragedy about an old king who loses his family and his sanity and uses it as a jumpingoff point for a meditation on his own life as an actor. Doing the whole thing single-handedly, he removes his wig, beard and costume to ask existential questions of himself. Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay Street, 13–16 Aug, 8pm, £10–£30.

CONTINENTAL SHIFTS

Drawing on the traditional Korean music known as pansori, this colourful piece of dance theatre tells the archetypal tale of a baby cast into the sea by her father only to be rescued and to grow up into the one woman who can save him. Choreographer Eun-Me Ahn was also responsible for the opening ceremony of the football world cup in South Korea. Edinburgh Playhouse, Greenside Place, 19–21 Aug, 7.30pm, £10–£30.

The east-west theme of the EIF provides plenty to talk about, hence

Compiled by Mark Fisher

The Indian sitar player was already a major figure when he was championed

by George Harrison and The Beatles in the mid-1960s and he remains, to quote Harrison, the ‘Godfather of world music’. Here he is in meditative mode, performing the evening ragas associated with traditional ceremonies. Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 22 Aug, 8pm, £12–£34.

MELVYN TAN The Queen’s Hall morning concerts can usually be relied on for a few Festival surprises.

Hearing perfectly formed piano music by 18th century Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti alongside Sonatas and Interludes by 20th century American John Cage is likely to be one of them. Choosing a selection from the total of 555 short Scarlatti sonatas originally written for harpsichord, the remarkable Melvyn Tan then makes a seismic shift to an instrument that has been prepared with all sorts of odd bits of ironmongery attached to its insides in pursuit of a whole new percussive sound world. Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, Mon 15 Aug, 11am, £8–£29.

BAMBERG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

PRINCESS BARI RAVI SHANKAR

5 TO TRY: Classical highlights

S

EIF.COEE.U FOR FUL K L DETAILS

Dipping the Usher Hall’s toe into the possibilities offered by late-night concerts, the impressive Bamberg Symphony Orchestra open their mini-residency with a mini-ish arrangement of a big piece. The young Latvian conductor Ainars Rubikis, winner of Bamberg’s Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition last year, directs a dozen of the players and Korean soprano Yeree Suh in Erwin Stein’s stripped back version of Mahler’s Symphony No 4, originally arranged for the strapped-for-cash Viennese Society for Private Musical Performances. For those who prefer the full orchestral sound at conventional times, the orchestra’s main appearances are with Principal Conductor Jonathan Nott. Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 1 Sep, 10.30pm, 2 & 3 Sep, 7.30pm, £12–£42.

PHILADELPHIA WITH CHARLES DUTOIT

THE REVENGE OF PRINCE ZI DAN Those who show up to performances in the Festival’s opera programme know what to expect. Ever since Monteverdi, the template for operatic performance in the west has been pretty much set. In the east, however, the marriage of music, theatre and dance has taken its own course. Audiences will require a healthy dose of readjustment to appreciate the Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe and this Chinese translation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet relocated from Denmark to the fictional Realm of the Red City, complete with acrobatics and martial arts.

■ Festival Theatre, Nicolson Street, 19 & 20 Aug, 8pm; 21 Aug, 3pm, Edinburgh, £10–£35.

106 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

Put one legendary conductor with one legendary orchestra and a new legend may well be made in Edinburgh as Charles Dutoit and the Philadelphia Orchestra bring two explosive programmes to the Usher Hall. As if Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances and Ravel’s heady La Valse weren’t more than enough for one evening, they’re back with more the next night in a concert for which the word blockbuster could have been

invented. It’s passion all the way with Sibelius’ Finlandia, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, the virtuosic solo role taken by Dutch violinist Janine Jansen, and Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique. Not only fantastique but pretty magnifique too. Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 30 Aug, 8pm & 31 Aug, 7.30pm, £12–£42.

SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA WITH ROBIN TICCIATI AND MAGDALENA KOZENA A thrilling combination: the exciting Robin Ticciati conducting his beloved SCO, the National Youth Choir of Scotland with their equally adored chorus master, Christopher Bell, voices to die for Magdalena Kozena and Simon Keenlyside, and an EIF world premiere from Japanese composer Toshio Hosokawa are quite amazingly all cued up for the same evening. Inspired by the Japanese art of flower-arranging, Blossoming is an atmospherically charged reworking for orchestra of an earlier string quartet. It’s the masterpiece that is Duruflé’s Requiem which brings everyone together though in a performance that’s sure to be one of the Festival’s truly outstanding highlights. Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 21 Aug, 7.30pm, £12–£42.

SIMON KEENLYSIDE WITH MALCOLM MARTINEAU The pairing of respected British baritone Simon Keenlyside with accompanist extraordinaire Malcolm Martineau is one that is so much more than singer and pianist.

It is a partnership of deep understanding that unfailingly gets under the skin of the music they perform and heads straight to its heart. Who could forget their completely absorbing Dichterliebe last year as part of the Queen’s Hall morning series? Returning to Edinburgh with German lieder from Mahler, Strauss and Schubert, this time they will appear in the more capacious Usher Hall, where intimacy will be a challenge. But if anyone can draw in their audience no matter what the location, surely this duo can. Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 19 Aug, 7.30pm, £12–£34.

(Carol Main).

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WE LOVE LOUIS Cunningly planned a week earlier in the calendar, this year’s Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival will beat the rush before all those pesky comedians, dramaturgs and choreographic delights descend upon Auld Reekie. This year there’s a focus on Swedish music and young Scottish acts, while the fourth Scottish Jazz Expo brings us the likes of Konrad Wiszniewski, Trio AAB, Martin Kershaw and Mario Caribe. But one of the most effortlessly pleasurable events will be We Love Louis, which has Leroy Jones (pictured) reprising the title role as we all revel in ‘Hello Dolly’, ‘Blueberry Hill’ and ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’. See The List issue 683 (out 20 Jul) for an interview with Jones.

■ Queen's Hall, Clerk Street, 0131 473 2000, 23 Jul, 8.30pm, £25 (£20).

list.co.uk/festival/jazz

22 – 31 July

{JAZZ}

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EDINBURGH JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL

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{JAZZ} Trombone Shorty

SEE

GHJAZZ R U B N I ED IVAL.COM FEST ORE EVENT FOR MDETAILS

‘HE REPRESENTS BOTH THE TRADITIONAL AND PIONEERING MUSICAL SPIRIT OF NEW ORLEANS’

y t r o h S t e G

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Other highlights {JAZZ}

Miles Fielder salutes Trombone Shorty, youthful jazz pioneer and composer, who has also notched up tours with Lenny Kravitz and cameo appearances in an HBO series ooooh! Trombone Shorty! My man!’ This is how the 25year-old jazz musician from New Orleans is greeted by fellow (and fictitious) horn player Antoine Batiste in David Simon’s new HBO television show, Treme. Simon’s followup to his hard-hitting cop show The Wire (Wendell Pierce aka Detective Bunk from the earlier series plays Batiste) deals with how the residents of the city’s titular neighbourhood – the oldest black community in America and a historically rich source of musical talent – pull their lives back together in the wake of the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina. Given Trombone Shorty (real name Troy Andrews) grew up in Treme (pronounced treMAY) and has become one of the most exciting talents of the new generation of jazz musicians to come out of the city since the levees broke, it’s wholly appropriate that Simon should have cast him to play himself in four episodes of the show.

Trombone Shorty represents both the traditional and pioneering musical spirit of New Orleans. His music, made with six-piece Orleans Avenue since 2009, mixes jazz improvisation with hip hop, funk and R&B, while Shorty’s playing style has been likened to both soul (Marvin Gaye is a big influence) and rock (he has covered AC/DC tracks). Shorty’s also got music in his blood. He’s the grandson of old-school rhythm and blues singer Jessie Hill, who performed with Ike and Tina Turner and Sonny and Cher among others. And having grown up in Treme, he was playing trumpet aged three and trombone a year later (Troy’s elder brother James gave him his nickname when he spotted him playing in a brass band parade with an instrument that was twice his size). By the age of six, Shorty had jammed with the legendary Bo Diddley, and during his teens he played in his brother’s band and then on his own on street corners, where he picked up as much as $400 on a good day.

So Shorty was already an experienced player by the time his big break came at the age of 20, when Lenny Kravitz signed him up to his backing band and took the young musician on a tour around the world. The experience taught him a lot about performing, to big crowds in particular. During a break in touring, Katrina hit New Orleans, and Shorty went home to help family and friends. Later, he contributed to the benefit album Sing Me Back Home, and played with U2 and Green Day at the symbolic re-opening of the New Orleans Superdome. In the five years since, Shorty has collaborated with musicians as diverse as Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton, Dr John and Mos Def. It’s arguable, however, (and not least by Shorty himself) that the trombone player’s sound really came together with the formation of Orleans Avenue and, more particularly, with the release of their 2010 album, Backatown (the title is a local term for the part of New Orleans Shorty grew up in). Backatown, which went straight to the number one spot on Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart and stayed there for ten weeks, features original compositions by Shorty, who also sings on the record. It’s a melting pot of the various aforementioned musical styles that do complement one another (in recognition of their eclecticism the band dubbed their studio the Gumbo Room after the famous Cajun stew) and are held together by some pretty intense playing and, of course, that big horn upfront.

Shorty began a six-month world tour promoting Backatown in June. By the time he reaches Scotland he’ll have played all over Europe. After his appearance at Edinburgh’s Jazz and Blues Festival he heads home for the American leg of this massive tour, which takes him all the way into 2012. One can’t help but wonder what other musical influences Trombone Shorty will pick up while working his way back to New Orleans.

‘O

Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 0131 473 2000, 24 Jul, 8pm, £16–£20.

Other highlights JAMES CARTER ORGAN TRIO While bebop is at the core of Carter’s sound, he is no staid classicist, turning his saxophone to high velocity blow-outs and lyrical balladry with equal aplomb.

Dans Paleis, George Square, 23 Jul, 8.30pm, £15.

MAGNUS OSTROM BAND

LEROY JONES BAND Trumpeter Jones came to prominence as Harry Connick Jr’s sidekick in the 1980s, but don’t let that put you off; this is classic New Orleans jazz performed with skill. The Spiegeltent, George Square, 22 Jul, 9pm, £15.

DJANGO A LA CREOLE WITH EVAN CHRISTOPHER

Esbjörn Svensson Trio were hailed by many as the future of jazz; others found their blend of tasteful electronica and bloodless post-rock somewhat insipid.

Following Svensson’s tragic death, drummer Ostrom carries the flame with his new project. The Hub, Castlehill, 24 Jul, 8.30pm, £20.

New Orleans clarinettist Christopher takes on the gypsy swing of Django Reinhardt’s Hot Club, updating the sound with creole, Latin and blues elements. The Hub, Castlehill, 27 Jul, 8.30pm, £15.

JACOB KARLZON TRIO

Django’s legacy is also celebrated by guitarists Fappy Lafertin and Lollo Meier and violinist Tcha Limberger, performing together in Edinburgh for the first time. The Spiegeltent, George Square, 23 Jul, 7pm, £15.

Immaculate Swedish piano jazz, drawing on folk melodies and the European classical tradition. Classy stuff. The Hub, Castlehill, 23 Jul, 6pm, £12.50.

FREDRIK KRONKVIST QUARTET Billed as a contemporary twist on Blue Note, Kronkvist’s light, polished bop should be enjoyable. Scottish support act Bink also sound intriguing, citing Ornette Coleman and Deerhoof as their influences. The Bosco Theatre, George Square, 8pm, £10.

LAFERTIN, MEIER, LIMBERGER QUINTET

MARIO CARIBE JAZZ BOSSA A key player in the Scottish jazz scene, bass virtuoso Caribe returns to his Brazilian roots with this bossa novainspired show, featuring pianist Paul Harrison and singer Miriam Aida. The Hub, Castlehill, 23 Jul, 8.30pm, £15.

COURTNEY PINE EUROPA

TOMMY SMITH KARMA

Switching to bass clarinet for this latest project, Pine traces a journey through Europe’s musical heritage. His vision encompasses Spanish folk, Mendelssohn, Chopin and Gregorian chants. Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 22 Jul, 8.30pm, £22.50 (£17.50).

Scotland’s leading saxophonist’s KARMA project encompasses brooding Celtic ballads and upbeat Arabesques. The Bosco Theatre, George Square, 26 Jul, £15.

Compiled by Stewart Smith.

HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE A high energy blend of New Orleans horns and live hip hop beats, this Chicago nine-piece return to raise the Spiegeltent from its moorings. Barack Obama, Jay-Z and David Byrne are among the fans of this exciting block party brass band, and Damon Albarn has had them support Blur and play on the latest Gorillaz album.

Dancing shoes mandatory.

■ The Spiegeltent, George Square, 26 & 27 Jul, 9pm, £16.

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of politics

2011 Renewing Politics in the Age of New Media Saturday 20 to Saturday 27 August

Get involved

Full programme available at www.festivalofpolitics.org.uk

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{POLITICS}

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DAVID GREIG The Festival of Politics may be one of the junior members of the August fraternity, but it just keeps coming of age. An array of events, speakers and themes are on the agenda this year with technology and the upheavals across north Africa and the Middle East attracting much attention.

Closer to home, a panel discussion will take place about Scottish culture, its heritage and who actually owns it. Among the panellists will be acclaimed playwright David Greig, whose National Theatre of Scotland work, Dunsinane, (pictured) got the blood stirring earlier this year.

■ Scottish Parliament, Holyrood Road, 0131 473 2000, 25 Aug, 10.30am, free.

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Brian Donaldson speaks to South African photographer Jodi Bieber, the overall winner of this year’s World Press Photo. Her picture of a mutilated young Afghan woman has become a symbol of our tormented times

ibi Aisha was 18 when the Taliban out where you’re going to photograph her came calling for her just before and how you’ll do it. So you have all these midnight. Forced into a mountain other things going on.’ clearing in the southern Afghan province of Despite Bieber’s long experience (this is Uruzgan, she was put on trial and convicted her tenth World Press Photo prize and the by a local commander. Her crime: fleeing first as overall winner), a very strict process from a violent husband and taking refuge in had to be undertaken before her work would her family home. The punishment: she was be published in the magazine. ‘I quite strictly held down while Aisha’s husband took a edit, and then sent them what I was happy knife and cut off her ears and nose. Left for with of each woman,’ she recalls. ‘They were dead on the mountainside, she was found by stunned by the photo of Aisha and there aid workers and eventually given shelter in a followed about a week of talking and making women’s refuge centre in Kabul before sure Aisha would be alright. They questioned finally leaving for the US, where she is due me about what happened in the room and to receive reconstructive surgery. how I got the picture, making sure that I was Her horrific story was part of Aryn Baker’s within the boundaries and hadn’t been an TIME report on the plight of Afghan women abusive photographer.’

Aisha is now living in New York, making in 2010, which included Fawzia Koofi, the former deputy speaker of the Afghan jewellery, visiting an imam once a week, learning to speak parliament, Olympic English and hopping athlete Robina onto the internet now Muqimyar Jalalai, and again. But the and Mozhdah life of the woman Jamalzadah, a TV who took that stark personality dubbed image has also ‘part Oprah, part changed out of all Hannah Montana’. recognition. ‘I don’t But it was Aisha’s often get covers or tale and the work with TIME,’ subsequent cover says Bieber. ‘I was image taken by Jodi taken aback more by Bieber which the response. The captured global moment it was headlines and earned published, Aisha’s the South African While shocked at Aisha’s ordeal, Jodi Bieber had life changed and so photographer the to steady herself to do a professional job for TIME did mine. Suddenly I overall World Press was in front of the Photo prize.

As the WPP jury chairman David Burnett camera and not behind it. And there was a lot said: ‘This could become one of those of discussion around the picture and many pictures – and we have maybe just ten in our different points of view. I was doing lots of lifetime – where if somebody says “you interviews on television shows where you’re know, that picture of a girl . . . ”, you know not exactly speaking about shutter speed or the light.’ exactly which one they’re talking about.’

Bieber is a globetrotting photographer who Aidan Sullivan, also on the jury, added: ‘Part of what the World Press Photo contest in between the WPP and our phone interview does is to take pictures to a wider audience, had assignments in Shoreditch and Moscow, an audience that is going to ask why? And and has seen action in India and the Middle this photo makes people ask: “What on East. ‘I’m a naturally very cautious person Earth? What’s going on? What has and weigh things up. The biggest danger I’ve happened?” For me, this was the picture that experienced came when I did a favour for a magazine that gives me very wonderful asked the most important questions.’

As for Bieber herself, while staggered at assignments and they asked if I would the disfigurement of Aisha, she had to steel photograph a restaurant. And I was attacked herself to get in there and do a professional outside, so you can never really say when job. ‘I was shocked, as it’s not every day that something like that can happen. I was never you meet someone who’s had their nose and attacked when I photographed gangsters or ears cut off. But with Aisha, her hair was while in Iraq or Iran. Things don’t always beautiful and I really just spoke to her like happen the way you assume they will.’ another person. I asked if she was excited about going to America and things like that. I World Press Photo, Scottish Parliament, just treat people as honestly as I can, and Holyrood Road, 0131 473 2000, 6–27 Aug, also it’s a work situation; you have to find free.

B

PICTURE THIS Brian Donaldson looks at five more of this year’s World Press Photo winners

RICCARDO VENTURI This winning photo in the General News section features a girl looking on as Portau-Prince burns six days after Haiti was struck by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

OLIVIER LABAN-MATTEI Another winner in the General News category features a more graphic version of events after the earthquake in Port-au-Prince as a man throws a dead body into a hospital morgue.

MIKE HUTCHINGS The winning image in the Sports section captures the moment when Holland’s Demy de Zeeuw is accidentally kicked in the face by his Uruguayan opponent during the World Cup Semi Final in Cape Town.

FEISAL OMAR In this winner of the Daily Life section, a man carries a shark through the streets of Mogadishu after some heavy shelling in the Somali capital as part of the conflict between Islamist militants and pro-government troops.

THOMAS P PESCHAK A Cape gannet comes in to land during the summer nesting season in this Nature section winner. Malgas Island, off the west coast of South Africa, is an important seabird breeding ground. list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 113

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{POLITICS} Twitter

NETGAINS

When it comes to breaking major news stories, traditional media have been outwitted by social networking sites. Julian Hall asks the Twitterati about the inevitable backlash Illustration: Daniella Zelli

here were you when unrest broke out in Iran before the 2009 presidential elections or when the Cairo protests against Hosni Mubarak were going on or even when the first of many Ryan Giggs stories began to leak? You were probably in front of Twitter, the place where these stories played themselves out in a manner that rolling TV news could only follow.

A few years ago there was a chance that older generations might not have heard much about Twitter and a slightly younger generation could scoff that it was the site to visit if you wanted to know who was having a cup of tea where.

Times have changed – and quickly – and this year’s Festival of Politics is holding its very own social networking summit comprising three sessions that will explore the impact of Twitter in disseminating and understanding key news stories.

Raising awareness of human rights is one of the main areas to be explored. Chairman of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, Professor Alan Miller, will lead a session entitled ‘Making Human Rights Real’ and sets the scene in advance. ‘We’ve seen so much upheaval in Africa and the Middle East in the past few months, and human rights concerns are at the centre of demands for change. Sadly, abuses have also been a major part of the narrative of the “Arab Spring”. Social media is exciting and dynamic, but it also raises other questions about freedom of expression. In the UK the law hasn’t caught up with the rapid development of social media, and as we’ve seen with super-injunctions, information-sharing can raise serious legal issues.’

Fellow panellist, the author, journalist and activist Ahdaf Soueif is, perhaps, less cautious about the opening of fresh news channels, and views the rise of every form of communication as a positive step. ‘Traditional media such as newspapers and TV news broadcasting continue to be important,’ she maintains. ‘Nothing is static. In Egypt’s case, people are constantly moving between e-communication and communication-in-the-flesh. We saw that in the revolution. I saw it in June in the first meeting to be held by a community of tweeters. They opened it to the public, but the rules were tweet rules. It was brilliant.’

Meanwhile, the impact of Twitter on the domestic scene will be dissected by Dr Andy Williamson, director of the digital democracy programme of the Hansard Society in a session

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on social media and Scottish politics called ‘Has Twitter Changed the World?’. Williamson believes that social media ‘creates the potential for meaningful two-way conversations with our elected representatives, which is what the public wants’, but warns that ‘the news media has been very slow to understand social media and too focused on the negative. This is improving but journalists still place too much emphasis on the tools they value, particularly Twitter, demonstrating poorer understanding of other tools, such as Facebook’.

The inevitable backlash against Twitter has arrived because of less positive news stories concerning hoaxes, abuse and bullying, while there is a significant body of people who share the negative views of documentary-maker Adam Curtis, who recently dubbed Twitter a ‘selfaggrandising, smug pressure group’, which promoted a ‘narrow non-social view of the world’.

Notwithstanding these concerns and the traditional media’s struggle to get to grips with the new forms of communication, everyone would agree that Twitter and other outlets are now an integral part of the social and political landscape. ‘The internet is the tool of choice in many parts of our lives,’ notes Williamson. ‘We use it to make friends, communicate, shop and follow the news, so it makes sense that we turn to the internet when we want to engage in political activity. The internet didn’t cause a revolution – years of corruption and repression did that – but what it did do was connect people up quickly and effectively. It is a powerful tool for building informal networks and for communicating.’

‘THE INTERNET IS THE TOOL OF CHOICE IN MANY PARTS OF OUR LIVES’

Has Twitter Changed the World?, Thu 25 Aug, 1.30pm, free; The Only Way is . . .

Twitter?, Sat 27 Aug, 4.30pm, £6 (£3.50); Making Human Rights Real: The Impact and Influence of Social Media, Sat 27 Aug, 5pm, free. All events at Scottish Parliament, Holyrood Road, 0131 473 2000.

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Other highlights {POLITICS}

Other highlights

pledged to exploit natural resources without harming this precious environment. The debate is chaired by renowned broadcaster Lesley Riddoch.

26 Aug, 1.30pm, free.

what is the potential impact on the wider world? BBC correspondent Allan Little will be joined by independent film-maker Omar Hamilton to chew the fat on this meaty topic. 27 Aug, 11am, £6 (£3.50).

HAS THE TIME COME FOR QUOTAS TO ACHIEVE GENDER BALANCE IN OUR PARLIAMENT?

IS SCOTTISH EDUCATION INSPIRING OUR PUPILS TO REACH FOR THE SPORTING CHALLENGES?

SCOTLANDS OF THE IMAGINATION: HOW WE CREATE OUR OWN FUTURE

Of our 129 MSPs, only 45 are women.

Nan Sloane, director of the Centre for Women & Democracy and Sarah Boyack MSP will be among those debating the ‘q’ word. 25 Aug, 11am, free.

With the Olympic and Commonwealth games on the horizon, the issues of sport in our schools and the wellbeing of our young people are becoming discussion points. Frank Dick OBE, the former coach of Boris Becker and Daley Thompson, and former Scottish international rugby player John Beattie join the debate. 26 Aug, 4pm, £6 (£3.50).

NIGHTHAWKS A touch of drama comes to the FoP from Blueprint, the new community company from Wave Theatre. Following the death of her father, Amelia is forced to question her place at the heart of the community and of her family. 25 Aug, 12.30pm, £6 (£3.50).

THE MEDIA AT A TIME OF CRISIS: PART OF THE PROBLEM OR PART OF THE SOLUTION? What has the role of the mass media been in the transitions from authoritarian political systems before 1989? Bernard Margueritte is president of the International Communications Forum and chats here with Magnus Linklater.

25 Aug, 2pm, free.

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE MUSEUM: V&A AT DUNDEE

S

How does the work of Scotland’s playwrights, poets, novelists and illustrators make us think about our country and the direction we’d like to see it go in? Journalist and broadcaster Iain Macwhirter chairs this discussion. 27 Aug, 2.30pm, free.

FESTIVEAE POLITIC LOF FOR MOS.ORG INFO RE

BURNSONG POLITICAL SONGHOUSE Burnsong provides time and space for some of Scotland’s most talented songwriters to collaborate and create new work. Tonight, Burnsong presents an evening of recently commissioned songs of conscience, protest and concern. 26 Aug, 6.30pm, £6 (£3.50).

WHERE NEXT FOR THE ARAB SPRING The Middle East and North African regions are going through dramatic changes, but what happens next and

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE WAR PHOTOGRAPHER? Allan Little takes the chair once more, as we re-examine the role of the war photographer in documenting presentday conflicts. 27 Aug, 5.30pm, free.

RODDY HART AND THE LONESOME FIRE The popular Glaswegian has collaborated with Ray Davies, Glen Campbell and Ray LaMontagne and tonight performs an intimate acoustic set with his band. 27 Aug, 6.30pm, £12 (£9).

All events at Scottish Parliament, Holyrood Road, 0131 473 2000; Compiled by Brian Donaldson

Due to open in 2014, the Victoria and Albert Museum in Dundee is one of the most internationally significant architectural projects in a generation. A panel of architects, curators and critics discuss the inspiration and vision for the building. 25 Aug, 4pm, free.

AN EVENING WITH MIDGE URE Live Aid founder and songwriter Midge Ure visits the Parliament for an intimate solo performance. The Ultravox frontman performs work from his back catalogue of hits in an evening of song and conversation. ‘Oh Vienna’ etc. 25 Aug, 6.30pm, £20 (£17.50).

IN CONVERSATION WITH RICHARD HOLLOWAY Richard Holloway is a Scottish writer, broadcaster and former Bishop of Edinburgh who is regarded as one of the most outspoken and controversial figures in the Church. Anthony Finn, the General Teaching Council’s chief executive, chats to him. 25 Aug, 6.30pm, free.

IS THE FAR NORTH SAFE IN NORDIC HANDS? From top: Sarah Boyack, Roddy Hart, Midge Ure, Richard Holloway.

The Arctic region contains a high proportion of the world’s fish stocks and has huge untapped supplies of oil and gas. The Norwegian government has

PROTEST SONGS? WHO CARES? In an age of manufactured ‘talent’ contests, technology overload and the return of Tory rule, you might think that the protest song would be on the cusp of a glorious return. But where is the new ‘War’, ‘Fight the Power’ or ‘Strange Fruit’ (sung by Billie Holiday, pictured)? Has the political song had its day? Burnsong creative director Ronnie Gurr chairs a discussion featuring Midge Ure, author of 33 Revolutions Per Minute Dorian Lynskey, and MSP Lloyd Quinan, to discuss the past, present and future of the form.

■ 25 Aug, 1.30pm, free.

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{TATTOO} Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

FO AT MORE IN

OO T T A T N I ED O.UK .C

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Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo {TATTOO}

Tattoo artists Bagpipers on bikes? Whatever next? Lauren Mayberry takes a look at the acts performing at this year’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

ave you ever wondered if you are a ‘Bad Scot’? If soor plooms, Mel Gibson’s take on William Wallace, dodgy recitals of Burns’ poems and other things associated with stereotypical Jock culture make you recoil like a moggie from a festering puddle, you are not alone (except for the soor plooms part. No one hates soor plooms). But still, certain national spectacles are undeniably worth a look in. Case in point: the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The massive annual outdoor spectacle put on by the British armed forces and Commonwealth and international military bands and display teams returns to Edinburgh Castle this August, showcasing culture from Scotland and around the globe.

‘12.3 million people have seen the show live since it began and 20,000 people turn out for it each year,’ says Tattoo chief executive and producer, Brigadier David Allfrey. ‘The cast ranges from 800 to 1000 people. It is set against an incredible backdrop – it’s a rare and incomparable occasion.’

2011 marks the 61st year of the Tattoo, a show which has been a sell-out for the past decade. ‘We get all sorts of acts from all over the world: Australia, Europe, the Americas, Africa. We will have Royal Navy gun teams and the lone piper, as ever, combined with a number of new features,’ explains Allfrey.

Mixing in to this year’s international flavour are groups like the South African Navy Band

H

– multi-talented musicians who use unique instruments made from kudu horn (that’s water buffalo to you and me). The Netherlands’ celebrated Bicycle Band, or Fanfarekorps Koninklijke Landmacht Bereden Wapens, will also be donning historic World War I uniforms and hopping on pushbikes to add an extra visual element to the show. ‘They are quite outstanding,’ Allfrey says. ‘I don’t want to give away too much all at once but let’s just say it is clear how talented they are as musicians and cyclists . . .’

It could also be argued that, in these tense times, it is important for us regular plebs to see servicemen and women in a different light, free from cries about cuts and coalitions. The pipers and drummers who crowds gather for outside the castle are not professional musicians but serve in the armed forces. Many have been on tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and other controversial conflicts.

‘The musicians are drawn from the army, navy and airforce of Britain and her allies but the dancers, backstage workers and other people behind the scenes are all civilians,’ Allfrey explains. ‘It’s a good blend because, without everyone coming together, the Tattoo wouldn’t be possible, or anywhere near as successful. It’s always important for

the armed forces to have the consent and support of the population they work for.’

To add an additional string to its 2011 bow, the Tattoo is again offering some traditional dance with an interpretive twist under the watchful eye of Highland dance director, Billy Forsyth. ‘There will be approximately 60 dancers this year, focusing on the Royal Marine theme,’ explains Forsyth, twice winner of the World Highland Dancing Championship and dance chieftain at the Tattoo for the past 20 years.

‘At the time I was approached, there wasn’t any Highland dancing in the Tattoo. There is a misconception among some Scots that the Tattoo is something which just gets repeated year after year, churning out the same old things, but there is a lot of scope for trying new things and being creative with a traditional idea,’ Forsyth says.

For anyone still unconvinced, there are new, comfier seats to rest one’s posterior on this year, so there is really nothing left to complain about.

Do say: ‘You bring the blanket; I’ll bring the soor plooms.’ Don’t say: ‘Can you turn it down a little?’

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Edinburgh Castle, 0131 225 1188, 5 Aug, 8.30pm, 6–27 Aug, Mon–Fri 9pm, Sat 7.30pm & 10.30pm, no show Sun, £23–£58.

{TATTOO} FACT FILE

1

The Edinburgh Tattoo first took place in 1950. It was first shown on colour television in 1968.

2

The word ‘tattoo’ comes from the old Dutch phrase ‘doe den tap toe’, meaning ‘turn off the taps’, which was a call used at closing time in 17th century bars. The stationed British army adopted the practice and it became a signal, played by a regiment’s drum corps each night, that tavern owners should stop serving sweet ales so that the soldiers would return to barracks.

3

The Tattoo has never been cancelled and has always been staged outdoors at Edinburgh Castle.

Take that, you soggy Scottish summertime, you.

6

100 million people watch the Tattoo coverage on telly each year, 70% of whom are from outside bonnie Scotland.

4

7

5

8

Over 40 nations have been represented at the Tattoo over the years.

The ‘Royal’ part of the Tattoo’s title was added by the Queen last year, in honour of the Diamond Jubilee and to celebrate 60 years of the Tattoo’s existence.

Dame Elizabeth Taylor’s fourth husband, Hollywood film producer Mike Todd, made a documentary about the Edinburgh Tattoo in the 1950s.

Around 35 miles of cabling – the distance from Glasgow to Edinburgh – is required to power the Tattoo each year.

9

The Tattoo is a charitable organisation, donating proceeds to servicemen’s charities such as the Army Benevolent Fund and arts organisations like Edinburgh International Festival.

10

In 2009, Sir Sean Connery did the voice-over for an advert promoting the DVD highlights of that year’s Tattoo. Fitting, given the former James Bond and/or silver fox famously sports a ‘Scotland Forever’ tattoo on his arm.

(Lauren Mayberry)

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SPOON Whether you want to eat, drink, go clubbing, lounge around in old-school hangouts or splash out in stylish emporiums, Edinburgh will happily cater to your every whim. In the pages to come, we cherry-pick the must-visit city highlights. A gem amidst Edinburgh’s many eateries, Spoon (pictured) sprawls like a loft apartment, fancifully furnished and decorated in a joyful jamboree of kitsch. The classic British cooking is calculatedly retro, beautifully served and delightfully tasty to boot. See full review inside.

■ 6a Nicolson Street, 0131 557 4567, spooncafebistro.co.uk

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{CITY GUIDE} Areas: Old Town

The

Grain Store Hitlisted

Scottish Restaurant

2011/12

“Apart from the food, the atmosphere, the service and the approachable flexibility of the menu, the other commendable thing about David Bann is that his prices represent good value. ” Joanna Blythman, The Herald

NOW CELEBRATING OUR 21ST YEAR

56-58 St Mary’s Street, Edinburgh (off The Royal Mile and The Cowgate) www.davidbann.com

0131 556 5888

30 Victoria Street (1st Floor), Old Town, Edinburgh Tel: 0131 225 7635 www.grainstore-restaurant.co.uk

FESTIVAL FIREWORKS CELEBRATE THE LAST NIGHT OF THE FESTIVAL IN STYLE AT THE FORTH FLOOR SUNDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2011 8PM – 12 MIDNIGHT Watch the most spectacular fireworks display of the year from the Forth Floor boasting one of the best views in town. Enjoy live music, canapés and Harvey Nichols own label wine. £55 per person For further details or to make a reservation, please contact the Forth Floor Reception team on 0131 524 8350 or visit www.harveynichols.com

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Eating and Drinking Open 7 Days from 11am

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Areas: Old Town {CITY GUIDE}

{AREAS} OLD TOWN Key venues: (1) Assembly @ Assembly Hall (2) The Hub (3) C aquila (4) Dance Base – National Centre for Dance (5) Scottish Storytelling Centre (6) Underbelly, Cowgate (7) Fringe Club (8) C (9) National Museum of Scotland (10) Festival Theatre With its maze of alleyways, wynds and secret stairways, the Old Town is the ideal spot to get lost for an afternoon.

It’s also the centre point for most Festival activities – the Fringe box office is located on the Royal Mile (so-called

because it’s bookended by the Castle and Holyrood Palace), while the International Festival hub is located at, well, the Hub, a converted church building off the Castle Esplanade. The Esplanade is also where you’ll find Royal Military Tattoo performances taking place nightly. At the opposite end of the Mile, the expansive (and, when built, expensive) Enric Miralles-designed Scottish Parliament building sits opposite Holyrood Palace, and is home to the Festival of Politics; it’s also just a fine building to take a tour around. The

as The Last Drop, do so with a touch of gallows humour regarding the area’s morbid past. The street is also the centre of the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, with stages set up for sunny outdoor afternoon performances. If you’re there for the shopping, textile salesroom Anta, woollen workshop Bill Baber, millinery boutique Fabhatrix, music haven Avalanche and arts & crafts store Helios Fountain are a handful of highlights. Retro clothing can be purchased from the Barnardos Vintage and Armstrong’s shops, and the frequent outdoor GrassMarkets keep up the neighbourhood’s trading heritage.

Heading east out of the Grassmarket, there’s a fork in the road: you can either venture up Candlemaker Row to check out Analogue Books, indie design shop Hannnah Zakari and Greyfriars Kirkyard, home of the famous Bobby; or, alternatively, progress down the Cowgate, the city’s clubbing hotspot. As well as Sneaky Pete’s and Cabaret Voltaire, two of Edinburgh’s finest latenight establishments, you’ll find the Underbelly: a cluster of Fringe venues nestled into the catacomb-like alcoves under George IV Bridge. Farther down the road, The Caves offers a similar labyrinth of performance spaces under South Bridge, opposite raucous live music bar Bannerman’s, while the newly opened BrewDog bar offers a fine and fashionable locale to imbibe some of the microbrewery’s famous ‘beer for punks’ (their mantra).

Mile’s also where you’ll find heaps of street performers entertaining the Fringe masses, and a ton of great pubs and restaurants. Food-wise, we’d recommend the elegant eatery Wedgwood; for drinks, treat yourself to a pub with a literary/historical flourish and enjoy a dram at Deacon Brodie’s, whose real-life namesake was a lawyer by day and a robber by night, and provided some inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Journey off the Mile and down the gaudily-painted crescent of Victoria Street – where you’ll find a host of hip independent shops including Totty Rocks, Walker Slater and the Red Door Gallery – and you’ll arrive at the Grassmarket. Historically a place of haggling merchants and grisly public execution, it’s now a leafy boulevard with a cluster of bars and restaurants vying for attention – certain pubs, such

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Martin Wishart’s new brasserie, The Honours, has just opened up on North Castle Street.

Down the hill from the New Town, Stockbridge is so far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life that it feels almost pastoral. Well-stocked charity shops share elbow room with independent art and jewellery boutiques, while the Stockbridge Tap, St Vincent and Hector’s deal with the neighbourhood’s pub-related requirements. For food, IJ Mellis is a gloriously whiffy cheesemonger (just follow your nose), while Patisserie Madeleine, A Room in the Town and Urban Angel are firm foodie favourites with locals and visitors.

Running through Stockbridge is the Water of Leith – if you find yourself free of an afternoon, we heartily recommend taking a stroll along towards the cobbled streets of the Dean Village. From there, it’s just a short climb up to the twin modern art galleries: the Dean Gallery (with its large collection of Dada and Surrealist art) and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, which holds an extensive collection of post-war and modern Scottish art. Both galleries are surrounded by lush parkland and filled with sculptures.

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Key venues: (1) The Traverse @ St Stephen’s (2) Charlotte Square Gardens (3) Hill St Theatre (4) National Gallery Complex (5) The Stand Edinburgh is Jekyll & Hyde author Robert Louis Stevenson’s hometown, but the connection between the city and the story goes deeper than that: Edinburgh itself was a template for the infamous character(s). A world away from the Old Town’s dark, Hyde-like closes and alleyways, we have the stately, clean-cut Jekyllian New Town.

The view from the (incongruously Gothic) Scott Monument on Princes St says it all: on one side, the National Gallery presides over the Mound precinct, while, sitting atop Calton Hill in the other direction, is the National Monument – both buildings bustling with columns and Parthenon-like decoration, in keeping with much of the New Town’s architecture. The rolling leafy lawns of Princes St Gardens contribute to this classy aspect.

Running parallel to the busy shopping stretch of Princes Street are Rose Street – a mile of bustling pubs and restaurants – and George Street. At either end you’ll find a grassy lawn to relax on: the Charlotte Square Gardens in the west are home to the International Book Festival, while St Andrew Square leads neatly onto designer-heavy Multrees Walk – fans of Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein and Harvey Nichols should head here. Food and drink-wise, Bramble and Star Bar provide sufficiently trendy-yet-lessstyle-obsessed watering holes as an alternative to the George Street swankeries, while Michelin-starred chef

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{CITY GUIDE} Areas: New Town & Stockbridge

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Areas: Southside {CITY GUIDE}

SOUTHSIDE Key venues: (1) The Cameo Cinema (2) King’s Theatre (3) Meadows Theatre Big Top (4) Summerhall (5) The Queen’s Hall (6) Assembly @ George Square (7) Gilded Balloon Teviot (8) Udderbelly’s Pasture (9) Pleasance Dome (10) Zoo Roxy (11) Pleasance Courtyard Roughly demarcated as anything south of the Grassmarket, the Southside covers a lot of ground. On the west side, the King’s Theatre and perennially cool Cameo Cinema lure in the entertainment-seeking punters, who should stick around the area to sample the delights of some great bars (Bennets, Hyde Out and Brauhaus especially) and indie shops such as recently-opened designer haven Technicolour. Those who venture farther south will discover the joys of Bruntsfield and Marchmont, which teem with trendy pubs, eco-friendly food shops and charming cafés.

Moving east, you’ll find the great green expanse of the Meadows. It’s packed during Festival time due to the presence of a few big-top, circus-style venues, as well as numerous circus-style jugglers and performers.

‘PLENTIFUL ALADDIN’S CAVE-TYPE SHOPS’

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To the south, this vast grassy parkland borders the central buildings of the University of Edinburgh, which are ranged around Bristo Square. During Festival time, this area gets taken over by several Underbelly stages – keep an eye out for the big purple cow to get your bearings.

Stretching the length of the University grounds and the Meadows is a long drag known variously as South Bridge, Nicolson Street and Clerk Street. The road boasts plentiful thrift stores and Aladdin’s cave-type shops such as Le Chariot Express, The Nomad’s Tent, Now and Then and Steptoe’s. Hogs Head Music is a good shout for secondhand music and DVDs, and it’s conveniently close to both the Queen’s Hall, a popular International Festival venue, and Reverie, one of the cosiest and best bars in the city. Other places of note that are either on or in close proximity to the main street include fantastic Malaysian restaurant Kampong Ah Lee, the sun-trap courtyard of the Pear Tree Inn, EIF venue the Festival Theatre, bar-meetsbackroom cinema Brass Monkey and the wonderful Mosque Kitchen.

Last but certainly not least, occupying the eastern edge of the city centre almost to itself (well, apart from the fantastic Holyrood 9A bar just down the road) is the Pleasance Courtyard, gathered round a cobbled plaza.

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{CITY GUIDE} Areas: West End

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St George’s West (2) HMV Picture House, Royal Lyceum, Traverse Theatre, Usher Hall (3) Ghillie Dhu Edinburgh’s theatrical hub, while expanded during the Festival period, is still centred just off Lothian Road, where the Traverse and Lyceum theatres sit practically side-by-side, separated only by the imposing bulk of newly renovated classical concert venue The Usher Hall.

The Filmhouse cinema is located just a stone’s throw up the road (with a more mainstream Odeon multiplex a few doors up), while the same distance in the other direction will take you to the HMV Picture House, a grand mid-range concert venue for touring rock and pop acts. Those who are looking for the smaller, sweatier side of live music should visit Henry’s Cellar Bar, again within walking distance, on Morrison Street.

Elsewhere around Lothian Road, there’s a range of places to hang out and grab a bite to eat or something to drink. Establishments at the bottom end, such as Henry J Bean’s and Ryan’s Bar, tend to get swamped with post-work office employees, although the Ghillie Dhu restaurant and ceilidh bar (which is transformed into a Fringe venue throughout the Festival) is a onestop entertainment shop. Farther south, Lebowski’s on Morrison Street, the Blue Blazer on Bread Street and the Traverse’s own bar generally have a friendly atmosphere and some modicum of character, while the Two Thin Laddies at the end of the road offers dependable lunchtime fare.

There’s a wide world of food available as well, from Japanese restaurants Izzi and No. 1 Sushi Bar, to Italian at Lazio,

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‘THERE ARE A RANGE OF PLACES TO GRAB A BITE TO EAT’ to the delectable Indian dishes on offer at Ghandi’s and Club India; Mexican restaurant Illegal Jack’s has its fair share of fans too. Visitors in town looking to sample some Scottish cuisine should visit First Coast – the food on offer there is well worth braving the journey through the salubrious ‘pubic triangle’, a collection of strip bars and erotic shops at the end of Bread Street.

There’s more local food on offer at the Farmer’s Market, held every Saturday against the impressive craggy backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

In terms of shopping, the main draw on Lothian Road for boys of all ages is Wonderland – a toy and model shop spread across two adjoining stores.

There are a couple of excellent oldschool book shops on the West Bow leading down to Grassmarket as well, not least Armchair Books and Peter Bell. For the discerning fashionista, a scout around West Port will yield Herman Brown and Godiva, two achingly hip clothes boutiques. Also of note is Edinburgh College of Art – enjoy an exhibition or just enjoy one of the many indie gigs and club nights that take place at the College’s Wee Red Bar – we recommend the new wave and 60s garage rock-fest The Egg on Saturday nights.

124 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

GETTING AROUND

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The ongoing development of Edinburgh’s tram system (now due in 2012) can make the city appear like a pretty treacherous place to travel. Worry not, though – there is still a variety of ways to get from A to B. Buses Lothian Buses is the capital’s dedicated service provider, and, tramworks notwithstanding, they do a pretty decent job. The most popular routes are the 22, which runs down to Leith every five minutes at peak times, and the 26, which swings by both Portobello and Seton Sands beaches. Oh, and while the number 100 does get you to the airport on an express route, the number 35 travels to the same destination for roughly a quarter of the price. In terms of fares, you’ll need £1.30 for an adult single and 70p for a child, or £3 for any journey on a Night Bus (after midnight); if you’re making several journeys in a day, you may be better picking up a Daysaver for £3.20 (£2). All these fares need to be paid exactly, as no change is given – if you’d rather cut out all the fussing around with coins, you can pick up a booklet of 20 City Single tickets for £26 (£14) from any Lothian Buses travel shop.

Travel shops are located on Waverley Bridge, Hanover Street and Shandwick Place. For full information on bus routes, timetables and fares, visit lothianbuses.com Taxis More expensive than a bus but a quicker way to get where you’re going, taxis are plentiful around Edinburgh – there are over 1000 black cabs and private hire

cars to choose from. Only the former can be hailed down in the street, though – and if you phone in advance, you can probably cut down on automatic fees as well. If not, you can always try your luck at one of the four main taxi ranks (see below for details). Note: only ever hail a licensed taxi with a clear, numbered licence plate. The driver is required to have a visible ID tag.

Festival cars (for eight-seater taxis) 0131 552 1777; Radio Cabs 0131 225 9000; Central Radio Taxis 0131 229 2468. City-centre taxi ranks situated at Market Street, Lothian Road, High Street and the Omni Centre.

Bike hire There’s a reasonable cycling culture in Edinburgh, with numerous cycle paths and cycle lanes in place around the city.

We’ve recommended a few hire companies below; if you fancy a bike with a bit more oomph, though, plump for the rechargeable Powabyke and its 200watt motor.

Bike Trak: 11–13 Lochrin Place, 0131 228 6633; £16 a day, £80 a week; biketrax.co.uk Edinburgh Cycle Hire: 29 Blackfriars Street, 0131 556 5560; £15–£20 a day, £70–£90 a week; cyclescotland.co.uk Leith Cycle Company: 276 Leith Walk, 0131 467 7775; £17 a day, £85 a week; leithcycleco.com Rickshaws They’re fun, they’re environmentally friendly and there’s generally a sweaty bloke up front. Two handy hints when riding rickshaws, though: keep the distance short, and agree a price beforehand, as they can cost a packet.

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Areas: Leith & Broughton Street {CITY GUIDE}

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LEITH & BROUGHTON STREET Key venues: Edinburgh Playhouse (not on map) The port of Leith still maintains a strongly independent character that’s distinct from the city of Edinburgh. Stroll down the long drag of Leith Walk, and in amongst the numerous takeaway joints, pubs and second-hand shops you’ll find a T-shirt printing shop or two that specialise in clothes bearing the legend ‘The People’s Republic of Leith’. While you’re taking that wander, make sure to stop in at three of the street’s highlights: Vinyl Villains, an excellent vintage record store; Valvona & Crolla, Edinburgh’s finest Italian deli; and Elvis Shakespeare, a books and music crossbreed that hosts the occasional live performance.

The area is nothing if not cosmopolitan: Leith Walk takeaways come from all corners of the globe, and some of the finest bars in the area – The Street, Joseph Pearce's, Victoria, Boda and Sofi’s – are operated by the same Swedish owners. For nonScandinavian bars, Brass Monkey’s brand new second branch on Leith Walk, and Nobles on Constitution Street, are highly recommended bars for filmwatching and live music, respectively.

Slightly farther off the beaten track is The Pond on Salamander Street, a great wee pub with a worldwide selection of beers and a winning barbecue-and-beer garden combo on sunny days.

The Shore area of Leith has been undergoing a vibrant regeneration for

some years now, so much so that its days as a down-and-dirty port town are noticeable only in the occasional decorative mooring bollard or set of chains. This rejuvenation is nowhere more evident than in the neighbourhood’s top-notch selection of restaurants. Restaurant Martin Wishart, The Kitchin and the Plumed Horse are the three names recognisable for having picked up a Michelin star apiece; also worthy of note is The King’s Wark for a hearty Scottish breakfast.

At the other end of Leith Walk, surrounding the EIF-friendly Playhouse, is the main quarter of Edinburgh’s gay scene. Planet Out, GHQ, The Street and CC Bloom’s are always heaving with partying folks at the weekend, while the Blue Moon Café farther down Broughton Street is a meeting point for the more mature LGBT clientele.

Broughton Street itself has lots going for it, be it the traditional wood-panelled boozers (the Cask and Barrel, Mathers and The Conan Doyle), the trendier food & drink establishments (The Basement with its Hawaiian-shirted waiters and The Outhouse with its summery beer garden) or the range of independent designers who have shops there (especially hybrid textile manipulator Joey D and the boho boutique Bliss). The street is a stone’s throw away from the world-famous Stand comedy club, which spreads into a number of venues throughout the Fringe. list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 125

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{CITY GUIDE} Eating: Old Town

{EATING} OLD TOWN

people-watching through the giant windows. It might not be the first place in the area that springs to mind for a bite to eat, but it has a crowd of devoted regulars – mainly shoppers and local office workers – who can often be found making use of the free Wi-Fi or holding impromptu meetings over their lunch breaks. A new catering firm took over the operation in summer 2010 and seeks to bring a fresh, Mediterranean vibe to the food offered here.

Café Marina

Inexpensive Always Sunday 170 High Street, EH1 1QS 0131 622 0667, alwayssunday.co.uk Mon–Fri 8am–5.30pm; Sat/Sun 9am–5.30pm.

[Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £3.95; Kids; T/A. £10 (lunch)

This blueprint for a successful café is as easy as a Sunday morning. The clear glass frontage provides space, light and the perfect vantage point from which to spy on tourists photographing the Royal Mile. A fresh and very friendly tearoom, Always Sunday appeals equally to shoppers, uni students and lawyers from the nearby High Court. No greasy spoon, you can munch smugly in the knowledge that your tea is fair-trade, your chutney comes from Fife, and your carrot cake was made in-house.

Owner Mary MacDonald vehemently supports the local-ethical-seasonal creed (even the photos on the wall change seasonally), but not in an earnest, lentils-with-a-side-of-sprouts way.

B’est 16 Drummond Street, EH8 9TX 0131 556 6040, best-restaurant.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–2.45pm, 5–11pm. [Extended in Fest].

Pre; HW £12.95; Kids; Wh. £7.90 (set lunch) / £12.90 (dinner)

Tucked around the corner from the Festival Theatre, B’est is one of those ‘you know it or you don’t’type places. Unsurprisingly, due to its location and set-menu pricing structure it’s been discovered and nurtured by university students and staff. Due to its size, spanning backwards to fit in 140 covers, it’s also popular with large groups, making it the ideal venue for the Faulty Towers Experience during the Edinburgh Fringe. The rest of the year, this may not be the trendiest venue but you could do far worse when seeking a budget pre-theatre choice.

Bar 50 50 Blackfriars Street, EH1 1NE 0870 892 3000, smartcityhostels.com Mon–Sun 8am–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Thu 9am–11.30pm; Fri/Sat 9am–1am; Sun 9am–midnight. Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £12; Kids; Wh; T/A. £8 (lunch) / £8 (dinner)

Edinburgh's Smart City Hostel is in the heart of the Old Town and offers budget accommodation for visitors and students. Bar 50 is their popular restaurant and drinking den sited in an expansive basement that opens out onto the Cowgate (with some outside tables). A recent

KEY LC = List Card participant.

Veg = 25% of main courses are vegetarian.

Pre = Pre-theatre menu.

Post = Post-theatre menu.

BYOB = Bring your own bottle (corkage charge and other info in brackets).

HW = House wine cost per bottle.

Kids = Children’s portions served and other facilities available.

Wh = Wheelchair access and disabled toilet.

T/A = Takeaway food.

D = Delivery. set lunch/dinner = Price of a two (or more) course setprice menu for one. lunch/dinner = Price shows the average cost of a twocourse meal for one.

refurbishment has seen the place decked out appropriately for its youthful and exuberant clientele, with cosy booths and sofas, large screens with Sky Sports and a pool table.

61 Cockburn Street, EH1 1BS 0131 622 7447 Mon–Sat 8am–5pm; Sun 9.30am–4.30pm.

[Extended in summer].

Veg; BYOB (£2); T/A; D. £10 (lunch)

Bar Missoni

With ancestry of Edinburgh’s legendary Elm Row deli, it’s not surprising that Marina Crolla places an emphasis on using high quality, simple ingredients in her home-style Italian lunches. The blackboard behind the counter shows off an endless list of sandwiches and paninis, with an impressive number of freshly cooked fillings. Breakfast staples such as porridge and fried eggs are served from 8am – perfect for any early risers.

1 George IV Bridge, EH1 1AD 0131 220 6666, hotelmissoni.com Mon–Sun noon–5.30pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun 9am–2am].

HW £13.50; Kids; Wh. £15 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

It doesn’t seem quite right to mention that this bar is a new kid on the block, but it is, opening relatively recently in June 2009 in the extended lobby of the flagship Hotel Missoni. Yet it has a kind of older sister cool about it. Knocking retro-cool against a funky brashness, this vivid bar’s interior lands you somewhere in an intergalactic paradise, with a splash of 60s psychedelia mixed in for fun.

Bonsai Bar Bistro 46 West Richmond St, EH8 9DZ 0131 668 3847, bonsaibarbistro.co.uk Sun–Thu noon–10pm; Fri/Sat noon–10.30pm.

Veg; BYOB (£5); HW £12.95; T/A. £5 (set lunch) / £13 (dinner)

Pruning. An under-rated skill, but in the world of tiny trees – as in Japanese restaurants – a vital one. Luckily they have it in spades at Bonsai, with a commendably focused menu that doesn’t try to cover too many bases. And, where they do go in for an independent frolic, it’s all to the good, with a decent dessert list, interesting cocktails and seasonal specials marking Bonsai out as somewhere that’s trying just that wee bit harder to offer a more complete experience. A selection of sashimi is really quite something, with tiny, sweet prawns and scallops like a mouthful of briny butter.

BrewDog Edinburgh 143–145 Cowgate, EH1 1JS brewdog.com Mon–Wed noon–midnight; Thu–Sat noon–1am; Sun 12.30pm–midnight. [Bar open: Mon–Wed noon–midnight; Thu–Sat noon–1am; Sun 12.30pm–midnight].

HW £13.50; Wh. £8.50 (one course) (lunch) / £8.50 (one course) (dinner)

Love or hate the aggressive branding aesthetic of young Fraserburgh-based brewery BrewDog, it’s impossible to deny that their brash signature beers like Trashy Blonde, Punk IPA and 5AM Saint have blown a whole nest of cobwebs from the national real ale scene. Opened in March 2011, this branded bar venture is their second after the original branch in Aberdeen, and already it has revived an unpopular premises in the heart of Edinburgh’s clubbing and student locales.

Cafe Hub Castlehill, Royal Mile, EH1 2NE 0131 473 2067, thehub-edinburgh.com Mon–Sun 9.30am–5pm. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £15.75; Kids; Wh. £5 (set lunch) / £11 (dinner)

Home of the Edinburgh International Festival, this lofty and imposing former church at the top of the Royal Mile is almost the last stop before Edinburgh Castle. Tourists and locals come to enjoy home-made soups and sandwiches, sharing platters and a small assortment of mains. The selection of scones and home-made cakes is good, and can be had as part of a popular £15 afternoon tea for two.

Café Lucia 13/29 Nicolson Street, EH8 9FT 0131 662 1112, festivaltheatre.org.uk Mon–Sat 10.30am–4.30pm. Closed Sun. [Bar open: Depends on performances].

Veg; HW £16; Kids; Wh. £10 (lunch)

The Festival Theatre’s spacious ground-floor bar has long been a place to gather for a preconcert drink, catch-up with friends or a spot of

126 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

Café at the Palace Palace of Holyroodhouse, EH8 8DX 0131 652 3685 Apr–Oct: Mon–Sun 9.30am–6pm. Nov–Mar: Mon–Sun 9.30am– 4.30pm.

Veg; HW £14.95; Kids; Wh; T/A. £11.50 (lunch)

Situated next door to Holyrood Palace, this café is the obvious place to grab a sandwich or hearty bowl of soup after visiting the Queen’s Gallery and Palace, or after an invigorating trek round Arthur’s Seat or tour of the Scottish Parliament.

With such iconic Scottish landmarks on its doorstep, it would be tantamount to rudeness not to source local Scottish produce and the café has made a good effort: locally-sourced dishes are marked on the menu with a thistle emblem.

busy lunchtime. Food lovers can stock up on tea from local supplier eteaket or some tasty homemade chutneys on the way out the door.

Foodies at Holyrood 67 Holyrood Road, EH8 8AU 0131 557 6836, foodiesatholyrood.com Apr–Sep: Mon–Fri 8am–6pm; Sat/Sun 10am–6pm.

Oct–Mar: closes 5pm. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £12.95; Kids; Wh; T/A; D. £8 (lunch)

The Foodie Company is a gourmet food-box business that, well, thought outside the box.

Their open-plan café/deli sells and serves the best of Scottish: Stoats porridge pots, sandwiches with bread from Edinburgh’s own Breadwinner, and Inverawe salmon platters.

The Scottish ploughman’s is a greedy spread of thickly sliced honey-roast ham, wedges of Mull cheddar, Dunsyre blue and brie with a tangy tomato chutney. ‘Stromboli’toasted flatbread sandwiches are a meal in themselves, especially when stuffed with haggis and sweet potato.

Cakes, scones and traybakes are brought in daily from the Portobello HQ.

The Forest Café 3 Bristo Place, EH1 1EY 0131 220 4538, blog.theforest.org.uk Mon–Sun noon–9pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun 10am–midnight].

Veg; BYOB (£1.40 wine; 65p beer). £5 (lunch)

In late 2010 the The Forest's dusty carpet was pulled from under its feet with the financial difficulties of its landlord, Edinburgh University Settlement. However, the well-loved and wellestablished community-run Forest Café has kept up its game into 2011. Unhindered by the ‘for sale’sign above its door, the flourish of activity continues: both day and night, the space is animated with varying artistic, political and social endeavours. The kitchen still cooks up a mean ethical curry for just over a fiver and you can still bring along your own bottle of booze.

The Fruitmarket Gallery Café City Art Centre Café City Art Centre, 1 Market Street, EH1 1DE 0131 229 3359, edinburghmuseums.org.uk Mon–Sun 10am–5pm.

Veg; Kids; Wh; T/A. £10 (lunch)

The recent revamp of the City Art Centre has prompted a rethink of the gallery’s café, a popular spot for Old Town workers and train travellers to grab breakfast, lunch or a coffee on the fly. Daily specials like meatballs with tomato spaghetti sit alongside comforting soup and sandwich combos and wonderfully unusual home baking (chocolate and beetroot cake, anyone?). The space is light, airy (sometimes too airy if sitting close to the door) and welcoming.

Ecco Vino 19 Cockburn Street, EH1 1BP 0131 225 1441, babygrandgroup.co.uk Mon–Thu noon–10pm; Fri/Sat noon–11pm; Sun noon–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Thu 11am–midnight; Fri/Sat 11am–1am; Sun 11am–midnight. Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £13.95; Kids; Wh; T/A. £12 (lunch) / £12 (dinner)

Edinburgh’s wine bar scene might be expanding, but this intimate cubby hole on Cockburn Street has a decade on all of them.

Ecco Vino is firmly Italian in its menu: generous plates of antipasti share a billing with enticing fish and meat dishes, pastas and risotti. A specials board emphasises the seasonality and locality of many ingredients used, and artfully presented dishes do not disappoint on flavour: an anchovy and caper pasta dish showcases the fresh produce needed to create such a pure and simple classic.

Edinburgh Larder 15 Blackfriars Street, EH1 1NB 0131 556 6922, edinburghlarder.co.uk Mon–Sat 8am–5pm; Sun 9am–5pm.

LC; Veg; Wh; T/A; D. £5.50 (soup and half sandwich) (set lunch)

There is much to whet the appetite at this friendly city centre deli-café, and soon to be bona fide gallery space. Soups and sandwiches are very much the order of the day (the smoked cheese, mayo and chutney or tangy chorizo on brown come highly recommended) to sit in or takeaway, with plenty here to sink your teeth into beyond the obvious staple fillings. House specials change daily and go quickly over a

Fruitmarket Gallery, 45 Market Street, EH1 1DF 0131 226 1843, fruitmarket.co.uk Mon–Sat 11.30am–4pm; Sun noon–4pm. [Coffee & cakes: Mon–Sat 11am–5.30pm; Sun noon–4.30pm.

Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £13.50; Kids; Wh; T/A. £10 (lunch)

The Fruitmarket Gallery café continues to impress with carefully thought-out menus and attention to detail. The excellent art gallery and book shop entice a broad spectrum of people through the doors with dynamic, sometimes challenging exhibitions, while the in-house café menu changes frequently to reflect the latest exhibition, and features interesting specials alongside substantial filled deli rolls, soups, salads and mezze platters. The chef’s background in vegetarian cooking ensures that meat-free options are by no means an afterthought: the likes of falafel, halloumi and goat’s cheese make up a good proportion of the menu.

The Holyrood 9A 9a Holyrood Road, EH8 8AE 0131 556 5044, fullerthomson.com Mon–Sun 10am–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Thu 11am–midnight; Fri/Sat 11am–1am; Sun 12.30pm–midnight].

Veg; HW £13. £12.50 (lunch) / £12.50 (dinner)

The menu at this smart Old Town pub cuts to the chase with its mission statement of ‘Great beers, great burgers’. Six ounces of beef, in a sourdough bun, can be teamed up with toppings including smoky bacon, super-spicy ‘death sauce’or rosemary-scented wild mushrooms, and arrive on a wooden board with skinny fries and a dollop of purple coleslaw. For vegetarians the burgers can be replaced with halloumi, falafel or mushroom options. Like the burgers, the beers also live up to the mission statement, with a good selection of foreign and local brews on draft – including Belgian Bacchus Framboise, Aberdonian BrewDog IPA and American Blue Moon.

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Eating: Old Town {CITY GUIDE}

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS It’s home to the world’s biggest arts festival, drawing in millions of visitors from all corners of the globe every year – but there’s much more to Edinburgh should you fancy an afternoon away from the arts Number one on any self-respecting visitor’s list is surely Edinburgh Castle (Castlehill, 0131 225 9846), which sits proudly atop the craggy Castle Rock. Given that it’s Scotland’s premier tourist attraction, you may have to jostle with the crowds a bit, but if you want to learn about an integral part of Edinburgh’s history, and enjoy some great views of the city, you can’t beat it.

Just down the hill from the Castle is the Camera Obscura (Castlehill, 0131 226 3709), which offers views of a different kind: by using lens and mirror trickery, Edinburgh’s skyline is projected onto a viewing table, and the building contains plenty of other examinations into optical illusions too.

Keep going down the hill and you’ll be unable to miss the grand exterior of St Giles’ Cathedral (Royal Mile, 0131 226 0673), behind which various ghost and history tours have their start point. Auld Reekie Tours (45 Niddry Street, 0131 557 4700) and Mercat Tours (28 Blair Street, 0131 225 5445) deliver guided walks of both spooky and historical value (sometimes both at once). Directly opposite the cathedral is Mary King’s Close (2 Warriston’s Close, 0845 070 6244), a similarly grisly history tour that takes place in the subterranean city streets that exist within the city’s foundations.

At the bottom of the Mile, you’ll find both the Scottish Parliament (Canongate, 0131 348 5200) and the Palace of Holyroodhouse (Canongate, 0131 556 5100). The former is the seat of modern Scottish government, and is also home to the annual Festival of Politics; the latter is the Queen’s official Scottish residence, and has been home to every Scottish monarch since James IV, who built it in 1501.

Located behind the Parliament, Our Dynamic Earth (112–116 Holyrood Road, 0131 550 7800) is the last of the major landmarks around the Mile; it tells the history of the landscape (and the world) since the big bang, with a genuine iceberg included in the exhibits.

Elsewhere, the National Gallery of Scotland (The Mound, 0131 624 6200) contains a rich collection of classic art, including works by Degas and Titian, while the Dean Gallery and Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, located next to the picturesque Dean Village, feature some more contemporary works.

The grand Victorian hall of the National Museum of Scotland (Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789) is, at the time of writing, under refurbishment with the eagerly awaited date of re-opening down as Fri 29 Jul 2011.

In terms of natural beauty, the Royal Botanic Garden (20a Inverleith Row, 0131 552 7171) contains a varied collection of plants in gardens and greenhouses; and while it’s a bit of a hike, the spectacular panoramic views to be enjoyed from the summit of Arthur’s Seat make it worth the climb. (Niki Boyle)

Kebab Mahal

Malone’s Irish Bar

7 Nicolson Square, EH8 9BH 0131 667 5214, kebab-mahal.co.uk Sun–Thu noon–midnight; Fri 2pm–midnight; Sat noon–2am.

T/A. £8.50 (lunch) / £8.50 (dinner)

14 Forrest Road, EH1 2QN 0131 226 5954, malonesedinburgh.com Sun–Thu noon–8pm; Fri/Sat noon–9pm. [Bar open: Sat–Mon 11am–1am; Sun 12.30pm–1am].

HW £10.95; Kids; Wh. £10.50 (lunch) / £10.50 (dinner)

Ideally situated for starving students, the longestablished Kebab Mahal plays to its strengths as a restaurant-takeaway serving good value, nofrills food in bountiful quantities. Although technically they take reservations, the process tends to be hit and miss. Instead, wait in line to grab a table and expect to get friendly with your neighbours once seated. The atmosphere is convivial as takeaway customers stream in for pizza and kebabs as well as Indian fare.

Malone's Irish Bar certainly can’t be accused of misrepresenting itself. Owned and run by natives of the Emerald Isle, the cavernous property oozes Irishness from its street-level entrance area, the large central room with tables for dining and large screens for sports events, and an upstairs section where softer lighting and exposed brickwork create a more relaxed mood. list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 127

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{CITY GUIDE} Eating: Old Town

The White Horse 266 Canongate, EH8 8AA 0131 556 3403 Mon–Sun noon–9pm. [Bar open: Sun–Thu noon–11pm; Fri/Sat noon–midnight. Extended in Fest].

HW £11.98. £6 (lunch) / £6 (dinner)

This entertaining pub covers a lot of ground for such a small space: part Levantine snuggery, part café, and part, well, pub. The bar has a reasonable selection of spirits and wines and a variety of beers both on tap and within reach in the canteen-style fridge. By night, The White Horse hosts a wide variety of live entertainment from tarot card reading and art-house cinema viewings to DJs and open mic nights, and during the Festival it is transformed into the popular comedy venue the Laughing Horse.

Mid-range Porto & Fi on the Mound

Porto & Fi on the Mound 9 North Bank Street, EH1 2LP 0131 225 9494, portofi.com/ Mon–Sat 10am–10pm; Sun 10am–6pm. [Bar open: til 11.30pm. Extended during Fest].

HW £14.95; Kids; Wh. £15 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

A full glass frontage makes the most of the scenery – you’re eye-level with the tip of the Scott Monument – and they’ve exposed higgledy Old Town stonework to contrast with modern, Eames-look chairs, brown banquettes and claret-coloured drum lampshades. A treeshaded terrace, set to open onto Lady Stair’s Close, should be perfect for brunch or an afterwork prosecco in the summer. Menu offerings include cassoulet with rabbit confit, a Moorishstyle carrot and butternut pastilla (pie), or a roll of pork belly stuffed with bacon and cabbage and cooked in cider, full of smoky, Germanic flavours.

St Giles’ Cathedral Café St Giles' Cathedral, High Street, EH1 1RE 0131 225 5147, glenfinlas.com Mon–Sat 9am–5pm; Sun 11am–5pm. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; Kids; T/A. £9 (lunch)

Entered through the courtyard at the back of the cathedral and nestled partly among the crypt arches, this café offers something different just off the main drag. A modern refit creates a cool, calm interior while minute stained-glass windows and the faint strains of sermon, organ or choir provide a gentle reminder of the setting. Serving up quality, freshly-made food, umbrella company Glenfinlas runs a tight ship without losing the personal touch. Seasonal

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produce is the starting point for changing daily specials and it’s often sourced from their own farm shop in East Lothian.

The Storytelling Café Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 High Street, EH1 1SR 0131 556 1229, scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk Mon–Sat 10am–6pm. Jul–Sep: Sun noon–5pm.

Oct–Jun: Closed Sun. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £12.95; Kids; Wh; T/A. £10 (lunch)

Tourists, locals and workers alike congregate in this bright, modern space with its beautiful wooden furniture, which sits in stark but appealing contrast to the adjoining 16th-century John Knox house. Run by the same catering company that operates the café at the Fruitmarket Gallery down the road, the Storytelling Café is all about freshly prepared food made with care. Breakfast might be a chunky sausage bap or bowl of warming applecinnamon porridge with cream, while lunch options walk the tried and trusted soup/sandwich/salad line.

Under the Stairs 3a Merchant Street, EH1 2QD 0131 466 8550, underthestairs.org Mon–Sun noon–10pm. [Snacks: Mon–Sat 9pm–midnight, Sun 10pm–midnight. Bar open: Mon–Sat noon–1am, Sun noon–midnight].

Veg; HW £13.85. £13 (lunch) / £13 (dinner)

Located . . . ehm . . . down some stairs on Merchant Street, this subterranean bar has a homely interior of exposed brick walls, mismatched furniture and the odd piece of retro paraphernalia dotted around for good measure.

Under the Stairs is a popular destination not only for the city’s student population looking for a well-stocked bar and good atmosphere, but also for those seeking tasty food and some pretty delicious cocktails too. Mains include dishes such as shrimp, roast fennel and ginger conchiglie with chive & chilli butter. Pub staples like beef or falafel burgers are there too, but served with sweet potato wedges rather than the plain old ubiquitous chip.

Barioja 15–19 Jeffrey Street, EH1 1DR 0131 557 3622, barioja.co.uk Mon–Sat 11am–11pm; Sun noon–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sat 11am–1am; Sun noon–1am].

Veg; HW £17.50; Kids; Wh. £6.95 (4 tapas) (set lunch) / £15.50 (dinner)

The older establishment of the burgeoning Edinburgh tapas bar scene, Barioja remains a popular and central destination for diners looking for quick snacks or an evening meal.

Its red-hued interior is fresh and modern, and makes a centre-piece of a spiral staircase leading to the downstairs room, all of which lends the impression of a mid- to high-range style bar. The place is certainly versatile, serving Spanish-themed brunches including huevos revueltos (eggs and carpaccio of smoked cod) alongside paellas and lunchtime sandwiches, although that’s the least that can be expected in an ever more crowded Edinburgh tapas market.

Black Bo’s (Restaurant) 57–61 Blackfriars Street, EH1 1NB 0131 557 6136, black-bos.com Sun–Thu 6pm–9.30pm; Fri/Sat 6pm–10.30pm.

[Bar open: Mon–Sun 4pm–1am. Extended in Fest].

Veg; Pre; HW £15.50. £17 (dinner)

Black Bo’s has graced the Edinburgh vegetarian scene for over 20 years. If this were to draw you to the conclusion that they must be doing something right, you’d be spot on.

The shabby chic bistro-style interior is understated in its décor – wooden chairs, cloth covered tables and scuffed floor tiles set the scene and mirror the service: casual but friendly. The atmosphere comes into its own in the dark of night, candle light helping to create a cosy ambience. The menu features inventive dishes using extraordinary ingredient combinations that really work.

Cucina Hotel Missoni, 1 George IV Bridge, EH1 1AD 0131 240 1666, hotelmissoni.com Mon–Thu 6.30–10am, 12.30–3pm, 6–10.30pm; Fri 6.30–10am, 12.30–3pm, 6–11pm; Sat 7–11am, 12.30–3pm, 6–11pm; Sun 7–11am, 12.30–3pm, 6–10.30pm. [Bar open: Sun–Wed 10am–midnight;

WHISKI ROOMS

whisky shop – bar – restaurant – bistro Fresh local Scottish produce served all day Extensive wine, drinks and whisky list Regular Whisky Tastings Iconic views over the Mound Regular live Scottish music 4 - 7 North Bank Street Edinburgh EH1 2LP 0131 225 7224 www.whiskirooms.co.uk 128 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

Thu–Sat 10am–1am].

Pre; HW £16.25; Kids; Wh. £13.50 (set lunch) / £30 (dinner)

Oozing five-star Italian style, Hotel Missoni’s restaurant is fast becoming a second home to Edinburgh’s wealthy and fashionable. If the modern, plush setting makes Cucina a place to be seen, this is not to the detriment of its menu, which offers gourmet Italian cuisine and showcases Scottish produce. Most of the savoury food here is of a high standard, though falls a touch short of hitting gastronomic peaks. The same accusation cannot be made of the orange chocolate bavarois dessert with balsamic ice-cream – true pudding bliss.

David Bann 56–58 St Mary's Street, EH1 1SX 0131 556 5888, davidbann.com Mon–Thu noon–10pm; Fri noon–10.30pm; Sat 11am–10.30pm; Sun 11am–10pm. [Bar open: Sun–Thu noon–10pm; Fri/Sat noon–1am].

Veg; HW £13.75; Kids. £22 (set lunch) / £16 (dinner)

They say that once you reach the top the only way is down, but this is far from the case for David Bann who, for almost ten years, has been at the forefront of vegetarian dining in Edinburgh. There are no vegetarian clichés to be found here, only original, exciting and exquisitely prepared dishes.

Divino Enoteca 5 Merchant Street, EH1 2QD 0131 225 1770, divinoedinburgh.com Mon–Fri 3pm–midnight; Sat noon–midnight; Sun 3pm–midnight. [Bar open: Mon–Thu 3pm–midnight; Fri 3pm–1am; Sat noon–1am; Sun 3pm–midnight].

Veg; HW £14-15; Wh. £17 (lunch) / £17 (dinner)

The enoteca wine bar is one of the great joys of visiting Italy, and since June 2010 Edinburgh has had its own slice of Milan hidden below George IV Bridge. Nestled in a stripped-down basement in the Old Town, Divino is stylishly fitted out in chrome and dark wood with soft leather benches and a fairy-lit walled garden. Grazing is encouraged, with an inviting list of antipasti, bruschetta and a cheese selection kept on display at the entrance.

Hanam’s 3 Johnston Terrace, EH1 2PW 0131 225 1329, hanams.com Mon–Sun noon–11pm.

BYOB (no charge); Kids; T/A. £9.95 (set lunch) / £17 (dinner)

Now a well-rooted fixture by the top of the Lawnmarket, three-year-old Hanam’s is deservedly popular with locals and tourists alike. Offering an extensive menu from his native Kurdistan, owner Jamal Ahmed is a genial host who takes additional delight in being proprietor of the only place in town to boast a (nicotine-free) shisha pipe. While it’s possible to indulge in this alone, it’s much more fun to watch others on the hookah while tucking into typically Middle Eastern dishes such as subtly seasoned chicken or lamb kabseh, traditional kebabs cooked in the Kurdish style or dolma and stuffed baby aubergines.

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Eating: Old Town {CITY GUIDE}

Hotel du Vin 11 Bristo Place, EH1 1EZ 0131 247 4900, hotelduvin.com Mon–Fri 7–10am, noon–2.30pm, 5.30–10.30pm; Sat 8–11am, noon–2.30pm, 5.30–10.30pm; Sun 8–11am, 12.30–3pm, 5.30–10.30pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sat 11am–1am; Sun 12.30pm–1am. Extended in Fest].

Pre/Post; HW £18.50; Kids. £14.95 (set lunch) / £21 (dinner)

You might be in central Edinburgh, but this is one bistro with a strong French accent. Classic dishes are present and correct: French onion soup, onglet steak, coq au vin, boudin blanc and so on. And the vin, oh the vin: there are over 700 choices. The sommelier will guide you with enthusiasm and insight. Away from the wine, plentiful daily specials favour local ingredients above French clichés. The soupe du jour, beetroot, has a somewhat heavy stock.

The quiche du jour, caramelised onion and ham, isn’t quite perfect, but a tasty enough starter. Slow-braised pig cheeks from ‘local food hero’Peelham Farm are meltingly-rich, well-paired with a warm sauerkraut. As a highly ironic nod to Scotland’s food ‘culture’, you could end your meal with petits fours influenced by Irn Bru and the deep-fried Mars bar.

Iggs 15–19 Jeffrey Street, EH1 1DR 0131 557 8184, iggs.co.uk Mon–Sat noon–2.30pm, 6–10.30pm. Closed Sun. [Extended in Fest].

LC; Pre; HW £17; Kids. £12.50 (set lunch) / £22.50 (dinner)

The sister restaurant of the quick and easy tapas bar Barioja next door, Iggs is a more formal dining experience which deserves the respect that goes with its long standing on Edinburgh’s Spanish dining scene. More than a decade old, it still presents an à la carte menu that’s fresh and interesting, with many dishes appearing on the good value lunch (two courses for £12.50) and early dinner (two courses for £18) menus.

Like its twin, the inoffensively modern interior is intimate, but not so small as to feel overcrowded.

Itchycoo Bar & Kitchen 80 High Street, EH1 1TH 0131 473 6517 Mon–Sun 9am–10.30pm. [Bar open: Mon–Fri 9am–midnight; Sat 10am–1am; Sun 10am–midnight].

LC; HW £18.50; Kids; Wh. £16 (lunch) / £16 (lounge menu) £21 (dinner menu) (dinner)

Midway down the Royal Mile is the Itchycoo Bar and Kitchen, part of the four-star Radisson Blu Hotel. Large chandeliers hang above sleek leather furniture in the spacious dining area.

Coffee and pastries are served from 9am daily.

A lounge menu is served from noon until late evening and includes a variety of soups, sandwiches, pastas and Mexican-inspired dishes. The more extravagant Itchycoo dinner menu is available from 5.30 to 9.30pm. The restaurant is committed to Scottish produce and sources its ingredients from a variety of local businesses.

Khushi’s Diner 32b West Nicolson Street, EH8 9DD 0131 667 4871 Mon–Sat noon–11pm; Sun 5–10pm.

Veg; BYOB (no charge); Kids; T/A. £6.95 (set lunch) / £16.50 (dinner)

For the last couple of years this has been the locus of the veteran Indian restaurant Khushi’s brand, long-time staple of the Edinburgh curry scene. The Newington incarnation is designed with good cheer in mind, with a mix of red banquettes and cosy tables interspersed with panes of cunningly shattered glass and jars of brightly coloured peppers. BYOB is offered for no corkage.

Maison Bleue 36–38 Victoria Street, EH1 2JW 0131 226 1900, maisonbleuerestaurant.com Sun–Thu noon–10pm; Fri/Sat noon–11pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun noon–midnight].

Pre. £9.90 (set lunch) / £24 (dinner)

There’s no mistaking Maison Bleue in Victoria Street – the frontage is painted a vivid and cheerful blue. Inside, there’s a distinctly North African vibe with the bar area furnished in umber shades and a menu that reflects the colonial influence on modern French eating

habits. You’ll notice starters like spicy merguez sausages and couscous alongside classic mussels in perfectly balanced white wine, cream and broadleaf parsley liquor. Mains also tend towards the robust. Cassoulet is a hearty stew of white beans and meats, with French sausages full of flavour, the beans soft but not mushy. A predominantly Old World wine list complements the food.

HITLIST Deli - Cafe - Bistro Large selection of fine wines

Monteiths 57–61 High Street, EH1 1SR 0131 557 0330, monteithsbar.co.uk Sun–Thu noon–10pm; Fri/Sat noon–11pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun noon–1am. Extended in Fest].

LC; Pre; HW £19.50. £12.95 (set lunch) / £34 (dinner)

Leave behind the tartan tat of the High Street and descend into the underground world of Monteiths for a more palatable Scotland. Here, there’s a nod to the old, a wave to the new, a splash of glamour and swirl of hipness. The menu is good friends with Scotland’s rich larder, and the cooking does it justice, too. At lunch, wild mushrooms on decent sourdough toast with a poached egg is a dish that lets good ingredients do the talking. In the evening, the menu is more ambitious, but still sure of its local roots with game in season and good Scottish seafood to the fore.

Mother India’s Café 3–5 Infirmary Street, EH1 1LT 0131 524 9801, motherindiascafeedinburgh.co.uk Mon–Thu noon–2pm, 5–10.30pm; Fri/Sat noon–11pm; Sun noon–10pm. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £11.85; Kids; T/A. £15 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

The Edinburgh incarnation of this Glaswegian institution has been pulling in punters by the score since it opened in 2008. Notable for its unorthodox ‘tapas’format which allows diners to sample three or four dishes each (more for greedies), Mother India also has an outstanding reputation for fine and fiery food. As far as atmosphere goes, there are two distinct areas.

The bright ground floor has a busy, nononsense café feel, whereas the basement is more late-night intimate, with low lights, classy décor and diners grouped in convivial alcove booths.

North Bridge Brasserie 20 North Bridge, EH1 1YT 0131 622 2900, northbridgebrasserie.com Mon–Sat noon–2pm, 5.30–10pm; Sun noon–2pm, 5.30–10pm. [Bar open: Sun–Thu 11am–midnight; Fri/Sat 11am–1am].

LC; Pre; HW £18.75; Kids; Wh. £12.95 (set lunch) / £23 (dinner)

Once you have flattened-out the rather fussy rolled-up menu, there is plenty of rewarding reading here for lunch or a night out. This brasserie in the former printing hall of The Scotsman newspaper is ideal for large groups, though there’s plenty of tables set in more intimate corners on both levels. Service is welcoming and the menu reads like a food map of Scotland: Eyemouth crab, Loch Duart salmon, Skye mussels and Gigha halibut. Desserts fly the culinary saltire again: Selkirk Bannock forms the ‘bread’in the bread and butter pudding. An in-season serving of rhubarb and vanilla brûlée definitely didn’t need a layer of crumble, however.

The Outsider 15/16 George IV Bridge, Old Town, EH1 1EE 0131 226 3131 Mon–Sun noon–11pm.

HW £14.80 (Carafe £11.80); Kids; Wh. £11 (lunch) / £18 (dinner)

Anyone who can weave references to Kermit, Dorothy Parker and cannibals into their wine list is not going to run a dull restaurant. The Outsider is definitely not a place for a quiet evening meal. It’s upbeat and lively, but the menu works hard to compete with plenty of big flavours and interesting combinations. Seared pork belly, scallops and chanterelles are a happy ménage à trois, though a pâté pairing wild mushrooms with kaffir lime leaves is a less satisfying relationship. Cassia-spiced suckling pig on a mound of savoy cabbage is very substantial, whilst a whole roast sea bass with a bolshy Mediteranean salsa of anchovy, fennel and olives suffers from being served chillier than the ideal.

Beer gardens The OuthouseThe cocktail list.

The wide-ranging beer selection. The DJs. The upstairs venue. The tuckedaway location. The Outhouse already had it all, and then they added a cosy beer garden with gas heaters and barbecues every Sunday. How perfect of them. 12a Broughton Street Lane, 0131 557 6668.

The Pear Tree House This walled courtyard functions admirably as both a windbreaker and a sun-trap, and with takeaway food permitted from certain local delis, there’s barely a reason to leave. A beer garden is only as good as its pub, though, and that’s where the Pear Tree excels: the bar is a snug, leather sofa’d, real-ale-selling conviviary, with occasional live music and a regular pub quiz.

34 West Nicolson Street, 0131 667 7533.

12 HILLHOUSE ROAD BLACKHALL EDINBURGH EH4 2AG t: 0131 332 2289 e: martin@ thesuburbanpantry .co.uk

Pleasance Courtyard If you can put a number on the multitude of venues that surround the sunlit cobbles of the Pleasance Courtyard, you haven’t had enough fruity Belgian beer to drink. So grab another pint, perch yourself on a wall (unless one of the popular picnic tables frees up) and join us in a long game of Spot The Off-Duty Performer.

60 Pleasance, 0131 556 6550.

Udderbelly’s Pasture The Fringe’s other main beer garden nestles beside a massive up-turned purple cow, so it’s hard to miss. It’s also one of the buzziest spots in town during festival time, and is beset by the wafting aromas of gourmet burger vans parked nearby. Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252.

The Cumberland Bar This secluded garden seems a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of city life, despite being located in the upmarket New Town. Ale is the drink of choice, best accompanied by the eponymous sausage and mash.

1–3 Cumberland Street, 0131 558 3134.

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{CITY GUIDE} Eating: Old Town THE AWARD WINNING SPANISH RESTAURANTE

Saffrani 11 South College Street, Old Town, EH8 9AA 0131 667 1597, saffrani-uk.com Mon–Sat noon–2pm, 5.30–10.30pm; Sun 5.30–11pm.

Veg; Pre; HW £11.95; Kids; T/A. £5.95 (set lunch) / £16 (dinner)

O AA Rosette Award O AA Wine List

Recommended

O Squaremeal.co.uk

Award

O The Times SLTN

Wine List Awards

www.iggs.co.uk GGS 15 Jeffrey St EH1 1DR Tel: 0131 557 8184 Fax: 0131 652 3774

i

info@iggs.co.uk

in & d ng te ati uide s tli E G Hi List ng 1 ki 0/1 e Th Drin 1

Authentic, Contemporary & Fun - Iggs & its funky little sister Barioja have been sourcing the finest Spanish & Scottish Ingredients for their delectable dishes since 1989

EDINBURGH’S HOTTEST SPANISH TAPAS BAR Hitlisted in The List Top 10 Tapas Bar Squaremeal.co.uk The Times

www.barioja.co.uk BARIOJA .

19 Jeffrey St EH1 1DR Tel: 0131 557 3622 Fax: 0131 652 3774

info@barioja.co.uk

Saffrani is slightly off the beaten track, hiding round the corner from the Festival Theatre in South College Street. It’s tiny, with a functional rather than glamorous interior but fresh flowers and a parade of elephants make it cosy. The menu is unique for Edinburgh, specialising in seafood and fish with halibut, lemon sole and even Mediterranean escolar (an oily fish also known as snake mackerel) on offer.

The Scottish Café and Restaurant National Gallery of Scotland, Old Town, City Centre, EH2 2EL 0131 226 6524, thescottishcafeandrestaurant.com Mon–Wed & Fri/Sat 8am–6pm; Thu 8am–7pm; Sun 10am–6pm; [Aug & Dec: Open evenings].

Veg; HW £14.95; Kids; Wh. £16.95 (in the restaurant) (set lunch)

Since taking over the restaurant in the National Gallery of Scotland in 2009, Carina and Victor Contini have set about putting their special stamp on the place. Soups, snacks and sandwiches are the order of the day on the café menu, though far from mundane: think Isle of Mull cheddar and slices of Borders ham with homemade chutney, or home-pickled mackerel with beetroot and cucumber. A speciality is the lowly Aberdeen buttery taken to new heights with the addition of Clava brie and chutney. If you’re looking for a fresh and genuine taste of Scotland without the fussiness of much restaurant cooking, this is a good place to come.

fancifully furnished and decorated in a joyful jamboree of kitsch. It’s easy to be distracted by tea lights in tea cups, map-covered tables and toy cars, but stay for more than a coffee and the food will claim your attention. The classic British cooking is calculatedly retro with potted pork or steak and kidney pudding; on trend in its bold employment of the once-unfancied tripe, liver and even grey squirrel; and warmly nostalgic with spotted dick and custard or blancmange and strawberry jam.

Suruchi 14a Nicolson Street, Old Town, EH8 9DH 0131 556 6583, suruchirestaurant.com Mon–Sun noon–2.30pm (buffet lunch only), 5–11pm.

LC; Veg; Pre; BYOB (£2.50); HW £10.50; Kids; T/A; D. £5.95 (set lunch) / £15 (dinner)

Bang opposite the Festival Theatre, Suruchi (sister to Suruchi Too, in Leith) is a familiar and well-loved resident of Nicholson Street.

Opened in 1986, it hasn’t changed much since. The staircase to its first-floor home is looking tired and the decor lacks the chic of more modern curry houses, but the welcome is warm, atmosphere cosy and there are attractive lunch and pre-theatre meal deals.

The vast menu – also available in Scottish – features all the regulars but with some novel additions such as venison or haggis fritters.

Whiski 119 High Street, Old Town, EH1 1SG 0131 556 3095, whiskibar.co.uk

Sun–Thu noon10pm; Fri/Sat 11am10.30pm.

[Bar open: SunThu noon1am; Fri–Sun 11am–1am].

Veg; HW £15.95; Kids. £17 (lunch) / £17 (dinner)

Spoon Café Bistro 6a Nicolson Street, Old Town, EH8 9DH 0131 557 4567, spooncafe.co.uk Mon–Sat 10am–11pm. Sun 12noon–11pm.

Veg; Pre; HW £11.95; Kids; Wh; T/A. £11 (lunch) / £16 (dinner)

Spoon sprawls like a loft apartment,

The Royal Mile location obviously plays a big part here, with many of the menu options catering for tourists – and the prices reflecting the honeypot surroundings. Those keen to taste flavours from Scotland’s larder can start with a salty, silky Cullen skink soup, followed by haggis (from Macsweens) served in a

During the month of August we only take reservations / bookings for 6 or morE

Wedgwood is more than just a restaurant; it is a hidden gem on Edinburgh's prestigious Royal Mile. Paul and Lisa have a passion for food and hospitality and offer the complete dining experience in warm, intimate surroundings.

Open 7 days a week • Lunch from 12pm and Dinner from 6pm SLTN Restaurant of the Year Award 2010 Rémy Martin VSOP Award for Best Newcomer in the UK 2010 Hitlisted by The List Eating and Drinking Guide 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12

The only Mexican restaurant Hitlisted in the List Eating and Drinking Guide 2011 Providing good, authentic Mexican food at affordable prices, in friendly, comfortable surroundings.

41 Cockburn Street Edinburgh, Midlothian EH1 1BS 0131 226 5145

267 Canongate, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH8 8BQ • 0131 55 88 737 www.wedgwoodtherestaurant.co.uk info@wedgwoodtherestaurant.co.uk

under new managment

For the finest Indian Curry and Sea Food Cuisine BYOB and Fully licensed bar

Specialists in Traditional Tandoori, Curries, Shish Kebab, Chicken Tikka & Biryani Parties Catered For Q Phone Orders Welcome Edinburgh Evening News Scottish Curry Award 2009

www.kebabmahal.com 130 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

Ideally located for the festival Takeaway also available Open 7 days 12 noon - 11pm 11 South College Street Edinburgh EH8 9AA 0131 667 1597 www.saffrani-uk.com

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Eating: Old Town {CITY GUIDE}

tower with neeps, creamy mash and a whisky sauce, or there are local seafood specials such as langoustines with a rich Puy lentil broth.

Look out too for its new sister venture on the Mound, Whiski Rooms, featured below.

Whiski Rooms 4–7 North Bank Street, EH1 2LP 0131 225 7224, whiskirooms.co.uk

Mon–Sat 11am–10pm; Sun 12.30pm–10pm.

[Bar open: Mon–Sat 11am–1am; Sun 12.30pm–1am].

Veg; HW £16.30; Kids. £14 (lunch) / £17 (dinner)

Whiski Rooms on the Mound is the sister restaurant, and bar, to its predecessor, found on the Royal Mile. With over 300 hundred types of whiskies to choose from, as well as their offerings of cocktails and Scottish made beers and ciders, it also provides freshly made food and plays host as a music venue to new Scottish talent. The ‘Bar Bites’menu is particularly inventive, with truffle popcorn and pigeon crostini on offer.

High End Amber Restaurant The Scotch Whisky Experience, 354 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Old Town, EH1 2NE 0131 477 8477, amber-restaurant.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–3.45pm; Tue–Sat 7–9pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun 10am–6pm; for restaurant–goers only 6–11.30pm].

Veg; HW £14.95; Kids; Wh. £14 (lunch) / £27 (dinner)

Down the staircase, within the Royal Mile’s Scotch Whisky Experience, the pleasant, heavy stone rooms of Amber Restaurant are a welcoming surprise. Knowledgeable bar staff wickedly tempt diners with a vast array of unusual whiskies and other drinks. You could happily spend the entire evening this way if the menu weren’t so inviting.

Executive chef David Neave has the good fortune that his son Michael, finalist in the Scottish Young Chef of the Year (2010), is firmly at the helm. Despite the ratio of kitchen space to dishes ordered he produces consistent wonders.

Angels With Bagpipes 343 High Street, Old Town, EH1 1PN 0131 220 1111, angelswithbagpipes.co.uk Apr–Oct: Mon–Sun 9am–10pm. Oct–Mar: Mon–Sun noon–10pm.

HW £16.90; Kids; Wh. £14.25 (set lunch) / £27 (dinner)

The Royal Mile has a new charmer in residence. Sleek, modern, understated and calming, Angels with Bagpipes encapsulates many of the characteristics of its owner Marina Crolla, making you feel immediately welcome and at ease. Like Marina, this place is Scottish by origin but has that underlying Italian style. Opened in 2010, Angels feels so embedded into the neighbourhood already, it’s easy to forget that a dreary council office once occupied the site facing St Giles. An incredibly well informed wine list (no surprise there given family background) offers options for most pockets and they’re happy to help you match wine to food.

La Garrigue 31 Jeffrey Street, Old Town, EH1 1DH 0131 557 3032, lagarrigue.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–2.30pm, 6.30–9.30pm.

[Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £14.50; Kids. £12.50 (set lunch) / £26.50 (dinner)

La Garrigue has been described as the most authentic French restaurant in Edinburgh and it certainly stands out. Owner and chef Jean Michel Gauffre is passionate about his home region, the Languedoc, and this is reflected in everything from les aperitifs, rarely found outside France, to the rural paintings done by a Scottish artist working in Jean Michel’s home town of Bédarieux. If you’re looking for frog’s legs and moules frîtes, you may be disappointed; on the other hand, if you want a classic, southern French experience, you’re in the right place. La Garrigue, which now has three restaurants covering both Old and New towns and Leith, is a classy operation. Both restaurants share the same, seasonally changing menu, although there are a few more vegetarian options in the New Town.

The Grain Store 30 Victoria Street, Old Town, EH1 2JW 0131 225 7635, grainstore-restaurant.co.uk Mon–Thu noon–2pm, 6–10pm; Fri noon–2pm, 6–11pm; Sat noon–3pm, 6–11pm; Sun noon–3pm, 6–10pm. [Extended in Fest].

HW £18; Kids. £12.50 (set lunch) / £32 (dinner)

The Grain Store has earned the right to be considered an Edinburgh classic. Nestled in the colourful parade of Victoria Street premises, the restaurant’s solid stone walls and worn, dark-wood furnishings make it feel like coming home even on a first visit. Warmth exudes from well trained staff and the simple menu would do any enthusiast of Scottish produce proud.

Ondine 2 George IV Bridge, Old Town, EH1 1AD 0131 226 1888, ondinerestaurant.co.uk Mon–Sat noon–10pm; Sun noon–4pm.

Pre; HW £17.50; Kids; Wh. £16.95 (set lunch) / £29 (dinner)

The aim of Ondine becoming the first 100% MSC-certified restaurant in Scotland is a lofty one, but one that chef-owner Roy Brett is serious about. Brett intimately knows his seafood and his sourcing. Diners in this buzzing second-floor space find that their questions about the sourcing of the scallops or white fish are not fobbed off with a mere ‘West Coast’.

Instead, they’re given the name of the specific port. For shellfish lovers, Ondine’s platters are arguably the finest in Edinburgh. Try to choose between classic French on ice with mayonnaise or warmed with garlic butter – some decadent diners just order both. Other mains include a remarkable black risotto with chilli squid and an aged sirloin.

Tower Restaurant National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Old Town, EH1 1JF 0131 225 3003, tower-restaurant.com Mon–Sun noon–11pm.

Pre; HW £21; Kids; Wh. £14.95 (set lunch) / £42 (dinner)

The Tower Restaurant sits atop the National Museum of Scotland where the long dining room is nicely fitted out with leather seats, heavy fabrics and super-shiny surfaces.

Stepping out of the lift, the promised skyline views through the large windows are actually more rooftop, which sets the tone for the food to follow.

Wedgwood the Restaurant 267 Canongate, Old Town, EH8 8BQ 0131 558 8737, wedgwoodtherestaurant.co.uk Mon–Sat noon–3pm, 6–10pm; Sun 12.30–3pm, 6–10pm.

HW £15.50; Kids. £10 (set lunch) / £27 (dinner)

Wedgwood the Restaurant is an oasis of tasteful calm on the touristy, tartan-lined Canongate.

The attraction here is Paul Wedgwood’s imaginative cooking, and the seasonally changing menu is satisfyingly hard to choose from. A starter of king scallops with squash purée and chorizo is lip-smackingly sweetysalty, while crispy breaded aubergine squares arrive topped with a zingy cheddar rarebit. A main of ‘wild Scottish deer’looks like a work of art with two towers of pink venison standing proud of carrot and olive oil purée, dinky haggis bonbons and a dark pool of full-flavoured mulled wine jus.

The Witchery by the Castle Castlehill, Royal Mile, Old Town, EH1 2NF 0131 225 5613, thewitchery.com Mon–Sun noon–4pm, 5.30–11.30pm.

Pre/Post; HW £19.50. £14.95 (set lunch) / £40 (dinner)

After dark, crimson lights glow on this 16th century merchant’s house as once the flames must have reflected from the witch burnings on nearby Castlehill. Inside the narrow close, the gothic black and red continues in the original Witchery, while down the stairs, the candle-lit Secret Garden awaits. It’s wickedly theatrical and gorgeously romantic. Don’t imagine, though, that you are the first to be enchanted; the Witchery’s magic is such that even midweek it’s busy. The £30 set-price menu introduced to celebrate owner James Thomson’s thirty years in business is a welcome addition to the seriously priced à la carte, and a good number of wines from the famous cellar may be tasted by the glass.

NEW TOWN & STOCKBRIDGE Inexpensive The Bon Vivant 55 Thistle Street, New Town, EH2 1DY 0131 225 3275, bonvivantedinburgh.co.uk

Mon–Sun noon–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun noon–1am].

extensive selection of teas, which includes the award-winning Bouteaque Blue Mist. Classic teas range from pale yellow through amber to a dark, melting chocolate tea. Similar care and attention is also paid to the food: afternoon tea includes a sandwich, scone with all the trimmings, and an assortment of dainty patisserie piled on a vintage cake stand.

HW £16. £13 (lunch) / £13 (dinner)

The Bon Vivant is a stylish and well-stocked bar where the innovative cocktails are expertly made and the wine list is huge (44 available by the glass, including 12 champagnes). Dark walls and candlelight set the scene, and amid the cosiness are decks lying in wait for DJs who play every weekend. If you’re hungry you’re very well catered for too. The dining area has a cleverly designed menu offering starters and desserts in the form of ‘bites’for £1–£2, so if you’re struggling to choose between black pudding with apple chutney and smoked haddock pate on oatcakes, or between polenta blueberry cake and banana cheesecake with salsa, you can have both.

The Guildford Arms 1–5 West Register Street, New Town, EH2 2AA 0131 556 4312, guildfordarms.com Mon–Thu noon–2.30pm, 5.30–9.30pm; Fri/Sat noon–3pm, 5.30–10pm; Sun 12.30–3pm, 5.30–9.30pm. [Bar open: Mon–Thu 11am–11pm; Fri/Sat 11am–midnight; Sun 12.30–11pm].

Veg; HW £12.20. £16 (lunch) / £17 (dinner)

Mon–Fri 8am–7.30pm; Sat 9am–7.30pm; Sun 11am–5pm. [Fest opening times vary].

The Guildford Arms’ales have been quenching the thirst of Edinburghers for more than a century, and this remains a popular venue for lovers of good beer and, increasingly, for diners looking to sample high quality food in a relaxed atmosphere.

Lunchtime diners select from a menu that is expanded in the evening and has a Scottish influence in the form of Shetland mussels and Stornoway black pudding. If there is room, the chef’s daily changing desserts could include an apple and mango brûlée or warm chocolate fondant pudding.

Veg; BYOB (no charge); Kids; T/A. £10 (lunch) / £10 (dinner)

Hamiltons Bar and Kitchen

Broughton Delicatessen 7 Barony Street, New Town, EH3 6PD 0131 558 7111, broughton-deli.co.uk

Recently voted among the top 50 delis in the UK, this little deli/café champions the relaxed, community-based ethos of Broughton Street.

Everything but the Au Gourmand bread and pastry selection is made onsite, including a range of chutneys, available in jars to buy.

There is also an emphasis on excellent meats, including Martin Wishart organic smoked salmon and organic Peelham Farm bacon.

This makes for a particularly great brunch, home-made down to the tattie scone and baked beans. The five daily salads feature seasonal ingredients, and meals include a light, gingery ramen soup, their own flatbread pizza, soups and sarnies and some great platters (dips, smoked salmon or tortilla).

The Dogs 110 Hanover Street, New Town, EH2 1DR 0131 220 1208, thedogsonline.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–4pm, 5–10pm.

Veg; HW £12.80. £10 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

It’s no surprise The Dogs is the perfect refuge for diners in austere times. Born amid the credit crunch, its no-frills, back-to-culinarybasics formula is well-honed. Dishes rarely stray above £10, even in the evening. Beyond cost, there’s ample substance to the highly seasonal cooking, making the most of humble ingredients like offal and veg with crafty ways of making things go further. So, don’t be surprised by plenty of braises, stews and a pie or six.

Embo

16–18 Hamilton Place, Stockbridge, EH3 5AU 0131 226 4199, hamiltonsedinburgh.co.uk Mon–Sun 9am–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun 9am–1am. Extended in Fest].

LC; Veg; HW £13.95; Kids. £15 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

Hamiltons tries to be all things to all people, and it pretty much succeeds. It’s a buzzing bar with pop art strewn walls, a music venue, a stopping-off point for coffee or brunch, a

Bread & Olives Delicatessen

‘Bread and Olives in Edinburgh’s city centre is the place to visit if you want to eat the finest ingredients at affordable prices’ Bread & Olives Deli 17a Queensferry Street Edinburgh EH2 4QW www.breadandolives edinburgh.co.uk/

29 Haddington Place, Leith Walk, Leith, EH7 4AG 0131 652 3880, embo-deli.com Mon–Fri 8am–4pm; Sat 9am–4.30pm. Closed Sun. Veg; Kids; T/A; D. £8 (lunch)

Leith Walk’s Embo is an exemplar local café.

Their fruit and veg comes from Tattie Shaws just over the road, their bread from Manna House on Easter Road, and the place is often filled with warm banter among regulars.

Hand-crafted wooden furnishings and local art displays create a down-to-earth appeal but it’s owner Mike Marshall’s passion for food that forms Embo’s beating heart.

eteaket 41 Frederick Street, New Town, EH2 1EP 0131 226 2982, eteaket.co.uk

Mon–Fri 8am–6pm; Sat 8am–6pm; Sun 10am–6pm.

Veg; BYOB (£3; champagne only); Kids; T/A. £6 (lunch)

Taking time out for pleasure is not only celebrated but expected at this stylish, cosy New Town café where the humble cuppa is reclaimed as a luxury. Owner Erica Moore travelled the world to source eteaket’s

‘Bringing the finest coffee and hand crafted lunches to Edinburgh's west-end’ KG's Coffee Shop 33 William Street, Edinburgh EH3 7LW 0131 - 538 7165 www.kgscoffeeshop.com

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meeting place for business people, and a restaurant with an imaginatively created menu. While staff are happy to serve food in the comfy bar area, a raised dining section is more formally laid out and has a couple of tables ideally placed to watch the world go by.

A reduced version of the evening menu is supplemented at lunchtime by sandwiches.

Henderson’s Vegetarian Restaurant 94 Hanover Street, New Town, EH2 1DR 0131 225 2131, hendersonsofedinburgh.co.uk Mon–Wed 8am–9.30pm; Thu–Sat 8am–10pm.

Closed Sun. [Aug & Dec: open Sun 10am–5pm].

Veg; HW £14.25; Kids; T/A. £8.95 / £9.50 (set lunch) / £14 (dinner)

Established in 1962, Henderson’s will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. No mean feat for a restaurant that started life as an outlet for dishes made with produce from Janet Henderson’s kitchen garden at the family’s East Lothian farm. From these humble beginnings an Edinburgh institution was born. As other vegetarian restaurants have come and gone, this one continues to thrive, and their original ethos of ‘eat better, live better’is still very much at the heart of what they do. A huge blackboard details the dailychanging specials.

Patisserie Madeleine 27b Raeburn Place, Stockbridge, EH4 1HU 0131 332 8455, patisseriemadeleine.com Tue–Sat 10am–5.30pm; Sun 11am–5pm. Closed Mon. Veg; T/A.

Opened in 2010, Patisserie Madeleine is an enchanting coffee house, a chink of Paris in Stockbridge. Owner and chef Arnaud Djavanshir, who trained under macaroon maestro Pierre Hermé, spins sugar and magic in his tiny kitchen. The cakes here are a delight to behold and even more of a delight to eat. Tarte Belle Hélène is a luscious, velvety pear crumble and chocolate creation, the flavours layered and balanced to achieve gastronomic harmony.

Cakes here are both an art form and a precise science.

Queen’s Arms 49 Frederick Street, New Town, EH2 1EP 0131 225 1045, queensarmsedinburgh.com Mon–Sat 11am–9pm; Sun 12.30–9pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sat 11am–1am; Sun 12.30pm–1am].

HW £13. £12 (lunch) / £12 (dinner)

Nestled on the corner of Frederick and Thistle Streets, this long-standing basement pub was subjected to a largely sympathetic refit in May

2010 by the owners of Element and The Rutland. Accordingly, the focus has moved towards providing a friendly place to relax with a pint from a changing range of guest ales, have a bite to eat, and maybe catch some big-screen sporting events. On the food front, the menu is concise but features predominantly Scottish and seasonal ingredients.

The Stand 5 York Place, New Town, EH1 3EB 0131 558 7272, thestand.co.uk Thu 7.30–8.45pm; Fri/Sat 7–8.45pm; Sun 12.30–2.30pm (no food Mon–Wed). [Bar open: Sun–Thu 7.30pm–midnight; Fri/Sat 7pm–1am.

Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £12.95. £7 (one course) (lunch) / £7 (one course) (dinner)

The Stand has been at the forefront of Edinburgh’s comedy scene for over 15 years and comes into its own during the Fringe, expanding upwards and outwards to become a five-venue comedy powerhouse, but this atmospheric basement is buzzing throughout the year thanks to its cheery staff, affordable prices and genuine commitment to independent comedy. A popular range of bar food is served before the regular shows, including staples like

25 Thistle Street, New Town, EH2 1DX 0131 225 2605, hendersonsofedinburgh.co.uk Sun–Wed noon–8.30pm; Thu–Sat noon–9.30pm.

[Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £13.95; Kids. £13 (lunch) / £13 (dinner)

Younger sibling to the restaurant downstairs, Henderson’s Bistro is a more intimate setting with table service and added finesse to the food. The menu offers vegetarian staples such as nut burgers, curry, risotto, savoury crêpes and lasagne, but a specials menu details the key ingredients which change daily and according to season. It’s best to get along there for yourself and see what’s on offer.

We may not be best known for our sunshine skies, but Edinburgh still has some mighty fine al fresco options

157 Hope Street Glasgow G2 2UQ Reservations 0141 572 1405

www.mussel-inn.com

24 Howe Street, New Town, EH3 6TG 0131 225 6490, standardbar.co.uk Mon–Sat noon–9pm; Sun noon–8pm. [Bar open: Sun–Thu 11am–midnight; Fri/Sat 11am–1am].

HW £13.95. £10 (lunch) / £10 (dinner)

With four large TV screens this is a popular location for watching live sports, especially rugby internationals when free pies are served during half time. Burgers, steak sandwiches, mushroom soup and nachos may not carve any new culinary ground but are at least all delivered competently – more than can be said for much of the competition on nearby George Street. Similarly the drinks list is fairly standard with Amstel and Peroni the only slightly different draught beers. Soup and sandwiches for £5 at lunch combine with specials on the weekend and roasts to complete a reliable offering at this conveniently located venue.

Taste of Italy 9 Baxter’s Place, New Town, EH1 3EF 0131 557 9998 Mon–Sun 8.30am–11pm. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £9.95/1litre; Kids; Wh; T/A. £8 (lunch) / £8 (dinner)

Treacle

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

61-65 Rose Street Edinburgh EH2 2NH Reservations 0131 225 5979

The Standard

Decorated in the colours of the Italian flag and generous amounts of chrome, what it does, it does well. The caponata has a tangy tomato sauce and a colourful mix of olives. Spaghetti carbonara is rich with egg yolk, the salty bite of parmesan and just a hint of cream, and pizzas have a good thin base and basil-topped tomato sauce. Customers range from families with children and theatre-goers to young Italians.

Long opening hours start with cooked breakfasts in the morning and finish late dinner – extending into the wee hours in August.

Henderson’s Bistro

Passionate about Seafood

beef or veggie chilli, burgers, nachos and haggis.

If the weather stays good (and we’ve got all manner of digits crossed hoping that it will), you’ll be looking to do a lot of your activities outdoors, including eating. Happily, many of Edinburgh’s best places to eat also have very attractive al fresco options. The swanky threesome of Tower Restaurant (National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0131 225 3003), Forth Floor Restaurant (Harvey Nichols, 30–34 St Andrew Square, 0131 524 8350) and Oloroso (33 Castle Street, 0131 226 7614) all offer fantastic views of the city from the open tops of their respective buildings, and fantastic food to go with it. Less high-up but with equally lovely scenery are the terrace tables at Kurdish restaurant Hanam’s (3 Johnston Terrace, 0131 225 1329) and the harbour-perched Loch Fyne Restaurant (25 Pier Place, 0131 559 3900). Peter’s Yard (27 Simpsons Loan, 0131 228 5876) and The Gateway Café (Inverleith, 0131 552 2674) and Terrace Café (Inverleith, 0131 552 0606) all have tables that lie just

132 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

off the vast green expanses of the Meadows and the Botanics, respectively. The Grassmarket leaves you somewhat spoilt for choice when it comes to al fresco options; however, if pushed, we’d have to recommend Petit Paris (38-40 Grassmarket, 0131 226 2442) for a perfect lateafternoon latte and peoplewatching session. Down in Leith, both the Gordon Ramsayendorsed Chop Chop Chinese restaurant (76 Commercial Street, 0131 553 1818) and contemporary Scottish restaurant A Room in Leith (1c Dock Place, 0131 554 7427) offer plentiful outdoor seating.

In terms of venue-based outdoor options, the Pleasance Courtyard (60 Pleasance, 0131 225 9179) and Udderbelly’s Pasture (Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252) are probably your best bets, although you may have to fight for a place to sit down.

Those attending the Art Festival may wish to grab a bite at The Scottish Café and Restaurant (National Galleries Complex, The Mound, 0131 226 6524), while International Festival patrons are more than welcome to enjoy an outdoor bite to eat at The Hub Café and Restaurant (Castlehill, 0131 473 2015). (Niki Boyle)

39–41 Broughton Street, New Town, EH1 3JU 0131 557 0627, treacleedinburgh.co.uk/ Mon–Sun 10am–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sat 10am–1am; Sun 12.30pm–1am. Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £13.95; Kids. £13 (lunch) / £13 (dinner)

As an alternative to the string of pubs along Broughton Street, Treacle successfully caters to a stylish after-work crowd during the week, and relaxed family brunchers at weekends. Groups of lads will prefer to lean at the bar – which can get crowded – while the raised level of small tables packs out with dining ladies. The menu sticks to bar classics but the food is more inventive than usual: a list of open sandwiches includes one with calamari, crispy baby gem and aioli, while chicken and beef burgers sit alongside one of crispy falafel and sesame, which comes with home-made parsnip fries instead of the usual chips.

Wellington Coffee 33a George Street, New Town, EH2 2HN 0131 225 6857 Mon–Fri 7.30am–7pm; Sat 8.30am–7pm; Sun 8.30am–7pm.

Veg; T/A. £5.50 (lunch)

There’s certainly no denying that the reasonably diminutive Wellington Coffee has charm, ensconced as it is on one of the city’s busiest shopping thoroughfares. The smell of coffee hits you the minute you walk through the door and the flat white is as smooth and delicious as the large slabs of carrot and banana cake that adorn the counter shelves. At lunchtime, space is undoubtedly tight and you may have to wait, but the spicy red Thai chicken soup and mozzarella cheese, tomato and pesto panini is reasonably tasty, making it worth the wait, while the Cajun panini offers a zing slightly lacking in its veggie counterpart.

Those looking for a quiet coffee should probably opt for mid-morning or afternoon when the lunchtime throng has dissipated – and certainly its central location on George Street, delicious tea selections (ginger and lemongrass is particularly good) and cold drinks make it a great pit stop for a drink after a busy day shopping in the city centre.

The Voodoo Rooms 19a West Register Street, New Town, EH2 2AA 0131 556 7060, thevoodoorooms.com Mon–Thu 4–9.45pm; Fri–Sun noon–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Thu 4pm–1am; Fri–Sun noon–1am.

Extended in Fest].

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HITLIST

LC; Veg; HW £14.50. £11 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

Browns Restaurant and Bar

Any time is cocktail time in the Voodoo Rooms, with its feel of a cabaret club oozing somewhat faded, slightly sleazy glamour. On evenings when there’s live entertainment, the bar is usually bulging.

Gastropub grub is served in a small dining room where the boudoir style suggests candle-lit seduction, though the high volume hubbub from the adjoining bar may spoil the mood. The menu has something for everyone, from lunchtime ciabattas through fish n’chips and burgers to an extended weekend dinner selection taking in global influences from southern US to the Med. Starters might be a shared platter of goat’s cheese crostini, fiery chicken wings or filo prawns. For mains, chicken with prosciutto and asparagus is a bit underwhelming, and confit of duck leg with a plum ginger sauce, carrots and mash a somewhat confused combination. Finish with a by-the-book chocolate torte and – oh, go on then – another cocktail.

131–133 George Street, New Town, EH2 4JS 0131 225 4442, browns-restaurants.com Mon–Sat 10am–10.30pm; Sun 10am–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Thu 11am–midnight; Fri/Sat 11am–1am; Sun 12.30–11pm].

Pre/Post; HW £13.95; Kids; Wh. £11.95 (set lunch) / £18 (dinner)

Mid-range

Breakfasts Snax The premier place for fried food in the capital, to sit in or takeaway – pair up with a can of Irn Bru for the ultimate hangover cure. 118 Buccleuch Street, 0131 662 9009; 15–17 West Register Street, 0131 557 8688; 77–87 Ferry Road, 0131 553 5996.

Heller’s Kitchen Bakery goodies are the speciality here – go for the pancakes and maple syrup, and chuck in a breakfast doughnut if you’re feeling especially sinful. 15 Salisbury Place, 0131 667 4654.

Peter’s Yard Swedish-run café offering freshly-baked bread, with an accompanying selection of jams, cream cheeses and cheddars. Get a cardamom hot chocolate while you’re at it. 27 Simpson Loan, 0131 228 5876.

Hula Tasty, healthy juice bar with a great range of smoothies – and bagels and porridge, if you need something more substantial. 103-105 West Bow, 0131 220 1121.

Stoats Porridge Bars For the festivarian on the go, these delicious flap-jacky concoctions will keep you going till lunch.

Purchase from the Farmers’ Market or various newsagents.

Farmers’ Market, Castle Terrace, every Saturday.

Centotre One for the classy brunching types, this, with a glorious high-ceilinged dining room and even more glorious Italian omelettes and focaccia bacon rolls. 103 George Street, 0131 225 1550.

Urban Angel Much-loved recipient of foodie awards and a great place to grab anything from homemade muesli to eggs Benedict. 121 Hanover Street, 0131 225 6215; 1 Forth Street, 0131 556 6323.

A Room in the Town 18 Howe Street, New Town, EH3 6TG 0131 225 8204, aroomin.co.uk Sun–Thu noon–2.30pm, 5.30–9.30pm; Fri/Sat noon–3pm, 5.30–10.30pm.

Veg; BYOB (£3 wine; £4 sparkling); HW £13.95; Kids. £12.95 (set lunch) / £22 (dinner)

A Room in the Town resembles the well known and colourful mural lining its main wall more often than one suspects.

Everything gets done but nothing feels either rushed or ignored. Zesty, rose harissa spiced chickpea & sunblushed tomato cakes outshine the rather quiet smoked chicken and black pudding terrine. Ceviche of tuna is accented with mustard seeds but could benefit from slightly more punch.

The confit of smoked-paprika pork gains both sweetness and spicy counterpoint from the golden roast butternut squash, and is a classic in the making.

A vast all-day menu including prix-fixe and afternoon tea aims to cater for all tastes; sharing platters, pastas, salads, burgers and larger mains are all here. A key expectation from a chain operation is consistency, and food quality here is rather variable. Duck liver parfait is rich, velvety and full of flavour but a slab of pork belly that follows is dry and devoid of promised succulence. While Browns has got the ‘stylish environment’sorted it could perhaps do with working on the ‘welldelivered’aspect of its promise.

Scotland as head chef Islay Fraser experiments with the produce of her own country and the influence of her business partner Marcelline Levicky’s home.

Café Royal Circle Bar 19 West Register Street, New Town, EH2 2AA 0131 556 1884, caferoyal.org.uk Mon–Sat 11am–10pm; Sun 12.30–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Wed 11am–11pm; Thu 11am–midnight; Fri/Sat 11am–1am; Sun 12.30–11pm].

HW £13. £15 (lunch) / £17 (dinner)

76 Thistle Street, New Town, EH2 1EN 0131 226 2230, cafemarlayne.com

The Café Royal Circle Bar has been in business since the latter part of the 19th century and its timeless appeal still brings throngs through the door. For pub grub, food can be expensive but you’re paying as much for where you’re eating as what you’re eating. The menu is weighted toward seafood (think kilo pots of mussels and rich fish stew) as well as staples such as beef and ale pie or sausage and mash.

You can’t make reservations in the bar area so prepare to loiter during busy evenings if you want a table.

Mon–Sun noon–2.30pm, 6–10pm. [Extended in Fest].

Café St Honoré

Café Marlayne

HW £14.95; Kids. £11 (lunch) / £19 (dinner)

Café Marlayne has established itself firmly on the Edinburgh French restaurant scene, having survived 10 years and a move of its second branch from off the Royal Mile to new premises opposite the Playhouse Theatre. The two venues are markedly different. The pretty little Thistle Street restaurant remains ideal for an intimate tête-à-tête, while the barn-like proportions of the new Antigua Street venue make it suited to large parties. High, whitewashed walls, a supersized glitterball and bold Ikea lampshades give the place a wide-open feel that fits its fluid, all-day format. Whereas Thistle Street operates bistro hours only, Antigua Street is open for breakfasts and pretheatre dinners as well, and sells sandwiches, cakes and coffees throughout the day from a small café at the front. The menu in both locations is really a fusion of France and

34 North West Thistle Street Lane, New Town, EH2 1EA 0131 226 2211, cafesthonore.com Mon–Fri noon–2pm, 5.30–10pm; Sat/Sun noon–2pm, 6–10pm. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; Pre; HW £17.90; Kids. £15.50 (set lunch) / £26.50 (dinner)

With its wood-panelled and mirrored interior, black and white chequered floors and spindly tables with white cloths, Café St Honoré certainly has the power to make you feel like you’re in 1940s Paris. Fortunately for Edinburgh diners, 2011 Scottish Chef of the Year Neil Forbes is the executive chef and there’s no rationing in the kitchen. The menu is straightforward and expertly cooked with the fresh, organic ingredients in keeping with the restaurant’s connections with the Slow Food movement and the Sustainable Restaurant Association.

Amore Dogs 104 Hanover Street, New Town, EH2 1DR 0131 220 5155, amoredogs.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–4pm, 5–10pm.

Veg; HW £14.25; Kids. £11 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

The first sight that greets diners is a huge picture of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus with the goddess replaced by a giant dog’s head.

It’s one of many homages to the owner David Ramsden’s beloved pets that inspired his dog-themed restaurants. The seasonally changing menu is concise, featuring pasta and pizza staples alongside more unusual dishes such as rabbit cacciatore.

Bell’s Diner 7 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge, EH3 5AN 0131 225 8116 Sun–Fri 6–10pm; Sat noon–10.15pm.

HW £10.95; T/A. £14 (lunch) / £14 (dinner)

If you’re looking for proper quality fast food, plump and juicy burgers that sing with sweetness and steaming piles of chips; or if you’re looking for a cosy restaurant with battered wooden furniture and soft lighting that exudes warmth and friendliness: look no more. Bell’s Diner, now forty years old, remains a favourite destination for Edinburgh carnivores.

Blue Moon Café 1 Barony Street, New Town, EH1 3SB 0131 556 2788, bluemooncafe.co.uk Mon–Fri 11am–10pm; Sat/Sun 10am–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sat 11am–midnight; Sun 12.30pm–midnight. Extended in summer].

HW £10.95; Kids. £8 (lunch) / £12.50 (dinner)

It’s hard to believe, but Broughton Street’s Blue Moon Café, located in the heart of Edinburgh’s gay scene, has been a lively social hub for over 30 years. A few things have altered over time – the Broughton Street wing is now a separate diner, Hamburger Heaven – but essentially the recipe remains unchanged. The menu offers hearty, homely and familiar dishes such as nachos, lasagne, steak pie, chimichangas and a couple of curries. list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 133

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Centotre

Dusit

103 George Street, New Town, EH2 3ES 0131 225 1550, centotre.com Mon–Thu 7.30am–10pm; Fri/Sat 7.30am–11pm; Sun 10am–8pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sat 7.30am–midnight; Sun 10am–10pm. Extended in Fest].

LC; HW £15.45; Kids; Wh; T/A. £16.95 (set lunch) / £21 (dinner)

49a Thistle Street, New Town, EH2 1DY 0131 220 6846, dusit.co.uk Mon–Sat noon–3pm, 6–11pm; Sun noon–11pm.

Veg; HW £14.95; T/A. £24 (set lunch) / £25 (dinner)

Like sister establishment The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant, Centotre promises to serve only ‘happy food’, their term for food made with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. The evening à la carte menu features pastas, pizzas, salads and main courses. A starter of silky gnocchi is surrounded by cream, sprigs of dill and smoked salmon. A main course of venison arrives with a tangy horseradish dressing and grilled vegetables. Desserts at Centotre are worth saving room for, particularly a delightfully crunchy meringue filled with berries and cream.

A perfect tempura prawn sums up the expertise on display here: a prawn of unparalleled creaminess, the panko breadcrumbs brittle and crisp in contrast. Tom yum soup is fresh and refreshing, lemongrass giving fragrance to subtle spicing and galangal earthing the sourness. Talay sam rod is worth travelling long distances for. The monkfish and butterflied prawns are smoky and almost caramelised from the char grill, the sauce hot and tangy with lime.

A cooler, coconut-based Geang Ka-Ri is seasonal, ‘super-healthy’and will gratify vegetarians with fresh herbs, figs and jackfruit.

L’escargot Bleu Calistoga Central 70 Rose Street North Lane, New Town, EH2 3DX 0131 225 1233, calistoga.co.uk Mon–Sat noon–2.30pm, 5–10pm; Sun 12.30pm–2.30pm, 5–10pm. [Bar open: Will open bar at different times for groups or wine tastings by prior request. Extended in Fest].

Veg; Pre; HW £13; Kids. £11.50 (set lunch) / £20.50 (dinner)

It’s a testament to the quality of food on offer that Calistoga has any customers, secreted as it is on a street few venture down. Once you’ve found your way here, this chic Californian eatery has much to set the taste buds alight. The quirky tempura haggis starter is creamy and delicately flavoured, although its success only highlights the flaws in the limp Asian noodle salad. Mix and match is the order of the day on the grill menu. Diners select their meat – from the rib-eye steak to the rather daunting ostrich fillet – and add a sauce. There’s a spicy salsa, port and shallot, or a velvety peppercorn sauce that wins the day. Calistoga changes its menu regularly but not to worry, the food should always shine.

56 Broughton Street, New Town, EH1 3SA 0131 557 1600, lescargotbleu.co.uk Sun–Thu noon–3pm, 5.30–10pm; Fri/Sat noon–3pm, 5.30–10.30pm. [Extended in Fest].

Pre; BYOB (£5.50; Mon-Thu only); HW £14.50; Kids. £24.50 (lunch) / £24.50 (dinner)

Broughton Street is full of trendy cafés and bistros but L’escargot Bleu stands out from the crowd with its French menu, chic bric-a-brac interior and superior sourcing policy highlighted through its own delicatessen in the basement. Owner Frederick Berkmiller is deeply committed to showing off local produce.

There are blackboard lunch specials and early dining options available every day, although choosing à la carte is worth the extra expense.

The Far Pavilions 10–12 Craigleith Road, Comely Bank EH4 2DP 0131 332 3362 Mon–Fri noon–2pm, 5.15–11.30pm; Sat 5.15–11.30pm; Sun 5–10pm.

There is something reassuring about a longestablished restaurant located in the middle of a leafy suburb. Primarily dependent on locals for trade, such places can’t afford not to have their main customer base on side. Craigleith’s comfortable Far Pavilions not only has a loyal following of residents on its doorstep; taking a quick tour of India and Pakistan, the menu whisks diners off to exotic and colourful destinations such as Kerala, Islamabad and Bombay. Pistachio chicken from Delhi is delicately flavoured, subtle in its use of spices and, like the tender, lean lamb with ginger and cardamom, is generous in portion size.`

Fishers in the City 58 Thistle Street, New Town, EH2 1EN 0131 225 5109, fishersbistros.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–10.30pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sat noon–1am; Sun 12.30pm–1am. Extended in Fest].

Pre; HW £14.95; Kids; Wh. £11.95 (set lunch) / £24 (dinner)

‘The true taste of Thailand - all our Thai ingredients are imported directly from Talard Thai Markets, Bangkok’ Restaurant Hours Mon-Sat: 12:00 - 14:30 Mon-Sun: 17:30 - 22:30 Delivery Hours Mon-Sun: 18:30 - 22:00

48 Howe Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6TH Tel: 0131 226 3675 www.ruanthai.co.uk

Fishers is the sort of seafood restaurant that you can take fish phobic friends to. Despite the name, they can conjure up excellent 24-day hung beef steaks, with decadent optional foie gras with an ultra rich reduction sure to please committed carnivores. That said, the seafood is the real star with an impressive array of fish, crustaceans and molluscs to choose from. The wine list is equally eclectic in a restaurant that manages to defy all the seafood clichés and in doing so nets more than just seafood lovers.

Forth Floor Brasserie Harvey Nichols, 30–34 St Andrew Square, New Town, EH2 2AD 0131 524 8350, harveynichols.com Mon 10am–5.30pm; Tue–Sat 10am–10pm; Sun 11am–5pm. [Bar open: Mon 10am–6pm; Tue/Wed 10am–11pm; Thu–Sat 10am–midnight; Sun 12.30pm–6pm].

Veg; HW £19; Kids; Wh. £14.50 (set lunch) / £18 (dinner)

Press four in Harvey Nicks’lift and you’ll be elevated to a whole floor dedicated to foodie delights. Among these, the Forth Floor Brasserie is slick and sophisticated, from the voice taking bookings to the delivery of the bill.

In-between, there’s a real consistency to the quality of the food: Scottish and European classics with an emphasis on local ingredients, with a choice of à la carte or fixed-price menus.

Smoked salmon with petite potato scones and herby crème fraîche is a lovely, simple starter, as is corned beef with piccalilli. To follow, twice-

134 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

roasted pork belly with mashed potato and apple sauce is a sticky-sauced rib-sticker. On the lighter side, oat-coated local mackerel comes with a piquant lemon and caper sauce, crowned with feathery tempura-battered onion rings.

Gusto 135 George Street, New Town, EH2 4JH 0131 225 2555, gustorestaurants.uk.com Sun–Thu noon–10.30pm; Fri/Sat noon–11pm. [Bar open: Sun–Wed 10.30am –11pm; Thu–Sat 10.30am–midnight. Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £14.25; Kids; Wh. £20 (lunch) / £20 (dinner)

True to its name, Gusto has taste. The sleek black walls, romantic photos of Italy and the twinkling light backdrop create a classic ambience. The mezzanine dining area overlooks a long central table and surrounding clusters of diners. Gusto is not just about the food – it’s a chic space to chat and observe. On Sunday evenings, a jazz singer plays standards on the piano, letting a ray of vocal sunshine cut through the din.

Hadrian’s Brasserie The Balmoral, 1 Princes Street, New Town, EH2 2EQ 0131 557 5000, hadriansbrasserie.com Mon–Fri 7–10.30am, noon–2.30pm, 6.30–10.30pm; Sat 7–11am, 12.30–2.30pm, 6.30–10.30pm; Sun 7.30–11am, 12.30–2.30pm, 6.30–10.30pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun noon–1am. Extended in Fest].

HW £19.50; Kids; Wh. £16 (set lunch) / £27 (dinner)

With its chartreuse walls, walnut finishes and crisp linens Hadrian’s oozes refined elegance.

The service is as slick and professional as you’d expect from the five star setting of the Balmoral Hotel. The menu showcases fine Scottish produce in a selection of predominantly British and European dishes that’s cleverly pitched to appeal to well-heeled locals and international visitors alike. There’s an admirable focus on seasonality, and executive chef Jeff Bland clearly takes tremendous care over the sourcing and traceability of his ingredients.

La Lanterna 83 Hanover Street, New Town, EH2 1EE 0131 226 3090, lalanternaedinburgh.co.uk Tue–Sat noon–10pm. Closed Sun/Mon. HW £15.95/1litre; Kids; T/A. £13.50 (lunch) / £21 (dinner)

Hanover Street is home to several other restaurants but perhaps none as long-standing as family-run La Lanterna. Since 1982, vivacious hostess Toni Zaino has welcomed diners into the wood-panelled basement, decorated with candles and rose-shaped cushions. There’s a relaxed and intimate feel to the dining area, where you can bop your head to Toni’s retro stereo selections. Southern Italian dishes from the Zaino’s home territory south of Naples feature on the menu.

The Magnum Restaurant & Bar 1 Albany Street, New Town, EH1 3PY 0131 557 4366, themagnum.webeden.co.uk Mon–Sat noon–2.30pm, 5.30–10pm; Sun 12.30–3.30pm, 6–9pm. [Bar open: Mon–Thu noon–midnight; Fri/Sat noon–1am; Sun 12.30–11pm].

HW £14.25; Kids. £11.95 (set lunch) / £21 (dinner)

Over thirty years The Magnum has become a sound New Town institution, providing a warm welcome in a cosy setting. Dark wood, soft fairy lights and simple décor (including some ancient skis), gently wash away the day’s worries alongside a pre-dinner drink from the well stocked bar. The menu offers similar comfort. Warm, spicy Stornoway black pudding is strikingly set off by sweet roasted butternut squash and slightly caramelised red peppers. Arbroath smokie pâté is so light you scoop rather than spread it onto your oatcakes.

Mains are satisfying, whether the seared prime côte de boeuf in port reduction or the moist pheasant breast swathed in crispy pancetta.

Mussel Inn 61–65 Rose Street, New Town, EH2 2NH 0131 225 5979, mussel-inn.com Mon–Thu noon–3pm, 5.30–10pm; Fri–Sun noon–10pm.

HW £13.80; Kids. £21 (lunch) / £21 (dinner)

There can be few Edinburgh restaurants that have to turn away as many potential diners as this massively successful city centre honeypot.

Tables at weekends are booked solid, but it is always worth trying to battle into their unreserved bar area. The Mussel Inn is something of a pioneer as it has been diverting Scotland’s seafood away from the fine dining tables of London, Paris and Madrid since 1998.

They do it best when keeping things simple: heaving pots of mussels with a classic white wine and shallot accompaniment, and grilled scallops best enjoyed with garlic butter rather than the overpowering cheese and bacon option.

Nargile 73 Hanover Street, New Town, EH2 1EE 0131 225 5755, nargile-edinburgh.com Mon–Thu noon–9.30pm; Fri/Sat noon–10pm.

Closed Sun. [Extended in Fest].

Pre; HW £14.95; Kids. £11.95 (set lunch) / £22.75 (dinner)

For a fresh take on Turkish food, Nargile is the place to go. Born into the business, manager Ruya Iridag makes diners feel immediately at ease in choosing from her Scottish partner Stuart Anderson’s exotic sounding menu. Meze may be the most familiar of these dishes but the selection of Middle Eastern delicacies brings a range of unusual flavours to typical ingredients such as chicken, kalamari, tuna, chickpeas and sucuk, a halal Turkish sausage. As with the main courses, all is prepared with fine attention to detail. Portions are generous, with the creamed aubergine bed of hunkar begendi or char-grilled lamb a match for all but the ravenous.

Olive Branch Bistro 91 Broughton Street, New Town, EH1 3RX 0131 557 8589, theolivebranchscotland.co.uk Mon–Thu 10am–10pm; Fri/Sat 10am–11pm; Sun 10am–10pm. [Extended in Fest].

LC; Veg; Pre/Post; HW £13.95; Kids. £16 (lunch) / £18 (dinner)

From brunch till dinner, there’s a seasonallyinfluenced menu mixing Scottish ingredients with one or two mostly-Mediterranean influences. So, roast aubergine Parmigiana shares space with a hearty beef and ale stew adorned with glazed slivers of root veg and daubed with cranberry and port sauce. Salad of garlic and chilli squid, beetroot and watercress with citrus dressing is a light way to start, as is the mild salmon and chervil pâté with a slightly over-robust lemon and caper dressing. Burger lovers will be grinning at eight ounces of wellseasoned beef. An equally meaty sausage paired with caramelised onion comes from master butcher Crombie’s right next door.

The Orchard 1/2 Howard Place, Canonmills, EH3 5JZ 0131 550 0850, theorchardbar.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–8.30pm. [Bar open: Mon–Tue 11am–11pm; Wed/Thu, Fri/Sat 11am–1am; Sun noon–midnight].

LC; HW £12.50; Kids. £18 (lunch) / £18 (dinner)

This pub has had a major transformation since it left behind its status as a tired old boozer and became a relaxed neighbourhood destination.

The main space is bright and open, and leather benches and tables along the walls ensure plenty of tucked-away spots. With a standard selection of ales and lager on tap, the Orchard remains faithful to those locals in search of a simple pint, but the wine list is also very appealing. Snacks such as wasabi peas and nuts are displayed in large jars along the bar, however the food from the kitchen is worth travelling for. Among the best pub food in Edinburgh, the menu is a showcase for fine Scottish ingredients.

Restaurant Mark Greenaway at No12 12 Picardy Place, New Town, EH1 3JT 0131 557 0952, hawkeandhunter.co.uk; www.markgreenaway.com Tue–Sat noon–2.45pm, 5.30–9.45pm. Closed Mon/Sun. [Bar open: Tue–Thu 5pm–1am; Fri/Sat 5pm–3am. Closed Sun/Mon].

Pre; HW £18. £20 (set lunch) / £25 (dinner)

Time to break out those designer threads. The chic cocktail and whisky bars at Hawke and Hunter’s five-storey townhouse in Picardy Place have been drawing Edinburgh’s glossy set for a while. But the arrival of chef Mark Greenaway in February 2011 has taken the restaurant and private dining rooms to a new level of destination dining. Concentrated

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flavours and virtuoso skills hallmark Greenaway’s cooking, from the £20 threecourse lunch and early evening menus, to the à la carte and the eight-course tasting – for which there’s no menu, you just place your appetite in the chef’s able hands.

Simply Delicious

HITLIST

TAKE AWAY MENU Tel: 0131 332 3362 Fax: 0131 332 3547 Free delivery 7 days 3 miles radius (small charge over 3 miles)

Ruan Siam 48 Howe Street, New Town, EH3 6TH 0131 226 3675, ruanthai.co.uk Mon–Sat noon–2.30pm, 5.30–10.30pm; Sun 5.30–10.30pm. [Extended in Fest].

HW £12.95; Kids; T/A; D. £8.95 (set lunch) / £18 (dinner)

Tucked away down a short but steep stone staircase in the New Town, first impressions of Ruan Siam are akin to finding a hidden, imaginatively decorated grotto. The meals on offer don’t stray too far from the familiar Thai staples, but there is a strong focus on the use of local produce.

Seadogs 43 Rose Street, City Centre, EH2 2NH 0131 225 8028, seadogsonline.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–4pm, 5–10pm.

HW £13.95; Kids; Wh. £13 (lunch) / £20 (dinner)

With a chequered but often brilliant history in Edinburgh restaurants, David Ramsden’s headline-grabbing eateries are never dull. His newest venture Seadogs is no exception and here this seminal figure has come up trumps.

Distressed chic best describes décor that is as far from the neighbouring Rose Street pubs as the bright, inventive seafood menu is from the microwaved fish and chips that plague many of those drinking dens. Fittingly, fish and chips star here with sustainable choices of haddock, hake, rainbow trout, whitebait and super-trendy coley on a main menu that also features a challenging Spanish-Scots crossover of paella made with barley instead of rice. Experiments like this might not suit every diner, but the mahi mahi with apple massala curry is a real triumph.

The Spice Pavilion 3a1 Dundas Street, New Town, EH3 6QG 0131 467 5506, thespicepavilion.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–2pm, 5pm–11pm.

Veg; HW £12.95; Kids; T/A. £8.95 (set lunch) / £18 (dinner)

The Spice Pavilion is a restaurant you’ll visit again and again. Although in a basement, the space is light and roomy with exposed brickwork, warm colours and fabulous glass chandeliers. This gives an immediate sense of elegance, perfect for romance yet somehow cosy. The cuisine is northwest Indian, but also visits different regions. In the menu you’ll find a page of familiar choices and another of inviting chef’s specialities. Dishes can be tailored to taste and with designer soap in the bathroom and utterly charming service, you really couldn’t ask for more.

Urban Angel 121 Hanover Street, New Town, EH2 1DJ 0131 225 6215, urban-angel.co.uk Mon–Fri 8am–10pm latest; Sat 9am–10pm latest; Sun 10am–5pm.

LC; Veg; HW £14.50; Kids; T/A. £15 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

Urban Angel eschews multinational brands in favour of local, organic and fairly traded produce. The Hanover Street branch is a warren of basement rooms with vintage mirrors adding character to stark white walls, and the Forth Street décor is similarly cool and contemporary.

At both, brunch classics including French toast and eggs Benedict are served until 5pm, while the all-day menus feature a versatile list of modestly priced ‘little plates’such as hummus with flatbread, beetroot gravadlax and crispy polenta bites which work as tapas-style snacks, starters or side dishes.

Valvona & Crolla Vincaffè 11 Multrees Walk, New Town, EH1 3DQ 0131 557 0088, vincaffe.co.uk Mon–Fri 9.30am–9.15pm; Sat 9.30am–10.15pm; Sun 11am–5pm. [Deli & coffee bar: Mon–Sat 8am–9pm; Sun 11am–6pm].

LC; Veg; Pre; HW £18; Kids; T/A. £22 (lunch) / £22 (dinner)

Valvona & Crolla Vincaffè is an Italian enterprise that covers all bases. The groundfloor café and shop serves coffees and pastries.

Upstairs, the restaurant hosts weekly jazz nights and language classes; and a Monday to

Yummy Homemade Food Breakfasts & Lunches Organic & Artisan breads Exquisite music & exotic interior

Coffee Artisan Roast Not only do these guys know how to make a seriously good cup of coffee; their main line of work is roasting their own coffee beans and shipping them off to various other high-quality coffee shops. 57 Broughton Street, 07590 590667.

Sip & Stitch Sewing workshops every Tuesday. Come and join our team of professionals and get free advice on any alternations you might need.

Black Medicine Coffee Co Smoky Illy grinds coupled with a great understanding of the ideal coffee-to-milk ratio and an accompanying selection of cakes and muffins to make the mouth water.

Black Medicine’s got it all – enjoy a cup opposite the Edinburgh Festival Theatre. 2 Drummond Street, 0131 662 7209.

32 Howe Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6TH For more info email us on simplefeast@gmail.com or phone 0131 629 0663

Lunches Monday to Friday 12 noon–2pm Evenings 5.15pm–11.30 pm 7 days Buffet Evening Tuesday 5.30pm–10 pm

10 Craigleith Road Edinburgh EH4 2DP

La Lanterna Family run Italian restaurant

Fruitmarket Gallery Café Beans from Green Mountain Coffee, cappuccinos with a generous chocolate sprinkle, and conveniently located right outside Waverley Station. 45 Market Street, 0131 226 1843.

CHARCOAL STEAKS, BURGERS, CHICKEN BURGERS & HOMEMADE NUT BURGERS

Kilimanjaro With its distinctive red and yellow sign, it’s hard to miss Kilimanjaro, which is good news for everybody who walks by. Whether you’re milling around the Udderbelly Pasture at Bristo Square or traipsing between International Festival venues the Queen’s Hall and Festival Theatre, stop in here to treat yourself with an inky-black espresso. 104 Nicolson Street, 0131 662 0135.

Wellington Based on George Street, not a million miles away from the Book Festival’s base at Charlotte Square Gardens, Wellington Coffee is popular with the city centre office-working crowd, so you may have a bit of a struggle on your hands – but the beautifully smooth flat white is well worth it. 33a George Street, 0131 225 6854.

Opening Hours

La Lanterna is a cosy basement restaurant with all the charm of a true Italian ristorante. All food is freshly prepared and cooked to order, using locally sourced produce to create a menu packed full of time-honoured favourites.

t

Toni and Ciccio’s only aim is to please, and their 41 years of experience in the restaurant business means you will be in very capable hands.

83 Hanover Street, Edinburgh 0131 226 3090 www.lalanternaedinburgh.co.uk

Licensed Open Sundays Booking Advisable Sun-Fri, 6.00 - 10.30 Sat, 12.00 - 10.30

Still going strong after 38 years!

7 St Stephen St Edinburgh 0131 225 8116

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Thursday ‘tea for a tenner’deal includes a selection of pasta or pizza, a glass of wine and coffee. The à la carte menu begins with variety of nibbles, including focaccia bread sticks, sunblushed tomatoes and marinated olives. Front of house staff are relaxed yet attentive, and the seats by the window offer a charming view of Multrees Walk.

Valvona & Crolla Caffè Bar 19 Elm Row, Leith Walk, New Town, EH7 4AA 0131 556 6066, valvonacrolla.co.uk Mon–Thu 8.30am–5.30pm; Fri/Sat 8am–6pm; Sun 10.30am–3.30pm. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; BYOB (£6; wine must be purchased in the shop); HW £13.99; Kids; Wh. £18.50 (lunch)

At the back of the famous and delightful delicatessen is the long, glass-ceilinged, bustling caffe bar. Serving coffees, breakfasts and lunches, it’s popular and can get very busy, so you may have to book or wait for a table. The menu consists of classic Italian dishes made from high quality ingredients.

For mains, choose from an appealing pasta and pizza selection or a ‘piatti principale’such as baccala: salted cod in a black olive and tomato sauce with potatoes and sautéed artichokes in white wine. It’s difficult, but try to leave room for a dessert such as the orange polenta cake, chocolate torte or creamy pannacotta. Look out too for their Fringe activity, on-site.

Wildfire Restaurant and Grill 192 Rose Street, New Town, EH2 4AZ 0131 225 3636, wildfirerestaurant.co.uk Mon 5.15–10pm; Tue–Fri noon–2.30pm, 5.15–10pm; Sat/Sun 12.30–3.30pm, 5.15–10pm.

HW £13.95. £10.95 (set lunch) / £25 (dinner)

Some restaurants promise more than they deliver. Wildfire does it the other way round.

The stone frontage with its ‘Scottish Steak and Seafood Bistro’signage disappears into the old-style pubs and bars which still define Rose Street, but step through the door and you’ll find a tidy and appealing little space decked out with blue-painted panelling and a log-

burning stove. You might choose a bowl of mussels, steak and chips, and ice-cream to follow. Nothing startling here, you might think. But the mussels are the freshest and best the west coast can send, and allowed to do their splendidly briny thing by a simple cream and white wine broth. Your prime sirloin, ribeye or fillet comes seared just as you’ve asked, and reminds you why Scottish Aberdeen Angus is the benchmark for beef the world over.

Wok and Wine 57a Frederick Street, New Town, EH2 1LH 0131 225 2382, wokandwine.co.uk Mon–Sun 5.30–11pm.

Veg; HW £16.50; T/A. £18 (dinner)

It’s a relief to find that Wok & Wine takes itself as seriously as any of the Scottish and French restaurants dotted around New Town.

Stephanie Lo, the ebullient proprietor, is passionate about her ingredients and making her customers feel welcome; her chef, Mr Feng, shares this passion when it comes to the quality and presentation of his cooking. The establishment itself, like the Chinese-fusion menu, is refined: stylish rather than fashionable.

Yes Sushi 89 Hanover Street, New Town, EH2 1EE

0131 220 1887, yessushi.co.uk Sun–Thu noon–11pm; Fri/Sat noon–midnight.

HW £14.95; T/A. £12 (set lunch) / £18 (dinner)

Relative newcomer Yes Sushi is nicely designed with funky wallpaper and paper lanterns softening the large room. The menu is long but stick with it as there are some unusual choices hidden away, like donburi, yakimono and beautifully presented, quirkily named long maki rolls such as red dragon, white tiger and volcano rolls. Yakimono squid – two chargrilled skewers – is delicious, crispy yet soft, and with a sticky, sweet sauce. Big, fat udon noodles topped with fried chicken are the last word in comfort food. Soft, yielding and soothing.

Magnum

Yo! Sushi Harvey Nichols, 30–34 St Andrew Square, New Town, EH2 2AD 0131 341 1771, yosushi.com Sun/Mon noon–5.30pm; Tue–Sat noon–9pm.

HW £14.25; Kids; Wh; T/A. £12.50 (lunch) / £12.50 (dinner)

Tucked into upmarket Harvey Nichols’fourth floor, kitsch yet chic Yo! Sushi is tons of fun.

Stools cluster round the now-familiar conveyor belt of colour-coded dishes, call buttons summon the waiters with cries of ‘more sushi!’ and your own set of wee taps offer unlimited water and green tea. The idea, of course, is that you grab what you want from the belt, order hot dishes, and watch the sushi chefs make up your next plate. At the end, all the plates are added up and you’re presented with your (sometimes eye-watering) bill.

High End The Dining Room The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, 28 Queen Street, New Town, EH2 1JX 0131 220 2044, thediningroomedinburgh.co.uk Mon noon–2.30pm; Tue–Sat noon–2.30pm, 5pm–9.30pm. Closed Sun. [Bar open: Mon–Wed 9am–11pm; Thu–Sat 9pm–midnight. Sun 11am–9pm, members only].

LC; Pre; HW £17.50; Wh. £18.50 (set lunch) / £30 (dinner)

The Dining Room sits in the ground floor of a restored Georgian townhouse inhabited by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. The interior is surprisingly contemporary, cosy and light, and the restaurant is open all week to non-members.

A mega-meaty starter of lamb sweetbreads and tongue is served on potato rösti with leek fondue and sauce diable, while grilled fillet of sea bass sits under a super-fishy cockle and shrimp gratin and smoked eel salad. Mains of wild mallard with beetroot, cabbage hearts and consommé with sloe berries; and roast John Dory with fresh crab, chervil gnocchi and light curry sauce with Sauternes seem over-

Dine within the unique and beautiful setting of 28 Queen Street and enjoy exquisite food with personable and unfussy service.

Menu du Jour offer: 2 courses for £18.50 3 courses for £21.95 Please see our website for opening hours.

0131 220 2044

Restaurant & Bar

www.thediningroomedinburgh.co.uk The Magnum offers you a relaxing gastro bar and restaurant in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town. Within a stone’s throw of the bustling city centre, The Magnum offers a lunch and dinner menu with a focus on freshly prepared local produce, complimented with wine selected from Magnum’s wine cellar.

Monday to Thursday open 12.00 pm - 12.00 am Friday and Saturday open 12.00 pm - 1.00 am Sunday open 12.30pm - 11.00pm Food served 12.00 pm - 3.00 pm then 5.30 pm - 10pm

- The Cafe Royal is like taking a step back in time with its stained glass, murals, mirrors and wood panelling.

- Award-wining seafood bar and restaurant for fantastic food, great service and cask ale quality.

- A hub for lovers of oysters and mussels.

- A must visit for visitors of the Edinburgh Festival.

- Great location for star-spotting during the Fringe!

FESTIVAL OFFER: Pre-theatre or Post-show? Enjoy a complimentary starter or dessert with your main course when presenting your show ticket for that day.

Voted 10th most popular hidden gems in the UK by toptable.co.uk Edinburgh Capital Silver Award 2009

1 Albany Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3PY 0131 557 4366 Just round the corner from The Stand Comedy Club 136 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

Café Royal 19 West Register Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2AA Tel: 0131 556 1884 • Email: info@caferoyal.org.uk

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complicated on paper yet are surprisingly delicate to taste.

Forth Floor Restaurant

HITLIST

Harvey Nichols, 30–34 St Andrew Square, New Town, EH2 2AD 0131 524 8350, harveynichols.com Mon noon–3pm; Tue–Fri noon–3pm, 6–10pm; Sat noon–3.30pm, 6–10pm; Sun noon–3.30pm. [Bar open: Mon 10am–6pm; Tue–Sat 10am–midnight; Sun 11am–6pm].

HW £19; Kids; Wh. £23.50 (set lunch) / £29.50 (set dinner)

Casting its gaze over St Andrew Square and the New Town, the Forth Floor seeks to be master of all it surveys. Its style is confident and self aware, if somewhat brash, reflecting the general atmosphere of Harvey Nicks itself. Separated from the food hall, sushi restaurant and brasserie by series of partitions, the atmosphere is loud, fun and buzzy, so don’t plan on an intimate, romantic dinner on busy nights – it’s not why you’re there. The attention to detail, however, is exquisite. Dining here feels as much a dance as a meal, and very swish at that.

Number One 1 Princes Street, New Town, EH2 2EQ 0131 557 6727, restaurantnumberone.com Mon–Sat 6.30–9.45pm.

HW £35; Kids; Wh. £62 (set dinner) Beneath one of Edinburgh’s most landmark buildings, Michelin-starred Number One cocoons diners from the outside world within its low-ceilinged, luxurious, deep crimson interior.

From start to finish, it’s clear that great care has been taken to ensure a memorable dinner, and considerable effort has gone into producing the beautifully presented food. From the introductory amuse-bouches that accompany the menu to the petits fours that arrive with the coffee, chef Craig Sandle’s menu is traditional yet imaginative.

Oloroso 33 Castle Street, New Town, EH2 3DN 0131 226 7614, oloroso.co.uk Mon–Fri noon–3pm, 6–10pm; Sat noon–3pm, 6–10pm; Sun 12.30–3pm, 6–9pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sat 11am–1am; Sun noon–1am. Extended in summer].

HW £19; Kids; Wh. £19.50 (set lunch) / £35 (dinner)

Count yourself lucky if you land a reservation on Oloroso’s roof terrace on a warm, clear day; the vista over the Forth and up to Edinburgh castle is spectacular. The view from inside is no cheap substitute though, and whatever time of year, there’s a feeling of lofty luxury to dining here.

Inside it’s all simplicity and soft lighting, and the omnipresence of business diners lends an exclusive, if slightly corporate atmosphere. The eclectic menu offers an extensive grill list and a globetrotting à la carte.

The Stockbridge Restaurant 54 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge, EH3 5AL 0131 226 6766, thestockbridgerestaurant.co.uk Tue–Sat 7–9.30pm; Sun 7–9pm. Closed Mon. BYOB (£4 / £5 sparkling; Sun eve only); HW £15.95; Kids. £28 (dinner)

Scratch the surface of boho St Stephen Street, and underneath there’s something quite glossy going on. It’s the same with the Stockbridge Restaurant. The menu depends on what suppliers bring each day. Some dishes show off a single ingredient in a mini-tasting menu: a trio of duck breast, seared foie gras and duck confit and potato gateau, or a fondant of dark chocolate with chasers of milk chocolate mousse and mint choc chip ice-cream.

21212 3 Royal Terrace, Calton Hill, New Town, EH7 5AB 0845 22 21212, 21212restaurant.co.uk Tue–Sat noon–1.45pm, 6.45–9.30pm. Closed Sun/Mon. [Extended in Fest].

HW £23. £26 (set lunch) / £65/five courses (set dinner)

In 21212, one dines in a room of understated elegance; tables tucked into comfy, curvy sofa benches, and the kitchen beyond a glass screen.

By cooking the best cuts of beef, lamb and fish, and the accompanying vegetables, fruits and nuts very slowly, chef Paul Kitching retains the individual flavours and colours of his top quality ingredients. Each dish is assembled with an architectural sense of space and structure. All this and an exemplary wine list for the five course dinner, with shorter options for lunch.

SOUTHSIDE Inexpensive

The Cloisters 26 Brougham Street, Tollcross, EH3 9JH

Late-night drinking The Outhouse Already much beloved for its beer garden barbecues, The Outhouse is also cracking for a late-night beverage. There’s an occasional venue upstairs, the clientele is trendy but friendly, and it’s situated just off Broughton Street, a part of town that incorporates both indie design boutiques and traditional alehouses, and manages to keep both camps happy. 12A Broughton Street Lane, 0131 557 6668.

Negociants Directly opposite the Udderbelly Pasture and Pleasance Dome venues at Bristo Square, Negociants is also handy for those frequenting the Forest Fringe and Bedlam Theatre that lie just around the corner. It’s got nice al fresco seating, a welcoming atmosphere and a superb menu. 45–47 Lothian Street, 0131 225 6313.

Assembly This one sits right next door to Negociants, so shares a lot of the same location benefits (Udderbelly Pasture, Pleasance Dome et al). Where the last place favours bright colours and a chatty atmosphere, though, Assembly goes for a slightly more sophisticated cocktailloving crowd, the type who like dissecting the last nobudget play they’ve seen while reclining on a leather and steel sofa. And then shake their booty with the rest of us in Medina, of course. 41 Lothian Street, 0131 220 4288.

Pivo Sneakily located in the shadow of the Regent Bridge, Pivo is well-stocked with Eastern European beers and DJs that keep the party going til the early hours. It’s also usually packed to capacity, but that’s what happens at all the best places, isn’t it? 2–6 Calton Road, 0131 557 2925.

Anteaques

0131 221 9997

17 Clerk Street, Southside, EH8 9JH 0131 667 8466, anteaques.co.uk Thu–Sun 11am–7pm. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; T/A. £6 (lunch)

Tue–Thu noon–2.30pm, 6–8.30pm; Fri noon–2.30pm; Sat/Sun noon–3.30pm. [No food Mon. Bar open: Sun–Thu noon–midnight; Fri/Sat noon–1am].

Veg; HW £11. £10 (lunch) / £10 (dinner)

If Alice in Wonderland had a local, it would be Anteaques. For a start, co-owner and antiques dealer Cedric is a small, very friendly, quick man who wears a waistcoat and pocket watch.

He’s also brave: this is a tightly packed antiques shop, bursting with vintage furs and piles of china. Amongst all this customers sit, eating beautifully baked cakes, scones and jam and organic Chocolate Tree truffles, while pouring specialist teas from delicate glass teapots. And yet, while the possibilities of sticky-fingered browsing or a clumsy spillage seem huge, it’s not an intimidating place. The solid silver teaspoons and floral cake stands feel quirky, not stuffy, and with hundreds of fine teas to choose from, each visit could be different from the last.

Beirut 24 Nicolson Square, Southside, EH8 9BX 0131 667 9919, beirutrestaurant.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–11pm. [Extended in Fest].

BYOB (£3); Wh; T/A. £7.95/£9.95 (grill) (set lunch) / £15 (dinner)

Welcome to Edinburgh’s first Lebanese restaurant, which has a sleek modern interior, scenic views adorning the walls and the cream of Beirut’s music scene on the plasma screen.

Sourcing Lebanese ingredients from suppliers in London, all dishes are freshly made on the premises. Hot and cold starters include dips such as hummus and moutabal baba ghanouj, falafels and soujok (a speciality home-made Lebanese spicy sausage), all accompanied by a basket of flatbread. Among the salads, fattoush is a good choice with its refreshing and moreish dressing of local spice sumac, lemon, olive oil and topped with toasted Lebanese bread. Main course options are dominated by meat in all sorts of guises (mixed grills, roasted and marinated shawarma meats and skewers) with the odd vegetarian option of okra or green bean stew and moussaka.

Brazilian Sensation 117–119 Buccleuch Street, Southside, EH8 9NG 0131 667 0400, braziliansensation.co.uk Mon–Sat noon–4pm [6–10pm by reservation].

Closed Sun. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; BYOB (no charge); T/A. £4.50 (lunch) / £12 (dinner)

From the outside, Brazilian Sensation looks unprepossessing, even puzzling, with its lifesize bikini-clad model perched in the window.

Inside, this restaurant – unique in Scotland – serves hot and cold snacks including the typically Brazilian pão de queijo (a sort of cheesy bun), pies, baguettes and croquettes through the day and, if pre-booked, an intriguing range of Brazilian specialities in the evening. Chef-patron John Falconer and his wife Lucia welcome guests as if to their own home. Both come and go, cooking and serving, stopping to chat about the food, family in Brazil, the country’s produce and so on, with relaxed warmth and enthusiasm.

There are no starters on the menu, so it’s straight into the mains.

Bennets Bar 8 Leven Street, Tollcross, EH3 9LG 0131 229 5143 Mon–Sat noon–2pm, 5–8.30pm; Sun noon–6pm.

[Bar open: Mon–Sun 11am–1am].

HW £10.95; Kids. £10 (lunch) / £10 (dinner)

Established in 1875, Bennets feels reassuringly as if little has changed in over a century. Stovies and steak pies help line the stomach, the latter a very credible example with beef from nearby Saunderson’s butchers and only slightly let down by the accompanying tinned veg. Food is served in both front and back rooms but the back, with its own entrance on Valleyfield Street, is the quieter and welcomes accompanied children until 8pm.

Situated in an old church in Tollcross, Cloisters is a dependable, straight down the line pub.

Here you will find an open fire, large solid wooden tables and a bunch of friendly locals enjoying a pint of ale from the well stocked bar.

The menu features pub classics such as haddock and chips, chicken breast stuffed with haggis, and steak and mash as well as a couple of inspiring vegetarian choices.

Earthy Market Cafe 33–41 Ratcliffe Terrace, Southside, EH9 1SX 0131 667 2967, earthy.co.uk Mon–Fri 9am–6pm; Sat 9am–5pm; Sun 10am–5pm.

Veg; Kids; Wh; T/A. £11 (lunch)

Earthy Food Market is the kind of speciality food store where you can buy an organic, slowcooked lamb hotpot – for your dog. Yum café goers now have more space on the expanded ground floor, which is rather Good Life with moss-green paintwork, battered piano and copies of Dig for Victory. Hip, young staff nip between the first-floor shop and the café bearing scented chais and Artisan Roast lattes, and interesting soups and sarnies on rustic chopping boards.

The Engine Shed 19 St Leonards Lane, Southside, EH8 9SD 0131 662 0040, engineshed.org.uk Mon–Sat 10am–4pm. Closed Sun. Veg; Kids; T/A. £8 (lunch)

Run by Garvald Community Enterprise (a charitable company that helps young people with learning difficulties gain skills in a real work environment, and supports them to move into mainstream, paid employment) the Engine Shed is a café and a 100% organic bakery where bread, rolls, cakes and oatcakes are handcrafted for use and sale in the café and for specialist shops throughout the city including Harvey Nichols. The menu features wholesome dishes such as daily baked quiches, vegetarian casseroles and freshly made soups as well as a variety of salads and home baking.

Falko (Konditormeister) 185 Bruntsfield Place, Southside, EH10 4DG 0131 656 0763, falko.co.uk

Wed–Fri 8.45am–6.30pm; Sat 9am–6pm; Sun 10.30am–6pm. Closed Mon/Tue. Veg; T/A; D. £8 (lunch)

Whether it’s the midweek ladies who lunch or the young professionals who come here for a weekend brunch, Bruntsfield’s Falko enjoys a loyal following. Functioning first as a delicious bread and cake shop, German-born Falko Burkert has shown how humble beginnings at Edinburgh Farmers’Market led to this cafe and his sister venture in Gullane. A bustling, colourful counter greets you as you walk through the doors, filled with lemon cake, black forest gateau, thick, creamy slabs of chocolate cake, fruit tarts and more. Pretzels hang temptingly and the delicious smell of coffee permeates through the pretty cafe space beyond. The weekend brunch here is a bit of a star, coming in at just under £10, whether your want be German cheeses and hams or eggs Florentine and granola.

Kampong Ah Lee Malaysian Delight 28 Clerk Street, Southside, EH8 9HX 0131 662 9050, kampongahlee.co.uk Mon–Thu noon–3pm, 5–11pm; Fri–Sun noon–11pm.

BYOB (£2.50 wine; £1.50 beer); HW £10.50; Kids; T/A. £10 (lunch) / £10 (dinner)

Every city has its secret, those in-the-know places that are easy to miss in the search for better and brighter eating experiences. While it’s hardly off the beaten track, Kampong Ah Lee Malaysian Delight’s unassuming shop front and barely decorated canteen-style space means it’s easy to walk on by. Don’t. Here is

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seriously good, wallet-friendly soul food, which you really should not miss. An enormous bowl of laksa, brimming with noodles, meat, fish and a spicy, coconut sauce is guaranteed to make the sun rise in your tummy. Home-made roti bread served with a spicy sauce is flaky and comforting, while a beef rendang – a slowcooked, dry, not-quite curry – is tender, spicy and complex.

Kim’s Mini Meals 5 Buccleuch Street, Southside, EH8 9JN 0131 629 7951, kimsminimeals.com Mon–Sat noon–3pm, 5.30–9pm. Closed Sun. BYOB (£3); T/A. £10 (dinner)

Entering Kim’s Mini Meals is like stepping into their front room, stuffed with armchairs and ornaments. The menu is compact but you don’t even need it, as Mr Kim will tell you what’s good, make you a cup of tea and stir your yummy bibimbap for you (you need to get all the crispy rice up from the bottom of the hot pot). It’s fabulous, totally charming, with homely and healthy food. There’s also a real sense of hospitality: a pre-starter, loads of little kimchi plates (traditional pickled vegetables) and rice refills come with every order.

Loopy Lorna’s Tea House @ Churchill Theatre Churchill Theatre, 33a Morningside Road, Southside, EH10 4DR 0131 447 3042, loopylornas.com Mon–Sun 9am–4.30pm. [Bar open: For shows only: before performance, during interval and occasionally afterwards].

Veg; HW £15-18; Kids; Wh; T/A. £12 (lunch)

Having established itself as the place to go for tea and cake in south Morningside (see below), Loopy Lorna’s has now expanded into the spacious ground floor of the Churchill Theatre, a space that had been sitting unloved for several years. While interesting soups, sandwiches and savoury tarts make for a hearty lunch, the real draw here is the impressive display of cakes.

Loopy Lorna’s Tea House 370–372 Morningside Road, Southside, EH10 5HS 0131 447 9217, loopylornas.com Mon–Sun 9am–5pm.

Veg; BYOB (£5; champagne only); Kids; T/A. £12 (£15 for afternoon tea) (lunch)

The counter here groans with copious giant cakes and tray bakes are piled high in irregular heaps, chunky, oozing and vying for attention.

A selection of breakfasts, hot mains and light bites is available, but the undisputed star of the show is afternoon tea. Now available from midday, this sumptuous treat consists of an assortment of sandwiches, your chosen pot of premium tea and an array of superb home baking.

Ooud Kitchen 138 Bruntsfield Place, Southside, EH10 4ER 0131 228 8265, ooudkitchen.com Sun–Wed 9am–5pm; Thu–Sat 9am–8pm.

Veg; Pre; T/A. £10 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

Nestled among the lively mix of shops and eateries in Edinburgh’s bustling Bruntsfield quarter is one café that’s just a little bit different.

At the heart of Ooud Kitchen, which takes its name from the Arabian ‘king of instruments’ similar to a lute, is food from the Eastern Mediterranean Levant area of Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. Until licensing issues settle into place, Ooud Kitchen is operating as a modest café offering takeaway but where you can also sit-in. A good-size selection of loose-leaf teas complement the menu of mezes, flatbreads and delicious salads to perfection.

Peter’s Yard 27 Simpson Loan (Quartermile), Southside, EH3 9GG 0131 228 5876, petersyard.com Mon–Fri 7am–6pm; Sat/Sun 9am–6pm.

Veg; Wh; T/A. £8 (lunch)

With its glass, wood, clean lines and plentiful light, this Swedish bakery and café lives by the ethos that the first ingredient one needs when making a good sandwich is passion – swiftly followed by a piece of really good bread. Really good bread is at the heart of everything the café offers, from the tempting display of loaves on the long communal table to the chunks of caraway scented sourdough and coarse rye that come with smoky butternut squash soup or delicately spiced and fragrant curried courgette salad. Then there are the sandwiches: yum.

Project Coffee 196 Bruntsfield Place, Southside, EH10 4DF

0131 229 6758 Mon–Fri 8am–6pm; Sat/Sun 9am–5pm.

Veg; Wh; T/A. £7 (lunch)

Bruntsfield doesn’t suffer from a lack of sociable coffee venues, but that hasn’t deterred relative newcomer Project Coffee. Like sister businesses Kilimanjaro, Press and Wellington Coffee, they use beans from small artisanal roasters to make their excellent cuppas, including antipodean arrivals the flat white (cousin to the latte) and the long black (espresso added to hot water). Here, both are strong and full of flavour.

Rice Terraces 93 St Leonard’s Street, Southside, EH8 9QY 0131 629 9877, rice-terraces.com Tue–Fri 5–11pm; Sat/Sun 10am–11pm. Closed Mon. Veg; HW £9.95; Kids; T/A; D. £10 (lunch) / £10 (dinner)

Sat–Thu noon–7pm; Fri noon–1pm, 1.45–7pm.

With a big warm heart and all the melting-pot traditions of Filipino cuisine, Rice Terraces is a great wee find. This is home-style cooking at its best: Chinese, Malaysian and Spanish influences are all present, so while the menu looks unfamiliar there are shared references that take the fear out of ordering.

Veg; T/A. £5 (lunch) / £5 (one course + naan bread) (dinner)

The Sheep Heid Inn

Mosque Kitchen 31 Nicolson Square, EH8 9BX mosquekitchen.co.uk

Mosque Kitchen’s mission to feed the hungry of Edinburgh has seen its reputation for cheap, quality curries spread far beyond its Newington residence. As one of Edinburgh’s most distinctive eating spots, its origins as the outdoor curry café beside Edinburgh’s Central Mosque off Potterow has now expanded to the more conventional indoor restaurant site on Nicholson Square. The no-frills approach is the same by day, with cheap but convincing chicken, meat and vegetarian options, while a more extensive all-you-can-eat buffet runs from 7pm onwards and takeaway is available from an adjacent unit. Further changes are planned for the autumn with the Mosque Kitchen, which channels profits into flood relief, schools and clinics in the Punjab, opening a further branch in the building currently occupied by the Forest Café.

For complete Festival listings see

list.co.uk/festival

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

43–45 The Causeway, Duddingston, Southside, EH15 3QA 0131 661 7974, sheepheid.co.uk Mon–Thu noon–7.45pm; Fri/Sat noon–8.45pm; Sun 12.30–7.45pm. [Bar open: Mon–Thu 11am–11pm; Fri/Sat 11am–midnight; Sun 12.30–11pm].

Veg; Kids; Wh. £13 (lunch) / £13 (dinner)

Duddingston village is one of Edinburgh’s quieter enclaves; just a short walk from the city around Arthur’s Seat and you’re transported to the countryside, and to Scotland’s oldest pub The Sheep Heid. On a weekend the upstairs dining room is packed with families and walkers. Generous portions of crowd-pleasing pub grub are served by genial staff, keen to talk about the pub’s history.

The Treehouse 44 Leven Street, Tollcross, EH3 9LJ 0131 656 0513 Mon–Sat 8am–4.30pm; Sun 9am–4.30pm.

Veg; Kids; T/A. £5.95 sit-in; £4.95 takeaway (set lunch)

There can be few better-sited spots than this for a café in Edinburgh. A bright and airy corner premises which catches the sun nicely, it has no need of any outdoor seating when the Meadows are just across the road. A collection of students and locals pass through, picking up healthy and

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If you get a spare minute, it’s well worth travelling out to some of Edinburgh’s farther-flung suburbs and satellite towns Portobello is home to Edinburgh’s most popular beach, with a long promenade running between the town and the sand that’s great for a jog or cycle. If you do choose to exert yourself, be sure to stop in at The Espy (62-64 Bath Street, 0131 669 0082) or the cavernous Dalriada (77 Promenade, 0131 454 4500) for some liquid refreshment.

Farther along the road is Musselburgh, home to legendary ice-cream parlour S Luca (32 High Street, Musselburgh, 0131 653 3828) – an ideal reward after a sunny afternoon’s walk.

In the other direction, the quaint delights of Cramond make a refreshing change from the bustle of the city centre. The battlementencrusted Cramond Island is the obvious choice for exploration, but there are also numerous leafy woodland walks surrounding the area, and a few grand buildings to look out for: Lauriston Castle (2 Cramond Road South, 0131 336

2060), set in acres of lush park and garden land, and Barnbougle Castle, neatly located en route to seaside village South Queensferry.

If you have the time, take a trip out there and enjoy seafood platter at The Boat House (22 High Street, South Queensferry, 0131 331 5429).

In the southeast of the city, Duddingston lies just beyond the foot of Arthur’s Seat. Duddingston Loch is a picturesque location to unpack a picnic (as long as you don’t mind the attention of numerous ducks and swans nearby), while The Sheep Heid Inn (43-45 The Causeway, 0131 661 7974) is the area’s best option for top-quality food – and also Scotland’s oldest pub.

To the southwest, the small town of Ratho is the top destination for those choosing to cycle along the Union Canal and sup a pint at The Bridge Inn (27 Baird Road, Ratho, 0131 333 1320) overlooking the waterway. Those who travel a little farther will find Jupiter Artland (Bonnington House, 01506 889900), a gorgeously expansive sculpture park situated in the stately grounds of Bonnington House. breakfasts, salads, wraps, soups, sandwiches, cakes, smoothies and hot chocolates.

wholesome paninis, wraps, sandwiches and salads, and parents out for a walk with the family will be pleased to see a kids’lunch which features a piece of fruit and a cup of milk to offset the sweet treat.

Mid-range

Wing Sing Inn

The Apartment Bistro

147–149 Dundee Street, Tollcross, EH11 1BP 0131 228 6668 Mon–Fri noon–11pm; Sat/Sun 5pm–11pm.

BYOB (£2; wine only); HW £15; Kids; T/A; D. £15 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

7–13 Barclay Place, Southside, EH10 4HW 0131 228 6456 Mon–Fri 5–11pm; Sat/Sun 11–11pm.

HW £13.80; Wh. £18 (lunch) / £18 (dinner)

Often the plainest Chinese restaurants serve the best food. Well, Wing Sing Inn is no beauty queen but it’s what’s inside the kitchen that counts. This is not a first-date place: from the outside it looks like a takeaway joint. As far as the largely northern Chinese cooking goes, it’s hard to find an Achilles heel. So what if there are no desserts listed – will you really miss your lychees in syrup?

The Zulu Lounge 366 Morningside Road, Southside, EH10 4QN 0131 466 8337, thezululounge.com Mon–Fri 8am–6pm; Sat/Sun 8.30am–5pm.

Veg; Kids; T/A; D. £7 (lunch)

You can’t miss the South African Zulu Lounge, what with its animal-print exterior. This is a tiny caravan-like café, with barely room to swing a cat, but one packed to the brim with warmth and welcome. Sit on a zebra-striped stool and watch the world go by, while getting your antioxidant fix with a ‘red’cappuccino, one of a range of rooibos tea ‘espresso’drinks complete with a swirl of cinnamon and honey. The menu is vast, featuring breakfast rolls, ‘big’

The Apartment Bistro, older sibling to the Outsider restaurant, has completed its first year since a radical overhaul of both interior and menu. Deep red walls, low hanging pendant lamps and mismatched canteen chairs create a stylish and intimate vibe. The menu is an up-todate selection of rustic bistro dishes with some thoughtful sourcing of ingredients and definite nod to ‘nose to tail’meat philosophy. Expect to find wood pigeon, devilled lamb’s kidneys and suckling pig alongside more prosaic items such as rib-eye steak and chips or fish stew. The substance of the cooking mostly lives up to the style of the menu. The cheese board is excellent: Jura suisse and bleu d’Auvergne are great artisan cheeses and served in perfect condition.

Bia Bistrot 19 Colinton Road, Southside, EH10 5DP

0131 452 8453, biabistrot.co.uk Tue–Sat noon–2.30pm, 5–10pm. Closed Sun/Mon. Veg; Pre; HW £13; Kids. £9 (set lunch) / £19 (dinner)

Bia Bistrot is the brainchild of Franco-Irish couple Matthias and Roisin Llorente, who

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bring their experience of cooking in top flight (including Michelin-starred) kitchens around the world to this cosy but classic Edinburgh bistro. Their passion and pride is evident in the sourcing of quality local and seasonal ingredients, which are prepared and presented with respect and skill.

Blonde 75 St Leonard’s Street, Southside, EH8 9QR 0131 668 2917, blonderestaurant.co.uk Mon 6–10pm; Tue–Sun noon–2.30pm, 6–10pm.

[Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £12.50; Kids. £12.90 (set lunch) / £17.50 (dinner)

Sunlit by summer’s day and candle-lit by winter’s night, Blonde’s stylish-but-plain premises can feel a little harsh with its hard surfaces and basic wooden chairs. However, this lack of luxury is quickly overshadowed when the comfort food arrives. Blonde’s weighty menu has something for everyone, and there’s a lot going on in each option. Interesting starters of pork belly terrine and deep-fried smoked tofu are made even more so by the addition of un-Scottish accompaniments such as date and banana chutney, and tomato and jalapeño tapenade.

Hellers Kitchen

Café Grande 184 Bruntsfield Place, Southside, EH10 4DF 0131 228 1188, cafegrande.co.uk Mon–Thu 9am–10pm; Fri/Sat 9am–11pm; Sun 10am–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Wed 11am–11pm; Thu–Sat 11am–midnight; Sun 12.30–11pm].

Veg; HW £14.50; Kids; Wh; T/A. £10 (lunch) / £19 (dinner)

Perhaps it’s the red with yellow trim colour scheme, or the asymmetric arrangement of rickety tables, but there is something vaguely down-at-heel Gallic about Café Grande.

Edinburgh scenes (for sale) dot the walls of this rough-round-the-edges Bruntsfield bistro-cumcafé, and the presence of single diners signals its welcoming, attitude-free style. Locals come in for just a coffee, an after-work burger or go full tilt at the evening specials.

Celadon 49–51 Causewayside, Southside, EH9 1QF 0131 667 1110, celadonrestaurant.co.uk Tue–Sat noon–2.30pm, 5:30–11pm; Sun 5.30–11pm.

Closed Mon. Pre; HW £12.50; T/A. £7.99 (set lunch) / £19 (dinner)

Celadon’s façade may well be unassuming to the point of anonymity, but to walk on by is to miss a treat. Inside is a gloriously unfussy and welcoming restaurant that manages to combine simplicity and style without ever making a big deal of it. Sit on a dark wooden chair or in a (surprisingly deep) cushioned bench along the wall, and consult the menu. Be warned, this may take some time – the selection is large, and you are about to discover a number of new dishes that will quickly become firm favourites.

If you can manage it, try the mango and sweet coconut rice for dessert – a sweet, sharp, salty treat, and a perfect finish.

El Quijote 13a Brougham Street, Tollcross, EH3 9JS 0131 478 2856, quijotetapas.co.uk Wed 5–10pm; Thu–Sun 12.30–10pm; Closed Mon/Tue. HW £12.50; Kids; T/A. £13 (lunch) / £13 (dinner)

The most recent opening on Edinburgh’s Spanish dining scene is also a strong contender for being the best. Although the boxy storefront premises aren’t the most versatile, a full bookshelf sporting the eponymous Don Quixote and a basket of imported Andalucian deli products on the bar give a homely café feel.

The food is genuine and lovingly prepared, with much of the tapas menu given over to plates of Spanish cheeses like manchego and an Asturian blue, and meats such as Serrano ham and Iberian choriz.

Hanedan 41 West Preston Street, Southside, EH8 9PY

0131 667 4242, hanedan.co.uk Tue–Sun noon–3pm, 5.30pm–late. Closed Mon. BYOB (Tue–Thu & Sun £5; Fri/ Sat £6); HW £12.50; Kids. £8.95 (set lunch) / £14.50 (dinner)

From the moment you arrive in the West Preston Street restaurant Hanedan is a delight.

It’s a cute and cosy space on two levels frequented by regulars and the lucky few

passers-by who manage to secure a table.

Starters are numerous and it’s well worth trying to taste a little of everything. Be prepared to sample a selection of meats from the charcoal grill: karishik izgara is a mixed grill of tender, marinated lamb, chicken and garlic sausage.

Fresh fish specials are also available, with options ranging from sardines to swordfish and tuna steaks.

Hellers Kitchen 15 Salisbury Place, Southside, EH9 1SL 0131 667 4654, hellerskitchen.co.uk Mon–Fri 8am–2.30pm, 5.30–10pm; Sat 9am–3pm, 5.30–10pm; Sun 10am–3pm, 5.30–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Fri 11am–10pm; Sat 11am–10.30pm; Sun 12.30–10pm].

Veg; Pre; HW £13.95; Kids; T/A. £8.95 (set lunch) / £17 (dinner)

cooking lifts these dishes from potentially loveless nostalgia to something that reminds you how good they can be when prepared with care, attention and good ingredients. With quality and consistency like this, Home is definitely where the heart is.

infused stock on one side and a more subtle soup on the other. Shortly after being seated by the smiling proprietor, Jack, and armed with a cold Tsing Tao lager, unlimited ingredients are brought out for you to cook in the stock.

Iman’s Hot Hot Chinese 60 Home Street, Tollcross, EH3 9NA 0131 656 0707 Mon–Sun 3–11pm.

Veg; BYOB (no charge; beer sold). £13.50 (dinner)

Hot does only one thing – the Hot Pot – but it does it well. Each Formica table boasts a predictably utilitarian hot plate, upon which stands a partitioned bowl with spicy, chilli-

4–6 Lochrin Buildings, Gilmore Place, Tollcross, EH3 9NB 0131 221 1115, imans-restaurant.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–midnight.

Veg; Pre; BYOB (no charge); Kids; Wh; T/A. £15 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

Located across the road from the King’s Theatre at Tollcross, Iman’s is the ideal spot for a pre- or post-theatre meal. The very reasonable prices

Richard and Michelle Heller, the husband-andwife team behind the long-popular New Bell, are well on their way to replicating the success of their original venture. Whether it is office workers perching with coffee and a sandwich, or locals enjoying the pasta, pizza and set deals, they are serving them well. Start with a crowdpleasing haggis crêpe in whisky sauce, or the arancini-alike risotto balls stuffed with mozzarella. For mains, a dollop of rosemary mash is so good it threatens to outshines the fine Borders lamb. Finishing strongly are the prettily-presented desserts.

Hewat’s Restaurant 19–21b Causewayside, Southside, EH9 1QF 0131 466 6660, hewatsrestaurant.com

Mon/Tue 6–9.30pm, Wed/Thu noon–2pm, 6–9.30pm; Fri/Sat noon–2pm, 6–10pm. Closed Sun. [Extended in Fest].

Pre; HW £14.30; Kids. £10.95 (set lunch) / £22 (dinner)

If you have never been before, Hewat’s is quite a surprise. Located in unprepossessing and busy Causewayside, but only five minutes from the Queen’s Hall, this restaurant is a breath of fresh air. Special offers include their now established ‘dine 4 about a tenner’evening menu, as well as a more elaborate à la carte selection. Both the black pudding on wild mushroom and the haggis risotto put a spin on classic expectations, while roast tenderloin of wild boar with morel mushroom sauce is moreish. Afterwards, treat yourself to the selection of miniature desserts.

Home Bistro 41 West Nicolson Street, Southside, EH8 9DB 0131 667 7010, homebistro.co.uk Wed–Fri noon–2pm, 6–9pm; Sat 6–9.30pm. Closed Sun–Tue. [Extended in Fest].

Pre; HW £13.95; Wh. £8.95 (set lunch) / £15 (dinner)

Home is both the name and theme of this lovely little bistro close to the University. Tongue gently in cheek, its neat ‘front room’is graced with a flight of flying ducks and handsome pair of china dogs. The domestic kitsch concept extends to a concise and focused menu of retro classics, including kipper pâté, prawn cocktail and shepherds pie. The superlative quality of list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 139

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and BYOB mean it’s possible to enjoy a twocourse meal with wine without compromising your budget. Particular highlights are the ‘Mum’s Home-Cooked Specials, which include generous portions of chicken, lamb and prawns in an aromatic desi saag (spinach) sauce.

Indaba 3 Lochrin Terrace, Tollcross, EH3 9QJ 0131 221 1554, edindaba.co.uk Mon–Thu 5–10pm; Fri/Sat 5–11pm. Closed Sun. [Extended in summer].

HW £12.95; T/A. £16 (lunch) / £16 (dinner)

Indaba has to be the only restaurant in Edinburgh that can boast Venezuelan, Spanish and South African influences all on the same menu. But this is not a fusion restaurant; instead Indaba offers national dishes from each country to great effect. The homely feel and relaxed surroundings and atmosphere of Indaba encourage diners to experiment with new cuisines. Go on, you won’t be disappointed.

Itri 169–173 Gilmore Place, Southside, EH3 9PW 0131 228 3115, itrirestaurant.co.uk Mon 5–10pm; Tue–Thu noon–2.30pm, 5–10pm; Fri noon–2.30pm, 5–11pm; Sat noon–11pm; Sun noon–10pm.

Veg; HW £12.95; Kids; T/A. £7.95 (set lunch) / £19 (dinner)

This charming neighbourhood restaurant is the place to come to receive an education in Italian food. The enthusiastic young owners are passionate about bringing authentic dishes of Italy to Edinburgh, happily sharing recipes with customers. A point is made of using high quality ingredients sourced locally, this particularly shines out in the excellent seafood dishes. The atmosphere is laid-back and there is no stiff formality to the service, fitting for a place frequented by returning locals.

Kalpna 2–3 St Patrick’s Square, Southside, EH8 9EZ 0131 667 9890, kalpnarestaurant.com Mon–Sat noon–2pm, 5.30–10.30pm; Sun 5.30–10pm. [Dec–Jun: closes Sun].

Veg; HW £13.50; Kids; T/A. £7 (set lunch) / £13 (dinner)

Indian dining can be a vexing experience for herbivores, with options sometimes restricted to a sad handful of aloos and biryanis. No such concerns trouble the clientele of Kalpna (meaning ‘imagination’), who’ve been flocking to this newly-refurbished veteran of the Southside since 1982. Dishes are largely Gujarati, and the set-menu thalis are a neat way to try a spectrum of flavours from western India.

Starters include ragra patties in a peppery, sweetish pea gravy and a hara bara kebab in which the individual flavours are somehow lost in the mix. Mains were salty rather than spicy and there is a surprising deficit of whole vegetables in evidence.

Katie’s Diner 12 Barclay Terrace, Southside, EH10 4HP 0131 229 1394, katiesdiner.com Tue–Thu 6–9pm; Fri/Sat 6–9.30pm. Closed Sun/Mon. BYOB (£2; wine only); HW £8.95. £15 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

It’s a fine establishment that can pull off relaxed ambience with sophisticated flair, but Katie’s Diner does just that, attracting as many loyal locals as curious passers-by. With a lip-smackingly good menu, husband and wife team Geoff and Kate Ness offer juicy, flavoursome steaks and top-notch service.

The setting is simple but utterly effective: a European bistro feel complete with quirky wall hangings and candle-light. Burgers are made in-house and even the simple cheeseburger is a treat: tasty, filling and full of flavour, complemented by Katie’s homemade coleslaw and rather delicious thick-cut chips. It’s the steaks, though, that are the real prize. A reasonable wine menu, starting at £8.95, adds to this establishment’s multiple charms.

Mezbaan South Indian Restaurant 14/14a Brougham Street, Tollcross, EH3 9JH 0131 229 5578, mezbaan.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–3pm, 5–11pm.

LC; Veg; Pre; Kids; T/A; D. £16 (lunch) / £16 (dinner)

This unassuming Tollcross eatery packs some serious culinary clout, with Shabu Natarajan – UK South Asian Chef of the Year 2010 – in the kitchen. On the wide-ranging menu starters are a must – particularly the mini massala dosa, a pancake with a soft, crumbling onion and potato filling. A main course of tangy chicken malabar is savoury and piquant, cooked with very little oil and teeming with a raft of powerful, intriguing spices.

The New Bell

Thai Lemongrass

233 Causewayside, Southside, EH9 1PH 0131 668 2868, thenewbell.com Mon–Wed 5.30–10pm; Thu–Sat noon–2pm, 5.30–10pm; Sun 12.30–2pm, 5.30–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Thu 11am–midnight; Fri/Sat 11am–1am; Sun 12:30pm–midnight].

LC; Pre; HW £14.95; Kids. £9.95 (set lunch) / £21 (dinner)

40–41 Bruntsfield Place, Southside, EH10 4HJ

The menu is a mix of the timeless and the contemporary, with Scottish produce as its driving force. A delicious dish of seared scallops with parsnip purée and pancetta ‘powder’is all sweet, smokey flavours and contrasting textures, while maroon-rare venison haunch is succulent and intense. Not everything is as successful, however. A trio of pork – loin, belly and a cheek croquette – sounds marvellous but just ends up dry in three ways. Desserts are on firmer ground.

Passorn 23–23a Brougham Place, Tollcross, EH3 9JU 0131 229 1537, passornthai.com Mon–Sat noon–3pm, 5–11pm. Closed Sun. [Bar open: Mon–Sat noon–3pm, 5–10.30pm. Closed Sun].

Veg; Pre; HW £13.50. £7.95 (set lunch) / £19.50 (dinner)

6 Brougham Street, Tollcross, EH3 9JH 0131 228 1030, mybigfatgreekkitchen.co.uk

When Cindy Srisotorn writes on her website that she does her utmost to provide a wonderful experience for her customers, she means it. Now in its second year, Passorn is distinguished by Srisotorn’s inexhaustible enthusiasm for good food as well as the charming service – the overall experience is billed as ‘angelic dining’.

The décor is fresh, chic and minimal. The reasonably priced, MSG-free menu features Srisotorn’s personal recipes, with specials calling on seasonal Scottish produce.

Tue 5–11pm; Wed–Sat noon–2.30pm, 5–11pm; Sun 12.30–8pm. Closed Mon.

Pink Olive

My Big Fat Greek Kitchen

Pre; HW £13.95; Kids; T/A. £7.95 (set lunch) / £16 (dinner)

My Big Fat Greek Kitchen does not have the most enticing of exteriors, but once inside you are promised cuisine ‘like your mama would make – if she was Greek’. As you would expect, all the Greek favourites are on offer in mezethes (small dishes). The restaurant’s calamari dishes are created using some incredibly fresh squid while the other main course options are heavy on the meat and include pork, lamb or chicken souvlaki, moussaka and gyros.

No 1 Sushi Bar 37 Home Street, Tollcross, EH3 9JP 0131 229 6880, no1sushibar.co.uk Sun–Thu noon–2.30pm, 5pm–11pm; Fri/Sat noon–11pm.

BYOB (£5; 3 bottles for £10); HW £14.90; T/A. £15 (lunch) / £17 (dinner)

With cinema, theatre, pubs, students – heck, even a ‘gentlemen’s club’or two on its doorstep, No 1 Sushi Bar is a great place to sit and watch the world go by. There’s real pleasure to be found in sipping miso soup and looking at a pretty platter of fish while bustle hustles and the number sixteen bus revs up on the other side of the plate glass window. As the name suggests, sushi is the main focus here and generally it’s of a decent quality, with fresh fish delivered daily.

55–57 West Nicolson Street, Southside, EH8 9DB 0131 662 4493, ilovepinkolive.co.uk Tue–Fri noon–2.30pm, 5.30–10pm; Sat noon–3pm, 5.30–10.30pm; Sun 10.30am–4pm. Closed Mon. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; Pre; HW £13.75; Kids. £9.95 (set lunch) / £18 (dinner)

This neighbourhood bistro comes well recommended, impressing Joanna Blythman and Tam Cowan alike. Its charm is understandable, cooking appealing, prices reasonable. Drawing on a palate of North African and Mediterranean influences with a smattering of Scottish favourites, there’s certainly plenty of choice.

0131 229 2225, thailemongrass.net Mon–Thu noon–2.30pm, 5–11.30pm; Fri/Sat noon–11.30pm; Sun 1–11.30pm.

BYOB (£6); HW £13.95; Kids; Wh; T/A. £7.95 (set lunch) / £20 (dinner)

There’s no escaping that Thai Lemongrass is a classy looking place. And the overall effect is one of freshness rather than stuffiness and this freshness is also evident in the starters – particularly the clear vegetable soup with tofu, glass noodles, mushrooms and spring onions.

The mains are less distinctive, but best of the bunch is a crispy monkfish with red curry sauce, which delivers a far more complex combination of sweet, creamy coconut and rich, fiery spice.

Voujon 107 Newington Road, Southside, EH9 1QW 0131 667 5046, voujonedinburgh.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–2pm, 5.30–11.30pm.

Veg; HW £11.95; Kids; T/A; D. £8.50 (set lunch) / £18 (dinner)

First impressions speak volumes and the smart, trendy interior of Voujon presents a haven away from busy Newington Road. The menu encourages a departure from the familiar, although these are all available and ‘off menu’ choices are offered. Charming service and background Bollywood hits invite you to linger.

Add a keenly priced wine list and it’s clear that owner, Salim Miah, is determined to make his restaurant a cut above the rest.

High End Rhubarb Prestonfield House, Priestfield Road, Southside, EH16 5UT 0131 225 1333, rhubarb-restaurant.com Mon–Thu noon–2pm, 6.30–10pm; Fri/Sat noon–2pm, 6–11pm; Sun noon–3pm, 6.30–10pm.

HW £22; Kids; Wh. £16.95 (set lunch) / £40 (dinner)

Sited in an opulent 17th-century mansion in extensive grounds beneath Arthur’s seat, Prestonfield House Hotel and its restaurant, Rhubarb, is a far cry from the slice of suburbia nearby. Its aristocratic setting and glamorous interior is a real draw, and with a well considered menu and generally excellent cooking, Rhubarb is a great choice for a special occasion.

Toast Sweet Melindas 11 Roseneath Street, Southside, EH9 1JH 0131 229 7953, sweetmelindas.co.uk Mon 6–10pm; Tue–Sat noon–2pm, 6–10pm. Closed Sun. Pre; BYOB (£3; Tue eve only); HW £15.50. £12.50 (set lunch) / £22.50 (dinner)

This charming Marchmont bolthole is easily the cosiest fish restaurant in Edinburgh and also one of the capital’s most romantic wee retreats.

Old paintings, photos and wooden panelling on the walls give it a nostalgic ambience more reminiscent of a relaxed dinner party than a city restaurant. The food is equally pleasing, with the freshest of fish and shellfish sourced daily at Eddie’s Seafood Market just next door.

146 Marchmont Road, Southside, EH9 1AQ 0131 446 9873, toastedinburgh.co.uk Mon–Fri 10am–2.30pm, 6.30–9.30pm; Sat 10am–3pm, 6.30–9.30pm; Sun 10am–3pm.

Veg; HW £12.50; Kids; Wh; T/A. £11 (lunch) / £18 (dinner)

From ladies who lunch to young families who brunch, from couples to bridge partners, students to suits, Toast welcomes all and delivers everything a neighbourhood bistro should. Atmosphere is unpretentious, service obliging. Tempura prawns to start must have been deep-dipped that second, as for mains, again the key is texture: the unctuous, chunky sweet potato risotto is so good it eclipses its sea bass fillet draped with crispy salami.

Hitlisted in The List Eating & Drinking Guide 10/11

31 Nicolson Square, Edinburgh EH8 9BX • 0131 - 667 4035 Open 7 days 12pm-11pm (Closed Friday 1pm-2pm for prayer) • info@mosquekitchen.com

Delicious freshly prepared curries, samosas and BBQ kebabs. We also cater for vegetarians.

New Indoor Venue! Same Prices - Same Vibe No more pesky pigeons stealing your Pakoras!

This way up!

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Loudon’s Cafe & Bakery

WEST END Inexpensive Dean Gallery Café Dean Gallery, 73 Belford Road, West End, EH4 3DS 0131 624 6273, ruthvens.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–2.30pm. [Coffee & cakes served: 10am–4.30pm].

Veg; HW £14; Kids; Wh; T/A. £11 (lunch)

Housed within the former orphanage that is Dean Gallery, this is the smarter cousin of the counter-service café at the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art across the road. The café has recently expanded into two rooms and offers table service, giving breathing space to what was previously a cramped enterprise. Food here is freshly made in-house and with obvious care: as they point out on the daily changing menu, the only thing bought-in is the bread. A relaxing spot to recharge after some serious cultural appreciation.

Filmhouse Café Bar 88 Lothian Road, West End, EH3 9BZ 0131 229 5932, filmhousecinema.com Mon–Sun 10am–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Thu 10am–11.30pm; Fri/Sat 10am–12.30am; Sun 12.30–11.30pm].

LC; Veg; HW £12.75; Kids; Wh. £10 (lunch) / £10 (dinner)

The Filmhouse has been Edinburgh’s home of independent and arthouse cinema for many years, and its café-bar has long been a place to meet fellow cinephiles and chew over the plot with a pint. Just as the cinema itself is like an old friend to many, so the bar’s menu continues to provide such comforting, familiar staples as nachos, falafels and ciabatta pizzas. Baked potatoes and salads are offered with an imaginative range of toppings, while the homemade soup is warming, hearty and always vegan. Daily specials give the regular menu a run for its money.

Gallery Café Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 75 Belford Road, West End, EH4 3DR 0131 332 8600, heritageportfolio.com Mon–Fri noon–2.30pm; Sat noon–3pm; Sun noon–2.30pm. [Coffee & cakes: Mon–Fri 9am–4.30pm; Sat/Sun: 10am–4.30pm. Extended in Fest].

Veg; HW £15; Kids; Wh; T/A. £9 (lunch)

A stalwart in Edinburgh’s arts-venue dining scene, the Gallery Café has become

synonymous with quality food. A recent refurb has brought a more modern, streamlined feel to the operation, although the overall approach remains the same. Operating a ‘scratch’kitchen policy, all food is made in-house, with only bread being bought in from suppliers. Soup and sandwich combos are a popular option, while the daily specials change often to keep staff and customers on their toes: think tender harissa roast chicken with green beans or a filo parcel of sumac-spiced butternut squash and roasted red pepper. Salads make the most of seasonal ingredients and show off the chefs’creativity.

The outdoor eating area is something of a suntrap and a lovely spot to unwind after taking in the exhibition upstairs.

Henderson’s @ St John’s St John’s Terrace, 3 Lothian Road, West End, EH1 2EP 0131 229 0212, hendersonsofedinburgh.co.uk Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 11am–4pm.

Veg; Kids. £11 (lunch)

In the cavernous space beneath St John’s Church at the corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road you’ll find a branch of Henderson’s serving more of the Edinburgh institution’s wholesome vegetarian fare. The large barrel-vaulted room has windows looking out over the grounds and, despite the basement location, is surprisingly bright with natural light. Expect daily-changing dishes typical of Henderson’s such as Mexican bean wrap, Spanish stew, green vegetable lasagne and more.

Lochrin Square, 94b Fountainbridge, West End, EH3 9QA 0131 228 9774, loudons-cafe.co.uk Mon–Fri 8am–6pm; Sat/Sun 9am–6pm. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; Kids; Wh; T/A; D. £10 (lunch)

It usually takes a month or two to hit your stride, but this big, bold newcomer seems to be a crowd pleaser right from the off. And what’s not to like? Chris Loudon’s new baby has oodles of space at tables and sofas far and wide for all comers. When the sun’s out, the sheltered outdoor seating is sure to be much-coveted as one of Edinburgh’s places to watch the world go by with a glass, cup or plate of something nice.

Le Marché Français 9a West Maitland Street, West End, EH12 5DS 0131 221 1894, le-marche-francais.co.uk Mon–Wed 7am–7pm; Thu–Sat 7am–9.30pm.

Closed Sun. Veg; HW £7.50 (50cl); T/A; D. £5.95 (set lunch) / £14 (dinner)

Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner you want, this small corner of France in the West End fits the bill. Open from 7am for coffee and croissants, it offers a good mix of café and restaurant, with a few tables in the window, high tables and chairs by the counter, and a dining-area through the back. The core menu of standards is augmented with seasonal plats du jour including croques, quiches and salads. For dinner, a selection of charcuterie includes a loose-textured rabbit pâté. All is served with good humour and a engaging enthusiasm for the food and wine.

Pho Vietnam House Lebowskis 18 Morrison Street, West End, EH3 8BJ 0131 466 1779, lebowskis.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–9pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun noon–1am. Extended in Fest].

HW £12.50; Kids. £5.95 (soup & sandwich, baked potato etc.) (set lunch) / £13 (dinner)

Emanating the laid-back vibe of the Coen brothers’film that is this bar’s namesake, Lebowskis is a refreshingly warm haven in a fast-paced neighbourhood. It is saved from being overly gimmicky too: other than endless variations on the eponymous Dude’s favourite White Russian, the only Americanism is their legendary burger. Even this is adapted to be unquestionably Scottish, with a choice of Lockerbie cheddar, Lanark Blue or Clava brie to be melted on top.

3 Grove Street, West End, EH3 8AF 0131 228 3383, vietnamhousescotland.com Mon–Fri noon–2pm, 5–10pm; Sat 5–10pm. Closed Sun. BYOB (£1.50; flat fee for any number of bottles); T/A. £4.90 (lunch) / £13 (dinner)

Operating out of a small shopfront, Pho Vietnam House is tiny with just five tables. This isn’t much of a problem, thanks to owner Jodie Nguyen. Having learned to cook at her parents’ restaurant in Vietnam, she prepares the food before handing over to a chef to cook it. She also acts as friendly, laid-back waitress and hostess. The restaurant is named after Vietnam’s national dish (pho, pronounced ‘fuh’), a simple broth of noodles, spring onions and meat or tofu, made here with a rich and well seasoned stock.

Russian Passion 5 Canonmills, Inverleith, EH3 5HA 0131 556 9042 Mon–Sun 11.30am–3.30pm.

Veg; BYOB (no charge); T/A. £9 (lunch) / £17 (dinner)

The clue is in the name of this quirky, tiny Canonmills café. Russian food and drink is made on the premises and, complemented by some imported Slavic goodies, is presented with a passionate belief in the product and where it comes from. Proprietor Maria Belyaeva has arranged her menu in such a way that, from late morning to mid-afternoon, home-made soups, freshly baked piroshky (filled Russian pasties), substantial salads and (very) sweet treats are available to take away or, if you are lucky enough to have one of the three tables, enjoy sitting in.

Ryan’s Bar 2–4 Hope Street, West End, EH2 4DB 0131 226 6669, caley-heritable.co.uk/ Sun–Thu 10am–10pm; Fri/Sat 10am–10.30pm. [Bar open: Sun–Thu 10am–1am; Fri/Sat 9am–1am].

Veg; Kids; Wh. £12 (lunch) / £12 (dinner)

Pho Vietnam House

HITLIST

Straddling a corner a few metres from Princes Street’s West End, Ryan’s Bar enjoys a prime location. So, it’s little wonder that it attracts a clutch of regulars and is also a haven for tourists. Pictures of old Edinburgh hang on the walls of the upstairs bar, which boasts an intricately decorated ceiling. Drinkers can also use the downstairs bar or linger over a coffee at an outdoor table. In addition to an impressive range of light bites, sandwiches and burgers, diners can enjoy a full three courses and a rarely called-upon guarantee that their bill will be halved if the meal takes more than 15 minutes to arrive.

Picnics Calton Hill The hill to the east of Princes Street is crowded with old architectural curios – just look at the Parthenon-aping National Monument or the Nelson Monument, designed to look like an upturned telescope – but it’s also just a grand place to spread out a blanket and take in the city.

Hoist yourself up onto the National Monument’s steps, or rest at the northwestfacing side and watch the sun go down.

Holyrood Park Arthur’s Seat, the looming ex-volcano at the bottom of the Royal Mile, is the centrepiece in the wide, flat spread of Holyrood Park.

There are several duck ponds scattered around the hill, and the grassy field behind the grounds of Holyrood Palace and Abbey is a haven for kitefliers on windy days.

Blackford Hill This hill in the Southside is quite far out from the bustling city centre, but you might find that that’s exactly what you need after a few days of festival madness.

There’s a duck pond at the bottom, an observatory up the top, and numerous scampering rabbits in between.

Royal Botanic Gardens The site of many a Festival production, as well as a cracking place to watch the end-of-festival fireworks from afar, the Botanics are home to a variety of surroundings in which to unpack your picnic, from the Scottish Heath Garden to the flat grassy area beside the Victorian glasshouses.

For up to date reviews see

list.co.uk/festival

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{CITY GUIDE} Eating: West End

Santo’s Bistro 23 Canning Street, West End, EH3 8EG 0131 228 6298, santosbistro.com Mon–Fri 7.30am–4pm. Closed Sat/Sun.

HW £11.95; Kids; T/A; D. £8.50 (lunch) This cheerful, split-level café is tucked in beside office buildings and buzzes at lunchtime.

Family-run, it serves up colourful well seasoned salads and soups at a fast pace and reasonable price. The speed of service means there is plenty of time to have a sit-down meal in an average work lunch hour. Hot food includes pizzas and daily pasta specials chalked up on a board.

Spirit of Thai 44 Grindlay Street, West End, EH3 9AP 0131 228 9333, spiritofthai.com Mon–Thu noon–2.30pm, 5–11.30pm; Fri/Sat noon–11.30pm; Sun 1–11.30pm.

BYOB (£6); HW £13.50; Kids. £8.95 (set lunch) / £15 (dinner)

Spirit of Thai is a very professional outfit. It’s obvious from the moment you step into the tastefully dressed room – all muted tan shades and carefully positioned woodcarvings – and are greeted by the immaculately turned out staff, that this is more than just an opportunity to take advantage of the proximity of the Usher Hall and Lyceum Theatre. Try opening with the pomelo and chicken salad, a palate-refreshing starter that combines a spiced, sweet dressing with a sharp citrus tang and is deceptively fiery.

A more soothing main might be the panaeng pla salmon – pan-fried salmon in a red curry sauce with coconut.

Tea Tree Tea 13 Bread Street, West End, EH3 9AL 0131 228 3100, teatreetea.com Mon–Fri 7am–7pm; Sat/Sun 9am–7pm.

Veg; Kids; T/A. £5 (lunch)

Bringing quality tea to the high street, Tea Tree Tea foregoes chintz and lengthy connoisseur lists to make tea accessible for all. Friendly staff readily offer up caddies for sniffing, and lists are broken down with simple descriptions to help you find a nice cuppa within minutes of walking in. Staff brew the tea for you, removing the leaf basket so you can avoid that stewed second cup, but leaving it on the side in case you prefer a stronger hit. The Ceylon Orange Pekoe has a rich, smoky, intoxicating taste, while Ti Kuan Yin from Taiwan offers up a pale green liquor with a mild, sweet flavour and notes of vanilla. A range of sandwiches includes the veggie haggis and cheese panini.

Terrace Café Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row, Inverleith, EH3 5LR 0131 552 0606 Apr–Sep: Mon–Sun 10am–6.15pm. Nov–Feb: Mon–Sun 10am–3.15pm. Mar & Oct: Mon–Sun 10am–5.15pm.

Veg; Kids; Wh; T/A. £11 (lunch)

If you’re in the Botanic Gardens on a sunny day, it’s good to nab a picnic table here with views of the Castle in the distance. This selfservice canteen is firmly a family zone with a play area indoors, and a children’s pick ‘n’mix cabinet of mini fresh fruit pots, yoghurts, chocolate bars and plain sandwiches.

Convenient, though at £1 per tiny item, no bargain. You’ll also find ‘junior’baked potatoes, and a kids’hot special such as mild cheddar lasagne alongside regular meat or veg specials.

For a canteen, the food and drink tend to be fairly healthy and aims to do the Botanics location justice by using Scottish produce, such as Mull cheddar and local ham.

Traverse Bar Café 10 Cambridge Street, West End, EH1 2ED 0131 228 5383, traverse.co.uk Mon–Fri 8.30am–8pm; Sat 10.30am–8pm. No food Sun. [Bar open: Mon–Wed 8.30am–midnight; Thu–Sat 8.30am–1am; Sun 1.30pm–midnight].

Veg; HW £11; Kids; Wh; T/A. £9 (lunch) / £9 (dinner)

More than most arts venues, the spacious cafebar in the Traverse Theatre manages to be all things to all people. A truly eclectic crowd congregates in this cultural hotspot and the bar menu standards offer something for everyone too: nachos and burgers alongside lightly spiced curries and stovies. Desserts are rather limited, but a large portion of sticky toffee pudding with ice cream should appeal to most sweet teeth.

The Verandah Tandoori 17 Dalry Road, West End, EH11 2BQ 0131 337 5828, theverandah.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–2.30pm, 5pm–11.45pm.

Veg; HW £11.95; Kids; T/A; D. £17.95 (set lunch) / £20 (dinner)

Smart and sleek with warm coral walls, the crisp, white linen and fresh flowers signal that this is not your run of the mill Indian. Family owned, the restaurant specialises in Bangladeshi and North Indian food but its menu also features more familiar Indian dishes.

Service is courteous and waiters are happy to advise on choice of side dishes and amounts.

The WestRoom

Xiang Bala Hot Pot 63 Dalry Road, West End, EH11 2BZ 0131 313 4408 Mon–Sun 3pm–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun 3pm–11pm].

Veg; HW £11.90. £15 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

Edinburgh’s most authentic Chinese restaurant is not for the faint-hearted. Vainly will you search for Peking duck or lemon chicken on this menu: rather, prepare for interactive eating. Park yourself before your very own steaming cauldron of broth and order a giant platter of raw ingredients ranging from pak choi to razor clams, via squid, soy beef and chilli chicken claw (order as much as you like for £15 each in a two-hour sitting). Though a newcomer to the dining scene, Edinburgh’s Chinese community have already laid claim to this place, so be prepared to fight for a table.

Mid-range A Room in the West End 26 William Street, West End, EH3 7NH 0131 226 1036, aroomin.co.uk Mon–Thu noon–2.30pm, 5.30–10pm; Fri noon–2.30pm, 5.30–10.30pm; Sat noon–3pm, 5.30–10.30pm; Sun noon–3pm, 5.30–10pm. [Bar open: Sun–Thu noon–4pm, 5.30–10pm; Fri noon–4pm; Sat noon–4pm].

BYOB (£3 wine, £4 Champagne); HW £13.95; Kids. £12.95 (set lunch) / £22 (dinner)

The ‘Room in the . . .’chain has won considerable popularity in Edinburgh thanks to unpretentious surroundings, fulsome food and that rare beauty, a BYO policy. The West End branch, a snug basement beneath the frequently rowdy Teuchter’s pub on William Street, sits comfortably with this model. Red walls, pub furniture and a cheerful mural contribute to an air of bonhomie, which is echoed by the charming service. The menu has a rustic, Scottish heart with international twists.

3 Melville Place, West End, EH3 7PR 0131 629 9868, thewestroom.co.uk Mon–Fri 8am–3pm; 6–10pm; Sat/Sun 10am–10pm.

[Bar open: Mon–Wed 8am–midnight; Thu–Sat 9am–1am; Sun 12.30pm–midnight].

HW £17. £11 (lunch) / £11 (dinner)

Diminutive and L-shaped, The WestRoom is unconventional in layout but it absolutely works, as diners are afforded some privacy from the dominant bar around the corner. The same elegant touch is applied to the cocktail menu: a Santiago daiquiri (Appleton Estate V/X rum, lemon juice and pomegranate syrup) is served in an elegant champagne coupe and tastes incredible, while a well-chosen wine list offers 17 available by the glass. The menu is presented on a small blackboard which reassures that regular updates are in place, and offers ‘Great British’dishes such as crispy whitebait, corned beef hash, fish and chips in a bag with pickled onions and posh pigs in blankets with mash.

For up to date reviews see

list.co.uk/festival

Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

China Town 3 Atholl Place, West End, EH3 8HP 0131 228 3333, chinatownedinburgh.co.uk Mon–Thu noon–2pm, 5.30–11.30pm; Fri/Sat noon–2pm, 5.30pm–12.30am; Sun 5.30–11.30pm.

Closed Tue. [Aug & Dec: open 7 days].

Pre; HW £14.90; T/A; D. £21 (set lunch) / £18 (dinner)

It’s a difficult balance that owners Thomas and Kattie Chan are trying to strike. The décor, for example, is deliberately refined, the music classical and the atmosphere reserved. The extensive and attractive wine list compounds the feeling that China Town is aiming to attract serious diners who know their shui mai from their har kow.

Chop Chop 248 Morrison Street, West End, EH3 8DT 0131 221 1155, chop-chop.co.uk Tue–Fri noon–2pm, 5.30–10.30pm; Sat/Sun 5–10.30pm.

Veg; BYOB (£5; 4 bottles for £15; £3 per bottle thereafter); HW £10.65; Kids; T/A. £14.45 (lunch) / £14.45 (dinner)

Be sure to phone up in advance of heading to Chop Chop, not least because the well-lit, nofrills canteen is busy at the quietest of times. The newer Commercial Street incarnation, with its classical Chinese prints and more clinical décor, generates a slightly more reserved atmosphere than its boisterous West End counterpart, the outdoor seating and quayside setting adding to the feeling of calm, unhurried dining.

Whichever branch you choose, you’re in for some seriously good north Chinese cooking.

L’escargot Blanc 17 Queensferry Street, West End, EH2 4QW

0131 226 1890, lescargotblanc.co.uk

15 Salisbury Place EH9 1SL Tel

0131 667 4654

info@hellerskitchen.co.uk www.hellerskitchen.co.uk

5 minutes from Meadows, Queens Hall & Pleasance venues 142 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

HITLIST

Mon–Thu noon–3pm, 5.30–10pm; Fri/Sat noon–3pm, 5.30–10pm. Closed Sun. Pre; BYOB (£5.50 ; Mon-Thu only); HW £15.60. £9.90 (set lunch) / £22.50 (dinner)

Cosy L’escargot Blanc in the West End is slighter cheaper and more bustling than its Broughton Street sister restaurant but is trying to maintain similar standards – with not always perfect results. It has done this by introducing some quality local ingredients, such as beef from the Buccleuch estate, as well as a changing selection of interesting traditional and specialist regional French foods, few of which are typically found in local French restaurants.

Takeaway La Favorita Edinburgh’s Italian institution uses a logfired oven and high-quality ingredients to create the ultimate pizza experience.

325-331 Leith Walk, 0131 555 5564.

Café Piccante The city’s selfacclaimed ‘disco chippy’ with deep-fried mars bars and beers to boot. Broughton Street, 0131 478 7884.

Café Marina Home-cooked Italian lunch dishes with a never-ending range of sandwiches and paninis. 61 Cockburn Street, 0131 622 7447.

Oink Not for vegetarians, this one – a piled-high hog roast roll, straight off the pig, with relish and pork crackling available as optional (but essential) extras. 34 Victoria Street, 0131 220 0089.

Ooud Kitchen Delicious Eastern Mediterranean cuisine from the Levant area of Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. 138 Bruntsfield Place, 0131 228 8265.

Bread and Olives Best visited for breakfast and lunch, this deli deals in thickly packed sandwiches and made-to-order salads. 17A Queensferry Street, 0131 226 3005.

Broughton Delicatessen A family-friendly deli recently voted one of the best in the UK, with all of their sweet and savoury dishes made on the premises. 7 Barony Street, 0131 558 7111.

Relish and Rocksalt Both located in Leith’s Shore area and run by the same people, these deli-cafés are a marvel.

6 Commercial Street, 476 1920; 46 Constitution Street, 554 9873.

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Eating: West End {CITY GUIDE}

First Coast 97–101 Dalry Road, West End, EH11 2AB 0131 313 4404, first-coast.co.uk Mon–Sat noon–2pm, 5–10.30pm. Closed Sun. Veg; Pre; HW £13.50; Kids; Wh. £10.95 (set lunch) / £17 (dinner)

The board outside describes First Coast as a Scottish restaurant, but a quick glance at the eclectic menu reveals the diversity that, combined with consistently high quality, keeps this friendly neighbourhood bistro perennially popular. A great value lunch and early evening menu alongside the affordable à la carte offerings must help too. The menu centres around quality fresh ingredients, bursting with flavour.

The Gateway Restaurant John Hope Gateway Centre, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Arboretum Place, Inverleith, EH3 5LR

slightly saved by the beetroot and horseradish relish that accompanies it.

Ghillie Dhu 2 Rutland Place, West End, EH1 2AD 0131 222 9930, ghillie-dhu.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun 11.30am–3am. Extended in Fest].

Pre; HW £12.95; Kids; Wh. £17.95 (Sun only) (set lunch) / £15 (dinner)

If walls could talk, this 19th century former church at the West End of Princes Street could probably keep you as well entertained as the bands which now regularly play here. From lunch till late, cheery and efficient kilt-clad staff deliver a bar menu ranging from soups, salads and sandwiches to salmon, steaks and burgers; on Sundays there’s a traditional lunch and sometimes a tea dance.

0131 552 2674, gatewayrestaurant.net

Good Seed Bistro

Mon–Fri 10am–6pm; Sat/Sun 10–6pm.

Veg; HW £17.50; Kids; Wh. £15 (lunch)

101–102 Dalry Road, West End, EH11 2DW 0131 337 3803, goodseedbistro.com Mon–Sat noon–10pm; Sun noon–4pm.

Veg; HW £12.50; Kids; Wh; T/A. £7.95 (set lunch) / £13 (dinner)

If there were prizes for location, there’s little doubt that the Gateway Restaurant would win hands down. Set in the beautiful Botanic Gardens, surrounded by a natural canvas of flower and fauna, this has many of the makings of a truly delightful culinary experience. Certainly, if you opt for the Afternoon Tea – a selection of finger sandwiches, scones and mini cakes, a relative snip at £7.50 – or the more basic Gardens Cream Tea (scones and coffee or tea) you are unlikely to be disappointed. Venture beyond to the lunch menu, however, and there’s a definite feeling of style over substance. A king prawn and chilli cheesecake with lime and coriander looks beautiful but the sweet sickliness of the cheesecake totally overpowers the prawn. In the mains, a Stornoway black pudding and Perthshire streaky bacon in a sourdough roll with orchard apple chutney proves a succulent, flavoursome highlight, while the freshly prepared steak burger’s chewy texture is only

A relative newcomer to Dalry Road’s lively dining scene, the Good Seed Bistro fills its cosy corner site with warm hospitality. An arty ethos is reflected in the paintings adorning the candlelit burgundy walls and occasional music, poetry and story-telling events. The menu has an Italian and Mediterranean focus, and hosts Morag Dewar and Andrea Cuomo willingly adapt dishes to taste or dietary needs. But it’s the home-made brown bread ice-cream that really sums the place up: sweet yet wholesome, a little off-beat, but utterly delicious.

Hay Sushi 15 Dalry Road, West End, EH11 2BQ 0131 337 7522, haysushi.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–3pm, 5–11pm.

BYOB (£5); HW £12.95; Kids; T/A. £10 (set lunch) / £16.50 (dinner)

With Dalry Road rapidly becoming a

Table Reservation Take-Away/ Delivery 17 Dalry Road Edinburgh EH11 2BQ 0131 337 5828

smorgasbord of culinary choices, ex-Londoner Alex Sy has chosen a prime location for his new Edinburgh adventure. Hay Sushi looks great – big windows look out into the hustle of Haymarket, while inside there are clean lines, warm colours and just enough touches to make you feel like you’re in a Japanese restaurant, not a Japanese theme park. A huge rainbow roll is fresh and fine, with perfectly ripe avocado adding an extra texture. Seafood donburi is a shade less than perfect – with a dish this simple (slices of fish over sushi rice) there really is nowhere to hide – but is a good attempt.

Ignite 272–274 Morrison Street, West End, EH3 8DT 0131 228 5666, igniterestaurant.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–2pm, 5.30–11pm.

Veg; HW £14.25; Kids; T/A. £8.50 (set lunch) / £19 (dinner)

Don’t be misled by the incendiary name of this Haymarket restaurant: Ignite can lay claim to being one of the most relaxed Indian restaurants in the capital. There’s no background music, the décor is smart though muted and simple, and the waiters weave between tables with unobtrusive grace. The focus here is very much on the food. While the lengthy menu is composed of the familiar north Indian/Bengali staples beloved the length and breadth of the British Isles, the freshness of ingredients and the attention to detail elevates it above standard fare.

The Indian Cavalry Club 22 Coates Crescent, West End, EH3 7AF 0131 220 0138, indiancavalryclub.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–11.30pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun noon–10.30pm].

Veg; Pre; HW £15; Kids; T/A; D. £10 (set lunch) / £22 (dinner)

Edinburgh’s West End is admittedly spoilt for choice for superior Indian eateries.

Nevertheless, the mannered Georgian façade of the Indian Cavalry Club conceals a restaurant

that is truly a breed apart. A genteel mood pervades the stately, low-lit rooms, with smartly turned-out staff happy to help pukka punters navigate a long and unusual menu. The mains selection features a superb chicken katmandhu, sparky with astringent lime and cinnamon, and a warming dopiaza glowing with tomatoes and tamarind. Served in small copper tureens, dishes are stuffed full of tender, high quality meat and fresh spices, with flavours testifying to committed kitchencraft.

Jasmine Chinese Restaurant 32–34 Grindlay Street, West End, EH3 9AP 0131 229 5757, jasminechinese.co.uk Mon–Thu noon–2pm, 5–11.30pm; Fri noon–2pm, 5pm–12.30am; Sat 1pm–12.30am; Sun 1–11.30pm.

HW £13.95; Kids; T/A. £19 (lunch) / £19 (dinner)

Just across the road from the Lyceum Theatre and open late every evening, Jasmine is ideal for theatregoers. The service, like the place itself, is quiet and on the polite side of friendly, but when the kitchen door opens there’s a reassuring level of raised voices and clattering woks. The menu offers most standard Cantonese dishes and many more besides. Fish is a speciality here and both the quality and variety of the seafood are notable.

Kasturi 35–37 Shandwick Place, West End, EH2 4RG 0131 228 2441, kasturi-ed.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–3pm, 5–11.30pm.

HW £10.95; Kids; Wh; T/A; D. £7.95 (set lunch) / £17 (dinner)

Friendly and attentive waiters (the tartan waistcoats are a nice, tourist-friendly touch) move quickly around the large, white-washed dining room, wheeling trolleys of Goan catfish curry rich in chilli heat, with a mustard-infused batter, or rack of lamb carved into small chops and grilled precisely in a marinade of yoghurt, coriander and chilli. The kitchen keeps it simple and rarely puts a foot wrong: the range of classic and balti curries are appetising.

From good taste that highlights every corner and every meal you order, to service designed to add to your pleasure, Ignite represents one of the greatest shows of food in Edinburgh. One you will want to enjoy again and again.

Open lunchtimes (from 12 noon) and evenings (from 5.30pm) Ignite offers everything - including ...

Two-course lunch inc. tea or coffee for just £8.50 per person 272-274 MORRISON STREET, HAYMARKET, EDINBURGH EH3 8DT

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McKirdy’s Steakhouse

It is easy to miss this restaurant, which is part of the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa hidden at the back of Conference Square. But it’s worth wandering through the maze of conferencecentre concrete to find, as the modern take on Italian food is outstanding. Knowledgeable staff create a convivial atmosphere in the smart, contemporary but uninspiring space. However it’s the food not the interior design that diners remember. A starter of rigatoni is coated in fennel seed and cream sauce, nuggets of walnuts and salty herb sausage cut through the buttery richness to achieve a perfectly balanced dish. A commitment to sourcing the finest ingredients is evident.

151 Morrison Street, West End, EH3 8AG 0131 229 6660, mckirdyssteakhouse.co.uk Sun–Thu 5.30–10pm; Fri noon–2pm, 5–10.30pm; Sat 5–10.30pm.

Pre; BYOB (£3); HW £12.50; Kids; Wh. £24 (dinner)

McKirdy’s Steakhouse is a steak and burger joint owned and run by a fourth generation East Lothian butcher. It’s an unusual consolidation of supplier and restaurant, and excellent steaks are the result. You can choose your preferred cooking method (juicy pan-fried or smoky char-grilled?) and your favourite cut, be it rump, sirloin, fillet or ribeye. The latter is delicious, grilled a perfect medium-rare and served simply with chunky chips, while a surf ‘n’turf dish of rare fillet and fresh prawns quashes any risk of pretension with its mammoth proportions.

Sushiya 19 Dalry Road, West End, EH11 2BQ 0131 313 3222 Tue–Thu & Sun noon–2.30pm, 5–10.30pm; Fri noon–2.30pm, 5–11pm; Sat noon–3pm, 5–11pm.

Closed Mon. HW £14.95; T/A. £16 (lunch) / £16 (dinner)

Miso & Sushi 46a Haymarket Terrace, West End, EH12 5LA 0131 337 7466, sushi-edinburgh.com Mon–Sun noon–3pm, 5–11pm.

HW £15; Kids; T/A; D. £7.50 (set lunch) / £13.50 (dinner)

There’s more to Miso and Sushi than, well, miso and sushi. Epic agedashi tofu, for a start.

Properly spicy tuna hand-rolls. Well thought out bento boxes, putting together different hot and cold dishes in a way that takes guesswork out of what can be an unknown style of food.

The service is friendly and knowledgeable, the fish is tap-dancingly fresh and there’s plenty of variety as well. All that, and potentially the best miso soup in town.

Castle Terrace

couple of decades. This is no cutting-edge risk taker: instead the menu focuses on the usual Cantonese suspects with a suspiciously large choice of options.

La P’tite Folie New Edinburgh Rendezvous 10a Queensferry Street, West End, EH2 4PG 0131 225 2023, edinburghrendezvous.co.uk Mon–Sat noon–11pm; Sun 1–11pm.

Veg; BYOB (£4); HW £14.95; Kids; T/A; D. £7.99 (set lunch) / £16 (dinner)

Avant garde as it may have been in the culinary wastelands of post-war Edinburgh, the Rendezvous has lagged behind over the last

Tudor House, 9 Randolph Place, West End, EH3 7TE 0131 225 8678, laptitefolie.co.uk Mon–Thu noon–3pm, 6–10pm; Fri/Sat noon–3pm, 6–11pm. Closed Sun. [Bar open: Mon–Thu noon–11pm; Fri/Sat noon–1am. Closed Sun].

HW £13.50; Kids; Wh. £9.50 (set lunch) / £23 (dinner)

Rich green walls, a caramel carpet and light

streaming through windows certainly appeal to the ladies and gentlemen who lunch upstairs in La P’tite Folie, Randolph Place. Or maybe they come for the food. The menu, which is shared with its bistro-style sister in Frederick Street, features a variety of French and Frenchinspired dishes. There are mussels and soups or a smooth chicken pâté with salad for starters. In addition, for dinner, try a sunburst of boudin noir and intensely flavoured sautéed apple surrounding leaves dressed with sherry vinaigrette.

The Rutland Hotel & Bar 1–3 Rutland Street, West End, EH1 2AE 0131 229 3402, therutland.com Mon–Thu 8am–10pm; Fri/Sat 8am–11pm; Sun 8am–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun 8am–1am].

Veg; Pre; HW £15.95; Kids; Wh. £10.95 (set lunch) / £22 (dinner)

It is testament to the prowess of head chef David Haetzman that the food takes centre stage in such distracting surroundings. The poised and professional cooking is a showcase for Scottish produce, sourced and presented with aplomb. Haetzman’s takes on classic Scottish-French dishes could commence with a pair of scallops (hand-dived, of course), smoked eel or Shetland smoked salmon. For mains, go for medallions of venison haunch served with a scene-stealing bubble and squeak cake, or a classic coq au vin. Thanks to David’s wife Amanda, desserts are no mere afterthought.

Santini Ristorante 8 Conference Square, West End, EH3 8AN 0131 221 7788, santiniedinburgh.co.uk Mon–Fri noon–2.30pm, 6.30–9.30pm; Sat 6.30–9.30pm. Closed Sun. [Bar open: Mon–Fri 6–11pm; Sat 6pm–midnight. Closed Sun].

LC; HW £18.50; Wh. £10 (set lunch) / £25 (dinner)

Atmosphere can be something that’s a little lacking in some of Edinburgh’s sushi joints, but with only 22 seats to fill, tiny Sushiya has a head start in creating that elusive quality. Busy and buzzy, there’s a constant stream of customers eating, waiting for tables or dropping by for takeaway. It’s a nice vibe, but means you do have to book. While the sushi menu is fairly heavy on tuna and salmon options, it’s all very well done – fresh, pretty and pleasingly served in slightly smaller portions than usual, avoiding the dreaded ‘can’t fit the maki in the mouth’ syndrome.

High End Castle Terrace 33–35 Castle Terrace, West End, EH1 2EL 0131 229 1222, castleterracerestaurant.com Tue–Sat noon–2pm, 6.30–10pm. Closed Sun/Mon. Veg; HW £26; Kids; Wh. £20 (set lunch) / £37 (dinner)

The opening of Castle Terrace in July 2010 saw its Edinburgh-born chef-patron Dominic Jack thrust into the spotlight. Having shone at iconic Paris restaurant Taillevent among others, hopes were high and Castle Terrace was quickly awarded a Michelin ‘Rising Star’. As the sister restaurant of The Kitchin in Leith, Castle Terrace proclaims the same ‘from nature to plate’philosophy and shares a similar neutral, now-ish décor. To eat à la carte at Castle Terrace isn’t cheap, so those on a budget should eat early from the superb value three-course set lunch with optional matched wines. With a separate, full vegetarian menu and an entertaining six-course tasting menu also available, it seems that Edinburgh may have a new star in the making.

For complete Festival listings see

list.co.uk/festival

AWARD-WINNING CHINESE RESTAURANT (Formerly Indian Cavalry Club)

3 Atholl Place, Edinburgh EH3 8HP 0131 228 3333 (Restaurant Bookings) 0131 228 8883 (Takeaway)

www.chinatownedinburgh.co.uk 144 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

La p’tite folie 61 Frederick Street Edinburgh Tel: 0131 225 7983

EDG10-La Petit Folie-HH.indd 1

“Le Di-Vin” Wine Bar St. Ann’s Oratory 9 Randolph Place Edinburgh Tel: 0131 538 1815

La p’tite folie 2 Tudor House 9 Randolph Place Edinburgh Tel: 0131 225 8678

Virginie, the owner regularly visits Ethiopia and supports 800 orphans with a feeding program.

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Eating: West End {CITY GUIDE}

HITLIST

• Sandwiched between Stockbridge and Edinburgh’s Historic New Town • Fresh food served daily • Ever-changing selection of 6 quality cask conditioned real ales • Outdoor seating • Large selection of Scottish and International Whiskies • Licensed until 3am throughout the festival.

11 St Vincent Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6SW Phone: 0131 225 7447 • e-mail: stvincentbar@gmail.co.uk

Vegetarian The Forest Home of the alternative Forest Fringe, but also a rather tasty vegetarian/vegan selection of food. The menu leans on the spicy side, with firm favourites including chilli, curry and the famous burrito.

3 Bristo Place, 0131 220 4538.

David Bann Stylish, minimalist surroundings and fashionable veggie dishes are the order of the day here. Try the aduki bean and toasted pistachio koftas or roasted aubergine and puy lentil mash. 56–58 St Mary’s Street, 0131 556 5888.

Kalpna This family-run restaurant specialises in Southern Indian cuisine, with the Dam Aloo Kashmeri (filled potato barrels in tomato and saffron sauces) a particular treat. They’ve managed to build up a loyal clientele over the years, with the help of some great value deals. 2–3 St Patrick Square, 0131 667 9890.

SUSHIYA

@ I Boutique Beers – changing selection of

over 30 bottled beers from around the globe.

Taste of Japan 19 Dalry Road, Edinburgh EH11 2BQ t: 0131 313 3222 www.sushiya.co

I Fresh Teas/Coffees and Cakes available all

day every day.

I Large outdoor seating area I Lunchtime snacks.

Ritz Hotel, 14-16 Grosvenor Street, Haymarket, EH12 5EG, Tel: 0131 337 4315 • e-mail: theritzedinburgh@gmail.com

Indian restaurant and takeaway Bring your own bottle free corkage

Black Bo’s A great late-night watering hole, this establishment also houses a cosy vegetarian restaurant.

The menu changes regularly, but is typified by interesting, inventive combinations such as beetroot and cashew balls stuffed with feta, or banana stuffed with dates and asparagus soufflé. 57–61 Blackfriars Street, 0131 557 6136.

Henderson’s An arty Edinburgh stalwart, Henderson’s takes pride in keeping everything in-house – if you’re pushed for time, you can take away your food from the deli upstairs. If you do have a spare lunch hour, though, try the famous vegetarian haggis served – of course – with neeps and tatties. 94 Hanover Street, 0131 225 2131.

128 Dalry Road, EDINBURGH EH11 2EZ Tel: 0131 337 3371 www.ko-edinburgh.co.uk

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{CITY GUIDE} Eating: Leith & Broughton Street

LEITH & BROUGHTON STREET Inexpensive Bond No. 9

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84 Commercial Street, Leith, EH6 6LX 0131 555 5578, bondno9.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun noon–1am].

Veg; HW £16.50; Kids; Wh. £10 (lunch) / £13 (dinner)

With an upmarket focus on champagnes and cocktails, Bond No. 9 seeks to provide Leith’s residents and visitors with something different to other watering holes in the area, and succeeds in attracting a stylish and diverse clientele. Classic cocktails share a bill with some brilliant house inventions, all served with aplomb. Drinks are sourced with an eye for quality which avoids pretension, and the helpful and informed staff go to great lengths to make sure their customers are pleased with their choice. The food menu may be a side line, but it’s a well-judged one. Burgers are well cooked with an eye for detail, with high quality blue cheese making a welcome appearance.

Cruz Bar and Restaurant 14 The Shore, Leith, EH6 6QN 0131 553 6600 Mon–Sun noon–9pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun noon–1am].

HW £9.95; Kids. £6.95 (set lunch) / £11 (dinner)

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Fish & Chip Shop with DJ

Beer!

It tries to do lots of things with varying degrees of success, but no one can deny that Cruz is among the most distinctive drinking and dining venues to be found in Edinburgh. A First World War minesweeper boat permanently moored on the Water of Leith right in the heart of Leith’s buzzing Shore district, it offers open-air drinking on the top deck and on bench tables at the end of the gangway. On sunny weekend afternoons it’s the place for a young, clubby crowd to be seen, with DJ nights, live bands on Saturday, open mic nights and jazz events adding to the vibrant atmosphere.

La Favorita 325–331 Leith Walk, Leith, EH6 8SA 0131 554 2430, la-favorita.com Mon–Sun noon–11pm.

Veg; HW £14.95; Kids; Wh; T/A; D. £11 (lunch) / £15 (dinner)

The hectic craft of kneading and folding pizza dough is the first thing you see on entering this busy Leith Walk eatery. Walk past the front counter, through the lively, three-pronged dining area, and you’ll notice most diners are working their way through large disks of Italy’s most famous food export. Many argue that La Favorita serves the finest pizza in Edinburgh and it’s hard to disagree. Log-filled ovens imbue a gloriously smoky flavour while cooking the base to a crisp, not brittle, texture.

A mammoth sharing platter of cold meats, cheeses and olives is a fine way to start, if not a little over the top in quantity.

The Roseleaf 23–24 Sandport Place, Leith, EH6 6EW 0131 476 5268, roseleaf.co.uk MonSun 10am–9.45pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun 10am1am].

Veg; HW £13; Kids; Wh. £13 (lunch) / £13 (dinner)

The practice of serving cocktails in teapots with mismatched crockery is now widespread; but Roseleaf was there first and, regardless of how they are served, the drinks are uplifting and playful – too fun for cocktail trainspotters and served with tongue firmly in cheek. Mercifully, all the care and effort afforded to the drinks is matched by an equally thoughtful food menu.

The Street 2 Picardy Place, New Town, EH1 3JT 0131 556 4272, thestreetbar.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–9pm (bar snacks, Mon–Sun noon–midnight). [Bar open: Mon–Sat noon–1am; Sun 12.30pm–1am. Extended in Fest].

LC; HW £12.75. £10 (lunch) / £10 (dinner)

Within close proximity to some of Edinburgh’s best LGBT venues, The Street acts as a lively pre-club pit stop. Disco balls reflect off the floor-to-ceiling windows at the front, which allow views of the passing nightlife, and catchy chart tunes are definitely welcoming if you’re in the mood to party. The food menu is certainly an afterthought to drinks, but it is varied – chicken salad wraps and Thai curry are a contrast to burgers, chips and nachos. Smaller dishes served until midnight might prove more popular to line the stomach.

Tailend Restaurant and Fish Bar 14–15 Albert Place, Leith, EH7 5HN 0131 555 3577, tailendrestaurant.com Mon–Sun 11.30am–10pm.

HW £14; Kids; T/A. £8.35 (set lunch) / £14 (dinner)

Back in action following a serious fire in early 2010, The Tailend continues to put a fresh, responsible face onto fish and chip cafés. It’s a two-part operation, with a slim, smart restaurant area in sleek varnished wood on one side and a takeaway counter on the other.

The Water of Leith Café Bistro 52 Coburg Street, Leith, EH6 6HJ 0131 555 2613, thewaterofleithcafebistro.co.uk Tue–Sun 10am–5.30pm. Closed Mon. Veg; HW £12.90; Kids; Wh; T/A. £10.95 (Sat/Sun) (set lunch) / £14.50 (dinner)

Voted Newcomer of the Year 2010 by TheList Eating and Drinking Guide, the Water of Leith has stayed the course from new arrival to local favourite. A small, light café-bistro with sunny yellow walls, it’s run by French chef Mickael Mesle and his Scottish wife Ana. Sourcing is a priority, down to the ‘happy hen’eggs in your Full Scottish. Wonderfully luscious cakes are made fresh on-site as is the jam for the scones, from fruit in season.

Word of Mouth Mimi’s Bakehouse 63 Shore, Leith, EH6 6RA 0131 555 5908, mimisbakehouse.com Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; Sat/Sun 9am–6pm.

Veg; BYOB (£4); Kids; Wh; T/A. £10 (lunch)

Deep Fried Mars Bars!

With its vintage décor and classic lounge music, Mimi’s is a family-run venture that has quickly made its mark. The emphasis is on the home-made cakes – traybakes, beautifully iced cupcakes, and enormous sandwich cakes. A pear, apple and cinnamon cake is nicely spiced; Victoria sponge has an unusual lightness, and the raspberry jam a real delight.

Nobles Bar 44a Constitution Street, Leith, EH6 6RS 0131 629 7215, noblesbarleith.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–9pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun 11am–1am].

Veg; HW £13; Kids. £12 (lunch) / £12 (dinner)

19 Broughton Street Edinburgh EH1 3JU 0131 478 7884 Order online: www.cafepiccante.com

Nobles is a very real contender for one of the best pubs in Leith. The Victorian building has been revamped just enough so that it feels fresh but mercifully there are no vacuous style-bar trappings to be found here. The menu features refined pub classics such as Toulouse sausage and spring onion mash, and beef Wellington served with a red wine reduction, but it’s the desserts that really stand out.

146 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

3a Albert Street, Leith, EH7 5HL 0131 554 4344, wofmcafe.com Mon–Thu 8am–5pm; Fri/Sat 9am–9pm; Sun 10am–6pm. [Extended in Fest].

Veg; BYOB (£2 wine, 70p beer); Kids; T/A. £9 (lunch) / £18 for 5 mezze (set dinner)

Word of Mouth is a friendly, communityfocused hub with bags of rugged charm near the heart of lively Leith Walk. Enthusiastic staff create wholesome, tasty breakfasts, lunches and all-day mezze. Be sure to leave room for some home-made cake – the plum and almond torte is particularly good. Word of Mouth is passionate about supporting local business; meat comes from a nearby halal butcher, bread from the Garvald bakery, leaf teas from Flower & Leith Herbal Tea Company.

may be wise to have a plan B. On sunny days, the waterside tables outside fill up fast with people enjoying a platter of mussels and a well chosen glass, while for chillier occasions, there’s candle light in the cosy wood-panelled conservatory, or sofas and stools in the Teuchter’s Landing bar. The menu does a smart and seasonal take on Scottish staples. It may be an urban myth that a near riot ensued when the Stornoway black pudding scotch egg disappeared (briefly) from the menu, but this is certainly a place that listens to its customers (vegetarians and those with special requirements not excepted).

Café Fish 60 Henderson Street, Leith, EH6 6DE 0131 538 6131, cafefish.net Tue–Sat noon–2.30pm, 5.30pm–10pm; Sun noon–4pm. Closed Mon. HW £16; Kids. £10 (set lunch) / £19.95 (dinner)

It is a brave restaurant that opens a few doors along from the Michelin-starred Plumed Horse, but fortunately Café Fish intimately knows its niche, cottoning on to the growing appetite for boat-fresh seafood. Their daily changing menu serves up a rich basket of Scottish white fish, crustaceans and molluscs, with only the occasional foray further afield to pluck oysters from Galway and tuna from warmer waters.

Fishers Bistro 1 The Shore, Leith, EH6 6QW 0131 554 5666, fishersbistros.co.uk Mon–Sat noon–10.30pm; Sun 12.30–10.30pm.

Veg; HW £13.95; Kids. £22 (lunch) / £22 (dinner)

Surely home to some of the friendliest staff in Edinburgh – where else would they scoop up a toddler on arrival and show them their goldfish bowl? Goldfish aside, the focus is on conjuring up well sourced, imaginatively cooked seafood.

The bright, breezy feel of the waterside dining space complements starters such as steamed surf and razor clams with curly kale, ham hock and sherry vinegar or grilled queen scallops from West Loch Tarbert daringly tarted up with chilli, fennel and lime butter.

The King’s Wark 36 The Shore, Leith, EH6 6QU 0131 554 9260, thekingswark.co.uk/ Mon–Sat noon–10pm; Sun 11am–3pm, 5–10pm.

Dining room: Mon–Sun 5–10pm. [Bar open: Sun–Thu noon–11pm; Fri/Sat noon–midnight].

HW £14.50. £13 (lunch) / £13 (restaurant £16) (dinner)

The term ‘gastropub’does not get a lot of airing north of Hadrian’s Wall, but it is an apt moniker for the King’s Wark. On one hand, this is a solid old Leith pub, all dark wooden nooks and crannies, that serves up ales to a mixed crowd of tourists and locals. On the other, it has an ambitious little dining room attached that moves beyond the confines of the posh comfort food served in the bar.

Massimo 10–12 Antigua Street, Leith, EH1 3NH 0131 556 8383, massimo-restaurants.com Apr–Oct: Mon–Sun noon–11pm. Nov–Mar: Mon–Thu 4pm–10pm; Fri–Sun noon–11pm.

Veg; Pre/Post; HW £14.25; Kids; T/A. £9.95 (set lunch) / £19 (dinner)

A big, glass-fronted Italian restaurant near the top of Leith Walk and moments away from the Playhouse, Massimo attracts theatre-goers, tourists and locals. The look is smart and modern, the atmosphere friendly. In the summer there are tables outside should you wish to dine al fresco. The menu is extensive, featuring a range of antipasti, generous salads and risottos, but it’s pasta dishes that dominate.

Besides spaghetti bolognese and other standards, you’ll find more interesting combinations.

The Shore Bar & Restaurant

Mid-range A Room in Leith 1c Dock Place, Leith, EH6 6LU

0131 554 7427, aroomin.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–4pm, 5.30–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun 11am–1am].

BYOB (£3); HW £13.95; Kids. £12.95 (set lunch) / £20 (dinner)

If you pitch up here late or without booking, it

3 The Shore, Leith, EH6 6QW 0131 553 5080, theshore.biz Mon–Sat noon–10.30pm; Sun 12.30–10.30pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun noon–1am].

HW £13.95; Kids; Wh. £20 (lunch) / £20 (dinner)

The closely-spaced tables and dim lighting can feel either wonderfully romantic or perhaps a little too intimate, depending on your dining companions and neighbouring tables. As part of the Fishers group, the à la carte is predictably strong on seafood.

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Eating: Leith & Broughton Street {CITY GUIDE}

Smoke Stack 53–55 Broughton Street, New Town, EH1 3RJ 0131 556 6032, smokestack.org.uk Sun–Thu noon–2.30pm, 5–10pm; Fri/Sat noon–11pm.

Pre/Post; HW £13.50; Kids. £7.95 (set lunch) / £16 (dinner)

Smoke Stack on Broughton Street has long been a popular stomping ground for the card carrying carnivore. Amid the simple, red interior and wooden furnishings, steaks and burgers are very much the order of the day, from the succulent rump and 10oz ribeye to a handsomely portioned fillet steak and seafood offering complete with king prawns and mussels in a sundried tomato and cream sauce – an adventurous change from the ‘surf and turf’.

Tapa Barra y Restaurante 19 Shore Place, Leith, EH6 6SW 0131 476 6776, tapaedinburgh.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–10pm. [Bar open: Mon–Sun noon–1am].

Veg; HW £12.50; Kids; Wh. £10 each for 2 people (7 tapas) noon–5pm (set lunch) / £20 (dinner)

With the Shore’s branch of this tapas-focused bar and restaurant now firmly established as the sole Spanish influence on Leith’s expansive dining scene, Tapa Barra y Restaurante branched out into a fully fledged chain in late 2010 with another arm in the city centre.

Although both have lots to offer, it’s the original which maintains the bulk of the reputation upon which the business was established, while the Hanover Street branch is merely quite a good restaurant in a particularly congested area of the city

High End The Kitchin 78 Commercial Quay, Leith, EH6 6LX 0131 555 1755, thekitchin.com Tue–Sat 12.15–2.15pm, 6.45–10.30pm. Closed Sun/Mon.

Veg; HW £26; Kids; Wh. £25 (set lunch) / £50 (dinner)

Much has been written about The Kitchin in recent years, full of praise for the quality of the food, the inventiveness of the menu, the individual style and commitment of the chef, the abundant demonstration of local and creative sourcing, the fluidity of the service.

Despite the pressures of a daily-changing lunch menu and a highly scrutinised seasonal menu, all of these virtues hold true at this Michelinstarred restaurant. But what these fine words fail to tell you is that Kitchin is fun.

Plumed Horse 50–54 Henderson Street, Leith, EH6 6DE 0131 554 5556, plumedhorse.co.uk Tue–Sat 12.30–1.30pm, 7–9pm. Closed Sun/Mon. HW £20; Wh. £26 (set lunch) / £55 (3 course) / £65 (tasting menu) (set dinner)

Chef Tony Borthwick’s passion and pride have drawn much notice to his small Leith restaurant. A potentially tricky street-corner space derives personality from Wedgwood blue and darkest green paintwork, while clever lighting draws the eye to period cornices and a stunning modern art collection. Lunch and dinner are fixed menus. A dainty pyramid of salmon tartare crowned with Avruga is a vibrant flavour hit, while a gracefully re-curved silver spoon set on a dark slate platter makes a poetic presentation for a foie gras nugget, with soufflé and glimmering gewürztraminer jelly.

Restaurant Martin Wishart 54 The Shore, Leith, EH6 6RA 0131 553 3557, martin-wishart.co.uk Tue–Fri noon–2pm, 6.45–9.30pm; Sat noon–1.30pm, 6.30–9.30pm. Closed Sun/Mon. HW £27; Kids; Wh. £28.50 (set lunch) / £65 (dinner)

A meal at Martin Wishart’s is pure theatre, filled with wonder and excitement. From the haggis bonbons with your aperitif through an exquisite little beetroot macaroon amuse bouche that literally dissolves on your tongue to raspberrychocolate stick petits fours, this is food with wow

Plumed Horse factor. The show really kicks off with a starter of Orkney scallops baked in the shell, opened in front of you and then drizzled in truffle sauce, a decadent beginning. Alternatively, who would have guessed that a sliver of pickled turnip could set off foie gras, topped with marcona almond praline, so perfectly?

The Vintners Rooms The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith, EH6 6BZ 0131 554 6767, vintnersrooms.com Tue–Sat noon–2pm, 7–10pm. Closed Sun/Mon. [Bar open: Tue–Sat 11am–midnight. Closed Sun/Mon].

LC; Veg; HW £21; Kids. £19.50 (set lunch) / £35 (dinner)

Two distinct areas form the historic Vintners Rooms. The first is a wooden beamed lounge bar, the walls lined with an impressive collection of over a thousand malt whiskies. The other area is the candlelit dining room housed in what used to be a wine merchant’s auction room, its opulent plasterwork dates from the 1700s. The place is run with considerable charm by Silvano Praino and service is formal but friendly. A change of chef has prompted a new direction for the kitchen replacing French cuisine with Mediterranean. The menu is still evolving but shows real promise.

Authentic Indian Bangladeshi Restaurant

0131 228 6666 50 East Fountainbridge Edinburgh, EH3 9BH

www.gandhisrestaurant.co.uk

The

Tailend

Open every day 11:30am til late!

Restaurant and Fish Bar

Special 4 course Festival Menu £26pp! available from 3rd of August for the whole festival

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 list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 147

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{CITY GUIDE} Drinking

{DRINKING}

BrewDog

Edinburgh knows how to drink in style. Niki Boyle sets off on a trail to find you the capital’s finest bars You can’t throw a stone in Edinburgh without hitting a pub, but it’s important to know which ones are worth your while. Bars in the Old Town favour whiskies and ales: on the Royal Mile, you’d be advised to check in at The Albanach (197 High Street, 0131 220 5277) and Whiski Bar and Restaurant (119 High Street, 0131 556 3095) for the former, while the latter is dispensed liberally at The Canon’s Gait (232 Canongate, 0131 556 4481) and The Tass (1 High Street, 0131 556 6338), also home to regular live music nights. Off the Mile, The Bow Bar (80 West Bow, 0131 226 7667) on Victoria

‘THERE’S A HOSPITABLE WATERING HOLE FOR EVERYONE’

Street is the best place to grab a dram; if you’d rather buy a bottle, head to The Whisky Shop (28 Victoria Street, 0131 225 4666) and the more avantgarde Demijohn (32 Victoria Street, 0131 225 3265) alongside it. The brand new BrewDog (143 Cowgate) offers a contemporary spin on real ale, selling beers with names like Trashy Blonde and Tactical Nuclear Penguin. For something a wee bit different, don’t miss the Edinburgh University Student’s Association Medieval Garden at Teviot.

Those less attracted to the traditional twosome may prefer to check out the 90-plus range of vodkas available at the Secret Arcade Bar (48 Cockburn Street, 0131 220 1297), or perhaps the exhaustive cocktail menus available at Bar Kohl (54 George IV Bridge, 0131 225 6936) and the ever-soswanky North Bridge Brasserie & Bar (20 North Bridge, 0131 556 5565); the wine-lover’s best bet would be recent opening Divino (5 Merchant Street, 0131 225 1770).

Black Bo’s (57-61 Blackfriars Street,

Don't miss the new Gilded Garden situated at the Gilded Balloon in Bristo Square this August; a fantastic new theatrical ‘medieval’ garden built around the impressive gothic splendour of Teviot Row House.

Travellers can rest their weary legs and enjoy a pint or two in The Knight's Rest - a giant covered bar & beer garden - or enjoy a hearty meal or snack in The Dragon's Den, with plenty to choose from including crepes, fresh Aberdeen angus burgers, paninis, speciality coffees and of course ice cream for those warm festival days. And there's plenty for little princesses and squires with our children's lunchboxes.

A perfect place to feed and water your troops before heading back into the breach.

Make sure you visit The Gilded Garden situated in the very heart of the Fringe

Bristo Square, EH8 9AL Open from 9am til 3am daily.

0131 557 6136) is just a great place to hang out, and The White Hart (34 Grassmarket, 0131 226 2806) uses its purported status as the oldest pub in Edinburgh to stand out from the many other bars on the Grassmarket.

If you fancy some live music with your liquor, Bannerman’s (212 Cowgate, 0131 556 3254) and Whistlebinkies (4–6 South Bridge, 0131 557 5114) will do the trick.

Over in the New Town, it’s easy to get sucked into the mass of identipubs that line Rose Street, but venture on: ahead of lie a range of swanky establishments such as Tigerlily (125 George Street, 0131 225 5005), Amicus Apple (17 Frederick Street, 0131 226 6055), Browns (131–133 George Street), Forth Floor (Harvey Nichols, 30–34 St Andrew Square, 0131 524 8350) and Candy Bar (113–115 George Street, 0131 225 9179), while the less flashy-yet-still trendy bars Bramble (16a Queen Street, 0131 226 6343) and Star Bar (1 Northumberland Place, 0131 539 8070) await the more adventurous traveller. For literary types, the Oxford Bar (8 Young Street, 0131 539 7119) – beloved of Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus – and Whigham’s Wine Cellar (13 Hope Street, 0131 225 8674) are within stumbling distance of the Book Festival at Charlotte Square.

Drinkers in Stockbridge have several options: the classic pub, represented by The Stockbridge Tap (2–6 Raeburn Place, 0131 343 3000) and Hector’s (47–49 Deanhaugh Street, 0131 343 1735); delicious cocktails at The Raconteur (50 Dean Street, 0131 343 3221); or one heck of a tasty meal at The Saint (44 St Stephen Street, 0131 225 9009).

In the Southside, some of the best drinking is to be done in beer gardens, be they the festival-specific ones at Bristo Square and the Pleasance Courtyard (60 Pleasance, 0131 556 6550) or the year-round student haven The Pear Tree House (34 West Nicolson Street, 0131 667 7533). When the weather turns colder, though, there’s a hospitable shelter available to suit everyone’s tastes: traditional pub The Southsider (3-7 West Richmond Street, 0131 667 2003); movie buffs’ hangout Brass Monkey (14 Drummond Street, 0131 556 1961); cosy hideaway Reverie (1 Newington Road, 0131 667 8870); trendy cocktail house 56 North (2-8 West Crosscauseway, 0131 662 8860); Continued on page 150

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{BROUGHTON STREET ADVERTISING FEATURE}

Broughton Street

Named as one of the UK’s hippest streets in this year’s Google Street View Awards, bustling Broughton Street is the place to eat, drink, shop and play in 2011. Lying off the top of Leith Walk, the street is studded with laidback cafés, bars and quirky boutiques.

UNION GALLERY

TREACLE

45 Broughton Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3JU, 0131 556 7707, uniongallery.co.uk

39–41 Broughton Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3JU, 0131 557 0627, treacleedinburgh.co.uk

Union Gallery's current exhibition is of new work by multi award-winning Edinburgh artist, Philip Braham. STILL explores the influences that have helped to shape Braham’s life, using woodland interiors as a backdrop to create beautiful and deeply atmospheric paintings. An extraordinary and stunning collection that should not be missed.

Influenced by areas such as Shoreditch and Camden, Treacle acts as a cocktail bar, a daytime hangout and a late-night venue. With a team of award-winning bartenders, contemporary fair-trade food on offer and an array of music including funk, soul and jazz coming from the speakers – it is easy to see why Treacle is so popular.

L’ESCARGOT BLEU RESTAURANT & EPICERIE

CONCRETE WARDROBE

56/56a Broughton Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3SA, 0131 557 1600/556 1680, lescargotbleu.co.uk Fred Berkmiller may be as French as they come, but the patron of this Gallic landmark has a soft spot for good, Scottish produce, earning him entries in countless good food guides. Downstairs the épicerie brings together fresh pâtés and terrines, the best Parisian market treats, perfectly-ripened cheeses and colourful macarons.

BROUGHTON DELICATESSEN & CAFE

50a Broughton Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3SA, 0131 558 7130, concretewardrobe.blogspot.com Concrete Wardrobe is dedicated to promoting Scotland-based or Scottish trained designer/makers whose work is both high-quality and affordable.

Work is manufactured and supplied as one-off pieces or as small batch production ranges. This institution is packed to the rafters with wonderful trinkets to take back home as a memento of your Festival experience.

CURIOUSER & CURIOUSER

7 Barony Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6PD, 0131 558 7111, broughton-deli.co.uk

93 Broughton Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3RZ, 0131 556 1866, curiouserandcuriouser.com

Voted one of the top 50 delis in the UK

by The Independent and appearing on The List’s Café Hitlist 2011, this lovely café, situated in the heart of the New Town, offers an array of fresh, seasonal and organic food. Open until 8pm during the Festival, it’s great for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Upcoming art exhibition Edinburgh Mapped also celebrates works inspired by the city.

Curiouser & Curiouser is a small, independently-run gift and print shop with a love of retro and Scandinavianinspired design. They hunt far and wide to find their beautiful stock, making it the perfect place to find a little treat for yourself or a present for that certain special someone which is unique, stylish and sometimes utterly gorgeous.

LOCANDA DE GUSTI

SMOKE STACK

7–11 East London Street, Edinburgh, EH7 4BN, 0131 558 9581, locandadegusti.com

Smoke Stack, 53–55 Broughton Street, 0131 556 6032/ 0131 557 8097, smokestack.org.uk

Locanda De Gusti invites guests to experience the true taste of southern Italian cuisine. The elegant interior includes comfortable leather chairs, wide windows and a gleaming bar.

After a hard day of taking in shows at the Festival, head down to Serendipity, the cellar bar, which offers a nibbles menu and a large selection of craft beers imported directly from Italy.

Smoke Stack has been serving the best in steaks, burgers and seafood to Edinburgh residents for nearly 15 years. As well as an extensive à la carte menu, they have a set lunch menu for £7.95, pre-theatre menu for £9.95 and a kids’ menu. Friendly staff, stylish surroundings and a relaxed atmosphere add up to a great venue for any occasion.

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{CITY GUIDE} Drinking

Divino

2 Fountainbridge Square Edinburgh, EH3 9QB

Phone: 0131 221 0632 www.hydeout.co.uk

or the vast beer collection at Brauhaus (105-107 Lauriston Place).

The Cameo Cinema bar (38 Home Street, 0131 228 2800) and Edinburgh College of Art’s Wee Red Bar (ECA, Lauriston Place, 0131 229 1003) are good shouts if you fancy a film or a gig with your drink.

The West End drinking scene is dominated by in-venue watering holes: Ghillie Dhu (2 Rutland Place, 0131 222 9930) and the bars at the Traverse Theatre (10 Cambridge Street, 0131 228 5383) and Filmhouse (88 Lothian Road, 0131 228 2688) are all great places to relax pre/post-show, and each serves tasty food to boot. The remaining three places of notable quality fit neatly into three categories: the trustworthy and old school Blue Blazer (2 Spittal Street, 0131 229 5030); the easy-going and laidback Lebowski’s (18 Morrison Street, 0131 466 1779); or the über-swanky One Below (Rutland Hotel, 1–3 Rutland Street, 0131 229 3402), home to a wallet-punishing cocktail menu and one of the world’s few high-tech pressure-sensitive bars.

Leith, though, takes pubbery to a new level. If you want a wee Broughton tipple after some fine nosh upstairs, Locanda De Gusti’s bar (9–11 East London Street, 0131 558 9581) should hIt the mark. On Leith Walk, much credit goes firstly to the Swedish folks behind Joseph Pearce’s (23 Elm Row, 0131 556

4140), Boda Bar (229 Leith Walk, 0131 553 5900), Victoria (265 Leith Walk, 0131 555 1638) and Sofi’s (6365 Henderson Street, 0131 555 7019), who’ve succeeded in creating a chain of welcoming bars, each possessing its own personality.

Respect as well to the new Brass Monkey (360-362 Leith Walk, 0131 554 5286), which has maintained the cine-chic stylings of its Southside antecedent. The Roseleaf Bar Café (23-24 Sandport Place, 0131 476 5268) and The Pond (2-4 Bath Road, 0131 553 0639) have carved their own niches in a crowded market: the former with teapotted cocktails, the latter with underwater décor, and both with oodles of character. A few doors apart stand The Port O’ Leith (58 Constitution Street, 0131 554 3568) with its cosmopolitan clientele, and Nobles (44a Constitution Street, 0131 629 7215) with its delicious menu and busy entertainment calendar.

Away from the water’s edge, the area around Broughton Street favours the traditional, ale-selling boozer – we’d recommend The Barony (81–85 Broughton Street, 0131 558 2874) and The Cask and Barrel (115 Broughton Street, 0131 556 3132) in that regard. If you’d like somewhere a bit more hip and beer-garden-y, you’d best visit The Outhouse (12a Broughton Street Lane, 0131 557 6668).

r

ba . beer garden . cocktails . function room

. world beers . free wifi . bbq’s & dj’S Venue #99

Showing world class jazz throughout the Fringe 2011 12a Broughton Street Lane (off Broughton St, near Playhouse) 0131 557 6668 www.outhouse-edinburgh.co.uk, info@outhouse-edinburgh.co.uk 150 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

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Shopping: Old Town {CITY GUIDE}

{SHOPPING} OLD TOWN Fashion

HITLIST

particularly good for boys. Recycled rara skirts, lovely frocks by local designers, and strong connections to the Edinburgh College of Art fashion course mean almost everything's a one-off.

House of Edinburgh 2 St Giles St, Royal Mile, 0131 225 5178

Big Ideas 82 West Bow, 0131 226 2532, bigideasforladies.co.uk

This bright little boutique showcases fashion-forward plus-size womenswear (size 16 and up). Although it’s aimed at an older age range, the clothes are decidedly un-frumpy: there's an eclectic range of designer lines in store, and some particularly interesting knitwear.

Bill Baber 66 Grassmarket, 0131 225 3249, billbaber.com

All natural womenswear designs by husband and wife duo Bill and Helen Baber, who’ve been in the business since 1977.

Jewel-bright woollens, cashmeres and silks hang in the window of their cosy shop and studio, and shoppers can watch as all garments are hand-loomed on the premises.

Standing in opposition to the notorious ‘tartan tat’wholesalers on the Mile, this rather classier affair specialises in cashmere goods, including jumpers, scarves and a very fashionable range of hats and gloves.

Standard tin boxes of fudge, tartan accessories and a small selection of celtic jewellery also available.

Ragamuffin 278 Canongate, 0131 557 6007, ragamuffinonline.co.uk

Gorgeous, tactile knitwear for wool enthusiasts and those whose style is of a free-spirited crofter goes to Glastonbury bent; the stock includes several hard-to-find Scottish and European designers, and there's a quirky in-house label too. An Edinburgh Earth Mother institution.

Swish Butterflies 17 West Port, 0131 228 4401, butterfliesbride.co.uk

Long-running local dressmakers’store, with windows full of enchantingly sugary-bright creations. The focus is on beautiful bridal wear, but if you’re after black tie options or just something a little more elaborate than the high street can offer, this is the place to come. After all, there’s more than one big day to get dressed for.

22–24 Victoria Street, 0131 220 0615, swishonthe.com

Street-edge fashion for big and little kids over two floors and two shopfronts. Ladieswear labels include Gsus, Religion and Putsch, and they're great for retro handbags and manbags, as well as skate-cool trainers and gifts. Cheap it ain’t, but you pay for your street cred.

Totty Rocks 40 Victoria Street, 0131 226 3232, tottyrocks.com

Cookie 29 Cockburn Street, 0131 622 7260

Pretty cotton print frocks, patterned smocks and edgy T-shirts from the likes of Eucalyptus,Yamama, Ruby Walk and Sugarhill. Certainly at the top end of the Cockburn Street price range, but still that little bit more affordable than anywhere else in the city centre. If you’re feeling floral, top up your summer wardrobe here.

Totty Rocks is the main outlet of the clothing label of the same name, set up by two lecturers from the Edinburgh College of Art's fashion course. Young, fresh and seriously gorgeous girl-fashion at prices that'll make you think twice before drinking your wages away. They also stock other Scottish labels like Bebaroque. Prices range from £9-£500.

Voodoo Corniche

34 Cockburn Street, 0131 622 7318

2 Jeffrey Street, 0131 556 3707, corniche.org.uk

Goth, emo and rocker clobber for the days when you just want to face the world with a snarl. Ace range of hard-hitting labels like Pop Soda, Criminal Damage and Evil Clothing (you can kinda get the impression from the names, can't you?), plus some lovely Iron Fist shoes for the ladies.

Edinburgh’s original designer label boutique offers outrageous creations (at equivalent prices) for boys and girls from the likes of Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, Yohji Yamamoto, Katherine Hamnett, and Comme des Garçons.

Fabrick 50 Cockburn Street, 0131 226 7020, fabricktshirts.co.uk

Fabrick print T-shirts while you wait. They didn't say what you should wait for, but with 300 designs and 25 lettering styles you are sure to be kept busy. Custom print a hoodie, a bags, a T-shirt or even some underwear (clean of course). There’s also a discount rack with some pre-printed designs for you to peruse.

Focus (Edinburgh) 70 Canongate, 0131 629 9196, focuspocus.co.uk

Skate and street wear for the boys, with labels like Obey, Stussy and Nike, and Nixon watches; also stocks an excellent range of skate DVDs and is, like, the only place to go to get a new deck set up.

Godiva 9 West Port, 0131 221 921, godivaboutique.co.uk

One of the most original independent boutiques in Edinburgh, with a big front room stuffed full of exciting local design talent and a back room of vintage that’s

Vintage Armstrongs 83 Grassmarket, 0131 220 5557; 64–66 Clerk Street, 0131 667 3056, armstrongsvintage.co.uk

There is no better place in Edinburgh to take a walk down fashion’s memory lane than the legendary WM Armstrong & Son. Established in 1840, its three branches (the third is 14 Teviot Place, 0131 226 4634) combine to make a huge emporium of vintage, retro and traditional clothing. The original branch, on the Grassmarket, is the most cavernous of the treasure troves, with by far the biggest, most eclectic selection of stock. However, the smaller outlet on South Clerk Street has an impressive selection of leather coats and formal dresses. Starting with chic items from the 30s, the range advances through the years to incorporate even those eighties trends that you thought were best forgotten. Whichever store you choose to stop at, a visit is quite simply essential for anyone with even the slightest interest in clothes.

A cut above For a spot of grooming, the city’s not short on hairdressers

Emma Hall Hair Design 19a Haddington Place, Top of Leith Walk, 0131 557 4888 emmahallhair.co.uk As the first ‘clean air’ salon in Edinburgh, Emma Hall’s make a point of not using chemicalladen ‘product’. Even their colours are all organic and they’ll teach you how to look after your hairstyle at home.

Sublime Hair Design 16 Grassmarket, 0131 225 2338 sublimehairdesign.co.uk Architecturally sculpted into the bottom of DanceBase, Sublime stays open till 9pm, providing customers with a glass of wine before they go out. And you don’t need to get face-ache pouting at yourself for hours, as they offer ‘no-mirror’ styling.

Egg Hair & Beauty 23 Broughton Street, 0131 556 6685 egghair.co.uk Egg go above and beyond the cutting and colouring to include a plethora of treatments and services from massage to tanning and waxing – brilliant for a quick fix of pampering before you hit one of the neighbouring bars.

Hayes 14-15 Brandon Terrace, 0131 229 7761 A tiny treasure trove of unusual treatments in a relaxed setting.

Watch out in particular for specialised pedicures and (a favourite with the boys) Hopi Ear Candle therapy.

Pride 66-68 Thistle Street, 0131 220 1737 pridehairandbeauty.com Pride call themselves ‘a real salon for real people’, with the emphasis on vitality, wellness and rejuvenation. Exotic skin treatments are a speciality while the salon also stocks sought after Alterna hair products. list.co.uk/festival | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | THE LIST 151

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{CITY GUIDE} Shopping: Old Town

Central Taxis Edinburgh’s Largest Black Cab Fleet

Barnardo’s Vintage 116 West Bow, 0131 225 4751

Treasure trove charity shop, with the stock hand-picked from Barnardo’s general intake by a dedicated team who know the area. It’s a skip across the road from Armstrongs, making this area of the Grassmarket something of a vintage bolthole, and although it’s a wee bit pricier than if you did the raking yourself, there are still some excellent bargains.

Herman Brown 151 West Port, 0131 228 2589, hermanbrown.co.uk

Seriously gorgeous selection of top-end vintage accessories and shoes hang alongside a carefully selected, colour-coded range of 1950s-1980s fashions. The very best place to lay hands on retro sunglasses, diamanté hat pins and patent stilettos.

Old Town Tattoo 49 Blackfriars Street, 0131 556 0345, oldtowntattoo.co.uk

Brand your Festival experience with some custom tattooing, piercing and body modification, in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town.

(0131)

29/31 Leven Street, Edinburgh EH3 9LH We are open 7 days a week, Mon-Fri 10.00-18.00 and Sun 12.00-17.00.

T: 0131 2294504 (silver) and 2288564 (clothes) www.fairtradejoolz.com

229 2468

Gifts, Interiors and Accessories A Ha Ha Ha 99 West Bow, 0131 220 5252, novelty.org

We’ll Get You There!! www.taxis-edinburgh.co.uk

Long-running joke shop that has become something of a local landmark thanks to the gigantic Groucho Marx-style funny nose and specs suspended over the Victoria Street Shop front. Just walking past will put a smile on your face but for the belly laughs you’ll need to go inside.

The Black Mausoleum 19 Candlemaker Row, 0131 226 7500, blackhart.uk.com

The Black Mausoleum sells all sorts of creepy stuff. In this dark dungeon on the site of the old Witchcraft shop in Candlemaker Row (reputed to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter) you will find obscure hand crafted presents, discount tickets for the City of the Dead Graveyard and Underground tours and the world’s largest selection of Greyfriars Bobby souvenirs.

The Cadies & Witchery Tours 84 West Bow (Victoria Street), 0131 225 6745, witcherytours.com

A unique ghostly gift shop located in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. As well as selling a variety of skulls, witches, dragons and magical fairies, the shop also serves as a booking office for ghostly walking tours that have been a major attraction in Edinburgh since 1984.

2 St Giles St, Royal Mile 0131 225 5178

Boasting Scotland’s finest produce... handmade scottish gifts, luxury cashmere scarves and knitwear, celtic jewellery, tartan accessories

The Cigar Box 361 High Street, 0131 225 3534

Oh come on, what do you think it sells?

Finest, hand-rolled Havana stogies, plus a plentiful supply of pipes and rum from the same people who run Royal Mile Whiskies, so you know they’ll take their expertise seriously. Perfect for the Papa Hemingway in your life, and I think we’ve all got one of those.

Clarksons Edinburgh 87 West Bow, 0131 225 8141, clarksonsedinburgh.co.uk

A good old-fashioned, family-run

For complete Festival listings see

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Fabhatrix

Books, Music and Stationery

Hilary’s Bazaar 297 Canongate, 0131 556 0408, hilarysbazaar.com

This incense-scented store scattered with ethnic statues, rare world dance CDs and beautiful, fairly-traded accessories, has been running for many years now and has long been a haunt of the city’s alternative lifestyle practitioners, and eco-aware teenagers. Also great for colourful throws and sequinned cushions to brighten up a student flat or rented digs.

Analogue 39 Candlemaker Row, 0131 220 0601, analoguebooks.co.uk

So much more than just another art bookshop. Analogue is a hip design hub, gallery, and one of the best places to find out about the new movement of local graphic and graffiti artists like Elph and Kirsty Whiten. If there was such a thing as a bible of street culture, you'd be able to find it here.

Moleta Munro 4 Jeffrey Street, 0131 557 4800

Andrew Pringle Booksellers

Everything your home desires, from lighting contemporary furniture and lifestyle products to interior accessories. Highlights include some rather beautiful Carl Hansen chairs.

62 West Port, 0131 228 8880, pringlebooks.co.uk

The Owl & Lion Gallery 66 West Port, owlandliongallery.com

Run by two recent Edinburgh College of Art graduates and situated on the edge of the West Port, this intimate venue gallery and studio is dedicated to the creation and design of bespoke books and the popular OWL & LION bags. Workshops are held every Thursday night and Sunday for those with an interest in traditional and contemporary bookbinding. And who isn’t?

Red Door Gallery 42 Victoria Street, 0131 477 3255, edinburghart.com

The best place to pick up artisan jewellery, prints, paintings, sculpture and completely individual greetings cards, all by local artists and designers. Regularly changing exhibitions, lovely, friendly staff and a great selection of funky old Lomo cameras if you’re feeling a bit lo-tech and artistic. jewellers, Clarksons has been going for over 50 years. Their current specialisms include Celtic-influenced pieces, and they also create bespoke pieces. Prices start at £100 for in store items.

cards, and covens of teenage girls in their Wiccan phase abound. Bear in mind that last lot’s not for sale.

Fabhatrix 13 Cowgatehead, 0131 225 9222, fabhatrix.com

The Creepy Wee Shop in the Graveyard 26B Candlemaker Row, 0131 225 9044, blackhart.uk.com

The creepiest wee place in Edinburgh, this spooky boutique is located in the graveyard of a former funeral bothy, and is notorious for being haunted. Greyfriars Graveyards hosts this wacky emporium of ghostly souvenirs. Equally as formidable as its bewitching sister store The Black Mausoleum (see page 151).

Enchantment 57 Cockburn Street, 0131 225 8207

Dark, incense-scented fairy cavern full of statuettes of imps, pixies and assorted gnomes. Pagan and Celtic crafts, tarot

Howie R Nicholsby’s

Where did you get that hat, old bean?

Well, Fabhatrix, actually. Top hats, clôches, trilbies, Scottish felt hats, vintage style, silk wedding hats, red hats, bowlers, straw hats, quirky tweed deerstalkers and feather fascinators.

Helios Fountain 7 Grassmarket, 0131 229 7884, heliosfountain.co.uk

Wholesome shop stuffed with beads, handmade toys, candles, crystals and more books than you could shake an incense stick at, including magicallyillustrated children’s books and a selection of complementary therapy reads. Just going in there is good for your soul.

Andrew Pringle was initially based in the rather more auspicious surroundings of Dundas Street but have now found their spiritual home as part of the West Port book consortium, specialising in Scottish Books, Literature, History, Art, Bibliography, Heraldry, Military and Fine Bindings.

Armchair Books 72–74 West Port, 0131 229 5927

Divided over two premises, Armchair Books has been a favourite stop for bibliophiles for more than 15 years. The shop owners say their regulars ‘appreciate the way the shop combines an eclectic stock with a sterling regard for the health and safety of its customers’, which we find rather admirable, really. Number 72 West Port has an impressive stock of alphabetically arranged fiction, science fiction, poetry, myth, philosophy and Scottish interest. Number 74 contains mostly factual books, a strong selection of antiquarian tomes and a dizzying array of energy-efficient light bulbs. The shop mascot is a multilingual collie called Struan.

Sublime Hair Design for men and women With Sublime it’s personal It’s truly bespoke, timeless yet with a strong trend awareness.

It’s a fusion of your personal style with our cutting and colouring expertise.

21st CENTURY KILTS

16 Grassmarket | Edinburgh Mon - Fri 8am - 8pm | Sat 8am - 6pm

0131 225 2338 sublimehairdesign.co.uk standby appointments available 48 Thistle Street 0131 220 9450

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Avalanche 5 Grassmarket, 0131 659 7708, avalancherecords.co.uk

Tiny, near-legendary record shop specialising in new and used indie and alternative vinyl and CDs. An essential part of the Edinburgh muso experience, with a great selection of local acts – Postcard Records, in particular, are brilliantly represented.

Beyond Words Bookshop 42–44 Cockburn Street, 0131 226 6636, beyondwords.co.uk

Recently voted one of the best independent bookshops in the UK, this relatively small, friendly shop has a disproportionately huge collection of photographic and photographically-illustrated books.

Coda Music 12 Bank Street, On the Mound, 0131 622 7246,

codamusic.co.uk Handily situated right in the middle of tourist heaven on the crest of the Mound, this tiny store lays claim to the biggest selection of folk and traditional music in Scotland. Hoots!

Edinburgh Books 145–147 West Port, 0131 229 4431, edinburghbooks.net

Bewilderingly labyrinthine selection of antiquarian books over two levels. Formerly West Port Books, and now a leading member of the West Port Books collective, Edinburgh Books' staff have a similarly dry sense of humour to their fellow collective members, and keep an in-house water buffalo called Clarence handy at all times.

Main Point Books 8 Lauriston Street, 0131 228 4837

Situated between a lap-dancing club and a church, Main Point Books specialise in

mind-expanding tracts. Fans of Vonnegut, Brautigan, Dick and Orwell will find plenty of politically-charged sci-fi to keep them happy here, and there's a great section of non-fiction books on world religions, too.

Part of the West Port Books collective.

Red Dog Music 1 Grassmarket, 0131 229 8211, reddogmusic.co.uk

One of the largest general music stores in the city, with over 5000 square feet of electric guitars, bass guitars, acoustic guitars, keyboards, studio recording gear, computer music, lighting, pa equipment, percussion and loads more. All of the big brands (and loads of the small ones) are present and correct, and they’ve even got private demo rooms with mirrors for practising embarrassing guitar moves, analog synths wired up and ready to squeal, murals on the walls, loads of funky lights and an extremely comfortable sofa if you get bored of all the musical equipment and just want to sit down.

Underground Solu'shn 9 Cockburn Street, 0131 226 2242, undergroundsolushn.com

Keeping Cockburn Street’s bass athumping, this hip wee store peddles electronica to most of the city's serious DJs. Also great on off-beat gifts. For DJs. That’s okay. DJs need gifts too.

The Workshop 96 West Bow, 07590 550806, theworkshopedinburgh.com

New working gallery and felting studio in Edinburgh, showcasing some of the best textile artists working in Scotland today, as well as offering workshops in different wool felting techniques such as wet, nuno and needle felting. Check out their special exhibitions throughout the year, too.

Food and Drink Demijohn 32 Victoria Street, 0131 225 3265, demijohn.co.uk

For those not in the know, a demijohn is a large bulbous glass bottle used to store liquids and it’s the method of choice for Edinburgh’s liquid deli of the same name. The bottles line the shelves, waiting to decant fluids from extra virgin olive oil to single malt whisky (not to be mixed up).

IJ Mellis 30A Victoria Street, 0131 226 6215, mellischeese.co.uk

Famed for the smell that entices passers-by, Mellis is one of a kind – a rustic cheesemonger with maturing rooms in Edinburgh and five other branches across Scotland. Iain Mellis started the business over 15 years ago and the shops sell a wonderful selection of Scottish cheese as well as cheese from Spain, Italy and France.

Royal Mile Whiskies 379 High Street, 0131 524 9380, royalmilewhiskies.com

If you like a wee nip, specialist malt whisky retailers, Royal Mile Whiskies, should have you spoiled for choice. The diminutive shop, established in 1991 and joined by a London branch in 2002 can lay claim to having over 1000 malt whiskies and bourbons in stock. '

NEW TOWN & STOCKBRIDGE

Kiss the Fish Studios 9 Dean Park Street, 0131 322 8912, kissthefishstudios.com

Kids dangerously close to tantrums after trailing round the shows? Focus that restless energy by letting them get arty at this hands-on studio shop.

Oscar and Fitch 20 Multrees Walk, St Andrews Square, 0131 556 6461, oscarandfitch.com

The store of choice for the more fashion-conscious spectacle-wearer, choose from chunky and thin-rimmed, vividly colourful and monotone glasses to chuck on your face and feel good about. They’ve also got a splendid selection of popstar-worthy sunglasses.

SOUTHSIDE Fashion Scoosh 107 Bruntsfield Place, 0131 228 3010, Scoosh-sinclair.blogspot.com

Pinky, frothy, girlie clothes and accessories for Bruntsfield’s yummy mummies. Everything from highfashion wellies to designer reductions, plus a handy wardrobe exchange so you can pick through your neighbours’ couture jumble.

Gifts, Interiors and Accessories Context Interiors

Fashion Goodstead 76 Rose Street, 0131 228 2846, goodstead.co.uk

Grown-up boyz ‘n’girlz urban style, specialising in graphic T-shirt prints and understated work-worthy streetwear sourced internationally from the hippest, hardest-to-get designers including APC, Sessun, Penfield and Henrik Vibskov. You may have to wait till pay day to visit but it’ll be worth it.

Designer Womenswear & Accessories Personal Styling Paul Smith Sportmax Code Melissa Day Birger et Mikkelsen Marithé + Francois Girbaud Emma Cook Sarah Pacini Lilith American Vintage

4 William St Edinburgh EH3 7NH 0131 226 4466 Opening Hours Mon to Sat 10.00am to 5.30pm Thursdays 10.00am to 6.30pm www.arkangelandfelon.com

154 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

79 Morningside Road, 0131 447 6384, contextinteriors.co.uk

Jammed full of eclectic interior pieces, with a special focus on period detail and classic design, this little Morningside homeware specialist is particularly good for light fittings and one-off oddities.

Joolz 31 Leven Street, 0131 229 4504

21st Century Kilts

Sister shop to the more established Joolz next door (see below). Choose from an array of silver and precious stone jewellery.

48 Thistle Street, 0131 220 9450, 21stcenturykilts.com

Uta’s Joolz Ltd

Not just a clever name, Howie R Nicholsby's kiltmakers truly does move with the times. Offering pinstripe, leather, full length, camouflage and denim kilts, as well as the more traditional attire, they recently had their fashion credentials extolled by Brix Smith-Start and Gok Wan, no less.

Gifts, Interiors and Accessories Alchemia Studio Gallery 37 Thistle Street, 0131 220 4795, alchemia.co.uk

Based in the heart of Edinburgh, this dazzling jewellery emporium sells everything from hand-painted enamel to diamonds and platinum.

Galerie Mirages 46a Raeburn Place, 0131 315 2603, galeriemirages.co.uk

Those of a magpie disposition will love Shiela Dhariwal’s array of silver, chunky, ethnic, beaded and stone-studded jewellery; an Aladdin's cave of internationally-sourced, sparkly stuff with a pretty broad price range, in a gorgeous hidden location.

29 Leven Street, 0131 228 8564

Founded in 1999, this well established shop by the Meadows sells fairtrade gifts and clothing, jewellery.

Books, Music and Stationery The Record Shak 69 Clerk Street, 0131 667 7144

Simple, basic and excellent wee record shop with absolutely no attitude, selling a great selection of blues, rock, folk, reggae and jazz, mostly second hand. Will occasionally buy records too.

Food and Drink Coco Chocolate 174 Brunstfield Place, 0131 228 4526, cocochocolate.co.uk

Gorgeous, hand-tempered chocolates made by qualified chocolate Rebecca Knights-Ker swell in her specialist chocolate kitchen just down the road.

Unusual ingredients include sea salt, chilli and lavender.

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Eero and Riley

Offering a bespoke picture framing service, as well as their own wellcurated selection of quirky and stylish framed prints and chic clutter for the home, plus lotions, potions, handbags and gladrags, this is a one-stop shop of gorgeousness.

Eero and Riley 7 Easter Road, 0131 661 0533 eeroandriley.com

Friendly, brilliantly-priced shop with a tangible sense of humour, stocking homeware, gifts and jewellery.

Flux 55 Bernard Street, 0131 554 4075 get2flux.co.uk

Cracking little shop in the heart of Leith.

Although it sells Scottish crafts, don’t think for a second it’s the same sort of tartan tat you’d find in the tourist zones.

They also come with a splendid allethical produce guarantee.

Books, Music and Stationery Elvis Shakespeare

WEST END Fashion Arkangel & Felon

silver and mother-of-pearl jewellery, olive oils and soaps, hand-made candles and exquisitely-embroidered clothing, all designed and created by craftsmen in Palestine. All proceeds go to support sustainable development, refugee camps, women's groups and co-operatives in the West Bank, Gaza, Israel and Lebanon.

The Extra Inch 12 William Street, 0131 226 3303, extrainch.co.uk

The Extra Inch specializes in clothing in sizes 16 to 26. The boutique is situated on two levels with separates and holiday cruise wear on level one and special occasion clothing on level two. The stock is sourced from top European designers and changes each season. Continental luxury is up for grabs if you can pinch the pennies.

17 Stafford Street, 0131 220 2323

Unconventional designer boutique for unconventional, designer-clad ladies. Guilty have recently started offering a personal styling service tailored to your body shape and lifestyle. Prices range from £30-£300, and they also host special fashion evenings where the fizz flows freely.

Sam Thomas 18 Stafford Street, 0131 226 1126

Sam Thomas is a vibrant clothes and accessories boutique in the heart of Edinburgh’s West End. Labels include Nougat, Darling, French Connection, Great Plains, Sandwich, Noa Noa and Inwear. The shop also stocks a wide selection of ownlabel shoes and accessories. Branches on William Street, Edinburgh, St. John Street, Perth and South Street, St. Andrews.

Gifts, Interiors and Accessories

16 William Street, 0131 220 4495, helenbateman.com

Bliss

Helen Bateman is a popular lady among shoe-lovers in Edinburgh. Her independent shoe brand combines a range of useful ‘basics’– those shoes you'll want to invest in again and again – with more exclusive limited runs that change each season in a beautiful spectrum of colours, fabrics and textures. The shop on William Street also stocks a constantly changing array of bags, scarves, belts and jewellery. Once you’ve worn through your soles traipsing around the city’s cobbled streets, this should be your first port of call.

Trinket Splendid, if expensive, jewellery box of oneoff vintage pieces and handbags, and a good place to look for something a little bit quirky and original. There’s also a lovely selection of gold and silver jewellery by contemporary designers.

58 Shandwick Place, St George's West Church, 0131 225 1922, hadeel.org

Hadeel is something unique amongst fair trade shops: it’s run by Scottish-based charity Palcrafts, and sells everything from

111a Broughton Street, 0131 556 3311 edinburghbliss.blogspot.com

Great wee gift shop full of unusual presents and homeware, including cult French beauty brand Paul & Joe Beauté, Pantone greetings cards, trinkety Mirabelle jewellery and gorgeous cake stands for your Marie Antoinette moments.

LEITH & BROUGHTON STREET Fashion

347 Leith Walk, 0131 561 1363 elvisshakespeare.com

As the name bringing together two of the world’s great icons suggests, this much loved Leith Walk institution treats music and literature as equals. Something for everyone, from country music to literary criticism, and Irish poetry to metal.

Vinyl Villains 5 Elm Row, 0131 558 1170 vinylvillainrecords.co.uk

Continuing the city’s proud tradition of record shops with alliterative names, this dark, brilliant and slightly haphazard collection of second hand vinyl and CDs was recently name-checked in Sunshine on Leith, the Proclaimers musical.

Food and Drink Crombies of Edinburgh

Cat’s Miaou

97 Broughton Street, 0131 556 7643 sausages.co.uk

36 Elm Row, 0131 557 1277 thecatsmiaou.co.uk

Stocking everything from recycled wine glasses made from old beer bottles to bamboo socks, this quirky, friendly little gift shop is packed with curios and guaranteed unique gifts, much of them ethically sourced and from local designers, for extra brownie points.

Curiouser and Curiouser 93 Broughton Street, 0131 556 1866 curiouserandcuriouser.com

Your cheapy pack of discount chipolatas is not really going to cut it alongside such superior offerings as lamb, rosemary and garlic or whisky, wild thyme and boar, is it?

After the comedians, thespians and musicians are all tucked up in bed Edinburgh’s still rocking to dance beats across the capital as the city’s clubs takes advantage of the August late licences to keep the dancefloors hot and sweaty until 5am.

Unusual gifts from near and far.

Fair trade.

Ethically sourced.

Locally designed and crafted.

Concrete Wardrobe 50A Broughton Street, 0131 558 7130

Concrete Wardrobe has a reputation for innovative collections and designs covering the worlds of fashion, textiles and furniture.

Joey D 54 Broughton Street, 0131 557 6672, joey-d.co.uk

Hadeel

103 Constitution Street, 0131 478 7178 beseated.co.uk

Helen Bateman

18 William Street, 0131 558 1170

Guilty

Be Seated As well as creating furniture, Be Seated also restore upholstery, working with a wide range of fabric suppliers.

4 William Street, 0131 226 4466,

arkangelandfelon.com Edinburgh’s ultimate boho boutique, and well worth the small hike, Arkangel is a treasure trove of high-quality vintage finds and well-chosen pieces from quirky labels like Pocket Venus, Marilyn Moore and Anonymous.

Gifts, Interiors and Accessories

Local designer Joey D’s clothes are remade and recycled from old items of clothing.

Boiler suits, army tunics and tweed jackets are embellished and tweaked into styles that vary from clubby to downright flamboyant.

The Cat's Miaou 36 Elm Row (top of Leith Walk) EH7 4AH 0131 557 1277 www.thecatsmiaou.co.uk

Mon-Sat 10.30-7.00pm Sun 11.30-5.30pm

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{CITY GUIDE} Clubbing

{CLUBBING}

Xplicit

Hudson Mohawke

HOT AUGUST NIGHTS

Not for nothing is Edinburgh known as something of a party capital over the festivals. Henry Northmore investigates The beats and breaks continue well into the night after the comedy and theatre shut up shop, with most club nights granted a late licence for some extra special guests and one-off parties.

Glasgow record label LuckyMe really take advantage of the freedom of the festival with a three-day celebration of electronica, featuring a live music/art installation experience in the company of ANGO, Tyson Parks and American Men, a club night with Hudson Mohawke (pictured), Machinedrum, S-Type, The Blessings and more and finally a live film score from Mike Slott (Quarter Mile, Cabaret Voltaire and The Summerhall, 11–13 Aug).

If you’re looking for some quality big names, Musika (The Liquid Room, 6 Aug) are out to impress with house supremo Sasha and Guy Gerber (Cocoon) for their Edinburgh Fringe Opening Party.

They also return with Sugarbeat vs Musika (Cabaret Voltaire, 26 Aug), where they are joined by electro master Tiga and Harvard Bass. Soma Records (Cabaret Voltaire, 19 Aug) make their annual pilgrimage to the east with deep house and edgy techno from Slam, Silicone Soul, Gary Beck and Harvey Mackay (live) as part of The Edge Festival.

There’s plenty more excellent

house at Heavy Gossip as they are joined by cosmic disco heads Villa then end the Festival with an enviable line-up of Phil Asher, 6th Borough Project and Ricky Reid (Hawke + Hunter, 30 Jul and 27 Aug, respectively) plus Jesse Rose joins Karnival (Cabaret Voltaire, 27 Aug) for some soulful jackin’ house and Detroit techno.

If you prefer your bass a bit heavier, the Plump DJs and Stanton Warriors tear it up at Bass Syndicate (Liquid Room, 13 Aug); drum & bass specialists Xplicit weigh in with London Electricity (Bongo Club, 19 Aug) and Toddla T (Liquid Room, 20 Aug) while Katy B’s live hip hop outfit Illersapians join Nu Fire, there’s a super intimate show from Filthy Dukes and Stopmakingme followed by dubsteppers Girl Unit guesting at Coalition and there’s live dubstep from Coda at Nu Fire (all Sneaky Pete’s, 15, 17, 21 and 22 Aug, respectively).

To see the best Edinburgh has to offer, Jackhammer are hammering out two free techno parties (Basement Bar, 5 & 26 Aug) while Headspin Meets Mumbo Jumbo (Bongo Club, 20 Aug) for a party up mix of house, funk, breaks, hip hop, soul, grooves and more.

Finally White Mink truly embrace the spirit of the Festival with their ‘electro swing speakeasy’ – a 21st-century remix of 20s and 30s style cabaret, live music, DJs and movies (Voodoo Rooms, weekly Thu, Fri & Sat 4–27 Aug).

156 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

Venues The Bongo Club Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, 0131 558 7604, thebongoclub.co.uk

One of Edinburgh’s most beloved venues and host to theatre, comedy and live music through the day at night the boho club keeps things interesting with a selection leftfield club nights covering everything from reggae, dub and hip hop to breakbeat and furious drum & bass.

Electric Circus 36-39 Market Street, 0131 226 4224, theelectriccircus.biz

Electric Circus really offers something different. Alongside the main dancefloor there are a selection of private karaoke rooms for a more intimate get together.

A soundtrack from indie to electro mixed with live bands, burlesque and cabaret.

Espionage Cabaret Voltaire 36-38 Blair Street, 0131 220 6176, thecabaretvoltaire.com

Perhaps Edinburgh’s premiere club venue.

Expect big name DJs rubbing shoulders with homegrown talent. Now boasting three rooms, including their luxurious Speakeasy, for those who like their clubbing with a touch of class.

The Caves 8–12 Niddry Street South, 0131 557 8989, thecavesedinburgh.com

Genuine underground subterranean clubbing in a warren of caves and caverns situated under Edinburgh’s Cowgate. A spectacular venue where Departure Lounge and various techno nights have made themselves at home.

The Citrus Club 40–42 Grindlay Street, 0131 622 7086, citrusclub.co.uk

Edinburgh’s leading indie/student club with Tease Age, Planet Earth and more offering the best in indie, 80s, electro and ska. Intimate and perfect for a good jump around on the dancefloor.

City: Edinburgh 1a Market Street, 0131 226 9560, citypeople.info

Huge mainstream clubbing Mecca with a selection of charty and party nights that are always rammed. Plus the odd superstar DJ that draws too big a crowd to fit into any of Edinburgh’s smaller venues.

4 India Buildings, Victoria Street, 0131 477 7007, espionage007.co.uk

Five floors of free clubbing every night of the week, it’s usually charty and a bit cheesy but always fun and you just can’t argue with those prices.

Henry’s Cellar Bar 8-16a Morrison Street, 0131 228 9393, theraft.org.uk

One of the most underground venues in town (both in style and location). Home to a host of diverse DIY clubs plus late and live indie and punk with multi-band bills playing through the night.

The Hive 15-17 Niddry Street, 0131 556 0444, clubhive.co.uk

A warren of arches, the Hive is home to a large selection of alternative club nights (be they electro, rock or indie) that relies more on atmosphere, regular crowds, cheap entry (many nights are free) and quality residents than superstar DJs.

The Jazz Bar 1a Chambers Street, 0131 220 4298, thejazzbar.co.uk

As the name suggest this late-night hangout specialises in jazz, soul, funk and Latin beats. With live jazz through the day when night falls, as you’d expect, most of their nights feature live jazz, funk, DJs and cool grooves in the intimate cellar space.

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Clubbing {CITY GUIDE}

The Lane 3 Queensferry Street Lane, 0131 467 7215, bebo.com/The_Lane_Edinburgh

The renamed, refurbished and rejigged Berlin adds a dose of credible club culture to the West End of Edinburgh with three intimate rooms of housey action with a touch of R&B and urban through the week.

The Liquid Room 9c Victoria Street, 0131 225 2564, liquidroom.com

The Liquid Room hosts some of the biggest DJ names to grace the decks in Edinburgh specialising in big house sounds and live music. It’s only recently back in commission after a devastating fire, but the owners spent all the insurance money in the right place, rebooting the tech and keeping the decor as loveably dingy as it’s ever been.

Lulu 125b George Street, 0131 225 5005, luluedinburgh.co.uk

Situated below the rather swanky Tigerlily lies Opal Lounge’s chic little sister Lulu, replete with dimmed lights and Saturday Night Fever dancefloor. The music is fairly chart orientated but the dancefloor is always busy at this well-to-do club.

Opal Lounge 51a George Street, 0131 226 2275, opallounge.co.uk

Purposefully upmarket The Opal Lounge continues to attract quality local DJs from one or two of Edinburgh’s bigger club nights with a mix of house, funk and mash-up tunes, and is a regular hangout for visiting celebs

Opium 71 Cowgate, 0131 225 8382, opiumedinburgh.co.uk

Keeping it hard and heavy for all the rock faithful. Opium is the best place in town for unpretentious metal, punk, rock and other industrial strength sounds all night long.

Sneaky Pete’s 73 Cowgate, 0131 225 1757, sneakypetes.co.uk

Sneaky Pete’s has turned it’s truly intimate club space into one of the best places for

leftfield clubbing and quirky nights.

Seriously talented up-and-coming DJ talent, big name DJs regularly compliment the brilliant residents team.

The Store 37 Guthrie Street, 0131 220 2987

{LGBT}

Formerly known as the GRV, the Store still offers alternative nights with a strong line-up of underground clubbing. Home to the likes of Modern Lovers (60s beat) and Substance (techno).

Studio 24 24-26 Calton Road, 0131 558 3758, myspace.com/studio24edinburgh

Another bastion of rock and punk club action in Edinburgh but this down and dirty club space also turns its hand to quality techno, trance and even the odd Balkan night, packed out by loyal punters and passionate staff

Voodoo Rooms 19a West Register Street, 0131 556 7060, thevoodoorooms.com

Not just a great bar but boasting cool vibes, sophisticated cocktails, live bands, burlesque and good grub. Painted in a matt black with gold trimmings this is clubbing for those who like a bit of elegance alongside their dancefloor grooves.

The Wee Red Bar Edinburgh College of Art, 74 Lauriston Place, 0131 229 1003, weeredbar.co.uk

The Wee Red’s association with Edinburgh College of Art attracts a selection of unique and unusual club nights. Northern soul and indie collide at The Egg every Saturday with the best in reggae, dub, disco and more across their other nights.

For complete Festival listings see

list.co.uk/festival

Tiga

RAINBOW CITY GHQ

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender scene has never been more vibrant in the capital; Niki Boyle hand-picks the hotspots The centre of Edinburgh’s LGBT scene is undoubtedly the unofficially monikered ‘Pink Triangle’ at the top of Leith Walk. Here, some of the city’s longest running gay and gay-friendly establishments exist within a stone’s throw of each other. CC Bloom’s (23–24 Greenside Place, 0131 556 9331) places an emphasis on hi-NRG party tunes – the fun usually kicks up a gear when the second floor opens after 11pm. Before that, most patrons can be found enjoying pre-club drinks at one of the two bars that flank CC’s – Planet Out (6 Baxter’s Place, 0131 556 5551), a raucous and rowdy joint popular with Edinburgh’s lesbian clientele, or the slightly more restrained Café Habana (22 Greenside Place, 0131 558 1270), which maintains a theatre-friendly luvvie vibe thanks to its placement beside the Playhouse theatre.

Across the street is, er, The Street (2b Picardy Place, 0131 556 4272), a one-stop party pub that aims to cover all the bases for a riotous weekend. It’s owned by Trendy Wendy, a leading LGBT figure in the capital, who also DJs at the one-off Tackno events that take place from time to time around the city. Under her expert stewardship, the bar serves various tasty dishes

until midnight, provides an extensive cocktail menu, and houses a dance floor with resident DJs. Next door, GHQ (4-6 Picardy Place, 0131 550 1780) is home to some of Edinburgh’s most popular LGBT club nights, including Mile High Club and Boutique.

A short jaunt from the Pink Triangle is the Blue Moon Café (1 Barony Street, 0131 556 2788). The café/bistro is a stalwart of the capital’s gay scene; it bolsters its basic (but tasty) menu with a juice bar, takeaway options and in-house watering hole Deep Blue. Also nearby are the Café Nom de Plume (60 Broughton Street, 0131 478 1372), a late-opening café with a friendly vibe, and the Newtown Bar (26b Dublin Street, 0131 538 7775), home to regular men-only events such as Bears in the Basement.

Slightly farther afield, The Regent (2 Montrose Terrace, 0131 661 8198) is a great place to enjoy a less partyhearty, more pint-with-your-matesstyle locale, while Café No 9 (9 Croall Place, 0131 629 6289) aims for a similar atmosphere, with coffee and waffles in place of real ale.

Aside from the dedicated LGBT venues, we’d recommend both Cabaret Voltaire (36 Blair Street, 0131 220 6176) and The Wee Red Bar (Edinburgh College of Art, 74 Lauriston Place, 0131 229 1003), which are home to ace LGBT club nights Saturday Night Beaver and Hot Mess respectively.

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Page 160

{ALTERNATIVE INDEX}

Alternative Index Americans – The Room, 10; Ingrid Calame, 28; Robert Rauschenberg, 28; Sapphire, 29, 38; TC Boyle, 34; Kristin Hersh, 38; Craig Ricci Shaynak, 42; Tom Green, 44; Lee Camp, 52; Katherine Ryan, 52; Margaret Cho, 53; Todd Barry, 60; Kurt & Kristen, 64; Dance Marathon, 68; Rock the Ballet, 68; The National, 74; Lach’s Antihoot, 76; Oneohtrix Point Never, 76; Warpaint, 76; TEAM, 82; Philadelphia Orchestra, 106; Leroy Jones, 107, 109; Trombone Shorty, 108; James Carter, 109; Evan Christopher, 109; Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, 109.

Anger – General: Jerry Sadowitz, 58.

Political: Lee Camp, 52.

Religious: Kamila Shamsie, 35.

Babies – Katherine Ryan, 52; Qatsi trilogy, 102.

Corsets – Frisky and Mannish, 16; Meow Meow, 76.

Double acts – Lounge Room Confabulators, 11; Battle of Britain, 14; Frisky and Mannish, 16; Barry and Stuart, 50; The Two Wrongies, 58; JohnLuke Roberts and Nadia Kamil, 64; Christmas for Two, 64.

Famous spouses – Trudie Styler, 12; Pamela Stephenson Connolly, 38; Tom Green, 44; Evelyn Evelyn, 76.

Free – Events: Martin Creed, 23; Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series, 38; Unbound, 38; Craig Ricci Shaynak, 42; I Am Google, 42; Kunt and the Gang, 58; Free Fringe, 62.

Running: 78.

German phrases – Gesamkunstwerk: Anon Henning, 29.

Vorsprung durch Technik: John Hegarty, 30.

Basildon – Kunt and the Gang, 58.

Beards – Full: Jack Whitehall, 12; John Byrne, 28, 38; Alasdair Gray, 38; Dave Gorman, 39; Matthew Crosby, 42; Tim Key, 42, 62; Tom Green, 45; Lee Camp, 52; Doctor Brown, 58; Adam Buxton, 60; Phil Jupitus, 60; The National, 74.

Fake: King Lear, 106.

Goatee: David Mach, 24; Ben Okri, 34.

Ladies’: Futureproof, 88.

Stubble: Jo Nesbo, 35; David Reed, 47; Thom Tuck, 47; Mark Watson, 62; Imran Yusuf, 62.

Brazil – Dance, 66.

Cards – Pete Firman, 50; Jerry Sadowitz, 58.

Gender – Bending: Russell Kane, 20; Margaret Cho, 53; Marc Almond, 92.

Issues: Tamsyn Challenger, 26; Liz Kessler, 36; My Voluntary Punishments, 67; Nan Sloane and Sarah Boyack, 115.

Great Depression, The – Dance Marathon, 68; TEAM, 82; Seven Deadly Sins, 83.

Impersonation – Liberace: Liberace Live from Heaven, 90.

Harold Pinter: A Celebration of Harold Pinter, 88.

Louis Armstrong: We Love Louis, 107.

Inflatables – Mirazozo, 71.

Internet sensation – Frisky and Mannish, 16; Tom Green, 44; Fascinating Aida, 76; Free Run, 78.

Long-awaited return – Robert Rauschenberg, 28; Dave Gorman, 39; Paul Daniels, 49; Margaret Cho, 55; Todd Barry, 60; Adam Buxton, 60.

Made in Scotland – David Mach, 24; Elizabeth Blackadder, 28; John Byrne, 28, 38; Luke Willams, 33; Christopher Brookmyre, 35; Alasdair Gray, 38; Grant Morrison, 38; Ali Smith, 38; Alan Warner, 38; Barry and Stuart, 50; Mark Nelson, 58; Jerry Sadowitz, 58; Daniel Sloss, 62; The Burns Unit, 76; Jackie Leven, 76; Withered Hand, 76; Junction 25, 86; The Wheel, 88; David Leddy, 92; Tommy Smith, 109; David Greig, 111; John Beattie, 115; Burnsong, 115; Roddy Hart, 115; Richard Holloway, 115; Allan Little, 115; Ian Macwhirter, 115; Midge Ure, 115; Military Tattoo, 116.

Music videos – Appeared in one by The National: Kristen Schaal, 64; The National, 70.

Talking about: Adam Buxton, 60.

Nazis, responses to – Ned Beauman, 33; Mary Horlock, 33; Dasa Drndic, 34; Humphrey Ker, 46; Katherine Ryan, 52.

Penises – Poetical: Tim Clare, 10.

Theatrical: The Naked Busker, 12; Strip Search, 12; One Thousand and One Nights, 94.

Parents – Doing show about: Katherine Ryan, 52; Tom Rosenthal, 52; Catie Wilkins, 52; Margaret Cho, 53; Scott Capurro, 62; Des Bishop, 64.

Doing show with: Jack Whitehall, 12.

Rose (Art and Keira Malik), 84.

The mistreatment of: Tom Green, 44.

Profanity – Arthur Smith’s Pissed Up Chat Show, 12; Masterslut, 62; Doris Day Can Fuck Off, 88.

THE LIST FESTIVAL ISSUES PICK UP THE LIST WEEKLY THOUGHOUT AUGUST: THE BEST PLACE FOR FESTIVAL REVIEWS

160 THE LIST | Edinburgh Festival Guide 2011 | list.co.uk/festival

Puppets – Flat Eric (John Hegarty), 30; Bagpuss, 72; The Incredible Book Eating Boy, 72; The King’s Got Donkey Ears, 72; The Girl with the Iron Claws, 90.

Reviewers (probably) not welcome – Stewart Lee, 58; Jerry Sadowitz, 58; Omid Djalili, 60.

Shakespeare – Tim Clare, 10; King Lear, 106; The Peony Pavilion, 106; The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan, 106.

Sketch show – The Three Englishmen, 60; Christmas for Two, 64.

Spoons – The Room, 10; Nathan Penlington, 50.

Sports – Tom Rosenthal, 52; Federer vs Murray, 92.

Tattoo – Body art: Tattooligan, 12; Margaret Cho, 55.

Royal Edinburgh Military: 116.

Twitter – Paul Daniels, 50; Tom Green, 44; Festival of Politics, 114.

Telly, off the – John Hegarty, 30; Jon Ronson, 38; Tim Key, 42, 62; Little Howard’s Big Show 42; Tom Green, 44; Humphrey Ker, 46; David Reed, 47; Thom Tuck, 47; Paul Daniels, 49; Margaret Cho, 53; Adam Buxton, 60; Daniel Sloss, 62; Mark Thomas, 62; Flawless, 68; Bagpuss, 72; Mr Benn, 72; Art Malik, 84.

Trilogy – Re-Triptych, 98; Qatsi, 102.

Youth, perspective of the – Edinburgh International Book Festival RBS Children’s Programme, 36; Now and at the Time of Our Turn, 66; Junction 25, 86.

EFG11-Cover (final)

6/7/11

13:35

Page 3

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EFG11-Cover (final)

6/7/11

13:34

Page 1

THE LIST EDINBURGH FESTIVAL GUIDE 2011

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