Issue 743

GLASGOW & EDINBURGH EVENTS GUIDE 1 APR–31 MAY 2017 | ISSUE 743 LIST.CO.UK

FREE

ANNA MEREDITH AND FRIENDS GO BEHIND THE HIDDEN DOOR PLUS COSMIC FUN AT THE EDINBURGH INT'L SCIENCE FESTIVAL

743-Cover.indd 1

SCOTLAND IN VENICE RACHEL MACLEAN ON HER BIENNALE ENTRY

FESTIVAL DIARY ALL THE BEST EVENTS NEAR YOU

28/03/2017 17:39

‘THIS STAGE VERSION IS A PHENOMENON’

‘SURPASSES ALL PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS’ NORTH WEST END, BLACKPOOL

MON 12 - SAT 17 JUNE

0844 871 3014 · atgtickets.com/edinburgh

®TM & © 2016 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved · Photography: Alastair Muir

SUNDAY MIRROR

Fees apply. Calls cost up to 7ppm plus your company’s access charge.

dirtydancingontour.com DD List AD 297x210.indd 743-adpages.indd IFC2 1

27/03/2017 28/03/2017 14:45 15:03

FRONT

CONTENTS

Realist

11

Tinariwen

15

Edinburgh International Science Festival

S

pring has only just sprung and it's already festival central round these parts. Turn to page 17 to get the lowdown on all the goings-on near you, from the Edinburgh International Science Festival (it's not just for kids, y'know) to clubbing-by-the-Clyde extravaganza Riverside. You'll have noticed the fab Anna Meredith on our cover: she'll be opening Hidden Door, as the grassroots arts festival gets ready to take over Leith Theatre from the end of May. Plus, find out more about newbies like May West Fest on Glasgow Green (page 40) and the Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival (page 39), and we take a look at the recently re-christened Edinburgh International Children's Festival (page 36).

Outside of festival-land, there's plenty going on: Julian 'Howard Moon' Barratt is on top comedy form in upcoming film Mindhorn (page 44), and we caught up with video artist Rachel Maclean as she prepares for her summer at the Venice Biennale (page 50).

And it's Eating and Drinking Guide time once again: the 24th edition of The List's comprehensive food and drink bible hits the shelves on 19 Apr and there's a wee preview of what to expect (page 53), as well as a sneaky £2 off voucher. Go on: those restaurants and bars aren't going to visit themselves. Happy dining and imbibing.

COVER STORY

SPRING FESTIVALS With winter properly behind us (we hope), it's time to pop the bubbly in celebration of spring and the feast of festivals which that season is laying on us. Among the bonanza of culture in the capital is the Edinburgh International Science Festival and Hidden Door at the resurrected Leith Theatre, while Glasgow is catered for by Electric Frog and Pressure’s Riverside Festival and Dance International Glasgow. Plus, there's a month-by-month run-down to take you through summer.

GLASGOW & EDINBURGH EVENTS GUIDE 1 APR–31 MAY 2017 | ISSUE 743 LIST.CO.UK

FREE

ANNA MEREDITH AND FRIENDS GO BEHIND THE HIDDEN DOOR PLUS COSMIC FUN AT THE EDINBURGH INT'L SCIENCE FESTIVAL

SCOTLAND IN VENICE RACHEL MACLEAN ON HER BIENNALE ENTRY

FESTIVAL DIARY ALL THE BEST EVENTS NEAR YOU

743-Cover.indd 1

28/03/2017 17:39

PHOTO: CRAIG GIBSON

50

53

30 50

FOOD & DRINK

57

Taisteal

58

AROUND TOWN

GREAT OFFERS

Win tickets to Travels with My Aunt at Citizens Theatre

Our guide to the best eating and drinking in Glasgow and Edinburgh is almost here for its 24th edition. As a starter, check out page 53 for this year’s best (and most annoying) trends.

8

Win two tickets to see Glory on Earth at The Lyceum 9

Get 50% off a coffee subscription from Cloud Coffee

63

Highlights

64

BOOKS

65

Open the Door

65

Patrick Ness

66

Highlights

67

COMEDY

68

Ricky Gervais

68

Reginald D Hunter

69

Highlights

71

Win entry to Zoo Nights at Edinburgh Zoo

8

Win camping tickets to Doune the Rabbit Hole

Get 15% off tickets to The Foxlake Outdoor Festival

Win tickets to the MagicFest Gala

9

10

Win weekend tickets to Electric Frog and Pressure Riverside Festival 10

73

My Life as a Courgette

75

The Other Side of Hope

77

Highlights

78

KIDS

80

Running Wild

80

Highlights

82

MUSIC

83

TradFest

83

Electric Circus

84

Barry Adamson

88

Highlights

95

Classical Highlights

98

99 99 100

Breakin’ Convention

104

Highlights

106

VISUAL ART

107

Polygraphs

107

Glasgow Open House

108

Highlights

109

Clique The Trip

110 110 111

10

FIRST & LAST Denise Mina

743-Contents BD (cover).indd 1

73

ed film fest memories

TV 10

63

Edinburgh Comic Con

THEATRE

THE LIST EATING & DRINKING GUIDE

57

Scottish Street Food Festival

Buzzcut

Moving away from her ‘candy-colour children’s TV’ aesthetic, the acclaimed Scottish video artist takes her new show to Venice. Pulling together Brexit, Trump, lies and Pinocchio, this is visual art for the fake news era.

20

Rachel Maclean

The North

RACHEL MACLEAN

17

Hidden Door

FILM Editor

4

News

FEATURES

1 APR–31 MAY 2017 | LIST.CO.UK

2

112 112

28/03/2017 18:11

GRAPHIC CONTENT

CONTRIBUTORS

What we’ve been talking about It’s nearly time for the 2017 edition of the Eating & Drinking Guide (out Wed 19 Apr, see page 52 for more details).

So we thought we’d consider the good, the bad and the ugly of dining out. From dangerous pizza toppings to mite-riddled dogs, we’ve generously allowed the guilty parties to remain nameless. . .

A tea room in Pitlochry was an actual black hole.

Time slowed down as you entered, and slowed down further the longer you waited for the food.

When it came, you passed through the event horizon and entered a parallel universe because it bore no resemblance to its descriptions on the menu, and was clearly intended for a non-human metabolism.

In Thailand, a lady chopped up a full chicken (feet and all) and threw it into a curry dish for me as breakfast. If that wasn’t killing my appetite, under the table was a scabby dog riddled with mites. I gave it to the dog and bolted.

A small, not very posh bistro in Paris with my wife: boudin noir and the best côte de bœuf I’ve ever had.

When I discovered Madrid’s best Chinese takeaway, literally smack bang in the centre of town in an underground car park near Temple Debod.

Showed me that you can’t always judge a place by its exterior.

The dumplings were incredible though best enjoyed outside as the rubber and petrol smells surrounding did tend to linger.

The meal I had in a Surrey pizza place many, many years ago was quite memorable as my mum’s pizza had a new topping: broken glass from an oven that had exploded. She was given free booze for the rest of the night which seemed to make up for it.

WORST I once went to a restaurant in Ayr that used whole peppercorns as a garnish on ALL the dishes that we received.

It was terrible.

The first time I tried lobster which was on a beach in Thailand in Kao Samui. Really tricky to eat, but that teamed with the sea and the stars . . . it was epic.

BEST

The actual existence of a vegetarian Chinese buffet in Malmö seemed too good to be true. The fact that it was beyond delicious and reasonably inexpensive is a memory I’ll take to the grave.

The bizarre behaviour of the manager of a hotel in Torquay. Having put his fingers through a massive cake, we could later hear the screams of pain from one of his poor unfortunate waiters in the kitchen. It may have been the 1970s but that was no way to treat your European staff.

A restaurant in Bath where literally nothing went right: waiting on food, things not arriving, getting ignored. It must have been bad luck, but it did put a sour note on a cream tea when you’re sitting about like a lemon.

I went to a fancy restaurant with friends on my last night in Copenhagen, ordering a nice (but cheap) bottle of wine to go with our meal. A waiter apologised for not having our wine of choice, instead bringing a ‘similar tasting’ bottle.

Halfway through our incredible meal, we realised that the wine was amazingly good . . . too good (there were bottles on the menu that were over £200!). When the bill finally came, the restaurant had just charged us for the original bottle . . . Also, the restaurant had neon jellyfish tanks.

In Peru in a lovely, small restaurant. The owner took us out to this fishing boat to choose our own crabs! It was very intimate and traditional and the crab tasted amazing.

CONTENT Editor-in-Chief Yasmin Sulaiman Senior Digital Editor Scott Henderson Content Manager Rowena McIntosh Deputy Content Manager Murray Robertson Senior Content Producer Alex Johnston Content Producers Henry Northmore, Arusa Qureshi, Kirstyn Smith, Louise Stoddart Subeditors Brian Donaldson, Paul McLean SECTION EDITORS Around Town / Music Kirstyn Smith Books / Film Scotland Yasmin Sulaiman Comedy / Front Brian Donaldson Dance / Kids Kelly Apter Film Reviews Emma Simmonds Food & Drink Donald Reid News Rebecca Monks TV Henry Northmore Theatre Gareth K Vile Visual Art Rachael Cloughton PRODUCTION Senior Designer Lucy Munro Designers Stuart Polson, Carys Tennant DIGITAL Senior Developer Andy Carmichael Senior Designer Sharon Irish Software Developer Iain McCusker Data Developer Andy Bowles COMMERCIAL Head of Account Management Chris Knox Senior Account Manager Debbie Thomson Account Managers Rachel Cree, Ross Foley Ad Ops Executive Emma Thompson Digital Business Development Director Brendan Miles Partnership Director Sheri Friers ADMINISTRATION Head of Accounting & HR Sarah Reddie Director Robin Hodge CEO Simon Dessain

Published by The List Ltd HEAD OFFICE: 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE Tel: 0131 550 3050 list.co.uk, email editor@list.co.uk GLASGOW OFFICE: at the CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD Tel: 0141 332 9929, glasgow@list.co.uk ISSN: 0959 - 1915 © 2017 The List Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without the written permission of the publishers. The List does not accept responsibility for unsolicited material.

The List provides this content in good faith but no guarantee or representation is given that the content is accurate, complete or up-to-date.

Use of magazine content is at your own risk.

Printed by Acorn Web Offset Ltd, W.Yorkshire.

2 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-GraphicContent BD PM.indd 2

28/03/2017 17:47

Scotland's largest real ale festival FRom celebrates its 30th anniversary in £6 conjunction with St Mirren’s Scottish Cup win in 1987

19-22 April 2017 PAISLEY TOWN HALL

A one-day culinary carnival!

Saturday 22 April 2017 FREE! ABBEY CLOSE, PAISLEY, FROM 12NOON

Street food trucks Farmers’ market Delicious baked treats RUM and prosecco pop-ups Workshops for adults & kids CRAFT MArket & LIVE MUSIC

FOOD DEMOS WITH

GARY MACLEAN AND

WINNER OF MASTERCHEF: THE PROFESSIONALS

CHILDREN’S ENTERTAINER

Katy Ashworth CBeebies presenter

LUCKY CAT lucky-cat.org.uk

beerandfoodfestival2017-TheListArtwork.indd 1 743-adpages.indd 3

23/03/2017 15:04 16:26 28/03/2017

The

REALIST PHOTO: AMIRA FRITZ

L I R P A

MUSIC

2 Honeyblood Frontwoman Stina Tweeddale and drummer Cat Myers take to the road on the back of the Babes Never Die album, with their biggest tour to date. As well as finding love across the British Isles, the pair are steadily being adored as far afield as Australia and Singapore. See preview, page 88. PJ Molloys, Dunfermline, Tue 18 Apr; Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh, Sat 22 Apr.

AROUND TOWN

1 Edinburgh International Science Festival Another bonanza of innovation, technology and curios from this event which has been raising standards and dropping jaws since 1989. The 2017 theme is Get Connected, as science, individuals and the global community are brought together via debates, workshops, screenings and all-round fun. Among the many highlights are Public Service Broadcasting (pictured), Dr Bunhead’s Improvised Explosions and VR Worlds. See feature, page 20. Various venues, Edinburgh, Sat 1–Sun 16 Apr.

THEATRE

3 Buzzcut Govan comes to experimental life with the annual Buzzcut performance festival. Eclecticism is at the heart of everything as 51 artists display their provocative wares over five days. See preview, page 100. Pearce Institute, Glasgow, Wed 5–Sun 9 Apr.

4 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Realist PM BD.indd 4

28/03/2017 15:19

So much culture, so little time.

We boil it down to 20 of the best events

MUSIC

KIDS

4 TradFest

5 Puppet Animation Festival

A dynamic community-led traditional extravaganza takes over the capital for 12 days with pub sessions, folk gigs and piping displays exploring the rich heritage of Scottish music. See preview, page 83. Various venues, Edinburgh, Wed 26 Apr–Sun 7 May.

With almost 140 events across Scotland, the Puppet Animation Festival proudly stands as the largest performing arts event for children in the UK. With theatre, puppetry, movies and more, there really is something for all the wee ones. See Highlights, page 26. Various venues, Scotland, until Sat 15 Apr.

DANCE

COMEDY

VISUAL ART

KIDS

6 Scottish Ballet

7 Uncles

8 Glasgow Open House 9 Mr Bloom’s Nursery

Each Other is a world premiere choreographed by Israel’s Uri Ivgi and Holland’s Johan Greben which rather topically takes on the debate over national borders, as they bring almost two decades of innovative collaboration to Tramway.

See preview, page 104. Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 21 & Sat 22 Apr.

Burnistoun guys Robert Florence and Iain Connell unveil new characters in a show that has been described as a less rude Derek and Clive. Their barroom philosophers muse amusingly over everything from Viagra to Henry VIII. See review at list.co.uk/comedy.

The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 9 Apr; The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 16 Apr.

Over a long weekend, many Glasgow artists will open up their homes and let an enquiring public in to see events and exhibitions. Art students and established names alike will all be mucking in for this most DIY ‘n’ grassroots of arts festivals. See preview, page 108. Various venues, Glasgow, Fri 28 Apr–Mon 1 May.

Friendly gardener Mr Bloom (aka Ben Faulks) brings us some organic tales from his allotment in the company of talking fennel, a chatty aubergine and sociable butternut squash. See preview, page 81.

King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Sat 29 Apr; King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Sun 30 Apr.

CHOSEN BY STORYTELLER MARA MENZIES

10 The Two Truths of Thomas the Rhymer A lover of stories in every sense of the word, I’m absolutely thrilled that The Two Truths of Thomas the Rhymer is back at the Storytelling Centre in April. Storytellers Daniel Serridge and James Spence present multiple versions of one of Scotland’s finest legends. When a young man encounters the beautiful Queen of the Fairies upon a white horse, a sweet kiss seals his service to her. A journey to Elfland allows him to sidestep time, witness the most incredible sights and, on his return to our world, he’s given the gift of prophecy.

By punctuating the story with personal anecdotes, we witness the power of story come alive as the thought-provoking tale of Thomas is stunningly interpreted from two unique standpoints. This gently powerful story is not to be missed. The Two Truths of Thomas the Rhymer is at Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Sat 29 Apr; Mara Menzies is at Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Sat 1 Apr (Workshop: Art of the Storyteller), Tue 4 Apr (Tiny Tales), Thu 4 May (Tantalising Treats).

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 5

743-Realist PM BD.indd 5

28/03/2017 15:20

MAY

AROUND TOWN

1 Hidden Door The people behind Hidden Door have been thoroughly adept at opening up spaces in Edinburgh which had lain largely dormant to creative pursuits. But this time, they’ve unlocked their biggest coup to date by reinvigorating the old Leith Theatre which has been left derelict for almost 30 years.

Across ten days, the likes of Anna Meredith, Bossy Love, Kathryn Joseph, Hidden Orchestra, Idlewild and Hamish Hawk (pictured) will be among those bringing the sound of music to this resurrected zone while there will be visual art, film, theatre and literary treats aplenty.

See feature, page 30. Leith Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 26 May–Sun 4 Jun.

PHOTO: JOE HART

MUSIC

TV

2 Riverside Festival

3 Twin Peaks

Electric Frog and Pressure are more than proud to present the bank holiday clubbing weekender to end them all. Sven Väth, Nina Kraviz, Derrick Carter and Jackmaster will all be on the banks of the Clyde for a very special party. See feature, page 35. Riverside Museum, Glasgow, Sat 27 & Sun 28 May.

It is happening again. A quarter of a century after Dale Cooper became gripped by the spirit of Killer Bob, David Lynch’s era-shaping smalltown comedy-drama is back with some familiar Peaks faces (Sheryl Lee, Kyle MacLachlan, David Duchovny) joined by the new likes of Naomi Watts, Michael Cera and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Get the coffee and cherry pie on. Sky Atlantic, Mon 22 May.

6 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Realist PM BD.indd 6

28/03/2017 15:20

The

REALIST

FILM

KIDS

5 Mindhorn

Nothing to do with the actress whose lips were turned into a surrealist sofa, and everything to do with getting Glasgow Green back in the music festival diary, the city’s newest event features the Stranglers, Ward Thomas (pictured), Dreadzone and Roddy Hart. Glasgow Green, Sat 27 & Sun 28 May.

A washed-up 80s actor reprises the detective role that made his name, when an actual serial killer is on the loose. Stars Julian Barratt and Simon Farnaby also co-wrote the movie, which aims to do for the Isle of Man what Bergerac did for Jersey.

See feature, page 47, and review, page 76. General release from Fri 5 May.

FILM

7 The Other Side of Hope The first movie in six years from Finland’s legendary director Aki Kaurismäki is a wonderful distillation of everything that’s brilliant about his work. This melancholic yet boisterous dual tale features a Syrian refugee arriving in Helsinki and a travelling salesman seeking a fresh start. See review, page 77. Selected release from Fri 26 May.

PHOTO: JON GREEN

PHOTO: STEFFAN HILL

MUSIC

4 May West Festival

FOOD & DRINK

6 Edinburgh International Children’s Festival The festival previously known as Imaginate delivers another barnstorming programme with a firm emphasis on thinking way outside of the box: some shows are performed underwater, on a grassy stage and in a tiny house. See feature, page 36. Various venues, Edinburgh, Sat 27 May–Sun 4 Jun.

THEATRE

8 Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival

9 Mayfesto

Scotland’s first global craft beer gathering features over 30 internationally renowned brewers alongside local producers. Plus there’s an abundance of food and DJ sets. See Highlights, page 39. Biscuit Factory, Edinburgh, Fri 26–Sun 28 May.

Gigging and theatre come seamlessly together as a central core of this year’s Mayfesto with Horse McDonald (pictured) and A Band Called Quinn both involved, while there’s a tribute to BBC Radiophonic Workshop pioneer Daphne Oram.

See preview, page 103. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 3–Tue 30 May.

CHOSEN BY COMEDIAN CHRIS FORBES

10 Professor Brian Cox Live

What is the meaning of life? Are we alone in the universe? Is it true that, in space, no one can hear you scream? Some of the biggest questions we have about our own existence are interconnected with a fascination about what lies beyond our own tiny sphere. I’ve always been captivated by space. At Glasgow University, I took an extra credit course entitled, ‘Exploring the Cosmos’.

As educational as that was, not one of the lecturers were able to convey the same sense of enthusiasm and clarity about the inner workings of our solar system as the floppy-haired, ex-D:Ream keyboard player Brian Cox. I like to think that astrophysicists and comedians are pretty similar.

Me and Brian Cox are both, after all, dedicated to observation. Just in different ways. That’s what I tell my mum anyway. Speaking of comedians, this show also features the brilliant Robin Ince. Professor Brian Cox Live, Edinburgh Playhouse, Sun 7 May; SSE Hydro, Fri 19 May. Chris Forbes is at The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 2, Thu 13–Sun 16 Apr, Mon 1 May; Byre Theatre, St Andrews, Sun 22 Apr; The Stand, Glasgow, Tue 2 May. 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 7

743-Realist PM BD.indd 7

28/03/2017 15:20

READER OFFERS WIN TICKETS TO TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT AT CITIZENS THEATRE

WIN ENTRY TO ZOO NIGHTS AT EDINBURGH ZOO

Citizens Theatre presents Giles Havergal’s hilarious and quirky stage adaptation of Graham Greene’s classic comedy of life on the road with retired bank manager and dahlia enthusiast Henry Pulling and his long-lost Aunt Augusta.

When Henry first meets Augusta at his mother’s funeral, he has no idea of the whirlwind of exotic adventures that lie ahead of him. Coaxed into a life on the road, Henry’s travels take him across the world smuggling gold and falling in with drug dealers along the way as he unravels the unconventional details of his aunt’s past.

The List are giving away six pairs of tickets to attend Travels with My Aunt at the Citizens Theatre on Tue 9 May at 7.30pm. To be in with a chance of winning just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Who wrote the novel Travels with My Aunt?

Travels with My Aunt Citizens Theatre 119 Gorbals St Glasgow, G5 9DS 3 – 20 May 2017

citz.co.uk @citizenstheatre TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Tue 25 Apr 2017. Prize is subject to availability, and the Citizens Theatre reserves the right to allocate winners tickets to an alternative performance.

The List’s usual rules apply.

WIN A PAIR OF VIP TICKETS TO EDINBURGH FOODIES FESTIVAL

Roll up, roll up, the award winning Zoo Nights are back and this year we’re off to the carnival. Join us for an adult only summer evening. Take a spin on the carousel, get on board the ferris wheel and monkey around with magicians.

As well as getting to enjoy Edinburgh Zoo after hours, with over 1 000 amazing animals to see.

Enjoy a selection of street food with drinks from the Edinburgh Gin cocktail bar and BrewDog bar.

The List are giving away four tickets to one lucky reader for Zoo Nights on Fri 26 May. Prize includes food and drink vouchers plus many more goodies.

To be in with a chance of winning, log on to list.co.uk/offers.

Zoo Nights Edinburgh Zoo Fri 26 May, 2, 9 and 23 Jun 2017 6pm–10pm Tickets: £17 for RZSS members or £20 for non-members (plus booking fee).

edinburghzoo.org.uk/zoonights TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Fri 12 May 2017. Entrants must be over 18 years old.

The List’s usual rules apply.

WIN FESTIVAL PASSES FOR HIDDEN DOOR FESTIVAL 2017

Foodies Festival is returning to Inverleith Park this summer and offering five lucky foodies the chance to win a pair of VIP tickets to the show on a date of their choice Fri 4 – Sun 6 Aug. Enjoy a special day out at Edinburgh’s favourite food and drink festival, from watching Michelin star chefs and MasterChef winners cook up a storm in the Chef’s Theatre, to yoga in the park, indulging your sweet tooth in the Cakes and Desserts Theatre or enjoying a glass of Pimm’s by the Live Music Stage, it’s a great day out for everyone!

VIP tickets include a glass of fizz each, a red carpet welcome with fast track entry, entry to the luxury VIP area with private bar and acoustic music stage, refreshments, plus a foodies goodies bag and much more. To be in with a chance of winning just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

What TV show has Prue Leith just been announced as a judge on?

Edinburgh Foodies Festival Inverleith Park Arboretum Road, EH3 5NZ Fri 4 – Sun 6 Aug

foodiesfestival.com TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Fri 28 Apr 2017. No cash alternative.

The List’s usual rules apply.

Image © Chris Scot Returning for its fourth edition, the non-profit and 100% volunteer-run multi arts festival will this year take place in the old Leith Theatre; with 10 days and nights of music, theatre, visual art, film and spoken word bringing the stunning venue back to life.

Live music includes Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) award winners Anna Meredith and Kathryn Jospeh, Scottish indie legends Idlewild, rapper/ saxophonist Soweto Kinch, 9-piece Riot Jazz and the multi-instrumental Hidden Orchestra, Bossy Love and many more.

Over 10 poets and collectives will bring a feast of spoken word, whist over 30 artists will transform every corner of the theatre, working in a variety of mediums including sculpture, sound, performance art and video.

The List are giving away two full passes to one lucky winner for the entire 10 day festival on Fri 26 May until Sun 4 Jun. To be in with a chance of winning just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Which SAY Award Winner headlines the festival’s opening night?

Hidden Door Festival The Old Leith Theatre Fri 26 May – Sun 4 Jun 2017

hiddendoorblog.org

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Fri 19 May. Passes are non-transferrable and can not be exchanged for cash value. The List’s usual rules apply.

8 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-adpages.indd 8

28/03/2017 15:05

READER OFFERS WIN A PIZZA PARTY FOR 10 PEOPLE AT PIZZA PUNKS

WIN TWO TICKETS TO SEE GLORY ON EARTH AT THE LYCEUM

With great power comes great pizza! Pizza Punks was inspired by a love of proper pizza and a drive to do something different. Great base, great sauce, all that’s missing is you.

Pizza Punks give you creative control over your pizza – letting you choose as many toppings as you like without paying more. You can choose the sauce, cheese, protein and veg that’ll make the pizza you want to eat.

The List have teamed up with Pizza Punks to give one lucky reader the chance to win a meal for 10 people at their Glasgow restaurant. The menu includes a selection of our artisan, wood-fired pizzas and sides as well as three carafes of house wine. To be in with a chance of winning just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

What street will you find Pizza Punks on?

Pizza Punks 90 St Vincent St Glasgow G2 5UB

pizzapunks.co.uk TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes on Mon 1 May 2017. Prize has no cash value and cannot be refunded or exchanged. Winner must be 18 or over. Management reserve the right to withdraw offer or refuse entry. Valid only at Pizza Punks Glasgow. The List’s usual rule apply.

WIN TICKETS TO THE MAGICFEST GALA SHOW AT THE FESTIVAL THEATRE The best illusion and circus acts from around the world assemble to perform a visually stunning and breathtaking flight of fancy, many making their Scottish debuts, at the Magic Festival’s flagship show at the Festival Theatre.

Floating, suspended in space, soaring and shooting through the air… we present a real version our single most popular dream – flight – in a one-off show, never to be repeated, with host Kevin Quantum.

The List are giving away two pairs of tickets for the MagicFest Gala Show at the Festival Theatre. Tickets are for the matinee or evening performance on Sat 8 Jul 2017. To be in with a chance of winning, log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Glory on Earth at The Lyceum, is a new play by Linda McLean, directed by Lyceum Artistic Director David Greig. Linda McLean is a multi-award winning Scottish playwright whose work is characterised by poetry, mystery and great emotional depth.

Tuesday, 19 August, 1561, 9am.

Through the fog a ship arrives in Leith docks, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots steps ashore. She is 19 and on her young shoulders rest the hopes of the Catholic establishment of Europe.

The nation that receives her has just outlawed her church and its practices.

Its leader is the radical cleric and Protestant reformer, John Knox. Both believe themselves ordained by God. Both believe themselves beloved by their people.

Both were exiled and returned home… but only one can make Scotland their own.

The List are giving away two tickets to see Glory on Earth on Thu 1 Jun 2017, 7.30pm. To be in with a chance of winning log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Which country did Mary, Queen of Scots spend her youth in?

Glory on Earth

by Linda McLean Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh 20 May – 10 Jun 2017

lyceum.org.uk/gloryonearth @lyceumtheatre #GloryOnEarth

What time does the MagicFest evening performance begin?

Edinburgh International Magic Festival 30 Jun – 8 Jul Various Venues

magicfest.co.uk TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Mon 29 May 2017. Tickets are non-refundable or exchangeable. The List’s usual rules apply.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Mon 15 May 2017. No exchanges or refunds.

The List’s usual rules apply.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 9

743-adpages.indd 9

28/03/2017 15:05

READER OFFERS WIN WEEKEND CAMPING TICKETS TO DOUNE THE RABBIT HOLE FESTIVAL

WIN WEEKEND TICKETS TO ELECTRIC FROG AND PRESSURE RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL Scotland’s largest celebration of electronic music returns over the May Bank Holiday Weekend.

Doune the Rabbit Hole returns to it’s home at Cardross Estate near the tranquil Lake of Menteith (Scotland’s only lake!) from 18 – 20 Aug. This year’s line-up includes Mali’s desert punk/blues group Songhoy Blues and Mute Records signees – Liars, who will be headlining across the weekend.

They will be playing DTRH alongside the likes of Idlewild’s Roddy Woomble, Big Thief, Laura Gibson, Sage Francis & B. Dolan and Scottish favourites Paws and Meursault, with many more still to be announced.

The List are giving away a weekend camping pass to the family friendly Doune the Rabbit Hole Festival for two people. To be in with a chance of winning log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Sven Väth’s Cocoon returns to its Scottish home while Soma Records host a stage with Nina Kraviz on Sat 27 May. Sunday sees Groove Armada and Loco Dice lead the charge on the main stage, while Jackmaster hosts his own Mastermix stage for the first time at a Scottish festival. Plus much more.

The List are giving away a pair of weekend passes to Electric Frog and Pressure Riverside Festival on Sat 27 – Sun 28 May. To be in with a chance of winning just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Riverside Festival take place on the grounds of which museum?

What is the name of Scotland’s only lake?

Doune the Rabbit Hole Festival Cardross Estate Port of Menteith Stirling FK8 3JY 18 – 20 Aug 2017

dounetherabbithole.co.uk

Electric Frog and Pressure Riverside Festival Riverside Museum 100 Pointhouse Rd Glasgow G3 8RS 27 – 28 May 2017

riversidefestivalglasgow.com TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Mon 31 Jul 2017. Travel not included.

Over 18s only. No cash alternative. 1 Prize includes x 1 vehicle pass for either a car, a car with caravan or a motorhome. The List’s usual rules apply.

GET 50% OFF A COFFEE SUBSCRIPTION FROM CLOUD COFFEE

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Mon 1 May 2017. Entrants must be over 18 years old.

The List’s usual rules apply.

GET 15% OFF TICKETS TO THE FOXLAKE OUTDOOR FESTIVAL

The Foxlake Outdoor Festival returns bigger and better on the 20th and 21st May 2017.

Cloud Coffee is a new online destination for coffee lovers. They work with exceptional coffee roasters from around the UK and Europe to bring members an exciting coffee experience. Each month their community receives a curated coffee box, featuring coffee from up to three single origins along with tasting notes and information about the coffee farms and roaster.

Many of the hugely popular elements of last year’s event will return, including the thrilling Industry Pro Wakeboard Tour; the Decades Music Stage, featuring everyone’s favourite tribute bands, and the popular Kids Zone with bouncy castles, climbing walls and bungy trampolines. This year they will be joined by the Comedy Stage, with a selection of Britain’s finest comedians.

You can try out the Foxfall Course, the UK’s only rope course constructed over water, or get on your wet suit and give wakeboarding or stand-up paddle boarding a try, or if you prefer to stay dry, hop on and master a segway.

The List have teamed up with Cloud Coffee to offer a 50% discount to new members of the coffee club.

The programme continues to expand and activities will be added to offer fantastic day for the family – thrills for adults and children alike.

Simply choose your subscription options at cloudcoffee.co.uk and enter the discount code: CCLIST2017 at checkout.

The List readers can get a special discount of 15% on all tickets. All you have to do is enter the Discount Code List17 when purchasing your tickets at foxlake.co.uk

Find out more at

Foxlake Outdoor Festival Foxlake, Dunbar EH42 1XF Tickets from £17 Children under 16 are free

cloudcoffee.co.uk

foxlake.co.uk

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Offer closes Tue 30 May 2017. Offer valid for home/office subscriptions only.

Not including gift subscriptions or sales of any other items on the website.

The List’s usual rules apply.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Offer closes Sun 21 May 2017. Please note that due to health and safety customers are limited to two free children tickets with every paying adult ticket.

Subject to availability. The List’s usual rules apply.

10 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-adpages.indd 10

28/03/2017 15:05

NEWS

For more news go to

LIST.CO.UK /NEWS ANNOUNCEMENTS, LINEUPS AND OPINION PHOTO: BBC/ALAN BRAIDWOOD

PHOTO: MARIA MOCHNACZ

THE AVENGERS IN EDINBURGH Some good news: Marvel is making another Avengers film, by the name of Infinity War. Some better news: it’s being filmed in Edinburgh’s Old Town, so you can go and see for yourself if those actors really do have superpowers. More than 400 crew members will work over six weeks, with cast members due to land in Edinburgh mid-April. Oh hi, Robert Downey Jr!

GLASGOW’S 6 APPEAL The 6 Music Festival took place in Glasgow from Fri 24–Sun 26 Mar. Highlights included Depeche Mode, Grandaddy, Sacred Paws (main pic), the Shins and the Jesus and Mary Chain. Suffice to say, it was hailed a success. A 6-cess, even. No?

EIF STILL LOOKS GOOD AT 70 The Edinburgh International Festival has launched its 2017 programme, which marks its 70th anniversary. Highlights include PJ Harvey (pictured, right), the Magnetic Fields, Martin Creed, Nederlands Dans Theater, and the Jarvis Cocker and Chilly Gonzales collaboration, Room 29.

An award-winning artist has donated several paintings to Leith School of Art, as a big thank you

FROM THE ASHES Three years on from the devastating fire which shook Glasgow School of Art, an auction of artworks made using fire-damaged goods from the premises has taken place. Artists such as Grayson Perry, Sir Antony Gormley and Jenny Saville created pieces for the Ash to Art auction. The work raised more than £700,000 for the Mackintosh Campus Appeal.

A ROYAL MAKEOVER to the Edinburgh institution for helping him when he fled Syria. Nihad Al Turk – who was arrested in his home country several times for opposing the Assad regime – came to the capital via Aleppo back in 2015 with his wife. Leith School of Art has given him the space to continue his artistic practice.

POWER TO ART LOVE FOR LEITH

Edinburgh-born artist Kevin Harman is showing his work there, which features a series of visual installations and live performances.

The Pelamis building in Leith Docks – which was once home to a wave power plant – is currently housing a temporary visual art exhibition.

Edinburgh’s King’s Theatre could be set for a £25m revamp to secure its future as a key venue in the city. If the plans go ahead, the theatre could be closed for up to 18 months.

TALK OF THE TRON Toonspeak, the Glasgow charity which provides free, high-quality drama and theatre activities for young people aged 11–25, turns 30 this year. To celebrate, the organisation will venture on to a professional stage for the first time. Around 50 young people will perform Ma Bit at The Tron on Thu 29 Jul. 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 11

743-News+BigPic PM BD.indd 11

28/03/2017 15:20

NEWS LIFE MATTERS

COMING UP

Rebecca Monks finds out about The Dust of Everyday Life, a symposium which uses the arts to smash stigmas of mental health PHOTO: JANNICA HONEY

SOUTHSIDE FRINGE Seventeen days of music, theatre and more in the south of Glasgow. The full programme has yet to be announced, but look out for Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5 at the O2 Academy. Various venues, Glasgow, Fri 12–Sun 28 May. MEADOWS FESTIVAL Local bands and performance groups gather on the busiest stretch of grass in the city, as this local arts festival settles in for another year. Make sure you check out the funfair, too.

The Meadows, Edinburgh, Sat 3 & Sun 4 Jun.

‘M

aking or experiencing art, sharing stories and songs: it’s all essential for our mental health,’ says Andrew Eaton-Lewis.

He’s discussing The Dust of Everyday Life, an annual symposium organised by the Mental Health Foundation and See Me, which he has programmed for the last three years.

The confluence between mental health campaigning and the art world is at the heart of this event, which features open discussions and informative talks on both subjects. Dust, Eaton-Lewis says, ‘is a meeting of minds between people who work in the arts and people who work in the health sector.’

This year, the programme is full and varied. Neu! Reekie!’s Kevin Williamson and playwright Lynda Radley will discuss ‘Art in a Time of Anxiety’, psychiatrist Dr Akeem Sule and neuroscientist Dr Becky Inkster will present ‘Hip Hop Psych’ (a discussion about empowering others and removing stigmas surrounding mental health and hip hop), singer Adele Bethel and poet Sean Hunt will discuss the impact of Leonard Cohen, and theatremaker Jenna Watt will be presenting her specially commissioned piece, Helpline.

While the event’s main focus is to serve as a symposium for artists and those working in mental health, it also operates as a thinktank of sorts for the annual Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival, which runs in October. ‘It’s an opportunity for us to reflect on the festival and how we can develop and improve what we do,’ Eaton-Lewis says. ‘[SMHAFF] is a community festival which involves a lot of people, from both the arts and mental health sectors. This is another opportunity to bring together that community and to expand on it by making new connections.’

Important relationships have been forged at Dust in the past. When director Cora Bissett was there talking about her production of Glasgow Girls, she heard spoken word artist Jenny Lindsay performing her poem, ‘Today’, a powerful meditation on the impact of anxiety and depression. Bissett was so struck that the poem became an important focal point in a piece she directed shortly afterwards.

Angie Dight, artistic director of performance company Mischief La-Bas, attended the symposium shortly after the death of her husband, Ian Smith. He had just taken his own life after living with depression. Dight ended up working alongside the organisation on the Festival of Ian Smith, an event dedicated to his memory.

Eaton-Lewis believes that the connection between the arts and mental health is invaluable in this way.

‘It’s all storytelling,’ he says. ‘And it’s about the kind of stories we tell. Quite often we hear stories about mental illness that are stigmatising and therefore not helpful. That can be damaging. We as an organisation want to try and tell better stories; stories that humanise people and don’t stigmatise.’

Dust is about exactly that: communicating honestly and thoughtfully, and using the arts to break down barriers to open up discussions on mental health. ‘In terms of talking about mental health, in terms of campaigning and changing minds, storytelling is really important,’ insists Eaton-Lewis. ‘It feels like the people with the most compelling stories are the people who are trying to make us fear and distrust each other. We need to come up with better stories than them.’

The Dust of Everyday Life, CCA, Glasgow, Thu 20 Apr.

LEITHLATE It’s Leith’s turn to take the spotlight again, as the muchloved LeithLate (pictured) returns for another year. Expect artists, musicians, poets and filmmakers galore. Various venues, Leith, Edinburgh, Thu 15–Sun 18 Jun. EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL World premieres, old favourites and stars on the red carpet: EIFF has got it all. This year, fans of vehicular animation are in for a treat, as Cars 3 makes its UK debut. Various venues, Edinburgh, Wed 21 Jun–Sun 2 Jul. REBUSFEST Ian Rankin’s fictional detective, John Rebus, gets a whole festival dedicated in his honour, with everything from whisky tasting sessions to film screenings. Various venues, Edinburgh, Fri 30 Jun–Sun 2 Jul. TRNSMT FESTIVAL With no T in the Park in 2017, this is the big one. Headlining the Glasgow Green festival are Radiohead (Fri), Kasabian (Sat) and Biffy Clyro (Sun). Glasgow Green, Fri 7–Sun 9 Jul. FRINGE VENUES BROCHURE Coming up in our next issue (out Thu 1 Jun) is a bumper glossy brochure featuring all the shows at four of the big-hitting Edinburgh Fringe venues: Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance and Underbelly. The full Fringe programme is released on Wed 7 Jun.

12 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-News+BigPic PM BD.indd 12

28/03/2017 15:20

743-adpages.indd 13

28/03/2017 15:05

Beer, Spirits, Street Food and Science Introducing ExperimentALE – Live Beer Experiments!

Multiple bars, Barney’s, Williams Brothers, Fierce Beer with more to be announced.

The Bar of Unearthly Delights, Pickering’s Gin, The Cocktail Kitchen. Street Food from ‘The Pitt’. Meet the Brewers, Experiments, Live Music, DJ’s, Late Night Bar.

Thursday 11th, Friday 12th & Saturday 13th May £7 FestivALE & ExperimentALE (adv) | £5 FestivALE Only 18.00 – LATE Book online: www.summerhall.co.uk or pop into the box office.

1 Summerhall, Edinburgh, EH9 1PL

Strictly over 18’s The management reserves the right to refuse entry.

743-adpages.indd 14

28/03/2017 15:07

BIG PICTURE TINARIWEN Saharan rock’n’roll band and desert bluesmen par excellence, Grammy winners Tinariwen grace Scotland on the back of their triumphant seventh album, Elwan. Recorded in California and southern Morocco, the collection (featuring appearances from the likes of Mark Lanegan and Kurt Vile) covers heritage, community and fellowship in tracks such as ‘Tiwàyyen’ and ‘Ténéré Tàqqàl’. But as Edinburgh and Glasgow crowds will shortly discover, the live stage is where these Tuareg rockers are at their captivating finest. Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Tue 25 Apr; Òran Mór, Glasgow, Wed 26 Apr.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 15

743-News+BigPic PM BD.indd 15

28/03/2017 15:20

743-adpages.indd 16

28/03/2017 15:07

hello fun Springtime, and the festivallin’ is easy – as Gershwin never quite penned. But if he had still been around to glance over Scotland’s festival line-up in the coming months, he might well have resurrected his lyrical muse.

Over the following pages, we get connected with the Edinburgh International Science Festival, take a look at what’s behind Hidden Door’s upcoming Leith outing, find our inner child with the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival and get wet and wild with Glasgow’s Riverside Festival. Plus, we look even further into the calendar to bring you a sneak preview of festival events all the way to the end of September.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 17

743-SpringFestivals 17-25 BD PM .indd 17

28/03/2017 15:42

MONTEVERDI

Nicholas Mulroy (Tenor)

Love’s Fire; Love’s Ashes

Monteverdi madrigals; a theatre of the senses

Director Nicholas Mulroy

Thu 18.05.2017 St Machar’s Cathedral | Aberdeen Fri 19.05.2017 Mareel, Lerwick | Shetland Sun 21.05.2017 Methodist Church | Edinburgh Thu & Fri concerts at 7.30pm; Sun 4pm. Full details available on our website:

www.dunedin-consort.org.uk 743-adpages.indd 18

28/03/2017 15:07

SPRING FESTIVALS

, we,re not just shopkeepers GLITCH or repressed women, or the , best friend or the first to die I Am Not Your Negro

Glasgow’s GLITCH is the UK’s first film festival for LGBTIQA+ people of colour.

Here, its director Nosheen Khwaja discusses diversity and the future of film Interview by Arusa Qureshi

T

he name GLITCH came from two places. Firstly, queer people of colour existing as a glitch in the mainstream system of homonationalism, borders, capitalism, work, racism, sexism, and this idea that our very existence disrupts the lies that are told to maintain existing power structures. The second reference is concerned with creatively disrupting bigoted narratives, making yourself heard above the clamour, with a beautiful interruption.

As a queer person of colour, I’m frustrated and hurt by various lacks in society and the ongoing oppression we face. GLITCH feels like an exciting, expansive way to try and alter this as well as creating more space for us. It can be affirming and interesting for queer people of colour to come together and see ourselves reflected on screen. Also, all LGBTIQA+ people still need to generate community amongst ourselves. We need ways to hang out and make our own culture that isn’t all orientated around the bar scene or NGOs. Although it’s true that LGBTIQA+ people of colour are underrepresented in film production, at the same time, people of colour are the majority of the world and a significant number of us are LGBTIQA+. So from a film exhibition point of view, there is a lot of amazing work being made by LGBTIQA+ people of colour to find and screen: which is what we do!

I think it is crucial to ask specific questions like ‘why aren’t there more people of colour in the industry?’, ‘why aren’t there more disabled people in the industry?’, ‘why aren’t there more deaf people in the industry?’ and take time to address those issues in a detailed way.

Concrete action needs to be taken but not in quota form. I think that will just alienate those already in the industry and cause resentment. You have to begin changing things at a root level such as education, providing opportunities for people to

experience and experiment with film and art. There need to be projects that support people from a multiplicity of racial, cultural and class backgrounds to create their own art and film.

But not in a tokenistic, limited way but by giving dignity and autonomy and adequate resources to everyone participating.

More research needs to be done by film festivals when it comes to selecting films. They should also be chosen on quality at all times; I don’t think it helps to advance the struggle against racism, homophobia etc to select films that are aesthetically or creatively weak but have ‘positive’ representation.

The casting system needs an overhaul too and an end to stereotypical roles being the only ones on offer. We’re not just shopkeepers, gangsters or repressed women. Or in the case of LGBTIQA+ people, the best friend or the first to die. It’s highly insulting and damaging to future generations.

Also the way in which the arts are presented in relation to racial and national identity needs to be addressed. When you say ‘Scottish film’ for example, you don’t immediately think of an Asian woman or black man making features or shorts, or of their family stories being preserved in archives. A vicious cycle needs to be broken where stories that don’t centre on white, straight people are somehow argued to lack universal qualities.

The more that audiences become accustomed to seeing a truly representative range of the world’s population on screen, the less stereotypical portrayals we’ll have.

We had a really fantastic response from audiences [at our first festival in 2016]. One audience member said that as a deaf, black queer woman she’s never felt so included at an arts event before. It’s that kind of feedback which makes all the hard work worthwhile.

GLITCH Film Festival ends on Sat 1 Apr with a free screening of I Am Not Your Negro at CCA, Glasgow.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 19

743-SpringFestivals 17-25 BD PM .indd 19

28/03/2017 15:42

SPRING FESTIVALS

ERNATIONAL T IN H G R U B EDIN TIVAL SCIENCE FES

20 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-SpringFestivals 17-25 BD PM .indd 20

28/03/2017 15:42

SPRING FESTIVALS

With Public Service Broadcasting set to take on the Edinburgh International Science Festival, Arusa Qureshi chats with J Willgoose, Esq to find out more about space, samples, and the band’s connection to science

I

t may be hard to imagine life in 1957 when Sputnik was launched into orbit, or in 1969 when America landed the first humans on the moon with Apollo 11.

It might be equally difficult to envisage that childlike-wonder which many felt towards the great unknown and how the very idea of space penetrated every aspect of life and popular culture for years.

London two-piece Public Service Broadcasting aim to transport you back to that momentous era, as well as to many others, to experience the stories that epitomised significant periods of our history. Using sound effects, archive footage, propaganda material and various samples, the duo of J Willgoose, Esq and Wrigglesworth present an honest reflection of life as it once was but with a sense of renewal courtesy of added electronics and looped beats. By taking inspiration from the past, they’re able to innovate in the present, simultaneously encouraging listeners and spectators to engage with historical periods in a new and unexpected way.

‘The music is mostly written in emotional response to the material that we’re writing about, whether it’s the case of having found the material first or writing with the aim of finding something to fit,’ Willgoose explains. ‘It’s a kind of translation of these stories and these bits of our past, and it’s about communicating something from within us.’

The duo have incorporated a number of elements of history in their music, from the first expedition up Mount Everest to the invention of colour television, with upcoming third album Every Valley focusing on the mining industry in south Wales. But second album The Race for Space allowed them to undertake a project of mammoth proportions: retelling the story of the Space Race.

‘One of the things that drew me to the Space Race was the fact that it’s a rare case of something that’s technologically really advanced and challenging that we used to do but don’t do anymore,’ Willgoose says. ‘And there’s a kind of sadness to that, I think.

On the other side, there’s the straightforward idea of celebrating a remarkable period in human history.’

Opening with a 1962 speech by JFK, the album relives the American v Soviet Space Race, detailing events such as the first manned spaceflight in history and the tragic Apollo 1 fire. The album paints a compelling picture of discovery and courage, which Public Service Broadcasting highlight with their immersive and atmospheric landscapes.

While having no personal connection to the story of the Space Race, Willgoose notes that there’s a universal connection shared by millions of other people which shouldn’t be easily forgotten.

‘You can’t help but marvel at the engineering and technical feats at the time and something that I can never really get my head around is the bravery that was involved,’ he says. ‘The album was also a slight push against some of the cynicism that surrounds the Space Race these days. It was an attempt to put a bit more of the romanticism back into it and to say it definitely happened whether or not someone in a pub told you that there are too many shadows in a photo. It’s one of the most exceptional human achievements ever and so many people refuse to believe it exists which I think tells you a lot about the human race.’

As part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival, Public Service Broadcasting will be taking to the Usher Hall stage to perform The Race for Space from start to finish, with accompaniment from the National Youth Choir of Scotland and string quintet Mr McFall’s Chamber. Though unusual for the band, the performance is highly fitting as it takes place on Yuri’s Night, the international celebration of space exploration named after Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who became the first human to travel into outer space back in 1961.

‘It’s great to be doing our bit to keep Yuri Gagarin’s story and what he achieved alive.

His story is obviously many, many times greater than anything that we could ever do but it’s nice to bring people together in a celebration and recognition of those achievements.’

Along with the many talks, workshops, activities and events, this year’s EISF programme invites the public to ‘Get Connected’ to science by interacting with varying disciplines, with different communities and with one another. Such a theme resonates highly with Public Service Broadcasting due to the duo’s belief in strengthening people’s desire for discovering more about the key concepts, historical ideas and scientific innovations that make up the world around us.

‘I think it’s positive to be encouraging people to engage with science and not to see it as the preserve of an academic elite,’ says Willgoose. ‘The scientific discipline and the scientific way of thinking, and of presenting and challenging evidence, is needed now more than ever; the more we can get people involved with that, the better. Being involved in the festival with a musical element is great because it shows that science is something that does have a wide appeal, that it’s not just for a small community. It should be for everybody.’

Public Service Broadcasting: The Race for Space Live, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Wed 12 Apr. They also play May West Festival, Glasgow Green, Sun 28 May. 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 21

743-SpringFestivals 17-25 BD PM .indd 21

28/03/2017 15:42

SPRING FESTIVALS

ERNATIONAL T IN H G R U B EDIN TIVAL SCIENCE FES

From GastroFest to Cheesology, the Edinburgh International Science Festival likes to examine the food we eat. Louise Stoddart rounds up seven of our favourite Sci Fest events for nosh lovers FOOD EXPIRY DATES: WHAT TO BELIEVE? How much do expiry dates really matter? Despite attempts by some supermarkets to donate unsold food to charity, there’s still ten million tonnes of food waste across the UK. This panel session with Solveiga Pakstaite, the inventor of a bio-reactive food expiry label, explores how technology may be able to reduce waste.

■ Summerhall, Thu 6 Apr.

THE BURGER EVOLUTION Join sensory expert Professor Charles Spence, chef and scientist Charles Michel and Ben Reade from the Edinburgh Food Studio as they explore the journey of the hamburger. Sample a variety of flavours at the pop-up burger bar.

■ Summerhall, Fri 7 Apr.

WATCH AND WOLF: GATTACA Jelly & Gin return with their multisensory edible adventures, this time with a screening of the cult classic sci-fi film Gattaca. After

receiving a welcome drink and a mysterious box with numbered packages filled with food, drink and aromas inspired by the narrative, take a seat and wait for the signal to open each one.

Here, she shares her story and talks about the shocking reality of how our meat is often reared and slaughtered.

■ Summerhall, Fri 7 Apr.

WHAT IS WELLNESS: THE PURSUIT OF EATING CLEAN Changing attitudes to food mean more people are trying to ‘eat clean’ in pursuit of wellness.

Lecturer in nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London, Sophie Medlin discusses how beneficial ‘clean eating’ is and why it’s so expensive.

DISTILLING LIVE! David Wilkinson, head distiller at Edinburgh Gin, talks through the science of distillation. After a live distillation using recipes crowdsourced over social media, there’s a tutored tasting of the Edinburgh Gin range as well as the chance to sample gins distilled on the night. Other tasting events include Cheeseology and How Beer Made Science History.

■ Edinburgh Gin Distillery, Sat 8 Apr.

THE ETHICAL CARNIVORE: MY YEAR OF KILLING TO EAT Could you kill everything you eat?

Louise Gray spent a year doing just that after she was fed up of her friends claiming to care about where their meat came from.

■ Summerhall, Sun 9 Apr.

■ Summerhall, Mon 10 Apr.

HARVESTING FOR HEALTH Over at the Botanics, they’re looking at how the bugs in your gut harvest the good stuff from what you eat. After learning about foods that are good for both us and the environment, there’s the chance to take part in a game of guts and bugs, or make a placemat.

■ Royal Botanic Garden, Mon 10 & Tue 11 Apr.

22 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-SpringFestivals 17-25 BD PM .indd 22

28/03/2017 15:42

Not long ‘til you’re enjoying a top-notch NewcastleGateshead city break...

Hop on it!

Find loads of reasons to get on board and book your seats at

TyneToHopOn.co.uk

743-adpages.indd 23

28/03/2017 15:07

MUST-SEE SHOWS

Featuring puppetry design and direction from the team behind

Thu 20 to Sat 29 Apr

Tue 2 to Sat 6 May

FESTIVAL THEATRE

KING’S THEATRE

Mon 10 & Tue 11 April

Tue 18 to Sat 22 April

Mon 24 to Sat 29 April

FESTIVAL THEATRE

KING’S THEATRE

KING’S THEATRE

WAR HORSE

Sun 30 April KING’S THEATRE

Sasha Regan’s All Male

By W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan

GENRE-DEFYING ACTION PACKED THEATRE

LIKE THE TROC KS YOU’LL LO ?

VE THIS

Tue 9 to Sat 13 May

Mon 15 to Sat 20 May

Tue 23 & Wed 24 May

Tue 23 to Sat 27 May

KING’S THEATRE

FESTIVAL THEATRE

FESTIVAL THEATRE

KING’S THEATRE

0131 529 6000 edtheatres.com J373474 MKT PRE 24 List Ad MAR17.indd 1 743-adpages.indd

23/03/2017 28/03/2017 12:37 15:07

SPRING FESTIVALS

EDINBURGH IN NTERNATION AL SCIENCE FES TIVAL

theatre space Whether it’s an issue revolving around AI or WMD, Gareth K Vile finds a festival strand that’s making drama out of a science-based crisis

DR STIRLINGSHIRE’S DISCOVERY The famous cryptozoologist presents a finding at Edinburgh Zoo: it doesn’t have a name and some people think she just searches for imaginary beasts.

Lung Ha and Grid Iron explain all.

■ Edinburgh Zoo, Tue 4–Sun 9 Apr.

PHOTO: KAT GOLLOCK

COSMONAUT The race into space during the 1960s unfolds through a series of interweaving tales. Lucia and her brother listen in to the Soviet space programme, the rocket designer is written out of the country’s history and the heroic pioneering cosmonaut leaves his home forever.

■ Summerhall, Mon 3– Wed 5 Apr.

PHOTO: MIHAELA BODLOVIC

PHOTO: ANDREI SIKORSKII

PHOTO: ALY WIGHT

A NUMBER Directed by Zinnie Harris, Caryl Churchill’s 2002 play follows the consequences of a man discovering that he’s in fact a clone. Confronting his father, Bernard is forced to tackle identity, scientific ethics, nature versus nurture and the lurking presence of his own original self.

■ Royal Lyceum Theatre, Thu 6–Sat 15 Apr.

FASLANE

LOST AT SEA

Jenna Watt takes a personal look at the nuclear submarine base on the Clyde, exploring her family’s history of working on a machine that contains a weapon of mass destruction.

Moving and intelligent, Faslane questions our complicity in savage global politics.

■ Summerhall, Mon 10 & Tue 11 Apr.

Since its 2016 Science Fest debut, Catherine Wheels’ charming production (for ages 8+) has toured the world to great acclaim.

Through their immersive style, they explore the mysteries of the oceans with a little help from some rubber duckies.

■ Festival Theatre Studio, Tue 11–Sat 15 Apr.

UNCANNY VALLEY Ada’s best friend is under threat of termination. An artificial intelligence, his only hope is to prove that he’s just as human as his flesh and blood pal.

Interactive fun from award-winning author Rob Drummond for ages 8–12.

■ Festival Theatre Studio, Tue 4–Sat 8 Apr.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 25

743-SpringFestivals 17-25 BD PM .indd 25

28/03/2017 15:42

SPRING FESTIVALS

THAT’S FIFE Various venues, Fife, Sat 1–Sun 30 Apr The kingdom pulls in some impressive names for its comedy festival. Headliners this year include Russell Kane, Uncles, Alan Davies, Liz Lochhead and Chris Ramsey.

BUZZCUT Pearce Institue, Glasgow, Wed 5–Sun 9 Apr, glasgowbuzzcut.wordpress.com Cutting-edge performance art festival created in December 2011 in response to the shock cancellation of the wellestablished New Territories festival. Buzzcut is all about sharing: food, ideas and homes. See preview, page 100.

COUNTERFLOWS Various venues, Glasgow, Thu 6–Sun 9 Apr, counterflows.com Counterflows marries the local to the international with artists from around the world collaborating with homegrown talent in spaces across Glasgow.

BIG DOG FESTIVAL Various venues, Dumfries, Fri 7–Sun 9 Apr, wigtownbookfestival.com A new children’s book festival in Dumfries taking place during the Easter holidays. Authors taking part include Mairi Hedderwick, Vivian French, Debi Gliori and Abi Elphinstone. The programme also includes film, music and theatre. Big DoG is devised and organised by Wigtown Festival Company.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF MIDDLE EASTERN SPIRITUALITY AND PEACE Various venues, Edinburgh, until 9 Apr, mesp. org.uk This international festival draws together people from a wide range of spiritual backgrounds, cultures, traditions and communities to celebrate peace and mutual understanding via spiritual, educational, artistic and cultural events.

TERMINAL V Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, Sun 16 Apr, terminalv.co.uk Edinburgh’s biggest ever electronic music festival lands on Easter Sunday, with Adam Beyer, Kerri Chandler, Charlotte de Witte, Ivan Kutz and more.

PUPPET ANIMATION FESTIVAL Scotland-wide, until Sat 15 Apr, puppetanimationfestival.org The UK’s largest and longest established annual performing arts event for children pulls some strings to present a feast of puppetbased entertainment, working with local authorities, organisations and venues throughout Scotland.

2017’s programme includes Sir Moustache Bristelby and the Ed-Splorers (pictured), The Fisherman and the Seal, Brier Rose, Head in the Clouds, The Little Fawn Caravan, Dinosaur Detectives and All the Little Birds plus film screenings of Brave, Frozen and Inside Out.

SCOTLAND IN SIX: WORLD HERITAGE DAY 2017 Scotland-wide, Tue 18 Apr, digit2017.com Visit one of Scotland’s six iconic World Heritage Sites for a full day of activities to celebrate World Heritage Day. There is medieval and classical music in Edinburgh’s Old Town and New Town, the chance to explore the archipelago of St Kilda using Minecraft, yarn bombing in New Lanark, Picts chasing Romans at the Antonine Wall in a 5k race, pop-up festivals from the 1890s at the Forth Bridge and a glow-in-the-dark evening of storytelling, food and music on Orkney.

OUTSKIRTS Platform, Glasgow, Sat 22 Apr, platform-online. co.uk Festival featuring performance, music, art and film at the Easterhouse arts hub.

TRADFEST EDINBURGH Various venues, Edinburgh, Wed 26 Apr–Sun 7 May, tracsscotland.org With a focus on folk arts which encompass a range of music, storytelling, dance, film, literature, talks, crafts and visual arts, TradFest is based at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on the Royal Mile, but stretches out to other venues across the city. See preview, page 83.

Look Again Festival

LOOK AGAIN FESTIVAL Various venues, Aberdeen, Thu 27 Apr–Mon 1 May, lookagainfestival.co.uk A showcase of inspiring and thought-provoking visual art projects, featuring new commissions, exhibitions and talks across Aberdeen.

DUNDEAD HORROR FILM FESTIVAL DCA, Dundee, Thu 27–Sat 29 Apr, dca.org.uk For the fifth year running, Dundee indulges its more bloodthirsty side with a bank holiday weekend of cinematic thrills and scares. With a programme of sneak previews and terrifying classics, the event has an inclusive feel, welcoming suggestions via Twitter and Facebook.

FOLK FILM GATHERING Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Sat 28 Apr–Thu 11 May, folkfilmgathering.com The third edition of this folk film festival puts its focus on songs and labour and their importance to communities around the world.

Among the highlights are Killer of Sheep and Another Time, Another Place.

GLASGOW OPEN HOUSE Various venues, Glasgow, Fri 28 Apr–Mon 1 May, glasgowopenhouse.co.uk Emerging and established contemporary artists who live in Glasgow open the doors of the city’s domestic and disused spaces, to reveal a programme of exhibitions, performances and events. See preview, page 108.

BELTANE FIRE FESTIVAL Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Sun 30 Apr, beltane.org A modern interpretation of the ancient fertility festival in the spectacular setting of Calton Hill, this year celebrating its 30th anniversary. Beltane Fire Society performs the story of the death of winter and the birth of summer via dance, drumming, debauched acrobatics, giant-puppetry and fire.

26 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-SpringFestivals 26-28 BD PM.indd 26

28/03/2017 16:30

degree show Lonely Peaks, Joanna Wickham, BA (Hons) Painting 2017

Ŭ Ūūű FREE ENTRY Saturday 3rd to Sunday 11th June 11.00 – 17.00 Late nights Wednesday 7th June & Thursday 8th June 11.00 – 20.00

Edinburgh College of Art Campus 74 Lauriston Place, EH3 9DF Minto House & Adam House Chambers Street, EH1 1JZ www.eca.ed.ac.uk/degreeshow #ECADegreeShow

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 27

743-adpages.indd 27

28/03/2017 15:07

SPRING FESTIVALS PHOTO: CHRIS NASH

DANCE NAL INTERNATIO GLASGOW

After 16 years, Mark Murphy’s V-TOL is back with an explosive show that’s part medical drama, part love story. Kelly Apter talks to Murphy as the piece comes to Dance International Glasgow

W

ith matters of life and death happening on a daily basis, it’s no wonder the medical world makes for such good fiction. Fascinated by what he calls ‘the inherent drama’ of the hospital environment, Mark Murphy has created a show that takes place inside the mind of one woman in a comatose state, as she wrestles with aspects of her life.

Blending film, theatre, animation, aerial choreography and special effects, Out of This World heralds the return of Murphy’s acclaimed company, V-TOL, which ran from 1991–2001.

Since then Murphy, who started his career as a choreographer before moving into filmmaking, writing, directing and aerial work, has spent most of his time outdoors directing large productions such as the Commonwealth Games ceremonies in Manchester, Melbourne and Glasgow.

But when you’re used to hitting audiences between the eyes with the wow factor, how do you dial it down to a whisper for the sake of a meaningful narrative?

‘It’s always a danger, because you can get carried away with the spectacle and people saying “wow, that was really amazing what you did with your bodies,”’ says Murphy. ‘But it doesn’t interest me in the slightest to do a show that just says “look how clever we are”. The story has to grab people first before anything else and have a mainline to their heart, otherwise it’s all kind of useless. So, we had to find ways to express what the characters are feeling, and let that be the springboard for what happens next; whether that’s two people sitting in a room crying or people flying, film projections, explosive pyrotechnic action and special effects. They’re

all spokes coming off the same hub, which is the story; and that came from me banging away at a keyboard for the past few years.’

When Murphy says ‘a few years’, what he actually means is seven, because that’s how long Out of This World has been gestating inside him. Along the way he’s picked up skills and knowledge from a decade of large-scale outdoor shows.

‘The beauty of it for me is I’ve been able to bring lots of different forms to the show from all the other things I’ve been doing,’ he says. ‘So it feels like the kind of theatre only I could make because it’s got my DNA in it from those other experiences that are all coming to bear in the one show.’

That said, Murphy is keen to point out that aerial flips and tricks are only one part of what the show has to offer. Underneath the technical wizardry lies the tale of a couple desperately clinging on to their relationship.

‘If you strip everything away, it’s a very simple love story between two people,’ says Murphy. ‘It’s really tender and funny, with a huge emotional punch. I think people will walk out reflecting on how precious life is and what a fine line we tread sometimes. And I hope they’ll be feeling a bit emotionally exhausted and holding on a little tighter to their nearest and dearest.’

Dance International Glasgow, Tramway, Fri 21 Apr–Sat 21 May, tramway.org. Out of This World, Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling, Fri 21 & Sat 22 Apr; Tramway, Glasgow (part of DIG), Fri 19 & Sat 20 May; Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 23 & Wed 24 May.

TOP PICKS SCOTTISH BALLET: EACH OTHER Choreographic duo Uri Ivgi and Johan Greben premiere their brand new work, inspired by the borders which divide people across the world. See preview, page 104.

Fri 21 & Sat 22 Apr. JAMES COUSINS COMPANY: ROSALIND The hugely talented James Cousins choreographs this exploration of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, and its relevance in modern society.

Tue 25 Apr. DIDY VELDMAN: THE HAPPINESS PROJECT Best known for creating works for Rambert and Northern Ballet, choreographer Veldman looks at our endless search for fulfilment.

Fri 28 & Sat 29 Apr. JOAN CLEVILLÉ DANCE: THE NORTH The hotly anticipated follow-up to Clevillé’s clever and moving Plan B for Utopia, explores one young man’s physical and emotional journey. See preview, page 99.

Fri 12 & Sat 13 May. All performances at Tramway.

28 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-SpringFestivals 26-28 BD PM.indd 28

28/03/2017 16:30

new location 426 SAUCHIEHALL STREET

GLASGOW G2 3JD

0141 332 2126 TAKEAWAY & DELIVERY AVAILABLE

1 leven STREET EDINBURGH

EH3 9lh

0131 228 3322 OPEN 12pm - 10:30pm EVERY DAY bring your own beer or wine

Gift Vouchers Events & Catering

wanna cha wanna chaat? at? follow us @t @tukt uktuks ukstre treetuk

book online tuktukonline.com

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 29

743-adpages.indd 29

28/03/2017 15:08

SPRING FESTIVALS

ANNA MEREDITH PHOTO: KATE BONES

R HIDDEN DOO

30 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-SpringFestivals 30-32 BD credits.indd 30

28/03/2017 15:41

SPRING FESTIVALS

Edinburgh arts festival Hidden Door has built its reputation on transforming disused spaces. But in 2017, it’ll pop up in a ready-made venue: the majestic Leith Theatre, which is reopening after nearly three decades. Yasmin Sulaiman discovers what’s in store

‘E

From top: Bossy Love; Anna Meredith; Idlewild

verybody thinks they’ve been to Leith Theatre,’ says David Martin, Hidden Door’s creative director, ‘because they’ve been to Thomas Morton Hall. But that isn’t Leith Theatre. Right next door to the hall is this amazing 1500 capacity space, but it’s been boarded up for 28 years.’

This year, it’s time to finally unlock this forgotten venue of north Edinburgh, and the privilege – and challenge – has fallen to Hidden Door. It’s a fitting partnership: for the last four years, the DIY multi-arts festival has taken over disused parts of the Old Town. In 2014, it brought a festival to the Waverley arches, now the site of the swanky New Waverley development; and in 2015 and 2016, the secret courtyard in King’s Stables Road was buzzing (now also taken over by developers: here’s hoping they’re not starting a trend).

But with its showcase of grassroots artists, theatre-makers and spoken word performers, and a reliably killer lineup of bands, Hidden Door has always felt a bit Leith-y – so the move makes complete spiritual sense.

‘Leith itself is full of people that want this to happen,’ says Martin, whose day job is with Leith School of Art, just round the back of Leith Theatre. ‘It’s a much more engaged community than anything we’ve had before, and there’s plenty of people in Leith who are going to come and inhabit Hidden Door and give it support. There’s not nearly the same kind of tutting and shaking of heads as we’ve had in the city centre.’

Over its ten days, the festival’s evening gigs have long been its most high profile draw. This year’s selection is no exception, and the first two nights are curated by us folks at The List. The opening night is headlined by Anna Meredith, the Scottish Album of the Year winner who is fresh from stunning gigs at the BBC 6 Music Festival in Glasgow and at SXSW in March. She’s supported by the excellent Bossy Love, Bdy_Prts, and Marnie from Ladytron. On Saturday, Idlewild take to the stage alongside Dama Scout, Manuela, and rising Edinburgh singer-songwriter Hamish Hawk, who you might have caught on his recent stints supporting King Creosote and Charlie Cunningham.

‘I’m very excited to be playing Hidden Door,’ Hawk tells me from Oakland, California, where he’s currently touring. ‘I was along last year for Meilyr Jones, some street food and some physical theatre, and it’s such a sweet festival. It’s got a real community feel to it, and the fact that it utilises disused spaces is really appealing to me, especially as an Edinburgh local. You get to discover the little secrets this city has to offer, and there are plenty!’

There’s much more music besides, from longtime Hidden Door performer Hidden Orchestra and from another SAY award winner, Kathryn Joseph. But gigs are only part of what Hidden Door has to offer; its strength is in the way this – arguably more mainstream – strand ensconces itself around the maze of art from emerging artists showcased at the festival. At King’s Stables Road, the festival had several rooms to take over with installations and exhibitions inhabiting the disused spaces. And the cavernous Leith Theatre promises just as many curiosities, as well as a range of bars and street food vendors dotted around the site.

‘The building will change throughout the ten days of Hidden Door festival,’ explains Martin. ‘We want you to come on Friday when it opens, but if you come back on Wednesday it will look very different. The thing about Leith Theatre is that it has lots of nooks and crannies, rooms under the stage and behind the balcony; lots of little rooms we’re going to turn into visual art spaces, a minitheatre, there’s going to be a cinema in there too. So there’s going to be a lot to discover if you wander around.’

The beginnings of Hidden Door have their origin in a one-off event in 2010, when Martin and his early team assembled a maze of art in the Roxy. ‘That started the idea that we could use any building we really wanted,’ he says. Now, Hidden Door is run by a team of 60 volunteers, around 12 of whom make up the core year-round organisers. Each year has had its challenges (‘other people have likened it to childbirth’) but it’s the thrill of seeing it all come together that’s kept him going.

‘I remember when I was a teenager going to Glastonbury for the first time,’ he says, ‘going into a field and there wasn’t much there, and then seeing this city appear over two or three days. It was a lifechanging moment for me: the feeling of something just coming out of nothing, and then disappearing again. There’s a tiny little echo of that with Hidden Door. It’s obviously not the same scale, but there is something really beautiful about going into a place and it just being a mess and seeing hundreds of people come and turn it into a thriving, exciting space.’

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 31

743-SpringFestivals 30-32 BD credits.indd 31

28/03/2017 15:41

SPRING FESTIVALS

From top: Leith Theatre; the first Hidden Door event at the Roxy in 2010; Hidden Door festival at King’s Stables Road

‘Edinburgh is building something bright and new of its own, and festivals like Hidden Door are part and parcel of that’

PHOTO: CHRIS SCOTT

Hidden Door takes place at Leith Theatre, Fri 26 May–Sun 4 Jun, hiddendoorblog.org

PHOTO: CHRIS SCOTT

At a time when it feels like so many of Edinburgh’s venues are closing down, the reopening of Leith Theatre is much-awaited, and the vocal support the venue gets from its patron Irvine Welsh has been a boon to its profile. Back in the day, it regularly hosted huge artists on tour: Kraftwerk, Thin Lizzy, John Martyn, Slade, Dr Feelgood and AC/ DC have all played there. It was even used as a regular Edinburgh International Festival venue, until its closure in 1988.

The significance isn’t lost on its upcoming performers. ‘I feel very privileged to have been asked to play,’ says Hawk. ‘I must admit it’s a dizzying prospect, following the likes of Kraftwerk and AC/DC onto the stage; it’s a real honour to be playing such a beautiful space. To see it reopen will provide a huge boost to local artists, and to be a part of that is really exciting.’

‘Growing up in Edinburgh,’ he adds, ‘it’s easy to fall into “the grass is always greener” mindset. It’s not uncommon for local artists to feel the pull of either Glasgow or London, and I understand that completely, but the more I play in Edinburgh these days, the more I can feel a tangible shift having taken place. More so now than ever before I feel Edinburgh is building something bright and new of its own, and festivals like Hidden Door are part and parcel of that something new. It makes me very happy to have witnessed that change growing up.’

And Martin feels that tide turning too.

‘I’m pretty sure that Hidden Door is now here to stay; it’s time we started believing in that ourselves. It just feels like a bit of a fairytale because we’ve literally made it up, with no backing, no resources, no business loan, no nothing. But it’s a great city to play in and there’s a huge amount of interesting partners and creative practitioners to work with. I think it’s definitely going to work out.’

HI DDEN HIGHLIGHTS OPENING PARTY WITH ANNA MEREDITH Everything’s coming up Anna these days, from her Scottish Album of the Year award win for the truly excellent Varmints to the storming live sets she’s been blazing a trail with all this year. Alongside first-rate support from Bossy Love, Bdy_Prts and Marnie, this is an opening party you won’t want to miss.

Fri 26 May.

IDLEWILD Idlewild play a full live show on the Leith Theatre stage on Saturday, with trusty support from local lad Hamish Hawk (he’s got a song about Goldenacre, y’know), Glasgow/London trio Dama Scout and the excellent Manuela, the new project from Manuela Gernedel and her husband Nick McCarthy, ex of Franz Ferdinand. Sat 27 May.

FLINT & PITCH You’ll know Jenny Lindsay from her time with fab spoken word cabaret Rally & Broad (RIP). Her latest venture Flint & Pitch is growing in stature, and we’re super happy to see it on this year’s Hidden Door bill. Watch this space for a sure-tobe excellent lineup of poetry pals.

Sun 28 May.

GRID IRON Whether they’re performing at Summerhall, the Barony Bar or in Debenhams (it’s true: they did this in 2005), multiple Fringe First winners Grid Iron are consistently one of Edinburgh’s most exciting theatremakers.

At Hidden Door, they’ll be performing a work-in-progress, South Bend by Martin McCormick. Tue 30 May-Thu 1 Jun.

SQIFF Based in Glasgow, the Scottish Queer International Film Festival is one of our favourite film events of the year, and now it’s crossing the M8. At Hidden Door, SQIFF will be screening little-shown films and challenging inequality in its own special way.

Fri 2 Jun.

RIOT JAZZ BRASS BAND Riot is right: there’s nine of these noisy guys, and they’re all set to make you move with their infectious blend of hip hop, jazz, funk and soul. This night’s been curated by the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, and also features saxophonist / MC Soweto Kinch and drum’n’bass experimenters gnabgnab. Fri 2 Jun.

32 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-SpringFestivals 30-32 BD credits.indd 32

28/03/2017 15:41

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

27-28 MAY 2017

LARGS FOOD FEST IS COMING SOON! Don’t miss our great event on bank holidy weekend

Saturday 27th & Sunday 28 May

t Walk abou magician

ting Facepain

Fo fair in od a hug ’s Children nt marquee e e tertainm

en

Cooking demonstratio ns

Live music and much more...

Visit us: www.largsfoodfest.com 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 33

743-adpages.indd 33

28/03/2017 15:08

THE PERFECT

10

T S U G U A h t 3 1 7thTLAND

CO S , K IC W R E B H T NOR great years of ten A celebration

34 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-adpages.indd 34

28/03/2017 15:08

PHOTO: PAOLA KUDACKI

SPRING FESTIVALS

RIVERSIDE FESIVAL

David Pollock gets the lowdown from promoter Dave Clarke on pulling together the lineup for Glasgow’s Riverside Festival

W

ith T in the Park taking a break this year, there will be a couple of vacancies going – one of which is the opening for ‘the new Slam Tent’, the festival’s legendary dance stage. ‘We’ve been doing the Slam Tent for 19 years, so 20 actual events, and this year was going to be the 20th anniversary,’ says promoter Dave Clarke, who runs Slam Events on behalf of the Glasgow production duo who gave the company its name. Slam Events are also partners with Electric Frog for the event which makes a good claim to being the Slam Tent’s spiritual replacement for 2017 – the Riverside Festival in Glasgow, which is now well into its stride after debuting in 2013.

With a track record of selling out both of its substantial 5000-capacity days, this year’s Riverside plays host to another excellent lineup of artists new and old, young and established.

With more than 70% of customers choosing to attend a single day, Clarke says he’s keen to give each day a different feel. ‘The Saturday has a more techno flavour, more akin to what (Slam’s club night) Pressure is well-known for, with Sven Väth, Alan Fitzpatrick and Nina Kraviz (pictured left) on the bill. Sunday is more house music-based, with Derrick Carter and Loco Dice, while we’ve also asked Jackmaster to curate his own stage, with artists like Hunee and Mr G. Also, Scuba is joining the bill, doing a back-to-back with George Fitzgerald. These kind of performances which people haven’t seen before are always good for a festival.’

A lot of the acts at Riverside are newer acts, a deliberate policy to introduce something different. ‘Detroit Swindle is a Dutch guy with a very big soul and disco influence. Paula Temple describes herself as a “noisician”, and I really want to check out what she’s doing. On Sunday, somebody who really blew the roof off the Slam Tent recently is Art Department who’s not such a regular performer in Glasgow.’

Surgeon, Levon Vincent, Glasgow’s own Jasper James and Slam themselves are all there too. ‘Pretty much the point of the Riverside Festival was to do something like the Slam Tent but closer to home,’ says Clarke. ‘Musically, the way we programme both is very similar, although Riverside is in a completely different setting, an open-air festival in the city. Much like the T in the Park main stage, we’re at the mercy of the elements, but we’ve been quite lucky so far.’

The way he sees it, the Riverside is both a breeze and a nightmare; the former because its unique setting on the Clyde outside the Riverside Museum has found willing supporters in the property’s owners Glasgow Life, the police and the emergency services. The big challenge is in trying to bring the kind of exciting lineup which people will travel to Glasgow for on the busiest bank holiday of the year.

‘Programming Riverside is a game of fantasy football: you name who you want and see who you can get,’ says Clarke. ‘But with bank holiday parties in England, Europe and Detroit, and opening parties in Ibiza, it’s a real headache trying to book acts on this weekend. You can’t always entice people through financial means, it’s often about using a bit of charm – “how much do you love the Scottish crowd”, you know? But it’s the start of the summer, people are off work on the Monday, and we have a festival which is in a beautiful spot down by the Clyde, where the city was built from.’

Riverside Festival, Riverside Museum, Glasgow, Sat 27 & Sun 28 May, riversidefestivalglasgow.com 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 35

743-SpringFestivals 35-43 PM BD.indd 35

28/03/2017 15:39

SPRING FESTIVALS PHOTO: ANDREW COMMIS

ERNATIONAL T IN H G R U B EDIN FESTIVAL CHILDREN’S

With a new name – Edinburgh International Children’s Festival – and a new director at the helm, the event formerly known as Imaginate is looking more exciting than ever, finds Kelly Apter

A

swimming pool, a stage filled with real grass, a cinema and a tiny house – just some of the locations audiences can find theatrical adventures this May. Formerly known as Imaginate, the newly titled Edinburgh International Children’s Festival is back with nine days of unusual, quirky, inspiring, moving and dynamic theatre and dance for children and young people. And new director, Noel Jordan, is feeling more than a little passionate about the 15 diverse works he’s cherry-picked for us from across the globe.

‘It has been such a pleasure to curate my first programme for the festival, in fact a real privilege,’ he says. ‘I’m very much drawn to productions with a heart that really make us connect to our fellow human beings. Works like Narrow and The Queen Has Vanished from Belgium, and Girl Asleep (pictured) and Bambert’s Book of Lost Stories from Australia help us imagine what life is like for others in different places and in different times.’

TOP

5

GRASS This dance show for 2 to 4-year-olds includes a 20-minute ‘stay and play’ session afterwards to explore sand, soil and vegetables.

Thu 1–Sat 3 Jun.

All of the companies Jordan has programmed have thought outside of the box when it comes to presenting work, even if they’re inside a traditional theatre space. Primo from Germany places pre-schoolers around a purpose-built pool, with the performers immersed in water and peering out at us through portholes; You, Me and the Space Between from Australia invites audiences inside a paper set which is drawn on, ripped and patched up to explore environmental change; while Narrow, for ages 6–12, finds two very flexible performers contorting themselves inside their tiny homes, to comic effect.

As always, a wide range of ages have been catered for, from gentle dance work MamaBabaMe for little ones aged 18 months–3 years, all the way up to Evil, a show from Denmark about bullying for children in P7 up to S4.

‘Evil is hard hitting and at times brutal, and asks questions around how we cope when confronted with extreme situations,’ says Jordan. ‘It doesn’t provide answers but it’s a real-life account of one young boy who will not back down when faced with repeated bullying.

PRIMO Performed underwater while the audience peers in through portholes, Primo is a beautifully lit adventure for ages 2–5.

Wed 31 May–Sun 4 Jun.

NIGHT LIGHT Join Andy Manley on this magical journey for ages 3–6, about a little boy who can’t sleep and longs to find out who looks after the night. Tue 30 May–Sun 4 Jun.

‘Having spoken to teenagers about the work, it confirmed my belief that young people don’t just want to be entertained by theatre, they want to be challenged and inspired and encouraged to consider big important issues that make up their lives. And theatre is a safe place to do this, perhaps one of the last safe places when online environments can be complex and difficult to navigate.’

At the lighter end of the spectrum, Barrowland Ballet’s Little Red, which wowed audiences over Christmas 2015, makes a welcome return.

‘I love works that celebrate the outsider or help us examine well-loved stories in new and different ways,’ says Jordan. ‘Little Red is such a gem in this regard, and this dynamic Scottish company explores the tale of Little Red Riding Hood with fabulous humour and great skill. I highly recommend this work for family audiences on our final weekend as a great treat to experience together.’

Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, various venues, Sat 27 May–Sun 4 Jun, imaginate.org.uk

THE QUEEN HAS VANISHED A sad king looks for his lost queen in this tale from Belgium for 5 to 12-year-olds, told through live music and vibrant illustrations.

Fri 2–Sun 4 Jun.

NOSFERATU Both scary and funny, this exciting vampire tale for ages 8–13 features colourful lightbulb puppets and a whole lot of suspense.

Thu 1–Sat 3 Jun.

36 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-SpringFestivals 35-43 PM BD.indd 36

28/03/2017 15:40

Edinburgh

Mini ÂŽ

16 April 10am-5pm SumMerhalL It’s back! A family-friendly day out showcasing the diversity of human creativity, bringing all sorts of makers, crafters, tinkers, tailors and geeks together under one big roof.

743-adpages.indd 37

Supported by Edinburgh Mini Maker Faire is independently organised and operated under licence from Maker Media Inc

28/03/2017 15:08

HElL YeAh WhOoP WhOoP

10.00aM tO 6.00pM

PRo WAkEbOaRd COmP LIvE muSiC FOoD & drInK viLlAgE COmE & trY SeSsIoNs OThEr OUtDoOr ACtIvItIeS

38 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-adpages.indd 38

28/03/2017 15:08

SPRING FESTIVALS

MAYFESTO Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 3–Tue 30 May, tron. co.uk Mayfesto celebrates theatre with an edge, which focuses on what’s going on in the world and that responds to recent events. See preview, page 103.

VOLUNTARY ARTS FESTIVAL Scotland-wide, Fri 5–Sun 14 May, voluntaryarts. org/festival The UK-wide festival showcases cultural groups and invites you to ‘get creative’ in your community.

BURNSFEST! Rozelle Park, Ayr, Sat 6 May, burnsfestival.com A programme of events based around the works of Oor Rabbie, including live music, a Burns Wine Bar and Beer Garden, Pop-Up Poems, A-Coo-Stick Tipi, The Mercat, Performance Pokey, Burns Fair, a Haggis Hurling Hoolie and other events.

TECTONICS GLASGOW Various venues, Glasgow, Sat 6 & Sun 7 May, tectonicsfestival.com Tectonics Glasgow is a glittering festival of new music, curated by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra’s redoubtable Principal Guest Conductor Ilan Volkov. The 2017 lineup features Roscoe Mitchell, Julia Holter, Catherine Lamb, Laura Steenberge, K-Scape, Shiori Usui, Yarn/Wire, Eddie Prévost, the Necks, Luke Fowler, Raymond MacDonald, Ilana Halperin, and works by Linda Catlin Smith and Lori Goldston, among others.

EDINBURGH CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL The Biscuit Factory, Edinburgh, Fri 26–Sun 28 May, edinburghcraftbeerfestival.co.uk Scotland’s first global craft beer gathering with over 30 internationally renowned brewers including Lervig, Firestone Walker, Pohjala and Yeastie Boys, while The Pitt provide a variety of street food dishes. There’ll also be DJ sets from Young Fathers (Friday night), Jamie MacColl from Bombay Bicycle Club (Saturday day), Belle & Sebastian (Saturday night), Idlewild (Sunday day), Metronomy’s Olugbenga (Sunday day).

IGNITE DUNDEE Various venues, Dundee, Sat 6–Sun 28 May, ignitednd.co.uk A series of events in and around Dundee aimed at drawing visitors to the city and raising its profile with theatre, music and art, including Duncan of Jordanstone College’s Art & Design degree show.

BOSWELL BOOK FESTIVAL Dumfries House, Cumnock, Fri 12–Sun 14 May, boswellbookfestival.co.uk A quirky literary festival devoted to biography and the first modern biographer, James Boswell. The fest spans talks, performances and workshops by writers, actors and artists.

FESTIVALE4 Summerhall, Edinburgh, Thu 11–Sun 13 May, summerhall.co.uk The fourth edition of this beer, spirit and ale street food festival at Summerhall.

Look out for fun stuff from Pickering’s Gin, the Bar of Unearthly Delights, the Cocktail Kitchen and street food from the good folk at The Pitt. This year’s FestivAle also coincides with the Scottish Street Food Awards, and there’ll be live science experiments going on too.

SOUTHSIDE FRINGE Various venues, Glasgow, Fri 12–Sun 28 May, southsidefringe.org.uk A 17-day festival incorporating music, theatre and activities for all the family.

PHOTO: PETE DIBDEN

OPEN THE DOOR: SCOTLAND’S WOMEN WRITERS FESTIVAL Glasgow Women’s Library, Sat 13 May, womenslibrary.org.uk A new literary festival celebrating an exciting era of women writers and readers, including Val McDermid, Maggie O’Farrell and Leila Aboulela. See preview, page 57.

PSYCHEDELIC FOREST DISCO Kelburn Castle, Largs, Sat 13 May, kelburngardenparty.com Spin-off from the Kelburn Garden Party featuring house, techno, electro, electronica, disco and funk over four stages.

Acts include Hot Chip (DJ Set), Horse Meat Disco, Taxman, Electrikal Sound, Stu Alcane, and PJ & KETA with Friends.

PERTH FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS Perth Concert Hall, Mon 15–Sat 27 May, perthfestival.co.uk Music, comedy, theatre, dance

Rachel Sermanni

and visual arts are all up for grabs at this festival.

Highlights include English Touring Opera performing Tosca, the Treacherous Orchestra, Adam Holmes and the Embers, Rachel Sermanni, Nicola Benedetti, Marcus Brigstocke, Martin Taylor and Alison Burns, and the Moscow Philharmonic with Freddy Kempf.

REIMAGINATION: CUMBERNAULD Various venues, Cumbernauld, Fri 19–Sun 21 May, booked.edbookfest.co.uk A new initiative from Edinburgh International Book Festival bringing together writers, artists and theatre makers with the population of Cumbernauld. The three-day event features adult and children’s authors and offers the chance to explore the stories of Cumbernauld and join in discussions on the future of the town.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 39

743-SpringFestivals 35-43 PM BD.indd 39

28/03/2017 16:04

SPRING FESTIVALS

may highlights continued . . .

FESTIVAL OF MUSEUMS Scotland-wide, Fri 19–Sun 21 May, festivalofmuseums.com Think you know museums? Think again. The Festival of Museums is an annual three-day celebration of history, culture, science, arts and heritage during which museums of all shapes and sizes across the country host special events, showcasing the important place our museums hold as gatekeepers of Scotland’s cultural heritage.

FOXLAKE OUTDOOR FESTIVAL Foxlake Adventures, Dunbar, Sat 20 & Sun 21 May, foxlakefestival.co.uk An outdoor festival, with live music and comedy, run by Foxlake Adventures in partnership with East Lothian Council.

Knockengorroch World Ceilidh

DUNDEE DESIGN FESTIVAL Various venues, Dundee, Thu 25–Sun 29 May, dundeedesignfestival.com This five-day festival celebrates design in Dundee, marking the city’s time as the UK’s UNESCO City of Design. Featuring an exhibition of local, national and international design and a programme of events including forums, talks and practical workshops led by designers.

KNOCKENGORROCH WORLD CEILIDH Knockengorroch Farm, Thu 25–Sun 28 May, knockengorroch.org.uk An outdoor festival with the emphasis on roots music, the lineup is a melting pot of world, folk, fusion and dub reggae music with electronica, hip hop and drum & bass thrown in for good measure, performed live and DJed. First names for 2017 include Molotov Jukebox, Mungo’s Hi Fi Soundsystem, Zion Train, Baghdaddies, Neck, Pronto Mama and the Mouse Outfit.

PHOTO: COLIN HATTERSLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

MAY WEST FESTIVAL Glasgow Green, Sat 27 & Sun 28 May, may-west.com A new music festival for Glasgow, taking place at Glasgow Green over the May bank holiday weekend. The lineup includes the Stranglers, Public Service Broadcasting, Ward Thomas, Turin Brakes (pictured), Dreadzone, Roddy Hart & the Lonesome Fire and Glasgow Gospel Choir, with more to be announced. WEST Brewery provides the festival’s beer hall, with food courtesy of Kelbourne Saint, The Crafty Pig and WEST on the Green.

TWEEDLOVE BIKE FESTIVAL Peebles, Fri 26 May–Mon 12 Jun, tweedlove.com TweedLove is two weeks of bike riding and good times in the iconic Tweed Valley in the Borders. It encompasses all things cycling from road and mountain bike races that attract pro cyclists to family rides through Peebles town centre and informal jaunts into the hills guided by local riders.

EAT AND DRINK FESTIVAL SEC Glasgow, Fri 26–Mon 29 May, eatanddrinkfestival.com An interactive food show with live cooking classes, drinks masterclasses, wine and whisky tutorials as well as some of the country’s most popular street food vendors.

SPRINGFEST Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, Sat 27 & Sun 28 May, springfest.com Mini-festival over two days with an eclectic lineup of pop, rock, indie and DJs. Headlined by All Saints, Sister Sledge and AC/DC’s Phil Rudd. Plus Reverend & the Makers, Wheatus, DJ Sammy, Janet Devlin, Shy & DRS, We Used to Make Things, Phoebe D’Abo and more.

DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY ARTS FESTIVAL Various venues, Fri 26 May–Sun 4 Jun, dgartsfestival.org.uk To say the Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival ticks a few boxes would be an understatement. Established in 1979 with the aim to bring world-class artists to a mainly rural area, it has grown in confidence and sales year on year. This tenday, family-friendly, multi-arts Borders-based festival boasts everything from theatre, dance and music to literature, film and art.

LARGS FOOD FEST Various venues, Sat 27 & Sun 28 May, largsfoodfest.com This showcase of the best of Scottish food and drink has the particularly scenic coastal backdrop of well-established holiday town Largs as an added attraction. There are cooking demonstrations, talks, tastings, licensed bars and live music to enjoy. Children’s entertainment such as face painting, musical theatre and a magician mean it’s a festival for the whole family to enjoy.

40 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-SpringFestivals 35-43 PM BD.indd 40

28/03/2017 16:04

743-adpages.indd 41

28/03/2017 15:09

SPRING FESTIVALS

h JUNE EDINBURGH JUNIPER FESTIVAL Summerhall, Edinburgh, Fri 2–Sun 4 Jun, summerhall.co.uk It might seem like there are gin festivals everywhere you look these days, but this regular Edinburgh fixture is still up there with the best of them. Go along and get a taster of the many global gins on show, buy your favourites and sit in Summerhall’s blissful courtyard with a glass of your chosen tipple. You even get a wee checklist to keep track.

WEST END FESTIVAL Various venues, Glasgow, Fri 2–Sun 25 Jun, westendfestival.co.uk Glasgow’s West End arts festival returns once again with more theatre, music, exhibitions, film and activities.

MEADOWS FESTIVAL Meadows, Edinburgh, Sat 3 & Sun 4 Jun, meadowsfestival.org Edinburgh’s festival season kicks off with the Meadows Festival, which offers a local band lineup, dance groups, performance stage, a dog show, the biggest outdoor market in Edinburgh and workshops amid lots of familyfriendly activities.

STUDIO 54 UK FESTIVAL Falkirk Stadium, Sun 4 Jun, theseevents. co.uk/events The legendary New York nightclub comes to Falkirk Stadium with Gloria Gaynor, Village People, Boney M, Nicky Siano and more names to be announced.

XPONORTH Inverness, Wed 7 & Thu 8 Jun, xponorth. co.uk A two-day cross-genre festival devoted to crafts, publishing, screen and broadcast as well as music. There are workshops, masterclasses and conferences during the day, evening showcases of music and film as well as opportunities to network with movers and shakers in the creative industries.

GLASGOW SCIENCE FESTIVAL Various venues, Glasgow, Thu 8–Sun 18 Jun, glasgowsciencefestival.org.uk A packed programme of workshops, shows, films, discussion, exhibitions and art collaborations

KELBURN GARDEN PARTY Kelburn Castle, Largs, Thu 30 Jun–Mon 3 Jul, kelburngardenparty.com Kelburn Castle provides the fairytale setting for this eccentric music festival. The graffiti project for which Kelburn is known is just one of the items of handmade décor, art and lighting that make the event a feast for all the senses.

Six stages and various pop-up nooks host the musical programme – an eclectic mix of Scottish talent from the avant garde and experimental to the accessible. 2017’s lineup includes Mr Scruff, Numbers featuring Optimo, Spencer & Jayda G, Hot 8 Brass Band, Prince Fatty & Horseman, Om Unit, Addison Groove, Flamingods, Mungo’s Hi Fi & Charlie P, Mouse Outfit featuring Jehst, Be Charlotte, Man of Moon, She Drew The Gun, Ezra Collective, Jamie & Shoony and Colonel Mustard & Dijon 5.

allows budding scientists to sit back and learn something new or don safety goggles and take part in an experiment. The theme for 2017 is ‘Glasgow Explores’ and the festival follows researchers as they push the boundaries and go to the outer limits.

THE EDEN FESTIVAL Moffat, Thu 8–Sun 11 Jun, edenfestival.co.uk A boutique festival, with over 250 acts performing across nine stages, bringing you live music, dance, cabaret, burlesque, circus skills, theatre, a children’s area, fun, games and much more.

2017’s lineup includes Gogol Bordello, Alabama 3, 2ManyDJs, Cat Power, Boney M, Jazzanova, So Solid Crew and Alice Russell. Playing on the Great Mountain stage will be Agnes Obel, the Chair, Rory McLeod, Sketch, Talisk, the Poozies, Hay, Moishe’s Bagel, Whirligig, Cera Impala and the New Prohibition, Pete Garnett and Snuff Box. LEITH FESTIVAL Various venues, Sat 10 Jun–Tue 18 Jul, leithfestival.com The vibrant community of Leith shows off its festival skills with a fun-packed programme of events including exhibitions, concerts, walks, talks and films. Highlights include their Festival Gala Day (Sat 10 Jun) and Leith Festival Tattoo (Sun 18 Jun).

LEITHLATE Various venues, Thu 15–Sun 18 Jun, leithlate. co.uk Multi-arts festival that takes place across multiple venues in Leith, showcasing the very best in emerging visual artists, musicians, poets and filmmakers.

REFUGEE FESTIVAL SCOTLAND Scotland-wide, Tue 20 Jun–Sun 2 Jul, refugeefestivalscotland.co.uk Coordinated

by Scottish Refugee Council, and centred around World Refugee Day on 20 June, this annual festival of arts and cultural events celebrates the contribution refugees make to Scottish cultural life and the welcome offered by local people. It features more than 100 music, visual art, film, performance, discussion and community-led family events, many of which are free.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Various venues, Edinburgh, Wed 21 Jun–Sun 2 Jul, edfilmfest.co.uk The UK’s oldest continually running film festival celebrates its 70th year in grand style with the usual cracking array of premieres, classics and guests. Announced so far is the UK launch of Cars 3. Look out for the full programme released on 31 May, and find out more about the ed film fest memories project on page 73.

42 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-SpringFestivals 35-43 PM BD.indd 42

28/03/2017 16:06

SPRING FESTIVALS

h

From June to September, there’s plenty more festival fun to be had. Here’s just a few of our top picks from the (hopefully) sunny months ahead

SOLAS FESTIVAL Blackruthven, Fri 23–Sun 25 Jun, solasfestival.co.uk A midsummer music and arts festival with performances and workshops in world music, theatre, dance, literature and visual arts, as well as talks and debates. 2017’s music lineup features Lau, WHITE, C Duncan, the Van T’s and Pronto Mama. Talks, lectures and performances come from Claire Cunningham, James Kelman, David Greig and Professor Alison Phipps.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL MAGIC FESTIVAL Various venues, Edinburgh, Thu 30 Jun–Sat 8 Jul, magicfest.co.uk MagicFest presents another programme of close-up conundrums, mindboggling illusions, comic cabaret and other feats of the impossible.

JULY GLASGOW COMIC CON Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sat 1 Jul, glasgowcomiccon.com A comic convention with the focus very much on comics and their creators, writers, illustrators and readers. There are traders and exhibitors, a cosplay competition and a stacked guest list leading panels, talks and workshops.

TRNSMT FESTIVAL Glasgow Green, Fri 7–Sun 9 Jul, trnsmtfest. com Taking over where T in the Park has left off, TRNSMT has big boots to fill. Headlining the Glasgow Green festival are Radiohead (Fri), Kasabian (Sat) and Biffy Clyro (Sun). Also playing are Belle & Sebastian, Stormzy, London Grammar, Catfish and the Bottlemen, the 1975, and George Ezra, plus more to be announced.

EDINBURGH JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL Various venues, Edinburgh, Fri 14–Sun 23 Jul, edinburghjazzfestival.com Scotland’s biggest jazz festival presents concerts over ten days all over the capital, in parks, churches, clubs and concert halls. With a programme featuring styles from early jazz to the avant garde, the EJ&BF usually manages to secure some world premieres, new bands and exciting collaborations.

MUGSTOCK Mugdock Country Park, Milngavie, Fri 28–Mon 31 Jul, mugstock.org Boutique festival organised on a not-for-profit basis, featuring music, food, drink, theatre, art, cabaret and ‘sciencey stuff.’ The lineup for 2016 included Emma Pollock, Stanley Odd and Colonel Mustard & the Dijon 5.

SUMMER NIGHTS Kelvingrove Bandstand, Glasgow, Mon 31 Jul–Sun 13 Aug This blockbusting festival features a series of open air gigs with an undeniably brilliant set of acts. Among 2017’s lineup are Texas (Mon 31 Jul–Wed 2 Aug), Brian Wilson (Thu 3), Tom Jones (Sat 5), Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Sun 6), the Pixies (Mon 7 & Tue 8), Seasick Steve (Wed 9) and Arab Strap (Sun 13).

SEPTEMBER

AUGUST EDINBURGH FESTIVALS It’s a very big year for the Edinburgh festivals in 2017, with the International Festival and the Festival Fringe both celebrating their 70th birthday (alongside June’s Film Festival – see page 42).

Check out all of our coverage on those festivals plus the Book Festival, the Art Festival, Fringe by the Sea, Foodies and more this summer, in our July Festival Guide, weekly August issues and at list.co.uk/festival. Plus, pick up a copy of the Pleasance, Underbelly, Assembly and Gilded Balloon’s Fringe brochure in our next issue, out Thu 1 Jun. BELLADRUM TARTAN HEART FESTIVAL Inverness, Thu 3–Sun 5 Aug, tartanheartfestival.co.uk This favourite of the Scottish music festival scene is back with, as well as the music, a family-friendly atmosphere, theatre performances as well as spoken word events, energy-sapping ceilidhs, arts and crafts workshops and fancy dress shenanigans. Sister Sledge, Franz Ferdinand and KT Tunstall have been announced so far for 2017.

CARNIVAL FIFTY SIX Camperdown Country Park, Dundee, Sat 12 & Sun 13 Aug, carnivalfiftysix.co.uk New two-day music festival for Dundee. Inaugural lineup includes Mark Ronson, Rudimental, Clean Bandit, Prides, Sasha, Basement Jaxx (DJ set), James Zabiela, Hot Chip (DJ set), the Cuban Brothers, Be Charlotte, Dave Seaman, Jonnie Common and more.

DOUNE THE RABBIT HOLE Cardross Estate, Fri 18–Sun 20 Aug, dounetherabbithole.co.uk A boutique music festival that concocts a lovely lineup. 2017 names confirmed so far include Liars and Songhoy Blues.

ELECTRIC FIELDS Dumfries, Fri 1 & Sat 2 Sep, electricfieldsfestival.com Electric Fields is back after a game-changing year in 2016. The lineup this time around includes (deep breath) Frightened Rabbit, Dizzee Rascal, the Jesus and Mary Chain, Arab Strap, Band of Horses, Glass Animals, Peter Hook & the Light, Kate Tempest, Jackmaster, Artwork, Car Seat Headrest, British Sea Power, Anna Meredith, And Yet It Moves, Crash Club and Brat & the Bonemen.

BLOODY SCOTLAND Stirling, Fri 8–Sun 10 Sep, bloodyscotland. com An innovative festival drawing on Scotland’s love of the literary macabre and celebrating crime writing by bringing together leading Scottish and international writers, showcasing debut voices and encouraging new writers.

BEST OF THE WEST Inverary, Sat 9 & Sun 10 Sep, bowfest.co.uk Set in the stunning grounds of Inveraray Castle, this family-friendly festival highlights the best in food, drink, craft, music and entertainments from the west of Scotland.

LAMMERMUIR FESTIVAL East Lothian, Fri 15–Sun 24 Sep, lammermuirfestival.co.uk The 2017 festival features performances from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Steven Osborne, Quatuor Mosaïque, Orlando Consort (providing the live score to a classic silent film), Red Note Ensemble, Tenebrae and several others.

WIGTOWN BOOK FESTIVAL Wigtown, Fri 22 Sep–Sun 1 Oct, wigtownbookfestival.com For ten days Scotland’s National Book Town buzzes with all things book-related as well as theatre, music and visual arts, site-specific events in quirky venues and a ceilidh. A dedicated Children’s Garden hosts events for younger readers.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 43

743-SpringFestivals 35-43 PM BD.indd 43

28/03/2017 16:06

MINDHORN

brain storm Simon Farnaby, co-writer of Isle of Man-set comedy movie Mindhorn, talks to Eddie Harrison about being an X-Wing pilot and working with the Mighty Boosh’s Julian Barratt

I

n a new comedy film from Steve Coogan’s Baby Cow production company, the Isle of Man is rocked by a murder, with the police bringing a fictional detective out of retirement to solve the case.

Meet Mindhorn, the man with a bionic eye, played by the Mighty Boosh’s Julian Barratt (pictured).

‘It all started one night when I was listening to some Robyn Hitchcock that Julian had given me, and there was a track called “Detective Mindhorn”,’ says Simon Farnaby who has co-written the movie with Barratt. ‘It just sounded like an 80s detective show to me, and I think the first pitch we did for the Mindhorn TV show was that it was “Bergerac meets the Six Million Dollar Man”.’

Farnaby is best known for his acting work with Barratt and Noel Fielding on The Mighty Boosh, as well as appearing in Bunny and the Bull and Horrible Histories: when it came to creating a new comic character with Barratt, Mindhorn easily sprang to mind.

‘It sounded like Kojak or Bergerac, and I love that kind of show,’ notes Farnaby. ‘The challenge was how do you make something new of it? I thought of Galaxy Quest and Three Amigos, and imagined there was a cat and mouse game with a criminal who wanted to match up against Mindhorn. The police have to bring in the actor [called Richard Thorncroft] to play the part again in order to catch the killer. Julian thought it would be fun if that actor was washed-up and was trying to manipulate that situation as a publicity thing.

We knew that could be a great comedic engine for a film.’

As well as co-writing the script, Barratt and Farnaby play ageing actor Thorncroft and his virile stuntdouble Clive, respectively. ‘I had to work out so I could play Clive,’ says Farnaby. ‘He needed to be buff.

Julian says he had to eat a lot of curries to simulate Richard’s paunch, but the truth is, that’s just him.’ What Bergerac was to Jersey in the popular 80s BBC series, Mindhorn is to the Isle of Man, with a return to the island where his popular show was shot giving Thorncroft a chance of redemption.

‘Of course, Bergerac was a big touchstone, and at one point we thought of getting John Nettles and setting it on Jersey. But that was too on-the-nose, so a producer suggested the Isle of Man,’ recalls Farnaby. ‘It had so many great locations: the Laxey Wheel, the caves, and that amazing sign that says “Electric Railways” which looks like a naff version of the Hollywood sign. Julian and I often do a running joke about actors who say “the location itself is a character”, but in this case it was true: the greatest actor here is the Isle of Man.’ It remains to be seen how the island’s residents will react to Mindhorn, and the central character’s references to their ‘limited gene pool’. Farnaby is not too worried: ‘I’m sure they’ll be fine, they’re very self-aware. Our taxi driver would pass through a village and say, “oh, it’s very Wicker Man down there”.

Which was fine by us, because our story has some similarities to The Wicker Man.’ But whether Mindhorn is a hit or not, Farnaby recently landed a role which should ensure he never gets washed-up like Richard Thorncroft: playing an X-Wing pilot in last year’s Star Wars prequel Rogue One should keep him in convention money for decades. ‘When I got the offer, I asked “why me?” But there’s a tradition of British actors playing X-Wing pilots. They’re meant to be raggle-taggle rebels, so I suppose that’s why they asked me . . . ’ Mindhorn is on general release from Fri 5 May. See review, page 76.

44 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Mindhorn PM BD.indd 44

28/03/2017 14:31

LLIVE IVE MUSIC MUSICtCCRAFT RAFT BBEER EERt FFRESH RESH FFOOD OOD WED W ED 12 12 APR APR THE THE SHOWHAWK SHOWHAWK DUO DUO 7p7pmm SSAT AT 01 01 APR APR IR IRIE RIEE YYO-YO O-YYO YO 1111.45pm 1.4455p 5pm

Since itss inception Since Sin inception as a a reggae/ska reggae/ reg gae ska sk trio rio in 2015, 2015 15, Irie Irrie e Yo-Yo Yo-Yo has grown into in i tto an an 8-piece 88 piec ece e band band with w drum rum and bass, bas a s, jazz, jazz, sals alsa aa an d dub dub making making their m the eirr way way into t the t mix, m producing pro oducing ng an an salsa and eclectic ecle ctic and engaging engagin eng g g sound sou with infecti c ous groo grooves v and infectious plenty plen ty of o bounce. bo b unce e.

SSAT AT 08 08 AAPR PR TTHE HE BUFFALO BUFFALO SKINNERS SKINNERS 9pm

Songg-wri Song-writing S -writing ting collective collect col ective ve from ShefďŹ eld ShefďŹ el She ďŹ eld d drawin dr drawing aw g inuen inuence nce e ffrom rom m 60’ss Rock Rock n Roll, Roll Folk Fo k and and Blues.

Blues..

Blues

SSAT AT 08 08 AAPR PR DOPESICKFLY DOPESICCKFLY + TINKY TINKY DISCO DISSCO 1111.45pm 1.445p 5pm m

The lyri Th lyr lyrically ca y explosive call explo ive explos ve Funk u Rock Rock Hybrid Hybr known kno as as Dopesicky Dopesicky Dopesi ky emanate eman ate an n u upbea pbeatt feel feel ggood ood vibe ibe inviting invitin ti g everyone ev everyo eryone ne to to join jo n in in upbeat with catchy cat hy hooks hooks and an to dance dan ance e their t h rts hea r out! t! Tinky ky disco disco is hearts not just jus a bangin bangi ang n band ba life ife!! All All you A you Tinkers Tinker nkers and and itss a wayy of life!

Tin Tink ettes out th ette tthere ere should shou h ld join oin uss for for the the Tinky Tinky revolution!! revolut rev olution! ion !

Tinkettes

Youn Young ungg Britis Br British t h guitar gu guitarists ita ists sts Mikhail Asanovic Asa anovi n c and and Jake J ke Wrigh W Wright ht h ha have ve d dazzled azz ed azzl audience audi enc s worldwide worldw rldwide de with their spectacular spect ctacul acu ar approach appro pp ach h to o playing playi p ayingg the the h audiences guitar. guit r Brea B king ing dow down b ba rrierss b etw en etwe na coustic cous tic and a elec ele tr icc m tron music sic Breaking barriers between acoustic electronic and nd crea re ting ti the their own wn genre ggenre. enre. W Wh eth r Pl ethe P ayingg ol d-scchool oo tra tr nce c clas cla sic sics creating Whether Playing old-school trance classics orr moder m od n funky ffunky house, house their their e live e show sh knows no o boundaries b boun dariess and dari and will will modern knows leave leav e you yo amazed. am mazed ed. Tickets:thelittleboxofďŹ ce.com/showhawkduo Ti T ckets:thelit elittleb t oxof oxofďŹ ce ďŹ ce.com/ m show howhawkduo uo

SSAT AT 15 15 AAPR PR SSTEEL TEEL VVALLEY ALLEY SSAINTS AINTS 9p9pmm Outlaw Out Outl aw Skife Skif kife e band band from f om North North Lanarkshire.

Lanarkshire.

Lanark

SSAT AT 22 22 AAPR PR LLEANNE EANNE AND ANDD THE THHE RADIX RADIIX 9p9pmm

‘’Leanne & The ‘’Leanne The Radix’’ Radix’’ Radix ’’ are a a the he cultivated cul d 6 piece piece new trend setting se settin tting hybrid hybr id reggae reggae regga e group group Built Built from from the the strength strength stren gth and d foundations foundati foun dations on of Scotland Scot land’s ’s best best loved love oved d and and busiest busiestt festival busies festivall touring festiv ttouri ouring ng reggae reggae regga e groups. groups. The groups The Scotland’s ďŹ ever ďŹ rst ever group group in Scotl S cot and to be be nomina no ated d as ‘‘Best Best Bri B tish Gro Group’ up’ at Scotland nominated British the British British Reggae Reggae Industry Industry Indus try Awards.

Awa s. A multi mu i cultural cultura proud proud sound sound legacy leg egacy acy bringing brin ging fresh fresh new new rootsy roots ootsyy ďŹ eld ďŹ e d ďŹ llers ďŹ ller ďŹ ers direct re to the music m c festivals musi fe f stiv ivals als and live ive music mus c venues. venue venues. s

FFRI RI 2288 AAPR PR PORKPIE PORKPIE 9p99pmm

Boasting an Boasting n exte extensive xtensiv sive re repertoire epert pertoire oire tha th thatt aims aims to to plea pl please. ease. Th Their heir e eclectic ecle cti Soul, Soul, Ska, Ska, Swing Swin and and Pop Pop classics class cs will classi w include incl nc ude d musicc ffr musi om m Madne M adness, ss, Jame amess Brown, Brow Elviss and and Bob B Marle r y from Madness, James Marley tto Paulo Paulo ulo Nultini, Nul u tini,, The The Blues Blues Brothers Brothe and Wilson W son Picket.

Wil

PREMIER LEAGUE, CHAMPIONS LEAGUE & EUROPA LEAGUE LIVE ON THE BIGGEST HD SCREEN IN SCOTLAND!

''3&& &/53: &7&3: /*()5 5*- ".

3&& &&/53: &&7&3: //*()5 5*- ". t -*7& 410354 --*7& 4410354 t '00% 4&37&% 5*- ". ''00% 44&37&% 5*- ". $08("5& &%*/#63() &) +2 t t 888 '"$&#00, $0. 453"."4)&%*/#63() t

$08( $0 ("5& &%* $0 % /##633()) &)) + 2 2 t

t 88 888 8 '"$ " &##000, "$ , $0 $0. $0 . 45 453" 3"."

3" . 4))&%*/ ." &%%*/ */#6 ##663( 3 ) t WW WWW.STRAMASHEDINBURGH.COM W W.SSTRAMASHE HEDI DINNBURG DI RGH GH.CO COM M FFirst Fir Firs irrst stt ba band bban and onstage and an on onnst onst nstage sttag st age ge 10 110pm, 10pm 0ppm, 0pm pm m, second secon seco se econ oond on nd band baand ba ndd 12:30am 12:30 12 2 :30 :30am 30am 3 30a 30 0a 0am / on on nights nnigigigh ght hts ts with wit wi itthh 3 bands, ith it bbands ba annds ndds ds,s, first fir fi firs irst iirs st band baand nd onstage o stage onst on onstag tage 7pm tage tag 7ppm

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 45

743-adpages.indd 45

28/03/2017 15:09

743-adpages.indd 46

28/03/2017 15:09

FRANK QUITELY

draw the line Frank Quitely, the Scottish artist behind some of the finest comics in recent times, talks to David Pollock as a major exhibition celebrating his work opens in Glasgow

O

nce upon a time, the café in Kelvingrove art gallery was where artist Frank Quitely had his ideas. He looks back to the creation of the 2004 comic book miniseries We3 – one of his favourite among a long and prolific partnership with writer and fellow Scot Grant Morrison – and remembers the pair of them meeting here or in the Burrell Collection to discuss their most intensely collaborative project. ‘We were both sat with a big pile of A4 paper and a pencil,’ he remembers, ‘trying to come up with storytelling techniques we’d never seen before.’

Now it’s the artist’s turn to bring some of his own inspiration to bear upon Kelvingrove with the opening of his new exhibition Frank Quitely: The Art of Comics. Through many examples of his original art (and that of his influences including the creators of Batman and The Broons) plus scripts, videos from collaborators such as Morrison and Alan Grant, and a scene-setting overview of the genre, this exhibition will introduce the wider public to a modest great of the Scottish comics industry.

Through his prolific partnership with Morrison, Quitely has had a hand in some of the most acclaimed and successful comics of the last 20 years, from the wildly experimental Flex Mentallo (1996) to the underrated but superhero genre-reviving New X-Men (2001–2003), the transcendental All-Star Superman (2005–2008) and the ambitious Multiversity: Pax Americana (2015). Most of Quitely’s other signature works have come with fellow Scots writers, such as Gordon Rennie and Robbie

➨ 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 47

743-Frank Quitely BD PM.indd 47

28/03/2017 14:31

FRANK QUITELY

Morrison on his breakthrough strips for the Judge Dredd Megazine in the early 90s, and Mark Millar on the groundbreaking The Authority as well as more recently for the ongoing Jupiter’s Legacy. That’s a strong, unbroken thread of national comics culture for an artist who grew up on DC Thomson’s Beano and The Beezer, and rightly idolises Dudley D Watkins, the creator of The Broons and Oor Wullie.

‘Like many kids, I drifted away from comics in my teens,’ says Quitely, who was born in 1968. ‘Then when I was on holiday in Spain with my family, I found this comic called Cimoc which had lovely, fully painted fantasy artwork, but it was all topless women flying about on pterodactyls and heads getting cut off. It was an eye-opener! Aside from that I read Mad magazine and reprints of old horror comics from the spinner rack when I was on holiday in Millport.’

Raised in Rutherglen, Vincent Deighan – as Quitely was born – went to high school in East Kilbride. He studied at Glasgow School of Art, where he learned of a new comic magazine named Electric Soup, a Scottish Viz analogue.

‘I studied drawing and painting to hone my skills for when I figured out what I eventually wanted to do,’ he says. ‘I had an interest in graphic design and thought it might be good to design posters and album covers. And I loved illustration, so I considered creating children’s books. I hadn’t even ruled out teaching, but it was when I started working on Electric Soup, even just single-page strips I was writing myself, I clicked with creating comics. Unlike animation or storyboarding a movie, I had complete control.’

At first, Deighan called himself Frank Quitely (it’s a spoonerism of ‘Quite Frankly’) as a joke in keeping with the Electric Soup style, and because this ‘PC art student’ wasn’t sure if his family would have liked seeing his name appear near some of the work in that title. Yet when his first professional comics work came, he kept it because he’d

➨

already started getting good reviews. After a couple of years on the Judge Dredd Megazine, he quickly graduated to the big leagues: DC and Marvel.

It was Morrison, already a cult star in the US, who recruited Quitely for the spin-off to his experimental ‘Dadaist comic’ Doom Patrol for DC. The artist and writer were introduced at a regular get-together for Glasgow’s comic creators at Blackfriars Bar in the city. ‘I met him socially and we hit it off,’ says Quitely. ‘We get on well and have the same sense of humour, but I think work-wise we have the same hunger to make sure we get it as right as possible. We don’t coast along and knock off at five o’clock; we know that you only get better by doing the best you can.’

Since that first series, Quitely’s work (whether with Morrison, Millar or Grant with whom he teamed up for 1998’s Batman: The Scottish Connection) has been the kind that devoted fans follow from title to title, where his incredibly clean lines and expressive faces carry a rich sense of drama and action.

Ask him to pick a favourite from that time, and surprisingly he can.

‘All-Star Superman struck such a chord,’ he says. ‘A number of people have said to me that it’s their favourite book ever. I put that down to the stories by Grant [Morrison], 12 standalone issues about Superman putting his house in order before he dies. It’s a very human story and I did my best with the art.’ There’s more than a touch of modesty here.

As visitors to the exhibition will see, doing his best with the art has helped create some of the finest comics of recent times.

Frank Quitely: The Art of Comics is at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, Sat 1 Apr–Sun 1 Oct.

48 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Frank Quitely BD PM.indd 48

28/03/2017 14:31

An exciting weekend full of fun, surprising events all across Scotland.

festivalofmuseums.com

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 49

743-adpages.indd 49

28/03/2017 15:09

RACHEL MACLEAN

brexit, lies and videotape Rachel Maclean believes that the tale of Pinocchio fits perfectly with our posttruth politics. As she prepares for this year’s Venice Biennale, the Scottish video artist tells David Pollock about narratives that tap into people’s fears

A

fter the tumult and emotion of Brexit, would a UK citizen setting foot on European soil not immediately question what might be different between here and there? For Rachel Maclean, this year’s Scottish representative at the Venice Biennale, her latest video piece is a chance to put that poser into physical form. Freshly nonplussed by the election of Donald Trump, her ten-day visit to Italy last December to gather inspiration and write was infused with a sense of wonder at the beauty of Venice itself and of concerned dismay at the rise of Brexit, Trump and populist nationalism.

‘For me it was a scary time, but also a really interesting one where I could put some of these ideas down on paper,’ she recalls. ‘The film came about through Venice and that political moment, and they reminded me of the tale of Pinocchio and its relationship to Italy: I felt that story mixed well with the idea of post-truth politics.’

Presented in conjunction with Alchemy Film & Arts, Spite Your Face: A Dark Venetian Fairytale will be seen in Chiesa di Santa Caterina. This deconsecrated church helps pull into relief the contrast between a human search for divine answers just beyond their understanding and the slipping away of that concept to the extent that people may feel they have all the answers now. Maclean is unable to reveal too much about what the film involves (partly for the simple reason it’s still in post-production) but the literature which precedes it boldly states that it will cover themes of ‘identity, economy, society, connectivity and morality’.

‘There are two worlds to the film,’ she continues. ‘It’s going to be presented in portrait format, which has been interesting to work with.

I was looking at a lot of painting in Venice, and thinking about this religious idea of above and below, heaven and hell, the sense of the world having an overworld and an underworld. I like the idea that the portrait format is less about left to right than our interaction with this up and down, above and below world. Like some of my other films, there’s a feeling of a binary between two different worlds that seem to exist concurrently but only occasionally have a relationship or a connection with one another.’

This sounds like nothing if not an on-the-nose comment, that the left-and-right perspective is dissolving to be replaced by something much more elemental. Like each of her films, Maclean has rehearsed the action with ‘real’ actors and then performed all the parts in

costume herself in front of a greenscreen backdrop. ‘In part, the film is trying to absorb some of the atmosphere and feeling of Venice,’ says the filmmaker who has twice been nominated for the Jarman Award, won the Margaret Tait Award in 2013, and will close a solo exhibition of her work at Tate Britain shortly before Spite Your Face opens. ‘It’s a lot different to my other work, a lot less candy-colour and children’s TV. It’s more baroque and hopefully feels more like the glittery luxury of Venice and the slightly grubby, dirty underbelly of the city too.’

Narrative is key here, but not traditionally so. ‘With exhibitions you have that idea of a video just looping and looping constantly, so I’ve written a narrative where there’s no beginning, middle or end, it’s just this constant loop,’ she says. ‘It relates to ideas of truth and desire and feeling like you’re never quite given a solution where you’re satisfied. I was thinking a lot about political narratives, national narratives, local narratives, the narratives we tell ourselves which form our beliefs. And I think there’s been a scary manipulation of truth where facts were manipulated to create a narrative which bought into people’s fears and vulnerabilities. I’m quite interested in seeing a response to that.’

Maclean is excited by the thought of reaching such a wide international audience, but she also recognises the irony of the situation. ‘With the Biennale you’re representing your country, and that’s an interesting context in which to think about ideas of nationalism at a time when there’s such a resurgence of it in different countries around the world. But I’m interested in thinking less about the specifics of a political situation and more about its general ideas and narrative, which plays into different ways of understanding politics and offering more space to discuss that.’

In Maclean’s work, other worlds are always possible: the industrial pragmatism of Glasgow, where this film was made, the eye-opening move outside the comfort zone that exploring the old city of Venice afforded her, and the fantastical amalgam which exists only in her mind and onscreen, a new zone of possibility to explore. ‘I’m really excited to see how people react,’ says Maclean brightly. ‘It’s a scary moment to be alive. But it’s also an exciting moment to be alive, to be able to make work which comments upon where we are.’

Rachel Maclean’s Scotland + Venice commission Spite Your Face: A Dark Venetian Fairytale is at Chiesa di Santa Caterina, Venice, Sat 13 May–Sun 26 Nov, and at Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh, in early 2018.

‘It’s more baroque and a lot less candy-colour and children’s TV’

50 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Rachel Maclean BD PM.indd 50

28/03/2017 14:28

RACHEL MACLEAN PHOTO: RICHARD ASHROWAN

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 51

743-Rachel Maclean BD PM.indd 51

28/03/2017 14:28

SAVE £2 The new edition of The List Eating & Drinking Guide will be published on

19 APRIL 2017 This essential guide is the most authoritative source on the best places to eat out and includes: • • • • • •

RICE P L MA R O N

reviews of more than 900 restaurants, bistros, cafés and bars details of 150 new openings from the last 12 months Hitlist recommendations and other useful tips and pointers brand-new award winners detailed insights from leading chefs normal price £5.95, offer price £3.95

5 9 . £5 YOUR

FOR ONS LY

£3.95

Readers of The List can save £2 with this special voucher

ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS:

VOUCHER CODE TO BE SCANNED INSTORE

Use this voucher or download an online version from list.co.uk/offers and show it at your local Waterstones branch in Glasgow or Edinburgh and they will give you £2 off, enabling you to buy the new guide for £3.95 153-157 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3EW 174-176 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G2 8BT 47 Braehead Shopping Centre, Glasgow, G51 4BP 351-355 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AU Unit 30B, Glasgow Fort Retail Park, G34 9DL 128 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4AD 98/99 Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ Cameron Toll Centre, 6 Lady Road, Edinburgh, EH16 5PB 26 Kinnaird Park, Edinburgh, EH15 3RD

£2 OFF

THE LIST EATING & DRINKING GUIDE 2017/18

Offer open from 19 April until 31 May 2017 TERMS & CONDITIONS: This voucher cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion.

Normal List Terms & Conditions apply.

743-adpages.indd 52

29/03/2017 09:21

EATING & DRINKING GUIDE

eat, drink and be merry With the next List Eating & Drinking Guide about to serve up another definitive analysis of the central belt’s dining landscape, Jo Laidlaw assesses the trends that will matter this season

W

hether it’s champagne for your real friends or real pain for your sham friends, thanks to The List’s 24th Eating & Drinking Guide you’ll never be stuck for somewhere to drown your sorrows. Our team of 70 reviewers have scoured (scoured!) Edinburgh and Glasgow to bring you the highs and lows of the dining and drinking scenes. And with 150 or so new openings this year, we’ve burst more than a few belt buckles along the way.

A few changes have been made to the 2017/18 version: as well as fully updated reviews of hundreds of restaurants, our trusty print guide will focus on the very best new bars and cafés, with more recommendations and suggestions than ever before. You’ll also find every single review and recommendation online at list.co.uk/food.

The guide will hit the streets on 18 April, but until then, here’s our round-up of what’s done to a turn and what’s been done to death. You’re welcome . . .

we’re predicting a long-overdue pizza revolution. In Edinburgh, frontrunners like La Favorita and Civerinos have been joined by WildManWood, wee Dough in Rose Street and Dalry’s brand-new-but-almost-a-cult-already Pizzeria 1926. Over in Glasgow, Paesano Pizza set the ball rolling and have been joined by places like Baffo, Pizza Punks and Mozza, a new venture from Tony Macaroni specialising in Neapolitan flavours and sharing bottles of beer.

EVERYTHING’S COMING UP ROSES FOR . . .

. . . AVOCADOS

. . . BRANDS

Love ’em or loathe ’em, brands are big in both cities this year. And while sometimes it feels like that means a Nando’s on every corner, it’s not necessarily bad news for discerning diners.

Newcastle-born Smoke BBQ is packing them in over in Glasgow, while in Edinburgh, Italian wine café Veeno does a good line in aperitivo and a very reasonable wine list. Dishoom has also had them queuing round the block since opening in the capital in December and no wonder: have you tried that bacon naan?

. . . STREET FOOD

Street food is getting organised. Collectives and semi-permanent homes, like Food + Flea, Good Food Glasgow and Taste Buchanan, have brought regularity into the scene, banking on the hope that their collective power will draw more diners in. It’s easy to see the appeal, but let’s hope the street scene doesn’t lose its devil-may-care edge in the process.

AND A BUNCH OF GARAGE FLOWERS FOR . . .

You like an avo smash as much as the next guy, amiright? But with concerns that the worldwide boom in avocado demand is contributing to deforestation as well as using serious amounts of precious water, the current trend for adding them to Every Single Plate needs to stop. . . . FANCY PLATES

Regular readers, feel free to cry ‘fickle!’ After all, we’ve been banging on about our hatred of slate tiles for what feels like decades now. But the new penchant for grey / blue artisanal handdesigned stoneware with a longer provenance than most ingredients is, frankly, giving us the hump. We know. Some folk are never happy.

. . . PIZZA

If it’s wood-fired or stone-baked, them pies don’t lose their shape: here at List Towers,

The List Eating & Drinking Guide is out on Tue 18 Apr. 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 53

743-EDG Trends PM BD.indd 53

28/03/2017 18:26

SPRING FOOD EVENTS

sip, sizzle and snack

1–4 APRIL

26–28 MAY

TALES OF THE COCKTAIL ON TOUR

EDINBURGH CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL

Various venues, Edinburgh, talesofthecocktail.com An industry gathering of international spirits professionals makes its first European appearance.

There are various opportunities for the general public to get a piece of the action, with bars across the city shaking up special cocktail events plus a series of seminars and talks from the drinks experts in town for the week.

The Biscuit Factory, Bonnington, Edinburgh, edinburghcraftbeerfestival.co.uk Scotland’s first global craft beer gathering with over 30 internationally renowned brewers such as Lervig, Firestone Walker, and Yeastie Boys alongside locals including Tempest and Fierce Beer.

There’s food from some of The Pitt’s vendors and high-profile DJ sets too.

26–29 MAY

19–22 APRIL

EAT & DRINK FESTIVAL

PAISLEY BEER FESTIVAL & FOOD FESTIVAL

SEC, Glasgow, eatanddrinkfestival.com Running alongside the Ideal Home Show Scotland, this big new event strand (pictured, left & bottom) offers a chef’s table from the show’s street vendors, a foodie lab demo area, a producers’ market and a drinks station for cocktails, spirits and beers.

Paisley Town Hall & Abbey Close, Paisley, paisleybeerfestival.co.uk, paisley2021.co.uk As Paisley launches its bid to be UK City of Culture 2021, Scotland’s largest beer gathering celebrates its 30th birthday. It’s joined by Paisley Food Festival on Saturday 22 April and Paisley Restaurant Week (Saturday 15–Sunday 23 April), with discounts and deals at various places throughout the town centre.

11–13 MAY

Mark your card for some action-packed food and drink events coming to a venue, street or entire town near you this spring

FESTIVALE4 Summerhall, Edinburgh, summerhall.co.uk Summerhall’s annual gathering of beer, spirits and street food, focusing on limited edition, can’tget-anywhere-else beers from local brewers, a cocktail kitchen and their very own Bar of Unearthly Delights, plus live science experiments, DJs and acoustic music.

12–14 MAY

27 & 28 MAY

THE WHISKY STRAMASH Surgeons’ Hall, Edinburgh, thewhiskystramash.com Now in its sixth year, sample over 200 whiskies from Scotland and further afield, and get hands-on with some special ‘experiences’ too.

27 & 28 MAY

LARGS FOOD FEST Largs Green, The Promenade, Largs, North Ayrshire, explorelargs.com Largs celebrates food from Ayrshire and beyond (pictured, top right) with demos, talks, tastings, bars and live music, along with kids’ entertainment.

SCOTTISH STREET FOOD AWARDS Pitt Street, Leith, Edinburgh, britishstreetfood.co.uk The inaugural Scottish Street Food Awards will see vendors battling it out for the public vote and the chance to compete in the UK-wide competition in September. See preview, page 57.

2–4 JUNE

JUNIPER GIN FESTIVAL Summerhall, Edinburgh, summerhall.co.uk With a variety of top producers to try before you buy as well as gin talks, cocktails, food stalls and handmade fashions and crafts, the Juniper Festival is a celebration of all things gin.

26–28 MAY

MHOR FESTIVAL

10 & 11 JUNE

Monachyle Mhor Farm, Balquhidder, Perthshire, mhorfestival.net An in-the-know boutique food festival run by the enterprising Mhor group of hotels and shops, with baking competitions, theatre, live music and many more activities for kids and adults, as well as lots of great food.

CRAIL FOOD FESTIVAL Crail, Fife, crailfoodfest.co.uk Local food celebration among the old streets and harbour of this pretty East Neuk village, with highlights including a children’s tea party and Sunday Lunch at the harbour with shellfish, venison, fish and chips, and haddock smoking.

54 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Spring Food PM BD YS DR.indd 54

28/03/2017 14:27

NEW FOOD Indulge in our new selection of bar bites, flatbreads and the all new hot lava stones for you to cook a selection of steak cuts!

NEW DRINKS Feeling adventurous? Try our new selection of cocktails, from Watermelon & Jalapeno Margaritas to FREAKY Milkshakes!

Steak & Shake £10

Gin O’clock

Sunday - Thursday

>ja\Yq k £3 G&T £5 Cocktails £15 Pitchers

Book Now! 0131 229 4634 www.no8listersquare.co.uk No8 Lister Square, Simpson Loan

@no8listersquare

150g Rump & Chips with a Milkshake

743-adpages.indd 55

NEW DEALS

28/03/2017 15:10

'Liive liife with a Litttle Spic ce' Ex xpe erie ence e ou ur 1st Au uthe ent n ic i Sic ich huan n Cu uissin ne in n Sco otla and d.

• Businesss Lunch h Fro om £8.9 95 Monday - Saturday (from 12noon - 3pm)

• Gourm met Menu u Fro om £12 2.9 90 Monday - Saturday (from 12noon - 3pm) Sunday (from 2pm - 6.30pm)

• Sic chuan Ba anqu uet From £25 5

349 Sauchiehall Street G2 3HW

http:// www.sichuanhouse.co.uk

0141 333 1788

best brunch in town fact.

56 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-adpages.indd 56

28/03/2017 15:10

FOOD & DRINK

For the latest news, listi n reviews, ggs and o list.co.uk to /food&dr ink

THE SCOTTISH STREET FOOD AWARDS Three-day celebration at The Pitt reflects a dynamic local scene Established in 2009, the British Street Food Awards have attracted Scottish entrants in the past, but the current dynamism of the scene in Edinburgh and Glasgow has inspired founder Richard Johnson to launch a separate competition for Scotland. Open to the public to taste, feast and, ultimately, vote, the event will take place over three May days at The Pitt food market in Edinburgh. The chance to represent Scotland at the national awards in September will be battled out by the following shortlisted outfits in semi-finals on the Friday and Saturday, with the final taking place on the Sunday: Friday semi-final – Barnacles and Bones, Rost, Chick and Pea, Fresh R-evolution, Buffalo Truck, Prague Shack, Umami Spice Girl, Moo Pie, Cheesy Toast Shack; Saturday semi-final – Shrimpwreck, Chompsky, Babu, Cav and Co / Hamish’s Hogs, Haggis Man, Crema Caravan.

■ The Scottish Street Food Awards, The Pitt, Pitt Street, Edinburgh, Fri 12–Sun 14 May; tickets available from thepitt.co.uk

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 57

743-Food&Drink Lead 57 PM DR BD.indd 57

28/03/2017 15:53

FOOD & DRINK

NEWS & REVIEWS

MOVEABLE FEASTS

DRINKS NEWS

Taisteal’s chef and produce may be Scottish, but James Teideman discovers that this new venture uses inspiration from around the globe to offer a refreshed take on fusion

C

hef Gordon Craig is a happy man. This is his dream job: a place of his own. His path to get here has included stints at the multiMichelin starred Waterside Inn, the Plumed Horse, and more recently a partnership at Field. After a year at the helm of Stockbridge’s Field Grill, he’s taken the opportunity to rebrand in his own image, journeying from session musician to conductor.

Now he’s orchestrating proceedings; constantly tweaking, refining, perfecting.

With Taisteal (Gaelic for travel), Gordon now creates dishes based on the best local Scottish produce, laced with inspiration from his cook’s tours, whether to Copenhagen or China (or the Chinese supermarket). The pivot has lost the odd regular but quickly gained a crowd keen to dip their toes in international waters. He claims that future destinations – South America, he says – will determine the direction of his dishes and enable evolution, keeping both customer and kitchen satisfied.

So to start: scallops and black pudding (so far, so Scottish) but with pomegranate, satay and a shard of samosa pastry, a friendly shark’s fin protruding from hand-dived depths. Ras el hanout-

glazed pigeon breast rests on a disc of giant couscous, scattered with pistachio like a glittery green cupcake. The fusion is not forced though, and doesn’t feel like a twist for novelty’s sake.

For mains, a shiitake samosa shakes up a maple and five-spice Gressingham duck with grilled pak choi and edamame beans. Two-textured deepfried butternut squash gnocchi stand out alongside venison haunch with sesame seeds and cassis jus.

The fusions are subtler at dessert: sweet is sweet.

A chocolate and citrussy yuzu fondant reveals itself like a boiled egg receiving soldiers, prettied with orange curd powder and matching sorbet. And citrus plays again in a luscious lemongrass parfait with cracks of honeycomb and coconut ice-cream.

It’s possible to interpret ‘taisteal’ as a conceptual culinary journey: this Taisteal hints at the exotic without being elite, inaccessible or scary.

+

Creative chef taking fine Scottish produce in exciting directions

-

Inevitably, not every diner will ‘get’ each fusion

TAISTEAL 1 Raeburn Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh EH4 1HU, 0131 332 9977, taisteal.co.uk Tue–Sun noon–2.30pm, 6–9.30pm. Closed Mon.

Mike McGinty (pictured), general manager of Edinburgh West End bar The Voyage of Buck, travelled to Mexico in January and saw off rival bartenders from around the globe to claim the International Patrón Perfectionist cocktail competition. A version of his winning entry, a Yellow Pepper Sour which mixes tequila with chamomile-infused sherry and yellow pepper syrup, can be tasted by taking a voyage to William Street.

In Glasgow, beer brand Innis & Gunn are opening a new Beer Kitchen in Ashton Lane, while Kained Holdings latest Finnieston opening is a Victorian boozer-turnedMexican party bar called the Duchess of Argyle.

Set two-course lunch £10; average cost two-course dinner £22 58 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Food+Drink PM DR.indd 58

28/03/2017 18:26

FOOD & DRINK

SIDE DISHES

Just opened in Edinburgh is an ambitious new restaurant from Swiss-French chef Jérôme Henry (pictured). Called Le Roi Fou and coming into the space previously occupied by Burger Meats Bun on Forth Street, just off Broughton Street, Henry plans to serve modern European dishes across a variety of menus including daily prix fixe, à la carte, tasting, vegetarian and weekend

brunch. Previously head chef at Anton Mosimann’s Private Dining Club in Belgrave Square in London, Henry has teamed up with creative director Isolde Nash to incorporate some bold styling to the bar and salon, ranging from Dada inspirations to Belle Époque red velvet, fine china and crystal, with additional input from Glasgow designer and cabinetmaker David Watson.

News to nibble on This year’s edition of our Eating & Drinking Guide will be available from Wednesday 19 April – preorder it on list. co.uk or look out for it in newsagents or bookshops, with a discount deal available through Waterstones (see page 52).

Our 24th annual guide is – as ever – brimful with up-to-date reviews of all the places worth knowing about in Glasgow and Edinburgh for eating out, with coverage of 150 new entries, brand-new Hitlists and Tiplists, as well as an announcement of our awards, including best newcomers, best new bars and a readers’ award.

Among the new places in Glasgow you can catch up on is a venture by 2016 award-winner Nico Simeone.

Operating out of 1132 Argyle Street,

Six by Nico will host a new restaurant concept every six weeks, with an evolving series of sixcourse tasting menus themed on a different place or memory.

First up, running until 23 April, is ‘The Chippie’.

In Edinburgh, there’s also a new second venture from the team behind Eyre Place’s New Chapter, with Otro Restaurant at 22 Coates Crescent serving their take on classic brasserie dishes, along with breakfast, steak and cocktail menus. In town, Ronaq Indian Restaurant has opened up on East Market Street (next to the council’s Waverley Court offices), while the popular Bearded Baker now has his own shop-café at 46 Rodney Street in Canonmills.

CO-PROMOTION WITH REAL FOODS, EDINBURGH

NOURISHING THE NATION SINCE 1975

t Cook – tasty food like organic roasted sweet potato and sustainably sourced extra virgin raw organic coconut oil t From – Scottish porridge oats to gluten-free pasta; organic British beetroot to Spanish butternut squash; everything you need t Ingredients – that are healthy, natural and nourishing

This year why not cook from scratch instead of scratching the cooking!

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO©HULTONARCHIVE

Ever since our Broughton Street store opened in 1974 we have been providing good quality wholefood ingredients that can be used to make delicious, nourishing meals for you and your family.

We all want to stay warm and keep our families healthy through the winter months. One great way to help all the family stay fit and well is to feed them well with warm, nourishing food cooked from scratch.

Processed foods can be costly. You pay for the labour to make these foods, and often pay VAT on ready meals, cakes and treats. The raw ingredients for these foods are Vat free, so that’s a fifth of the cost saved!

Come on, visit the healthiest shop in town and see what you can get to nourish your family this winter.

Ther Th ere’ er e ll be cl c ea ean n pl p at ates es and smiile es all alll ro oun u d wiith h mor ore ore heal he alth thyy ho home me coo o ke ked d mealls fo forr yo ou an and d yo your ur fam am mily illy

Shop online at

www.realfoods.uk FREE UK delivery for online orders of £29 or over* Fresh t local t seasonal t value *Applies to UK mainland orders only and does not include wholesale bulk items.

REAL FOODS | 37 Broughton Street EH1 3JU | 8 Brougham Street, Tollcross EH3 9JH | www.realfoods.uk 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 59

743-Food+Drink PM DR.indd 59

28/03/2017 18:26

FOOD & DRINK

STREET WISE

RECENT OPENINGS

Robbie Armstrong finds that a new branch for Indian street food specialists Tuk Tuk brings a casual, colourful dining venue to Glasgow’s nightlife epicentre

T

he much-lauded Tuk Tuk’s new branch sits smack bang in the middle of Glasgow’s midnight mecca. In a smartly designed space that sprawls out over three levels, they serve up an exciting Indian culinary vibe alongside colourful murals, colonial-era TV sets and repurposed oil lamps.

The menu is broken down into roadside plates, street curries and a meat market offering, but the best advice is to kick it all off with a refreshing mint and lime cooler or mango lassi before the big flavours and small plates arrive in quick succession. Chapatis are to be broken by hand, while deliciously pink lamb chops are well-charred and to be chomped with fatty fingers. Ginger garlic chicken comes warm and inviting, while dhal makhani features black lentils and kidney beans served in the very richest of sauces.

On-the-bone roadside chicken curry melts into bits in a curry leaf sauce, while an aubergine and potato number is soft and nicely spiced.

If you have room, try the gulab jamun (Indian-style sugar dumplings) afterwards or opt for a mango kulfi pop instead.

TUK TUK 426 Sauchiehall Street, City Centre, Glasgow G2 3JD, 0141 332 2126, tuktukonline.com £12 (tiffin lunch) / £15 (dinner)

Vietnamese food they enjoyed on their travels, Non Viet won’t disappoint.

commitment to sourcing the best ingredients from Scotland and Italy is still very much in evidence.

RAMEN DAYO

PIZZERIA 1926

BARS & PUBS 333 Great Western Road, West End, 0141 339 4111, themallardbar.co.uk, £18 (lunch/dinner) The Mallard has all the hallmarks of a destination place, somewhere people will make a definite effort to drink and dine in. Where they’ve got things absolutely spot on is with the cocktail and wine selection. The Rhubarb and Grapefruit Old Fashioned is simply divine and the Botanical Gardens, with Grey Goose, elderflower liqueur and cucumber, will take you to some very special and memorable places. With standouts of braised beef and salmon, the menu appears all set to knock your socks off, yet side dishes require a bit of refinement. But with specials such as duck egg and black pudding coated in breadcrumbs with a peppercorn sauce on the side, let’s not lie to one another, you’re intrigued.

JAPANESE 73 Queen Street, City Centre, 0141 328 3202, ramendayo.com, £12 (dinner) A restaurant specialising in ramen may not seem a candidate for culinary raptures, but the love and care invested in this iconic dish is evident in every mouthful. Bone broth has supposed health benefits, but it’s the taste that matters, and this tastes sublime. It’s been coddled by chefs working round the clock, and its 24-hour cooking gives it complexity and depth. It’s topped with wooddried mushrooms, spring onions, sliced pork and shards of nori seaweed, while variants on the theme include black miso and sesame-based vegetarian versions. Exemplary gyoza accompany while homemade ginger beer or sake are wise drinks options.

ITALIAN 85 Dalry Road, West End, 0131 337 5757, £13 (lunch) / £13 (dinner) When street food is taken off the streets, something is often lost in translation. But here, the heart and soul seems to have been transported direct from the bustle and noise of a Naples piazza. Cuoppo (Neapolitanstyle fritto misto) come in a brown paper cone; rustling deep-fried morsels of courgette flowers, stuffed olives, mozzarella, whitebait and more. Pizza, naturally, is Neapolitan style with a touch of yielding softness to the base, and a list of around 10 pizzas ranges from the daringly simple to the thoughtfully adventurous: chopped octopus, tomatoes and oregano packs a gutsy punch of flavour and texture.

NON VIET

Edinburgh

The best of the new restaurant, café and bar openings in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Prices shown are for an average two-course meal for one.

Glasgow THE MALLARD

VIETNAMESE 536–538 Sauchiehall Street, City Centre, 0141 332 2975, nonviet.co.uk, £10 (set lunch) / £17 (dinner) Non Viet is the latest addition to Glasgow’s limited selection of Vietnamese restaurants, doubling the options. For a Sauchiehall Street diner, it’s a surprisingly calm and refined place. Wood-panelled walls, low-hanging lights and suspended bicycles, give the restaurant a stamp of modernity verging on a chainlike aesthetic. The menu quickly establishes anything but, with plenty of unusual options, where slow-cooked caramelised dishes arrive bubbling away, as if served in a Vietnamese market. Flavour combinations are welljudged, evidenced in small details such as the sweet and sour salad dressing. For diners longing for the

CONTINI GEORGE STREET ITALIAN 103 George Street, New Town, 0131 225 1550, contini.com/contini-george-street, £16 (set lunch) / £23 (dinner) A spring makeover saw Carina and Victor Contini’s opulent all-day Italian – Centotre, until a year or so back – ramping up the fun and modernising the menu.

A plush new bar area serves aperitivi and frescostyle renaissance figures adorn the walls – a touch of tongue-in-cheek Italian melodrama that softens the feel of this grand former banking hall. The revamped menu takes a progressive approach towards sharing plates and contemporary dishes, while the Continis’ signature

ALPLINGS CAFES 16 Henderson Street, Leith, 07527 634 964, alplings.co.uk, £9 (lunch) The food of the mountains is now available at sea level, just off The Shore in Leith.

After popping up in festivals and markets, South Tyrolean owner Martin Auer has established a permanent home: a small, bright mountain hut of a restaurant with pine furniture, decked out in a wholesome shade of pale green. Alongside the signature vegetarian alplings which come in delicious beetroot, cheese or spinach varieties, there’s spätzle (Austrian egg noodle) dishes with carbonara and four cheese sauces; sweet vanilla pancakes; and soft pretzel rolls. Flavours are rich, portions satisfying and the atmosphere relaxed.

Independent write-ups on all the restaurants worth knowing about in Glasgow and Edinburgh are available on our online Eating & Drinking Guide at list.co.uk/food-and-drink 60 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Food+Drink PM DR.indd 60

28/03/2017 18:26

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 61

743-adpages.indd 61

28/03/2017 16:04

62 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-adpages.indd 62

28/03/2017 15:10

AROUND TOWN

F the latesotr listing news, reviews,sgand list.c .uko to /aroundoto wn

EDINBURGH COMIC CON

PHOTO: MUSTBE 2SDAY

The capital’s annual comic convention continues to grow The modern comic convention is an everevolving creature and, particularly in the case of Edinburgh Comic Con, just gets bigger by the year. Founded in 2014, its first event was held at Edinburgh University’s Potterrow student union with barely 500 people in attendance. Fast forward to 2016 and the city’s huge Edinburgh International Conference Centre was sold out, the queues of families and cosplayers stretching around the block.

For ECC founder James Lundy, it’s a situation which contrasts with the fallow years he’s seen since he visited the booming UK Comic Art Convention in London back in 1990. ‘The demographics of the people who attend has changed,’ he says. ‘Now it’s really cool to witness people like me who were always on the outside now becoming more ingrained in the social consciousness. The convention scene is booming, and attendees can decide for themselves how they feel about that. I’m

all for the variety, but I feel the market has reached saturation point. We experienced something similar back in the 90s, when it was boom or bust.’

ECC does a good job of catering to everyone, though, representing the comic community with high-profile guests like Phil Jimenez and Dan McDaid, names from film and TV including Game of Thrones’ Ian Beattie, the team behind Kevin Smith biopic Shooting Clerks, and fun extras including interactive prop displays and Lego exhibitions. ‘It’s amusing when people look at the New York or San Diego cons and they immediately expect the exact same in Scotland,’ says Lundy. ‘We have to realise that strong trees don’t grow overnight. Yes, Edinburgh Comic Con can compete on the world stage and draw attendees from all over the world: we just have to be careful how we do that.’ (David Pollock) ■ EICC, Edinburgh, Sat 15 & Sun 16 Apr.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 63

743-Around Town Lead 63 PM KS.indd 63

28/03/2017 14:09

AROUND TOWN | Highlights

SCOTLAND IN SIX Various venues, Edinburgh, Tue 18 Apr, digit2017.com Visit one of Scotland’s six iconic World Heritage Sites in this full day of activities that celebrates World Heritage Day. SOUTHSIDE FRINGE Various venues, Glasgow, Fri 12–Sun 28

EDINBURGH COMIC CON EICC, Sat 15 & Sun 16

PHOTO: CHRIS SCOTT

Apr, heroconventions. com Comics, cosplay and a host of talent. See preview, page 63.

PHOTO: MUSTBE 2SDAY

HITLIST

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL Various venues, Edinburgh, Sat 1–Sun 16 Apr, sciencefestival. co.uk Time to Get Connected for this year’s sci fest. See feature, page 20.

May, southsidefringe. com A 17-day festival incorporating music, theatre, spoken word, comedy, art and activities for all the family.

HIDDEN DOOR FESTIVAL Leith Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 26 May–Sun 4 Jun, hiddendoorblog.org

Interdisciplinary arts festival, this year relocated to Leith Theatre. See feature, page 30.

AROUND TOWN HIGHLIGHTS PHOTO: ELLEN DUFFY

Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

GLASGOW LENTFEST Various venues, until Sun 16 Apr, lentfest.co.uk An annual festival of faith and arts, incorporating theatre, film screenings, music, poetry and visual arts, across the Archdiocese of Glasgow.

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS Braehead Arena, Thu 6 Apr, harlemglobetrotters.com The Harlem Globetrotters, known for their international basketball skills, perform some of their best tricks, slams and crowd-pleasing showboating. Check out the talents of Special K Daley, Big Easy Lofton, Flight Time Lang and the rest. Also touring, see list.co.uk for details.

GLASGOW SCI-FI, COSPLAY & COMIC CON Barrowland, Sat 8 & Sun 9 Apr, glasgow-barrowland.com A celebration of cosplay, movies, TV, comics, anime, toys and games.

WRESTLEMANIA REVENGE The SSE Hydro, Thu 4 May, wwe.com The ultimate in ‘sports entertainment’ as the real deal WWE superstars of US wrestling bring the pain to the UK. Also touring, see list.co.uk for details.

CAMPSIE MAYFEST Milton of Campsie, Fri 12–Sun 14 May, facebook.com/MoCartclub Community art and music festival including art exhibitions, walks, a craft fair and live music.

SCOTTISH BOAT RACE Riverside Museum, Sat 20 May, facebook.com/ ScottishBoatRaceFest The annual rowing competition (second oldest of its type in the country) between those

Beltane Fire Festival

old rivals, the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh.

EAT AND DRINK FESTIVAL SEC, Fri 26–Mon 29 May, eatanddrinkfestival.com Interactive food show with live cooking classes, drinks masterclasses, wine and whisky tutorials plus some of the country’s most popular street food vendors.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF MIDDLE EASTERN SPIRITUALITY AND PEACE Various venues, Sat 1–Sun 9 Apr, mesp.org.uk This international festival draws together people from a wide range of spiritual backgrounds, cultures and traditions to celebrate peace and mutual understanding via spiritual, educational, artistic and cultural events.

EDINBURGH MONKEY BUSINESS National Museum of Scotland, until Sun 23 Apr, nms.ac.uk/ national-museum-of-scotland An interactive exhibition featuring more than 60 taxidermied primates including orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees.

Learn how they adapted to their surroundings and communicated with each other.

EDINBURGH OUTLANDER EXPERIENCE Mercat Tours, every Sat & Sun, mercattours.com Take a trip to locations from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander novels as visited by her beloved characters Claire and Jamie.

Hear dramatic stories of the Jacobites, the Stuarts, witchcraft, clans and how the fictional story intermingles with history.

CONPULSION UNDERWORLD Teviot, Fri 7–Sun 9 Apr, conpulsion. org Conpulsion is Edinburgh’s largest weekend tabletop gaming convention, covering board games, roleplaying games, card games, wargames and live action roleplay.

TRADFEST Various venues, Wed 26 Apr–Sun 7 May, tracscotland.org/festivals/ tradfest ’Rooted in the Past, Resonating in the Present’ is the tagline for the fifth year of Edinburgh’s folk arts feast, TradFest. See preview, page 83.

BELTANE FIRE FESTIVAL Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Sun 30 Apr, beltane.org A modern interpretation of the ancient fertility festival of Beltane in the spectacular setting of Calton Hill.

Beltane Fire Society performs the story of the death of winter and the birth of

summer via drumming, debauched acrobatics, giant-puppetry and fire.

PROFESSOR BRIAN COX Edinburgh Playhouse, Sun 7 May, atgtickets.com Prof Brian Cox takes his audience on a stirring journey through space and time.

Also The SSE Hydro, Fri 19 May, thessehydro.com EUROPEAN RUGBY CHALLENGE FINAL Murrayfield Stadium, Fri 12 May, epcrugby.com/edinburgh-2017 BT Murrayfield hosts the Challenge Cup Final which features the cream of European professional club rugby as well as stars of the world game.

EDINBRICK Summerhall, Sat 20 May, summerhall.co.uk Lego displays, activities and more, suitable for all ages.

EDINBURGH MARATHON FESTIVAL Various venues, Sat 27 & Sun 28 May, edinburghmarathon.com Scotland’s largest running festival with over 30,000 runners expected to take part. There are seven races to choose from over two days including the marathon, half marathon, team relay, 10k, 5k and junior races.

64 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Around Town Highlights 64 BD PM KS.indd 64

28/03/2017 17:20

BOOKS

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /books

OPEN THE DOOR

PHOTO: KEITH HUNTER

New festival offers antidote to established literary views Named after seminal author Catherine Carswell’s 1920 novel, Open the Door!, Scotland’s newest literary festival is a welcoming celebration of women writers from across the centuries. Hosted by Glasgow Women’s Library (pictured), Open the Door Festival will feature the brightest of the country’s literary talent: Val McDermid, Maggie O’Farrell, Kirsty Logan, Leila Aboulela and Lesley McDowell will all feature across this one-day event. ‘Open the Door promises an intimate, innovative literary feast,’ says Adele Patrick, creative development manager at GWL. ‘It’s an acknowledgement of the unstoppable burgeoning in recent years of women in all literary fields in Scotland.’

It’s not as though Scotland’s literary heritage isn’t well-known, but Open the Door is poised as an antidote to the often male-centric view of this country’s cultural history. With more men on long and short lists for awards, and fewer books by women writers being reviewed, there is still a significant disparity between how female and male authors are treated.

‘Open the Door will involve the unleashing of shared passions, a spotlighting of sources that fire the imaginations of established and emerging contemporary female literary lions,’ says Patrick. The two main festival events will be a unique take on the literary tea party, where authors congregate to discuss their career and work. That’s followed by a cocktail party-style salon with the chance to pick more authors’ brains about their artistic influences. (Kirstyn Smith) ■ Glasgow Women’s Library, Sat 13 May.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 65

743-Books Lead 65 PM.indd 65

28/03/2017 14:14

BOOKS | Reviews YOUNG ADULT

PATRICK NESS Release (Walker Books) ●●●●●

PHOTO: DEBBIE SMYTH

Billed as his most personal novel yet, Patrick Ness’ new book for young adults will be warmly welcomed by his fans, though it’s probably not the one to start with if you’re a Ness newbie.

In Release, Adam Thorn is a charismatic, witty gay teen in Washington state, cursed with strongly religious parents who think he’s made the wrong ‘lifestyle choice’ – and he’s having one hell of a day. The love of his life is leaving town, his best friend Angela is hiding something, his devoutly Christian older brother drops a bombshell, his boss is a creep, and he’s not sure how he feels about his latest boyfriend. Plus, his town is still reeling from one of his peers being murdered up by the lake – which is coincidentally where the party he’s going to that night is being held. And alongside Adam’s own personal hell, a ghost is being raised from the dead.

Ness is best known for his superlative Chaos Walking trilogy, and bona fide weepie A Monster Calls. But Release is more reminiscent of his eerie afterlife adventure More Than This and 2015’s Buffy homage, The Rest of Us Just Live Here. It’s signature Ness in many ways, particularly in how it sensitively and maturely deals with the horrors – and the ecstasies – of teenage life. Yet the ghostly side plot is a little weak compared to the strength of Adam’s story. Based loosely on Ness’ own experiences growing up, it’s here that the novel really shines; Adam’s insecurities and struggle with his parents’ beliefs are heartbreaking. Ness’ fictional worlds are littered with fantastic characters: Adam is a wonderful addition. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Out Thu 4 May.

COLLECTION

FICTION

DYSTOPIAN DRAMA

SEQUEL

SABRINA MAHFOUZ (ED.)

RON BUTLIN

PHILIP MILLER

LISA MCINERNEY

The Things I Would Tell You (Saqi Books) ●●●●●

Billionaires’ Banquet (Salt) ●●●●●

All the Galaxies (Freight) ●●●●●

The Blood Miracles (John Murray)

There’s a satirical edge laced into every word Ron Butlin writes, and in Billionaire’s Banquet, it’s well harnessed.

The language is sharp, funny and considered, and lends credence to Butlin’s reputation as an author of tremendous talent. But this Thatcherera meditation on the fluctuance of society is somewhat lacking.

The central characters (The Cat and Hume) indulge themselves as ever-soliberal students: they have casual sex with each other; they give each other irritating nicknames; they go to a party, talk about philosophy, then have some more casual sex. The problem is, it doesn’t really progress from there.

Butlin scratches the surface of niche societal commentary, exploring what it means to be a part of high society at the height of Thatcherism. And though Billionaire’s Banquet has some strong moments, they don’t weave together well enough for its big message to make a big enough impact.

Butlin – a former Edinburgh Makar – is an impressive writer, but there’s a bigger story here that he hasn’t managed to tell. (Rebecca Monks) ■ Out Sat 15 Apr.

Set in a period of great civil unrest, All the Galaxies foresees a dark future for Scotland, in which war, terror and anarchy are commonplace. Glasgow becomes a microcosm of the country in the aftermath of a second failed independence referendum, which is followed by a bloody and gruesome era of turmoil known as ‘The Horrors’.

This novel charts the journeys of several characters as they navigate the strange and sometimes supernatural world around them. Though the many jumps in time and complex interweaving of story is disorientating at points, this ultimately evolves into an effective plot device. The tales of Fallon and his son Roland are particularly moving, as both remain in search of something significant throughout the majority of their narratives.

With such a messy backdrop being the current norm for many places around the world, Philip Miller’s dystopian tale acts as a comment on the fragile nature of social order, forcing us to consider the careful but unpredictable balance at play in our societies. (Arusa Qureshi) ■ Out Thu 6 Apr.

Written by British Muslim women, this new collection aims to offer an alternative to narrow definitions of British Muslim identity and the perpetuation of crude stereotypes, described by Samira Shackle in one story as ‘corner shops, jalfrezi, terrorism’.

Within the mix of short stories, poems and plays are pieces exploring the frustration at the limited casting of Middle Eastern female actors, honour killings in Pakistan and the women using Islamic Tinder.

Stand-outs include Kamila Shamsie’s ‘The Girl Next Door’, a tale of competition and camaraderie between two women working at Kyoon TV, and Aisha Mirza’s ‘Staying Alive Through Brexit’, a stinging criticism of white, middle-class liberal commentators.

The scope of the book, edited by poet and theatremaker Sabrina Mahfouz, is vast. It doesn’t just expose the extreme limitations of the depiction of British Muslims; it depicts and voices their multicultural, multifaceted identity. (Rowena McIntosh) ■ Out Mon 3 Apr.

●●●●●

Lisa McInerney exploded onto the scene with her 2015 debut, The Glorious Heresies. She amassed fans quickly, casually picking up the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Desmond Elliott Prize along the way.

McInerney returns to the same stable of characters for her much-anticipated follow-up, The Blood Miracles.

In the first tale, Ryan Cusack’s path is not yet set; he’s a rough lad with bags of potential, but is being led in the wrong direction. In The Blood Miracles, he’s grown up fast, done some time and become the right-hand man of drug dealer, Dan Kane. When a new plan to ship pills to Cork goes south, Ryan’s allegiances are tested.

The Blood Miracles ask the questions ‘can we ever escape from the path we’ve been set on?’ and ‘who decides what the “right” path looks like anyway?’. McInerney’s deft use of language and Hiberno-English turn of phrase help make this a rich experience.

Without it, the book would be a simple drug heist gone wrong. With it, it’s well worth a second read. (Sasha de Buyl) ■ Out Thu 20 Apr.

66 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Books Reviews 66 PM.indd 66

28/03/2017 14:13

Highlights | BOOKS

PHOTO: MUSTBE 2SDAY

HITLIST

IRVINE WELSH Waterstones West End, Mon 3 Apr, waterstones.com Irvine Welsh signs paperback copies of his latest novel The Blade Artist, which revisits notorious Trainspotting character Begbie, now living with his wife and two children in America.

EDINBURGH COMIC CON EICC, Edinburgh, Sat 15 & Sun 16 Apr, heroconventions.com See preview, page 63.

JO NESBO Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Tue 18 Apr, ayewrite.co.uk The Norwegian author discusses the eleventh instalment in his Harry Hole series. The film of the seventh book, The Snowman, is due to be released in October, with Michael Fassbender as detective Hole.

LIMMY: THAT’S YOUR LOT Òran Mór, Glasgow, 7–9, 12, 23, 25 & 26 May, oran-mor. co.uk Join Limmy as he introduces his second book, That’s Your Lot, featuring stories that are dafter and darker than before. Also touring, see list.co.uk/books for details.

OPEN THE DOOR Glasgow Women’s Library, Sat 13 May, womenslibrary.org. uk A new literary festival celebrating an exciting new era of women writers and readers, including writers Val McDermid, Maggie O’Farrell, Kirsty Logan, Leila Aboulela and Zoe Venditozzi. See preview, page 65.

BOOKS HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

McFadyen presents an evening of prose and poems in Scots and English.

He’s joined by musical friends Mairi McFadyen, Chris Wright, Zarya Rathe, Ella Leith and David Francis.

GLASGOW TALL TALES Tron Theatre, Saturdays, tron. co.uk Storytelling sessions brought to life with props, movement, music, percussion and creative play.

DAN HARDY Waterstones Sauchiehall Street, Tue 4 Apr, waterstones.com UFC fighter-turned-analyst Dan Hardy signs his autobiography, Part Reptile. Also Waterstones West End, Edinburgh, Tue 4 Apr DAWN O’PORTER Waterstones Sauchiehall Street, Tue 11 Apr, waterstones.com The Glamour columnist discusses her new novel The Cows, which tackles friendship, feminism, social media and sex in O’Porter’s frank style. Baileys provides the cocktails.

LAINI TAYLOR Waterstones Sauchiehall Street, Fri 14 Apr, waterstones.com The author of the young adult fantasy series, Daughter of Smoke and Bone introduces her new novel Strange The Dreamer. Also Waterstones West End, Edinburgh, Thu 13 Apr CHRIS BROOKMYRE Mitchell Library, Thu 20 Apr, ayewrite.com Last year, Brookmyre’s seventh Jack Parlabane novel, Black Widow won the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish crime book of the year at Bloody Scotland.

Here he discusses the follow up, Want You Gone.

STUART MACBRIDE Waterstones Sauchiehall Street, Thu 20 Apr, waterstones.com The crime author famed for the DS Logan McRae series discusses his latest stand alone novel A Dark So Deadly.

The Wee Spanish Mobile Library

ELIZA ROSS’S RAASAY 50 George Square, Sun 7 May, tracscotland.org Joshua Dickson of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland explains the musical importance of the Gaelic collection of Elizabeth Ross, niece of the laird of Raasay. An evening ceilidh and celebration follows the lectures and workshops.

OUT OF TOWN THE WEE SPANISH MOBILE LIBRARY North Kelvin Meadow, Sat 22 Apr, familiasglasgow.blogspot.co.uk La Biciteca celebrate Earth Day in the The Children’s Wood with a special storytelling session.

EDINBURGH SUNDAY STORIES Golden Hare, Sundays, goldenharebooks.com Stories for kids aged 3–7, followed by crafts and games. Each session features a book from the shop’s Children’s Room.

ART OF THE STORYTELLER Scottish Storytelling Centre, Wed 1 Apr, tracscotland.org The Art of the Storyteller series continues with Mary Kenny and Marion Kenny.

Enjoy an evening of their favourite tales alongside their experiences and inspirations from storytelling past and present.

CAFE VOICES Scottish Storytelling Centre, Thu 13 Apr & Thu 11 May, tracscotland.org A relaxed session of oral storytelling, poetry by memory, music and song. At the April session Calum Lykan shares some tales from his travels in Canada and, in May, Ian Stephen presents stories from his new book, revealing a lifetime’s love affair with sailing.

GOLDEN HARE BOOK CLUB Golden Hare, Tue 25 Apr & Tue 30 May, goldenharebooks.com Get your book on with some fellow bibliophiles at this monthly book group.

DISREGARDED HARMONIES: POEMS ON THE ROYAL MILE Scottish Storytelling Centre, Fri 28 Apr, tracscotland.org Ken Cockburn leads you on a walk through the narrow closes, quiet courtyards and secret gardens of the Royal Mile with poetry for company.

HEROES OF INDEPENDENCE: BISHOPS, WARRIORS & KINGMAKERS Scottish Storytelling Centre, Fri 28 Apr, tracscotland.org Kati Waitzmann presents the story of Robert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow, and William Lamberton, Bishop of St Andrews, who fought with William Wallace and Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Independence.

THE TWO TRUTHS OF THOMAS THE RHYMER Scottish Storytelling Centre, Sat 29 Apr, tracscotland.org Daniel Serridge and James Spence present an evening of mystical folk and autobiographical tales, featuring traditional music.

WHY THE BIRDS SING The Saltire Society, Mon 1 May, tracscotland.org Borders poet Ian

BOOKED! Various venues, West Dunbartonshire, Mon 8–Sat 20 May, bookedfestival.info Free, local literature festival run by West Dunbartonshire Libraries that manages to book some big name authors for its programme of talks, signings and more unusual events.

COASTWORD Various venues, Dunbar, Fri 19– Sun 21 May, coastword.co.uk The literary community comes together to bring a roster of bookish delights to Dunbar for a wee, weekend-long festival. Highlights include authors Val McDermid and Shelley Day, a showcase from Village Pub Theatre and workshops hosted by Janice Galloway, Magi Gibson and Jenny Lindsay.

REIMAGINATION: CUMBERNAULD Various venues, Cumbernauld, Fri 19–Sun 21 May, booked. edbookfest.co.uk A new initiative from Edinburgh International Book Festival bringing together writers, artists and theatre makers with the population of Cumbernauld. The three-day event features adult and children’s authors and offers the chance to explore the stories of Cumbernauld and join in discussions on the future of the town.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 67

743-Books Highlights 67 PM.indd 67

28/03/2017 17:22

COMEDY

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /comedy

RICKY GERVAIS: HUMANITY Schoolboy teasing taken to a higher level by the cackling comedian You often hear people claim, ‘oh I don’t like jokes about . . . ’, filling in the blank with whichever taboo subject is their particular gripe. Ricky Gervais unsurprisingly doesn’t shy away from any of those topics: ‘everyone’s got an offence’, he notes. But the key, as he qualifies at the beginning and returns to in more depth towards the end of Humanity, is that just because a topic is the joke’s subject doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the butt of it.

Gervais claims not to know why he named his first tour in seven years Humanity, as he’s not a fan of us humans: in truth, it’s clear he does care. His reputation for schoolboy teasing is intact here, punctuating many a punchline with that familiar cheeky laugh and getting into trouble for comments taken out of context by the press or the wrong way by Twitter users. But he frequently steps back to draw a clear moral line, returning to the point

that joking about a topic in no way condones it. Plus, towards the close of the show he gives a tantalising glimpse into how that humour developed alongside his older brother as they grew up on a Reading council estate.

Gervais fearlessly manoeuvres through paedophilia, drops in cancer and mentions AIDS a few times, while death features a lot.

As do apparently effortlessly handled, deft punchlines which provide plenty big laughs.

He also touches briefly on the worrying trend for populist, fact-ignoring views, brushing by Brexit and Trump but pulling back, claiming he doesn’t want to get too political. But frankly it would be good to hear his views: we could do with some common sense backed up with actual facts right now. (Marissa Burgess) ■ SEC Armadillo, Glasgow, Tue 2 & Wed 3 May; Edinburgh Playhouse, Thu 8 & Fri 9 Jun. Reviewed at Manchester Apollo ●●●●●

68 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Comedy Lead 68 PM BD.indd 68

28/03/2017 14:19

Previews | COMEDY

list.co.uk/comedy

PHOTO: KARLA GOWLETT

SATIRE

MY COMEDY HERO

ANDY ZALTZMAN

KATY BRAND

The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 14 May; The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 15 May

The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 21 May

Andy Zaltzman has been a comedy partner of John Oliver, once supported Joan Rivers, and is renowned as a wry political commentator. His work has amused the nation on live stages as well as through his popular podcast, The Bugle, which he claims is ‘premium-calibre satirical hogwash’. The world needs political humourists more than ever before and with his Plan Z, he is prepared to put his neck on the line and tell us about the crucial issues. Such as Trump’s golf form.

‘Trump will not last until 2020 as President,’ Zaltzman announces. ‘At his current rate of practice, his golf should have improved to the level where he can join the USPGA tour as a solid professional, ranked around 80th–120th in the world. Also, having small hands, Trump is terrified of ghosts. The enraged spectres of Washington, Roosevelt and Abe “The Hat” Lincoln, must surely be plotting some big-league haunting of Trump.’

Making his way to Scotland, it will be nigh well impossible for him to ignore mentioning the proposed IndyRef2. As per, Zaltzman has an off-kilter standpoint as he wonders what might happen should Scots vote yes. ‘Catalonia might use the opportunity to join the UK in a swap deal, with Scotland going the other way and hooking up with Spain. I can also see New Zealand then leaving the Southern Hemisphere. It’s earned a crack at seeing what it can do on this side of the equator.’ (Brian Donaldson) ■ Read a full Andy Zaltzman q&a at list.co.uk/comedy

I got into comedy in my late teens and started to self-consciously look for role models on TV and Caroline Aherne was on there a lot then. She wasn’t doing straight-forward observations about ‘what it’s like to be a woman’; she would do these fully-formed characters who were proper people, very specific and very funny. For me, Denise Royle was her finest creation; it could so easily have been done over the top, but it’s so perfectly observed and underplayed.

Everyone in their right mind would have Victoria Wood among their comedy heroes. I met her a couple of times and she was quietly supportive; there was something very dignified about her. She booked me for a live benefit show and I didn’t realise until later that she had handpicked the line-up. She made it clear to me that I was there because she wanted me to be there. I was walking on air for a month after that.

The final one is maybe pretentious, but I have always found Gilbert & George very funny. I remember them on a Jonathan Ross chat show, talking very earnestly about one of them creating a diversion in the newsagent’s so the other one could steal a Kit Kat. When you do comedy on TV and radio, you are used to working to a brief and having loads of notes that you need to act on even if you don’t agree with them. Gilbert & George are very much their own men. (As told to Brian Donaldson) ■ Read more about Katy Brand’s comedy heroes at list.co.uk/comedy

STAND-UP

REGINALD D HUNTER

PHOTO: KASH YUSUF

Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline, Wed 17 May; Albert Halls, Stirling, Thu 18 May American comedians are in something of a bind right now. How do they tackle the calamity that has recently befallen their nation while actually having something new to say about the matter?

While folk on the other side of the pond are dealing with cuts to everything from the arts to environmental safeguards while chatter about building that wall keeps on running, how can a stand-up deliver killer Trump routines when the orange man himself continues to be laugh-out-loud unfunny?

The latest US comic to wrestle with this problem is the UKbased Georgian, Reginald D Hunter. ‘My new show was mostly written last autumn,’ he recalls. ‘Then Trump got elected and I had to rewrite it very quickly. I spent the whole of 2016 repeatedly telling people that Trump was not going to win. I’m amazed they still let me do comedy.’

For his new touring show, Some People v. Reginald D Hunter, the comedian will be tackling subjects such as family, relationships and the OJ Simpson case. ‘It was the pivotal moment in race relations in America and is still sending shockwaves through the country today,’ Hunter says of the notorious 1995 murder trial, the recent TV dramatisation of which has given him his new show title.

With race firmly back on the agenda in the US (as well as across Europe), Hunter has taken to addressing it in the only way he knows how: by baiting bigots. ‘I’ve been challenging the views of white American racists on Twitter and it has not been as upsetting for me as it has been for them. All you have to do to win is keep cool and state the facts: they hate that. It’s like holy water to a vampire. I figure if I can really argue my position with someone who despises the fact that I exist, then some of the places I’m visiting on this tour should be a piece of cake.’ (Brian Donaldson) 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 69

743-Comedy Previews 69-70 BD PM.indd 69

28/03/2017 14:19

COMEDY | Previews

LOCAL LAUGHS ROSS LESLIE

THE FIFE-BASED STAND-UP HAS A GO AT OUR Q&A Do you have any preshow rituals?

Nothing insane, mainly just making sure I’m standing up for the half hour or so beforehand. I think it’s because once I was sitting in a seat backstage until my name was called and I went on to have a shocker. I immediately blamed it on the fact I was sitting down.

the microphone on my chin.

Something so simple made a massive difference: people actually hearing me.

You’re curating your own ‘legends of comedy’ line-up. Tell us the bill’s top three acts As an advocate of live comedy, I would have to dismiss my favourites who I haven’t seen live (Burr, CK, Jefferies, Oswalt etc) and How do you handle pick a line-up from the circuit hecklers?

Chokeholds are unfortunately and go for Tom Stade, illegal, which is a real shame. Mark Nelson and Susie McCabe. We probably need I don’t have a particular a compere for that so we way of dealing with them, should get in Scott Gibson. apart from shushing them, which is simple and effective I should be involved as well, so I put myself down to do sometimes. I suppose I the door and the lights and should have answered this that. ‘well, people are too busy pissing themselves laughing ■ Ross Leslie is at Monkey at my top-class material to Barrel, Edinburgh, Sat 1 be heckling’, but that would & Sun 2 Apr; The Stand, be lame.

Edinburgh, Thu 27–Sun 30 What’s the best piece of Apr; The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 14, Wed 17 May. See advice you’ve received from another comedian? more of this q&a at list.co.uk/ comedy.

Gary Little told me to put

THE STAND COMEDY CLUB

SCOTLAND’S LEGENDARY NEW

COMEDY NIGHTS ONLY £3

S C O T L A N D ’ S FAV O U R I T E C O M E D Y C L U B

Edinburgh: Mondays | Glasgow: Tuesdays

LIVE COMEDY 7 NIGHTS A WEEK

THE WEEKEND SHOWS

EVERY THU/FRI/SAT

GET FIVE TOP ACTS ON EVERY BILL IN A TWO HOUR SHOWCASE

5

Y O R K

P L A C E

STANDEDINBURGH

EDINBURGH | 0131 558 7272

STANDEDINBURGH

333 WOODLANDS ROAD GLASGOW | 0141 212 3389

W W W. T H E S TA N D . C O . U K

STANDGLASGOW STANDGLASGOW

70 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Comedy Previews 69-70 BD PM.indd 70

28/03/2017 14:19

Highlights | COMEDY

HITLIST

UNCLES The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 9 Apr, thestand. co.uk Robert Florence and Iain Connell put the world to rights over a lager (or three) with their post-Burnistoun bar-room philosophears and tales of gangsters, monarchs and footballers. Also The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 16 Apr, thestand.co.uk

SCOTT GIBSON: LIFE AFTER DEATH Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Thu 20 Apr, tracscotland. org/scottishstorytelling-centre This debut solo show from

Glaswegian Scott Gibson deservedly won him audience acclaim plus the Best Newcomer Award at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe. Come see what the fuss is all about with the guy who has supported folks like Frankie Boyle, Des Clarke and Gary Little since his arrival on the scene in 2010. See interview at list.co.uk/comedy

RICKY GERVAIS: HUMANITY SEC, Glasgow, Tue 2 & Wed 3 May, sec.co.uk The latest tour finds the cackling comic getting more personal than ever before. Plenty of stuff that will offend the oversensitive too, of course.

See review, page 68. Also touring, see list.co.uk/ comedy for details.

SOME PEOPLE V REGINALD D HUNTER Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline, Wed 17 May, alhambradunfermline. com The self-proclaimed ‘comedian, swashbuckler and scientist’ is back among us. See preview, page 69. Also touring, see list.co.uk/comedy for details.

COMEDY HIGHLIGHTS GLASGOW RACHEL FAIRBURN & KIRI PRITCHARD-MCLEAN The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 2 Apr, thestand.co.uk Two comics who harbour a possibly unhealthy fascination with serial killers deliver their live podcast, All Killa No Filla. As it’s being recorded, be on your best behaviour, OK? FOIL ARMS & HOG The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 10 Apr, thestand.co.uk This Irish sketch trio and YouTube stars number Jason Byrne and Rowan Atkinson among their admirers. Also The Stand, Edinburgh, Wed 12 Apr, thestand. co.uk COUNT ARTHUR STRONG: THE SOUND OF MUCUS Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, Sat 6 May, paviliontheatre.co.uk As his third telly series on the BBC prepares to be unleashed upon an unsuspecting public, Steve Delaney’s curmudgeonly off-kilter creation dons the hat and tache for another grand tour of nonsense.

LIMMY: THAT’S YOUR LOT Òran Mór, Glasgow, Sun 7—Tue 9, Fri 12, Tue 23—Fri 26 May, oranmor.co.uk Join Brian Limond aka the BAFTA Scotland award-winner Limmy for a night of storytelling and chit chat as he introduces his second book of tales, That’s Your Lot, featuring stories that are even dafter and darker than before. Also touring, see list.co.uk/ comedy for details.

ROB AUTON: THE SLEEP SHOW The Stand, Glasgow, Wed 10 May, thestand.co.uk The York-born standup won the best joke award at the Fringe in 2013 and is now telling us why sleep is a great thing. As if we need to be told that, eh?

PHOTO: JULIAN WARD

Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

TEZ ILYAS: MADE IN BRITAIN The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 22 May, thestand.co.uk Tez presents the follow-up to his debut hour Tez Talks in which he discusses national identity in the era of Brexit. In other words, a somewhat vital show for our times.

MICKY FLANAGAN: AN’ ANOTHER FING SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Fri 26, Sun 28 May, thessehydro.com Sharp observations from the hugely popular Cockney comic Micky Flanagan who famously popped out and ended up ‘out out’. Also Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh, Sat 27 May, atgtickets. com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse KATY BRAND: I WAS A TEENAGE CHRISTIAN The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 21 May, thestand.co.uk The comedian, actress and impersonator tells the true story of her time in a teenage church group. See My Comedy Hero, page 69.

EDINBURGH VIVA LA SHAMBLES The Stand, Edinburgh, Wed 5 Apr, thestand.co.uk A collection of some top Scottish circuit talent give us their monthly slice of chaotic comedy. If you can’t get enough it, then they’re back on Wed 3 May. GAVIN WEBSTER’S NORTHERN HEMISPHERE TOUR The Stand, Edinburgh, Wed 26 Apr, thestand.co.uk Edgy storytelling and provocative humour from the everpopular Geordie comic.

GRANT STOTT: TALES FROM BEHIND THE MIC King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Sun 7 May, edtheatres.com/kings Comedy anecdotes from Grant Stott, who was recently announced as a brand spanking new voice for Radio Scotland. Wonder if his former wireless bosses will be sweating a little? Also touring, see list.co.uk/comedy for details.

Rob Auton ANDY ZALTZMAN: PLAN Z The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 14 May, thestand.co.uk One half of the satirical podcast The Bugle is back with a show encompassing national identity, hope, fear and live action democracy. See preview, page 69.

Also The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 15 May, thestand.co.uk MARCEL LUCONT’S WHINE LIST The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 21 May, thestand.co.uk Alexis Dubus’ quick-witted Gallic alter ego muses on mortality, masculinity and his own magnificence.

JONNY & THE BAPTISTS: EAT THE POOR The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 23 May, thestand.co.uk Songs, satire and silliness from Jonny & the Baptists as the pair of pals pore over inequality, revolution, friendship and betrayal.

With humorous effect, obviously. Also The Stand, Glasgow, Wed 24 May, thestand.co.uk

OUT OF TOWN RUSSELL KANE: RIGHT MAN WRONG AGE Rothes Halls, Glenrothes, Thu 6 Apr, onfife.com/venues/rotheshalls Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Kane discusses why it’s perfectly OK

to be 20 but feel 40 (or vice versa) and explains why nobody really feels their age. Also touring, see list.co.uk/ comedy for details.

CHRIS RAMSEY: IS THAT CHRIS RAMSEY? Paisley Town Hall, Paisley, Fri 7 Apr, whatsonrenfrewshire.co.uk/ listings/paisley-town-hall Upbeat anecdotes, feelgood humour and witty observations from the chap who once got into hot bother for being rude on Saturday morning telly. Also touring, see list.co.uk/comedy for details.

SUSAN CALMAN: THE CALMAN BEFORE THE STORM Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling, Fri 7 Apr, macrobertartscentre.org The Calmanator’s latest show explores the following: cats, posh neighbours, kittens, being on Radio 4, felines, marriage and furry pets. And kindness.

And cats. Also touring, see list. co.uk/comedy for details.

SHAPPI KHORSANDI: OH MY COUNTRY! Tolbooth, Stirling, Mon 10 Apr, culturestirling.org/tolbooth As a way of celebrating the 40th anniversary of her arrival in Britain, Shappi’s offering up a love letter to her country. Also touring, see list.co.uk/comedy for details.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 71

743-Comedy Highlights 71 BD PM.indd 71

28/03/2017 14:19

21 June – 2 July 2017

ed film fest

Programme Launch 31 May

#edfilmfest

edfilmfest.org.uk

743-adpages.indd 72 1 The List Full Page indd

28/03/2017 24/03/2017 15:10 12:26

FILM

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /film

ABOREHENAT ED FILM FEST MEMORIES DOLUM

PHOTO: COURTESY EIFF

The marks its 70th anniversary by delving into its Id quiEIFF berum fugita sa nonseriam fugiature vereritisi dolum ius molo fascinating image archive endae. Ut quia parchit, venis quae maion est Toriame que volo magnate molorum quoditatis moluptas et autInternational expeliquisit Film aut ex es The Edinburgh Festival ipicabo reictatur, tenisanniversary eturio dit escitae is celebrating its 70th year, pel maximusant TioreriaturInternational si occus sendae. together withfuga. the Edinburgh Oditatem quoditat fuga.To Osmark aut ex Festival and the Fringe. theelesequid occasion,ut delici aciassincit aces etur, quod maximet EIFF are launchingeaa si collaborative project aut cus.Rem faccum ex ea que and erita accompanying exhibition, ed filmplandem fest ex evendigendel eiur?Ommoloratia acesendis memories – because everyone knows that lower ipidellendi quo mo occupta tinctoofisthe molora case is more huggable.

Members public nimagniet oditistor ab illecto are invited is toelignam, submit their memories and images essintenis apelest essiti quoditi of the festival from arion over the years to a ossitati dedicated ut latqui corem non por anihil ilibeate nus. website, and EIFF has opened up its own image Busdande que voluptu reperis inihit archive to find memorable pictures of famous aborporrum quis es several aut pra decades, net, sam taken restia movie peopleium of the last volore, sum, que–etur sitio molores nis untio – in some cases before they were famous. con est omnissi modita veliquis aut offi Among the great and good pictured in ciur the ad event are: the first ever woman director of a film festival, the EIFF’s Lynda Myles, in 1973; a young, wavy-haired, frowning Werner Herzog, fresh off the horrifying ordeal that was the making of Aguirre, Wrath of God; Gene Kelly in 1956, clearly in mid-anecdote

73 THE LIST 1 Feb–31 Mar 2017

743-Film Lead 73 PM.indd 73

at a festival event, surrounded by smirking aperit acesto excesciatque voluptatet, iusci menporectem in tuxedos; of Joss Whedon’s con exthe et women que volesse quiamus, cult classic Serenity at in 2005 sunt fuga. Im imil mod Cineworld que pore, tet debis (go Browncoats!); Jenniferfugit, Lawrence in 2010, audis velecat dolescipiet simusandi promotingseque her breakthrough doloratur, dende inumfeature Winter’s quamus exerum, Bone and not looking awkward at all inmo a pair velesequas voloreperum qui si archil te of ferociously tall heels; the George doluptatur?Evenda inumand sitis milcast eic of tem.

A Romero’s 1973 sci-fi et The Crazies, along with Pudignis dolo consed autas seque estissi festival staff, handing promo leafl ets around ommolor ectio.

Orest out earuptasita voles the city (pictured).

Most et, entertainingly, there’s necerum fugit offictem omnim dia doluptat a contact sheet depicting the 1994 premiere faccum eat. of Shallow featuring McGregor Temos exGrave, et harum quid etEwan re, sequo et, with a highly dubious mane of shoulder-length sequae peliqua eriamusapedi ate volumquis hair, and John ut Hodge sporting quassitate a disastrous eosRorrorent que esequos razor cut. parumquam illiciant acesequam rem reperume The ed film fest memories project is launched with a city-wide exhibition showing more than 100 of the archived images on Wed 31 May, the same day the festival’s full programme is released. (Alex Johnston) ■ Submit your images at edfilmfestmemories.org.uk

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 73

28/03/2017 14:36

FILM | Reviews

COMEDY DRAMA

THEIR FINEST (12A) 117min ●●●●●

BIOPIC

A QUIET PASSION (12A) 125min ●●●●● Filmmaker Terence Davies has proved an astute observer of the plight of women encumbered by expectation, with films like The House of Mirth, The Deep Blue Sea and 2015’s Sunset Song featuring strong women fighting against the tide. And so it is with his latest, which benefits from a barnstorming performance by Cynthia Nixon as firebrand American poet Emily Dickinson.

While only a handful of Dickinson’s poems were published during her lifetime, and she gained literary reverence after her death in 1886, Davies’ film paints a compelling portrait of an intelligent, quick-witted woman (played in her younger years by Emma Bell) who took pleasure in railing against the strict religious doctrines of her time.

Refusing to go to church, instead using the time to pen reams of verse, she enjoys hugely entertaining debates with her Catholic lawyer father (Keith Carradine) and her pious aunt Elizabeth (Annette Badland). Indeed, Nixon’s deft handling of Davies’ rapid-fire, often deeply humorous, dialogue elevates what could have been a formulaic period drama into something more warm and compelling.

Although set almost entirely within the confines of the Dickinson household, this is a film with expansive ideas. Dickinson may be a rebellious soul but she is also emotionally vulnerable, desperate to be praised for her work and, aside from her family (in particular spirited younger sister Lavinia, played by a brilliant Jennifer Ehle), unable to make any really meaningful connections.

As illness and death cast their shadow over the film’s final third and Dickinson transforms into something of a recluse, A Quiet Passion becomes both a celebration of the creative spirit and a poignant reminder of its fragility. (Nikki Baughan) ■ General release from Fri 7 Apr.

With an odd mix of parody and patriotism, this wartime dramedy from Lone Scherfig focuses on the making of a WWII propaganda film. Their Finest sports a high-calibre cast and a knowingness distinguishing it from its heritage film peers, yet often plays things stiflingly safe. Set in 1940, it follows fledgling screenwriter Catrin (Gemma Arterton) as she joins the Ministry of Information’s Film Division. She’s hoisted up the career ladder in the absence of male rivals but her sensitivity and imagination help her thrive. Working alongside experienced scribe Tom (Sam Claflin), they come up with a story to inspire a nation.

The Danish director Scherfig has made something thoroughly, even blandly, British. Events feel insulated from the wartime action and the satire, too, is muffled. Arterton’s subtle emoting elevates a film that plumps for the obvious, although she is saddled with not one but two unworthy love interests.

Their Finest can’t quite make the farce of the film-shoot fly but it has some comedic charm, ambling along in a likable fashion and less wedded to a happy ending than you’d expect. It’s just a shame that a movie whose title suggests greatness is actually fairly run-of-the-mill. (Emma Simmonds) ■ General release from Fri 21 Apr.

BIOPIC

MAD TO BE NORMAL (15) 105min ●●●●●

HISTORICAL ROMANCE

THE PROMISE (12A) 133min ●●●●● This epic romantic drama delivers its history lesson in an attractively accessible, time-honoured cinematic fashion. Writer-director Terry George and co-writer Robin Swicord set a classic love triangle against the backdrop of an historic horror: the still fiercely denied Turkish annihilation of the Armenians. The story begins in 1914 when the crumbling Ottoman Empire allies itself with Germany in the Great War. That crisis and a tide of mindless nationalism triggers chaos, before we witness the dismaying spectacle of people who have lived alongside each other falling violently on their neighbours.

Soulful Oscar Isaac plays a poor but well-connected Armenian medical student in Constantinople who falls for the vivacious beauty who tutors his cousins (Charlotte Le Bon). But she has a jealous lover – a daring American journalist (Christian Bale). The trio are then engulfed by the much larger, harrowing and tragic events. Having made Hotel Rwanda, George knows what he’s doing. Handsomely cast and beautiful to behold, his film is involving and heartrending.

Yet the romantic aspect is overcooked in a Captain Corelli’s Mandolin kind-of-way, with too much orchestrated sentimentality to take. (Angie Errigo) ■ General release from Fri 28 Apr.

The life of controversial Scottish psychiatrist RD Laing is potent material for a biopic. His methods appalled authorities but inspired many individuals, while his parenting skills left much to be desired. Director Robert Mullan has written books on Laing, but opens his film with captions claiming both veracity and fiction. This might be considered an in-joke when dealing with the author of The Divided Self, but the partial fabrication of a well-documented story robs Mad to Be Normal of authority at every turn. Set in the 1960s and seen through the eyes of a besotted student (Elisabeth Moss), Laing (David Tennant) is a hard-drinking maverick presiding over the Kingsley Hall experiment, an East London community treating psychosis with empathy and LSD. Mullan (who co-wrote the screenplay with Tracy Moreton) plays fast and loose with details; the real man was far more complex than this fiction. The plus here is Tennant, unleashing his smarty-pants Doctor Who persona and carrying the film to its vague, unsatisfying conclusion. Battling murky photography and desperately cheap period detail, Tennant seems game for capturing Laing’s spirit, rising above the trite, soap opera-like histrionics. (Eddie Harrison) ■ Selected release from Thu 6 Apr.

74 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Film Reviews PM ES.indd 74

28/03/2017 14:35

Reviews | FILM

list.co.uk/film

EROTIC THRILLER

DRAMA

COMEDY

THE HANDMAIDEN

THE SENSE OF AN ENDING

TABLE 19

(18) 156min ●●●●●

(15) 108min ●●●●●

(12A) 87min ●●●●●

Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) follows his exceptional English-language debut Stoker with a return to his native Korea for this typically elaborate adaptation of Sarah Waters’ novel Fingersmith. Infusing the source material’s sapphic intrigue with his own inimitable, escapist style, The Handmaiden is an initially beguiling film whose heavy-handed love scenes undermine its dramatic power.

Park moves the action from Victorian England to 1930s Korea during the period of Japanese occupation. Lowly thief Sook-hee (brilliant newcomer Kim Tae-ri) poses as a maid to wealthy Japanese heiress Hideko (Kim Min-hee) in order to convince her to marry cruel confidence trickster Count Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo). But when the women discover a mutual passion, plans soon change.

This is bravura filmmaking, not least in terms of its explicit lesbian sex which is presented as an artistic portrayal of love but unfortunately plays like malegaze porn. It presents a world in which everyone is wearing a mask of respectability, and where lust, violence and depravity lie hidden behind the most chaste of exteriors. Still, amid all the duplicity and artifice, the emotion between Sook-hee and Hideko is vibrant and real. (Nikki Baughan) ■ Selected release from Fri 14 Apr.

Based on Julian Barnes’ Booker-winning novel, this somewhat wilted English rose of a drama from Indian director Ritesh Batra finds a curmudgeon retreating from the irritations of his present in favour of the agony and ecstasy of his past. Jim Broadbent plays grumpy old git Tony, who’s inspired to revisit his schooldays after being bequeathed the diary of schoolmate Adrian (played as a young man by Joe Alwyn), though the item itself eludes him.

45 Years showed in heartbreaking detail how obsessing over what once was can poison what you have, but this feels like standard ‘memory lane’ fare. The slightly hokey conceit will hook you for a while, with the diary acting as a Hitchcockian McGuffin. However, despite forceful work from charismatic newcomer Alwyn, Adrian is a fleeting figure and the mystery that surrounds him doesn’t grip as it might. In fact, very little feels adequately established and there’s a nagging sense that it may have played out better as a BBC miniseries. Still, it’s nicely cast and pleasantly wistful and the fractious familiarity between Tony and his ex-wife (Harriet Walter) is to be treasured in a film that’s handsome enough but never more than politely probing.

(Emma Simmonds) ■ General release from Fri 14 Apr.

As joyful as they’re meant to be, weddings can be emotionally fraught affairs. Jeffrey Blitz’s comedy Table 19 tries to capture this, with only semisuccessful results. Landing somewhere between the laddishness of Wedding Crashers and more sweet-natured fare like The Wedding Singer, the film suggests that at the back of any reception, there’s always a table of singletons and oddballs.

Anna Kendrick plays Eloise, who was due to sit on the top table until she’s dumped by her boyfriend (Wyatt Russell), the brother of the bride. Relegated to the outer reaches of the room, she’s looking to mend her broken heart. Joining her on Table 19 are a teen on heat (Tony Revolori), an ex-con (Stephen Merchant), an argumentative married couple (Lisa Kudrow and Craig Robinson) and the bride’s stoner nanny (June Squibb).

Scripted by Mark and Jay Duplass, the film is more formulaic than their own directorial efforts, with director Blitz (Rocket Science) struggling to give this lift-off. The 80s nostalgia feels cheap and the relationships are too engineered. Where it does score is in the casting of Kendrick, yet even her effervescent presence isn’t enough to save this from mediocrity. (James Mottram) ■ General release from Fri 7 Apr.

ANIMATION

MY LIFE AS A COURGETTE (PG) 66min ●●●●● There’s a moving sequence early on in Swiss director Claude Barras’ Oscar-nominated stop-motion animation that sums up how his orphan protagonists deal with trauma and tragedy.

We see nine-year-old Icare (voiced by Gaspard Schlatter), who likes to be referred to as ‘Courgette’ (the nickname his alcoholic mum gave him), sitting alone in his attic bedroom carefully assembling a sculpture from leftover beer cans. Just as Courgette creates something beautiful out of his sadness, so too do the filmmakers craft something special in this insightful exploration of how a gang of abused children living in a group home try to make the best out of their situation.

It’s incredible how deeply you fall in love with the characters in a film that runs for a succinct 66 minutes. That’s down to a combination of a frank screenplay (from Girlhood’s Céline Sciamma) – adapted from Gilles Paris’ novel – and the brightly coloured, superbly designed models, whose giant eyes convey a multitude of thorny emotions. The way in which the children speak to one another is perfectly judged too. Their candid discussions about sex artfully highlight what some of them have been privy to at a young age, while also perceptively showing how they can misinterpret things due to their naivety.

Though all this might sound pretty heavy-going, debut director Barras deals with the material in such an imaginative manner and with such levity that My Life as a Courgette instead makes for extremely heartening, often giggle-inducing viewing. All ages will benefit from this charming tale of tolerance that extols the value of grasping the good in life, without overlooking how difficult it can be for some people to get there. (Katherine McLaughlin) ■ Selected release from Fri 5 May. 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 75

743-Film Reviews PM ES.indd 75

28/03/2017 14:35

PHOTO: STEFFAN HILL

FILM | Reviews

BIOPIC

NERUDA (15) 105min ●●●●●

COMEDY

MINDHORN (15) 89min ●●●●● Co-creator of The Mighty Boosh Julian Barratt slips into the brogues of washed-up thespian Richard Thorncroft and the result is an endearingly silly comedy that pokes fun at dated detective shows like Bergerac. The title refers to the 1980s TV series that made Thorncroft famous. In it he plays a moustachioed MI5 operative, Mindhorn, who winds up solving crime on the Isle of Man after his eye is replaced with an optical lie detector, an innovation that allows him to literally ‘see the truth’.

The film takes place in the modern-day as a killer stalks the island. A phone call from Russell Tovey’s deluded, possibly deranged fan – who believes Thorncroft is actually Mindhorn – leads the actor back to his old stomping ground. Rather than try to solve the case, he sets out to prove his worth to his former cast members, including his ex, Patricia Deville (The Babadook’s Essie Davis – sadly underused).

There’s so much to love about this superbly daft creation, especially the way Barratt sells his character’s arrogance and desperation with a fully committed performance. It’s confidently directed by debut helmer Sean Foley, with Barratt co-authoring the screenplay alongside Simon Farnaby who turns up as Thorncroft’s old stunt-man / love rival Clive, sporting a curly blonde wig and speaking in a Dutch accent.

The attention to detail is perfect: from the fact that our hero’s most recent advertising deal has been pinched by John Nettles, to his botched attempt at a music career. Fans of Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace and Alan Partridge will particularly appreciate the brand of humour on display, as well as the array of ridiculous characters who take great pleasure in reminding Thorncroft of his failings. (Katherine McLaughlin) ■ General release from Fri 5 May. See feature, page 47.

Hardworking Chilean director Pablo Larraín follows his recent Oscar contender Jackie with a playful, provocative reflection on the travails of poet-diplomat Pablo Neruda during the early days of the Cold War. He embraces a sense of heightened reality, transforming Neruda’s life during the 1940s into a hardboiled film noir pitched somewhere between Hitchcock and Dennis Potter.

You almost expect Robert Mitchum to step out of the shadows.

As Chile sought to align itself with America, Neruda’s communist convictions saw him branded an enemy of the state. Forced into hiding, he is hunted by a clueless police inspector (Gael García Bernal), who makes Clouseau look like Hercule Poirot.

Luis Gnecco’s podgy, affable Neruda embraces his contradictions as a champagne-swilling socialist and champion of the people. He savours the opportunity to transform his life into the stuff of myth as he mocks, teases and outwits his gormless pursuer. Larraín’s painstaking attention to detail stretches from the use of back projection and voiceover narration to the Bernard Herrmann-style score composed by Federico Jusid. Irreverent, funny and insightful, Neruda is unquestionably mannered but undeniably entertaining. (Allan Hunter) ■ Limited release from Fri 7 Apr.

COMEDY

WHISKY GALORE! (TBC) 98min ●●●●●

DRAMA

LADY MACBETH (TBC) 89min ●●●●● Florence Pugh astonishes with an imposing turn as a young bride shackled to a callous middle-aged man, shifting between wild-eyed wickedness and controlling command with swiftness and precision.

Left to her own devices when her husband is away on business, Katherine (Pugh) begins a passionate affair with stable hand Sebastian (Cosmo Jarvis).

Debut helmer William Oldroyd inserts arresting imagery into this adaptation of Nikolai Leskov’s novel. He delivers beautifully symmetrical, meticulous compositions and directs his players with assurance. Special mention must go to Naomi Ackie as an ill-treated maid who bears the brunt of her mistress’s dreadful deeds. Ackie conveys the gravity of her situation with trembling conviction, bringing a stirring humanity to proceedings.

Katherine’s quest for power knows no bounds and she is fascinating to behold, while the screenplay allows for humour and fleeting tenderness too. As the protagonist’s actions spiral out of control, Oldroyd and writer Alice Birch maintain a restrained mood in keeping with the 19th century setting. This talented duo have crafted a quietly and compulsively watchable first feature sure to send shivers down your spine. (Katherine McLaughlin) ■ General release from Fri 28 Apr.

Adapted from the novel by Compton MacKenzie, itself based on a real-life incident, the 1949 Ealing comedy Whisky Galore! is a sprightly trifle about wily Scots conspiring to outwit the officious English. This 2016 reimagining, directed by Gillies MacKinnon (Hideous Kinky), makes substantial changes while staying true to the subtle charms of the original. When a ship washes up on nearby rocks, the villagers of the tiny Scottish island of Todday are desperate to plunder the cargo of whisky.

The pompous Captain Wagget (Eddie Izzard) is keen to thwart them, while local hero Macroon (Gregor Fisher) leads ingenious endeavours to liberate the amber nectar.

This fresh take on the material makes good use of an ideal location in Portsoy, Aberdeenshire and is crisply shot by Nigel Willoughby, with a jaunty Patrick Doyle score. But the real star is Peter McDougall’s script: wry and acerbic without ever resorting to crude caricatures. Whisky Galore! has the rare feel of a film made by Scots for Scots; yet, as with Bill Forsyth’s best work, the resulting bonhomie might just have wider appeal. Its gentle humour may be lost on some, but this is a true taste of Scotland that’s well worth acquiring.

(Eddie Harrison) ■ Limited release from Fri 5 May.

76 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Film Reviews PM ES.indd 76

28/03/2017 14:35

Reviews | FILM

list.co.uk/film

ANIMATION

DRAMA

POLITICAL THRILLER

THE RED TURTLE

FRANTZ

MISS SLOANE

(PG) 81min ●●●●●

(12A) 114 min ●●●●●

(15) 132min ●●●●●

An Oscar nominee in 2017’s Best Animated Feature category and co-produced by the renowned Studio Ghibli stable, The Red Turtle has a pedigree that might just make audiences curious enough to watch a wordless meditation on man’s relationship with nature. The Dutch writer, director and animator Michaël Dudok de Wit – creator of the Oscarwinning short Father and Daughter – has conjured a breathtaking debut feature, modestly drawn, rich in texture, and warm of heart.

A sailor washes up on a remote island. His efforts to escape are thwarted by a mysterious turtle. After attacking the turtle, the man feels a deep remorse that leads him to nurse it back to health.

The shift into allegory is deftly handled, depicting the various stages of the man’s life, with relationships formed, crises averted, and time passing as fleetingly as the white spume of the sea on the sand. This is a stunning, life-affirming animation. By seeking to capture the simplicity of a parable or fable, the story is conveyed in a manner accessible to all. Like the jolly crabs which constantly scuttle across the beach, it is a film that says so much without ever uttering a single word. (Eddie Harrison) ■ Limited release from Fri 26 May.

The prolific, versatile François Ozon breaks fresh ground with Frantz, a beautifully crafted tale set in the aftermath of WWI. Inspired by Ernst Lubitsch’s Broken Lullaby, it explores personal tragedies that reflect the bigger picture of a shattered Europe. In a small German town, Anna (Paula Beer) mourns her fiancé Frantz who was killed in combat. One day, she catches sight of someone leaving flowers at Frantz’s grave. He is Frenchman Adrien (Pierre Niney), who claims to be a friend of her beloved.

Sorrow draws them together but others are more hostile to the former enemy in their midst and the film subtly conveys the legacy of war in attitudes and resentments that would shape the 20th century.

Largely filmed in gorgeous black and white, there is a delicacy to Frantz that extends from the understated performances to the impeccable art direction and sombre mood. Ozon is especially well served by Beer, who shows Anna to be a woman gradually growing in strength as she emerges from the clouds of grief with a clearer understanding of her own worth and future. Her performance is just one of the many impressive elements in a mournful but deeply felt film. (Allan Hunter) ■ Selected release from Fri 12 May.

In its finer moments, Miss Sloane has the righteous anger and relentless drive of a Paddy Chayefsky creation as it slices into the dark heart of American politics. Yet it sometimes resembles a clunky, John Grisham-style thriller in which each revelation diminishes the overall sense of conviction. Jessica Chastain’s Washington lobbyist Elizabeth Sloane is all black power suits, high heels and tetchy impatience. She is a whip-smart, seemingly soulless professional, reminiscent of Faye Dunaway’s TV executive from Chayefsky’s Network. Showing signs of a conscience, Sloane jumps ship to an ethical lobbying company led by Rodolfo Schmidt (Mark Strong). Their task is to drum up support for an amendment to the law on gun ownership, while the presence of a Senate investigation suggests that everything may not have gone entirely to plan.

There's a lot to enjoy in John Madden’s eleventh feature which includes vicious lines exchanged at breakneck speed. As it becomes increasingly slick and contrived, Miss Sloane loses sight of the better film it might have been but it still contains some great banter, a cast of old pros like John Lithgow, and Chastain is firing on all cylinders. (Allan Hunter) ■ General release from Fri 12 May.

COMEDY DRAMA

THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE (TBC) 98min ●●●●● Absence makes the heart grow fonder in The Other Side of Hope, the first feature from Finland’s Aki Kaurismäki since 2011’s Le Havre. The second in his planned ‘ports’ trilogy has all the Kaurismäki hallmarks we have come to know and love: from the lugubrious, deadpan humour to the rumbustious rockabilly music choices and the tenderhearted displays of hard-won emotions.

How he has been missed.

Khaled (Sherwan Haji) has been separated from his sister in their flight from war-torn Syria. When he arrives in Helsinki, he immediately applies for asylum. ‘Welcome,’ says a dour cop, ‘you are not the first.’ Khaled’s naive assumption that everything will be done to help him is challenged by a grimmer reality. The film’s second strand follows Helsinki resident Wikström (Sakari Kuosmanen), a travelling salesman seeking to make his own fresh start. He leaves his wife, sells his business and gambles on a new career as the owner of the ramshackle Golden Pint restaurant.

Wikström has a sense of hope about his future while Khaled finds his spirit gradually worn down by the bureaucratic nightmare that marks his time in Finland.

When the two men finally meet, and an exchange of blows becomes the start of a beautiful friendship, all the carefully plotted elements start to gel. The result is a timely, bittersweet exploration of the kindness of strangers and attitudes to refugees in a society in which we are more responsive to the plight of an adorable dog than the fate of our fellow human beings.

Screamingly funny in places, gorgeous-looking, marbled with melancholy and warmed through with an irresistible sense of compassion, this is the work of a master filmmaker at the top of his game. Simply sublime. (Allan Hunter) ■ Selected release from Fri 26 May. 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 77

743-Film Reviews PM ES.indd 77

28/03/2017 14:35

FILM | Highlights

HITLIST

GLITCH FILM FESTIVAL A free festival featuring work by or about LGBT+ people of colour, with documentaries, short film, Q&As, discussions, and performance art. All live events have BSL and most films are subtitled.

See feature, page 19.

CCA, Glasgow, Sat 1 Apr, digitaldesperados.org/ glitch

MY LIFE AS A COURGETTE Icare (Gaspard Schlatter) is a nine-year-old boy who gets placed in an orphanage after the death of his alcoholic mother.

Charming but profound stop-motion animated tale, skilfully adapted

by Celine Sciamma (Girlhood) from Gilles Paris’ novel. See review,

page 75. Out Fri 5 May. MINDHORN Washed-up actor Richard Thorncroft (Julian Barratt) was the star of an 80s British TV series in which he played an MI5 agent with an optical lie detector. Now he’s back.

See feature, page 47 and review, page 76. Out Fri 5 May.

Finland. See review, page 77. Out Fri 26 May.

THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE A poker-playing restaurateur and extravelling salesman befriends refugees from

THE RED TURTLE A dialogue-free film exploring ambition, acceptance and the beauty of companionship.

A man is shipwrecked on a tropical island inhabited by turtles, crabs and birds.

See review, page 77. Out Fri 26 May.

FILM HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

City Of Tiny Lights

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: TWELFTH NIGHT Tamsin Greig is Malvolia in a new twist on Shakespeare’s classic comedy of mistaken identity. Out Thu 6 Apr. I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO Documentary examining race relations in America, based on James Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript Remember This House and narrated by Samuel L Jackson. Out Fri 7 Apr. CITY OF TINY LIGHTS In the teeming, multicultural metropolis of modern-day London, a seemingly straightforward missing-person case launches a down-at-heel private eye into a dangerous world of political intrigue. Starring Riz Ahmed and Billie Piper. Out Fri 7 Apr. NERUDA Chile, 1948: when President Gabriel Gonzalez Videla (Alfredo Castro) outlaws communism, poet and leftist politican Pablo Neruda (Luis Gnecco) has to go into hiding, with cop Oscar Peluchonneau (Gael Garcia Bernal) on his trail. See review, page 76. Out Fri 7 Apr. A QUIET PASSION Emily Dickinson (Cynthia Nixon) is a quick-witted, intelligent woman living in 19th century Amherst, Mass., debating with her Catholic lawyer father (Keith Carradine) and pious aunt (Annette Badland). Compelling portrait of the great American poet, with brilliant work from Jennifer Ehle as Emily’s younger sister and a barnstorming performance from Nixon, combining wit with vulnerability. See review, page 74. Out Fri 7 Apr. FAST AND FURIOUS 8 More high octane stuntastic automobile-based insanity. Out Fri 14 Apr.

THE HANDMAIDEN Thief Sook-Hee is hired to pose as a maid to a wealthy heiress as part of a con trick, but then maid and heiress discover mutual passion. This loose adaptation of Sarah Waters’ Fingersmith is bravura filmmaking from Park Chan-wook (Oldboy), but while the emotion between the two women is vibrant, an extended sex scene is exploitative, and the plot is too convoluted. See review, page 75.

Out Fri 14 Apr. MULHOLLAND DRIVE Given the troubled production history of Lynch’s nightmare noir (it was originally a pilot for a US television series which was cancelled) it’s nothing short of miraculous that Mulholland Drive shines with the filmmaker’s idiosyncratic brilliance.

Although set in the present day (albeit with retro styling), Lynch draws on his fascination with 40s and 50s Hollywood and its secret history of crime, here involving two actresses,

amnesiac Rita (Laura Harring) and amateur sleuth Betty (Naomi Watts).

Out Fri 14 Apr. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST Milos Forman’s classic film adaptation of Ken Kesey’s seminal novel, with Jack Nicholson in typically wild form, is one of the best films from a brilliant era in US filmmaking. Out Fri 14 Apr. DEAD BY DAWN Celebrating 24 years of cinematic scares, the Filmhouse’s horror fest hosts a selection of genre premieres, classic features, short films and special guests. For a concentrated dose of evil, the Spawn of Dawn mini-fest runs throughout the Saturday night. Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Thu 20–Sun 23 Apr, filmhousecinema.com/ seasons/dead-by-dawn-2017 BUNCH OF KUNST A film about British rock duo Sleaford Mods. Out Fri 21 Apr.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2 Another summer of Chris Pratt action.

Set to the backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 continues the team’s adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Out Fri 28 Apr. LADY MACBETH Katherine (Florence Pugh) is a young bride shackled to a middle-aged man. When left alone in the grand manor house she begins an affair with a stable hand (Cosmo Jarvis) and it all goes downhill. Restrained, compulsively watchable debut feature with a chilling, droll performance from Pugh. See review, page 76. Out Fri 28 Apr. THE PROMISE Set during the last days of the Ottoman Empire, The Promise follows a love triangle between Michael, a brilliant medical student, the beautiful and sophisticated Ana, and Chris, a

78 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Film Highlights 78-79 BD.indd 78

28/03/2017 17:23

Highlights | FILM

renowned American journalist based in Paris. See review, page 74. Out Fri 28 Apr.

comfort in Frenchman Adrien who leaves flowers at Frantz’s grave. See review, page 77. Out Fri 12 May.

FOLK FILM GATHERING Folk film festival with a focus on songs and labour and their importance to communities around the world.

Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Sat 29 Apr–Thu 11 May, filmhousecinema.com/seasons/folkfilm-gathering-2017

JAWBONE Former youth boxing champion Jimmy McCabe seeks a shot at redemption with the only team who ever believed in him, his old boxing club. Out Fri 12 May.

A DOG’S PURPOSE Lasse Hallström’s latest hits the UK, after its controversy-set US release earlier this year. A dog looks to discover his purpose in life over the course of several lifetimes and owners.

Out Fri 5 May. WHISKY GALORE! A new version of Alexander Mackendrick’s iconic Ealing comedy.

Gregor Fisher and Eddie Izzard are among the cast. See review, page 76.

Out Fri 5 May. ALIEN: COVENANT Ridley Scott’s sequel to Prometheus and prequel to Alien. If you lot like it, Scott has promsied three more prequels. Out Fri 12 May. FRANTZ Set in the aftermath of WWI. Anna mourns her fiancée Frantz but finds

THE LEVELLING When her brother takes his own life, Clover Catto must return to her family’s farm and see the father she hasn’t spoken to in years. Fantastic directorial debut from Hope Dickson Leach, starring GoT’s Ellie Kendrick. Out Fri 12 May. MANHATTAN Woody wanders through the female jungle of New York in search of a perfect soulmate after the demise of his marriage. Sublime comic delight with a soulful Gershwin score. Out Fri 12 May. THE SECRET SCRIPTURE Adaptation of Sebastian Barry’s novel, starring Rooney Mara and Theo James. Out Fri 19 May. PIRATES OF THE CARABBEAN: SALAZAR’S REVENGE A fifth outing for Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow. Out Fri 26 May.

The Leveling

We are building the complete history of EIFF and we need your memories to do so.

Sir Sean Connery, Edinburgh International Film Festival 1991

#edfil mfestm emorie s

Help us assemble the history of the festival!

Tell us your stories, send us your photographs. edfilmfestmemories.org.uk | #edfilmfestmemories 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 79

743-Film Highlights 78-79 BD.indd 79

28/03/2017 17:23

KIDS

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /kids

RUNNING WILD

PHOTO: DAN TSANTILIS

Michael Morpurgo’s exciting and moving novel hits the stage There was no shortage of tragic stories after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, but one remarkable tale which emerged was of eightyear-old holidaymaker Amber Owen. Riding an elephant along the beach in Phuket, shortly before disaster struck, she found herself heading inland as the animal beneath her instinctively fled to safety. Inspired by her tale, Michael Morpurgo published his exciting, yet deeply poignant, children’s novel Running Wild to great acclaim five years later. And now, that book has been adapted for the stage, using a combination of actors and life-sized puppets created by the same team behind War Horse.

‘I really didn’t think it was adaptable for the stage,’ says Morpurgo. ‘But I thought I’d let them get on with it, which they did. I was a bit apprehensive about seeing it, but it was enchanting, absolutely magical.’ In Morpurgo’s novel, the lead character is a young boy, for which the author blames his ‘faulty memory’ having misremembered the news story. So for the stage production, the character is once again a girl, and Amber herself has given the show the seal of approval.

‘I met Amber, who is now in her 20s, when Running Wild was performed at Regent’s Park open air theatre,’ says Morpurgo. ‘Her and her family’s experience was incredible and I know they were moved when they saw the show.’

(Kelly Apter) ■ King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 2–Sat 6 May.

80 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Kids Lead 80 PM KA.indd 80

28/03/2017 14:47

Previews | KIDS

list.co.uk/kids LIVE TOUR

MR BLOOM’S NURSERY – LIVE King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Sat 29 Apr; King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Sun 30 Apr For many new parents, tuning into magic child containment forcefield CBeebies for the first time, Mr Bloom’s Nursery is the show that tells you kids’ television isn’t like it was in their day. You may have seen the likes of In the Night Garden’s pre-school psychedelia many times before, but friendly gardener Mr Bloom’s literally organic tales of his allotment adventures, alongside a supporting cast of talking puppet fennel, aubergine and butternut squash, is socially conscious kids telly in full effect, teaching undersevens the benefits of composting and eating their greens.

‘He was always going to be a happy Northern gardener,’ says actor and creator of Mr Bloom, Ben Faulks, who gets away with the regional specificity thanks to his time in teacher training at Yorkshire’s former Bretton Hall College and subsequently living in Manchester, even though he grew up in Cornwall. A father of three and sometime straight actor in shows including Casualty, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks, Faulks created an early version of Mr Bloom in the guise of a street theatre show for kids called Vegetable Nannies, which he took around the world in a vintage pram.

If you believe everything you read on Mumsnet, the nation’s mothers are apparently glad the BBC accepted Faulks’ pitch for a show back in 2009, although the BBC 6 Music fan is coy about the whole thing. ‘My wife Mimi and I have a giggle about it,’ he says. ‘We had no idea a tank top and wellies could be so attractive.’ A veteran of the CBeebies live tour, this will be Mr Bloom’s first solo show, and will feature his veggie friends, Colin the Compostarium, and lots of interactive fun for the ‘tiddlers’ in the audience. (David Pollock)

PLAY

FANTASTIC MR FOX

PHOTO: MANUEL HARLAN

King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Mon 15–Sat 20 May; Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Mon 22– Sat 27 May First published in 1970, Roald Dahl’s classic children’s adventure, Fantastic Mr Fox has seen something of a revival in later life. Once upon a time, crossover into film and animated cartoons allowed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG the greatest public notoriety; yet since George Clooney and Meryl Streep voiced Wes Anderson’s stop-motion animation of Mr Fox’s chicken-stealing adventures in 2009, and this musical version hit London, a new generation is getting to know Dahl’s tale.

‘I’m delighted that lots of people will get the chance to see it, because I think it’s a really wonderful bit of writing,’ says director Maria Aberg. ‘Sam Holcroft’s adaptation is incredibly funny and fast, a really witty take on the original with a few new twists and turns. Sam has brought the book to life in a way that feels very vivid and contemporary, with lots of warmth and humour.’

Created for the Roald Dahl centenary celebrations last year, the action-packed play also features music and lyrics from composer Arthur Darvill (he doesn’t appear onstage here, but many might know him best as the actor who played Rory in Doctor Who). And as with all of Dahl’s tales, it’s a pure romp which has as much allegorical depth as you could look for. ‘There’s a message to the story that’s very important at this particular point in time,’ says Aberg, ‘about community, togetherness, solidarity and what makes a good leader.’ (David Pollock) DANCE

PINOCCHIO Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 2 May Best known as the boy whose nose grows each time he lies, back in 1881 when Italian author Carlo Collodi first created Pinocchio, the character carried an important social message.

‘Collodi wrote it at a time when society was asking questions about education,’ explains choreographer Jasmin Vardimon, whose new dance adaptation of the tale is touring the UK. ‘People were asking if peasants could be educated, whether their children could go to school and become what they termed “real boys”, or if they should simply be part of the workforce, like donkeys.’

Using a range of clever theatrical devices, Vardimon and her dancers have lifted Collodi’s tale off the page with shadow puppetry, aerial work, playful movement and a quirky colourful set.

‘The thing I’m always interested in is finding the most imaginative way to tell a story – especially if that story is really well known,’ says Vardimon. ‘And Pinocchio is a very imaginative story already, so it was a pleasure to work on because the source material was right there – it was just a case of how to re-tell it.’

For Vardimon, exploring what it means to be human – something she says is ‘as relevant today as it was when the story was written’ – lies at the heart of the story.

‘In the Disney version, the message is you can become real by telling the truth but the original is a much more complex journey of discovery,’ she says. ‘So I decided to focus on how Pinocchio learns to recognise human feelings and emotions, in himself and others.’ (Kelly Apter) 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 81

743-Kids Previews 81 PM KA.indd 81

28/03/2017 14:47

KIDS | Highlights

HITLIST

PUPPET ANIMATION FESTIVAL Various venues, Scotland, until Sat 15 Apr, puppetanimation festival.org The UK’s largest and longest established annual performing arts event for children presents a feast of puppet-based entertainment at venues throughout Scotland.

sciencefestival.co.uk Hands-on science for everyone. See feature, page 20.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL Various venues, Scotland, Edinburgh, Sat 1–Sun 16 Apr,

RUNNING WILD King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 2–Sat 6 May, edtheatres. com Michael Morpurgo’s novel is brought to life with extraordinary puppetry design. See preview, page

80. Also touring, see list. co.uk/kids for details.

FANTASTIC MR FOX Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Tue 23–Sat 27 May, glasgowtheatreroyal. org.uk A playful retelling of Roald Dahl’s sly tale.

See preview, page 81.

Also King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Mon 15–Sat 20 May, edtheatres.com

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL Various venues, Edinburgh, Sat 27 May– Sun 4 Jun, imaginate. org.uk Edinburgh’s annual festival of performing arts for children and young people features, dance, theatre, multi-media and puppetry. See feature, page 36.

KIDS HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

GLASGOW HEAD IN THE CLOUDS Paisley Central Library, Tue 4 Apr, ipdiptheatre.co.uk A show for ages 0–3 from Ipdip Theatre, about the sky and the floating sheep that live there.

See review at list.co.uk. Also touring, see list.co.uk/kids for details.

EASTER WONDERLAND SHOW Springfield Quay, Glasgow, Tue 4– Mon 17 Apr, rainbowtwisters.com Artistry with 20,000 balloons plus a kids magic show, balloon-making workshop and Easter egg hunt.

MOONBEAM ON A CAT’S EAR Platform, Glasgow, Wed 5 Apr, jabutitheatre.com A mixture of puppetry and physical theatre based on the book by Marie-Louise Gay. See review at list.co.uk. Also touring, see list.co.uk/kids for details.

GLASGOW SCI-FI, COSPLAY & COMIC CON Barrowland, Glasgow, Sat 8 & Sun 9 Apr, glasgow-barrowland.com A celebration of cosplay, movies, TV, comics, anime, toys and games.

JANGO STARR: ONE MAN SHOE Eastwood Park Theatre, Mon 10 Apr, jangostarr.co.uk Family show about bumbling theatre caretaker Jango, who tries to transform himself into a star. Also touring, see list. co.uk/kids for details.

THE CURIOUS SCRAPBOOK OF JOSEPHINE BEAN Eastwood Park Theatre, Wed 12 Apr, eastwoodparktheatre. co.uk Intriguing show from the much respected Shona Reppe Puppets about a mysterious scrapbook which leads to a strange paper room. Suitable for ages 6+. Also touring, see list.co.uk/kids for details.

The Curious Scrapbook of Josephine Bean

MR BLOOM’S NURSERY LIVE King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Sat 29 Apr, mrbloomlive.co.uk Much-loved CBeebies star Ben Faulks is joined by all his gardening friends for a fun interactive stage show with familiar songs. See preview, page 81. Also touring, see list.co.uk/kids for details.

SOUTHSIDE FRINGE Various, Glasgow, Fri 12 Sun–28 May, southsidefringe.com A 17-day festival incorporating music, theatre and activities for all the family.

EDINBURGH RESCUE ROBOTS National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Sat 1–Thu 6 Apr, sciencefestival.co.uk A simple and fun introduction to robotics which involves assembling and programming a robot to retrieve a special item. Ages 10+.

FAMILY STORY TIME Summerhall, Edinburgh, Sat 1, Fri 7 Apr, sciencefestival.co.uk Theatre performance for families looking at the science inside some very well-known stories.

DR STIRLINGSHIRE’S DISCOVERY Edinburgh Zoo, Sat 1–Sun 9 Apr, sciencefestival.co.uk Enter the world of Dr Vivien Stirlingshire, a cryptozoologist in search of undiscovered creatures. Ages 5+.

WEE WONDER WORLD City Art Centre, Edinburgh, Sat 1– Sat 15 Apr, sciencefestival.co.uk Fun event for smaller scientists looking to explore the world around them.

Ages 3+.

HOLYROOD HOLIDAY CLUB: VOLCANOES, WILDLIFE & ADVENTURE Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Wed 5, Wed 12 Apr, historicenvironment. scot Learn about ancient people, hunt for wildlife, explore volcanoes, adventure to the top of the hill and learn some crucial bushcraft skills.

Ages 10–14.

A STONE’S THROW Summerhall, Edinburgh, Sat 8 & Sun 9 Apr, sciencefestival.co.uk A modern day fairytale about a girl who throws a stone at the sun and knocks it down, blending puppetry, music and movement. Ages 5+. Also touring, see list.co.uk/kids for details.

DINOSAUR WORLD Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Mon 10 & Tue 11 Apr, edtheatres.com Interactive family show where you can meet a host of impressive creatures, including every child’s favourite flesheating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Also touring, see list.co.uk/kids for details.

DR BUNHEAD’S IMPROVISED EXPLOSIONS Summerhall, Wed 12 Fri–14 Apr, sciencefestival.co.uk A rollercoaster of serious science, audience interaction and messy scenes of a spontaneous nature.

PINOCCHIO Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 2 May, jasminvardimon.com Jasmin Vardimon’s multi-talented dancers bring to life the famous marionette as he embarks on a fantastic journey to become a human boy. See preview, page 81. Also touring, see list.co.uk/ kids for details.

FAMILY CEILIDH Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Sat 27 May, tracscotland.org Join in well-known Scottish dances for the whole family.

82 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Kids Highlights 82 BD PM KA.indd 82

28/03/2017 14:47

MUSIC

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /music

TRADFEST EDINBURGH A traditional festival connecting the modern with the historic Scottish traditional folk arts and culture are given their own 12-day festival celebration in the form of TradFest Edinburgh. Billed as a chance to ‘bring in the summer’ through story, song and dance, TradFest is a city-wide spree featuring pub sessions, piping displays and folk concerts exploring and unpicking Scotland’s musical history.

‘TradFest is a dynamic festival led by the communities and cultures that celebrate traditional art all year round,’ says festival manager Daniel Abercrombie. This is mirrored in the opening event, a piping concert entitled Bagpipes Gu Leòr, which reclaims the rich piping culture and myriad styles that have been lost over the decades since military and competitive piping became the norm.

There will also be a music hub at

Summerhall where a programme of bands and solo artists put together by the Soundhouse Organisation takes place. Highlights include Dean Owens and Amy Geddes with their show Redwood Mountain: Transatlantic Crossings, which builds on archivist Alan Lomax’s Book of American Folk Songs.

Keep an eye out, too, for performances from Ireland’s Connla, and the UK debut from American roots duo, the Lowest Pair (pictured). Plus, the Edinburgh Folk Club showcase will feature duos Fil Campbell & Tom McFarland and Tom McConville & Andy Watt, all in a festival that’s dedicated to connecting the past to the present in an inclusive and exciting way. (Kirstyn Smith) ■ Various venues, Edinburgh, Wed 26 Apr–Sun 7 May.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 83

743-Music Lead 83 PM KS.indd 83

28/03/2017 14:51

MUSIC | Goodbye to Electric Circus

FOREVER ELECTRIC In March, Edinburgh said goodbye to beloved venue Electric Circus. Arusa Qureshi gathers some favourite memories from punters and performers, and looks to the future of the city’s music scene

T

he closure of small music venues around the UK has become a depressingly common state of affairs. In Edinburgh, a constant debate surrounds the city’s live music scene as a result of a seemingly continual battle to safeguard the future of its venues. Electric Circus may appear to be the latest casualty of this depressing trend of closures but the story is slightly different in this case: the operators decided not to renew their lease and the neighbouring Fruitmarket Gallery will expand into this space. As a haven for karaoke enthusiasts and the location of many noteworthy gigs and club nights, Electric Circus will be sorely missed. But the future of music in Edinburgh is not all doom and gloom if people are willing to remain both positive and proactive, a sentiment shared by many performers, spectators and promoters throughout the city. We spoke to a few of them to reminisce and hear their thoughts on the closure.

ON HEARING THE NEWS James Graham (The Twilight Sad): I was sad that Edinburgh was losing another 200–300 capacity venue. For me, that size of venue is the backbone of most inner-city music scenes. Without venues this size giving local bands and artists a platform to learn and develop, we could miss out on the next important musical discovery.

Georgia Gordon (Edinburgh-based musician): I was completely

taken aback when I found out. I never thought such an established music venue in the city centre would ever dream of closing. It broke my heart a little: I can’t lie! I have so many incredible memories of EC that I won’t forget.

ON FAVOURITE MEMORIES John-Paul Mason (Production and Events at King Tut’s, former booker at Electric Circus): The one show that does stick out was

a secret charity gig devised by myself and Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit. We decided to put on a gig where they played under a pseudonym, Jonny B Grey; in actual fact, it was FR playing

as a three-piece and playing the entire Sing the Greys album with all proceeds raised going to the Cystinosis Foundation. Needless to say, it put the venue on the map, was an absolutely amazing gig and raised money for charity.

Yasmin Morgan-Griffiths (TV Researcher, Red Sky Productions):

I saw Mitski play Electric Circus a few weeks ago and she was sensational! She gave such a serene and powerful performance.

Electric Circus is a special, intimate space which has given me amazing opportunities to get close to brilliant up-and-coming artists over the years. It was poignant knowing Mitski’s gig would be the last time I’d ever get to experience that in quite the same way.

Groundskeeper Fanny (Such a Drag): As a spectator, seeing Raleigh Ritchie with five other people who were only there because he was [Grey Worm] in Game of Thrones, made for one of the most intimate gigs possible. As a performer, I’ve been given a platform as an artist to truly experiment and develop; I can’t value that enough.

As a member of staff, I made some of my best friends and facilitated Edinburgh’s bombest waiting team. In reality, my time working there was a haze of delegating smoke breaks and singing Anastacia in empty rooms . . . sheer bliss.

Andy Danet (Rhythm Machine): I used to play (pretty silly) records a few years ago on weekends and the booking agent is a dear friend of mine who I still play with occasionally. My favourite memory would probably be one night at EC when I met some new friends through a tenuous link from other friends and we spent the night dancing, singing karaoke and drinking tequila. We had a rad time together but we were all pretty skint, so when the tequila ran out, they mugged me and bought another bottle.

Olaf Furniss (Born to be Wide): There were lots of musical high points but the most memorable was during a Wide Days showcase

by Norwegian punk band Honningbarna. After they blew two guitar amps, we managed to source replacements within 15 minutes and no sooner had they come back on, than I was suddenly lifted up by Vic

84 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Music Electric Circus 84-85 PM KS BD.indd 84

28/03/2017 17:25

Goodbye to Electric Circus | MUSIC Clockwise from top left: Olaf Furniss goes crowdsurfing at Wide Days; Electric Circus’ farewell message; a letter to The List from 2009

Curated by and featuring

Emma Pollock with Field Music, James Graham (The Twilight Sad), Roddy Hart, Sarah Hayes, (Admiral Fallow), Kathryn Joseph, Karine Polwart, Rachel Sermanni and Kathryn Williams.

SATURDAY 20 MAY 2017

O2 ABC GLASGOW

Originally commissioned by Aberdeen Performing Arts / True North Aberdeen’s Festival of Music and Song

Wednesday 20 December

ABERDEEN Beach Ballroom Thursday 21 December

INVERNESS Ironworks Friday 22 December

30th Anniversary

KILMARNOCK Grand Hall

Twenty Four Hour Party People

Saturday 23 December

GLASGOW O2 Academy

Greatest Hits tour

JOHN PRINE Special Guest

Amanda Shires

How Wild The Wind Blows Performing the Songs and Poems of Molly Drake

Fri 28th Apr Sat 29th Apr O2 ABC Ironworks

Glasgow

Galloway and Ally McCrae, and d found myself crowdsurfing for the first time in my life.

ON THE FUTURE OF MUSIC IN EDINBURGH

Inverness

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

TUESDAY 25TH APRIL

EDINBURGH

QUEEN’S HALL

0131 668 2019

WEDNESDAY 26TH APRIL

Neil Cooper (writer and arts critic): The problems, beyond

the arrangement between those running Electric Circus and the Fruitmarket Gallery, rests with the language used by City of Edinburgh Council in its own report, which seemed to suggest that an art gallery is somehow intrinsically more important than a music venue.

The creative connections between contemporary art and contemporary music are plain to see, and both should be recognised as vital cultural assets, especially in a city such as Edinburgh, where a thriving grassroots cultural scene feeds into its more high-profile artistic institutions.

GLASGOW

ORAN MOR

SUNDAY 23RD APRIL 2017

Saturday 22nd April

GLASGOW Royal Concert Hall

EDINBURGH Queens Hall

0141 353 8000

STONE FOUNDATION PETE WILLIAMS

by arrangement with CAA and VECTOR

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

FRIDAY 19 MAY

EDINBURGH VOODOO ROOMS SATURDAY 20 MAY GLASGOW ADMIRAL BAR

BY ARRANGEMENT WITH CAA PRESENTS

Tuesday 23rd May 2017

Edinburgh USHER HALL 0131 228 1155 by arrangement with Strada Music

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

2017 UK SLØR TOUR

+SPECIAL GUEST

Thursday 25 May

GLASGOW The Hug & Pint

Konni Kass SUNDAY 4 JUNE GLASGOW ORAN MOR

M A D E L E IN E PEYROUX PLUS SUPPO RT

John Stout (Regular Music): It’s not the number of venues of that

size that appears to be the problem, it’s the city’s discussion with itself of not having a good ‘scene’. Plenty people go to gigs when they’re on. If everyone keeps saying that there are never any decent gigs on in Edinburgh, then you’re sending a message that there’s no point even looking into what’s on. So let’s stop that and talk about the positives.

Groundskeeper Fanny: I don’t think it means the Edinburgh scene

is dying. If anything, I think it’s the kick up the arse that every scene, from drag to music, needs to realise we can DO THIS. Plan a show, create a club night and for god’s sake support local artists.

TUES 30 MAY

GLASGOW CONCERT HALL

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

0141 353 8000

SUN 4TH J UNE

THURSDAY 29TH JUNE

GLASGOW

EDINBURGH QUEEN’S HALL 0131 668 2019

C IT Y H A LL S

0141 353 8000

0844 844 0444

www.ticketmaster.co.uk

regularmusic.com

WED 31 MAY

EDINBURGH USHER HALL 0131 228 1155

In person from Ticket Scotland Glasgow/Edinburgh.

Venue Box Offices and all usual outlets

regularmusicltd

regularmusicuk

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 85

743-Music Electric Circus 84-85 PM KS BD.indd 85

28/03/2017 17:25

743-adpages.indd 86

28/03/2017 15:11

Heavy Scotland | MUSIC

FULL METAL RACKET With new festival Heavy Scotland on the horizon, Henry Northmore takes a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of Scotland’s metal scene

M

etal has always been one of the most extreme genres: heavier, faster, more brutal than any other musical form.

However, despite its outsider status, metal has an incredibly loyal and passionate fanbase. There are times when hard rock takes over the mainstream, glam metal in the 80s and nu metal in the 90s being obvious examples, but true defenders of the faith have stuck with it through thick and thin, weathering the many storms.

‘At every level, metal is a uniquely cathartic art form. Once you connect with it as a listener or as a player or just on an intellectual level, you quickly start to explore and consume as much as you can because you need it instinctively at a primal lizard-brain level,’ explains drummer Andy Brown from rising Scottish metal band Centrilia.

‘There’s always the next band to discover that opens up another door to what’s possible, which leads to the next one and the next one . . .’

But how healthy is Scotland’s current metal scene? On initial glance it looks pretty vigorous. Huge names like Iron Maiden and Kiss are booked to play the SSE Hydro (16 and 27 May respectively), alongside visits to Scotland by true underground pioneers (such as Napalm Death at the Classic Grand, Glasgow, 10 May), while venues like Ivory Blacks, The Cathouse, Bannermans, Opium and Studio 24 support local metal, niche bands, up-and-coming acts and club nights.

Another good sign is the launch of new festival Heavy Scotland taking over the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh. ‘Heavy Scotland is a celebration of all things metal as well as a platform for local bands to gain a wider audience,’ explains organiser Caitlin Elliot. ‘There are so many incredible local bands, the aim is to try to help them reach a wider audience while also celebrating more established international bands in this amazing country.’ Those more established names include a UK exclusive show from Behemoth (pictured), plus Arch Enemy, Finntroll, Destruction, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Havok and Blaze Bayley.

Alongside Disposable and Lucifer’s Corpus, Centrilia are among the Scottish acts on the bill. ‘We’re honoured to have been asked to open the first day of the festival’s inaugural event,’ says Brown. ‘To have a new Scotland-based festival that’s aiming to bring a diverse range of world-class metal artists together in this way, and then to include and open that platform up to unsigned Scottish bands, well, it’s pretty exciting all-round.’

Both agree, however, that Scottish metal faces some hurdles. ‘There are a lot of fantastic local metal bands and new ones breaking into the scene all the time,’ says Elliot. ‘However, there are also a lot of half empty gigs and people often talk about how hard it can be to get people to gigs, especially for smaller, underground bands.’

‘There’s people out there already doing some great work,’ adds Brown, flagging up Slow Dragon Music in Dundee and the New Hellfire Club in Glasgow. ‘But more often than not, the age-old problem of artists being somewhat exploited by lazy promoters rears its ugly head time and time again. Tuesday night “five local-band” bills are never going have the pull necessary to build a reliable crowd that makes it worthwhile for any band or venue.’

Brown has a suggestion that could help invigorate the scene at a grassroots level: a network of venues, promoters and bands giving over a night every weekend to local acts with free entry. ‘So, if you’re a Glasgow band and you want to get out to Perth, Edinburgh, Dundee, Inverness, etc, you’re able to just add your band to a waiting list for the bill in that city. The more bands circulated the better, and the more people had easy access to see them, the better everything would be for everyone.’ (Henry Northmore) Heavy Scotland, Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, Sat 1 & Sun 2 Apr. 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 87

743-Music Heavy Scotland 87 PM KS.indd 87

28/03/2017 14:51

MUSIC | Previews BASS LEGEND

BARRY ADAMSON King Tut’s, Glasgow, Mon 24 Apr Barry Adamson began his illustrious yet cultish career in music as the self-taught teenage bassist of post-punk titans Magazine. He only knew a couple of chords (in fact, his first bass only had two strings) but he finessed those primitive skills to compose the deathless bassline on ‘The Light Pours Out of Me’. He has also served his time as a dude among dudes in the Bad Seeds, returning to both bands for a time over the past decade.

‘It really was like doing the time warp again!’ he says.

‘These things often are. They become part of your identity and you never quite leave. Though the horse’s head in my bed this morning gave me a few clues as to my current status . . . ’ Thankfully, Adamson works most happily as a lone ranger, releasing his first solo album, Moss Side Story, in the late 1980s, forging his signature cinematic film noir-influenced sound with a succession of soundtracks to imaginary films, before graduating to the real thing, scoring for fellow badass auteurs Derek Jarman, David Lynch and Oliver Stone.

He returns to solo action with his new Love Sick Dick EP on which he inhabits the purring panther-like persona of the virile yet pathetic protagonist over a funky, filmic backdrop, and follows its release with a solo tour billed as ‘the full Barry Adamson experience’. Which sounds like quite an ask, given that he’s added the roles of writer, photographer and filmmaker to his artistic portfolio over the years.

‘I’m emptying the contents of my entire life into the audience,’ he says of his current show. ‘Ed Sheeran reckons it’s a doddle, which is good, as I was still a little trepidatious about it. Now I’m all like, “show me a stage where this bull can rage!”’ (Fiona Shepherd)

ELECTRONICA

C DUNCAN

PHOTO: FAT CAT RECORDS

The Caves, Edinburgh, Sun 14 May C Duncan has had a busy year. Following the release of affirmingly reviewed second album The Midnight Sun and a string of dates supporting rockers Elbow on their recent shows across the UK (‘it was pretty exciting to be with them’), he’s back on the road to continue his own headline tour which includes a return to the capital. ‘Edinburgh audiences are generally great. It’s quite a musical place and there’s a lot of people who turn out to gigs. Everyone seems to be pretty appreciative.’

Building on the lushly textured soundscape of first release Architect, and with band in tow (‘it’s lovely to have the company!’ he jokes, referring to his habitual process of working solo in his own studio where he both writes songs and paints), the classically trained composer is eagerly anticipating switching it up a bit on stage with some of his newer material, which he admits is ‘great fun’ to perform.

‘The Midnight Sun is very different to the first album to perform because there’s much more synchronised stuff going on, but it’s really nice to have a second album to play about with on stage.

I sometimes like to switch between the guitar stuff to the much more electronic stuff; it keeps it interesting.’ Named after an episode of The Twilight Zone (a recurring inspiration: stage entries have occasionally been soundtracked by dialogue from the show), The Midnight Sun has a suitably eerie, glacial beauty. Performed live, it’s likely to be a shivers-down-the-spine treat for both the Glaswegian’s loyal fanbase and the newly enticed. (Laura Waddell) ROCK

HONEYBLOOD PJ Molloys, Dunfermline, Tue 18 Apr; Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh, Sat 22 Apr

PHOTO: AMIRA FRITZ

‘It’s not very glamorous when you wake up in the morning and you’ve got avocado all over your bed. Like, “what was I doing last night?”’ Stina Tweeddale, Honeyblood frontwoman and avocado aficionado, is getting into the nitty-gritty of life on the road. ‘You get sucked into eating bar food, so we ask for avocados and steamed veggies on our rider. Then we end up getting a wee bit drunk and trying to make a meal in our hotel rooms from whatever’s left over.’

The duo – Tweeddale and drummer Cat Myers – are going to have to find their hotel-food A-game on their new tour, in support of sophomore album Babes Never Die. Dining mishaps and getting locked out of your van aside (‘it happened to the girls from PINS on our tour last year: they had to jimmy the lock’), there’s plenty to look forward to. ‘Nothing tops playing to a room full of people who love the album,’ says Tweeddale.

This is Honeyblood’s largest tour to date, and they’re going more global than ever before, taking in Ireland and Wales for the first time, while breaking new ground in Singapore and Australia. This comes off the back of their newly-released ‘Babes Never Die’ video, made up of footage recorded by the duo themselves and fans on their last tour.

‘The other videos we’ve released are us dressing up and playing a part, but this is a real representation of who we are as people,’ continues Tweeddale. ‘We wanted to make sure we were getting the true side of Honeyblood out there.’ (Kirstyn Smith) 88 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Music Previews/Records 88-92 PM KS.indd 88

28/03/2017 17:28

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 89

743-adpages.indd 89

28/03/2017 15:11

MUSIC | Records FOLK

ALBUM OF THE ISSUE

ROCK

YORKSTON / THORNE / KHAN

LAND OF TALK

Neuk Wight Delhi All-Stars (Domino) ●●●●●

Life After Youth (Saddle Creek) ●●●●●

Life After Youth is unlike any previous release from Montreal band Land of Talk, emanating a sense of unexpected calm. The anticipated intensity of the instrumentation and of frontwoman and chief songwriter Liz Powell’s vocals have been toned down but, crucially, without losing the fire or energy found in tracks such as ‘Speak to Me Bones’ from their 2006 EP Applause Cheer Boo Hiss.

‘This Time’ epitomises that shift in its more restrained approach, but retains the kind of memorable, dynamic chorus for which the band is known. This may be down to the change in Powell’s approach from a more guitar-based sound to something that incorporates synth and electronic loops to a greater extent. The experimental characteristics of tracks like ‘Spiritual Intimidation’ and tender first single ‘Inner Lover’ demonstrate the success of this tonal adjustment.

Elsewhere, there are clear elements of familiarity, notably in the twinkling guitar lines of ‘In Florida’ and the crunchy repetition of closing track ‘Macabre’. Powell’s vocals continue to be as assured and captivating as ever, especially on ‘Heartcore’ and ‘World Made’.

When a band takes a seven-year hiatus, there’s a lingering fear ‘hiatus’ may be code for ‘permanent break’, a legitimate concern when things went quiet in the wake of 2010 album Cloak and Cipher. In truth, Powell was facing a period of personal hardship which impacted on her creativity. Thankfully, this was temporary and after reuniting with original drummer Bucky Wheaton, she once again found her voice, producing a restorative record that traces the uncertainty, grief and disorientation of that period with profound clarity. (Arusa Qureshi) ■ Out Fri 19 May.

When you hit upon an idea as good as this one, why not keep at it until you feel it’s been expended? The idea, in this case, being the strange convergence of three very different musicians whose styles inexplicably fuse in a manner which is beyond genre but very easy on the ear. Fife’s alternative folk songwriter James Yorkston, Isle of Wight-based jazz bassist Jon Thorne and Indian sarangi player Suhail Yusuf Khan first collaborated on last year’s Everything Sacred, and their highly capable team-up has produced another fine record a little more than 12 months later.

As the title of the album suggests, there seems to be a certain boldness this time, which leads to dexterous fusions of sound and intercontinental style.

The opening ‘Chori, Chori’ is a propulsive mantra given voice by Khan, even as Yorkston’s guitar keeps pace with moody lines which could have come from the guitar of Richard Thompson. On ‘Samant Saarang / Just a Bloke’, the dynamic is turned on its head, the musical style distinctly of the east as Khan’s keening sarangi lines and rhythmic vocal percussion underpin Thorne’s absent-minded vocal musing that he’s ‘just a bloke . . . with a load on his mind . . . wanderin’ up the hill.’

There’s a redolence of the 1960s folk revival throughout Neuk Wight Delhi All-Stars, with the sense of the traditional opening its mind to a hint of the psychedelic. Yorkston’s gorgeously weary vocal on ‘Bales’ echoes Nick Drake and there’s a certain protestsinging acoustic energy to ‘False True Piya’. Many of the songs here, in whole or in part, come from the folk tradition, with Yorkston and Khan’s duet on ‘The Recruited Collier’ detaching the song from a sense of inherent anglocentricity, while ‘Halleluwah’ appears to be either a very loose cover of, or strongly influenced by, Can’s kosmiche classic. Such rich diversity sounds neither forced nor fake.

(David Pollock) ■ Out Fri 7 Apr.

POSTMODERN INDIE

LO-FI DIY

FATHER JOHN MISTY

THE LADYWELL LOUT

Pure Comedy (Bella Union) ●●●●●

After the Float Rush (Self-released) ●●●●●

Those who consider themselves ripe for some preachin’ will be doing backflips of devotional rapture come the arrival of this third album by sometime Fleet Foxes drummer Joshua Tillman. Under his Father John Misty alias, his Pure Comedy has been touted as a record which speaks vividly of its times, doing so in mighty great brush strokes of frustrated, hopeful, perplexed, euphoric lyricism and sparse, country-tinged rock which feels frayed around the edges.

This is protest music which doesn’t so much protest as write a lengthy thinkpiece for Medium on everything that’s wrong with the world and sits back to wait for the likes. But those words are wonderful with the tenderness of the music perfectly complementing the committed thoughtfulness. The title track sets out a powerful stall, a wearily amused takedown of the male power structure, particularly the kind that finds leverage in religion or money: ‘fashioning new gods so they can go on being godless animals’.

Against a warm bank of horns, ‘Total Entertainment Forever’ shrugs exasperatedly at the narcotic effects of the media, and ‘Things That Would Have Been Helpful to Know Before the Revolution’ eulogises his own youthful fervour as he feels ‘the nightlife and the protests’ slip away. Tillman’s music is a silk glove for the clenched fist beneath it, a collective swoon of piano, acoustic guitar and subdued string arrangements.

‘A Bigger Paper Bag’ may have been written from a Presidential perspective (‘I’ve got the world by the balls / am I supposed to behave?’) and ‘Two Wildly Different Perspectives on Both Sides’ offers stark and non-judgmental commentary about human division. It’s an album which reveals itself, through the stunning triangulation of love, courage and apocalypse of ‘In Twenty Years or So’, both monolithic in its wisdom and traumatised by the reverberating turmoil of its own sense of shaken certainty. (David Pollock) ■ Out Fri 7 Apr.

They say write about what you know. Doog Cameron, who records lo-fi documentary electronica from his bedroom base ‘in the depths of Central Belt Scotland’, appears to abide by that mantra as he attests that he’s been ‘spending most my life living in a jakey paradise’. In which case, he is to be pitied for the sights he has seen, sympathised with for the travail he has endured and congratulated for coming out the other side with this cathartic concept album on the hitherto untapped reservoir of psychodrama and street hassle which pervades the tradition of the smalltown Scottish gala day.

After the Float Rush is his appreciation / exorcism of the local parade’s annual Buckfast bacchanalia with its hopeless floats, feeble fairground, fried food and token bouncy castle conspiring to generate a relative sense of occasion. At times, it can be hard to discern Cameron’s muttered narration over the hand-stitched patchwork of Korg synthesisers, echoey distortion and lo-fi field samples of crowd noise, amplified announcements, accordions, flute bands and skittering drum’n’bass beats. The abiding effect is of a dream / nightmare sequence in a less stylised version of Trainspotting.

His random perambulations with a dictaphone certainly reflect the chaotic bustle while, over a bleak, bluesy acoustic guitar, he delivers ‘Ham Oan Piece’, an Arab Strap-like commentary on how virtually any communal celebration in Scotland becomes an excuse for a piss-up and the ensuing drunken liaisons. Some of the shriller exchanges are captured on the eerie ‘Goan Go Away After the Float Rush’, later accompanied by a symphony of sirens as the situation deteriorates further.

It’s not quite the sound of crying children on Lou Reed’s notoriously grim Berlin but many listeners will identify with this horror and with the baleful soused chorus of ‘Simply Depressed Again’, rendered to the tune of Tina Turner’s ‘The Best’. (Fiona Shepherd) ■ Out Mon 10 Apr.

90 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Music Previews/Records 88-92 PM KS.indd 90

28/03/2017 14:49

Records | MUSIC

list.co.uk/music AMBIENT

INSTRUMENTAL

ANDREW WASYLYK

L PIERRE

Themes for Buildings and Spaces (Tape Club Records) ●●●●●

1948- (Melodic) ●●●●●

‘It must be as ignorable as it is interesting’ was Brian Eno’s 1978 mission statement for ambient music, pretty much at the point when he was shaping the genre’s future direction. As with any sonic movement, two records can exist within its field while still sounding poles apart. So, ambient can easily accommodate as diverse a duo as Eno’s epochal Music for Airports and Andrew Wasylyk’s Themes for Buildings and Spaces.

Certainly, that title could easily exist within the discography of a Robert Fripp or Harold Budd, but Wasylyk uses the landscape and architectural vibe to concoct a diverse set of eight tracks (the longest of which clocks in at a most un-ambient three minutes and 13 seconds) inspired by his home town of Dundee. Having previously lent his musical prowess to the likes of Idlewild, Hazey Janes and Art of the Memory Palace, Wasylyk (actually Andrew Mitchell, who has taken his Ukrainian grandfather’s surname as his stage moniker) delivers a second solo collection which ditches the soaraway soulful vocals from 2015 debut Soroky to produce an instrumental album resplendent with brass, percussion, synths and samples of young Taysiders playing outside.

The greatest successes are the more mournful pieces such as ‘Ghosts of Park Place’, and ‘Come the Autumn’ (the most Eno-esque number on show here), while the nostalgia-fuelled ‘Menzieshill’ wouldn’t have felt out of place on King Creosote’s From Scotland With Love. Even the more upbeat segments, like ‘Lower Dens Works’ and ‘Under High Blue Skies’, suggest a mysterious and murky hinterland.

Certainly not ignorable and interesting at the very least, Wasylyk’s contribution to the ambient genre might not be remoulding the form but it has definitely given his solo career a fresh perspective. And anything that adds to the artistic kudos of bonnie Dundee should be heralded as a good thing.

(Brian Donaldson) ■ Out Fri 28 Apr.

Over the past 15 years, Arab Strap mainman Aidan Moffat has sporadically indulged as L Pierre, his DIY repository for soothing found sound, scratchy samples and field recordings. The man best known for his droll, unflinching lyrics has produced, to date, four albums of woozy after-hours instrumentals, appropriating others’ work with ever-less studio embellishment of his own. But now Pierre is hanging up his boots for good.

For his fifth and final fling, he has lifted wholesale (from YouTube) samples of the recording of Felix Mendelssohn’s ‘Violin Concerto in E Minor’ by esteemed soloist Nathan Milstein with the New York Philharmonic. The original recording became the first ever 12-inch long player release in 1948, hence the title, with the date left hanging pointedly because, despite persistent whispers of its demise, vinyl isn’t dead yet.

The Mendelssohn is a gorgeous, sumptuous, sad symphony but the medium is as interesting as the message here. This swansong will be released strictly as vinyl only, with no sleeve to protect against wear and tear (my copy is now safely encased in a plastic sleeve, as this is a record I’ll want to play again, thanks mainly to Felix . . . ).

Accordingly, the music comes pre-distressed, with the tremulous, slightly creaky strings sounding a little warped, and the concerto chopped up and stuck through a blender. Following a tantalisingly slow fade-in, a mournful melody takes subtle hold, running through the piece like a blue mist, the patina of distortion conjuring up images of European melodramas from the 70s, a realm of long doleful glances, lurid eyeshadow and fur coats. These moody moments are punctuated with stirring, urgent passages and dramatic crescendos before fading out on an exquisite haunting requiem which hits a locked groove at the end so that the listener can lick that wound for as long as they wish. It’s what Pierre would have wanted. (Fiona Shepherd) ■ Out Fri 28 Apr.

BAROQUE FOLK

ROCK

DOMINIC WAXING LYRICAL

THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN

Rural Tonic (Tenement Records) ●●●●●

Damage and Joy (ADA / Warner) ●●●●●

After an 18-year wait between Dominic Waxing Lyrical’s eponymous debut and 2014’s Woodland Casual, his latest project thankfully only took three years to be made and released. Rural Tonic, Dominic Harris’ third record under the Waxing Lyrical guise, reunites members of Edinburgh band Aberfeldy and celebrated ensemble Mr McFall’s Chamber to create his latest whimsical exploration into the spoken word.

Harris is primarily a poet, and while that is evident in the delivery of his often obtuse and metaphorical lyrics, there’s a musicality to his cadence and tenor which makes his work strangely alluring. Opener ‘King’ immediately sets out its stall with Harris’ scenic imagery in his lyrics, backed with a string quartet and embellished with natural sound effects. Lead single ‘La Giostra’ (‘The Carousel’) is perhaps the best example, a chamber pop waltz with a stirring piano line and flourishes of strings which typifies Dominic Waxing Lyrical.

Meanwhile, the Aberfeldy half of the album takes on something much more akin to Talking Heads-esque post-punk, such as the excellent ‘The Morningside Woodpecker’ which features a tightly knit stop-start rhythm section and more propulsive, direct delivery, making it surprisingly both heavy and playful.

Harris’ sense of humour keeps Rural Tonic from floating off into a more selfaggrandising work, but it’s clear that this record won’t be for everyone.

Musically, the collection swings to different extremes, with the two sides (post-punk and chamber orchestra) only occasionally interacting to create a mix of Beatles reminiscence and medieval, baroque folk exploration, such as on highlight ‘Kill Everyone’.

Rural Tonic takes some time to really get going and, while not forgettable (it would be very difficult to forget a project such as this), it doesn't fully hit the heights it promises. At its best, however, this is an intriguing romp.

(Adam Turner-Heffer) ■ Out Fri 21 Apr.

Anyone who heard ‘Amputation’, last year’s first foray into new material from East Kilbride’s finest since Munki dropped with only modest fanfare in 1998, will be pleased to know that any anti-climax has been contained. Despite the fashionably insouciant, disinterested pose which the Reid Brothers, Jim and William, have made an art of throughout their career, ‘Amputation’ did a decent job of bringing it to life for real. The tinny drums, by-thenumbers squalling riff and half-hearted ‘oo-oo’s promised, at best, a modest impersonation of the good old days. It’s arguably the worst song here, and it’s done and dusted first.

‘War on Peace’ is much more like it, a song which similarly ambles, but in that hazy, drug-addled fug which Velvet Underground made their own. ‘Each day I wake / it’s gonna be my last,’ Jim incants on ‘All Things Pass’, with more breezy pop joie de vivre than such fatalism really deserves. That’s what classic J&MC should really sound like, although there’s something more of their 1990s pop sensibility here than the 80s fuzzy atmospherics.

Producer Youth keeps things clean and interesting, and a procession of female vocalists balance Jim’s manly half-sneer. On the stately, swooning grind of ‘Always Sad’, William’s non-singer girlfriend Bernadette Denning is on board while the mighty Isobel Campbell is drafted for ‘Song for a Secret’ and ‘The Two of Us’, marshalling Jim from ‘too old to crucify / but too young for suicide’ to ‘I am just glad I found you / I’ll wrap myself around you’. And singer-actor Sky Ferreira appears on the dreamily downbeat ‘Black and Blues’.

Ultimately, Damage and Joy is a T2:Trainspotting of a record. With the point of it still questionable even as you experience it, the album doubles down on the combination of weather-beaten scuzz and pure Motown pop which you loved about J&MC in the first place.

(David Pollock) ■ Out now.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 91

743-Music Previews/Records 88-92 PM KS.indd 91

28/03/2017 14:49

MUSIC | Records – Jazz & World

JAZZ & WORLD JAZZ

JOSHUA ABRAMS & NATURAL INFORMATION SOCIETY

WORLD

JUANA MOLINA

Simultonality (tak:til/Eremite) ●●●●●

Halo (Crammed Discs) ●●●●●

Joshua Abrams is one of the most adventurous players to emerge from Chicago’s vibrant creative music scene. Simultonality reflects the breadth of his vision, weaving elements of spiritual jazz, minimalism, North African gnawa and Indian classical into a shimmering, kinetic trance music. This is the first Natural Information Society album to feature the working lineup of the band, which perhaps explains its focus and rhythmic energy. Several tracks begin with insistent Terry Riley-like organ patterns, before Abrams strikes up a riff on the guimbri (bass lute) to open it all out. Drummers Michael Avery and Frank Rosaly channel the flow motion of Can’s Jaki Liebezeit, creating expansive grooves that bubble away under Lisa Alvarado’s meditative harmonium and Emmett Kelly’s fuzz guitar jabs. Closing track ‘2128 ½’ finds Abrams on bass, paying homage to the spiritual jazz of Alice Coltrane and his mentor Fred Anderson: a splendid thing.

The cover of Halo has Juana Molina’s eyes staring out from the epiphysis of a leg bone: a good visual analogue for the Argentinian’s surreal electronic folk-pop. The album teems with intoxicating rhythms and woozy synths, taking occasional turns towards the uncanny, such as on ‘Lentismo Halo’ with its atmospheric drift and jarring guitars. ‘Calculos Y Oraculos’ is a marvel, its gorgeous bossa nova influenced melody floating over synths that burble and sigh.

JAZZ

MICHEL EDELIN FLUTE FEVER ORCHESTRA FEAT. NICOLE MITCHELL Kalamania (Rogue Art) ●●●●● I got a fever and the prescription is more flute!

French flautist Michel Edelin has assembled some of the instrument’s leading practitioners for Kalamania, not least the peerless Nicole Mitchell. As the four flautists dance on thermals, the rhythm section of bassist Peter Giron and drummer John Betsch keep things grounded with a great free swinging feel.

There’s nothing twee or hippy-ish about the flute playing here: Edelin, Mitchell, Sylvaine Hélary and Ludivine Issambourg tease myriad tones and textures from their axes, contrasting shrill piccolo figures with breathy bass flute, and cheeky harmonised riffs with spittle-flecked abstractions. All the pieces are by Edelin, with the exception of ‘Joyful Struggle’, a Mitchell composition that adds folk flourishes to modernist structures. ‘Obsession’ breaks into a sweet gospel refrain, the musicians singing over handclaps and solo flute, while ‘Flying Drum’ detournes a parade ground march with sputtering vocal improv and demented flute runs.

WORLD

KING AYISOBA 1000 Can Die (Glitterbeat) ●●●●● The latest album from Ghanaian kologo maestro King Ayisoba is a monster. Produced by Arnold De Boer of Dutch punks the Ex, 1000 Can Die foregrounds the trance-like power of the band’s traditional instruments – the two-string kologo and an array of percussion – while judiciously employing electronic textures. Guest spots from Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Ghanaian rapper M3nsa, and the great Nigerian saxophonist Orlando Julius are a treat, but Ayisoba is undoubtedly the star, barking out conscious lyrics, peppered with his signature nasal bleats.

WORLD

VARIOUS Agrim Agadez: Musique Guitare de la République du Niger (Sahel Sounds) ●●●●● A collection of contemporary field recordings from Niger, Agrim Agadez captures the diversity of Sahel guitar music, from acoustic campfire ballads to fuzzed-out bar bands. Fans of breakout star Mdou Moctar will be excited to hear the guitar hero playing acoustic music with the same qualities of hypnosis and flash as his electric material. Azna de L’Ader’s ‘Hey Joe’, is as wild and hairy as anything from the Japanese psychedelic underground. Mohamed Karzo’s ‘C’est La Vie’ is a singalong gem, while female guitarist Amaria Hamadalher mesmerises with the beautiful ‘Bahouche’. (All reviews by Stewart Smith)

EXPOSURE VISTAS They’re influenced by the likes of Biffy, the View and Twin Peaks, and their personal interests include ‘choruses’. They’re Vistas. We had a few words with Prentice Robertson (vox and guitar) about what they get up to when they’re not out gaining a reputation for their high-energy indie performances On their sound Bright, high-energy indie-rock with big choruses.

On songwriting I write the bones of the song and we flesh it out together: that’s what makes Vistas’ sound. My main aim always when writing a song is for it to mean something to someone else. I think if I’ve done that then I’ve done my job as a songwriter. It’s also always great if I can get the song stuck in someone’s head. That’s always a bonus.

On who’s killing it right now That would have to be Fatherson. They’ve produced consistently good music for so long now and I can’t wait to hear more and see where they take their band. I also really admire the way they have built their band from the start and I feel they’re a testament to the idea that hard work pays off.

On Scotland’s scene There are a lot of good bands all over Scotland right now from Edinburgh to Aberdeen to John O’Groats, and it’s really exciting to see these Scottish bands becoming more recognised.

On their plans for this year We have a new single called ‘Strong Swimmer’ coming out in April. Then the rest of 2017 is going to be filled with constant gigging, writing and recording. We want to spend 2017 sharing our music with as many people as we can and we hope people will join us for the ride. (As told to Kirstyn Smith) ■ Vistas play Wide Days, The Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Fri 21 Apr.

92 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Music Previews/Records 88-92 PM KS.indd 92

28/03/2017 14:49

COMING UP AT THE QUEEN'S HALL

OLD BLIND DOGS THU 6 APRIL, 8PM

Robin Ticciati conducts

Beethoven SYMPHONY No 7 11-12 May 2017, 7.30pm

Fusing dynamic percussion, polished vocals, /+ .%*# 7 (! * /0%..%*# ,%,!/Ű “A Scots neo-traditional super group, with a bracingly modern musical attack” (Montreal Gazette)

THE LORNA REID QUINTET THU 27 APRIL, 8PM +0( * Ɔ/ ++( * ( //5 & 66 %2 Ű “She has the blues of Bessie Smith, swing of Ella, strength of Billie Holiday and soul of Nina Simone” (Rhein-Zeitung Germany)

Edinburgh | Glasgow

Christian Tetzlaff – Violin Tanja Tetzlaff – Cello

S TA C E Y K E N T WED 17 MAY, 7.30PM $! %*0!.* 0%+* ((5 ( %)! * . ))5Ū *+)%* 0! 2+ (%/0 .!01.*/ 0+ $! 1!!*Ɔ/ (( 3%0$ . * *!3 +* !.0 "! 01.%*# $!. ( 0!/0 ( 1) !* !.(5Ű

SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA For tickets see www.sco.org.uk

WWW.THEQUEENSHALL.NET 0131 668 2019 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 93

743-adpages.indd 93

28/03/2017 15:11

Robbie Williams

Murrayfield 9th June

The Stone Roses

Hampden 24th June

Green Day

Bellahouston Park 4th July

TRNSMT Festival

Glasgow Green 7th-9th July

The Lost Disco

Tisno, Croatia 17th-20th August

Eminem

Bellahouston Park 24th August

Creamfields

Daresbury Estate, Cheshire 24th-27th August

WIN TICKETS TO TRNSMT! Scotland’s newest music festival, TRNSMT, brings one of the summer’s most anticipated line-ups to Glasgow Green over 7 – 9 Jul and, thanks to festival organisers DF Concerts, we have a pair of tickets for each day to give away.

Headliners Radiohead, Kasabian and Biffy Clyro are supported by an award-winning line-up including The 1975, Catfish and the Bottlemen, London Grammar, Two Door Cinema Club, Blossoms, Rag‘n’Bone Man, Stormzy and more. TRNSMT offers music, art, culture, food and drink within a truly metropolitan setting where fans can experience one of the most vibrant cities in the country.

Easily accessible with national and international transport links to and from Glasgow, as well as a wealth of overnight accommodation on offer throughout the city, TRNSMT’s flexible weekend and day ticket packages allow you to choose whether a 1, 2 or 3-day package is right for you.

To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to TRNSMT, just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Which TRNSMT headliner celebrates the 20th anniversary of their seminal album ‘OK Computer’ in 2017?

TRNSMT Glasgow Green 7 – 9 Jul 2017

trnsmtfest.com TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Fri 30 Jun 2017. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult over 21. Sign up for exclusive TRNSMT news at trnsmtfest.com. The List’s usual rules apply.

94 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-adpages.indd 94

28/03/2017 16:37

Highlights | MUSIC

STORMZY O2 Academy,

HITLIST

Glasgow, Wed 5 Apr, academymusicgroup. com/o2academy glasgow English grime and rap artist named in the BBC’s Sound of 2015 list.

THE PICTISH TRAIL The Caves, Edinburgh, Thu 13 Apr, unusualvenuesedinburgh. com Off-kilter indie-folk from Johnny Lynch. Also

Clarks on Lindsay Street, Dundee, Wed 12 Apr

kingtuts.co.uk See preview, page 88.

HONEYBLOOD PJ Molloys, Dunfermline, Tue 18 Apr; Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh, Sat 22 Apr See preview, page 88.

C DUNCAN The Caves, Edinburgh, Sun 14 May, unusual venuesedinburgh.com See preview, page 88.

BARRY ADAMSON King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Mon 24 Apr,

HIDDEN DOOR Leith Theatre, Fri 26 May–Sun 4 Jun, hiddendoorblog.org

The arts festival pitches up at Leith Theatre. Music highlights include Anna Meredith, Idlewild and Kathryn Joseph. See feature, page 30.

MARIKA HACKMAN King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, Tue 30 May, kingtuts.co.uk Brighton singer-songwriter in the nu-folk vein.

MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

Michael Kiwanuka

GLASGOW BLOSSOMS O2 Academy, Sat 1 Apr, academymusicgroup.com/ o2academyglasgow A lighter psychedelic sound with elements of British pop from Stockport five-piece Blossoms. Part of NME Awards tour with Cabbage and Rory Wynne.

KING AYISOBA Platform, Sat 1 Apr, platformonline.co.uk Ghanaian street-folk trailblazer. See review, page 92.

THE WHO The SSE Hydro, Fri 7 Apr, thessehydro.com Classic British rockers – formed in 1964 by singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon – known for anthems including ‘Who Are You’, ‘My Generation’ and ‘I Can See for Miles’.

MT DOUBT Nice ’n’ Sleazy, Sat 8 Apr, nicensleazy.com Dark pop and alt. rock noises from Mt Doubt. Launching their split single with Foreign Fox. Also Beat Generator Live, Dundee, Fri 7 Apr, beatgenerator.co.uk BRUNO MARS The SSE Hydro, Wed 12 & Thu 13 Apr, thessehydro.com Soppy ballads and R&B with a tasteful hip hop edge from the all-conquering commercial funk troubadour.

touring in support of new album These People. Support comes from Black Grape.

o2abcglasgow Soulful/jazzy singersongwriter, who released his second album Love & Hate last year.

GIGGS O2 ABC, Tue 18 Apr, academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow One of the UK’s fastest rising young rappers and grime MCs.

THE VIEW Barrowland, Thu 4 & Fri 19 May, glasgow-barrowland.com Dundonian indie scamps. Also Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Wed 17 & Thu 18 May, liquidroom.com

RAG’N’BONE MAN O2 ABC, Sun 23 Apr, academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow Hip hop, soul, blues and funk from the London-based artist.

ADAM ANT Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sun 7 May, glasgowconcerthalls.com The erstwhile 80s pop pin-up plays his brand of post-punk and dandy pop.

Also Edinburgh Playhouse, Sat 6 May, atgtickets.com/venues/ edinburgh-playhouse

ED SHEERAN The SSE Hydro, Sun 16 & Mon 17 Apr, thessehydro.com Folky rapping singer-songwriter behind world conquering album ÷.

JAPANDROIDS The Garage, Sun 30 Apr, garageglasgow.co.uk Noise pop guitar/drums duo from Vancouver.

RICHARD ASHCROFT The SSE Hydro, Tue 18 Apr, thessehydro.com Ex-Verve frontman

MICHAEL KIWANUKA O2 ABC, Mon 1 May, academymusicgroup.com/

THE DEFTONES SEC, Sun 7 May, sec.co.uk Alternative metal virtuosos headed by Chino Moreno specialising in crushing riffs and deeply emotive vocals.

Support comes from AFI. BOB DYLAN & HIS BAND SEC Armadillo, Sun 7 May, sec. co.uk Country/folk/rock from the living legend, now in his 70s but still going strong.

MAXÏMO PARK O2 ABC, Tue 9 May, academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow Geordie indie rock favourites Maxïmo Park fronted by the man with the combover, Paul Smith.

THE CRIBS O2 Academy, Thu 11 May, academymusicgroup.com/ o2academyglasgow The Wakefieldborn Jarman brothers perform their energetic brand of indie-rock, with its strong post-punk and garage-rock influences. Celebrating the tenth anniversary of Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 95

743-Music&Classical Highlights 95-98 PM.indd 95

28/03/2017 17:31

743-adpages.indd 96

28/03/2017 15:11

Highlights | MUSIC

MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUED Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

summerhall.co.uk Flamboyant Weimar cabaret-like sounds and mellower, broodier material from touted Lake District quartet Wild Beasts. Part of Nothing Ever Happens Here.

Wild Beasts

COLONEL MUSTARD & THE DIJON 5 O2 Academy, Sat 13 May, academymusicgroup.com/ o2academyglasgow Things get weird with Colonel Mustard’s live show. Group hugs, crowd high-fiving, singalongs and yoga are just a few of the things you can expect from this raucous Glasgow act.

SIMPLE MINDS Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Thu 18 May, glasgowconcerthalls.com The Scotrock stalwarts make the rounds on this greatest hits tour. Also Caird Hall, Dundee, Wed 17 May, leisureandculturedundee.com/ culture/caird-hall THE CRANBERRIES Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Thu 25 May, glasgowconcerthalls.com Celtic-tinged indie-rock group, fronted

by Dolores O’Riordan, known for hits ‘Zombie’ and ‘Linger’.

ENTER SHIKARI Barrowland, Thu 25 May, glasgow-barrowland.com Trancecore favourites from Hertfordshire mixing hardcore punk, metal and electronica.

THE BEACH BOYS SEC, Fri 26 May sec.co.uk The surviving Beach Boys (with one obvious exception) continue to tour their surf-flavoured summer vibes.

ERASURE O2 Academy, Sat 27 May, academymusicgroup.com/ o2academyglasgow 80s electro-pop darlings Vince Clarke and Andy Bell.

KISS The SSE Hydro, Sat 27 May, thessehydro.com A big old tour from the monochrome made-up rock guys, fronted by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.

LEFTFIELD Barrowland, Sat 27 May, glasgowbarrowland.com The original trip

hop and progressive house stalwarts are back – half of them anyway. Neil Barnes is still rocking away behind the decks following the departure of Paul Daley. Playing debut album Leftism in full.

ELECTRIC FROG & PRESSURE RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL Riverside Museum, Sat 27 & Sun 28 May, riversidefestivalglasgow. com See feature, page 35.

DUCKTAILS + JAMES FERRARO + TYPHONIAN HIGHLIFE Summerhall, Wed 10 May, summerhall.co.uk Braw Gigs & Nothing Ever Happens Here present Ducktails, the side project of Real Estate’s Matthew Mondanile, with support from Ferraro and Typhonian Highlife. Part of Nothing Ever Happens Here.

PRIDES The Liquid Room, Fri 12 May, liquidroom.com Synth-led electro indie from the Glasgow trio.

DAMO SUZUKI The Mash House, Sun 21 May, themashhouse.co.uk Japanese avant-rock and krautrock singerguitarist, best known as the front-man of Can.

EDINBURGH HEAVY SCOTLAND Corn Exchange, Sat 1 & Sun 2 Apr, heavyscotland.com See feature, page 87.

BRITISH SEA POWER The Liquid Room, Sun 9 Apr, liquidroom.com Angular, arty Brighton indie rock quartet with a compelling visual sense.

REVERIEME La Belle Angèle, Thu 13 Apr, labelleangele.com Folk-tinged indie from singer-songwriter Louise Connell.

SEASICK STEVE Usher Hall, Wed 19 Apr, usherhall. co.uk Vagrant American bluesman accompanying himself on a twostringed guitar, wooden box and other handmade instruments.

EUGENE KELLY + WITHERED HAND Summerhall, Fri 21 Apr, summerhall.co.uk The Vaseline’s Eugene Kelly plays with support from Edinburgh’s Withered Hand. Part of Nothing Ever Happens Here.

ADAM HOLMES & THE EMBERS Traverse Theatre, Sun 21 May, traverse.co.uk BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nominee Adam Holmes.

EDINBURGH CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL Biscuit Factory, Fri 26–Sun 28 May, edinburghcraftbeerfestival. co.uk Among over 30 brewers and street food from The Pitt, look out for DJ sets from Young Fathers (Fri), Jamie MacColl from Bombay Bicycle Club (Sat), Belle & Sebastian (Sat), Idlewild (Sun) and Metronomy’s Olugbenga (Sun).

KIRKCALDY JAMES YORKSTON’S TAE SUP WI’ A FIFER Adam Smith Theatre, Sat 1 Apr & Sat 13 May, onfife.com/venues/ adam-smith-theatre Fife folkster James Yorkston curates a programme of club nights. Featuring Roddy Woomble, Oliver Coates and Yorkston Thorne Khan (1 Apr) followed by Lynched, Michael Chapman and Harry Giles (13 May).

PERTH BRYDE Sneaky Pete’s, Thu 27 Apr, sneakypetes.co.uk Fierce and fragile songs from one girl and her electric guitar.

Reverieme

WILD BEASTS Summerhall, Mon 1 May,

TREACHEROUS ORCHESTRA, RACHEL SERMANNI, ADAM HOLMES Perth Concert Hall, Wed 24 May, horsecross.co.uk/perth-concerthall An evening of folk-rock performed by a trio of Scottish acts.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 97

743-Music&Classical Highlights 95-98 PM.indd 97

28/03/2017 17:31

MUSIC | Classical

L A C I S AS

CL

CONCERTS

THE NIGHT WITH . . .

Emma Lloyd and Joanna Nicholson, The Rowantree, Edinburgh, Mon 11 April; The Hug and Pint, Glasgow, Tue 12 April. The Aurea Quartet, The Hug and Pint, Glasgow, Wed 3 May Who to spend the night with? Audiences are spoiled for choice with this second series of Glasgow and Edinburgh events that open up a new style of concert-going. Salon-style concerts that present classical and contemporary music in informal settings, The Night With . . . is the brainchild of composer Matthew Whiteside.

‘I like going to concerts,’ he says, ‘but often the concert hall invites a certain way of listening. I also enjoy going to rock concerts and I wanted to bring that aesthetic closer, and to make a more relaxed atmosphere. That’s why I’ve programmed three thirds rather than two halves. There will be time between each section to get to the bar and refresh your drink.’

Seating, too, will not be like conventional classical music concerts. Whether The Hug and Pint in Glasgow or The Rowantree in Edinburgh, it will be mainly cabaret style with a few rows standing at the back.

‘While people can really listen and be sitting quietly, The Night With . . . is about making a classical concert as close to a rock concert as possible,’ says Whiteside, ‘and it’s important to get it set up the right way.’

The Night With . . . Emma Lloyd (pictured) and Joanna Nicholson, which is in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, features music for violin and clarinet, as well as electronics. One piece is Timothy Cooper’s ‘Shimmering’, which Whiteside describes as being ‘very, very beautiful’. There is also new work for the duo by Whiteside himself and by Nina Whiteman. In all, eight composers with whom to spend the night.

‘The whole programme is fairly meditative,’ says Whiteside, ‘and even though there are a lot of notes, there is still a real sense of stillness to the music.’ (Carol Main)

CLASSICAL HIGHLIGHTS HITLIST SCOTTISH OPERA: BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE & THE 8TH DOOR Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Sat 1 Apr, atgtickets.com/venues/ theatre-royal-glasgow Bartok’s disturbing Bluebeard’s Castle is paired up with a new opera, The 8th Door, co-created by composer Lliam Paterson and theatre director Matthew Lenton.

Also Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Wed 5, Sat 8 Apr, edtheatres.com RSNO: BEETHOVEN ONE Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Fri 21 Apr, usherhall. co.uk Thomas Søndergård conducts guest soloist, baritone Roderick Williams, in Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn.

Beethoven’s Symphony No 1 is an appropriate musical complement. Also Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sat 22 Apr, glasgowconcerthalls. com

GLASGOW DUNEDIN CONSORT: ST MATTHEW PASSION Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Wed 12 Apr, glasgowconcerthalls. com/glasgow-royal-concert-hall Holy Week performance of Bach’s setting of the passion story from the gospel of Matthew, composed for Good Friday at his Leipzig church, Thomaskirche, in 1729. Also Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Fri 14 Apr, thequeenshall.net BBC SSO: BOSTRIDGE SINGS BRITTEN City Halls, Thu 27 Apr, glasgowconcerthalls.com/cityhalls A favourite of the Edinburgh Festival, tenor Ian Bostridge was a late starter as a singer, his first love being history and, in particular, witchcraft, which is a bit of an unusual claim to fame. His voice, however, is just right for Britten’s Serenade for tenor, horn and strings, which he performs with French horn player Chris Parkes.

TECTONICS GLASGOW: BBC SCOTTISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA City Halls, Sat 6 May,

glasgowconcerthalls.com/ cityhalls Opening orchestral concert of this year’s Tectonics festival of new music, founded and curated by Ilan Volkov, who conducts the BBC SSO in a humdinger of a programme of contemporary music, much of it enjoying premiere performances.

SCOTTISH OPERA: LA BOHÈME Theatre Royal, Tue 9, Fri 12, Sat 14, Tue 16, Thu 18, Sat 20 May, atgtickets.com/venues/theatreroyal-glasgow New production of the Puccini favourite returns, from the team behind the company’s highly successful Don Pasquale, director Renaud Doucet and designer André Barbe. Bringing out the colour of Puccini’s sublime score, their setting is inspired by the jazz age of Paris in the 1920s. Also touring, see list.co.uk/ theatre for details

EDINBURGH SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: SCHUBERT SYMPHONY NO 4 Queen’s Hall, Thu 4 May, queenshall.net World premiere of SCO commission from New Zealandborn but long-time Edinburgh-resident composer Lyell Cresswell’s Concerto

for Clarinet and Orchestra. Entitled ‘Llanto’ which is Spanish for crying, it sits alongside Schubert’s fourth symphony, subtitled ‘Tragic’. Take the tissues. Also City Halls, Glasgow, Fri 5 May, glasgowconcerthalls. com/cityhalls SUNDAY CLASSICS: MOSCOW PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Usher Hall, Sun 28 May, usherhall. co.uk There’s nothing quite like the sound of a top drawer Russian orchestra in Russian repertoire, especially with a conductor like Yuri Simonov. Prepare for Shostakovich’s Festival Overture hitting the roof and Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 being a tour de force with soloist Freddy Kempf.

OUT OF TOWN NICOLA BENEDETTI Perth Concert Hall, Mon 15 May, horsecross.co.uk/perth-concerthall Usually appearing in Glasgow or Edinburgh as a concerto soloist, catch the chance to hear the wonder that is Nicola Benedetti in different mode as she performs chamber music repertoire for violin and piano with duo partner Alexei Grynyuk to open this year’s Perth Festival of the Arts.

98 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Music&Classical Highlights 95-98 PM.indd 98

28/03/2017 17:31

THEATRE

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /theatre

THE NORTH Joan Clevillé Dance returns with a new text-based work Dance and the spoken word don’t always make good bedfellows. But when the newly formed Joan Clevillé Dance gave its debut performance in 2015, it proved that in the right hands the two can be beautiful companions.

Plan B for Utopia was a moving, funny exploration of our hopes and dreams, and after two years of touring, Clevillé has created another text-based work to share with us: The North.

‘I love the interplay between movement and text, and feel that text can often help audiences who are

not so familiar with dance to engage with the work,’ he says. ‘With this new show, the performers do not address the audience directly, but we watch them interact with each other as characters inhabiting their own world.’

Following one young man’s search for his own identity, The North is more about human experience than geography. Choreographed by Clevillé in conjunction with the show’s three performers (including Solène Weinachter and John Kendall, both wonderful in Plan B for Utopia), the

show was partly influenced by the landscape and light of the far north.

‘The north which we describe in the piece is a place of the imagination, a liminal space somewhere between a limbo and a waiting room,’ explains Clevillé. ‘There’s definitely a Nordic feel to the work, but it’s open, desolate and unpredictable. I wanted to evoke a sense of disorientation, of being humbled by an environment that is stronger than us, and having to let go in order to survive.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 12 & Sat 13 May.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 99

743-Theatre Lead 99 PM KA GKV.indd 99

28/03/2017 15:23

THEATRE | Previews FESTIVAL

BUZZCUT Pearce Institute, Glasgow, Wed 5–Sun 9 Apr Having established a presence in the city centre through the Double Thrills season, the team at Buzzcut returns to Govan’s Pearce Institute for its annual festival of performance. Attracting artists from around the world, the festival continues to offer a platform for work that evades easy definition and provokes thought alongside intense emotions.

Part of its distinctive attitude is the event’s refusal to be confined by definitions. ‘I believe both performance and live art are experimental ways of exploring how you live in the world and how you express that to other people,’ says Daisy Douglas, a member of the core team. ‘But it’s not necessarily helpful to define it in specific terms,’ adds Karl Taylor. ‘This debate is so constant and it often takes away from the art.’

Instead, Taylor continues, by naming itself as a ‘performance festival’, Buzzcut ‘allows itself to be as large as possible, to allow anyone to access it. Performance can be anything.’ And with 51 artists presenting work over the five days, everything from choreography through monologues to the very-difficultto-label will be presented. Familiar local artists, such as FK Alexander and Gillian Lees are returning, next to performers from Latin America and Europe. Eclecticism is the essence of the programme’s curation.

Buzzcut has gained an international reputation for both the diversity of talent on display and its approach to curation, with the emphasis on conversation, free thought and inclusion.

With the Side Burns thread setting aside time and space for conversations about the work (‘it’s like a more formalised space to share ideas in a focused way,’ explains Taylor), Buzzcut attempts to break down the suspicions around experimental performance and provides a comprehensive look at the state of the art. (Gareth K Vile)

SOLO TRAGEDY

FUTURISTIC DRAMA

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

CORIOLANUS VANISHES

GIRL IN THE MACHINE

CAREFUL

Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Fri 14–Sat 22 Apr

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Wed 5–Sat 22 Apr

After the success of dark ensemble comedy International Waters, Fire Exit’s latest project heralds director and writer David Leddy’s return to performing after 12 years. Having built a reputation for productions that scramble genres, Coriolanus Vanishes is a solo show that maintains Leddy’s ambitious sense of scale.

‘The title references two things,’ he says.

‘Shakespeare’s Coriolanus but also this amazing book by David King, The Commissar Vanishes, about leaders who were painted out of photographs after falling out with Stalin. It’s about the way that petty personal relationships get projected onto national politics.’ Leddy uses these influences to examine the intersection between the personal and the political.

As the protagonist tries to piece together the events that led to him experiencing three recent deaths, Leddy’s script ponders the relationship between ‘humanism and militarism’. Following Coriolanus’ biography, he examines ‘the ways in which parents can damage children who grow up to be messy adults and then project that mess onto those around them.’

As always, Leddy’s commitment is to a serious theatre that examines ideas in both a personal and political context. (Gareth K Vile)

Having been presented in progress as part of last year’s Traverse Fringe line-up, the premiere of Girl in the Machine has Stef Smith returning to the venue after her recent success at The Royal Court. Exploring the human quest for happiness, it considers how technological advances might impact on this perpetual endeavour.

‘When I first started writing Girl in the Machine, I was much more interested in it being a metaphor than a prediction,’ says the Olivier Awardwinning playwright. ‘But in the past 12 months that I’ve been working on the play, the world has fundamentally changed or, at very least, the problems we face in creating a peaceful future are more explicit. So, it felt necessary to comment on what the future might hold as much as it being a metaphor for now.’

Although she is ‘loathe to give too much away’, Smith says that she ‘looks at addiction, connection, faith and how we deal with a world that increasingly feels relentless in its accumulative crises.’ Combining a science-fiction context with a resonant story of love, Girl in the Machine is a reminder of Smith’s ability to reconcile sophisticated theatricality and emotive storytelling.

(Gareth K Vile)

Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling, Sat 1 Apr, then touring until Sat 27 May Horse McDonald has been a commanding presence in Scottish music for over 25 years, but Careful is not a simple evening with a singer-songwriter. ‘I very rarely sing in the play,’ she says. Although it follows her journey from childhood to ‘present day when my wife and I attended the Scottish Parliament on the day of the equal marriage vote in 2014,’ Careful examines wider themes and common experiences.

‘I’ve been at great pains to point out it’s not a “gay play”, it just so happens that I am,’ she continues. ‘But the human message is that we are all affected.’ With a pair of chairs at the centre of the stage (the ‘mum’ and ‘dad’ seats), the monologue guides the audience through Horse’s life, including some moments she describes as ‘dark and difficult: but the key message is that it got better!’

After success at the Fringe, Horse and her director Maggie Kinloch decided to tour the show with an additional Q&A session, which will include a little more music. This allows the audience a chance to respond to the events of Careful: despite being a personal story, it covers an exciting period of history and draws out emotions that demand conversation. (Gareth K Vile)

100 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Theatre&Dance Previews 100-104 PM KA GKV.indd 100

28/03/2017 15:23

GLORY ON EARTH

BY LINDA MCLEAN DIRECTED BY DAVID GREIG

20 MAY – 10 JUNE 2017

TICKETS:

0131 248 4848 | LYCEUM.ORG.UK

Royal Lyceum Theatre Company Ltd is a Registered Company No. SC062065, and Scottish Charity Registered No. SC010509

743-adpages.indd 101

28/03/2017 15:12

743-adpages.indd 102

28/03/2017 17:09

Previews & Reviews | THEATRE

list.co.uk/theatre

PHOTO: MIHAELA BODLOVIC

PHOTO: TRISTRAM KENTON

MUSICAL

CLASSIC SATIRE

SISTER ACT

HAY FEVER

Edinburgh Playhouse, Mon 3–Sat 15 Apr

Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 1 Apr; Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 5–Sat 22 Apr ●●●●●

It’s 2009 and Craig Revel Horwood, sharp-tongued judge of Strictly Come Dancing, has a head full of vision. Recruited to choreograph a West End version of Sister Act, he’s all set to go when a sudden change sees the job whisked out from under him and handed to another choreographer. It was, he says, ‘frustrating’. But now, a brand new production of the musical is on the road, with Horwood both directing and choreographing.

‘I’ve had the show in the back of my mind for nine years,’ he says. ‘You prep yourself, you saturate yourself in the music, and then when it doesn’t come to fruition, it still stays with you because you’ve invested so much of your imagination in it. So it’s lovely for it to come full circle and to be able to actually do what was in my head.’

Watching that 2009 production, Horwood’s first thought was ‘well I wouldn’t have done it like that’. Now he’s finally got the chance to do it his way, changes have been made – and with X Factor’s Alexandra Burke in the starring role (whom Horwood calls ‘the most incredible actress’), he’s far happier with the result.

‘The major difference for me is the truth in the story,’ says Horwood. ‘I wanted the characters to be three dimensional, to take all the glitz out and replace it with a real church, real nuns' habits, to make it more realistic. So we’ve done that – it was only a few little tweaks here and there, but now it’s more believable.’ (Kelly Apter)

Director Dominic Hill’s take on Noël Coward’s satire focuses on the insufferable Bliss family, manufacturing lunacy when they ensnare their guests in parlour games. With the cast disappearing in and out of a landscape backdrop by designer Tom Piper, and from doors at the side where they can be seen before making their entrances and exits, Hill draws attention to the artificiality onstage.

There is a real sense of stretching the limitations of the script’s eccentricities.

Excellent work from Benny Baxter-Young as pompous writer father David and his ghastly offspring Sorel (Rosemary Boyle) and Simon (Charlie Archer) is more than matched by hilarious, endearing Myra McFadyen as put-upon maid Clara.

For all the comic antics, Hill works the script’s more difficult themes: an initially awkward scene between interlopers, uptight Richard (Hywel Simons) and bonkers Jackie (Katie Barnett) is pushed to almost intolerable levels of discomfort, nearly playing out in real time which provides a satisfying naturalism.

However, it is Coward’s women who dominate the action: the face-offs between washed-up luvvie Judith (Susan Wooldridge) and vampish Myra (Pauline Knowles) are brilliant, symbolic of both the new-found freedom for women in the roaring twenties, and the desperation to cling to their youth. Despite being slightly overlong and dragging in the second act, Hay Fever is a spry and fun romp emboldened by Hill’s distinctive directorial flavour. (Lorna Irvine)

FESTIVAL

MAYFESTO Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 3–Sat 27 May Even when he isn’t directing one of his plays, Andy Arnold evokes Samuel Beckett. This year’s ‘mini-festival’ Mayfesto is inspired by the Irish absurdist’s struggles with language and sound, and his conclusion that ‘music always wins’. Beckett’s pessimism aside, Arnold’s curation suggests that ‘gig-theatre’ has established itself as a dynamic genre.

With Blood of the Young presenting Daphne Oram’s Wonderful World of Sound (pictured), a study of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop pioneer, Alan McKendrick teaming up with the Smack Wizards to tell the story of a tour from hell, and A Band Called Quinn grappling enhanced interrogation, Mayfesto draws from rock’n’roll, experimental electronica and punk ferocity as much as the magic of the script.

Further work comes from Ramesh Meyyappan, an artist as restless as he is creative; his Off Kilter looks at being an outsider, with literal magic in the mix. Horse McDonald brings her Fringe hit play Careful to the Tron (see preview, page 100), and even Glasgow University joins the party, as academics and fledging superstars David Archibald and Carl Lavery roll out the latest episode of The Glam Rock Dialogues, a counterblast to punk-rock ‘authenticity’ and the belief that theory doesn’t have its own swagger.

If McKendrick’s Cadaver Police in the Electrocution Afterlife – as seen in progress during the Take Me Somewhere festival – hides a caustic sting inside its rocking metaphor of life on the road, A Band Called Quinn take on the ultimate sell-out. Based on the research of musicologist Dr Morag J Grant, Music is Torture considers the condition of a band when their songs are used by the military – with humour promised.

Mayfesto has always had a political edge. Despite the serious subjects and intense performances, this year’s theme ensures that the programme is a celebration of collaborative creation, and a battle between media that resolves not into a victory for music, but for imagination and audiences. (Gareth K Vile) 1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 103

743-Theatre&Dance Previews 100-104 PM KA GKV.indd 103

28/03/2017 15:23

DANCE | Previews

E C N DA

HIP HOP

BREAKIN’ CONVENTION Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Fri 5 & Sat 6 May

PHOTO: DANIEL COSTON

Once the exclusive domain of street corners, these days you’re more likely to find hip hop dance performed on a theatre stage than a pavement. In the five years since Breakin’ Convention last visited Edinburgh, the landscape for this progressive dance form has evolved to take advantage of its new surroundings. ‘I think that hip hop artists have realised the potential of the proscenium arch,’ says Breakin’ Convention’s curator and host, Jonzi D. ‘But they also know how much work is required to make that transition.’

This year’s event will see three headline acts from South Korea, South Africa and Canada, plus a host of local crews from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. ‘With Breakin’ Convention, I like to capture the global nature of hip hop, so it’s always great to have artists from different areas,’ says Jonzi. ‘Just Dance from Korea [pictured], arguably one of the strongest b-boying nations in the world, are presenting a piece with Korean masks and drumming, so they’re bringing their specific cultural identity to the piece, which I’m very excited about. Canada’s Tentacle Tribe have created a contemporary dance and breaking fusion, and although they’re quite clearly hip hop dancers, I think a contemporary dance audience will really connect with it.’

As for South Africa’s Soweto Skeleton Movers, their particular brand of dance was born in the most unlikely of circumstances, given the athletic nature of hip hop. ‘They’re bringing a dance form called Pantsula,’ explains Jonzi. ‘Some would argue it isn’t hip hop, but looking at the socio-economic context which the dance form comes from, there are mirrors with hip hop. Pantsula comes from the streets of Soweto, and the guy who started the skeleton style learned it in prison from a kung fu master. The style uses stretching techniques that have developed into contortionism, which comes from training in a constricted environment in prison.

For me, that’s really interesting.’ (Kelly Apter)

WORLD PREMIERE

SCOTTISH BALLET Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 21 & Sat 22 Apr You can say one thing for choreographic duo Ivgi and Greben: they practise what they preach.

Working collaboratively with dance companies around the world for almost 15 years, the two men inevitably have artistic disagreements – but a harmonious reconciliation is never far away.

So when they turn up in Glasgow to create a new work for Scottish Ballet about tolerance in the face of dispute, you know it comes from the heart.

‘Working together is a very natural process,’ says Johan Greben. ‘When we first started to collaborate, we needed to raise our voices and say “this is what I want to do!”, but over time that has shifted. We are not so important anymore, but the work is – we treat it like a third person.’

Inspired by the fear-driven desire of people in countries around the world to close their borders, put up walls and revert to some other place in time, Each Other fuses Scottish Ballet’s neo-classical sensibility with Ivgi and Greben’s contemporary language. Hundreds of pairs of shoes will litter the stage, depicting lives once lived, as the piece explores division and reconnection – something equally important to them off-stage.

‘It’s like the relationship between a couple or between countries,’ says Uri Ivgi. ‘Johan and I are very different – I come from Israel, he comes from Holland – we have such a different mentality and temperament. But we always find each other somehow.’ ‘Yes,’ concurs Greben, ‘we’re a good example, we always work things out, we don’t divorce and we don’t build borders.’ (Kelly Apter) FILM ADAPTATION

MATTHEW BOURNE’S THE RED SHOES

PHOTO: JOHAN PERSSON

Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 9–Sat 13 May All ballet dancers know the pain and discomfort of wearing pointe shoes, but few if any have suffered in them the way Vicky Page did in 1948 film, The Red Shoes. Torn between her love life and her need to dance, she meets a tragic end wearing her shiny red pointe shoes – and ballet fans have worshipped at the film’s altar ever since.

One such fan is choreographer Matthew Bourne who, after years of planning, has brought the iconic film to the stage.

‘The Red Shoes has always been a special film for Matt,’ says dancer Ashley Shaw, who plays Vicky in Bourne’s production. ‘It really stood out as something he thought would work well on stage, so it’s been brewing in his head for years. He hasn’t explored the classical element much, and he’s very good at making sure all his works are really different so audiences keep coming back, so now was the right time.’

Originally played by Moira Shearer in the film, the character of Vicky Page is a plum role for any dancer, and Shaw is well aware how special it is.

‘It’s incredible to be playing Vicky,’ she says, ‘although it also comes with a lot of pressure because everyone knows the film, and Moira Shearer played it so perfectly. But to be able to create the role with Matt and be the first dancer to play her on stage is really special – it’s definitely the highlight of my career so far, and probably ever.’ (Kelly Apter)

104 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Theatre&Dance Previews 100-104 PM KA GKV.indd 104

28/03/2017 15:23

In association with

Co-commissioned with

The 306:Day Written by Oliver Emanuel Composed by Gareth Williams Directed by Jemima Levick

The Station Hotel, Perth 5 –13 May 2017

BOX OFFICE 01738 621031 / horsecross.co.uk

And full Scottish tour, see nationaltheatrescotland.com for details.

The 306: Day is supported by The Forteviot Charitable Trust and The Thomson Charitable Trust.

Please note the pe ormance contains some strong language, violence, nudity and is not suitable for children.

An age guide of 14+ is suggested. Photograph by Christopher Bowen. Design by Dill Design.

A CITIZENS THEATRE PRODUCTION

Graham Greene’s

TRAVELS MY AUNT

TRAINSPOTTING LIVE FTH THEATRE, FALKIRK TUE 4 - FRI 7 JULY 7PM & 8.45PM TICKETS £25 / £20 (16+)

The famous novel and globally successful film, is now repackaged into an immersive production – you are literally part of the show!

“The best way to experience Trainspotting.”

Irvine Welsh

Tickets going fast, book now and make sure you don't miss out on the best piece of theatre yet!

WARNING: This immersive production contains nudity, strong language, sex, violence, drug/needle use, and lots of mess.

May induce claustrophobia.

ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE

BY GILES HAVERGAL

3 – 20 MAY 01324 506850 | falkirkcommunitytrust.org BOOK NOW

0141 429 0022 citz.co.uk

Falkirk Town Hall, Falkirk, West Bridge Street, FK1 5RS @Falkirk Arts

@FalkirkCultural

Citizens Theatre Ltd. Registered in Scotland No. SC022513 and is a Scottish Charity No. SC001337.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 105

743-adpages.indd 105

28/03/2017 16:33

THEATRE | Highlights

HITLIST

BUZZCUT FESTIVAL Pearce Institute, Glasgow, Wed 5–Sun 9 Apr, glasgowbuzzcut. wordpress.com Cutting edge performance art festival created in 2011 in response to the shock cancellation of the well-established New Territories, Buzzcut is all about sharing. See preview, page 100.

on what’s going on in the world and focuses on responding to recent events. See preview, page 103.

MAYFESTO Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 3–Tue 30 May, tron.co.uk Mayfesto celebrates theatre with an edge, drama that focuses

BREAKIN’ CONVENTION Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Fri 5 & Sat 6 May, edtheatres.com/ festival After a five year break, this dynamic festival of hip hop dance theatre,

featuring international and home-grown talent, returns to Edinburgh. See preview, page 104.

MATTHEW BOURNE’S THE RED SHOES Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 9–Sat 13 May, edtheatres.com/ festival Mathew Bourne’s highly acclaimed new dance production, based

on the classic 1948 film.

See preview, page 104.

GLORY ON EARTH Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Sat 20 May– Sat 10 Jun, lyceum.org. uk David Greig directs Linda Maclean’s story which re-imagines the historic meetings between Mary Queen of Scots and John Knox.

THEATRE HIGHLIGHTS GLASGOW CHANNELING JABEZ Òran Mór, Mon 3–Sat 8 Apr, oranmor.co.uk A play celebrating the life of Jabez Wolffe: Channel swimmer, variety artist and international sporting hero. Written by Giles Croft and directed by Liz Carruthers.

Also Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 11–Sat 15 Apr, traverse.co.uk CORIOLANUS VANISHES Tron Theatre, Fri 14–Sat 22 Apr, tron.co.uk Contemporary psychological tragedy written and performed by David Leddy, exploring how shadowy childhood memories can besiege our adult relationships.

See preview, page 100.

SCOTTISH BALLET: EACH OTHER & UNDER THE SKIN Tramway, Fri 21 & Sat 22 Apr, tramway.org A brand new commission from the up-andcoming Israeli-Dutch choreographic duo, Uri Ivgi and Johan Greben.

See preview, page 104, and visit scottishballet.co.uk for the company’s exciting digital season, Under the Skin.

ROSALIND Tramway, Tue 25 Apr, tramway.org Shakespearean heroine Rosalind is placed in a contemporary setting by James Cousins Company, to explore how society has changed.

PHOTO: BRIAN HARTLEY

Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

VELVET PETAL Tramway, Sat 5 & Sun 6 May, tramway.org Scottish Dance Theatre’s new work inspired by the photography of Robert Mapplethorpe and life cycle of the Monarch butterfly.

DAPHNE ORAM’S WONDERFUL WORLD OF SOUND Tron Theatre, Tue 9–Sat 13 May, tron.co.uk Live-scored by electronic sound artist Anneke Kampman, Daphne Oram’s Wonderful World of Sound is a journey through the life of one of the 20th century’s unsung composers. See Mayfesto preview, page 103. Also touring, see list. co.uk/theatre for details.

JOAN CLEVILLÉ DANCE CO: THE NORTH Tramway, Fri 12 & Sat 13 May, tramway.org The story of a young man’s search for meaning in an unpredictable environment. See preview, page 99.

MARK MURPHY’S V-TOL: OUT OF THIS WORLD Tramway, Fri 19 & Sat 20 May, tramway.org The story of one woman’s fight for survival as she descends into a medically induced coma, told through physical theatre, aerial choreography and special effects. See feature, page 28.

HORSE MCDONALD: CAREFUL Tron Theatre, Fri 26 & Sat 28 May, tron.co.uk Horse McDonald’s debut play is an autobiographical tale of triumph over adversity through music.

See preview, page 100. Also touring, see list.co.uk/theatre for details.

Velvet Petal

SISTER ACT Edinburgh Playhouse, Mon 3–Sat 15 Apr, atgtickets.com/venues/ edinburgh-playhouse Craig Revel Horwood directs and choreographs this feelgood musical comedy featuring original music by Tony and Oscar-winner Alan Menken. See preview, page 103.

GIRL IN THE MACHINE Traverse Theatre, Mon 3–Sat 22 Apr, traverse.co.uk A new play from the Olivier Award-winning Stef Smith explores our digital future in a world that seems to be moving too fast. See preview, page 100.

EDINBURGH DIDY VELDMAN: THE HAPPINESS PROJECT Tramway, Fri 28 & Sat 29 Apr, tramway.org A choreographic investigation into western society’s endless search for deep fulfilment, in collaboration with the celebrated violinist / composer Alexander Balanescu.

HAY FEVER Royal Lyceum Theatre, until Sat 1 Apr, lyceum.org.uk Noël Coward’s classic satirical comedy about the insufferable Bliss family, as directed

by Dominic Hill. See review, page 103.

Also Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 5–Sat 22 Apr, citz.co.uk

FASLANE Summerhall, Mon 10 & Tue 11 Apr, summerhall.co.uk Jenna Watt discovers what happens when the personal and political collide in this multi award-winning show about the UK’s nuclear deterrent. See feature, page 25. Also touring, see list.co.uk/ theatre for details.

PHOENIX DANCE THEATRE Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Sat 15 Apr, edtheatres.com/festival The Leeds-based company returns to Edinburgh with a triple-bill of dynamic contemporary dance.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Thu 20–Sat 29 Apr, edtheatres.com/ festival Musical comedy about the spooky family.

CHARLIE SONATA Royal Lyceum Theatre, Sat 29 Apr– Sat 13 May, lyceum.org.uk Boozesoaked fairytale about redemption by Douglas Maxwell.

REMEMBERING FRED Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Sun 21 May, edtheatres.com/festival Strictly Come Dancing’s Aljaz Skorjanec and Janette Manrara star in this all-singing, all-dancing tribute to Hollywood legend Fred Astaire. Also touring, see list.co.uk/theatre for details.

106 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Theatre Highlights 106 BD PM KA GKV.indd 106

28/03/2017 15:25

VISUAL ART

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /visualar t

POLYGRAPHS A group exhibition about challenging the dominant narratives ‘Polygraphs’ is centred around Hito Steyerl’s split-screen film Abstract, which was acquired

by Glasgow Life last year. In this work, we follow Steyerl’s search for her friend, Andrea Wolf, and discover the tragic and brutal circumstances of Wolf’s death while fighting for the PKK in eastern Turkey.

The circumstances of her death, its role as material for Steyerl’s film and the importance of telling her story form the basis for the show: what responsibility do artists have to engage their audience with difficult social and political issues? How far can artists use their privileged position to challenge the dominant narratives that exist? And by extension, through acquiring this work, what role do museums also play and how potent are they as instigators of change?

Alongside Abstract are other works from the Glasgow Life collection dealing with these issues. They range from Kennardphillipps’ print Know Your Enemy, where a victim of torture in the Iraq War is collaged onto the steps of 10 Downing Street (pictured), to Muirhead Bone’s Tanks, a terrifying, almost sci-fi like rendering of a tank, created during WWI as part of Bone’s duties as the first official war artist.

Also in the show are documents from Anthony Schrag’s residency project at GoMA. Schrag held discussions about Glasgow’s notorious sectarianism in nearby Toryglen, deliberately removing the talks from that gallery’s privileged site. The exhibition’s strongest aspect is a willingness to expose the museum to the same scrutiny as those works themselves. (Rachael Cloughton) ■ Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, until Sun 17 Sep

PHOTO: COURTESY GLASGOW LIFE

●●●●●

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 107

743-Visual Art Lead 107 PM RC.indd 107

28/03/2017 15:17

VISUAL ART | Previews & Reviews DIY ARTS FESTIVAL

GLASGOW OPEN HOUSE Various venues, Glasgow, Fri 28 Apr–Sun 1 May Glasgow’s art scene prides itself on its grassroots, self-starting ethos: rather than waiting around for big galleries to come knocking, the city’s artists set up their own projects, collectives and artist-run spaces and make their own luck. Many of these have now become part of the city’s art infrastructure.

One of the most recent to do so is Glasgow Open House Arts Festival, where artists across the city simply open the doors of their homes over a long weekend and stage exhibitions and events in their bathrooms, bedrooms and back gardens (plus the occasional office and shop front). The festival is now being held every two years, alternating with Glasgow International.

With over 50 exhibitions and 25 events in the programme, projects by art students sit shoulder to shoulder with established names. Marvin Gaye Chetwynd and her partner Jedrzej Cichosz will host screenings of films by acclaimed director Joanna Hogg in their Southside flat, while running a discussion group on the British class system in the kitchen. Ceramic artist Kevin Andrew Morris is building a hot tub in his garden, and inviting visitors to take a dip, help stoke the wood-fired kiln, or browse a selection of wood-fired ceramics.

Visitors to Glasgow Tool Library can spend a day building household structures out of recycled materials, while Alison McBride and Giovanni Giacoia aim to give visitors a taste of what it feels like to be an alien in a foreign land by inviting them to communicate in any language other than English (phrase books and signs will be available to help, and there will be cake).

Glasgow Open House’s Sonia Hufton hopes this year will build on the success of the previous two festivals. ‘It’s a great opportunity to share a large audience with a lot of people in a way that would be quite difficult to get on your own. It’s also a great way to get more opportunities to show your work.’ (Susan Mansfield)

PHOTO: ANTONIA REEVE

PHOTOGRAPHY

MIXED MEDIA

RETROSPECTIVE

FRANKI RAFFLES: OBSERVING WOMEN AT WORK

BETWEEN POLES AND TIDES

THE WEAVER’S APPRENTICE

Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh, until Sat 6 May

Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh until Sat 1 Jul

Reid Gallery, Glasgow, until Thu 27 Apr ●●●●●

●●●●●

●●●●●

‘Observing Women at Work’ is one of the first major exhibitions by the feminist social documentary photographer Franki Raffles, who died in 1994 aged just 39. Raffles’ complete photographic archive is held at St Andrews University, and this exhibition takes three bodies of work from it, aptly demonstrating the scope and techniques that define her broader practice and her fierce, feminist agenda.

The stand-out work is Raffles’ Prevalence campaign for Zero Tolerance, a women’s charity she set up with Evelyn Gillan. Raffles deliberately stages sentimental scenes of domestic life such as girls playing together, reading with their grandmothers, or women sitting reading magazines beside the fire. Accompanying the photographs are hard facts on domestic violence.

Prevalence wasn’t made for museums; these were confrontational pieces designed to interrupt the public, jolting them out of their day-to-day life, rather than the privileged few who enter a gallery.

However, the motivation behind this exhibition has to be to recognise Raffles’ practice, to observe the massive contribution of her own work to the history of Scottish documentary. Like the women Franki Raffles’ photographed and the stories she told, she too has been overlooked for too long. (Rachael Cloughton)

In difficult times, getting back to nature is one solution, as demonstrated by some of the works in this group-based exhibition of new acquisitions from the University of Edinburgh art collection. However, things aren’t always as they seem in this series of works, as suggested by the leopard’s face looking out from Zane (2013), Isobel Turley’s two-second video loop of this most endangered of species.

Filmed in Edinburgh Zoo, Zane’s steely gaze may suggest he is guarding the other exhibits, when in fact he’s been immortalised in another, more Sisyphean form of captivity. The voiceover in another video, Daisy Lafarge’s Not for Gain (2016) hints at an even more invidious form of social control. In Katie Paterson’s Timepieces (Solar System) (2014), a row of wall-clocks points to the global interplay between such things.

With nature and revolution coalescing in three pieces by Ian Hamilton Finlay, the chief protagonists spookily rubbed out in Jonathan Owen’s Eraser Drawings (2014–16) and the university’s digital collection repurposed in Fabienne Hess’ Zebras, Blanks and Blobs (2017), this cross-generational showcase points to a quiet concern for worlds beyond the gallery’s borders. (Neil Cooper)

The title of Dovecot’s new retrospective of its own history may suggest something tinged with arcane magic, but the loom set up on one side of the room points to weaving as a living and painstakingly intricate art. Timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the untimely passing of Dovecot’s founding master weavers, John ‘Jack’ Glassbrook and Gordon Berry, both killed during WWI, the show journey’s through the centre’s past by way of a series of archival works that led to its current status. Notebooks, photographs and letters reveal a moving dedication to the weavers’ craft.

At the show’s centre is the work of Dovecot’s current apprentice weaver, Ben Hymers, whose Untitled (Hipsters Love Triangles) and Penelope are vividly coloured imaginings, laced throughout with bronzed classical allusions that reference Homer’s Odyssey and Margaret Atwood, spanning the centuries as they go. These may be a far cry from some of the hunt-based works of old, defined by the epic scale of Glassbrook and Berry’s The Chace, but they nevertheless remain rooted in Dovecot’s own rich tapestry, in a vivid piece of living history threading its way towards the future with its ever-expanding legacy intact. (Neil Cooper)

108 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Visual Art Previews 108 PM RC.indd 108

28/03/2017 15:16

Highlights | VISUAL ART

HIDDEN DOOR FESTIVAL Leith Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 26 May–Sun 4 Jun, hiddendoorblog. org Artists of all stripes congregate for the Hidden Door interdisciplinary arts festival. This year, the festival relocates from the Old Town to the newly refurbished Leith Theatre,

which hasn’t been in use for nearly 30 years. See feature, page 30.

POLYGRAPHS Gallery Of Modern Art, Glasgow, until Sun 17 Sep, glasgowlife.org. uk/museums/GoMA Group exhibition centred on Hito Steyerl’s Abstract, exploring truth, fiction and evidence in a complicated

world. See review, page 107.

FRANK QUITELY: THE ART OF COMICS Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Glasgow,

until Sun 1 Oct, glasgowlife.org.uk/ museums/kelvingrove Celebrated Glaswegian comic book artist exhibits a range of his work. See feature, page 48.

PHOTO: COURTESY GLASGOW LIFE

HITLIST

GLASGOW OPEN HOUSE Various venues, Glasgow, Fri 28 Apr–Mon 1 May, glasgowopen housearts.co.uk Contemporary artists open the doors of the city’s domestic and disused spaces to reveal a fascinating programme of exhibitions, performances and events. See preview, page 108.

VISUAL ART HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

diversity of modern Scottish art.

GRAHAM MACINDOE: COMING CLEAN Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Sat 8 Apr–Sun 5 Nov, nationalgalleries.org/ portraitgallery Images recording the photographer’s addiction to heroin.

GLASGOW FRANKI RAFFLES: OBSERVING WOMEN AT WORK Reid Building, Glasgow School of Art, until Thu 27 Apr, gsa. ac.uk Work by the feminist social documentary photographer. See review, page 108.

ARTIST ROOMS: MUSIC FROM THE BALCONIES – ED RUSCHA AND LOS ANGELES Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, Sat 29 Apr 2017– Sun 29 Apr 2018, nationalgalleries. org/visit/introduction-118 Work

by American artist interested in urban landscape and architecture.

THE SKY IS FALLING CCA, until Sun 14 May, ccaglasgow.com Exhibition and event programme looking at how people organise themselves in cities.

OUT OF TOWN DARJA BAJAGIC, OLGA BALEMA, CHARLOTTE PRODGER Koppe Astner, Fri 21 Apr–Fri 2 Jun, koppeastner.com Work by gallery artists.

AMBIT: PHOTOGRAPHS FROM SCOTLAND Street Level Photoworks, Sat 22 Apr–Sun 18 Jun, streetlevelphotoworks.org A partnership between Glasgow’s Street Level and Edinburgh’s Stills, showcasing works by emerging Scottish photographers.

STEVEN CLAYDON: ‘THE ARCHIPELAGO OF CONTENTED PEOPLES: ENDURANCE GROUPS’ The Common Guild, Sat 22 Apr– Sun 9 Jul, thecommonguild.org.uk Sculptural work addressing the ideas of jeopardy and pressure.

LAUREN HALL David Dale Gallery and Studios, Sat 29 Apr–Sat 3 Jun, daviddalegallery. co.uk New sculptural installations.

Mark Wallinger Mark

& ALAN DIMMICK’S STUDIO ARCHIVE, 1977–2017 Stills, until Sun 9 Apr, stills.org Works from the personal collection of photographer David Eustace, and images by Alan Dimmick.

BETWEEN POLES AND TIDES Talbot Rice Gallery, until Sat 6 May, ed.ac.uk/talbot-rice Works in a variety of media. See review, page 108.

RSA 191ST ANNUAL EXHIBITION Royal Scottish Academy, until Sun 7 May, royalscottishacademy.org Works from artists across the British Isles, including Chris Drury, Marie Foley, Mateusz Fahrenholz, Geoff Uglow, Keiko Mukaide, Emma Stibbon, Amy Gear and Catherine Ross.

EDINBURGH THE COLLECTION SERIES: WORKS FROM A PRIVATE PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION

LILY HIBBERD: DATA HORIZONS Summerhall, until Wed 10 May, summerhall.co.uk Collaboration

between the artist and the Extreme Light group at Heriot-Watt University.

THE WEAVER’S APPRENTICE Dovecot Studios, until Sat 1 Jul, dovecotstudios.com Exhibition telling the story of the Dovecot apprenticeship. See review, page 108.

TWO NIGHT STANDS Cooper Gallery, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art And Design, Dundee, until Sat 8 Apr, dundee.ac.uk/djcad A series of works asking the question: who owns a space? Featured artists include Ross Sinclair, Natalie Wardle, OAPAO, Dundee Print Collective, Bruce McLean and Jade Montserrat.

MARK WALLINGER MARK The Fruitmarket Gallery, until Sun 4 Jun, fruitmarket.co.uk Artist Mark Wallinger’s first exhibition in Scotland focuses on his id Paintings (2015/16), an ambitious series of large-scale Rorschach blot-like images.

LIZ MAGIC LASER: PRIMAL SPEECH Jupiter Artland, Wilkieston, Sat 6 May–Sun 1 Oct, jupiterartland. org The artist assembled a group of actors with opposing political convictions about Brexit and the 2016 US election and put them in a futuristic version of a primal scream room.

NOW: NATHAN COLEY PLUS PETER HAINING/PETER HOROBIN, MONA HATOUM, LOUISE HOPKINS, TESSA LYNCH, JOCK MCFADYEN, RIVANE NEUENSCHWANDER, TONY SWAIN AND OTHERS Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, until Sun 24 Sep, nationalgalleries.org The first in a series of exhibitions celebrating the

MICHAEL SAILSTORFER Jupiter Artland, Wilkieston, Sat 6 May–Sun 1 Oct, jupiterartland.org Sculptural works by German artist.

DUNDEE DESIGN FESTIVAL Various venues, Thu 25–Mon 29 May, dundeedesignfestival. com This five-day festival celebrates design in Dundee, marking the city’s time as the UK’s UNESCO City of Design.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 109

743-Visual Art Highlights 109 PM RC.indd 109

28/03/2017 15:17

TV

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /tv

CLIQUE Taking on the sinister side of Edinburgh student life Representations of university life have made it onto the small screen before. The Young Ones, Campus and Fresh Meat all took the comedic route in analysing the joys (or otherwise) of flatsharing, studying or lecturing.

But the BBC’s Edinburgh-set Clique goes a very different way to explore the ups and downs of higher education, focusing on how impressionable young women are drawn into a shady world of elitist groupings, seemingly controlled by a charismatic professor.

Lifelong pals Holly (newcomer Synnøve Karlsen) and Georgia (The Fall’s Aisling Franciosi) have made it through freshers week unscathed, and come immediately under the seductive influence of their brilliant economics lecturer Jude McDermid (Sherlock’s Louise Brealey). But while Holly remains sceptical about McDermid and the older students who gather in packs around her, Georgia is far more prone to their leader’s magnetic presence.

Created by former Skins writer Jess Brittain, it’s clear that while the glamorous pool party of episode one might not ring true with everyone’s experience of student life, there is plenty about the drama that will chime.

‘It started with having a slightly weird and discombobulated time at university myself,’ recalls Brittain. ‘We’re repeatedly told as teens that uni will be the best years of our lives, so when you find yourself lost and wrong-footed, it’s almost shameful: you’re supposed to find “your people” at uni.’

Ultimately, Brittain was keen to write a female-heavy story and found that a study of companionship being tested within the psychological thriller genre was an ideal fit for that. ‘I’m endlessly fascinated by female friendship and the centrality it has in a young woman’s life. It means everything but can go so wrong so quickly.’ (Brian Donaldson) ■ Clique is on BBC iPlayer.

110 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-TV Lead 110 PM HN BD.indd 110

28/03/2017 15:27

Previews | TV

list.co.uk/tv

HIGHLIGHTS OUTCAST – SEASON 2 FOX (UK), Mon 3 Apr, 10pm The other show from Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman, focusing on demons, possession and exorcisms rather than zombies.

THE TRIP TO SPAIN Sky Atlantic, Thu 6 Apr, 10pm Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon head to Spain for their latest culinary roadtrip. Now on a new channel. See preview, left.

PRISON BREAK – SEASON 5 FOX (UK) Mon 10 Apr, 9pm After eight year’s off for good behaviour, Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell are ready to break out again (though how they get round the death of Miller’s character at the end of season 4 remains to be seen). See list.co.uk for review.

BATES MOTEL – SEASON 5 Universal Channel, Tue 11 Apr, 9pm Surprisingly classy TV series based on Hitchcock’s Psycho starring Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga. This final season will roughly follow the plot of the classic movie (with added Rihanna).

COME DINE WITH US

BETTER CALL SAUL – SEASON 3 Netflix, Tue 11 Apr Third season of the Breaking Bad spin-off starring Bob Odenkirk as lawyer Saul Goodman.

As Rob Brydon heads off on another small-screen trip with Steve Coogan, he chats to Henry Northmore about truth, impressions and trying to make his comedy partner laugh

T

here’s an air of authenticity that can make watching The Trip uncomfortable. Essentially a fake foodie travelogue following Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as they review a series of the world’s best restaurants, it all started in the north of England. Series two relocated to Italy, and now the dining duo are heading to Spain. Directed by Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, A Cock and Bull Story), it looks and feels like a documentary, Coogan and Brydon playing exaggerated versions of themselves as they bicker, show off and desperately try to impress each other with their impressionistic skills (their duelling Michael Caines are a joy to behold).

The vast majority of the dialogue is improvised which makes it feel even more genuine. ‘You’re constantly in a state of trying to invent some fiction,’ explains Brydon. ‘Or a half-truth, or find a truth and bend it a little bit to make it interesting. It was quite full-on.’

This level of realism has led to some confusion, Brydon admitting that some people believed he genuinely had an affair while filming in Italy. It also puts added pressure on Brydon and Coogan as they are front and centre in nearly every scene. ‘Generally speaking, people always ask me what the food was like but to be honest that is the last thing on my mind,’ says Brydon. ‘I’m thinking about what I’m going to say and asking myself if I am going to be funny. Or if I am going to come up with anything . . . but usually stuff comes along. It’s always nice if you make someone laugh, especially someone like Steve who I have so much respect for.’

As well as being partially about cuisine, The Trip has also featured literary leanings. The great romantic poets cropped up as Coogan and Brydon drove through the Lake District while their journey along the coast of Italy vaguely tracked the route of Byron and Shelley. For this third series, they follow in the footsteps of poet and novelist Laurie Lee, and Don Quixote creator Miguel de Cervantes, travelling over 1000 miles through the heart of Spain.

All of this links back to the first time Coogan and Brydon worked together with Winterbottom on the 2005 adaptation of ‘unfilmable’ novel Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, which similarly featured the pair playing themselves. ‘We come in and do our thing but it’s very much his baby,’ Brydon says of the director. ‘He’s the one who decides where we’re going, which restaurants we go to and the broad themes that we’re going to talk about. But then we invent the majority of the dialogue, with the exception of the plot, which is needed to move the story on.’

There are moments of pathos, humour and drama, but it’s the aforementioned impressions that provide the funniest moments. ‘Every time we’ve done The Trip I’ve thought ahead a bit, done some research and learned a few new voices.’ Despite adding Andy Murray and Barry Gibb to his repertoire, there are some depths Brydon refuses to plumb. ‘I’ve been listening recently to Donald Trump’s voice and thinking to myself how it’s an impressionist’s dream because there are so many quirks in it. It’s full of identifiable traits that are easy to copy. But I loathe the man so I can’t bring myself to do him.’

The Trip to Spain premieres on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV, Thu 6 Apr, 10pm (full series on Sky Box Sets the same day).

DOCTOR WHO – SEASON 10 BBC One, Sat 15 Apr More intergalactic time-travelling adventures and sadly the last episodes from showrunner Steven Moffat and current Doctor, Peter Capaldi.

AMERICAN GODS Amazon Prime, Mon 1 May Neil Gaiman’s sprawling fantasy novel hits the small screen.

Ex-con Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) discovers that the ancient gods of legend are hiding out in America.

MASTER OF NONE – SEASON 2 Netflix, Fri 12 May Aziz Ansari’s insightful comedy about the life of a struggling New York actor.

TWIN PEAKS – SERIES 3 Sky Atlantic, Mon 22 May, 2am Simulcast of the fervently awaited return of David Lynch’s surreal murder mystery as Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) stops by for another ‘damn fine cup of coffee.’ (It also screens Tue 23 May, 9pm, if you don’t want to stay up all night).

EPISODES – SEASON 5 BBC Two, May (date tbc) Matt LeBlanc stars as himself in this behind-the-scenes sitcom set in the world of US TV, with Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig. Final season.

1 Apr–31 May 2017 THE LIST 111

743-TV 111 PM HN.indd 111

28/03/2017 15:28

BACK PAGE FIRST&LAST DENISE MINA The author, graphic novelist and broadcaster has just published her debut true crime novel, featuring Scottish serial killer Peter Manuel. Here she tackles pavement cycling, tax returns and foul meals First record you ever bought

‘Blockbuster’ by the Sweet.

Last extravagant purchase

First film that really moved you

Blazing Saddles. I could hardly laugh for awe at the sheer comic wonderment of it.

PHOTO: OLLIE GROVE

Business class ticket to LA. Nice but I expected more free tea for that money TBH.

Last lie you told

I never lie.

First movie you ever went on a date to

Once Upon a Time in America.

Last time you cried

Last meal on earth

Toast and butter and a pint of milky tea.

Watching Logan.

First thing you’d do if you ran the country

First thing you do when you’ve got time off work

Give the job to someone who knew what the fuck they were doing.

Gardening.

Last great meal you cooked

A quiche with broad beans, ham and sour cream sprinkled with coarse mustard grains. It was foul.

Last time you exploited your position to get something

I got an upgrade on a flight to New York because my awards ceremony outfit would crush if I couldn’t hang it up.

First crush

Last time someone criticised your work

The Long Drop is a true crime novel set in Glasgow so the feedback is incessant: ‘there were no two bedroom flats on that side of the street’, ‘she had a limp’, that school was a mile away . . . ’

Greedy, busy, moany.

Last funny thing you saw online

Trump’s tax return.

First job

First time you realised you were famous

Café cook (I couldn’t).

Last book you read

Writers are never very famous.

I’ve got friends who are actors and draw gasps and fingerpointing wherever they go. Unless someone says your name, it’s hard to tell. It looks as if they have indigestion and are trying not to burp.

Last crime you committed

Last person you fantasised about

First thing you think in the morning

Trump. It wasn’t a sexual fantasy.

‘If I get up now, I can . . . ’

First word you spoke

The Long Drop is out now published by Harvill Secker.

First great piece of advice you were given

If you can laugh at yourself you’ll never run out of material.

Pavement cycling.

First book you re-read

Heart of a Dog by Bulgakov.

Last thing you think at night

‘I’ll never get to sleep now.’

Last time you were starstruck

Simon Farnaby at the GFT screening of Mindhorn.

First song you’d do at karaoke

‘Higher and Higher’ by Jackie Wilson.

Mum.

THU 1 JUN

First three words your friends would use to describe you

Brando.

Fragile Lives by Stephen Westaby.

NEXT ISSUE

We’ll be blowing out some birthday candles when the mag hits the shelves again across June, July and August. A total of 90 to be precise: 70 of them will belong to the Edinburgh International Film Festival when the world’s oldest continually running celebration of cinema takes centre stage in June. That leaves 20 more candles, all of which which belong to the guys at Optimo. Founded in 1997, the legendary Glasgow club marks the moment with a spectacular all-day bash laid on by Twitch & Wilkes.

Have a good one, fellas.

112 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017

743-Backpage PM BD.indd 112

28/03/2017 14:08

y a d r u t Sa 20 May st. james , s d l e i f g playin paisley vel e l e t i l e 0 0 0 , 4 ver o f o e l c a t c of e e p m o s r o f g n Enjoy the s i t pe m o c s r e m m u ng! i r p i p g a b d l r o pipers and d in w s e l t i t s u o i g i t the most pres ent zone

inm a t r e t n e ’s n e r s Child • u b e l t t e u g h a s l l i d v n a king • Food r a p t n e v e e e r •F t e k r a m ft a r •C ts

ven e / k u . o c .

1 2 0 2 paisley

4:45

743-adpages.indd IBC3

28/03/2017 15:03

La

PUCCINI’S

bohème A new co-production with Theater St. Gallen | Sung in Italian with English supertitles

THEATRE ROYAL

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

9 – 20 MAY

25 & 27 MAY

GLASGOW

ABERDEEN

FESTIVAL THEATRE

EDINBURGH 31 MAY – 10 JUN

scottishopera.org.uk Registered in Scotland Number SCO37531 Scottish Charity Number SCO19787 Booking and transaction fees may apply. $VN \RXU ORFDO %R[ 2Ƹ FH IRU GHWDLOV

743-adpages.indd OBC4

EDEN COURT

INVERNESS 13 – 17 JUN

Scottish Opera is core funded by

Supported by The Scottish Opera Syndicate & Scottish Opera’s ‘Play a Supporting Role’ Appeal

28/03/2017 15:04