The List Issue 762

GLASGOW & EDINBURGH EVENTS GUIDE JUNE 2022 | ISSUE 762 LIST.CO.UK

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RÓISĺN MURPHY Style icon. Glam goddess. Wonky dancer.

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JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN DEVIKA PONNAMBALAM DOUGLAS GORDON LAUREL & HARDY BAWN TEXTILES DURAN DURAN HIDDEN DOOR ELVIS

BOOK NOW! ATGTICKETS.COM/Edinburgh *booking fees may apply

2 THE LIST May 2022

ATG22_EDI_008_Edinburgh Comedy Gig Highlights Poster A4 V1.indd 1

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CONTENTS

FRONT The Insider

6

Mourning Vangelis and blubbing at Bart

My New Hobby

7

Dipping a toe into wild swimming

FEATURES Hidden Door

8

The acts lighting up another neglected Edinburgh building

Elvis

15

How to play The King and his iconic wife

EAT DRINK SHOP Street Food

25

The best eateries Easter Road has to offer

Drink Up

29

The warm aroma of speciality coffee

Marjolein Robertson

31

What’s in her bag?

GOING OUT Laurel & Hardy

34

Returning to the 20th-century’s funniest duo

Roller Skating

46

Where the wheels are on fire

Duran Duran

51

From Rio to Inverness

All My Friends Hate Me

67

The dark side of privilege

STAYING IN Subject, Object, Verb

“

If there’s one thing I’m trying not to do it’s think JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN ON WRITING NEW MUSIC

77

Separating art from the artist

Devika Ponnambalam

79

The true sorry tale of Gauguin’s muse

Pistol

84

Danny Boyle directs punk’s crowning glory

38

BACK Sandi Toksvig

92

Me and Danny DeVito

Hot Shots

94

60 years of Scottish Opera

COVER PICTURE: ADRIAN SAMSON

June 2022 THE LIST 3

WELCOME

CONTRIBUTORS Disco powerhouse, glam icon and self-proclaimed ‘wonky dancer’ Róisín Murphy certainly makes a strong and singular cover star for our June issue; her headline set at Glasgow’s Riverside Festival could well be a highlight of the summer. Independent musical women are everywhere across our pages this month, as we mark the sell-out (in a good way) success of Phoebe Bridgers, shoot a fair amount of breeze with Joan As Police Woman, meet rising jazz star Rachel Duns, and welcome the riotous return of Bikini Kill. And anyone firmly in the huff about never being able to see Kate Bush in live performance again (or ever) can be soothed by an energetic team of acolytes, Baby Bushka.

Plus, actress Jessie Buckley teams up with Bernard Butler for an evocative and diverse album while Elizabeth Fraser makes her first music for 13 years (OK, yes, the Sun’s Signature collection may not have been our favourite, but the ex-Cocteau Twin is still in possession of a voice to die for). There’s also plenty music at this year’s Hidden Door festival, but we’ve chosen to pick out the cabaret, spoken word and dance programme taking place inside Edinburgh’s Old Royal High School. Head along and try not to think of all those detentions you received as a cheeky whippersnapper.

Dead people are, somewhat confusingly, also alive and kicking in the mag as the Lyceum welcomes the acclaimed production of Laurel & Hardy back to its stage after being 17 years away and The King Of Rock ‘n Roll, Mr Elvis Presley, is given the biopic treatment

by Baz Luhrmann. Whatever you think of the Moulin Rouge! and Great Gatsby director, he sure knows how to lay on a spectacle.

You can say the same for the (far from deceased) Duran Duran who are preparing for their sole Scottish date of 2022, in the somewhat unlikely surroundings of Inverness Caley’s football ground. Multi award-winning journalist Peter Ross took up the task of grilling John Taylor over Zoom. Which is apparently where all the hyper-cool bassists are hanging out these days.

Brian Donaldson EDITOR

PUBLISHING CEO Sheri Friers Editor Brian Donaldson Art Director Seonaid Rafferty Designer Carys Tennant Sub Editor Paul McLean Megan Merino Writers: Brian Donaldson, Chris Opoku, Claire Sawers, David Kirkwood, Ellen Cranston, Emma Simmonds, Fiona Shepherd, Gareth K Vile, James Mottram, Jay Richardson, Jay Thundercliffe, Jo Laidlaw, Kevin Fullerton, Lucy Ribchester, Lynsey May, Megan Merino, Michael McEwan, Murray Robertson, Neil Cooper, Paul Dale, Peter Ross, Rachel Cronin, Reshma Madhi, Stewart Smith, Suzy Pope Social Media and Content Editor Megan Merino Business Development Manager Jayne Atkinson Affiliates Manager Kevin Fullerton Media Sales Executive Ewan Wood Digital Operations Executive Leah Bauer

Published by List Publishing Ltd 2 Roxburgh Place, Edinburgh EH8 9SU Tel: 0131 623 3040 list.co.uk editor@list.co.uk ISSN: 0959 - 1915

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DOUGLAS GORDON

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JESSIE BUCKLEY AND BERNARD BUTLER

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FR FU IN LL GE PRO FR BY G O T RA M H M 2N ES M D EA E A JU . T NE CO M

200+ MUSIC, COMEDY, FAMILY, LITERATURE, WELLBEING & EXPLORATION EVENTS ACROSS TEN DAYS IN NORTH BERWICK TEXAS • HAPPY MONDAYS • IBIBIO SOUND MACHINE ROYAL SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCHESTRA – JOHN WILLIAMS HAÇIENDA FEAT. TODD TERRY & MARSHALL JEFFERSON CANDI STATON SUPPORTED BY BROOKE COMBE THE MANFREDS • YOKO PWNO • ALY BAIN & PHIL CUNNINGHAM • BARBARA DICKSON • BOMBSKARE DEAN OWENS • MIRACLE GLASS COMPANY • KINGS OF THE BLUES • WOJTEK THE BEAR • THE OTHERS FUN LOVIN’ CRIME WRITERS • PHILIP CONTINI

JUST THE TONIC COMEDY • FRANKIE BOYLE • MILTON JONES ANGELA BARNES • HAL CRUTTENDEN • FRED MACAULAY CLIVE ANDERSON • TROY HAWKE • SIMON EVANS • NINA GILLIGHAN

SAMSAM BUBBLEMAN • BEANO • SINGING KETTLE MAJOR MINOR MUSIC CLUB – NICKY LIPP & MALKA BALKANARAMA • MR BOOM • AARDMAN MODEL MAKING • PAMELA BUTCHART • EILIDH MULDOON COMEDY CLUB 4 KIDS • SILENT DISCO ADVENTURE TOURS • SEASIDE SCIENCE • FREEDOM & FORM

SIR RANULPH FIENNES • VAL MCDERMID • PAULA HAWKINS ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH • CHITRA RAMASWAMY • MOLLIE HUGHES • CAMERON MCNEISH PAT NEVIN • RUTH DAVIDSON • ESME YOUNG • ADAM HENSON • JAY RAYNER • GAVIN FRANCIS

PLUS: DJ WORKSHOP • GRAFFITI SKILLS • SURFSKATE SESSIONS • YOGA & MINDFULNESS • COASTAL WALKS DANCE BASE PRESENTS • MAKE MESS MATTER • MASK MAKING • FLORAL WORKSHOPS • ARTCYCLE STEAMPUNK SESSION • WE GOT NUTS CINEMA • ROCKPOOL RAMBLE • BUSHCRAFT • MASSAGE BELHAVEN MASTERCLASSES • EAST LOTHIAN FOOD & DRINK… and much more!

All nestled in the beautiful Lodge grounds, North Berwick, with delicious street food, artisan makers market and the Lighthouse Live music stage.

June 2022 THE LIST 5

FRONT

MO UTH PIEC E Michael McEwan argues that going out and staying up late should be a right for everyone

We all love to go out with mates to pubs and clubs as part of everyday life, but if you have a disability you may need support to go out and about. Many people aren’t able to lead an active social life as their support worker may finish early. Research carried out by the Centre For Disability Research found that by 8.30pm on a typical Friday night, 69% were either in bed or ready for bed. Only 7% were actually still out.

This research prompted a need for a campaign called Stay Up Late Scotland; the campaign has been running for many years in England, but there was no representation for Scotland. Created in 2018, Stay Up Late Scotland developed from a broad collection of organisations and people with disability; in the past few years we’ve established a national committee that organises events and activities across the whole country.

We believe that everyone has the right to stay up late and have fun. Our most recent campaign is called #nobedtimes, which aims to raise awareness of more inclusive events to build confidence to stay up late

(during lockdown we ‘stayed in’ late with a series of Zoom-hosted gigs). It also gives a much-needed platform for musicians with and without a disability to showcase their work.

For me, going out is a basic human right and no one should tell you when to go home. Going out opens up our circle to new people and is a rite of passage for developing social skills. Staying up late is not just about going out all the time; you can still stay up late in your home in order to have fun.

Alongside the National Autistic Society, Glasgow Film Theatre is running an access film club, designed to engage with people aged 15+ who welcome a relaxed cinema environment. For autistic people, neurodivergent people and those with learning disabilities, a relaxed environment can be the ideal way to enjoy a good film.

On the night, the GFT features an introduction and post-film chat led by an autistic host who can offer relevant information. There are no trailers at the beginning of the film which starts straight after an introduction; lights are turned down, not off, and stair lights remain on. Ultimately, staying up late should be a choice and not just a dream.  Michael McEwan is a freelance journalist and presenter; michaelmcewanmedia.webs.com

In a new series of articles, we turn the focus back on ourselves by asking folk at The List about cultural artefacts that touch their heart and soul (so, there’s a double meaning to the title if you think about it. But don’t think about it too hard or it will lose its impact . . . ). First up, Kevin Fullerton tells us about cultural things which . . .

Made me cry: The ending of every episode of The Simpsons, happy or sad. The earnestness of American sitcoms reduces me to a tear-stained mess.

Made me angry: Season two of Russian Doll, an experience akin to witnessing your favourite child develop a drug habit and marrying a motorcycle enthusiast.

Made me sad: The death of Vangelis.

Made me think: The Ascent Of Man, a 13-part BBC documentary from 1973 in which a passionate scientist, Jacob Bronowski, takes you on a journey from humanity’s first steps to the contemporary era. Beautiful, entertaining and profound.

Made me think twice: I’ve been suspicious of Harry Styles’ reinvention as a rock star since day one, but the catchy Prince ‘homage’ of ‘As It Was’ almost made me like the wee hunk.

One listen to Harry’s House might actually push me into fullblown Styler territory.

THE INSIDER

FRONT

play LIST Introducing our monthly playLIST: the ultimate soundtrack to this issue, as curated by The List team.

Discover songs by featured artists including: Róisín Murphy, Mitski, Elvis Presley, Bemz, Luke La Volpe, Phoebe Bridgers, Perfume Genius, Joan As Police Woman, Bikini Kill, Duran Duran, Tiberius B, Kathryn Joseph, Max Richter, and many more…

Scan and listen as you read:

RE

TR

O

my new hobby Enthused by changes in her life, Ellen Cranston takes the plunge with some wild swimming At the start of this year, I moved into a flat in Portobello having begun a new job in Edinburgh. Like many locals, I gravitate towards the beach first thing, in search of some serenity before the day trippers flood the promenade. It was here that I stumbled across a community of sea swimmers, who huddle together around Portobello Baths and ooze infectious enthusiasm, even on days when the haar refuses to lift. Full of optimism from my new job and a new home, I bought a wetsuit on payday and waded out beyond the waves.

While I appreciate the silent nods of camaraderie I now share with fellow swimmers in Porty, I’ve found great peace from solitary plunges in the pink evening light that so often warms the beach. My new hobby has now taken me further afield to fresh shores and lochs, where I’ve even begun to forgo my wetsuit and learned to breathe through the initial panic induced by dunking in cold water. Like so many things, it’s never as bad as it first seems, and the reward is well worth the perseverance. n Ellen Cranston is Events Co-ordinator and Campaigns Assistant at Birlinn publishers; birlinn.co.uk

PER

SPE C

TIVE

INTERESTING PEOPLE

CELEBRITY COURTROOMS

If Normal People taught us anything, it’s that mediocre Irish people shagging and discussing liberalism is the gift that keeps on giving.

Yet, sort-of follow-up Conversations With Friends has been mocked for its glacial pace, charmless characters and dodgy accents (we’re looking at you, Joe Alwyn). Maybe it’s time we moved on from dramas about dullards and back to extraordinary people doing something, you know, interesting?

It seems we’re all losing our collective grasp on reality as ludicrous spats between celebrities make their way into the daily news cycle. The more trivial of the current two (the Wagatha Christie saga) shows the seedy underbelly of British tabloid culture. But the defamation trial between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp is just plain hard to stomach.

‘No publicity is bad publicity’, they say. We’re not so sure.

Bring It Back

Get It Gone

Stuff we’d love to see return and things we wish would quietly exit June 2022 THE LIST 7

FEATURES 8 THE LIST June 2022

n e v a e h h t n e v se

igh Old Royal H ’s h rg u b in d E g as she kes over -arts festival ta r chats with Imogen Stirlin ly sins lti u m r o o D n e idde f the dead , Neil Coop This year’s H exploration o ur coverage o rd o ff o -w k n c ki ke o To es her sp School. ring audienc prepares to b

T

HIDDEN DOOR

he world had yet to close down when Imogen Stirling began writing Love The Sinner in 2019. By the time she finished her epic poetic take on the seven deadly sins, any chance of performing it had been thwarted by assorted pandemic-induced lockdowns.

When Stirling brings it to Edinburgh’s Hidden Door festival this month, however, her stripped-back rendition of a forthcoming full theatrical production (both created with composer Sarah Carton who performs live electronic accompaniment) can’t help but echo recent times.

As the latest link in a chain of poetic and dramatic interpretations that range from Dante through to Chaucer, Brecht and beyond, Stirling’s perspective on the seven deadly sins drags the action into a big city urban environment that sounds not unlike Glasgow. Here her seven protagonists live in fractured isolation, as a biblical rain pours onto the streets outside.

‘The concept of the seven deadly sins has always fascinated me,’ says Stirling, ‘and I quite liked working with what is, I suppose, quite a stereotyped framework. When you have some sort of restrictive thing like that in place, I find that encourages you to be more creative because you’re trying to disrupt stereotypes from the beginning. You’re trying to bring your own flair to something that’s quite familiar.

‘I’ve always been interested as well in taking the ancient and the modern and squashing them together and seeing what comes out. I think there’s something nice about showing that the same sort of problems and anxieties that exist today have always existed and always will exist.’

Putting this in a broader narrative context rather than first person confessional is key to Stirling’s thinking behind Love The Sinner.

‘Spoken word is often very, very personal,’ she says. ‘People are always talking about their own experiences. I thought it would be nice subverting that, playing much more with the theatricality of character, and, rather than focusing on one person’s experience, having the seven figures that you can play with. As soon as I started experimenting with that, I felt like there was real substance to it, so I just pushed on to see what it could become, and the bigger narrative built out from there.’

With Stirling’s characters embodying assorted 21st-century anxieties, an unlikely heroine of the piece comes in the figure of Sloth. Among the rage and violence that erupts elsewhere, her presence provides a purging of sorts.

‘I think there was a reason that Sloth came out like that,’ says Stirling, ‘because there we were during the pandemic, trapped in our lethargy and our sense of hopelessness and inaction, and I thought there was something so nice about empowering her. I didn’t want it to become a covid story by any means, but undoubtedly writing it during that time in isolation, it really helped to live the experience of what the characters are going through.’

Stirling’s collaboration with Carton was also conducted under lockdown. ‘Working with Sarah has been a unique creative process,’ Stirling affirms. ‘Due to her being based in London, our collaboration and her composition happened entirely remotely. Composing for spoken word is no mean feat and the powerful, nuanced score Sarah has created is testament to her skill and sensitivity as an artist and storyteller.’

Love The Sinner is Stirling’s second full-length show. It follows #Hypocrisy, which she performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Prague Fringe, after decamping from North Berwick to Glasgow, where she studied English and drama while undoubtedly lapping up the big city vibes that fuel her work.

Beyond Hidden Door, Stirling will be touring Love The Sinner around the UK festival circuit. She has also started a new job as artistic development coordinator at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow. This will see her helping artists to try out work in initiatives similar to those she came through. One of these was Everyone is Creative, set up by Vanishing Point Theatre Company, who look set to support Love The Sinner further.

In the meantime, the Hidden Door performance of Love The Sinner marks Stirling and Carton’s first live appearance together. ‘It’s going to be very different,’ says Stirling. ‘That makes it very exciting. I cannot wait.’

Imogen Stirling: Love The Sinner, Friday 17 June.

June 2022 THE LIST 9

HIDDEN DOOR

“Representation

does not amount to true liberation

Edinburgh drag performer Mystika Glamoor travels a more challenging, theatrical road with their new project BETWEEN REVOLUTIONS. Rachel Cronin uncovers a tale of queer oppresssion and determined optimism

B

etter known as Edinburgh’s ‘High Priestess of Drag’, Mystika Glamoor’s latest venture takes the performer into new territory. A politically charged one-person performance, BETWEEN REVOLUTIONS is a cocktail of cabaret, traditional drag and storytelling, loosely adapted from Larry Mitchell’s 1977 fantasy novel The Faggots & Their Friends Between Revolutions.

Oskar Kirk Hansen (more widely known by drag persona Mystika Glamoor) describes their favourite book and inspiration for the show as ‘a dreamy mix of fable and political manifesto. It tells the tales and wisdom of queer people in a fictional nation run by evil men, while also detailing the seemingly eternal oppression of queer people, women and people of colour.’

In the decades since its release, the novel has been republished twice and developed a cult following within the queer community. Mystika will take the form of each archetypal group named in the fantasy world (including the Queens, the Faeries, the Faggots and the Women) as they try to overcome oppression by the ruling Men. Although Mystika’s muse for the show is a decadesold dystopia, BETWEEN REVOLUTIONS is almost painfully topical and reflects the ongoing hardships of being a queer person today. ‘I sometimes feel like people, including our allies, believe that things are totally fine for the queer community these days,’ adds Hansen. ‘They think seeing gay people on TV means we aren’t oppressed, but representation does not amount to true liberation. Hate crimes are rife and trans people are the newest, most visible targets of this kind of vicious culture war that has been raging for centuries. It reminds me of a quote in the first page of the book that says, “it’s been a long time since the last revolutions, and the faggots and their friends are still not free”. The book was written in the 1970s, but that line could have easily been written today.’ Hansen hopes their show will continue to spread the spirit of Larry Mitchell’s

10 THE LIST June 2022

”

fairytale-cum-manifesto and showcase their community’s ability to find joy in diversity even in the face of continuing adversity.

‘The main message of the book and the show is that we as queer people are able to create change through art, joy, love and solidarity.

I truly hope these messages come across, especially to audience members who might not be part of our communities.’

Hansen is more than experienced in the world of drag performing and cabaret, having hosted their show GLAMOOR at The Street bar in Edinburgh on the first Monday of every month since 2018 (excluding covid closures). They also co-own Kafe Kweer, a sober safe space for LGBTQIA+ people and artists to socialise. The café/ community centre opened in 2020 at the height of the pandemic as a place for queer people to come together that wasn’t centred around consumption of alcohol.

Despite their extensive expertise in all things performance, the self-proclaimed ‘surrealist socialist socialite’ of Edinburgh drag is taking a leap of faith with this newest eccentric endeavour.

‘I’ve worked in drag for five years now, so I’m really excited at this chance to blend what I’ve learned in cabaret so far with something that’s somewhat more theatrical and challenging. To do so in such a gorgeous space as the Old Royal High School at a fabulous festival like Hidden Door is extremely exciting. It fills me with a kind of good, productive anxiety.’

Mystika Glamoor: BETWEEN REVOLUTIONS, Thursday 16-Saturday 18 June.

r ts Home comf o W

ith one in six of us across the UK experiencing a mental health problem in any given week, social anxiety and depression are both conditions many people can relate to. While developing her hip-hop dance piece The Unknown six years ago, the young people who choreographer Ashley Jack was working with then certainly understood.

She brought some of them into her choreographic residency to see if their experiences could help create this work: the result was a duet that Jack performed in various venues around Scotland under the banner of her House Of Jack studio.

Now, after witnessing the pandemic’s aftermath, with all the fresh anxieties that this has brought on, the Edinburghbased choreographer has redeveloped The Unknown with a brand new cast (Ursula Manandhar and Nevil Jose) for Hidden Door. ‘Social anxiety seems to be a much larger and more widespread issue now, as the world opens up again after so long being isolated from each other,’ says Jack.

The Unknown doesn’t enact these themes literally, but explores the trauma of mental disturbance by presenting two halves of the same character. ‘The two dancers on stage are elements of one person, expressing different aspects of their psyche and the inner conflict within themselves: wanting to be alone, but not wanting to be alone, isolated and lonely. And the struggle that brings.’

Both new dancers have brought their own expressive styles to the piece, which incorporates krump, waving, freestyle hip hop, and, more unusually, clowning. The latter is a discipline Jack fell in love with after watching physical theatre performer Al Seed’s Oog, which she says blew her away by using clowning to express ‘strong, dark emotions’.

As for hip hop being the perfect medium to explore mental illness, Jack is clear: ‘You work with what you know, and the way I move is how I express thoughts and feelings.’

House Of Jack: The Unknown, Friday 17 June.

PICTURE: LO U MC CURDY

June 2022 THE LIST 11

HIDDEN DOOR

Six years ago, Ashley Jack created a hip-hop dance performance to explore anxiety and loneliness. Lucy Ribchester finds that this piece has become more relevant than ever

HIDDEN DOOR

Where should Hidden Door head next?

PICTURE: CHRIS SCOTT

As the capital’s multi-arts bonanza takes over the Old Royal High School, Kevin Fullerton asks a selection of Edinburgh-based cultural figures which untapped locations should host a future festival BEE ASHA SINGH Cramond Island would be my pick, for the excitement of it. I’ve got great memories of being six and people running to beat the tide there. Those that get stuck on the island after the tide has risen have to stay for the whole event. n Bee Asha Singh is an award-winning rapper and poet, and founder of the Spit It Out charity which runs Aye Festival, Thursday 16–Sunday 26 June.

LOUISE ANNA MCCRAW

MARK COUSINS

PICTURE: PSD PHOTOGRAPHY

TOMMY SHEPPARD Think it would be good to take over Portobello Town Hall if they could get a temporary licence. Be quite good too if the Queen could be persuaded to hand over Holyrood Palace for a week. n Tommy Sheppard is founder of The Stand and MP for Edinburgh East.

PICTURE: JENNY LEASK

I’d love to see films projected on the outside white walls of the beautiful, modernist Craigsbank Church in Corstorphine. I love the building. Inside, in the dark, composer Linda Buckley would play her music and Elizabeth Fraser would sing. n Mark Cousins is a filmmaker and artist; his installation Like A Huge Scotland is at Fruitmarket, Edinburgh in November.

IONA ZAJAC It would have to be the old Odeon on South Clerk Street. What a beautiful building filled with a history of legends such as Black Sabbath, Lou Reed, Sparks, Thin Lizzy, Roxy Music. And so sad in its desolation.

I’m a complete scaredy cat so there are lots of cool buildings I’d be delighted to see made scaredy-cat friendly: the nuclear bunker at Barnton Quarry, Scotland Street Tunnel etc. n Iona Zajac is a poet, multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter; her debut EP Find Her In The Grass is out now.

NICK BARLEY

NEIL PENNYCOOK

PICTURE: LAURA MEEK

The building I would most like to see revived is the old Odeon/New Victorian cinema on South Clerk Street, a beautiful space that has lain dormant for a couple of decades. It’s a building that has a rich history of live music and visual art, as well as unique architecture, and deserves to be given a second life. Failing that, literally any/all Wetherspoons should be reclaimed, by force if necessary. n Neil Pennycook is lead singer and songwriter for Meursault who perform at Summerhall, Edinburgh, Saturday 2 July.

Hidden Door has always reinvested in Edinburgh’s beautiful relics, a personal favourite being the revival of Leith Theatre. It holds so many memories for my family who originally lived in Leith and Newhaven for over a century. My dream venue would be something like Granton Railway Station. n Louise Anna McCraw is a singer-songwriter also known as Goodnight Louisa; her album Human Danger is out now.

The subtly stunning Central Hall in Tollcross is just crying out to be used more often. I love that this 750-seater venue exists in the heart of the city, sitting modestly in plain sight, with its outside belying the grandeur and superb acoustics of the interior. It’s so good that we’ve made it our 2022 ‘main theatre’ venue for the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Perhaps this often-overlooked venue could also host Hidden Door gigs in the future. n Nick Barley is Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, a Booker Prize Foundation trustee and former Editor of The List.

Hidden Door takes place at the Old Royal High School, Edinburgh, Thursday 9–Saturday 18 June.

12 THE LIST June 2022

Saturday 17 September

Giants of Soul Tuesday 27 September

Ian Brown Saturday 4 June

Tuesday 26 July

A Night At The Darts

Shaggy

Friday 9 June

Thursday 28 July

DMA’s

Stiff Little Fingers

Friday 10 June

Wednesday 3 August

Bongo’s Bingo

Pixies

Saturday 11 June

Saturday 6 August

Bongo’s Bingo

The Dualers

The Enemy + Little Man Tate

Tuesday 14 June

Monday 8 August

Monday 31 October

Beck

The Libertines

Paolo Nutini

Wednesday 22 June

Friday 12 August

Jessie Ware

The Wombats

Saturday 5 November Sunday 6 November

Saturday 02 July

Saturday 20 August

Bongo’s Bingo

The Gaslight Anthem

Saturday 09 July

Thursday 1 September

Bongo’s Bingo

Embrace

Saturday 16 July

Friday 9 September

Bongo’s Bingo

Jo Whiley’s 90s Anthems

Tuesday 04 October

Bret McKenzie ‘Songs Without Jokes’ Tour Wednesday 5 October

Fantastic Five of 14 Saturday 22 October

Big Big Wedding Fair & Fashion Show Monday 28 November

Fontaines D.C. O2 Academy Edinburgh 11 New Market Road Edinburgh EH14 1RJ o2academyedinburgh.co.uk

June 2022 THE LIST 13

AN EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER IN A CITY LIKE NO OTHER

BOOK NOw

14 THE LIST June 2022

KING MAKER

ELVIS FEATURES

Director Baz Luhrmann’s latest big-screen epic tackles the story of Elvis Presley, from childhood years to becoming a 20th-century icon. James Mottram met Austin Butler and Olivia DeJonge who take on the major tasks of portraying Elvis and his equally legendary wife Priscilla

>>

June 2022 THE LIST 15

ELVIS

S

ome things are just meant to be. When Austin Butler was in a car listening to Christmas songs by the king of rock’n’roll, his friend turned to him and said, ‘you know, you need to play Elvis Presley’. A month later, he learned that Baz Luhrmann, the Australian maestro behind Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge!, was looking for actors to play the lead in a biopic of Elvis’ life. Talk about kismet. ‘I kind of thought, “this feels like the stars aligning right here”,’ he reflects over Zoom, more than three years after embarking on a life-altering, career-changing journey.

At the age of 30, Butler is no newcomer, having featured in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and Jim Jarmusch’s zombie comedy The Dead Don’t Die. But playing Elvis was different.

‘I had never met Baz before, but I thought, “I’m gonna treat it like I got the job”. And so I started researching as though I was going to make the movie. I turned down every audition and said, “I’m only focusing on this one thing”. And I spent weeks at that point, just obsessing and learning little details and trying to find his humanity: “I can see the icon of Elvis, I can see the godlike version of Elvis that people look at, but where’s the human being?”’

It’s a question that will surely have been on Luhrmann’s mind too, pulling together a film that steers Presley from his early days at the birth of rock’n’roll to global fame, his career rollercoastering through the 1950s and 60s. Accompanying him is love-of-his-life Priscilla, played by

16 THE LIST June 2022

24-year-old Australian Olivia DeJonge. ‘We show how much she gave up to be with him and to support him,’ she says. ‘She really knew what he meant to people. Their relationship, I hope, feels very grounded. Like a breath of fresh air throughout the craziness that was his career.’

For Butler, it all started with the songs. Initially, he sent a video to Luhrmann of him singing ‘Unchained Melody’, and when the director responded to that, he began to spend months with him. This was all before he knew for sure he’d got the role. ‘We’d film things and he’d say, “why don’t you come in tomorrow and sing “Suspicious Minds”?”

And I’d go home and practice and I’d come back the next day to do that.

And then he’d go, “why don’t you come in tomorrow and sing “Hound Dog” or “Don’t Be Cruel”?” And then I’d come in and I’d do that. We did that for months and months and months.’

Taking on such a monumental role didn’t come without trepidation.

‘Every day I would be afraid . . . I don’t want to fall short, let everybody down. And I don’t want to let myself down; I don’t want to let Elvis down. I want to do him justice,’ admits Butler. ‘I’d wake up at four in the morning, every morning, with my heart pounding, and just be terrified. And I’d go, “OK, use that fear as energy and get to work”.

I’d start researching and I would practice my singing or walk down the beach for hours just listening to his voice.’ It was time very well spent.

DeJonge, who appears in HBO series The Staircase alongside Toni Collette, remembers her first day on the Elvis set, seeing Butler sing in

ELVIS

Meet the Presleys: Austin Butler and Olivia DeJonge transform into Elvis and Priscilla while (opposite page) the pair take direction from Baz Luhrmann

front of hysterical extras for one of the film’s elaborate concert scenes.

‘Honestly, watching him perform was almost transcendental,’ she says.

‘This guy’s put in so much work for so long. He really did such an incredible job and to watch that was really, really magical.’ Shot in 2020 as the pandemic took hold (production was halted while Tom Hanks, costarring as Elvis’ manager Colonel Tom Parker, recovered from covid), the feeling on wrapping was one of exhilaration. ‘We’d all been through the trenches,’ adds DeJonge. ‘We’re all coming out the other side going, “what is going on in the world?”’

While there have been Elvis biopics before (John Carpenter famously made a 1979 television movie starring Kurt Russell), Luhrmann’s track record of blending music and performance makes this latest effort a mustsee. ‘Coming from Baz’s mind, anything that he does is unique because he’s a brilliant, singular filmmaker,’ says Butler. Moreover, telling this story through the ‘unreliable narrator’ that is Elvis’ machiavellian manager, with their relationship central to the film’s dynamic, adds to a feeling of this being a true original.

That the singer’s name still means something to viewers far too young to have lived through Elvis-mania suggests just how timeless and influential his music is. DeJonge notes that Elvis and Priscilla came from a time long before social media, but which still elevated them in the eyes of many to mythic status. ‘A lot of what we saw of these people was strictly in magazines or newspapers, a photo here and there.

It touches on that . . . how celebrity has changed with the age of social media. But I also just think that they had a really beautiful love story that people were rooting for.’

DeJonge’s prep wasn’t quite as exacting as Butler’s. One self-tape and three months later she had the role, immediately diving into Priscilla’s character. ‘From the get-go, the way that she expresses her femininity was always very fascinating to me. She’s a very, very hyper-feminine girl.’ One anecdote from her autobiography Elvis And Me particularly resonated. ‘There was an obsessive fan waiting outside of the house and she basically went to fight her. That really surprised me, but I kind of loved it because it showed her bite . . . she had a fire going under her.

But I remember reading it and being like, “no way!”’

As for Butler, playing Elvis left its mark. He studied with Polly Bennett, the movement coach who previously helped Rami Malek become Freddie Mercury on Bohemian Rhapsody, learning how to gyrate the way Elvis did on stage. ‘It’s taken a toll on my body,’ he says, admitting that the day after we speak, he’s got an MRI scan. ‘My back’s been sort of messed up since I finished. And it explains why Elvis had to take pain medication because his body was hurting. He had moved in a certain way for a long period of time.’ No pain, no gain, as they say. But for Butler and DeJonge, it’s been well worth it.

Elvis is in cinemas from Friday 17 June.

June 2022 THE LIST 17

Renfrewshire is home to lots of undiscovered outdoor gems.

Start exploring our stunning scenery today.

18 THE LIST June 2022

RIVERSIDE FEATURES

Ahead of headlining the Riverside Festival, music icon and self-confessed ‘wonky dancer’ Róisín Murphy speaks to Fiona Shepherd about trying her hand at acting, scaring photographers and how Sheffield influenced her latest album

>>

SCENE STEELER

June 2022 THE LIST 19

RIVERSIDE

T

here is a sense of déjà vu when Zooming with Róisín Murphy from her living room. Perhaps that’s because so many of us have watched the former Moloko frontwoman dancing, singing, dressing up and generally showing out from her home during lockdown. Her spontaneous spirit-lifting performances ultimately led to a full livestream concert on Mixcloud which she conceived, directed and delivered to mark the release of her latest album Róisín Machine.

‘It was just a natural “I’ve got dresses, I will wear them” type thing,’ she says. ‘I think I dressed up more in the

PICTURES: ADRIAN SAMSON

20 THE LIST June 2022

lockdowns than I do normally. I was in a really good mood putting out Róisín Machine.

We’d worked on and off for ten years on this record so it was joyful to put it out, even in the midst of all the madness.’

Making the album took her back to her old Steel City stomping ground, spiritually and literally. Murphy was born in Wicklow, Ireland, raised in Manchester and now lives between London and Ibiza. But she first found her tribe after moving to Sheffield at the age of 19, forming Moloko with her then-partner Mark Brydon in the mid-90s.

Her current collaborator, the DJ/producer Richard Barratt aka Parrot, works out of his Sheffield studio and coaxed Murphy northwards to record some stellar vocals.

‘People say it’s a disco record but I would say it’s a Sheffield record more than anything else,’ says Murphy. ‘Down deep at the core of it is this clang of steel. I was reading about the Human League and Heaven 17 people-watching David Bowie on

the fear in his eyes

”

Top Of The Pops and then getting dressed up in their sister’s blouse, putting on makeup and trying to get to the only weirdo pub in town. There’s a direct line that goes right back to glam rock.’

Style is all part of the equation for Murphy, who has been dubbed art-pop royalty for her playful, sculptural outfits and fierce vision, as showcased on the sleeve of Róisín Machine. ‘She’s a bit of a punk as well as a disco dolly,’ says Murphy of her album cover alter ego. ‘I wanted a little bit of aggression, but the photographer is a very classy guy who often shoots for Vogue, and I don’t think he expected the ruggedness I brought on the day. I could see the fear in his eyes; he was afraid of what he was photographing, which I think is the right way to go about it.’

That ability to invest in character has not gone unnoticed. Later this year, Murphy will make her screen acting debut playing a witch in the Netflix adaptation of Sally Green’s young adult novel Half Bad. ‘The director was a fan and just thought I’d be good at playing a witch, ha ha!’ she deadpans. ‘It wasn’t that much work: a few days shooting, a little bit of dubbing into other people’s mouths, like I was possessing them.

It was fun, it was interesting, and the outfits are fabulous.’

Murphy has aspirations to do more directing of her own, with an Irish family saga based on her own parents as a dream project. But, for now, this singer, style icon, lockdown tonic and self-confessed ‘wonky dancer’ is back out on the road, pitching up in the ‘best town in the fucking land’ for the Riverside Festival in Glasgow. There she headlines alongside the diversely danceable likes of Carl Cox, Derrick Carter, Celeste and recent List cover star Bemz.

‘We did miss dancing together, didn’t we?’ she reflects. ‘I do often romanticise my parents’ era where people used to sing songs together all the time, but they didn’t do as much dancing as we do. My generation went right back to the beginning and became tribal about dance and it became something you did three, four, five times a week with other people in mass environments, communicating on this other level. It is a 3D sculpture of music. I’m not a great dancer but what I do know is music, so I can feel when changes are going to come so I can then make a ham-fisted attempt at being symmetrical. Dancing helps you understand music and understanding music helps you dance.’

Róisín Murphy headlines Riverside Festival, Glasgow, Saturday 4 June.

June 2022 THE LIST 21

RIVERSIDE

“I could see

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Everybody knows the first rule of Fight Club is you don’t talk about Fight Club. Flight Club, on the other hand, seems eminently more Instagrammable. You’ll find Flight Club Sunday (a weekly blind-tasting of five carefully selected malts for a very reasonable £40) at Tipsy Midgie, a shiny new whisky bar on Edinburgh’s St Leonard’s Hill. Helmed by Colin Hinds, formerly of Kilted Lobster, it aims to both celebrate and demystify the water of life, with weekly distillery discovery events as well as regular chocolate and whisky pairings. If a self-directed wander through the hundreds of bottles lining the back bar suits the cut of your jib better, their ‘can and a dram’ options are a modern (though still grandad-approved) take on the old ‘hauf and a hauf’. Meanwhile, perfect gin serves and creative cocktails are also available if whisky ain’t your thing.

(Jo Laidlaw) n tipsymidgie.com

EAT DRINK SHOP

TIPSY MIDGIE

EAT DRINK SHOP EAT

KEEP ON

TRUCKING With the impending arrival of summer, David Kirkwood discovers how street-food vendors are preparing for their busiest time of year and finds a scene where standards and expectations are firmly on the up

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ummer is peering round the corner and we’re just about into full ‘festival season’. And that means many a weekend will offer gatherings both big and small, as well as artsy, musical and gastronomical, all across the central belt. What people can eat has become an increasingly significant selling point for many, with high standards and a bit of exoticism expected, as these moveable little feasts shift from recurring city-based street-food events and onto larger crowds.

‘We tend to not take wedding bookings in the summer months,’ says Beth Davies from Alloa-based Stag Bites The Hog. She and husband Liam are booked up for a fair few biggies: musical monsters the Riverside Festival and TRNSMT, as well as the WOD On The Loch Fitness Festival in Luss. They also took part in the Scottish leg of the Eat & Drink Festival at Glasgow’s SEC in May. Are predominantly foodie crowds more pressurised? ‘To be honest, weddings are the most stressful!’ she laughs. ‘It’s someone’s special day and you worry far more about things like equipment failing or getting a flat tyre on the way there.’

These days, Ronnie (a bright orange 1973 Citroen H-van) is towed (rather than driven) to events by the couple, and the dishes coming from within are ever-changing. While most trucks are defined by a particular cuisine, it’s a ‘smoky, slow and low’ cooking style that Stag identify themselves by. Everything from a venison Cubano sandwich to an Asian confit beef butty has left Ronnie’s hatch.

Does this adaptability prove handy when other vans might clash with their own offerings? ‘Events are pretty organised about who they book nowadays,’ Beth points out. ‘They avoid overlaps and the community is close as well. If we know of another vendor who does something similar, we’ll get in touch and make sure our dishes are different enough.’

Smoked chicken flatbread and slow-cooked boozy pork fries are current front-runners to be on the blackboard this summer.

24 THE LIST June 2022

The most significant street-food gathering of the year might be the Scottish Street Food Awards, hosted at The Pitt in Edinburgh from Friday 10–Sunday 12 June.

With applications still open, the full list of finalists is to be confirmed, but the scale of this event is mighty and winners can go onto the British and then European awards.

One of the judges is food journalist (and former List scribe) Ailidh Forlan, who has noticed a genuine shift in the last two Scottish Street Food events. ‘There’s far less fried food, and more vendors are working with fresh local seafood and plant-based dishes.’ Indeed, last year’s champions were Antojitos (aka vegan chef John Kelly) whose Mexican plant-based offerings have since propelled the outfit to residencies at The Dog House (Edinburgh), Buck Street Market (Camden) and Nice’n’Sleazy (Glasgow).

His seitan barbacoa quesadilla was the dish that scooped the prize, and while the three residencies take up most of his time, you can still catch Antojitos at Glasgow’s Big Feed (Saturday 30 & Sunday 31 July), Edinburgh’s The Pitt (Friday 12–Sunday 14 August) and Perth’s Sustainably Vegan @ The Yard (Sunday 11 September).

The capital’s largest free-to-enter event, the Edinburgh Food Festival, also makes a welcome return this summer (Friday 22–Sunday 31 July). Alandas gelato and fish and chips, Jarvis Pickle’s multi-award winning pies, and Chick + Pea’s blue truck of panMediterranean delights will all be reassuring presences in Assembly George Square Gardens.

street food

Jo Laidlaw reports on the latest news and openings as Glasgow experiences a seafood boom

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side dishes Jimmy Lee of Salt & Chilli Oriental

We choose a street and tell you where to eat. Suzy Pope finds European delights and vegan treats as she makes her way along Edinburgh’s Easter Road EAT

here’s a definite waft of fresh paint around Edinburgh right now, starting with news that popular watering hole Dreadnought have bought Wee Leith Shop. This tiny place (seemingly abandoned during one of its legendary tarot readings) holds a special place in Leith folklore. They’re planning a weeny bottle shop, so cheers to that. Dine are getting ready to open their third space with work galloping apace at the Tollhouse in Canonmills, while Kora is set to replace Southside Scran for Tom Kitchin in Bruntsfield.

In Glasgow, fish is very much the flavour of the past few months. Joining Crabshakk Botanics (see review, page 27) are Kelp in Cowcaddens Road, with a commendably tight selection of small, sustainably fished plates; Bearsden’s Scallop’s Tale, which combines restaurant with posh chippy (always a winning combo); and Fat Lobster’s long-teased opening is imminent too. Bucking the trend are Gōst, a new grill-house championing grass-fed ex-dairy beef, while Jimmy Lee returns to his hometown of Hamilton with a third branch of Salt & Chilli Oriental, his take on Cantonese street food.

In Aberdeen, Kevin Dalgleish is set to open his first restaurant. Amuse promises a ‘relaxed yet refined’ dining experience, with an on-trend outdoor area and bar space for guests to enjoy. And finally, it’s happy birthday to the Royal Highland Show (Thursday 23–Sunday 26 June), 200 years old, and well and truly back post-pandemic. Come to Ingliston for the tractors, stay for the Highland coos: just don’t miss the chance to eat your way around the best of Scotland’s larder when you’re there.

POLENTONI Polentoni’s sandwiches alone give foodies a reason to venture to Easter Road. Italian ingredients like spicy salami and artichoke pesto sit between slices of fresh ciabatta.

Since switching to hatch service, their popular fried eggs drizzled with truffle oil are now served on sourdough bread. We only hope their dine-in homemade gnocchi returns some day.

LITTLE FITZROY COFFEE Stopping by for a caffeine hit, you might be tempted by Little Fitzroy’s fully vegan menu (bar a few pastries, including the delicious Ukrainian honey cake). Pomegranatetopped salads with zingy dressings are on display alongside tempting homebaking.

OLD EASTWAY TAP Old Eastway Tap opened at the end of 2021, serving cask ales from Cross Borders: think rich porters and zesty IPAs. The atmosphere is laidback and friendly with a little hipster charm. Hot toasties and charcuterie boards offer fuel between pints, but the focus here is very much the beer.

THE PERCY The Percy restaurant and Persevere pub are owners Konrad and Dorota’s homage to Polish cooking (and drinking). Cured Baltic herring comes with a suggested shot of vodka and there’s no chance of leaving hungry after a main of rich beef goulash and crisp potato pancakes. The adjoining pub has all the dark-oak grandeur of a traditional Scottish joint, but with a huge mural of Warsaw proudly displayed.

TWELVE TRIANGLES Twelve Triangles offers a place to stock up on slow-fermented sourdough loaves and pastries made onsite. Bigger lunch options come in the form of stacked sandwiches, featuring their handmade ricotta, spicy kimchi, chutneys and jams between slices of rightly famous crusty sourdough.

June 2022 THE LIST 25

YES IT’S FRESH PASTA, BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT. Follow us on social media

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BOOK TICKETS

RESTAURANT

CRABSHAKK BOTANICS

EAT

PICTURE: COVE STUDIO

Crabshakk’s second venue comes 13 years after the original trailblazed in a very different Finnieston, back when it had more caged off-licences and house-clearance shops than dining hotspots. For a while, Crabshakk was one of only a few serious seafood specialists in town, offering a rare casual crab-and-cocktail approach. They’ve gone for a similar vibe here, a tad upscaled to befit the impressive A-listed Botanic Gardens Garage (also home to Ka Pao).

The classy yet relaxed bar-bistro feel is helped by plenty of dark wood and mesh, which partly obscures, partly frames the industrial guts of the building. Original artworks abound.

A neon version of the company motif (human head with fish in mouth) greets diners, while large map artworks, subtly done to the point of abstraction, depict the harbours at Port of Ness on Lewis and St Monans in Fife. Both are childhood hangouts of Crabshakk’s owner and executive chef (a longtime staffer) respectively.

Bar snack favourite deep-fried whitebait is a potent hit of salty seafood goodness and a nice lead-in to the accessible menu, boosted by plenty of specials. Tempura squid, with an umami-inducing soy and coriander dip, is a real treat, if a tad oily. The fish with chips similarly suffers. It’s an odd deep-fryer misstep given the quality on show in everything else.

Crab cakes are meaty bite-size morsels, pan-fried to a crisp golden exterior, just containing the deliciously dense meat inside. Smoked and cured dishes are deftly handled, from a homemade gravadlax on rye bread enlivened with celeriac remoulade to an enjoyable monster of a club sandwich packed with smoked fish chunks. Desserts feature a lovely crème brûlée-esque salted caramel tart with ginger ice-cream and a big, beautiful berry meringue.

(Jay Thundercliffe)  18 Vinicombe Street, Glasgow, crabshakk.co.uk

NEWSLETTER

VITTLES

27 THE LIST April 2022

PICTURE: HEEDAYA LOCKMAN

Crowdfunded and stuffed with new angles on the food and drink scene in the UK (and occasionally beyond), you won’t find any sponsored content or advertising features in the Vittles newsletter. Subscribers get a weekly article in their inbox, usually covering an endangered food culture, insight into food production or perhaps a look at a small segment of society through their food traditions. You can also log in to their website and browse through past articles and features at your leisure.

Vittles tackles subjects beyond the usual foodie drinkie news, reporting on things like a rise in demand for mutton during Eid and a sheep slaughterhouse in England or looking at the language used to talk about meat farming.

In his introduction each week, founder Jonathan Nunn often references Vittles’ weakness himself: its Londoncentric coverage. But they’re actively working to counter this with the Red Wall Feasts column covering northern England and occasionally diving deep into the food heritage of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. If you are visiting London, though, the Newcomer’s Guide To London (Parts I And II) feels like being hand-held by a local through the capital’s culinary labyrinth.

Overall, Vittles is a worthwhile and impressive project, elevating the topic of food and drink to a philosophical and cerebral level (yes, even the column about pre-packaged snack food). It’s a genuine delight when it drops into the inbox. (Suzy Pope)  vittles.substack.com June 2022 THE LIST 27

M Am ON ba KE ss Y ad S o r HO to U Sc LD ot E la R nd

XXX

Jody Buchan

BASED IN EDINBURGH

I fell in love with Monkey Shoulder the first time I tasted it. Not just the whisky, but the brand and its Made For Mixing ethos. When it comes to whiskies that aren’t afraid to play with the cocktail shakers as well as the dram glasses, accept no substitutes – it’s got to be the OG for me.

When other brands try to emulate the fun and excitement of Monkey, we shake things up and keep people guessing.

We’re just about to launch our third member of the family.

At Monkey Shoulder, we don’t just release a flavoured version of our liquid or play by the usual whisky rules of simply adding it to a cask for ‘finishing’ – we go big. Keep your eyes peeled for something fresh and exciting, dropping this summer...

I recently began filming an online show called Speed RAILL (Random Adventure to Interview Local Legends) where I journey across Scotland on the Monkey Shoulder motorbike to interview bartenders who serve the best drinks, as I visit the best places to enjoy Monkey Shoulder. Whether it’s in a cocktail, in a highball, paired with food or enjoyed on its own.

Venues

It’s hard to pick just 3 venues to talk about but, in no particular order, here are some of my favourites.

Be sure to check them out if you want to find out what we’re launching soon.

THE WORKSHOP, ABERDEEN Located at Shiprow Village in Aberdeen and presided over by Aberdeen’s Milo Smith – creator of the Drumstick cocktail (yeah, that one!) –this cool, subterranean hotspot boasts amazing cocktails, beers and just oozes atmosphere. A repurposed archway underneath Aberdeen, it is illuminated with candle-light and serves up deliciously crafted cocktails. The back bar is extensive and has something for every taste, for every mood and whatever time of night that you happen to visit. Look out for their featurette on SpeedRAILL (via YouTube or my instagram @jodyspiritual), coming soon.

drinkaware.co.uk for the facts 28THE 1 THELIST LISTMarch June 2022 2022

UNO MAS, EDINBURGH Spanish for ‘one more’, opened just prior to the ‘L’ word (lockdown). This late-night cocktail bar has something for everyone.

Whether you’re interested in a locally brewed beer or an in-house, signature cocktail, their award-winning bar team, Uno Mas have you covered. With live music nights, open-mic shows, DJs every weekend and fantastically curated playlists, they really do make it very easy to answer the question; Uno Mas? It’s also an industry hangout, thanks to its later opening hours, so if you want to drink the best cocktails with some of the city’s best makers and shakers, it’s the place to be.

HOOT THE REDEEMER, EDINBURGH Sister venue to Panda & Sons and Nauticus, Hoot is the quintessential party venue.

Designed like a fairground, there are arcade machines, boozy ice- creams and even a grabber machine to ‘design your own cocktail’ with the team bringing their magic to your randomly selected ingredients. You simply can’t visit Hoot without ordering one of their slushy cocktails. I tend to get one as a palate cleanser while I peruse the menu. . Word to the wise; book a space. Even if there’s two of you, just going for a quick drink, they’re so fun and popular, you may be disappointed if you just turn up.

DRINK UP In our regular drinks column, Kevin Fullerton tries a few tasty beverages and lets you know exactly what he thinks of them.

This month we need Kevin to talk about . . . speciality coffee

I

EAT DRINK SHOP DRINK

t’s time to chuck your fetid freeze-dried granules out your grubby window, because this month’s drinks round-up is pitching a tent in the tantalising territory of speciality coffee. As an out and proud coffee snob, I’ve ensured that all this month’s selections hail from local Scottish roasters with an easy-to-source ethical supply chain, so no mediocre supermarket fare here. Each bean was ground with an electric grinder and consumed without milk or sugar after five minutes of brewing.

First up is a Colombian bean from Dear Green (£8.95 for 250g), produced by the Amaca Women’s Co-op in Congo’s La Mayanga region. These beans smell so good that I wanted to pop two of them up each nostril and breathe them in all day, such is the rich chocolatey scent that’s only strengthened after a few seconds in the grinder. The taste itself becomes a little more complex after brewing, revealing a top note of citrus, but the omnipresence of caramel and chocolate is lush and undeniable.

Unlike Dear Green’s instant olfactory hit, Sacred Grounds Coffee Company’s selection from Ethiopia’s Bensa District (£9 for 250g) didn’t strike me as particularly special in that initial nasal exploration of the bag. But the brewing process cracked open an aroma of Parma Violets that was gloriously pungent.

After letting the beans settle, the taste took an unexpected but not unpleasant left turn into smoky territory, with a smooth aftertaste of honey that would make this the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon slice of cake.

The caffeine had kicked in by this point, my heart palpitations ranging from ‘mild’ to ‘should I call an ambulance?’ Yet nothing could stop me from immediately tearing into my third choice, Edinburgh-based Artisan Roast’s Kenyan beans (£8 for 250g).

Sourced from a co-operative factory in Kenya’s Kagumo Town, these beans are drenched in the scent of currants straight out of the bag. It’s a wintry aroma that continues in the taste and, as with any selection from Artisan Roast, is maintained until the very last sip. As coffee makers go, this is a company that could never be accused of subtlety, but this is still the best of an incredibly accomplished trio.

PICTURE: STEPH NICOL

BAR FILES We ask creative folks to reveal their favourite watering hole

SINGER-SONGWRITER LUKE LA VOLPE

I love St Luke’s & The Winged Ox, and not just for the name. It’s a former church run by proper music people, and standing on stage with the stained glass behind you, looking out at the balconies and a choir singing back your lyrics really does have a holy feeling to it. I finished a tour supporting Lewis Capaldi there and opened for Tom Grennan the night I quit my job to do music full-time.

Selling out my own show last December was a dream. The food’s great and the after-shows are legendary, usually with more live music in the bar to keep the party going. Heaven. n Luke La Volpe’s new single Freakwave is out now with full EP Lifelines released on Friday 15 July; he performs at TRNSMT, Glasgow, Friday 8 July; Over The Bridge, Edinburgh, Sunday 31 July.

June 2022 THE LIST 29

SHOP

Megan Merino pays Bawn Textiles founder Bevan O’Daly a visit to learn how ethics and environmentalism intersect with her love of fabrics

SEW GOOD

PICTURES: EMMA SARAH MCBRIDE

30 THE LIST June 2022

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extiles are the building blocks of many of our most prized possessions, as Irish artist and textile conservationist Bevan O’Daly knows all too well. Spending half her time prepping historic garments, carpets and tapestries for museums and organisations like the V&A, National Trust and The Burrell Collection, and the other half launching her own company, Bawn Textiles, she’s somewhat of a fabric connoisseur.

‘My background is in textiles as a form and understanding their chemistry and structure,’ she says, sitting in her shop in Glasgow’s Southside. ‘It’s very hard to explain how you know it’s a good quality fabric; it’s down to a lot of years of knowledge.’

O’Daly took Bawn Textiles from online-only to a physical shop in May 2021 (in line with the reopening of all nonessential shops after lockdown), establishing herself as a high-quality textiles and sewing atelier with a strong environmental conscience. ‘I just made it my purpose to be really selective about what I choose to stock. There are only two or three other companies in the UK that are as specific and strict with their sustainability criteria.’

From favouring 100% pure fabrics (due to their recyclable properties) to avoiding strong patterns, longevity is always at the forefront of O’Daly’s mind. ‘I used to go into fabric shops and I was just blinded by all the patterns. So many people in the UK are making their own clothes now which is obviously to do with people’s ethics and the quality of the high street going down. But by not stocking many patterns, you’re allowing people to choose really good quality basics

that will stay in circulation for longer. For example, it’s much easier to pass on a plain blue shirt than a leopard print shirt.’

Naturally, starting a brand new business had its challenges: ‘I had massive ideas about what the shop would sell at the beginning but, to make it work, you have to break it down and start smaller.’ Starting with 18 specially selected fabrics and slowly building to the 60 now on display has taken time, with minimum order quantities and cagey suppliers making it difficult to maintain high ethical standards. ‘I have such a respect for the weave structure and engineering of fabric. You have to just keep asking the questions and putting the pressure on as much as possible until suppliers eventually see this is information that people want to know. The more transparent it is, the better.’

It is this attention to detail and honesty that her customers value most, with some making journeys from Newcastle and Brighton to get their hands on fabric. ‘There’s a lot of small independent fashion designers that shop with us too,’ O’Daly says. ‘Again, they don’t have the cash flow to buy minimum orders, so they’ll start their process here. It’s nice to support their goals as well.’

What, then, would O’Daly most like to see her textiles used for? As it turns out, nothing at all. ‘I love the actual fabric. I care about what people do with it but, at the end of the day, I would much rather they didn’t cut it up because I just think it’s fabulous on its own,’ she laughs. ‘But what people then go on to engineer in terms of clothes is also amazing. I’m definitely learning more about that process as time goes on.’

Bawn Textiles, 613 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow, bawntextiles.com

what’s in the bag?

In this month’s instalment, Megan Merino politely asked to see inside comedian, storyteller and proud Shetlander Marjolein Robertson’s bag before she headed to a gig MAKKIN BAG

WATCH I’m really bad at timekeeping, I hate clocks and watches, and almost have an inability to tell the time. However, for gigs you need to ken how long to speak on stage for, so I use this Casio, as most comedians do, because it has a stopwatch. Time is irrelevant; we all just basically use wrist-based stopwatches.

BOOKS I usually have books on me and I’ve been putting them in this silk bag to keep them nice.

Over lockdown to keep myself entertained, and hopefully entertain others, I started telling these folktales every night on Twitch. I’ve been streaming ever since, but now four days a week I tell folktales from Shetland and further afield.

NOTEPAD My gig notepad with all my jokes in it. I fill one a year roughly, with mostly rubbish. My cousin got

shop talk

this for me with my name on it. Never had this before; was on the cusp of changing my name to Mary just to get some pens with my name on it.

Now I’m set.

MENSTRUAL PADS

SHOP

‘Makkin’ is the Shetland word for knitting and, as a Shetlander, I’ve been wanting to learn how to knit Fair Isle, our traditional patterns, for a long time.

But first I need to get better at the basics . . . so I’m making a patchwork blanket for my friend. Dunna look too closely . . .

I always keep a reusable pad, you just never know when the blood will arrive. Also a disposable one in case you go to a public toilet and someone else needs one! I got the inspiration from Dylan Mulvaney on TikTok.

SHETLAND CHARMS Shetland has a lot of Norse heritage, so I always have this Odin necklace with two ravens (from Etsy) when I’m travelling or doing gigs, a cow’s tooth (I like animal bones for luck) and a pin of the Shetland flag.

PARKING TICKET This is what happens when a Shetlander comes back to the city and doesn’t know how parking works.

LEFTOVER POSTGIG MEAL So that banana is what I meant to eat at the gig last night for my supper . . . the chips are what I actually ate. The best laid plans of comedians heading home past a takeaway (specifically Graziano’s in South Queensferry).

Edinburgh College Of Art Fashion Show

Megan Merino continues her retail adventures with a trio of shopping and fashion treats to check out VINTAGE OUTFITTERS This new Newington vintage store specialises in recycled and upcycled American branded clothing. Amrit Kaur started the business in May and sells bespoke co-ords and joggers as well as a range of pre-loved gems.  72 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, vintageoutfitters.co.uk

WILD GORSE POTTERY Founded by Jen Smith, this contemporary pottery shop uses expert craftsmanship to create beautiful and durable glazes and pots. Signature muted tones and weathered surfaces are inspired by ancient pottery techniques and make wonderful gifts for that stoneware lover in your life.  684 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow, wildgorsepottery.com PICTURE: NEIL HANNA

EDINBURGH COLLEGE OF ART FASHION SHOW The pieces here may not be on a rack near you just yet, but if you’re into discovering homegrown cutting-edge fashion designers of the future, the Edinburgh College Of Art Fashion Show is where it’s at.  St James Quarter, Edinburgh, Friday 10 June, eca.ed.ac.uk/event/ecafashion-show-partnership-st-james-quarter

June 2022 THE LIST 31

GOING OUT PHOEBE BRIDGERS At long last, Californian singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers is taking her Grammy-nominated 2020 album Punisher on the road. Since her acclaimed debut Stranger In The Alps came out in 2017, Bridgers has carved a space for ‘sad girls’ in the indie world with fellow Boygenius bandmates Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, plus artists like Mitski, Soccer Mommy and Adrianne Lenker (the list goes on) falling into the sub-genre. As a self-professed fan of the late Elliott Smith, emotionally raw lyricism and folk-like storytelling is what Bridgers does best.

But, in truth, it's her cynical wit and signature skeleton onesie that we're most excited to experience in the flesh.

(Megan Merino) n Barrowland, Glasgow, Wednesday 22 & Thursday 23 June.

WITH VERY SPECIAL GUESTS

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June 2022 THE LIST 33

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PICTURES: ALAN MCCREDIE

34 THE LIST June 2022

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GOING OUT

As much-loved play Laurel & Hardy returns to Edinburgh's Lyceum Theatre for the first time in almost two decades, Gareth K Vile chats to Steven McNicoll and Barnaby Power about playing the comic legends second time around

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remembers. ‘And children always respond to them because they are children: the way they react to the world is not childish, but child-like. There is an innocence about them.’

Although the script follows their careers chronologically, and revisits some of the duo's finest cinematic moments (not least their slapstick and dance routines), the actors recognise that, at its core, the play speaks to more than just the past.

‘It’s about a friendship, an enduring and genuine friendship,’ says McNicoll. ‘They were always firm friends.’

And if McNicoll and Power capture their chemistry, the combination of McGrath and Cownie creates a theatrical structure that reinforces why theatre is a unique medium for telling a profound story.

‘Tony Cownie uses every piece of the theatre to help tell the story,’ McNicoll says. ‘It is a dream play; it floats in and out of the movies and reality, it is all jumbled up. It’s quite a challenge to rehearse it. We are never off, really. But everything helps to move the story on; everything has a dual function.’

Cownie’s imaginative direction drives the drama, with McGrath’s belief in the power of theatre’s liveness manifesting in the energy, humour and emotional depth of the show.

However, as McNicoll points out, it never forgets what made the duo so popular and successful. ‘It’s a funny show.

Since there is so much uncertainty now, an audience will look forward to something that will send them back out with a smile on their face.’

Laurel & Hardy, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Friday 3­–Saturday 25 June.

June 2022 THE LIST 35

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he script of Laurel & Hardy embodies many of playwright Tom McGrath’s beliefs about theatre: that it should be accessible, poignant, immediate and, above all, ‘a good night out’. Following the lives of a legendary duo who defined early 20th-century comedy and still provide a template for double acts today, its 2005 production at Edinburgh's Lyceum Theatre has remained one of the venue’s most fondly remembered shows.

And it's about to make a comeback. ‘The deal-breaker was that it had to be the same team,’ says Steven McNicoll, who plays Oliver Hardy. Barnaby Power (Stan Laurel) quickly adds, ‘when this opportunity came up, it was so great to hear that everybody involved was still the original team. It's a production where everything fits together: music, lighting, the set, the costumes.

Jon Beales on piano is integral to the show and Rita Henderson doing choreography: she did the original production. And of course, Tony Cownie is directing it.’

Interviewing McNicoll and Power between rehearsals, it becomes obvious that the actors not only have great affection for the play, but have a connection that powers a successful double act. Whether finishing each other’s thoughts or sharing memories, their enthusiasm for the characters is infectious. Yet even as the remounting pays respect to the 2005 show, it has allowed them to reflect on the story.

‘It feels like we’ve never been away,’ says McNicoll.

‘There’s a shorthand between us. Last time, we had three weeks to mount the thing and devise the staging; it was about working out business, getting from one scene to another. But because we have dealt with that, we have more time to focus on the content of the actual scenes and explore the relationship between the two.’

The years away have also allowed the actors to see Laurel and Hardy themselves from a new perspective. ‘I have changed,’ admits Power. 'We're 17 years older and there are certain things more resonant now than they were.’ McNicoll says, ‘we are at an age now just when things started to go wrong for them, when Stan lost creative control to the studio. When we did the show last time, we were the age when they were first put together by Hal Roach.' Power adds, ‘and the element of nostalgia is more resonant, because as you get older you get more nostalgic!’

The duo of Laurel and Hardy combine that nostalgia with a fresh sense of humour which transcends their time. ‘We grew up with them, they were never off the television,’ McNicoll

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an update from The List team:

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t’s been an exciting (and slightly frazzling) time at List HQ. In January we became our own publishing entity (away from the original List Limited company), raised £27,726 from a Crowdfunder to revive the print edition of the magazine and continue what we’re best at, covering the finest in culture across Glasgow and Edinburgh.

To everyone who donated money: thank you. You’ve helped us expand our team, pay our incredible writers and revive a cultural legacy that’s been going for 37 years.

We are now out monthly (and always free) and each issue has grown in scope and ambition, with the quality, confidence and depth of the content improving month on month. As we approach the busy festival season this will only continue with our Edinburgh Festival Guide and THREE August issues (yep, you read that right).

But like any new start-up, we’ve hit some technical hitches along the way. For us that has come with the launch of our brand new website.

To anyone who’s emailed with feedback, we appreciate it and are working hard to get it up to speed as quickly as possible. It has been a real learning curve but we want to thank you for your support and patience.

So what’s the plan?

Over the next six months, we’ll continue to perfect the new website and make sure both our print and digital content is entertaining, engaging and informative as we enter our first big festival season since 2019.

Our Edinburgh Festival Guide will be available from Monday 11 July, shortly followed by our preview issue (out Monday 1 August) and review issues (out Wednesday 10 August and Tuesday 16 August). It would be remiss of us not to mention our legendary List Festival Party which is making a triumphant return to Summerhall on Thursday 4 August. Keep an eye out for how to win tickets!

Thank you again for helping us get back on our feet. Covid has made times uncertain for everyone but your help has ensured that we continue celebrating Scotland’s ever-vibrant arts and culture scene. We hope you enjoy having The List back in your hands again and that you join us for another 37 years of quality coverage and entertainment.

36 THE LIST June 2022

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CHECK OUT THIS MONTH’S EVENT HIGHLIGHTS FROM SCOTLAND’S YEAR OF STORIES

Borders Book Festival, Visit Scotland / Credit: Ian Rutherford

OUR TOP TEN PICKS INCLUDE A FOUR-DAY BOOK EXTRAVAGANZA AND CELEBRATION OF FABULOUS FEMALE FOOTBALLERS A Monstrous Regiment of Women, Garidge Theatre

Stories are at the very heart of Scottish cultural identity and whether it’s local legends, films that tap into our national pride or songs that stir the soul, they have a vital role to play in creating a sense of community, history and belonging. With so much to celebrate, 2022 has been designated Scotland’s Year of Stories.

Here are some of the best events taking place this June. ✚ Kicking off our list is Striking Herstories (from Wednesday 1 June), a brand-new trail at Glasgow’s Scottish Football Museum which shines a spotlight on the history of women’s football and hopes to provide inspiration for the future female stars of the beautiful game. ✚ Performed in English and Doric by a cast of young people at Inverurie’s Garioch Heritage Centre, A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 June) is a unique celebration of local history and language.

This new play, written by Alan Bissett, explores the life of Kintore’s Caroline Phillips – pioneering feminist, suffragette and journalist. ✚ Situated high in the hills above Loch Ness, Abriachan Forest is the setting for Abriachan’s Stories, Seanchaidh And Some Stars. If you like your tales with atmosphere and audience participation then these monthly events are a must, with ‘Midsummer at the Shieling’ promising both songs and stories on Tuesday 21 June. ✚ As part of Refugee Week, Beacon Arts Centre plays host to Story Ceilidh (Tuesday 21 June) – an evening of food and multicultural family storytelling set by the banks of the Clyde. Stories, ballads and poems in Arabic, Scots and Gaelic will be shared by those from all across Inverclyde’s community.

✚ Told through words and music, Up The Middle Road: Crichton Stories Of Recovery And Resilience (Friday 24 & Saturday 25 June) shares authentic accounts from the former patients and staff of Crichton Royal Asylum in Dumfries.

A look at the treatment of mental health from the 1930s to the 1990s, it’s sure to be eye-opening.

Scottish Football Museum, Museums Galleries Scotland / Credit: Nick McGowan-Lowe

✚ Back at Harmony Garden, Melrose for four fabulous days of talks, comedy, live music and food & drink, Borders Book Festival (Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 June) is where words come alive. Joanna Lumley, Andrew Marr and Alexander McCall Smith are amongst the guests. ✚ Songs From The Last Page is a collaboration from Chamber Music Scotland and composer Gareth Williams delivering song writing workshops and live performances at festivals, libraries and community groups across Scotland. Check them out at the Borders Book Festival on Sunday 19 June. ✚ Annual family fun day the Holy Fair With Armed Forces And Pipes In The Park returns to Ayr Low Green on Saturday 18 June.

This year, a second day has been added, Story Sunday. Storytelling, music and arts & crafts activities will take place alongside some fascinating ‘Tent Talks’. ✚ Yoyo & The Little Auk is a live, child-friendly concert from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra

accompanying a brand-new animation from Visible Fictions, narrated by James Cosmo. It’ll be performed live at Glasgow’s Wee Write Festival on Sunday 19 June, with the film also available to watch online.

Pedersen and Val McDermid discuss ‘Friendship’, with music from Kim Carnie.

✚ Edinburgh’s Scottish Storytelling Centre is the setting for Figures Of Speech, where notable cultural figures respond to universal themes and guide us through iconic stories.

On Friday 24 June, Michael

Scan to find out more.

For more information on all Year of Stories events, visit visitscotland.com/stories

June 2022 THE LIST 37

‘Music is reflective of an entire life’ With a career spanning 30 years, singer-songwriter Joan As Police Woman (aka Joan Wasser) has cemented her position as one of the most consistently inventive songwriters working today. As she tours in support of her latest album, The Solution Is Restless, she tells Kevin Fullerton about collaborating with other artists, musical experimentation and her approach to cover versions You’ve collaborated with some amazing people over the years. What’s been the most fulfilling working partnership?

That’s hard to say because it’s like what’s your favourite love affair?

They’re all so special and super different. For me, I’m always so happy to be in a room with someone I’ve never played with, because music is reflective of an entire life. It feels so intimate. I want to completely open myself and have as little expectation as possible.

If there’s one thing I’m trying not to do is think, because I feel like it limits me. The potential of this moment is getting crushed by thoughts so I try to really stop thinking and allow the music to take me where it does. I can trust the music to take me to that place.

You don’t own a television. Have you ever been tempted to buy one?

I had to have an operation last year (I’m totally fine). I spent a couple of weeks in bed and my friend gave me her old TV and it was so novel. And then immediately after I recovered, I got rid of it because it’s just taking up space. I will never watch it again. I live alone and I only see films in the movie theatre, so when I do see a film, I’m fucking blown away.

You’ve released quite a few cover albums throughout your career. What makes a good cover version?

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Joan As Police Woman, Summerhall, Edinburgh, Wednesday 22 June; The Solution Is Restless is out now via PIAS.

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I won’t cover a song unless I feel like I can bring something new to it. I have no interest in making a wedding-band version of the song. It doesn’t have to be a song I love, but one I can flip over in some way.

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One of the most satisfying things about your work is a restless experimentation. Are you consciously changing your style from album to album?

A whole half a century before Game Of Thrones insisted that no character was safe, no matter how seemingly indispensable they appeared, Alfred Hitchcock was bumping off a main star before the midway point in his 1960 classic chiller (honestly, if this is a spoiler, which rock have you been residing under all your life?). There’s a whole heap of symbolism and meanings (mainly Freudian) afoot in and around the Bates Motel, including retribution, repression, guilt and all kinds of Oedipal mayhem. The only misstep in a hands-down work of timeless genius (enhanced by that piercing score from Bernard Herrmann) is the medical ‘explanation’ given after our psychologically imbalanced murderer is caught. After all, the guy wouldn’t even hurt a fly . . . (Brian Donaldson) n GFT, Glasgow, Wednesday 1 & Thursday 2 June; Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Monday 13–Thursday 16 June.

GOING OUT PICTURES: SØLVE SUNDSBØ

Clay motion For his debut Scottish exhibition, Daniel Silver worked with dancers to help shape a vision of movement. The Jerusalem-raised sculptor tells Claire Sawers that meaning is always in the eye of the beholder t•ar

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eople who live with my works say they are not the same each day. What you see changes depending on your mood. It will reflect differently.’ Sculptor Daniel Silver is chatting from his London studio, mildly jetlagged after visiting Los Angeles for a collaboration with fashion label Acne Studios. Today he’s surrounded by a gathering of clay people that are about to travel to Edinburgh for his first ever Scottish exhibition, Looking.

‘It’s like I’m looking in on a story,’ he explains, studying the busts while he chooses his words. Sometimes I feel I’m listening in on a conversation. It’s not clear if they’re looking out or in, or what they know.’ When Silver takes over the Fruitmarket’s galleries and warehouse, the first thing visitors will see through the windows on Market Street are 18 figures. ‘They could be people at a bus stop or a jury. There’s no hierarchy among them. Some are genderless, some you could say are male or female. I’m interested in the group.

I’m just setting the stage though; people can build their own story.’

Four years ago, London-born, Jerusalem-raised sculptor Silver started watching Israel’s L-E-V dance company in rehearsals.

‘I was struck by how the dancers occupied their bodies, and the emotions and thoughts they communicate through them. The techno music and their tribal movements; something about it all really fitted with my work.’ Silver invited dancers into his studio for live sculpting sessions to music, which he describes as a twoway dialogue. ‘I’m not a choreographer. I don’t direct them. They start dancing, improvising, and I’ll point out a beautiful moment and why I liked it. Their limbs are creating a bank of information that I feed from. They then see what I’m sculpting and respond to that. I watch them progress but it’s not something I control.’

As well as being influenced by human movement, Silver also draws inspiration from ancient and modern sculpture. His 18-busts piece is a reference to a 3000-year-old Greco-Roman work with many heads that he saw in The Israel Museum in Jerusalem. ‘I think they were originally made for tombstones. I liked that they don’t appear to have been made by an experienced carver.’

For Silver, who studied at Slade School Of Fine Art and the British School At Rome, working with clay is relatively new. The material allowed him to make sculptures swiftly in response to dancers in motion. He enjoys how paint seeps into its surface and his works often have bright pops of orange, pink and gold. ‘I’m not a ceramicist, I’m a sculptor. I like how the oil paint becomes like a skin.’

Although their techniques and aesthetic are vastly different, Silver’s works share bronze and granite sculptor Barbara Hepworth’s fascination with movement. ‘Hepworth’s silhouettes, lines and shapes often relate to lines in the body,’ he notes. ‘I am also interested in that tension between motion and what can be conveyed in a static object.’

Daniel Silver: Looking, Fruitmarket, Edinburgh, Saturday 11 June–Sunday 25 September.

June 2022 THE LIST 39

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GOING OUT

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LIVE IN CONCERT WITH VERY SPECIAL GUEST

PREVIEWS

NICOLA BENEDETTI

PICTURE: DEBI DEL GRANDE

MUSIC

BIKINI KILL

FRIDAY 1 ST JULY 2022

CALEDONIAN STADIUM

INVERNESS SCOTLAND Tickets: ictcc.co.uk Ticket Hotline 0344 338 8000 Accessible Bookings 0800 640 5001 ANDREA BOCELLI ANDREABOCELLIOFFICIAL

40 THE LIST June 2022

@ANDREABOCELLI @INVERNESSLIVE

When Kathleen Hanna scrawled the phrase ‘Kurt smells like Teen Spirit’ over her bandmate’s boyfriend’s wall, she took her unwitting place in grunge history, inspiring the title of Nirvana’s breakthrough hit. But forming her own band Bikini Kill was a far more deliberate act of iconoclasm.

This legendary Olympian quartet had a profile and influence which far outstripped their commercial clout.

Calling for ‘revolution girl-style now’, they pioneered safe spaces for women at gigs with their girls-to-the-front policy (which, inevitably, only riled a minority meathead male constituency). Drummer Tobi Vail coined the term ‘riot grrrl’ and an unfettered but fiercely politicised femme punk movement was ignited, with the erudite and charismatic Hanna as scene leader.

Bikini Kill trailblazed through the first half of the 90s, generating ardour and hate in equal measure. Arguably too controversial to cross over like their more playful peers The Breeders, they split in 1997 with Hanna going on to form punk-funk party band Le Tigre.

In 2019, Hanna and Vail reunited with original bassist Kathi Wilcox and new guitarist Erica Dawn Lyle. Their searing counter to misogyny has gone mainstream with the #MeToo movement, and women are now often in the majority at their shows. ‘I want to bring joy and righteous anger,’ says Hanna. Music lovers to the front. (Fiona Shepherd)  O2 Academy Glasgow, Sunday 12 June.

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WILL MACLEAN

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JACK SAVORETTI

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A personal reflection on an extraordinary career, Will Maclean’s Points Of Departure spans half a century of the acclaimed Scottish artist's work. Prints, drawings, wall constructions, sculptures and installations all feature in this retrospective, which will be presented as part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

Born in 1941, the son of a mariner, Maclean’s creative output has long revolved around the mysteries, mythology, history and hardship of life by the sea in Scotland. The exhibition will feature work going back to the 1970s, when Maclean worked for over a year documenting the practices of ring-net fishermen on the west coast.

Although best known for his wall constructions, the retrospective will also feature some 15–20 sculptures made from bronze, bone and items the artist has fashioned or found. David Patterson, exhibition curator, describes Maclean as ‘a big collector, but he turns things he’s collected into something else. They look almost like things you’d find in an antique shop. He uses found objects though even mass-produced objects can find their way into his sculptures.’

Drawing and print are other methods through which rural and island life are presented. ‘The show includes things way back into archaeology in Highland history,’ Patterson explains. ‘He comes from a sort of Gaelic background, so he’s very interested in Gaelic literature, song and poetry.

He’s done quite a lot of work with different poets and some of that will feature in the exhibition.’

This rendition of Gaelic life will be open for interpretation, as Maclean invites the viewer to pause and ponder over his passions. ‘In some ways,’ adds Patterson, ‘people will have to engage their brains a wee bit to see where he’s coming from, but once you get your head into the way Will thinks, it’s very rewarding.’ (Rachel Cronin)  City Art Centre, Edinburgh, Saturday 4 June-Sunday 2 October.

SAT 02 JULY CALEDONIAN STADIUM

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INVERNESS, SCOTLAND Tickets: ictcc.co.uk Ticket Hotline 0344 338 8000 Accessible Bookings 0800 640 5001 DURANDURAN @INVERNESSLIVE

FUTURE PAST OUT NOW

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FUTURE SOUND Our column celebrating music to watch continues with Rachel Duns. Ahead of her Glasgow Jazz Festival show, she tells Fiona Shepherd about eclectic influences and the need for more female jazz instrumentalist role models

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here is no doubt that the jazz department at the Royal Conservatoire Of Scotland has energised the country's scene in recent years.

Young alumni such as pianist Fergus McCreadie, saxophonist Matt Carmichael and trombonist Liam Shortall have all helmed exciting crossover ensembles.

However, it is still relatively rare to come across a female instrumental bandleader among this current fertile crop. Trombonist Anoushka Nanguy has rightly turned heads with her Noushy 4Tet while Glaswegian saxophonist and flautist Rachel Duns followed Nanguy in being named Rising Star at the Scottish Jazz Awards while still in her final year of studies.

Duns supplemented flute with tenor saxophone and swapped classical music for jazz in her mid-teens, sharpening her skills in local council youth bands and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra Of Scotland, while hoovering up her grandparents’ albums. ‘I haven’t really looked back since picking up the saxophone,’ she says. ‘I can’t imagine my main instrument being anything else.

It feels like I’m speaking through it when I’m playing.’

Dexter Gordon is her sax idol, with John Coltrane, Frank Wess and Hank Mobley also in her personal pantheon. But her tastes and experience range widely. As well as fronting her own quintet, Duns performs occasionally with fusion guitarist Nathan Somevi, in a duo with blues guitarist Kyle Hood (also a member of her quintet) and in ska band SUPA & Da Kryptonites.

42 THE LIST June 2022

Her own compositions tap into the neo-soul and hip-hop influence of Erykah Badu, D’Angelo and Moonchild, allowing Duns to show off her vocal abilities as well as instrumental skills.

She has also started experimenting with beat poetry in an eclectic live set which touches on her thoughts as a female bandleader.

‘It does feel like you have to work twice as hard,’ she says, ‘although I don’t think any of my peers or mentors are expecting me to be any better or worse because I’m a woman. It’s probably just something I’ve learned to be conscious of. I’ve written some lyrics about having to dull down your femininity in a maledominated jazz setting. I used to think that people wouldn’t take me as seriously if I was more girly, so that’s why it’s really important to me to have feminine style as a performer.’

Duns has yet to release any recorded music but hopes to do so soon and has aspirations to create an all-female band to celebrate lesser-known female jazz musicians such as pioneering German pianist Jutta Hipp.

While there is no shortage of excellent vocalists such as Georgia Cécile, Marianne McGregor and Kitti on the current Scottish scene, Duns is clear that ‘we need more female role models at the very foundation of jazz education. [Saxophonist, composer, bandleader and MasterChef contestant] Laura Macdonald is a big name and she’s amazing, but there are not many female instrumentalists.

It doesn’t take away the talent or ability you need to have as a vocalist but I think you shouldn’t just be encouraging women to be vocalists because that’s not the only path you can take.’

Rachel Duns plays St Luke’s, Glasgow, Sunday 19 June.

A Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh production

STARRING THE ORIGINAL CAST FROM 2005

STEVEN

MC NICOLL

& POWER BARNABY

“It’s a thing of wonder” THE GUARDIAN (2005)

3 - 25 June 2022

TICKETS 0131 248 4848 | lyceum.org.uk #LaurelAndHardy

Laurel & Hardy was developed with support from the Stephen W Dunn Theatre Fund June 2022 THE LIST 43 Royal Lyceum Theatre Company Ltd is a Registered Company No. SC062065 Scottish Charity Registered No. SC010509

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Photography Alan McCredie

Design MadeBy.DO

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Climate activism and the way our urges for human contact have changed as a result of covid lockdowns are two of the topics explored in this weekend of dance. Four companies are featured as part of Innovations Dance Platform, staged by Stockbridgebased company Dance Horizons. The two-day dance programme is part of their Innovations showcase series, first presented back in 2014.

Milan’s The Lost Movement Company examine human interactions in ‘Sehnsucht’ (German for longing or yearning), while another visiting group, Coventry’s Ascension Dance Company, bring ‘Resilient’, a duet where two people try to find optimism while the arts industry around them struggles in the wake of the pandemic.

Closer to home, Glasgow-based dance artist and activist Penny Chivas follows up her 2021 piece about the Australian bush fires (‘Burnt Out’) with ‘Footprint’, a new work about climate crisis and the ways we become detached from the natural world.

Finally, ‘Rewind – Move’ by Edinburgh choreographer Peter Twyman is his attempt to share with the audience the kind of anguish that can come from just one meeting, using movement to sketch the fallout from a highly charged emotional encounter. (Claire Sawers)  The Studio, Edinburgh, Friday 3 & Saturday 4 June.

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MY COMEDY HERO

Jacob Hawley on Kevin Bridges It was 2009 when I first watched Kevin Bridges perform on Live At The Apollo. I would have had to ask my mum not to use the landline for ten minutes to let the video buffer on our old desktop. And I would have huddled round it with my dad and watched Kevin, only 23 himself at the time, perform with all the charm, wit and expert timing of an old hand.

King Kev is the most successful mainstream comic Scotland has produced since Billy Connolly. He sells out The Hydro for as many nights as he wants, and yet he does so with clever, impactful material that his peers can’t touch. He can dissect Greece’s economic woes, the fallacy of trickle-down economics, growing nationalism among working-class communities, and he does so with lightness, ease, brevity. He chuckles through routines that privately educated comics would be labelled as ‘esoteric' for performing at the Edinburgh Fringe, whilst still being reviewed as a mainstream cheeky chappy from Glasgow. He’s the smartest comic working, and yet everything he says is relatable and accessible due to the easy nature of his performance.

I’ve been lucky enough to work with Kevin a few times. First at a small comedy club in South London, with a green room that was separated from the crowd by an old sheet. He huddled in with the rest of us, shook our hands, introduced himself as if it was necessary, then told us he’d got some new ‘shite’ to try out, before tearing the room to pieces. He put a word in with his agent on my behalf and I still work for them to this day. He’s the best of us, an under-appreciated genius who’s the king of the arena tour while being cleverer than the broadsheet reviewers will ever understand. My hero.

(As told to Brian Donaldson)  Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh, Saturday 18 June.

44 THE LIST June 2022

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June 2022 THE LIST 45

roll with it PREVIEWS

TikTok and covid have helped drive the most recent revival for retro roller skating. But Scotland has been the wheel deal for over 100 years and, as Lucy Ribchester discovers, there are plenty of places in Edinburgh and Glasgow to give it a whirl

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iverside Museum’, says Iain Donnelly, marketing manager at Glasgow’s RollerStop roller-skating rink, in answer to my question of where the best place to roller skate outdoors in Glasgow is. ‘Meet there?’

As a beginner skater, the thought of putting wheels on my feet next to a river doesn’t really appeal, but to my relief, the flat, paved plaza Donnelly is talking about lies on the opposite side to the Clyde. It’s a cool spring weekday when I bowl up, perfect for practising roller manoeuvres in peace and quiet. And sure enough, as Donnelly shows me basic moves, several more skaters show up to bust out some proper figure skating and rhythm combinations. Even without your own skates on, you could have fun enough just kicking back and watching them.

‘It’s a laidback atmosphere,’ he says. ‘On a sunny day someone might bring down a boombox. If we see someone who looks nervous or is just starting out, we’ll go over and say hello.’

Skating has long been part of Edinburgh and Glasgow’s cultural scene, right back to the Edwardian era, when roller rinks began springing up around Scotland, from Aberdeen to Dundee to Cowdenbeath.

46 THE LIST June 2022

roll with it

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PREVIEWS

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wn There, skaters would roll to the music of live brass bands (legend has it that in Dunfermline the fearless band members even performed on wheels). Perhaps more well-known is the 70s boom revival of skating, with Edinburgh’s Coasters Roller Disco at Tollcross jamming on a Saturday night. A recent research project produced in conjunction with Glasgow Building Preservation Trust uncovered evidence of 27 roller rinks in Glasgow, from pre-1911 through the disco era to the present day.

Donnelly says that skating never went away in Glasgow but that the culture has changed immensely in this most recent revival. ‘In the 80s it was more boisterous, getting in people’s way and going really fast. Now it’s more family-orientated and there are more beginners.’

It certainly feels like quad skating (that's four wheels to the uninitiated) is having a moment just now, buoyed by TikTok, the pandemic and our current love of all things retro. In Edinburgh, on spring weekends, you’ll see skaters in 70s style, candy-coloured suede roller-boots popping up at the graffiti-covered skate parks like Treverlen (by Portobello) and Saughton, traditionally the territory of skateboarders. And you only need to head along to Edinburgh’s Boardwalk rink at Ocean Terminal, on their Monday Moves night (social skating for over 14s), to see how popular the activity is with all ages. There, to retro beats and chart-toppers, you’re as likely to see an inline skater in their 60s weaving slickly between packs of nervous newbies, as to see a young roller derby player, neck-to-ankle in tattoos, tearing up the dance floor.

Online, as well as the ubiquitous retro-styled TikToks, the revival has had inclusivity and body positivity stamped all over it, with Instagram accounts

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like Courtney Shove (@fat_girl_has_moxi) and YouTube channel Queer Girl Straight Skates (presented by Shove’s fiancée, Rebel) attracting tens of thousands of international followers.

In Glasgow, later that afternoon, I head along to Kinning Park’s RollerStop, where Tuesday is the rink’s £6 skate night, open to all. The rink is located in the former News International printers’ building. Next door there’s a trampolining place and a climbing centre, and Donnelly describes the whole set-up as a kind of ‘hub for alternative sports’. Inside, it feels somewhere between a bowling alley and a school dance hall: glitzy but low key, welcoming and friendly. There are plenty of kids and even some full families on wheels, dads wobbling away as the offspring go fearlessly zooming past.

Marshalls skate around the rink, offering a helping hand to anyone who slips up, and the chart tunes blasting through the sound system make you feel as if you’re getting your groove on, even when just churning round in circles. The very act of putting wheels on your feet is so extraordinary there’s no need for any fancy dance moves.

That said, Donnelly thinks we need to step it up a little, so in as quiet a spot as we can find in the centre of the rink, he valiantly tries to show me the ‘snake walk’ and ‘crazy legs’. A skater since the age of five, he makes it look fluid and easy (spoiler: it’s not), before cheerfully waving me goodbye, warning ‘you’ll be aching the next day'.

And I am; in the most brilliant, satisfying, post-gym-without-having-toactually-set-foot-in-a-gym way. I’ve done a proper workout and it didn’t for a second feel anything other than pure fun throughout.

June 2022 THE LIST 47

FIND OUT ABOUT

SCOTTISH FESTIVALS TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT 2022

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www.pittenweemartsfestival.co.uk 48 THE LIST June 2022

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BABY BUSHKA

PREVIEWS

Baby Bushka are much more than a Kate Bush tribute band.

Anyone who witnessed this all-singing, all-dancing American ensemble’s first visit to Scotland in 2018 will know this already.

With little chance of the real Bush returning to the live arena after briefly coming up for air in 2014, the eight multi-tasking women who make up Baby Bushka have picked up the slack by making the likes of ‘Wuthering Heights’, ‘Running Up That Hill’ and, of course, ‘Babooshka’, their own.

Brought together in San Diego, California, by Natasha Kozaily (aka Boss Bush), Baby Bushka combine baroque musical arrangements, flamboyant costumes and Lindsay Kempinspired choreography to reimagine Bush’s routines for the 21st century. The end result is a fabulist pop-art cabaret, honouring its inspiration with a collective display of devotion that captures the magic of its source while reinvigorating the songs with each member’s own considerable personality.

A self-titled album released in 2020 showcased the band’s vocal prowess, as did a YouTube video of the gang performing an informal after-show of sorts gathered round the piano in Edinburgh’s Royal Oak pub. The full Baby Bushka experience, however, is a virtuoso display of moments of pleasure to treasure. (Neil Cooper) n CCA, Glasgow, Saturday 4 June; Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, Sunday 5 June.

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3 TO SEE AT . . .

NATIONAL GALLERIES SCOTLAND Identity is at the core of who we are and who we will become.

Counted: Scotland’s Census (Scottish National Portrait Gallery, until Sunday 25 September) delves into how this vast concept is shaped by social influences and how being Scottish goes beyond mere ethnicity. As Scotland's Census wraps up, this photographic exhibition explores who we are and who came before us, spanning past and present; from iconic photographers such as Thomas Annan, who first captured the living conditions of Glasgow's poor in the 1860s, to current day practitioners like Kieran Dodds, who looks at the relationship between environment and culture.

This theme of identity is also woven into You Are Here 2022 (Scottish National Portrait Gallery, until Sunday 8 January 2023), a project exploring the health and wellbeing benefits of actively engaging with art. It celebrates collaborative projects between National Galleries Scotland and partner organisations, with co-produced artworks displayed alongside works from the permanent collection, shining a light on new voices and offering fresh views on Scotland today.

Joan Eardley is one of Scotland's most popular 20th-century artists, best known, perhaps, for her portraiture of Glasgow street children. But, powerful landscapes produced during her time in the Aberdeenshire coastal village of Catterline are among her most iconic works. Joan Eardley & Catterline (Scottish National Gallery Of Modern Art, until Sunday 21 August) offers a small taster, spread across two rooms, of some of those masterpieces and an insight into the working practices that created them. Although her life was cut short by cancer aged just 42, Eardley’s influence and legacy endures. (Chris Opoku) n nationalgalleries.org

June 2022 THE LIST 49

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PICTURE: JOHN SWANNELL

Ahead of Duran Duran’s only Scottish live date in 2022, bassist John Taylor speaks to Peter Ross about ambition, addiction and the joy of a back catalogue that soundtracks the lives of their fans

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ou’re going to get enough songs to dance, cry and reminisce to,’ says John Taylor, looking ahead to Duran Duran’s first ever show in the Highlands. ‘But you’re also going to get interesting newer work.’ He laughs. ‘You just have to trust us.'

He is at home in the English countryside when we speak, but could as easily be in London or Los Angeles, Manhattan

or Berlin. He lives a global life and has done since 1982 when the band which he co-founded (with childhood pal Nick Rhodes) became the biggest in the world for a couple of years. He is garrulous and affable, a rake turned raconteur.

At 61, there is still plenty evidence of the outrageous handsomeness (as far as it’s possible to tell over Zoom) that saw him named in Smash Hits as most fanciable male for umpteen years on the trot.

>> June 2022 THE LIST 51

PREVIEWS

PICTURE: JOHN SWANNELL

He was, according to a recent book on the New Romantic scene, ‘considered to be the principal pin-up’ of the era. Taylor had the looks, yes, but also the chops. It was his exuberant syncopated basslines that made Duran Duran exciting in the first place and the reason why songs from their classic period still sound alive.

The synth melodies, the suits and hair, and the exotic videos may have caught the eyes and ears of a generation, but it was the rhythm section that gave that music its priapic disco vigour. Listen to the bass in ‘Rio’ and ‘Girls On Film’: just pure lust.

‘I was very instinctual as a player,’ Taylor says. ‘I picked up a bass and it just started playing me.’ He listens sometimes to the band’s earliest records and is amazed at their accomplishment, given that he and the others were only fledgling musicians. Duran Duran, pop futurists, have always had a horror of nostalgia, but Taylor allows some tender feelings towards his earlier self: ‘this kid really had something.’

52 THE LIST June 2022

The room of the 15th-century manor house in which he is speaking (oak beams, wood-panelling, guitar propped against an antique globe) speaks to the material comforts of stardom. ‘We’ve had very privileged lives as a result of the success we had early in our careers,’ he says. ‘It’s very easy to get complacent.’ Not that they have; they try to keep pushing forward creatively, but a little smugness would be understandable given that Duran Duran’s rise seemed, well, not destined exactly, but certainly devised with keen strategic intent.

On 16 July 1980, following a gig in their native Birmingham, their first with Simon Le Bon as singer, Taylor and Rhodes shared a taxi home, planning the milestones on the road to world domination: Wembley by 1983, Madison Square Garden by 1984. Le Bon, no wallflower, opened that show with the words, ‘we’re Duran Duran and we want to be the band you dance to when the bomb drops.’

Those early shows at Birmingham’s Rum Runner club, where they were the resident band, were characterised by a sense that Duran Duran were already on top of every presentational detail. Taylor and Rhodes, two years his junior, had been going to see bands since their early teens (Roxy, Iggy, Blondie) and had a keen sense of the way in which artists could, through stagecraft and charisma, appear to be in control

GOING OUT

of time and reality. Control: that was the key idea, but when they broke through, when the screaming started and they could no longer hear themselves play, did it feel like they had lost that?

‘I would agree,’ Taylor nods. ‘It’s a bit like going on a fairground ride that looks like fun, but then you get on it and you go, “oh shit”. Had I been sober throughout that time, had I been able to apply the same focus that I can today, and that I did in the beginning, maybe it would have been OK. But I went on stage too many times worn out from the night before. I thought that being in a pop group was somehow going to be an endless graceful circling of an ice rink. I just didn’t realise there were going to be so many obstacles and bumps. They didn’t teach you about that at grammar school. But the beauty of Duran, and the reason we’ve survived, is that there’s a lot of resourcefulness in the band.’

Taylor entered rehab in 1994. Playing concerts without alcohol and drugs, he feels an empathy with the audience, as if the band and the crowd are all part of the same communal expression of love for music. Another significant change from the years of superstardom is that the songs mean more to people. They now come with all sorts of associations and memories. That it's within Duran Duran’s gift to sing people’s lives back to them is not something Taylor takes for granted.

‘I’m trying to avoid using “miraculous” or “extraordinary”, but it is. To have a handful of songs, or two handfuls of songs, that have that ability to transport people is wonderful.’

The beautiful ballad ‘Ordinary World’ does all that, but has of late taken on deeper resonances. Playing it when less restrictive covid rules made live music possible again, and dedicating it at a recent performance to the people of Ukraine, the song has come to embody a sense of yearning that many feel for a world they recognise. ‘It’s got a transcendent spirit and brings hope in a way,’ Taylor says.

‘Sometimes it is hard to put into words what one is feeling. You look through the newspaper in the morning and you are bombarded with events. But a certain song can allow you to let the feelings out.’

This may indeed be Duran Duran’s purpose in the universe: good time music for when the times are bad.

Duran Duran play The Caledonian Stadium, Inverness, Saturday 2 July.

PREVIEWS PICTURE: ANDY EARL

June 2022 THE LIST 53

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54 THE LIST June 2022

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PITCH IN

ANYA SCOTTRODGERS

We ask a performer to sell us their show in exactly 50 words After the two years everyone’s had, who doesn’t need a party? This is our last big tour and a last chance to see Funbox, so stop ‘lion’ around and get your tickets now!

We’ve animaltastic songs, jungle japes and Kevin in a ridiculous outfit. Let’s go wild once more!  Funbox: Jungle Party, King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Sunday 5 June; Eastwood Park Theatre, Giffnock, Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 June.

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hirty years ago, Udo Kier upped sticks and moved to America. The German actor had already worked with European greats like Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Dario Argento and Lars von Trier. But a chance encounter with a then-unknown Gus van Sant at a festival led to My Own Private Idaho, and the rest is history. ‘I was lucky,’ he shrugs. ‘I did films like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Armageddon, Blade; all these commercial big films.

And here we are.’

Now 77, Kier is still going strong, beloved by arthouse auteurs and mainstream directors alike. He’s just played Adolf Hitler in the new season of Al Pacino’s show Hunters and has reprised his role for the third season of von Trier’s unnerving hospital drama The Kingdom.

Better yet, he’s starring in Swan Song, giving a peak late-career performance as Pat Pitsenbarger, a retired hairdresser now living out his days in a nursing home.

‘I had a great time making the film,’ he admits. ‘There wasn't any expectation that it was going to be a big movie, but I'm very happy that it is successful.’ The film, which already won Kier acting prizes at festivals in Dublin and Monte Carlo, was inspired by a stylist from Sandusky, Ohio, where the film’s writer-director Todd Stephens grew up. Like the real Pat, Kier’s version cuts

PREVIEWS

Udo Kier is enjoying a late-career high with his award-winning performance in Swan Song. James Mottram chats to him about his flamboyant starring role and the renewed buzz it has created in the veteran actor

a flamboyant figure, even in his twilight years, wearing a mint-green pantsuit and wide-brimmed purple hat.

Tender, funny and wise, the film sees Pat escape his dreary residence to prepare one of his now-deceased clients (Linda Evans, of Dynasty fame) for her funeral.

It’s about ‘somebody who once was famous in a little town,’ says Kier, ‘and now comes back and everything has changed.’ Not least the gay scene where he once performed in drag at a bar called The Universal Fruit And Nut Company, earning the nickname ‘the Liberace of Sandusky’.

It all reminded Kier, who has been out his entire adult life, of his younger days growing up in Cologne, when Paragraph 175 in German law meant being gay might land you in jail. ‘Today people can get married!’ he exclaims. ‘I have a [marriage] licence. I mean, only for friends. I can marry people. And if you would have talked about that, let’s say 20–30 years ago, people would just say “you’re crazy, that never will happen”.

But it did.’

Despites its low budget, the film has shone a renewed spotlight on Kier. ‘Now with Swan Song, I get offers where people send me a script and they write, “only you can play it”,’ he grins, clearly reveling in the attention. ‘I like to work very much. Because meeting people keeps my energy up.’ But he promises he’s not an actor that petitions for work. ‘Imagine you said to David Lynch, “I would like to work with you”. And he would answer “who doesn't?” I'd go under the table!’

Still, when you’ve got Lars von Trier offering you a chance to return for an anticipated show such as The Kingdom, you hardly need to hustle. ‘It’s the last episode,’ he beams. His unique entrance in the original series (arriving as a deformed baby, with a fully formed adult head) is one of his proudest moments. ‘I'm very happy. I'm the only actor in the world who has been born on screen. Nobody ever has been born, like me in The Kingdom.’ A true one-off.

Swan Song is in cinemas from Friday 10 June.

June 2022 THE LIST 55

56 THE LIST June 2022

GOING OUT PICTURE: HOLLY REVELL

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“A collective

Robot dogs. Martian landscapes.

Demonic chaos. Stewart Smith takes us on a suitably eclectic tour of the best nights Scotland’s experimental music scene has to offer

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PREVIEWS

squat thrust of feral imagineering

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or experimental music lovers, the recent in-person return of festivals such as Counterflows and Tectonics is cause for celebration. But these great gatherings draw much of their energy from the grassroots experimental music events happening all year round. While each event has its own identity, there’s plenty of overlap between artists and audiences; all share a commitment to presenting experimental music in fun, friendly and inclusive contexts, without compromising artistically.

The new kid on the block, Baked Beans On The Doorstep, takes place once a month at Glasgow’s Old Hairdressers. This ‘multi-limbed curatorial LARPing endeavour’ is organised by musicians-artists Fritz Welch and David Moré, alongside ‘various helpful sidekicks and kickbacks’.

‘The idea for the series came out of an interest in focusing on activity on our own doorstep,’ explains Welch. ‘Everything is possible including comedy, sound art, smells, performance, noise, movement, music, grilled cheese sandwiches . . . ’ Asked how it fits into the wider scene, Welch waxes lyrical: ‘Like a cuddly worn-out teddy bear riding one of those Boston Dynamics robot dogs into a vast martian landscape in search of a viable living environment.’ Future

>> June 2022 THE LIST 57

PICTURE: MALCY DUFF

PREVIEWS

>>

From top: Democratic People's Republic Of Noise, TFEH, Baked Beans On The Doorstep, Nuno Mendoza at 1.5 Months 58 THE LIST June 2022

sessions, Welch adds, will include Horacio Pollard, Gaute Granli, Splay Toe, Ecka Mordecai and Liv Fontaine. ‘We invite the entire central belt to join us in a collective squat thrust of feral imagineering.’

Over on the east coast, TFEH is bringing free improvisation, noise and a healthy dose of absurdism to the Waverley Bar in Edinburgh. A sister to longrunning label Giant Tank, the series is organised by Firas Khnaisser and Ali Robertson. ‘I wanted to bring the community together and make things happen in Edinburgh,’ says Khnaisser. ‘It's been a wild journey so far. At the start we were primarily doing gigs with local musicians, stretching out to Glasgow and Newcastle. Now we’re getting more international visitors. I think with time we’re starting to develop a distinctive aesthetic. It’s pretty lighthearted, very casual and the quality of the performances has been pretty amazing.’

Back in Glasgow, the improvised music scene revolves around a number of happenings, many of them at the Old Hairdressers, whose programmer Rob Churm is something of an unsung hero. Help Me I’m Melting, where saxophonist Tony Bevan performs with hand-picked guests, has returned from its covid hiatus, as has 1.5 Months. Organised by Mhenwhar Huws bandmates Alistair Quietsch, Rafe Fitzpatrick, John MaGill and Michael Truswell, it’s a radical cross-arts event showcasing underground local artists. ‘There’s certainly a deep-seated ethos: non-hierarchical, inclusive, collaborative with open dialogues,’ says Fitzpatrick. ‘It’s spaces like this I always hope to be part of and believe are really important in art and also wider society.’

GIOdynamics takes a similarly inclusive and non-hierachal approach. Overseen by Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra guitarist Jer Reid, the free event takes place online and in person at the Glad Cafe every month. ‘It’s open to anyone to play and the amount of experience you have is unimportant,’ says Reid. ‘The mix of musical styles and interests makes it thrilling. The music supports the risk and allows people to support each other. It’s beautiful to see people getting to know each other through playing music. The air can be thick with connection.’

Reid is pleasantly surprised at how well the online events have worked. ‘The strength of improvised music is that any technical glitches are just material to play with. So I still feel very connected to people through the computer and there are lots of positives about doing online sessions. People from all over the world join in.’

For those of a heavier persuasion, there’s Democratic People’s Republic Of Noise at Glasgow’s Audio Lounge and 13th Note. Experimental powerhouse Helena Celle is one of the organisers. ‘Most people involved come from the deep, dark, underground metal and harsh noise scene,’ she explains, ‘but the onus is on open creative inquiry comparable to dadaism and abstract expressionism. Most acts are impromptu. Audience members are encouraged to join in or start their own bands on the spot. There are people painting or drawing in response to the sound.

The most recent event was enthusiastically described as a “demonic chaos ritual”.’

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June 2022 THE LIST 59

GOING OUT PICTURE: STEVE ULLATHORNE

COMEDY

PATRICK KIELTY

PREVIEWS

Life on the road for a comedian: it’s not always a barrel of chuckles. But for Patrick Kielty, getting a touring show up and running could be representative of a cunning hidden agenda.

‘There is this idea that life on the road is really tough,’ notes the County Down stand-up, presenter and daddy. ‘But after six years of changing nappies, night feeds and all of that kids’ stuff, I’m going back on the road for a break. I'm sorry to be honest but I got back on the road for a lie-in.’

More honesty can be expected in Borderline from an act who is happy tackling some of the day’s big issues such as the realities of Brexit upon Britain and Ireland. ‘As a result, we’ve got the Northern Ireland Protocol and all of these other things.

It’s nice to get up on stage and try to make sense of what's going on. If you look at the Good Friday Agreement: for the first time we could be British, we could be Irish, we could be neither, we could be both. We were non-binary before it was even a thing! In the past, sometimes people thought Northern Ireland was a place that was behind the times. But perhaps now we’re showing people the way.’ (Brian Donaldson)  Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Wednesday 1 June; Tramway, Glasgow, Saturday 4 June.

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Since 2009, the world-renowned Glasgow-based producing arthouse Cryptic has presented over 300 artists, like Anna Meredith, Yann Seznec, Hammy Sgìth and SHHE. Cryptic Nights ‘nurtures pioneering artists to cross creative boundaries’ through live music, visual and sonic art, film and new media.

In June, there are two separate events: The Rapture Of Cellular Accretion features a collaboration by artists Al White and Lucy Duncombe (the latter a former Natural Sciences student ‘quietly inspired’ by American biologist Lynn Margulis’ writings on symbiosis) which documents the sharing of unlisted YouTube music playlists between two characters. A digitally woven tapestry will be hung in CCA’s theatre, accompanied by a sound piece and artwork. Cryptic Artistic Director Cathie Boyd describes it as ‘blurring the line between the real and virtual, that no doubt feels familiar to many’.

Meanwhile, Toraigh Watson’s performance piece Take Flight examines the artist’s relationship with home and identity, through recorded conversations comparing Watson’s contemporary upbringing to her parents’ one in 1970s Northern Ireland. Drawing inspiration from ‘a mixture of everything’ she listens to (electronic, Irish traditional, soundscapes and noise) Watson hopes ‘anyone who has come from a country which has suffered from political conflict can relate to the work.’

Return to the joy of immersive, ambient art in-person again with Cryptic Nights, a space for artists, musicians and filmmakers to blur the lines between visual art and music in exciting ways.

(Reshma Madhi)  CCA, Glasgow, Wednesday 8–Friday 10 June.

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#edartfest | @edartfest

Art starts here

100+ artists in 35+ exhibitions across the festival city

28 July - 28 August edinburghartfestival.com

Daniel Silver Looking Free

Open Daily 11am — 6pm

45 Market Street Edinburgh

Exhibition.

11.06.22–25.09.22

0131 225 2383 fruitmarket.co.uk

Supported by

Daniel Silver Group (detail), 2022, oil painted ceramic, 45 x 45 x 100 cm Courtesy of the artist and Frith Street Gallery, London

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PICTURES: RUTH CLARK

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Provocative video artist Douglas Gordon documents a troubled journey across Europe.

Paul Dale examines his compelling k.364 and sees the ghosts of history and art deep within its pixels

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leven years on from its induction into the private art world at Chelsea’s Gagosian gallery, Douglas Gordon’s powerful film installation (and associated works) gets a timely outing in a UK/Scottish public gallery space.

Gordon’s last walk through the Scottish art scene involved him creating the iconoclastic Black Burns for the Scottish National Portrait Gallery (they’d invited him to create a portrait work for the Edinburgh International Festival in 2017).

Creating a black marble doppelgänger of the gallery’s celebrated marble statue of Robert Burns, Gordon then shattered it into a few pieces which was then placed at the foot of the Victorian original. As ever with Gordon, it was difficult to tell if there was pride, hate or rich artist’s arrogance and aestheticism at play.

In the rubble it’s easy to forget what a gifted, muscular and frequently overwhelming filmmaker/video artist the Scotsman can be. Gordon is the possible heir to his hero Jonas Mekas, the godfather of the American avant-garde (Gordon’s 2016 filmic portrait of Mekas, I Had Nowhere To Go: Portrait Of A Displaced Person, is certainly well worth checking out). K.364 acts as a reminder to all of this.

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GOING OUT

Taking its name from Mozart’s 1779 ‘Sinfonia Concertante For Violin, Viola And Orchestra’, composed by 23-year-old Amadeus while he was on a tour of Europe, the piece is now seen as his most successful experiment in genre blending symphony (elaborate/full/four movements) and concerto (solo instrument composition). Right there you have the singular meeting the epic.

Played out on two enormous screens, reflected or mirrored in DCA’s main exhibition space, the film documents two Israeli musicians of Polish descent on a train journey across Europe. We see Avri Levitan and Roi Shiloah travel through landscapes which their families fled in 1939. They pass forests and the sites of Holocaust death camps, trying to summon their feelings through the ghosts of their ancestors. In dark train carriages and concert halls, the musicians are shown in intense close-up accompanied by a layered soundscape. Their journey culminates in a performance at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw.

Gordon juxtaposes the journey of these two artists across the heart of Europe (Berlin to Poznan to Warsaw by train) with images of synchronised swimmers in pools built on the site of a Nazi-desecrated synagogue. These scenes are reminiscent of Polish filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski’s Deep End from 1970. Like Gordon, Skolimowski and his contemporaries Roman Polanski, Andrzej Wajda and Andrzej Munk were artists looking for a foothold to excavate the legacies of war in Europe.

K.364 is a stunning work of art, bold and baroque and unlike most video art worth staying with for its 68-minute length. There is, however, something else going on here. What is k.364 really about: the artist’s spirit to travel and cultivate?

Or what it means to fly from perceived and real persecutions? There’s something mysterious and beastly lurking behind this journey across the heart of Europe. A shadow-casting dybbuk that underpins literary and filmic masterpieces such as The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosinski, Primo Levi’s If This Is A Man/The Truce and Elem Klimov’s Come And See. The success of these musicians’ performance in Warsaw barely masks the history and horrors of the lands they’ve passed through and ruminated on. This is creative transcendence stifled.

Best known for being the first video artist to win the Turner Prize in 1997 and for his early work 24 Hour Psycho (1993) and 2006 collaboration with Philippe Parreno on documentary Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, Gordon has also mirrored/tinkered with the films of Otto Preminger and Martin Scorsese. The connection? They’re all the children of immigrants. Their distance from bloodshed and pain is celluloid thin. By rendering their art into something both absurd and beautiful, he's asking us to reflect on the ties that bind us to our lands. Lands which will soon be riven by war again.

Douglas Gordon: k.364, DCA, Dundee, until Sunday 7 August.

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COMING TO THE OLD RACECOURSE, AYR AND SLESSOR GARDENS, DUNDEEE THIS SUMMER

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GOING OUT

COMEDY

DYLAN MORAN

We Got This lllll Like many, Dylan Moran took up a hobby to fill lockdown's endless, interminable hours.

However, with some anguish, his keyboard playing seems to stimulate a mental torment rather than soothing him, his mildly discordant, jazzy noodling reflective of the tough time he suffered, with memories of banana bread a persecution. Such remains the Irishman's innate, shambling lovability, that when he reveals his marriage broke up, there are audible sighs of compassion from the stalls that seem to throw him slightly. He has resumed drinking at 50; a mixed blessing. When he describes certain beverages in his poetically clipped yet bilious, high-blown manner, perfectly capturing the essence of Jägermeister, it's hilarious.

But it's lightning from an unreliable bottle. The raw, flailing, human pain of We Got This is compelling, electric even. You find yourself really leaning in for the glimpses of his relationship breaking down with prurient interest. But the show perpetually short circuits. Moran has rarely been a hard details man. And the love-hate relationship he has with his estranged family is rendered in vague, abstract strokes.

He makes successive aborted attempts to grapple with this hurt of the human condition, projecting misery onto the entire species rather than revealing too much of his own peculiar heartache, forcing you to read between the lines of his characterisation of 'the nice one' and 'the fun one' in a relationship. When he ascribes certain outlandish sexual kinks to a common pursuit, it's very funny and not entirely inaccurate; everyone has their idiosyncratic 'thing'. But it keeps the audience at a distance.

And it doesn't seem unfair to observe that what he's still coming to terms with in his personal life hasn't been fully processed for performance. Patently, he hasn't 'got this' yet.

Nevertheless, you look forward to his next show, where a bit more distance will surely bring some clarity and hard-earned wisdom. (Jay Richardson) n Reviewed at King's Theatre, Glasgow.

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EVERYTHING WENT FINE

(Directed by François Ozon) lllll ‘Surviving is not living,’ explains ailing octogenarian André (André Dussollier) in this elegant right-to-die drama based on the late screenwriter and novelist Emmanuèle Bernheim’s memoir. Following a stroke, the factory owner and art collector is set on ending his life, with his horrified daughter Emmanuèle (Sophie Marceau) tasked with arranging it.

Everything Went Fine is the latest from the prolific, ever-unpredictable French director François Ozon, who collaborated with Bernheim on Swimming Pool and 5x2.

With its clear-eyed, compassionate approach, it’s a noble attempt to flesh out a contentious issue and a fitting tribute.

We see the staunchly supportive Emmanuèle wrestle with her conscience while remaining committed to honouring her father’s wishes. Flashbacks reveal her difficult upbringing, marred by André’s bad temper and the depression of her sculptress mother Claude (Charlotte Rampling).

The camera still loves Marceau who is restrained and mesmerising as Emmanuèle weathers her troubles with dignity. However, with key characters like Claude and Emmanuèle’s sister Pascale (Géraldine Pailhas) sidelined, it feels as if we could have gotten to know this clan a little better. If the challenges of assisted suicide are explored satisfyingly, the complex family dynamics are sometimes not.

(Emma Simmonds) n In cinemas and on Curzon Home Cinema from Friday 17 June.

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Class, paranoia and proper nastiness collide in director Andrew Gaynord's feature film debut. Emma Simmonds declares comedy horror All My Friends Hate Me a triumph

hining a light on upper-class cruelty masquerading as mere japes, All My Friends Hate Me is a devilish little comedy horror directed by Andrew Gaynord and co-written by and starring Tom Stourton, of Stath Lets Flats and Horrible Histories fame. It brings together a cast of TV up-and-comers and, with its focus on social anxiety, has a sitcom feel, but it explores the protagonist’s squirm-inducing predicament at suitably excruciating, filmic length.

We follow Stourton’s Pete as he heads to a friend’s country estate in Devon to spend a weekend marking his birthday. This former carefree, and apparently careless, party animal has just returned from a stint volunteering at a refugee camp. Pete is feeling pretty smug about his good deeds and the way his eyes have been opened to the plight of those less fortunate. However, the old uni pals he’s assembled to celebrate with are not only unimpressed but strangely hostile.

The group comprise host George (Joshua McGuire), his spiky partner Fig (Georgina Campbell), Pete’s hyper-sensitive ex Claire (Antonia Clarke) and the ridiculous, permanently inebriated Archie (Graham Dickson). In a nod to one of their offensive traditions, the gang have also thrown local wild card Harry (Dustin Demri-Burns) into the mix, whose attention Pete finds deeply disturbing and who he becomes convinced is a figure from his past.

The British obsession with class and aspiration means that the rich tend to be more revered than satirised onscreen (think Downton Abbey and innumerable other deferential period dramas), and when they’re actually

taken to task it can feel toothless, with an occasional exception like The Riot Club. Yet there’s a genuine nastiness at the heart of the behaviour here: the group’s past and present antics leave a bitter taste, while the film twists their obnoxiousness into something really quite threatening. Stourton and his screenwriting and stand-up partner Tom Palmer (known collectively as Totally Tom) met at Eton and, if what unfolds is clearly played up for laughs and tension, the pair undoubtedly know the excesses and outrages of the world depicted, making their insights all the more alarming.

Although his protagonists tend to be more ordinary, the unsettling, blackly comic work of Ben Wheatley at his low-key best is an apparent influence here, as the familiar becomes frighteningly strange to Pete. While the seemingly callous behaviour of those gathered provokes the necessary discomfort, the film might have further played up the horror angle which does come and go, and visually things don’t always pop, especially compared to something similarly toned such as Wheatley’s masterful Sightseers.

Debut director Gaynord’s background is in TV comedy (including the aforementioned Stath Lets Flats) and, with the exception of a few flourishes, he doesn’t consistently demonstrate a cinematic sensibility. But, as a first crack at a feature, All My Friends Hate Me is a triumph; it’s well conceived, suspenseful and often very, very funny plus it goes for the jugular with notable gusto.

All My Friends Hate Me is in cinemas from Friday 10 June.

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THOUGH THIS BE MADNESS

A cuddly toy perched on the seat beside you is a welcome companion for audience members watching Skye Loneragan’s new solo work, drawn from the chaotic playpen of her mind. The furry friends in question become the equivalent of a comfort blanket to cling to during her 65-minute free-associative meditation on sanity, madness and the family.

These domestic meanderings seem to have been sired by a post-natal fever dream that reflects Loneragan’s own sleep-deprived voyage into motherhood, as assorted hand-me-down neuroses bring up sense memories of madnesses past.

In what could have been the frustrated dramatic equivalent of throwing her toys out of the pram, Loneragan marks her low attention span leaps into the void with Shakespeare references aplenty. Each moment is broken up by way of a series of projected Post-it notes designed by Roddy Simpson, with Mairi Campbell’s nursery rhyme-style folk soundtrack bubbling into the mix at points.

Touring as part of Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival, Loneragan’s mash-up of imagined memoir is a complex and contrary everyday fantasia, in which taking care of both the self and others across several generations can be a creatively messy business. (Neil Cooper)  Reviewed at The Studio, Edinburgh.

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(Written and performed by Skye Loneragan) 

KIDS

OI FROG & FRIENDS 

To be a child seeing your favourite book characters leap off the page and come to life in puppet form must be a marvellous thing, and there is plenty joy radiating from the young crowd during this adaptation of the bestselling Oi Frog! book series.

You can tell how many superfans there are by the number of direct quotes shouted out whenever the books are referenced.

Creative team Emma Earle, Zoe Squire, Luke Bateman and Richy Hughes have taken the thread of the books (that animals must sit on things that rhyme with their names) and woven it into a loose plot: Frog comes to the Sittingbottom School For Animals, objects to being made to sit on a log and seizes power from the draconian prefect Cat who dictates where everyone sits. Throw in a meerkat newsreader who pops up every now and then, and some wacky musical numbers, and you have a soup of chaos whose recipe possesses that magical ingredient with the power to enchant children.

Yvonne Stone’s puppets are a star feature of the show, replicating the expressions and character traits of animals in the books. Sarah Palmer is outstanding at animating our central character, and when Frog takes charge, the pace and clarity of the storytelling noticeably ups its game. There are some lulls, and you do feel the limitations of the material; trying to add a storyline to books whose specialty is their whipcrack silliness means that in places the play feels laboured or padded. But the kids don’t care. And it is a genius touch when the sharp-witted cast potter round the audience at the start, asking the children (and parents) to rhyme things with their names: ‘Arlo sits on Gary Barlow’ won’t be forgotten any time soon. (Lucy Ribchester)  Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Friday 17–Sunday 19 June; reviewed at Festival Theatre, Edinburgh.

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A star turn from charismatic American musician Annie Hardy fuels this supercharged ‘screenlife’ frightener from British director Rob Savage. He follows up his much-admired, Zoom-based horror Host, an ingenious little effort set during the early stages of the pandemic, with this similarly lo-fi affair continuing that theme.

Hardy gives us a rude, crude, covid-denying take on herself as she livestreams her improvised music show from a car. Shot from the perspective of Annie’s iPhone and the titular dashcam, it sees this chaotic character travel to the UK against safety advice and drop in unannounced on her old Giant Drag bandmate Stretch (Amar ChadhaPatel) before the two become embroiled in a hectic paranormal adventure.

There are plenty of screeching jump scares and no shortage of energy but the shaky-cam antics mean Dashcam struggles at points to maintain enough visual coherence, while its story feels seriously underdeveloped. However, Hardy’s exuberant and anarchic personality is appealing despite her character’s views and she shoulders the film admirably. It’s fun to watch this brazen and unflappable protagonist facing off against a comparably monstrous adversary as an unforgettable horror heroine is born. (Emma Simmonds) n In cinemas from Friday 3 June and on digital platforms from Monday 6 June.

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(Directed by Rob Savage) lllll

There is something utterly delightful about a one-day festival in your home city. No need for elaborate travel plans, overnight accommodation or, god forbid, the erection of a tent. Instead, a leisurely stroll through the Meadows to Summerhall and the occasional wander to Queen’s Hall was the set-up of The Great Eastern.

The various rooms of the old Veterinary College were used creatively to house acts, including the semi-circular lecture theatre where Bee Asha Singh delivered her sobering poems and songs in the early afternoon. In the larger upstairs Dissection Room, Canadian singer and producer Frank Belcourt, known as Tiberius B, took to the stage nervously, only to give one of the day’s top performances with her angsty indie pop songs and controlled vocals.

Later at the nearby Queen’s Hall, Kathryn Joseph delivered a captivating solo set that had the crowd tightly packed around her Rhodes piano like children during story time. Clearly in one of her mischievous moods, Joseph cracked crude jokes between every lamenting track and put excitable hecklers in their place before returning to a professional seriousness when deep in song.

Also at Queen’s Hall, eclectic drum and synth duo Soccer 96 (made up of Dan Leavers and Max Hallett of larger jazz rock ensemble The Comet Is Coming) represented the heavier and more technical end of the line-up, which otherwise favoured indie guitar bands. Although met with a rather small crowd at first, the room quickly filled with boogying bodies that erupted into applause after every solo. Perhaps this intensity induced a 9pm lull, but the loud and manic energy of York band Bull in The Gallery Bar pulled everyone through to the night’s final performances.

In a more packed, dark and atmospheric Dissection Room, Brighton-based indie rockers Porridge Radio performed a selection of songs from their brand new album Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky. The band played up to the big crowd, with Dana Margolin thrashing her guitar and performing the role of ‘too cool for school frontwoman’ very convincingly, before Free Love closed proceedings with their joyous dance anthems. (Megan Merino) n Reviewed at Summerhall and Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh.

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PLEASURE

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KATIE PATERSON

Requiem lllll

Life, the universe and everything are gathered together in Katie Paterson’s monumental new work, which draws together materials across the ages to create an epochspanning time capsule marking out the world’s ongoing (self) destruction.

In the title work, 364 small glass jars are lined up side by side. Each jar contains the ground-down remains of a fleeting moment, beginning with meteorite dust from before the sun existed, with the world’s story so far ending with blood samples from a Polynesian snail reborn from extinction. The short descriptions of all 364 samples contained in the accompanying publication by palaeobiology professor Jan Zalasiewicz capture the full mind-expanding breadth of Paterson’s endeavour.

Each day during Requiem’s run, the contents of a jar are poured into a large glass urn at the centre of the room.

From first to last, this funereal rite creates a dried-up cocktail of life on earth, as what once was is turned to dust. That dust has far from settled in Paterson’s elegy to times past, which nevertheless keeps a hopeful eye on the shape of things to come, making history as it goes.

(Neil Cooper) n Ingleby Gallery, Edinburgh, until Saturday 11 June.

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REVIEWS

Promising a woman’s-eye view of a massive, stubbornly misogynistic industry, Pleasure takes a good hard look at the pitfalls of working in porn.

Swedish director Ninja Thyberg made a splash at Sundance 2021 with a debut that’s never less than frank and may be too full-on for some, but it feels interrogatory, intimate and authentic.

The film follows 19-year-old Swedish wannabe porn star ‘Bella Cherry’ (courageous first-timer Sofia Kappel) as she travels to Los Angeles to try and make it in the adult entertainment biz. Her experiences are humiliatingly unsexy and occasionally sickening and we wonder whether she has the stomach for it and what her motivations might truly be. However, she draws strength from her friendships with other female hopefuls as well as an older Black male performer called Bear (Chris Cock) who is honest about the racism he has encountered, while an apparently charmed rival (Evelyn Claire’s Ava) piques her curiosity.

Using a number of real porn stars very gamely and credibly playing versions of themselves, Thyberg reveals the unsettling reality behind the industry’s glossy façade in a film which has been impeccably researched.

As she negotiates bumpy, sometimes dangerous terrain, Bella makes for a knotty and mesmerising heroine who can be wide-eyed, gutsy, enigmatic and ruthless, and is embodied to perfection by Kappel.

The film brings us disconcertingly close to Bella’s experience as issues of consent and coercion are raised. We see how success depends on a willingness to participate in ever-more extreme and uncomfortable acts, alongside the differing approach of porn directors (both male and female) towards the wellbeing of performers. Troubling and thought-provoking in equal measure, Pleasure is a hardcore, candy-hued nightmare. Those seeking titillation will get a whole lot more than they bargained for.

(Emma Simmonds) n Special event screenings on Wednesday 15 June. In cinemas and on MUBI from Friday 17 June.

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A dazzling opera of devilish deeds and divine music Festival Theatre Edinburgh 5 – 11 June Theatre Royal Glasgow 23 – 25 June Book now scottishopera.org.uk

The Guardian

Daily Express

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Mozart

Revival of the 2013 production directed by Sir Thomas Allen Supported by The Scottish Opera Syndicate Core funded by

72 THE LIST June 2022

Registered in Scotland Number SC037531 Scottish Charity Number SC019787

DON GI OVAN NI

GOING OUT Joanne McNally

HIGHLIGHTS

OTHER THINGS WORTH GOING OUT FOR

There’s certainly a lot going on in Edinburgh and Glasgow this month, but here’s yet more stuff to get you excited

ART

CELINE CONDORELLI After Work is a major exhibition by an artist whose creative output has evolved through art, architecture and design, and which here will be represented by a series of white cube spaces as well as a 19thcentury style gallery. n Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh, Saturday 25 June–Saturday 1 October.

COMEDY

JOANNE MCNALLY This Irish comedian hits the stage with a whole heap of questions she wants answered: if she isn’t

going to have children, who will come to watch her die when the moment arrives? That kind of thing.

Come stagger aboard The Prosecco Express. n The Stand, Glasgow, Wednesday 1, 22 June; The Stand, Edinburgh, Tuesday 21 June.

STEWART LEE With Snowflake/Tornado, the ‘godfather of modern comedy’ presents a unique double bill in which he considers his place in the stand-up firmament and ratchets up his own culture war with a series of people who have got it coming. n Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Sunday 19 June.

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GOING OUT From left, clockwise: Joanna Lumley, Six, Billie Eilish

HIGHLIGHTS

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FILM

FOLK FILM GATHERING The world’s first celebration of ‘folk cinema’ comes to the capital with a premiere from musician-artist Hanna Tuulikki, a documentary about Irish traveller musician Thomas McCarthy, and a discussion, film and music event about land rights in Scotland.  Filmhouse and Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Friday 17 June–Friday 1 July.

MUSIC

BILLIE EILISH

EAGLES Henley, Walsh and co dig deep as they try to recall how life was lived in the fast lane during their 70s heyday and reunions of the 90s. Discover for yourself exactly why they sold over 150 million albums worldwide and revel in those summery, harmonic melodies.  BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Wednesday 22 June.

TALKS

BORDERS BOOK FESTIVAL It’s the literary festival ‘where words come alive’, and this year they are truly spirited into being thanks to the varied likes of Devi Sridhar, Michael Pedersen, Chitra Ramaswamy, Miles Jupp, Darren McGarvey and Joanna Lumley.  Harmony Garden, Melrose, Thursday 16–Sunday 19 June.

THEATRE

SIX

‘Divorce. Beheaded. LIVE!’ Yes, the vibrant allsinging, all-dancing, all-patriarchy fighting show about the wives of Henry VIII is back. And it’s still pretty hacked off. But in a legitimate and hugely entertaining fashion.  Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Tuesday 14–Sunday 19 June.

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PICTURE: IDIL SUKAN

Happier Than Ever is the wholly ironic title of the most recent album by an artist who has struggled with many issues throughout her life. Selling records and packing out vast arenas certainly aren’t problems for her though.  OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Tuesday 14 June.

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June 2022 THE LIST 75

STAYING IN MAX RICHTER

PICTURE: JENNIFER MCCORD

A full decade on from Max Richter’s release of his radical recomposing of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (he no longer wished to hear a work that meant so much to him being pumped out in hotel lifts or through call-waiting services), he’s returned to breathe yet fresher life into that iconic collection.

Now in collaboration with the Chineke! Orchestra and using period instruments which seem to provide a more oaky texture to the individual pieces, Richter has once again found scintillating new ways to tell old stories. (Brian Donaldson) n The New Four Seasons: Vivaldi Recomposed is released by Deutsche Grammophon on Friday 10 June.

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SUBJECT, OBJECT, VERB

Getting under the skin of art, artists and the world they live and create in is at the heart of Ross Simonini’s podcast.

Neil Cooper talks to him about sound and vision

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Ross Simonini began his podcast Subject, Object, Verb in 2020, with the desire to ‘express the sonic dimension of contemporary art, and an audio show seemed like the best format for doing that’. Produced

by ArtReview magazine, the show’s title is a kind of manifesto that joins the dots between artist, art and the life driving them.

‘Art is not created in a vacuum,’ Simonini says. ‘The personality and the life of the artist are connected to the work. We live in an era where people want to understand those connections more than ever: the rise of social media, activism, the #MeToo movement, identity politics. Even if an artist wants to stay out of the work and hide in the woods, and completely rejects the capitalist system, their hermetic life is reflected in the work. People will consider the artist’s refusal when they see the work. Think about Lee Lozano or David Hammons or Thomas Pynchon or JD Salinger; known as much for their work as their obscurity.’

Simonini points out a desire in all of us to reflect on a life lived while considering the art. ‘Look at work by Van Gogh or Kahlo, James Baldwin or Joan Didion, Beethoven or Beyoncé without thinking about the way they lived, the time in which they created the work, and how they presented themselves to the world? For me, the show is a way of reconciling all of it.’

Over its two series so far, Subject, Object, Verb has seen Simonini engage with sound in various ways, with the likes of Ariel Pink, jazz guitarist Pat Metheny and Flying Lotus featured alongside others more recognisably rooted in the art world. Given its investigations of sound, the aural tone of the podcast itself is key.

‘For me, listening to a podcast is an intimate experience. It’s a way of temporarily replacing the voice in your head. It’s an honour to have that kind of close communication, so I try to create the voice I would like to hear.’

Like his interviewees, Simonini is something of a polymath. ‘I like variety,’ he says, ‘so I work in different forms: painting, music, essays, novels, dialogue, audio design, performances and pedagogy. It feels right to keep trying new things. I try to break up these activities to be both inward facing (like art) and outward facing (like dialogues) to keep things balanced.’ Subject, Object, Verb looks set to continue pulsing its way onwards, as Simonini puts it, ‘into ears, into minds, into hands’. n Episodes available at artreview.com

BINGE FEST

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Our alphabetical column on viewing marathons reaches G With anticipation rife for the Westeros prequel, this might be the moment to get back into Game Of Thrones (NOW TV) or, and this seems unimaginable, to try it out for the very first time. While it’s not all ‘boobs and beheadings’ (OK, there are stretches when that seems pretty much its whole reason for being), you might reach a point where the onslaught of vice and violence starts to lose any impact. Who will end up on the Iron Throne (you’re lying if you say you saw that coming) and how many of our heroes will still be breathing come the guts-soaked finale?

Fisticuffs of a far lighter sheen arrives in GLOW (Netflix), a series which was brought to a thudding conclusion a lot earlier than fans would have hoped. Indeed, filming had begun on its fourth season when the plug was pulled. Harsh. But there’s plenty still to enjoy in this 80s-set wrestling series featuring Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin, Kate Nash and Marc Maron. (Brian Donaldson) Other G binges: Gilmore Girls (Netflix), Green Wing (All 4), Gomorrah (NOW TV).

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Devika Ponnambalam’s debut novel, which gives voice to the child-bride ‘muse’ of Paul Gauguin, took 17 years and a quest across Tahiti to write. Lucy Ribchester finds the result is a masterful feminist reclaiming of history and a celebration of Tahitian mythology

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hen Paul Gauguin departed Tahiti after his first visit in 1893, he took with him his iconic, lush and bold paintings of the island that went on to become some of the most expensive artworks ever sold. But he left one thing behind: his so-called ‘wife’. In reality, she was 11-year-old girl Teha’amana, whom Gauguin had ‘wed’ the afternoon he met, and used time and again as his muse in his work.

It’s unclear how many Tahitian women and girls Gauguin painted, or which of them appear in each work, but what is certain is that his legacy would not exist were it not for them. And yet, like most female muses, their voices have been lost to history.

Now, a powerful new novel by Edinburgh-based author Devika Ponnambalam is putting that loss to rights, giving a voice to Teha’amana and bringing the Tahiti Gauguin encountered to vivid, breathing life. ‘No one talked about the girls, you know,’ says Ponnambalam. ‘In the beginning,

I was curious, as a writer, as to what had happened to all the women. Later, once I was writing the book, and had become stronger and fiercer in what I wanted to say, I found I was just really angry that it’s never been explored or talked about.’

Ponnambalam admits her relationship with Gauguin’s work is complicated. Behind her on her wall hangs a copy of one of his paintings. She calls him a genius and says she would never want his art to be cancelled. ‘But I also think, well, where’s the other narrative? Seventeen years ago, it was this absence that led her to embark on a quest to fill those gaps. But the process was far from straightforward, and nor is the resulting book.

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>> Taking in a range of voices, the story shifts perspective, from Teha’amana herself, to her foster mother, to the spirits and gods of Tahitian mythology, to Gauguin’s daughter Aline, who was the same age as Teha’amana. There are no chapters or labels to denote the speaker and the polyphony seems to echo the complex polytheism of Tahitian mythology, with its shape-shifting gods and recurring refrains. It’s a masterful and extraordinary novel, not only a reclaiming of Teha’amana’s voice but of the autonomy and self-determination of Tahiti itself, freed from Gauguin’s vision into a world of its own making.

It was difficult for Ponnambalam to build the character of Teha’amana; records are sketchy and even Gauguin referred to her under a different name, Tehura, in his travel journal Noa Noa. But the genesis of Ponnambalam’s ideas won the attention of Creative Scotland, who supported her to embark on a research trip to Tahiti. There she scrubbed gravestones clean trying to find Teha’amana’s name and eventually tracked down some of her descendants, before finding they didn’t want to talk about Gauguin.

She did encounter a priest though, who informed her Teha’amana had died of syphilis and that she was younger than Gauguin had said (he always maintained she was all of 13). ‘So I had to take all that on board and think, you know what, I think she’s always going to be a mystery. The true story is never going to be told. So I had to decide: what I was going to tell, what was my version of the truth?’

I Am Not Your Eve is out now, published by Bluemoose.

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PICTURE: JANINE KUEHN

FIRST WRITES In this Q&A, we throw some questions about ‘firsts’ at debut authors.

This month we feature Rebecca Rukeyser, author of The Seaplane On Final Approach, the sensual story of a young woman seeking new experiences in a remote Alaskan homestead What’s the first book you remember reading as a child? My mother read all

the Oz books to me when I was too young to read, and she was a wonderful reader who did all the voices. I clearly remember asking her to change the way she voiced the Tin Man, though, so that’s my first memory of imposing my interpretation onto the reading experience.

What was the first book you read that made you decide to be a writer?

I always wanted to be a writer, but the book that brought me back after my most serious flirtation with giving up on the whole idea was Lucia Berlin’s A Manual For Cleaning Women.

What’s your favourite first line in a book? ‘When I started to work at the Golden

Prague Hotel, the boss took hold of my left ear, pulled me up, and said, “you’re a busboy here, so remember, you don’t see anything and you don’t hear anything”’ from I Served The King Of England by Bohumil Hrabal.

Which debut publication had the most profound effect on you?

I think before reading Annie John I’d held on to a rigid idea of how much you could achieve with the first-person POV, especially temporally. But the character Annie John exists simultaneously as an adult looking back on memories, and as a child within those memories, and all at once she’s bristling, lonely, voracious, bewildered, disgusted. I reread it every year or so.

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up on a writing day? Put my

feet up on a footrest under my desk helps me get the work done. It’s comfortable and makes it harder to get up and make that coffee/wash that plate/otherwise procrastinate if you have to take the extra step of putting your feet on the floor.

What’s the first thing you do when you’ve stopped writing for the day? I’d like to say it’s something creative and tactile, like cooking. The truth is that the writing day usually ends when I’ve fallen into a research hole and decide to spend the rest of the day reading about, say, Norilsk.

In a parallel universe where you’re a tyrant leader in a dystopian civilisation, what’s the first book you’d burn? The dictionary. This is, I believe,

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What’s the first piece of advice you’d offer to an aspiring novelist? Write what keeps you up at night. If there’s something that troubles you at four in the morning, repeatedly or with increasing insistence, then it’s probably too big for a short story but can, and should, be wrestled with through the many pages and years and frustrations of writing a novel.

GAMES

DIABLO IMMORTAL

Diablo is one of gaming’s most popular and long-running series but its recent history is plagued with controversy. When Diablo III launched just over a decade ago, overloaded servers rendered it unplayable for many. And when players were finally able to get into the game, they were confronted with an auction house offering overpowered armour and weaponry for actual cash money. Then, at industry event BlizzCon in 2018, fans were teased with the announcement of a brand new game.

But what everyone had expected to be Diablo IV was actually . . . a mobile phone game called Diablo Immortal. ‘Do you guys not have phones?!’ came the infamous retort from a Blizzard executive to a chorus of boos.

Since then we have had confirmation of Diablo IV and, over the intervening years, fans’ attitudes to Immortal have softened a little. It helps that the game will also launch on PC in beta on the same day. The game looks promising: a hack’n’slash action RPG, set between the second and third entries, with the usual multiple classes, bounties and rifts. While its simplified mechanics and bite-sized dungeons may not win over the hardcore, with the might of its publisher behind it, Diablo Immortal could yet secure a new generation of fans. (Murray Robertson)  Released by Blizzard Entertainment on Thursday 2 June on Android, iOS and PC.

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NEED SOME NEW MEALTIME INSPIRATION? TRY THESE QUICK AND EASY RECIPES FROM HELLOFRESH.

to the pan, then stir the garlic, tomato puree, Cajun blackening and kidney beans (both crushed and whole) into the mushrooms and cook for 1 min.

Add 75 ml water for the sauce and veg stock paste. Stir to combine and turn the heatdown slightly, then simmer for a further 5-6 mins. Season to taste.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7.

Step 4 Put the mayo and chipotle paste (see ingredients for amount - use less if you don’t like heat) in a small bowl. Mix well. Loosen the chipotle mayo with a splash of water (it needs to be able to drizzle).

FRIED BEAN AND MUSHROOM TACOS

WITH BABY GEM AND CHIPOTLE MAYO

Looking for a quick and tasty midweek dinner option?

Try cooking up our Fried Bean and Mushroom Tacos in just 20 minutes for a delicious and speedy meal.

20 minutes, Serves 2 1 pack Red Kidney Beans 1 Garlic Clove 120g Sliced Mushrooms 1 sachet Tomato Puree 1 sachet Cajun Blackening

10g Vegetable Stock Paste 1 sachet Mayonnaise 1/2 sachet Chipotle Paste 4 Plain Taco Tortillas 50g Greek Style Salad Cheese 1 Baby Gem Lettuce

Step 1 Drain and rinse the kidney beans in a sieve. Pop half the kidney beans into a bowl and roughly crush with the back of a fork. Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press).

Step 2 Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the sliced mushrooms and stirfry until they soften and start to colour, 4-5 mins.

Step 3 Add another small drizzle of oil

Step 5 Pop the tortillas onto a baking tray and into the oven to warm through, 1-2 mins. Crumble the Greek style salad cheese. Trim the baby gem, halve lengthways, then thinly slice widthways.

Step 6 Transfer warm tortillas to your plates. Top each with some lettuce and spoonfuls of the bean and mushroom mix. Finish with a sprinkle of Greek style salad cheese and a drizzle of chipotle mayo.

TIP Tacos are best enjoyed eaten by hand - get stuck in! Enjoy!

CAJUN SPICED BASS AND CHIVE DRESSING

WITH SWEET POTATO & CAVOLO NERO MASH

This delicious Cajun Spiced Bass and Chive Dressing has been expertly designed by our chefs as a lighter option to help with a balanced lifestyle.

35 minutes, Serves 2 1 Baking Potato 1 Sweet Potato 1 Garlic Clove 1/2 Lemon 1 bunch Chives 100g Chopped Cavolo Nero 2 Sea Bass Fillets 1 sachet Cajun Spice Mix Olive oil Step 1 Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7. Chop the potato and sweet potato into 2cm chunks (no need to peel). Place into a large baking tray, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper then toss to coat.

Spread out in a single layer.

When the oven is hot, roast on the top shelf until golden, 25-30 mins.

Turn halfway through.

Step 2 Peel and crush garlic. Zest and halve the lemon. Finely chop the

chives (use scissors if easier).

TIP Discard any tough stalks from the cavolo nero at this stage.

Step 4 Drizzle the sea bass with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and half the Cajun spice mix. Rub this onto both sides of the fish.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining Cajun spice mix with half the chives, a pinch of lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice and 2 more tbsp olive oil.

Season with salt and set the chive dressing to one side.

Step 5 Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan on high heat. Add the cavolo nero and a splash of water and cover until wilted, 3-4 mins. Remove the lid, add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 min more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and cover to keep warm.

Wipe out your (now empty) frying

Receive recipe kits with measured out ingredients to save serious time, money and stress at hellofresh.co.uk.

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pan and pop on medium-high heat (no oil). Once hot, carefully place your sea bass into the pan, skin-side down and cook for 3-4 mins on both sides.

TIP To get crispy skin on the fish, don’t move it around when it’s cooking skin-side down.

Step 6 When the potatoes are cooked, add them to your bowl of

cavolo nero and roughly mash. Mix in a knob of butter (optional) and the remaining chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve your mash topped with the Cajun spiced sea bass and a drizzle of chive dressing. Chop any remaining lemon into wedges and serve alongside for squeezing over.

Enjoy!

Visit list.co.uk/hellofresh to get 40% off your first four boxes.

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As producer Bernard Butler and actress Jessie Buckley share their new musical collaboration, Fiona Shepherd finds out whether the creative pair of stars are, indeed, a match made in heaven

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uiet man guitar ace Bernard Butler has a good record for collaboration, whether with his Suede frontman foil Brett Anderson before that relationship imploded, or making angelic devilment with David McAlmont. His latest partnership, with Oscar-nominated actress Jessie Buckley, arrives out of the blue and with a blank canvas (excuse the mixed metaphors) after a friend played musical match-maker and the pair bonded over their shared Irish heritage.

Buckley is best known for her roles in Judy, Beast, Fargo and the Glasgow-set Wild Rose, a showcase for the gutsy vocals she’s also put to good use in her musical-theatre career. For All Our Days That Tear The Heart is a more leftfield project, however, with an intrigue akin to encountering Scarlett Johansson’s Tom Waits covers album or Alicia Witt’s piano pop: what will such a fine character actress produce in the role of ‘Jessie Buckley’?

She displays her chops from the off with some multi-tracked harmonic ululation, before demonstrating the light and shade in her delivery on ‘The Eagle And The Dove’. This opening track is named after a Vita Sackville-West book on saints but infused with Hemingway-like bullfighting allusions. As gentle cello gives way to a torrid flamenco flurry, it’s clear that all ideas are on the table and up for exploitation.

The duo are unapologetic in mining their literary and artistic influences throughout the album. ‘Twenty Years A-Growing’ is inspired by Maurice O’Sullivan’s memoir, set in Buckley’s home county of Kerry, though musically its moody, bendy bass and acid guitar evoke Californian psych blues, while the soulful roots piano ballad ‘Shallow The Water’ takes its title from a poem by Tim Buckley (not that Tim, but Jessie’s dad).

Butler flaunts his love of Bert Jansch’s dexterous melodic picking with his scurrying acoustic blues guitar on ‘Babylon Days’, while Buckley’s rich alto duets with Alice Zawadzki’s folky violin parts. In a blind tasting, you could easily mistake this for a Laura Marling song.

Buckley, however, is an all-rounder, not a strict stylist, equally capable of turning in a one-mic, one-take heartworn country ballad in the shape of ‘Beautiful Regret’ or an intimate jazz vocal on the torch song ‘Seven Red Rose Tattoos’, accompanied by sonorous piano and Byron Wallen’s mute trumpet.

Other collaborators join the general scenic exploration. Composer Sally Herbert provides the exultant string arrangement of ‘Footnotes On The Map’, while folk singer Sam Lee teams with Butler to create the warm echo of the backing chorus.

Elsewhere on a varied trip, ‘We’ve Run The Distance’ is a robust folk rocker, redolent of widescreen 80s Celtic pop acts such as The Adventures.

The fluent mixing of guitar, string and piano flourishes on ‘We Haven’t Spoke About The Weather’ produces a classy, jazz-inflected pop sound, not unlike some of Adele’s most recent material. Although the subtly persuasive For All Our Days That Tear the Heart is almost certainly bound for a smaller, more discerning audience.

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Like the Bible, The Sex Pistols’ story has many versions. Director Danny Boyle and writer Craig Pearce’s six-part drama for FX looks to the gospel according to guitarist Steve Jones as the basis for this latest piece of myth-making, drawn from his 2017 memoir, Lonely Boy. John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, has condemned Pistol as a ‘middle-class fantasy’. If he watches without prejudice, he’ll see an over-excited if eminently watchable yarn that marries reimaginings of well-worn Pistols legends to social history, with nods to pre-punk 1970s Brit flicks and dropped-in archive footage aplenty.

Every line of Pearce’s script sounds like a situationist manifesto and is delivered with an accompanying performative archness. As Johnny, Anson Boon is more Rik from The Young Ones than Rotten; Talulah Riley and Thomas Brodie-Sangster ham it up wildly as shopfront svengalis Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren; while Maisie Williams makes quite the entrance as the late Jordan Mooney.

What emerges from the wreckage is a stylised study of how a generation of lost boys and girls stumbled their way kicking and screaming to the frontline of a cultural revolution. At the drama’s heart is Jones’ relationship with future Pretenders vocalist and driving force, Chrissie Hynde, played by Sydney Chandler as badass sparring partner and moral foil.

Toby Wallace makes for a likeably befuddled Jones, who channels his loutish energy into petty thieving and casual sex; anything for the abused child within to hide behind. The band’s mercurial rise and fall may be punctuated by the tragedy of Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen, but it is Jones’ rake’s progress Pistol is really about. The series finale rewinds to the most heart-warming moment of The Sex Pistols’ short and messy lifespan, full of kids of all ages having fun. Now THAT is anarchy in the UK. (Neil Cooper) n All episodes available now.

FRESH HANDMADE PASTA AND PIZZA VIEW MENU We are open daily for eat-in, take away and Deliveroo.

No bookings, just walk in when you’re hungry. Come on by, you’ll love it!

South St David Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2BD 84 THE LIST June 2022

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LUSUS

(BBC Sounds) lllll As part of Israeli national service, writer Rachel C Zisser spent time on a rehabilitation ward for major trauma, which may or may not have planted ideas for Lusus, a dark horror podcast that she co-wrote with her partner Samantha Newton for Radio 4. Psychological demons replace traditional ghosts and monsters in eight deeply creepy episodes, linked by overlapping stories around what seems to be a cursed dentist office.

Characters are tormented by modern-day neuroses in a Black Mirror meets The Twilight Zone style. Threats to their sanity come in the form of mundane yet crippling anxieties around crows feet, nightclub FOMO, fertility, loneliness or not being able to afford the nanny’s fees. In one of the more far-fetched episodes, a new mum panics that she’s poisoned her baby with toxins. After throwing one too many wet wipes down the toilet, and researching fatbergs too zealously online, either she’s now losing her mind (as her long-distance partner suspects over a video call) or malevolent supernatural forces are hard at work down the sewers.

Subtler episodes blur the lines effectively between everyday superstition, paranoia, sleep deprivation and obsessive behaviour.

Magnus (Alistair Petrie from Sex Education) is a dangerously strung-out surgeon whose phone calls to his girlfriend’s voicemail are bordering on stalking, and his downstairs neighbour (the excellent Ncuti Gatwa, Petrie’s pupil Eric in Sex Education as well as the new Dr Who) struggles to sympathise as Magnus complains about noise from his rescue puppy.

The myth about incubus, the chest-crushing demon that causes sleep paralysis, is woven in with a plotline about a Ghostbusters-style gateway to another dimension. Lusus is a nicely unsettling collection of ordinary angst, featuring lots of spooky harbingers, including the slightly overused trope of the pet that suddenly acts strangely and a chilling kid that has sussed everything long before the parents have. (Claire Sawers) n All episodes available now.

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The author of Before My Actual Heart Breaks returns with another soul-wrenching tale of a family struggling to eke out a life in rural Ireland. Lindy Morris has long known she is a ‘wrong child’. Now, as a grown woman in her 50s, she lives with her elderly aunt, Bell. The pair have been under the same, miserable roof (and the thumb of granda Morris) for more than 30 years. Lindy’s only respite is the occasional visit with the priest, her friend Miriam or trips to the clinic, when an acute bout of mental ill health is either suffered or summoned.

Willing to face ruin rather than lose face, the Morris family shivers in the long shadow of the grandfather. His influence is felt throughout the small village; everyone knows of his abusive nature, no one is in a position to question it. Bell laments her wasted life but rather than join forces in despair, the truce between Lindy and her aunt is fragile and often tested. But Lindy is set to discover buried secrets about the family, as well as face a few hard truths about her own choices.

Will they be enough to break free? A beautifully written, subdued novel with glimmers of dark humour. (Lynsey May) n Published on Thursday 30 June.

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WARHAMMER 40,000: CHAOS GATE  DAEMONHUNTERS

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Warhammer, the tabletop fantasy franchise featuring armies of intricately detailed hand-painted figurines, has been a mainstay of PC gaming since it was first adapted in the early 90s. There have been dozens of games of varying quality, with its recent Total War crossover a particular highlight.

Chaos Gate: Daemonhunters is a turn-based strategy game in the vein of 2012’s XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

Players take command of a group of space marines and manoeuvre them around planet surfaces using action points to locate and engage enemies, then hunker down until the next round. Similar to XCOM, these skirmishes are only half the battle: back onboard their strike cruiser, players must engage in diplomacy, research upgrades and further manage their platoons’ abilities.

The Warhammer aesthetic is authentically translated, including the various disgusting Nurgle mutations that increasingly plague the land. And it’s tactically rich with a wonderful physicality; the environment is heavily destructible and new strategies are easily formed.

Away from the battlefield, rough cutscene animations betray a modest budget. Likewise, while Andy Serkis lends his indisputable vocal skills to the cast, the audio is often left wanting: the quality of voice talent varies and there’s a disconcerting lack of ambient sound.

But these issues are relatively small, dwarfed by its enthralling tactical gameplay which will appeal to fans and newcomers alike. (Murray Robertson)  Out now.

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John Wyndham’s 1957 sci-fi novel about a sleepy English town where all the women become mysteriously impregnated with malevolent, alien babies gets a modern update. His fantastic plot of a sinister übermensch who can compel people to kill themselves has already inspired various remakes including 1960 film Village Of The Damned and a 1995 John Carpenter horror of the same name starring Christopher Reeve and Kirstie Alley.

In this eight-part TV series, the kids still have the telepathic hive mind powers but gone are the Aryan blonde youths from the post-war original, replaced by a multi-racial, glowing-eyed brood. Some helmet hairdos from the films do make an appearance though. David Farr’s adaptation fleshes out Wyndham’s unsettling themes of xenophobia and military subterfuge and expands on gendered issues that Wyndham wouldn’t have been able to write about freely in the 1950s, including abortion.

A new female lead has been created, with psychotherapist Dr Susannah Zellaby (Keeley Hawes) balancing out some of the more outdated domestic politics from the book. Hannah Peel’s score nails the weird, pastoral folk-horror vibe wonderfully, plus a nightmarish version of ‘To Be A Pilgrim’ and a polished, duplicitous, upper-class leader are nice touches. Besides a few unnecessary new plot detours, it’s a dark dystopian thriller about the enemy within. (Claire Sawers)  Starts on Thursday 2 June with episodes available on NOW TV.

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SUN’S SIGNATURE

Sun’s Signature (Partisan) lllll Time knows no bounds in the metaphysical realm of dream pop, so it’s apt that Cocteau Twins alumnus Elizabeth Fraser has waited more than a decade to unveil her next musical project. After 13 years off the radar, the vocal embodiment of mesmerism has returned with her new band, Sun’s Signature (and a five-song EP of the same name), a collaboration between herself and life partner Damon Reece.

The result is a disparate collection of tunes which make Leonard Cohen look concise, threaded together by the undeniable virtuosity of Fraser’s delicate falsetto. Every twinkle and strum of instrumentation has been polished into sterility, creating a sound with all the hallmarks of incredible talent but none of the spontaneity that sparks a work into life.

Featured is a track listing bereft of peaks and troughs, instead relying on a whistle-stop tour of genres that never forms into a satisfying whole. Each languorous arrangement (whether in the bleak fairytale atmosphere of ‘Underwater’, the sub-Explosions In The Sky soundscape of ‘Golden Air’, the meandering skiffle of ‘Bluedusk’, the steady ascent of ‘Apples’ or the religious ditty of ‘Make Lovely The Day’) threads its styles together like a patchwork quilt, every section placed next to each other without incident.

Therein lies the problem; Fraser’s voice can elevate even the most bloodless material, but here it’s given no solid foundation to cling onto, billowing from one note to the next in a structureless haze. This is the sound of a couple pootling around their recording studio and, despite best efforts, the transcendence they’re grasping towards remains an intellectual idea rather than a sonic reality. Fraser remains a singular talent, but this EP is pure curio territory. (Kevin Fullerton) n Released on Saturday 18 June.

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EMILY MCGOVERN

Twelve Percent Dread (Picador) lllll Given that Twelve Percent Dread is partly the story of ‘never putting your fucking phone away’, reading this graphic novel was often accompanied with the less than delicious irony of a WhatsApp ping, a text-message thrum, and the unwanted arrival of yet another spam email (no, Center Parcs, I don’t believe I have been chosen for a ‘100% free’ family trip to one of your delightful locations).

The problems inherent in being burdened by an over-reliance on mobile devices is writ large (actually, huge) in Emily McGovern’s satirical swipe (left) with her characters all drawn without mouths and in possession of flattened facial features drained of personality and expression as they become one homogenous lump of humanity. Among the key individuals we are invited to emotionally invest in are best pals, cramped-townhouse mates and former partners Katie and Nas. Their landlord is a 90s relic who, on balance, prefers the genocides in Europe and Africa that scarred that decade than having to respond to yet another email. The duo’s pal Emma juggles planning for her wedding with toiling for a shady tech firm called Arko whose figurehead Michelle is about to be plunged into a political scandal.

This could have been a pinpoint savaging of establishment figures and bureaucracy in digital companies, but McGovern has, literally, sketched her characters too broadly: there are the cod philosophers whose organisations seem to run smoothly despite no one really understanding what they should be doing; modern ‘hippie’ dentists who come close to seeking the consent of teeth before even thinking of putting a drill near them; and digi-business leaders who spout ‘namaste’ prior to making inappropriate gestures towards junior staff. The stereotypes practically fall from the page while the laughs don’t come quite as readily as the blurb would have you expect. (Brian Donaldson) n Published on Thursday 16 June.

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American alt-pop sensation Perfume Genius’ sixth album leaps into a new sonic world. A world that’s both archaic and futuristic, with chants, vocal distortions and unrecognisable instruments creating soundscapes worthy of scoring a major motion picture.

Recognisable instruments range from dramatic organs in ‘Herem’ to buoyant arpeggios sung by flutes and clarinets in ‘Teeth’. The familiar-sounding mbira (finger harp with metal prongs) heard in 2017 hit ‘Slip Away’ seems to reappear in ‘Sherzo’ while the shrilling dissonant tones in ‘Hellbent’ sustain the drone of a Scottish bagpipe. Yet the harmony of a complete orchestra is nowhere to be found. In Mike Hadreas’ signature way (he’s the man behind the Perfume Genius mask), everything feels slightly off-kilter and on the verge of a psychotic break.

In contrast to previous work which has explored themes of sexuality and self-acceptance, Ugly Season leaves a lot to the imagination, communicating the essence of a feeling rather than the emotion itself. But as Hadreas continues experimenting with different mediums and remains heavily led by live performance (much of the album was originally written for an immersive dance piece staged in 2019 and a short film by visual artist Jacolby Satterwhite will follow its release), perhaps Ugly Season is simply incomplete as a solely auditory experience. It’s an exciting prospect that gives this album all the more scope and gravitas.

(Megan Merino) n Released on Friday 17 June.

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The Lazarus Project (and bottom from left), Inside No 9, Fe Salomon

OTHER THINGS WORTH STAYING IN FOR The summer might be just around the corner (we can keep telling ourselves that) but there’s a lot of at-home entertainment enticing enough to encourage people into a period of parking indoors

HIGHLIGHTS

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PODCASTS

THE SMILE

BARBARA CHARONE

THE PEOPLE VS J EDGAR HOOVER

Ahead of a gig at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall (Wednesday 1 June), A Light For Attracting Attention will be essential if not always easy listening. Though did you ever expect anything else from a project featuring Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Sons Of Kemet’s Tom Skinner?  XL Recordings, Friday 17 June.

The heavyweight music PR gets set to publish a memoir covering 50 years in the biz. Among her potentially nervous clients are Madonna, Keith Richards, Rod Stewart and REM.  White Rabbit, Thursday 23 June.

Despite his high public approval ratings while still alive, FBI Director J Edgar Hoover was essentially spying on his ‘fellow Americans’. The cad. Emily Maitlis presents this eight-parter which attempts to reveal the true man behind the unpleasant and scurrilous stories.  BBC Sounds, Monday 13 June.

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A bunch of teenagers are chucked headlong into an unpredictable night of horror with the player having to make some awful choices to keep them alive. Among the voices you’ll hear are those belonging to Ariel Winter, Grace Zabriskie, David Arquette and Lance Henriksen.  2K Games, Friday 10 June.

Channelling Goldfrapp and Björk (with hints of Stevie Nicks), this Northampton-born singer-songwriter tells the stories of multiple lives taking place in the city.

Living Rooms has been produced by composer and instrumentalist Johnny Parry.  Drink Me Recordings, Friday 17 June.

GAMES

THE QUARRY

TV

INSIDE NO 9 Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s seventh season of their still brilliant anthology series comes to a close with another first: a spot of animation for Wise Owl, an episode based around those 1970s public information films which did little to reassure anybody of anything.  BBC Two, Wednesday 1 June.

THE LAZARUS PROJECT With an excellent cast led by Paapa Essiedu, Anjli Mohindra, Charly Clive and Tom Burke, this actionthriller series is about time travel, changing your own fate and (the big one) evading global extinction.  Sky Max, Thursday 16 June.

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PICTURE: STEVE ULLATHORNE

THE

WITH SANDI TOKSVIG

&

QA

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Entertainment legend Sandi Toksvig has an enviable CV: TV host, comedian, writer, broadcaster, campaigner. Now she’s back in theatres across the country with her new show, Next Slide Please. In our Q&A, she talks mistaken identity and her love of splitting logs

Who would you like to see playing you in the movie about your life? Who do you think the casting people would choose?

Did you have a nickname at school that you were ok with? And can you tell us a nickname you hated? My nickname in my

I think Danny DeVito would be great but maybe casting people think only of sales and would go for Tom Cruise.

Danish childhood was Stump which means ‘tiny fragment’. I didn’t mind as it seemed to fit.

What’s the punchline to your favourite joke? Don’t talk to the sheep, they’re all

When were you most recently astonished by something? Despite years of exposure to it,

bloody liars.

If you were to return in a future life as an animal, what would it be? I would like to

be a cockerpoo dog like my Mildred. She has an excellent life of soft beds and sausage rolls.

If you were playing in an escape room, name two other people (well-known or otherwise) you’d recruit to help you get out? I’d only need Boris Johnson. He seems

to be able to get out of anything.

When was the last time you were mistaken for someone else and what were the circumstances? I was recently mistaken for

a committee member at someone’s bowls club whilst trying to park my car. I was in a hurry so I simply agreed with them and said I looked forward to the next meeting. I did not go into any bowls detail as I have none.

I remain repeatedly astonished by the everyday behaviour of our average politicians. The casual and persistent misogyny is staggering.

The lack of thought for those less able to look after themselves is devastating. The arrogance is breathtaking. I would overhaul the entire system.

Which famous person would be your ideal holiday companion? I have never

liked anyone just because they were famous.

I have friends who happen to be famous and most frequently holiday with the delightful Australian novelist Kathy Lette who is the best of company.

Tell us one thing about yourself that would surprise people? I have a hydraulic

At home with my kids, my grandkids, my wife, the dog and about to head off for a sunset walk in the woods carrying some snacks and a drink.

If you could relive any day of your life, which one would it be? The day I married

my wife.

What’s your earliest recollection of winning something? I’m not really a winner

in standard races. I was always hopeless at sports because I mostly can’t see the point. I would watch children running ahead of me with their egg on a spoon and stop in amazement thinking I’d rather be eating the egg.

standing on my foot.

log splitter which I love using.

What’s the most hi-tech item in your home? I have a hydraulic log splitter which

I love using.

What’s a skill you’d love to learn but never got round to? Playing the piano so others

can dance.

By decree of your local council, you’ve been ordered to destroy one room in your house and all of its contents. Which room do you choose? I am not really destructive

although I do have a hydraulic log splitter which I love using.

NEXT TIME In the July issue (no, we can’t believe we’re already talking about July either) we’ll be getting under the skin of new exhibition Anatomy: A Matter Of Life And Death at the National Museum Of Scotland, peering through our fingers at Jordan Peele’s latest cinematic creation Nope, and dissecting this year’s TRNSMT festival line-up, running at Glasgow Green from Friday 8–Sunday 10 July. n Next copy of The List will be out on Friday 1 July.

Sandi Toksvig: Next Slide Please, Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Sunday 26 June; Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Monday 27 June.

June 2022 THE LIST 93

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Tell us something you wish you had discovered sooner in life? 1) That mostly

Describe your perfect Saturday evening?

”

but my wife is a marvel on the dancefloor.

As an adult, what has a child said to you that made a powerful impact? You’re

everyday things are not worth worrying about.

2) Some people are just born annoying and there is nothing you can do about it.

are just born annoying and there is nothing you can do about it

What tune do you find it impossible not to get up and dance to, whether in public or private? Sadly, I don’t dance. I lack the skills

Whose speaking voice soothes your ears?

My wife.

“Some people

PICTURE: JAMES GLOSSOP

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3

PICTURE: BILL COOPER

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PICTURE: ERIC THORNBURN

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HOT SHOTS We dedicate our Hot Shots this month to seven decades of fabulous falsettos and vibrant vibratos as Scottish Opera marks 60 years in the business and launches its first full programme in three years. We begin here with the most recent, a 2022 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Catriona Hewitson as Tytania and Lawrence Zazzo as Oberon surrounded by a chorus of children. Hot Shot number two shows Billy Connolly playing the speaking role of Frosch the jailer in Die Fledermaus back in 1979, and the final scene is taken from a 2001 production of Inês De Castro.

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