Issue 561

Peter Kay

The Sound of Laughter (Century)

12 Oct 2006

COMEDY AUTOBIOGRAPHY Since Peter Kay has built his career almost entirely upon a shared sense of nostalgia, it is only to be expected that his autobiography might contain a few ‘an’ then it were all back ‘ome for Manimal’ style anecdotes. But…

New directions

Philip Howard, the longest-serving artistic direct

16 Oct 2006

As Philip Howard walks towards my booth in the far corner of the Traverse bar, I am reminded, not for the first time, of an Englishman abroad, at least in that sense that we foreigners are taught to think of them. There’s something undemonstrative…

Eat, drink and be merry

16 Oct 2006

We all know how to organise a party. But what if you want to do something a little different, a little more ambitious than a piss up in your front room? We’ve put together a guide to the best party ideas, from great venues to amazing costumes. And to…

Michael McIntyre - My Hero

Michael McIntyre

12 Oct 2006

MY HERO The nominations for my comedy hero are Billy Connolly, Larry David, Woody Allen and Richard Pryor. And the winner is … Woody Allen. But it was close. Connolly is fantastically naturally funny and a benchmark for my own comedy while David has…

Bank of Scotland Museum

A million on the Mound

11 Oct 2006

It’s creepy, discovering that someone was murdered right outside your office; even more chilling when you find out that it’s unsolved. Yes, a man named William Begbie, a porter for the British Linen Bank, was stabbed to death and robbed of £4,392 of the…

Douglas Gordon

Opposites attract

10 Oct 2006

I’m sitting in front of a blank screen, worrying about writing a piece on Douglas Gordon. I’m clear what I want to say: I hope to persuade sceptics and wavering readers that Gordon is one of the most interesting artists working anywhere in the world.

Nick Evans

10 Oct 2006

SCULPTURE Glasgow-based sculptor Nick Evans was the fourth artist to be awarded Tate St Ives artist in residence. Steven Cairns caught up with him before the opening of his four-month solo show to talk about his work, its developments and working in…

Remote Control

Brian Donaldson finds a slew of iconic women on th

17 Oct 2006

Honestly, you wade through acres of telly for one strong female to pop by and all of sudden you can’t bleedin’ move for them. This fortnight alone, we have a president, a high-ranking police chief, a notorious killer, the first celebrity chef and the…

Mary Stuart

The History Girls

17 Oct 2006

There are a few moments in history where complex disseminations must be made about the personal and the political, where the particular personality of an individual might actually influence events which would otherwise chug along under their own mighty…

Marie Antoinette

Cherchez la femme

17 Oct 2006

Let her eat cake: Kaleem Aftab 4 stars Sofia Coppola proved with The Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation that she’s incredibly adept at showcasing female alienation. In his book A Cinema of Loneliness Robert Kolker notes that not only are all the…

Big Big World

The world at your feet

17 Oct 2006

This month, Big Big World returns to Glasgow. The well-established, and, to be fair, excellent series of live shows showcases talent from all around the world, this year’s attraction coming from Scotland, Iran, Canada, Cuba, India, the US and all over…

Tennessee Williams

Tennessee Williams

17 Oct 2006

A LIGGER'S GUIDE TO Surely Tennessee wasn’t his real name? No, he was born Thomas Larnier Williams. His pen name was originally a nickname accorded him by his college friends, who gently mocked him for his Southern Gentleman’s accent. He was…

Dispatch

The Dispatch

17 Oct 2006

There has always been manufactured pop. As soon as the business-types worked out that they could market music at all, that art form became fair game for exploitation by those who cared little for art. But in the past a high president in songwriting was…

Ultimate Hammer Box Set, The - DVD review

The Ultimate Hammer Box Set

17 Oct 2006

HORROR That the words ‘Hammer’ and ‘horror’ are synonymous is testament to the British production company’s significance in cinema history and to the enduring appeal of the films it produced. Although Hammer Film Productions Ltd had been making films…

Jason and the Argonauts

Gilmorehill G12, Glasgow, Thu 2-Fri 3 Nov, then to

17 Oct 2006

NEW WORK There’s something about myth that short circuits history and defines an immediacy almost regardless of the historical moment you’re in. These are stories told and retold through the ages that capture defining human dilemmas about love, war…

Colours Are Brighter - CD review

Colours Are Brighter

17 Oct 2006

INDIE FOR KIDS 1. Four Tet feat. Princess Watermelon ‘Go Go Ninja Dinosaur’ ‘My friend Douglas is a dinosaur expert. He’d love this! I like the voices.’ 5 stars 2. Rasputina ‘A Skeleton Bang’ ‘This would be good for Halloween. It makes me…

Stage Whispers

17 Oct 2006

Whispers is sure you all know the feeling, and it gets more powerful as the winter months draw on. The one comfortable place to be is your pit, and as the weather gets colder, that superhuman effort it takes to haul your watusi into the cold needs to be…

Peter Sellers Collection, The - DVD review

The Peter Sellers Collection

17 Oct 2006

COMEDY Master or monster? Idol or idiot? Genius or jackass? The debate still simmers upon which side Peter Sellers’ legacy should fall, but it would be a shame if his reel life was tainted by his clear failings as a husband or father. Just prior to…

History Boys, The

The History Boys

17 Oct 2006

WEST END TOUR There might be a couple of points of added interest to this reappearance of Alan Bennett’s 2004 classic on Scottish stages. The first of these has to be the recent release of the motion picture version of the play, directed here, as at…

Curve Foundation

Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh, Fri 20 & Sat 21 Oct

17 Oct 2006

CONTEMPORARY DANCE The Curve Foundation is the rainbow of the Scottish dance scene - rarely seen but well worth the wait when it finally arrives. The company has been creating quality dance for over eight years now, despite struggling to secure the…

Havoc

(18) 85min

17 Oct 2006

COMING OF AGE DRAMA Seemingly developed around Chomsky’s theory that ‘unlimited economic growth has the marvellous quality of stilling discontent while maintaining privilege’, Havoc is a film awash with promising ideas which its filmmakers proceed to…

Children's Classical Concerts

Children's Classical Concerts</h3>

17 Oct 2006

CLASSICAL MUSIC Whether it’s the latest picture book by Julia Donaldson or a juicy storyline in EastEnders, we all love a good yarn. Young or old, a well-told narrative always hits the spot, but there are as many ways of delivering a story as there…

Torchwood

BBC3, Sun 22 Oct, 9pm; BBC2, Wed 25 Oct, 9pm

17 Oct 2006

SCI-FI DRAMA It could all have been such a disaster. Revamping an old TV series tends to end in calamity and/or tedium (Randall and Hopkirk, The Basil Brush Show, The Price is Right for just three) but the all-new Doctor Who has defied nature and…

An Hour and a Half Late

King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 24-Sat 28 Oct

17 Oct 2006

SCOTTISH PREMIERE My father once gave me a piece of advice, the wisdom of which magnifies as the years pass. ‘Son,’ he said, ‘never try to get the last word in an argument with a woman - it’ll last the rest of your life.’ It’s a dilemma that Mel…

Surface Noise

Music news that has bought Morrissey tickets alrea

17 Oct 2006

The just announced shows this issue include Morrissey at the SECC on 2 December, R&B soul man John Legend at Carling Academy on 19 December, gangsta rap numpties The Game at the same venue on 6 December, Lily Allen, Carling Academy, 8 March, My Chemical…