Issue 665

Scott Pilgrim offers a glimpse into a subculture where being geeky is OK

If life were a video game it would go something like this

Scott Pilgrim is a 23-year-old guy from Toronto with no job. He shares a one-room-one-bed-no-couch apartment with his 'cool gay roommate' Wallace Wells. He's in a band called Sex Bob-omb with Stephen Stills - The Talent - and Kim Pine - Scott's first…

A Wee Jaunt

Glasgow, Sun 22 Aug 2010

Ten bands and solo artists, spread over nine hours, in six different locations; ‘Hello Wee Jaunt, you might want to rethink your name?’ Starting at 3pm in St Enoch Square, Detour organisers Ally McCrae and David Weaver kicked off the event with a…

Blink 182

SECC, Glasgow, Tue 17 Aug 2010

Tonight is the biggest family reunion Glasgow – nay, Scotland – has seen in years. The SECC is a jamboree of pop-punk fans, new and old, slanted baseball caps and alternative footwear as Blink-182 return from a five year ‘indefinite hiatus’, the crowd…

Vive Le Cabaret

Fascinating Aida, Meow Meow and The Penny Dreadfuls head up quality cabaret package

The explosion of cabaret on this year’s Festival circuit has meant that there are plenty of shows whose attitude to quality control is suspect. Thankfully Vive Le Cabaret is a wonderful exception to this. Fronted by the inimitable Des O'Connor – a…

Big Society: The Musical

It’s actually rather heartening, in the current climate, to watch a London-based company not only tackling the ConDem government’s agenda of cuts head-on, but also managing to set an entire musical in a working class district of Newcastle without…

Take the Mic competition final 2010

'Homeless Bee Gee' John Scott win £12,000 cash prize

Described by one comedian as a cross between a POW camp and Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, Edinburgh’s Caledonian Brewery played host on Sunday to the grand final of this year’s Take the Mic competition (also sponsored by The Scottish Sun). Hosted by…

Twelfth Night

By my troth, an afternoon delight (if you’ve got the energy)

The small cast composing this year’s C Theatre production are really enjoying themselves. They transport Twelfth Night’s faraway kingdom of Illyria to a sexy 1930s London scene, and complete the look with boater hats, black lace, cigarette holders, and…

Following Wendy

Unconventional take on the Peter Pan story

When a young girl Wendy disappears from a house party she has thrown in the absence of her parents, (through an upstairs window and accompanied by a boy with no shadow apparently!?) her friend Sebastian is arrested in connection. Following an argument…

The Diary of a Sentimental Killer

The setting is simple: one man, one chair and one extraordinary story to be told. In the close nit environment of the small venue it is not difficult to become engrossed in the poetic retelling of life as an international hit man. Nearing the end of a…

Alcatraz

On the surface of things, this play sets itself as an exploration of the comings and goings of a lonely hotel bedroom which is doused with minute traces of those who have spent the night; set across the city of Alcatraz, of course, nothing is as it…

Anthony Burgess: A Clockwork Orange

Timeless novel given female makeover

Anthony Burgess’ timeless novel is given an unconventional makeover with an influx of girls and an examination of the rise of the female gang. With the delightfully eccentric Amy Brangwyn playing the violent protagonist Alex, and taking full advantage…

Aidan Moffat - Arab Strap is Dead

Documentary clip shows vocalist mourning end of his former band

Four years after Arab Strap flew off to the big miserable record shop in the sky, their label, Chemikal Underground, have released a shocking documentary short, tracing lead singer Aidan Moffat’s mental decline since the band broke up. In ‘Arab Strap…

Edinburgh Comedy Awards shortlist a strong gathering led by Bo Burnham and Josie Long

2010 awards puts two women on shortlist for first time

According to Nica Burns, producer of the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards, 2010 is ‘a vintage year for comedy,’ and the shortlist for the main award ‘reflects the enormous changes in the comedy landscape’. Of course, this might just be the kind of…

Biffy Clyro play secret acoustic gig to 200 at Ross Bandstand, Edinburgh

Intimate acoustic gig from melodic rock trio

There’s an audible intake of breath as Biffy Clyro stroll onto the Bulmer's-sponsored mini-stage opposite the Ross Bandstand. Around 200 lucky competition winners have been granted an audience with a band who regularly command the attention of thousands…

Tim Vine delivers the Fringe's best one-liner

Pannel of judges votes on best, and worst, cracks of the festival

Comedy shows are a great place to try out a new one-liner and this has turned Edinburgh into the genre's Petri dish. While many experimentations end up botched, quite a few can be certified gold. Some of the performers even managed to get jokes onto…

Edinburgh Comedy Awards shortlist announced

Bo Burnham, Greg Davies and Sarah Millican head up 2010 shortlist

The shortlist for the 2010 Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards has been announced. The acts nominated are: Bo Burnham, Greg Davies, Josie Long, Russell Kane and Sarah Millican

Henry Rollins

Fast-paced spoken word from the punk-rock raconteur

Henry Rollins hates inactivity. His opening salvo – and this is surely the only term to use, as his stream-of-consciousness rants hit home like artillery-fire – concerns his need to exercise earlier in the day, despite it being his scheduled day off…

The A Band

Broken toys make music in a back garden

In the front room of a rough and not very ready shop-front, a man is reading the classic cut-ups of William Burroughs Nova Express by way of that day’s Metro into a microphone while two or three people manipulate a chaos of kids toys and old radios on…

Joshua Dysart & Cliff Chiang - Neil Young’s Greendale

(Vertigo) Originally a concept album in 2003, then a film, a live DVD and an off-Broadway musical, this anti-war, pro-ecology tale by Neil Young & Crazy Horse continues its march across media formats with an attractive hard-bound graphic novel…

Winner By Submission

Self destructive ethos

A play based on the self destructive ethos which seems to be felt by many of the current generation of American youth. With little to no direction in life, including no signifying rituals as right of passage to adult hood, many are finding solace in…

The Horne Section

Late night jazz comedy shambles – in a fun way

‘We’re combining music and comedy – we’re pretty sure this is the first time it’s ever been done!’ announces Alex Horne, taking on compère duties this evening at the head of a live jazz band. There’s a bit of audience participation, some snappy music…

Lip Service

Matter of fact and moving study of human emotions

Bravery, authenticity, vulnerability. It seems these are three things that Becki Gerrard wants to prove during her autobiographical solo show. Her theatrical device – being totally naked throughout, and making it very clear just quite how comfortable…

A Midsummer Night's Dream

More hood than wood (but still not good)

This year at the Fringe, the young and award-winning Shed Theatre Company give our favourite Shakespearean rom-com a contemporary twist. Poetic couplets become edgy rap rhythms and an urban dub-step dance-off is choreographed into the fairies’s scene.

Tim Vine: Joke-a-motive

Quickfire pun-slinging and silly songs

You know what to you expect going into a Tim Vine show: the man has built a reputation on the rapid-fire delivery of one-liners, even going so far as to secure a Guinness World Record for the most jokes told in an hour (although we should mention that…

Interrobang?

Student-y question and answer improv

The strangely-accented lady in the ringmaster’s costume gathers material from the audience: an unanswered question (‘Why did the chicken cross the road?’), some names (‘Jemima! Theodore!’), and a location (‘the zoo!’). These answers are all duly noted…