Profile

5 things you might not know about... Shappi Khorsandi

Some lesser-known snippets about the British-Iranian comedian

1 Khorsandi grew up in west London in the 1980s after her Iranian family fled in exile to the UK. At the age of 11, she wrote to the Ayatollah Khomeini to ask him not to kill her father, a journalist and comedian whose stock-in-trade was political…

Profile: Richard Ayoade

Boosh, IT Crowd and Darkplace star directs Joe Dunthorne adap Submarine

Name Richard Ayoade Born 12 June 1977, Whipp’s Cross, London Background Best known for playing Moss in Graham Linehan ’s hit TV comedy The IT Crowd, Ayoade first came to the notice of cult comedy fans as writer, director and co-star of spoof…

William Fichtner stars in new horror Drive Angry - profile

The US actor on playing the accountant from Hell

Name William Fichtner Born 27 November, 1956, Long Island, New York. Background ‘I’ve got a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice but I had to take one arts course as part of my core requirements,’ explains Fichtner, ‘so I took an improv…

Brighton Rock remake actress Andrea Riseborough - Profile

From Made in Dagenham to starring opposite Guy Pearce

Name Andrea Riseborough Born 27 October 1981, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Background She was Sally Hawkins’ mate in Happy-Go-Lucky, Margaret Thatcher in The Long Walk to Finchley, English Civil War-era crumpet in The Devil’s Whore and busty Brenda…

An exploration of Hong Sang-soo's films ahead of Edinburgh Filmhouse season

Tony McKibbin examines the relationship dynamic in Korean filmmaker's celebrated films

Hong Sangsoo films often focus on characters so in crisis that they cannot help but generate crises in the very situations they find themselves in. They are not only crisis-ridden; they create a mise-en-scene of misery out of their own inability to…

Police, Adjective - Corneliu Porumboiu profile

Romanian filmmaker leading movement committed to realism and use of black humour

Name Corneliu Porumboiu Born Vaslui, Romania, 1974. Background Porumboiu studied film at the National University of Drama and Film in Bucharest. He first received acclaim for his short film A Trip to the City (2003). This was followed by…

Profile: Abbas Kiarostami

Certified Copy's director's film history

Name? Abbas Kiarostami. Born? Teheran, Iran, 1940. Background? Kiarostami worked as a graphic designer before joining the Centre for Intellectual Development Of Children And Young Adults where he started a film section. His first film The Bread And…

Paul Foot & Noel Fielding

The comedian answers questions asked by his director.

The List asked the surreal and brilliant Paul Foot to complete our First Word interview. Of course, he couldn’t do it normally, and invited Noel Fielding (who directed his Fringe show) to set the questions. Here are the mind-bending results How long…

5 Questions - Patrick Monahan

Comedian Patrick Monahan (winner of the longest kids show title award) takes a break from Stories and Tales for Kids Who Can Run Faster Than Snails to answer our 5 Questions.

Step inside a payphone booth for a spot of storytelling

The Invisible Dot provides audiences with a new form of entertainment

What with the Fringe being the Fringe, it’s only right and proper that some of this year’s shows should crop up in the most unlikely of places. And so it is that The Invisible Dot have brought four old British Telecom payphone booths to this year’s…

Moira's five ways to ensure you survive the festival

'Falkirk's hardest woman' hands out tips on surviving the Fringe

Being on tour can be a stressful business, what with staying away from home, forgetting your lines onstage and, erm, setting off the fire alarm in the venue. Scotland’s newest stage superstar, Moira, shares her tips on how to survive a fortnight at the…

Tinchy Stryder to take over the HMV Picture House

The East London grime boy done good, and Third Strike is on its way

If Tinchy Stryder’s second long-player, Catch 22, saw him vault the grime underground and snare the pop mainstream (number one hits, collaborations with N-Dubz and a Sugababe, the best-selling UK solo artist of 2009), you wonder what level of stardom…

Nicolai Lilin: author of Siberian Education

The writer tells of his time in prison, tattooing, and film offers

Handed his first weapon at the age of six, Nicolai Lilin was destined for a life of violence. Having fled the horrors of his past, he tells Jay Richardson why death is sometimes a better option. Born into a Siberian criminal dynasty, convicted of…

Jeremy Lion answers questions from kids

The children's entertainer answers the questions that popped into our mailbox

Bumbling children’s entertainer Jeremy Lion has taken time out from being near-permanently soused to explore some pressing environmental issues in his new show. He’s still got time for the kids, however, and was more than happy to answer the questions…

Club Noir and Scottish Opera collaborate on A Night At The Opera

Burlesque night prepare for unlikely pairing

Henry Northmore talks to the burlesque night as they prepare for one of this festival’s most unlikely collaborations

Thomas Carlile's Landscapes of Memory

Public art exhibition spread across the city interpretable by touch phones

Keen-eyed observers will spot a number of black and white square barcodes amidst the shop signs and fly posting that decorate Edinburgh’s streets. But what is their purpose? Rachael Cloughton explains: The first one I saw was stuck to the concrete…

Harder, better, faster, stronger - Iain M. Banks interview

The Fife-born author on Led Zeppelin, bacon rolls

The Fife-born author of 24 sci-fi books and mainstream novels talks to The List about Led Zeppelin, bacon rolls and his continual surprise at being even slightly famous First record you ever bought There were three, the day after I persuaded my…

Camille O’Sullivan talks about her show Chameleon

The Irish chanteuse talks G&Ts, Scooby Doo and more

The first time I set foot in Edinburgh for the Fringe was 2004. I was supposed to perform at the Wigwam Tent, but at the last moment the venue went bankrupt — I was saved by the lovely Speigeltent who took my show and also put me in the great new show…

Artist Anthony Fry on why he’s happy to be back in Scotland.

As well as why he loves coming home to paint

As he prepares to showcase work inspired by exotic foreign locations renowned painter Anthony Fry tells Talitha Kotzé why he’s delighted to be back in Scotland. Well-known for needing the heat to paint, Anthony Fry has spent a great deal of time in…

Richard Healy: Shapes and Things - five questions

Sierra Metro artist on his influences and attitudes

In their exhibition at Sierra Metro artists Richard Healy and Gemma Holt explore the language of design through sculptural pieces, site-specific film installation and architectural techniques. Here Richard outlines his influences and attitude towards…

Mandy Edwards: a Celebration

A look at the social landscape and development of Glasgow's East End

This documentary project by photographer Mandy Edwards looks at the social landscape and development of Glasgow’s East End ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games through 50 portraits of local shopkeepers, workers and owners of local businesses that are…

Gyles Brandreth - middle-aged, ex-MP, author, and Fringe show stalwart

British author-cum-broadcaster-cum-Fringe show stalwart Gyles Brandreth talks about the highs and lows of his festival fortunes. "Edinburgh is a parallel universe. We do things differently here. I was a middle-aged, ex-MP with a tragic comb-over and…

Mini Profile: Vive Le Cabaret

What’s that then? That would be a nightly cabaret show, hosted by Des O’Connor. Seriously? Mister Take Your Pick? Des & Mel Des O’ Connor is coming to the Fringe? Actually, no. ‘It’s not the orange-faced one off the telly,’ points out Vive Le…

Fringe 2010 cabaret offerings are as colourful as ever

Smoke & Mirrors, Alan Cumming and The Crack

From pared down to jazz-hands up, this year’s variety and cabaret offerings are as colourful as ever. Anna Millar meets the makers to find out why we just can’t get enough It’s a certain man who can shimmy from club door whore to straight-talking…

Lady Carol - Malady

We asked the singing, ukelele playing, dark-humorist five questions

This ukelele lady has an inky-black sense of humour, and can turn the sweetest of love songs into a creepy stalker anthem. Just, please, keep her away from bright light and cakes. Five words you’d use to describe your show Sad songs, silly…