Anna Millar

Five reason to love... David Shrigley

The 2013 Turner judges praise his ‘macabre intelligence and infinite jest’ - here's why we love him

He’s a homeboy at heart In an interview with The List in 2010, Shrigley spoke of his love of the Dear Green Place: ‘I moved to Glasgow as a teenager, and I’ve lived here more than half my life now. I don’t consider Leicester, where I’m originally from…

Rebus author Ian Rankin set to launch Lyceum’s 2013/14 programme

The new season features works from Chris Hannan, Tony Cownie and David Haig

A play by Ian Rankin is just one of four world premieres and three new co-productions to be announced as part of the Royal Lyceum Theatre’s new season. Rebus novelist Rankin’s play will launch the season as part of a crime double bill, with Maureen…

Fergus Linehan appointed new director for Edinburgh International Festival

The former Director of the Dublin Theatre Festival and Sydney Festival will begin in May

Following much speculation, Fergus Linehan has been appointed as the new director of the Edinburgh International Festival. Linehan has considerable experience in the arts having worked very successfully at the Dublin Theatre Festival in his native…

Edinburgh Art Festival launches for 2013

Packed programme features talents such as Robert Montgomery, Peter Liversidge and Christine Borland

It’s no small coincidence that as the sun finally appears, the Edinburgh Art Festival has launched its programme for 2013. Colourful and smile-inducing, the programme features great venues, major new solo exhibitions and some enticing new commissions…

Programme for the Edinburgh International Festival 2013 puts artists and technology centre-stage

Tod Machover, the Wooster Group and Oper Frankfurt among the EIF programme highlights

A crowd sourced orchestral work by boundary breaker Tod Machover is just one of the many highlights of this year’s Edinburgh International Festival programme. Set over three weeks this August, the EIF’s line-up includes an homage to Allen Ginsberg with…

Priscilla Queen of the Desert UK tour 2013

Stage version of 1994 film with Jason Donovan returning to role of drag queen Tick

When The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert hit cinema screens 20 years ago, the tale of three Aussie drag queens on an epic road trip, became a cult classic, its high-octane pop soundtrack and madcap wardrobe making it a star-spangled shoe-in…

Travel guide: Derry-Londonderry

The Northern Irish city is an ideal spot to visit in its year as UK city of culture 2013

As the rain batters down, Derry’s Peace Bridge shimmers in the early evening light. A few feet away, the Ebrington army barracks have been transformed, the parade ground morphing into a 4000 capacity pop-up venue, the barracks proper set to play host to…

Jay-Z protege Rita Ora discusses Spice Girls and The Notebook

The singer-songwriter gets weepy over Spider-Man and hates peas

First record you ever bought The Spice Girls album, Spice World.  Last extravagant purchase you made A holiday for me and my whole family, skydiving, jet skiing, eating, boats – the whole thing, in Dubai. First film you saw that really moved…

Glasgow Film Festival 2013 programme announced

Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing and Henry Coombes' Entre Chien et Loup among highlights

The Glasgow Film Festival looks set to light up the silver screen with a programme that's bigger and (arguably) better than ever before. A stonking 368 events will be showcased in 27 venues across the city, with 57 UK premieres and 6 world premieres…

National Theatre of Scotland receive funding for permanent headquarters

£2m towards Glasgow administrative base in line with organisation's ‘theatre without walls’ ethos

Having launched in 2006 as a ‘theatre without walls’, the National Theatre of Scotland is now set to have its own permanent headquarters in Glasgow. The move follows a £2m cash injection from the Scottish Government. Although the NTS will still…

Black Watch director John Tiffany leaves the National Theatre of Scotland

The Tony award-winning director is leaving to make time for non-NTS projects

Hot on the heels of artistic director Vicky Featherstone stepping down, the National Theatre of Scotland has announced that associate director John Tiffany will also leave, to make time for his directing commitments outside of the NTS. Tiffany has…

Andrew Dixon steps down as chief executive of Creative Scotland

Creative Scotland has announced that Andrew Dixon will step down from his position as chief executive. Dixon’s resignation follows a period of increasing concern from the arts community over the competence of the recently restructured national funding…

Glasgow Film Festival 2013 programme highlights

James Cagney retrospective, Mark Millar-curated programme and strand exploring Brazilian cinema

Glasgow Film Festival looks set to continue its mighty fine form this February, making a welcome return to the city, with screenings from around the globe. The three major strands of 2013’s bumper line-up include a new project by Burnistoun…

Christmas activities in Edinburgh and Glasgow

A round up of the best markets, concerts, light displays and sports events across the festive period

When does the Christmas season start for you? Is it a week before the 25th December, when you frantically check websites to see who’s still offering last-minute gift deliveries? Or is it OK to start drinking mulled wine as soon as Hallowe’en decorations…

Simple Minds, The Maccabees and The View set for Edinburgh Hogmanay 2012

New Year's Eve celebrations in the Scottish capital

Scottish rock band Simple Minds will headline this year’s Edinburgh Hogmanay Concert in the Gardens. The band, whose hits include ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ and ‘Alive and Kicking’, will be joined on the line-up by The View and Edinburgh’s Bwani…

Hogmanay holidays in Scotland

New Year breaks and getaways in Perthshire, The Borders and Dumfries & Galloway

If you’re looking to escape the Hogmanay street parties or simply get away over the winter break, Scotland has opportunities galore. Whether you want to bring in the New Year in a West Coast castle or snuggle up in a Perthshire log cabin, Scotland is…

Celtic Connections 2013 programme launched

The music fest launches anniversary programme featuring The Mavericks, Aimee Mann and more

The cultural behemoth that is Celtic Connections looks set to bring its A-game next year, as it celebrates 20 years on the music scene with a bumper programme from around the globe. Folk, roots, indie and jazz will all be represented as stalwarts of the…

New artistic director for National Theatre of Scotland announced

Laurie Sansom of Northampton's Royal and Derngate will replace Vicky Featherstone in March

Following much speculation and anticipation, the new artistic director of the National Theatre of Scotland has been announced. Laurie Sansom will succeed Vicky Featherstone when she leaves in December to take up her new role at the Royal Court Theatre…

Bob Downe . . . Smokin'

Style over substance

From the minute he pirouettes onto stage all 70s gear, mega-watt grin and fake blonde hair, it’s clear Aussie’s ‘clown prince of polyester’ is having a ball, as he knocks out one karaoke hit after another and embarks on some name-that-tune competitions.

Clinton The Musical

Ex-president inspires high-energy, catchy musical from talented ensemble

Former United States president Bill Clinton should offer any theatre production – let alone an all-singing, all-dancing musical – some great inspiration for material is a given. But, from his inauguration through to his sexual relations with ‘that…

Man 1 Bank 0

Patrick Combs takes on the money men

Half the challenge of putting on a great show at the Fringe is about finding a great story, and Patrick Combs certainly has that. Better still, it’s true. A young man, with a sea of credit card debt, deposits a $95,093.35 junk mail cheque into his local…

Holly Burn: The H Club

Eccentric sketches imbued with a liberating lack of reason

To say that Holly Burn is a bit bonkers, is like saying Edinburgh gets a bit busy during August. A familiar face on the Fringe scene, Burn’s barmy Geordie shtick seems to bemuse, confuse -- and when she hits the right note -- amuse her audience in equal…

The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle

Savvy set design and excellent soundtrack in provoking limbo-land tragicomedy

Eric Argyle died at 11.42am two days ago; yet here he is, heart aching, mind racing in a confusing laboratory-cum-limbo-land. The Life and Sort... is another highly accomplished piece from the team behind last year’s success Minute After Midday. 15th…

Josh Widdicombe

Fast-rising funnyman entertains with acute observational humour

‘The Guardian called me a geezer today’ announces Josh Widdicombe, as he wanders onto the stage, looking less ‘Geez a go’, more shaggy-haired boy next door. ‘So watch it, or I’ll knife you and that.’ He laughs, we laugh. If this fast-rising funnyman…

Slice

Mel Giedroyc's debut is a bittersweet lunchtime treat

This promising playwriting début from Mel Giedroyc (of Mel & Sue fame) arrives at the Fringe fresh from a successful run at Glasgow’s Oran Mor earlier this year, and has lost none of its emotional verve in transit. Three troubled sisters congregate in…