Anna Millar

Interview: Zach Braff, writer, director and star of All New People

The Scrubs and Garden State star discusses his new theatre production

2 Feb 2012

‘I’m still Jenny from the block,’ says Zach Braff after a moment’s reflection. ‘Even now I feel a bit underground in the acting world.’ For those who enjoyed Braff (and 20 million viewers around the world did) as the lovable JD in US comedy drama…

Valentine's Day - date our readers

Need a date for February 14th? Ten eligible List readers are ready and waiting...

2 Feb 2012

Nicola Age: 24 Work: Arts marketing Where do you live: Stockbridge, Edinburgh Hobbies: Frequenting the cinema, gym-ing, watching live dance and opera, wandering around galleries and museums and dancing in my bedroom. Describe yourself in 5 words…

The Muppets' most memorable moments

A gallery of clips from our favourite frog and his friends

1 Feb 2012

The Muppets have a string of movies to their names already, including The Muppet Movie, The Muppets Christmas Carol, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and The Great Muppet Caper. Never ones to shirk away from serious film, darling, they’ve also had cameos in…

Jemima Levick on Steel Magnolias revival

The theatre director aims to retain the humour and tenderness of Robert Harling's original script

1 Feb 2012

‘I would rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special,’ says Dolly Parton as brassy hairdresser Truvy in the 1989 film adaptation of Steel Magnolias. The country singer led a cast of big name Hollywood hitters that included…

Four List readers share their New Year's resolutions

An insight into getting started in trapeze, cookery, ballet or capoeira

6 Jan 2012

'The feeling of achievement is amazing' Name Denise Deutsch Age 30 Profession Fabric buyer, Mandors Skill Trapeze and Aerial Arts I fell into the idea of aerial arts as a hobby after unexpectedly getting a ticket to see Leona Lewis perform in…

The Hot 100 2011: 100-50

The definitive list of Scottish creative talent

16 Dec 2011

100: Gordon Ferris. Kilmarnock crime author makes good. The already packed Scottish crime writing field has finally found a bit of elbow room for another burgeoning talent. Joining the likes of Rankin, Brookmyre, McDermid and co is this Ayrshire-born…

Hot 100 2011 - No. 49 to 1

The definitive list of Scottish creative talent

16 Dec 2011

The Hot 100 is the definitive list of Scottish creative talent. From fashion designers to performance artists, everyone who has made a sizeable splash in 2011 has a place in this countdown. It’s for people who’ve created a buzz, but it’s also about…

The best Hogmanay holiday ideas

The best ways to bring in the New Year

28 Oct 2011

Get on the farm Forget Carry on Camping, the crew at Comrie Croft in Perthshire know how to do camping in style, with this eco-friendly farmstead conversion. Located in Crieff, surrounded by gorgeous vistas, bring in the bells around a campfire…

Hogmanay holidays in Perthshire. Scotland

Ideas on how to bring in the New Year in Scotland

28 Oct 2011

You know the drill. It’s a week before Hogmanay and you’re deciding which shindig you don’t really want to go to. The local street party’s not quite doing it for you, and honestly you’d rather be anywhere but here. So where to start? Firstly, don’t…

5 Things: what to expect from Primal Scream at this year's Hogmanay celebrations

The Screamadelica crew announced as Edinburgh party headliners

19 Sep 2011

As the mighty Primal Scream prepare to whip up a storm in the capital for Hogmanay, The List wonders what’s in store for the festive season’s hottest ticket A heroes’ welcome As if holding the world’s (okay, Scotland’s) biggest New Year shindig…

Some Small Love Story

A gem with a young but talented cast

23 Aug 2011

Theatrical tales about love – particularly love lost – can so easily be overly saccharine, lacking the depth and sentiment to truly engage. Not so here. Stripped back simplicity is to the fore, as four excellent young performers reveal two great love…

The Apprentice's Stuart ‘The Brand’ Baggs to appear at the Fringe

Informal lunch chat at 2011 Edinburgh Fringe

23 Aug 2011

‘I’m alive: there are so many people that aren’t alive or have died, unfortunately. I’m alive; that’s a gift, frankly. I wake up early every morning once I’ve had the sleep I need. I go out and make money. Everything I touch turns to sold.’ Oh Lord.

Eight

Eight beautifully-written stories impressively told

23 Aug 2011

A selection of eight stories are impressively told here in monologue rotation. Among them are grieving art gallery owner Andre, Bobby, a struggling single Mum and Jude, a well-to-do lad coming of age on foreign shores. Ella Hickson’s characters are…

Doris Day Can F**k Off

Musical one-man experiment

23 Aug 2011

The concept for Greg McLaren’s show should certainly be applauded: for a number of weeks he went round the UK communicating to people through song, taping his experience as he went. Accompanied by a sound deck, guitar and gold lame jacket, this is the…

Rich Hall

Political bashings a definite highlight

23 Aug 2011

With his gravelly drawl and laidback delivery, Hall is easy company. His American/‘Scots’ comparisons have a crowd-pleasing ring, so too a funny skit about bears (particularly the Yogi variety), but his political musings and reflections on the world’s…

Pistol & Jack: SMASH*GLAM*SEX*MUSIC

Hyper, pop comedy lacks some focus

23 Aug 2011

Even the most precious mainstream music-lover should raise a smile at a mash-up of Radiohead, Lady Gaga, Madonna and The Doors, as pop princess Pistol and sex, drugs and rock’n’roller Jack tell tales. Not consistently funny enough to be great comedy and…

A tour of Scotland for food-lovers

Fresh seafood, locally-sourced game and top-notch tourism in Scotland

22 Aug 2011

Standing in the Scottish drizzle at the heart of Monachyle Mhor, a dramatic vista greets us. In front, a stunning Loch Voil. Behind us, bounding black Labrador, Betty, a relatively new addition to owner Tom Lewis’ family. The air is fresh, the…

Le Gateau Chocolat

Moreish cabaret feast

17 Aug 2011

With his delicious charm and La Clique credentials, Le Gateau Chocolat’s solo debut is an evening treat that leaves you wanting more. Enter the fabulous Bosco tent, and the gentle strains of ‘The Way We Were’ are just audible, a feast of colour and…

An Instinct for Kindness

Dignitas tale told with dignity

17 Aug 2011

Last year, Chris Larner accompanied his ex-wife Allyson to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland and watched as she drank a liquid that would swiftly end her life. Here, with just a simple chair as a prop, Larner recounts the days, weeks and years leading…

Humphrey Ker is Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher!

Swashbuckling success story

16 Aug 2011

As part of Fringe staple trio and Radio 4 stars The Penny Dreadfuls, Humphrey Ker offered audiences something of a theatrical comedy masterclass. Here, he flies solo in swashbuckling style. It’s 1943 and war’s most unlikely hero, Dymock Watson, has been…

Markus Birdman: Dreaming

Acutely funny observations on our dreams of living happily ever after

16 Aug 2011

Birdman takes us through his ponderings on our dreams of living happily ever after, and all that lies between. There are some acutely funny observations on parenting, growing up and caring less, with Birdman only occasionally losing momentum by…

Wil Hodgson

Sharp comedy about life as he knows it

16 Aug 2011

Gone is the pink Mohawk of yesteryear, in is some sharp (albeit not of the razor kind) comedy from this year’s ‘Care Bear-loving skinhead’, as our affable host spraffs lyrical about life as he knows it, from his friends down the pub to tits, cider and a…

How to be Awesome

Lou Sanders' high energy can't save a set of lacklustre jokes

15 Aug 2011

‘I’m a bit of shambles’ reveals Lou Sanders as she takes to the stage. Highly energetc Sanders may be, but her material – letters sent to the show, chit-chat about her stepdad, a limp ‘how awesome are my props’ set – fail to hit the mark. Sure, there…

Best of the Fest Cabaret

The Noise Next Door, The Twoks and Briefs offer good package

14 Aug 2011

Any festival ‘Best of’ lives or dies on the collection of acts and, suffice to say, it’s a mixed bag of delights, depending on your luck. And so it is here. Gloria, our host for the evening, struggles, her lacklustre attempts at humour flailing, for the…

From the Fire

Tightly directed show based on New York’s Triangle Factory Fire of 1911

14 Aug 2011

There is some formidable talent at play in this tightly directed show, telling the story of New York’s Triangle Factory Fire of 1911, in which hundreds perished due to poor working conditions. Although set 100 years ago, the themes resonate today, as…

Caitlin Moran set for Edinburgh Book Festival appearance

A self-deprecating take on womanhood

9 Aug 2011

With Germaine Greer’s recent Newsnight debacle dragging the feminist cause kicking and screaming back to the dark days, it’s time to hail the new messiah: Caitlin Moran. Not for nothing has this Brighton-born writer impressed. Aged just 15, the young…

Paul Daniels

You’re going to like this . . .

8 Aug 2011

‘Do I look better than Donald Trump?’ asks Paul Daniels as he walks on, wigged up. He shouldn’t be here, really. The Sun newspaper has run a story saying he’s been hospitalised at the hands of Sooty and a flying piece of pizza. Silly tabloids. The…

Shhh: The Musical

Enthusiasm let down by unoriginal script and forgettable songs

8 Aug 2011

There is little doubting the enthusiasm of this young cast, as they do their best with a ‘romcom’ script about finding love in a bookshop. Sadly their energy is largely wasted on a script lacking in originality and punch. The characters are roundly…

Suitcase Royale in Zombatland

Late-night, top-notch hour of blues music, B-list horror and slapstick

8 Aug 2011

Some late-night, top-notch junkyard theatre from this trio of talented Aussies, as our hapless heroes fight to save their caravan park from an invasion of zombie wombats. Cue a chaotic hour of blues music, B-list horror shtick and high-energy slapstick…

Des Bishop - My Dad Was Nearly James Bond

Largely funny, tender and acutely observed ode to late father

8 Aug 2011

An ode to Bishop’s late father, Mike, this should leave the most emotional tough-nut shaken and stirred, as Des tells the story of his dad’s life, from stage actor, Ford model and ‘almost Bond’ to regular ‘Queens, New York’ dad. Walking the line between…

Minute After Midday

Pared-down performance based on Omagh bombing

8 Aug 2011

Pared-down performances resonate here as three very different stories are told, in overlapping monologues, from the day the Omagh bombing devastated Ireland. A young survivor, a widow, and the driver who left the car bomb on Lower Market Street, relive…

Toulouse-Lautrec: The Musical

Japanese one-man show dedicated but lacking in pace and musical gravitas

8 Aug 2011

Toulouse Lautrec’s life was a colourful one, worthy of musical exploration, and this Japanese company’s dedication is admirable, in a one-man show, helmed by Japanese performer/songwriter Jun Sawaki. But while Sawaki undoubtedly offers his all to the…

Stuart Goldsmith

A pleasant romp, amusingly delivered, this is easy, assured comedy

8 Aug 2011

Our affable host is one of life’s nice guys: he likes to help. Whether appeasing young godson Tom with some robot dancing or dealing with some of life’s many anxieties, Goldsmith’s (trying to be) your man in a crisis. A pleasant romp, amusingly…

Corn Exchange theatre company bring Man of Valour to Edinburgh 2011

One-man action movie from acclaimed Irish company

27 Jul 2011

It’s a scenario familiar to many. A lonely office worker tries to escape his humdrum existence, living out a fantasy world of swashbuckling make-belief and mind-blowing heroism. ‘Everyone can relate to it,’ says actor and co-writer Paul Reid. ‘It’s…

Losing It - Ruby Wax interview

Wax brings her 'mental health comedy’ to Edinburgh

26 Jul 2011

Seasoned festival-goers may remember Ruby Wax’s brief two-day stint with Losing It, her ‘mental health comedy’, back in 2008. Since then, this partly autobiographical opus has grown wings, and been showcased in hospitals and lecture halls across the UK.

Fringe news: new venue and programme info

22 Jul 2011

Even for Fringe regulars the idea of cherry-picking from the whopping 41,689 performances and 2,542 shows on this year’s festival line-up can seem daunting. Worry not, help is at hand, as next issue we bring you dozens of previews, top tips and much…

The best Scottish websites

The top 30 websites made for and by Scots

21 Jul 2011

When putting together this list, we weren’t necessarily looking for the biggest or the best-known cultural websites in Scotland. We were looking for unique and interesting ideas, cleverly realised and lovingly maintained on the web. This might mean that…

Four site-specific shows to catch at Edinburgh 2011

What Remains and You Once Said Yes among highlights

20 Jul 2011

What Remains. Theatre company Grid Iron celebrates ten years on the Fringe with this eerie piece set in the bowels of Edinburgh University. Music comes courtesy of composer David Paul Jones. Even in Edinburgh/Glasgow Poet Ishbel McFarlane takes the…

Five cabaret shows at Edinburgh Fringe 2011

Meow Meow, Ali McGregor, Le Gateau Chocolat and Cabaret Whore among highlights

20 Jul 2011

Meow Meow. A firm Fringe favourite, this purrfectly glitzy performer brings her edgy post-feminist cabaret woes to the International Festival, as part of a much-anticipated work-in-progress. When you’re racking up over 6m hits on YouTube, chances are…

Opera Die Frau Ohne Schatten set for 2011 Edinburgh International Festival

Russia's Mariinsky Theatre and Jonathan Kent bring Strauss opera to EIF

7 Jul 2011

To say Jonathan Kent's EIF opus is 'a bit' epic is like saying Edinburgh gets 'a bit' busy in August. This summer the Brit director joins forces with Russia's Mariinsky to stage the little-seen Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman without a Shadow). A cast…

Refugee Week Scotland

The week-long events programme sets its stall, 60 years after the UN Refugee Convention was signed

27 May 2011

We’re huge supporters of Refugee Week – so it’s with a happy heart that we can report it’s back bigger and better than ever before. As well as all the special events, activities and talks, this year’s programme boasts Courage: 60 Years of the UN Refugee…

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011 - sneak preview

Liberace, Finnish a capella groups and iPad fairy tales just some of the coming attractions

23 May 2011

Whether it’s origami genitalia, homosexual deities or political commentary on the Lockerbie bombing, Edinburgh’s Fringe seldom arrives with a whimper but rather a ruddy great roar. June sees the official launch of 2011’s line-up, but we thought we…

As Taggart calls it a day, we look at the stars who have been linked to the 'murdurs'

Featuring Robert Carlyle, Dougray Scott and more

23 May 2011

After 26 years, Glasgow’s Mean City bids farewell, as Taggart gets axed. To celebrate the demise of one of Scotland’s greatest exports, we showcase the great and the good of the guest stars who helped to light up our screens. Robert Carlyle Long…

How the woman behind Stichill Jerseys maintains high food standards

Brenda Leddy on cows, cheese and clotted cream

10 May 2011

It takes quite a woman to take one Jersey cow and make it into an award-winning transatlantic enterprise, but then Kelso’s Brenda Leddy, of Stichill Jerseys, is not just any woman. A recent runner-up in BBC Radio 4’s Food and Farming Awards, those…

Jupiter Artland opens its season with a new Charles Jencks exhibition

The ourdoor 'art park' also features work by Anthony Gormley

25 Apr 2011

You know that spring has sprung when Jupiter Artland opens its doors with a new season – and this year’s artistic bloom looks to be just as exciting as their last. Launching with special exhibition Metaphysical Landscape by landform artist, philosopher…

New direct flights to Iceland from Scotland make it a hot destination

Natural beauty, a thriving arts scene and lively night life

24 Mar 2011

Nestled down a sloping side street, trendy little tippling-hole Kaffibarinn (as featured in the film 101 Reykjavik) feels like downtown Reykjavik in miniature. Part owned by Blur’s Damon Albarn, this stylish bar area and candle-lit loft oozes the…

Edinburgh International Festival 2011 programme keeps an eye on the East

National Ballet of China, Ravi Shankar, Philip Glass among highlights

23 Mar 2011

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra raise the curtain of the 2011 Edinburgh International Festival in style this year with a performance Robert Schumann’s exotic musical Das Paradies und die Peri, one highlight from an EIF programme that boasts acts from…

Cooking Up Talent

Ingr3dients, a new 3D mural by Alisdair Gray, to be revealed at Ubiquitous Chip

9 Mar 2011

Here at List Towers, where we love food and adore Alasdair Gray, we were heartened to hear that the two are set to complement each other this month, with a new Gray mural set to be revealed as part of Glasgow’s Ubiquitous Chip’s 40th birthday…

Mayfesto 2011 programme revealed

Tron artistic director Andy Arnold discusses the politically-edged theatre festival

7 Mar 2011

To say The Tron’s artistic director Andy Arnold has big hopes for this year’s Mayfesto would be an understatement. Launched in 2010, Arnold’s plan was to bring Glasgow a new, socially and politically engaged theatre festival – and that’s just what he…

RockNess / T in the Park line-ups announced

Pulp, Arctic Monkeys, and Foo Fighters for T; Groove Armada, Kasabian and Chemical Bros for RockNess

3 Mar 2011

The great and good of the music world are set to arrive in style this summer with both T in the Park and RockNess dishing up the goodies for their June and July festivals. At TITP in Balado, the mighty Pulp join Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay and Foo Fighters…

UK playwrights fight government cuts

Theatre Uncut features work by Mark Ravenhill, David Greig, Lucy Kirkwood and Jack Thorne

18 Feb 2011

Scotland’s art scene seldom stands on ceremony and next month looks set to be just as impressive as Bedlam Theatre hosts a day of theatre, music and talk, as part of a nationwide stand against the Government spending review. Playwrights including Mark…

Campaign to save Inverleith Park from housing development

Proposal looks to build six homes in public space

19 Jan 2011

A new year dawns and the city’s spaces are in jeopardy once again this fortnight as Edinburgh fights over another unique corner. In an unexpected development late last year, it emerged that Edinburgh City Council may try to build luxury houses on a…

The best upcoming events in Scotland in 2011

Highlights of the 2011 cultural calandar from Film, Music, Comedy, Theatre and Visual Art

3 Jan 2011

Huge gigs, inspiring theatre productions, comedy legends and two cute little waving bears – just a few of the things coming up in ‘11 that we can barely contain our excitement about

Multi-platform In the Company of Wolves event set for Glasgow Sub Club

Very different fashion show showcases new group of designers

3 Nov 2010

Multi-platform events company In the Company of Wolves don’t do subtle. In spring of this year entertainment and events students Ally Turnbull and Claire Stuart leapt onto the scene, launching a showcase of independent design in a multi-faceted event…

Ski, Snowboard + Xtreme Show 2010 hits SECC

Winter sports special features stalls, shows and Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards

10 Oct 2010

Yes, yes, we know: we’re bad people. Summer was barely there and autumn’s only just arrived, and off we go, blighters that we are, promoting winter, or more specifically all things snow. We would normally (honest) tell the freeze-friendly SECC to keep…

Spamalot musical comes to Edinburgh Playhouse

Monty Python's King Arthur comedy

29 Sep 2010

If ever a man was able to look on the bright side of life it is Eric Idle. Whether jumping out of cakes in a tutu for Prince Charles in a comical re-enactment of Swan Lake, or dressing up in wings, mocking the outfit worn by Emma Thompson in Angels in…

Theatre, Darling!

16 Sep 2010

Whether it is cutting edge drama, hearty laughs or a decent tippling hole, Glasgow and Edinburgh’s theatre and comedy scene has it covered, find Niki Boyle and Anna Millar

The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 2010

Bill Douglas Trilogy screening and premiere of David Greig’s Monsters in the Hall

10 Sep 2010

If there’s one thing that Scotland has in spades, it’s a proliferation of some mighty fine smaller scale festivals, and the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival (now in its 4th year) has more than earned the credibility to rub shoulders with…

Über Hate Gang

Explosive and well executed play on terrorism

23 Aug 2010

The audience become (un)willing members of a terrorist act in this well-executed play, as the Über Hate Gang plan to blow up the theatre. A slightly meandering start gives way to some explosive confrontations as personal rifts and deeply hidden secrets…

Speechless

Giving voice to a powerful story

17 Aug 2010

As the familiar strains of ‘Jerusalem’ play out, a pair of twins, June and Jennifer, emerge onto the stage. Unable to find a language to communicate with the outside world they are almost silent, speaking only to each other, creating a fantasy world in…

Tribute concert to Sir Charles Mackerras at EIF

Fantastic celebration of a wonderful man

15 Aug 2010

One of the leading lights on the EIF, Sir Charles Mackerras has long been synonymous with the talent and the creativity at the heart of the Edinburgh International Festival. Fitting then, that they should celebrate his passing earlier this year with a…

The Man Who Was Thursday

Injects some far-fetched fun into a light-hearted romp

14 Aug 2010

This young, enthusiastic company injects some far-fetched fun into a light-hearted romp about the war on terror, in a noughties reimagining of the original novel by GK Chesterton. A cheeky wink to the left-not-knowing-what-the-right-hand’s doing is…

Elsie and Mairi Go to War

High on initial interest but short on the requisite drama

14 Aug 2010

This well-acted tale follows two heroines of WWI dispatched to Belgium as ambulance drivers. Using extracts from the women’s diaries and contemporary press interviews, the play is adapted from a book by Diane Atkinson, who here ill-advisedly narrates…

Kronos Quartet

So many strings to their bow

13 Aug 2010

They’ve worked with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails and Nelly Furtado, and had their music featured in movies such as Requiem for a Dream. The dance world adores them, leading to collaborations with Merce Cunningham; lest we forget the extraordinary band…

Camille O’Sullivan – Chameleon

More of a purr than a growl

13 Aug 2010

There’s a sense of great expectation with Irish charmer Camille. The sexy chanteuse has long wooed us with her brand of sultry, ballsy theatrics and whether rock, blues or ballads, Cave, Waits or Bowie, she can belt them out like the best of them. This…

Step inside a payphone booth for a spot of storytelling

The Invisible Dot provides audiences with a new form of entertainment

12 Aug 2010

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…

The Gospel at Colonus reveals authentic traditions at its heart

Reworking of Greek tragedy takes centre stage at EIF

11 Aug 2010

His celebrated version of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House cast dwarf actors opposite Amazonian women performers while his reimagining of Peter Pan using pint-sized puppets made audiences look anew at JM Barrie’s classic children’s tale. Now theatrical maverick…

More Light Please

In search of further illumination

9 Aug 2010

The emotional and economic reality of emigration is fertile ground for theatre, and More Light Please provides another addition to the canon with its story of young Natalia moving from Poland to Dublin in search of a better life. The scene is set in…

Wolf is a innovative and well-imagined piece of theatre

Engaging exploration of human/wolf relations

9 Aug 2010

The audience heads into the Caves with a growing sense of trepidation. We’ve been told that the ‘wolves’ may want to touch, move or smell us. We’ve been told we should let them. We should also make ourselves comfortable; we’ll be standing…

Merrill Grant: A Twentieth Century Fox

A cabaret homage to silver-screen greats

5 Aug 2010

With her Southern twang, strawberry-blonde hair, beaming smile and can-do attitude, Merrill Grant is the epitome of a 1930s belle. Which is just jim-dandy, given the cabaret act she’s bringing to this year’s Fringe. Inspired by her love of Shirley…

Jonathan Biss opens EIF Queen's Hall series

Young American talent will bring passion to EIF launch

5 Aug 2010

Whether volunteering for Barack Obama in the Primaries or traversing the globe with his intimate piano recitals, the young Jonathan Biss has long proved he’s no run-of-the-mill talent. Light on pomp and heavy in enthusiasm, the Indiana-raised pianist…

Fringe 2010 cabaret offerings are as colourful as ever

Smoke & Mirrors, Alan Cumming and The Crack

30 Jul 2010

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…

Celebrity Autobiography satirises stars using their own words

Eugene Pack and Phill Jupitus target Tiger Woods and Miley Cyrus

27 Jul 2010

Whether it’s Ugly Betty’s Michael Urie waxing lyrical as Miley Cyrus or Eugene Pack ‘stroking his putter’ à la Tiger Woods, few things can raise a smile like celebrities getting their come-uppance. And award-winning show-cum-comedy book club, Celebrity…

Poignant preview

A bold, imaginative retelling of three Argentinean tales

26 Jul 2010

As if getting into bed in the dark with strangers wasn’t intriguing enough, Micaela Tettamanti’s 45-minute show Poignant features one of the smallest audiences on the Fringe (only four are admitted at any one time) and has no actors or stage to speak of.

Edinburgh gallery opens new space in Leith

Axolotl gallery to open sister space OXO in Leith

23 Jul 2010

As any self respecting Leither will tell you, the area’s renaissance continues. First the decent bars and restaurants took root, then the ever burgeoning Leith festival. This fortnight its cultural kudos gets another boost with the addition of a new…

New York stories: The Sun Also Rises and Vieux Carré hit Edinburgh 2010

Elevator Repair Service and Wooster Group head up International Festival

16 Jul 2010

If the world of theatre was like a finely crafted china shop, then two very impressive bulls are preparing to charge at this year’s International Festival. As leaders of the experimental pack, Elevator Repair Service and the Wooster Group perform, not…

Edinburgh Festival 2010: Getting around town

16 Jul 2010

Those dusty, noisy roadworks getting in your way wherever you want to go? They’re called tramworks. The plan is to make the journey between Leith and Edinburgh Airport easier by installing a partial tram system by 2011, but this year the quickest way to…

Storm Large - The hellraiser crazy enough to visit the Edinburgh Fringe

The rebellious performer explains her inspiration

15 Jul 2010

Storm Large doesn’t do small. With her Amazonian stature and gallus gift for making the F-word sound lyrical, she is, in the flesh, larger than life. Whether as mohawked rebel teen, twentysomething heroin dabbler or a reality TV rock star in her 30s…

Edinburgh Book Festival's Unbound invites fresh approach from DisComBoBuLate, Irregular and Gutter

7 Jul 2010

Here at List Towers we love a bit of innovation, and this year’s festivals appear to be bringing it in spades. Case in point, the Book Festival’s all-new Unbound. Taking a refreshingly out-of-the-box approach, over 18s are invited to a nightly free…

Mela 2010 programme includes Cargo, Jaz Dhami and Bonafide

7 Jul 2010

Setting its stall from 6–8 Aug in Leith Links, this summer’s Mela jamboree includes the premiere of Cargo, a large-scale outdoor performance on the theme of migration, funded by the Scottish Parliament. Other highlights include sports at Leith Links, UK…

Edinburgh Art Festival work from Richard Wright

5 Jul 2010

Things are getting inventive at the Edinburgh Art Festival courtesy of 2009 Turner prize-winner Richard Wright, who has unveiled his specially commissioned painting for the EAF. Showcased in the west stairwell of the Dean Gallery, the black-on-white…

Tron Theatre summer production sets sail for Valhalla!

23 Jun 2010

Theatre-goers beware: reality will leave the building for artistic director Andy Arnold’s latest summer production. Following on from last year’s darkly comic Cooking With Elvis, Valhalla! looks similarly offbeat, replete as it is with magic swans…

How to holiday in Scotland: Scottish Travel A-Z

9 Jun 2010

We’re here to persuade you that you don’t need foreign beaches or backpacking tours to make the most of the summer. There’s a world of wonder right on your doorstep, with plenty of Scottish excursions to keep you entertained until autumn. Anna Millar…

Music festivals 2010: Festival profiles

28 May 2010

Big or small, loud or quiet, dry or muddy – we love festivals whatever their size, sound or likelihood to leave you soaking wet. Over the next 20 pages we'll give you the lowdown on every major fest hitting Scotland this summer, and information on a few…

Ewan Morrison and Mall Tales want your shopping centre stories

14 May 2010

The highs, lows, and occasional misfortunes of the everyday take centre stage this fortnight as part of a unique new storytelling initiative concerning the world of shopping malls. Inspired by author Ewan Morrison, in conjunction with award-winning…

Ballot proof - the people putting the fun into election night

5 May 2010

It’s no Obama showdown, we grant you, but by Blighty’s efforts, vote night is hotting up. Just when we thought Gordy was a goner, and ‘im in the blue corner was in, Nick’s not looking quite so knacked, after a ‘winning’ performance on the live…

What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures - Malcolm Gladwell interview

29 Apr 2010

It takes a certain kind of man to pen a highbrow yarn about tomato ketchup. But then Malcolm Gladwell is no ordinary man. Part super geek, part pop psychologist, Gladwell has gained considerable kudos for smarting up in a dumbed down world with his…

Edinburgh's Ecofusion one-day festival conducts an environmental health check

22 Apr 2010

It seems you can’t turn the page of a newspaper these days without climate change and environmental woes jumping off the page. More difficult, often, is knowing what you can do on your own doorstep, should you fancy doing your bit for the cause. Enter…

The Fourth Dimension

22 Apr 2010

Edinburgh’s Dynamic Earth seldom does things by halves and this latest adventure looks set to be no different. From the exotic smells of the rainforest to snow falling in an alpine blizzard, Dynamic Earth’s latest expedition, 4Adventure, aims to bring…

Edinburgh International Science Festival

7 Apr 2010

Science is neither just for school kids, nor for stuffy academics – at least that’s the message at this year’s annual Edinburgh science jamboree. The festival is seeking to rouse the interest of people in their late teens and early 20s, as well as the…

Easter Eggstravaganza events 2010

1 Apr 2010

Blair Atholl Aside from the beautiful walks around the castle and the grounds, Blair Atholl Estate is never short of things to do whether it’s activities or bike rides. This year check out Eggy, Steady, Go! (2–4 Apr) complete with egg painting, egg…

Final curtain for Glasgow's Ramshorn Theatre?

31 Mar 2010

Pressure is mounting for Strathclyde University to make a decision about the future of the Ramshorn, following the shock announcement that the theatre is to be closed. Credited with kick-starting the careers of Peter Capaldi and Lost star Henry Ian…

Wallace and Gromit Present: A World of Cracking Ideas

31 Mar 2010

Oscar-winning characters Wallace and Gromit take centre stage at this Aardman Animations exhibition, as visitors get the chance to tour around Wallace and Gromit’s 62 West Wallaby Street home, as well as looking at, and interacting with, their most…

Ceilidh Culture Street Fair

31 Mar 2010

Edinburgh’s annual showcase of music, song, dance and storytelling widens its remit for this 4-day street fair boasting Scottish food, drink, crafts, fashion, music and more near to the castle. See music and around town listings for listings of other…

John Adams and Lee Breuer among Edinburgh International Festival 2010 highlights

22 Mar 2010

As the programme is launched for this year’s Edinburgh International Festival, we cast an eye over the highlights

Taking the Plunge with Wild Swimming

19 Mar 2010

With spring finally in bloom, it seems some are ready to take the plunge with the adventure that is wild swimming, finds Anna Millar

International Women’s Day

4 Mar 2010

‘IT’S really about stepping back and understanding someone else’s plight,’ explains Edinburgh IWD organiser Jenna Sapiano, as she describes the aim of the capital’s contribution to International Women’s Day, taking place in the city this month. Now…

Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

4 Mar 2010

Here at List Towers, we love a party. And so it is that this fortnight sees not one but two of our favourite things realised courtesy of Scandinavian fashion house Kakao by K and tea-boutique Eteaket. As part of a one-off special event, Kakao will…

Mayfesto: Something Old, Something New

25 Feb 2010

Inspired by the long-gone Glasgow theatre of the same age, the Tron’s Mayfesto season is hoping to capture some of its namesake’s former glory. The brainchild of artistic director, Andy Arnold, it plans to celebrate often politically-charged new plays…

Why Fife is celebrating illustrious son Richard Jobson

18 Feb 2010

Here in Scotland, we love a tale of the local boy doing good, and musician-turned-writer and film-maker Richard Jobson has done just that. A former member of punk band, The Skids, Jobson often sets his scene – whether it be his music, photography, film…