Anna Millar

I am Robert Mugabe

11 Aug 2008

Al Carretta is so fascinated by Robert Mugabe he’s writen two shows about the Zimbabwean despot, as Anna Millar discovers. The late, great George Bernard Shaw wrote: ‘We learn from history that we learn nothing from history.’ Never was a truer word…

Capital venture

7 Aug 2008

Travis set to open new live music venue in the capital while Tennent’s Mutual gathers pace Words: Anna Millar The Scottish music scene is in rude health this month with The Tennent’s Mutual introducing Conversations, a series of exclusive films and…

Polish theatre

Poles apart

31 Jul 2008

Sitting in a picturesque café in the heart of Warsaw – Poland’s capital and largest city – it’s easy to forget the turbulent history that has shaped this country’s place in the world today. The city has long had a reputation as a vibrant playground…

Tim Minchin - Looney tunes

31 Jul 2008

Not one for being stuck in a pigeonhole, Tim Minchin is a musician, actor, comic and father. Anna Millar meets the man who looks like a scarecrow and is terrifying the world of traditional stand-up comedy

New Musical Express

31 Jul 2008

Glasgow and Edinburgh venues host new night to help support and develop new emerging music talent. Òran Mór in Glasgow and the Caves in Edinburgh will play host to a new initiative set up by Miller Genuine Draft, The Mill, holding weekly sessions…

Event horizon - Edinburgh Mela

22 Jul 2008

While Charlotte Square Gardens, The Hub and Pleasance may think they are at the heart of the August experience, there are other cultural bonanzas going on around them. Anna Millar takes a look at some of the other Festival action Often unfairly…

Hard times - Gladder to be Gay?

Festival of Politics

22 Jul 2008

Simon Callow is heading our way with both Stonewall and Dickens on his mind. Anna Millar chats to one of theatre’s hardest working men about his love of acting and support for gay rights Mere minutes out of London rehearsals for The Magic Flute and…

A show of force - Edinburgh Military Tattoo

22 Jul 2008

A festival spectacle global in design is this year’s The Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which prepares once again to set its stall on the esplanade under the impressive backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, as it showcases the best military musicians from around…

Spirit of the age

Edinburgh Festival of Spirituality and Peace

22 Jul 2008

Another festival growing in popularity, from humble beginnings is the Festival of Spirituality & Peace. Launched just three years ago, through the Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association, the Edinburgh International Centre for World Spiritualities and…

Messiaen 100

Edinburgh International Festival

22 Jul 2008

Celebrating a centenary with intimate recitals and orchestral drama. As a composer he was the epitome of innovation; as a musician he could move a room to silent awe. That the EIF is choosing to celebrate the centenary of Olivier Messiaen as part of its…

Inside the box

Edinburgh International Television Festival

22 Jul 2008

Nestled at the end of August is the Edinburgh International Television Festival which, frustratingly, is still an industry shindig but it’s good to know the calibre of celebrities you may be bumping into around town. This year’s line-up includes Doctor…

Sound offering - sound 2008 Festival

17 Jul 2008

It might be all quiet in the Central Belt, but the cultural flurry up North continues this fortnight with the launch of sound 2008, which sets its musical stall in Aberdeen this October. Now in its fourth year, the multi-genre festival will feature two…

News in brief

17 Jul 2008

Salman Rushdie’s novel Midnight's Children has won the Best of the Booker prize, as voted for by the public. The book, first published in 1981, beat five other former Booker winners. Peter Carey, Pat Barker, JM Coetzee, Nadine Gordimer and JG Farrell…

Festival focus

17 Jul 2008

All festivals announce last minute additions to programmes

The Cab is king

17 Jul 2008

Edinburgh club Cabaret Voltaire has been crowned the best club in Scotland, beating stiff competition from the Arches and the Garage. As well as picking up the prize for Vodkapom Nightclub of the Year at the Dram Scottish Licensed Trade Awards 2008, Cab…

The new X-Files film

17 Jul 2008

The new X-Files film continued to be shrouded in mystery last week, with all the actors publically refusing to reveal the plot. Billy Connolly will star as Father Joe alongside David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson’s Mulder and Scully, in the…

Edinburgh Art Festival announces programme

Where the art is

3 Jul 2008

Another week, another festival launches. Hot on the heels of the Fringe, the EIF and the Edinburgh International Book Festival, relative newbie the Edinburgh Art Festival last week laid out its stall, boasting a roster of art glitterati from a 20-year…

Festival frenzy as Edinburgh gears up for August

3 Jul 2008

With just three weeks until Edinburgh officially takes its place in the spotlight as one of the world's greatest cultural playgrounds, festival news and views have been coming in thick and fast. Perhaps most contentious is the news that after capturing…

Edinburgh International Book Festival programme announced

19 Jun 2008

Festival fever continued apace last week following announcements about the Free Fringe Festival, The Edinburgh Interactive Festival and – most anticipated of all – the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Book Festival organisers said this year's…

The Hebrides Ensemble

19 Jun 2008

CHAMBER OPERA Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Sat 21 Jun Based on George Mackay Brown’s prose and re-imagined by Scottish composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, The Martyrdom of St Magnus was always going to leave an extraordinary legacy. Uniting the talents…

The People's Story - Days Like This project launched

19 Jun 2008

Scottish Book Trust, Scottish Arts Council and BBC Radio Scotland join forces for groundbreaking book and radio project Days Like This. People the length and breadth of Scotland are being offered the chance to share their stories, as part of a unique…

Festivals - Something For Nothing

5 Jun 2008

If you’re looking to wet a whistle, then look no further than the Orkney Beer Festival (22–24 August, www.visitorkney.com), held at the Stromness Hotel. A now annual wing-ding, guests are invited to join fellow tipplers for a taste of the local Orkney…

Festivals - Hire Learning

5 Jun 2008

From bar worker and front of house to book seller and litter picker, the festival world needs literally thousands of paid and unpaid staff to help make their events a success. DC Site Services help run many of the major festivals, so keep a close eye on…

Festivals - Strange Days Indeed

5 Jun 2008

An integral part of the cultural calendar, festivals are fast becoming a vibrant part of the tourism industry – both at home and abroad – and organisers are undoubtedly raising the bar to keep up with demand, pushing the boundaries to give the audience…

Festivals - Capital Gains

5 Jun 2008

Kicking off the capital’s world famous summer festivals in late July, it’s the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival (25 Jul–3 Aug) which is the longest running jazz festival in the UK. Following hot on its heels is relative newbie to Edinburgh’s festival…

Festivals

5 Jun 2008

Until 8 June Leith Festival Various venues, Leith, Edinburgh, prices vary www.leithfestival.com Leith Festival showcases its trademark brew of home-grown talent and big name headliners with over 100 musical acts, 50 comedians and a dozen visual…

Sex and the City - Sarah Jessica Parker interview

22 May 2008

Carrie would not be impressed. She may be decked out in stylish Versace threads, and clutching a Fendi bag, but Sarah Jessica Parker is struggling to remember who designed her shoes. ‘Um, I can’t pronounce the name correctly...’ She might not have…

Nominees revealed for 2008 Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland

22 May 2008

Dundee Rep has been hailed as the frontrunner for the 2008 Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland (CATS). The Rep heads the bill with 13 nominations across 9 categories, including Best Performance in both the male and female categories, Best Ensemble…

Top names flock to the Meadows for Taste of Edinburgh

22 May 2008

Just one week before it sets out its culinary stall in Edinburgh's Meadows, the organisers of Taste of Edinburgh have announced four new features to this year's programme. The new trimmings have been added to a festival which already promises to boast…

Property special - Rental guide

8 May 2008

Know what you want Where do you want to live and who with, if anyone? What are your expectations? Be realistic but don’t settle for something which, in a few weeks, won’t make the grade. Go it alone or agent Consider if you want to scour the…

Edinburgh International Film Festival line up revealed

8 May 2008

The Edinburgh International Film Festival took a step closer to positioning itself as June's must-see event this week, with the launch of next month's much-anticipated EIFF programme. The festival's artistic director, Hannah McGill, caused a stir late…

Leith Festival announces line up

8 May 2008

Leith provided further evidence of its status as one of the city's most vibrant areas with the launch of its annual festival. Organisers revealed that the Leith Festival would showcase its trademark brew of home grown talent, alongside big name…

Winners of the 2008 List Eating and Drinking Guide Awards revealed

24 Apr 2008

The List is delighted to reveal the winners of this year’s List Eating & Drinking Guide Awards, as we launch our 2008 guide, free with the latest issue of the magazine. Now in their sixth year, The List awards highlight some of the best eating out…

Tennent's Mutual promises a more inclusive approach for Scots music fans

24 Apr 2008

Following the announcement that this year’s Triptych festival will be the last, Tennent’s lager has revealed its latest venture, The Tennent’s Mutual. In a move to make music fans active participants in the all-new project, interested parties will…

Can Film Festival comes to Glasgow

10 Apr 2008

Green movie event shows new Leonardo DiCaprio documentary Forget Cannes and start queuing up for your tickets to the inaugural Can Film Festival. Leonardo DiCaprio’s green documentary 11th Hour is to be shown at three locations, including Glasgow…

Club promoters get heated over fly posting

27 Mar 2008

Club promoters and police are at loggerheads over the increasingly heated issue of fly posting in the capital. Club promoters told the The List they feared the increasingly ‘heavy handed’ approach of the police could have a detrimental effect on the…

Aye: An Affirmation of Martyn Bennett

28 Feb 2008

Martyn Bennett changed the face of Scottish music, marrying the high octane waves of the 90s dance scene with jazz beats, classical strings and his native Gaelic traditions. Now, the life and work of the performer and composer are set to be celebrated…

Scottish musicians at SXSW

28 Feb 2008

The South by South West (SXSW) music festival has long been considered a showcase for some of Scotland’s most eclectic bands. Now, six homegrown acts are set to continue that tradition when they travel to the festival in Austin, Texas next…

Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Visual Art unveils plans for 2008

14 Feb 2008

The private home of Scottish artist Douglas Gordon will be open to the public as part of this year’s Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Visual Art (Gi), which takes place in April. The award-winning artist will give his residence over to…

Seachd – The Inaccessible Pinnacle goes global

14 Feb 2008

Following the success of Gaelic film, Seachd – The Inaccessible Pinnacle, Young Films has secured a deal with international sales agent Altadena Films, to sell the feature globally. The film will be distributed under the title Seachd – The Crimson…

2008 Rock Ness line-up unveiled

31 Jan 2008

The picturesque surrounds of Loch Ness are set to host some of the biggest names on the UK rock scene. The Rock Ness music festival, named after its location on the banks of the famous Scottish loch, will showcase top bands, including Editors…

NEWS - Edinburgh’s King’s Theatre

17 Jan 2008

Last week’s announcement that there was ‘no imminent threat’ of closure to Edinburgh’s King’s Theatre arrived amid increased fears that the space would have to close its doors to comply with safety regulations. With any major much-needed facelift…

One Book – One Edinburgh

17 Jan 2008

The Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust launches its second One Book – One Edinburgh citywide reading campaign next month, which this year is based around Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The initiative aims to…

Fleming centenary

17 Jan 2008

Details of 007 creator Ian Fleming’s centenary year celebrations have been announced. As part of the festivities, acclaimed Birdsong writer, Sebastian Faulks, has written new James Bond tome, Devil May Care, due for publication this Spring. Penguin will…

NEWS - Glasgow’s waterfront transformation

4 Jan 2008

Glasgow looks ready to start the year in style following the announcement that the proposed £10m restaurant quarter on the waterfront will go ahead with developer Wilson Bowden at the helm. The Bowden camp will develop 30,000 square feet of…

News Extra

29 Nov 2007

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has launched in suitable style with the final big name acts being added to the bill. King Creosote appear on the Waverley Stage, while Scotland’s Red Hot Chilli Pipers will join forces with British Asian fusion band, Kismet and Go…

News in Brief - By the book

29 Nov 2007

Scottish travel guide returns with a new look and additional sections Scottish tourism comes under the microscope again this year with the latest edition of Pete Irvine’s Scotland the Best. Now in its seventh year, Irvine’s book arrives on…

Project Ability

29 Nov 2007

Teenage Fanclub will help launch Project Ability’s pre-Christmas exhibition at Monorail in Glasgow next month. The Glasgow band will show their longstanding support for the organisation with a short gig at the event, which takes place on Tuesday 4…

BAFTA - In the spotlight

15 Nov 2007

BAFTA continued to showcase its dedication to short film last week, launching details of this year’s 60 Seconds of Fame initiative. The competition, set up last year, aims to support and encourage the public to participate in filmmaking. Open to anyone…

News in Brief - First Writes

15 Nov 2007

Scottish playwright wins major accolade Scottish playwright Morna Pearson has won the Meyer-Whitworth Award for new writing in theatre for her play Distracted, which met with critical acclaim when it played at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre last…

Hitting the right note

15 Nov 2007

Scottish Opera supremo Alex Reedijk has officially launched the company’s Five:15 programme, which features such Scottish talent as Grace Notes author Bernard MacLaverty and Rebus creator Ian Rankin (pictured) working alongside such musical talents as…

007 Licensed to thrill at ECA retrospective

1 Nov 2007

A rare life study of Sir Sean Connery has been included in the Edinburgh College of Art Centenary Exhibition, Ten Decades, at the capital’s City Art Centre. The oil on canvas, which captures the star in barely there underwear, was painted by…

Participants sought for charity sleepout

1 Nov 2007

The Rock Trust, the Lothians youth homelessness charity, seeks participants to be sponsored as part of its annual ‘Sleepout’. The charity’s longest running event started in 1992 with just 40 participants; since then over 1000 people have bedded down to…

NEWS - Alison Peebles

18 Oct 2007

The List is pleased to report that acclaimed Scottish actor and director Alison Peebles has won a much coveted award at the 2007 Chicago International Film Festival. Peebles’ piece Multiple was singled out for the accolade in a competition insiders…

Film City Glasgow takes Ibsen play to big screen

4 Oct 2007

One of the Edinburgh International Festival’s most successful productions is set to make its silver screen debut, with the help of a Glasgow film company. DollHouse, based on Henrik Ibsen’s classic text, was showcased at this year’s EIF by leading…

Maggie Gyllenhaal interview

10 Sep 2007

From her award-winning turn as a shy self-harmer turned provocateur in Secretary to her recent role as a recovering junkie in SherryBaby, Maggie Gyllenhaal has long been the poster girl for disenchanted heroines, wowing the critics and attracting a…

News round-up

6 Sep 2007

Big-hearted Scottish comedy Gregory’s Girl has been hand-picked as part of a specially selected best top ten film poll by Scottish Screen. The film topped a hitlist of educational films aimed at kids. Cinema Paradiso, Monsters Inc, Great Expectations…

Tourists given art on their way out of Scotland

6 Sep 2007

The talent of one of Scotland’s most interesting upcoming writers was flying all over the globe last week. The Scottish Arts Council, in partnership with BAA Edinburgh and publisher Faber & Faber, sent 1000 international passengers home with a work of…

London showcase for best of Scottish culture

6 Sep 2007

Scotland is celebrated in style this weekend as the two-day London Gathering showcases the best of Scottish culture. Taking place for the first time on 8–9 September at The Inner Temple Gardens in London, the main stage is hosted by Hardeep Singh Kohli…

New digital video service to teach fans how to recreate songs

23 Aug 2007

Aspiring musicians are being offered the chance to learn their craft from the music maestros themselves this month, following the launch of ‘Now Play It’, a new digital video service developed to help offer a more instant and direct way of learning, to…

Orpheus X

23 Aug 2007

The gods are surely smiling on Edinburgh this month, as the American Repertory Theatre rocks up to the Edinburgh International Festival with a modern version of the Orpheus myth. The brainchild of master performer and maverick musician Rinde Eckert…

News round-up

23 Aug 2007

This year’s if.comedy awards are set to be sprinkled with a little Hollywood gold dust, when actor Christian Slater returns to the Edinburgh Fringe to announce the winner this week. Slater, who brought One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest to the Fringe in…

Spiegel Garden to stay open an extra week

23 Aug 2007

The end of the Fringe may be in sight but the carnival atmosphere shows no signs of abating. Due to overwhelming demand, the Spiegel Garden will stay open for an extra week this August, continuing the festivities after most performers have left town. As…

Christine Brewer

23 Aug 2007

As comfortable chatting about American Idol as she is arias, Christine Brewer is swift to dispel any notion of the opera diva. Indeed, from the moment she burst onto the stage as a teenager with the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Brewer knew she had…

News round-up

23 Aug 2007

Sir Sean Connery has topped a poll as the celebrity most people would want to hear reading their emails and text messages. The survey was launched by Avaya Inc, a company which creates software to combat the dangers of listening to voicemails while…

Òran Mór presents theatrical greatest hits

23 Aug 2007

It has proved to be one of Oran Mór’s most popular exports, paving the way for many variations on a theme. In early September, the hip Glasgow venue will celebrate the success of its Play, A Pie and A Pint with a special ‘best of’ week. Ae Fond Kiss…

Edinburgh International Film Festival moves to June

16 Aug 2007

After 60 years at the forefront of the biggest show on earth, the Edinburgh International Film Festival has announced plans to go it alone. From next year, the EIFF will be held in June rather than August with the rest of the Edinburgh…

Scottish Opera appoints new director

News

9 Aug 2007

Italian conductor Francesco Corti signed up as new music director

Òran Mór launches new music strand

News

9 Aug 2007

It introduced a whole new audience to theatre with its popular A Play, A Pie and A Pint series. Now Òran Mór is preparing to set its stall for something more sophisticated.

Kelvingrove to host charity art sale

NewsArts sale in aid of breast cancer charities

9 Aug 2007

The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is to hold an arts sale in aid of breast cancer charities across Scotland.

Enough is enough

1 Aug 2007

Festival Fringe Enough is enough Iris Bahr, the multi-talented star of US comedies Curb Your Enthusiasm and King of Queens makes a dramatic change of direction with her politically potent one-woman play, Dai

NEWS - Getting the Kelvingroove on

1 Aug 2007

Festival insiders have revealed potential plans to expand Kelvingroove, following the high volume of interest in the project. Hopes are high that the eco-friendly event, which kicks off this Sunday, will expand over time into a two-day event, emulating…

Edinburgh’s festivals report massive rise in early sales

1 Aug 2007

Festival fever went into overdrive this week with the Fringe, Jazz and Book festivals each reporting impressive sale hikes on last year. A spokesman for the Fringe said they were up 10% on their 2006 figures, having already smashed previous records on…

Meow Meow in Beyond Glamour: The Absinthe Tour

1 Aug 2007

‘It’s sequins and razors, my darling. That’s what my show’s about,’ explains Meow Meow, who deems her real name and place of origin ‘simply not necessary’ to the conversation. It is, she coos in a faint Aussie drawl, ‘all about the art.’...

The List Launches New Website

1 Aug 2007

The List this week launches its new website. The launch comes as the magazine prepares for an exciting new phase in its development and begins to roll out new content and services online. Alistair Brown, general manager of The List’s digital team, said…

Tom Tom Club

19 Jul 2007

Director Scott Maidment has reason to be cheerful. His latest show from Australia, Tom Tom Club, is currently re-defining the circus genre. ‘It seems to appeal to everyone, from 14-year-old girls on MySpace to highbrow physical theatre lovers,’ he says.

Orpheus X

19 Jul 2007

It is a brave man who takes on the darkest echelons of the underworld, electric guitar in hand. For performer and composer Rinde Eckert it was like poetry in motion.

Compton Mackenzie - Whisky Galore (1947)

100 Best Scottish Books of all Time

1 Jan 2005

Compton Mackenzie's timeless text is a triumph. Inspired by the real events of 1941, when a cargo ship ran aground in the channel between Eriskay and South Uist, Whisky Galore! is the gentle, comical story of how the booty on board became appropriated…

Kenneth Grahame - The Wind in the Willows (1908)

100 Best Scottish Books of all Time

1 Jan 2005

As satirical works go, novels exporting the animal instinct have enjoyed a certain longevity, from George Orwell's Animal Farm to Pierre Boulle's Planet of the Apes. While more upbeat in temperament, Kenneth Grahame's cleverly imagined exposé of late…