Anna Millar

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…

Ambitious outdoor arts festival Roofless

Artists Olivier Grossetete and Sumit Sarkar to create public art projects over the next year

22 May 2012

They say if you’re going to think, think big, and that’s exactly what Roofless, Scotland’s all-new outdoor arts festival is doing, with impressive scale and great purpose. Plotted initially in five locations, and bringing together professional artists…

Oliver! set for run at Edinburgh Playhouse

Cameron Mackintosh-produced epic featuring original Lionel Bart score

23 May 2012

‘Cameron Mackintosh doesn’t do small,’ announces Brian Conley, his warm grin a lifetime away from the Fagin character he depicts in the Scots impressario’s successful revival of Oliver! TV star Conley’s acclaimed turns in Jolson and Hairspray suggest a…

Claire Sweeney takes lead role in Educating Rita revival

The actress discusses Willy Russell's much-loved script

15 May 2012

Whether on stage or screen, few can forget Willy Russell’s young, earnest heroine, in Educating Rita, a working class girl hungry for education who finds herself under the tutelage of a lost, boozed up lecturer, searching for life beyond academia. For…

CATS awards to be hosted by Alan Cumming

David Harrower, Maureen Beattie and Stuart Bowman in the running for prestigious theatre awards

23 May 2012

He’s one of the busiest actors at work today, preparing for curtain up on his one-man version Macbeth, but Alan Cumming is to take time out from rehearsals to host this year’s Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland. The CATS, which this year celebrates…

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…

Jennifer Aniston to star opposite Gerard Butler in Goree Girls

27 Nov 2008

Jennifer Aniston is said to be starring opposite Gerard Butler in Goree Girls, a prison movie she is producing. Aniston is said to have approached the Scottish actor after seeing him play opposite Hilary Swank in PS I Love You.

The most infamous Fringe controversies

As the Edinburgh Fringe launches its 2012 programme we recall some of our favourite Fringe scandals

22 May 2012

Festival sinners As the Edinburgh Fringe launches its 2012 programme we recall some of our favourite Fringe controversies Kangaroo Theatre raised religious sensitivities in 2006 when the company staged the notoriously scandalous sex scenes of DH…

Brian Conley to play Fagin in Oliver!

The new Cameron Mackintosh production is stopping at Edinburgh's Playhouse

15 May 2012

‘Cameron Mackintosh doesn’t do small,’ announces Brian Conley, his warm grin a lifetime away from the Fagin character he depicts in the Scots impressario’s successful revival of Oliver!. TV star Conley’s acclaimed turns in Jolson and Hairspray suggest a…

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…

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…

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

Singin’ in the Rain - Long to rain over us

25 Jun 2009

Anna Millar looks forward to some old-school hoofing in Singin’ in the Rain

Bike Week Scotland 2009 - Danny MacAskill Inspired Bicycles

11 Jun 2009

The UK’s biggest mass participation cycling event kicks off this issue, promoting the idea of communities bandying together to get fit and have fun. With Bike Week 2009, organisers are encouraging everyone to ‘get more out of life’. To help…

News in brief

19 Feb 2009

Organisers at Glasgow’ s Celtic Connections have reported ‘an extremely successful’ year, with ticket sales reportedly on a par with 2008. Festival heads also announced that they had secured sponsorship for another year. The Greek Film Festival…

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

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 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…

Edinburgh International Science Festival 2012 - highlights

Derren Brown and giant eyes among the top events at this year's EISF

8 Mar 2012

Illusions, experiments, fire-walking and food are just some of the treats in store at this year’s Edinburgh International Science Festival. With events in more venues than ever before, 2012’s programme welcomes scientists, comedians, psychologists…

Dixie's Tupperware Party - Plastic fantastic

A ruder version of Dame Edna

28 Jul 2009

Dixie Longate is not your average type of gal. She may be a street-smart, fast-talking belle these days, but life hasn’t always been so easy. Having thrown off the shackles of her trailer park existence back in 2001, she was saved by Tupperware. A life…

Sharp Shooting

2 Apr 2009

Following its notable success last year, The List is pleased to see the return of the 48 Hour Film Project (48HFP), to Edinburgh’s Cameo cinema at the end of May. Filmmakers from across Scotland will be offered the opportunity to spend a weekend making…

The Hot 100 2008

11 Dec 2008

It’s been a helluva year. 2008 has been a time of significant global change, socially, politically and culturally, with Scotland no exception. So here, for your delectation, is The List’s pick of the 100 people, places and things that rocked our world…

Spotlight on Titian

27 Nov 2008

Hopes were revived earlier this month that Edinburgh’s national galleries may be able to acquire Titian’s Diana and Actaeon. The piece, which has resided in the National Galleries of Scotland for more than 60 years, courtesy of their owner the Duke of…

The Man Who Lived Twice production from Birds of Paradise

Play dramatising meeting between Edward Sheldon and John Gielgud

27 Feb 2012

Writer, actor and director Garry Robson loves a challenge, and as the pen behind Birds of Paradise’s upcoming production The Man Who Lived Twice he’s given himself just that. In dramatising the meeting between legendary American playwright Edward…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Catwalk Confidential

70s fashion icon Robyn Peterson

10 Aug 2009

Talent-spotted by Valentino aged 14, 70s fashion icon Robyn Paterson jumped a plane from Miami to Paris in search of fame and fortune. While a familiarity with the lifestyle of 00s glitterati makes the shock value of this well-heeled one-woman show a…

Big Screen Edinburgh: Scratch ‘n’ Sniff Cinema

9 Jul 2009

It’s pillows at the ready this month, as Scratch ‘n’ Sniff Cinema sets its stall to showcase one of the country’s best loved films. As part of a national programme of events to mark London 2012 Open Weekend, comedy drama Gregory’s Girl will be shown…

Scottish Opera - Five:15

19 Feb 2009

As a savvy soul once surmised, ‘the more opera is dead, the more it flourishes.’ Just take the rise and rise of Scottish Opera. While the opera cynic waxed lyrical about the need to redefine the remit for a noughties audience, there they were setting…

Shivago Thai Clinic

8 Jan 2009

Mental note to self: stop channelling Gwyneth. As a glass cup is set alight, blown out then placed on my back, things at the Shivago Thai Clinic, off Edinburgh's High Street, are feeling decidedly un-Hollywood. Indeed, as the foreign contraption comes…

Plans annnounced for British Music Experience exhibition

27 Nov 2008

Amy Winehouse and David Bowie are just two of the names said to be backing a new exhibition charting the history of British pop. The British Music Experience is set to open at the O2 in London in March and will feature a mix of costumes and instruments…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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

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

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…

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…

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…

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…

Anguish With Posie

6 Jan 2010

Fans of spoken word night DiScomBoBuLate will be no stranger to Ian Macpherson’s ability to wax lyrical. A creative powerhouse for writers, actors, comics and directors, the night helped provide the inspiration for Macpherson’s upcoming play, Anguish…

Scottish Matthew Bourne showcase given go-ahead

19 Nov 2009

A new piece of work by dance legend Matthew Bourne will be staged as a result of National Lottery Funding. The King’s Theatre and Theatre Royal have been awarded £265,905 by the Scottish Arts Council (SAC) as part of a £2.5million National Lottery…

Christmas and Hogmanay 2009 in Edinburgh

4 Nov 2009

It’s been all go for the last few weeks, as those in the know ponder how to bring you the best of times this Christmas and Hogmanay. In the capital, Edinburgh City Council is reportedly already looking to shindigs in 2010 and beyond, with early…

Guide to Edinburgh's Old Town

24 Sep 2009

Not for nothing is the Old Town famed for its tartan tat. From Jimmy hats to bagpipes and ‘I Heart Scotland’ badges to ‘I Love Ewe’ cards, it’s all too easy to write off Auld Reekie’s historical hub as simply a place to partake in the city’s…

Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 2009 launches

10 Sep 2009

Singer Karine Polwart is just one of the many names putting her name – and voice – behind this year’s Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. Now in its third year, the festival explores mental health in its broadest sense with almost 200 events…

Scottish Islands: The essentials

6 Aug 2009

Go in search of the fairies The Isle of Mull’s MacKinnon’s Cave is believed to be the deepest in the Hebrides. A winding path leads towards a waterfall just before the mouth of the Cave and folklore suggests that it offers a passage to the underworld…

Sex-themed shows at the Edinburgh Festival

Three very different Fringe shows with a lust for life

13 Jul 2009

From origami private parts to Jesus as a nightclubbing homosexual, the Edinburgh Fringe seldom lacks controversy. Talk of The Chippendales rocking into town direct from an oiled-up stint in Las Vegas, has already had the chattering classes gasping for a…

Scottish Arts Council award for St Peter’s Seminary development proposal

14 May 2009

The List is delighted to report on NVA’s announcement that they will play a ‘major role’ in plans to save St Peter’s Seminary and Kilmahew Woodlands. The Glasgow based environmental charity will use the £45,600 award fund given to them by the Scottish…

Take Me Out

2 Apr 2009

From cycling, pirate ships, dolphin watching and woodland walks to face-painting, castles, beaches and alien designs, Anna Millar handpicks some of the finest days out and events this Easter, whether you’re a big or a little kid

News in brief

5 Mar 2009

Six short films have been made with a £250,000 Scottish Screen investment, to be shown at international festivals in 2009 and 2010. Scottish shorts have already enjoyed success with documentary Breadmakers which screened at Sundance 2007 and won the…

Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival and goNORTH

19 Feb 2009

The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival is offering budding filmmakers the chance to have their work screened across the country. The winner will see their work up on the big screen in cinemas across Scotland this October, with entries…

Gaelic film festival announced as part of Celtic Connections

8 Jan 2009

Film companies Craic and MG ALBA have announced details of an all Gaelic film festival to be held between 22–24 Jan at the CCA in Glasgow, presented as part of this year’s Celtic Connections festival. Held over three days, the festival will showcase…

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…

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…

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…

Review of Reviews - Human Don't Be Angry

What we said and what they said about the debut album from Malcolm Middleton's latest project

26 Mar 2012

What we said ‘While Malcolm Middleton’s solo lyrics are typified by self-deprecation, Human Don’t Be Angry’s vocalisms are more forthright, driven and loved-up.’ The List What they said ‘Middleton is a master when it comes to this and previous…

Dear Glasgow theatre season focuses on Middle East and North Africa

New project from Oran Mor’s A Play, a Pie and a Pint strand

21 Mar 2012

With the Syrian crisis showing no sign of abating, the human story behind the various conflicts and uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa has seldom been so urgent. It’s an issue that David MacLennan, artistic director of Oran Mor’s A Play, a…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…