Laura Ennor

Summer Festivals 2012: Community

Solas, Leith and West End Fests among the best community-focused fests around Scotland this summer

25 May 2012

West End Festival Where: Various venues, West End of Glasgow, 1–24 Jun, westendfestival.co.uk Price: Free–£20 for bigger gigs Line-up: James Yorkston, Howard Marks, Suzanne Vega, Michael Marra, We Were Promised Jetpacks You want to learn Gaelic in…

Classic Cuts Summer Season at A Play, a Pie and a Pint

Bite-sized classics being served up for lunch at Oran Mor

23 May 2012

In what is traditionally a quiet time for theatre, Glaswegians in search of a dramatic fix are strikingly well-served, and for those who don’t fancy giving up their precious long summer evenings there’s an especially tasty array of bite-sized classics…

Stag & Dagger, various venues, Glasgow, Sat 19 May

Eleanor Friedberger and Miaoux Miaoux play as part of 13 hour gig crawl

22 May 2012

While its London sister seems to have died a death, presumably smothered by a surfeit of such hipster-friendly crawls and brawls in the English capital, the Glasgow leg of multi-venue one-dayer Stag and Dagger happily lives on, albeit with perhaps a…

The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Comedy about republicanism, terrorists and dead cats follows predictable arc

25 Apr 2012

A comedy about republicanism, terrorists, and dead cats that’s more fun than it sounds, The Lieutenant of Inishmore displays Martin McDonagh’s talent for harnessing the comic potential in those peculiarly Irish turns of phrase. Many of the play’s best…

Tinariwen - Oran Mor, Glasgow, Thu 5 Apr 2012

An evocative but occasionally flat show from the Tuareg blues guitarists

23 Apr 2012

A beguiling mix of blues guitar sounds, gently insistent but sometimes complex rhythms and desert sensibilities is what’s always made Tinariwen unique. Live, the blend is all the more compelling, which must be due, at least in part, to the sheer…

The best breakfasts in Glasgow

The best all-rounders in the west, plus a few specific breakfast-item highlights

29 Mar 2012

Café Gandolfi 64 Albion Street, 552 6813, cafegondolfi.com Breakfast served: Mon-Sat 8am-noon; Sun 9am-noon. The long-standing, Scottish cuisine-focused eatery has beefed up its breakfasts in recent years, resulting in a menu with eight different egg…

The best breakfasts in Edinburgh

The finest cafes, bistros and restaurants in the capital for a morning meal

29 Mar 2012

Broughton Delicatessen 7 Barony Street, 558 7111, broughton-deli.co.uk Breakfast served: Mon–Sat 8am–3pm; Sun 11am–3pm. What does this place not do well? A great deli, healthy lunches and superb, made-from-scratch breakfasts from morning until 3pm…

The Marriage of Figaro

DC Jackson breathes new life into Beaumarchais’ 18th-century original

28 Mar 2012

With this energetic adaptation of Beaumarchais’ 18th-century original, DC Jackson has breathed fresh life into a classic. It’s a good-humoured, good-time show, with just enough emotional power up its sleeve (plus a few other surprises) to make you feel…

The Cornshed Sisters - Tell Tales

Reminiscent of The Unthanks with extra dollops of pop sensibility

26 Mar 2012

(Memphis Industries) A gentle debut with just enough edge and earthy Northern lilt to balance the sweetness of the bell-like vocal harmonies, Tell Tales is the work of four non-sisters from Tyne and Wear. The tales told stretch from the overtly…

First Aid Kit - King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, Mon 27 Feb

Young Swedish sisters' take on country hints at originality and potential

16 Mar 2012

One of the things that really stands out on Swedish sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg’s recent second album, The Lion’s Roar, is the maturity of the songwriting. It’s striking how these two, with barely 40 years on this planet between them, have…

Human Don’t Be Angry - The Arches, Glasgow, Sat 25 Feb

Malcolm Middleton's side project gets a satisfying full-band outing

29 Feb 2012

For those who knew Malcolm Middleton only from his days as one half of the funniest band ever to be famous for misery, or even as the alt folk jangler behind ‘A Brighter Beat’ and one-time Christmas No 1 outsider ‘We’re All Going to Die’, this, the…

Of Mice and Men

Quietly shocking aftertaste of Lyceum Steinbeck adaptation

27 Feb 2012

Director John Dove breaks his run of eminently solid productions of Arthur Miller plays at the Lyceum with this solid adaptation of John Steinbeck. And in a similar style to shows like 2010’s The Price, the sets here are towering, intricate and…

King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - O2 ABC, Glasgow, Thu 26 Jan 2012

Expanded line-up works well in large venue - once everyone relaxes

16 Feb 2012

The few gentle piano chords and overheard Fife chit-chat that form the start of ‘First Watch,’ the opener on King Creosote and Jon Hopkins’ Diamond Mine, are all it takes to bring a sold out crowd to what is, for this venue in particular, an uncannily…

The Unthanks, Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, Tue 24 Jan

Sisters deliver inventive tribute to Robert Wyatt and Antony Hegarty

3 Feb 2012

This Celtic Connections show was the last planned outing for what Rachel Unthank, with inordinate modesty, refers to as ‘our self-indulgent experiment’ – that is, the Northumbrian folk collective’s double tribute to the songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony…

An Appointment with the Wicker Man

Robin Hardy’s 1973 classic to become the play-within-the-play for new NTS production

1 Feb 2012

‘There are many films that people would love to see adapted cleanly onto the stage,’ says Greg Hemphill, and if current trends are anything to go by, he looks to be right, ‘but when we discussed it with Vicky [Featherstone, National Theatre of Scotland…

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…

Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard - The Third Door, Edinburgh, Wed 26 Oct 2011

Near two-hour set pulls disparate parts into satisfying whole

15 Nov 2011

For this, one of the first gigs at the refreshed and renamed Third Door venue (formerly Medina, and now boasting a beefier new sound system), big personalities and hearts on sleeves are very much the order of the day. Opener Viking Moses is one Brendon…

Director Stewart Laing on The Salon Project

Immersive theatre project hopes to recreate the intellectual gatherings of late 19th century Paris

21 Sep 2011

Show us the man or woman who isn’t even a little excited by the thought of dressing up and becoming someone else for the night, and we’ll show you a liar. Now best known as a director, but originally a designer, Untitled Projects’ director Stewart Laing…

Best Coast and Spectrals - Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Tue 30 Aug

1 Sep 2011

It’s easy to see why Best Coast take Spectrals on tour with them every time they come to Europe: the Leeds-based band’s sound mirrors that of their LA buddies in almost every way – up to the bit where the singer is an insouciant lad from Heckmondwick…

Medea

Modern-edged take let down by cast

23 Aug 2011

Critical Mass theatre’s modern-edged take on Euripides’ story of the woman who killed her children never quite delivers the emotional clout promised by its heart-wrenching storyline. Stella Duffy’s script is gutsy and raw, but delivered unimaginatively…

Devotion

Incredible performances hindered by weak story

23 Aug 2011

Insofar as it attempts to convey the depth of feeling engendered by the traditions and solemn ceremony of the bullfight, Devotion just about succeeds, powered by two stunningly intense performances from its male leads. However its story is too slight…

John Robins: Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

Prosaic anecdotes told with gusto and irresistible affability

23 Aug 2011

For a show purportedly about religion, it’s remarkably light on ideas. The professed theme is a launch pad for a collection of faintly prosaic anecdotes, told with gusto and an irresistible affability. Robins is a fluent storyteller, and after puffing…

The Boy with Tape on his Face

Line up early for a mime with universal appeal

19 Aug 2011

The Boy has become a victim of his own success. A word to the wise before we lose ourselves to unabashed gushing: if you want to see this show, turn up early and be prepared to queue, for someone here has made a grave error in their choice of space. For…

Crunch

Cunning manipulation of attitudes to money

17 Aug 2011

A theatrical performance acutely parodying motivational lectures, or an actual motivational lecture? Gary McNair is playing with his audience, and they’re probably not the type who thought they were susceptible to such things. They probably think…

The Segue Sisters in … Jailbirds

Flippant harmonious fun behind bars

17 Aug 2011

It’s utterly incidental to the show, but let’s run through the story anyway: the three Segue Sisters have been convicted of song theft and sent down to a prison that’s a cross between Chicago’s sexed-up cell blocks and a Disney dungeon. As the trio of…

The Three Englishmen: Optimists

Straightforward and inspired hour of sketches

16 Aug 2011

In keeping with its title, Optimists is fun and cheerful, with some crackingly original ideas behind the pacy mix of wordplay, gentle pop culture ribbing, off-the-wall surrealism and well-executed musical comedy. The four (yup, four) play to their…

The Tour Guide

A tour guide going off the rails on real Edinburgh tour bus

16 Aug 2011

A real Edinburgh tour bus, a real leaflet with a route map and all the sights, a real MacTours uniform, and an actor playing a tour guide who’s going off the rails. But the ripe potential of having an audience who are literally captive – not to mention…

The Star Child

Sweet piece of storytelling theatre

16 Aug 2011

Fairytale fun and a cautionary but light tale about the dangers of vanity from nimble young ensemble Tell Tale Theatre, who have created a sweet piece of storytelling theatre, marred only by the odd bit of stilted delivery. In a small space they…

Frimston and Rowett

A collection of decent comic coceits that overstay their welcome

15 Aug 2011

Almost every sketch this duo bring out has a great play on words or a pleasingly silly concept at its heart, but far too often they pass the point where the sketch should naturally end. Trying to make quantity do the work of quality where their beloved…

Claudia O’Doherty

Refreshingly different character comedy performance

14 Aug 2011

As the proud presenter of a 26-part documentary about soil erosion that has inexplicably (to her mind, at least) failed to get a television deal, O’Doherty is a master of is-she-or-isn’t-she-in-character tension. Coming across as a lovably moonstruck…

Late Night Gimp Fight!

Fast-paced sketches are more smutty than obscene

12 Aug 2011

Turn up to a show like this at such a late hour and you should know what you’re letting yourself in for. Despite the establishment whiff that hangs around an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination, if you can’t stomach jokes about bumming, incest and the Ku…

Oedipus by Steven Berkoff (after Sophocles)

Archly stylised production from a contrary master

11 Aug 2011

Steven Berkoff has written, directed and taken a key role in this quasi-modern retelling of one of Greek mythology’s most notorious plots, and it’s got his contrary stamp all over it. An odd and stylised production set around a huge, long, Last…

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

Children’s adaptation that’s hard to follow

11 Aug 2011

Joan Aiken’s 1963 novel gets an adaptation that is admirable in its aim to offer children something with a grown-up, unpatronising feel, but falls well short of the mark in its execution. The story is one of high adventure: feisty young Bonnie and her…

I Hope My Heart Goes First

Remarkable young company delves into matters of the heart

8 Aug 2011

If you want to know what it feels like to watch this show, you could do worse than to listen to the song from whose lyrics it takes its title – Cardiff indie-poppers Los Campesinos’ ‘We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed’ – a four-minute scrunched-up ball of…

The Table

Puppet show silliness backed up by serious skill

8 Aug 2011

Blind Summit are a company of puppetry geeks, with the triptych of pieces that make up The Table, they’ve made a show that lovingly reflects that. They’re also a company with a great sense of fun, and happily this hour-and-a-bit more than embodies that…

The Chronicles of Bitter and Twisted

Charming and cheeky fairy tale sequel

8 Aug 2011

A sequel to the classic outsider tale, these chronicles are best suited to the suggested 7+ age range – those younger or more sensitive are likely to find the matters at hand (bullying and exclusion) upsetting, and the several concurrent threads of the…

Roar

Stylish, sexy romp is frequently hilarious but not without emotion

8 Aug 2011

If you want your ‘sexy romp’ boxes ticked, this is the place to do it. Dumbshow’s Roar is a stylish, exuberant tale of gin-soaked 17th-century wenches led by a ‘Moll Cutpurse’ channelling Beyoncé in full-on she-lion mode. Bawdy, slick and…

Radio Deluxembourg

Parodic retro-kitsch with utterly unfunny script and weary cast

8 Aug 2011

A parodic retro-kitsch adventure in which a twee sibling pop duo are kidnapped by an evil alien overlord and forced to perform radio plays on his intergalactic frequency could work, but here it doesn’t. More foot in mouth than tongue in cheek, the cast…

Neil by Mouth

Energy and whimsy but far too many groans

7 Aug 2011

In his first and foremost career as a presenter on MTV and covering all manner of extreme sports, Neil Cole may have come across as a funny guy, but here he flatly fails to make the leap into live stand-up. It’s certainly not for a lack of energy: he…

DeAnne Smith

Boys want to be her, girls want to sleep with her

5 Aug 2011

DeAnne Smith is a cutie and she knows how to use it. With a perky demeanour and little-girl voice, Bieber-esque fringe and a wardrobe nicked from Billy Joe Armstrong’s slimmer days, she strides onto the stage and lulls us into a false sense of…

Remembering Annabel explores memory and regret

Edgar Allan Poe-inspired show by tipped Scottish company

27 Jul 2011

Edgar Allan Poe-inspired show by tipped Scottish company Young company Cathartic Connections, all students or graduates of Queen Margaret University’s well regarded drama and performance courses, already have something of a home team advantage in the…

The Girl with the Iron Claws

Dark fairy tale about a woman who falls in love with a bear

26 Jul 2011

It’s hard to think of anywhere further from the electrified hustle of Edinburgh in August than a stove-lit yurt on Dartmoor in the depths of winter – and yet that’s where the seeds were sown in Hannah Mulder’s mind for her company The Wrong Crowd’s…

Weezer interview - UK music festival dates for US alt-rock band

US pop hook machine tour setlist includes best of first two albums

28 Jun 2011

In the roster of songs custom-made for belting out in the midst of a giddy summer festival haze, Weezer have surely snatched a few of the top spots in their two decades as a band. Escapist grooves like ‘Island in the Sun’ and ‘Holiday’ complement…

tUnE-yArDs, Captain’s Rest – Glasgow, Wed 15 Jun 2011

Merrill Garbus is an offbeat, un-obvious, must-see pop act

23 Jun 2011

Three years after she self-released homemade album BiRd-BrAiNs, recognition and even a degree of hype are finally starting to come the way of Merrill Garbus, aka tUnE-yArDs, and so it is that her Wednesday night show at the Captain’s Rest (a venue she…

Casablanca: The Gin Joint Cut

Morag Fullarton's classic compact, lunch-hour friendly show

15 Jun 2011

It’s nothing new of course, but the Oran Mor has been incubating many a theatrical hit in its lunchtime theatre slot of late, and the latest to make the jump into the evening hours and bigger stages is Morag Fullarton’s Casablanca: The Gin Joint…

How to put on a festival: Essential dos and don'ts

Organising your own music festival

30 May 2011

There are days now when The List can barely pop out for a pint of milk without tripping over a pop-up shop, flashmob silent disco or warehouse rave; and that’s not just because we live in a particularly hip part of town, it’s because this is the age of…

Generation

Glasgow theatre company Glas(s) Performance looks at the political views of today's teenagers

27 May 2011

Following swiftly on from a winter of discontent that was nowhere more pronounced than among our nation’s young people, comes a new show from Glasgow company Glas(s) Performance looking at the perspectives of today’s 17- and 18-year-olds on life, the…

Metronomy - Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, Mon 25 Apr 2011

Danceable electropop from new album The English Riviera

26 Apr 2011

There's a sweaty buzz about Cabaret Voltaire even before Metronomy step on stage, but it takes a little while before the band themselves really warm up. While Joseph Mount's gang of electropop maestros are never less than competent and the quality of…

Jemima Levick and Jo Clifford adapt Tolstoy's Anna Karenina for the Dundee Rep

20 Apr 2011

Jemima Levick is what you might call a safe pair of hands – a fact borne witness to by a string of well-received shows at Dundee Rep and an armful of awards from her freelance days. Couple that reputation with a classic novel and a script by Jo Clifford…