Culture
Fringe Review: Shitty Mozart
Richard Bath finds proof that ‘just because you can, it doesn’t mean you should’ at this one man show. ★★ The premise of this show is that Mozart was cloned, but that because the boffins used one of Amadeus’s pubes, the sub-optimal result was a replica with next to no musical talent. This one-man multimedia concerto was…
Read MoreFringe Review: Adults Only Magic Show
Richard Bath heads out for an adults-only night of magic and comedy. ★★★★ Short version: I really enjoyed this, and it was comfortably the best thing I saw in the opening couple of days of the Fringe. It didn’t start promisingly with amusing but dick-obsessed compere Magnus ‘Danger’ Magnus delivering some smutty innuendo that would…
Read MoreSlave to the rhythm: Scottish Colourists, J. D. Fergusson
The most progressive and cosmopolitan of the Scottish Colourists, J. D. Fergusson expressed his national identity and love of sensual pleasures in dynamic modern paintings that interweave rhythm and colour, says Mary Miers. John Duncan Fergusson is a central figure in the story of early-20th-century art. Here we take a look at his background. For…
Read MoreMànran kick off the takeover of Edinburgh Mound throughout the Fringe Festival
Trad supergroup Mànran has kicked off the takeover of Edinburgh’s Mound throughout the Fringe Festival. Hundreds of Scots piled onto the Mound on 1 August as they enjoyed an hour-long set from the Scottish group. The award-winning seven-piece band has been at the heart of the scene for over a decade and are recognised as…
Read MoreLargest Scottish freshwater pearl in living memory to be sold at auction
Scotland’s largest freshwater pearl, the largest in living memory, is going under the hammer – and could fetch £60,000. Discovered in 1967, the Abernethy Pearl, was named after its finder, Bill Abernethy, who was famously known as Scotland’s last pearl fisherman. Weighing 43.6 grains, the size and quality of the Abernethy Pearl is remarkable. But…
Read MoreTake a voyage of discovery with Glasgow Boy Sir John Lavery
His travels took him from Belfast to Scotland and New York, via Paris and Morocco. But Glasgow Boy Sir John Lavery never travelled without his painting kit. The latest exhibition of his work at the National Galleries of Scotland explores his incredible adventures through 90 portraits and impressionistic landscapes. The glamour of a lost era…
Read MoreChildren’s book review: The Highland Cowgirl and The Great Auk’s Great Escape
Izzy Alexander takes a look at two new children’s picture books by debut author Louisa MacDougall. The Highland Cowgirl by Louisa MacDougall is a delightful and imaginative story designed for young readers (age three and above). This charming book combines the enchanting landscapes of Highland Scotland with the adventurous spirit of the Wild West,…
Read MoreEdinburgh Festival Fringe: 5 shows to see this year
Looking for something to see at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year, but not sure where to start? We take a look at five shows you should add to your list. Jack Docherty in The Chief – No Apologies 2 – 15 August, 8pm. Gilded Balloon Patter House. Calling all sitcom fanatics to grab their…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Daniel Aubrey: ‘I started writing crime fiction because of Harlan Coben. Damn, that man can write a plot twist’
Daniel Aubrey has been shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize with his crime fiction novel, Dark Island. The first book I remember reading: It was a book called Time Rope. I must have been about eight or nine at the time, and I was absolutely hooked. It was a trilogy, I think, but…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Heather Critchlow: ‘The moment I learnt to read still seems magical’
Heather Critchlow on learning to read as a child, reading until she falls asleep and the book she recommends to everyone. The first book I remember reading: Little Bear Stories – I still remember the first two lines (It is cold. Look at the snow.) Every morning when I was learning to read, I’d…
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