Scotland’s thriving rum scene

Peter Holland, co-host of The Scottish Rum Festival masterclasses, tells us about Scotland’s thriving rum scene ahead of this year’s festival.    Ever since Dark Matter hit the news in 2015 for being the first Scottish Rum-producing distillery to open in the modern era, the Scottish Rum scene has been growing year on year. Fast…

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Tattoo performers head for ball pit

FOUR of the performers from the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo have taken time out to enjoy the capital’s biggest ball pit. The perforners have been playing in the Electro Pipes section of the tattoo, which “fuses together traditional bagpipe melodies with contemporary electronic beats to craft a lively and vibrant experience”. “The tattoo performers taking…

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Festival Review: Phaedra/Minotaur

Madeleine Sutton reviews Phaedra/Minotaur at the Edinburgh International Festival. IN THIS production of Phaedra/Minotaur – which pairs Benjamin Britten’s final poignant cantata Phaedra, with the moving new dance piece Minotaur – opera and theatre director Deborah Warner and choreographer Kim Brandstrup take us through themes of passion, female desire, and devastation. Phaedra, based on Robert…

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Famous penguin Sir Nils Olav gets promoted

ARGUABLY the world’s most famous penguin, Sir Nils Olav, has been promoted once more. Olav was raised from the rank of brigadier to major-general during a ceremony at Edinburgh Zoo. More than 160 members of the King’s Guard Band & Drill Team of Norway attended the event and bestowed Olav with his latest honour. The…

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Fringe Review: Trash Test Dummies

Alister Tenneb reviews Trash Test Dummies at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. THIS acrobatic/circus/slapstick performance essentially revolves around three wheelie bins – doesn’t fill you with delight? The show is geared towards kids ten years and under and judging by the near constant shouts, shrieks, squeals of laughter from their younger attendees they certainly know their…

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Edinburgh Riding of the Marches returns

THE Edinburgh Riding of the Marches will return on 10 September following a three-year gap. The event traces its roots to the historic riding of the boundaries – or “marches” – of the city, which dates back to 1579. The practice died out after 1718 but was revived in 1946 to mark the end of…

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Fringe Review: Frank Skinner: 30 Years of Dirt

Alister Tenneb reviews Frank Skinner: 30 Years of Dirt at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. I FIRST saw Frank Skinner more than 30 years ago, performing in one of the smallest rooms in the Pleasance Courtyard, a couple of years before he won The Perrier Award. I think there were about five people in the crowd.…

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Fringe Review: Paul Foot: Dissolve

Alister Tenneb reviews Paul Foot: Dissolve at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. PAUL FOOT enters the room and immediately is right up shouting into people’s faces in a pretty full-on manner – possibly it’s his way of laying down the rules for audience engagement. I’m glad not to be on the receiving end of it. He…

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Fringe Review: Il Wol Dang

Megan Amato reviews Il Wol Dang at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. BEFORE interviewing Il Wol Dang, I had been intrigued by their beautifully simplistic poster with their slogan “Come and Take a Dreamy Nap”. Further research led me to their Spotify account with a setlist that combines traditional Korean and western instruments in a captivating…

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