In Edinburgh, as one festival ends another one (or five) begins; this week we wave goodbye to the Italian Film Festival, only to say hello to Screening Irish History – and of course to many other things Irish, as Wednesday is St Patrick’s Day.
Ceilidhs, variety shows, music, storytelling – and a promising night of ‘fast feet and fiddles’ – await you (and they’re not all on the day itself, so pay attention…).
If you’re feeling exhausted already, how about some knitting? You can hear about the history of the craft that brought you the Christmas jumper at the National Library, or you can even have a go yourself at Sofi’s Knitting Club. And if you’d rather see wool worn by its original owner, the Cameo is showing Icelandic film Rams, in which two sheep farming brothers called Gummi and Kiddi unite against the establishment; those names alone are surely worth the price of a ticket.
Enjoy your week – and do remember to check details with organisers before you set out.
MONDAY 14TH MARCH 2016
Picturehouse Toddler Time: exclusive short screenings for pre-school children and their parents and carers. Today: Boj Marsh 2016 (U): Boj, the creative little bilby at the heart of the CBeebies hit animated series, inspires everyone with his practical acts of kindness. His new neighbours in Giggly Park are often seen helping each other out now – thanks to Boj. A collection of some of the best episodes, which all share one thing in common – each ends on a big Thank You sing-song! 11am, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets cost £3 per child, accompanying adult free.
Daily Highlight Tours of the Portrait Gallery: come aboard a 30-minute guided tour of the Portrait Gallery – discover more about the history of the building and explore highlights from the collection with a curator, educator or gallery attendant. 3pm today and every day until 1st April, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free but limited to 15 places per tour. Book your place at the Portrait Gallery information desk.
For Crying Out Loud: screenings for parents and carers and their babies under the age of 12 months. (Maximum of two adults per baby). Babychanging, bottle-warming and buggy parking facilities are available. Today’s film is Mavis (PG), the first documentary to tell the story of music legend and civil rights icon Mavis Staples and The Staple Singers. From their freedom songs, to hits like I’ll Take You There, to her collaborations with Prince and Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Mavis has inspired millions whilst keeping her family close. And, at the age of 75, she continues to record, win awards and reach new generations of fans. 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4.50/£3.50.
Watercolour, (c) the artist.
The Torrance Gallery: Ken Ferguson. The Innerleithen-based artist exhibits works showcasing the Scottish Mountains, the West Coast of Scotland,Venice and Lake Garda. 11am-6pm Monday to Friday, 10.30am-4pm Saturdays, The Torrance Gallery, 36 Dundas Street. Ends 26th March 2016.
Walking and Weeding in a Shrinking World: The Strange Case of Robert Louis Stevenson. Louis Kirk McAuley explores how both walking and weeding contributed to Robert Louis Stevenson’s writing, and to his increasing awareness of what contemporary economists (and ecologists) call our ‘shrinking world.’ Louis Kirk McAuley is Associate Professor of English at Washington State University and the author of Print Technology in Scotland and America 1740-1800. He is also the Library’s first Fulbright Scholar. 2pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or via eventbrite here.
Sarah Barker CHANGE-THE-SETTING: the Glasgow-based artist presents two sequences of new work made specially for The Fruitmarket Gallery, together with a small number of existing works. Sara Barker works on the boundary between sculpture, painting and drawing. Since beginning to exhibit her work in 2004 she has developed a visual language of paint, steel, aluminium, brass and glass, and a way of working which is meditative, focusing on memory, individual perception, and a blurring of line and colour. 11am-6pm Monday to Saturday, 12 noon-5pm Sundays, Fruitmarket Gallery, Market Street. Free. Sarah Barker will be in conversation with Fruitmarket Director Fiona Bradley on Wednesday 16th March – see listing. Image © the artist.
The Skylark Kids’ Movie: this week The Land Before Time (U): Littlefoot, a young plant-eating dinosaur, is orphaned after his mother perishes while protecting him from a vicious carnivore. With her last breath she tells him how to get to the legendary Great Valley, where he will be reunited with others of his kind. With his friend Cera, Littlefoot sets out for the fabled land, meeting a variety of new friends along the way – while also being tracked by the killer dinosaur who mortally wounded his mother. 3.45pm, The Skylark, 241/243 Portobello High Street.
Open Eye Gallery – New Exhibitions: (1) Ann Cowan Edinburgh Sketchbooks: Ann Cowan’s debut solo exhibition focuses on her home city of Edinburgh. Cowan spends a lot of time observing architectural structures and is particularly drawn to doorways and shopfronts with weathered surfaces, lettering and interesting juxtapositions of colour; (2) David Forster RSW Passages: known as one of the most accomplished contemporary watercolour artists, David Forster’s exhibition of new works shows mastery of his ongoing exploration into how individual perception informs landscape;
(3) Jack Firth Selected Works: pieces from the family collection, including signature works of Scottish and French coastlines which Jack Firth (1917-2010) mastered throughout his career. His innate understanding of colour and vibrancy through the medium of oils and watercolour complements this subject matter; (4) William McCance Selected Works: a selection reflecting William McCance’s later years throughout the 1950’s and 60’s. 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm Saturdays, Open Eye Gallery, Abercromby Place. Ann Cowan Edinburgh Sketchbooks and Jack Firth Selected Works end on 28th March 2016; David Forster Passages and William McCance Selected Works continue until 30th March 2016.
Blackwell’s Edinburgh Children’s Book Group:if you are you eight to eleven years old with a love of books and biscuits, become a member of Blackwell’s book group and enjoy a friendly hour of fiction, from both classic and contemporary Scottish writing to your own choice of favourite book. Come and discover more books to treasure! Currently reading Tom McLaughlin’s The Accidental Prime Minister. 6pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. To join just email your details to childrens.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk.
British Art Show 8 Artist’s Talk: Adam Broomberg. One half of collaborative practice Broomberg & Chanarin, Adam Broomberg discusses the artists’ work, including the Edinburgh installation of Dodo, 2014. 6-7.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre. Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Grassmarket Picture House: Love and Mercy (12A). The amazing true story of Brian Wilson, the visionary leader of one of the world’s biggest ever bands, the Beach Boys; this innovative, acclaimed film flits between the 1960s and the 1980s and has been hailed as ‘the best musical biopic in decades’ (Chicago Tribune). 7pm, Grassmarket Community Project, 86 Candlemaker Row. All welcome, free admission: donations very welcome! The Grassmarket Community Project is a charity providing mentoring, training and education to participants, many of whom are amongst the most vulnerable of Edinburgh’s citizens, in a nurturing environment. It operates a community cafe, woodwork and tartan social enterprises, and a range of social integration and educational activities for members, aimed at enhancing life skills and developing confidence. To read about The Edinburgh Reporter’s afternoon at the Project, click here.
Café Histoire: les trois glorieuses. If 1789 was a real thunderclap, the 1830 revolution was not much noticed around the country. And yet on 27, 28 and 29 July 1830, Paris lived the events of 14 July 1789 all over again, in three days of revolution that would mark the shift from one constitutional monarchy to the half-baked July Monarchy. A talk in French by Patrick Landri. 5.30pm, Institut français d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. Tickets cost £8 (members £5) and made be purchased in advance by calling 0131 225 5366 or emailing info@ifecosse.org.uk. Image: La Liberté guidant le peuple – Eugène Delacroix.
Real Talk: An Evening of Storytelling about Mental Health. ‘Come one come all, to experience an evening of storytelling, laughter and imagination’. Real Talk will create a safe, warm and engaging environment to talk, and listen, about one of our most beautiful assets – our minds. Intended to leverage the power of storytelling in creating connection, 10 individuals will share their respective experiences after having attended a series of workshops that have supported the process of creation and articulation. 7pm, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £5 and may be booked in person, by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579 or online here.
23rd Italian Film Festival: the Italian Film Festival in Scotland offers the best of il cinema Italiano. 
Today’s film is The Legendary Giulia and Other Miracles/Noi e la Giulia (12A): winner of the Nastro d’Argento and Italian Golden Globe as comedy of the year, this is a smart, endearing romp in which a group of friends decide to abandon the rat race of urban life and pursue their collective Plan B by entering the world of agritourism. When they buy a rustic B&B in the sun-kissed hinterland east of Naples the previous owners seem eager to sell up, and they soon discover why when a member of the camorra arrives and demands protection money. Is the threat of organised crime about to destroy their dream? 8.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.
TUESDAY 15TH MARCH 2016
Lunchtime Concert: George Todica. Royal Conservatoire Masters student George returns by special invitation after ‘a truly startling’ recital at the 2015 Edinburgh Festival; he will play Scarlatti Two Sonatas, Chopin Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise, Brillante Enescu Carillon Nocturne and Rachmaninoff Piano Sonata no. 2. You can buy tickets for the concert alone or combine it with a soup and sandwich lunch in the Brunton’s upstairs bar. Lunch from 12 noon, concert begins 1pm, The Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh. Tickets cost £13 for concert + lunch, £7 for just the concert (£8 on the door, sta); lunch bookings must be made no later than the day before the concert. To book please contact The Brunton Box Office on 0131 665 2240 or visit Hub Tickets here (transaction fees apply).
The Judgement of History: Robin Baillie, Senior Outreach Officer, investigates how a controversial historical event is represented in Sir David Wilkie’s 1839 painting of General Sir David Baird Discovering the Body of Sultan Tippoo Sahib after having Captured Seringapatam, on the 4th May 1799. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Café Ceilidh: St Patrick’s Day Celebration. Join Linten Adie and friends from the Scots Music Group for a free afternoon of Irish songs and music in the Storytelling Court. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Free and unticketed.
Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents New Blood: Lauren A Forry and Mary Paulson-Ellis. 
A special event bringing together one Edinburgh debut author and one from across the Pond. In Mary Paulson Ellis’s The Other Mrs Walker an old lady dies alone and unheeded in a cold Edinburgh flat on a snowy Christmas night. A faded emerald dress hangs in her wardrobe; a spilt glass of whisky pools on the carpet. A few days later a middle-aged woman arrives back to the city of her birth, her future uncertain, her past in tatters. But what Margaret Penny cannot yet know is that in investigating the death of one friendless old lady, her own life will become enriched beyond measure. Lauren A Forry’s Abigale Hall tells the story of Eliza and her troubled little sister Rebecca, who are forced to leave London in the aftermath of the war to work for the mysterious Mr Brownawell; is his desolate mansion haunted by the ghost of his bride-to-be – or is there something real and deadly lurking in the dark, dusty rooms of Abigale Hall? To save herself and her sister descending into madness, Eliza must wage a desperate battle to escape back to London and uncover the horrifying truth before Abigale Hall claims two more victims. 6.30pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets may be obtained from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8222, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.
Theatre Gu Leòr Presents Shrapnel: Set in the darkest depths of Leith, Shrapnel follows the journey of a man on the run for a crime he did not commit. With brilliantly anarchic humour, we follow our enigmatic narrator as he leads us through darkest Edinburgh and meets an array of extraordinary misfits, avoiding the psychopathic former detective, Walter Shrapnel. Adapted by Catriona Lexy Chaimbeul from Tormod a Bhocsair’s seminal Gaelic novel, with animations, subtitles and live music, Shrapnel is for Gaelic and non-Gaelic speakers alike and not to be missed. For ages 14+. Directed by Muireann Kelly. 7.30pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £10/£8 and may be booked in person, by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579 or online here. Also at same time on Wednesday 16th March. There will be a Q & A session after tonight’s performance. Poster art by Silas Manhood Photography Ltd.
Screening Europe: a new season curated by Film Studies at the University of Edinburgh,introducing a varied selection of past and contemporary European films to celebrate and interrogate the history and aesthetics of cinema in Europe. Both members of the public and students are invited to an exciting series of introduced screenings that will chart the development of film across Europe. Tonight’s film is Bastards/Les salauds (12A) (In French and English with English subtitles): a complicated tale of sexual exploitation and financial collapse in contemporary France, Claire Denis’s noirish grand guignol tale of suicide, unpleasant sex and tawdry prurience divided audiences and critics. The screening will be introduced by Dr David Sorfa, Senior Lecturer in Film Studies (University of Edinburgh). 6pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online. The next film in the series will be Young Soul Rebels (18) showing on Tuesday 22nd March.
Coda Music Presents Breabach (in store): Scottish five-piece Breabach unites the talent of Calum MacCrimmon (pipes/whistles/bouzouki/vocals), Ewan Robertson (guitar/vocals), James Mackenzie (pipes/flute/whistles), Megan Henderson (fiddle/vocals/stepdance) and James Lindsay (double bass). Since launching its career as winners of the Open Stage Award at Celtic Connections in 2005 the band has steadily moved from strength to strength, picking up accolades and performing at esteemed events along the way. Voted Best Live Act 2013 and Best Folk Band 2012 at the Scots Trad Music Awards and twice nominated Best Band at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Breabach delivers a thrilling and unique brand of contemporary folk music that has earned it international recognition on the world and roots music scene as one of the UK’s most dynamic and exciting bands. 5.30pm, Coda Music, 12 Bank Street, The Mound.
Sofi’s Knitting Club: 7pm tonight and every Tuesday, Sofi’s Bar, Henderson Street.
KEYWORDS: VALUE. David Stevenson (Queen Margaret University) and Vlad Morariu (Loughborough University) will offer their perspectives on the meaning of ‘value’, and ask what the true value of art and culture is in contemporary society. Part of the KEYWORDS series on language and contemporary art. 6-8pm, Fruitmarket Gallery, Market Street. Free but booking is required and may be made via eventbrite here.
City of Edinburgh Council and The Queen’s Hall Present Resonate 2016: Jazz Night. Come jazz the night away with performances by the talented young musicians of the Edinburgh Schools Jazz Orchestra, the Edinburgh Schools Training Jazz Orchestra and Drake Music Scotland. 7pm (doors 6.30pm), The Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street. Tickets cost £10/£5 and may be purchased from The Queen’s Hall Box Office in person, by calling 0131 668 2019 or online here
23rd Italian Film Festival: the Italian Film Festival in Scotland offers the best of il cinema Italiano. 
Today’s film is Sworn Virgin/Vergine giurata (12A). Laura Bispuri’s award-winning debut feature manages to be both highly topical and utterly timeless in the way it addresses issues of gender and identity; in a remote village in northern Albania, Hana has followed the ancient tradition of burmesha (sworn virgin), renouncing her female identity to live as a man. She has taken a lifelong vow of chastity but in return she is liberated from the servile role assigned to women. Leaving home for the first time, she visits her estranged sister Lila, who escaped their home for Italy; their reunion encourages Hana to confront the choices she made and the regrets that haunt her. 8.25pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.
Leith Folk Club: Mick West and Frank McLaughlin. This promises to be a fabulous night for lovers of Scottish music; rich and powerful vocals coupled with world class instrumentation from two players with an impeccable pedigree will make this one of the best evenings of the year in the musical calendar. With support. 7.30pm, Victoria Park House Hotel, 221 Ferry Road. Tickets cost £8 and may be reserved by completing the online form here or texting the club’s dedicated booking line on 07502 024 852. Reserved tickets must be collected by 7.30pm on the night.
The Phil Collins Perverted Record Swap: a monthly night celebrating the world of wax. Come along, bring and swap some records, and play some tunes; Hemma has two decks and a mixer ready to go – no mixing skills required! 7pm, Hemma, The Tun, 75 Holyrood Road.
Picturehouses Discover Tuesdays: a chance to see something different and brilliant in this weekly slot. Today’s film is Rams (15) (In Icelandic with English subtitles): Brothers Gummi and Kiddi are sheep farmers living on neighbouring farms in remote rural Iceland. They haven’t spoken to each other for 40 years. Following an outbreak of a potentially lethal disease among the country’s sheep, the government insist that all existing flocks must be slaughtered. The brothers – who care about their animals more than they do the few humans they come into contact with – deal with this in decidedly different, but equally dramatic ways, and must reunite to save their way of life. Writer-director Grímur Hákonarson balances charming wry comedy with poignant realist drama, and the two central performances by the raggedy, heavily bearded actors are full of subtle warmth, conveying a deeply felt connection to the land and all who live off it – sheep included. 6pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online.
Akva Pub Quiz – First Edition: see if your team’s got what it takes to survive the first seven rounds before the killer round and a chance to win a jackpot of £100. Each team will also be given a double points token which can be used strategically on whatever round it feels will be its strongest. If the jackpot can’t be won, it’ll roll over to next week and be increased. Open to teams from one to 50. 7.30pm, Akva, 129 Fountainbridge. £2 per person.
WEDNESDAY 16TH MARCH 2016
Images of Nepal – Part One: a stunning visual time capsule of how life was lived in Nepal a quarter of a century ago in 1989. In the first of a two part exhibition, these candid black and white images capture the essence of Kathmandu and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Images of street scenes, markets and people going about their daily routines transport us back to a different era – food produce being displayed on mats in an open air market, women using only hoes to till the land and bicycles being repaired in the street. Images of Nepal Part 2 will be exhibited in September and will feature photographs from a Tibetan refugee camp/carpet factory, with hard hitting images highlighting the harsh working conditions and moral dilemmas faced by stateless people. As a contrast, there will also be some breathtaking images of the Himalayas. 10am-3pm Monday-Thursday, 12 noon-3pm Fridays, 12.30-2.30pm Saturdays, St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry. Images of Nepal – Part One ends 25th April 2016.
Painting with Parkinson’s: a vast range of diverse styles from Parkinson’s UK Edinburgh Branch Art Group. Come and view – and perhaps purchase – while enjoying the home-made delights of the café, with Stuart’s scones reckoned to be some of the best in town. 9am-5pm Wednesday to Sunday, Bon Papillon, 15 Howe Street. Ends 3rd April 2016.
Lego Club: if you are 7-11 years old and love Lego™, come along to this fortnightly club and have fun! 6-7.30pm, Central Children’s Library, George IV Bridge. Please note all children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information contact the library on 0131 242 8027.
Visually Impaired Tour and Workshop – Masterpieces of Scottish & European Art. A free descriptive tour and practical workshop for the visually impaired. 10am-3.30pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE (meet at Main Entrance), Belford Road. Free but booking is required and may be made by calling the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560. 20th Century: Masterpieces of Scottish and European Art is on at Modern ONE until 18th February 2018.
Sunflower Café: this new monthly café offers a welcoming and caring environment for those struggling with issues of memory loss, and for their carers, to enjoy companionship and stimulating activity. If you would like to register to attend or to find out more, please contact the church office at admin@palmerstonplacechurch.com or call 0131 220 1690. 2-3.30pm, Palmerston Place Church, Palmerston Place.
Material Matters: Sharing Stories of Sewing. An exhibition of sewn wall hangings created by people of different ages and cultures, all inspired by an emotional attachment to a textile that has a story to tell: a grandmother’s quilt, a child’s dungarees, Palestinian embroidery, and a wedding dress. Through workshops in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee, Material Matters explores the fabric of peoples’ lives in an imaginative way. Special Show and Share launch today at 2pm, when you are invited to bring along a textile that is precious and tell its story. Or, if you just love sewing, come along to hear other people talking about a textile that matters to them. Exhibition then open 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Ends 16th April 2016. Note: sometimes the Centre’s exhibition space is not accessible to the public because of a private function booking. Please call ahead to check.
Alison Demarco: The Signature from Tibet. Come and meet the author of this epic adventure, based on a true story. The Signature from Tibet spans decades and continents, from the Highlands of Scotland to the heartlands of Tibet. 2.30pm, Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road. Free but please book your place by speaking to a member of staff or calling 0131 529 5654.
Lunchtime Concert: pianists from Edinburgh Napier University. 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free.
Knitting Our Way Through History: Wendy Turner, Museum Curator at Glasgow Women’s Library, takes us through a brief history of knitting and the people involved. Using the collections of Glasgow Women’s Library and elsewhere, Turner discusses regional knitting differences, wartime knitting, current research, and 21st century knitting industry developments. 2pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or via eventbrite here.
Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Sir Chris Hoy: Flying Fergus. Blackwell’s hosts debut author, former employee – and now Britain’s most successful Olympian – at a book signing to celebrate his new series for children. Fergus Hamilton, a boy who always dreams big, gets a rusty old bike for his ninth birthday. It’s not the flashy Sullivan Swift he’d longed for – but when it’s all cleaned up and he takes it for a test run, he discovers something amazing…. 4-5.30pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. This event is a signing and no ticket is required, but to ensure that the shop has enough books for everyone, please join the event on Facebook here.
Screening Irish History: 1916 and its Legacy. The 1916 Rising was one of the most significant and transformative events in modern Irish history and this year marks the centenary of the week-long rebellion in Dublin. Screening Irish History, now in its third year, explores the conflicts and consequences of 1916 in imaginative and provocative ways. 
Today’s film is the première of 1916: The Irish Rebellion (cert to be confirmed). Narrated by Liam Neeson, this landmark documentary tells the dramatic story of the events that took place in Dublin during Easter Week 1916, when a small group of Irish rebels took on the might of the British Empire. Featuring a combination of rarely seen archival footage, new segments filmed on location worldwide, and interviews with leading international experts, the film also uncovers the untold story of the central role Irish Americans played in the lead-up to the rebellion. 5.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online. Each of the four films in this series will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers, critics and experts. The series is jointly organized with the University of Edinburgh’s School of History, Classics and Archaeology and the Irish Consulate, Scotland. The next film will be Shake Hands with the Devil, screening on 30th March.
Fountainbridge Canalside Initiative AGM: How Far Can Communities Influence Local Development? Speaker: broadcaster and writer Lesley Riddoch; lots of info stalls about Edinburgh Printmakers’ plans, the new Boroughmuir School plans, Mecca Bingo site and the Initiative’s Spring Fling event, when you will be able to taste the magic of the ‘ Meanwhilers’:- the Grove Community Garden, the Wikihouse, the Forge, the Scrapstore and the Pianodrome. And of course CAKE!!! 6pm, King’s Church, Gilmore Place, EH3 9PL.
Artist’s Talk: Sarah Barker. Sarah Barker will be in conversation with Fruitmarket Gallery Director Fiona Bradley, discussing her new exhibition CHANGE-THE-SETTING (see listings Monday 12th March for details of the exhibition). 6.30pm, Fruitmarket Gallery, Market Street. Free but booking is required and may be made via eventbrite here. Image: Matters (2013) © Sarah Barker.
23rd Italian Film Festival: the Italian Film Festival in Scotland offers the best of il cinema Italiano. Today’s film is Chlorine/Cloro (12A): a fresh perspective on the coming of age drama focusing on Jenny, who is determined to achieve success as part of a synchronised swimming team. When her mother dies the family is obliged to move to an uncle’s chalet in the Abruzzo Mountains; forced to become the breadwinner, an embittered Jenny tries to juggle adult responsibilities with the fading promise of her personal ambitions. 6.10pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.
Word Power Books Presents George Monbiot: How Did We Get Into This Mess? Author and Guardian columnist George Monbiot is one of the most vocal, and eloquent, critics of the current consensus. 
How Did We Get into this Mess? assesses the state we are now in: the devastation of the natural world, the crisis of inequality, the corporate takeover of nature, our obsessions with growth and profit and the decline of the political debate over what to do. While his diagnosis of the problems in front of us is clear-sighted and reasonable, he also develops solutions to challenge the politics of fear. How do we stand up to the powerful when they seem to have all the weapons? What can we do to prepare our children for an uncertain future? Controversial, clear but always rigorously argued, How Did We Get into this Mess? makes a persuasive case for change in our everyday lives, our politics and economics, the ways we treat each other and the natural world. 6.30pm (doors open 6pm), George Square Lecture Theatre, University of Edinburgh, George Square. This event is free but advance booking is essential; please call into Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street, call 0131 662 9112 or email books@word-power.co.uk.
National Theatre of Scotland New Writers’ Roadshow: a playwriting workshop led by playwright Clare Duffy and the National Theatre of Scotland’s Literary Manager, George Aza-Selinger. 
This workshop will be a chance for you to hear more about opportunities for writers at the National Theatre of Scotland, and get some inspiration and advice on how to start (or finish) your play. The National Theatre of Scotland is always on the lookout for new and unique voices and stories. They read unsolicited scripts all year round through the Script Reading Programme, from which writers are frequently selected for a range of paid development opportunities. 
There has never been a better time to submit a script, as this year the National Theatre of Scotland, in partnership with A Play, A Pie and A Pint, will be offering at least one writer the chance to be one of their next Breakthrough Writers. Breakthrough will see a writer’s idea for a play optioned by A Play, A Pie and A Pint and they will then be offered paid script development support by the National Theatre of Scotland. The finished play will then be considered by A Play, A Pint and A Pint for programming at Òran Mór. Writers who are eligible for Breakthough must be Scottish or living in Scotland and must not previously have had a play professionally produced. 6-8pm, T2, Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street. Free but places are limited; call the Box Office on 0131 228 1404 for availability and to book. Image: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan.
Paul Harrison’s Sugarwork Quartet: harnessing electronica to the melodic and rhythmic adventure of jazz in a thrilling and up-to-date way, keyboardist Paul Harrison’s creative new unit also features some of the country’s most accomplished jazz players: Stu Brown (drums), Graeme Stephen (guitar) and Phil Bancroft (sax) – as featured in their dramatic and hugely successful Edinburgh Jazz Festival debut at The Jazz Bar last year. 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. Admission £7/£5 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
The Bohemians Present Legally Blonde: The Musical. The story of Elle Woods, a sorority girl devastated by her break-up, who abandons sorority life for Harvard Law School in an attempt to prove herself to estranged ex-boyfriend Warner Huntington III. With some help from new-found friends she learns it’s so much better to be smart. 7.30pm tonight, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with a matinee at 2.30pm on Saturday, King’s Theatre, Leven Street. Tickets cost £16-£20 and may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 529 6000 or online.
Brunton Big Screen: Sunset Song (15). Terence Davies’ exquisitely-shot adaptation of Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s classic Scottish novel centres on the agrarian Guthrie family. Contrasted against its fearsome patriarch (Peter Mullan), daughter Chris (Agyness Deyn) is an intelligent young woman divided between hatred for her coarse village and love of its landscape. She and her brother dream of escape and freedom – possibilities for which suddenly present themselves to Chris…. 7.30pm, The Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh. Tickets cost £7.50/£6.50; to book please contact The Brunton Box Office on 0131 665 2240 or visit Hub Tickets here (transaction fees apply).
THURSDAY 17TH MARCH 2016
Sisters in the Buddha: On A Cambodian Statuary Cult. This annual public lecture is hosted by the Asian Religions Network and will this year be delivered by Professor Ashley Thompson (Hiram W Woodward Chair in Southeast Asian Art, SOAS, University of London). 5.30-6.30pm, Martin Hall, New College, Mound Place, University of Edinburgh. The event is free and open to all; there is no need to book.
Studio Toddle: Scottish National Galleries are working with Starcatchers to pilot some new programmes for toddlers and their parents and carers this spring, and they’d love to know what you think. They’ll be offering toddle tours around the galleries with practical activities; Studio Toddle will be a messy session! For ages 2-5. 10am-12 noon, Clore Studio, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free but places are limited so please book by calling Jeni Allison on 0131 624 6428 or emailing jallison@nationalgalleries.org. The next event will be an Outdoor Toddle on 24th March.
Filmhouse Special Event: The Host (12A). While investigating her late parents’ involvement with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (now known as BP) filmmaker Miranda Pennell comes across the letters of a petroleum geologist in Iran in the 1930’s, who later embarked on a search for the origins of civilization. The film sets out on its own exploration to decipher signs from the fragmented images buried in the BP archive. This journey through images of the past interweaves stories drawn from personal memory and from the records of an imperial history, gradually building a picture of a 20th century colonial encounter. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Miranda Pennell, hosted by Tom Nolan (Co-Director at Rhubaba Gallery and Studios). 6.15pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.
Mayfield Salisbury Thursday Club: a weekly programme of music, visual presentations, films, talks and demonstrations. Although mainly for retired people, visitors of any age are always welcome. This week Mavis Bain talks about Botswana and Zambia. 2-4pm, Upper Hall, Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church, 1a Mayfield Road. Annual membership costs £4 per year and 50p a week is charged for tea; new members are most welcome, but you don’t have to be a member to come along. For more information please contact Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234.
Lunchtime Concert: Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. 1pm, Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate. Free: retiring collection.
Cafe Voices: St Patrick’s Day. Storytellers John and Noreen Hamilton host an evening of Irish tales celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. The Centre’s monthly storytelling session, with an open-floor section for storytellers to tell their own tales, all in the relaxed surroundings of the Storytelling Court. 7pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £5 and may be booked in person, by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579 or online here.
Easel Sketching in the Gallery – March: led by artist Damian Callan. A different subject each month and sometimes with a model. All materials supplied. 2-4pm, Scottish National Gallery (main floor), The Mound. Free and unticketed. Also at same times on Friday 18th March.
Edinburgh Napier University’s Centre of Literature & Writing Presents Nick Rankin: Stevenson Unbound. In 1983 writer and broadcaster Nick Rankin read Stevenson’s Fables to the blind Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges and was commissioned by Faber to write his first book, Dead Man’s Chest: travels after Robert Louis Stevenson, which took him from Scotland to Samoa. While writing it he first met the civil servant Ernest Mehew, who was editing the definitive 8-volume Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson for Yale University Press and knew more about the Scottish writer than anyone else on earth. Nick will give a short lecture on this rare collection of Robert Louis Stevenson’s papers, First Editions and other materials which is now housed at Edinburgh Napier University, and is being catalogued and made accessible to the public in a dedicated space, thanks to a generous bequest from The Mehew Estate and PhD funding from the Dr David McNeil Summers Charitable Trust. 6-7pm, B2 Lecture Theatre, Edinburgh Napier University, Merchiston Campus, 10 Colinton Road. Free, all welcome, but please register by emailing lectures@napier.ac.uk.
Andrew Tannahill Lecture 2016: Scottish Literature and Power. Distinguished journalist and author Neal Ascherson explores the sometimes contorted attitudes of Scottish writers – past and present – to authority, patronage, class, and the ‘establishment’. He examines how those attitudes have played out in both the authors’ work and their working lives. 6pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or via eventbrite here.
Fish Ponds and Fountains, Cascades and Canals – Reflections on Scotland’s Water Gardens. Scottish water gardens have a rich and varied history, from the supply of fish for High Days and Fridays to the spectacular lands of the landed gentry; designed to ornament, entertain and impress. In this evening talk, Marilyn Brown will take us through this fascinating subject, outlining the social, cultural and practical purpose of water – be it canals, waterfalls or fountains – within the Scottish Garden. 7.30-9.30pm, RBGE Lecture Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row. Admission £6 (RBG members £5), no booking required. This talk will be presented in conjunction with Scotland’s Garden and Landscape Heritage. Image: Stobo Japanese Water Garden.
Artist Talk: Dan Holdsworth. British photographer Dan Holdsworth will be in conversation with Ben Harman, Director of Stills, to talk about recent projects and aspects of an established career that has included the presentation of major exhibitions for galleries and museums in the UK and abroad. Holdsworth explores the relationship between landscape photography, science and technology; most recently, his work has become an investigation into both real and virtual representations of the geological landscape. Despite being deeply informed by the uses and applications of the newest technologies, Holdsworth’s work refers openly to the history and tradition of landscape photography. 6pm, Stills, Cockburn Street. Free but booking is required and may be made via eventbrite here. Image: Hartlepool Mail.
Live Music Now: Rosie Nimmo and Stuart Allardyce. With their unique mix of jazz and blues, Rosie Nimmo (vocals) and Stuart Allardyce (guitar) play a swinging set of numbers for St Patrick’s Day. 6-6.30pm, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Alison Demarco: The Signature from Tibet. Come and meet the author of this epic adventure, based on a true story. The Signature from Tibet spans decades and continents, from the Highlands of Scotland to the heartlands of Tibet. 2.30pm, Newington Library, Fountainhall Road. Free but please book your place by speaking to a member of staff, calling 0131 529 5536 or emailing newington.library@edinburgh.gov.uk.
Edinburgh College Music Course Showcase: student bands from the music course at Edinburgh College, bringing in a great mix of styles and talents. 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. Admission £4/£3 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
23rd Italian Film Festival: the Italian Film Festival in Scotland offers the best of il cinema Italiano. 
Today’s closing film is Anna/Per amor vostro (12A): set in Naples, this largely black and white melodrama features heartwrenching work from Valeria Golino as Anna, the long-suffering mother of three teenage children and the wife of Gigi (Massimiliano Gallo), a failed singer who makes her life hell. Seeking a measure of independence, Anna finds work with a local TV company where she meets soap star Michele (Adriano Giannini). The rare promise of happiness is a burst of sunshine in Anna’s gloomy existence as she struggles with domestic pressures, depression and the unbearable burdens of her life. 8.40pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.
An Irish Variety Night: a charity fundraiser for refugees in Calais. Music, dancing, singing, comedy, drama and more! 7-11pm, Akva, 129 Fountainbridge. Tickets cost £12 and are available from the bar on 0131 290 2500.
Jacques Tati: Playtime (PG). A one-off screening programmed by artist Katie Schwab as part of her exhibition Together in a Room. Made in 1967, the film features Tati’s famous alter ego Monsieur Hulot and is best known for its enormous 1:1 scale set – a hybrid, exaggerated modernist Paris designed with architect Eugène Roman. This semi-futuristic cityscape titled ‘Tativille’ contained steel and concrete buildings, multilane tarmac roads and several trompe l’oeil facades built predominantly of glass. Playtime will be screened within Katie’s installation, an environment inspired by dolls’ houses and architectural model design. 6pm, Collective Gallery, City Observatory & City Dome, Calton Hill. Free but booking is required and may be made via eventbrite here. Together in a Room will be open until 24th April 2016; contact gallery for times.
Roaring 20’s Charity Night: come and enjoy the grandeur of the flappers, swingers and gangers! A night of magnificance and glamour, with a selection of delightful cocktails available for one night only, accompanied with deluxe canapes enough for all to enjoy! Party like the infamous Jay Gatsby for one night of extravagant celebration, including live 1920s jazz, show girls, singer Kirsten Rachael Rennie, dancers, 1920 DJ’s and many more amazing, breathtaking, pop up surprises to capture your attention. Organised by students from Edinburgh College. For over 18s only. 7pm, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Tickets cost £10 and are available from vivaevents20@gmail.com. All profits made by Viva Events will go to Macmillan Cancer Support.
FRIDAY 18TH MARCH 2016
East Lothian Youth Theatre: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and Our Day Out.
In The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe the BYT 12-15s group presents an enchanting devised production of CS Lewis’s classic story of the four Pevensies, who are evacuated from the inner city to the countryside to stay with the slightly eccentric Professor Kirk. What looks set to be a boring summer in an old house supervised by the strict Mrs Macready becomes a magical adventure when the four discover a land called Narnia inside an old wardrobe. Come and meet weird and wonderful characters such as the White Witch, The Beavers, and the great Lion Aslan! 
ELYT Haddington’s 8-12s perform an abbreviated version (editing locations to reflect local places of interest) of Willy Russell’s Our Day Out, a play about a fun and adventurous school coach trip. Mrs Kay’s class run wild around Conway Castle in Wales, are let loose around a nearby zoo and go crazy at the funfair – but with a background of unemployment and factory closures offering a desolate and unfulfilled future, this story is a bittersweet tale merging a warming joy, with a cold bleakness. 7pm, The Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh. Tickets cost £7.50; to book please contact The Brunton Box Office on 0131 665 2240 or visit Hub Tickets here (a transaction fee of £1 per ticket applies).
New Acquisitions: Pierre Patel and the Classical Vision of Nature. Taking Patel’s recently acquired painting of Judah and Tamar as a starting-point, Michael Clarke, Director, Scottish National Gallery, will examine the classical tradition in French landscape painting, which stretched from the seventeenth through to the nineteenth century and the dawn of Impressionism. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Edinburgh College of Art Friday Lecture Series: Eileen Simpson & Ben White. Eileen Simpson and Ben White were both born in Manchester in 1977 and now live and work in London. Together they challenge conventional mechanisms for the authorship, distribution and ownership of art and music. In their ongoing project, Open Music Archive, the artists source, digitise and distribute out-of-copyright sound recordings, using the shared resources as a vehicle for further creative collaborations. Both artists are currently exhibiting at Talbot Rice Gallery as part of British Art Show 8. 11.30am, Main Lecture Theatre (E22), ECA, Lauriston Place. Free; no booking required.
Freeze Frame Film Club: Rebel Without A Cause (PG). Rebel Without a Cause is probably the best known of James Deans’ few feature films and perhaps the most iconic teen angst film of all time. New in town, Jim Stark is finding it a bit hard to adjust. His parents won’t lay off, the popular kids are picking on him and Natalie Wood’s not interested. Then a chance encounter at the local police station changes everything… Come early to nab a comfy sofa and indulge in a movie meal – £15 for three courses. Or simply come for the film and enjoy a beverage, beer or a cinematic snack in a friendly environment. 7pm (film starts 8.30pm), Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street. Film only costs £3 in advance from the café or on the door; dinner £15, advance booking essential – please call 0131 555 7100 or email stephanie.haigh@outoftheblue.org.uk.
Ben MacDonald’s Animus Quartet: the Glasgow-based guitarist brings in his impressive 4-piece which includes some of the country’s most accomplished jazz musicians, all of whom have performed at international level: Adam Jackson (sax), Pete Johnstone (organ – also playing left-hand bass lines) and Doug Hough (drums). Ben’s writing, inspired by many other music genres but respecting jazz tradition, produces interesting original pieces with a progressive attitude, a highly listenable format – and high energy delivery. 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. Admission £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
Leith Community Cinema: Bride and Prejudice (15). Bollywood comes to Leith with this update of Jane Austen’s classic tale, in which Mrs. Bakshi is eager to find suitable husbands for her four unmarried daughters. Doors open at 6.15pm, when the Community Café will be offering a selection of traditional Indian snacks from Punjabi Junction at £2 a head; there will also be craft beer tasting, plus dancing by Contact Dance Ihayami – come along and get together with the local community! The screening will begin at 7pm, Pilrig St Paul’s Church, Pilrig Street. Please register online here; admission is free but there is a suggested donation of £3 per person.
Brian Miller and Pàdruig Morrison: Simple Gifts – music from the 12th to the 20th century. Local man Brian Miller is an accomplished folk musician, guitar player, singer and raconteur. North Uist-born Padruig Morrison is an extraordinary accordionist, former pupil of St Mary’s Music School – and a crofter of pedigree Hebridean sheep. Together they present an evening of music and song to suit all tastes. 7.30pm, Penicuik Community Arts, West Street Arts Centre, 4 West Street, Penicuik. Tickets cost £10 (PCAA members £8) and are available from the centre’s gift shop.
One of the ones about nothing: an exhibition of painting, print and sculpture by Bobby Sinclair and Struan Teague. Open preview tonight (with bar sponsored by Bier Halle, Glasgow) 6pm, then 12 noon-5pm Wednesday to Sunday, Patriothall Gallery, 1D Patriothall, off Hamilton Place, Stockbridge. Ends 27th March 2016.
Rally & Broad First Editions: this month’s show is all about new work! A great line-up of poets, authors and musicians who all have new work to share, featuring songwriter Amy Duncan and band with tunes from their new EP, short-story writer Hannah McGill, Words First poet Ellen Renton, multi-artform spoken word from award-winning poet and theatre-maker Ross Sutherland, and songs from Gav Prentice’s new band ULTRAS. 7pm, The Bongo Club, Cowgate. Tickets £6 on the door (sta), £5 in advance here. The Bongo Club is a nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue, which has an established track record as a catalyst for creativity in Edinburgh. ‘Putting the sounds of the underground and imaginative aspirations before the mighty dollar’.
CinemaAttic: The Great Escape (I just want to get away). Spanish & Latin American short film nights; a powerful curated selection of films, all with English subtitles, with networking breaks for the enjoyment of both the Ibero-American community and cinema lovers alike. Whether you are the Mayor of Benidorm in the fifties, a Croat migrant escaping from your war-torn hometown or you just robbed a bank, there’s something pushing you to run. No matter how big are the obstacles you’ll keep runnin’. All our cinemaattic characters are trying to get away this month; some of these castaways may get into extreme sports, call a meeting with General Francisco Franco, arrange a marriage of convenience or simply retire to their dwelling place – the motto of the March program is: break away. For ages 15+. 8pm, Red Lecture Theatre, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £5 and are available from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 560 1580 or online here.
SATURDAY 19TH MARCH 2016
The Story Kist: All the Little Birds – Inclusive Storytelling. Come and enjoy a gentle multi-sensory adventure about the coming of spring with Flotsam and Jetsam, aka storyteller Ailie Finlay and artist Fiona McDonald. Flying birds and squishy bugs! Puppets and games followed by multi-sensory springtime crafts. Lots of fun for everyone, but particularly suitable for children with additional needs, their families, friends and carers. 11am, Storytelling Bothy, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £5 per child and may be booked in person, by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579 or online here; please remember also to select a free adult ticket for yourself. This event is part of the Puppet Animation Festival 2016.
French Family Saturdays: Chasse aux oeufs. Bells are ringing at the Institut français; Easter is coming! For this Family Saturday, children can make their own customized eggs, and finish with a goûter overflowing with chocolates. Ready for the egg hunt? One, two, three, go! 1-3pm, Institut français d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. Tickets cost £7 (members £4) and made be purchased in advance by calling 0131 225 5366 or emailing info@ifecosse.org.uk. Places for this session are limited to 20 so advance booking is highly recommended. Children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult at all times – parents are admitted free.
Adventures with The Gaelic Tree Alphabet: An Gille Dubh/The Guardian of the Trees is so saddened by the clearing of his beloved land, he sits alone atop the highest mountains, ignoring his beautiful, prized possessions. It’s up to Sìne to tell his tale and share knowledge on the riches of our woodlands in this magical opportunity to learn and dream under a Gaelic spell, while creating an exciting Scottish forest adventure! Ariel Killick’s touching yet fun workshop explores Gaelic decline, the Highland Clearances and environmental issues, with lots of Gaelic poetry and references throughout. For ages 6+. Suitable for non-Gaelic speakers. 3pm, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £5 per child and may be booked in person, by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579 or online here; please remember also to select a free adult ticket for yourself.
Brunstane Area Placemaking Exercise: the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with Portobello Community Council, Craigmillar Community Council and East Lothian Council are holding a public event to get your views on how well the Brunstane, Newcraighall, Gilberstoun and Joppa area works as a place to live. One of the ways the success of a place can be measured is by using a tool called the Place Standard, which consists of a series of questions that allow the community to assess things like access to greenspace, general maintenance of an area and perception of safety. This is a unique opportunity for residents and stakeholders in the area to get involved; people will work in groups and a facilitator will ask a series of questions – as a group you will be encouraged to agree on your answers. 10am-1pm, Edinburgh College, Milton Campus. There will be a second event 4-10pm on Tuesday 22nd March. For more information please contact chloe.porter@edinburgh.gov.uk.
Nature Mother of Invention: many of the World’s greatest inventions combine human intellect with inspiration from nature – this new exhibition shows how one tropical plant family, the Sapotaceae, has contributed to a wide variety of useful creations, from golf balls and telecommunication cables connecting continents to miracle sweeteners. 10am-5.45pm daily, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row. Part of Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design. Supported by Event Scotland. Ends 24th July 2016.
St Bride’s Family Cinema: see your favourite films for free! Adventure, excitement, fun and laughs – everyone welcome. Juice and choc ices are available to purchase in the interval at 50p each. This week’s film is Joseph King of Dreams (U). Please note that all children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 10.30am-12.30pm (includes interval), St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry.
Caravan Obscura: step inside the Caravan Obscura and have your world turned upside down. Join artist Kenny Bean as he explores the use of light, lenses and mirrors to create a fascinating optical illusion. 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm (drop-in), next to the pond near the East Gate, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row. Free, all ages welcome.
Edinburgh Printmakers’ Clearance Sale: a one-off fundraising event allowing you to pick up a bargain at a fraction of its original price. Pieces of art will be grouped by price starting from £10. 11am-5pm, Edinburgh Printmakers, Union Street. Free entry.
British Art Shows: free discussion-led tours of the British Art Show. Focus and content will change weekly. 2-2.30pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE (meet at the main entrance), Belford Road. No booking required. Image: Rachel Maclean © Rachel Maclean 2015. Courtesy the artist and Film and Video Umbrella.
Modern Scottish Women Drop-in 2: inspired by an artwork from the exhibition, and led by artist Katharine Aarrestad, enjoy drawing in the gallery space. 2-4pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art TWO, Belford Road. No booking required; exhibition tickets purchased from 1st March will allow re-entry to this session if shown to staff.
Lunchtime Concert: Lieder & Italian Song. Christian Schneeberger (tenor) and Jennifer Redmond (piano) perform songs by Schumann, Monteverdi, Handel and Tosti. 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free.
BLVD Presents Extraordinaire – A Night of Art & Music Fusion: an exciting evening of art and music with proceeds from the event going to It’s Good to Give, an Edinburgh-based charity supporting young people with cancer and their families. It’s Good to Give is currently aiming to raise £1.5 million to fund the building and maintenance of a peaceful retreat, suitable for young children and their families to stay in for short breaks. Come along and see work from a brilliant and diverse range of artists, have a fun evening and show your support for a great cause! BLVD Edinburgh is an events group from Edinburgh College. 7.30pm, Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street. Tickets cost £5 in advance from Sarah on 07476 696 636, £7 on the door (sta).
Gallery TEN – New Exhibitions: (1) Georgina Bown: New Works on Paper; (2) Lucy Foakes – Ceramics; (3) Dianne King – Jewellery. Opening today 2-4.30pm, then 10.30am-5.30pm Tuesday to Saturday, Gallery TEN, Stafford Street. Ends 23rd April 2016.
The Edinburgh Singers’ Spring Concert: Hail, Gladdening Light – works spanning five centuries, by Tallis, Allegri, Mendelssohn, Holst and Whitacre. 7.30pm, Old St Paul’s Church, Jeffrey Street. Tickets cost £12/£10 (under 12s admitted free) and may be purchased from The Queen’s Hall Box Office, Clerk Street.
Edinburgh Society of Musicians: Nestor Beveridge plus guitar. Inverness-born Nestor is a student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. 7.30pm (prompt), Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 3 Belford Road. There is a small annual membership subscription but concerts are open and admission is free. The Edinburgh Society of Musicians is an organisation which promotes practical music-making in Edinburgh; it has been in existence since 1887. Chamber music recitals are given every Saturday evening from early October until the end of June. For more information please contact Sarah Bainbridge at sarahba@lineone.net.
Nothing Ever Happens Here & Soulsville Present Rhythm Machine: returning for 2016, Summerhall’s monthly club night is inspired by the ‘Art Party’ format of Andy Warhol’s Factory openings as well as the raw creative energy of CBGBs, the spiritual home of Patti Smith & David Byrne. Rhythm Machine puts live art & conceptual installation work side by side with eclectic, blissful dance music & sweet party vibes. Featuring Tom Tom Heavy Electronic Funk, Nigerian Synth Boogie & Downtown New Wave Disco from DJ Yves, Stanley Kublick & Mr Masezo. For over 18s only. 11pm-3am, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £5 and are available from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 560 1580 or online here.
Tall Tales Oscar: hilarious, mysterious or just plain ridiculous – listen to tall tales, ferocious fibs and fables performed live on stage by Scotland’s finest tellers, then you decide who wins the lucrative accolade of Oscar the Leprechaun! Scotland’s annual tall tales storytelling competition is hosted by last year’s winner, Fiona Herbert. For ages 16+. 7.30pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £8/£6 and may be booked in person, by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579 or online here. Advance booking is recommended
Earth Hour at Sofi’s: the lights will be turned off in the bar between the hours of 8.30 and 9.30pm to make way for an hour of candlelight and live piano music from Olly Farrell. Sofi’s Bar, Henderson Street. To book a table call 0131 555 7019. Earth Hour is a global environmental movement started in Sydney in 2007 by the World Wildlife Fund and its partners.
Thunder & Lightning: Siamsoir St. Patrick’s Dance & Live Music Show. In association with Edinburgh’s Festival of Ireland, Siamsoir brings you this toe-tapping evening of entertainment featuring fast feet and fiddles. £1 from each ticket sale will go to Siamsoir’s nominated charity, Motor Neurone Disease Scotland. 6-8.30pm, The Jam House, 5 Queen Street. Tickets cost £15/£13 (concessions)/£10 (under 16s) and are available from Tickets Scotland here. Dinner + show tickets are also available at £35 (children £30) – these must be purchased direct from The Jam House on 0131 220 2321.
Open Orchestra Symphony Concert: 7.30pm, Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate. Free: retiring collection.
Jack Rowberry + Jack Hinks + Benny Monteux Band + Dalriata. Singer-songwriter and winner of a Scottish Alternative Music Award 2014, Jack Rowberry launches his new EP What’s The Noise, with special guests Jack Hinks, Benny Monteux Band and acoustic duo Dalriata. For over 18s only. 8pm (doors 7pm), The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Tickets cost £6 and are available from Tickets Scotland here (booking fee applies).
King Bee: mesmeric and propulsive grooves from Newcastle ‘7-piece with horns’, Moog – and vibraphone! ‘The very definition of a musical odyssey .. cool, casual, and convincing. Their laid back effortless rhythms are backed up by a ‘fire in the belly’ groove that drives the whole thing into the realms of quality music …They’ve mastered the art of reconnecting the words soul, jazz and funk, and making them a thing of joy’. Plus DJ Calum. 11.30pm (band 12.45am), The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. Admission £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
SUNDAY 20TH MARCH 2016
Edinburgh Cares Family Fun Day & Shoebox Appeal: a day full of fun & games – cake stalls, cupcake decorating, games, bouncy castle, storytelling and other great activities – featuring a unique Shoebox Appeal with a message of support to create a bond between the children living here and the children living in Syria/Lebanon. Children will be able to draw and write notes/letters to the children in Syria to show support from the UK; letters and pictures will also be used to create more awareness, and some will even be sent to UK organisations to gain their support and hopefully get them to join this cause. Please bring a shoebox or rucksack filled with gifts to donate; suggested items include toys, socks, hats, gloves, scarves and a toothbrush. 1-3.30pm, St Thomas of Aquins High School, Chalmers Street. Free entry. All proceeds will go to support Syrian orphans and children in need.
Filmhouse Junior: films for a younger audience. This week’s film is Belle and Sebastian – The Adventure Continues/Belle et Sébastian, l’aventure continue (PG) (In French with English subtitles). In September 1945 everybody is celebrating the end of the war. Young Sebastian (Félix Bossuet), now ten years old, waits with faithful Belle for Angelina’s (Margaux Châtelier) return. When news reaches the village that her plane crashed deep in the Transalpine forest, Sebastian’s grandfather knows a man who can help them find her. On their mission to locate Angelina, Belle and Sebastian must face peril, risk their lives and confront a secret – the adventure continues… 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small.
Hearing Impaired Tour: British Art Show 8. A free tour of the exhibition with portable hearing loops, led by Tessa Asquith-Lamb. 11am-12 noon, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free but booking is required: please contact the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560.
Picturehouses Vintage Sundays: classic films back on the big screen. Today’s film is Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window (PG): when James Stewart’s photojournalist is confined to his apartment with a broken leg in a sweltering summer in New York, he begins constantly to observe the lives of those around him. Passive activity evolves into voyeuristic obsession, until he thinks he has witnessed a murder… 1pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online.
Bags of Art – March: cool and creative fun with artists Tessa Asquith-Lamb and Louise Fraser. For ages 4-12. 2-4pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free; supported by the Friends of SNG.
Fellow Feeling Events Presents A Night for Refugees: a humanitarian night showcasing refugees’ everyday lives, including short movies (Paco Torres’ The Rattle of Benghazi, David Muñoz’s Hide & Seek and LIVED’s Learning To Swim), Q&A sessions, photography, art and music. The event hopes to raise awareness as well as to bring together artists and creative people to give a better understanding of refugees’ experiences. All of the funds will be set aside for Scottish Charity LIVED, whose purposes are to prevent or relieve poverty, advance human rights and promote equality and diversity. Fellow Feeling Events is a group of students studying on the HND Events Management course at Edinburgh College. The group has been assisted by CinemaAttic. 5.30pm, Assembly Roxy, Roxburgh Place. Tickets cost £8 and are available from the organisers – email fellowfeelingevents@gmail.com.
Yehudi Menuhin School Pupils’ Concert in aid of Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS): a unique opportunity to hear some of the world’s most talented young musicians perform well-loved classical pieces. The Yehudi Menuhin School was founded in 1963 and aims to give talented young string players, pianists and classical guitarists a rounded education, allowing them time to fulfil their musical potential alongside their academic studies. It is a boarding school with 80 pupils this year; the School is truly international: about half the students are British and the others come from around twenty different countries. Many past pupils are now well-known figures in the music world, including Nigel Kennedy, Tasmin Little, Melvyn Tan, Kathryn Stott, Paul Coker, Colin Carr, Paul Watkins, Nicola Benedetti, Alina Ibragimova and members of the Endellion, Australian and Belcea Quartets. 4.30pm, Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate. Tickets cost £10 (under 12s free); booking is essential and may be made by emailing carolinecampbell@chas.org.uk or calling 0141 779 6189.
CRIME: Hong Kong Style – an explosive new season of crime films. From noir-tinged thrillers, to tales of hardnosed gangsters, to entertainingly comic capers, CRIME: Hong Kong Style offers stone cold classics, cult movies, forgotten gems and the latest releases from some of the world’s most revered and stylish directors. Today’s film is Portland Street Blues/Goo waak chai ching yee pin ji hung hing sap (18). (In Cantonese and English with English subtitles): a relative of the popular Young and Dangerous franchise, Portland Street Blues offers a significant lead role for Sandra Ng who takes the opportunity to deliver a nuanced and powerful performance as a woman who rises up through the ranks of a triad gang. 8.40pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online. The next film in this series will be The Pilferer’s Progress/Fa qian han, showing at 8.50pm on 23rd March.
St Giles At Six: Music for Passiontide. John Sanders Requiem and Motets for Passiontide. 6pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free; retiring collection.
