What’s On In Edinburgh this week - The Edinburgh Reporter

Back to ‘normal’ this week, with not a shred of tinsel in sight (hoorah!) and plenty of events on offer; films, books, art, and music from a very special violin….we may not have spring flowers quite yet, but it’s only a matter of time…

MONDAY 5TH JANUARY 2015

Timmy Time Programme 15: Timmy Finds Aliens, and other stories. Join Timmy and his friends in three fun adventures in this collection of classic Timmy Time episodes. Timmy discovers that everything is more fun with friends! 11-11.30am. Cameo, Home Street, Tollcross.

GENERATION: Sam Ainsley and David Harding in conversation. The artists and Glasgow School of Art colleagues discuss Glasgow’s place as a leading centre for contemporary art in relation to the GENERATION exhibitions. 12.45-1.15pm Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, the Mound. Free and unticketed.

LGBT Police Surgery (within weekly Drop-In): seek advice, raise concerns around safety issues, report incidents or discuss policing in your area with an officer from Police Scotland. 6.30-7.30pm (drop-in 5.30-8pm), LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. No appointment necessary. For more information, or to arrange to meet with Police Scotland outwith these times, call George on 0131 652 3281 or email him at george@lgbthealth.org.uk.

The Monday Cafe @ Cramond Kirk: for people with dementia and their carers. Support, information, the chance for a good blether – plus a light lunch, tea and coffee. 1-3pm today and every first Monday of the month, Kirk Hall, Cramond Kirk, Cramond Glebe Road.

Writing Opportunity: The Beguiled Eye. Talbot Rice Gallery (University of Edinburgh) is inviting imaginative written responses to Christopher Orr’s current exhibition. Original flash fiction of no more then 1,000 words, or poetry of up to 42 lines, should be submitted electronically by Friday 9th January 2015. Full details and instructions re submission (which is free) are given on the gallery’s website here. The Beguiled Eye is on at Talbot Rice Gallery, University of Edinburgh, Old College, South Bridge until 14th February 2015; the gallery is open 10am-5pm Tuesday-Friday, 12 noon-5pm Saturdays. Read The Edinburgh Reporter’s review of The Beguiled Eye here.

Golden Hare Book Group: Gould’s Book of Fish by Richard Flanagan. 6.30pm, Golden Hare Books, 68 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge.

Edinburgh CND: speakers Trish and Greg Mello from the Los Alamos Study Group in New Mexico, who are touring Europe after attending the Vienna conference on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons. Trish and Greg are two of the US’s leading anti-nuclear experts and campaigners. 7-9pm, Augustine United Church, 41-43 George IV Bridge. This meeting is also supported by Edinburgh Peace & Justice Centre and Edinburgh Stop The War.

Monday Movie: From Scotland with Love. Consisting entirely of Scottish film archive, From Scotland with Love is ‘a journey into our collective past, exploring universal themes of love, loss, resistance, migration, work and play’ set to a brilliant soundtrack by King Creosote. 7.30 for 8pm, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street. (Please note this event was rescheduled from 29th December). See The Edinburgh Reporter’s Top 5 Films of 2014 (in which From Scotland with Love came first) here.

Edinburgh Inter Faith Association: Journeys of Faith. This month’s speaker is Naren Soon, who was born in Tanzania of Indian parents, came to St Andrew’s for university education, decided to stay, and became a trade union activist and involved in Hindu community affairs in Glasgow and then in Edinburgh. The talk will be followed by a lively Q & A session and a shared vegetarian meal. 6pm, St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street. All welcome: please email sakina@eifa.org.uk or respond via eifa’s Facebook page if you would like to attend, as this will assist in the planning of catering.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents… The Monthly Book Quiz. If you know your Waugh from your Peace and your Meyer from your Heyer, try Blackwell’s book quiz; teams of up to 5 people can take part. 6-7.15pm, Caffe Nero, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free entry, no tickets required, but please arrive early as tables fill up fast and seating is limited. For more information contact Ann Landemann on 0131 622 8216 or events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk.

Work In Progress: oils, collages and monoprints by Alison Stewart. Alison completed a Psychology degree at St Andrew’s, studied ceramics at Camberwell College, exhibited her sculptures in galleries across Britain, then came to Leith to study painting with Matt Storstein. She draws figures at work on building sites or road works, then develops these in the studio to achieve a personal visual language, aiming to evoke different psychological states or moods based on the stance of the figures. 9am-4.30pm, Monday to Saturday until 14th February 2015, Leith School of Art, 25 North Junction Street.

Kalopsia Collective: Printed & Co – deadline for submissions. Kalopsia is inviting submissions from artists, designers and makers who have a textile element to their practice for an exhibition opening in February 2015. Submissions must be received by Thursday 8th January 2015: full details of conditions and fees, together with information about how to submit, can be found here. Kalopsia Collective, 42/20 Shore. Kalopsia is a creative agency and textiles collective, established by a group of international creators in 2012. It now operates as a social enterprise – for more information, see website.

Collider #3: Selection Night: a chance for writers, actors and directors to meet people with whom they might collaborate in future. Hear short play scripts and extracts, submitted by writers and read by volunteer actors. At the end of the night everyone present will be invited to vote on the submissions. This is essentially a networking event, hosted by Discover 21, so if you wish to submit a script you must be able to attend on the night. Actors are also invited to come along and ‘cold read’ scripts. Full details are available on the Discover 21 website and Facebook page. 7-10pm , Discover 21, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road.

Film Stills: an exhibition of work by young people on the Fruitmarket Gallery’s Fresh Fruit programme. The group worked with artists Caroline Douglas and Morwenna Kerasley to create characters and portray them in photographs and video, taking inspiration from Stan Douglas’s exhibition at the Fruitmarket. 11am-6pm daily until 25th January 2015, Stills, 23 Cockburn Street.

TUESDAY 6TH JANUARY 2015

Common Weal Book Club: come along to the first 2015 meeting of the club! 7.30pm, Area C Coffee House, 239 Leith Walk.

Artists Design for the British Stage: Jane Pritchard, Curator of Dance at the V & A, will look at British artists designing for the theatre. From David Hockney and Howard Hodgkin through to Edward Burra and Bridget Riley, fine artists have been fascinated by the opportunities that designing for the theatre can offer – particularly musical theatre, dance and opera, for which they can create inspiring environments. To place in context Robert Colquhoun and Robert MacBryde’s work on the ballet Donald of the Burthens, this lecture will take a critical look at designs for sets and costumes by artists as varied as Claud Lovat Fraser, Duncan Grant, Barbara Hepworth, Anish Kapoor, Chris Ofili and John Piper. 12.45-1.30pm Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, the Mound. Free and unticketed.

Cramond Community Choir: the choir is open to all and welcomes everyone who enjoys singing. 7.30-9.30pm tonight and every Tuesday, Kirk Hall, Cramond Kirk, Cramond Glebe Road.

eBook Surgery: get help with downloading free eBooks, audiobooks and emagazines. 2-3.30pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free: no appointment necessary, just drop in.

Bookbug: rhymes and songs for young children and their parents/carers. 10.30-11am, Morningside Library, Morningside Road and South Queensferry Library, 9 Shore Road. Free.

The Sonics LGBT Basketball Group: a friendly and informal group for beginners and regular players alike. 7-8pm tonight and every Tuesday until 31st March 2015, Leith Community Education Centre Sports Hall, 12a New Kirkgate. Contact Jules and the team for more info: thesonics@hotmail.co.uk.

Little Ducks Club: parent and toddler group with stories, singing, crafting and playing. Free snack for children, everyone very welcome. 9.30-11am today and every Tuesday, Undercroft Cafe (Chapel Space), St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street. (Venue is safe, carpeted and has ramp access). For more information please contact Angela Grant, Child, Youth and Family Worker, on 0131 225 3847.

Hector’s House: ‘the capital’s soundest midweek shindig’. Main room: house-disco-techno; back room: hip hop-soul-funk. 11pm-3am, Cabaret Voltaire, 36 Blair Street. £4.

WEDNESDAY 7TH JANUARY 2015

Magic Carpet: take a trip on the Magic Carpet to explore the fantastic things in the National Museum of Scotland. 25 minutes of stories, songs and activities for children aged 2-4 years and their parents and carers (for younger children, see Magic Carpet Minis on Thursdays). 10.30-10.55am or 11.30-11.55am today and every Wednesday until 11th February 2015, meet at the Lighthouse Lens, Grand Gallery, Level 1, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. No advance booking required: sign up on the day at the Information Desk in the Entrance Hall. Free.

Bi and Beyond Edinburgh: a fortnightly social gathering for people who identify as bisexual and non-monosexual. ‘With organised social activities and refreshments provided, whatever your label or lack of label we welcome you.’ 7-9pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information contact biandbeyondedinburgh@gmail.com

Lounge Act: performances from Katrina Turner, Christopher Tracey and Lucas Kristoffersson. 7pm, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street. Free.

Creative Electric: drama and theatre workshops for ages 16+. Creative Electric creates contemporary performance based on real experiences; its work has been performed in Scotland and Sweden, in theatres, studios, art galleries, nightclubs, on trains, in fields, city centre squares and on rooftops. 7-9pm, Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. £5 per session, bursaries available: tickets available in advance or on the door (subject to availability – maximum number per session is 15).

Morningside Justice and Peace Group: Possible Political Configurations Post-May 2015. Dr Alan Convery, Lecturer in Politics at the School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh, will talk on this subject. 10.30-11.30am, The Open Door, 420 Morningside Road. All welcome: a contribution of £1.50 is requested to cover costs. Morningside Justice and Peace Group exists to promote informed opinion on matters of concern to the community at large.

The Scottish Gallery – January Exhibitions: three new shows open today. Fire by highly regarded British studio potter Lisa Hammond, Centenary Exhibition – a major retrospective to mark the centenary year of painter William Crosbie, and Fourteen Glasgow Artists, celebrating the work of artists active in Glasgow from 1930 to 2000, including Robert Colquhoun, Peter Howson and Joan Eardley. 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm Saturdays, until 31st January 2015, The Scottish Gallery, 16 Dundas Street.

THURSDAY 8TH JANUARY 2015

Portrait Gallery Curator’s talk: Ponte City. A chance to chat to Portrait Gallery curators about current exhibitions: this month Anne Lyden, International Photography Curator, will talk about Ponte City. 5.30-6pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

The Drawing Room: an informal, artist-led, drawing session, developed by a contemporary artist and reflecting concerns in that artist’s work. All materials supplied: no experience necessary. 5.30-6.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free, but booking is required: contact the Education Department on 0131 624 6410 or email education@nationalgalleries.org.

A Sycamore Sings: Danny Miller and Ancuta Nite-Doyle. Danny Miller (violin), accompanied by Ancuta Nite-Doyle on piano, plays music evocative of the First World War and the Edwardian period on the Wilfred Owen Violin, which was made in Edinburgh in 2014 as a tribute to Owen and his generation and an envoy for peace and reconciliation. The violin’s wood came from a limb of a sycamore tree growing in the grounds of Craiglockhart, where Owen and other officers came to convalesce and recover from shell-shock. With readings from Owen’s poetry by the violin’s maker, Steve Burnett, including Written in a Wood, September 1910, the words of which are glued to the inside of the instrument. 6-6.45pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

Magic Carpet Minis: especially for very little ones – a trip on the Magic Carpet to explore the fantastic things in the National Museum of Scotland. 20 minutes of stories, songs and activities for children aged 0-2 years and their parents and carers (for older children, see Magic Carpet on Wednesdays). 10.30-10.50am or 11.30-11.50am today and every Thursday until 12th February 2015, meet at the Lighthouse Lens, Grand Gallery, Level 1, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. No advance booking required: sign up on the day at the Information Desk in the Entrance Hall. Free.

Scotland-Russia Forum: sparkling Russian/English conversation over tea and cakes. Open to all, no need to book – you will be warmly welcomed by the group. 11am, Summerhall Cafe, Summerhall. No charge apart from the cost of any food or drinks you may wish to purchase. For more information contact info@scotlandrussiaforum.org or tel: 0131 560 1486.

Barnton & Cramond Community Club: Mr Bill Simpson – The Battle of the River Forth. 2pm, Kirk Hall, Cramond Kirk, Cramond Glebe Road.

Simply Singing: a group singing songs from all around the world in 3 or 4-part harmony, purely for the joy of singing. No need to be able to read music or understand musical terminology, songs are taught by ear in the traditional way. 7-9pm, tonight and every Thursday, Lounge, Ground Floor, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. £4 per session.

Ecumenical Friends at St Cuthberts: Isobel Reid speaks on Mamie Martin: A Glowing Brand. 12.30-2pm, St Cuthbert’s Church Hall, 5 Lothian Road. Bring your own packed lunch, tea and coffee provided. All very welcome: £1.50 per person. Organised by Edinburgh City Centre Churches TOGETHER.

FRIDAY 9TH JANUARY 2015

Exhibition Launch: Alasdair MacDonald. Ally is a self-taught artist painting mainly in oils on canvas or board. 7.30pm, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street. Free bubbles and nibbles!

Bookbug: rhymes and songs for young children and their parents/carers. 10.30-11am, Oxgangs Library, 343 Oxgangs Road North. Free.

Feely Friday: drop in every Friday afternoon in term time to explore real and replica objects from the Museum’s fascinating handling collection. From Vikings to Victorians, mammoths to meteorites and more – what will you get to grips with? NB: children must be accompanied by an adult. 1.30-4.30pm (drop-in) today and every Friday until 13th February 2015, National Museum of Scotland, (check Museum’s information screens on the day for exact location), Chambers Street. Free, no booking required.

Four Corners: good time soul music for dancing and the perfect start to your weekend, ‘a rapturous blend of soulful dancefloor music, new and old, from right across the map, with DJs Simon Hodge, Astrojazz and Johnny Cashback. 11pm-3am, Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. £3 before midnight, £5 after. The Bongo Club is an independent night club, gig venue and artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue. It encourages the community to get involved and ‘use our space to do their own thing’.

The Astronomical Society of Edinburgh: Steve Owens (Dark Sky Diary) will speak on In Defence of Night: dark sky protection and astronomy tourism. Steve is an award-winning freelance science communicator, writer, astronomer and sceptic, author of Stargazing for Dummies. He ran the Glasgow Science Centre for five years, and helped to establish the UK’s first International Dark Sky Park in Galloway. He hosts a range of stargazing events. 8pm, Church Centre, Augustine United Church, 41-43 George IV Bridge. Entry is free for members and non-members.

NEON21 – Beyond The Ivory Towers: Careers Outside Academia. An event for PhD/MSc students and postdoctoral researchers, from all universities and institutes, who are interested in finding out more about careers outside academia. NEON21 is a careers conference designed specifically for research students and staff, with a range of speakers who have PhD and postdoctoral experience but are now pursuing careers outside academia. There will be opportunities to network and to engage with the speakers. For more information about the speakers, and to book a free place, see eventbrite. 10.30am-4.30pm, Epworth Hall, City of Edinburgh Methodist Church, Nicolson Square.

Balerno Village Screen: The Imposter (15) ‘a gripping thriller that walks the razor’s edge between true-crime documentary and stylish noir mystery’. 7.30-9pm, Ogston Hall, Deanpark Brae, Balerno. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite or obtained from Balerno Post Office and The Mill Cafe. Balerno Village Screen is a community cinema initiative funded entirely by donations.

SATURDAY 10TH JANUARY 2015

Happy Birthday Elvis! Elvis Presley would have been 80 this month, so Sofi’s is hosting a weekend of themed events in his honour; tonight, a toast to the king and an Elvis sing-song! 7pm, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street.

GENERATION tours at Modern One: free, discussion-led tours of the exhibition, focusing on key themes and artists. 11-11.45am or 1-1.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed.

Bruncheon, featuring The Sound of Muesli: brunch and live music event at the Drill Hall Arts Cafe. Local musical talent and DJs create a chilled-out atmosphere; delicious home-made food available from the cafe – kippers, morning rolls and sweet treats aplenty! 11.30am-3pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street, Leith. Free entry.

Balerno Village Screen: How to Train Your Dragon 2 (PG) ‘when Hiccup and Toothless discover an ice-cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the centre of a battle to protect the peace’. 2.30-4.15pm, Ogston Hall, Deanpark Brae, Balerno. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite or obtained from Balerno Post Office and The Mill Cafe. Balerno Village Screen is a community cinema initiative funded entirely by donations.

Big N Bashy: ‘a feast of musical delights spread over three rooms and two floors’ with grime, dubstep, reggae and jungle. 11pm-3am, Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. £4 before midnight, £6 after. The Bongo Club is an independent night club, gig venue and artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue. It encourages the community to get involved and ‘use our space to do their own thing’.

Edinburgh Living History and World War One: against the backdrop of the gallery’s iconic World War One paintings, meet some Edinburgh locals from 1916 as they discuss the progress of the war, its effect on their personal lives and on Edinburgh as a city. Come and eavesdrop on their conversations! The members of the Living History team are award-winning performers. 11am, 2pm or 3pm, City Art Centre, Market Street. Suitable for all ages: free.

Winter Walks: join a garden guide for a leisurely afternoon walk around the Garden. Discover stunning seasonal highlights and learn about the history of the garden and its plants. For ages 14+. 2pm, John Hope Gateway Reception, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. £5 per person, no advance booking necessary. Also at same time on Sunday 11th January 2015.

Cramond Kirk Corner Cafe: a weekly drop in tuck shop and cafe for children of all ages and adults too, with games and crafts, snacks and hot drinks. All welcome. 2-4pm, Kirk Hall, Cramond Kirk, Cramond Glebe Road.

Balerno Village Screen: The Railway Man (15) ‘a former British army officer who was tormented as a POW at a Japanese labour camp discovers that the man responsible for much of his treatment is still alive, and sets out to confront him’. 7.30-9.30pm, Ogston Hall, Deanpark Brae, Balerno. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite or obtained from Balerno Post Office and The Mill Cafe. Balerno Village Screen is a community cinema initiative funded entirely by donations.

SUNDAY 11TH JANUARY 2015

Portrait Detectives! Collect your kit, follow clues and solve a mystery from history! For ages 4-12. 2-4pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed. Supported by the Friends of the National Galleries of Scotland.

Elvis Weekend Open Mic with Arno Block: a night of acoustic/unplugged open mic for songwriters, cover artists. poetry/spoken word or anything else you’d like to perform for an audience – this week with an Elvis twist encouraged! 8pm, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Teenage Book Group: join the group to read and talk about the latest teenage fiction – anything from classics to contemporary, dystopian to historical. Currently reading Marcus Sedgewick’s Foreshadowing. 2-3pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. To join (it’s free) just email your details to schools.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk.

St Giles’ At Six: Organ Recital by Kevin Duggan. John McLeod: The King’s Toccata and The Seven Sacraments of Poussin, Kenneth Leighton Prelude, Scherzo and Passacaglia. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.