If you would like your event featured in our listings, please send details to rosemary@theedinburghreporter.co.uk – the earlier the better!
MONDAY 23RD FEBRUARY 2015
Toddler Time: special screenings exclusively for pre-school children and their parents/carers. This week BAFTA-winning animation Lost and Found (U), an enchanting story, narrated by Jim Broadbent, about a little boy who one day finds a penguin on his doorstep. 11am, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets for Toddler Time members cost £3 per child and there is no charge for accompanying adults; membership of this club is free – ask at the Box Office.
Launch of The International Year of Light Celebrations. The United Nations has named 2015 The International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies. This is the first in a series of Royal Society of Edinburgh events celebrating the International Year, which will explore how light is fundamental to the existence of life on earth, and the ways in which it plays an important role in shaping our society in the fields of medicine, communications, entertainment and culture. Heriot-Watt University academic staff and students will be showcasing their research and launching their programme for the International Year through a range of presentations, displays and exhibitions. 5-8pm, Royal Society of Edinburgh, 22-26 George Street. Visitors are welcome to drop in to view the exhibitions at any time between 5-8pm; there will also be a number of talks, starting at 6pm.
Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership: Nature in your Neighbourhood. Come and hear about Edinburgh Living Landscapes and have a say in creating, restoring and connecting green areas of the city. There will also be a presentation on local roads and pavements budgets, plus a display of plans for Fet-Lor Youth Club’s new building and an update on Drylaw Skatepark. 6.30-8.30pm, Blackhall Library, 56 Hillhouse Road. All welcome: for more information call 0131 529 5270 or email elaine.lennon@edinburgh.gov.uk
Sofi’s Cult Movie Nights: My Beautiful Laundrette – a screening for LGBT History Month. Set in London in the Thatcher era, the film reflects the complex – and often comical – relationships between members of the Asian and white communities. Focusing on Omar, a young Pakistani man living in London, and his reunion and eventual romance with his old friend, a street punk named Johnny, the plot addresses several polemical issues of the time, including homosexuality and racism, depicted within the social and economic climate of Thatcherism. 8-10pm, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street. Free popcorn! Read The Edinburgh Reporter’s round-up of LGBT History Month here.
Play Talk Read! The Play Talk read bus is coming to Craigmillar Library today! For pre-school children and their parents/carers. Hop on board to read stories, sing songs, play games and have fun. It’s free! The bus will be in the big car park at the rear of the building. 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road.
Water of Leith Conservation Trust: Tibet – The Abode of the God Kings: adventurous couple Fred and Rita will take you through a spiritual and cultural journey through life in Tibet. Against the backdrop of the Tibetan plateau and grand Himalayas, on high passes, crossing the Brahmaputra river to see amazing monasteries, inside the Dalai Lama’s former palace and across the Tsuo La and Jia Tuso at 5220 feet to catch sight of Mount Everest, Cho Oyu and Shijapangma, then dropping down the steep switchbacks of the Friendship Highway to the subtropical landscapes of the Nepali border. 7.30pm, Water of Leith Visitor Centre, 24 Lanark Road. Tickets cost £5 (members £4) and advance purchase is strongly advised – call the Visitor Centre on 0131 455 7367 between 10am and 4pm. The Water of Leith Conservation Trust is a registered charity.
Leith Links Community Council: if you live in the Leith Links area, you are invited to come along to the Community Council’s meeting tonight. 7pm, Persevere Room, Leith Community Centre, 12a Newkirkgate. Email contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk for more information.
Architectural History Society: Thomas Hamilton’s Royal High – a public discussion. Invited speakers Alistair Rowan (architectural historian), Marcus Binney (SAVE Britain’s Heritage), Susan Denyer (ICOMOS-UK) and Diane Watters (architectural historian) will discuss the historical development of the building in its setting, its cultural significance in the Edinburgh and international context, and proposals for the future. 6.30-8pm, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street. All welcome: free admission.
For Crying Out Loud: screenings for carers and their babies under 12 months. Today’s film is Selma (12A), which chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965 when Dr Martin Luther King Jr led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4.50/£3.50 per adult, maximum of two adults per baby. Babychanging, buggy parking and bottle warming facilities are available.
LGBT: Intersex Information Session – an introduction to some of the myths and facts about what the ‘I’ in LGBTI stands for and how it relates to the LGBT community. 6.30-7.30pm (within weekly Drop-In, which runs 5.30-8pm), LGBT Health & Wellbeing Centre, 9 Howe Street. For more information contact Alison Wren on 0131 652 3283 or email alison@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Write Shoot Cut: Screen Education Edinburgh and the Filmhouse support new talent through the Write Shoot Cut programme, offering local filmmakers the opportunity to screen their work to new audiences. Today: Take It Back and Start All Over, the debut feature film from Edinburgh-based writer/director and creator of the Write Shoot Cut platform, Neil Rolland. Shot in 5 days by a team of professional Scottish filmmakers on a budget of £1,000, it is part of a new movement in Scotland called Tartan Features. The film is a relationship drama with music, following 33 year old mum Jennie, who attempts to recapture her past as a successful singer/songwriter while dealing with a marriage that’s falling apart. Plus short: James and the Urn by Louis Clark. A young boy finds the body of his gran on her living room floor; forced to attend the wake, he becomes increasingly distressed as he realises that everyone there has moved on. In an attempt to keep her memory alive, he steals her urn and takes it back to her favourite place. 6.10pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £6/£5 and can be purchased online here or by calling the Filmhouse Box Office on 0131 228 2688.
The Old Chain Pier Folk Session: come and join in, or just enjoy traditional Scottish folk music with some old favourites from Fozzy and Alistair. 7.30pm and at the same time every second Monday, The Old Chain Pier, Trinity Crescent.
E4 Slackers Club: monthly free screenings exclusively for students. Tonight: Focus (15). 9pm, Cameo, Home Street. To become a member of the Slackers Club, take your NUS card or student ID card to the Box Office: membership of this club is free.
Edinburgh Philosophy and Psychology Group: an opportunity to ask questions about Life, The Universe and Everything, to think critically and constructively and to expand your sense of understanding – a chance to bounce ideas off other people in a tolerant and open-minded atmosphere in which everyone has a chance to air their views. Discussions are non-academic and members come from a range of ages, nationalities and backgrounds. Topics are suggested by members and decided by a monthly poll. 8-9.30pm, The Links Hotel & Bar, Alvanley Terrace, Bruntsfield. Non-members welcome. Free -with free sandwiches!
Spotlight On: Indian Encounters. Explore the personal stories of Captain Archibald Swinton and Maharaja Duleep Singh, and take a behind-the-scenes look at how NMS experts used scientific techniques to reveal the fascinating stories behind the objects they collected. The men had very different experiences of British imperial rule. Swinton served in the East India Company’s army at the beginning of its military expansion into India, where he collected exquisite miniature paintings; Singh became the first resident Sikh in Britain when, at the age of 10, he had to surrender the Sikh Punjab and all his treasures to the East India Company. This talk with explore the significance of his highly decorative jewellery from the Sikh court in Lahore. For ages 14+. 2-3pm (doors open 1.45pm), Seminar Room, Learning Centre, Level 4, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free but ticketed: booking may be made via the NMS Information Desk or online here.
Sofi’s Movie Mondays: popular classics on the silver screen in Sofi’s cosy darkened back room. Free popcorn! 8pm, Sofi’s Bar, Henderson St. Contact Sofi’s for details of this week’s film.
Elizabeth Blackadder: A Cat Amongst the Flowers. A collection of the renowned artist’s work, showing etched portraits of cats captured in natural moments of rest, play or stillness, alongside delicate floral and still life prints. These works are on loan from the Falkirk Community Trust and the Glasgow Print Studio. 9am-5pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 9am-9pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11am-5pm Sundays, Linlithgow Burgh Halls, The Cross, Linlithgow. Free entry. The Halls have a cafe open 9.30am-4pm Monday to Saturday and 11am-4pm on Sundays. Linlithgow can be reached by train from Waverley Station in 23 minutes. Exhibition closes 3rd May 2015.
TUESDAY 24TH FEBRUARY 2015
Edinburgh Studio Opera: The Magic Flute. Mozart’s ever popular magical tale set in Persia is ‘a vibrant and colourful re-imagining of a classic’. The two-act opera follows Prince Tamino and bird catcher Papageno as they attempt to rescue the beautiful Princess Pamina; along the way Tamino and Papageno have many adventures, and discover that not all is what it seems ‘A light-hearted but profound examination of man’s search for love and his struggle to attain wisdom and virtue’. 7.30pm tonight and at the same time on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, Lauriston Hall, 28 Lauriston Street, Tollcross. Tickets cost £10/£6 and can be obtained via We Got Tickets here. For further information and ticketing enquiries, please contact esoproducer@gmail.com or call 07946 149968. Edinburgh Studio Opera was founded as Edinburgh University Opera Club in 1968. For some time it has been very successfully run by students, with professional directors and musical directors whenever possible: this production is directed by Lloyd Llewellyn Jones, Senior Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Edinburgh, with musical direction by renowned conductor and cellist William Conway (Chamber Orchestra of Scotland) ‘an artistic director with an eye for intelligent programming and…a flair for the unpredictable’ (Financial Times), assisted by Peter Keenan.
Bookbug: songs and rhymes for young children and their parents/carers. 10.30am today and every Tuesday and Saturday, Corstorphine Library, 12 Kirk Loan. Free: all very welcome!
Silver Screen Club: if you are over 60 and join this club you can see any Silver Screen show (selected screenings every Tuesday) for £5, which includes a free tea or coffee. (Non-members can attend these shows but pay standard seat prices). Today: 1pm – Cake (15), 1.30pm – Selma (12A), 1.45pm – The Theory of Everything (12A), 3.30pm – The Imitation Game (12A), 4.15pm – Ex Machina (15) and 4.30pm – Ida (12A), Cameo, Home Street. Membership of this club is free – ask at the Box Office for details.
Baronscourt Park Public Meeting: a meeting to discuss the City Council’s plans for improving the park. 7pm, Northfield Willowbrae Community Centre, Byron Square. All welcome. Hosted by Northfield & Willowbrae Community Council.
Lunchtime Concert: John Kitchen and James Ritzema (harpsichords) play Giovani Gabrieli’s Canzon Sol Sol La Sol Fa Mi a 8, Aurelio Bonelli’s Toccata Athalanta a 8 and Soler’s Concierto 1 in C and Concierto 4 in F. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Free and open to all.
Scottish Poetry Library Workshop: Jennifer Williams, poet and SPL Programme Manager, facilitates this workshop in which you can read, discuss and write poems. Please bring paper and a pen/pencil or the electronic device you use for writing. 6.30-8.30pm, Golden Hare Books, St Stephen Street, Stockbridge (please note change of venue owing to building works at SPL). Tickets cost £5/£4 and can be booked via eventbrite here.
Edinburgh College of Art Online Information Session: MA/MFA Design Informatics. If you are interested in this course and you’d like to find out more about this postgraduate programme, join Professor Chris Speed (Programme Director) for a live chat, during which he will provide an overview of the programme and answer your questions. 12 noon-1pm: if you would like to take part click here for further details and registration.
Edinburgh City of Literature: Meet The Literary Salon. A networking event for anyone with a professional interest in literature – an opportunity to make important contacts, discuss literature in Edinburgh and make new friends. Each salon has a guest speaker. 6pm, The Wash Bar, North Bank Street. The Mound.
Filmosophy: a fourth season of original and thought-provoking films, this time focusing on the distinction between appearance and reality. Each film provides a unique perspective on this philosophical problem, using the notions of sight and blindness as powerful metaphors. Each screening will be preceded by a short introduction by James Mooney (University of Edinburgh) and followed by an opportunity to discuss the philosophical issues raised. Tonight: Pi (15). 6.15pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688. The next film in this series will be Proof (15), showing on 24th March 2015.
Wordy Scribblers: a new writing group for 10-12 year olds starts today! Each weekly session will include a fun creative activity and a little bit about writing stories and poems. 4-5pm today and every Tuesday until 31st March, Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road. To book your free place please contact the library.
Little Ducks Club: stories, singing, crafting and playing for children and parents/carers at this city centre toddler group. 10am, Undercroft Cafe, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street. For more information please contact Angela Grant, Child, Youth & Family Worker, on 07731 465 642. All welcome!
Blossoms: ‘a lighter take on psychedelia, one that’s steeped in classic British pop songwriting’ (NME). 7pm, Sneaky Pete’s, Cowgate. Strictly for over-18s: no refunds will be given for tickets bought for under-18s. Tickets cost £8/£7 and can be booked online here (transaction fee applies).
The Tees Shop: transform your old T-shirt into something awesome! Awesome Folk and The Green Team present their first creative reuse workshop. Bring your T-shirt, get crafty and enjoy a cuppa and quality chat. 8-9pm, Studio 1.22, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Please contact Jaimie Macdonald (studio G9) on 07739 814766, Lorna Brown (studio 1.22) on 07775 622 756 or Kate Burwell (studio 1.22) on 07717 330 338 to indicate your intention to attend, as places are limited. £2.50 for St Margaret’s House residents, £5 all others.
A Delicate Wildness: The Lives & Loves of David Thomson. In A Delicate Wildness, Julian Vignoles explores the contribution – and the soul – of writer and radio documentary producer David Thomson, a relatively unsung but uniquely talented man. Thomson had an impish grin, was wary of the literati and drank with the London homeless. Seamus Heany described him as having ‘a delicate wildness’. 6pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but please book online here or by calling the library on 0131 623 3734.
LGBT Art Therapy: Body Mapping. Facilitated by art therapists, an opportunity to play with art materials to create visual representations that connect to bodily feelings or emotions. No experience or skill in art needed. 6.30-8.30pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing Centre, 9 Howe Street. Booking is essential as places are limited. For more information and to book contact Alison Wren on 0131 652 3283 or email alison@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Oasis Edinburgh: Beyond the Work/Life Balance Myth – ‘from living on a seesaw to making your own pizza’. Grant MacLaughlan, Workplace Chaplaincy Scotland, presents this free lunchtime CPD talk, in which he will suggest that we are perhaps addressing this topic from the wrong starting point. 12.30 for 12.45pm, ends 1.30pm, Anderson Strathern LLP, 1 Rutland Court. Tea, coffee and sandwiches will be provided. Advance registration required: please email janicetodd@oasisedinburgh.com. Oasis is a non-profit organisation offering help and support to all working locally, and exploring connections between business and spirituality: it is sponsored by Edinburgh City Centre Churches TOGETHER.
Talking Heids: spoken word socialites Talking Heids return for a special, one-off, LGBT History month poetry and spoken word extravaganza, which will include an open mic section for budding bards! Hosted by ‘the inimitable and indefatigable McGuire’. 7.30-10pm, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street. Read The Edinburgh Reporter’s round-up of LGBT History Month here.
Non-Aligned Architecture: China’s Designs on and in Guinea and Ghana 1955-92. Led by Dr Cole Roskam, University of Hong Kong, as part of the Architectural History/Theory Seminar Series. 5.15-6.30pm, Common Room, Minto House, 20-22 Chambers Street. Free and open to all.
I Love Hip Hop: Pete Rock – making his Edinburgh debut as part of a UK tour, with support from Richard Ruftone and Nasty P. 11pm-3am, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. £8. The Bongo Club is a nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue, ‘putting the sounds of the underground and imaginative aspirations before the mighty dollar’.
Play Talk Read! The Play Talk Read bus is coming to Gate 55 today! For pre-school children and their parents/carers. Hop on board to read stories, sing songs, play games and have fun. It’s free! 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, Gate 55, 55 Sighthill Road. The bus will be in the big car park at the rear of the building.
Barocco Open Studio: Barocco is a Tribal Fusion Belly Dance performance troupe. All dancers, old and new, and anyone who wants to find out more or just say hello is welcome: please bring a small item of food (fruit, nuts, etc) to share. Anyone who would like to share a song or dance is encouraged to do so! Please note this event is for women only. 6.30pm, Forest Centre Plus, Castle Terrace.
WEDNESDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2015
Chutney Exhibition Presents Knife Whimsy: a one-off reappearance of Chutney Exhibition’s award-winning Fringe show. Lighthearted apocalypses, the apotheosis of Fred Durst, the eternal battle between man and bus, all culminating in a linguistic battle between Robert Pattinson and Justin Bieber. Spoken word teetering on a knife edge. Whimsy. Wonder. Despair. 8pm, Banshee Labyrinth, Niddry Street. Free admission.
Introduction to European Cinema: a great opportunity to see some of the classics of European cinema on the big screen in this series curated by the University of Edinburgh’s Division of European Languages and Cultures. Each screening will be preceded by a short introduction by Dr Leanne Dawson (University of Edinburgh) or another academic working on European cinema. Tonight: The Wrong Move (15), Wim Wenders’ 1975 drama: a would-be writer travels through Germany encountering history, economics and passion. 6pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be purchased online here or by calling the Filmhouse Box Office on 0131 228 2688. The next film in this series will be The King is Alive (15) on 4th March 2015.
Morningside Justice & Peace Group: The True Cost of Renewables. Professor Anthony Trewavas (University of Edinburgh Institute of Molecular Plant Science) will give a short talk on this topical subject, followed by an opportunity for questions and discussion. 10.30-11.30am, The Open Door, 420 Morningside Road. £1 per person: all welcome. For more information please contact Barbara Darcy on 0131 228 1807/b.darcy20@gmail.com.
Bookbug: songs and rhymes for young children and their parents/carers. 10.30am, Oxgangs Library, Oxgangs Road North. Free: all very welcome!
James Boswell, 1765, by George Willison. Susanna Kerr, former Senior Curator, Portrait Gallery, discusses visual messages and symbols conveyed through portraiture in relation to Willison’s flamboyant depiction of Boswell: diarist, man of letters, womaniser and drunkard. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Common Crafts: an evening for stitching, felting and putting the world to rights, Common Weal style. 7pm, Area C Coffee House, 239 Leith Walk. All welcome.
Common Weal Monthly Book Group: this will be the first meeting of the group, at which plans will be made and Iain MacWhirter’s Disunited Kingdom discussed. (This group is distinct from the fortnightly group reading the Common Weal book. This group will read more widely but still in the politics/economics/society area). 7.30-9pm, Area C Coffee House, 239 Leith Walk. All welcome.
Tovey Memorial Prize Competition Final 2015: the Prize is awarded annually to the music student who shows the greatest promise in composition or performance. 2pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square.
Edinburgh Studio Opera: The Magic Flute. Mozart’s ever popular magical tale, set in Persia is ‘a vibrant and colourful re-imagining of a classic’. The two-act opera follows Prince Tamino and bird catcher Papageno as they attempt to rescue the beautiful Princess Pamina; along the way Tamino and Papageno have many adventures, and discover that not all is what it seems ‘A light-hearted but profound examination of man’s search for love and his struggle to attain wisdom and virtue’. 7.30pm tonight and at the same time on Friday and Saturday, Lauriston Hall, 28 Lauriston Street, Tollcross. Tickets cost £10/£6 and can be obtained via We Got Tickets here. For further information and ticketing enquiries, please contact esoproducer@gmail.com or call 07946 149968. Edinburgh Studio Opera was founded as Edinburgh University Opera Club in 1968. For some time it has been very successfully run by students, with professional directors and musical directors whenever possible: this production is directed by Lloyd Llewellyn Jones, Senior Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Edinburgh, with musical direction by renowned conductor and cellist William Conway (Chamber Orchestra of Scotland) ‘an artistic director with an eye for intelligent programming and…a flair for the unpredictable’ (Financial Times), assisted by Peter Keenan.
Edinburgh Gay Men’s Book Group: an inclusive group where you can meet new people and read and discuss interesting books. 7-9pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing Centre, 9 Howe Street. For more information contact info@gaybookgroup.co.uk
LGBT Icebreakers: are you are new to Edinburgh? Want to meet new people? Just coming out? Icebreakers is an informal, fun and friendly social group for LGBT people and those who are questioning their sexuality or gender identity. For ages 18+. 7.30-9.30pm, The Regent Bar, Montrose Terrace. For more information contact admin@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Play Talk Read! The Play Talk Read bus is coming to Fort Community Centre today! For pre-school children and their parents/carers. Hop on board to read stories, sing songs, play games and have fun. It’s free! 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, Fort Community Centre, 25 North Fort Street.
Trad Music Sessions at the Dalriada: 8-10pm tonight and every Wednesday, Dalriada, 77 Promenade, Portobello. All welcome.
THURSDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2015
Ecumenical Friends at St John’s: Fiona Bennett speaks on The Story of Augustine United Church. 1-2.30pm, St John’s Church, Princes Street (please note change of venue and time for this week). £1.50 per person: bring your own packed lunch, tea and coffee provided. These events are organised by Edinburgh City Centre Churches TOGETHER.
Wester Hailes Wildlife Walk: a two-hour fully guided flat walk, with binoculars provided and tea and coffee afterwards. Meet at 10.30am at Wester Hailes Library, 1 Westside Plaza.
Big Scream Club: for parents and carers with a baby under 12 months. Membership costs £5, lasts until the baby’s first birthday and allows you to buy tickets for these screenings at Picturehouse Member’s prices (babies admitted free). Only customers with babies will be admitted. Today: The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG). 10am, Cameo, Home Street.
iWomen Scotland: a group supporting ethnic minority women with sight loss. Come along, meet the group, find out more about how you can get involved, and share your ideas with the members over lunch. 1pm, RNIB Scotland, 12-14 Hillside Crescent. For more information please contact enquiries@iwomenscotland.org or call 0131 474 6179. The group’s website can be found here.
Edinburgh College of Art Thursday Research Seminar Series – Please Touch: Artists in the Archive. Chaired by Kirstie Meehan, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, and followed by drinks served in the Common Room of Minto House. 5-5.15pm, Lecture Room 1, Minto House, 20-22 Chambers Street. Free and open to all.
Guilty As Sin: ‘foot-tapping tunes’. 9pm, The Old Chain Pier, Trinity Crescent.
Blast Radius: Edinburgh-based author RL McKinney launches her debut novel, which follows Sean McNicol as he leaves the Marines in Afghanistan to return home, bringing the ghost of his best friend Mitch and memories of their traumatic experiences. ‘McKinney sensitively handles mental health issues, and the struggle for identity for those who have endured conflict’. 6.30pm, Looking Glass Books, 36 Simpson Loan. Free but booking is required via eventbrite – or drop into the shop, email hello@lookingglassbooks.com or phone them on 0131 229 2902.
Moon Hop: performances from some of the UK’s most exciting musicians, plus sets from the Moon Hop DJs and their genre-defying record collection…expect Screamers, Bangers and Cosmic Synths. This month featuring Lomond Campbell, River of Slime, Hamish Hawk and Jo Foster. 8pm-1am, Henry’s Cellar Bar, Morrison Street. £3.
Mayfield Salisbury Thursday Club: Donald Miller will talk about Pre-Colombian Cities. 2pm, Mayfield Salisbury Church Hall, West Mayfield. Everyone very welcome; please contact Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234 for more information.
North Edinburgh Arts: Teen Scream – your local youth magazine. If you are aged 10-18 years and you’d like to learn more about graffiti, art, creative writing, digital layout, photography and interviewing skills, come along to these weekly sessions, which start TODAY! 3.15-4.45pm, Muirhouse Library, 15a Pennywell Road. Snack provided too! For more information call 0131 529 5528.
LGBT History Month Celebration Event hosted by Edinburgh & Lothian Regional Equality Council, LGBT Youth Scotland and Leith Academy in collaboration with Lothian LGBT Development Group. Featuring keynote speakers, multicultural performances, dances and live music, this family-friendly evening will also be an opportunity to hear how improved equalities can support pupils and students to achieve. Light refreshments will be served. 5.30-8pm, Leith Academy, 20 Academy Park. All welcome: free, but please book online here. Read The Edinburgh Reporter’s round-up of LGBT History Month here.
Scotland-Russia Forum: Nothing is True and Everything is Possible. Author, documentary producer and Edinburgh graduate Peter Pomerantsev, who worked for nine years in Moscow, has written extensively about how Putin’s Russia has reinvented propaganda – and what the West should do about it. He is currently a senior fellow at the Legatum Institute, London. Peter’s book, Nothing is True and Everything is Possible, was released in the USA in November 2014 and will be published this month in the UK; it has just been Radio 4’s Book of the Week. The New York Times described it as ‘dazzling and sparkling’ while PJ O’Rourke called it ‘the strangest book of note I have ever read…a calm and incisive report on the current state of affairs in Russia. Yet it reads like a comedy of manners, a dark and grotesque comedy of manners….’ Peter will discuss his book and the activities and role of the Russian media – inside and outside Russia – with Martin Dewhirst former lecturer in Russian and now Honorary Research Fellow, at the University of Glasgow. There will be light refreshments and an opportunity to purchase the book after the talk. 7pm, Seminar Room 1/2, Chrystal Macmillan Building, University of Edinburgh, George Square. Free but donations to the Scotland-Russia Forum’s funds much appreciated.
Kirkliston Community Centre Ukelele Group! A new group for adults, starting tonight. Please contact the Centre for more details. 8-9pm, Kirkliston Community Centre, 16-18 Queensferry Road.
Play Talk Read! The Play Talk Read bus is coming to Ratho Library today! For pre-school children and their parents/carers. Hop on board to read stories, sing songs, play games and have fun. It’s free! 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, Ratho Library, School Wynd.
Writers Return: The British Council presents four celebrated authors with suitcases full of travelling experiences, who will reflect on how travel can inspire and inform new writing. Novelist and playwright Alan Bissett, novelist Anne Donovan and poets William Letford and Ryan Van Winkle will tell stories about their excursions, from Iraq to Pakistan; they will read poems and fiction, and explore the unexpected narratives they uncovered along the way. The British Council Writers Return series is a programme that sees writers recently back from overseas share new work inspired by their trips abroad, talk about where they are going, where they have been, and how this informs their writing. For ages 16+. 6.30-7.30pm, Main Hall, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite here.
Quiz Night: a mix of music, film and general knowledge – from science to celebrities ‘a proper pub quiz with lots of smiles and laughs!’ Maximum of 6 per team. 8pm tonight and every Thursday, The Skylark, 241/243 Portobello High Street. Free entry with prizes! Food is served until 9pm.
Babar Luck: ‘one of the most refreshing and unique performers around today’ – from rock to reggae, ska and sci-fi folk, plus support from Small Feet, Little Toes and Grant McNeil. 7pm, Forest Cafe, Lauriston Place. Free: BYOB (corkage applies).
FRIDAY 27TH FEBRUARY 2015
Riccio Gallery: a new exhibitions of paintings and glass by artists Karen Rogers, Janet McCrorie, Mary Frith and Marion McFarlane. Preview tonight 7-9pm, then 10am-4pm Monday to Saturday until 1st April 2015, Riccio Gallery, 17 South Street, Dalkeith.
Wester Hailes Employment Fair: advice, information and support about jobs, training and learning opportunities in South West Edinburgh, and help with your CV, applications, interview technique, and skills development. 10.30am-1.30pm, Wester Hailes Library, 1 Westside Plaza.
Edinburgh Studio Opera: The Magic Flute. Mozart’s ever popular magical tale, set in Persia is ‘a vibrant and colourful re-imagining of a classic’. The two-act opera follows Prince Tamino and bird catcher Papageno as they attempt to rescue the beautiful Princess Pamina; along the way Tamino and Papageno have many adventures, and discover that not all is what it seems ‘A light-hearted but profound examination of man’s search for love and his struggle to attain wisdom and virtue’. 7.30pm tonight and at the same time on Saturday, Lauriston Hall, 28 Lauriston Street, Tollcross. Tickets cost £10/£6 and can be obtained via We Got Tickets here. For further information and ticketing enquiries, please contact esoproducer@gmail.com or call 07946 149968. Edinburgh Studio Opera was founded as Edinburgh University Opera Club in 1968. For some time it has been very successfully run by students, with professional directors and musical directors whenever possible: this production is directed by Lloyd Llewellyn Jones, Senior Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Edinburgh, with musical direction by renowned conductor and cellist William Conway (Chamber Orchestra of Scotland) ‘an artistic director with an eye for intelligent programming and…a flair for the unpredictable’ (Financial Times), assisted by Peter Keenan.
Boroughmuir High School PTA Race Night: prizes for the winning owners! 7pm for 7.30pm, St Oswald’s Hall, Montpelier Park. £5, which includes first £1 bet and a welcoming drink. Own a horse for £5. Tickets and more information from The School Office on 0131 229 9703, or Christinablack76@gmail.com.
Crafty Fridays: an activity for children every week at 3pm, McDonald Road Library, 2 McDonald Road, Leith. All welcome!
The Cyrenians Good Food Programme Fundraiser: a packed night of live music featuring Poor Things, Battery Face, Hagana, Black International, FUKIP, BRITNEY, Plastic Animals and Trapped Mice, with proceeds going to the Cyrenians Good Food Programme, a social enterprise with a mission to bring good food and healthy lifestyles to people who are experiencing disadvantage, isolation, poverty and homelessness – through food redistribution, food education and cooking classes, and traineeships towards employment. 7pm-3am, Henry’s Cellar Bar, Morrison Street. £6.
Lunchtime Concert: Michael Bawtree (organ) plays JS Bach, Nielsen, Buxtehude, Vogler, Judith Bingham, George Berg and Louis Merchand. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Free and open to all.
Children’s Arts and Crafts Afternoon: 2pm Blackhall Library, 56 Hillhouse Road. For ages 4+. All welcome but please book by calling into the library or phoning them on 0131 529 5595. Free.
Portobello Poetry Circus Presents The Circus Slam: a competition where poets pit their performance, content and style against each other in the presence of three secretly-placed judges. sixteen performers take the stage for 2 minutes each, six get through to the second round and only three reach the final. The winner receives a bottle of Prosecco from the Dalriada and a place in the Scottish National Slam Championship. 8pm (doors open 7.30pm), Dalriada, 77 Promenade, Portobello. Tickets cost £3 each. The Portobello Poetry Circus is a self-funded spoken-word organisation started by Max Scratchmann and Emily Elver; it aims to present poetry performances, competitions and workshops outside the city centre.
Alexander McCall Smith: Friendship, Places and People. An event hosted by the St Giles’ Neighbourhood Group, in aid of the homeless. There will be a book signing after the talk. 7.30pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Admission is free, no ticket is required, but donations are invited for Cunningham House, a Crossreach short-stay, supported hostel for homeless people in the heart of Edinburgh.
Lunchtime Music Hour: The History of Jazz Piano, with the wonderfully charismatic Richard Michael. Food and drinks are available to buy, and lunch may be taken into the venue. 12.30pm, Zero Degrees, Students Union, Heriot-Watt University, EH14 4AS. Free.
Common Weal Edinburgh North & Leith: Common Gathering. An opportunity for all activists to come together to share ideas and plans with wine and music! 7pm for 7.30pm, Area C Coffee House, 239 Leith Walk. All welcome.
Play Talk Read! The Play Talk Read bus is coming to Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre today! For pre-school children and their parents/carers. Hop on board to read stories, sing songs, play games and have fun. It’s free! 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre, Pilton Drive
Frequent Flyers: Electro Swing Funk/Soul DJ Set. 9pm, Boda Bar, 229 Leith Walk.
One Touch Theatre: Love 2.0. Gary is a catch – on Facebook at least; he’s virtually a virtual dream man – smart, funny, profound, a certified Lad. He even likes all the same things as Susie..but when the pair try to move their whirlwind virtual romance into the real world, things don’t go quite according to plan. Love 2.0 is an outrageous new comedy about dating in the age of social media, where Facebook profiles are brought vividly to life on stage, and nothing is quite what it seems.Written and directed by Andy McGregor. For ages 16+. 7.30pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £10/£8 and may be booked online here or by calling the Centre on 0131 556 9579. Also at the same time on Saturday 28th February.
Landscape with a Huntsman and Dead Game (‘Allegory of the Sense of Smell’) by Jan Weenix. Ailsa Turner, art historian, explores the virtuoso character of Weenix’s allegorical work, which demonstrates his prowess in all branches of 17th century Dutch painting. 12.45-1.15pm, Gallery, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Swing and Sway with the Swingettes: this award-winning a capella quartet have performed in the Usher Hall, the Queen’s Hall and the Netherbow Theatre, and at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival with Todd Gordon and James Torme. Sit back and relax as they showcase their unique close harmony singing and swinging rhythms, and present an evening of timeless classics and contemporary songs. 7.30-9pm, Penicuik Community Arts, West Street Arts Centre, 4 West Street, Penicuik. Tickets cost £8 (£6 for Penicuik Community Arts Association members) and can be bought online here.
Guid Crack: The Many Faces of Jack. From silly Jack to trickster Jack, storyteller Heather Yule shares tales from the Scottish traveller campfire and the Appalachian mountain hollers. This is Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling night, upstairs at the Waverley. 7.30-10pm, Waverley Bar, 1 St Mary’s Street. Free: a donation of £3 per person is suggested. Accompanied young adults welcome. For more information contact the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
Les BOF! ‘The one and only French sixties band from Scotland’. Edinburgh-based Les BOF! play a raw garage style with an entertaining French touch. For over-18s only. 7.30pm, The Ballroom, The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street. Ticket price TBC.
Dalriata: single launch party for the acoustic duo (Ricardo Pereira and Tegan Blaikie) from Edinburgh, with special guests The Woods, Freddie Pretorius and Katya Mansell. For over-18s only. 7pm, The Speakeasy, The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street. Tickets cost £5 and are available from Dalriata; advance purchase is strongly advised.
Gallery Social – The Two Roberts: Robert Colqhoun and Robert MacBryde. A relaxed and informal guided tour with refreshments for anyone affected by dementia and their friends, relatives and supporters. 10.30am-12 noon, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art TWO, Belford Road. To book a place please call the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560.
Marcus Bonfanti: ‘As if Jimmy Page had been reborn as Seasick Steve. Utterly spellbinding’ (The Times). 7-10pm, Sneaky Pete’s, Cowgate. Strictly for over-18s: no refunds will be given for tickets bought for under-18s. Tickets cost £8/£7 and can be booked online here (transaction fee applies).
Neu! Reekie! Frozen Lovers: Glaswegian band Hector Bizerk, poet Helen Mort, musician Eyes of Others (John Bryden), poet Paul Hullah and artist/musician Martin Metcalfe: Scenes, plus a series of curated animations including a live showcase, with Scottish snacks available from chef Owen Morrice. Hosted by Leith Late’s own Morvern Cunningham. 7-11pm, Pilrig Church Hall, Pilrig Street. Tickets cost £8.50/£7 (+ transaction fee) and can be purchased via Brown Paper Tickets here.
Electrikal: Dillinja and Chimpo. Arguably the most prolific producer within the Drum and Bass scene, Dillinja set about building the legendary Valve Sound System with friend and collaborator Lemon D in 2000. Bass music legend Chimpo’s style defies genre boundaries; both his DJ sets and productions see him fuse grime, drum n bass, dubstep, trap, garage, dancehall and hip hop to create a unique sound that never fails to destroy dancefloors. Electrikal return to The Bongo Cub for their second night in 2015. 11am-3pm, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. £10 in advance, £12 on the door. The Bongo Club is a nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue, ‘putting the sounds of the underground and imaginative aspirations before the mighty dollar’.
SATURDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 2015
Out of the Blue Flea Market: rummage for treasures at over 45 stalls bursting with clothes, jewellery, small furniture, music, books, bric a brac and much more. Delicious coffee and cake and light lunches available to purchase from the Drill Hall Arts Cafe. 10am-3pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street.
Chasing Ice: a film showing the impact of climate change, followed by a discussion with Heather Anderson, owner of Whitmuir Farm, about organic production and carbon reduction. A light lunch will then be available. 12 noon-3pm, St James’ Church, 11a John’s Place. Leith. All welcome. For details and booking email harriet@himalyancentre.org or call 07949 740030. Free.
Queensferry Fair Trade Group One World Coffee Morning: delicious food and drink, gorgeous accessories, beautiful baby clothes and more. Coffee, tea and chocolate tastings. 10am-12 noon, Queensferry Parish Church Centre, The Loan, South Queensferry. Admission £2, accompanied children free.
Beyond The Veil – Stories of the Prophets: The Prophet Idrees. Storytelling, activities and snacks for ages 5-10 years. 2-4pm, Munro Centre, 6 Park Grove Street. £2 per child. Advance registration is required, and as places fill very quickly it is advisable to book as soon as possible: please email beyondtheveil@hotmail.co.uk with your name, your child’s name and age, your contact number and email address, and details of any allergies your child may have. Beyond The Veil is a Muslim women’s group based in Edinburgh, aiming to promote a better understanding of Islam through participating in community events and projects and working with partner organisations. For more information see the group’s Facebook page here.
Edinburgh Studio Opera: The Magic Flute. Mozart’s ever popular magical tale, set in Persia is ‘a vibrant and colourful re-imagining of a classic’. The two-act opera follows Prince Tamino and bird catcher Papageno as they attempt to rescue the beautiful Princess Pamina; along the way Tamino and Papageno have many adventures, and discover that not all is what it seems ‘A light-hearted but profound examination of man’s search for love and his struggle to attain wisdom and virtue’. 7.30pm, Lauriston Hall, 28 Lauriston Street, Tollcross. Tickets cost £10/£6 and can be obtained via We Got Tickets here. For further information and ticketing enquiries, please contact esoproducer@gmail.com or call 07946 149968. Edinburgh Studio Opera was founded as Edinburgh University Opera Club in 1968. For some time it has been very successfully run by students, with professional directors and musical directors whenever possible: this production is directed by Lloyd Llewellyn Jones, Senior Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Edinburgh, with musical direction by renowned conductor and cellist William Conway (Chamber Orchestra of Scotland) ‘an artistic director with an eye for intelligent programming and…a flair for the unpredictable’ (Financial Times), assisted by Peter Keenan.
Family Saturdays: Carnaval. Introduce your children to a popular piece of French culture at this all-in-French Saturday session: this morning they will explore the French tradition of ‘carnaval’ through tales, crafts and songs in French – plus crepes and gauffres to taste! For ages 3-10 years: all children are asked to come in costume. 12 noon-2pm, Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. Tickets cost £5 (members £3) per child, accompanying adults must stay with their children and are admitted free. To book email accueil@ifecosse.org.uk.
Spotlight On: Game Masters. Take a historical journey with Professor Gregor White (University of Abertay) from the original Arcade Heroes to Scotland’s current international success, tracking the development of video games and a look at what the future might hold. For ages 14+. 2-3.30pm (doors open 1.45pm), Auditorium Level One, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free but ticketed: booking may be made via the NMS Information Desk or online here.
100th Pentland Scout Group Jumble Sale and Afternoon Tea: including books, bric a brac, CDs/games, toys (mostly under £1), clothes and baby equipment. 2.30-4.30pm, Barclay Viewforth Church, (Barclay Terrace Door), Bruntsfield. Admission £1/50p. Donations may be dropped off between 6pm and 9pm on Friday at the church.
Bookbug: songs and rhymes for young children and their parents/carers. 10.30am today and every Saturday and Tuesday, Corstorphine Library, 12 Kirk Loan. Free: all very welcome!
National Gallery Highlight Tours: an introduction to and tour of the National Gallery’s permanent collection, focusing on key paintings. 2-2.45pm or 3-3.45pm, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
One Touch Theatre: Love 2.0. Gary is a catch – on Facebook at least; he’s virtually a virtual dream man – smart, funny, profound, a certified Lad. He even likes all the same things as Susie..but when the pair try to move their whirlwind virtual romance into the real world, things don’t go quite according to plan. Love 2.0 is an outrageous new comedy about dating in the age of social media, where Facebook profiles are brought vividly to life on stage, and nothing is quite what it seems. Written and directed by Andy McGregor. For ages 16+. 7.30pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £10/£8 and may be booked online here or by calling the Centre on 0131 556 9579.
St Bride’s Family Cinema: see your favourite films for free! Juice and choc ices available in the interval for 50p each. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Today’s film: Despicable Me (U) next week: Yogi Bear (U). 10.30am-12.30pm (includes interval), St Bride’s Centre, 10 Orwell Terrace, Dalry.
Edinburgh Fair Trade Fortnight Festival: fair trade stalls, speakers from Craft Aid Mauritius, children’s activities, storytelling and Edinburgh Contemporary Choir, plus free fair trade refreshments from Nutmeg Bakehouse. 10.30am-2.30pm, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Free admission.
Police Scotland Crime Prevention Stall: free advice on home and personal security. 1-3pm, Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road. Free, no appointment needed – just come along.
Canongate Kirk Concert: University of Manchester Medical Orchestra and Choir with a mixture of old and new choral pieces and chamber music. 6pm, Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate.
Our Tribe: LGBTQI Rights Are Human Rights. A panel discussion with speakers including Tim Hopkins (Director of the Equality Network), Matthew Waites (Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow) and Catherine Somerville (Policy Officer at Stonewall Scotland). Each speaker will talk about the lives of LGBTQI folk and their human rights in different countries. There will be a Q & A session followed by a wee sample of food from each country, symbolising solidarity and companionship. This event hopes to raise awareness, activism and solidarity with the worldwide LGBTQI community. 7pm (doors open 6.30pm), Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. Our Tribe is the name of the Augustine United Church’s LGBT ministry.
Cramond Corner Cafe: a weekly youth cafe where children, teens, parents and grandparents can meet, with teas, coffees, biscuits and tuck shop, plus games and activities. This week: Easter Egg Hunt. 2-4pm, Cramond Kirk Hall, Cramond Glebe Road. For more information see the Cafe’s Facebook page.
Edinburgh Society of Musicians: pianist Mark Spalding plays music by Alkan, Chopin, Beethoven, Bartok and Skryabin. 7.30pm prompt, Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 3 Belford Road. Free admission: all welcome. The Edinburgh Society of Musicians is an organisation which has promoted practical music making in Edinburgh since 1887.
Scots Music Group Ceilidh with The Thunderdog Ceilidh Band. Licensed bar (no BYOB), free water available. 7.30pm, with dancing from 8pm to 12 midnight, St Bride’s Centre, 10 Orwell Terrace, Dalry. Tickets cost £8/£6 in advance or £10/£8 on the door, and are available from the Scots Music Group online here or by calling 0131 555 7668, or from St Bride’s.
LGBT Trans Swap & Shop: a relaxed and fun opportunity to browse, try on and buy a range of clothes – and/or to donate clothes and other useful items to trans people. In a safe and supportive space you can explore your gender expression and build your confidence with the chance to socialise and meet new people. 11am-3pm, venue TBC. Booking is preferred – please contact Jules Stapleton Barnes on 0131 523 1104 or email jules@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Gasland Part Two: a Documentary about Fracking. ‘the barely believable truth in beyond shocking detail’, ‘everyone should see it’. 7pm (screening will start at 7) , ACE (Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh), 17 West Montgomery Place.
St John’s Book Exchange and Bake Sale: bring your friends, bring a book in good condition and exchange it for another. Tea & cake provided. Books and home baking will also be on sale. Organised by the St John’s Tuesday Evening Book Group in aid of the St John’s Development Fund. 2-5pm, St John’s Episcopal Church, Princes Street. Free admission, with donations welcomed for the Development Fund.
Liquid State/The Canary Trap/Murder of Crows/Living in Lies: 7pm, Cabaret Voltaire, Blair Street. £5, tickets available from Liquid State band members. Please note: this event is strictly for ages 14+ only and ID will be required.
Vegas! Scotland’s award-winning retro club night; an evening of cocktails and cool, showgirls and swing, roulette and romance, with DJs Frankie Sumatra, Bugsy Seagull, Sam Jose and Nuno Endo, plus Nikki Nevada and The Vegas Showgirls, and The Fabulous Scott Brothers. For over-18s only. 8.30pm-1am, The Ballroom, The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street. Tickets cost £6 (+ transaction fee) in advance here, or £7 on the door.
SUNDAY 1ST MARCH 2015
Art Maker – March. Join the Art Maker Club and make your own masterpieces with artists Tessa Asquith-Lamb and Louise Fraser. For ages 4-12 years. 2-4pm (drop-in), Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed. Supported by the Friends of NGS.
Edinburgh Contemporary Crafts: Family Workshops. Come along and try screen printing, pottery and enamelling at Edinburgh Contemporary Crafts, who have been delivering successful adult workshops for the last 2 years with over 600 happy participants. 10am-12 noon or 1-3pm, Abbeymount Techbase, 2 Easter Road. £5 for one adult + one child, £3 for any additional family members, big or small. Please note that children must be supervised by an adult at all times when in the building. Bookings can be made online here. Edinburgh Contemporary Crafts is an unfunded not-for-profit organisation run by makers for the benefit of professionals and the community.
Filmhouse Junior: A Town Called Panic (PG). A brilliantly inventive stop motion animation. Cowboy and Indian plan to buy a birthday present for their friend Horse, but accidentally destroy his house: a series of wacky adventures ensues. 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small, and can be purchased online here or by calling the Filmhouse Box Office on 0131 228 2688.
Bejing Red Poppy Ladies: Mulan. China’s top female percussion band has performed more than 2,500 shows in over 30 countries: in 2008 the group choreographed the drum sequence at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games. The story of Mulan is one of the most well-known in China and the character is one of the most famous heroines in Chinese legend. The Red Poppy group tells this moving story through a combination of Chinese drumming, classical Chinese music, kongfu and dance. 7.30pm, The Queen’s Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street. Tickets cost £10/£8/£5 and can be booked online here, by calling the box office on 0131 668 2019 or in person. A transaction fee applies to online and phone bookings.
Sofidelity: singer/songwriter club in Sofi’s back room. 6-8pm, Sofi’s Bar, Henderson St.
Leddra Chapman: the singer-songwriter released her first album Telling Tales in 2009, acclaimed by The Independent as ‘pitch-perfect acoustic pop’. 7pm, Sneaky Pete’s, Cowgate. Strictly for over-18s: no refunds will be given for tickets bought for under-18s. Tickets cost £8/£7 and can be booked online here (transaction fee applies).
St Giles’ At Six: Organ Recital by Brigitte Harris. Music by JS Bath, Brahms and Liszt. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.
