95 Things To Do in Edinburgh This Week!

The crocuses are out in Harrison Park, the Easter eggs are in the shops…it may still be cold wet February but spring is on its way. If you feel like braving the elements this week you can walk among the snowdrops at the Botanics, make a mossy hanging basket at Dr Neil’s Garden, get dug in at North Edinburgh Arts – or just have fun doing your shopping at Balerno Farmers’ Market.

And if you don’t feel like anything of the sort, [tweet_box design=”default”]there are plenty of films, concerts, exhibitions and events to keep you occupied indoors[/tweet_box] – from Mercy Corps’ fundraiser at The Jazz Bar to Deadpool Day at Forbidden Planet and Throat Singing with Jonathan Lamy at the Scottish Poetry Library.  Yes, we know you have to go outside to get to them….

Have a lovely week – and please check with the organisers before you set out. Especially in this weather.

MONDAY 8th FEBRUARY 2016

Opposable Thumbs: #artcore has developed a new quarterly comic compendium, Opposable Thumbs, which it has self-published from a large number of submissions from young artists, graphic designers and comic makers from Scotland and beyond, all aged 13-25. The comics have been compiled and printed by #artcore trainees at #artcore’s newly opened print studio Out of the Blueprint during January, the theme of the first edition being New. Selected work has also being printed to form this new exhibition. 10am-5pm, Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street. #artcore is a multi arts project developing a unique and vibrant youth arts scene in Edinburgh, one where young people take charge. For more information please contact #artcore at Out of the Blueprint, Studio G38, Out of the Blue Drill Hall or email artcore@outoftheblue.org.uk. Ends 29th February 2016. Image: Jack Salvona.

Central, Eastern European and Roma Emigrants Drop-in. Health All Round is a charity which provides a range of services focusing on physical, social and emotional wellbeing. A Polish and English speaking Link Worker provides one to one support to help people from Central and Eastern European countries to access local services. There is a drop-in service every Monday at which you can register; support sessions are then offered on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 12-2pm every Monday, Health All Round, 24 Westfield Avenue. For more information please email linkworker@healthallround.org.uk or call 0131 337 1376 or 07494 67 96 74. This service is funded by the City of Edinburgh Council and Lothian Primary Care Trust.

Lunchtime Concert: Council Rock High School North Choir, Pennsylvania, USA. 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free.

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 Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart. 6pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. To join just email your details to childrens.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk.

Picturehouses Toddler Time: exclusive short screenings for pre-school children and their parents and carers. Today: Toot The Tiny Tugboat Programme 7 – life on the high seas is a whirl of fun and adventure when you’re a little boat with big ideas. 11am, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets cost £3 per child, accompanying adult free.

Meet the Edible Gardening Team: take a look around the productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project volunteers. Find out what jobs need doing in your own garden now and have your vegetable growing questions answered. 1-3pm, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free, drop-in, no booking required. Also at same times on Tuesday 9th February.

Living Our LGBT Memories: The Living Memory Association and LGBT Youth Scotland uncover LGBT histories throughout February 2016. Bring your photos to scan, your stories to share and your enthusiasm for a range of interactive events. Daily throughout February, Ground Floor, Ocean Terminal, 5 Quayside Place, Leith. February is LGBT History Month.

Folk Music: a relaxed jam – feel free to join in! 7.30pm, Old Chain Pier, Trinity Crescent.

100 Years of the 55th Company of the Boys’ Brigade: a new exhibition hosted by Morningside Heritage Association. The 55th Company has been based at Morningside Parish Church since 1914; come along to the library to give this event your support and view the history of this famous BB company. Opens today, then 10am-1pm Tuesdays, 1-5pm on Saturdays and at any other time when the library is open and the room is not in use by others (please ask library staff), Charles Smith Room & adjoining meeting room, Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road. There will also be a special launch event 11am-1pm on Saturday 13th February, when coffee and cake will be served.

Blind Poetics: February’s Blind Poetics features a set from writer of fiction and interactive games Gavin Inglis, who performs with long-established Edinburgh group Writers’ Bloc. Plus open mic – email blindpoetics@gmail.com to book a 5 minute slot. Hosted by Alec Beattie and Roddy Shippin. 8-11pm, The Blind Poet, West Nicolson Street. Free and unticketed.

Broughton History Society: Mike Shaw will speak on BBC Scotland: Early Years and the Edinburgh Connection. 7pm (refreshments), 7.30pm (talk begins), Drummond Community High School, Bellevue Place. Founded in 1996 to promote an interest in the history of Broughton and in local history generally, the Society holds a wide-ranging programme of monthly lectures on Monday evenings from September to May, and throughout the year organises a number of visits to places of historical interest within the locality. Visitors and members are welcome at the evening meetings; membership is open to everyone and the annual subscription is £12,  payable in September each year or on joining. For further information and/or to join the Society please contact the Chair, Richard Love at wordsandwalls@blueyonder.co.uk/tel. 0131 556 1488 or the Membership Secretary, Helen Rorrison at hec@st-andrews.ac.uk/tel. 0131 557 5973.

Grassmarket Picture House: 13 Minutes (15). A true-life study of Georg Elser, the carpenter who made a failed attempt on the life of Hitler in Munich in 1939; his bomb went off too late and Elser was captured and finally executed in Dachau in 1945. 3 Minutes features an excellent performance from Christian Friedel (The White Ribbon, Amour Fou) as Elser himself, and is structured around flashbacks after Elser is arrested, sketching in his rural Catholic background, his instinctive non-party leftism and his unhappy affair with a married woman. 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.

Meet The Author: James Spence. Writer and storyteller James Spence returns to Portobello Library to entertain with an evening of stories and poems, including readings and re-tellings from his latest book Scottish Borders Folk Tales, a magical collection of Scottish folklore. 6.30-8pm, Portobello Library, Rosefield Avenue. Free but  please register via eventbrite here.

The Skylark Kids’ Movie: this week Moon Man (U): a bored Man in the Moon hitches a ride to Earth on the tails of a passing comet and starts to explore the fantastical creatures and sights of a new planet. But all is not well – the Moon Man’s absence from his post means that all the world’s children are unable to sleep. Before the President can capture him, they must join forces to return him to his rightful place in the sky. 3.45pm, The Skylark, 241/243 Portobello High Street.

2016 Heriot-Watt University Chaplaincy Annual Lecture – Professor David Wilkinson: Science, Religion and the Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence. With a research background in theoretical astrophysics and a PhD in the study of star formation and the chemical evolution of galaxies, Professor Wilkinson is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and has published a wide range of papers on these subjects. Subsequently studying Theology at Cambridge for the Methodist ministry, Professor Wilkinson has a long-standing interest in the dialogue of science and religion and is a regular contributor to Radio 4’s Thought for the Day. The search for extra-terrestrial intelligence has been given new impetus with the discovery of so many planets outside the solar system; in this lecture David Wilkinson will review this scientific evidence and show how religious belief has been intertwined with the search, providing challenges and insights for faith. His acclaimed book of the same title was published in 2013 by Oxford University Press. Hosted by The Rev. Dr. Alistair Donald (University Chaplain). From 5.30pm (for tea, coffee an biscuits), lecture starts at 6.30pm, Heriot-Watt University, James Watt Centre I (beside Main Reception), EH14 4AS. Free tickets may be obtained via eventbrite here.

TUESDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 2016

Edinburgh Playing Out – Public Meeting: Playing Out is a way of reclaiming city streets for children to play safely and for all age groups to come out of their houses and speak to their neighbours. You are invited to come along to this public meeting if you would like to hear how to organise a Playing Out street over the weekend of 9th/10th April. 7.30pm, City Chambers, 253 High Street. For more information please see the event’s Facebook page here.

Tiny Tales: come and join in a walk in the woods – meet some hungry bears, learn about cooking with stones and how to hide dithery bees! Be ready to stamp your feet, clap your hands and join Lea Taylor in song and laughter. For children aged 1-3. 10am or 11.30am (40 minute sessions), Storytelling Bothy, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £5 per child (accompanying adult free) and may be booked in person, by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579 or online here. Please remember to select a free adult ticket as well as a ticket for your child.

Odeon Silver Cinema: if you are over 55 these special screenings cost you just £3 and include free tea, coffee and biscuits. Today’s films are Suffragette (12) showing at 11am and The Intern (12A) showing at 2pm, Odeon Lothian Road, 118 Lothian Road. Also on Thursday 11th February, when The Intern will be screened at 11am and Suffragette at 2pm.

North Edinburgh Arts Garden – Drop-in Sessions. The garden drop-in is continuing throughout autumn and winter; all welcome – come and learn about growing your own. Beat those winter blues by getting out of the house for some fresh air and a bit of exercise! No experience necessary. For ages 16+ (but adults are welcome to bring children with them). 2-4pm today and every Tuesday, 10am-12 noon every Friday, North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court.

A Calendar of Memories: a session of tales, songs, laughter and reminiscence in the relaxed setting of the Storytelling Court. Hosted by Life Stories, who specialise in sharing stories with older people to help rekindle imagination, trigger memories and increase communication. 1pm, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets are free but please book – in person, by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579 or online here.

Men With Coconuts Improv Comedy Drop-In Workshops: regular drop-in workshops in the heart of Edinburgh, taught by members of the troupe and focusing on various aspects of improvisation. Open to all levels of experience. 7-9pm, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. £5 per session, no booking required – just come along. For more information please email contact@menwithcoconuts.com.

Edinburgh College of Art Chancellor’s Fellows’ Talks: Dr Benedict Taylor. Dr Taylor specialises in temporality and subjectivity in music, particularly in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; he is based in the Reid School of Music. The talk will be followed by a drinks reception at which it will be possible to discuss the issues raised. 5.20pm, Evolution House (Boardroom, 5th floor), Edinburgh College of Art, 78 West Port, Edinburgh. Free and open to the public: no booking necessary.

Bookbug: for children aged 0-4 and their parents and carers. 2pm today and every Tuesday, 10,30am every Wednesday and Saturday. Drumbrae Library Hub, Drum Brae Drive. Free.

School of Poets: ‘It is not a school in the pedagogical sense. We don’t teach how to write poetry, but we learn by sharing and discussion’. The session begins with the forming of small sharing discussion groups; each meeting concludes with a read-around of poems in which all participate. Any new/enquiring members should bring 5 or 6 copies of one of their own poems to share with the other members of that evening’s discussion group, where they should get very useful feedback and will also be able to contribute thoughts on other people’s poems. 6-8pm, The Space, Scottish Poetry Library, Crichton’s Close. No booking required. For further details contact Angus Ogilvy at schoolofpoets@yahoo.co.uk. There is no need to join immediately – you can come for a ‘taster’ meeting first; visitors are asked to pay £2 per meeting. If you do decide to become a member the annual subscription is £10 (£5 conc.).

Mardi Gras Brass Gumbo Carnival feat. The Fat Gumbo Band + Jambouree: a collaboration between the Forest Café and Henry’s Cellar Bar. The night will start at 7pm in Forest Café – pancakes, gumbo, makeup, dress up, drinks, beads, zydeco, swamp pop, Cajun and Creole music. The colours are purple for justice, gold for power and green for faith. Masks are highly encouraged, the bolder the better. Then at 9pm everyone will march their way to Henry’s Cellar Bar, led by horns, drums. dancers and vibrant colours for a night of New Orleans Jazz and Funk. You will arrive to the sounds of The Gris Gris Ya Ya Orchestra, and following that will be a pumpin’ set of freshly squeezed jazz-funk fusion by local favourites Jambouree. From midnight onwards a selection of Scotland’s finest jazz and funk players will play an epic late night set of brass-led New Orleans funk. For one night only, they’ll be called The Fat Gumbo Band. Laissez les bons temps rouler… 7pm, Forest Café, 141 Lauriston Place, 9pm, Henry’s Cellar Bar, Morrison Street. £3 for those who march to Henry’s, £5 otherwise.

Bookbug: for children aged 0-4 and their parents and carers. 10.30am today and every Tuesday and Friday, Muirhouse Library, 15 Pennywell Court. Free.

Lunchtime Concert: The Edinburgh Quartet. Tristan Gurney (violin), Gordon Bragg (violin), Fiona Winning (viola) and Mark Bailey (cello) play Beethoven String Quartet No.11 Op 95 and Bartók String Quartet No 3. 1.10pm, City of Edinburgh Methodist Church, Nicolson Square. Free. Part of the Concerts at the University Spring-Summer 2016 series.

Picturehouses Discover Tuesdays: a chance to see something different and brilliant in this weekly slot – from cult classics and art-house gems to riveting documentaries. Today’s film is the multi-award-winning Gueros (15) (In Spanish with English subtitles). Tomás is the feckless adolescent son of an exasperated mother who hopes that consigning him to stay with his older student brother Sombra in Mexico City will straighten him out – but Sombra is borderline dysfunctional, squatting a grungy apartment and sitting out a lengthy university strike with bemused inertia. The brothers eventually muster enough energy to embark on a kind of urban road trip in search of a mythical folk hero, along the way picking up a student activist and sparking incidents both sobering and humorous. 6pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Stewart Conn and Tom Pow: the launch of the much awaited new collections by poets Stewart Conn and Tom Pow, published by the award-winning Mariscat Press. Stewart Conn has been called ‘one of Scotland’s most skilled and wide-ranging poets’; from 2002 to 2005 he was the capital’s inaugural laureate. Stewart’s new pamphlet is called Against the Light. Tom Pow was born in Edinburgh in 1950. Primarily a poet, several of his collections have won awards and three of his poetry collections have been short-listed for Scottish Book of the Year. He has also written young adult novels, picture books, radio plays and a travel book about Peru, and has held various writing posts. Tom’s new collection is entitled At the Well of Love. 6.30-8pm, 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.

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 La double vie de Véronique/The Double Life of Veronique (15) (in French and Polish with English subtitles): having made a number of innovative films in Poland, director Krzysztof Kieslowski preceded his Three Colours trilogy with this joint French-Polish production starring Irène Jacob as both the Polish Weronika and the French Véronique in an intricate exploration of identity and desire. Music by Zbigniew Preisner is central to the atmosphere of the film, while the importance of puppets and acting as oneself looks forward to Charlie Kaufman’s existential obsessions in Being John Malkovich, Synecdoche, New York and Anomalisa. 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 The Last Mistress/Une vieille maîtresse (15), showing on Tuesday 16th February.

Leith Folk Club: Ragged Glory. A four-piece folk band who met several years ago in Newtongrange and made its sold-out debut appearance in 2010 at the Acoustic Music Centre as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Ragged Glory plays traditional and contemporary material around Scotland, featuring powerful solos, robust melody and beautiful harmony. 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.

WEDNESDAY 10TH FEBRUARY 2016

In Focus; The Grand Match of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club at Linlithgow 1848 by Charles Lees. ‘The merry clink of the curling rink and the boom of the roaring stone . . .’ Immortalised by Charles Lees in one of the greatest sporting paintings in the world and containing forty-seven individual portraits, Susanna Kerr, former Senior Curator, Portrait Gallery, will discuss the depiction of this celebrated curling match, which attracted over 7,000 participants and spectators. 12.45-1.15pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

Bookbug: for children aged 0-4 and their parents and carers. 10.30am today and every Wednesday and Saturday and 2pm every Tuesday. Drumbrae Library Hub, Drum Brae Drive. Free.

Edinburgh Story Café: bring along a bite of lunch and relax while you listen to specially selected stories and powerful poetry, handpicked from the rich Glasgow Women’s Library collection of women writers, being read out loud; bring your own thoughts to the supportive discussion. A great chance to chill out at lunchtime, discover some new women authors and enjoy the company. For booklovers and those new to reading and reading groups;  women only. For ages 16+. 1-2pm, Boardroom, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Please register via eventbrite here. For more information please call: 0141 550 2267 or email info@womenslibrary.org.uk. This Story Café group is supported by Edinburgh City Libraries in partnership with Glasgow Women’s Library.

The Elusive Tree Ensemble: a great Glasgow 6-piece bringing a heady, rewarding kaleidoscope of improv, modern jazz grooves, drum’n’bass, folk, Latin and Middle Eastern sounds. A strong line-up of top-class players: Philip Cardwell (trumpet, as with Hidden Orchestra, Orchestra Del Sol, Woodenbox), Andrew Baker (tenor sax), Adam Jackson (alto sax, as with Euan Burton’s touring/recording bands), Ben MacDonald (guitar), Peter Johnstone (organ – and playing left-hand bass lines!), and Doug Hough (drums). 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, 1a Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.

Spare Change: Better Ways to Manage Money. Edinburgh-born Iona Bain, founder of Youngmoneyblog.co.uk, launches her new book, one that proves anyone can have a more fulfilling approach to money regardless of personality, background or income. Spare Change: Better Ways to Manage Money helps readers take control of their finances, with practical advice on how to save, dealing with money in relationships, housing headaches and curbing your spending habits – there is even a section on dealing with socialising on a budget. 5.30-7.30pm, One World Shop, 25 Nicolson Square.

David Poston: Necklace for an Elephant and Other Stories. Jeweller, designer-maker, interdisciplinary problem solver and 3D technologist: these are just some of the ways David Poston has variously been described during an imaginative and wide ranging career. This exhibition documents Poston’s extensive exploration into materials, ideas and collaboration. 10.30am-5.30pm Monday to Saturday, Dovecot Studios, Infirmary Street. Ends 26th March 2016. Image: Joel Degen.

Morningside Justice & Peace Group: The Refugee Crisis in Europe: a view from Germany. A talk by Jens-Peter Voss, German Consul. The Morningside Justice & Peace Group exists to promote informed opinion on matters of concern to the community at large. Meetings are held every Wednesday during the autumn and spring months; they are open to all and provide a view on a topic of national, international or local concern, followed by questions and discussion. 10.30-11.30am, The Open Door, 420 Morningside Road. A contribution of £1 per meeting is requested to cover costs. For more information please contact the Co-ordinator Barbara Darcy at b.darcy20@gmail.com.

Lunchtime Concert: guitarists from Edinburgh Napier University. 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Wiff Waff Wednesday: a monthly ping pong night for all ages, with music; drink and great food available to purchase from the Drill Hall Arts Cafe. 6-10.30pm, Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free entry and all are welcome! ‘Friendship 1st, competition 2nd’.

Edinburgh Napier University Campus Tours:  come and see the university in action. Student Ambassadors will guide you around your chosen campus, show you the facilities on offer and give you an insight into life as an Edinburgh Napier student. Napier has six academic schools across three main campuses, so when selecting which campus you’d like to visit please make sure you select the correct one for your chosen course – the open days will take place simultaneously at all three. 2pm (tours take approximately one hour), Merchiston Campus, 10 Colinton Road, Craiglockhart Campus, 219 Colinton Road and Sighthill Campus, 9 Sighthill Court. Tours are free but registration is required and may be made here.

THURSDAY 11TH FEBRUARY 2016

Portrait Gallery Curator’s Talk: The Earl of Mar and the 1715 Jacobite Rising. A chance to chat to the Portrait Gallery curators about current exhibitions. This month Kate Anderson, Senior Curator at the Portrait Gallery, talks about a new exhibition focusing on John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, who initiated and subsequently ended the Jacobite Rising of 1715. 5-5.30pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

The Drawing Room – February: informal, artist-led drawing sessions, each one developed by a contemporary artist and reflecting concerns within that artist’s own work. The Drawing Room examines the range of possibilities within contemporary drawing practice and explores how mark-making can also be conceived as sculpture, installation, video, performance, writing, sound, textiles and animation. All materials are supplied and no experience is necessary. 5.30-6.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free but booking is required: please call 0131 624 6410 or email education@nationalgalleries.org. Image (c) Emma Bowen.

Eduardo Florido – Flamenco Piano: Bilbao-based Flamenco pianist and singer Eduardo Florido is stopping in Edinburgh to give a unique flamenco concert, accompanied by other flamenco musicians and dancers based here. Piano, singing, guitar, percussion and dancing will join together to cover various flamenco forms, immersing you in a musical journey to the south of Spain and ending with an energetic ‘fin de fiesta’ jam session. 7-8.30pm, The Jazz Bar, 1a Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.

LGBT Language Cafe: a safe, sociable and supportive space for LGBT people whose first language is not English. Improve your spoken English and your confidence and socialise with other LGBT people at these fun and inclusive sessions. Facilitators Sophie and Clare will provide fun and inclusive ways to practice speaking English, build your vocabulary and find out more about the LGBT community in Edinburgh. 6.30-8.30pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information please contact Jules Stapleton Barnes on 0131 523 1104 or email jules@lgbthealth.org.uk.

The Body and The Voice: Throat Singing and Body Performance with Jonathan Lamy. Jonathan Lamy is a Québécois poet who uses his body in performance. He has mastered the art of throat singing, which he uses to extraordinary effect in his own readings. In this demonstration event Jonathan will showcase his performance skills, share his work and invite the audience to try some of these techniques. Jonathan has published three collections (in French) at Editions du Noroit, holds a PhD, works for the Maison de la poésie and runs the Video-poetry Rendez-vous. He took part in the last Edinburgh International Book Festival and will perform at the next Rally & Broad cabaret (on February 19). 6.30pm, Scottish Poetry Library, Crichton’s Close. Tickets cost £5/£4 and may be purchased via eventbrite here.

Eliza and the Bear. James Kellegher, Callie Noakes, Martin Dukelow, Chris Brand and Paul Jackson have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with as a live band through support shows with the likes of Imagine Dragons and Paramore and on their own headline tour. They will be supported by Welsh acoustic soul duo Into The Ark and Paisley singer/songwriter Michael Cassidy. For over 14s only (under 16s must be accompanied by an adult). 7pm, Main Room, Electric Circus, 36-39 Market Street. Tickets £10.

Men’s Anti-Valentine Horror Film Night: A Valentine’s date-night with a difference: you don’t have to be in a relationship to attend (but couples welcome) and there won’t be any mention of hearts or roses!  For gay men, bi men and trans people who primarily identify as male, want to socialize with other guys and also appreciate a gory laugh! Tonight’s film will be cult horror comedy Zombies of Mass Destruction (18), which follows a gay male couple and an Iranian woman as they battle both a zombie apocalypse and small-town bigots who are convinced that they are to blame. 7pm (with optional drinks afterwards), LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street.  For more information please contact Ste via stephen@lgbthealth.org.uk or call 0131 652 3287.

Mercy Corps Charity Fundraiser: an unmissable night of live music at Edinburgh’s infamous Jazz Bar. Mercy Corps Student Charity Group has three amazing acts lined up, plus prize draws, with all proceeds going towards the great work that Mercy Corps Europe does each and every day to save and improve the lives of those living in the world’s toughest places. Confirmed acts are David MacDonald (acoustic), The MaYans (funk/blues) and Edinburgh funk/fusion heroes Jambouree. – so put on your dancing shoes and bring your friends… and friends of friends… and friends of friends of friends. 9pm (entry from 8.30pm), The Jazz Bar, 1a Chambers Street. £5 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.

Herring Tales: How the Silver Darlings Shaped Human Taste and History. Writer Donald S Murray and illustrator Doug Robertson celebrate the herring — the fish that once fed a continent. Employing humour, myth and artistry, they conjure up the age when the herring was crowned king around the coastline of Northern Europe. 6-7pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but registration is required and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or via eventbrite here.

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: George Ross and friends: The Voice. 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.

Picturehouses Big Scream: exclusively for babies under the age of twelve months and their parents and carers. Today’s film is Snoopy and Charlie Brown: A Peanuts Movie (U) 10.30am, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets are at usual matinee prices: babies admitted free.

Muirhouse Library Writers’ Group: come along if you would like to share your writing in a friendly and informal environment, with plenty of tea and cake! New members welcome. 11.30am-2pm, Muirhouse Library, Pennywell Court. The next meeting will be on 10th March. The group also holds evening meetings outwith the library – for more information please email muirhouselibrarywriters@gmail.com.

Opacities: the third in a series of screening and discussion events programmed with artist Kathryn Elkin and Peter Taylor (Director, Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival). What do we mean by ‘understand’ when we are talking about artworks? How can we talk about the artwork or describe it in a way that expands rather than reduces? Opacities will explore new ways to talk about the experimental moving image outside an academic framework. The programme includes work by film-makers and artists who all seem to refuse categorisation and deal with personal logic/illogic, missing histories or the esoteric; the films selected will deal with elusive impressions and sensations, double takes and alternative narratives, and, in turn, invite creative responses. Tonight’s films are Wojciech Bąkowski’s Sound of My Soul, Lewis Khlar’s False Aging and Tamara Henderson & Julia Feyrer’s Consider the Belvedere. 7-9pm, Collective Gallery, City Observatory and Dome, 38 Calton Hill. Free but registration is required and may be made via eventbrite here.

A History of Lauriston Castle: the library’s exciting program of local history talks continues with a presentation on the history of Lauriston Castle, a 16th-century tower house with 19th-century extensions overlooking the Firth of Forth. 3pm, Blackhall Library, Hillhouse Road. The event is free – but is likely to be popular, so be sure to book either in person, by emailing blackhall.library@edinburgh.gov.uk or by telephoning 0131 529 5595.

FRIDAY 12TH FEBRUARY 2016

Snowdrop and Early Spring Interest Walks: join a Garden Guide on a walk to discover the Garden’s wonderful collection of specialist snowdrops, and discover other early flowering plants that herald the onset of spring. For ages 14+. 11am-12.30pm, (meet at) John Hope Gateway reception, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. £5 per person, no booking required. Also at same times on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th February.

Darwin, Plants and the Ascent of Woman: Lydia Becker, amateur botanist and early leader in the Women’s Suffrage movement corresponded with Charles Darwin about his interest in the different forms of flowers. Darwin’s intellectual engagement with Becker encouraged her fight for women’s involvement in science, but stood in contrast to Darwin’s more conventional view in the Descent of Man that men were mentally superior to women. Professor Janis Antonovics, University of Virginia, will explore this aspect on Darwin’s 207th birthday. For ages 12+. 4-5pm, Lecture Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free, no booking required.

Edinburgh College of Art Friday Lecture Series: Kevin Atherton. Kevin Atherton is part of a generation of artists in Britain who, in the 1970s, pioneered video and performance art. After attending the foundation course at the Isle of Man College of Art he took the radical Fine Art course at Leeds Polytechnic, then lived and worked in London for 25 years, teaching at a number of art schools including Chelsea College of Art, The Slade, and the Royal College of Art. In 2000, he moved to Ireland to become the first Head of Fine Art Media at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in Dublin where he established the BA Fine Art Media programme, wrote the MA Virtual Realities course and completed a PhD. Very active as a public sculptor in the eighties and nineties, Atherton’s permanent site-specific works include Iron Horses (1987) and Cathedral (1986). He has continued to re-visit his earlier video and performance works from the seventies and to make new works from old. Atherton is currently a Visiting Professor at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Palermo. 11.30am-1pm, Main Lecture Theatre (E22), Edinburgh College of Art Main Building, Lauriston Place. Free and open to all.

Bookbug: for children aged 0-4 and their parents and carers. 10.30am today and every Friday and Tuesday, Muirhouse Library, 15 Pennywell Court. Free.

New Town Community Cinema. The cinema’s Alternative Kids Classics film this week is The Book of Life (U): best friends Manolo and Joaquin compete for the attention of Maria, but this draws the attention of the spirit rulers of the Land of the Remembered and the Land of the Forgotten who make a wager on who will ultimately win Maria’s hand. Produced by Pan’s Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro and voiced by Christina Applegate, Channing Tatum and Zoe Saldana, this animated film will take you on a magical journey.

The Valentine-themed evening film this week is Amelie (15): after discovering a tin of someones childhood memories in her apartment, Amelie decides to return it to its owner. After the success of this reunion she applies herself to secretly executing random kindnesses for stranger, but eventually her neighbour notices her new, eccentric devotion to bringing happiness to others. You are invited to come along to the McWilliam Room at 7pm for refreshments and to meet guests, volunteers and staff; there will then be a short introductory talk before the film starts. Both screenings will take place in the main hall of the Glasite Meeting House, under the spectacular Georgian glass cupola; guests will sit on the padded pews (but feel free to bring additional cushions). The Book of Life will begin at 2.30pm, Amelie at 7.30pm, Glasite Meeting House, 33 Barony Street. Tickets cost £6.44  for The Book of Life and may be purchased via eventbrite here, and £7.48 for Amelie via eventbrite here. Tickets are also available on the door, sta. The Glasite Meeting House is run by Scottish Historic Buildings Trust. All profits from the running of the cinema go towards saving Scottish historic buildings and giving them a future use in the community.

Edinburgh Student Arts Festival: Gayfield Creative Spaces is once again a host venue for the Edinburgh Student Arts Festival 2016.  The Festival showcases over 200 performing artists and 203 visual artists; artists come from all 5 higher education and further education institutions in Edinburgh, covering a diverse range of media from painting and printmaking to film and animation, installation and interactive performance art. Gayfield will host works by 33 artists in the visual arts programme of the festival. All visual art exhibitions are free. Preview tonight 6-8.30pm, exhibition open daily 10am-6pm, Gayfield Creative Arts, 11 Gayfield Square. Ends 19th February 2016. Other venues for the Festival include Summerhall, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Roxy Theatre and City Art Centre.

Living With…LGBT + Art Exhibition: come and celebrate LGBT History Month with a unique and varied exhibition, putting a diverse range of artists’ work in the spotlight to explore the experiences of being LGBT and living with or managing a long term health condition. The exhibition focuses in particular on how this might relate to mental health, and provides an opportunity to hear and see the experiences sometimes lost from mainstream narratives – expect expressions of defiance, despair, solidarity and celebration. Tonight’s opening event will include BSL interpreted performances, including spoken word from interdisciplinary artist and writer Sandra Alland, music from Courtney Lynn and more. Resident gender-neutral barber, Barber Gabriel, will also be offering pay-what-you-can-afford short hair cuts and head massages. Throughout the week select artists will be available for conversations about their work, in addition to a workshop for professionals on Wednesday 17th February. Opening event tonight 7-10pm, then 10am-5pm Saturday and Monday to Thursday, 10am-1pm Friday, Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free but booking is preferred for tonight’s launch event, and may be made via eventbrite here. Ends Friday 19th February 2016.

Sweet F.A. Paintings by Edinburgh based artists Neil Ogg and Colin Wilson. Having met while studying at Duncan of Jordanstone in Dundee, the two artists now share a studio at St Margaret’s House. This exhibition presents two separate bodies of work created in a space of shared influences over the last year and a half. Neil paints places located somewhere between reality and imagination whilst Colin explores the interaction of visual planes and the combination of two conflicting painting styles, abstraction and realism. Open preview tonight (please contact venue for times), then 10am-6pm daily, Gallery 3, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Ends 28th February 2016. Image: Bäckaby © Neil Ogg.

The Skylark Presents…Planet Earth Rock & Roll: Jake and Rory’s psychedelic record collection flips the Skylark on its head. Monthly 60’s and 70’s inspired counter culture music and video. 8pm, The Skylark, 241/243 Portobello High Street.

Friday Recital: The Reid Memorial Concert. Annemarie Klein (recorder) and John Kitchen (harpsichord) perform General Reid, Solo IV from Six Solos for a German Flute, Book 1, Hotteterre, Premiere Suite from Premier livre de pièces pour la flûte traversière et autres instruments, Telemann Sonata Quarta TWV 41:D3 from 12 Sonate Metodiche and Alessandro Scarlatti Toccata decima. 1.10-1.40pm, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Free. This year’s concert will be the 175th anniversary of the first Reid Concert on 12 February 1841.

Collective Hush: Keep meaning to put some time aside for reading and writing poetry each week? Bring your lunch if you like and join this silent drop-in group, reading/writing/making time every Friday in The Space. Sharing the silence, everyone can work together to achieve their artistic and poetic goals. 12 noon-2pm, Scottish Poetry Library, Crichton’s Close. No booking required, just drop in. Free: donations welcome.

Thematic: Blue Room Collective. Isabel Alonso Sanchez, Scott Crookston, Stephanie Dalzell, Simon Griffiths, Alex Gunn, Chris Hughes, Alasdair Muir, Daniel Plunkett, Jordan Pollock, Craigh Robertson and Terry Smith are a group of designers, educators and creatives, based in Edinburgh and working in graphic design and its associated practices. The Blue Room Collective is part of Edinburgh Design School; its manifesto – think, make – is to challenge repetitive generic approaches in all areas of visual communication by celebrating the connections between the conceptual and the constructive. Thematic is a typographic exploration of contemporary situations, issues and beliefs. Open preview tonight at 7pm, then daily (contact venue for times), Gallery 2, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Ends 28th February 2016.

Picante (Jazz Quintet): drummer/arranger Ken Mathieson is well known for his excellent classic jazz orchestra 10-piece ensemble, but here brings in his 5-piece of top players to showcase his repertoire of arranged jazz standards and Brazilian music. Ken’s with dynamic alto sax player Paul Towndrow, ex-US trumpeter Yati Durant, piano star Brian Kellock, and Brian Shiels (bass). 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, 1a Chambers Street.

Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles: the former Catfish and the Bottlemen lead guitarist showcases his own writing as he tours with a new four-piece band. ‘Billy Bibby’s expressive voice surprises and delights the listener with its flawless, timeless, and effortless qualities. Possessing powerful, melodic pipes and a set of songs to match, Billy prides himself on making meaningful, relatable records that resonate with everyday people’. Support: Aaron Wright and The Universal Three. Over 18s only. 7.30pm, Sneaky Pete’s, 73 Cowgate. Tickets may be purchased from See Tickets here.

SATURDAY 13TH FEBRUARY 2016

Once Upon A Time: weekly storytelling sessions for children in the Book Bothy. 11am, Far From the Madding Crowd, 20 The High Street, Linlithgow. Free.

Wee Treasures: a new regular storytelling programme especially for early years children and their families. Inspired by a different portrait each month, delve into the magic treasure chest to find out what the story will be – with fun rhymes and songs, puppet characters and lots of opportunities to join in. For ages 2-4 years. 10.30am or 11.30am, Scottish National Portrait Gallery (meet in the Great Hall), 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed, but places are limited so please sign up on the day. Image (c) Lindsey Hamilton.

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 Feed Me 2015 − courtesy of the artist and Film and Video Umbrella, © Rachel Maclean, 2015.

Bookbug: for children aged 0-4 and their parents and carers. 10.30am today and every Saturday and Wednesday and 2pm every Tuesday. Drumbrae Library Hub, Drum Brae Drive. Free.

Bruncheon! aka The Sound of Muesli – featuring Stems, Tom Beaver & The Jellyman’s Daughter. An impressive musical line-up for the February Bruncheon, put together by special guest programmer Diana de Cabarrus (Candythief, Stems), who will also be hitting the stage. The café kitchen will accompany and complement the music with a delicious menu featuring kippers, morning rolls, mega-muffins and sweet treats galore – top-notch live music, great food and excellent company! 11.30am-2.30pm, Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free entry.

Dr Neil’s Garden: Spring Things To Do. Come along to the Garden and make a small, mossy hanging ‘basket’ filled with narcissus to brighten the house – it’s really easy to do but looks lovely! 10am-3pm (drop-in), Dr Neil’s Garden, Old Church Lane, Duddingston Village. £5 (Friends of the Garden £4.50). Dr Neil’s Garden is one of the most remarkable gardens in Scotland today. Lying next to the twelfth-century Duddingston Kirk, where the lower slopes of Arthur’s Seat meet Duddingston Loch, this secluded garden is the result of the imagination, dedication and sheer hard work of Drs Andrew and Nancy Neil. It has sometimes been called ‘Edinburgh’s Secret Garden’, and many people find it more than a mere garden – both before and since the garden was created, this spot has to many been a place of inspiration (artistic, literary, and spiritual), and one for meditation and contemplation.

It is a friendly place that welcomes all to its peace and beauty and at the same time offers comradeship and training to volunteers; it also provides work experience for students from the Scottish Agricultural College. The Garden stimulates change through play, learning, the arts, healthy activity, and by addressing the special needs of people. It is open to all, free of charge 7 days a week, but there are many expenses and it relies on donations to keep the gardener and pay expenses. There are currently 300+ Friends of the Garden; if you would like to join you can do so for just £10 per year – click here to read more and to download the application form.

Emma Pollock: In Search of Harperfield. The Scottish singer, songwriter and former member of the Delgados plays songs from her new album. Coda Music, 12 Bank Street, The Mound. Time tbc – please contact the shop for more information.

LGBT Roller Disco: all welcome for an affirming afternoon of skates, music and socialising. Enjoy a unique community roller experience with experienced instructors on hand at this family friendly event. Skates, protective equipment and refreshments will be provided. 1.30-4pm, Meadowbank Sports Centre, 139-143 London Road. Free – suggested donation £3. Booking is preferred and may be made online here or by contacting Jules on 0131 523 1104 or emailing jules@lgbthealth.org.uk.

The Torrance Gallery: Tom Watt. New works from the Montrose-born artist, former Head of Art at James Gillespie’s High School. Tom has always been fascinated by the effects of light and colour on his surroundings; his subjects have included the small fishing villages of Fife, the canals of Venice and the Tuscan and Gascon countryside. 11am-6pm Monday to Friday, 10.30am-4pm Saturdays, The Torrance Gallery, 36 Dundas Street. Ends 5th March 2016. d the small fishing villages of Fife, the canals of Venice and the Tuscan countryside.

The Newtown Ensemble: a chamber music concert featuring Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 6, Mozart Wind Serenade No 11 Françaix Musique Pour Faire Plaisir and Brahms Serenade No 2, conducted by Michael Thorne. 7.30pm, Stockbridge Parish Church, Saxe Coburg Street. Tickets £7/£5 on the door.

Balerno Farmers Market: come down, support small businesses and love your market – pick up that special gift for your loved one! ‘Our traders create quality products, none of that mass produced tat here’. 9am-1pm, High Street, Balerno.

British Art Show 8: a national touring exhibition that provides a vital overview of some of the most exciting contemporary art produced in the UK. Organised by Hayward Touring at Southbank Centre, London, and taking place every five years, it introduces a broad public to a new generation of artists. Curated by Anna Colin and Lydia Yee, British Art Show 8 features the work of 42 artists who have made a significant contribution to art in this country over the past five years, encompassing sculpture, film, video-installation, photography, painting, performance and design. Twenty-six of the artists have created new works especially for the exhibition, making this the most ambitious British Art Show to date. A central concern of British Art Show 8 is the changing role and status of the object at a time of increasing convergence between the real and the virtual. Within the exhibition ordinary objects – a car, a hard drive or an egg – are considered as archaeological finds or narrative devices. Operating within a complex web of relationships, these objects reveal new ways of being, thinking and acting in the world. Talbot Rice Gallery will show works by Åbäke, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Benedict Drew, Ryan Gander, Melanie Gilligan, Eileen Simpson & Ben White, and Hayley Tompkins. 10am-5pm Tuesday to Friday, 12 noon-5pm Saturdays, Talbot Rice Gallery, University of Edinburgh, Old College, South Bridge. Image shows British Art Show 8, a richly illustrated publication designed by Fraser Muggeridge studio to accompany the show. Ends 8th May 2016. Other works from British Art 8 will be shown at Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Belford Road.

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 Sleeping Beauty (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. Next week’s film is Big Hero 6 (U).

Beavers, Scottish Wildcats and Red Squirrels: come and find out all the latest news on the conservation of beavers, Scottish wildcats and red squirrels and get involved in helping these iconic wild animals.

 Scottish Wildlife Trust will be on hand with games and activities as well as pelts, skulls and camera footage. 1-4pm, Real Life Science Studio, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free, no booking required. Also at same times on Sunday 14th February.

GrownUps Sound & Vision: Bowie Special. The exclusive vinyl club night for fully-fledged music fans is back with a one-off special celebrating the sound and vision of the late, great David Bowie. Resident GrownUps DJs Kinghorror and The Spotlight Kid curate an evening of tunes based on the music that influenced Bowie, the artists he himself inspired and tracks from his own collection of work from the 60s to the present day. Let the children lose it, let the children use it, let all the children boogie. For ages 18+. 9pm-1am, Dissection Room, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £8/£6 and may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 560 1580 or online here (transaction fee applies).

SUNDAY 14TH FEBRUARY 2016

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 Friend of NGS..

Filmhouse Junior: films for a younger audience. This week: The Princess Bride (PG): when the one true love of her life is killed by the Dread Pirate Roberts, Buttercup blindly agrees to the Royal command that she marry Prince Humperdinck. But the Prince is planning to incite war between his country and its neighbour – by murdering Buttercup and blaming foreign agents. Yet even as the Prince’s men kidnap Buttercup, a mysterious man in black is in pursuit… 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small.

British Art Show 8 Events Programme: Bookbinding. Local bookbinder Ciara McDermott provides practical bookbinding demonstrations as part of Martino Gamper’s Post Forma. Bring along a book in need of repair. 12-3pm, Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free. Further demonstrations will take place on Saturday 12 March, Sunday 10 April and Saturday 7 May.

Love The Planet: Scrap Trident. Groups and individuals are invited to demonstrate oppostion to nuclear weapons on Valentine’s Day in towns and cities across Scotland. Edinburgh CND has been consistently opposed to the presence of these weapons of mass destruction, considering them immoral and useless and one of the greatest threats to humanity and the planet. If you agree, join Scrap Trident in showing your views on Valentine’s Day. 12 noon-3pm, Duke of Wellington Statue (opposite North Bridge), Princes Street. CND asks you to bring along any banners, chalk or music that you may have. Hosted by Edinburgh Stop The War Coalition.

Picturehouses Vintage Sundays Valentine Special: classic films back on the big screen. Today’s film is Casablanca (U): set in Casablanca during the early days of World War II, where an American expatriate meets a former lover – with unforeseen complications. 1pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online.

Deadpool Day: Forbidden Planet Edinburgh will be giving away free Deadpool comics and badges – and there’s a chance to win a trip to New York! So ditch the cards and flowers at home and head along to South Bridge for all your Deadpool goodies! (For the uninitiated, Deadpool [real name Wade Winston Wilson] is a fictional anti-hero from Marvel comics). The Deadpool film will be released in the UK on 10th February, and will be screening at the Odeon, Lothian Road and Odeon Wester Hailes from that date. 10am-5.30pm, Forbidden Planet, South Bridge.

Valentine’s Day: Casablanca (U). The world’s favourite Hollywood love story is all the more romantic because it doesn’t exalt romantic love above all. Humphrey Bogart is at his best as Rick, an American opportunist in 1940 French Morocco with a gruffly cynical exterior that belies his wary idealism and wounded heart. Ingrid Bergman is luminous as Ilsa, who arrives in Casablanca with resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), but clearly has a history with Rick. Cynicism and self-interest contend with idealism and self-sacrifice as Rick and Ilsa’s past weighs against the world’s future. 6.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.

Claire Daly’s Anti-Valentine’s Night Party: Irish vocalist Claire Daly presents her annual dig at the Hallmark version of the Big Romance Night, backed by a top-drawer jazz trio, with pianist David Patrick at the keys. 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, 1a Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.

Valentine’s Day: In the Mood for Love/Fa yeung nin wa (PG) (in Cantonese, Shanghainese and French with English subtitles). To Western eyes In the Mood for Love looked like the latest example of ravishing dream films stretching from Von Sternberg’s The Scarlet Empress to Lynch’s Blue Velvet. To Chinese people it was something more. Set in 1960s Hong Kong, the subtle story of an affair between Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung’s characters – neighbours in a cramped apartment – was studded with specific cultural references. The use of the Shanghainese dialect indicates a disjunctive, émigré setting, as does the disapproving, old-world landlady. Full of nostalgic details such as old songs and quotes from novels, it abounds with Wong’s themes – manipulated time, memory, and the way people in love slalom around each other. It heralded the new cinematic millennium with aplomb. 9pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.

Filmhouse Quiz: the ‘phenomenally successful (and rather tricky)’ monthly quiz. Teams of up to 8 people should be seated in the café bar by 9pm. Free to enter. 9pm, Café Bar, Filmhouse, Lothian Road.

St Giles At Six: The Choirs of Heriot Watt University – Choral Masterworks. Music by Gorecki, Whitacre, Biebl, Part and King and songs from around the world, conducted by Steve King. 6pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free; retiring collection.