Assembly
Assembly had their press launch on Wednesday fronted by Dubliner, Jason Byrne who found gold in the front row with our very own Stanley Reilly (esteemed photographer of this parish and friend to the stars) and someone whose wife called him Dumper. Yes indeed the Fringe has landed.
Bill Burdett-Coutts of Assembly took time to tell the audience that not only had Assembly (and Unique) stepped up to the plate to save Christmas last year, he had also just lost rather a lot of money(around £1.4 million since you ask) in Coventry, and he said it would be good if you choose some Assembly shows to keep them on the straight and narrow.
That will not be a difficult choice, as the calibre of acts appearing at the many Assembly venues is pretty high from the dizzy heights of Reuben Kaye(he is very tall in his vertiginous heels) to the less tall (but packs a punch) Jon Culshaw who is Hughie Green in Lena. Scot Lena Zavaroni won Opportunity Knocks, ITV’s talent show at the age of 10 and now the story is taken up a quarter century on in her life.
And if you really can’t make up your minds then there is a Best of the Fest daytime and late night.
Do buy tickets – and remember to apply for your residents discount if you live in an EH postcode.
Underbelly
Yes Underbelly also had a press launch – never seen quite so many councillors in one place since before recess.
The outstanding act was Mario the Maker Magician – “Magic’s punk rock Peter Pan philosopher”. Origin magic and some modern slapstick.
And many other acts besides – and a reminder to buy tickets for the Big Brain Tumour Benefit. Ed Bartlam one of the Directors of Underbelly is running the London Marathon next year and the company has pledged to raise £1.5 million for the Brain Tumour Charity which is the biggest killer of people under 40 and the least well funded by the NHS.
Buy your tickets here.or make a donation if you can.
The line-up is changing all the time but already it is a who’s who of big names with Frank Skinner right at the top of the bill.
Craigmillar Library on Saturday
Writer Emily Dodd will be at Craigmillar Library this Saturday 5 August telling everyone about plants.
There will be a reading from the book Surfing the Moon, a science show and rocket making. For children aged 4 to 12.
Anyone for tennis?
Some 13 park tennis courts in four Edinburgh parks will reopen this summer after renovations worth £190,000.
The improvements to the courts in Inverleith Park, Leith Links, Victoria Park and St. Margaret’s Park has been managed by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and funded by the City of Edinburgh Council, UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation.
Through the Parks Tennis Project, the LTA is delivering the biggest ever investment in parks tennis facilities across Britain, which has been used to transform 13 courts across the capital providing a significant boost to sporting facilities.
The courts have undergone extensive work to ensure viability for years to come, including; resurfacing, repainting, some new fencing, nets and a new booking gate system. This nationwide programme of investment is seeing thousands of existing park tennis courts in poor or unplayable condition brought back to life for the benefit of communities across the country, providing vital opportunities for children and adults to get active.
Our August issue
Our August newspaper is on the streets now and we hope you like it.
Our cover story is about Rachel, with a streamline to our exclusive story about the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
And inside we have a feature from George Mair who is writing for us for the first month – and loads of sport from Nigel Duncan and Bill Lothian.
If you would like to receive a copy just a wee bit ahead of everyone else then please subscribe by clicking on the image below. (And do read about Rachel and the Barbie story here)
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
