Push the Boat Out
This weekend is all about poetry. Push the Boat Out at Summerhall has a massive range of events to entertain you all weekend long.
From poetry readings and discussions, to new commissions, singer-songwriter circles, music hybrid events, dance and hip hop, poetic cocktail-making classes, film screenings, beach walks, panels, workshops and development opportunities – the polyphonic line-up is a true fiesta of the vernacular.
This year, the programme celebrates the poetry of songwriting with multiple events championing the poetic power of lyrics, hip hop and the songwriting process. Singer-songwriter, Hamish Hawk offers an evening of lyrical enchantment in a solo show with support from Iona Zajac whilst Conscious Route, Queen of Harps and Dave Hook share the back stories of their songs in an in-depth Song Exploder event.
The Songwriters Circle welcomes Hamish Hawk back to the stage alongside legendary Scottish folk musician, Karine Polwart and poet and performer Inua Ellams, as the three break down their songwriting process and share some of their poetic influences, whilst British rapper, Dizraeli takes an honest look at human creation with sharp lyricism and a sense of the absurd in his event Animal Noises.
The programme this year also finds drama at the heart of poetic form, with a series of new commissions from Imogen Stirling, Alycia Pirmohamed and Ross McCleary in partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland. Developed on the theme of ‘seed’ and explicitly exploring poetry in conversation with other artistic disciplines, these new pieces promise to break new ground and plant some future discussions.
Abbeymount Studios Open Weekend
Based at the top of Easter Road, Out of the Blue Abbeymount Studios is a multi-disciplinary facility promoting engagement and innovation in craft and design, as well as providing facilities, opportunities and development for professional designer-makers and the community. They are opening their doors to the public on 2 and 3 December – a veritable cornucopia of Christmas gift ideas.
Debate on Post Offices in Edinburgh West
Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine has secured a House of Commons debate following threats to several Post Offices across the constituency.
The Post Office has launched a consultation on the future of services in Blackhall, following the closure of a sub-Post Office on Duart Crescent, Drum Brae.
In the last year, there have also been changes to services in Ratho, Corstorphine and Saughton Mains.
Earlier this year, Ms Jardine joined her Liberal Democrat colleague Alistair Carmichael to call for better pay and conditions for Sub-Postmasters and Postmistresses. She believes that if this does not improve, more facilities will close, leaving elderly and vulnerable residents without access to vital services, and will use her debate on 27 November to call for more support for her constituents.
Digital Collection Day
University of Edinburgh is looking for people to bring their stories and objects relating to the Second World War to their Digital Collection Day on Saturday.
If you have any Second World War related stories and objects passed down to you from your parents, grandparents and other family members which you would like to share and preserve for future generations then you will be welcome at the event.
This is part of a nationwide campaign organised by Their Finest Hour (theirfinesthour.org), a team based at the University of Oxford that is collecting and preserving the everyday stories and objects of the Second World War. Any objects will be returned – and everyone is asked not to bring anything dangerous…
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