Hibs have confirmed squad numbers for the new season, with Anthony Stokes due to take on his old number 28 jersey.

There are few changes from last season, with Ross Laidlaw and Academy graduates Scott Martin, Callum Crane, Ryan Porteous, Fraser Murray and Oli Shaw taking on new numbers.

1. Ofir Marciano

2. David Gray

3. Steven Whittaker

4. Paul Hanlon

5. Liam Fontaine

6. Marvin Bartley

7. John McGinn

8. Vykintas Slivka

9. Deivydas Matulevicius

10. Dylan McGeouch

11. Danny Swanson

15. Simon Murray

16. Lewis Stevenson

17. Martin Boyle

21. Ross Laidlaw

24. Darren McGregor

25. Efe Ambrose

26. Scott Martin

28. Anthony Stokes

29. Brian Graham

30. Callum Crane

32. Oli Shaw

33. Fraser Murray

36. Ryan Porteous

We took the Culture Convener for a spin on the Festival Wheel! @CultureCmmunity @Edinburgh_CC pic.twitter.com/wuOxp5WdpT

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) August 3, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Hearts have announced they will not be able to play their homes games in the Ladbrokes Premiership at Tynecastle Park until November.

Owner Ann Budge advised fans via a statement on the club’s official website. It read:

As those of you who have visited the stadium over the last few weeks will have seen, work is continuing at quite a pace on the new stand. The bulk of the structure is now in place and the roof is scheduled to be fitted by the end of next week. The curtain walling is already looking fantastic and is currently on target to be completed by the middle of August. The internal walls are being constructed and the fit-out has started and is running ahead of schedule in many areas, although there is a large amount of work involved here. Pitch-side too, the demolition work and ground works were completed on schedule and our steel work is well underway.

In short, the construction teams have been working tirelessly to deliver our superb new stand.

Unfortunately, however, there are some things we cannot control and as such, despite the mammoth effort that has gone into the construction project up until now, we are not going to make our targeted “open for business” date of 9th September 2017.

The wettest June/July in years, coupled with the late delivery of seating from the Far East, due to shipping issues, means we will have to invoke our contingency plan and play our first few home fixtures at BT Murrayfield.

While this is disappointing, the cooperation of the management and staff at the SRU means we can accommodate all, indeed even more, of our supporters in fine style at the national rugby stadium.

Further details will be given over the next few weeks but for now we simply wish to let our supporters know that the following fixtures will be played at BT Murrayfield.

Saturday 9th September 2017: Hearts v Aberdeen (3pm)

Saturday 21st October 2017: Hearts v St Johnstone

Saturday 28th October 2017: Hearts v Rangers

At the moment, these last 2 fixtures are scheduled at 3pm but this may, of course, change due to TV selection.

Please also note that Partick Thistle have kindly agreed to flip our fixture on 23rd September and this game will now be played at Firhill.

The logistics involved in all of the above are fairly complicated but please be assured that full information will be provided regarding ticketing, hospitality, etc. over the next few days and weeks.

Hearts say they will keep supporters updated via their official website at www.heartsfc.co.uk

Hibs’ latest signing Anthony Stokes has revealed that Neil Lennon was a big influence in his decision to return for a third spell with the club.

Stokes achieved considerable success under Lennon with Celtic and he believes that he thrives when given the freedom to make his own decisions on the field.

The Republic of Ireland international enjoyed a successful spell at the club under John Hughes which earned him a move to Parkhead then capped off his second spell with a ‘man of the match’ performance against Rangers in Hibs Scottish Cup victory.

The news that he had finally put pen to paper was greeted with universal support from the Hibs’ fans who are already claiming that this year’s transfer window was the best ever.

Stokes’s arrival cap a strong transfer window that has seen the Club capture six full internationalists in Stokes, Efe Ambrose, Ofir Marciano, Steven Whittaker, Deivydas Matulevicius, and Vykintas Slivka, as well as clinching the signature of one of last season’s Ladbrokes Premiership stars Danny Swanson and up-and-coming striker Simon Murray.

In addition, several of last season’s Championship winning squad had to be re-signed, including skipper David Gray, Darren McGregor, Lewis Stevenson, Martin Boyle, Ross Laidlaw, Marvin Bartley and Liam Fontaine.

Stokes told Hibernian Media: “I am delighted to be coming back to Hibernian. I believe that it’s the right decision for me and my football.

I’ve always enjoyed my time here. I know most of the players and the people who work in the background.

“For me to come into an environment where I am happy and comfortable will bring the best out of my football.

“The manager was a big influence as well. I worked with him for five or six years at Celtic. He knows my qualities and he knows how to get the best out of me.

“He gives me the freedom to play and is not on top of me with tactics and I feel like I thrive in those conditions.

“He put forward his plans for this year and he wants to have a real go. I know he is ambitious and he is used to winning things at Celtic throughout his career.

“I want to play for a manager who has that type of ambition and doesn’t like losing games.

“I know plenty of the boys here and I know there is a hunger to win matches and improve and if we are all at it and push in the right direction we can have a very successful season.

“There is a really good squad here and I think I can help to improve the squad.

“The club has a big place in my heart and it’s where I’ve played some of my best football.

“It’s an environment that can get the best out of me and I am looking forward to getting back amongst the squad and scoring goals again.

“The scenes of celebration following the cup win will live long in my memory, and the only disappointment from my last spell was that we didn’t get promotion.

“The boys did brilliantly last season and now I’ll be looking to help us push on back in the Premiership.

“I thought I did very well during my first spell at the club but my second spell, I wasn’t fit coming into it but I capped it off at the end and couldn’t have left on better terms. It was a special, special day in May.

“I’m 29 and at my peak although I haven’t played in a while. I’m coming here on a permanent contract and I am very confident that the fans will see the best of me.”

Underbelly at this year’s Fringe have something for everyone at one of their  16 venues with more than 150 shows.

2017 will be the most diverse programme that Underbelly has presented in their 17 years at the Fringe with companies travelling from all over of the globe to showcase the very best in circus, comedy, theatre, new writing, cabaret and family friendly shows.

Yesterday afternoon they put on a showcase for press and invited guests to let us all have a flavour of what is on offer this year.

A snapshot of what @FollowTheCow have for you at various cow related venues this @edfringe pic.twitter.com/FEYxWYaLwD

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) August 3, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

BOOKING INFORMATION 

Tickets for all shows are on sale now. 

Online: www.underbellyedinburgh.co.uk 

By Telephone: 03333 444 167 

Lines are open from 10am – 8pm, 7 days a week.

In August 2015, Jordan’s Nanna (Gwendoline Martha Brookes) passed away
at the age of 95. She was the first person to spark Jordan’s imagination, who encouraged him to believe in magic and wonderment, and taught him that there is goodness in this confusing world. Body of Work is a genuine attempt to pay tribute to her.

Both accessible and experimental, observational and avant garde, Jordan is known for his uncomfortable physical contortions, extended tangents, daft
faces and sometimes spitting down himself. Is it possible that he will just sit
and talk about his Nan for an hour?

Following last year’s word-of-mouth hit, The Making Of, Jordan Brookes returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with another innovative show that delves into grief, memory, narcissism, our busy minds, and the very human need to create meaningful endings for the things we love.

Comedian, writer and actor Jordan Brookes is a Chortle Best Newcomer Award nominee and Welsh Unsigned Stand Up Award winner. His recent television credits include BBC Three’s Pls Like and Sky Arts’ I’ve Got Your Number.

Show And Tell present: Jordan Brookes: Body of Work, 3 – 27
August (not 14), 6.15pm, FREE FRINGE – Laughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake (9b Victoria Street Edinburgh
EH1 2HE, Venue 101)

The BAFTA-winning stand-up comedian Iain Stirling (voice of Love Island) has sold out his entire month-long run ahead of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe opening.

Extra dates will be added soon.

His brand-new hour U OK HUN? X will explore dinner party etiquette, feminism and the pressures on a generation brought up in a world of instant gratification. Following the Fringe, Iain is set to embark on a 30-date tour from the 1st February to the 7th April 2018, which includes a date at London’s Leicester Square Theatre on Friday 23^rd February.

This summer, Iain has enjoyed widespread critical acclaim for writing and voicing witty one-liners on ITV2’s hit National Television Award and Broadcast Award nominated series Love Island which has smashed rating records, pulling in the channel’s biggest-ever audience of 2.9 million at its peak and attracting an average of 2.6 million tuning in to see it daily. He was also on our screens hosting CelebAbility, a brand-new physical comedy entertainment show on ITV2 which saw celebrities and members of the public go head-to-head in rounds of games.

After weeks of speculation, Anthony Stokes has finally signed a permanent 2-year deal with Hibs.

Stokes, 29, enters his third period at the club, following spells in 2009 under John Hughes and 2016 under Alan Stubbs.

He achieved legendry status amongst Hibs’ fans for his ‘man of the match’ performance in the club’s Scottish Cup Final victory over Rangers and the supporters have expressed their delight on social media.

Stokes’s arrival cap a strong transfer window that has seen the Club capture six full internationalists in Stokes, Efe Ambrose, Ofir Marciano, Steven Whittaker, Deivydas Matulevicius, and Vykintas Slivka, as well as clinching the signature of one of last season’s Ladbrokes Premiership stars Danny Swanson and up-and-coming striker Simon Murray.

In addition, several of last season’s Championship winning squad had to be re-signed, including skipper David Gray, Darren McGregor, Lewis Stevenson, Martin Boyle, Ross Laidlaw, Marvin Bartley and Liam Fontaine.

Stokes told Hibernian media: “I am delighted to be coming back to Hibernian.

“The club has a big place in my heart and it’s where I’ve played some of my best football.

“It’s an environment that can get the best out of me and I am looking forward to getting back amongst the squad and scoring goals again.

“The scenes of celebration following the cup win will live long in my memory, and the only disappointment from my last spell was that we didn’t get promotion.

“The boys did brilliantly last season and now I’ll be looking to help us push on back in the Premiership.”

Neil Lennon said: “Anthony’s a quality player that we all know well, and will be a massive addition to our strike force. “I’ve been really pleased with the work we’ve done over the summer – the squad is in good shape and we’ve made several strong additions.

“We now have competition in every area of the park and are ready for the start of the league campaign on Saturday.”

Operation Summer City kicked off on Wednesday 2nd August at The Stand Comedy club, where officers unveiled their message for the coming weeks – ‘Festival Safety It’s No Joke’.

Over the coming weeks local policing teams will be supported by other resources from across the city to offer a range of useful information aimed at safeguarding local residents and visitors from the type of offences that typically occur during the summer months.

In addition to the Hold Onto Your Stuff initiative, which is aimed at tackling acquisitive crime, officers will also be promoting the Good Nights Out Get Home Safe campaign to ensure revellers can enjoy a safe and fun night out in the Capital before returning home safely.

High visibility patrols will be undertaken to deter antisocial behaviour and alcohol-related violence and there will be an emphasis on discouraging the use of drugs and new psychoactive substances.

Edinburgh Division’s social media pages are to be used extensively to promote safety messages throughout the Festival and the star of the show this year will be PC Amanda the Panda, who will appear in a variety of images and videos online.

Superintendent Lesley Clark from Edinburgh Division said: “Edinburgh is a very exciting and vibrant place to be during the Festival with hundreds of thousands of people attending the range of events and activities taking place over the coming month.

“With such an increase of people within the city it’s really important that we have a visible presence within the city centre and across the Capital to engage with the public, offer guidance on crime prevention and personal safety and deter any criminal activity from taking place.

“Protecting our communities is at the very heart of Operation Summer City and with so many people gathering in crowded places, armed officers will form part of the resources we deploy to complement the National Barrier Asset which we have seen being constructed in key locations over the past week.

“Please do not be alarmed by the presence of these officers, who are there only as a precaution and are usually more than happy to pose for photos.

“Our Unofficial Fringe Venue 999 returns for a second year and will be positioned in East Princes Street Gardens. Members of the public are more than welcome to drop in for a chat on security matters, pick up one our safety advice leaflets, or get a picture with our new mascot for Summer City – PC Amanda the Panda.

“After the successful debut of PC Bobbi and Baddie Bear last year, the furry duo have found a loving new home and so PC Panda will be our headline act and will appear regularly on our social media sites to offer a range of useful information and advice.

“You can keep up to date with PC Panda and all of our Summer City messaging by liking the Police Scotland Edinburgh Division Facebook page and by following @EdinburghPolice on Twitter.”

Scottish Water are going to undertake some works to the sewers in the Haymarket area from the beginning of September. The map which they put out has been amended slightly to show the diversions on West Maitland Street more accurately.

The original story can be read here and the new map is below

Jurgita has a real vision for her gallery which has only just opened this year, one she has held for a long time.

She explained : “When I moved to Scotland I had to reinvent myself. I was a landscape architect in Lithuania and I would have had a lot of new things to learn here if I wanted to continue with that.

“So rather than re-learning my profession as a landscape architect in a new context in Scotland I felt that this was a good opportunity to have a new start and do something about my long held dream.

“I have always had a dream of having a gallery.

“I was and, to some degree, still am hesitant to use word “crafts”. As a non-native English speaker, I am puzzled that the same word can be used to describe a huge range of items made by hand and can be used in a very different capacity, including  items made by preschoolers or as hobby.

“In my native, Lithuanian language, there are different words to describe handmade objects. ‘Rankdarbiai’  describes items created as  hobby (such as knitting, crochet, stitching). ‘Tautodailė’ is traditional craft, typically practiced as an occupation, but rooted in folk art (such as wood-carving, leather goods making, traditional amber jewellery).

“Japan has a really deep and rich tradition of that kind of craft – nearly every household item, such as fans, lacquerware boxes, tea cups or kimonos, requires skill and years of apprenticeship.

“When I think about traditional crafts in Scotland, hand-woven textiles, such as Harris Tweed, stone-carving, perhaps bagpipe-making come to mind.

“Taikomoji-dekoratyvinė dailė” –  crafts as decorative-applied arts,  is certainly the closest description to what Birch Tree Gallery intends to exhibit.

“The slight modification would be the fact that applied-art objects no longer need to be “applicable” – they can forfeit their original purpose and be seen as art objects exclusively for aesthetic enjoyment.

“Hence, my primary interest is fine crafts, one-off handmade objects that require sufficient skill to make, but also have a unique artistic expression.”

“I am originally from Lithuania, that’s where I was born and studied for my degree. Then I studied in Denmark for a year and then lived in the US for 18 years.” (and that’s where she met her Scottish husband!)

Jurgita told us about the summer exhibitions she is hosting at Birch Tree Gallery : “In August I will  have the work of two artists on display here. The first is Laima Dzigaite from Lithuania. Her work is collage using plant materials on pastel backgrounds. And I will also have work by Cathrine Holtet who is a water etched porcelain artist who lives in Dundee but comes from Norway.

“They both have very delicate plant elements in their work therefore I think they combine very nicely into one exhibition.

“The exhibition opens on 3 August and runs till the end of the month.”

[vimeo 227748045 w=640 h=360]

“I am still working on the final details of what will be shown here later in the year, but I will certainly have sculptors. I am working with a stone and metal sculptor for future exhibitions.

“I will have more printmakers more ceramicists and I am sure there will be new jewellery makers as well.”

Jurgita loves being in Dundas Street. She continued : “The best thing is that I probably get a lot of art lovers who, even without knowing about my existence, come here.

“I then have the opportunity to show the work I am exhibiting to them. But I also love this space itself. I get the wonderful afternoon light here.

“It feels cheerful and very bright and white. I think in some odd way finding a suitable venue, the physical premises on Dundas Street helped to finalise my primary interest in crafts.

 What’s in a name?

“As to the name of the gallery, the birch tree image is very simple, but powerful. The strong visual and tactile quality of its bark embodies many of the same qualities that differentiate fine crafts from other arts.

“After all, birches do not have the same bark when they are young, it comes with maturity.

“There is another component to the story. My home-town Šiauliai in Lithuania, is at the exactly same latitude as Edinburgh – 55.9° N.

“Birches are quite prominent in Lithuania and in the Scottish Highlands and two species  Betula pendula and Betula pubescens are indigenous to both countries. I wanted to have this “tie” to my native landscape – something I would be aware of, but what would not stand-out to others.

“While I was still agonising about the gallery name, I was already mapping out the first exhibition with Louise Oppenheimer and Maggie Zerafa. Both of them have featured birches in the past – Louise has woven a few tapestries depicting birch trees and Maggie had a series of cups and pots with birch-bark patterns.

“So, it felt like a good sign that Birch Tree Gallery was the right name. Interestingly, neither of them will have any works featuring birches for the inaugural exhibition ‘Semitones’!

“It’s also a small enough space that I feel can relate to a domestic environment. and not be intimidating.I don’t want to be an intimidating gallery! I want people to feel welcome here.”

Birch Tree Gallery
23A Dundas Street
Edinburgh, EH3 6QQ

Golfing legends, including Ryder Cup stars and Major Championship winners, will test their punting, rather than putting, abilities tomorrow (Friday) night when competitors in the Scottish Senior Open visit Musselburgh Races.

Scotland’s victorious Ryder Cup captain, Sam Torrance, and last year’s Senior Open Championship winner, Paul Broadhurst, are in the field for the 25^th anniversary edition of the Scottish Senior Open to be played at Renaissance Club on East Lothian’s famous Golf Coast from August 4-6. Also playing is 1991 Masters Champion Ian Woosnam.

And after play concludes on Friday, a group of leading golfers will make the short trip along the coast to Musselburgh Racecourse to sponsor their own race at 7.50pm as part of the Friday evening holiday Flat meeting at Musselburgh.

The ‘25 years of the Scottish Senior Open’ Nursery Handicap for two-year-olds, run over the minimum trip of 5 furlongs, will command the attention of the racing and golfing public alike, with prominent players selecting the Best Turned Out in the pre-race display in the Parade Ring and presenting the winning connections with their spoils.

Defending champion at the internationally acclaimed Renaissance Club, just a 25-minute drive from Musselburgh racetrack, is England’s Paul Eales, who said: “As sportsmen, we always take an interest in other sports and we are keen to see a great race for the Scottish Senior Open nursery handicap.

“Hopefully, the racegoers on Friday night can see some of the golfers at the track and may wish to come along to Renaissance Club on Saturday and Sunday to support us. Admission is free and there is a charge for parking, which goes to Prostate Cancer UK.”

Anyone attending Musselburgh Racecourse purchasing a race card for Friday should provide proof of purchase to receive a 50% discount on parking at Renaissance Club.

We met Ama and Cleo yesterday. They are beautiful little chihuahuas and certainly created a stir among the passers by.

Their owner Tanya is making plans for her new venture the Chihuahua Café, and while she sources premises in Edinburgh, she is running a pop up café on Rose Street this month.

Tanya’s little dog, Ama, is the whole reason why the idea for the new business came to mind, but she has seven other dogs all different shapes, colours and sizes.

Ama is four and a half and very much the mummy of the pack. She gets privileges like riding up front in the car, but she is also in control of teaching the others how to behave well. Tanya explained about her award-winning pooch :”Ama means love in Spanish, and she is our little love bug!”

Cleopatra known as Cleo is eight months old. She was given the name because of her eyeliner marks around her eyes.

Listen hear to find out about the pop up Edinburgh Chihuahua Cafe taking place this month! pic.twitter.com/wHfDsZVF0P

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) August 3, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The concept is that you get to chat with a chihuahua while drinking your cappuccino. The pets will roam freely among customers giving them some love and attention, perhaps helping you with the stress of day to day. If you would like a dog but for whatever reason you can’t have one, then this will fit the bill.

And certainly these two little glamour girls seemed to love the attention they were getting on Chambers Street yesterday!

There will be a pop up on 20 August at The Melting Pot on Rose Street (just behind M&S) and you can find out more and get tickets here

More information about the Edinburgh Chihuahua Cafe on Facebook

The Forth 1 breakfast show Boogie in the Morning has been rated number 1 commercial breakfast show for the ninth year in a row in Edinburgh and the Lothians in the Second Quarter RAJAR results just announced.

With 225,000 listeners each week the programme has a 19.1% share of the market and confirms Forth 1’s place as overall market leader in the area. The  listener numbers have increased by 11,000 since last quarter and now stand at 334,000 listeners each week.

After winning BEST COMEDY AWARDS at Adelaide and Brighton Fringe along with an OFFICIAL SOLD OUT RUN at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe, award-winning, Norwegian-American comedy duo Zach & Viggo returns to Underbelly with a brand new hour of madness!

Following an eighteen month tour of Europe, North America and Australia, Gaulier-graduates Zach Zucker and Viggo Venn bust open the absurd, chaotic and wildly unpredictable depths of comedy with their second show Dream Team.

Directed by Jonny Woolley and produced by LA-based, independent comedy label Stamptown, these boys have sold out shows in New York, Chicago, LA, Toronto, London, Paris, Oslo, Copenhagen, Berlin, Melbourne, Prague and Perth at venues/festivals such as Second City, Comedy Central, The UCB Theatre and Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

They also turned down a gig for the King of Norway and were banned from the UK Embassy in Prague for getting naked and running through the gardens shouting ‘Brexit’ before being escorted from the premises.

Zach & Viggo have been featured on ABC, LA Weekly, Huffington Post, Evening Standard, Herald Sun, Chicago Tribune, and were The Guardian’s Top Comedy Pick To Deliver at Edinburgh Fringe in 2016.

Underbelly Cowgate (venue 61) | 21.30| i hour| 3-15 August, 17-27 August|

Tickets here

“A Strange New Space” by Tessa Bide at Cairns Lecture Theatre, Summerhall. 10:45am (45 mins)

Shows = 4th – 27th Aug (except Mondays)Relaxed autism-friendly performances on Tuesdays

Tickets: £8 (£6 concs/£20 fam)

In person at Summerhall, Online at www.summerhall.co.uk or by phone 0131 226 0000

www.tessabide.com /  @tessabide / #AStrangeNewSpace/ Facebook: tessabideproductions

Children’s theatre specialist Tessa Bide returns to Summerhall this Edinburgh Fringe Festival with her brand new and highly topical piece, ‘A Strange New Space’, following her critically acclaimed run of ‘The Tap Dancing Mermaid’ in August 2015.

A Strange New Space is the story of Amira, a young refugee girl struggling to find a new place to call home. This production melds physical theatre with stunning puppetry and original music to explore universal themes of home, belonging and safety. The piece uses a child’s imagination to unpack these themes in an accessible way, imagining the journey as a space adventure.

An original piece, devised by the company and directed by Joseph Wallace, this production is wordless in nature, and thus accessible to those of all nationalities; using physical theatre and movement as an international language to tell Amira’s story.  After the success of The Tap Dancing Mermaid in 2015 , this is a highly anticipated return to The Fringe for Tessa Bide.

In January 2017, Bide travelled to Greece to volunteer with the refugee community and research the production. She worked with several charities, camps and squats including the including The Schoolbox Project at Elliniko Camp, Project Eleas at Eleonas Camp, and The Orange House – run by the Za’atar charity. The aim for A Strange New Space was to serve as a catalyst for conversations around the continuing crisis, and to start to question what it means to be a refugee, especially for a young audience.

Developed in collaboration with Bristol based venues Circomedia and The Trinity Centre, along with charity ‘Integrate UK’ and large, diverse primary school May Park throughout Spring 2017, A Strange New Space was funded throughout the process by Arts Council England. The show is mid-way through a National tour before continuing internationally in Autumn 2017 – Spring 2019. It is going to the Story of Space Festival in Goa, India, in November (shortlisted from 270 companies to a final programme of 50 companies from around the world), and also has a run at The Wardrobe Theatre (Bristol) and dates at The Bristol Festival of Puppetry, Oxford’s Northwall and Farnham Maltings in Autumn this year.

Eleanor Colville: Bigamous

The Bottle Room @ Just the Tonic, 9:20pm

From the SOHO THEATRE YOUNG COMPANY, Eleanor Colville’s début hour is a riot of high-energy character comedy.

BIGAMOUS takes place in and around a wedding, using the pit-falls of modern romance as a way to meet a cast of absurd and heart-warming characters.

In a whirlwind of audience interaction, musical comedy and silly-voices, two unsuspecting members of the public will tie the knot every night, and live happily ever after (we hope).

Eleanor Colville is a graduate of the Cambridge Footlights International Tour Show, and current member of the Soho Theatre Young Company. She has performed as part of Ginificent Theatre Company, and written for BBC Radio 4’s Newsjack. She is mentored by Vicky Featherstone and Kate Rowland as part of the Women of the Future Scheme at Central St Martins University.

Joseph Winters has recently worked as a director and producer at Hampstead Theatre, Trafalgar Studios, Royal Opera House, English National Opera, Sonia Friedman Productions and the Bunker Theatre. His other shows at the Fringe include ‘Ken Cheng: Chinese Comedian’ at Pleasance, and ‘The Canon’ at Underbelly.

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/eleanor-colville-bigamous

The Mound Precinct was the first port of call for today’s photo call with Canada’s Cirque Eloize. The performers ran through a few ‘exercises’ for the cameras to give a flavour of what to expect from their show on the ‘Pleasance at the EICC’ programme for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.

“A staggering blend of circus, theatre and Dance, Cirkopolis transforms the classic film Metropolis into a virtuostic spectacle for the whole family. As artists rebel, their grey cityscape is replaced by absurd theatre, beautiful poetry and bursts of brilliant colour in a world where fantasy defies reality“

One of the World’s leading contemporary circuses, Quebec’s Cirque Eloize have blazed a trail in magical theatre experiences for nearly 25 years, performing in over 500 cities to more than 3.5 million people.

Cirque Eloize will be performing at the EICC between 4^th and 28^th August and tickets are available from here.

Meanwhile, former Hearts manager Paulo Sergio has declared an interest in returning to Tynecastle and has had reportedly sent his cv to Hearts owner Ann Budge for consideration. Sergio was, of course, Hearts manager when they hammered Hibernian 5-1 in the Scottish Cup final of 2012.

Deputy Chief Constable Johnny Gwynne, currently DCC Crime and Operational Support is to be recommended for the role of DCC Designate in the autumn, taking over from the retiring DCC Iain Livingstone.

Mr Gwynne began his policing career in 1985 when he joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary serving in Londonderry. He later transferred to Strathclyde Police. During that time he discharged a number of roles in various ranks finally as a Detective Chief Superintendent and Head of Special Branch for Strathclyde and Regional Coordinator for Special Branch for all of Scotland.He has managed several high profile counter terrorist enquiries and was the on-scene commander at the Glasgow Airport attack. He led on both crises and consequence management issues arising from the incident.

In 2006, he became a member of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland after being appointed as Deputy Director General of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA).

He was also the Scottish Police lead for Covert Policing and coordinated the activity of all eight Scottish legacy police forces and the SCDEA against organised crime as chair of the National Tactical Tasking and Coordinating Forum.

He was seconded to the UKs National Crime Agency (NCA) in June 2013 and was Deputy Director of the Organised Crime Command before successfully competing for and being appointed to the role of Director of the Child Exploitation Command (CEOP) in December 2013.

In addition he was the UK’s representative on the Virtual Global Task Force and International ‘#WeProtect’ Advisory Board focused on improving the international response to the threat posed by child sexual abuse along with other police colleagues.

Chief Constable Phil Gormley has issued an update on portfolio realignments in the Force Executive.

He said: “As you may already be aware, Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, DCC Designate, has announced he is retiring.

“My intention is to recommend to the Scottish Police Authority for approval the appointment of Deputy Chief Constable Johnny Gwynne, currently DCC Crime and Operational Support, to the role of DCC Designate in the autumn.  The DCC Crime and Operational Support role will be advertised as soon as possible.

“As you may also be aware, Andy Cowie, ACC Local Policing North, will also retire later in the year.  From 29 September, John Hawkins, ACC Local Policing Approaches, will assume responsibility for local policing in the north of Scotland in addition to his existing portfolio.”

The Assembly’s 37^th Festival gets going this year with previews starting from today.

This year’s programme of over 200 shows offers world-class theatre, indigenous dance, quick fire comedy, breath-taking circus skills, cabaret, accapella choirs and a huge range of the very best in world music.

The Festival is spread across the city, including the Assembly Hall at the top of the Mound, Assembly Roxy, Assembly Checkpoint and a return to the Assembly Rooms on George Street, which was the first major multi-venue run by Assembly in 1981.

This year FuturePlay – the digital entertainment festival where art meets technology, will take place on George Street in front of the Rooms, and both the Ballroom and the Music Hall with enjoy a full programme of shows including the return of Baxter Theatre’s award winning Mies Julie and Alex Salmond’s debut Fringe Show –Unleashed which opens on 13 August.

William Burdett-Coutts, Director of Assembly Festival said:
“I am delighted and excited by this year’s festival programme and it is wonderful to be back at the Assembly Rooms. Ten years ago, I would never have thought an ex- First Minister would have his own show with us, or that audiences would be wearing VR headsets and hearing how new technology can be an integral part of live theatre.

Each year, for me it’s not about the number of incredible shows we have at the Festival, it’s about the breadth of performance, and working to ensure that Edinburgh maintains its reputation as a world-class destination for the arts. This means we need to keep developing new ideas, building new relationships and thinking constantly about the shape of the Festival 10 years from now. Here’s to a fantastic August”

The Assembly Festival runs from 2 – 28 August 2017. The full programme is available on our website www.assemblyfestival.com

We’ve all been there – it’s mid-afternoon, the coffee’s worn off and you’re wishing you were snuggled up in bed…enter Casper, the global sleep company, as its European Sleep Tour comes to the UK as part of its mission to bring bedtime back!

1 in 5 people in the UK admit to LOVING naps, so much so that almost 15% nap on their lunch breaks. With the Casper Sleep Tour making sleep stops in London, Brighton and Edinburgh throughout the month of July, it’s time to take the much-desired lunch-time nap to the next level.

Inside each of the sleep pods, consumers are encouraged to snuggle up with the brand’s signature mattress – Casper only makes one and it is obsessively engineered for what they describe as ‘outrageous comfor’t – as well as its optimally cool sheets and unique pillow-in-a-pillow. Set within a snooze-inducing bedroom environment, each pod is complete with warm, ambient lighting, privacy blinds and the ability to control the space’s temperature – everything you need for the dreamiest nap experience ever.

Before waking up to some tasty treats, lucky snoozers can opt to pick up the bedside phone and listen to a classic bedtime story. Couple the soothing tones of the story reader and the cosy vibes of the sleep pod and Casper challenges any snoozer to make it past chapter one.

STOPS

 The Casper Sleep Tour will be stopping in the capital :

•  Edinburgh on the 4th August at Grassmarket Edinburgh and 6th August at Castle St Edinburgh

BOOK A NAP

Either BOOK A NAP HERE in advance, or just roll up, roll into one of the pods, and experience the perfect sleep environment firsthand.

Live illustration to draw in families at new free theatre show at
Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Hero, a new family show which uses live illustration to share a fantastical adventure story tackling depression, premieres at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August.

Heroes Theatre’s new production combines a fully scored audiobook adventure with colourful artwork. Georgie Mac paints brilliant characters and scenes from a new story in front of audiences.

Hero is an uplifting show that uses fantasy to address issues about anxiety, depression and learning to live with sad thoughts. The show follows the adventures of Cavalier, a young boy plagued by
nightmares, who lives at sea on a ship that never moves. Hero celebrates creativity and storytelling as a method of confronting difficult emotions.

Hero features a newly composed score by singer/songwriter Ross Clark, previously of Three Blind Wolves who recently toured China with children’s theatre company Frozen Charlotte.

Hero is the second collaboration between artist/performer Georgie Mac and director/writer Eve Nicol. The pair previously unleashed their children’s show The Undiscovered Creature at Imaginate and Belladrum festivals in 2016.

Georgie Mac, creator and performer of Hero said : “I’m excited to share my love of drawing with audiences. There’s something special about sharing a fantasy story that tackles tricky human emotions in such an imaginative way. Hero makes plenty of room for emotional reflection, without shirking on creative expression, and I can’t wait
to bring it to a family audience at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.”

Hero plays as part of PBH Free Fringe for the duration of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Heroes Theatre are a Glasgow-based company who showcase the words of the greatest modern playwrights and bold new voices to explore the dark and difficult parts of being human.

Hero by Heroes Theatre
Black Market (Venue 399)
5 – 26 Aug (except 13), 6.40pm-7.40pm

www.heroestheatre.com

Free, non
ticketed

Created & performed by Georgie Mac

Written by Eve Nicol

Music by Ross Clark

After weeks of speculation, Hibs’ legend Anthony Stokes has finally agreed to join his old boss Neil Lennon at Easter Road.

He is expected to complete a medical today, ahead of signing a two year deal.

This will be the third spell at the club for the Dubliner who wrote his name into Hibs’ fokelore with a sensational performance in the 2016 Scottish Cup victory over Rangers at Hampden Park.

His two goals that day helped secure the trophy for the first time in 114 years, sparking wild celebration from the delighted supporters.

Stokes played for Kilnamanagh, Esker Celtic Football Club, Cherry Orchard Shelbourne youth teams, before signing for Arsenal where played for the reserves as a 15-year-old

He made his debut for the first team as a substitute in a League Cup tie against Sunderland.

John Hughes spotted his potential and brought him to Falkirk on loan where he scored 16 goals in 18 league and cup appearances and became the first player to score back to back hat-tricks n the SPL.

His performances did not go unnoticed and in January 2007 he joined Sunderland in a deal reported to be worth £2m.

Manager Roy Keane sent the striker on loan to Sheffield United and Crystal Palace before John Hughes signed him for Hibs for an undisclosed fee.

Stokes made his Hibs debut against his former club Falkirk, and then credited Hughes as the main reason he decided to sign for Hibs. He scored his first goals  in a 3–0 win at home against St Johnstone . His good run of form was rewarded with the SPL Young Player of the Month award for December 2009. and winning the Goal of the Season  award from the SPL for a goal against Rangers.

His partnership with Derek Riordan caused problems for most defences but in August 2010 he signed for Celtic, making his debut in a 3-0 win over Hearts.

Stokes quickly became a popular figure with the Celtic fans and subsequently won our league trophies, two Scottish Cups, including the 2013 trophy where he ws named man of the match for his performance against Hibs, and one League Cup.

On 15 January 2016, Alan Stubbs persuaded him to join Hibs on loan…………and the rest is history.

That summer he joined Blackburn Rovers but his spell in England has been blighted by injury and off field problems.

Last month he parted company with Rovers and speculation has been rife about a return to Easter Road.

A police investigation is underway after two 4×4 vehicles were found crashed in the River Almond near Turnhouse Road this morning

A third car, a Chrysler Jeep, was also found abandoned nearby.

Fire crews were called out around 8.45am to remove two 4×4 vehicles which were partially submerged.

Neither of the vehicles have been reported stolen to date and efforts are ongoing to trace the owners. No-one was inside when emergency services attended.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: “Police in Edinburgh were called to the Lennymuir area around 7.45am on Wednesday, August 2, following a report that a Chrysler Jeep had been found abandoned.

“Shortly afterwards, further reports were received of two 4x4s partly submerged in the River Almond in the Turnhouse Road area.

“Anyone who may have information which can help is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident 0589 of August 2.”

A fire service spokeswoman said: “Water rescue teams supported by two fire appliances were immediately mobilised at 7.43am to assist police and the ambulance service.

“Crews carried out a search of two vehicles in the water and the surrounding area.

“There are no casualties.”

Mingle heartfelt Scottish songs with Cajun honky tonk and the result is what the Jennifer Ewan Band calls “Bonnie Bayou”.

It’s an acoustic pop sound finely honed on the streets of the capital, where singer-songwriter Jennifer, accordionist Kim Tebble and western swing bassist Iain McFadyen have earned their stripes busking on the Royal Mile.

But every Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday in August they will be entertaining in the comfort of one of the Fringe Festival’s newest venues, The Montebar.

The band has a growing reputation and went down a storm on BBC Radio Scotland’s Janice Forsyth Show where Jennifer was described as “Just brilliant – music of the highest quality – a Scottish rising star”.

Edinburgh is embedded in her songs, and she knows the city from more angles than most – living on a houseboat and having spent time leading tourists on ghost tours.

Her rich, throaty Scottish voice mixed with a country sound that originates from Appalachia, Louisiana and Texas come together in mid-tempo personal ballads grounded in Cajun honky tonk and the unusual interplay of accordion, acoustic guitar, bass and drums.

Jennifer says: “There’s a lot about Scotland in my songs – references to places I’ve lived like Ayr and Edinburgh. But I really love the lively and dancey feel of Cajun music. They fit together very well, they are both from the head, the heart and the soul.”

As well as their own original songs the band throws in Cajun and Louisiana classics like Jambalaya, Walking to New Orleans and Don’t Mess With My Toot Toot.

The Montebar as a venue is also something to relish, especially for those who want a taste of Edinburgh and Scottish culture.

Located in the heart of the Pleasance, it’s a traditional pub on the corner of Montague and St. Leonard’s with friendly, welcoming staff, 100-year-old mirrors and a huge brass bell to signal last call and closing time.

Find out more from the Fringe website at https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/bonnie-bayou

·      Venue: The Montebar (Venue 89)

·      Dates: August 6,8,9,13,15,16,20,22,23,27,29,30

·       Time: 17:00

·       Duration: 60 mins

·       Guidance:  None

·       Tickets: Free ticketed

·       Box office: 0131 2260000

 See website at www.jenniferewan.com

Nottingham playwright Jane Upton’s new one-woman show, Finding Nana, receives its world premiere at the festival tomorrow and is up for a Fringe First award.

Upton, a George Devine Award-winner, has written Finding
Nana to remember the halcyon summers of her youth during which she and her Nana would share the same room in the same hotel in the same Isle of Wight seaside resort for the same two weeks every year. That was until Nana started to lose her memory.

Finding Nana, by 2016 George Devine Award-winner and Derbyshire-based playwright, Jane Upton, gets its official world premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe this month.

Jane Upton’s Finding Nana remembers the halcyon summers of her youth during which she and her Nana would share the same room in the same hotel in the same Isle of Wight seaside resort for the same two weeks every year. That was until Nana started to lose her memory.

Flitting between the past and present and childhood and old age, Finding Nana – an autobiographical play – charts the journey back to find a beloved Nana who died in 2011 while suffering with dementia. Directed by Katie Posner, it stars recent Nottingham Television Workshop graduate Phoebe Frances Brown.

Jane Upton says: “Finding Nana has been in the
making for a while and so I’m over the moon that it will get its world premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe. This play has a piece of my heart in it. It’s a tale of love and loss and what it means to live and think, and the crippling fear of forgetting. It’s a tribute to that specific and amazing relationship you can only really share with a
beloved grandparent. I’m so happy and grateful to share our story to which I’m sure so many people will relate.”

New Perspectives is an East Midlands-based national touring
theatre company which specialises in creating dynamic performances for rural audiences. Its focus on new writing, adaptations and revivals, are presented in community settings and venues nationally and internationally. The company also provides career defining training and mentoring opportunities for emerging artists and manages the rural touring scheme Northants Touring Arts.

New Perspectives’ Artistic Director, Jack McNamara,
says: “When we saw the excited reactions that children and parents had to this production on tour we knew we had to bring it to Edinburgh. It literally had audiences buzzing earlier this year and it has a real festival energy about it.

It’s a perfect introduction to theatre for young audiences – and has enough humour to keep adults entertained too. The works we are taking to Edinburgh are a snapshot of the very best of what we offer; quality small-scale theatre which is rooted in local communities and for audiences of all ages.”

Megan Milliken joins Edinburgh’s The Chester Residence team as new operations manager

Five star luxury hotel, The Chester Residence, has welcomed new operations manager, Megan Milliken, to the team this month.

Napier University graduate Megan will ensure the day to day operations of the hotel are carried out effectively and efficiently and will implement new procedures. Using her 10 years’ experience in the hospitality industry she is also looking forward to bringing some fresh ideas to the hotel’s front office operations.

The Chester Residence is an exclusive collection of 23 luxurious Georgian townhouse apartments in Edinburgh’s West End. Individually designed apartments and a personalised service ensures guests receive the benefit of serviced apartments combined with the luxury of a five star hotel. The Chester Residence currently employs a team of 21.

Rated Edinburgh’s top hotel on TripAdvisor, The Chester Residence has also won a total of 25 accolades since opening in 2006, including ‘Best Five Star Hotel in Scotland’ in the trivago.co.uk Awards 2017.

Megan Milliken, operations manager of The Chester Residence, says: “Moving from a 184 bedroom hotel to The Chester Residence, I am excited to gain a closer relationship with guests, as this is not often possible in a large hotel.

“My career has been centred on hospitality and I know that my experience at The Chester Residence will provide me with the opportunity to grow professionally and learn a lot more about the operations and daily running of luxury five star serviced apartments.”

Jill Darling, general manager of The Chester Residence, says: “We
are delighted to bring Megan on board as our operations manager. Her passion for the industry and her front of house operations experience will be a great asset to The Chester Residence and our guests.”

2016 Malcolm Hardee Award-winner for Comic Originality – dare you enter the Twonkeyverse?

One of the Fringe’s most reliably unusual auteurs returns with a new adventure from the peculiar world of Mr Twonkey. Perfectly timed to cash in on the lucrative Summer Christmas market, Twonkey’s ninth Fringe outing features new songs, gentle dancing, puppets, games, costume changes, unlikely props and live present wrapping – cabaret comedy at its most determinedly unpredictable.

Twonkey’s conniving manager Mr. Pines has sent him to the Iquitos
Fringe deep in the Hallucinogenic Peruvian jungle over Christmas – will he survive? And can he arrange a festive celebration that’s just the way he wants it? Chris Hutchinson, his long-suffering weak Lion, is sent on a dangerous quest to find the chicken church. The troubled Duck, Sandy, finds himself in a pickle after a spot of glass-eating reveals a mysterious family tradition. Once the cogs of fate start to turn all is not as it seems, and soon Mr. Pines finds himself running Pings Pinny; a bakery in old Shanghai. Meanwhile Twonkey and his crew have a high flying escape in their sights.

The Christmas pudding spider, a cannibalistic Santa, Transylvanian
finger fantasy and much more awaits you in the jungle. Imagine if Malcolm McLaren had directed Rupert the Bear, drunk, making it into an oddball curiosity set in a haunted theme park and you’re somewhere close.

Twonkey is Paul Vickers. As frontman of cult rock act Dawn of the
Replicants he has released five studio albums, recorded five BBC Radio One John Peel sessions and played Glastonbury, Reading, T in the Park and SXSW in Austin Texas.

In 1997, D.O.T.R were named Most Promising New Act by The Times, and in 1998 they were nominated for an N.M.E. Brat Award.
Since these heady days, Paul has continued making music with new project Paul Vickers and The Leg, to critical acclaim and national and local radio play. In 2009, he branched out into cabaret, with shows at the Edinburgh and Brighton Fringes. Paul went on to create the Twonkeyverse, and from 2010’s Twonkey’s Cottage to last year’s award-winning Twonkey’s Mumbo Jumbo Hotel Paul has taken shows to each year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival to four and five star reviews.

In 2013, Twonkey was a Time Out & Soho Theatre Award nominee, resulting in a performance at London’s Soho Theatre. Paul’s writing includes a book, Itchy Grumble (2013), and a play, Jennifer’s Robot Arm (2015).

Twonkey’s Christmas in the Jungle: 3 – 27 August (not 15), Heroes @ Dragonfly (Venue 414) – 52 West Port, EH1 2LD.

Buy a £5 ticket in advance to guarantee entry or Pay What You Want at the venue

 Tickets here