Kilmarnock 0 Hearts 1

Ladbrokes Premiership, Saturday 12^th August 2017 – Rugby Park 

Hearts recorded their first Ladbrokes Premiership win of the season – and their first league win away from Edinburgh since February – with what is euphemistically termed as a ‘hard-fought’ win at Kilmarnock on Saturday.

An early goal from Isma Goncalves was enough to give the Maroons all three points which, given the difficult start to the season, will be much welcomed by interim Head Coach Jon Daly.

Daly made three changes from the Hearts team that succumbed to Celtic seven days ago. Prince Buaben, Lewis Moore and Aaron Hughes were replaced by newcomer Connor Randall, John Souttar and Isma Goncalves. Jamie Walker was back and was named as a substitute although he remained on the bench for the 90 minutes.

After a cagey start, Hearts went ahead in just five minutes. Michael Smith fed Goncalves who eased passed Broadfoot and fired home from around 20 yards.

Goncalves should have made it 2-0 for the visitors in the 20^th minute when, after playing a neat one-two with Kyle Lafferty, attempted to take the ball round former Hearts keeper Jamie MacDonald but was denied by a fine save.

However, that was as exciting as it got in the first half with both sides producing lots of effort but little in the way of cohesive football.

Half-time Kilmarnock 0 Hearts 1

If truth be told the second half wasn’t much different to the first. Killie persisted with long balls to the veteran striker Kris Boyd but Hearts defensive duo of Christophe Berra and John Souttar were equal to the task.

However, Killie should have equalised when McKenzie was through on goal as the Rugby Park team hit on the counter-attack. Hearts keeper Jack Hamilton came to the Jambos rescue with a brilliant save which he immediately followed with another fine save from the rebound.

Kyle Lafferty should have put Hearts in a much more comfortable position but, following a cross from Don Cowie, the former Rangers striker took a fresh-air swipe at the ball, much to the chagrin of his team-mates.

Isma Goncalves was then involved in a couple of incidents. Firstly, he forced a fine save from MacDonald before becoming involved in a tussle with Killie’s Broadfoot on the edge of the penalty box. After consulting with his assistant, referee Stephen Finnie sent both players off.

Don Cowie was proving to be a threat and he had an overhead kick and another attempt on goal, neither of which unduly troubled Jamie MacDonald.

The game fizzled out and while it was far from a classic the result meant Hearts are off and running in the Ladbrokes Premiership this season – a season of undoubted transition.

Jon Daly was satisfied after the game. He told BBC Scotland:

“It’s a massive win. We haven’t won here since April 2013 so it shows how difficult a place it is to come. The players showed a lot of the characteristics that people have questioned over the last while – determination, the will to fight and hard work. I thought we saw that in abundance today.”

Kilmarnock: MacDonald, Taylor (O’Donnell, 71′), Broadfoot, Boyd, McKenzie, Thomas, Burke (Jones, 46′), Erwin, Greer, Wilson (Samizadeh, 87′), Frizzell.

Hearts: Hamilton, M. Smith, Souttar, Berra, Brandon (Nowak, 80′), Grzelak, Djoum, Randall, Cowie (Martin, 90′), Lafferty (Stockton, 84′), Isma.

Referee: Stephen Finnie

Att: 5,076

Top man: Don Cowie

Hibs maintained their 100% start to the season with a superb 3-2 win over Rangers following a pulsating but often ill tempered encounter at Ibrox Park this afternoon.

It was first meeting between the sides since the 2016 Scottish Cup final which Hibs won by the same scoreline and the Rangers’ fans were out for revenge.

Neil Lennon made three changes to the starting XI that comfortably disposed of Ayr United in midweek with David Gray, Ryan Porteous and Danny Swanson making way for Paul Hanlon, Steven Whittaker and Vykintas Slivka.

There was a fantastic atmosphere inside Ibrox and Rangers started brightly in front of a full house taking an early lead when Daniel Candeias’ free kick found Alfredo Morelos who headed home from close range.

Former Hibs’ striker Kenny Miller almost doubled Rangers’ lead when his shot was deflected onto the post after some good play by Josh Windass.

Anthony Stokes and James Tavernier were both booked following a flare up as the game threatened to boil over then after a nervy start, Hibs equalised with their first attempt on goal when top scorer Simon Murray cut in from the left and fired in his 10th goal of the season, sparking delight from the travelling support.

Moments later, the home fans were stunned when Ryan Jack was sent off for grabbing Dylan McGeouch  in front of referee John Beaton.

Hibs took advantage of the extra man and took a deserved lead when Murray set up Slivka who fired in an angled shot which struck James Tavernier before ending up in the net.

Just before the break Wes Foderingham produced a fine save from John McGinn to keep the deficit at one goal.

Hibs added a third in the 65th minute after former Juventus midfielder Slivka’s half volley from the edge of the area left Foderingham helpless.

The Rangers’ keeper did well to save from Efe Ambrose’s header and Murray struck the side netting after a one-two with Stokes.

Hibs continued to dominate possession and looked to be cruising to victory but with nine minutes remaining Rangers pulled one back after Tavernier headed in a Danny Wilson cross.

In the dying minutes Darren McGregor was booked for a trip but  Bruno Alves sent the resultant free-kick over the bar.

Rangers: Foderingham, Tavernier, Alves, Cardoso, Hodson, Jack, Dorrans, Windass, Candeias, Miller, Morelos. Subs: Alnwick, Wilson, Herrera, Rossiter, Kranjcar, Holt, Pena

Hibs: Marciano, Whittaker, Hanlon, McGinn, Slivka, McGeouch, S.Murray, Stevenson, Ambrose, Stokes. Subs: Laidlaw, Gray, Fonaine, Matulevicius, Swanson, Shaw, F.Murray.

Referee John Beaton

Not many of the other performers at the Fringe have the career backdrop of having been the leader of a country of around 5 million people, but Alex Salmond has lightly thrown that well-worn cloak over his shoulder. Now he is going to have his own chat show….

He says he is ready for his run of sell-out performances at Assembly Rooms on George Street, and this morning he was poised to take on the press.

Mostly he was ready to give them a hard time it should be said, rather than just answering their questions.

In particular he wants all the Scottish media to take a long hard look at themselves in the cold light of day following the decision by the Crown Office last week that there will be no criminal proceedings at this time against former Edinburgh West MP, Michelle Thomson. The Crown Office said that this followed “an absence of sufficient credible and reliable evidence”.

Ms Thomson, who was only one of the five people reported to the procurator fiscal in relation to matters involving alleged mortgage fraud, has taken the statement to mean complete exoneration.

It appears that Mr Salmond believes the same, as he told the press that she will be coming to his show during the run, although he did not confirm that this would be as a guest. He did not confirm any of the guests who will appear on the George Street stage with him (except one little reveal which we have for you below!).

He has some advice for Michelle Thomson who lost the SNP whip during the last parliamentary term when it became clear that the police were investigating allegations of fraud against her, her former solicitor and her partners in a property business.

Salmond said : “My advice to her is to come back into politics. I think there will be a lot of support for her. I think a lot of people will be regretful. I let fly at the press today because the prime responsibility as to what happened to Michelle will be in the Scottish press corps.

“I know they don’t realise that, and they are trying to deflect that onto the SNP and the SNP leadership, but it’s guilt, well one hopes it’s guilt, because there are newspapers in this country who should be hanging their heads in shame. Just about all of them to be quite frank!

“They have destroyed the political career of a highly promising young female politician for no apparent reason, apart from just general badness and their lack of journalistic standards.

“They had her carted off, signed, sealed and convicted, and of course as we now know she was innocent of any wrongdoing whatsoever. I hope they go to bed at night and ask for the Lord’s forgiveness because that is what they should do.

“And I’m afraid that is what they should do. That is what I feel about them.

“This attempt over the last few days by papers like The Mail and the rest trying to whip this up into a row between Michelle and Nicola Sturgeon, it’s just pathetic actually.

“It’s people who hopefully are guilty about their own role in bringing down Michelle so they want to blame somebody else.

“I happen to think – and I did when I voted last year to have Michelle readmitted into the party that the SNP were faced with a very difficult situation and handled it badly, but the difficult situation was created by the Scottish press corps and by newspapers of Scotland who should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.”

The Edinburgh Reporter meets Alex Salmond from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE – ALEX SALMOND UNLEASHED

The Edinburgh Reporter asked first why there was no saltire on the set which is made up of three groupings of two seats each : two armchairs, two low seats and two high seats.

Salmond said : “Not yet, we are sending out for the saltires.”

Asked if these would be brought in in a handbag he quickly parried that the handbag in question had always belonged to his wife, Moira, and was not his. (Salmond controversially brandished a saltire in the Royal Box at Wimbledon after Andy Murray won there).

He then went on to admit to The Edinburgh Reporter that the story was very relevant to one of the guests, so are we to expect Sir Andy Murray to be one of the guests? Or will Judy Murray appear instead?

The promise is that the guests will be friends from politics and from sport, so that could very well be an exclusive reveal….!

But it has to be said Salmond was not giving much away, but was clearly enjoying being back in the spotlight.

Asked whether the kind of friend he might invited along could be determined by where they get to sit on the stage he quietly said : “No the issue basically is we will do a trial run to see if I can get myself onto one of these high stools, because it’s a bit debatable just now! We’ll see how it goes.”

Asked who his comedy heroes are Salmond replied :”I suppose I have never really liked pure stand up comedy. And I am not doing pure stand up comedy here. Politicians who do stand up comedy fall down.

“I like folk like Rikki Fulton, Stanley Baxter and Chic Murray. When I told a Guardian journalist about Chic Murray the other day they said ‘Who?’. Chic Murray would have loved that!”

Alex Salmond Unleashed at Assembly Rooms Edinburgh from 13-27 August 2017

Tickets are on sale now: 0131 623 3030
https://www.assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/alex-salmond-unleashed/book-now
 

In celebration of the Fringe’s 70^th Anniversary, three Scottish theatre companies met in Edinburgh’s historic Grassmarket to celebrate the best of Scotland’s past present and future, in the Fringe Festival.

All three companies are part of the Made in Scotland showcase, which features some of the best Scottish work at the Fringe, and all hope to getthe next generation of Fringe goers excited about theatre, dance and storytelling.

Andy Cannon is performing in Is This a Dagger, The Story of Macbeth at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, The Polar Bears (aka Eilidh MacAskill and Fiona Manson) are performing in The Polar Bears Go Up! at the Pleasance at EICC, and Caroline Bowditch, Welly O’Brien and Zac Scott are performing in Snigel and Friends at Dance Base.

Alice McGrath of Red Bridge Arts said “It’s vital that excellent work continues to be made for children and families – so that the next generation grows up to be a happy, creative and compassionate society. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the biggest arts festival in the world is a perfect place to introduce children to performing arts. We all hope it carries on for another 70 years and more – who knows, one of these children here today may well perform in the Fringe themselves one day!”

Just as we are recovering from the press conference that Alex Salmond held this morning and editing our video, we have heard that his debut Fringe show has been extended (for the second time) to include another night on Sunday 20 August.

Tickets for this date are on sale now. 

The former First Minister will now perform 18 shows back-to-back to more than 6,000 people over the course of the two week run.(There are no somersaults in the show but expect a bit of to and fro between Alex and his guests!)

Speaking this morning, Mr Salmond said: “It is incredible that we have had to extend the show not once, but twice even before the first performance. I am delighted at the response from Fringe-goers. It is great to see that they are as excited to start the festival of fun as my guests and I are.”

Our local bus tour company Rabbie’s have devised a Harry Potter quiz……. and they have given us a special spell to allow us to use it here.

(Well it’s maybe not a spell, more of a code….)

We hope you enjoy it!

Rabbie’s invite you to go beyond the guidebooks in small buses which take up to 16 people. They go all over the place on Whisky tours and tours of the Scottish Highlands. And one of the tours takes you to Alnwick Castle just over the border where some of the scenes in Harry Potter were filmed.

%CODE5%

Book your next trip with

Rabbie’s Trail Burners Ltd
6 Waterloo Place
Edinburgh, EH1 3EG Scotland
+44 (0)131 226 3133

www.rabbies.com 

Rangers' manager Pedro Caixinha insists Rangers’ previous meetings with Hibs will have no bearing on today's Premiership clash at Ibrox.

It’s the first time the two will have played since the Scottish Cup final of 2016 and both teams go into the game having won their last two fixtures in the league and Betfred Cup.

Caixinha was in the Easter Road director's box last weekend and was impressed with what he saw.

Speaking at Thursday's  media conference, he said: “Football is one moment and no two games are the same. The contest is going to be different, so we just want to focus on the three points which we want to take – that is all.

"I know that we are going to face a great club, a great manager and a great group of players. But, besides that, we know how they play and what they want from the game regarding to the analysis we did based on their last few games.

“We know this game is sold-out and we are going to have the support from our fans. That is all we care about – that and conquering the three points for them.

“I don’t think [there will be an extra edge]. It’s not my concern to be concerned about it – it’s just my concern to prepare the team and make them ready to have a strong start on Saturday.”

Police in the capital  will be showing antisocial buskers the yellow card under a new initiative that’s been introduced in the city centre.

Buskers and street performers are very much part of the fabric of the capital throughout the year but particularly through the festival season. The City of Edinburgh Council Wardens and Community Police Officers regularly engage with buskers to ensure that they can perform whilst keeping disruption to residents and businesses to a minimum.

The Council and Police welcome busking and are eager to support this by asking buskers to perform responsibly and refrain from using amplifiers and performing after 9pm.  Those who choose to perform at a level that is not acceptable can expect to receive a yellow card warning followed by a fixed penalty notice should they continue to cause annoyance. They could also have their equipment seized if they are found busking antisocially.

Councillor Ian Campbell, Vice-Convener of Culture and Communities for the City of Edinburgh Council said: “Edinburgh is world-renowned for being an artistic city, and the majority of buskers contribute positively to this reputation. Even though street performers aren’t legally required to be licensed by the Council, they are expected to stick to our guidelines and we are engaging with buskers and setting the tone so everyone can live work and visit in harmony.

“Council wardens, Street Ambassadors and Community Officers will be speaking to buskers and giving them a Hit the Right Note card which outlines how responsible buskers can brighten up the city. The cards outline dos and don’ts and are complemented by posters in popular busking areas warning against using amplifiers or busking after 9pm.”

City centre resident Jilly MacLeod is pleased that the guidelines are being promoted. She said: “Buskers are an integral part of life on the High Street, adding a sense of fun to the atmosphere. But there has to be a balance between the needs of residents and those of the buskers, especially since the widespread use of amplifiers. The best way to maintain that balance is to improve communications, giving buskers easy access to council guidelines so they appreciate this is a residential area and know to keep the volume down.

“I spoke to lots of buskers last year, when the noise levels were at their worst, and only about one in ten knew about these guidelines. Even some of the police on the beat didn’t know that busking should finish by 9pm. Things are much better now, with a much more proactive approach to getting the information out there.”

City centre Inspector David Robertson said: “We have dozens of responsible buskers who come to Edinburgh at various times during the year and entertain the crowds – but it is those who cause disruption and annoyance who we are showing the yellow card to.

“It’s not fair on those people living, staying or working in the city centre to be disrupted and we receive a considerable amount of complaints, so we have listened to residents and come up with this scheme. The yellow card that all my officers now have and will give to buskers who are giving reasonable cause for annoyance sets out what the warning is, and what action may be taken if they do not desist – we may seize their equipment and they could be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

“I would be delighted if my team issues as few of these yellow cards as possible, so I would appeal to those performing on the city’s streets to please be mindful of others. We see this as a pragmatic approach, giving buskers ample opportunity to act sensitively and responsibly towards businesses and local residents.”

Jilly MacLeod added: “I welcome the new police initiative but hope that given the necessary information, few buskers will earn themselves a yellow card. Above all, this isn’t just about the festival, it’s about keeping the balance throughout the year.”

Information for buskers and the public about public performances can be found at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/busking. If anyone is concerned about a busker please speak to one of the many officers on patrol during the festival.

Created by Aracaladanza, a multi award-winning dance theatre company from Madrid specialising in works for children and young people, Vuelos is a magical dance theatre work for children and families that challenges you to wonder, and to contemplate our eternal dream: to be able to fly.

Combining captivating digital animation and life-size puppets, mirrors and shadows, athletic choreography and hypnotic music, Vuelos gives full rein to Leonardo da Vinci’s fascination with flight – and the ingenious machines he devised to cross the sky and join the soaring birds.

Vuelos is on at the Churchill Theatre from 11-13 August and tickets are available from here

Hibs have issued advice to fans attending tomorrow’s game against Rangers at Ibrox Stadium.

Ibrox is completely sold out for the fixture, supporters without a ticket should not travel to the match.

Fans  are advised that parking for supporter coaches and cars is available in the away car park on Broomloan Road, a short walk from the stadium.

There will be no charge for parking coaches or cars on this occasion, and supporters are urged to make use of this facility, which will be exclusively for the use of Hibs’ fans.

Supporters who attend the game are reminded not to engage in any unacceptable conduct at the match.

Fans are asked to arrive early to ensure that they are in the ground in time for the kick-off and should comply with the instructions of Police Officers and Steward.

Searching is a condition of entry to the stadium.

In the interests of safety Hibs’ supporters are likely to be held back in the stadium for a period of 15-20 minutes at the conclusion of the match, and supporters are urged to comply with the direction of Police Officers and Stewards.

Fans are reminded that any person having a flag(s) or banner(s) and the like which may contain offensive or otherwise unacceptable material and/or flares, fireworks, devices capable of emitting smoke or the like and/or any other object which may cause or be part of any incident of unacceptable conduct on his/her person or any such person refusing to be searched shall not be admitted to the ground and any ticket held by him/her shall be liable to be confiscated without compensation and he/she shall be liable to such other proportionate sanction as the Club may determine.

Persons so engaged are likely to be arrested and may be the subject of a football banning order.

PGA Scotland is toasting its latest sponsorship after clinching a deal with the St Andrews Brewing Company.

The independent brewer is the new title sponsor of the remainder of the Order of Merit 36 hole series on this season’s Tartan Tour.

A pale ale has been launched to mark the partnership and the first event on the series takes place at West Linton on August 14 and 15 when host club pro Gareth Wright is likely to be the man to beat.

The series will conclude with another 36-hole event at Deer Park at Livingston where Grantown-on-Spey’s Gavin Hay will be hoping to repeat his recent Deer Park Masters victory.

Philip Mackey, the company’s managing director, said: “As we are based in the centre of the town (St Andrews) only 703 yards from the Old Course, partnering with the PGA in Scotland made immediate sense.”

EuroHockey Championship II (men): semi-final: Wales 4, France 3; Scotland 4, Russia 3 (in Glasgow)

Scotland players celebrated as they claimed a place in the top tier of European field hockey for the first time since 2005 thanks to a nerve-jangling win over Russia in Glasgow.

The Scots led 4-0 going into the last ten minutes but Russia bounced back with three goals in nine, nightmare minutes.

And it was a massive relief for Scotland’s players and coaching staff when the final whistle sounded to confirm the 4-3 result.

Scotland now play Wales in Saturday’s final of the EuroHockey Championship II but the pressure is of having claimed promotion.

It was stalemate after the first quarter but Scotland dominated the second.

They piled pressure on the Russian side who relied mainly on breakaways.

Dutch-based striker Kenny Bain came close after a fine pass from former Great Britain squad member Gordon McIntyre.

And it was Bain, a former Kelburne star, who broke the deadlock after 29 minutes.

He fired home following a penalty corner award, finding the top right hand corner of the net and giving the Russian goalkeeper no chance.

Ben Cosgrove, whose home town is in Northern Ireland but he is a dentistry student at the University of Dundee, netted seven minutes later, slotting home from close range.

And Grange skipper Cammy Fraser made it 3-0 after 45 minutes, swatting the ball home from high above his head after a rebound from the Russian goalkeeper.

Scotland captain Chris Grassick, a former Inverleith player, worked some of his magic at the top of the circle to hold off Russian defenders before his Surbiton team-mate Alan Forsyth flicked the ball over the Russian goalkeeper for No 4 with 11 minutes remaining.

The Russians gained heart from a goal from Semen Matkovskiy following a penalty corner and one minute later.

Scotland defender William Marshall then blundered to hand the Russians a second five minutes after that, Pavel Plesetskii netting.

The Russians pulled their goalkeeper to have 11 players and the move paid off with a third goal from Nikolay Komarov one minute from time from a penalty corner but coach Derek Forsyth’s team held out.

A woman has been jailed for stealing and attempting to steal from people in Musselburgh.

Lisa Rybak, aged 39, was given a six month custodial sentence today after pleading guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday 2nd August to two charges of theft, one charge of attempted theft and to being in the grounds of a property with the intent to steal.

The incidents took place between 4.40pm and 5.30pm on Tuesday 1st August and the victims were men and women, aged between 32 and 87, residing in the West Holmes Gardens and Manse Lane areas.

East Lothian’s Community Action Team attended after receiving reports from members of the public and traced Rybak in the local area who was found to be in possession of a stolen handbag. This was identified as having been taken from a house in West Holmes Gardens and the owner was unaware of the theft until notified by officers.

Rybak was detained and shortly afterwards was discovered to be in possession of three rings and a watch taken from another house in West Holmes Gardens. Rybak had walked into the house claiming that she knew the resident and was asked to leave. After Rybak left, the occupant found that some of her jewellery was gone.

Rybak also walked into a home in Manse Lane claiming she was going to make the occupant a cup of tea and when, asked to leave, put her hand in the resident’s pocket while asking him for money. She has also attended a property in Manse Lane and asked to be let in, offering to make the occupant a cup of tea, but was refused entry and left.

Inspector Andrew Harborow of Musselburgh  Police Station said: “This was a despicable violation and very distressing for the residents involved whose homes were entered without their permission or knowledge.

“I would urge anyone who may have been a victim of such criminality to get in touch with us as we are dedicated to bringing those who target the elderly and vulnerable to justice.

“Thanks to enquiries conducted in the local area by the Community Action Team, Rybak was swiftly detained and held in custody to appear before the courts.

“I’d urge the community to remain vigilant in ensuring that their properties are kept secure at all times and to always call 101 if you see any suspicious behaviour, dialling 999 if a crime is ongoing

The tents are up, the stages are set and the mikes tested.

The Edinburgh International Book Festival begins tomorrow on 12 August 2017 with 1,000 writers from over 50 countries expected to attend.

There will be 50 novelists showing off their first books as well as internationally known authors who write for adults or children.

Discussions range from big world issues to conversations and some big names are included on the guest list. Ali Smith, Zadie Smith, Simon Callow, Harriet Walter, Harriet Harman, David Owen, Sir Vince Cable and the First Minister the Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon are only a few of the people who will appear at the festival.

The gardens will be full of people and it is a good place to go and hang out just for the fun of it, (it is free to enter the garden) but also to go and hear some very good talks and performances.

This year there are tickets still available for some events. All you have to do is log on to the website and have a search or get along to the box office where they can help you book or queue for returns.

The Edinburgh International Book Festival 2017 will run from 12-28 August in Charlotte Square and all venues are fully accessible.

More information here. 

Photos by John Preece

Police are appealing for information after a man sexually assaulted a woman in his vehicle in Edinburgh.

The 19-year-old woman was approached by the man driving a grey minibus or people carrier, possibly a VW Transporter, while she was sitting on a bench in Regent Road at the bottom of Calton Hill at around 5.45am yesterday morning, Thursday 10th August.

The woman accepted a lift, believing it was a taxi, and she was then sexually assaulted in the vehicle.

The vehicle was driven to the top of Easter Road where she got out and was helped by a taxi driver on Montrose Terrace at around 6.15am.

The man is described as white, in his late 30s or early 40s, of large build, 5 foot 10 inches tall with a large nose and short dark hair. He was wearing a light blue or grey polo shirt and light denim jeans.

The vehicle then drove from the top of Easter Road and is believed to have driven over the junction with London Road, carrying on down Easter Road towards Leith. The van or minibus had windows all along the sides with curtains.

Detective Inspector Kevin Harkins of the Public Protection Unit said: “This man has preyed on a vulnerable young woman and this was an extremely frightening ordeal for her, she is now receiving support from specially trained officers. I am very grateful to the taxi driver who helped her and thanks to him and the victim, we have a good description of the vehicle and the offender.

“This was a serious sexual assault and are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen the vehicle in the city centre in the early hours of yesterday morning, or may recognise it or the driver.”

Calls should be made to Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 598 of Thursday 10th August, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

If time flies when you are having fun, then I am clearly having a ball.

Today marks exactly 100 days since I stood inside Meadowbank Stadium as the returning officer declared me as one of the newly elected councillors on the City of Edinburgh Council.

Where has the time gone?

The whole process of being elected has been a deeply humbling experience.  Being chosen to represent the area you know, love and grew up in is very special.  It became a bit more overwhelming when it later transpired how I had secured the highest number of votes for any councillor of any party anywhere in Scotland for some 23 years.

So with that weight of expectation and responsibility, I threw myself into my new role.

Now, as a mere muggle of a political candidate, I found that trying to get information, answers or action from the Council to be a pretty depressing experience.  So I arrived at the City Chambers with some trepidation, expecting to hit a series of brick walls and receive a raft of ‘computer says no’ answers.

However, the reality could not have been more different.  I’ve found the vast majority of Council officials to be unfailingly patient, understanding and keen to help where they can.

I am also lucky that my sister, Louise Young was also elected to the Council for the same ward – the first sibling double act in the history of Scottish local government.  As a brother and sister combination, we obviously know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and we work well as a team.   It is great to have someone you can bounce ideas off and talk things through with.

After just 100 days, I am amazed at how much we have managed to get moving.

Street signs which have been left damaged or illegible for years in Silverknowes are now getting fixed.

A traffic study into the congestion in Kirkliston, something we have been fighting for over the course of the last 18 months, is set to take place later in the year.

Earlier this week and after a lot of work with the chair of the local community council, we secured confirmation of repairs to the Jubilee Clock, one of the iconic landmarks of Queensferry but broken for almost a year.

Yesterday, I attended the transport committee to successfully argue for changes to parking rules, giving us a real chance of action on the parking problems which plague Newbridge village.

Just today, I got transport officials to agree to move some of the new 20mph signs in Cramond which present a real danger for pedestrians.  The list goes on.

Of course financial and other resourcing issues often get in the way and there have been a number of frustrating days when I have simply not been able to get the answer I want or the action my constituents deserve. However, politics is the art of the possible and I suspect officials are quickly realising I’m not someone who gives up easily.

100 days on, the job of being a councillor is everything I hoped it would be and more.   To serve the community in this way is not just an honour and a privilege – it is also a deeply rewarding experience.

Councillor Kevin Lang Liberal Democrat councillor for the communities of the Almond ward | t 0131 529 4389 | email : kevin.lang@edinburgh.gov.uk

With summer fast approaching, multi-award winning brasserie cocktail lounge and bar Dine launches its long-awaited Outdoor Terrace tomorrow. Offering al fresco drinks in the sun and into the evening, Dine has joined forces with legendary champagne house Charles Heidsieck to create a luxurious drinking experience for the Edinburgh social scene.

The 40-seat patio area will also feature a number of armchairs for lingering drinks, imposing champagne trunks housing a variety of reserves and an exclusive limited edition Champagne Charlie Menu featuring a full list of Charles Heidsieck champagnes, a Champagne Charlie Signature cocktail and some complementary bar bites such designed to enhance flavours. Other cocktails, wines and beers will be available and there will be dedicated staff outdoors to look after guests

Dine’s executive chef and co-owner Stuart Muir commented on the launch: “The season for summer drinks is upon us and we wanted to offer an atmospheric and luxurious area for guests to enjoy, whether they are taking time out from the hustle and bustle of the city centre or relaxing before or after a show. We’re delighted to be partnering with Charles Heidsieck and showcasing their impressive range of brut reserves.”

Situated above the Traverse Theatre and next door to the Usher Hall, Dine is ideally located for those enjoying the summer festivities as well as locals in search of relaxed brasserie-style food, champagne or seasonal cocktails whilst soaking up the atmosphere or indulging in some people-watching. The Outdoor Terrace on Cambridge Street is a stone’s throw away from Princes Street and the West End.

Dine opened its doors in November 2015 and offers relaxed brasserie-style dining at affordable prices, with inventive market menus designed using fresh, local, seasonal and sustainable produce. From the opulent interior of polished timbers, sleek copper trimmed lighting, sumptuous wall coverings, tactile fabrics in earthy colours and striking circular atrium with life size apple tree to the intimate cocktail lounge and bar, Dine epitomises relaxed luxury.

Dine | Saltire Court | 10 (1F) Cambridge Street| Edinburgh|0131-218 1818| www.dineedinburgh.co.uk.

Long before pernicious ‘post-truth/alternative fact`doggerel insinuated itself within the lexicon of Trump-speak, Ionesco’s sobering voice, though often gagged by Romanian state censorship, had raged against the iniquitous corruption of language.

Shouting out loud against many contemporary intellectual deaf ears that the Communist Emperor wore no clothes; that the malevolent, merde dumping elephant in the room needed confronting – Ionesco decided instead to let rampant lose his own ‘crash’ of allegorical rhinoceroses. Beckett, Pinter and Stoppard in the UK, let alone fellow European provocateurs, caught a whiff of this alt.naughty enfant-terrible rascality and ran with it.

‘Rhinosceritis’ was Ionesco’s pejorative for those who were willing and/or naively seduced by the chopped-logic and empty rhetoric of Communist double-speak.

Zinnie Harris’s bombast, kick-ass broadside cannonaide of robust vernacular and cheeky EIF self-referencing new translation sets events in a thoroughly modern context. Albeit in a idealised fin-de-siècle fantasy Franco/Turkish provincial town: absurd is as absurd does.

In one appendix to The Devils Of London, Aldous Huxley refers to the oxymoronic phenomenon of mob rule, together with mass hysteria, as ‘herd poison’.

It is our reluctant anti-hero, pissoir-artiste, Berenger (Robert Jack) who ultimately prevails, defying the prowling monsters of supine surrender to escape from the ‘labyrinth of ennui’.

That his Everyman journey into the heart of darkness is bookended by a liberal head-splattering of seagull mayonnaise seems eminently apposite for this outrageous, absurdist satire on political, philosophical and moral ambivalence allowed evil agency. Do we trust what each of them experience second hand, an actual rhino is never seen?

Though, composer, sound design and on-stage musician, Oguz Kaplangi, ensures that a Jurassic Park T Rex-like growling presence stalks the auditorium with ‘sensaround’ rut-grunting menace.

Whilst the Logicians quibble over facile syllogisms as to how many legs a cat really has, Housewife (Esin Harvey) witnesses her besuited, indisputably two-legged cat being decapitated by a rogue rhino. Things can only get splatter.

They have a mock-moggie funeral – surely someone is taking the puss here. The cat has got their tongues-tied. Soon enough, cat-gut will be twisted in to a garrotte – symbolically speaking, but then abstraction and surreality run with feral licence tonight. Confusion is about to make his masterpiece. The absurd is about to become dangerous theatre.

Turkish ambience and a tradition costumed waiter reference the collaboration this production shares with DOT Theatre, Turkey and Director, Murat Daltaban. Inferences of the febrile political situation there are as teasing as they are potent.

The descent in to chaos legitimises the rule of the ridiculous as each character is subsumed in to the collective psychosis. The bathtub metamorphosis of Steven McNicoll`s Sean is viscerally comic at first but rapidly its dehumanising subjugation to the primal is a watershed event. He smears himself in translucent potter`s slip, a viscous masque macabre bathed in lurid purple light that becomes a Francis Bacon screaming Pope tableau of spectral intensity.

The equivocating, ludicrously trans-gender tartaned Botard (Sally Reid) denies all then appropriates the coming of the rhinos for her own counter-revolutionary agenda – where none had existed in the first place.

Designer, Tom Piper`s modular set allows dimensional transitions that increasingly compress movement. Refuge from the carnage outside forces the remaining characters to seek safety in the higher stage void. The aptly named Dolard is the fence-sitting appeaser, the dumb waiter at the Feast of Fools as Berenger`s will begins to crack. The trembling answered telephone cackles with rhino roar, scanned radio bands brings the same.

Even Ece Dizdar`s Papatya`s beauty and reproductive potential cannot save her. It is Berenger`s climatic and stage spectacular catharsis that triumphs but at what cost and what lessons learned.

There is a need to know where you are before being led by this Carry On Bedlam into the Hades of hysteria. The proffered hand of friendship maybe because they are coming to take you away. The absurd is ridiculed, the ludicrous laid bare.

This machete head-massage of imploding incredulity beggars the question – Who is in charge, who makes and breaks the rules, whom, the foolish leaders or the following fools? A compelling, premier tour d`farce. Nothing is more absurd than believing that nothing ever happens to you. Until that is, you discover you are not quite yourself today.

Maddeningly compulsive – brings new meaning to the concept of asylum seeking.

When a double murder reunites the classmates of St Elizabeth’s Primary School, scores are settled, debts repaid and alliances forged.

Twenty years have passed but will those bonds still hold fast?  This hilarious Scottish black comedy, adapted from Christopher Brookmyre’s novel, takes a nostalgic look at school days, filled with psycho teachers, class jokers and playground feuds.  All set to a cracking 70s/80s soundtrack!  Warning – this play contains very strong language and scenes of a sexual nature.

I feel sorry for most of you reading this review, as you probably don’t have a chance of seeing this wonderful play.  That’s because Horsehead Theatre‘s all-too brief run has already sold out.

Good news for them, well deserved too; bad news for punters who’ll miss seeing it.

While some sections and characters from Christopher Brookmyre’s book are missing, all the main players and beats are there.  I was really impressed by how the cast deal with the adaptation and the regularly shifting scenes.  For those who don’t know the story, it covers murder, revisiting your childhood memories and friends, plus learning folk aren’t who they once were.

The cast cover the material very well, whether it’s the events that draw old school friends back together or as we see them rise through the school system from the first day of Primary One.  Noodsy and Turbo (whose nickname is oddly missing in the adaptation) are spot on and JoJo drips acid.  Martin starts carrying less angst than in the book but not at the expense of characterisation or plot.  I also found it reassuring to see a normal shaped male actor play a late thirty-something, not some wee rake.  A notable mention too for the actor playing Noodsy – that laddie sure knows how to look good on the dance floor.

This is a piece of glorious physical theatre, which I know sounds pseud-y but isn’t meant that way.  Even while rearranging the props the cast do so in a measured way, at times in keeping with their character.  There are beautifully choreographed dance scenes, especially those set at the school discos.  In fact, they are horrifyingly accurate portrayals of what happened, at least from my experience.  The choice of music is wonderful too – who doesn’t like a bit of BA Robertson’s Bang Bang after all.  Honourable mentions also for the S1 changing room scenes, which feature great dancing and a great interpretation of D.I.S.C.O..

I really enjoyed this play and it is top of the class as far as I’m concerned.  There’s not a bad egg in sight.  I also enjoyed hearing Scots voices and what I’m regularly told is old man slang on stage.  Sadly, there are too few local voices on offer during the Fringe and I would imagine companies like Horsehead Theatre find it extremely hard to cover the various costs or performing in Edinburgh during August.  Perhaps the Fringe, a registered charity, could set up a bursary of some sort for Scottish talent to help them appear here.

If you don’t have a ticket to see A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil and can’t get one through returns, then there’s a performance as part of Bloody Scotland on the 9th of September.  You’d be a pure tube to miss out on seeing this wonderful play.  I’m looking forward to seeing what Horsehead Theatre bring to Edinburgh next year, hopefully for a longer run.

Edinburgh Police ask this morning for information to help them trace a 41-year-old woman who is missing from the south of the city.

Fiona McMasters was last seen around 3.50pm on Tuesday, August 8, in the South Morningside area.

She has not been seen since and officers are growing increasingly concerned for her welfare.

Fiona is described as a white woman with a larger build.  She is around 5ft 7” in height with shoulder length dark brown curly hair.

She was last seen wearing a red fleece with a grey jumper, a pink t-shirt and grey trainers.  She was also carrying a dark rucksack and a large shopping bag.

Inspector George Nisbet of Craigmillar Police Station said:  “Fiona has now been missing for some time and we are eager to trace her as soon as possible.

“I would ask anyone who has seen Fiona, or recognises her description, to get in touch with us as soon as possible.

“I would also ask Fiona if she does see this message to make contact with police to let us know her whereabouts.”

Those with information are asked to contact officers at Craigmillar Police Station on 101, quoting incident 3712 of August 8.

Mind The Gap tackles learning disability and parenthood at the Fringe

Mind The Gap’s Mia: Daughters of Fortune is at Summerhall – 8 to 27 August 2017

Having kids is not an easy decision: Can I cope?  Can I afford it? Have I got enough room? Will I be a good Mum?  Will I screw it up?

Now imagine making these decisions if you have a learning disability.

Woah – wait a minute… Learning-disabled parents? Erm, can they do that? Do they even have sex?  Yes, yes ‘they’ do.

Bradford based Mind the Gap, England’s largest learning disability theatre company (the only learning disability theatre company performing at the Edinburgh Fringe 2017), are bringing their latest production, Mia: Daughters of Fortune, to Summerhall – Tuesday 8 to Sunday 27 August 2017, except Mondays (14.45 to 15.45) – as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  Mia is a fast moving, raw and eye-opening production that explores the truths and myths about learning disability and parenthood in today’s society, a piece of theatre dealing with humanity that will resonate with everybody with or without a disability.

TICKETS HERE

Powerfully performed by four professional learning disabled artists Alan Clay, Alison Short, JoAnne Haines and Anna Gray and created and directed by Mind the Gap’s Resident Director Joyce Nga Yu Lee, Mia challenges the often taken for granted idea of ‘being a parent’.

Using recorded video and live camera work, a surreal game show, dance and movement and audience interaction, together with accomplished, engaging and graceful physical performances, Mia’s hard-hitting central message is that parents with learning disabilities face an uphill struggle against a well intentioned but sometimes inflexible system to win the right to have and, most importantly, keep their children.

“The issue of learning disability parenthood is impossibly complex and the performance is composed to reflect this complexity”, explains Joyce Nga Yu Lee, who is herself pregnant. “Think pop culture with popcorn, science with silliness and stories with statistics; Mia is structured with a series of non-linear episodes strung together with a progressive narrative arc. The episodes vary in form and pace, from high energy pop dance to intimate acting, low tech object manipulation to live feed camera and loop pedal.”

Having kids is not an easy decision for any of us. Imagine making these decisions if you have a learning disability.  Mia is grounded on real accounts with the team collecting real life stories from parents with a learning disability.

Joyce Nga Yu Lee added: “Medical experts, geneticists, social workers, council officers and advocates have all been involved in the creation of this piece. But the most important people involved are the learning disabled parents who have shared their stories with us.”

Mind The Gap tackles learning disability and parenthood @Summerhallery @MtGstudios 2.45 daily (not Mondays) pic.twitter.com/r294vBSGIx

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) August 10, 2017

On trains running from Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street Scotrail is showing support for Pride Glasgow 2017 next weekend by flying the rainbow flag.

As Scotland prepares for the Pride Glasgow 2017 weekend on 19-20 August, five ScotRail trains will be displaying the rainbow flag in support of Scotland’s biggest LGBTI festival.

The trains will be in service on the Edinburgh – Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk route, and other routes across the country.

24 year-old Officer Cadet Alexander Gale from Edinburgh passed out from Sandhurst today the world famous military academy.

This marks the end of a 44 week stint of intensive training with adventurous challenges completed.

Alexander will now enjoy leadership responsibilities and is guaranteed career progression through the ranks. He will now be in charge of 30 soldiers managing their workload and welfare. He might be required to deploy on a peacekeeping mission or a humanitarian aid mission within weeks. He has been trained to cope with high pressure situations following his Army training.

With friends and family in the audience, Officer Cadet Gale took part in the Sovereign’s Parade and now promotes to Second Lieutenant. The parade is a key milestone for every Army Officer and has been run at the end of each term for over 200 years.

2Lt Gale, who will be joining the Royal Logistic Corps, said: “Being part of an elite group of people that have graduated as British Army Officers from Sandhurst makes me extremely proud. It’s one of the biggest challenges I have ever undertaken, but also one of the most rewarding. I cannot wait to be putting the leadership skills I’ve learned at Sandhurst to good use as part of my new Regiment.

“I would recommend an Officer career to anyone looking for an exciting job away from the mundane nine to five, wanting to develop unique and lasting bonds of friendship and hoping to belong to a cause that makes a positive difference in the world, especially if you want to move immediately into a leadership or management position.”

To join the Regular Army as an Officer, candidates must be 18–30 years of age, attained at least seven GCSEs (with a minimum grade C in English Language, Maths and either a science or a foreign language) and also have 180 UCAS Tariff points from a maximum of 3 A level subjects.

Applicants attend a two-day Army Officer Selection Board briefing, where leadership and teamwork skills are tested. Candidates then go to the selection board, which consists of a three-day assessment of physical and mental suitability for the role. Those successful, embark on a 44 week course taking place at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Recruits earn a starting salary of £25,984 while they train, which rises to £31,232 when they are commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. After five years Officers can be earning at least £40,025 as a Captain.

For more information about the exciting career opportunities available in the Army search “Army Officer” or visithttp://www.army.mod.uk/join/Join-as-an-Officer.aspx.

The Queen’s Hall always has a wide range of music and entertainment throughout the year. As soon as the doors close on the Edinburgh festivals, the hall gears up for the year ahead.

Click on the images to book tickets.

18 September 2017

Scottish Ensemble : Silver Screen Sounds

A hand-picked showcase of music from films really celebrates the power of sound – sound with the power to provoke the simplest to the most subtle of emotions.

This pick-and-mix selection includes works either written for, or featured in, films from the dawn of cinema to today. Barber’s famous Adagio and rousing works by Schubert and Copland nestle amongst the now-legendary western soundtracks of Ennio Morricone, as well as others from comedies, horrors and thrillers. Each stands alone as an alternately enthralling, haunting, thought-provoking, moving, powerful or entertaining piece of music.

20 September 2017 

SPARKS – The Hippopotamus Tour

Sparks’ music has always been innovative and instantly identifiable. The title track of their new studio album, first played on BBC Radio 6 Music, was released as a single at midnight Friday 24 March after the band performed it, as well as 3 other songs from the album, in their set at the 6 Music Festival in Glasgow.

The new album itself will only be released on 8 September ahead of their Edinburgh date.

23 September 2017

SNJO with special guest Martin Taylor

The jazz guitarist Martin Taylor performs the music of Django Reinhardt.

No guitarist can evoke the spirit of Reinhardt better than Taylor. The SNJO and Taylor will raise the temperature a few degrees with this free-spirited music.

24 September 2017 

Deva Premal & Miten with Manose

The Temple at Midnight Tour is travelling to 19 cities throughout Europe this autumn, There will be mantra, song and chant during the evening, creating ‘ecstatic silence’.

29 September 2017

Ben Phillips Live Cinematic Experience

An iPhone videographer – this is somebody The Edinburgh Reporter is keen not to miss!

He now has a huge following on social media with his Facebook page being the fastest growing in the world.

Find out more about what to expect on his website www.benphillips.com

30 September 2017 

Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain

Two stellar Scottish musicians and still friends and colleagues after three decades of working together.

Expect musical magic along with quick-witted humour.

Where can you find high flying aerial dance and mind-blowing physics alongside depressed Russian seagulls and sonic imaginings for the Tesla coil within the beautiful environs of a rescued church? Only in Edinburgh of course!

Powys Dance will be joining fellow Welsh company Volcano at their very special venue, Leith Volcano for the final five days of the world’s largest arts festival. From Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 August 2017, the professors will be setting up their Laboratory of Curiosity for the company’s very first visit to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe,

With high-flying aerial stunts, magical soundtrack and stunning design, this playful, interactive show is a perfect introduction to dance and theatre for families with children aged 6 – 11. Dance, experiments and aerial tricks delight children and adults alike inspiring wonder at the magic of the universe. After touring schools in Mid-Wales in 2016, the show has now been adapted to tour to venues across the UK. Starting in Edinburgh, Flying Atoms will then visit London & the South East along with venues around Wales. 

Powys Dance Director Amanda Griffkin said : “We’re so proud to be taking a production created from start to finish in mid-Wales by artists living here to this world-renowned festival.

“We had great feedback from our 2016 tour and are really looking forward to hearing what Fringe audiences make of the Professors! This is the only family show happening in Leith as part of the Fringe, so we are really pleased to have something to offer local families as well as Fringe visitors.”

Professors Gusto & Hitch work hard in the laboratory of curiosity answering questions: how do birds Stay in the air? Why don’t Stars fall from the sky? Where does the moon go during the daytime? But there are some questions that can’t be answered with experiments alone. When Gusto remembers his trip to the Circus it’s just the breakthrough they need.

The gravity defying tricks of the Flying Atom Sisters and their aerial acrobatics help us to understand as we observe the forces, twists, spirals and spins. Back in the lab we dive into the microscope and explore the atom itself. With many more questions, only one thing becomes certain, the universe is filled with wonder and not everything is as it seems.

Flying Atoms is a playful exploration of forces and matter to inspire curiosity and enable access to basic principles of physics for young audiences and their families. Interactive in design, the performance wows with high-flying aerial dance, a magical soundtrack and stunning design.

Tickets for the show are available now through the EdFringe website and box office. Audience can follow the show on social media, using #flyingatoms and @dawnspowysdance on twitter and Instagram and @flyingatoms on Facebook.

Flying Atoms

Powys Dance

The Leith Volcano (Venue 183)

22-24 August 11am, 25 & 26 August 11am & 2pm