Preston Lodge High pupil James Morgan will play alongside professional golfers in the Scottish Senior Open at Renaissance Club next month.

The 17-year-old, who is a three-handicap member of Longniddry Golf Club, joined two other East Lothian youths, Cameron Gallagher and Lewis Irvine, in the field for the first two days of the tournament on August 4 and 5.

Morgan collected ed 37 stableford points – shooting a scratch 70 in the process – at a special qualifier hosted by Renaissance Club in which 15 of East Lothian’s most talented secondary school golfers battled for the prize.

Gallagher (Preston Lodge) and Irvine (Musselburgh High) were earlier selected through their ranking in the 2017 Secondary School Order of Merit organised by Active East Lothian.

Morgan, who finished one point ahead of his fellow Preston Lodge pupil, Aaron Hall, admitted it was the chance of a lifetime to play alongside one of the European Senior Tour professionals for 36 holes of the three-day event next month.

He added: “It’s an experience that money can’t buy. We live and play golf in a wonderful part of the country and Renaissance Club is one of the very best courses, not just in the area but the whole of Scotland.

“I loved the experience and can’t wait to get back to play in the Pro-Am part of the tournament with one of the pros.

“It’s a privilege to play here in the qualifier and also to come back for the main event. I am sure the experience will help my game a huge amount.

Entrance to the only European Tour event in the Lothians region in 2017 will be free to everyone with a nominal charge being made for car parking.

It is situated just a short walk from the first tee and 18th at the internationally-acclaimed Tom Doak-designed course.

Cars with solo occupancy will be charged £5 per day while vehicles with one or more passenger will pay £10.

All proceeds will be donated to the official event charity, which will be determined at a later date.

Hibs new signing Simon Murray is delighted to have opened his account for the club in yesterday’s 2-2 draw with Sunderland at Easter Road.

The 25-year-old moved from Dundee United in the summer and he loves being at the club where his father played in the early 1980s.

What made it even more special for Murray was the fact that his goal came in Lewis Stevenson’s testimonial, a player he admired as an opponent.

After the game Murray told Hibs TV: “I’m obviously delighted to get off the mark on a good occasion as well. It was an honour to play in Lewis’s testimonial. He is a great professional. He’s like a terrier, getting stuck in all the time and you never get an easy game against him. I’m just glad he’s in my team now.

“Obviously pre-season is all about getting your fitness levels up, but it’s important as well to get on the scoresheet.

“Two games in and I’ve done that, so I’m delighted. I’m not at my fittest yet but I always give 100% every game.

“I’ve loved every minute so far. The training so far has been brilliant. The manager is demanding and gets the best out of the players.

“The guys have been very welcoming as well so I am just really enjoying being here. It’s a great place to play football.”

 

 

 

 

Hundreds of Atlantic salmon will be tagged and released back into the water as part of a new study aimed at increasing the understanding of the routes they take and the conservation measures needed to protect them.

The Scottish Government research project will run for up to 15 weeks during which 750 salmon will be caught and acoustically tagged off the north coast of Scotland with a network of receivers deployed around the country to detect where those fish then go.

The scientific study will look to find out how coastal fisheries link to different rivers, as well as increasing our understanding of salmon homing behaviour and breeding spots.

Roseanna Cunningham, Environment Secretary, said: “We know Atlantic salmon can migrate thousands of miles from home rivers to high seas feeding grounds and back to spawn. Exactly how they find their home river again remains a mystery

“While a number of historic tagging studies have shown that fish captured in coastal nets at one location have then been recaptured in nets much further around the coast, our knowledge of how they came to that point is still very limited.

“This new study will look to provide us with further insight into this iconic species’ behaviour which will help to determine whether we are striking the right balance between conservation and the interests of those who fish for salmon and what further action might be needed to protect stocks for future generations.”

Alan Wells, chief executive of Fisheries Management Scotland, said: “This important research is the largest project of its kind to be undertaken in Scotland.

“The involvement of local fisheries managers has resulted in over 60 acoustic receivers being deployed in around 26 Scottish rivers in addition to helping facilitate more detailed surveys of rivers in the autumn.

“We are encouraging all anglers in Scotland to be on the lookout for tagged Atlantic salmon.

“By removing these externally placed acoustic tags and returning them to Marine Scotland, anglers can play a crucial part in increasing our understanding of the coastal movements of salmon.

“Increasing our knowledge of how salmon come back to Scotland will help us to manage this fragile resource.”

‘‘”Fringe” means threshold, departure, edge – and when the wheels spin, the edge is where the sparks fly.’

Cultural Assistant Ronan McMahon is speaking at the launch of the Institut français d’Ecosse (IFE)’s 2017 Fringe programme, Vive Le Fringe! And sparks will most certainly fly this summer, as the IFE hosts a vibrant selection of theatre, music, light installations, author events and workshops.

In 1947, just two years after World War Two had finally ended, the IFE opened in Free French House, official residence of the Consul located on Calton Hill. The property had been given as a rest house to the Free French – resistance workers who used the Clyde and Tay as key bases – in 1942. Now, with the war over, the French Consul returned to the city and the Institute became one of the founding partners of the new Edinburgh International and Fringe Festivals (yes, it’s their birthday this year too.)

 L’Institut français d’Ecosse has been a major contributor to Scotland’s cultural life ever since. 1947, says Ronan, saw ‘a reopening of humanity’s most positive attributes’, and this year, perhaps more than ever, we all need a celebration of the human spirit through art.

Three very different shows form the core of this year’s Vive le Fringe!

Théâtre sans Accents’ Lost in Translation: A Bilingual Journey is the story of a young expat woman learning to navigate an alien culture – but, says creator/performer Marion Geoffray, ‘the show is as much about you as it is about me’; it’s a reflection on lack of understanding, on being out of our comfort zones, of how we can communicate beyond borders, or fail to communicate at all. Lost in Translation includes interaction, improvisation and physical theatre; it’s performed in French, English, Gaelic and Occitan, but Marion assures us that this intimate journey celebrating languages, clichés and pop culture is accessible to all, even the typical British monoglot….

Lost in Translation: A Bilingual Journey is at IFE (Venue 134) 4pm, 4-28 August. Tickets £8/£6 (previews 4-6 August £6). Marion will also offer a theatre workshop in French Sur le bout de la langue on Friday 11, 18 & 25 August 6-7pm. Tickets £8/£6.

Collectif Or Normes’ La Maladie de la Mort is ‘a challenging reflection on the dynamics of sex.’ Based on the 1972 novella by Marguerite Duras, it tells the story of a desperate man who pays a woman to spend several weeks with him to provide the travesty of a relationship. Dancer Alexandra Naudet and actor Bertrand Farge perform this electro-theatrical show, which includes music, visuals and choreography under video surveillance. Focusing on the inner workings of both the human soul and the theatre itself, La Maladie de la Mort ponders what it means to learn about love.

La Maladie de la Mort is at IFE (Venue 134) 6.30pm, 4-28 August (previews 4-6 August, no shows 7, 14, 15 or 22 August). There will be ten shows in French and ten in English: see https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/la-maladie-de-la-mort-d-apres-marguerite-duras for details. Tickets £10/£8 (previews £6). Please note this show contains nudity and is strictly for ages 16+. You can also meet the artists at Q & A sessions after the performances on 13 and 20 August.

The IFE Book Club will discuss (in French) Marguerite Duras’s Un Barage contre le Pacifique  and the creative legacy of this multifaceted author at 12.15pm on 27 July; contact IFE on 0131 225 53 66 for details.

In September the IFE will be leaving Randolph Crescent for its new home at Lothian Chambers on the Royal Mile. The future Maison de la France will be, says French Consul Emmanuel Cocher, a hub for the arts, working not only with its partners in Edinburgh but also a wide range of cultural organisations across Scotland. As a taster, the new premises will become Fringe Venue 168, hosting five special performances of Membre Fantôme, bagpiper Erwan Keravec and choreographer Mickael Phelippeau’s 2016 Avignon Festival dance creation. Bagpipes from France? Why yes – Erwan is from Brittany, which has two types of indigenous pipes, the veuze and the binio kozh; the binioù braz, or highland bagpipes, were introduced in the late 19^th century.  According to co-producer Manon Crochemore ‘(in this show) the bagpipes are played like no-one has heard them before’. Keravac and Phelippeau’s dynamic collaboration explores ideas of personal heritage, and what heritage really means, questioning the transformation of identity – the person we used to be but who is now gone forever, the ‘Phantom Limb’ which gives its name to their show.

Membre Fantôme is at IFE, Lothian Chambers (Venue 168) 2pm, 16-20 August. Tickets £12/£10. (Image: Pierre Grosbois)

For those of a slightly more traditional bent, two distinguished French musicians, oboist Francois Leleux and pianist Eric Le Sage will perform in concert at The Queen’s Hall as part of the Edinburgh International Festival. The dazzling programme will include works by Saint-Saens, Hindemith, Poulenc, Butilleux, Dorati and Schumann. 11am, 16 August. Tickets £9-£32.50. And if it’s opera you’re after, look no further than the Usher Hall, where Sir Mark Elder will conduct Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust, with Laurent Naouri as Méphistophélès in a choral extravaganza featuring dancing skeletons, drunken rats and a wild, reckless ride to damnation. 7pm, 20 August. Tickets £13-£47 at www.eif.co.uk or  from The Hub, Castlehill (tel: 0131 473 2000).

Artist Heather Lander feels that digital technologies are moving forward so fast that no-one gets time to think about what’s actually happening.  Are people losing a sense of their physical identity? Should there come a time when we say ‘this is as far as technology is to go’? How we will recognise and keep hold of reality in a world that is working towards complete virtual immersion? In Nearer Future, a sonic light sculpture created in collaboration with composer Robert Bentall and Glasgow-based arts organisation Cryptic, Heather seeks to open a discourse about the physicality of the natural world and the virtual horizon, using projection and sound to create an abstracted, moving image installation. To see Nearer Future, which forms part of Edinburgh Art Festival 2017, just ask at the IFE front desk  between 4-13 August (closed 7 August).

Meanwhile…in Charlotte Square, the Edinburgh International Book Festival will welcome a plethora of French writers, from children’s illustrator-author Stephane Barroux to thriller writer Michel Bussi. And can you imagine Brian Cox meeting Tintin? Mathieu Burniat and Thibault Damour can – in their graphic novel Mysteries of the Quantum Universe heroes Bob and Rick (he’s a dog) have crèpes with Max Planck, talk to Einstein about atoms, visit Louis de Broglie in his castle, and hang out with Heisenberg on Heligoland. What’s not to like? Tickets from https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/.

And if, after all that culture, you’re needing some more earthly sustenance, fear not – or indeed, n’ayez crainte! Marie Antoinette may (or may not) have said ‘let them eat cake’, but the Institut français has brought in the wonderful Patisserie Maxime to offer you not only delicious pastries but also light meals, set menus and drinks – afternoon tea in the garden with views over the Water of Leith anyone?  Le Bistrot is fully licensed and will be open at Randolph Crescent from 12 noon till late on show nights.

Ronan McMahon concludes: ‘Themes of identity and heritage are especially pertinent in times when such things are challenged – so Vive le livre! Vive la musique! Vive l’art! Vive le Fringe!’

For more information on all events, and on the many regular events and courses offered at the French Institute thoughout the year, call 0131 225 5366, visit http://www.ifecosse.org.uk/ or drop in to 13 Randolph Crescent during opening hours.

 

 

Fun-loving Oskar has to run down a mountain to find a friendly animal to play with. But where are the animals?  And why does he have to wait till spring to play his favourite game again?

The UK premiere of this heart-warming, humorous play uses a rich mix of storytelling, physical theatre, puppetry and song to tell the tale of a puppy’s search for friendship.

Oskar, the fun-loving Swiss puppy, lives with Grandma and her animals in the little house on top of the mountain.  They have been snowbound for weeks and Oskar, desperate for a game, goes out alone in the snow to find a friendly animal to play with. But the animals he meets are more interested in eating Oskar than playing with him and he only manages to avoid the attention of a hungry fox when he falls down a deep hole in the ground and lands on top of a young hibernating marmot.

 

Marmot forgives Oskar for waking her up and, using her amazing digging and whistling skills, helps the little dog escape the fox and reunites him with his family. Oskar wants to play more, but has to wait for Marmot to finish her long winter’s sleep.

Many plays for young audiences are adaptations of well-known children’s books, but Oskar’s Amazing Adventure is different; the original picture book and play have been created side by side in one creative process.  The text, illustrations and storyline of the book evolved as the play developed in rehearsal creating a story full of action and excitement.

This original, heartwarming and entertaining play for young children and their families is presented by Anglo-Swiss theatre company Theatre Fideri Fidera in association with Komedia Kids. Author, Colin Granger will be signing books after each performance – this is also an opportunity for children to meet Oskar the playful puppy and
his newfound friend, Marmot.

Gilded Balloon (Dining Room), 13 Bristo Square| EH8 9AJ |2-27 August 2017 (not 9, 16, 23) |11:50

Tickets here

NewsRevue may be back every year but it’s always an entirely new show!

This Guinness World Record-breaking, Fringe First-winning, Perrier finalist, news-based song and sketch show is where you should come if you’re in need of a cathartic dose of comic exasperation – all in the spirit of free expression.

Although NewsRevue is a Fringe stalwart its content changes all the time, reflecting the very latest world events; the Edinburgh show is a highlight of this year’s news so expect the very best of British satire with the demise of democracy, Brexit and, of course, the unavoidable Trump! And, as Napoleon once said, ‘In politics, absurdity is not
a handicap’. The excellent writing, superlative performances and original takes on current affairs make this a must-see at the Fringe every year.

Producer Emma Taylor said : “I feel as committed to and enthralled by NewsRevue today as when I first started producing it in 2001. As the daughter of a former refugee and political prisoner, producing NewsRevue is a daily reminder of how lucky we are for our freedom of speech and that we are allowed to mock the powers that be through gags, song and dance.

2016 director Katie Pesskin is returning to the show for a second year running.  She comments, 2016 was an incredibly exciting time for NewsRevue. The result of the Brexit vote and the immediate repercussions in the British government had a huge impact on the show as every day the news was becoming old news.

 

Things were changing exceptionally quickly – hard work for us and very exciting for our audiences!  It was NewsRevue doing what it does best and such a memorable show.

The show is acknowledged as a highly successful springboard for all the incredible talents involved, many of whom started their careers on the show before scaling great comedy heights.  Described by Chortle as ‘a rite of passage for all comedy new-comers’ previous alumni include: Rory Bremner, Reece Shearsmith, Alistair McGowan, Bill Bailey, Sean McCann, Michelle Collins, Zoe Lyons, Nick Helm, Cariad Lloyd, Bridget Christie, Gemma Arrowsmith, Sarah-Louise Young, Lorna Watson, Gemma Whelan, Luke Toulson
and Sara Pascoe.

TICKETS HERE

Pleasance Courtyard (Beyond), 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh,
EH8 9TJ

Wednesday 2 – 28 August 2017 (not 15), 18:30

Liz Richardson has an embarrassing problem and these yogurts aren’t helping!  Here, she shares her real life experiences of living as a twenty-something with a chronic bowel condition called ulcerative colitis, similar to Crohn’s Disease.  A shameless tale of love, laughter and lavatories, Gutted (co-produced by The Conker Group and HOME) is a pastiche of the many people Liz has met on her journey, from hospital staff to complete strangers, patients to friends.

With a contemporary aesthetic, visceral moments and a love story bubbling underneath, Gutted, co-created with theatre maker Tara Robinson, is an engaging investigation into how we think about illness and the boundaries that cause us to feel shame.  Sitting on top of a subtle celebration of the healthcare system, it explores how we treat each other and form relationships, the nature of hidden disabilities and femininity in the face of an embarrassing physical condition.

Gutted is a frank, funny and compelling autobiographical
exploration of living with an inflammatory bowel disease.

Liz said : “Enough sh*t, let’s talk frankly: I’m a woman who doesn’t poo flowers out her bum. I’m exposing myself in hopes that more people will do the same.  In an age of Instagram filters, this show attempts to give audiences the courage to find joy in the unedited journey of life, with its ups and downs and the relationships that guide you on it.

 

Liz underwent surgery to have her colon removed when she
was 28 and lived for a period with an ileostomy bag (or stoma bag) before having a ‘reversal’ which involves the creation of an internal pouch.  She lives without pain now, but needs to manage and regulate her physical wellbeing carefully.  While Liz is able to control her illness to a certain degree, this hidden disability does have its limitations and the shorter Edinburgh run reflects her awareness of potential physical fatigue.

 

 

TICKETS HERE.

Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome), 1 Bristo Square, Edinburgh,
EH8 9AL

2-13 August 2017, 14:40

Following the nomination process six members have been elected to the community council in Muirhouse / Salvesen

The first meeting of the new council will be held on 15 August, where officials will be appointed and a constitution approved.

A representative from the Council’s Elections Team, will chair the first meeting with support from Committee Services officers. Following this, the community council will be able to make arrangements for its future meetings.

Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Donald Wilson, said: “Congratulations to the new members of Muirhouse Salvesen Community Council. I’m delighted that these individuals can now come together to support the needs of, and make improvements on behalf of, their local community.

“Community councils are a great way for local people meet and to share ideas for improving the area in partnership with their own local Councillors.”

The city’s community councils are involved in each of its 12 Neighbourhood Partnerships and work with the Council and other organisations to represent the views of local people.

Find out more about community councils on the Council website.

Barking up the right one? Out on a limb? Boughs to no-one? Nothing saps his strength. With ancestry going back to his roots in Treherbert Jamie Wood turns over a new leaf with this premier show. Surreally serious?

Following the success of Beating McEnroe and O No!; award winning, anarchic art clown Jamie Wood presents his new show I am a Tree. This show was inspired by a 150 mile walk in full pilgrim costume, and marks the third show in a triptych of one-man shows drawn from Jamie’s 17 year performance career. I am a Tree is about finding the courage and strength to stay when times are tough. It’s about listening to the world and finding the boldness to be whole. Jamie employs his signature blend of clowning and comedy to be daring, anarchic and playful.

When Jamie is still for any length of time, someone finds him and tells him about their life. His girlfriend says this makes him like a tree that all dogs want to p**s up. A slow man tree. His Granddad taught him what he knows about listening. And now there’s a gap in his landscape. Last year he walked 150 miles from Coventry back to where his grandparents were born in Treherbert, to scatter his grandfather’s ashes and to look for what he’d lost. A homemade pilgrimage, returning to roots, slow motion time travel. This show is something else entirely. A dance party with ghosts, in a forest, in a theatre. A hopping ritual. An invitation to drink deep: to face the shadows that growl on your insides and laugh big. Hold on tight! 

Moving from South Wales to Coventry, Jamie’s grandfather talked of a move from surviving to living, and this walk was an attempt to go from living to surviving, to track his grandfather who died at 101, and to find where he found his courage and strength.

Tickets here 

Venue:  Assembly George Square – Omnitorium

Time: 18:25 Running Time: 70mins

Dates: Aug 14-20, 22-27

Tickets: Mon-Thu £10 or £9 Concession, Fri-Sun £12 or £11 Concessions

Bookings: Online here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/jamie-wood-i-am-a-tree or 0131 623 3030

The children’s hospice CHAS is marking today’s National Teddy Bears Picnic Day by inviting children across Scotland to hold their own picnic and raise funds for them at the same time.

At Rachel House last week the charity held their own picnic with children’s entertainers Anya, Kevin and Gary from FUNBOX.

They sang with members of the audience and everyone was soon singing along and even joining in with some highland dancing.

Laura Campbell, Community Fundraiser for CHAS, said: “It was lovely to see so many children and their bears join us for the launch of our first ever teddy bears picnic season. FUNBOX certainly brought the party, as Rachel House was full of laughter and singing, and we want to thank them for their amazing support.

“Three children die each week in Scotland from a life-shortening condition, and we are determined to reach and support every single one of those children and their families. Every penny raised over the summer via the picnics will help us make sure that no matter how short the time they have together may be, it is filled with joy and happiness.”

CHAS cares for families and their babies, children and young people by offering palliative care, family respite and support at its two hospices, Rachel House and Robin House. It has a CHAS at Home team, who bring its services into families’ homes throughout the whole of Scotland, as well as teams working in communities and hospitals across the country.

The development at the former Donaldson’s College is now reaching a crucial stage and the contractor who will build the new houses for CALA Homes has been appointed.

BAM Construction have signed a deal worth more than £30 million with CALA Homes to build the main shell and core structure of The Crescent. This is the modern part of the development which will be formed of 84 glass fronted modern homes. The location for this housing project is one of the most prestigious in Edinburgh set just a short distance from Haymarket Station and the West End.

The A-listed building was designed by Playfair and it has extensive grounds where the modern blocks will be set back behind the building line. Car parking is being formed underneath the site to keep the whole area as free from cars as possible. The £90 million project is one of the biggest and most ambitious undertaken by CALA.

David McGrath, Managing Director of CALA Homes (East) said: “This has been a major focus of ours for the past few years and we fully understand the responsibilities of developing within the World Heritage Site.

“In BAM, we are confident that we have a construction partner with the credentials and expertise to match our own high standards in delivering such an ambitious project.

“It is incredibly important to us that our partners understand the importance of this site and work with neighbours to minimise disruption as far as possible. BAM has proven that it shares these values.

“This promises to be a one-of-a-kind development that we are extremely proud to be part of. This appointment is the next step in realising the final, exciting design.”

Bruce Dickson, Regional Director of BAM Construction, said: “CALA Homes is recognised as the pre-eminent developer of upmarket homes in Scotland.

“We are thrilled to be involved in such an ambitious project here at The Crescent. CALA Homes have brought BAM on board for our expertise in delivering major complex construction projects.

“It’s fair to say that this project has some challenges, but we’ve already been working in partnership together for over a year to resolve the majority of these before we put a shovel in the ground.

“Both of our teams are completely committed to delivering this really exciting project and its one that, once completed, will definitely be an impressive addition to Edinburgh’s architectural legacy.”

Work will begin on the westernmost half of the crescent which is split in two. CALA says that careful consideration has been given to the design of the modern elements taking design cues from the New Town where there are many crescents.

It has taken some time for the development to begin following the move by Donaldson’s School for the Deaf to new purpose-built premises in Linlithgow. There was a period when CALA did nothing on the site due to the economic conditions of the property market, but they used that time to consult with the local community and heritage groups on the plans they were developing.

The Crescent will include garden flats, duplexes and penthouses with panoramic views of the existing building and the Pentlands beyond.

Photos ©Wullie Marr/HPR t 07989359845

Following a highly successful London run and acclaimed UK tour, From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads comes to Edinburgh – a celebration of David Bowie, one of the greatest musical figures of all time.

Martin, a young man who lives in a small Northamptonshire village, struggles with mental health issues.  When he receives an unexpected gift on his 18th birthday, he goes to London following his obsession with Bowie where he is propelled on a surreal and thrilling journey.  He performs on the stage where Ziggy Stardust was born, finds himself in Bowie’s bedroom and is led on a treasure trail to discover the truth about himself and his family. What follows will change his life forever…

Director and writer Adrian Berry said : ”After 75 performances and sold
out shows all over the country, I’m delighted to bring From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads to the Edinburgh Fringe.  In 1964, Bowie’s first Scottish headline show was at ABC Cinema on Lothian Road and, over the years, he played there many times.  He also made his theatrical debut at the Gateway Theatre, Leith Walk, in 1970.  He loved Scotland and we can’t wait to share our theatrical homage.”

With a blistering soundtrack, and nods to Bowie’s heroes and influences, From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads is a theatrical road movie, thrillingly evoking Bowie’s London.  The production features Alex Walton (the lead actor in Suede’s Bowie homage ‘Night Thoughts’ film) and the voice of comedian Rob Newman as Bowie.

Pleasance Courtyard (Forth), 60 Pleasance  EH8 9TJ | 2 – 28 August 2017, 13:55

Tickets here.

Brutal Cessation is a savage new play by Milly Thomas (Clique BBC3, A First World Problem and Clickbait, Theatre503) exploring violence in relationships, our expectations of gender and what happens when we’re no longer in love but refuse to let go.

Following the story of a rotting relationship and the purgatory that follows, the show asks: Is having no reason to stay a reason to leave?

Thomas’s production is about the absence of love, that gnawing feeling that is left behind after a relationship. When you’re too proud to admit you were wrong, what lengths will you go to in order to emerge unscathed?

Laced with dark humour, Brutal Cessation is a unique exploration of traditional power play as the actors swap roles throughout the sixty minute show, offering a refreshing perspective into both men and women’s experience of victimhood as their reality becomes emotionally and physically unsafe.

The current statistics show that roughly 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men are suffering violence
within their relationships.  There is a lot of work to be done in creating an environment where people are able to come forward and share their experiences.

In 2015, Thomas herself took someone to court over sexual assault on public transport and was astonished at how she was made to feel. She may have won the case but, because of the lack of respect for ‘victims’, it didn’t feel like a victory and she saw how other people may be discouraged to report abuse due to the lack of support given.  Brutal Cessation explores how violence, suggested or actualised, can so easily pervade our everyday lives, sometimes without us even realising it.

Offie-nominated Lydia Larson (Skin A Cat, VAULT Festival and The Bunker; A Super Happy Story, Fruit; Travesty, Assembly Rooms) and Alan Mahon (If We Got Some More Cocaine I Could Show You How I Love You, Old Red Lion; Hamlet, Tobacco Factory; King Lear, Dublin Fringe) bring Brutal Cessation to life.

Milly Thomas said : “I’m utterly fascinated by what happens when we know we should leave a relationship but we don’t.  At what point the fear eclipses the love and which way round.  Although this piece isn’t autobiographical, it began as a short play when I was in a relationship that wasn’t right for me.  I was astonished by the games my own mind came up with to avoid what was bothering me.  I wanted to explore the difficulty around frank conversations, especially when the issues at hand have moved into harmful territory.”

Assembly George Square (The Box)| George Square | EH8 9JZ

Thursday 3 – Monday 28 August 2017 (not 14) 16:20

Tickets here

Neil Lennon was pleased with the performance from his players in yesterday’s 2-2 draw with English Championship side Sunderland.

Hibs fell behind to goals from Wahbi Khazri and Jeremain Lens, but fought back with goals from Martin Boyle and new signing Simon Murray.

Over 9,000 turned out to pay tribute to long serving defender Lewis Stevenson with half the proceeds going to charities CRY and Leith Links.

In addition the Stevenson family have made a donation to the Bradley Lowrie fund.

After the game Lennon told Hibs TV:: “I’m pleased with the performance. I thought we were very good in the first half and I didn’t think there was much between the teams. To go in a goal down, we didn’t deserve that.

“Then we didn’t play well for the first 15 minutes in the second half and went 2-0 down. We made a few changes because fatigue started setting in, then we did great.

“It was a great game and a great workout for a great occasion and there was a great atmosphere. It’s been a very, very good day for the club.

“It was an excellent test for us and we came through it with flying colours.

“We have good pace in the team now with Simon Murray, Martin Boyle and Danny Swanson. In midfield Dylan McGeough, John McGinn and Marvin Bartley were terrific and young Oli saw has an eye for a goal and I thought his effort was in.

“Some of the football we played and the chances we created was very pleasing.”

The Head Coach also praised Stevenson contribution to the club.

He added: “Lewis Stevenson is a modern day great for the club. He’s won two trophies which is not an easy thing to achieve in the Scottish game. He’s been really consistent over the years. I was really pleased with the turn out for this time of the season and thoroughly deserved.”

Following a sell-out run at the 2017 London International Mime Festival, Theatre Re’s The Nature of Forgetting is a powerful, explosive and joyous piece about what is left
when memory and recollection are gone.

It is part of British Council Edinburgh Showcase 2017.

Tom has just turned 55.  As he dresses for his birthday party, tangled threads of disappearing memories spark him into life, unravelling as a tale of friendship, love and guilt.  This ambitious project with actors, mimes and musicians has been created in collaboration with UCL Neuroscience Professor Kate Jeffery and inspired by interviews and workshops with organisations such as the Alzheimer’s Society.  While the medium of performance may be an unusual resource for the transmission of science, it shines a light on issues around memory that offers a new perspective.

Director Guillaume Pigé comments, The Nature of Forgetting is not about dementia. It is about the fragility of life and that eternal ‘something’ we all share that is left when memory is gone. Our collaboration with Professor Kate Jeffery and our interviews with people living with dementia and their carers have resulted in a life-affirming journey into a weakening mind, where broken does not have to mean defeated.

The development process for The Nature of Forgetting lasted for 16 months, funded by Arts Council England.  The piece is co-commissioned by the London International Mime Festival, The Point and South Hill Park.

Established in 2009, Theatre Re is a London-based international ensemble creating thought-provoking, tangible and poignant work.  Its shows examine fragile human conditions, in a compelling, physical style embracing mime, theatre and live music.

Pleasance Courtyard (Forth) | 60 Pleasance EH8
9TJ |Thursday 3 –  27 August 2017 (not 14), 12:00

Tickets here

 

Whilst our friends at Birmingham Repertory Theatre are all gearing up for their annual BE FESTIVAL international four day bonanza, nips and final tucks are being made to two of their home-grown productions that will be staged at The Fringe.

Looking for John, written and performed by Tony Timberlake, Director, Tessa Walker. As I watched him, it was me gliding, spinning, twisting and turning, every gesture so precise and expressive.

1976. 19 million people watched Birmingham-born skater John Curry win Olympic gold. Just hours after his victory, John was outed by the tabloids, but his iconic Olympic routine and the extraordinary life that followed changed one young boy’s life forever. Looking For John is a powerful, heartfelt and comic story of one man’s obsession with a forgotten hero and his journey to get him celebrated once more.

Assembly Hall, Venue 35

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=%22Looking%20for%20John%22

The Whip Hand

In this explosive new play from Douglas Maxwell, protagonist/antagonist/potential scam-artist, Dougie, has just turned 50 and his family are throwing him a party. But it is he who has the surprise. A bombshell proposal. He wants his ex-wife Arlene to back his new endeavour. He wants to serve a global cause, to make right a terrible wrong, even if it puts their daughter’s future at risk. They can all sense a scam, but Dougie won’t back down. He is convinced this is his only chance to do something truly glorious, but his motivation may not be as pure as it seems.

Traverse Theatre, Venue 15

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=%22The%20Whip%20Hand%22

 

 

 

Our Pick of Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017 – A Drinking Game!

Almost 10,000 fans turned out to pay tribute to long serving Hibs’ defender Lewis Stevenson at his testimonial match against Sunderland at Easter Road this afternoon.

Neil Lennon selected a strong starting XI against the Black Cats who were relegated from the Premiership last season.

Stevenson led the teams out accompanied by his two children.

 

Both sets of fans rose to their feet on the sixth minute to pay tribute to Bradley Lowery, the young Sunderland supporter who sadly passed away on Friday following a prolonged battle with cancer. Earlier this week the Stevenson family issued a statement confirming that part of the proceeds from the game would go to the Bradley Lowrey Fund.

The generous Fifer also donated half of the money raised to the charities CRY (Cardiac Risks in the Young) and Leith Links.

 

Sunderland took the lead shortly before half time through Wahbi Khazri who fired home from close range.

 

Jerain Lens doubled the lead for the English side before Martin Boyle reduced the deficit to 2-1.

Hibs equalised in the 73rd minute when Simon Murray tapped in his first goal for the club following good work by John McGinn and David Gray.

 

Substitute Oli Shaw almost grabbed a late winner but his effort struck the post and bar before bouncing clear of the goal-line.

Lewis Stevenson left the field near the end  to a standing ovation.

 

Hibernian: Marciano, Gray (Murray, 75), McGregor, Fontaine (Pennant, 59), Bartley (Shaw, 75), McGinn, Boyle, Murray (Martin, 75), McGeouch (Graham, 59), Swanson (Porteous, 59), Stevenson.
Subs: Laidlaw, Crane.

Sunderland XI [first-half]: Mannone, Love, Djilobodji, Kone, Jones, Gibson, Rodwell, Embleton, Honeyman, Khazri, Maja.

Sunderland XI [second-half]: Mika, Matthews, O’Shea, Beadling, Galloway, E Robson, Cattermole, Ndong, Greenwood, Gooch, Lens.

Referee: Gavin Duncan

Attendance: 9,309

Striker Hamish Imrie has been ruled out of Scotland’s under-21 squad on the eve of their departure for the EuroHockey junior men’s Championship II in Russia.

Dutch-based Imrie twisted his knee in the 2-1 win against Ireland under-21 in a build-up fixture last Sunday.

Imrie is a senior international and has major tournament experience but coach Graham Moodie has drafted in Cannock player Kyle Gladwin.

The English-based player scored a number of goals in Scotland’s build up games and was unlucky to miss out on selection.

Edinburgh-based Moodie said: “He’ll be a real asset to the team.”
Scotland are play an All Stars team this weekend in one of their final preparation games and leave for St Petersburg on Tuesday.

There they play three warm-up games, one against Russia under-21 and two with Russia Seniors before the tournament starts on July 16 when Scotland play Poland. Then they face Italy on Tuesday 18 July and Russia on Wednesday 19 July.

Moodie said: “We’re putting the final pieces of planning together and sorting out all the logistics. We’re looking forward to getting out there to be honest.”

Scotland under-21: Douglas Gourlay (Dunfermline Carnegie), James Carrie (Watsonians), Murray Collins, Jack McAllister, Connor Annand (Loughborough University), Aidan McQuade, Hamish Galt, Cameron Golden (Grove Menzieshill), James Nairn, Joe Waterston, John McCluskey, Luke Cranney (Grange), Joe McConnell, Rob Harwood (Western Wildcats), Patrick Christie (Durham University), Kyle Gladwin and Callum MacKenzie (Cannock), Patrick Lonergan (Clydesdale).

Meanwhile, Scotland’s under-16 boys lost 4-2 to Ireland in Belfast in the first of three weekend challenge matches.

Scotland’s goals goals came from Euan Menzies and Finn Halliday and the visitors went 1-0 up.

They then slipped to 3-1 down before netting for 3-2. The loss of a fourth goal made the final scoreline 4-2.

Scotland coach Chris Duncan said: “It was mixed start and we looked tired. They were good and challenged us.”

Theo Pijper has jetted to Germany for today’s latest round of the World Longtrack Championship.

The Dutch-born rider is in the top four in the international event and he has high hopes for the event in Muhldorf in Bavaria.

Pijper warmed-up with eight points in Edinburgh Monarchs’ 53-39 home win over Berwick Bandits in the SGB Championship on Friday.

And the former two-time European Grasstrack Champion, who has also been a member of two of Monarchs’ Premier League title squads, is confident.

The Edinburgh-based 37-year-old from Dokkum, who has also ridden for Glasgow Tigers and Berwick Bandits, said: “It’s a tough travel and a good field but I’m determined to stay in the title race.”

Meanwhile, Berwick’s team manager Gary Havelock admitted to being reasonably happy despite defeat at Armadale with two of his top men missing.

The former world champion said: “Fair to say, we’ve had more of our fair share of nightmares at this track over the seasons.

“The way we rode most of this match would mean we have to be reasonably happy.

“Again, with Lewis Bridger and Nick Morris in harness, that score could have been dramatically different. “

They say the island of Arran represents Scotland in miniature. If so, I have just been cycling round this virtual Scotland without ever leaving the Firth of Clyde. In just 25 miles, I’ve gone from the Highlands in the north, with their mountains and heather moors, to the Lowlands in the south, with their dairy  farms and busy towns.

And yes this island does conform to the biscuit-tin image of Scotland –  high mountain ridges, yachts in magnificent bays, castles and golf courses, old farm steadings, picturesque holiday homes.  But there are no offices, no shopping malls, no tenements, no housing estates, no beggars in city streets, no heavy industry.

I was left wondering how Arran’s economy worked.  I was surprised to find that there are as many as 165 “enterprises”, most of them tourist-related of course. They employ some 1,600 people, plus 500 seasonal staff.  There are 63 small- holdings or farms. There are a couple of building contractors. There is a diary business, a toiletry and perfume business, a brewery, a distillery…and a new one being built. And then there are the service industries…. shops, schools, doctors’ surgeries, ferry staff etc.

For all that, the population is in decline and stands at 4,600. And as I cycled around, I noticed a lot of properties for sale (average price £250,000 for a two bed-roomed house.)

So is this Scotland in miniature ?  Not really. Scotland’s population is rising. Homes on the mainland are hard to find.  Certainly tourism is an important part of the Scottish economy, but only worth 5 per cent of our national income or 8 per cent of the workforce.  Whisky is a large and growing business (14 new distilleries opened last year) but still only worth 3 per cent of GDP.  Agriculture is also important but again produces only 2 per cent of GDP.

Curiously, where Arran and Scotland are similar is that their service industries  create most of their wealth…those shops, schools, colleges, hospitals, banks, transport agencies etc. If we keep spending on these, the economy will churn over nicely. If we don’t  – because of pay caps and government “austerity” – growth will falter.

Standing aside from all this materialism is Holy Island, the mountainous isle that lies off Lamlash Bay.  It’s been a retreat for the saints since St Colomba’s time. Nowadays it’s owned by Buddhist monks. I took the small ferry across the bay and spent a couple of hours wandering around the herb and vegetable garden, through the high bracken to St Molaise’s cave, almost to the Stevenson lighthouse.

In the old boathouse, I was served tea and a dry biscuit, by a lay member of the community who quietly suggested we all take a break from the modern world of goods and services and “things” and, in particular, our mobile phones.  Go on a retreat, take a course in “mindfulness,” work in the garden.

Suddenly I wasn’t so sure of my economic plan for Arran.  Instead of providing more attractions for the tourists….a seventh golf course, more sailing schools, better down-hill biking trails…or another distillery or cheese plant, perhaps the whole island should become a “holy island” where we let the beauty of nature speak for itself and we run classes in geology and botany and history and arts and culture to give our minds a holiday from the madness of the mainland.

I’m glad I visited the two Arrans and have come home refreshed.

 

Berwick Bandits came within two points of beating high-flying Ipswich Witches with a spirited performance.

They lost 47-45 but team manager Gary Flint said the spirit the riders showed was something special.

Bandits were 11 down after Heat Four but they fought on and guest Ryan Douglas top scored with 11 points and Jye Etheridge was next best with eight.

In Glasgow, Aaron Summers powered to 15 points as Tigers won 51-41 against Peterborough Panthers.

The result keeps the heat on Edinburgh at the top of the Championship.

The visitors were without their top rider Chris Harris who was in Poland competing for Great Britain in the Speedway World Cup.

Despite that only eight points split the sides with three races to go.
Captain Summers won heats 13 and 15 – including a 5-1 with Richard Lawson – to ensure his team took all three points.

In Poland, Great Britain finished fourth in the World Cup with Harris top scoring with seven points in a total of 15.

Russia were third on 18 with Sweden second on 42. Poland won with 50 points.

And in the Travel Plus National League, Edinburgh Monarchs rider Mitchell Davey was joint top scorer with ten points as Stoke beat Plymouth 53-37.

Josh Taylor proudly carried his belt into the post-fight press conference and declared he wants a major title fight at an iconic location like Edinburgh Castle.

The East Lothian fighter claimed the WBC Silver Super Lightweight title when he stopped Londoner Ohara Davies at Braehead.

Several thousands fans chanted “easy,easy” as the belt was buckled on Taylor’s waist after a tough fight.

The boxer, nicknamed The Tartan Tornado, saluted fans and then cast his eye ringside at fellow-Scot Ricky Burns.

Taylor would love a match with Burns and apart from Edinburgh Castle other venues on his wanted list include Easter Road.

Saturday’s promoter former world champion Barry McGuigan believes in the Scot and added: “He is the real McCoy.

“It was a brutal fight in the sense that it was energetic, classy the whole way through. I am thrilled with this guy, he is going all the way.

Taylor showcased all his skills during the bout which ended Davies’ 15-run unbeaten record.

The Scot extended his unbeaten professional record to 10 fights and he says it moves him into the top 50 in the world.

It was Taylor’s biggest fight to date and he said: “I’m over the moon. It’s been a long build-up and there has been a lot of talking on social media.

“The nerves came out at the end when I came away with the win and always knew I can win.

“I was not too surprised and I was not too surprised that I stopped him and the win helps take me where I want to go. I want to be world champion.”

Award-winning Irish Comedian, Neil Delamere, returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year with his highly anticipated brand new show.

Not long ago, Neil’s dad asked him to help deliver the Meals on Wheels.

He agreed and off they set. Little did they know that their lives would never be the same again.

Except for the bits of their lives that didn’t change. They would be the same again.

Neil Delamere is one of the top acts working in the Irish comedy scene today, having presented Neil Delamere’s Just For Laughs and Republic of Telly as well as featuring on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Stand Up For The Week and Comedy Central at the Comedy Store. He is also well-known for his regular appearances on RTE’s The Panel and BBC’s The Blame Game. 

He has performed at some of the world’s best-known festivals. He is a regular performer at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe where his shows frequently receive multiple 5 star reviews.

Tickets here

 

Venue:            Gilded Balloon at the Museum– Auditorium (Venue 64)

Dates:              2^nd to 27^th August 2017 (not 15^th)

Time:               9.00pm (10.00pm)Neil

Box office:      0131 622 6552

 

A woman.  A suicide.  A choice.  A fly on the wall.  A funeral. A Bakewell tart.  A life.  A lie.  A truth.  An ending.  Of sorts.

 

Dust by Milly Thomas (Clique, BBC3; Clickbait and A First World Problem, Theatre503) is a refreshing, caustic and comedic treatment of one woman’s depression, suicide and everything that happen afterwards.  Alice thinks that life isn’t worth living.  So she kills herself.  Sort of. She is stuck, a fly on the wall.  Forced to watch the aftermath of her suicide and its ripple effect on her family and friends, Alice quickly learns that death changes people.  And that death is not the change she hoped for.

 

In an unflinching examination of a suicide, this stripped-back monologue for one woman explodes the myth that death is a quiet affair, as it inspects the unavoidable practicalities, alongside the heart-wrenching decisions and pain – and the laughter.

 

Milly Thomas comments, ”I’m fascinated by the way we eulogise people once they’ve died. The way we rewrite whole lives to suit our own narratives and the use of euphemism as a masking tool of the dead never ceases to amaze me.  I’m also keen to explore the way we’re looking at mental health now.  It strikes me that we’re encouraged to disclose our mental health issues provided they’re past tense or we’re ‘high functioning’ as though we have to ensure that our illness conforms to social standards.  While Dust is fiction, it’s a deeply personal story.”

 

​Dust is very much about life, about those who remain behind and how squeamish we are aroun death.  How do you quantify a life?  What if you lived as an arsehole but suddenly, in death, you’re a saint?  And, if push came to shove, would your mother get your funeral right?

 

Deborah Frances-White of The Guilty Feminist says, ”Milly Thomas is an extraordinary performer, a fearless writer and one of the most relevant, vibrant, funny and insightful millennial voices working in British Theatre today. Often controversial, always daring, never disappointing- like the love child of Charlie Brooker and Diablo Cody.”

 

Underbelly Cowgate (Big Belly) | 66 Cowgate |EH1 1JX |Thursday 3 – Sunday 27 August 2017 (not 15), 16:40

Tickets here

A new law which came into force will make it easier to prosecute people who share intimate images without consent.

Those convicted of the new offence of ‘disclosing, or threatening to disclose, an intimate photograph or film’ could face up to five years imprisonment under the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016.

A hard-hitting public awareness campaign will drive home the serious consequences of sharing intimate images or films of a current or former partner without their permission.

Michael Matheson, Justice Secretary, said: “Modern technology gives us the potential to link up or keep in touch with friends and loved ones around the world and opens up incredible opportunities, but the scale of its reach means that when it is abused to intimidate, harass or expose someone in this way, the impact can be hugely damaging.

“There is no place for this abusive and manipulative behaviour in Scotland, and the threat of sharing images without consent will be viewed just as seriously as the act of sharing.

“The maximum penalty of up to five years reflects the serious nature of this crime and anyone who shares or threatens to share an intimate image without consent will feel the full force of the law.”

The campaign has been developed in partnership with Scottish Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis Scotland, Zero Tolerance, Police Scotland and the Crown Office, all of whom are involved in dealing with the crime and its consequences.

New research shows 78 per cent of Scottish adults believe it should be illegal for someone to share an intimate image they’ve been sent.

This rises to 82 per cent of people in agreement that it should be illegal for someone to share an intimate image they’ve taken of their partner.

For further information, visit www.notyourstoshare.info

Highlights this year from Soho Theatre include the hugely anticipated Wild Bore

by international stars Zoe Coombs-Marr, Ursula Martinez and Adrienne Truscott, together with Natasha Marshall’s debut play Half Breed.

Hearts recorded a 4-1 win over Linfield in Belfast on Saturday afternoon. The Northern Ireland champions – who face Celtic in a Uefa Champions League qualifier on Friday evening – took an early lead after 11 minutes but goals from 16-year-old Harry Cochrane and Jamie Walker put Hearts in front at the break.

In the second half, further goals from Isma Goncalves and Cole Stockton ensured a fine win for Ian Cathro’s side. The Hearts Head Coach will be delighted with the result and performance following the midweek defeat at St. Patrick’s Athletic in Dublin and he will be particularly pleased with young Cochrane who collected the man-of-the-match award with an impressive display.

Meanwhile, a Hearts development team went down 1-0 at Spartans in the four-team Ronnie Swan tournament at Ainslie Park.

Gary Orr, a two-time champion on the European Tour, will be aiming to end a long barren run for the home nation when he makes his debut in the Scottish Senior Open at Renaissance Club, East Lothian, from August 4-6.

Orr, originally from Helensburgh but a long-time resident in Weybridge, Surrey, turned 50 in May and enjoyed a promising Senior Tour debut by finishing tied ninth in the European Tour Properties Senior Classic at Linna Golf Club in Finland.

Now the Scot is aiming to add a first Senior title to his CV by emulating Bill Longmuir (2004) and Sam Torrance (2006) and becoming a winner on home turf in the 25th edition of the event.

He said: “It would be lovely to get back into the winner’s enclosure, but especially in Scotland and I didn’t realise it’s over ten years since we had a home winner of the tournament.”

Orr’s last start in Scotland was at the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart in 2013 and he made his Senior debut recently in Finland.

He said: “I can’t complain about three rounds under par and a top-ten finish, but I was definitely a bit rusty. That was probably to be expected after a long spell without a card and pencil in my hand.”

Orr won the Portuguese Open and British Masters during more than two decades on the European Tour. He was the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year in 1993, the year in which the Scottish Senior Open was inaugurated.

He added: “I had some great times on the Tour, especially winning my first title in Portugal with an eagle at the last. That was awesome. Of course, the British Masters was a really big one and got me into the Dunhill Cup, Seve Trophy and World Cup.”

More recently, Orr has been practising at Burhill Golf Club in Surrey, where he is an Honorary Member and he admitted: “To be honest, I enjoyed the break after more than 20 years on Tour, but I’ve been working hard on my game again and can’t wait to play in Scotland.

I spoke to Stephen Gallacher recently and he told me that Renaissance Club is a great course and a pretty tough test. I look forward to getting there and trying to figure my way round!”

The first 36 holes will be contested in the popular Alliance Pro-Am format where amateur players are paired with a professional. The final round on Sunday, August 6 will be for pros only with the winner taking home a cheque for £37,500 from the prize fund of £250,000.

Entrance to the only European Tour event in the Lothians in 2017 will be free to everyone with a nominal charge being made for car parking.

Cars with solo occupancy will be charged £5 per day while vehicles with one or more passenger will pay £10. All proceeds will be donated to the official event charity which will be determined at a later date.