Whilst sat waiting for French composer, Yann Tiersen, to address the stage, conversing with another journalist sitting in your booth who writes for a German publication, it is precisely then that you understand the “international” in Edinburgh’s International Festival.

Modestly playing against a silhouetted Edinburgh set design on Monday, Tiersen’s immersive talent brought his crowd to a piano paradise in the cabaret-jazz vibe of The Hub.

Yann Tiersen, French musician and composer, most known for his work for Jean Pierre Jeunet’s film Amelie, is acquainted with more than just the piano. His music involves a large variety of instruments; primarily the guitar, synthesizer or violin together with instruments like the melodica, xylophone, toy piano, harpsichord, accordion and typewriter.

Often confused for a classical composer when he has repeated often that he has no classical background, his primary focus is on touring and his albums. In this instance the concert marks the up-coming release of his new album EUSA. And if his Edinburgh show was anything to go by, this is noted.

Tiersen humbly took to his piano, all in black, camouflaged against the setting with little expectation from his audience. Melodically, repetitively hitting those high notes on his keys, I recalled my fondness for the Amelie soundtrack. Dimly-lit, his music evokes a positive nomadic sound of hope, a reflective journey, one which the audience were happy to be participate in.

With delicate sounds of the city, the sea, the birds, there is an evocative cinematic vibe to this night, reminiscent of nights with Michael Nyman and Michel Le Grand.

However, he does also plays similar notes on rotational instruments, the violin and toy pianos. Watching him play the two tiny pianos is redolent of the fun fair and ice cream vans but also more than hinted at his talent and coordination. Unbelievable.

At other times it is easy to escape and feel as though one is sat in a Parisian café. With a resounding applause before his encore we are then treated to two more pieces, more emotionally charged. An immersive night taking his audience on a European journey.

Sarah Jane Morris and Antonio Forcione come together in a worldwide tour to promote the launch of their collaborative album Compared to What.  This duo has each been compared to an impressive array of musical geniuses including Janice Joplin and Tom Waits (vocally) as well as Jimi Hendrix (instrumentally) – a comparison Antonio wears with pride.  Django Reinhardt also comes to mind.  In truth, Sarah Jane and Antonio are great artists in their own right and share audiences in Italy, Britain and all over the world.

Before  Saturday, I thought I had all my Fringe shows arranged.  Then a lovely man told me that Sarah Jane Morris was in Edinburgh for the third week.  I was more than happy to dip into my wallet and buy tickets to go and see her, especially after last year’s performance at the Assembly Rooms.  Antonio Forcione, an Italian-born guitarist-composer who has previously won the Best Spirit of the Fringe Award in 2001, has joined her this year at the David Hume Tower Lecture Theatres.

I must admit I’d never heard of Forcione before the weekend but can confirm that the Grauniad was right to describe him as “One of the great acoustic guitarists” and he is very, very charismatic.

The performance covers the duo’s forthcoming album, Compared to What, which is released in October.

The songs are mainly new compositions by the pair but does feature three covers.  I’ve always held that if you are going to cover a song, especially well-known ones, then you have to make them your own.  Morris obviously agrees, as her version of I Shall Be Released from last year’s Bloody Rain proves, let alone her wonderful (and the best out there for my money) interpretation of Me and Mrs Jones.

They take on songs we all know and probably love that were written and made famous by the Police, Stevie Wonder and Bobby Dylan, none of whom are slouches when it comes to performing.  Despite the challenge they face, Forcione and Morris succeed in bringing something of themselves to their versions and making you love the songs more.  The Police cover alone is worth the admission, between Morris’s vocal dexterity and Forcione’s use of his guitar as percussion instrument.  I don’t know what you call the technique but reckon it would impress Klark Kent himself.

This is not to distract from the songs that Morris and Forcione have written together.  The Sea is a hugely emotional account of a refugee’s journey away from their war-torn country and the danger they put themselves in, all for the hope of finding sanctuary somewhere else, far away from what they know and the country and the people they love.  Morris’ voice brings the tale to life and you can feel the anguish behind the events it describes.  Awestruck, the tale of a woman who’s fallen in love nine times this week, is hilarious and reminded me of a few friends I’ve had over the years.

All I Want is You is a gloriously happy, bouncy love song, while I Bare My Soul sums up how we have all felt at one time or another, especially those of us who have gone round the block a few times.  As for the title track, I defy you to keep your feet still while listening to it, whether the live or studio version.

Both Forcione and Morris are talented musicians and complement each other.

Morris has a depth in her voice and a great range and has always reminded me of the great Cleo Laine but without the scat aspect of the jazz great’s style.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of this vocal improvisation but know it is not for everyone.  Forcione’s mixture of jazz and Flamenco guitar work is a pure delight and the way he produces percussion accompaniment left me gob-smacked at times.  I was also very impressed at his pedal work, using them to accentuate the music and create a depth that a lone acoustic guitar should not manage.

I know I have said this for every show I’ve reviewed so far this year but Sarah Jane Morris and Antonio Forcione are well-worth parting your hard-earned for and a pair you should make the time to see.

When the council found itself owning the majority stakes in two transport companies, and as part of the Edinburgh Trams management, it formed a new company called Transport for Edinburgh. You may not have noticed it much, except that it has a new logo and appears on the vans which take bus drivers to their buses when starting a shift.

Now it has been deemed time for the council to enter into the first Service Level Agreement with Transport for Edinburgh and this will be discussed at next week’s Transport Committee meeting. The good news is that it may mean that we eventually get a public bike hire scheme in the capital.

Until now the company has worked under a Shareholder Agreement, but the council is being asked to approve the governance and working arrangements for the arms length body going forward. Audit Scotland guidance will lead the way when setting out these future working arrangements, but George Lowder TfE Chief Executive said it is now time for the city to define what it expects of TfE. He explained: “The city must clearly articulate its expectations. There is a lot written about what the aspirations are, but now it is time to capture all of that in a Service Level Agreement in one place. We need to be very clear about the relationship between the city and the arms length company. We have some happy situations here as the the city owns 91% of the bus company and 100% of the tram operating company and the vehicle through which it can deliver everything is TfE. We just need to empower the company to get on with it. It is the next step on the journey.”
Transport Convener Councillor Lesley Hinds said: “Transport for Edinburgh has the potential, if properly empowered, to develop and deliver certain key functions on the Council’s behalf at a reduced cost to the public purse and to further progress our vision of a truly integrated public transport system for the Capital. Robust governance and scrutiny provision will of course be embedded in the new arrangements to ensure democratic accountability.”

Mr Lowder confirmed: “Transport for Edinburgh is ideally placed to support the Council in delivering its transport goals for the Capital and we look forward to maintaining and enhancing our strong working relationship through a new Service Level Agreement.”

Financial arrangements for TfE operating costs are to be reported to a future meeting of the Finance & Resources Committee. The annual operating cost of TfE is £472,265 and in the future TfE will provide forecasting of the company’s operating costs as part of the council’s budget process.

The council is also being asked to approve commercial business plans for certain operations such as the Bus Station, Park & Ride sites, CCTV and travel information, integrated tickets, communications and marketing.

The CEO explained that TfE has an opportunity to take the lead on the bus station with all the bus operators who use it and to make it as commercial and low carbon as it can be. The council leases the bus station (it is currently fourteen years into a 25 year lease) but the feeling is that it needs to be integrated with the rest of the transport network.

There is a proposal for improving all of the CCTV so that it is both enhanced and used for a number of different functions such as anticipating where traffic jams might occur. Lowder continued: “We can use this to get to a place where we are more proactive rather than being reactive to a number of traffic situations. We have a lot of people who really understand all this, whether it is traffic signalling or travel demand management. Now what we need is a more integrated system to keep the city moving more freely. The business cases need to stack up, but this move would give us the authority to do that work.” The hope is that certain services could become commercial in their own right and thus remove the need for council funding in certain areas.

The much anticipated bike hire scheme will also become part of the remit of TfE who must find a low cost solution for the council. They might also work with the Bike n Go scheme at Haymarket to expand it if they can, and they will look at a scheme for visitors too.

When the bike hire scheme was introduced in Dublin in 2009 it was underwritten by JCDecaux (heard of them?) who had an advertising contract with the council. In five years the scheme was used for 8 million journeys and a major expansion means that it now has 1500 bikes and 100 stations on the capital streets. It has been an amazing success, with Coca Cola now involved in the sponsorship deal.

On the occasion of the fifth anniversary in September 2014  Jon Woods, General Manager, Coca Cola Great Britain & Ireland said: “We were delighted to be able to unveil the new Coca-Cola Zero dublinbikes in June this year. At Coca-Cola we are passionate about encouraging and enabling active lifestyles. Our commitment to Coca-Cola Zero dublinbikes builds on other measures we are taking to encourage active lifestyles across the country through our support of the regional bike schemes in Cork, Galway and Limerick and through the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund which has granted €375K to non-profit groups taking an innovative approach to help get more people active. The 5th birthday of Coca-Cola Zero dublinbikes is a milestone we didn’t want to go unmarked. We hope everyone enjoys their saddle cover and reflector belt that we’re giving away today with each bike to mark the celebration.” So clearly the sponsors love it.

We asked the Transport Convener why it would necessarily involve any council spending in a public hire scheme. Councillor Hinds explained that she has been to Dublin to see the scheme in action for herself, but she was also aware of other schemes across the UK which cost the local councils a lot of money. She said: “Dublin was different because they entered into the scheme initially with JCDecaux before the recession. They got the most fantastic deal. What you are looking at is essentially an advertising deal, but what we want is a scheme which does not cost the council anything at all.”

The proposed traffic lights at Dalmahoy Junction are up for debate again next week at the council’s Transport and Environment Committee. We reported the need for traffic regulation at this black spot some time ago now, but it took a petition to the council’s Petitions Committee on 4 September 2014 to get some serious discussion going. It appears that the wheels of the Transport Committee move slowly.

The council officers recommend putting in a temporary measure with signs warning of the staggered junction. It is admitted that this will be of little help to the pedestrians trying to cross the road to get to the bus stops on either side and it falls far short of the traffic lights which the petition demanded.

This measure alone will cost £12,000.

There have been many collisions at the junction where the entrance to Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel lies on one side of the A71 and the road to Ratho on the other. Transport Scotland calculates that each collision costs around £160,898 which is made up of costs to the people involved and society. So if you apply that cost to one full year after the traffic lights might be in place, the saving would be £143,020. In other words in one year you could almost recoup the losses. This allows for extra money from the Road Safety Budget to be applied to any shortfall in funding.

Judy Wightman, Chair of Ratho & District Community Council told us she was disappointed at the news : “The Community Council have been asking for traffic lights here since 1986 according to correspondence I found recently. It is very disappointing that the Council is not proceeding now. It would appear that we have to have a fatality at this site before action will be taken. They don’t seem to believe this is an accident blackspot, but in fact there was an accident there only last week on 20 August which blocked traffic. These accidents don’t necessarily kill people, and they are often unreported, so we cannot tell how many there are, but they happen regularly.”

The petition was referred to the Transport Committee in October 2014 who requested a further report outlining costs of the improvements. They came up with three options one of which is to put in traffic signals, the second is to install a controlled pedestrian crossing and the third is simply to put in a pedestrian refuge island in the middle of the road.

The options were discussed at the March 2015 Transport committee when it was decided that the only practical option was to install traffic lights for the safety of pedestrians and vehicles. A shortfall in funding was identified of around £76,000 which meant the committee could not decide simply to go ahead but had to request a further update with more cost analysis.

Traffic surveys have now been carried out and a proposed layout produced showing that there are some pockets of land which the council would have to buy. The cost is now estimated at £430,400. Of that sum only £208,020 can be identified from the Transport and Planning budgets leaving a shortfall which has increased to £222,380.

The shortfall could be reduced by providing funding from the Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets budget (£30,000) South West Locality Transport and Environment (£50,000) and a payment of £10,000 from Marriott Hotel Group. But there is still a shortfall.

The sum now required has risen to £132,380. It appears from the report that the council simply don’t know where that money might come from at this time.

The council is recommended to proceed with negotiations with landowners to acquire the pieces of land needed for the traffic scheme. They believe this may take a year to complete and will cost around £15,000.

Emergency service workers face shocking levels of alcohol-related abuse, new figures reveal.

Police officers, paramedics and firefighters have been punched, threatened and spat on as they stand on the front line at times of emergency.

But now – for the first time ever – the three blue light services have united with one strong and unequivocal voice to demand it ends.

A new staff survey reveals 999 workers report that alcohol misuse is a contributory factor in around half of incidents.

Fully one in three have been subjected to physical abuse while attending an incident as a result of alcohol misuse and two thirds have experienced verbal abuse.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams of Police Scotland said: “The demands being placed on the emergency services by people who are drunk are huge.

“On many occasions, it delays police officers, firefighters and paramedics from getting to members of the public who really do need our protection and help.”

Assistant Chief Officer David McGown of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service added: “The public will be shocked to hear our frontline firefighters and control officers are often abused and obstructed by people under the influence of alcohol.

“They are all working to save lives and protect property. Being drunk is absolutely no excuse for impeding emergency responders or directing abuse at them. We are determined to get the message across – this is reckless, criminal behaviour that risks lives and it can never be tolerated.”

Daren Mochrie, the Director of Service Delivery for the Scottish Ambulance Service, commented: “Alcohol has a significant impact on ambulance operations across Scotland.

“Crews are responding to alcohol related incidents every day of the week and at all times – it is no longer a weekend phenomenon.

“Our staff are highly trained specialist clinicians who all too often have to respond to people who are simply intoxicated, delaying their response to patients with a genuine medical need.

“There can also be wider impact on our operations as precious resources often have to be taken off the road to be cleaned after an intoxicated patient has been sick, which takes time and removes an ambulance that could available to respond to a medical emergency.

A recent survey conducted by each of the services reveals a depressing picture.

Fully a third of blue-light workers reported that they had been subjected to physical abuse while attending an alcohol-related incident within the previous four weeks, while two thirds said they had experienced verbal abuse.

Roughly half of all incidents that 999 workers attended in the previous four weeks were alcohol related and almost two thirds of emergency personnel had faced difficulties in securing urgent information because of victims or callers being intoxicated.

Anonymous responses to the surveys depict the sad reality facing those on the frontline.

A firefighter recalled: “I was in breathing apparatus at a house fire and I found a man lying in his bed. He had tried to cook after coming back from a night out but he was drunk and fell asleep.

“The smoke alarm was blaring but he only woke up when I shook him to see if he was alive. He punched me in the face.”

An ambulance crew member shared: “I have been assaulted, spat at and verbally abused too many times to mention.

“If people could only see the effect they have on an incident when they’re under the influence of alcohol. We have to spend as much time looking after our own safety as looking after our patient.”

Police officers, ambulance personnel and firefighters all reported delays in getting potentially vital information as a result of someone being drunk.

The actions of people under the influence accounted for all three services facing needless incidents and nuisance calls, tying up resources that could be needed at emergencies elsewhere.

One response revealed an ambulance on its way to a life-threatening medical emergency was delayed by drunk revellers who ran into the road and danced in front of the vehicle.

Staff handling 999 calls highlighted their struggles to get key information about emergencies, describing having to battle to understand callers so drunk they are unable to give their location or even state what they think is happening.

ACO McGowan explained: “Officers answering 999 calls from intoxicated people often struggle to get details of where the incident is and what is involved, which makes it much harder for them to know what resources to send.

“Being unable to get reliable, accurate information also means that firefighters can be sent to incidents without vital information regarding people involved and the risks they may face.

“When someone is trapped in a fire this could mean our teams may not know where to focus their search, which therefore exposes them to dangerous environments for longer as they attempt to locate the person.”

Ambulance Director Daren Mochrie, commented: “Our frontline staff should not have to fear for their own safety when treating patients, but alcohol is a key factor in most assaults.

“They respond to patients in all weathers and situations and deserve the public’s respect for the high quality care that they provide.

“However, at times they are verbally abused and have to put up with being pushed and spat on, as well as being kicked, punched and in some extreme cases assaulted with a variety of weapons.

“Instances of this kind of behaviour would fall dramatically if people learned to drink responsibly.”

ACC Mark Williams said: “The findings of this survey are as stark as they are unacceptable.

“Over a four week period 36 per cent of police officers were physically abused and 75 per cent were verbally abused as a result of individuals who chose to misuse alcohol.

“Let’s be clear – this behaviour is having an impact on the capacity of all the emergency services. There is an impact from drinking too much alcohol and I really hope that people take some time to consider and reflect on these findings.

“We all want to enjoy ourselves and have a great night out but think about the impact you’ll have if you take it too far.”

Alison Douglas, the Chief Executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, gave the charity’s backing to the campaign.

She said: “Our emergency services have to spend far too much time and resources dealing with the illness, injuries, disorder and violence caused by excessive drinking, often at risk to themselves.

“Reducing our overall alcohol consumption, with particular targeting of high risk groups, will help ease the pressure on our police, fire and ambulance staff.

“But encouraging people to drink less is difficult when we are surrounded by cheap alcohol that is constantly promoted as an everyday product.”

Hibs’ midfielder Fraser Fyvie played the full 90 minutes in the Hibernian Development Squad’s 2-2 draw with Hearts last night at Oriam.

The  23-year-old has been side-lined with injury since July, and he has now set his sights on featuring in  Saturday’s match against Greenock Morton at Easter Road.

He was an unused substitute in last weeks away victory over St Mirren in Paisley and now hoped that the 90-minutes will stand him in good stead for the current campaign.

After the game he told Hibernian Media: : “It was good to get my fitness back under my belt and I thought that the young boys did well and wee Hammer (Jamie Gullan)  got two goals which is good for him.

“I thought it was a good performance, but conceding two goals is a bit slack, but the young boys showed the gaffer today that they can play and they are a good set of lads and we can be happy with the performance.

“It’s a priority at the minute to try and get minutes under my belt, so the more that I get the sharper I’ll be and the fitter I’ll be for the first-team games, so that is a big positive.

“I was on the bench last Saturday against St Mirren which was good and I was getting back involved. Getting 90 minutes with the Development Squad won’t do me any harm.

“I’m looking forward to Saturday against Morton. Hopefully it will be a good performance from the lads, we get the three points and I get a few minutes on the pitch.”

Two more people have arrested by police investigating an incident at an address on Preston Avenue, Prestonpans in the early hours of Sunday where a 58-year-old man suffered injuries.

The man was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary but has since been discharged.

A 43-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

A 42-year-old woman was charged over the incident on Monday.

A strong Hibs’ Development Squad featuring new singing Ofir Marciano, Fraser Fyvie, Alex Harris and Jordon Forster(pictured)  drew 2-2 against Heart of Midlothian in the SPFL Development League at Oriam yesterday.

Hibs opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a superb volley from Jamie Gullan.

Hearts levelled before the break, when Bjorn Johnsen intercepted a pass-back and slid the ball into the net.

Hibs regained the lead in the 58th minute when Gullan headed a Callum Crane cross past Victor Noring however Hearts levelled with 13 minutes remaining through Russell McLean.

After the game, Hibs’ Development Squad Coach Grant Murray told the club website: “I was totally happy with the performance, but I was disappointed a little with the result because we were leading the game twice, but I’m delighted with them all. With the guys who have stepped down from the first-team squad all showed great appetite for the game.

“I thought Fraser Fyvie, who was out long-term, it was great for him to get back and Alex Harris, Callum Crane and Jordon Forster, they’re all pushing to get into the first-team and you need 90 minutes under your belt for that. I thought that they were magnificent.

“Then there was Jamie Gullan, his first season as a full-time player and I was delighted with him. He used to be at Hearts when he was younger so for him to come in and score two goals – he’s away home happy.

“It’s really important that they (young players)  learn from the experienced players as that’s what they are aiming for – to be playing week in and week out in the first-team.

“That is everybody’s aim at the football club. The guy who are stepping down and putting in the effort, it’s great for these guys to look up to and aspire to as well.”

Hibs: Marciano, Donaldson, Crane, Forster, Porteous, Martin, Harris, Fyvie, Shaw, Gullan, Murray. Subs not used: Waugh, Watson, Smith, Paton.

Hearts: Noring, Godinho (Brandon ’25), Nowak, Baur, Reid, Petkov, Irving, Paton, Muirhead (Currie ’61), Johnsen (McLean ’61), Zanatta. Subs not used: Mason, Jones, Morrison, Vladislav.

The Scottish SPCA is appealing for information after a guinea pig was abandoned in Edinburgh.

A member of the public found the pet in its carrier on Old Dalkeith Road on Saturday.

The guinea pig is currently being cared for at the charity’s rescue and rehoming centre in Lanarkshire, where he has been named Oreo.

Senior Inspector Jenny Scott said, “Whoever dumped Oreo couldn’t have known he would be found by someone who would help him.

“He was left in his open carrier on a grassy area across from Craigmillar Park near the tip.

“His carrier had a few wisps of hay in it and there was an empty water bottle lying on its side. The poor thing didn’t have any bedding in his carrier either.

“Oreo is a lovely boy who is full of fun and mischief. He also appears in good condition.

“We’re now hoping to find this sweet boy a new home with an owner who is committed to caring for him for the rest of his life.

“If anyone has any information about who may have dumped Oreo or is interested in giving him a loving new home, we’d ask them to call us on 03000 999 999.”

Abandoning an animal is an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and anyone found guilty of doing so can expect to be banned from keeping animals for a fixed period or life.

• Today at The Queen’s Hall – Dean Owens
• Macmillan Art Show 
• Central Scotland Green Network  funding
• At Greyfriar’s Kirk this Saturday
• Horsing around on the Fringe! 

Dean Owens is the local Leith singer who is currently “Settin the Woods on Fire” with the music of Hank Williams. Tonight he will be appearing at The Queen’s Hall with his Celtabilly Allstars.

Tickets still available here.

The Macmillan Art Show is being held at Bonhams at 22 Queen Street from 25 to 28 August. The idea is that artists donate at least half of their sales to Macmillan and the money raised will help fund £1 million worth of new cancer services across the city. This will include benefit advice, information and emotional support, help to get active and support getting back to work.

A raffle will also be held throughout the show, with a chance to win an Escape for Two at the One Spa in The Sheraton Hotel, a Friday tasting menu with matching wines for two at Pompadour by Galvin, a round of golf for four at Duddingston Golf Club and 30 minutes flying in either a Microlight, Gyrocopter or Fixed Wing aircraft.

For more information visit: http://2016.macmillanartshow.org.uk/

Green projects in Edinburgh and throughout Central Scotland can bid for a share of £400,000 to enhance woodlands and green infrastructure, boost active travel and encourage community growing.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham has confirmed the latest phase of Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) funding is now open for bids.

The CSGN aims to transform the central belt into a place where the environment adds value to the economy and enriches the quality of people’s lives. Since 2010 more than 150 projects have benefitted from a share of £6.2 million.

Inviting applicants to the scheme, Ms Cunningham said:

“The CSGN is Europe’s largest greenspace project and has a vital role in improving the health, biodiversity and education opportunities of communities, right across the central belt. The next round of the CSGN Development Fund will help communities improve their local environments and engage people with the outdoors.

“The fund has a particular focus on disadvantaged communities, who can often benefit the most from improvements to their neighbourhoods. The fund is already helping people enjoy local greenspaces and I look forward to seeing the undoubted benefits of this latest phase of financial support.”

Keith Geddes, Chair of the Central Scotland Green Network Trust, said:

“As Europe’s largest greenspace initiative, the CSGN is working to improve the lives of people in the central belt and this significant extension to the Development Fund will ensure the continued transformation of the region into a better place to live, to do business in and to visit.

“Eligible projects are those that will deliver or lead to woodland creation or enhancement, local food growing initiatives which will encourage healthy eating and schemes aiming to improve or create access routes to support active travel. We’re also interested in supporting plans which will breathe new life into vacant and derelict land and improve the lives of disadvantaged communities.”

Cadenza  will perform at the 2016 Edinburgh Festival Fringe on Saturday 27^th  August – 8pm at Greyfriars Kirk

They bill this as the most wonderful piece of choral music, shamefully neglected in recent times, by a composer you are possibly not familiar with or may not even have heard of, but who was much admired by many of the composers of the Classical and early Romantic periods, not least Beethoven, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Berlioz and described progressively by Beethoven as “Europe’s foremost dramatic composer” and later “the greatest living composer”.  His Requiem in C minor, achingly beautiful, anguished, exciting and intensely moving, was performed at Beethoven’s funeral.

Who is this composer? Luigi Cherubini (1760-1842)

The concert was a sell-out last year so don’t delay get your ticket now. Cadenza is an amateur mixed-voice choir with members from across the Central Belt. Charity benefits from their concerts with a recent event raising a monumental £11,000.

Musselburgh Racecourse had a great idea to bring a horse and horse box to Middle Meadow Walk the other day and get people to do their best horse impressions. You need to turn the sound up for the biggest laughs!

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The Edinburgh Reporter’s Mike Smith is a qualified hypnotherapist. In the first of a regular series of articles, Mike offers some help to anyone looking to lose weight.

Have you ever tried to lose weight? Have you been on a calorie-controlled diet with the daily battle to try and lose a pound or two a week? If so, you may recognise that, at the end of the week, you step on to the scales, possibly with some trepidation, to discover you have lost a couple of pounds. Great! Then you decide to ‘treat’ yourself to that chocolate bar that’s been tempting you all week or that brightly coloured cake that’s been winking at you from the baker’s shop window every day when you go to work. Thus, all your hard work is undone….

Many of us enjoy a wee indulgence once in a while.  However, for many snacking can evolve from a wee indulgence to a regular way of managing emotional problems. How often have you said ‘I know I shouldn’t but it’s been a tough week/I need some comfort/just one won’t hurt me?’

How about phoning your partner on the way home from work on a Friday evening after a tough week and saying ‘do you fancy a chippy tea?’ as you really can’t be bothered to go to the effort of cooking anything? Aye, I’ve got the tee-shirt (previously XL but now Medium)

This psychological drive to consume unhealthy, sugar coated food such as biscuits, chocolate, cakes etc. can be worsened by the addictive aspect of such foods; thus begins a vicious circle where you eat because you feel stressed – subsequently you put on weight – therefore your stress increases….

Does this sound familiar?

If it does, don’t worry – you’re not alone. It’s part of our culture to ‘reward’ ourselves with food and even to mark celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries etc. When this is done on moderation it’s perfectly fine. If you’re a member of a gym going out for a meal; on a Friday night can be balanced by an hour or so at the gym on a Saturday morning. It becomes a problem when this behaviour becomes excessive and/or regular and you begin to ‘reward’ yourself with food more often than is healthy for you. Then it becomes more difficult to keep your weight under control.

So okay, Smart-Alec, I hear you ask. What’s the solution? Well, it’s worth considering that everyone is different and what works well for one person may not work at all for someone else. What you need to consider from a personal point of view is the deep-rooted reasons for you snacking as this works in cahoots with your subconscious mind. And this is where hypnotherapy can help.

Perhaps your snacking habits developed as a child. Did your family ‘reward’ you with a bag of sweets for doing well at school or learning to ride a bicycle or learn to swim? Did your grandparents always ‘treat’ you to some sweets when they saw you? As a grandfather to four little brats young people, I stand guilty as charged over this – my two daughters lecture me about how I should take round some fruit for the wee ones rather than chocolate, cakes etc. And, of course, they are quite right.

So, how can hypnotherapy work to help you stop snacking?

Rather than attempting to work with your will power – which may be a losing battle – hypnotherapy will work with the main cause of your snacking habit and re-educate your brain with different, positive thoughts.

Now this isn’t a quick fix – if you come to see me for help with this issue you won’t lose weight immediately. A hypnotic approach helps people shed unwanted weight and stay slim for the foreseeable future. This is done by using the power of positive suggestion. You will be in a conscious, yet deep state of relaxation. From this, I can help embed new strategies to replace the old, habitual snacking process which has developed over the years.

After a few sessions, your aim will be to decrease your wish to have snacks, meaning that healthy diet plans are much simpler to sustain.

Interested? Contact me today I can start helping you to re-educate your brain and make snacking history.

There’s a FREE consultation and if you decide this isn’t for you then you’ve literally lost nothing. If you wish to proceed and you’re a public sector worker and a member of the Premium Benefits scheme, then you get a whopping 20% off each session.

Mind Generating Success – 14-18 Hill Street, Edinburgh EH2 3JZ. In the heart of Scotland’s capital city.

Web: www.mgs-hypnotherapy-services.co.uk

Phone me on 07521353787 (24 hours)

Email:   mike.smith@mgs-hypnotherapy-services.co.uk

Two businesses run by locals are the only ones in Edinburgh to have been shortlisted in the Food & Travel Magazine Reader Awards.

The first is Wedgwood the Restaurant on the High Street. Run by Paul Wedgwood and his wife Lisa they are up against stiff competition from Michelin starred restaurants like L’enlume and Sat Bains who have five Michelin stars between them.

Millers64 Bed and Breakfast is located in the heart of the city in an upgraded Pilrig Street Victorian house and run by Louise and Shona Clelland. They have both travelled extensively and hope to pass on some of the best hospitality they have experienced to their guests.They have a jar of freshly baked shortbread in every room!

If you feel you would like to support either of these businesses then you can vote for them here.

The Assembly Hall plays host to the annual gathering of the great and good of the Church of Scotland but its Jason Byrne’s Sunday sermon that has this full house blessed by an hour of side-splitting hilarity.

Within seconds, it’s clear that audience participation is set to play a significant part in Byrne’s show with a handful of front row victims/willing participants (you sit close to the stage at your peril) getting involved from the off.

Byrne teases and tickles the largely home-based crowd with the age-old commentary about people in Edinburgh having nothing to moan about if there is nice weather. He’s right you know!  Byrne is also spot on when observing that the Capital’s rain has to take a breather as it gets exhausted due to it being exercised so often.

As the show unfolds, it’s a guessing game on what to expect next from the Irishman who exudes such wonderful energy and creates untold chaos, apparently plucked from thin air, along the way.

The old saying of never work with children or animals may be one that rings true for many on-stage performers, but Byrne plays a blinder with his assembled quarter of ‘helpers’ – three of whom spectacularly go by the name of Chris!

It’s probably fair to say not many comedians out there can make their audiences fold like a pack of cards with laughter using a catchpole with a rubber hand tickling a rubber dolphin head, an owl and a duck.

The Irishman does it with consummate ease, which maybe explains why he’s the biggest selling comedian at the Fringe.

Outside after the show, Byrne is flanked by his stage volunteers whilst encouraging punters to part with their silver in aid of the Spartans Community Football Academy in the north of the capital. Byrne is an ambassador of the club.

Jason Byrne is at Assembly Hall (Venue 35).  Any remaining tickets can be found here.

On 24 August 2016, the Edinburgh branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence from the former USSR.

Ukrainians, and those associated with Ukraine, will meet at the plaque of Volodomyr the Great in Waterloo Place at 6pm for a formal commemoration of the day.

The Gate Films have been bought over in a Management Buy out.

The award winning Edinburgh based commercial production company has been telling stories with TV commercials, online content and short films in the last twenty years and now the current management team are taking over from existing owners, Sarah Harvis and Simon Lewis.

Serena Fylan (30) will become managing director having been involved in the company since doing work experience there while applying for a place at university. She joined the company after her degree as Head of Production and has a deal of experience in making high end commercials, short films and pop promos.

Serena said: “This is an exciting time for The Gate as our sustained creative growth has allowed us to attract great scripts from many new and established  agencies across the UK and Ireland. Creating and delivering inspiring and award-winning content has been the core of our business for twenty years and now under my stewardship we aim to do more than ever before.  My focus is very much about finding great directors and film makers to be able to offer a great range of talent to the agencies and their brands, who we work with across the UK. We have the breadth of expertise and flexibility that means we are equally at home producing a five-day international shoot as we are making table-top content in a small studio.

Formed in 1996, The Gate has enjoyed significant growth with a £6million turnover in the last financial year, and has offices in Edinburgh, Manchester, London and Cape Town. The company employs 20 full time staff (across three UK sites) as well as a roster of highly-skilled freelancers.

Serena continued: “In a time of buoyancy for our sector, I feel Manchester is becoming a new hub for creatives to operate. We are working with more North West business year on year and I hope to continue to showcase what creative and directing talent lies in our city.”

Simon Lewis, Outgoing CEO added: “Serena has the right drive, ambition, dedication and talent to continue to push The Gate on its exciting journey which was started twenty years ago by Sarah and I.  Alongside the rest of the management team, Serena will ensure the way in which the company operates and the high level of service its agencies receive will remain the same, and the level of talent available to those agencies will continue to grow. The MBO was the correct route for the business, and most importantly the team, who have been a huge part of this company’s incredible growth and success.”

The Gate Films will be moving to new premises in central Manchester and launching a new website. Serena adds: “With the company under new control it is important to make a statement of intent and we feel that by moving from the groups HQ into our own independent space we can focus solely on pushing our own offering forwards. We’re excited about the launch of our new website which will include some exciting new talent”

Police in West Lothian are investigating following a housebreaking at an address in Peveril Rise, Livingston.

The incident occurred on this morning between 6am and 10am and resulted in the theft of a bronze Range Rover Sport (Registration number SP11 EXL) and of several pieces of jewellery.

Officers are now investigating this incident and appealing to the public for information.

Detective Inspector Paul Batten said:  “Housebreaking is an inexcusable crime which violates a person’s home and their privacy.

“This was a high value theft and we are eager to trace those responsible as soon as possible.

“We believe the break-in happened between 6am and 10am today.  Anyone who was in the area, or who spots a bronze Range Rover in and around Livingston, is asked to come forward immediately.”

Give your views on social security

By Jeane Freeman – Minister for Social Security

Telling you that we have been chatting with Liza Pulman may not immediately ring bells, but if we told you that we had been speaking with one third of Fascinating Aida then you will immediately know who we mean.

She is charming and lovely and we had a lovely chat over a cup of tea at The Pleasance where she is doing her solo show at 2.30pm before trotting off to George Square Gardens to go on stage with the other two members of the Olivier award winning trio. If you haven’t experienced them you absolutely have to try and catch one of their seven nights at this year’s Fringe. They are stalwarts of the Fringe and have been coming to Edinburgh for an amazing 34 years!

“Both shows are cabaret really, and they borrow from each other really. My solo show is a mix of everything I have done in my life. It’s singing, talking and laughing. It’s predominantly comedy, but not stories about me. Every song has something to do with a flower or a garden. It is bizarre because I am not a gardener in any shape or form! I love gardening but I have not got green fingers.

“I was asked to do this first for a charity event and this strange remit means I have to link these strangely eclectic songs. There is a wide range of stuff!

Pullman joined Fascinating Aida after a friend suggested Liza who was an opera singer at the time to Dilly. “I had always been brought up singing Fats Waller and Coward and I had done a solo show. My friend mentioned me to Dilly at the time and years later, Dilly (who has a memory like an elephant) asked about me as a potential soprano. So my friend rang me and I went along to sing for Dilly and Adele and then we sang together all three of us. The minute we sang together we knew it was right – it just gelled!”

We asked rather demandingly for a little snippet of a song from Liza who of course was supposed to be resting her voice! And here she is totally on demand for us!

We had a lovely chat with @liza_pulman earlier this afternoon before the first of two shows she is performing here, pic.twitter.com/bP0XQGf09I

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) August 23, 2016

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She admitted that some of the lyrics were a wee bit dodgy!

Liza continued: “Some of the songs are the product of all three of us, but predominantly Dilly writes the music and she has the ideas for songs too. She and Adele have traditionally crafted them although I am beginning to make my mark!”

Fascinating Aida with Dilly Keane, Adele Anderson and Liza are a big part of the Edinburgh Fringe. Sadly, due to Adele’s recent illness, they have already said that they will not do next year, but they will be embarking on a tour from autumn 2017 and we can only hope they include Edinburgh on their travels.

Liza Pulman Everything’s Coming up Roses at Pleasance Cabaret Bar at 2.30 pm Tickets here. 

Fascinating Aida Back in the Saddle Assembly George Square Gardens at 19:00. Tickets here. 

With their latest album ‘The Truth and the Lie’ reaching number 3 in the UK Country chart, Red Sky July will follow their summer festival
appearances – which included Cornbury & Somerset Rocks with Jools Holland, with a headline show at The Caves, Edinburgh on September 21st.

Glaswegian guitarist Ally McErlaine tells us “As a band we absolutely love playing in Scotland as it is home to some of the world’s most passionate audiences!”

Earlier in 2016 Red Sky July performed at Britain’s C2C Festival at London’s O2 Arena and received praise for their classic songwriting, musicianship and harmonies from country and non-country critics alike. Country Music People gave their recent album 5/5 saying “The Truth and The Lie has everything to commend it, really good singing and harmonies, excellent lyrics, strong melodies and superb production”. R2 magazine also gave it 5 stars, stating that “Red Sky July continue to go from strength to strength.”

Watch a video of ‘Walking Country Song’ performed live on Edith Bowman’s BBC Radio Scotland ‘Quay Sessions’ here

Red Sky July are Ally McErlaine (Texas), Shelly Poole (Alisha’s Attic) and Charity Hair (The Alice Band). The band formed in 2009 and released their self-titled debut album in 2011. 2014’s ‘Shadowbirds’ followed. The band have been playlisted on BBC Radio 2, and have supported artists such as Steve Earle, Sheryl Crow, 10CC, Tom Jones and Jools Holland.

Festivals they have performed at include T in the Park, Isle of Wight
and Glastonbury. The band’s achievements were recognised at the Scottish Music Awards where they were presented with a prestigious Tartan Clef award by Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy.

Tickets: GigsInScotland

Where do you think of when you want a day out of the city? A trip to East Lothian maybe? Or a walk in the Pentlands? Both are excellent choices – but last weekend I went to Burntisland.

The Fife coast is somewhere we tend to speed past on our way north – lovely views from the East Coast line, but that’s about it. Take the local train to Burntisland instead, and you will be rewarded with all sorts of hidden treasures (starting with the beautifully kept station) There’s a Blue Flag beach, a fascinating museum, at least two great cafés, and – if you hurry – one of the most interesting exhibitions I have seen for some time.

So – since it’s only on for another few days – let’s start with the exhibition. The Burntisland Heritage Trust is volunteer-run, and a nicer bunch of volunteers you couldn’t hope to meet. Every year the Trust mounts an exhibition of local interest, and in 2016 it’s chosen ‘Our Natural Heritage’ as its theme. The area teems with wildlife, flora and fauna – from seals and dolphins to butterflies, and birds. Did you know that crows and magpies ‘mob’ poor old birds of prey like sparrowhawks? Have you ever seen a shanny fish?

The foreshore from Burntisland to Seafield is a Site of Specific Scientific Interest, and photographer Matt Barnes’ Foreshore Safari collection shows us stunning images of crabs, shells and sea squids, while Gavin Verdun Anderson’s series Under the Waves includes a remarkable photo Scorpion Fish with Brittle Starfish. There are also some lovely shots of grey seal pups. Even more impressive is the video of Gavin swimming underwater with the seals, one of whom tried to play with Gavin’s flippers.

Bruce Maitland focuses on birds – his pictures of herons, skylarks, buzzards and kestrels are superb, as are Joyce Murdoch’s peacock butterflies and buff-tailed bumblebees. Alan Hutchison has taken some excellent landscape and panorama shots, and photographs of the Low Road to Aberdour showing this ancient path in autumn, with the trees at their best, made me keen to return for a walk. The exhibition also includes five model boats – a clipper, three fishing boats and a yacht – made by the late George Aitken, a Burntisland man.

Inchkeith Island in the Firth of Forth is just one mile long, but in World War II it was home to over one hundred soldiers, sent there as a defence against attacks from shipping. It’s believed the island may have been inhabited (on and off…) for almost 1,800 years; in the 15th century it was used to quarantine syphilis sufferers, and later, people infected with the plague. James IV used it for a bizarre linguistic experiment, James Boswell visited it, it’s been garrisoned, farmed – and finally abandoned. Despite being the second largest island in the Forth, Inchkeith’s wildlife has so far been little studied. Ron Morns has taken photographs of the island as it is now – a sanctuary for seabirds, including cormorants, guillemots, kittiwakes and fulmars. Image: Forth Seabird Group, whose website has lots of interesting information.

Somerville College in Oxford would not seem to have much connection with this small coastal town – but it is named after Mary Somerville, ‘the most remarkable woman of her generation’, who grew up in Burntisland. Mary was the daughter of a Vice-Admiral who came back from the sea to find her ‘a savage’ with an atrocious accent. He sent her to school in Musselburgh, which she hated, returning to Burntisland after a year ‘like a wild animal escaped out of a cage.’ Mary had lessons from her uncle and a tutor and learned some art in Edinburgh, but was largely self-taught in secret after her parents forbade further studying. Although she eventually excelled in mathematics and astronomy, she was also interested in tides, marine life and plants, collecting rocks, fossils and shells throughout her life. A plaque over the door of 30 Somerville Square commemorates her – but her face will soon be seen throughout the country, on the Royal Bank of Scotland’s new polymer notes.

The Heritage Trust has made great efforts to involve everyone in this lovely exhibition. Local artist Leo du Feu has been working with children at the primary school, who have produced some fabulous work – colourful bird masks, pictures of garden birds and some great collages; I especially liked Taylor Houston’s fox and Rosa McDonald’s beautiful pencil drawing of the bug hotel in the school’s wildlife garden.

The exhibition closes on 26th August so do try to see it this week. It’s open 1-4pm on Wednesday and 11am-4pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Admission is free (donations appreciated) and you will receive a warm welcome. The Trust is also running a free guided historical walk around its ‘inner heritage trail’ on Wednesday 23^rd August at 2pm and another one around its ‘outer heritage trail’ at 1.30pm on Friday 25^th. More details here.

Just across the road more friendly volunteers await you – this time at the Museum of Communication. This excellent collection is great fun for all ages, with plenty of hands-on things to press, ring or wear. The museum specialises in communications technology, from the pre-electric optical telegraph used in the Napoleonic Wars to the latest state-of-the-art webcams and cameras for mobile phones, currently featured in the Guinness Book of World Records. This summer’s exhibition is Wartime Advances, Peacetime Applications; it focuses on 1916 and it’s crammed full of fascinating stuff, including a life-sized World War One trench, a ward in a field hospital, displays on the battles of Verdun, the Somme and Jutland and air raids in Edinburgh (Marchmont was bombed because the Zeppelins couldn’t find Rosyth on tourist maps!) You can have a go at tapping out Morse Code or signalling with semaphore flags, see some early (and very big) computers, and find out about what went on at Bletchley Park, and at the ‘Y’ Service stations of Beaumanor and Forest Moor. Admission is free (again donations are much appreciated) and the museum is open 11am-4pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays till the end of September (re-opens next April).

If all that fun has made you hungry, the town has several eating establishments. We had a delicious brunch (Eggs Benedict anyone? maple syrup stacks?) at the popular and family-friendly Potter About café, and we’ve also heard good things about Fair Trade deli and café Food For Thought. Another great find is Macaulay’s Fruit and Veg shop – at a time when it’s hard to find a good greengrocer’s anywhere, this lovely shop also sells free range eggs and local honey. Burntisland even has its own second-hand and antiquarian bookshop, Hanselled Books at 19 Kirkgate.

And so to the beach… except unfortunately the one day we chose to visit was so wet and windy that we didn’t actually manage a walk on the sands. Here’s a picture of what they’re supposed to look like – the beach gets 4.5 stars on Trip Advisor, with lots of people rating it ‘excellent’ and also praising the adjacent park – so I’ll definitely be down there next time. The weather also prevented an ascent of the Binn, the volcanic plug hill (sister to Arthur’s Seat, Berwick Law and Largo Law) behind the town – again something for another day (image © Keddie Law.) The Heritage Trust has a very useful leaflet with trails around the town and information about its ecology, geology and industrial heritage.

So there you are – what better way to take a day out from the city’s festival frenzy? You can take the train to Burntisland from Waverley or Haymarket Stations – journey time about 30 minutes, including a scenic crossing of the Forth Rail Bridge (which means you can all look out of the window.)

With thanks to Leo du Feu, who put us on the scent….

Burntisland Heritage Centre, 4 Kirkgate, Burntisland

Museum of Communication, 131 High Street, Burntisland

Potter About Café, 253a High Street, Burntisland

Food For Thought Café, 267 High Street, Burntisland

Macauley’s Fruit and Veg, 172 High Street, Burntisland

Hanselled Books, 19 Kirkgate, Burntisland

Ash Denham MSP for Edinburgh Eastern is encouraging local schools to visit the Scottish Parliament.

Today the SNP MSP has written to local head teachers with details of the Scottish Parliament’s school visit programme. Local schools can book to visit the Parliament via Education Services, during which they will be given a tour and attend a Parliamentary debate. Diary permitting, Mrs Denham and other local MSPs also meet with the pupils to answer any questions they have.

Any schools interested in the programme can contact the Scottish Parliament directly to enquire.

Ash Denham said: “With Parliament shortly returning back to session, and the new school year beginning I look forward to seeing as many schools from Edinburgh Eastern as possible visit the Scottish Parliament.

“Young people are becoming more and more engaged within politics.  This is fantastic and should be encouraged.  Therefore, it is important that school pupils are given the opportunity to visit their Parliament, to see how it works and to have the opportunity to quiz politicians.

“Seeing children and young adults around the building with their enthusiasm and questions is wonderful to see”.

Multi award-winning comic/activist Mark Thomas performed his first gigs in The Red Shed in Wakefield, a 47-foot-long wooden hut that doubles up as a Labour Club.  Three decades later he returns to celebrate its 50th birthday, entwining the story of his political coming of age with the tale of the people who inspired him.

The struggle for hope and survival in a shed, a story of strikes, fights, dinner ladies and beer; friendship, love, memory and above all belief.  Theatre, stand-up, journalism, activism and a small amount of help from the audience.

Mark Thomas is a bastard, plain and simple.  Each year he’s one of the first names I look for in the Fringe brochure, wondering if his new show will measure up to the previous one.  For at least the last six years he has and more.  That run could be longer but I’m trying to remember what came before Bravo Figaro and failing.  With The Red Shed the wee bugger has done it again and left me in tears both from laughter and the emotion of it all.

As seems to have become a recurring theme with the shows I’ve seen this
year, this is a performance that deals with memory and identity.  Given
that, I’m going to follow in Mark’s lead and talk a little about me
before I review the show.

What hack reviewer doesn’t after all?

I first saw Mark Thomas perform at some point in 1987, although I can’t
remember if it was at somewhere like the Putney Half Moon or on Channel 4’s Saturday Zoo.

I can even remember some of the routine, how supermarkets should play the Clash and arresting Police Officers’ have to do comply with one request before nicking you.

Since then, he has regularly made me laugh until my sides hurt – turning up at a McDonald’s drive-through in a clown car with clowns and wanting to know why they refuse to serve him is still a highlight, as is blowing a TV show’s production budget on a huddie in the 2:30 at Donny.  He’s also made me think, change my shopping habits and get involved with various political causes and activism.

I’ve stood with him at various demos over the years, including when we all fell down ‘dead’ on Princes Street at the sound of the One O’Clock Gun to protest the UK’s involvement in invading Iraq.

In short, he is the man I would like to become, albeit a better
looking and more West, less Sarf one.  I took the Redskins‘ advice to heart, I didn’t make him a hero but instead used him as inspiration.

My first real political act, apart from shouting “Fascists!” and “Viva
Islas Malvinas!” at my school’s CCF troupe along with my pal Terry
McCann* in 1982, was the Miners’ Strike in 1984.  I signed the various
petitions, went on a demo about it and bought Between the Wars.  I even
went to A Concert for Heroes, a benefit concert at the Royal Albert Hall – I know, it was a very, very strange experience and still the only time I’ve gone in the place – held to show support and raise funds for the miners and their families, who were left in financial need following the industrial action.

From then on, well, I think you can guess the rest but I have a lot of
memories and lessons from the time.

The reason for referencing the Miners’ Strike – 1984-5, not 1926 – is that
this show is about Mark’s experience as a student in Wakefield at the
time and his involvement in supporting the strikers.  In particular, it
centres on a march back to the colliery after the strike ended a school
children singing in support of the men from their playground.

The show is a question of memory.  Are the ones we hold dearest and closest to our heart suffered from a dose of retcon at various points over the years?  Have we improved them to make them easier to deal with and
better stories to tell?

The play centres on the Red Shed, the Wakefield Labour Club, where a teenager drama student stood up for the local people who were on the sharp end from the Police, betrayal from the Labour Party’s leadership, the UK Government, the Fourth Estate and, most viciously, THAT WOMAN.  Joolz Denby was right, once they beat the miners everybody else meekly fell into place and part of our heritage and souls died.

Thankfully though, that spirit still exists in the Red Shed and in Mark Thomas.

During the show we go through over thirty years of personal history and
political activism.  How the destruction of Britain’s industrial heartlands led to this year’s Brexit result.  How people were left without hope or a belief that the future help something worthwhile to strive to achieve.

At times I was in tears, not for the first time this August, as I remembered the events of the 1984-5 but more from the current stories of people in the Wakefield area.

How little they have and how those who are meant to work to protect their interests have not so much turned their backs as strode away from their natural supporters.

However, the play is not depressing but instead it is uplifting.  About how minor acts can give people hope, how defiance and belief in your fellow men, women and community is not something that are something left in the cupboards of years gone by.  That we can make a difference if we band
together, that there is still power in the union and that there is nothing like a pint of beer and a political barney for forging strong relationships that last for decades.

You should see this show if you remember the Miners’ Strike; if you want to learn of the UK’s recent political history and the betrayal of the working class; if you want to hear a Sarf Londoner comedy gently rib Morningside ladies; if you want to see a great drama that is also about personal beliefs and identity.  Most of all, you should see this show because it’s chuffing brilliant.  Again.  The Bastard!

Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever.

Solidarity forever, For the union makes us strong.

*No, really, that was his name.

Hibs are expected to hold talks with former Motherwell player Tom Hateley.

Head Coach Neil Lennon is hoping to add the versatile midfielder / defender to his squad.

Last week he added Andrew Shinnie on loan from Birmingham City and Brian Graham from Ross County.

Hateley is a free agent after this summer turning down a new deal at Polish side Slask Wroclaw.

 He moved to Poland in January 2014 following a spell with Tranmere Rovers.

His father Mark played for many clubs including AC Milan, Rangers and AS Monaco whilst grandfather Tony played for Chelsea, Aston Villa and Liverpool.

Paul Hartley is also reported to be interested in the 26-year-old.

It is understood that a number of fringe players are expected to leave the Easter Road after being told that they are free to find other clubs.

Ahead of introducing Saturday night’s crème de la crème of Edinburgh Fringe goodness, AFVS Mistress of ceremonies Lili la Scala really does indeed prove all that glitters truly is gold as her glitz and glamour is matched by her eye catching costume – one of a handful we are treated to during the Cabaret extravaganza – as she belts out Let Me Entertain You in her own imitable style.

Phew!  Talk about pressure for the first act to follow.  Fear not, as up on the Pleasance Dome floor was none other than the equally sparkly Lady Rizo who whipped the crowd into a frenzy with her improvised male microphone stand offering support before bringing a smile with her rendition of ‘I Google You’.

It’s then time for La Scala to introduce the second act of the night in the shape of Malia Walsh.  Walsh is performing in the Fringe as part of the ‘Children are Stinky’ show and takes to the stage in a sequined bra and an equally flash piece of headgear before building up her hula hoops towards a audacious finale.

Next up is Beep Boop’s Tom Walker.  Whilst many around me giggled at Walker, awkwardly dressed in his buttoned down shirt and shorts, I didn’t quite get the point of the somewhat laboured and very long sketch about John Bon Jovi’s keyboard player.  Maybe if you, the reader, were there, you can comment below and advise me?

La Scala’s version of the Bloodhound Gang’s “The Bad Touch” – aka ‘you and me baby ain’t nothin’ but mammals / So let’s do it like they do on the Discovery Channel’ went down a storm before the tempo switched to the 1940s vocal trio The Three Belles. Sadly we were only treated to a single song as the three talented crooners in striking red dresses warmed the room with their talents.

Cornwall comedienne Harriet Dyer followed and certainly struck a chord with many when describing those people who still have their mobile phones with their buttons not muted whilst they text on the train!

After her Fringe appearance in 2014, Dyer was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression. It’s refreshing therefore to see her back in Edinburgh doing what she does best and make folk smile.

La Poule Plombée was to follow. A cabaret act featuring a tragic and possibly psychotic chanteuse played by Sarah-Louise Young and her timid accompanist, in the shape of Michael Roulston.

In the mould of Piaf, we hear Young singing bitter-sweet songs of lost love and a life of self-pity in her French accent and black outfit. Even with a bite-sized taste of their show, it’s no wonder this has been highly acclaimed at this year’s Fringe.

Thankfully the tempo increased and in some style too.  Miss Bettie Bombshell certainly lived up to her name as she entered the arena in her top hat and tails before erm, finishing up with her top – and tail – covered by the narrowest of margins and a pair of nipple tassles. It causes quite the stir.

The final guest act of the night saw Beatbox Collective have the crowd on their feet with a cacophony of sound produced from the vocal chords of the reigning world team beatbox champions.  It’s easy to see how their show has earned the ensemble plaudits by the critics.  From their energetic numbers that have the audience dancing along to the Chariots of Fire meets Hovis Bread advert paced finale, it’s got something for everyone.

It’s left for a caped La Scala to bring proceedings to an end, but not before she woos the audience, enriched by the evening’s talent on show, with a rousing rendition of The Importance Of Being Idle, by Oasis.

Lili La Scala: Another F*cking Variety Show is on at Pleasance Dome, 23.00h, 90 mins.

Solo Date is Tsai Pao-Chang’s first solo performance, utilising new media
which centres on Ho-Nien and his quest to be reunited with the love of
his life.  After a failed attempt to visit Hell through an ancient Taoist ritual, Guan-Luo-Yin, Ho endeavors to reconstruct his deceased lover via artificial intelligence.  In the process of reconstruction, Ho discovers unspoken secrets from the past that tarnish their reunion.

Is this quest for love a surreal duet or a solitary monologue?

Tsai Pao-Chang has created a wonderful piece in Solo Date, which is at the Fringe as part of a Taiwan Season.

The play is about where our love of technology and willingness to interact with it instead of people in a face-to-face scenario will lead.  There’s a wonderful line that sums up where the play is set in the first scene where Ho, the main character, asks his digital assistant why people still travel.  “It’s so 2020s, don’t you think?”  We know exactly where we are here, not so much our tomorrow but more our children’s, the day after tomorrow.

I’m finding it hard to talk about this show without giving too much away.

Tsai Pao-Chang works hard to bring the show to life and he deserves you
going to see this show without me telling you too much about it.  Spoilers, sweetie!  The director, playwright and performer strides around the cube this multi-media play uses as a set, interacting with his digital personal assistant and the AI version of his dead partner.  The adjusting of the PA’s settings is very funny, as are all her appearances.  Tsai Pao-Chang has included a dating website section in the play that rings painfully true; he’s obviously registered for one at some point and I found it hilarious.

The play isn’t so much asking whether Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,
although there are echoes of Dick’s most famous work.  This is more asking whether the ghost in the machine has a heart and can love if it achieves true sentience.  To paraphrase Stanisław Lem, this is a human encounter with something that certainly will exist, but not one you can reduce easily.  I reference Lem deliberately because there is something Solaris-like about it, and not just because the play deals with grief and longing.  There is an ocean of emotion and alien-ness and a degree of physical phenomena underlying this piece.

My partner-in-crime Art Between made that connection so I cannot take any credit for it.  That doesn’t really do Tsai Pao-Chang’s work justice but, again, without giving too much away I’m not sure what more I can say.

I found this a very moving performance; I thoroughly enjoyed it and could
easily watch it again, if only to think more about the ideas and thoughts it left me with.  While it did remind me of other AI-related work I’ve seen – there was a one-off BBC drama around 2007 for instance that involved downloading social media entries into a synthezoid in particular – Solo
Date is very much its own creature.

I must admit I did have trouble adjusting to the subtitles to start with, partially as they were above the stage and my ageing eyes had trouble adjusting to their size at first.  However, after a few minutes I got used to them but it confirmed that I really must get fitted for glasses soon.  Don’t let that put you off though because it was a negative only because of my frailties.

I look forward to seeing Tsai Pao-Chang’s next work and can only hope it measures up to Solo Date.

Malorie Blackman introduced a whole new retelling of Shakespeare’s Othello, one which involved space but it’s also a tale of migrants, humans seeking refuge.  Packed to the rafters with teenagers and adults, Blackman enthused her audience about her new title, Chasing the Stars.

With Philippa Cochrane chairing the event, and Blackman informing the audience about the new book and premise, there is an excitement in the room, which only comes from someone like Blackman, who is not only a prolific children’s author who cares about her issues and readers, but also the previous Children’s Laureate.

With regard to the new young adult novel, her protagonist, Olivia comes across human refugees and in her defence of humanity, rescues them. Without giving too much of the plot away, they mentioned that she falls in love with one of the refugees and is forever questioning his motives. Certainly an interesting take on the original Shakespeare. As a fan of science fiction (Blackman admitted to going to Star Trek conventions) she provided the crowd with her definition of the genre: the fiction of the possible.

When questioned about the characterisation in her novels she exclaimed,: “The things we all have in common are those emotions we share. The rest is secondary to that.”

Specifically when questioned about her previous and pivotal novel, Noughts and Crosses, which deals with racial tensions, she highlighted, “these are based on experiences that happen to me.”

It speaks of a society with artificial divisions, which is why she chose to call it Noughts and Crosses, as it’s a game which no one ever wins.  It certainly appeared that the audience were keen to question her more on these books of hers which focus racial tensions, as these titles which saw her become the Children’s Laureate are what she will be remembered for.

And when we consider the Stephen Lawrence case, which recently re-emerged in the news, we cannot reiterate enough the importance of these books.

However, she also outlined, “I would never write a book which has no hope in it,” which gives her readers faith in her work, that she will never let them down but inform them through stories of tensions within society that humanity and hope are key.

Leading home assistance provider HomeServe is offering one lucky community group in Edinburgh the chance to get its hands on up to £4,000 to fund an essential DIY project as part of a new community programme.

Not-for-profit organisations, charities and volunteer-led groups with a community facility in need of a revamp can apply online via Ketchup, HomeServe’s online lifestyle hub, and a team of HomeServe’s Scotland-based engineers are on standby to support the project with their DIY, plumbing and drainage expertise.

The new community scheme – was launched by HomeServe this week and groups across Edinburgh have until Friday 9 September to submit their applications via Ketchup – HomeServe’s online content hub, at http://ketchup.homeserve.com/what-we-care-about/our-communities/love-your-everyday-in-scotland-2016/

“Our engineers are helping to make life easier for Customers across Scotland every day and this is our way of using their skills and expertise to give something back to the local communities that we are part of ” said Greg Reed, Chief Marketing Officer, HomeServe.

“Not-for-profit organisations, community groups and charities are the heartbeat of local communities and we want to help them carry on doing what they do best by giving them a fantastic facility to work in.

“We’re really looking for a group that makes an on-going, positive contribution to its community, which could be through regular activities or events that benefit local people. The winning application will get the support of our Scotland engineers to carry out up to £4,000 worth of work on their community facility, so it’s a fantastic opportunity for a community group to benefit from essential and potentially life-changing DIY work.”

All applications received will be put forward to a HomeServe judging panel and the winner will be announced during the week commencing 12 September 2016. HomeServe’s team of engineers plan to undertake all work later the same month.

For more information about the initiative http://ketchup.homeserve.com/what-we-care-about/our-communities/love-your-everyday-in-scotland-2016/

Motorists suffered long tailbacks on the Edinburgh city bypass this morning after a Citroen Picasso burst into flames between the Dreghorn and Baberton junctions of the A720.

Police and firefighters were called to the scene around 8.25am.

Officers closed both lanes of the eastbound carriageway  for a short time as firefighters extinguished the fire.

A police spokeswoman said no one had been injured in the incident

A Jaguar D-Type, the same as one which was an integral part of the Concours d’Elegance at The Palace of Holyroodhouse last year, was sold at the weekend in California for $21.78million.

The Edinburgh Reporter was lucky enough to be allowed to sit in the number 15 car at the Palace when it was brought here in April 2015 to publicise the event. It was a stripped down racer and not the most comfortable car to sit in it has to be said!

The number 4 car, bearing registration plate MWS 301, the 1955 Jaguar D-type which won Le Mans three years in a row in 1955 – 1957,  sold for the highest price ever paid for this model at any auction.  The price tag also breaks the record sum paid for a British-built car at auction. Sotheby’s previously sold a DB4 GT Zagato last year for $14.3 million.

The former Ecurie Ecosse number 4 car  which took drivers Ninian Sanderson and Ron Flockhart to victory, became a must buy for some well-heeled car enthusiast.

For all you car buffs we made our own video all about the number 15 car and the Holyrood event which you can watch again here (and be sure to turn the sound up!

[vimeo 125890459 w=640 h=360]

RM Sotheby’s took number 4 on their own road trip in the US with some old racing footage to show off what this car could really do.