One of the great joys of the Fringe is stumbling across interesting and unexpected shows.

Such hidden gems add greatly to the Fringe experience and remind us that among the thousands of shows, there are superb ones which don’t get the audiences they deserve. the Theatrical play Piano Smashers is one such show. 

As with many Free Fringe shows, the lack of paid staff at the venues can lead to uncertainty. Am I in the right venue? The right room? Is the show on today? And also that perennial concern; will I be the only person in the audience? Such concerns were soon allayed.

This one man show, written by Rupert Page and Rob Thompson, was a delight. Intriguing, at times strange, but ultimately very moving with a lovely sense of connection with the audience. This piece of theatre deals with a common issue of what to do with items that you inherit. In this case, it is a a precious piano bequeathed to children and the dilemmas they face as to what to do with it. Every generation faces such issues. At times whimsical, the performance also dealt with darker issues, including child abuse and family secrets. The piano, with its many hidden recesses, acting as some form of metaphor.

With tech assistance from his wife, Thompson soon put the audience at ease. As the performance grew in intensity towards the end, he really commanded the stage.  Thompson gently persuaded audience members to assist him and this helped to emphasize the communal spirit behind the whole show. This was again emphasized in lovely final section, in which those in the audience were encouraged to think about objects they had inherited – and about the person they had inherited them from.  These memories were then shared – a lovely concluding touch.  

Thompson praised the support he has received during the run from PBH’s Free Fringe and from the venue CC Blooms. He admitted that without the support of the Free Fringe “we wouldn’t be here”. The stage there was ideal for the show, with good sound and lighting. Piano Smashers has now ended its run but will, in the future, be performed elsewhere. Try and see this poignant, skilfully structured show it if you can. Details of future performances at www.pianosmashers.co.uk/live-show-dates/

Alcohlism. Anxiety. Arthritis. 

You’d maybe not think a show about subjects like these would be the most uplifting. But you’d be wrong. Brothers, a new drama by Raised Voices Theatre, isn’t performed by seasoned actors, but by people with lived experience of the issues it highlights and a huge commitment to their art. Nothing is sanitised, and there are no easy answers, but this raw, honest piece of theatre has hope at its core. And it even has good jokes. 

Eddie and Grant are brothers. As the play opens Eddie (Colin Brown) is just back from his holidays, and he certainly looks like he’s had a great time. He and Grant (Matthew Power) warble along to He’s Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother and have a laugh about Eddie’s terrible singing.

Eddie’s a good time guy. He likes a drink, or several and he can’t say no to a party. He can, however, say no to repaying the £150 he’s borrowed from Grant. Grant has his own problems, his mental health is not great and his anxiety isn’t helped by his money worries. How’s he going to pay his rent if Eddie doesn’t repay him? He’ll be evicted! Although he knows he has to attend his DWP appointments, his anxiety is making him feel too ill to go – but what if they cut off his benefits? 

Grant’s had enough of Eddie’s excuses. Soon the brothers aren’t speaking. 

As Eddie’s drinking gets worse and Grant’s mental health deteriorates, the solid rock between the two of them is their mother Louise (the excellent Katy Greeney.) Louise and her friend Christine (Liz Hill) meet regularly to chew the cud. Their support for one another is beautifully conveyed; they’re both working class women, their lives are far from easy, but as Louise says,

So that’s what each of them does. Chris is arthritic, Louise worries about her sons, but the two women have the odd night at the bingo to cheer them up. Chris is often keen to go for a drink, Louise is more reluctant (‘let’s get a pedicure instead’ – ‘what, a toe job?’), her caution perhaps hinting at previous issues with alcohol. 

Grant begins to deal with his problems, and finds that getting help isn’t quite so bad as he’d feared. Things aren’t going so well for Eddie though; Brown portrays his character’s desperation and misery with real pathos. Only when he reaches his lowest point does help comes from an unexpected source. 

The story’s far from over there, worse is to come before things get better. It’s a credit to this cast that, despite the brevity of the show and their own inexperience, we are very soon immersed in each of their stories and rooting for them all the way. 

Brothers takes an unfiltered look at the way in which alcoholism takes hold of its victims, its tentacles reaching out to crush everyone in reach. But Brothers also celebrates the strength of family bonds and the support we can all offer one another if we care enough to put aside our differences. 

The show’s excellent lighting and sound are by Martin Splatt.

This is a very different show from most Fringe productions. It isn’t too polished, it isn’t professional, but it is deeply truthful, heartfelt, entertaining theatre and I challenge anyone not to be moved by it. I’m not going to try to give it stars, it’s in a class of its own. 

Raised Voices is an award-winning Edinburgh-based charity for those who have experienced or are experiencing homelessness, addiction and mental health issues.

Brothers is at Venue 52, theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall at 11.55 every day until 24th August. Please note there is no show on Sunday 18th August. Tickets here. 

Private hire drivers in Edinburgh have been left furious after being blocked from using bus lanes due to have their hours temporarily extended. 

Transport officials recommended including access for private hire cars (PHCs) in a trial of ‘7-7-7’ bus lanes, in which some will be operational from 7am to 7pm, seven days a week for 18 months from early 2025.  

Councillors, while approving the pilot project, said they were not convinced allowing pre-booked cars, which make up the vast majority of the city’s taxis, would be a good idea. 

Transport convener Scott Arthur said the more vehicles that are added “the harder it is for the bus lane to do its job”. 

And he raised concerns over bus lanes acting as “curry lanes” as a result of drivers who both transport passengers and deliver food taking advantage of them. 

Trade representatives argued they should be on an equal footing with black cabs, which are allowed in bus lanes during peak hours, and stressed the only way to determine the impact of giving PHCs access on congestion and bus times was to include them in the trial. 

Stuart Livingstone from the Scottish Private Hire Association’s Edinburgh branch said: “By trialing private hire access we would be able to put facts against the claims being made by those on both sides of the argument.” 

Capital Cars boss Kevin Woodburn said private hire “performs a public transport function on a daily basis”. 

Mr Woodburn was so enraged at the situation he told councillors he was “trying extremely hard to keep calm” during the transport committee meeting on Thursday, August 15. 

“Everything is based on opinion,” he said. “It seems to have been missed that this trial is to gather that data.” 

GMB’s Colin Dodds argued it would be unfair on people with disabilities to exclude PHCs. 

“Private hire do take people who use wheelchairs, not permanently naturally, but people who want to put the wheelchair or any form of electric wheelchair into the back of the car and assist them into the back seat of the car. That happens daily,” he said. 

“We are part of the jigsaw to reduce congestion.” 

He added: “I really have to refrain from what I am going to say because I am so frustrated.” 

Greens councillor Kayleigh O’Neill, who uses a wheelchair, said she felt he was “using” those with mobility issues to support his argument, adding “I really don’t care for that. 

“Over 90 per cent of black cabs are accessible, every Lothian Bus has a ramp and at least one space but less than 10 per cent of PHCs are deemed as accessible and some still deny disabled passengers. I tried a few weeks ago and had six separate Ubers cancel on me.” 

Uber’s UK head of cities Matthew Freckelton said allowing PHCs in bus lanes would “create a more efficient transport network” as well as reduce congestion, leading to shorter journey times and lower fares. 

The council’s director of operational services Gareth Barwell said part of the reason officers backed inclusion of PHCs in the trial was so gather data on the impact. 

“If the worst happened, we can amend a [traffic order] within a matter of weeks,” he said. 

Cllr Arthur, who was chairing his last transport committee after being elected as Edinburgh South West’s new Labour MP, said: “When drivers speak to me . . . the issue they raise isn’t access to bus lanes, often it’s just the sheer number of private hire cars in the city and they see that as a challenge to their income rather than access to bus lanes. 

“If there’s a choice between having neither private hire cars nor black cabs or adding private hire cars to the mix, perhaps we should go for neither rather than adding more vehicles to the bus lane. 

“Because the more vehicles you add, the harder it is for the bus lane to do its job.” 

The Labour administration alongside the SNP, Lib Dems and Greens, all rejected the recommendation, while the Conservatives questioned if the 7-7-7 trial was necessary. 

Lib Dem group leader Kevin Lang said he “didn’t really feel there was a set of arguments made”. 

He said: “I was not persuaded of the merits of allowing private hire vehicles into bus lanes.” 

Councillor Marie-Clair Munro, Conservatives, said: “The bus lanes currently work across the city and the public understand it. 

“We think basically if you’ve got the public understanding how a system works why are we changing it? The trial does not monitor – this is what concerns us – the data or the specific proposals that delay buses across our city.” 

Most bus lanes across the city currently allow all vehicles outwith peak times of 7.30am to 9.30am and 4pm to 6.30pm, and don’t operate on weekends. 

Under the trial, those between the Gillespie Crossroads in Juniper Green and Musselburgh – a route which mirrors Lothian Buses’ 44 service – will be active from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Sunday. 

It’s anticipated an 18-month pilot will commence in the first quarter of next year and cost the council £80,000 over the next two financial years. 

A report to councillors said increasing bus priority measures on the roads would improve the reliability of public transport for the city’s population, which is growing six times faster than the national average. 

Once implemented the it will be “extensively monitored,” and the start and end times of operation will be “examined to evaluate whether they remain optimal”. 

By Donald Turvill Local Democracy Reporter

More than 100 new officers will be joining local policing divisions across the country, having marked the end of their training at an event in front of family, friends and loved one. 

Today, Friday, 16 August 2024, 115 recruits undertook their passing out parade at Police Scotland HQ, Tulliallan, having completed their 13-week probationer course. 

Edinburgh will receive 15 new officers and Lothians and Borders division will get an additional seven. 

Chief Constable Farrell thanked all of the officers for choosing a career dedicated to public service and protecting communities from harm. 

She said: “Policing is not simply what we do, it’s who we are. Despite the demands it places upon us at times, it is extremely rewarding and I’m confident that all of our new recruits will continue to answer that call, while at the same time reflecting Police Scotland’s values of integrity, fairness, respect, and a commitment to uphold human rights. 

“Each of our new recruits will now deploy into Scotland’s communities, where they will support the efforts of their colleagues in keeping the public safe and bringing offenders to justice.” 

The officers passing out today range in age from 18 to 56 years old and the course is comprised of 78 male officers (68 per cent) and 37 female officers (32 per cent). 

During her visit to Edinburgh the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner has visited the Social Bite Village. She also has a role as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Ms Rayner was given a tour of the village in Granton where the small Nest Houses give homeless people the change to break the cycle and have somewhere to call home. The village is a supportive and nurturing environment based on housing first accompanied by wrap around care.

The village was founded by the Social Bite charity led by Josh Littlejohn MBE, and the caring part of the enterprise is run in conjunction with Cyrenians. CEO of Cyrenians, Ewan Aitken, was also a Labour politician. He is a former Labour councillor and in 2006 was appointed Council Leader in Edinburgh.

Angela Rayner, Deputy Prime Minister said: “The Social Bite Village is an amazing project that is helping people in Edinburgh who are dealing with homelessness, and building a solution to the problems with temporary accommodation. As a Government, we will take action to build more social and affordable housing, give families a better route to a secure home, and get back on track to ending homelessness for good.”

Josh Littlejohn said: “The housing emergency is one of the most significant issues affecting the UK today, so we were delighted to welcome Angela Rayner to the Social Bite Village to discuss our pioneering approach to ending homelessness. The Deputy Prime Minister was keen to learn more about our supported community model and the innovative manufacturing process behind our Nest Houses, which gives people living in our Villages a welcoming space in which to make a fresh start..”

Road policing officers in Lothian and Borders carried out high visibility road checks and road safety patrols in unmarked vehicles in and around the Scottish Borders as part of a road safety campaign.

Over the course of the week, 180 motorcyclists were stopped and given advice on road and motorcycle safety.

Police Inspector Ross Drummond said: “We received positive interaction from the majority of motorcyclists who were enjoying days out safely on our roads.

There were several offences detected during these dedicated patrols, namely;

Two riders were charged with speeding and issued with Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs)

One rider was charged for failing to have an MOT and will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal

Two riders were charged in connection with riding carelessly and dangerously and both will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

“We will continue to focus on our routes for the remainder of the summer months and we encourage all road users to enjoy the roads responsibility so everyone can arrive home safely at the end of their day.”

The owner of an Edinburgh guest house used as temporary accommodation for homeless people has lost a bid to more than triple its number of bedrooms.

Plans to connect it to a disused garage in order to add 32 rooms were turned down by councillors following an appeal by K & S Mir Ltd.

It comes as concerns were raised over a “relentless attempt” by local property owners to “expand temporary accommodation space in an area already saturated with it” amid increasing demand.

Leith Links Community Council (LLCC) warned this was having a “big impact on the character, amenity and residential balance” of the area.

The proposed major extension to the John’s Place guest house would see a derelict rear garage on John’s Lane converted into residential units and the two properties joined by a link bridge, increasing the number of bedrooms from 13 to 45.

However in January planners refused permission, telling applicants the bridge would have an “unacceptable” impact on the listed Georgian townhouse and the “intensification of use” would “prejudice neighbouring amenity.”

The decision was upheld by the council’s local review body (LRB) this week.

Appeal documents submitted on behalf of K & S Mir Ltd, operated by the Akbar Mir family who own a string of hotels and bed and breakfasts across Edinburgh used by the council to house homeless people, said they were given “no opportunity to respond to the issues” raised about the bridge by planning officials during the application process.

In a statement they admitted the development “will intensify the use of the area from currently” but added neighbourhood amenity “will not be prejudiced, as access to the hotel will be spread between John’s Place, John’s Lane and Constitution Street”.

Upon reconsidering the plans at the LRB on Wednesday, August 14, councillor Hal Osler said: “I can understand in a way an individual wanting to intensify a usage . . . but this does look like over-intensification of a particular usage that will have a detrimental effect on the residential amenity.”

She added: “I take on board the fact there’s three different possible entrances but again that’s still quite a large amount of movement in an area that’s quite constrained.”

“There is for me too much in this area.”

Cllr Neil Gardiner praised effots to reuse the garage but said overall he was “not convinved by the application”.

LLCC say two other hotels just off Leith Links have been granted permission to double in size and others are currently looking to expand.

A community council spokesperson said: “We are very pleased and relieved that councillors sitting on the Local Review Body have supported the planners’ decision to refuse this quite shocking application which would have increased the size of a local HMO by almost 250%.

“We share the review body’s concerns that the applicant’s proposals would have resulted in a clear over-intensification of temporary accommodation units on the site, from 13 to 45 bedrooms.”

They said the applicant group owns “multiple properties in the immediate and near vicinity which are already in use as HMO or guest house establishments or are destined for such uses” and a “huge number of additional rooms” were in the pipeline.

“This is having a big impact on the character, amenity and residential balance of this part of the Leith conservation area,” they added. “We don’t think the council is yet fully aware of quite how big a problem this is in and around Leith Links and on to Constitution Street.

“And we believe the city council should be paying much closer attention to exactly what is going on around here – a seemingly relentless attempt to expand temporary accommodation space in an area already saturated with it.

“The council has for years acknowledged that this part of Edinburgh already has an ‘overprovision’ of such accommodation, mostly for the homeless and paid for by the council itself –  and we think it is high time that this growing problem is addressed.”

Edinburgh Council and K & S Mir Ltd were approached for comment.

By Donald Turvill Local Democracy Reporter

During the Fringe there are many celebs in town – but these two – Christopher Biggins and Su Pollard – were doing their own flyering.

It’s no surprise at Hearts’ head coach Steven Naismith predicts a tough game at Falkirk in the Premier Sports Cup and he declared that his latest signing, Columbian defender Andres Salazar is fit. The question is, will he play.

That will be answered minutes ahead of the 3pm kick-off time, and Frankie Kent is sidelined due to a toe injury, but Naismith is excited by what he has seen of the player on the training pitches at Riccarton.

The 21-year-old, who has arrived on a loan deal from Atletico Nacional, is, according to the coach, “quality” and he said: “He is not one that is going to need to be built up, he is ready to play, and I will expect him to contribute in the coming weeks, for sure.

“He is a really good guy to get signed and in the building and, from the small amount of time we have seen him on the pitch, you can see he is quality. I am excited to work with him.”

Moving on, Naismith admitted that the defeat at Dens Park to Dundee was disappointing and, from looking back on it, he said he got some things wrong but added: “The energy levels and the intensity was the bit that I was putting on the players and that has not changed.

“This weekend, with it being a different competition. Last season we got to two semi-finals and you want to see us taking the steps to give us a chance of getting back to at least that stage. It will be a tough game.”

The pressure intensifies now that Europe looms, bringing with it two games every week, Thursday and Sunday, and the coach said: “We have changed the squad and I do not think the squad is that much bigger. The competition for places is much stronger, I believe, and there will be times we will change the team.

“One of my biggest experiences from the intense schedule as a player was that you only need to be five or ten per cent down from your maximum and that is enough to impact the game, and we will take that into consideration, but we expect them to go into every game to put on a performance to get the result we want.”

PICTURE: Steven Naismith at the pre-match press briefing at The Oriam by Nigel Duncan

A former Leither is marking the 10^th anniversary of his mum’s death by cycling over 2300 miles from the UK to Turkey. 

Stewart Kerr, along with two friends Andrew Jackson ‘Jacks’ and Martyn Heale, have set off from Dover and will cycle throughout Europe for the next two months. 

The trio will arrive at their final destination in Dalyan, Turkey on the anniversary of Stewart’s mum’s death. 

Catherine was cared for at the Marie Curie Hospice, Edinburgh for three weeks in October 2014. Stewart is marking the milestone by taking on the gruelling challenge to raise funds so that other families can experience the care and support they did. 

Stewart, 62, is a keen cyclist. He moved full time to Dalyan six years ago. He said: “Marie Curie made a horrible situation bearable. My mum was strong and accepted she was on her final journey.  

“For us as a family it was heartbreaking knowing we were never going to see her again. The staff made mum – and us – feel so welcome and treated us all with loving care and support. I’ll never forget that which is why I wanted to do this challenge in memory of mum and to raise funds for Marie Curie.”  

The weight of each of their bikes and kit is 33kg and they’ll be staying in campsites as well as rough camping for the next two months where they’ll pass through France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Serbia and Bulgaria. They’ll cover 2300 miles and 65,000 feet of climbing cycling. 

Stewart added:“Every day we will need to assemble and disassemble our camping kit. We’ll be carrying stoves and dried food with us and we’ll be able to stop off at cafes and supermarkets to refuel. It’s important that we eat enough food to help with our energy levels. 

“There is the risk that we can get robbed, have mechanical and illness issues, so we’re hoping to get through the challenge unscathed and will take each day as it comes. 

“Cycling through mainland Europe will have flat terrain, but once we arrive in Turkey, it’s going to be mountainous. Coupled with the humidity it’s going to mentally and physically tough to cycle for at least seven hours a day. 

“We are aiming to complete the challenge in eight weeks, but it could take us 10 weeks – we’ll just need to see how conditions play out.  

“The reality of what we’ll be doing has hit home. But I’ve got the support of my two friends with me 24/7 and of my family, and I’m doing something to help others in memory of my mum, so when the going gets tough having this thought will help me get through it.” 

Fiona Bushby, Community Fundraiser, Marie Curie Scotland, said: “Fundraisers really push themselves to the extreme to help raise funds for Marie Curie. They know the impact Marie Curie care and supports makes to their lives and to their loved ones. It’s always there and never leaves them. 

“What Stewart, Martyn and Jacks are doing is phenomenal. It’s not an easy challenge in the slightest and they’re giving their all for the next two months. We wish them all the best and will be following their adventure. 

“Thank you so much to them and their generous supporters. It means Marie Curie can continue being there for other families when they need us most.” 

To donate please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/stewart-kerr-cycle-to-turkey-from-uk 

The Old Manor Hotel at Lundin Links has reintroduced its Sunday Roast Sunday now that refurbishment of bedrooms and common areas is complete.

From noon each week, The Old Manor serves up a roast dinner for all the family. Home-made Yorkshire puddings, herb roasted potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and a red wine jus are on the menu priced at £19 per person. The hotel serves lunch in its Seaview conservatory restaurant, with sweeping views across Lundin Links Golf Course, to the sea beyond.

Diners may add a homemade dessert to their Sunday treat, from a wide choice available, at an additional cost.

“We’re really pleased to unveil this new product,” said Operations Manager at The Old Manor, Steven Carleschi.

“Since the hotel was acquired by the Wallace Family, of Pettycur Bay, a few years ago, we’ve been slowly and surely refining all our offers. We have brought the hotel up to a new standard, whilst also making sure that we have the right people, in the right roles, to lead this business forward.”

“Our coastal Hotel has masses of potential, and is in such a beautiful location. This is the perfect place at which to enjoy a traditional Roast Sunday Lunch, something which is enjoying a resurgence in popularity of late.”

“Come in after enjoying a round of golf, or walking the coastal path, for example.

“We look forward to welcoming guests on a Sunday. Our mouthwatering roast is offered at an extremely affordable price so that people can get together with family and friends.”

To book a table for the Sunday Roast Sunday, call 0333 401000, or book online at www.theoldmanorhotel.co.uk

One week on from when she was last seen, we are continuing to appeal for any information to trace 14-year-old Eva Brown, who is missing from Winchburgh, West Lothian.

She was last seen there on Friday, 9 August, 2024. She said she was going to stay with friends in Glasgow, but she has not been in contact since Sunday, 11 August, 2024.

Eva is white, 5ft 6ins in height and of slim build with medium-length brown hair. When she was last seen she was wearing a grey top, grey joggers, black trainers and was carrying a black backpack.

Inspector Richard Homewood said: “As time passes, we continue to be extremely concerned for 14-year-old Eva’s safety and wellbeing. We are aware of misinformation online that Eva has been traced. She has not. She is still missing and extensive searches and enquiries are ongoing to trace her as soon as possible to ensure that she is safe and well.

“Eva is known to frequent Glasgow City Centre, Aberdeen, Mallaig, West Lothian and Whitley Bay in Northumbria and we are liaising with colleagues in these areas. I would urge anyone who has seen her or who has any information on her whereabouts to contact us as soon as possible.

“We would also ask Eva, if she sees this appeal, to please make contact with us to let us know you are safe.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 1258 of Tuesday, 13 August, 2024.”

Expectation can be a deflating experience.

The Alehouse Sessions was hyped to be a raucous immersive encounter with the atmosphere of a 17^th century pub during the time when Cromwell had banned all human joy.

This was part of the beanbag concert series, so we were sat on said fittings. These were fine for the first 20 minutes or so, but perhaps my age meant that sitting on this became uncomfortable which is never going to enhance the event.

Barokksolistene’s music was amusingly performed, being mostly “traditional” tunes from the period. To my philistine aesthetic I find “folk” music falls into two themes, anarchic, joyous defiance or melancholic lament of absence and loss. So, no matter how many actual songs were performed, I was unable to discern more than two.

The “immersive” prospect was never realised since the performers restricted themselves to the stage with a minor exception. Overall, quite enjoyable but not up to what was expected.

https://www.eif.co.uk/events/the-alehouse-sessions

A home owner told planners she could not put hedgehog holes in a new fence because her small dog could escape.

Susan Gibson applied for retrospective planning permission for the fence, which she said was put up to replace one which had blown down in high winds.

But a report by Midlothian planning officers said while it had become standard practice for new fences to have holes to allow hedgehogs safe passage through housing estates, Mrs Gibson had opted against them.

Planning officers went on to refuse permission for part of the fencing which had been moved out to the edge of a grassed area at the side of the house, on Chester View, Bonnyrigg, saying it was a ‘stark’ and ‘prominent’ structure which set an ‘undesirable precedent’ for the street.

In their report into the fence application officers said: “The fence is highly visible and a very prominent and stark feature at the entrance to this part of Chesters View totally out of keeping with the character of and detracting from the visual amenity of this area.

They added: “It is now standard practice of the planning authority to require hedgehog holes to be placed in new fencing in the interest of biodiversity, however, the applicant confirmed in an email that she has a small dog and cannot therefore create small holes in order to keep the dog secure.”

The council received three objections to the new fence, the majority of which was permitted development with only a section at the east requiring planning permission.

Objectors pointed to it contravening planning policy, setting a precedent and being overbearing in the open plan estate.

Planners refused permission saying: “The 1.8m high fence along the east boundary of the property hard up to the pavement presents as a harsh boundary treatment along the street frontage which has a significant detrimental impact on the visual amenity of the immediate surrounding area diminishing its attractive open landscaped character and is contrary to policies.”

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Which is more important, our principles or our personal relationships? Does it matter if those to whom we are closest don’t share our views? And if what we do has no immediate bearing on a wider issue, does it matter whether we do it or not?

These are some of the issues raised in Ariana vs Chomsky, a tightly packed, sharply written and well acted short play by PJV Studio.

Chloe and Mark are partners. They live in London, where like most people under the age of 90 and lacking a trust fund, they can’t afford to buy a house or even a car. They’re muddling through though. The play opens with them dancing joyously; they’re happy in each other’s company; they’ve still got the moves.

The stage is set with just two chairs throughout, the scene alternating between Chloe and Mark’s home and what I think is meant to be a TV studio or lecture theatre, where the philosopher and academic Noam Chomsky is being grilled by a nameless interviewer. The change in venue is well signalled by the actors standing to face the audience at the start of each interview scene. Claire Gilman plays both Chloe and Chomsky, PJ Vickers Mark and the interviewer.

As the interviewer Vickers is aggressive, challenging, determined to manoeuvre Chomsky into a corner.  Gilman’s Chomsky is calm, ignoring the interviewer’s interruptions and attempts to tie him in knots. Instead he reiterates his views on war, US foreign policy, imperialism,
colonialism, Vietnam, the liberation of France at the end of World War Two, and a whole range of related subjects.

I have to admit that I was slightly confused by the Chomsky scenes. At the end of the first one, ‘Chomsky’ and his interviewer start laughing, and revert to being Chloe and Mark. Is this a game the couple enjoys playing, or are the characters meant to exist in their own right? To a large extent, though,  it doesn’t matter; the Chomsky scenes are there to illustrate different views on important topics. In the Mark and Chloe scenes these views are tested in real life.

Mark is from Manchester, so when he’s offered a job there he’s delighted, and assumes Chloe will be too. Not only will he earn more
money, it’ll go further and they will at last be able to buy a flat and a car. Chloe is happy enough with the plan. Mark goes on a reccy up north; his return already sounds faint alarm bells – he’s had time to see a Stones Roses concert, but not to visit his parents. Of course he’s not alone in doing something like that, but we are already wondering how often pleasure (his) is going to take priority over duty. And it gets worse – the best part of the trip for him was driving to the United ground with his old friends, music blaring out of their car,

Is this supposed to be real or ironic? You can’t help but feel it’s probably a bit of both.

Mark’s also not managed to vote in the Labour leadership election. When Chloe asks him to try again, he says there’s no point, the
result is a foregone conclusion.

But they’re still happy. Chloe easily finds a new academic post, and soon they’ve moved.

Domestic and interview scenes continue to alternate, the latter now moving on to the trustworthiness, or lack of it, of the media’s portrayal of the news. Chomsky famously considers the media to be controlled by corporate power; he sees it as a vehicle of propaganda used by the powerful for their own ends.  

**********

On 22 May 2017 an Islamic extremist explodes a bomb at an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena. 22 people die. Mark and Chloe read the breaking news on his phone.

On 4 June 2017 Ariana Grande hosts a benefit concert One Love Manchester for the victims and their families. It raises £17 million.

Mark buys tickets for the concert. Chloe refuses to go. She says she can’t attend a concert for the bombing victims unless a similar concert is held for the hundreds of thousands of people killed by Western aggression in the Middle East. A Middle Eastern country, she says, has never attacked the UK. Propaganda has persuaded us that we are the only victims, but it is we who have caused the problems in the first place.

Mark is angry, and determined to make Chloe attend. He says the concert is all about giving people a voice,

But he also admits that one of his main reasons for attending is to have a good time and find out if the Gallagher brothers are going to reunite. Is this reprehensible or just realistic?

Mark’s view is that activism changes nothing. How many of us marched for causes as students? How many of us would do that now?

In Mark, Vickers creates a nuanced character; some audiences have loathed him, but to me both characters seem very human, with a right to their views. Mark has indeed become increasingly laddish since returning to his home city, but Chloe’s insistence on taking the moral high ground makes him feel patronised; his inexcusable refusal to stick up for her when his friend Darren mocks her views leaves her feeling isolated and ‘the sport of the evening, while her insistence that she must tell Darren’s girlfriend that he’s playing away from home
infuriates him – he thinks it’s none of their business. Do we have a duty to intervene, in an individual’s life or in the life of a country? Or should we keep our noses out of it?

When Chloe disagrees with him, Mark’s knee-jerk reaction is to argue, almost bully, her into submission. He’s also quite good at the traditional Male Sulk. Chloe, like Chomsky, more often remains calm but sticks to her position. Yet both actors clearly convey their care for one another. Chloe’s sad, wistful expressions, Mark’s apologies, show us they’re trying to make their relationship work – but it’s dying, and we feel for them.

Ariana vs Chomsky is a brave and provocative piece of writing, and one that stays with you long after you leave the theatre. If you don’t (as I didn’t) know much about Chomsky, it might be worth a quick look at Wikipedia before you go; the characters do explain his ideas, but the speed at which they do so is breathtaking.  This, however, is no bad thing; Ariana vs Chomsky isn’t boring, it never presents as an information dump or a history lesson. Is the personal always political? It’s a question we should all, perhaps, be asking ourselves every day.

Ariana vs Chomsky is at Venue 53, theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Theatre 3) at 14.10 until 17th August. Tickets here.

Work has begun to turn a dilapidated former village hall into a new home for a community brass band a year after they paid £100,000 to buy it from Midlothian Council.

St Davids Brass Band, a registered charity in Midlothian, leased Vogrie Hall, Gorebridge, for 12 years as its practice space.

The hall was closed for safety reasons by the local authority three years ago and after a bid to have it transferred to the band through a Community Asset Transfer fell through, the band paid full market value to take it over.

The main hall of the building had water leaking through its roof and a partial ceiling collapse with giant mushrooms growing out of the walls and the smell of damp was present throughout when it was first bought by the band.

Now work has begun to repair the roof after planning permission was granted for changes to the building including creating a disabled ramp access.

Work is also being planned for an extension and a disabled ramp to provide access for all to the building which was once at the heart of the Gorebridge community.

Alistair Taylor, secretary of the brass band, said they are delighted to see work starting thanks to donations from supporters and grants towards the work required.

He said: “It’s been a long journey getting to this point, and we’ve been fortunate to receive some grants and some very generous donations too – we are so grateful for these and they will of course, go as intended towards specific works restoring the hall so that it is safe to use and fit for purpose.

“We couldn’t have reached this stage of hall ownership and renovation planning without the expertise and grit of some key members in our band – we know you’re shy but you know who you are – thank you for your determination – you’re pretty fantastic.”

More information on St Davids Brass band and how to donate to the hall fund can be found at stdavidsbrass.co.uk or at the link https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/donate?cid=231555

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

A house builder has appealed against the rejection of plans to build a village centre in the middle of a giant housing estate in Bathgate. 

Wester Inch was built 20 years ago and has 2,000 homes but not a single shop. 

But the new plan detailed only four shops and a takeaway,and offered  more high density housing – 70 flats and 15 houses. None of which the neighbours wanted. 

Persimmon Homes’ plan was thrown out by West Lothian Council earlier this year. Neighbours said it would bring more traffic and destroy what little open space remains in the area. 

There were more than 70 objections from Bathgate residents, as well as one from the town’s community council and one from GPs concerned that facilities could not meet the new demand. 

Persimmon has now appealed to the Scottish Government’s Division of Environmental and Planning Appeals (DPEA). It will appoint a Reporter who will make a final decision on whether the builders can start work. 

In response to the appeal West Lothian council lodged papers with the DPEA stating:  “The proposal would result in a loss of formal and informal open space. Further, it would have a detrimental impact on amenity due to the increased housing density on the site, the impact on health care provision, the lack of parking given that the parking assessment carried out was inadequate, and that the site is neither derelict nor brownfield as it has been used for many years as informal open space.” 

Local SNP councillor Willie Boyle had led objections when the planning application  to develop the site at Simpson Avenue and Leyland Road came before the Development Management Committee in April. 

 He branded Persimmon’s plan for four shops  “a nonsense”. Fellow Bathgate SNP Councillor Pauline Stafford backed residents’ fears of increased traffic at the lack of public transport. 

She told the meeting: “Wester Inch does have quite an oppressive feel when you drive through. It is almost a breath of fresh air when you get to this one point that is an open space.” 

She added: “The transport links will be impacted. We have heard from objectors what traffic is like at school times. We do have a bus service now but we know how precarious it is because last year it was withdrawn, and it is only once an hour.  

“The reality is that this is a very car dominated development as it is and to add another 85 houses I think is too much.” 

Wester Inch was built on the sites of the former British Motor Corporation (BMC) lorry plant and other factories, which occupied the area until the early 1980s. 

By Stuart Sommerville Local Democracy Reporter 

Hibs Head Coach David Gray will be without his latest signing, Hyeokkyu Kwon, who is ineligible to play against his parent club, however, fellow new recruit Nicky Cadden could make his Hibs debut this weekend. 

Speaking to Hibs TV ahead of Sunday’s game against Celtic in the last 16 of the Premier Sports Cup at Celtic Park, he said: ““The temptation was there to try and throw him (Nicky) straight in last week. We’re trying to get the players as fit as we can as quickly but safely as well. 

“Nicky has benefited from not being involved at the weekend and doing some extra physical work. He has looked brighter in training and has continued to progress every day. He comes into my plans a little bit at the weekend, but we will need to monitor him closely. 

“Elie Youan and Junior Hoilett are still out but they are both back on the grass, which is great. They are weeks away, rather than months – that is for sure and they are progressing nicely every day.” 

Despite last weekend’s defeat at Easter Road, Gray is confident he will get a reaction from his players at Celtic Park and hopes the magic of the cup can inspire his team. 

“Sometimes you can go 10 or 12 weeks without playing them (Celtic) again, so one of the positives to come from this is that we know exactly what to expect. 

“We can learn from the things that we can be better at, we have talked about the areas we need to improve on and all those feelings will be fresh in the mind for this weekend. That is the message to the players in the last few days.” 

“I have been strong with the players from the very start. When you join this Football Club, there is an expectation and demand to go and win a trophy – that has to be the ultimate aim. There is a genuine opportunity to do it at this Club, but to do that you need to beat the best and that is what we need to try to do this Sunday. 

“In a one-off game, with the magic of the cup, there is no reason why we can’t go there and win. But we need to make sure we massively improve on where we were last weekend.” 

Grange star David Nairn and Keir Robb, who was influential for The University of Edinburgh last season, have been named in the Scotland men’s squad for their EuroHockey Championship qualifier in Vienna from August 22 to 25.

Scotland open against Croatia for a place in the semi-finals and the winner faces either Ukraine and Lithuania. 

The tournament winner will qualify for the EuroHockey Championship in Germany next year and the Scots come into the contest on the back of a 10-1 win against Czechia and two hard-fought draws with Poland.

Olympian Lee Morton has been named in the strong squad following his appearance for Great Britain Men in Paris where he scored three goals. Rob Field will captain a team that features a lot of firepower.

The squad also features three sets of brothers, Cammy and Jamie Golden, Joe and Andy McConnell and Ali and Calum Douglas.

Jonny Caren, the head coach, is confident the team will perform well and he added: “We have grown a lot both on and off the pitch as a team, finishing our last preparation game with a 10-1 win against Czechia.

“It was as close to a complete team performance as a coach could ask for. High intensity both in our pressing game and in our build up. Great connections, especially in the final third, and rounded off with a clinical performance inside the circle both in open play and in our attacking corners.”

Squad: Tommy Alexander, Tommy Austin, Calum Douglas, Alasdair Douglas, Rob Field (captain), Lewis Fraser, Jamie Golden, Cammy Golden, A J Lochrin, Callum Mackenzie, Andrew McAllister, Joe McConnell, Andrew McConnell, Lee Morton, David Nairn, Alasdair Richmond, Keir Robb, Struan Walker.

PICTURE: The Grange team including David Nairn who won the men’s Premiership last season. Supplied by Grange.

Five Edinburgh club players have been named in the Scotland women’s 18-strong squad for next week’s EuroHockey qualifier at Glasgow’s National Hockey Centre.

Watsonians trio, Amber Murray, Emily Dark and Sarah Jamieson, are joined by Jessica Ross and Ruth Blaikie, both The University of Edinburgh, and they team up with Olympians, Borders-born Sarah Robertson, Amy Costello from Edinburgh, and Dundee-raised Charlotte Watson.

Glaswegian Jess Buchanan, who was travelling reserve at the Paris Olympics, also returns to the fold, and Robertson, an Olympic bronze medallist in Tokyo four years ago, will captain the squad.

Wales (ranked no 25), Czechia (ranked no 26), Austria (ranked No 32), Croatia (ranked No 55) and Lithuania (ranked No 65) compete in Glasgow along with the hosts and the winner of the knockout tournament will play in next year’s A Division of the EuroHockey Championship in Monchengladbach, Germany.

Scotland are the highest ranked team in the tournament, they are No 16 in the world, and they have a bye to the semi-final and will take to the pitch on Saturday 24 August (14.15) to play either Austria or Lithuania.

Chris Duncan, Scotland’s head coach, said, “We have been really pleased with the growth of the group over the year. The performance development in different match play settings, and within training, has been refreshing to see.

“Coupled with this, to see our under 21’s succeed with a gold medal recently in Turkey has energised everybody within the group.”

He added: “The knockout format of this tournament is a challenging one so we need to find our rhythm and commit to our style of play from minute one of our first game. Selection has been tough, because we have so many players who have contributed so well over the past months, and put their hand up to be selected. Ultimately, though, we feel we have a really strong squad who are capable of showing what The Scotland Way is in this tournament.”

Playing at home, said Duncan, is always special, and the chance for the players to run out in front of a packed crowd of family and friends is something all the players are looking forward to.

Tickets are available from: https://scottish-hockey.org.uk/womens-eurohockey-championship-qualifier-a/

SQUAD: Amber Murray, Emily Dark, Sarah Jamieson (Watsonians HC), Amy Costello (Surbiton HC), Bronwyn Shields, Millie Steiger (Clydesdale Western), Charlotte Watson (Beeston HC), Ellie Mackenzie (Loughborough University), Eve Pearson (Grosslottbeker THGC, Germany), Frances Lonergan (Western Wildcats), Heather McEwan (Royal Victory, Belgium), Jennifer Eadie (Wimbledon), Jessica Buchanan (University of Exeter), Jessica Ross, Ruth Blaikie (The University of Edinburgh), Katie Birch (Durham University), Katie Robertson (vice-captain, Reading HC), Sarah Robertson © (Hampstead & Westminster)

PICTURE: Sarah Robertson (centre) in action for Scotland taken by Nigel Duncan

Red Door promotions has announced a new series of concerts at St Peter’s Church in Linlithgow, with one of the UK’s top saxophonists, Phil Bancroft opening the programme.

Bancroft appears in a duo with guitarist Graeme Stephen on Friday 23^rd August, with harper Karen Marshalsay presenting music on all three harps from the Scottish tradition – gut-strung, wire-strung and bray harp – on Friday 20 September.

Alto saxophonist and finalist in BBC’s Masterchef, Laura Macdonald follows on Friday 25 October in a duo with guitarist Kevin Mackenzie, and leading Scots singer Fiona Hunter closes the series on Friday 29 November accompanied by keyboardist Tom Gibbs.

Both Phil Bancroft and Fiona Hunter will be appearing with the Grit Orchestra for Edinburgh International Festival on Sunday 25 August and Bancroft says the contrast between playing in a big venue like Edinburgh Playhouse and the intimate St Peter’s is one of the great attractions in being a musician.

“I haven’t actually played at St Peter’s before,” says the saxophonist, “but Graeme has played there a few times and he’s full of praise for the atmosphere and sound quality in the church. I love playing with the Grit Orchestra, partly because we’ll be celebrating the music of Martyn Bennett, who was a good friend, but also because it’s wonderful to be part of such a great, big sound.”

The more personal musical conversation that Bancroft and Stephen will have in Linlithgow also appeals greatly, however.

“We’ll be sitting close together and quite close to the audience as well, so the sense of intimacy will be strong,” says Bancroft. “I enjoy playing in that situation because you can bring in lots of subtlety and nuance whereas on a big stage you might be more concerned with presence.”

Bancroft is currently in the middle of a programme of album releases. Having established his Myriad Streams web platform, where listeners can get to know his work without being constantly offered other music, he has been adding to the titles available there.

He reissues his first album as a leader, Swings & Roundabouts from 1997, in early September and has plans for both a trio album with Graeme Stephen and the Indian percussionist Gyan Singh and a solo album.

“Swings & Roundabouts didn’t really get the coverage I’d hoped for at the time,” he says. “That was a bit discouraging, but I went back and listened to it for the first time in quite a while recently and felt it was still a strong first statement. We might play some of the tunes from it in Linlithgow, I’m not sure, but it will be good to be able to let people know first-hand that I have music available.”

The cast of Somewhere are at the Space on Niddry Street for a short run of their family friendly new musical. The run ends on Saturday and they would love to have a professional review.

We are a little thin on the ground when it comes to reviewers so if anyone out there has seen the show or is going to the show then feel free to leave a comment below with your review. (and remember the stars!)

Created by Sarah Bishop, Somewhere is a brand-new fantasy musical with music and lyrics by internationally acclaimed indie-folk duo The Dunwells and other established Yorkshire singer-songwriters. Set in the mythical kingdom of Bywell, you will be enchanted as you follow the magical story of the shattered Somewhere mirror and the tale of Meredith who is cruelly parted from her family as a young princess. Expect breathtaking new musical theatre numbers, intriguing characters and a heartwarming storyline.

The play is brought to Edinburgh by a small company called By The Play.

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/somewhere

https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js

Candidates from various parties are already lining up to secure the Colinton/Fairmilehead seat which Cllr Scott Arthur is believed likely to vacate shortly.

This will cause a by-election in the three councillor ward currently represented by councillors from the SNP, Conservative and Labour groups.

Cllr Arthur was elected as an MP for Edinburgh South West with a majority of 6,217 votes in the recent General Election, and indicated that he would soon resign from his position as a councillor – although he has yet to formally offer his resignation. He was first elected to The City of Edinburgh Council in 2017, and became Transport Convener in 2022 after the local council elections.

The Conservative group was first to officially announce their candidate Neil Cuthbert, and the Liberal Democrat candidate will be Louise Spence who stood in the 2022 local elections. Both candidates stood in 2022 in this Ward – Mr Cuthbert gaining 1,100 first preference votes and Ms Spence gaining 1,416. The Labour Party candidate, Cllr Arthur, won 33.4% of the votes with the Scottish Conservatives second on 2,317.

Cllr Jason Rust who has represented the area for the past twenty years for the Scottish Conservatives said: “We have traditionally elected two Conservative councillors in our ward and I look forward to campaigning with Neil and continuing our track record of holding the Council to account and delivering for local people.”

The proposed Employment Rights Bill and what it means to your business is the headline topic for the next Midlothian and East Lothian Chamber of Commerce (MELCC) Business Breakfast.

Ciara McGovern (pictured) of HR & HS Dept is the speaker on Wednesday, August 28 (8:30am to 10.30am) at The Royal Musselburgh Golf Club, Prestongrange House, Prestonpans, East Lothian EH32 9RP.                  

Karen Ritchie, the CEO of MELCC, said: “Labour made it clear in their General Election manifesto called Change of their intention to introduce a raft of new employment legislation within their first 100 days of government as they look to strengthen workers’ rights.

“Labour proposals cover many different elements within the workplace and Ciara will take attendees through an overview of the proposals, what they mean for SMEs and also what actions you need to take now.”

Book your place on https://www.melcc.org.uk/chamber-events/

Meanwhile, emergency First Aid is the course topic on Tuesday, September 3 (9am to 12:30pm) at Eskmills Business Park and there are a crucial set of skills and actions that can save lives in critical situations before professional medical help arrives.

Karen said: “Training in how to notice signs of someone in need and take action can be the difference between life and death.

“The main aim of emergency First Aid is to preserve life and, with that in mind, the course contents includes common injuries/health issues, lifesaving techniques, lifesaving equipment, knowing your role, workplace processes, accident and incident reporting and First Aid needs assessment.”

Time has been built into the course for questions and answers and attendees will also be given an opportunity to network with potential business contacts on the day.

Book your place on https://www.melcc.org.uk/chamber-events/1166/

POLICE UPDATE: 39-year-old David Thomson who had been reported missing from Hawick in the Scottish Borders has been traced. Thanks for the likes and shares.

Police are appealing for help to trace 39-year-old David Thomson who has been reported missing from Hawick in the Scottish Borders.

David was last seen in the Hawick area around 10am on Thursday, 15 August, 2024.

From enquiries carried out so far it is believed he may have travelled to Edinburgh however his current whereabouts is unknown.

David is described as being of heavy build with short brown hair. He was last seen wearing a light blue shirt and dark blue trousers with a red checkered pattern.

Inspector Campbell from Melrose Police Station said: “It is completely out of character for David to go missing like this and his friends and family are becoming increasingly concerned about him.

“We have a number of police resources out looking for him and we would ask members of the public to report any potential sightings to us.

“We would also appeal directly to David to please make contact with someone to let us know that he is safe and well.”

If you believe you have seen David or have any information regarding his whereabouts please contact us on 101 quoting incident number 1182 of Thursday, 15 August, 2024.

Hearts will play Viktoria Pizen in the Europa League play-off round and the first leg is in the Doosan Arena in Czechia on Thursday, August 22 (6pm UK time).

The return is at Tynecastle on Thursday, August 29 (7.45pm) and tickets for the home leg go on sale at 10am on Friday, August 16 to season ticket holders.

They are reserved until Tuesday at 5pm after which unsold season ticket seats will be released for general sale.

Non-season ticket holders can buy tickets in the Roseburn Stand subject to availability.

Adult tickets for the Euro game are £20 and over 65s £15.

Ticket information for the first-leg in Pizen, who are currently second in the Czech First League and are managed by Miroslav Koubek, will be announced shortly but hospitality packages for the home leg will go on sale on Friday, August 16.

The Czechia team, who won the Czech First League title in season 2021/22, have finishing third in their last two domestic campaigns, but qualified to meet Hearts courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, who are eighth in the Ukrainian Premier League in the third round Europa League tie.

A goal from Daniel Vasulin after 52 minutes secured their passage after coming from behind to take a 2-1 victory in Ukraine in the first leg for a 3-1 aggregate overall.

Of course, victory for the Steven Naismith’s Jambos would see the Scots move into the Europa League groups but defeat would mean they play Conference League football. Pizen advanced to the quarter-final of that competition last season before falling to Italian side Fiorentina.

A desk, a typewriter, a side table for the bottles. Two chairs, one for Howard Moss (Ian Gledhill), the quiet, self-effacing poetry editor of The New Yorker, the other for Maeve Brennan (Carly Ann Clarke), its clever, beautiful, glamorous social diarist, reviewer, essayist and, later, short story contributor.

Clara Nel Haddon’s Maeve and Howard chronicles the long friendship between these two unlikely characters, which begins in 1950 when a young Howard arrives at the offices of The New Yorker. He is the grandson of Lithuanian Jews who fled their homeland in the First World War, she the daughter of Irish freedom fighters who took part in the 1916 Easter Rising. Maeve’s father Bob was for a while frequently on the run; he was still in prison in 1917 when Maeve was born.

Maeve had originally come to North America when her father embraced respectability and became the Irish Free State’s first minister to the US, moving his young family with him to Washington. While her two sisters had married, Maeve had moved to New York City to pursue her own career, first at Harpers Bazaar and then at The New Yorker itself.

Clarke personifies Maeve, her red hair chicly styled, her red lipstick always in place, her red Pappagallo heels shining. Maeve and Howard emphasises the two most important aspects of her character; she always felt Irish,

and she had been profoundly affected by the events of her childhood, in particular the night soldiers had ransacked her family home in Belgrave Road, Dublin looking for Bob. She returns to the events of that night again and again as her mind unravels. As she mutters fragments of its memory, Clarke sensitively conveys Maeve’s increasing fragility, her loosening grip on reality.

Heritage and home dominate the thoughts of Maeve and Howard throughout the play, during which we witness the entrancing, capricious Maeve descending into mental illness and alcoholism. Before that, both characters enjoy some success in their work; in 1972 Howard shares the National Poetry Prize with Frank O’Hara (who, as Howard ruefully points out, is already dead), while Maeve persuades their editor to publish some of the short stories that would make her (largely posthumously) famous.

Meanwhile neither do so well in their private lives. Maeve, who’s already been betrayed by the love of her life, makes a marriage that just about everyone (possibly including the bride herself) knows is a colossal mistake. Howard, a closeted gay man whose unsatisfactory relationship falls apart, ventures for the first time, at the age of 50+, to the leather bars of Greenwich Village.

But unlike Maeve, Howard is practical. He’s worried about her drinking, and her spendthrift ways. She is always in debt (‘the big ugly bills’ described by her favourite Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith are a constant problem.) When she’s found wandering out on the street, drunk and handing banknotes to passers-by, it’s Howard who takes her to the emergency room. There’s a moving description of the people they find there; Maeve always focused on the telling detail in her stories. She’s so traumatised by her problems, however, that here Howard has to speak to the staff on her behalf,

In this history of two writers, language inevitably assumes particular importance. Words that Clarke speaks here are sometimes quotes from Maeve’s exquisite writing. She reads snatches of her work aloud to Howard; he in turn speaks poetically of scenes they have shared. At the beach house, the crickets in the dunes are,

Maeve is soon homeless and sleeping in the ladies’ room at the office, where she throws imaginary parties. Recalling over and again her childhood, her parents. and that night in Belgrave Road, her mind is increasingly confused. The memory of the pure white gloves of her first communion are jumbled up with slogans of Irish independence like tombola tickets in a drum.

The show is interspersed with songs, during which Maeve and Howard dance slow dances, their physical closeness echoing their deep emotional connection. As Maeve’s life descends into chaos, and Howard bales her out again and again, she sings lines from the Irish rebel song Down by the Glenside; at one point Howard joins her with his own childhood memory, a Yiddish song sung by his grandparents.

While Maeve longs for the Ireland of her childhood – but knows that it no longer exists – so Howard thinks of his grandparents leaving the family shtetl in Lithuania, his grandfather dragging the babies and old folk along on a wagon. Their memories start to intertwine, memories of hiding under stairs and in cellars,, two sad and lonely people, both far from their homelands, neither able to return.

Maeve and Howard is a touching vignette of a show, though at times it feels so ephemeral that it threatens to slip away. I’m not sure how much someone would get from it if they had no previous knowledge of Maeve’s story; so many of the fine details make reference to events in Maeve’s childhood, but there is little time in a show of this length to explore them.*

Ian Gledhill brings out Howard’s supportive, quietly generous nature and his innate pessimism well. I don’t know if Howard Moss really had a cardigan, but this was the perfect accessory for the ’50 year old man-child’, who seeks security as much as Maeve does, but at the same time loves her vivacity and joie de vivre.

Clarke did seem very occasionally to stumble over her lines, but she brings great exuberance to this volatile, enigmatic character. One can certainly see why Howard was so enchanted by her, just as she saw in him a fellow wordsmith, a fellow loner, a fellow exile.

Maeve and Howard is directed by Mick Connell, with lighting and sound by Kyle Attwood. It is a Plush Tiger production. The show is at Venue 53, theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Stephenson Theatre) at 15.05 until 17th August. Tickets here.

*Angela Bourke’s biography Maeve Brennan, Wit, Style and Tragedy: an Irish Writer in New York is a good read for those who want to know more.

Birdman: We Are All in the Gutter, but Some of Us Are Looking at the Gutter

In comedy shows, it’s soon clear whether the performer will deliver the goods. Markus Birdman is one performer who secures almost immediate confidence in his audience.

The way that stand up comedy has risen in prominence is one of the defining characteristics of the Fringe. For many, stand-up dominates to an extent which marginalizes other forms. In my own experience, there is certainly a predominance of very competent stand up performers who ultimately struggled to produce something memorable. A 50-minute stand up show is not something easily achieved.

On Wednesday afternoon I saw one performer really struggle to produce consistently engaging material. They were easily put off by some of the muted responses from the audience, and this led them to forget where they were at certain points. Punch lines were missed and anecdotes fumbled. While the comedian talked a good game (“this is going to be a good show I promise”), they failed to deliver. The disjunct between what was promised and what was delivered became increasingly obvious. The show rather limped to a finish.

So it was a great joy to be in the audience for Markus Birdman’s show at the Banshee Labyrinth. After a very engaging preamble by his partner Malinda Mukama, Birdman took the audience through a number of themes, including his recovery from a stroke (which has badly affected his eyesight), his brush with fame (via an appearance on Britain’s Got Talent) and the challenges of a changing comedy scene. In stark contrast to the performer I saw earlier that day, Birdman’s performance was polished and confident, with never a false step. His anecdotes were engaging, full of surprising and genuinely humorous lines. He performed with the confidence of someone with 20 years in comedy, but without arrogance.

Particularly effective segments included a deconstruction of the classic “said the actress to the bishop” exclamation, reimagining it for the contemporary ‘woke’ world. More generally, his take on what themes are appropriate for comedy was insightful, rejecting a simplistic dichotomy between ‘old fashioned’ and ‘woke’ humour. Birdman illustrated this through the critical comments his appearance on Britain’s Got Talent had received, read out by his partner. This interaction added to the theatrical aspect of the show.

As the performance continued, Birdman got into deeper territory; adjusting to ageing, the nature of fatherhood, and about the true character of love (he gently probed some of the older couples in the audience about this, which proved illuminating). These themes were dealt with humour and no shortage of wisdom. This took the show beyond what most stand-up provides.

Markus Birdman: We Are All in the Gutter, but Some of Us Are Looking at the Gutter.

PBH’s Free Fringe @ Banshee Labyrinth – Cinema Room
3.55pm, until 17 August.

On her first official visit to Scotland, the Deputy Prime Minister the Rt Hon Angela Rayner met with John Swinney at Bute House.

Ms Rayner said that it was all about collaborative working but coming the day after Shona Robison announced cuts to public spending caused by Westminster cuts it appears there is a difference of opinion in the young relationship between the two governments.

After the meeting the First Minister said: “I am committed to building a constructive and collaborative relationship with the UK Government that delivers for the people of Scotland.

“In that spirit of cooperation, I was pleased to welcome the Deputy Prime Minister to Bute House to discuss how our two governments can work together on shared priorities such as supporting strong public services and reaching net-zero. 

“Following recent criminal disorder in England and Northern Ireland, both governments restated their duty to tackle hatred of any kind and agreed we have a responsibility to confront racism and religious prejudice wherever, and whenever, it appears – including on social media.

“I expressed concern at the UK Government’s decision to cut spending for the Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners without any consultation with The Scottish Government.

“Scotland faces the most challenging financial circumstances in the devolution era and has no alternative but to replicate this decision which will impact tens of thousands of pensioners in Scotland. 

“As I have previously warned, we need an injection of investment in our public services to deal with rising pressures and the ongoing cost of austerity.

“I look forward to engaging with the UK Government in areas where we can work together.” 

Mel Young, MBE, who founded the Homeless World Cup, is to receive the Edinburgh Award.

The selection is made from a shortlist created after a public vote for th person who has made a real and lasting impact to the city.

In the usual way, Mr Young will receive the Loving Cup and a scroll from the Rt Hon Lord Provost at a civic ceremony in the City Chambers. Before then he will have his handprints cast in one of the flagstones in the Quad outside.

In 2003 Mr Young co-founded the Homeless World Cup which has now extended to 70 countries in the world, touching the lives of more than 100,000 homeless people each year. He also co-founded the Big Issue a Scottish publication which is sold by homeless people allowing them to earn their own living. His latest post was as Chair of Sportscotland from 2016 to 2024.

This will be the 18th time the Edinburgh Award has been made, but Mr Young is no stranger to awards. He received the 2016 Jackie Robinson Humanitarian Award from then Lord Provost, Donald Wilson in a ceremony in the Lord Provost Suite.

Chair of the Edinburgh Award Panel, the Rt Hon Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Cllr Robert Aldridge said: “I’m delighted that Mel Young, MBE, has been chosen as the latest recipient of the Edinburgh Award. He deservedly follows in the footsteps of some of the finest individuals associated with our great city.

“From The Homeless World Cup, to The Big Issue in Scotland, his passion and dedication to changing lives and advocating for fairness is admirable and inspiring. Through his work he has represented the Capital with pride, dedication, and skill.

“I’d also highlight the fantastic work of The Homeless World Cup charity, based in the city, which now has partners in 70 countries, touching the lives of over 100,000 homeless people every year.

“I’d like to congratulate Mel on behalf of the city, and I’m sure he will continue to do great things, both here in Edinburgh and beyond.”

Mel Young said:“I am humbled and honoured to receive this Award. Edinburgh is a beautiful city, and I am proud to be one its citizens. The Homeless World Cup has its international headquarters in Edinburgh and connects all over the globe. I’d like to share this Award with the team of fabulous people in our organisation and to salute the real heroes of our work, the homeless people themselves who change their own lives through their involvement in our operations across the world. Thank you so much for giving me this Award.”