Rupert Bevan delivers a powerhouse performance in Darling Boy, a one-man show exploring longing, love and loneliness in a queer coming of age story that is both poignant and mesmerising.

It charts a young man’s journey through the dizzying highs and crushing lows of first love, and the concurrent thrill and emptiness of hook-up culture as he makes his way through the Melbourne club scene, grappling with both internalised and external homophobia. 

The writing is sharp, fast and deliciously funny, and Bevan brims with awkward energy, deftly capturing the aching self-consciousness of youth and the desperate search for belonging. Trying to balance conflicting desires of what his heart wants and what he thinks is expected of him, he struggles to know where he fits in.

Confessing that he doesn’t even watch Drag Race, he’s forced to ask himself, “am I a bad gay?”

This question lies at the heart of the play. It’s ultimately a story of identity and self-discovery, but above all, it’s an exploration of connection – to himself, his community and his home town, and to his family. The writing in these moments, particularly when talking to his parents, who are both battling their own internal turmoil, is at its finest.

While Bevan hams up his role as sassy gay best friend, tearing up the dance floor and writhing with conquests in satin sheets, he also invites us to look beyond one-dimensional caricatures. The result is a deeply textured rendering of the complexity and plurality of life for young gay men in modern times.

The story is brought to an ending that feels a little abrupt and unsatisfying, but it doesn’t detract from the play’s overall impact. The applause for Bevan kept going, and it wasn’t hard to see why. A captivating and memorable show from a rising star.

Darling Boy is at Assembly George Square Studios (Underground) until 16 August. 

Great news for coarse angling enthusiasts. Drumtassie Coarse Fishery near Blackridge in West Lothian is set to re-open after being shut since late June due to a burst water pipe.

Chanelle Mavor (pictured by Nigel Duncan), the fishery manager, said that the doors will open at 8am on Friday and the water will be open until 8pm.

Only two of the three ponds will operate initially with the carp lake still closed but it will also, hopefully, be open soon.

Chanelle said: “We’re back on Friday and Scottish Water have finished their work here including reinstatement of the paths.

“It’s been a long wait since June 23 but we’re hopeful that lots of anglers will come back and we’ve had lots of messages saying they will.”

The shop is well stocked and Chanelle confirmed that a new supply of maggots will be available on-site.

Meanwhile, West Lothian Angling Association have been forced to cancel their monthly fly tying night on Thursday, August 10, because of staffing issues at Howden Park Centre.

The next session will be on Thursday, September 14.

Work will begin on 21 August on the next phase of Corstorphine Connections, the measures to be trialled in the west of the city as a way of reducing non-residential through traffic.

The next part of the project will include widening of some pavements and reducing crossing distances at “key locations” in the area. This time there will be no changes to access for vehicular traffic but there will be some temporary disruption while the measures are installed.

Corstorphine High Street

Corstorphine High Street (between Ladywell Ave and Manse Road) will be closed from Monday 21 August for period of three weeks. The closure is Monday-Friday only and the road will be opened up during weekends. Lothian Bus route 1 and McGills bus route 68 are affected with route diversions.  The general traffic diversion through the area will be signed via Broomhouse Drive – Broomhouse Road – Meadow Place Road – Ladywell Road – Corstorphine High Street.

Rolling programme of work sites

There will be a variety of smaller work sites delivered in a rolling programme from September to mid-November, as listed below.  Traffic management will vary in scope from lane closures, temporary lights or road closures – details of each of these will be signed in advance of the works. Temporary diversion routes will be established during these operations and diversion signage provided. It is our intention to keep disruption to a minimum.

• Saughton Road North / Roull Road
• Dovecot Road / Ladywell Ave junction
• Featherhall Terrace / Featherhall Avenue
• Featherhall Road / Manse Street / Manse Road
• Tyler Acre Gardens / Tyler Acre Avenue / Lampacre Road

Another key part of the project has been to put up some new gates and signs at local schools:

A play which will be premiered at this year’s Fringe has input from 50 nurses who have shared their experiences working in the NHS.

All contributors are anonymous but their stories have resulted in a play which reveals funny, poignant and shocking stories from caring for patients in hospitals.

Writer, El Blackwood said; “Interviewing these nurses has been both a joy and an education. Starting out, I worried that it would be difficult to find enough nurses to speak to, yet each one recommended another, eager to tell their stories.”

With more than 800,000 nurses employed by the NHS today, they are responsible for much of the day-to-day care given to patients in hospitals, but more nurses are leaving the profession than ever before. 

In 2022 there were 600 fewer students studying nursing than The Scottish Government’s intake target. According to a recent survey by the Royal College of Nurses (RCN) two thirds of Scottish student nurses were considering a career change due to financial pressure.

Drawing on over 50 interviews with nurses of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities, this is the story of those workers who so often get overlooked. And the hope is that after Edinburgh the play will progress using more insights and perspectives to generate a public discussion about nurses.

Tending is at 11.30am from 14 to 26 August (not 20th) Thistle Theatre Greenside @Riddles Court Lawnmarket EH1 2PG.

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

The council’s Development Management Sub-committee has refused an application to amend planning permission for part of the Edinburgh Marina site.

The application relates to the marina development at Granton Harbour West on Harbour Road and the council refused the application partly on the basis that amending conditions previously granted would be contrary to the Development Plan. Council officers also noted that the applicant had failed to provide an appropriate Flood Risk Assessment covering the whole application site leaving the risk unmodelled and so any risk of flooding is unknown. Council officers considered that insufficient environmental information had been provided.

The developer, Edinburgh Marina Holdings Ltd, asked for the time-limiting conditions to be extended, saying that “the last three years have been very difficult for the development industry” and that finance is harder to attract. This is a significant development in the area, and even The Reporter in a previous appeal decision, acknowledged that before the pandemic.

The 33 hectare site is a major development in Edinburgh with plans for 3,396 homes with associated retail and business space. The development also includes a marina with 630 berths and a Hyatt Regency hotel.

Following a lengthy discussion and presentations by council planners and the applicants, Cllr Hal Osler the planning convener said: “We have new guidance before us, it is important guidance that we have in front of us, and it is critically clear that there are some bits in it which are important. We must be robust.

“I recommend the officers’ recommendation.” As there were no dissenting voices there was no need for a vote and the application was refused.

The applicants appeared at the meeting with their planning and legal representatives, explaining that the application has been made necessary due to some external controls outwith their control. One point noted was that it had taken some 46 months for the Masterplan to be approved by the council, and the applicants’ representative explained that alone had eaten into development time. The site has a very long planning history going back to the beginning of this century.

Charles Price Asset Manager for the applicant said to The Edinburgh Reporter after the hearing: “We are extremely disappointed but not surprised in view of the planning history of this development. Our client intends to lodge an appeal particularly given the successful outcome of their previous appeal in 2019.”

The City of Edinburgh Council has delayed taking any decision on the site at 22 Inglis Green Road on Wednesday.

After a lengthy afternoon hearing, it is now likely that the matter will be heard and decided on next month when the Development Management Sub-Committee meets. For now it will allow the applicant, Smarts and the council to reconsider the possibility of a pedestrian bridge over the Water of Leith when the developer will be invited to agree to at the least contribute to the cost.

The committee heard from a deputation from Longstone Community Council and one from the Water of Leith Conservation Trust (WOLCT) trying to persuade the council to add a condition to the planning permission that the developer adds a pedestrian footbridge over the Water of Leith. At present the plans include a short pedestrian/cycle route within the development which goes nowhere. The developer owns the Water of Leith up to the middle line and we understand that the council owns the land on the other side. At this time it would be a relatively easy addition to the building works to create the homes and commercial property in the application.

Wet July drives record breaking numbers underground to unravel Edinburgh’s dark past at The Real Mary King’s Close

With the Met Office confirming this July was the UK’s wettest since 2009, and the sixth wettest July on record, it’s probably no coincidence The Real Mary King’s Close reported a record-breaking number of visitors choosing to get out the wet and take the journey underground to the celebrated spooky attraction. There were 30.5k visitors to the historic Close beneath Edinburgh’s iconic Royal Mile last month – the highest number in July ever.

Celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year, The Real Mary King’s Close has not only established itself as one of Edinburgh’s top tourist attractions, but as one of the UK’s most highly rated experiences on TripAdvisor. Visitors journey underground, encounter fascinating former residents, and become immersed in the city’s secrets and untold stories. 

The Close has produced over 250,000 hours’ worth of tours since 2003 and continues to provide both tourists and locals with a fascinating glimpse into the city’s dark past, such as the extreme living conditions during the plague or the harsh effects of social hierarchy during the 17th century.  

Once vibrant and bustling with life, Mary King’s Close was a busy thoroughfare filled with traders and Old Town residents, as well the occasional royal visitor. In 1567, Mary Queen of Scots was held under house arrest at the home of the Lord Provost, Simon Preston, on the neighbouring Stewart’s Close – which can be seen at The Real Mary King’s Close today. When the plague arrived during the 1640s, the street’s close quarters made a perfect breeding ground for infection, permeating its homes and affecting the lives of the residents. 

Paul Nixon, General Manager of The Real Mary King’s Close said;

“As we know, summer in Scotland does not always mean sun! However, with a history as rich as Edinburgh’s, people are never short of things to do. Last month we had a record-breaking number of visitors for the month of July, with over thirty thousand people journeying underneath the iconic Royal Mile to learn all about the city’s mysterious past. The wet month certainly made people reconsider plans, and look for indoor activities. 

At The Real Mary King’s Close, we are passionate about storytelling and creating unforgettable experiences that transport our visitors back in time. We are thrilled to have been recently named as one of the Top 10 visitor attractions in the UK and cannot wait to welcome more curious souls this month during the Fringe Festival, rain or shine!” 

For more information and bookings please visit: https://www.realmarykingsclose.com

Longstone Community Council find themselves opposing a planning application for housing in their area, but the body actually wants more housing in their area.

The reason that they brought a deputation the Development Management Sub-Committee on Wednesday was to ask that the council impose an extra condition on any permission to house builders Smarts for the development to proceed. The community council want a pedestrian bridge over the Water of Leith included in the planning permission.

This is where Bonnie Prince Charlie camped – on the former Booker site – and the community council hopes that street naming might be extended to any new structure.

The community council says this would improve the “permeability” of the new housing development – which really means that anyone could find their way through the new housing on foot or bike by using a new bridge. It would increase the opportunities for active travel and would prevent Longstone from being cut off.

Alan Gordon, Treasurer of the Community Council delivered part of the deputation to the council’s Development Management Sub-Committee. He explained that the crossing is a safeguarded route connecting cyclists and pedestrians shown in the Local Development Plan, but the application is silent except to provide a path up to, but not across the Water of Leith.

He said: “Longstone is very constrained by the Murray Burn, and the Water of Leith forms a pretty big barrier of between a mile and a mile and a half along the edge of the community. Then there is the Calder Road and other roads on the other side. We rely on connectivity and permeability to reach most of our services. Many folks in our community, for example, are registered with the GP practice in Slateford Medical Practice but have to drive to get there.”

Their opposition has been longstanding, and they first started talking about the need for a bridge when Sainsburys on Inglis Green Road was approved – when permission could at that time have included a bridge. The community council say that the city council owns land on one side of the river.

Listen here to what the Community Council want.

Alan continued: “All our walks locally tend to be linear. A new bridge would tick so many boxes and is universally popular. We believe the National Planning Framework 4 will give the council more confidence to do this where traditionally in the past if they had imposed a bridge as a planning condition they might have found themselves being challenged by The Scottish Government.”

The papers for the committee meeting are here and the property in question is 22 Inglis Green Road.

Plans to close West Lothian’s two community hospitals and create a new purpose built centre in Livingston have been agreed.

The proposals will see Tippethill Hospital in Armadale and St Michael’s in Linlithgow, which has been shuttered for two years, close as community hospitals offering elderly care beds and dementia care.

These will now be concentrated around a single campus, including existing facilities at Maple Villa and a redesigned Craigmair care home site in Livingston.

Councillors who had voted to delay the decision accepted the proposed option to provide complex dementia care on one site through the co-location of Rosebery Ward with Maple Villa on the Craigshill Care Campus.  It will also provide frail elderly community hospital provision on the same site as Maple Villa in the Craigmair building, a care home  which will be converted.

The move comes as the Integration Joint Board (IJB) has to make savings of more than £13m in the next three years. 

Councillors on the IJB, which oversees social care services provided by NHS Lothian and West Lothian Council,  voted against approval of the proposals in June.

They were concerned that they did not have enough information on future provision to agree the closure of two community hospital facilities – fearing a growing elderly population would see a resurgence of demand.

Health officials produced statistics to show that changes based around a Home First care of the elderly model showed that hospital beds were needed on fewer occasions and that, in most cases, care of the elderly can be managed within the home setting.

The number of elderly people occupying community hospital beds had been dropping even before the onset of Covid-19, as fewer and fewer referrals were made. 

Staffing problems caused by the pandemic had prompted the temporary closure of St Michael’s to concentrate beds and resources at Tippethill near Armadale. 

Campaigners against the closure have argued that patients and families were discouraged or not told about the potential care beds at the hospitals and this generated the dropping numbers, but health professionals argue that the Home First care proposals were a more effective way of delivering cost effective community care.

Alison White Chief Officer said: “We have invested heavily and significantly in the Home First programme delivering that care and support in their own homes or in a homely setting and that increased capacity has seen a reduction in the number of people requiring hospital based care.”

 In her report Mrs White said the preferred option was “all community hospital provision in West Lothian on a single campus in Livingston and the creation of more modern service than currently exists. This option would see dementia care for both male and female patients provided in Maple Villa and frail elderly provision offered on the same campus in the Craigmair Interim Care Facility building.”

A single site would reduce operating costs,  be easier to staff, and provide other services within a short distance to St John’s Hospital. The report added the single site would provide the “ability to meet current demand and flexibility for longer term future bed expansion if required – 30 beds available in Craigmair compared with 24 currently provided at Baillie – improved accommodation and facilities for patients, families and carers, including ensuite showers in all rooms.”

The proposals were an opportunity to create: “a centre of excellence and enhanced care quality through a collaborative approach involving easier access to multi-disciplinary teams and expertise.”

The report added: “As well as delivering improved facilities, identified, financial savings would be achieved in full through this option – £750,000 for dementia care and £800,000 for frail elderly beds.”

Mrs White  said that if no decision was taken savings of £1.5m would have to be found in other health care areas. The money is the equivalent to 35% of the district nursing budget or 27  whole time equivalent staff for West Lothian. 

Mrs White said: “I must highlight that’s not a proposal we are putting to you but we are  wanting to put into context what alternatives might look like.” 

Capital costs for work at the Craigmair site have yet to be determined but the IJB would have no say in this element, which would be funded by the NHS Trust and West Lothian Council.

Mrs White pointed out that closure of Tippethill would make considerable savings for NHS Lothian in PFI payments. In backing the plan  the IJB will allow capital costs to be explored.

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.

Underbelly has added more names to the already star-studded roster of artists who will perform at its charity fundraiser.

With Frank Skinner and Adam Kay confirmed today Underbelly has announced that Comedian Larry Dean will host the event with Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Abandoman will also perform on the night.

100% of box office income will go to The Brain Tumour Charity – the world’s leading brain tumour charity, and a cause close to Underbelly’s heart. Underbelly Director, Ed Bartlam, and his wife Lucinda lost their son Alfie to a brain tumour when he was only seven, in August 2019.

So far Underbelly has raised more than £100,000 for the charity. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, yet research into this type of cancer is the least funded.

Ed Bartlam, Underbelly’s co-founder said: “I am so delighted that we are able to present the fifth of our Brain Tumour Benefit shows at Underbelly this year. The support from comedians and audiences for these shows has been incredible and we’ve raised over £100,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity since our first show in 2017.

“My wife and I have committed to raising £1.5 million by 2025 to fund a specific paediatric brain tumour research and new treatment project based in Cambridge. We’re doing this through a range of fundraising events and we’ve already raised £500,000. Just £1M more to go! This annual Fringe show is a crucial part of our fundraising drive, so do please buy a ticket to watch a truly amazing line up of comedians and raise money for this vital cause. It’s a win-win!”

Gina Almond, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at The Brain Tumour Charity, said: “It is wonderful news that the Big Brain Tumour Benefit comedy gig is happening again this year and we cannot thank our brilliant partners, Underbelly, enough for their continued support in raising vital funds for research and awareness of the devastating impact of a brain tumour.

“Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40 and they reduce life expectancy by 27 years, the highest of any cancer and this must change. The Brain Tumour Charity is committed to fighting brain tumours on all fronts. We can only strive towards our goal of people with a brain tumour living longer and better lives with the support from people like Ed, Charlie and the truly fantastic Underbelly team.

“I’m delighted that the Big Brain Tumour Benefit gig has become a regular feature during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and, having seen the fantastic line up for this year, I know it will be an utterly hilarious evening. Thank you all for your exceptional support.”

• Underbelly’s Big Brain Tumour Benefit
• 7.15pm
• Tue 15 Aug
• McEwan Hall, Underbelly Bristo Square
• Tickets: https://underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/events/event/underbellys-big-brain-tumour-benefit

Underbelly today announced the line-up for its fifth Big Brain Tumour Benefit in its biggest venue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, McEwan Hall. 

In Alison Skilbeck’s Uncommon Ground we are introduced to seven characters, all of whom frequent an unnamed common every day during the Covid lockdowns. Skilbeck portrays each of the characters – female and male – with the help of just a few props. She’s an excellent writer and actor, bringing each person to life with subtle nuances of speech, and personal stories that are both entertaining and poignant.

We begin with Margot, a posh woman with an out-of-control dog. Margot’s doing her best to cope with her demanding adult children and difficult husband, now all working from home

Margot had plans of her own for this year, but like so many others they’ve been scuppered. Skilbeck has women like Margot nailed perfectly; her speech is peppered with the idioms of her class; ‘plazzy bags’, ‘Margot Muggins’ – I’m sure you can hear this kind of thing in every smart suburb. But none of Skilbeck’s characters are one-dimensional, and we soon see that Margot has problems – and one problem in particular – of her own.

Tilly, Skilbeck’s next character, is an older lady now living with her niece and dealing with a recent diagnosis of dementia. Skilbeck skilfully portrays a woman who knows all too well that she is losing her grip and is desperately trying to reassure herself

Many of Tilly’s muddles are superficially funny, but really her situation is tragic. We feel for her.

The atmosphere lightens again, however, when Skilbeck brings on her Fairy Draggle/Mrs Sandra Foster. This council employee turned actor is trying out her new persona as a children’s entertainer

Before she gets her first customer, she gives us an amusing insight into life at home with her son and mother. And when a child finally hoves into view, there is a lovely interaction between them (as described by Fairy Draggle) and some pithy comments about his flat-soya-white drinking Mum.

Maureen, a hospice orderly, is Skilbeck’s next role. She wears a red tunic and a hairband. And she too has a very particular problem – but one she overcomes with tenacity and optimism. She loves working in the hospice, and she sings to the residents

Skilbeck subtly links each character to another; Sandra is the mother of Margot’s daughter’s boyfriend, Tilly is one of Maureen’s patients, and my own favourite character, Matty, is Sandra’s first customer. Matty is very much an only child, coming out with some grown up turns of phrase that he could only have picked up from his parents, whose separation he describes in poignant detail. Like many children, he is very observant, but doesn’t always understand the meaning of what he has seen; this adds both humour and pathos to the character of a little boy who feels like he’s the parcel being passed in an incomprehensible adult game.

Dougie takes a daily walk in his jacket and deerstalker hat. He lives with his wife Patti, whom he adores – indeed he’s enjoyed lockdown

He describes their life together, the fun surprises she gives him, the memories they have made

But now Dougie almost dreads going home; his story is a sad one.

Uniting all of Skilbeck’s characters is her seventh, one that’s been around a lot longer than any of them. It’s a tree. Skilbeck first introduces it at the beginning, but at that point we’re not quite sure what she’s talking about; at the end all becomes clear, and the tree is given a life of its own, as Skilbeck lists the numerous things, from violins to scaffolds, for which we need wood – and indeed the many reasons why we need living trees too.

Alison Skilbeck’s Uncommon Ground is a charming, touching show with humour and real humanity. Skilbeck is a hugely talented and experienced actor (you may have seen her as Lady Elton in The Crown) who handles her material with sensitivity and skill to create an enjoyable look at the intersecting lives of six people – and one all important tree.

Alison Skilbeck’s Uncommon Ground is at Assembly Rooms (Front Room) in George Street until 27 August. Please note there is no show on Monday 14 August.

The RNLI will be teaching free Swim Safe sessions at Portobello Beach on 9 September 2023 for children aged 7-14 years old.

Swim Safe is a free, fun outdoor swimming session that teaches young people how to be safe in and around open water. Taking part in a practical session can improve swimming ability and confidence in the water.

The sessions equips children with vital skills that could save their lives, this knowledge then helps reduce the number of incidents in the water. The hour-long sessions are designed for young people who can already swim 25 metres in a pool.

Around 7,010 children were helped to safety by RNLI lifeguards during the summer months last year which is an increase of 600 on the year before. The charity’s lifeguards saved the lives of 25 children in the UK and Ireland.

RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor, Iona Hamilton said: “The free Swim Safe sessions are a great opportunity for children to learn about keeping safe in and around the water during the summer holidays.

“By educating them about water safety from a young age, together we can reduce the number of incidents involving open water.”

The RNLI’s key water safety advice for 7-14 year-olds is:

• Stop and think – Always swim in a safe place
• Stay together – Always swim with an adult, younger children should always be within arms reach
• Float – If you find yourself in trouble in the water, float on your back like a starfish
• Call 999/112 in an emergency and ask for the Coastguard

Festival of Politics

The Festival of Politics begins at The Scottish Parliament on Wednesday for just three days. It kicked off with a reception held at Holyrood on Tuesday when entertainment was provided by the independent dance school, Nikkan Dance Academy which is based in Slateford.

The band DOPESICKFLY also entertained the invited audience and will be back in the parliament to play at 12.25 and 2.30pm/

The Festival begins at 11am with a conversation with musician Dame Evelyn Glenn OBE.

Below the dancers pose after their performance with L-R behind Martin Whitfield MSP, Consul-General of India, Bijay Selvaraj, Foysol Choudhury, MBE, MSP and Cllr Marie-Clair Munro.

The full programme is here and ticket prices are very reasonably priced:

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Broomhouse Street Party

Space @ The Broomhouse Hub received half a million pounds from Foundation Scotland which helped develop the state of the art Broomhouse Hub.  This investment has transformed the lives of hundreds living in South West Edinburgh.  Come along to the Street Party to meet with key people from the charity and from Foundation Scotland, volunteers, and local people from all generations who benefit from this incredible support. 

The frontline charity has recently tripled their staff capacity and doubled the reach of their vital support services post-pandemic. The charity cites the development of their multi-purpose community hub as the catalyst for this expansion.  Foundation Scotland’s social investment played a pivotal role in this development.

The party takes place on Thursday 10 August with involvement from Space, The Big Project, B healthy together, St David’s Broomhouse Church and Community One Stop Shop from noon to 4pm.

• The Broomhouse Street Party is an annual event and this year it is back bigger and better than ever before with free activities, food, stalls and events for all generations.  Taking place throughout the indoor and outdoor areas of the fabulous Broomhouse Hub, organisers have closed off the road with celebrations spilling over to the St David’s church grounds.  
• Free food is available all day, including firm summer favourites like burgers and hot dogs and our Outta Space Pizza team will have two stands set up dishing up tasty pizzas as well on both sites. Everyone will be given food vouchers to redeem on entry to the Street Party, with ice cream vouchers available for the wee ones 

Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal

It is five years since The City of Edinburgh Council signed the City Region Deal with all other local authorities in the area, The Scottish Government and the UK Government.

Here is a video offering a five year report:

John Kerry

Former US Secretary of State John Kerry will speak at an event at the Signet Library on 24 August. The event will be by invitation only but will be live streamed.

Mr Kerry is an American attorney, politician and diplomat. He will make a keynote address on an issue of global concern. 

he event will launch an annual joint series of ‘Scottish Global Dialogues’ with Beyond Borders, to feature guests of international standing, held each year in the height of the Edinburgh Festivals. The series aims to promote non-partisan debate on international relations and global politics, in the interests of advancing citizenship and cultural exchange. The series is supported by the Scottish Council for Global Affairs.

In January 2021, Kerry assumed a full-time position in President Biden’s administration serving as a Special Envoy for Climate.

Our August issue

Our August newspaper is on the streets now and we hope you like it.

Our cover story is about Rachel, with a strapline to our exclusive story about the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

And inside we have a feature from George Mair who is writing for us for the first time this month – and loads of sport from both Nigel Duncan and Bill Lothian.

If you would like to receive a copy just a wee bit ahead of everyone else then please subscribe by clicking on the image below. (And do read about Rachel and the Barbie story here)

Balfour+Manson has strengthened its property team with the arrival of a new Associate and Solicitor.

Kirstyn Logan has joined the team, from Drummond Miller, as an Associate. She is an experienced property law professional who has also worked for McEwan Fraser, Gilson Gray and Clancy Hendrie Legal – and is well-known for the friendly and efficient service she provides to clients.

Adeeb Mostafa has also joined the Balfour+Manson property team, as a Solicitor. He arrived from McEwan Fraser last month after previously completing his traineeship at Thorntons. In addition to his total professionalism, Adeeb is highly regarded for providing a personal touch, and a willingness to go the extra mile for clients.

Ken Robertson, a Partner at Balfour+Manson who heads up the property team, said: “We’re delighted to have Kirstyn and Adeeb on board. Both of them are excellent lawyers, but also very well-regarded for providing excellent and friendly customer service.

“They have both settled well into the team at Balfour+Manson and we look forward to supporting clients old and new with our enhanced and very personable team.”

After finals day at Murrayfield the new champions have been announced.

L-R Morag MacPherson (ladies B champion), Norma Richmond (senior ladies champion), Harry Hawthorn (junior boys champion), Debbie Hay-Smith (ladies champion), Archie Wyatt (men’s champion), Peter Andrews (senior men’s champion), Susan Stephen (ladies bronze champion) and Jim Anderson (men’s B champion).

·       Photographed separately as the final was played on a different day is girls champion Lucy Fraser with the Gerard Cup.

K-pop and Greek tragedy come together in Trojan Women by the National Changgeuk Company of Korea. 

Trojan Women features original music by K-pop producer and Parasite and Squid Game composer Jung Jae–il, in collaboration with renowned pansori master Ahn Sook-sun.

Trojan Women blends Greek tragedy and pansori, an ancient Korean form of musical storytelling, from the National Changgeuk Company of Korea and visionary Singaporean director Ong Keng Sen. 

Set after the sacking of Troy, Trojan Women sweeps audiences up in the heartbreak and determination of the city’s female survivors, in a portrait of community over chaos. 

Brought to life by over 25 singers, actors and musicians, the original music was created by K-pop producer and Parasite and Squid Game composer Jung Jae-il in collaboration with renowned pansori master Ahn Sook-sun.

Tickets here for limited run from 9 to 11 August.

Scotland is currently staging the biggest cycling event in history, the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, mainly in Glasgow, and one Lothian MSP wants to ensure his constituents benefit from them.

Until 13 August 2023, the city will have welcomed thousands of amateur and elite cyclists from more than 120 countries to compete at the highest level in 13 different cycling disciplines. The event is convened as a collaboration between UCI, The Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, UK Sport, British Cycling, Glasgow Life and VisitScotland.

The World Championship has drawn people from across the sporting landscape to Glasgow, including key national and international decision-makers. Scotland’s Shadow Minister for Culture Foysol Choudhury MSP, who was among the figures who attended. Mr Choudhury said that championships as such are an excellent opportunity to get more people into sports and showcase all that Scotland has to offer to the world.

He said: “With our fantastic landscape and cities as backdrops for the event, it’s been great to show the world exactly why so many of us are proud to call Scotland our home.

“Not only that, but it’s really helped to encourage sport, amongst young people and adults alike.

“We not only have breath-taking scenery if you want to cycle outdoors, but we also have excellent velodromes for indoor cycling.

“This is a great opportunity to embrace active travel as part of a healthy lifestyle and start cycling again – I know I’ve definitely been inspired to get back into the habit!”

As part of the build-up to the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, an £8 million Cycling Facilities Fund has been jointly invested by The Scottish Government and sportscotland to support cycling communities and club facilities across Scotland.

Mr Choudhury noted the importance of this investment. He said: “To encourage active travel and sport, we need to make sure that everybody has access to the equipment and facilities needed to participate.

“That’s why funding to community and club facilities is so important.

“I would like to congratulate two projects from West Lothian – Balbardie Park Pump Track and West Lothian Cycle Circuit, Linlithgow – who have received awards of £45,433 and £636,011, respectively.

“I hope that my constituents can make use of the benefits that these funds can bring.

“Let’s all get inspired by the Championships this summer and join in to feel the Power Of The Bike.”

St Davids Brass Band in Midlothian has bought the dilapidated Vogrie Hall in Gorebridge for £100,000 after a deal to take it over for just £1,000 fell through.

St David’s Brass Band is a registered charity in Midlothian and previously leased Vogrie Hall for 12 years as its practice space.
The hall closed during Covid lockdown but when the opportunity came to apply to Midlothian Council for a Community Asset Transfer of the hall, they moved to agree a deal. Despite councillors agreeing the band should be able to take over the hall for just £1,000, it did not happen after concerns over conditions attached to the transfer were raised by the band.

Now the band has paid the local authority the full market value of  £100,000 to own the hall outright and faces spending more than £500,000 to bring it back into a usable home for the band.

The hall was once at the heart of the Gorebridge community but has been left in a state of disrepair, with water leaking through its roof, fungal growth and a partial ceiling collapse.

Alistair Taylor, secretary of the brass band, said they had been disappointed that the community asset transfer did not go ahead.
He said: “We had concerns about conditions that the council attached which meant if we sold the land and building at any time in the future for a purpose outwith the transfer use they would be entitled to 100% of the profit despite the band putting all the money into bringing it back to life.

“We repeatedly asked for talks to discuss alternatives to the conditions, which set off red flags with us, but were repeatedly ignored. Despite attempts to resolve the issue we were told the transfer deadline had passed and it was no longer on the table. In the end we decided to buy it outright, but every step forward for bringing it back to use has involved jumping through hoops for the council. We don’t know why they have been so difficult, they should be glad we are willing to take it on in the dreadful state it has been allowed to fall into.”

The council closed the hall two years ago after it was deemed unsafe and the band has been using alternative venues.

The band received two anonymous donations raising £300,000 towards setting up a permanent home which helped buy the hall and start planning for its refurbishment.

They have also received funding from the UK Government Levelling Up scheme and numerous trusts and foundations towards the work needed.

Fiona Dickson, from the band, said it was important to them to ensure donations were used for the benefit of the band saying: “The transfer conditions made us concerned those donations would end up going back to the council and we need to ensure that did not happen so buying the hall ended up the only option.”

Midlothian Council said the transfer of the hall had been to allow it to be used as an ‘expressive arts centre’ and the conditions would only have meant that had it been sold for another use the council would receive profits after the band recouped any investment it had made.
A spokesman said: “The council was in ongoing discussions with the applicant’s legal representatives to negotiate the terms and conditions of transfer.
“The terms were reflective of the Community Empowerment Act 2015, in particular where the authority seeks to protect the asset when disposing at a discounted (less than market value) price.

“With regards change of use, the council would get 100% of the difference between a refurbished Vogrie Hall’s value as an expressive arts and community centre and its value with the proposed change of use in place. Therefore, any investment made by the brass band was likely to be recouped by them.”

More information on St Davids Brass band and how to donate to the hall fund can be found at stdavidsbrass.co.uk

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.

Gilded Balloon stars Paul Black, Michelle Brasier and The Kinsey Sicks joined Artistic Directors Katy and Karen Koren to paint the town pink for ‘Pink Wednesday’.

On Wednesday there will be discounted £5 tickets for shows across Gilded Balloon venues, fancy dress competitions, food and drink promos and more. 

Gilded Balloon will offer a £5 ticket deal for one day only on Wednesday 9th August via Gilded Balloon’s box offices or websites, with a percentage of ticket sales donated directly to Equality Network to support LGBTI+ activism in Scotland, with shows including Kaye Adams How To Be 60, Jack Docherty, Let the Bodies Pile by Henry Naylor and more all taking part.

Raising funds for the Equality Network; an organisation dedicated to advancing equality and human rights for the LGBTI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) community in Scotland, Gilded Balloon’s Pink Wednesday will see Fringe acts get involved with discounted tickets, fancy dress competitions, charity collections and more.Traditionally nicknamed ‘Black Wednesday’ due to slow ticket sales across the festival, Gilded Balloon took ownership of ‘Pink Wednesday’ as a day of charity, celebration and wall-to-wall comedy! 

tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk 

In Modern Witches, a woman in the midst of a sapphic relationship crisis finds her ground thanks to the spirits and witches in her life, resulting in a surprise visit from Virginia Woolf’s ghost.

Lesbian actor Kate struggles to create a self-tape audition as Virginia Woolf, revealing that she is frozen in the midst of running away from her healthy relationship. The self-tape shifts from an actor’s grind to an incantation as Kate accidentally summons the ghost of Virginia Woolf, whose bold approach to life helps her to uncover the root of her fear. From the storefront of a mystic shop to the rabbit hole of #WitchTok, this comedic romp explores Woolf’s biography, queer relationship anxiety, and archetypes of the modern witch.

Modern Witches is a mixed media show, making use of TikTok , Siri and YouTube to evoke multiple characters in this one-woman show. Called “wildly imaginative” by raving audiences, Modern Witches is 50 minutes of Woolf and western witchcraft lore, channeled through a spiraling lesbian actor caught in the decision to settle down or live a life of her own.

Playing at Greenside Infirmary Street August 14-19 and 21-26, 7:35PM-8:25PM. £15 full, £12 concession, with daily half price tickets available at the Half Price Hut. 

Katie Kopajtic said: “When people ask me what my play Modern Witches is about, I explain it like I explain my life when an unwitting person asks, “What do you do?” So I write, and act sometimes, I’m also a swim coach and improv teacher, video editor…So there’s this actor, and she’s a mess, so she’s practicing witchcraft, and it’s about Virginia Woolf…I choke on the elevator pitch, I cannot bottle it up. 

“Marketing wisdom would tell me that this is due to a lack of confidence, which may have been true at the start. 

“Six years ago at our cousin’s Christmas party, my older sister gave me the seed that would become the show, prompted by a complaint I made against my face. Looking down at a freshly taken polaroid, I complained about how the light caught my nose on its big side. I was wading in a bog of low self-esteem since getting back from the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe, where my one woman show did pretty good but was not career-changing, where the come-down never really stopped plunging. 

“You have a Virginia Woolf profile,” my sister said. “You should be her for your next show.

“I still struggle to give an elevator pitch of Modern Witches, not because I do not believe in the work, but because the show is as amorphous as Virginia Woolf’s selves. 

“Honestly? It’s a vibe. 

“You just have to be there.“

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/modern-witches

Temporary classrooms are being set up in the school car park at Preston Lodge High School in Prestonpans, after concern over the discovery of ‘crumbling’ concrete used in the original building.

Preston Lodge High School in Prestonpans, East Lothian, has been identified as being built using a lightweight concrete which has sparked alarm nationally.
Now education chiefs have revealed plans to bring in six Portakabins to provide lessons in a planning application lodged with the local council.
Schools return next week in East Lothian, but Preston Lodge has had to close 23 of its 71 classrooms while work to make them safe is carried out.
S1 pupils due to start at the school when it returns have already been told they will remain in their current primary school classes at their old schools, although following a new timetable. Older pupils will use the Portakabins which are being installed in the main car park for lessons.
The retrospective planning application, lodged with planners, says the temporary units will be in place for up to six months to help provide alternative classrooms to make up for those out of action.
It adds: “The six month period is the duration that has been established by the contractor who is currently designing the necessary repair work to make the existing classrooms available again.”
Preston Lodge High School has been identified as having been built using Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) .
The lightweight concrete material which was used in construction between the 1950s and 1980s has been identified as a concern by Government because it can crack and crumble.
A review of East Lothian Council buildings identified the material at the school and at its Brunton Theatre, in Musselburgh, which has had to close to performances.
The council is carrying out engineering work to establish the best options to tackle the problem with costs unknown at this stage.

by Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.

A woman who fought for 18 years for a new home in West Lothian after her property was condemned is set to lay the first brick of her new house.

Springfield Homes are set to start building the new homes in the Deans South site in Livingston after it was finally cleared last winter, and Kerry Mackintosh has been invited on Tuesday to start the work.

“It’s going to be emotional”, said Kerry this week. “There’ll be a few tears, but they will be happy tears.” she added.

Kerry and her neighbours, including Phil Cavan,  won a deal two years ago when Springfield Homes agreed to provide a home on the site in Deans South. They have fought for almost 20 years since their homes were condemned after Siporex roof panels began causing problems.

West Lothian Council re-homed the tenants but those such as Kerry and Phil who had bought their homes were stuck, and locked in a long dispute with the council over suitable compensation and alternative housing – with the area becoming known as a ‘ghost estate’.

Kerry’s old home was finally demolished in November and Springfield has spent the last few weeks carrying out extensive groundworks on the site, which was first developed by Livingston Development Corporation in the early 1970s.

The Deans South estate, built by Livingston Development Corporation and inherited by West Lothian Council was emptied of tenants after the failures of the Siporex  concrete roof panels.

The panels, also known as Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) have now been discovered  in dozens of council buildings across West Lothian  and many more across Scotland. 

West Lothian council faces a bill north of £30 million to repair or replace public buildings where RAAC has been found. Siporex is a brand of the same material. It has been found to crumble after absorbing water. Internal steel roads designed to strengthen the concrete corrode. 

 Kerry and neighbours who had bought their homes began a long battle for meaningful compensation as the empty estate crumbled around them.

 In 2019  Kerry and her neighbours accepted a deal from Springfield Homes of a new home to replace their own  three bedroom properties.

It took another two years to broker a deal with the council to secure the site for redevelopment to allow demolition to go ahead last year.

Kerry told The Local Democracy Reporting service she was “buzzing” that work had started.

“It’s really great to see the work starting. The groundworks will take a few weeks as they’re having to dig down five or six feet to clear  the land but it’s the start. 

“It’s an amazing experience to see the work starting when you know it’s going to be your new home.”

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.

Huge opening for Scottish firms as refurb framework launches

Businesses in Scotland are being called on to take up a lucrative opportunity to bid for work worth up to £100 million to support the country on its net zero journey.

A leading procurement expert is urging firms of all sizes to apply for its latest framework, offering property refurbishment and modernisation specialists the chance to bid for a huge range of environmental, electrical, joinery, plumbing and decorative works.

One of the key targets of the Scottish Procurement Alliance’s (SPA) latest framework is geared towards tackling Scotland’s 2045 net zero targets by seeking to retrofit and repurpose a wide variety of social housing and public buildings across the country.

Lesley Anderson, Regional Director at the Scottish Procurement Alliance, the country’s biggest, free-to-join procurement organisation, says the framework will help public bodies to manage their assets more effectively, comply with regulations, and improve their financial performance, ensuring that public assets are safe, reliable, and cost-effective.

Lesley said: “Retrofitting projects will play a huge role in making sure that we take the necessary steps to achieving Scotland’s net zero targets. We are helping councils, social landlords, the NHS and a host of other bodies to achieve what they need to in the most efficient and effective ways.

“The framework is an exciting opportunity for SMEs and larger organisations to get the chance to deliver on meaningful projects within the public sector. It has a huge emphasis on encouraging local supply chains, so we’re also hoping it will have huge benefits to local economies too.”

SPA’s 17 frameworks offer an efficient and compliant route to market for the construction, refurbishment and maintenance of social housing and public buildings. It works with 120 partners, including councils, blue light services, the NHS and is particularly renowned for its work with an extensive range of social landlords.

Its latest refurbishment and modernisation framework, known as RM3, covers a huge range of works including kitchen and bathroom refits, heating system installations, extensive electrical works, mould prevention, fire safety upgrades, landscaping and other external works and energy efficiency.

Lesley added: “Our frameworks are constantly evolving to look at how we can support the public sector and the country as a whole – we’re confident the RM3 will do just that, playing a part to support the country’s wider drive to protect the planet.”

Five workstreams for the framework have been split into a series of project value bands to cater for a mix of SMEs able to take on refurbishment works. The workstreams individually contain different value bands ranging from £0 -£2 million+.

Bidders can apply to operate in Eastern Scotland, West Central Scotland, Scottish Borders, Dumfries, and Galloway, East and North Ayrshire Mainland, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire but are required to be able to demonstrate a turnover of £500k.

SPA has emphasised the importance of having SMEs apply and has attended a variety of events targeted to SME’s to raise awareness and discuss opportunities. SPA has also hosted a talking tender session where they help businesses to understand about potential tender opportunities and how to apply.

SPA’s 120 partners cover a diverse range of public sector entities from small cooperatives, regional and national registered social landlords (RSLs), as well as local authorities. It also works with 300 suppliers, mostly SMEs, who deliver services to SPA’s partners.

As a proud not-for-profit, SPA’s surpluses are reinvested into Scottish communities through its Community Benefit Fund (CBF) by working with its dedicated charity, Lintel Trust. Since 2017, the CBF has allocated over £1.7 million in grants and match funding to support community groups, charities, and causes, delivering social value of more than £3.9 million.

Those interested in the framework can apply here: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/lhc/aspx/Tenders/Current

Attempts to establish a club in East Lothian for players of the fast growing sport of Pickleball will move a step forward with an introductory session planned for Queen Margaret University on Monday, 14 August, from 10.30 – 12.30.

Pickleball is a racket or paddle sport where two or four players hit a perforated, hollow, plastic ball with paddles over a 34-inch-high net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits an infraction. Pickleball is played indoors and outdoors.

The playing area is the same size as a doubles badminton court and is suitable for all ages with several clubs and sessions already taking place throughout Edinburgh.

Organisers claim it provides low-impact exercise, improves balance and flexibility and nurtures social connections.

Driving force behind the latest venture is Louise Harrison, who said: “On moving through from Nairn I found there was much more provision for Pickleball in the West of Scotland.

“So, along with Linda Hamilton, a fellow Pickleball ambassador, we decided to do something about it which has led us to QM University helped by a really pro-active approach from Enjoy Leisure while facilities are excellent with four halls and a café.”

The club will seek to strike a balance between social and competitive play and further opportunities to try the sport are on the horizon.

For example a Pickleball Festival is planned for Meadowbank on 4 November hosted by Pickleball Scotland and the local club.

Cost of the introductory session at QM University is £3. Please register in advance at Eastlothianpickleball@gmail.com

Our photograph shows a session in full swing at Craiglockhart Sports Centre.

Signs to ward off doorstep cold callers are preventing nearly £400,000 being lost to scammers, the council says.

The city’s ‘no cold calling zones’ aim to reduce the number of people falling victim to rogue traders, bogus callers and all ‘doorstep crime’.

Since the measures were piloted in 2006 they have been rolled-out across 135 zones, some consisting of single streets and others covering multiple streets in a local area, which are designated when a majority of local residents indicate their support.

Councillors agreed to support the expansion of the scheme at a City Chambers meeting held on Monday (August 7).

Licensing standards officer Tom Veitch told the Regulatory Committee that the people most vulnerable to being scammed on their doorstep “are often elderly and live alone”.

He said: “Statistics show that the victims of doorstep crime are two and a half times more likely to require residential care or have died within a period of a year of an incident of doorstep crime.

“As well as the personal, emotional impact, in terms of the preventative financial value of no cold calling zones we estimate that to be just short of £400,000 a year.”

The council’s estimation is based on an assumption that each zone prevents one doorstep crime incident per year, at an estimated cost of £2,952.

Mr Veitch highlighted the “importance” of community champions who act as a contact point and distribute questionnaires to residents, as it needs to be demonstrated that a majority of people within a ‘zone’ back the proposals before they are introduced.

“They are all about empowering residents but they also do require that buy-in from a resident to make that initial commitment,” he said.

Once a new zone is established ‘no cold caller zone’ front door stickers are distributed locally and signs are attached to lampposts. The council says resident feedback is “very positive”.

However Mr Veitch said it had proved “more difficult” to get the support needed to set up zones in tenements and shared door properties.

He said: “Whether it’s HMOs or short-term lets, there tends to be that turnover of tenants as well which can make it quite difficult.”

by Donald Turvill Local Democracy Reporter

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.

August the eighth is exam results day for 144,000 young people across Scotland. Congratulations to all the students who got the results they had hoped for! It’s a real relief to open that dreaded envelope and find good news.

For those that didn’t, don’t worry. If you’re not sure what to do next, the results helpline on 0808 100 8000 can steer you towards course vacancies, apprenticeships, volunteering or one of the many, many other options that are open to you. You can also get wellbeing support if you are feeling worried or perhaps not ready to make a big life changing decision. Check the SQA website and My World of Work for more information.

Remember there are plenty more ways to get where you want to be, or to figure out what that is. People wander up, down and sideways across all sorts of different paths in the course of their lives and are all the better for it. There really is #NoWrongPath

Below are a few examples of famous people, past and present, who did not follow a linear track but achieved great success in their fields.

WINSTON CHURCHILL
The most famous UK Prime Minister and World War 2 leader did not do so brilliantly at school and took three attempts to pass the entrance exam for the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. On his school days, he said: “…I had hardly ever been asked to learn anything which seemed of the slightest use or interest, or allowed to play any game which was amusing. In retrospect those years form not only the least agreeable, but also the only barren and unhappy period of my life.”

JK ROWLING
Rowling was a single mum, on benefits and struggling financially at the time she wrote the first Harry Potter book. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was rejected by 12 different publishers before finally a small print run was agreed. It’s probably the most successful series in the world now.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN
The USA’s most famous President, had little formal education and did not attend college or university. Born poor, he worked on the family farm, was a soldier and ran a general store amongst other early roles. After Lincoln successfully ran for election he decided to teach himself law in order to join the Bar.

STEVEN SPIELBERG
The phenomenally successful Oscar winning Director Steven Spielberg was rejected from the University of Southern California’s film school three times, apparently! He eventually got a college degree some 35 years later in 2002, with the band playing the Indiana Jones theme tune at his graduation.

ALBERT EINSTEIN
The scientific genius Einstein did not do well on the university entrance exam and was not accepted for his first choice, the Polytechnic School in Zurich, Switzerland.

CHARLES DARWIN
Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection changed the course of science, yet he had a chequered career academically, failing at a medical career to the annoyance of his father. He was said to have preferred riding and shooting to studying. In his autobiography he wrote “I was considered by all my masters and my father, a very ordinary boy, rather below the common standard of intellect.”

WALT DISNEY
Walt Disney went bankrupt more than once before his studio became such a hue international success story, and the Disneyland theme parks were turned down by financiers. He was fired from an early job as an animator on a newspaper because the editor thought he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas”.

THOMAS EDISON
Credited with inventing the lightbulb, Edison was apparently told he was “too stupid to learn anything” at school and fired from his first couple of jobs. When questioned about his many unsuccessful experiments he said: “I have not failed, not once.  I’ve discovered ten thousand ways that don’t work.” Persistence got him there in the end.

As comedian Sarah Millican reminds everyone: “if you don’t get what you need, it isn’t the end of the world: You can always resit. Yes, good exam results are useful but not the be all and end all. (I got 2 Ds and an E) Take care. Hugs and love xx”

Carlton cricket club have qualified to play Banstead CC, from Surrey, in the final of the ECB under-15 competition at Lord’s on Saturday 2 September.

The Edinburgh outfit booked their place by holding off Leamington CC at Elsecar CC near Barnsley after winning the toss and scoring 98 from their allotted 20 overs.

At the crunch Leamington needed 19 runs from the last over with four wickets remaining but it proved too much.

Principal damage was done by players who returned to the ranks after missing the semi-final due to Scotland age-group commitments including Oli Stones who top scored with 38 and Fergus Foley whose three wickets cost only 10 runs.

In reaching the home of cricket the Carlton youngsters will follow in the footsteps of Freuchie CC men who caused a stir by winning the National Village Championship in 1985.

Hopefully it is an omen that Freuchie defeated a team from Surrey that day – Rowledge CC.

Meanwhile, under-15 match winners Foley and Stones stepped out of their natural age-group to help Carlton under-16’s win a Scottish Cup.

They are pictured with victorious Carlton under-16 team-mates after beating Gordonians, from Aberdeen, in the final.

Back row – left to right – Fergus Foley, Lewis King, Robbie Murray, Ben Stronach, Dan Mowat, Hector Murray

Front row – Oli Stones, James Stronach, Max D’Ulisse, Shreyas Tekale, Hamish Foley.

What a weekend for Hutchison Vale community sports club football teams with both the 2011 and 2012 teams enjoying success.

The 2011’s travelled to Ayrshire for the 30th instalment of the Land O’ Burns Scotland Cup and were unbeaten in their five matches (one draw) without conceding a single goal while scoring 33 themselves.

Not to be outdone were the 2012’s who played nearer home at Peffermill Recreation Ground in the Edinburgh Cup, a football festival. They finished unbeaten with four wins and a draw – although unlike the 2011’s they did concede a single goal.

Hooker Will Murray will captain Portobello Rugby Club in their centenary year which kicks off competitively with an East Division One fixture at Haddington on Saturday, 2 September followed by a home encounter with Linlithgow a week later.

Friendly action is already underway for the Cavalry Park based outfit though and since Kirkcaldy Rugby Club’s first recorded game was 150 years ago against Portobello High School it was appropriate to cross the Forth at the weekend and re-enact that fixture.

Providing a major boost is a six year sponsorship deal with Scotia Wealth Management, a local firm of Financial Advisers.

Lesley Edgar, who is continuing as club president, says: Scotia Wealth Management have paid the entire six years up front which has enabled new centenary strips to be purchased and secures kit for the next few years.  Scotia are a returning sponsor as are KM Gardening and The Portobello Tap, both local companies.

“Last year we started an association with a small mental health charity in Craigmillar – Let’s Talk.  We created a video, in conjunction with Scottish Rugby, to promote their services and how they help local kids. 

“Our out-going captain, Keith Jeffrey, had his flowing locks cut off raising an amazing £2,244.47 for the charity – as well as donating his hair to the Princess Trust to make wigs. 

“We were grateful to local salon Romeo Juliet Hair Lounge for facilitating this for us and we will be proudly wearing the Let’s Talk logo on some of our kit this year.”

Social secretary Ross Marrins has arranged a number of events to mark the centenary starting with a Ladies Day – always a popular occasion – on 9 September.

In After Shakespeare, Lexi Wolfe imagines the lives of four of the Bard’s characters after their plays have ended.

What happened to them? And why?

If this all sounds a little Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, it’s not. Wolfe digs deep into each character, and what she finds there is both illuminating and entertaining.

With only the simplest of props – a stool, a screen, and a few different clothes – she leads us through the later lives of Henry V, Hamlet, Portia and Lady Macbeth, and in every role she is spellbinding. The characters are not introduced, so we need to work out who they are from what they say. Wolfe drops hints but her first candidate, Henry, is initially hardest to fathom, especially as immediately denies that he is Prince Hal, before recounting his involvement in the Battle of Shrewsbury and later Azincourt/Agincourt.

And who was the Crown that St Crispin’s Day? He was.

Why is he distancing himself in this way? Presumably because he doesn’t want people to blame him  (or he doesn’t want to blame himself) for the many deaths. Despite everyone’s misgivings the outnumbered English won the day, but later he recalls the siege of Rouen, in which a combination of French and English intransigence led to the deaths of 12,000 poor French people, mostly women and children, left to starve in the dry moat after being expelled from the city to save food for the French soldiers.

Henry refused to let his men help the starving people, yet now he recalls the pleas of a dying girl, begging him to save her baby. He still dreams of her cries.

So Wolfe unpeels the king’s carapace; he’s made some brutal decisions, and now he must live with his conscience.

Wolfe, meanwhile, moves on to Hamlet.

This is a very entertaining monologue with lots of jokes; the wronged prince goes over his past and realises what a man of action he was not. He’s surprisingly self-aware for someone who was quite the opposite in Shakespeare’s version. He witters away about the meaning of ‘nothing’, notes how much he moaned to his mother about How Depressed He Was, and marvels at the fact that while he was ostensibly trying to kill his uncle he had time to write a play.

He wonders about his relationships with Laertes and Ophelia, analyses Polonius’s motives, and wisely concludes:

Wolfe then turns her attentions to two female leads. In the first of these scenes the screen is put to good use as a confessional. The priest has arrived, and our heroine starts to make her confession – before promptly giving up. For this is Portia, and, having had a taste of life as a man in The Merchant of Venice, she’s apparently been going into Belmont, and even Venice itself, dressed as a man ever since.

Wolfe encourages us to think about the different ways in which men and women are treated in society, and while those differences were obviously more extreme in 16^th century Venice, the point is valid still.

Portia’s realised that, for the first time ever, she’s been seen and heard, and can do exactly as she wishes. She knows that her cross-dressing will be viewed by many as a sin worse than rape, but if she gives it up she’ll lose all that freedom. In The Merchant of Venice, when dressed as Balthazar, she’s had a chance to use her razor-sharp mind; she wants to be able to do that again, and now sees both her home and her body as traps. She still loves her husband, Bassanio;

It’s a thought echoed in Wolfe’s final character, Lady Macbeth, when she cries

11th century Scotland; Lady Macbeth’s first husband is dead, murdered by King Duncan. She has married Macbeth, but she most of all wants vengeance for his predecessor, and it is this, Wolfe conjectures, not her desire for regal power, that drives her on.

Wolfe is magnificent in this role; she is a woman possessed, consumed with anger and grief, her red hair now cascading down as she sweeps across the stage.

When she discovers that she has been betrayed, she is mad with shock and repulsion. And once again she scrubs and scrubs at her skin

Wolfe is an excellent actress, with beautifully clear enunciation and powerful delivery, especially as Lady Macbeth. Her comic timing is also top notch; her Hamlet is hilarious. After Shakepeare is a thought-provoking and rewarding show.

After Shakespeare is at theSpaceTriplex (Studio), The Prince Philip Building (next to theSpace @ Surgeons Hall)  at 4.05pm every day except Sunday 13th (no performance), until 26th August.