THEATRE LIST
5
Festival at Mime and Mask Theatre, Netherbow, Edinburgh
No one could accuse Edinburgh’s Old Town of being a hive of artistic activitiy and it is perhaps only the seasonal spooky Witches Tours which take advantage of its haunting medieval tlavour. Yet Donald Smith, Artistic Director 01 the Netherbow sees its potential as one integrated arts venue as ‘almost mindblowing.’
‘Architecturally it would provide an extraordinary setting for live theatre,‘ says Smith who will be offering a taste of this during the Netherbow’s Festival at Mime and Mask Theatre, the lirst of its kind in Scotland. In one of the Festival’s many events the Town Crier, supported by his drummer and standard bearer, will act out a Tuilzie (old Scots tor happening or brawl) in the recently excavated Marlands Wynd underneath the Tron church (19—23 Oct).
The lestival is a natural extension of the imaginative policy of the Netherbow which already boasts one ot the country’s lew writers in residence specitically tor children’s theatre and hosts the annual Edinburgh Puppet Festival. ‘Puppetry has a long rich history and audiences respond to its imaginative qualities which have existed here for hundreds of years,’
(7.30pm on perfevgs). Bar. Buffet. Phil Cool Tue 6 ()ct. 7.30pm. £4.50. £5.50. £6.50. Comedy and facial contortions from the star ofTV's C001 It.
Nessie the Loch Ness Monster 7—1()
Oct. 10.30am and 1.30pm. £2. Purves
Puppets. See Kids.
Fascinating Aida Sun 11 Oct. 7.30pm. £4.50. £5.50. £6.50. See Guestlist. See also Classical Music and Folk listings.
0 THIRD EYE CENTRE 350 Sauchiehall Street. 332 7521 . (‘afe open Ham-2.30pm Tue—Fri and during evening performances.
New Work/No Detinition Wed 14 Oct—Sat 28 Nov. The Third Eye and the Traverse in Edinburgh combine to present the suddenly fashionable again performance art. or as it‘s called in this reincarnation. new
— M UNMASKED
says Smith. He sees the Festival 01 Mime and Mask Theatre, a vital and experimental form of theatre in Europe, not only as a possible annual event, but
, also the potential beginning of a series 1 of year round lestivals which grow
. trom, but have their roots in, the Old
; Town and revive the medieval idea at a 5 vigourous lorm 01 street theatre and
; activityinthe city.
‘At the moment we have one top
heavy massive lestival in August which ‘ arrives and departs. We want to
developthatand supportit, butalso to . broaden the range at theatre to be seen in Scotland outwith the Festival.
There's still a city and resident
; community here for the other eleven
months olthe year.‘
Central to the concept is corporate involvement. ’I think the arts are partly at fault tor having gone off on their own track. We haven’t worked to take the
museums, schools, business and
trades people with us,’ says Smith who has spent over a year co-ordinating the many agencies involved in the mime and mask lestival, which include Moray House, the Museum at Childhood, Lothian Region Resources
i Centre and the Theatre Workshop. ‘It hinges on a group at institutions
pooling resources to make it work.’ (Sally Kinnes)
theatre. The works which eschew the writer in favour of visual images and constructed situations begin with a mixed mediainstallation dance performance premiered at Mayfest. Keith McIntyre and Rotating Dancers 14 & 15 ()ct. 8pm. £3 (£2). See Dance. Workshop Thurs 15 Oct 2pm—4pm. A workshop explaining techniques and mediums used in the show. No experience necessary.
Sturdy Beggars Fri 2 and Sat 3 Oct. 7.30pm. Sat mat 2pm. £3.50 (£2.50). (‘omic interludes with a ('haucerian flavour from The Medieval Players. Bloodaxe Scottish Poets Sun 4 Oct. 2.30pm. Free. Readings by Kathleen Jamie. co-author ofthe much-acclaimed A Hamel/i Your Heart. Stewart Conn. playwright and senior drama producer at Radio Scotland and Geoffrey Dutton from
SSEMBlY RODS
54 GEORGE STREET EDINBURGH Tel: 031 225 3614
A
DANCE CLASSES AT THE Mon 19 and Tue 20 Oct. ASSEMBLY ROOMS 10.30am—5pm; Wed 21 Oct. Mon 5 Contemporary class, 10.30am—9.30pm (approx) particularly accessible to people GREG NASH GROUP with a hearing impairment. Equally Dance Workshop
The workshops are free. but you must register in advance.
accessible to the hearing. Tues 6 Adult ballet with Marilyn Williams Wed 7 Contemporary with Common Ground (see Mon 5) Thurs 8 Tai Chi with Ian Cameron Mon 12 High Energy Contemporary with Pat Eckersley Tues 13 Jazz with Raymond Kaye All Classes £2 (£1)
Fri 23 Oct at 8pm THE BIG STRAMASH Scottish cabaret, comedy and international beer. Tickets: £3 (£1 .50)
Saturday 24 Oct at 8pm GARY STEVENS’ IF THE CAP FITS
F” 9 OCI at 9309'" with Caroline Wilkinson
SWAMP TRASH AND GOOD . _ . AND GONE Mesmerisrng, bizarre, Good and Gone play an edgy defY'ng deSCFIDIIOD . . .
Performance Art at its best
I ‘ I "T b ues orientated "WC and '3 Tickets: £3 (£1 .50)
Autumn sees the release of their
debut 12in single.
Swamp Trash. . . ‘have become one of the city's best-loved bands, able to turn at the drop of a hat from
bluegrass to cajun to creole and
back again.“ The List. Tickets: £3 (£1 .50)
Mon 26 Oct at 8pm VINGIS The first visit to Scotland of Vingis, one of Lithuania’s most popular folk song and dance companies. Tickets: £3 (£1 .50)
Fri 30—Sat 31 Oct
Wed ‘4 Oct at 89'“ , 30 Oct 6.30pm and 9.30pm NICKY HIND ‘HINDSIGHT 31 Oct10am_8pm(Approx) The Edmburgh based A MUMMER’S PLAY FOR musrcnanxcomposer in concert HALLOWEEN T'CketS: £3 (£1 ‘50) Workshops with Spirit House Theatre Company Thurs 15—Sat 17 Oct at 8pm A unique chance for children aged THE MERRY MAC FUN CO 12 and over to come along and presents create giant puppet characters for The Country Doctor a specially written Mummer‘s play
at Hallowe‘en The workshops are free but you must register in advance by
phoning 225 2424 ext 6664/6633
A Scottish Comedy with music! Classic Merry Mac Fun Theatre Tickets: £3 (£1 .50)
For further details of these and other events on at the Assembly Rooms during October, November and December pick up an Assembly Rooms Autumn programme or contact Kate
Craik on the above phone number. Tickets for all paying events are available in advance from the Usher Hall Box Office. Lothian Road. Edinburgh. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm. Tel: 031 2281155.
THE CITY OF EDINBURGH DISTRICT COUNCll
IMPROVING SERVICES - CREATING JOBS
The List 2— l 5 October 17