FESTIVAL PREVIEW
LISTINGS
celebrated trumpeter and smack-fiend’s last days.
I CAMEO
Bull Durham (Ron Shelton, US. 1989) 9pm. Kevin Costner stars in engaging minor league baseball chronicle that‘s being sold on the steamy scenes with sports groupie Susan Sarandon. Audiences apparently prefer sex to baseball.
THURSDAY 17
I FILMNOUSE 1 Lunchtime Animation - Gems of British Animation 1pm.
I FILMHOUSE 2 Discoveries (Redd Davis, UK, 1939) 2pm. Creaking film version of a popular radio talent show. One for the archivists. but art it ain't.
I FILMNOUSE 1
Prisoners oi inertia (Jeffrey Noyes Scher. US, 1988) 2.30pm. Two newly-weds journey deeper into the wonderful world of apathy. Highly praised by the American press.
I FILMNOUSE 2
A Film about Prostitution (Gyorgyi Dobray, Hungary, 1989) 6.30pm. Budapest prostitutes talk about their work in this forthright documentary. Paired with controversial short Dick, offering a veritable feast of male genitalia.
I FILMNOUSE 1
My Twentieth Century (Ildiko Enyedi, Hungary, 1989) 7pm. Twin sisters seperated from early childhood move in entirely different directions. worth seeing, I CAMEO
liesurrected (Paul Greengrass. UK, 1989) 7pm. A soldier presumed dead in combat returns from the Falklands, and is treated rather ambiguously by the authorities. Brutal depiction of army bullying destined to be the focus of some debate.
I FILMIIOUSE 2
llasz and Sparrows
I FILMIIOIISE 1
Reunion (Jerry Schatzberg,
France/W .Ger/UK, 1989) 9pm. Oldster Jason Robards returns to Germany to look up his boyhood friend, the present day story framed by events during the rise of Nazism. Screenplay by Harold Pinter. Familiar territory intelligently handled.
I CAMEO
Talk Radio (Oliver Stone , US, 1989) 9pm. Stone follows his often violent and powerful ventures into Vietnam, Salvador and Wall Street with this equally hard-edged look at America‘s current wave of tough-talking, incendiary broadcasting.
SURVIVAL
INFORMATION/MEDlA/OLIIBS/FOO
— THE FESTIVAL SURVIVAL GUIDE
As people pour into central Edinburgh forthe city's annual feast of intemationai culture, The List provides an easy-to-lollow guide to the crucial information needed for survival in the hectic festival weeks.
The Edinburgh Festival was dreamt into existence in 1941 by Rudolf Bing and iiarvey Wood to heal the wounds of a fragmented post-war Europe. Through theatre, music and art the intemationai Festival was to nourish the colour and creativity ofartists and audiences from all over the world. The Festival Fringe. which grew up beside the official Festival. doing its own thing, is now listed in the Guinness Book oi Records asthe largest arts festival in the world.
This arts extravaganza lust keeps growing, with the Edinburgh Film Festival and Book Festival adding to the excitement and entertainment. The choice is overwhelming. so be prepared for a breath-taking three weeks of culture.
Each Festival has its own procedure for obtaining tickets. For details. see below.
THE FESTIVAL FRINGE
11 Aug—2 Sept. The difference between Fringe and Festival is that anyone can perform on the Fringe. No selection of any kind takes place , and this might be worth bearing in mind if you’re bringing children with you. 1989 is the year of the second largest Fringe ever, with 504 companies and over 1000 different shows. Almost anything that can be written , sung or acted is, plus a few things that shouldn‘t be. There is no way anyone can pick out the best on their own. Take advice: buy The List, out every Thursday during the Fringe.
I INFORMATION Get a copy of the Fringe Guide , which is free from the Fringe Box Office, 180 High Street, 2265138 (information only), open daily 10am—7pm. The Guide is somewhat daunting, but provided you know the company or the venue you can find an entry. You can of course leaf through, but as the entries are written by the companies themselves they tend to be a touch optimistic. If you still can‘t cope with the plethora of information, daily listings are compiled by the Fringe Box Office — available there and at various venues around town. This year marks the arrival of the Fringe Find, a user-friendly computer system aimed at providing further guidance for the uncertain Fringe-goer (see panel).
I TICKETS/BOOKINGS The Box Office (226 5138) will take postal and credit card phone bookings - allow three days for processing. Most venues will also sell tickets on the night. Additionally, the Fringe Box Office sells tickets for the Jazz and Book Festivals. If you have a horror of crowds, or simply no time to waste, there is a handy Next Day Collection service, which allows you to fill out a request for seats, leave payment and collect tickets the following afternoon.
THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
ll Aug—2 Sept. This year with a Spanish flavour, the Festival has the usual range of
opera, national ballets, orchestral offerings and world theatre. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that the Festival is only for the serious culture vulture. It has a diverse range of pickings this year, from Johann Kresnik's ‘Macbeth' which is proud to be ‘bloody‘ and ‘full of sado-masochistic images‘ to the street theatre production ‘Dimonis‘ that filled the Piazza in Venice.
I INFORMATION A free brochure covering all events is available from the Festival Box Office, 21 Market Street, Edinburgh, 225 5756. Due out now. Duringthe Festival there is an Information Centre at the foot of The Mound by the National Gallery, open 10am—6pm, which dishes out the much-valued daily diary.
I BOOKINGS/TICKETS The Festival Box Office. 21 Market Street, 225 5756, (open 5 Aug—3 Sept, Mon—Sat 9am—6pm, Sunday 10am—5pm) takes in-person bookings, credit card phone bookings and postal applications. Contact them for a postal booking form. As the box office is open from 29 May. many events are sold out by the start of August, soearly booking is a must. There is also a returns desk , which is always worth checking. Queues tend to get very long as the day wears on, but coffee , tea, juice and snacks are provided. Queuing is done on a numbered ticket basis, so collect a ticket as soon as you arrive.
Half-price tickets are available from the Information Centre at the bottom of The Mound for same-day performances, maximum of two seats per event per person. Done on a first come/first served basis. Booth open 1—5pm only.
Tickets are also available: through Edwards and Edwards ticket agencies, who add a service charge and VAT to the price (In London they are located at the British Travel Centre. 12 Regent Street, London SW1. 01 379 5822); through Prestel at many travel agencies; and by dialing the First Call Credit Card Line,01 240 7200. In Glasgow tickets can be bought from the Ticket Centre. Candleriggs, 041 227 551 l (Mon—Sat 10.30am—6.30pm).
McEWAN’S INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL
19—27 August. Edinburgh has two Jazz Festivals. the McEwans being the more traditionally-inclined of the two and putting on literally hundreds of shows around town, in venues ranging from pubs to the more formal surroundings of the Usher Hall. In keeping with the Bicentennial celebrations, there is a French flavour to this year's programme. I INFORMATION A souvenir programme (£1) is available from city newsagents and the Jazz Festival Offices, 116 Canongate, 557 1642, and. during the Festival, the Jazz Festival Box Office, Royal British Hotel, Princes Street, 557 1642 (10am—6pm daily).
I TICKETS/BOOKINGS The Jazz Festival Office takes postal bookings all year round. The Box Office in the Royal British Hotel takes bookings, but does not accept credit cards. Tickets are also available at the Fringe Box Office (see above). Tickets for Usher Hall events can only be bought from the International Festival Box Office (see above). A Gold
Star badge costs £40, and gives access to all jazz events apart from the Farewell Ball. All-day tickets cost £10.
TDK ROUND MIDNIGHT JAZZ FESTIVAL
19—23 Aug. Organised by Assembly Music, which brings jazz to Edinburgh all year round, the Round Midnight festival highlights more contemporary styles. This is its third year sponsored by TDK, and famous names include Sonny Rollins and George Russell.
I INFORMATION Enquiries to the Queen's Hall, Clerk Street, 668 2019. Open from 10am until after the interval of the evening‘s concert.
I TICKETS/BOOKING Tickets for all concerts available from the Queen’s Hall Box Office, Assembly Music, Fringe Box Office, and in Glasgow Iona Records, Stockwell Street.
— BOOK FESTIVAL
12-28 August. Not simply hot tents of musty old books! As well as readings, signings, cooking classes. evening entertainment in the Spicgeltent. there are workshops to encourage novice writers. Held in Charlotte Square Gardens, West End of George Street.
I INFORMATION Up to l 1 Aug. at the Edinburgh Book Shop (stationery department), George Street, 220 4067. open 10am—6pm daily. From 12August, Book Festival Box Office, Charlotte Square Gardens, 225 1915, open 10am-8pm daily. Both offices can supply programmes. On site there will be adaily diary.
I TICKETS/BOOKINGS Advance tickets from Edinburgh Book Shop, season ticket £7.50 (conc £3.50), daily tickets£l .50. These tickets give entry to exhibitions, the Childrens' Fair and the entertainment in the Spicgeltent before 8pm. All other events cost extra. Season tickets give reductions. but many events sellout before the Festival opens. so book early.
— FILM FESTIVAL
12—27 August. Now in its 43rd year, and maintaining its reputation for the very best independent films. This year sees the introduction of a new award. the Charles Chaplin Award for the first or second feature made by a new director, and the Young Film-makers Award, winners of both to be decided during the Festival. Also on offer is a series of films looking at Britain at the beginning of World War II. If your tastes don‘t run to such serious stuff there is an animation series running every lunchtime.
I INFORMATION Full details in Film Festival Programme (£2). from the Filmhouse. 88 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, and most major Edinburgh newsagents. Information also from Filmhouse. 228 2688.
I TICKETS/BOOKINGS The Filmhouse is the box office for all Film Festival Events. Tickets can be booked, but not reserved by phone 228 268. Box Office open 9am—9pm, and later for unsold tickets for that night's late film. Prices: Filmhouse
The List ll— 17 August I989 65
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