ls gangsta rap legitimate reportage that tells us how it is on the streets or are we failing to condemn sexist doggerel for fear of sounding racist? Was Billy Connolly the right choice of presenter to guide us through the
. history of Scottish art?
I How was Hogmanay for
you? Write a letter and
you could begin the year
armed with a bottle of
Jose Cuervo tequila.
Gallery space
While delighted with the Trustees of the National (ialleries‘ decision to locate the new Gallery of Scottish Ait in (ilasgow. I am amazed at the lack of debate and comment following the decision to site the gallery in Kelvirigrove I’ark.
(‘ilasgow District (‘ouiicil's apparent a\eision to maintaining parks for the people of (llasgow. illustrated by previous attempts to sell off areas of (iIasgow (ireen and Kelvingrovc for private dev elopmeiit. goes against the (‘ourieil's own w iIdIife and nature policy. which states their intention to conserve and enhance the network of (ireeii Spaces formed by open spaces such as parks and river valleys.
The disruption to w ildlife and increase in pollution that will be caused by the new gallery. w itb attendant access
LETTERS
roads and car parking. and the
. disappearance of public park land. are ' losses that far outweigh benefits
brought about by siting the new gallery
in Kelvingrove Park.
These would also occur. with the additional benefit of the restoration of
an existing building and bringing life back to the Merchant City. were the
proposal to site the gallery in the old Sheriff ('oiiit building enacted instead. How about some discussion of this alternative sitc'.’
Rooiia Simpson
Falkland Street
(ilasgow
.Vo
" BUERVU
'l'lian/rs/ar the letter — hopefully it will prompt some debate about the eventual site/(tr the proposed gal/erv (HH/ we would welcome more views «in tbe .vubjeet. 'liltere's a battle at tequila wartinggfur you in our (i/asgaw tit/tee. ll'lllt'll is l)/)('II tree/(daystrain
lilani lpni.
Programme notes
.l..\I. Siiiitb can be assured (The List
2 I 5) that the I’estival Theatre has alreaily asked itself some searching questions. The programme will be announced in March and I have so far secured 30 out of 50 attractions in the first six months of the new theatre's life from opening next June.
The more theatres and concert halls there are the better. You can‘t move for them in Edinburgh. The Queen's IIaIl. Playhouse. Traverse. L'sher llall. Royal Lyceum. Theatre Workshop and King's Theatre; these Iiave a combined seating capacity of 8.9-1I. Last year tbese venues sold |.2 million tickets. excluding the August festivals. The I’estival Theatre will sell over 400,000 to break L‘\L‘lt each year. That's a 36 per cent increase in sales across the city.
.-\ certain amount of competition is good. Moreover. all the theatres are eo- operating well to avoid programme clashes. We have all got to have better ideas and share promotion like we haven’t done before.
New theatres always create new
audiences and Mr Siiiitb will find as ; much pleasure here as he does on the Nieolson Street slot machines. Behind the white-washed glass. we are re- ; creating a Itisti'ous theatre. where the r foyers and auditorium will be as E extravagant and hedonistic as most of the shows. I’auI IIes : General Manager Edinburgh Festival Theatre Nicolsoii Street lidiiibtirgli
;Class acts
' I‘d like to respond to .I..\I. Smith's
5 letter (The List 2 I (it. The Traverse.
since it moved. has become a focus for
theatre in the city in a way that it never
did in the (li'assiiiarkct. ()tir audience on some nights is as many as 400
people when both theatres are full. ()ur audience is larger. more varied and more enthusiastic than we could have ever hoped.
liar from being empty. the Traverse Iias presented seventeen shows at the Festival; this autumn we have ten new shows from Scotland. lingland. Northern Ireland and Italy; music theatre. contemporary dance. drama. comedy and (‘oriiiiiedia deII'Aite; our innovative and ambitious Windows on the World season examined new writing and writers frqu Hispanic .-\iiierica and the Highlands and Islands.
Meanwhile. our A Class Act project for Lothian schools ctiliiiiriated in two days of new writing by the students presented at the theatre -- not to mention a four week sell-out run of [haulage/is.
Let's celebrate the opening of the Festival Theatre. Success breeds success - it's an opportunity for us all. Ian Brown Artistic director 'I‘raverse 'I‘Iieatre (‘aiiibridge Street lidinburgli
Music for living rooms You did a good job ofexplaining the history and significance of ambient music. but didn't answer the fundamental question that was on the
- lips of all the uninitiated -- what are you
NEXT ISSUE OUT THURSDAY 13 JANUARY
The 1994 Almanac: Your guide to what’s happening in the arts for the year ahead.
Remains ()f The Day: Merchant lvory’s latest with Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson.
Woody Allen (left) on his Man/rattan Murder Mystery, with Diane Keaton.
PLUS: UB40, Macauley'i Culkin turns nasty in The Good San. Love Hurts (you bet it does). Steve Bocho’s N YPD Blue. The return of Northern F.\'])().S'lll‘(’, and all the listings
that matter for January.
Know the score in ’94.
ORDER ratio can now:
104 The List I7 December
I993 l3 January I994
actually meant to do at an ambient club or gig'.’
If Brian Eno's explanation that ambient music should be a tint is accurate then surely a live pcrfornance would take on the excitement of watching Dulux Barley White dry. The ()rb‘s recent excursion at Barrowtand suggests that aiiibient‘s lack of visual I focus combined with. at best. an erratic I rhythm. makes it a musical form best I left in the bedroom.
I The criticism of most live albums is
I that they don’t capture the atmosphere
I of the gig. and leave only rough. warts- ! arid-all versions of your favourite
l
songs. My guess is that in The ()rb‘s case. buying the live recording and
I skipping the gig would be the best bet.
: At least you can pause it halfway
3 through and make a cup of tea.
Janet Wisbart
Catlicait Road
; Glasgow
eop out ls it coincidence or are you guys taking i the piss'.’ liaeh issue you get letters about violence in films. and each issue you dig tip another violent thriller and illustrate it with a gun and a head in close proximity -— the latest example being the ‘iiiipeecably assembled' Japanese guns n' car chase movie Ila/en! ('op (The List 2m). Personally. i I‘m all for it. Keep tip the good work. . I’eter Murdoch Balcarres Street lidiiiburgb
Address your letters to The List Letters itlI I4 Iligli Street | [Edinburgh Iilll HT“. 0! ()Id Atlienaeum Theatre I I79 Buchanan Street (ilasgow CI 317.. Of I’ax them to: ()3I 557 8500 We will not print yourtiil/ address or phone number but you must ineliu/e I/tetn. l)(’(lll/lll(' is the Friday before publieatian. Keep them pit/iv. as aver/ting letters may be eat. The best letter next issue will win a battle of Jose ('uerva tequila (UNI a nutty i baseball eap.
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