AGENDA
Eurovision Diva Dana lnternationa
DANA INTERNATIONAL, THE transsexual Israeli Eurowsion Winner, is to appear in Glasgow as part of Pride Scotland's annual celebrations.
The controversial chanteuse features in a Pride spin-off event at gay venue The Polo Lounge on 14 June, while the main programme on 13 June sees an unprecedented civic reception from the City of Glasgow council and a link-up with Amnesty International.
Other highlights include an appearance by gay rights campaigner and sometime chart-topper Jimmy Somerville, as well as Horse and Carol Laula.
This week, councillors held a civic launch for the Pride events — a major step forward according to Pride
spokeswoman Dawn Kemp. She said: ’The civic reception is a breakthrough in terms of acceptance for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Scotland.’
This is the first year that people who, like Dana International, have had a sex change, have been 'included’ in Pride, so her appearance is seen as particularly timely.
Brendan Nash, manager of the Polo Lounge said it was a coup for the bar. 'We were offered the appearance by her management who wanted her in the premier gay venues around the country. We’re delighted — she's different from the average Eurovision winner and it ties in very well with Pride.’
Dana International: ’she’s different’
Agenda is continued over page b
l to play Glasgow
Meanwhile human rights charity Amnesty International is joming with Pride to call for a ’world without prejudice.’ Kemp explained: ’Jimmy Somerville is at the forefront of trying to get Amnesty worldwide to recognise sexuality and sexual orientation as a human rights cause.’
Louise Carlin of Amnesty Scotland, said its involvement in Pride was logical: ’Traditionally Amnesty International has focused on prisoners of conscience. But people have faced human rights abuses on the grounds of their sexuality.’ (Stephen Naysmith)
I For Pride Scot/and details and access info call 0747 400 2640. Organisers are seeking volunteer stewards and collectors.
Scots actor up for top US theatre prize
Cumming: rave reviews
SCREEN SUCCESS FOR Scots actor Peter Mullan at the Cannes Film Festival could be followed by a prize for fellow Scot, Alan Cumming in the US.
Cumming IS in line for a Tony award, theatre’s equwalent of the Oscars, for his performance as the MC in Sam Mendes' production of Cabaret on Broadway.
Rave reviews greeted Cumming’s interpretation of the role and he has been nominated as Best Actor at the awards, to be held at New York’s Radio City Music Hall on 7 June. Cumming has already picked up the same award from the Outer Critics Circle.
Meanwhile, British performers have been the toast of Broadway this season. The so-called ’Britpack’ feature in many of this year’s nominations, but Cabaret is set to sweep the boards With ten nominations.
Glasgow actor Peter Mullan’s Best Actor award at Cannes was by unanimous decision of the jury, chaired by Martin Scorsese.
The prize was in recognition of his role as a reformed Glaswegian alcoholic in Ken Loac‘n's My Name Is Joe. (Anna Adams)
New Scotland under the microscope
ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL life in Scotland is poised for a renaissance under a devolved government, according to Stuart Cosgrove, head of programmes at Channel 4 television's nations and regions department.
Dr Cosgrove is among those scheduled to speak at a major conference this week examining the impact a Scottish parliament is likely to have on politics, business, arts and cultural life.
Run by the Centre for Scottish Public Policy, The New Scotland, will be opened by Secretary of State for Scotland Donald Dewar on Fri 29 May, and closed by SNP leader Alex Salmond on Sun 31 May.
Between their addresses, workshops will examine every aspect of life in Scotland, with contributions from journalists,
politicians, academics and even football clubs.
Shallow Graven Images on the Sunday, will ask whether the portrayal of Scots in the arts is romanticised and stereotypical.
Cosgrove disagrees. 'I don't think the images we get are shallow or grave,’ he explained. ’However, political change is often surrounded by a cultural and creative renaissance. This is a great opportunity for Scotland to move to a new level of political maturity,’ he added.
Meanwhile, a series of sessions will also look at the state of the political parties in Scotland, and their prospects in the new parliament.
Tommy Sheppard, former councillor and founder of Edinburgh’s Stand Comedy Club, claimed this could not
come soon enough.
'It is disappointing that so little political debate is going on, when we are on the verge of one of the biggest constitutional changes in many lifetimes,’ he argued.
Sheppard, who will speak in the session New Labour: New Scotland?, hopes to make the party's candidates list for the first Scottish election. However he warned he will be critical of the reformed party.
’The party ought to have a list which represents a spectrum of opinion. New Labour needs to allow the Scottish party to grow in its own right, or they are going to end up with a very disturbed teenager,‘ he explained. (Stephen Naysmith) lThe New Scotland Fri 29-Sun 31 May, Piping Centre/Tron Theatre. Tickets available from the Tron Theatre box office 0141 552 4267.
1999 will leave ‘lasting legacy’ for Glasgow
GLASGOW'S YEAR AS UK City of Architecture and Design Will leave a lasting legacy, organisers claimed at the launch of the major events in next year's programme.
Deyan Sudjic, director of Glasgow 1999 said the planned events ranged from community-based to national and international. He added: ’The ambition is to make architecture enjoyable and accessible to the Widest possible audience, involvmg the whole community and leaving a lasting legacy for the city.’
One key element of the City’s reign, a new housing development ’Homes for the Future’ on Glasgow Green, will showcase 'innovative responses to changes in urban living’.
Designed by architects from Britain and abroad, a total of 50 houses will
be completed by the Summer of 1999 With an eventual 200 for sale or rent in the year 2000.
The Big DeSIgn Day on 30 May is one of the more populist elements of the programme, which the organisers promise will comprise three spectacular City centre events themed around fashion, food and cars.
'They are things which people Will immediately have a reaction to and make regular decisions about. Everybody has an interest in one if not all of them,’ said a spokeswoman for Glasgow 1999.
October sees the International Festival of Design taking place at various venues across the city, while the restoration of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh-deSigned former Hera/d building on Mitchell street, will be
complete by the end of May 1999.
It Will open to the public in June as The Lighthouse, a permanent Scottish centre for architecture and design, hosting major exhibitions for the remainder of the year.
Scots architect Alexander ’Greek' Thomson, whose distinctive buildings are a huge part of Glasgow’s Victorian legacy, Will be the subject of the first, with subsequent exhibitions including a retrospective of the work of designer Philippe Starck and a look at the use of colour in design, focusing on the colour red.
Dr Stuart MacDonald, director of The Lighthouse, said the newly restored building would be about involving the public in the festival: ’The aim is to democratise design and architecture,’ he said. (Stephen Naysmith)
28 May—ll Jun 1998 THE usrrr