Laurel 8: Hard . When Laurel & Hardy last played at what is now th l" Edinburgh Festival Theatre in April 1954, the whole of Princes Street was pack the gunriels with fans "':,..yvelcoming them off the train. Three years later, Oliver .i, rdy diedflé‘ii’ding one of the world’s most enduringly popular partnerships. It’s now exactly 70 years since the accident-prone pair first appeared t9 ether ' . “e film Should Married Men Go Home. 5' t " Sons Of The Desert and Way Out West ha, released in selected cinemas; and a furtli been added to the twenty videos already a Mess was never so fine . . . (Andrew Burnett) Way Out West is at Edinburgh Filmhouse,‘"$un 13-Tue 15 Sep. Way Out West, The Flying Deuces, Sons Of The Desert and seven Laurel & Hardy compilation videos have just been released on VVL. A new Laurel & Hardy website has been set up at www. fine-mess. com

ALLTHE BEST

The humdingers and big swingers for the next fifteen days.

Film: Saving Private Ryan Steven Spielberg's latest blockbuster is an epic: weepie set against the backdrop of the D-Day Landings. Based on a true story, it details the way in which a family is torn apart as three of four sons are killed in one bloody day The fourth, Private Ryan, is to be escorted home to his grievmg mother. The opening sequence is superb if bloody. See prevrew, page 22 and revrew page 24. General release from Fri 7 7 Sep Theatre: Othello Glasgow’s TAG Theatre Company weighs in With a new production of the Shakespeare tragedy by artistic director James Brining Potent and absorbing despite a three- hour running time. See reVIew, page 54. Touring.

Comedy: Phil Kay Judging by his Festival rewews, Kay, master of me surreal and king of the ad lib, seems to be on a roll at the moment. Catch him now while his muse seems to be in overdrive Touring

Books: Alex Garland Garland follows up his cult classic debut novel The Beach with The Testseract, three interlinked tales set in Manila that Eead to an unholy apocalypse A book of ideas disguised as a thriller See review, page 85 Viking, f9 99, out now.

Art: Nihil Busy doing nothing, Glasgow

artist Ross Birrell paints slogans onto the gallery walls in what he describes as a 20th century update of philosophical dilemmas. See preview, page 68 Glasgow CCA, until Sat 79 Sep

Paul 'Trouble' Anderson The man attributed \vith saying ’a house is what I live in, my garage is where : park my car' is famous for his eclectic take on

i P d b dance music One of the legends of the to amuse us no Em ' romote y club scene, he makes a rare appearance

M'ke MCGU'g‘m' the “'96 feature in Edinburgh. Edinburgh Honeycomb, models wearing fashionable threads 5,” ,9 Sop,

from Cu!t Clothing —- they can be seen in real life at the club night and around the City handing out the fliers. Designed by DeSIgn PA and iLlustrated by Bernie Reid, they can be folded into those origami

Fuzzy Instinct

Sick of dull fliers With a solitary sad purpose of being used as drink- coasters? It is a sorry state of affairs. However, the fliers for a new club night called Fuzzy Instinct promise

Music: Astrid Powerful vocals from the former Goya Dress singer Has the potent:al to go far Glasgow, King Tut's, Wed 76 Sep, Edinburgh La Belle Ange/e, Thu 77 Sep

fortune tellers we all used to play with as kids. At last! ,5)“ (Simone Baird) , Fuzzy Instinct opens at Wilki'e jail-“125‘.

House on Sat 26 Sep. The fliers are out now.

13 24 Set) 1998 THE lISTS