KIDS
KIDS PROJECT Sense Of Community
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The aim of the theatre is to create another world which absorbs you for the duration of the performance. It seems fitting then that one of Scotland's foremost theatre companies has been the driving force behind an innovative project which has seen the creation of 25 virtual ‘worlds’. A joint collaboration between primary school children, the Scottish Parliament and TAG Theatre Company, Sense Of Community has given 600 9-11-year-olds the opportunity to explore the social and environmental problems faced by councillors and politicians on a daily basis.
The Pacific island of Austin (the brainchild of Corstorphine Primary School) is a perfect holiday resort with a large, unpolluted river and sandy beaches but unfortunately lies in the shadow of a volcano. While over at St Timothy's Primary in Glasgow, the moon-based Tranquility City has an excellent transport system but a very unpredictable climate. Through role-play, debating and, most crucially, the internet. the communities have evolved over the past four months, culminating in a three-day 'Congress of Nations' due to take place at the Mound 9—11 Dec.
Based on the motion 'T his Congress asks the Scottish Parliament to make the future of young people in Scotland its first priority', representative pupils and MSPs will spend an afternoon debating the dilemmas facing their ‘communities’, in the presence of Presiding Officer Sir David Steel. ’T he Young People's Congress is a tremendous opportunity for children to participate in our new democratic structures' says Steel. ‘From my own point of view it should be a particularly interesting and enlightening experience to chair proceedings - I'm sure the debate will give many full-time politicians food for thought’. Or as Roisin Trainor from Lossimouth puts it ‘I think that the Sense Of The Community project is mega coollllll'. (Kelly Apter)
I The Sense Of Community website featuring all the virtual worlds created by the children can be found at www. tag-theatre. co. uk/soc
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Kids listings compiled by Helen Monaghan.
GLASGOW
Activmes And Fun
Jock And Elizabeth's Adventures Daily 10am—6pm. £3.50 (£2.95). The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour, 100 Stobcross Road, 339 0631. All aboard the Clyde-built sailing ship Glenlee for a whole host of children’s activities.
Pushkin Day Sat 4 Dec, 10am—4pm. Free. Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 287 5511. To complement the series of exhibitions on famed Russian poet, Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837), a day of events and workshops with the aim of introducing children to Pushkin’s work.
Fihn
The Slipper And The Rose (U) Sat 4 Dec, 12.30pm and Balto (U) Sat 11 Dec, 1.30pm. £3.50 (£2.25). GFI‘, 12 Rose Street, 332 8128. See Film Index.
Music
Children's Classic Concerts Sun 5 Dec, 1pm. £8 (£4-£6); £22 family ticket. Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 287
as titular 2—16 Dec 1999
5511. Chris Jarvis presents this classical selection entitled ‘C Is For Christmas’, which is inspired by all sorts of ‘C’ related items such as Carnival Of The Animals and Copland’s Common Man.
Theatre
I Scottish Mask & Puppet Theatre, 8 Balcarres Avenue, Kelvindale, 339 6185. The Snow Child Sat 4 Dec, 2—3pm. £3 (£2). Ages 6+. A couples longing for a child turns into reality in Pavla’s Puppets adaptation of this Russian folktale.
The Black Bull Of Norroway Sat 11 Dec, 2 m. £3 (£2). See hoto caption.
e Amazing Mr ones Mon l3—Sai 18 Dec, Mon-Fri 10.30am & 2pm; Sat 2pm. £3 (£2). Ages 4+. Festive fun with games, songs and custard pics.
I Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 287 5511.
The Singing Kettle Thu 16—Thu 30 Dec. Times vary, phone venue for details. £9.60 (£8.60); family ticket £7.60 per person. Ages 3+. Don a party hat and streamers and join the Singing Kettle for their party of the century. Expect songs aplenty, games, audience participation and magic courtesy of special guest Marvo.
Books
Even Better Crack Club Sat 11 Dec, lOam-noon. £1. Lansdowne Church Hall, 420 Great Western Road, 01506 847935. More tallish tales, traditional and new for all the family.
EDINBURGH
Activities And Fun
Music Workshop Art Gym, 26 St Stephen Street, 225 5865. Tue, Thu & Fri, 4—5.30pm. £4 per session. Karen Jones leads this workshop looking at all aspects of music including composition, playing by ear and sight reading.
Dino's Dynamos Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Road, 550 7800. Every Saturday, 10am—noon. Ages 6—12. Go along and join this exciting new club where you’ll meet Dino the Dinosaur, receive free entry to the venue on Sat mornings, take part in fortnightly workshops and get a free T-shirt. Call Dynamic Earth for further details.
The Jelly Club (the former Jolly Giant Superstore), Pefferrnill Road, 652 0212. Sun—Thu 10am—7pm; Fri & Sat 10am—8pm. £2.95-£3.95. Ages 12 and under. Scotland’s largest children’s play and party centre opens its door offering youngsters the chance to play in ball pools, a jelly jungle, child-scale village and an inflatable assault course. Quickies For Kids Royal Museum Of Scotland, 2 Chambers Street, 247 4219. Ten-minute talks for children held every Sat at 2.15 m and every Sun at 3.15pm. Art Works ops Sat 4, 11 & 18 Dec. Ages 5—8 10.30am—12.30pm; Ages 9—12 2—4pm. Old St Paul’s Church Hall, 63 Jeffrey Street, 554 1999. Advance booking necessary. Workshops creating festive goodies (morning) and life-sized carnival puppets (afternoon).
Santa's Forest Grotto Until Fri 24 Dec, 10am—4.30pm. £6.80 (£3.80-£4.80); family ticket £19—£23.50. Edinburgh Zoo, Corstorphine Road, 334 9171. Come and meet Santa in his wonderful forest grotto and receive a wee pressie. Plus badge-making and an animal quiz. Digital Imaging Workshops Sets 4 & 11 Dec. £10 (£5). Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, 622 6200. Ages 8—10 llam—lpm; 11-14 2—4pm. Artist Lindsay Perth helps you create millennium cards using a digital camera, scanner and imaging software. Photography Workshops For Kids Sat 11 Dec. £10 (£5). Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, 622 6200. Ages 8—10 11am—1pm; 11-14 2—4pm. Using photography and darkroom techniques, artist Kenny Bean helps you create personalised Christmas and New Year cards.
Christmas Print And Christmas Card Workshop Sat 11 Dec. £5. Edinburgh Printmakers, 23 Union Street, 557 2479. Book by Sat 4 Dec. Ages 8—10 1—2.30pm; ll-14 3.30—5pm. Get expert help in this card and print-making workshop.
Film
The Little Princess (U) Sat 4 Dec, noon; Doug's 1st Movie (U) Sat 11 Dec, 2pm; Tarka The Otter (U) Sun 12 Dec, 3pm. £4.50 (£2.50). The Lumiere, Royal Museum, Chambers Street, 247 4219. See Film Index.
Music
Carols From The Southside Tue 7 Dec, 7.30pm. £3.50 (£1.50); family ticket £7. Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 668 2019. See Classical listings page 54.
Theatre
The Singing Kettle Sun 5 Dec, Tue 7-Sat 11 Dec. Times vary, phone theatre for details. £7—£9 (£5-£8). Festival Theatre, 13—29 Nicolson Street, 529 6000. Ages 3+. See Glas ow. _ The Happy Gang's Crac ing Christmas Thu 9Fri—10 Dec. 1.30pm (Thu); 10.30am (Fri). £4. St Bride’s Centre, 10 Orwell Terrace, 346 1405. Sat ll-Sun 12 Dec. 1pm & 4pm (Sat); 1pm (Sun). £6; family ticket £20. ElCC, 150 Morrison
Street, 300 3000. Ages 9 and under. The Gang have won tickets to meet Santa, but as they make a snowman on Christmas Eve, a cat burglar sneaks down the chimney and tries to steal their special tickets. Songs aplenty and laughs all the way in the Happy Gang’s seasonal show.
OUTSIDE THE CITIES
Actmties And Fun
Spirit Of Christmas Until Fri 24 Dec, llam-5pm. £5. New Lanark Visitor Centre, New Lanark, 01555 661345. Christmas in the unique World Heritage Village with three seasonal treats: the Spirit of Christmas ride, Santa’s Grotto and a panic.
Animal Antics Sat 4 Dec, 2—3pm. Free. Calderglen Country Park, Strathaven Road, East Kilbride, 01355 236644. Meet the cute (and not-so-cute) animal residents at the ark.
Santa At Mill arm Sat 4-Sun 5 Dec & Sat 116m 12 Dec, 10am—5pm. £2.20 (£1.10). Almond Valley Heritage Centre, Livingston, 01506 414957. Santa takes up residence in his farmyard cottage, while the farm animals take part in a special nativity scene, plus illuminated sleigh rides and railway trips to the North Pole.
Space Station Summerlee Sun 5 Dec—Sun 9 Jan, 10am—4pm. Free. Summerlee Heritage Park, Coatbridge, 01236 431261. Outer Space experience featuring games, quizzes, competitions, storytelling and much more.
Say Hello To Santa Sat 11 & Sun 12 Dec, 1-3pm. £1.50. Calderglen Country Park, Strathaven Road, East Kilbridc, 01355 236644. Visit the park’s latest arrival, Santa in his Christmas comer with music, sweeties and photographs. There’s also a Christmas decorations workshop on Sat 11 Dec, 10am-noon for ages 8—12.
Theatre
The Happy Prince Until Sun 12 Dec. Times vary, phone theatre for details. £3. MacRobert, University of Stirling, 01786 461081. Ages 3+. Adapted from Oscar Wilde’s classic story, this multimedia production brings together music, live action and video animation.
The Singing Kettle Thu 2-Sai 4 Dec, Times vary, contact theatre for details. £8—£9 (£6—£7); family ticket £25/£28. Magnum Theatre, Harbourside, Irvine, 01294 278381. Ages 3+. See Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall.
Cinderella In The 21st Century Fri 3—Sat 11 Dec, 2.15pm & 7.15pm. £6 (£5). Falkirk Town Hall, West Bridge Street, Falkirk, 01324 506850. Falkirk Children’s Theatre present their annual festive show.
Peter Pan On Ice Tue 14—Sat 18 Dec, 7.30pm; Wed, Thu & Sat 1.30pm & 7.30pm. £13.50 (£8.50). Centrum Centre, 125 Ayr Road, Prestwick, 01292 671600. An action packed ice-skating spectacular, with the Russian Ice Stars.
The International Purves Puppets Biggar Puppet Theatre, Broughton Road, 01899 220631. £5 (£4). Shows on offer this week include:
Pips And Panda In Santa's Workshop Sat 4 Dec, 11am; Wed 8 Dec, 10.40am; Tue 14 Dec, 12.45pm. Join Pips and Panda in this new seasonal adventure featuring glow-in-the-dark puppets, songs and audience participation
Snow White Sat 4 Dec & Sat 11 Dec, 2pm; Mon 13 Dec, 1pm; Thu 16 Dec, 10.40am. Looking in her magic mirror, the evil stepmother is horrified to discover that the fairest of them all is Snow White, and banishes her to the woods.
For complete listings for all . Christmas shows and pantomimes takin place in Edinburgh. Glasgow and t e Central belt. see Theatre Listings, page 77.