t i
We’ve got Michael Clark, Matthew Bourne, Dance Theatre of Harlem — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Words: Kelly Apter
ixing genres can be a messy busmess. But Akram Khan's hybrid of Indian and British dance styles is as clean as they come. Blending the 500-year-old art of Kathak with contempOrary dance. Khan emerges with a powerful. unique and utterly captivating dance vernaCuIar all his own. First seen in Scotland at Tramway in 2001 . Khan has been garnering praise worldwide ever since. And now Brian McMaster has deemed him wonhy of a slot in this year's Edinburgh International Festival. alongside Festival stalwart Emio Greco and highly acclaimed Canadian dance theatre company. Fondation Jean- Pierre Perreault.
But long before the ElF rolls ar0und. there's a staggering amount of quality
Emio Greco
Akram Khan
dance coming Our way »- much of which has travelled miles to get here. From America we have two giants of modern dance: Dance Theatre of Harlem (King's Theatre. Glasgow. May) and Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance (Theatre Royal, Glasgow. Juni. Nederlands Dans Theater 2 WI“ be representing Holland at the Theatre Royal in May. when it visits as part of the company's 25th Anniversary Tour. As will innovative Dutch choreographer. Didy Veldman. when she creates a new work for Scottish Dance Theatre's spring t0ur (Dundee Rep. February: Edinburgh Festival Theatre. Apr). Adding to the European flavour is Belgian choreographer. Wim Wandekeybus. who makes a welcome return to Scotland in February (Theatre Royal. Glasgow).
From England. there's former enfant terrible. Michael Clark. and George Piper Dances (both Theatre Royal. Glasgow. Mar); Matthew Bourne's OliVier Award-winning Play Without Words (EFT. Mar): Richard Alston Dance Company (Theatre Royal. Glasgow. March/EFT. autumn) and Rambert (Theatre Royal. Glasgow. Jun/EFT. autumn). And venturing here from down under is the highly spirited Royal New Zealand Ballet (Theatre Royal. GlangW/El-"T. May) presenting both a modern triple bill and Romeo and Juliet.
Finally. batting for the home team is Scottish Ballet. which continues its regeneration with a mixed bill featuring Balanchine. Darrell. Page and Petronio (EFT. Apr); X Factor Dance hit the
road with new show. Echoes, touring to
venues across Scotland in February and March. And a one off evening organised by Dance Base (FFl. Apr) called Off Kilter will take a fresh funky look at Scottish culture.
books
Dead guitarists, living comedians and hot Scots shake up the literary year. Words: Brian Donaldson
ust as the tears have been
wrped clean away wrth The
Office closing its doors forever. it seems that Ricky Gervais has swrtched his emphasis from the human zoo of Slough to an imaginary world of Grundits. Plamglotis and Sprat l-lappers. Despite the fact that Gervais decried the whole concept of children on Room IO I. he's gone and knocked up his first kids' book. F/anirna/s il'aber. Oct). lhe story goes that he started inventing creatures when he was 18 years old to make his nephew laugh but haying tried seriously to get it all down on paper, he came upon a familiar showbusiness scenario: "Nobody answered the door until I knocked on it wrth four' Baftas.‘ lhe Booker Judges probably won't be calling on him but who knows. he may now get asked round to Madge and Guy's for some softplay.
On the less iill)[)£tl‘.i side of literary life. Roddy Doyle finally releases the second part of his Irish 90th century history trilogy which was kicked off by the incredible A Star (Ia/led / lenry w Wllll an as yet untitled book iCape. Sepi.
Alex Garland has clearly awoken from his well documented writer's block as he unleashes (Sonia ti aber. Juli. a dark psychological thriller illustrated throughout with y.r()o(l(:tits by his dad. Nicholas Garland. Tony Parsons wrll no doubt be troubling the summer bestseller list when he is in [he / anii/i' Way it larperCollins. Jul). It's a relationship drama. arha/ingly.
lhere's a rash of serious non fiction releases too. as John Pilger tackles more abuses of power when he edits Tel/ Me No lies (Cape. May). Kitty Kelley made a name for herself With swnigeing literary z ssaults on the
Alex Garland
Comedian James Campbell reveals his animalistic hopes and desires for the year ahead
‘ Hopefully, by May 2004. i will have completed my metamorphosis into a man- sized otter. I will then be able to continue my ottering activities without the stares and pointy fingers of bigoted onlookers. ’
Ricky Gervais
Reagans and she's back with pen
unsheathed to roam around [he Bush Dynasty Vlr'arisworld. Sepi. Isn't there an election round about that time? And taking more administrators to task will be Bremner, Bird and Fortune wrth a Michael Moore esgue trip round the ravaged body politic in You Are Here '()ll()ll. Octi.
Ravaged bodies abs-Jays make for good copy. And so there .vila be biographies about dead legends including Sid Vicious. Bill Hicks. Jinii Hendrix. Dirk Bogarde. Rudolf Nureyev. Bob Marley. John lhaw. John 1 ogie Band and l ady [)i. Among those still alive and writing about themselves this year are Diego Maradona. Graham Norton. Boris Becker. Boy George. Michael Owen. Jeffrey Archer. Paul ()ascorgne. llenry Mcl ersh. lony Hadley. Paula Radcliffe. llie Nastase. Peter Jackson and ()hrrs Fvans.
On the home front AL Kennedy lolls around Paradise (Cape. Sepi. Des Dillon slays [he (E/asgow {)ragon il uath. Aug). Kate Atkinson opens up her (Jase Histories i'lr'answor'ld. Se 3). James Kelman warns us that You Have to be (,‘arefu/ in the l and of the free (Viking, May: and poet Roddy Lumsden gets into trouble wrth Mischief Night (Bloodaxe. Jun). o bookish year would be complete Without publications from Iain M Banks and Ian Rankin and they bot'n have surefire. untitled hits due in the
autumn.
R Li.” Jan l’iii‘J THE LIS'I’ 17