Events are listed by date then type. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to edinburtghelist.co.uk or glasgowGllst.co.uk, by post or by tax on 0131 557 8500. Listings are compiled by Anna Millar and Jane Hamilton.
Thursday 22
Glasgow
lain Anderson in Conversation The Piping Centre. 30- 34 McPhater Street. Cowcaddens. 287 55l I. lpm. £l. Lunchtime chat with a trio of guests. with music front some of this year’s Celtic Connections acts.
BBC Radio Scotland Celtic Connections Royal Concert Hall. 2 Sauchiehall Street. 353 8000. 2pm. Free. Mary Anti Kennedy hosts a live show featuring the best of Celtic and World music acts at this year's festival. Jess Smith: Tales from the Tent Borders Books. 98 Buchanan Street. 222 7700. 6pm. Free. Jess Smith reads frotn her second book on travelling. 'Iiiles From the 'Ient. Fans may remember Smith‘s first novel. Jessie 's Journey. in which she recalled her early years in a travelling family. Rabbie in Spirit and Song Hillhead Library. Byres Road. 339 7223. 6.30pm. Free. An evening of Burns‘ songs and poems.
Edinburgh
From Culloden to Quebec Tidinburgh Castle. Royal Mile. 225 9846. I lam-3.30pm. £8 (£2 £6.25). Alba Adventure Company re-enacts the life of Sergeant Donald McRae who has just returned from the battlefield of Culloden with the news of a victory over the Jacobite Clans.
Heralding a New Dawn North Edinburgh Arts Centre. l5a l’ennywell Court. 315 215l. 2pm. £2. Chinese music and dance to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
Rob Grant Waters-tone‘s. l3 l4 Princes Street. 556 3034. 6.30pm. Free. Rob (irant. co-creator of Red Dwarf. reads from his new sci-Ii novel. Incompetence. See photo caption. Rabbie Where's Yer Trousers Sandeman House. Trttnks Close. 55 High Street. 7.15pm. Free bttt ticketed. Brian Hennigan's irreverent radio play based on the .saucier work of Burns is performed by lilaine C Smith. Rtissell Hunter and Una Maclean. ()nly I00 tickets are available and can be picked up from the BBC Radio Scotland reception at the Tun. llol)'rood Road. Walking in a Dangerous Place Adventure Centre. South Platt Hill. Ratho. 333 6333. 7.45pm. £4.50 £5. Traditional young climber Ben Heason gives a talk on some of his highly publicised ascents. Preferring on-sight. bold and technical routes. he recounts sortie of his scarier episodes when leading ascents across fottr continents. Big Word Performance Poetry The Tron. 9 Hunter Square. High Street. 226 0931. 9pm. £3 (£2). Tidinburgh slam champion Milton Balgoni joins Elspeth Murray. Richard Medrington. [illie Walton and compere Jem Rolls for the fortnightly cabaret.
Glasgow
Holiday and Travel Show SI-LCC. Finnieston Quay. 0870 040 4000. 10am 6pm. £6 (£4): £20 family ticket. Fly off to the sun or head for the hills with advice from travel industry experts.
Jim Harold (‘(‘A. 350 Sauchiehall Street. 352 4900. 6pm. Free. Artist Harold gives a talk on his latest sound installation lust 30 Minutes.
FIVE REASONS WHY WE STILL LOVE DAVE GORMAN
1 He’s the master of procrastination. Dave Gorman is proof positive that utter avoidance can reap sweet rewards. Instead of writing his first novel proper. he buggered off around the world on a whim. obliterating the publisher's advance in the process. Everything turned out rosy in the end — his ideas transferring to Fringe and non-fiction in Dave Gorman's Goog/ewhack Adventure — but such front deserves to be saluted. 2 He sprouts the best Joes in entertainment. German famously shaved off his chops before cosying down for a sofa chat with Frank Skinner. but it was a loss of Samson- ite proportions. Eight out of ten cats do indeed prefer whiskers.
3 He could be HEBS’ poster boy for mental health. Showing clear signs of obsessive compulsive behaviour.
I’M mm STUPID
we're slightly more concerned by shades of paranoia (Gorman chose the media of theatre. TV and literature to question Are You Dave Gonna/7?). And you could accuse us of splitting facial hairs. but was there really any need to actually meet his ‘Googlewhack' friends? Heard of email. Dave?
4 He doesn’t like the internet. It may have provided the inspiration for his latest global expedition. but German has a love/hate relationship with the information superhighway. Its worst feature? 'That it exists.‘ Cryptic and contrary; we like it. 5 He’s cooler than Tony Hawks. When it comes to drunken betting resulting in zany reality travelogues. our man Gorman just edges it with his obwous detachment from reality and ability to setind less like your dad. But. curiously. have you ever seen them in the same room together? (Maureen ElllS)
I Waterstones. Sat/chieha/l Street. Glasgow. Tliu 29.1511).
Edinburgh
From Culloden to Quebec Edinburgh Castle. Royal Mile. 225 9846. l lam -3.30pm. £8 (£2 £6.25). See Thu 22. Heralding a New Dawn North lidinburgh Arts Centre. 15a Pennywell Court. 3l5 2|5l. 2pm. £2. See Thu 22. Burns’ Supper Kirk ()‘I-‘ieltl Parish Church. Brown Street. l’leasance. 332 2758. 7.30 l0pm. £5. Burns‘ supper with speakers. singers. pianist and a piper. Louis de Bernieres Scottish Poetry Library. 5 Crichton's Close. Canongate. 557 2876. 7.30pm. £3 (£2). See preview page 86.
Saturday 24
Glasgow
Holiday and Travel Show Sti(‘(‘. Finnieston Quay. 08700404000.
l0am 6pm. £6 (£4); £20 family ticket. See Fri 23.
Discovering Chinese Faiths St Mango Mttseum of Religious Life And Art. 2 Castle Street. 553 2557. 2 4pm. Free. Find ottt more about the Chinese faith(s) at this popular talk and workshop. Women and Chinese Cinema (iilmorehill Centre. 9 l'niversity Avenue. 330 3809. 3 5pm. Free but ticketed. Clara Law leads this workshop looking at the representation of wonten in Chinese cinema from the screen to behind the camera. See ltitlist and Film.
Edinburgh
Guided Tours - Gaels and Plants Royal Botanic (iarden. lnverleith Row. 552 7171. 2pm. £3. The Botanics welcomes you to learn about the traditions and folklore that surround some of our well known plants. 'I‘here’s also the chance and learn the (iaelic names of some cotnmon plants and trees.
Glasgow
Holiday and Travel Show Sli(‘(‘. Finnieston Quay. 08700404000.
|0am 5pm. £6 (£4l; £20 lamin ticket. See Fri 23.
3D/20 Craft & Design Fair Royal Concert Hall. 2 Sauchiehall Street. 353 8000. l0am 5pm. Free. Contemporary craft. design and artworks direct from the makers themselves.
Forum Theatre - An Introduction The Arches. 253 Argyle Street. 565 I023. l 7pm. £8. .-\ workshop open to professional artists on the method of the Theatre of the ()ppressed which was established in the l970s by Bra/ilian director Augusto Boal.
Technology 4» Time = Speed Renlield St Stephen's Church Centre. 260 Bath Street. 332 2826. 7pm. Free. Holy City provides this monthly space to reflect on the relevance of faith in city life today.
Edinburgh
Chinese New Year Celebrations Festival 'l‘heatre. I3 29 .\'ico|son Street. 529 6000. lpm. £4. The lidinburgh Chinese School celebrates with lion dance. traditional Chinese dance. songs and acrobatics. See hitlist.
Supper with Robert Burns The Tass. High Street. 556 9579. 7.30pm. £l2.50. David Campbell. Linda Bandelier and Donald Smith join the Scottish Storytelling Centre for a full traditional Burns celebration.
Shore Poets The (‘anons‘ (iait. 232 Canongate. 556 448T. 7.45pm. £2 (U l. This month's Shore l’oets are Hamish \‘l'hyte. Kirsten Kearney and Jim (ilen. with tnusic by Mary .\lc(iookin.
Monday 26
Glasgow
Talks and Debates 'I‘lte Piping Centre. 30 34 McI’hater Street. (‘owcaddens. 287 55l 1. 6pm. Free. Brian McNeill presents this illustrated talk Introduction to Modern Scottish 'l‘raditional .\ltisic as part of Celtic Connections.
Taking Control of Your Money Jury‘s Inn. 60 96 Jamaica Street.
6.30 9pm. £ 1 5. A one day workshop with Jasmine Birtles. co-author of .II (iirl's Hex! /*riem/ is l/er .lIu/tev. discussing how women can. and should. take control of their finances.
Citylife
THE BEST EVENTS THIS FORTNIGHT
Electric Shadows Glasgow's second Overseas Chinese Film Festival is back and coincides with the Chinese new year celebrations. With over 15 Chinese films to choose from. the festival offers a wide variety of styles and stories from a post-apocalyptic 2lst century ruled by an authoritarian sect to a story of unrequited love set in a run down cinema. Divided between the GET. UGC and the CCA. it is definitely worth diving in and trying out some of these exciting films. See film preview. Glasgow Film Theatre. 72 Rose Street. Glasgow. 332 87 28; UGC Cinemas, Renfrew Street, Glasgow. 0870 907 0789; CCA. 350 Sauchiehal/ Street. Glasgow. 352 4900. Fri 23 Jan- Thu 5 Feb.
Chinese New Year Celebrations The Edinburgh Chinese School celebrates moving into the year of the monkey with lion dance. traditional Chinese dance. songs and acrobatics. Anyone interested in the Chinese arts should check out the Chinese Calligraphy Demonstration. Guests of honour this year include minister for communities Margaret Curran MSP. Lord Provost Lesley Hinds and consul general of the People’s Republic of China Mr Jingo Cue Liu. Festival Theatre, 73—29 Nico/son Street, 529 6000. 7pm. £4. Sun 25 Jan.
Women and Chinese Cinema Clara Law, writer and director. will be leading this workshop and discussing women's roles within Chinese cinema. Covering areas from women working in the industry to the way they are portrayed in Chinese films. this workshop will provide a unique insight for all those interested in film and women's studies. Gilmorehi/l Centre. 9 University Avenue, Glasgow 330 3809. 3—5pm. Free but ticketed. Sat 24 Jan.
1)? Jan 1'» l oi) 700-1 THE LIST 87