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THE BEST EVENTS, TALKS AND SPORT
* Bonfire Night Sparklers at the ready? Watch the skies explode and get the “ooh . . . ahh' as bonfires crackle. toffee apples crunch and fireworks tear upwards. G/asgow Green, Fri 5 Nov; Strathc/yde Country Park, Fri 5 Nov; Meadowbank Sports Centre. Edinburgh, Fri 5 Nov.
* Look Who’s Talking: Tony Benn A comforting presence he may be but the political verve has never gone out of the old school champion of equality. truth and justice. Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Tue 9 Nov.
* Look Who’s Talking: James Naughtie Acting as the national probe on the Today programme. Jimmy Naughtie packs a good punch and all with a twinkle in his eye (well, you imagine). He discusses his new book The Accidental American: Tony Blair and the Presidency. Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Thu 77 Nov.
3|: Memorabilia A nostalgia test with acres of goodies from the 703 and 80s in this collectors” fair of sci-fl and cult TV glory. Guest appearances from Dirk Benedict of the A-Team and David Prowse from Star Wars make this a must for the gentleman of a certain age. SECC. Glasgow, Sat 73 Nov.
* Aislinn Hunter Closing event in the Twenty Years 20 Events with highly acclaimed young Canadian poet and novelist. Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh, Thu 18 Nov.
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Talking times
Soldiers listening to a lecture on good horsemanship, France, during WW1
Apathy? That’s so last year. Get with it and join in the new wave of public talks and discussions that are cropping up all over our cities. as Allan Radcliffe discovers.
ne ol' the highlights ol' the ladinburgh International Book l'cxtnal in recent _\ear\ has been the lltt\lk‘tl b_\ consummate polemicixt (icorgc .\lonbiot. l.a\t \umlncr\ ‘l"i\e Rillllltl\ \Vlllt \ltllll‘ltll. \L‘\\lltll\. lvtllllltl the tttlllltll'.
tll\L‘ll\\lHll \L‘l’lL‘\
anti-globalixation campaigner and thorn—in~lhe—\ide of
big business fielding audience questions on contentious subjects ranging from the iltlplicationx oi cloning babic\ to the state ol‘ the media. The \cll-otlt e\ent\ \i//led \\ ith all the passion and e\hilaration of an old—laxhioncd public meeting. \tith participants ne\ er \h_\ to contribute [0 or challenge the \ ic\\ \ e\pre\\ed Ulhlttgc.
l'iexti\al director ('atherinc l.ockerbie articulated the public dcxit'c to engage \\ ilh \\c‘l:_'lll} \ubiech in a public forum. “The public are hungr) to talk about books and subjects ol' e\er} kind. to \\\ap ideas with the \\ot'ld\ leading thinkers. to l'ecl their head\ bu//ing \\ith nc\\ lhtltlgltlx. \he \tlld.
lronicall}. in an age in \\hich apath} is thought to reign supreme as increasingl} l‘e\\ er people engage \\ ith traditional part} politicx. there appears \lllillllttllcttthl} to be a grouing impatience among the public to debate important topical issues in \al'ioux. uncomentional settings.
(ierr) llaxxan. author olfliiti/onii oi l/lt .\( it St Ill/t1I1(/. argues that the creation of non-traditional debating space is crucial to energixing the \\a_\ political debate is conducted in Scotland. “There I\ a thirst otit there for genuine dialogue.‘ he say. ‘Some can ln\ol\c a lixcl}. honest e\change of \ie\\\ as long as people listen and respect dill'erence. ()thers can use processes such ax
deliberathe enquir} or other method\ to get people to engage \\ ilh each other in a structured \\a_\.' ll;t\\;tll tccl\ though. that ordinar} members ol the public are currentl_\ e\cluded lrom important political tlt‘chlltli making.
.\nd _\ct. the balance appear\ to be \lllllllljJ. \thn \eteran \\'e\tmin\tcr pariiatnentarian 'lon_\ lienn retired as an .\ll’ in will to \pcnd more time \\llll politicx‘. he took to the road armed \\llll lll\ trademark pipe and a lifetimes political ideolog}. lhe resulting one man show \xhich interuegncs topical tll\L‘ll\\|llll \tith lienn\ incredible memoric\ ol public lite as uell as t]llL'\llHll\ from the li\c audience. has packed out large \elmex such ;I\ l'.tllltlttll‘j_'ll‘\ l‘c\ll\;tl 'lllcttll'c. llL' l'cltll'lh lti (iltt\f_'tl\\ this month to talk about hi\ latcxl memoir. [hi/'1’ to be u Dir/iii /. ()ther .\la\erick political ligure\ such as independent (ilaxgim l\'e|\ in \ll’. totmder ol the Respect l’arl}. (ieorgc (ialloxuo. can be lound mghtl} :ttltll'c\\lllj_' li\c|} public meetings the likes of which less colourful politicith can onl} dream.
ln ludinburgh. the Scottish (‘ixic l'orum I\ committed to building links betueen the Scottish people and the political classes b} encouraging actixc citi/enxhip from its base in thc llc\\ (‘i\ic l’articipation (‘entre housed in the inn on ludinburgh'x llol}rood Road lopen \Vcdnesda} and 'l'hursda} alternoons l Spini. 'l'he ('i\ic l~orum organises a number of public c\ent\ ltlclttll\ lrom enquiries“!ci\iclorum.org.uki.
See marked listings to find out exactly what talks and discussions are happening this fortnight.
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