Scotch sitting rooms Will never be the same again
PAGEIZ
The Scottish Storytelling Centre,
designed by / - Malcolm Fraser
Story Centre unwra
Countdown to the opening of Royal Mile building has begun. Wolds: Allan Radcliffe
hosc familiar with thc cobblcs. burnt stonc and
tartan souscnir .shops of lidinburgh‘s Royal Milc
cannot havc faich to noticc that thc scaffolding has finally comc down from thc front of thc Scottish Storytclling (‘cntrc. which lics at thc halfway poillt bctwccn thc castlc and llolyrood l’alacc.
'l‘hc major rcfurbishmcnt by Malcolm l'tasct'
Architccts. which unites the 1970s thhcrbow Arts (‘cntrc with thc mcdicval John Knox llousc to crcatc an inviting storytclling court. has bccn fixc ycars ill thc making and will bc unycilcd to the public on | May. Brand ncw facilitics includc a ‘N-scat thcatrc. a cafe run by thc proprictol's of Spooll on Blackfrial's Strcct. an opcn-plan arca with a pcrmancnt cxhibition cntitlcd ‘Scotland‘s Storics~ and a library namcd aftcr thc 'Bard of()rkncy’ (icorgc Mackay Brown.
Rapidly garncring a rcputation as Scotland‘s boldcst and most talcntcd al'chitcct. Malcolm lirascr cxplaincd that it was a combination of thc bricf and thc historic sitc itsclf that lircd his imagination.
ped
‘Storytclling is lltlgcly important culturally. particularly in Northcrn cultul'cs. ()ur clicnt |)onald Sillitll ldilcctor of thc (critic. and a foundcr mcnlhcr of lidinbul‘gll's (iuid ('rack ('Iubl callcd storytcllillg "thc gatcway art" as it opcns thc door to othcr art forms. bridging tllc gap bctwccn thcatl'c and Iitcr‘atul'c. What‘s \cl'y nicc is that thc sitc is litcr'ally a gatcway: lhc thhclbow \sas thc main cntry to lidinburgh‘s ()ld 'l‘own.‘
As wcll as rc—cstahlishing thc thhcrbow. thc ncw building also fcaturcs a towcr l'cpl'cscnting lidinburgh‘s long~dcmolishcd principal city bcll. originally cast ill thc l7t|l ccntury. l’or i‘l'ilSL‘l‘. thc projch was also a fantastic opportunity to unitc thc past with tllc pl‘cscnt.
‘What I find painful about lidinburgh is that we haxc all thcsc bcautiful old btlildillgs but. judging by sonic of thc l'cccnt architcctul'c. it would appcar \sc‘w lost confldcncc. 'l'o makc a building that is botll abstract and modcrll and can hayc a collycrsation across thc ycars with a mcdicyal building such as the John Knox llousc is a \s‘ondcrful opportunity.‘
TALES OF THE CITIES AT LIST BOOK EVENT
I If you thought things had gone a little quiet since Edinburgh‘s appointment as the first ever UNESCO City of Literature, think again. The List has teamed up with the capital's City of Literature foundation to organise an event at the Playfair Library on Thursday 6 April. In keeping with the project‘s principal theme - that Edinburgh is a city built on books - three prominent figures from various walks of Scottish popular culture (apart from literature) will read from their favourite books about cities. Among the speakers lined up to perform are filmmaker Richard Jobson, the former Skids singer and director of the highly acclaimed 16 Years of Alcohol, in what promises to be a lively and eclectic evening out. For updates check out list.co.uk or email editor@list.co.uk. (AR)
I The winners of the Creative Scotland Awards for 2006 have been announced. Each recipient takes home a cool £30,000. to addition to visual artists Toby Paterson (work pictured), Smith/Stewart and Pemille Spence, this year's winners include award-winning novelist James Robertson and filmmaker Murray Grigor, who is to make a film highlighting the plight of Scotland's finest modern building, the St Peter's Seminary in Cardross.
I The Edinburgh International Festival announces its programme for 2006 on 22 March. Alter recent controversy about the organisation's deficit and sniping about the suitability of new director Jonathan Mills tor the lot). the Eli Wlll be pleased to return to the happy subject of the performing arts. Since this is Brian McMaster '3 final year in charge. he'll be hoping to sign oil with a bang.
I The Skye Music Festival returns this year on 16 and 17 June on the Isle of Skye with KT Tunstall, Mylo and Fun Lovin’ Criminals heading the line-up. Tickets are available now, priced £75 from skyemusicfestival.co.uk
I Noam Chomsky is available by live video link- up from MIT on Tuesday 28 March at 7pm across a number of Scottish Universities. ‘lhe USA — deterring democracy irorn South America to Palestine' is the title of his talk. The events will be staged at Edinburgh, Napier. Glasgow and Dundee Universities. For details. go to scottishpscorguk.
tr, 1,1, Mir ;'l r l‘, THE LIST 7