What sOn
Around Town
>l<
llit
wifitétéiiniiiin EVENTS
III World AIDS Day Both cities are pulling out all the stops this year - in Edinburgh, if you turn up in a red frock in Bristo Square at 1pm on Fri 30 Nov, you can be part of a gigantic human ribbon photoshoot. In Glasgow. on the day itself, Diane Torr comperes a dragged-up benefit at Carnival Arts. there‘s a Terrence Higgins Trust fundraiser at the Waterloo, and a service at St Mary’s Cathedral. See LGBT. page 60 for further info. Various venues, Glasgow 8 Edinburgh, Fri 30 Nov—Sat 7 Dec.
II! The Rock Trust Sleepout The Rock Trust. a charity providing support services to homeless young people. stages its annual sponsored sleepout. inviting able-bodied people to bed down in the streets for the night. Snacks and hot drinks are provided. and everyone gets a bacon roll in the morning, too. St Andrew '3 & St George '3 Churches, George Street. Edinburgh, Fri 30 Nov.
* 16 Days of Action Wear a white ribbon as well as a red ribbon this fortnight, to show that you oppose violence against women. 16 Days of Action is a Glasgow—wide programme of gigs. talks and debates. organised as part of the UN's international campaign. See www. glasgow. gov. uk for a full programme.
waaydlflr my,” -u, .. '
he's like u
As St Andrew’s Day approaches, Rosalie Doubal previews a celebration of multicultural Scotland, and the best patriotic action in Edinburgh and Glasgow
round this time ol )L‘tll‘. a l'lurr} ol' twee tartan
tat begins to take met‘ our streets and schools.
(i_\m halls fill up with tinn_\. taped ceilidh tunes. canteens are plagued with w ater} tatties and slopp} neeps. and supermarkets surrender to dllsl} displa) s ol' plastic haggis. and limp saltires. lissentiall}. we celebrate our patriotism with what amounts to all the l‘urore ol' a bin—end sale in a Highland gilt shop. St .-\ndrew 's l)a_\ needs a makeo\ er.
This is where ()ur Scotland. a huge cross-genre celebration ol' contemporar} multiculturalism. comes in. Best described as a ‘dramatic presentation'. the pert‘ormance. set to explode all m er lidinburgh International Conference ('entre on St .-\ndrew‘s l)a_\. w ea\es lilm. music and dance into a narratixe that traces Scotland's pol_\g|ottic histor} back Ztlllll _\ears to cultural clashes between the l’icts and the Romans.
So tar. so traditional. _\ou might think. Yet. ()ur Scotland. the culmination of lidinburgh (‘it_\ (‘ouncil's Making ('onnections/('elelu‘ating l)i\ersit_\ project aimed at )oung people. uses (ihanaian \ocal troupe Kakasitsi. .'\t‘rican/Scottish l'usion dancers. Polish.
Yiddish and Italian beats and the breaking skills ol
Scottish B-Bo} crew Random .-\spects tpicturedl to tell ll\ tale.
‘\\'e came tip with the project in response to those comments being made about people coming here and taking jobs. We want people to think about migration as a two-wa} process.‘ sa}s organiser Martin Hutchinson. “The idea was to challenge perceptions. initiate discussions. and ha\c a lasting el'l'ect on e\ei"\one who got in\ol\ed.'
In addition to the pl'ttlt'\\ltttttll musicians and dancers. a huge number ol' local high school pupils and college students haw been inxolxed in the dramatic elements ol the production. which have been scripted and directed b} Theatre ()biecktiV‘s director. Raymond Rtts/k‘ow'skl Ross.
High energ} celebrations are also the order ol the da} in (ilasgow. as (ieorge Square is converted into a gigantic open air ceilidh hall for Shindig in the Square. Warm _\oursell up reeling and writhing along to the strapping sounds ol' Barra's Vatersay Boys. with support from l‘olk-rockers 'l‘he Pitts and Scottish supergroup l-‘ourgoodmen.
liast coasters can get their lair share (it sweating and bruising in. too. though » Jig in the (iardens takes mer Princes Street (iardens tor another humungous outdoor ceilidh. replete with l)Js. l‘iddlers. salsa and ceilidh bands and a chill-out tent it it all gets too much. The lidinburgh part} continues on for the whole weekend. with an attempt to break the world record for the biggest ex er Dashing White Seargent at 3.30 on Sunda} alternoon.
Take to the streets and supermarkets with pride this St Andrew 's l)a_\'. l‘or this is not the stale tartan llut‘l‘ we‘re Used to. but a l‘resh. no nonsense. hard hitting celebration.
Our Scotland, EICC, Edinburgh: see www.edinburgh.gov.uk for full details. Shindig in the Square, George Square, Glasgow, from 4pm; Jig in the Gardens, Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, from 6pm; all events Fri 30 Nov.
2': "1 CW. 2257 THE LIST 25