Show & tell
Stewart Lee is set to appear at The Stand comedy club as part of this year’s Fringe
This year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe throws up a typically
curious but fun mix Words: Anna Millar
ontroversial celebrity Michael
Barrymore and former Star Trek
favourite Leonard Nimoy are just two of the big names set to grace this year's Fringe. The programme offers its usual eclectic roster of talent ranging from theatre and dance to comedy and musicals. with notable highlights including (‘urclzplzmse king Roy Walker. UK/lranian funnyman ()mid l)jalili and soap actress. reality star and queen of the stage. Jill Halfpenny. who
joins Barrymore for a theatrical snapshot of
Spike Milligan‘s life.
In a move away from regular form. this year‘s Fringe will also showcase the inaugural lidinburgh (‘omedy Festival. helmed by four of the festival‘s biggest venues: The Pleasance. Assembly Rooms. (iilded Balloon and Underbelly. Highlights of that programme include Richard Herring. Ruby Wax. Joan Rivers and raconteur (‘live James.
Across town. the Stand (‘omedy (‘luh is set to double its Fringe output. with a total of 36 comedy productions staged across four venues. with rib-tickling turns from festival stalwarts such as Daniel Kitson. Jo (‘aullield and Stewart Ice.
()ften dubbed the "l‘he (ireatest Show on liarth‘. the Fringe last year featured over 2000 shows in 250 different venues. with
the Fringe boasting a 75% market share of
all attendance at lidinburgh‘s year-round festivals; annually the festival reportedly
generates around £75m for the lidinburgh and Scottish economy. Last year over l.(nn tickets were sold during the Fringe. smashing all arts festival records. and festival heads said this week that they are keen to build on this success.
The Fringe runs from 3—25 August. See www.edfringe.com The List Festival Guide is out on 16 July, complete
with interviews, features and top picks from all of the Edinburgh festivals, as well as full listings of the best Edinburgh eats, drinks and attractions. See www.list.co.uk for up-to-the-minute preview and review material across the festival board throughout August.
POPULAR ARTS PROGRAMME The Culture Show is set to be partly presented from Scotland at the Beeb’s Pacific Quay headquarters in Glasgow, with the other half continuing to come from its current home in London. The split coincides with new timeslots for the programme of 10pm on Tuesdays and 11.35pm, Fridays.
box offic success of the new Indiana Jones movie, Paramount has set in motion a fourth installment of Beverly Hills Cop. Brett Ratner is reportedly in negofiafionsto direct, with Eddie Murphy returning to play the starring role.
AN EDINBURGH- BASED distributor has bought the UK rights for one of the big hits of the UK French Film Festival. CineFile has secured the UK distribution rights to Jean Becker’s Conversations with My
Gardener.
COVER STORY I Edinburgh is set to get shaken and stirred this summer, following the announcement that 007 will be showcased in all his glory. The City Art Centre has confirmed that it will be the first venue outside of London to host Bond Bound - Ian Fleming and the Art of Cover Design, an exhibition on the book art of the world’s most famous spy. Running from 5 July-14 September, the exhibition explores the role of artists and designers in creating the Bond look and features book covers, film posters and letters, as well as previously unseen archive material.
JUST WHEN n semen Potter-mania was on the wane, ]K is back with a prequel to the series. A one—off handwritten story- card signed by Rowling will be sold at a charity auction on 10 Jun, at Waterstone’s, Piccadilly. Proceeds will go to English PEN and Dyslexia Action.
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53 ‘19 Jun 2008 THE LIST 9