Matthew Bourne, in town to talk Wilde
Festival focus
All festivals announce last minute additions to programmes
Words: Anna Millar
ith just a fortnight to go until
the floodgates open on
Edinburgh's festival mayhem. new spaces. new acts and new events are being announced daily.
The Book Festival last week added to additions: a brand new event from Alexander McCall Smith on 23 Aug. as well as an appearance from Clive James on 21 Aug.
Across town. the Fringe has announced that their High Street Team will manage additional performance spaces on the Mound Precinct next month. Two large circular performance pitches will be positioned ether side of the pyramid steps overlooking East Princes Street Gardens. with space also available for living statues and 20 market stalls.
Amnesty International has also announced its line-up. extending their programme across the Fringe Festival. the Book Festival. the Festival of Politics. and the Festival of Spirituality and Peace. Highlights include their Stand Up for
8 THE LIST 17—31 Jul 2008
Freer/(m1 comedy nights (in association with the Co-operative Bank) at the Assembly Hall on 6 and 13 Aug. Compered by lid Byrne and Andrew Maxwell respectively. the midnight comedy gigs will feature Rich Hall. Brendon Burns. Mark Watson. Stephen K Amos. Reginald D Hunter. David ()'l)oherty and Jo Caufield. ()ther Amnesty highlights include two visual exhibitions. at play on Burma. an Amnesty lecture. two debates. readings from imprisoned writers and the annual Amnesty award for a theatre production about human rights.
Last but by no means least. Edinburgh International Festival Towers have announced that choreographer and director Matthew Bourne is to take part in a conversation about his adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Portrait of Dorian Gray. Bourne will discuss the inspiration behind his production of Wilde's classic tale. which receives its world premiere at Festival ()8 at the King's Theatre. at the Hub. on 27 Aug.
WHO'S NEXT?
I David Tennant continues to keep schtum on whether or not he will continue to be the Doctor when his Dr Who contract ends. Fans were left guessing last week when the latest series drew to a close as to whether Tennant - voted the most popular Doctor in the show's 40-year-history - will return. Producers have confirmed that while there is no series next year because of Tennant's commitments to the Royal Shakespeare Company, four specials, including a Christmas one, have been scripted.
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at the ready. This summer boasts the return of Tanqueray Tables, 3 series of cocktail evenings in al-fresco venues normally off-limits to the public. Hosted by the makers of Tanqueray gin, together with toptable.co.uk, guests can sample an intensity of flavours through cocktails and canapés in venues across the UK. To find out more about the venues and to
reserve your table, log on to www.tanquerayta bles.co.uk.
BRIAN LOUDON has been appointed to the newly created post of General Manager by Festival City Theatres Trust, the company that manages the King's and Festival Theatres in Edinburgh. Loudon is currently Director of Venue Operations with the Wales Millennium Centre.
AID MUN. Iron Man star Robert Downey Jnr has reportedly signed up for Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes production. Downey Jnr learned about the Warner Bros project from his Hollywood producer wife. The film is expected to be released in October of next yean
THE NEW X-F'ILES FILM continued to be shrouded in myster last week, with all t e actors publically refusin to reveal the plot. Bi y Connoll will star as Father Toe alongside David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson’s Mulder and Scully, in the higtgy-antici ated seque , e X-Fi es: 1
Want To BeII'eve out next month.
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TILDAFEST! a». I Hollywood actress Tilda . ' Swinton is to set up a small film festival in her hometown of Nairn in north-east Scotland. Bereft of the usual razzmatazz. Swinton and co- organiser Mark Cousins are keen to strip back the look [and cost] of festivals. such as Cannes. Instead of inflated prizes and show-stopping red carpet dresses. tickets to films will cost punters a tray of baked goods (or £33). with audiences invited to sit on beanbags to view what are said to be “films with highly coloured. dreamlike elements.‘ DeSpite the low-fi setting. there's still a strong star presence:
director Joel Coen will programme two of the nights. The Michael C/ayton and Chronicles of Narnia star was inspired to put something on after renting the venue. rent an old ballroom in Nairn known as
the Ballerina. former gig grounds of Pink Floyd and The Who. The festival will run from 15-23 August.