Noticeboard NewsGossipOpinion This year’s Unbound strand of the programme promises to take a fresh look at literature
Innovation, innovation Both the Book and Art Festivals are leaving their mark in different ways Words: Anna Millar
H ere at List Towers we love a bit of innovation and this year’s festivals appear to be bringing it in spades. Case in point, the Book Festival’s all-new Unbound. Taking a refreshingly out-of-the-box approach, over 18s are invited to a free nightly programme boasting authors, poets and musicians from Britain and the USA. Events will include appearances from some List favourites including live literature nights from The Golden Hour, DisComBoBuLate and Irregular, as well as indie magazines McSweeney’s, Gutter and Five Dials. Authors singing their songs and singers telling their stories include Christopher Brookmyre, Willy Vlautin and Simone Felice. Roland Gulliver, Edinburgh International Book Festival programme manager, said of Unbound: ‘We wanted to
challenge ourselves, our authors and audiences; to create something new, exciting and slightly chaotic. To say it is authors reading stories, poets reading poems or musicians singing songs doesn’t describe it. It is gloriously indefinable.’ Across at the Art Festival, things are equally inventive courtesy of 2009 Turner prize-winner Richard Wright, who has unveiled his specially commissioned painting for the EAF at the Dean Gallery. Wright has said of his creation: ‘I like the way that work is as ignorable as it is interesting, the idea that the work might have this sort of abandoned quality.’ See Big pic, page 9 to see it.
See www.edbookfest.co.uk for more on Unbound.
MELA PROGRAMME REVEALED ■ Setting its stall from 6–8 Aug in Leith Links, this summer’s Mela jamboree includes the premiere of Cargo, a large- scale outdoor performance on the theme of migration. Other highlights include Punjabi singer Jaz Dhami (pictured), rapper and songwriter duo Bonafide, and Asian pop star Taz, of Stereo Nation. Hip hop is represented by Edinburgh- based BAFTA-nominated
brother and sister duo Northern Xposure; while Indian troupe Something Relevant present funk, blues, reggae, rock, pop, soul and hip hop from the streets of Mumbai. Fashionistas can enjoy the Mela Fashion Show, while family fun can be found courtesy of the Jaipur Kawa Circus. Look out too for Mela- commissioned Naturally, Inspired at the Royal Botanic Gardens, new work inspired by Scotland’s landscapes.
5 Things. . . BOOK NOW The Edinburgh Fringe shows destined to be underground hits
1 The Sum of It All . . . Bizarre but brilliant multimedia physical theatre piece from award-
winning director Dan Shorten. Zoo Roxy.
2 Jeremy Lion Goes Green
Welcome return for the cantankerous, burping, liquor- quaffing children's entertainer. Pleasance Dome.
3 Bud Take the Wheel, I Feel a
Song Coming On Exciting new drama from hotly-tipped
young writer Clara Brennan. Underbelly.
P H O T O :
N O E L M C L A U G H L N I
4 John-Luke Roberts
Distracts You from a Murder Footlights alumnus, Radio 4
writer and Invisible Dot-er hoping for a breakout year. Pleasance Courtyard.
5 Guilty Pleasures
Shameless fun for pop pickers at this regular clubnight in
the excellent new Assembly @ Princes St. Gardens venue. WWW.LIST.CO.UK Visit us daily for arts & entertainment news
HORN NOT- SO-PLENTY Happy days! Following their rather dubious outing at this year’s World Cup, festival-goers have been told not to take vuvuzelas to T in the Park. Festival heads are concerned that the controversial South African horn will put off the artists. Organisers DF Concerts said: ‘As T in the Park is a music festival, and whilst there is always a fantastic party atmosphere, we have also got to respect the artists.’
8–22 Jul 2010 THE LIST 7