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2010 Festival season may be over, but it lives on in our hearts, minds and livers. To relive the magic, we’ve included a selection of your festival reviews – good and bad.
PICKING A WINNER Event: John Robertson – A Nifty History of Evil I’ve seen a bunch of free comedy shows at the Fringe and it’s always a bit of a lottery, but sometimes you pick a real winner. This guy was head and shoulders (and knees and elbows) above the other acts I’ve seen recently. He’s got a really tight set, consistently very sharp and funny, and great stage presence. He’s also got a leather corset, a ukulele and a filthy monkey puppet – what more do you want? Certainly worth an hour of anyone’s time. Al Green, Glasgow
EXQUISITELY BAD Article: Dead I know that in many ways it was a very bad play – but I really enjoyed it. I liked the fluffed lines, I liked the way half of it made no sense, I liked the bad acting, I liked the pat ending, I liked the way every second sentence had the word vagina in it. I thought it flew by. Decca Quinne, Renfrewshire
LETTER OF THE FORTNIGHT WORDS ON PICTURES Article: The Faber Book of New South American Cinema – Demetrios Matheou Being one of the producers of The Secret in Their Eyes, it was quite interesting to read your comments on Demetrios Matheou’s book. I disagree with the categorization of Juan Campanella’s movies as impersonal. The whole idea of the auteur theory is based on a body of work, not a standalone film. If you watch Juan’s movies you will find his personal themes, ideas and style of mise-en-scene. You must remember that in Argentina almost 70 movies are produced every year and most are in the same vein (but not as polished or intelligent) as The Headless Woman. The movies cited by Matheou as box office successes are actually the exceptions, not the rule. I guess that a book like this is based on local films released abroad, but not in the real production landscape of every country described as ‘South America’, regardless of cultural identities. Axel Kuschevatzky, Argentina
THE LETTER OF THE ISSUE WILL RECEIVE ONE BOTTLE OF THE BLACK GROUSE WHISKY Smoky and Smooth – a marriage of fine peated Scotch malt whiskies and The Famous Grouse
SAM SLAM Article: Sam Simmons I think the reviewer is being very over-generous with two stars. I never thought, after seeing Gary le Strange in 2006, that there could ever be a worse ‘comedy’ performer than him, but then I saw Sam Simmons and everything changed.
Painfully unfunny, puerile, and downright nasty. Nobody minds a comedian being a bit of a prick if they’re funny, but sadly this was far from the case on this occasion. I actually wanted the venue to
blow up, just to make it stop. That’s how bad it was. Helen, Glasgow
Next issue out Wednesday 22 September 25th Anniversary Issue The Listhas been documenting the Scottish cultural landscape for 25 wonderful years, and to celebrate, we’re taking a look back at our illustrious history, and that of the arts and culture scene itself. There’ll be a ton of great pictures harvested from the dusty vaults of our archives, plus a word or two from some of the notable people, venues and institutions that have made their name over the last quarter of a century. All this, combined with the usual in-depth coverage of music, film, theatre, art, clubs, comedy and much, much more.
YOU’VE GOT 15 DAYS TO LIVE 96 THE LIST 9–23 Sep 2010
MOVING PICTURES Event: Joan Mitchell Well worth viewing. Abstract but alive with a personal vision of nature. Seeing the pictures for real gives the added delight of the varied textures of paint! John the Barman, Edinburgh
STAR WARS Article: Sarah Bennetto I lost the will to live listening to this ‘comic’. The only show I paid for at the Festival and the worst. The longest hour of my life, and one which I thought would never end. That there was barely a titter in the audience will hopefully make you realise you are in the wrong job. You don’t deserve even a star – because you aren’t one. Shemsworth, Chester VIOLENT REACTION Article: Cherry Tree Lane and The Killer Inside Me I’m glad I read your article, and there’s a lot in it that I agree with. The press photo featuring the axe already put me off but now I will not go to see The Cherry Tree. Violence, of course, can be essential to a story and very much has its place. I recently saw The Secret in Their Eyes which contains several violent scenes, but is still a quite charming film. Peter Fitzgerald, London Comment posted at List.co.uk
Issue 1 of The List, published 4 Sep 1985
CONTRIBUTORS Publisher & General Editor Robin Hodge Director Simon Dessain
EDITORIAL Editor Jonny Ensall Assistant Editor Henry Northmore, Allan Radcliffe, Claire Sawers Subeditor Hamish Brown Research Manager Laura Ennor Research Siân Bevan, Tasmin Campbell, Siân Hickson, Henry Northmore, David Pollock, Fiona Shepherd, Kirstyn Smith Editorial Assistant Niki Boyle SALES & MARKETING Advertising Sales Manager Brigid Kennedy Senior Media Sales Executive Juliet Tweedie Media Sales Executive Aimi Gold, Jude Moir Media Project Sales Manager Suzanne Robertson Business Development Executive Adam Coulson Business Development Manager Brendan Miles Sponsorship & Promotions Manager Sheri Friers Promotions Executive Amy Russell Circulation Executive Murray Robertson
PRODUCTION Senior Designer Lucy Munro Production Manager Simon Armin Production Assistant Miriam Sturdee
DIGITAL Web Editor Hamish Brown Senior Developer Andy Carmichael Senior Designer Bruce Combe Software Developer Iain McCusker Online Editorial Assistant Alice White ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Georgette Renwick Accounts Assistant Tasmin Campbell Office & HR Manager Jo Morgan
SECTION EDITORS Around Town Kirstin Innes Books Brian Donaldson Clubs Henry Northmore Comedy Brian Donaldson Dance Kelly Apter Eat & Drink Donald Reid Film Paul Dale Kids Kelly Apter LGBT Allan Radcliffe Music Claire Sawers News Anna Millar Shopping Claire Sawers Theatre Allan Radcliffe Visual Art Allan Radcliffe