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AROUND TOWN We begin our Briefing with the good news that Mavisbank House has been safeguarded as a ‘historic house of importance’, with Midlothian Council signing an agreement to purchase the Category A property, and signing it over to a local trust. The Palladian villa has been lying derelict following a fire 40 years ago.
two very enticing speakers as part of their RBS Museum Talks series. Outgoing NTS artistic director Vicky Featherstone will talk about the national company’s successes internationally and nationally, on Thu 14 Jun. On Fri 6 Jul, American author Dave Sobel will appear in conversation with the Astronomer Royal for Scotland. See Featherstone highlights, page 11. g
FILM Congratulations to artist ist on Stephen Sutcliffe who has won ’s the Glasgow Film Festival’s rd Margaret Tait Award. The award d is supported by Creative Scotland s and LUX and recognises artists e who are ‘experimental, innovative d and who work within film and l image.’ Sutcliffe will moving receive a prize of £10,000 and the opportunity to present a new commission at Glasgow Film Festival in 2013.
MUSIC News of a Highland d n highlight during festival season e now, as it’s been announced that the on Hebrides Ensemble’s co-commission an of a new work by James MacMillan gh will be premiered at the Edinburgh ug. International Festival on Wed 22 Aug. ere, See eif.co.uk for more. Elsewhere, cert King Creosote is to curate a concert out for Refugee Week Scotland. Look out Old for it on Mon 18 Jun at Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket, and check out scottishrefugeecouncil. org.uk for details. Also out West, music outreach collective Live Music Now continue to do their bit, as they attempt to find Scotland’s best emerging rock, pop, indie and jazz musicians. See livemusicnow.org for more. TALKS National Museums Scotland has announced
TELEVISION So many great names, so little time. The Edinburgh International Television Festival, taking place in the capital this A August, is shaping up to be their best l line-up to date. Elisabeth Murdoch w will deliver this year’s MacTaggart L Lecture, the Richard Dunn memorial i nter in interview will feature broadcaster and ourn jo journalist Charlie Brooker speaking live to Times columnist and author li ive Cait C Caitlin Moran, while nonsense will arri a arrive in the shape of Keith Lemon ho hosting a live special edition of ITV2’s Celebrity Juice. IT
1 J VISUAL ART There’s a large V s sporting event going on this s summer in London. You may already be aware of it. If you’re not already saturated with Olympic hope and pride you can head head to Edinburgh’s mound precinct f from 1 June to see striking portraits of Olympic and Paralympics athletes – including Scots Katherine Grainger, Emily Maguire and Laura Bartlett – as part of the BT Road to 2012 exhibition. And finally, The List was very sad to hear of the passing of the wonderful Glasgow-born sculptor George Wyllie, who has died, age 90. Wyllie was best known for his public works, including ‘The Straw Locomotive’ and ‘The Paper Boat’. He will be much missed.
BT Road to 2012 features portraits of Olympic and Paralympic athletes
DISPATCHES FROM THE SOFA, WITH BRIAN DONALDSON
■ Now here’s a new US show that might well have ideas way above its station with an on-screen quote from Confucius hinting at the multiple tragedies which lie ahead. Revenge (E4, Mon 28 May, 9pm) is populated by characters who take boats down to Haiti for the week and give each other Van Goghs for fun, and it would be easy to simply hate it for being another spoilt-millionaires bonanza. Still, all you need is one person to side with and in Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp) we have a protagonist whose life was ravaged when her father was imprisoned for siphoning off funds which resulted in a terrorist outrage. There is, of course, no way the story is quite so black and white: after all, daddy loved playing with her on the beach and they had a cute dog and everything. Having finally seen evidence years later that points the finger at him being framed, she arms herself with a new identity and goes after the true perpetrators. Their fates range from a gunshot in the skull to chomping on poisoned bisque.
Over 22 episodes this may well turn out to be a gripping series, but some characters are going to be difficult to stomach. Such as the equally vengeful Victoria Grayson (Madeleine Stowe) – who seems to either be making charity speeches into a microphone or whispering threats into tender ears – and a predictable slew of lobotomised hunks. Can’t help thinking the Danes would have done this better.
14 THE LIST 24 May–21 Jun 2012 Best served cold?
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