8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 HOGMANAY 2013 HOGMAANAY 20133

FUNFAIR

8 GO TO THE The Irn-Bru Carnival is Europe’s largest indoor funfair with rides to suit

thrillseekers of all ages, from the Frisbee and the Extreme to more traditional rollercoasters and children’s rides as well as a huge range of stalls. Irn-Bru Carnival, SECC, Glasgow, Fri 20 Dec–Sat 12 Jan.

9 WATCH A MOVIE Avoid the crowds before and after the bells in the comfort of the Cameo’s cosy red velvet armchairs. Screenings of Anchorman 2 (see right), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, All is Lost and The Hobbit are all planned. Cameo, Edinburgh, Tue 31 Dec & Wed 1 Jan.

10 SEE SOME LIVE COMEDY Liven up the last hours of 2013 in some stand-up company: Mark Nelson, Rev Obadiah Steppenwolfe III and pals perform in Glasgow, while Ro Campbell, Jo

Cauli eld and guests take care of Edinburgh funny bones. The Stand, Glasgow, Fri 27–Tue 31 Dec; The Stand, Edinburgh, Fri 27 Dec–Wed 1 Jan.

6 SHOP FOR CRAFTS Expect a ‘chilled-out atmosphere’ thankfully, in the comfort of a well- heated marquee say the organisers of Grassmarket Hogmanay Festival Fair, offering ethical crafts, jewellery, fashion and mulled wine. Grassmarket Hogmanay Festival Fair, Edinburgh, Sat 28 Dec–Thu 2 Jan.

7 HAVE A N.Y.E. DANCE Optimo present a live set of ‘hypno- psych voodoo groove’ from local heroes Golden Teacher and a DJ set from African-dance label, Awesome Tapes From Africa (see label

artist Penny Penny, pictured below). Optimo’s Hogmanay 2013, Glue Factory, Glasgow, Tue 31 Dec.

and the sheer diversity of the programme we knew we wanted to be involved,’ explains Small between rehearsals. Inspired in part by a Tolstoy’s short story,

Smallpetitklein’s piece The Snowstorms (pictured, left) will take place in St Giles Cathedral with four 35-minute performances on a loop throughout the day.

An organist ‘in a past life’ before becoming

involved in the world of theatre, Small is keen to play to the strengths of the Cathedral’s music and heritage as well as injecting the show with some personal musical favourites, including Philip Glass’ glorious, mesmeric ‘Mad Rush’, (which was, rather i ttingly, originally written for the Dalai Lama’s i rst public address in a New York cathedral in the early 80s). Small’s hope is to capture the transformative spirit of what New Year means to people. ‘There’s a beautiful connection with the choral

music and that meeting of physicality and sound, so hopefully it will resonate with people. We’ll be using the organ and an 11-person choir, alongside the dance. The idea is really to catapult the audience into another world and take them on a journey with us.’ The director acknowledges, too, that anyone coming out on New Year’s Day has a sense of expectation: ‘The i rst [of January] can so often be about putting your feet up, but it’s also about shedding a skin and getting ready for new things: it’s daunting but also wonderful to try and capture that.’ (Anna Millar) Scot:Lands starts at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, noon, Wed 1 Jan, then various venues in the Old Town until 5.30pm.

WITNESS A PYROMANIACAL CIRCUS PYROMANIACAL CIRCUS

11 WITNESS A SPECTACLE

Limbo's blend of acrobatics, top hats, a brass band, sword swallowing and i re eating should be an exhilarating end to the i re e year. See review, page 124. Limbo, Paradiso year. Spiegeltent, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, until Spie Sat 4 Jan. Sat 4

NIGHT-WALK

12 TAKE A SCENIC One for teetotallers or crowd avoiders, and it won’t cost you a penny as you oversee the city with the Observers’ Walks audio tour. Ruth Ewan and Astrid Johnston have made to a downloadable guide to Calton Hill and its a environs. Ruth Ewan’s Observers’ Walks audio e tour, downloadable from collectivegallery.net to

St Andrew Square, Edinburgh,

WALKS Calton Hill,

tracscotland.org/scottish- GLASGOW ON ICE

storytelling-centre George Square,

edinburghschristmas.com collectivegallery.net

Tue 31 Dec, 12.30 & 2pm. Glasgow, 287 8985,

will be accessible through the gatehouse on John Knox Street. Closed Wed 1 Jan.

Open daily 10am–10pm, until Sun 5 Jan.   EDINBURGH’S FREE

WALKING TOURS

Closed Fri 20 Dec–Tue 7 Jan. Audio tours for Observers Walks can still be downloaded from their website though.

GLASGOW GLASGOW BOTANIC

glasgowloveschristmas.com Tue 31 Dec, noon–10pm. Closed Wed 1 Jan.

THE TALL SHIP AT RIVERSIDE

150 Pointhouse Place,

GARDENS

GLASGOW NECROPOLIS 357 3699,

Tron Kirk, Edinburgh,

STORIES ROUND THE

730 Great Western Road, 50 Cathedral Square,

thetallship.com

newedinburghtours.com TREE AT SCOTTISH

Glasgow, 339 6964,

552 3145,

STORYTELLING CENTRE

glasgowbotanicgardens.com glasgownecropolis.org

Daily 11am & 2pm.  

RUTH EWAN: OBSERVERS’ Edinburgh, 556 9579,

43–45 High Street,

Daily: grounds 7am–dusk, glasshouses 10am–4.15pm. On Tue 31, main gates will be closed and the necropolis

(Rona Tunnadine)

12 Dec 2013–23 Jan 2014 THE LIST 15

Open daily 10am–4pm. Booking recommended.