AROUND TOWN | Events 5 REASONS TO SEE . . .
KEITH PARTRIDGE
1. Get jealous about his job
‘I’m an “adventure cameraman”,’ says the 46-year-old, who was raised in Norfolk and is based in Fife. ‘So think of the stuff you’ve seen on TV or at the cinema that looks pretty adventurous and wonder how they managed to shoot it – that’s what I do. I joined the BBC as a trainee at 18, and as a keen weekend climber I began to wonder if I could combine my career with my passion.’ 2. It’ll be ideal for adventure sports fans . . .
‘My job takes me to some of the most challenging, remote and beautiful places on the planet: on iconic mountains like the Eiger’s north face; on a first ascent of a mountain in the “Lost World” of Venezuela; exploring caves in Papua New Guinea; and to the summit of Everest.’ 3 . . . and perfect for those with an interest in film
‘The m ajor projects I’ve worked on include the BAFTA-winning Touch- ing The Void, the Emmy-winning Beckoning Silence, the multi- award winning Human Planet series and the iconic, BAFTA- winning Scottish mountaineering series The Edge.’
4. He’s got some thrilling stories ‘Cave exploration in Papua New Guinea was technically a nightmare. There was water everywhere – and we know how much technology loves moisture. Then add in some very technical rope-work and a generous dollop of “if we get this wrong we will not be coming back”.’
5. He’s passionate ‘“Life isn’t measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away” is a favourite quote. This presentation is aimed at anyone with an ounce of interest in stunning locations, adventure, exploration, remote cultures and the environment.’ (David Pollock) ■ Keith Partridge: Another Day at the Office is at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Mon 3 Mar.
36 THE LIST 20 Feb–20 Mar 2014
artist Patricia Macindoe leads these two-hour sessions that cover the basics of patchworking and binding a quilt. FREE Adult Art Classes Wed 5 Mar, 10am–noon. Burrell Collection, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 287 2550. Learn the art of chainmail. Booking essential. Writing for Comic Books Taster Session Sun 9 Mar, 1pm. £2 (£1). CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. Black Hearted Press introduce the basics of the biz, including story structure and adapting for film/TV. Introduction to Stone Carving Every Sun 9–26 Mar, 1–4pm. £50 for three weeks. Burrell Collection, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 287 2550. Take inspiration from the Burrell Collection before trying your hand at this ancient art form. Booking essential. Drawing for Comic Books Taster Session Sun 9 Mar, 2pm. £2 (£1). CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. Get to grips with storyboarding, directing the action and digital formatting. Music for Short Films and Animations Taster Session Sun 9 Mar, 3pm. £2 (£1). CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. The finer points of scoring films and animations. Textile Screenprinting with Laura Spring Sat 15 Mar, 9.30am–4pm. £75. Grey Wolf Studios, 131 Craighall Road, lauraspring.co.uk Learn the ropes, creating four brand new, custom-printed totes by the end of the day. Writing for the Stage in Scotland: What Future Do We Want? Sat 15 & Sun 16 Mar, 11am–6pm. Free, but ticketed. CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland invite practitioners to debate and explore the future of theatre in Scotland. FREE Creative Loop Student Media Festival Wed 19 & Thu 20 Mar, times vary. CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. Industry experts discuss radio, television and digital media to inspire, teach and network with the next generation. Ages 17+. EDINBURGH
Activities & Events Floriography: The Language of Flowers Every Wed 26 Feb–26 Mar, 10am–1pm. £60 for five weeks (members £54). Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Ali MacLeod looks at flowers in art and literature. Charity Fashion Show Thu 27 Feb, 7.30–10pm. £5–£10 (includes drink and goody bag). Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Leith, 555 8888. Fashion showcase of Spring/Summer collections. myBearpaw Craft Club Fri 28 Feb, 6.30–9pm. £7. Avery Homestore, 7–9 Church Hill Place, 447 1000. Sewing bee with cake and tea/coffee (BYO mug).
✽Museum Lates: Night of the Mammoths Fri 28 Feb, 7–10.30pm.
£10 (£8) for Lates only; £18 (£16) for Lates and exhibition. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. See preview, page 33.
✽Edinburgh International Festival of Middle Eastern
Spirituality and Peace Sat 1–Thu 20 Mar, times vary. Prices vary. Various venues, 331 4469. See preview, page 34. FREE Sunday Seed Swap Sun 2 Mar, 11am–4pm. Gorgie City Farm, 51 Gorgie Road, 337 4202. Stalls, talks and kids’ activities, as well as seed swap. FREE Within These Walls Sun 2 Mar, noon–3pm. Holyrood Park, Holyrood, 652 8150. Follow the five-mile wall that surrounds Holyrood Park and hear the stories of 500-year-old boundary. Roller Skating Disco Fri 7 Mar, 8pm– 12.30am. £10 (skate hire £5). Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. Skates for hire; reserve a size via email. Scottish Motorcycle Show Sat 8 & Sun 9 Mar, 10.30am–4pm. £12 (£9) in advance; £16 (£12) on the door (under 15s free). Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, 0844 854 0064. Restored bikes and first round of the Scottish Supermoto. International Women’s Day Sat
8 Mar, 6pm. Talk Free, but ticketed; performances £6 (£4). Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. Celebratory event featuring a panel discussion on the role women theatre-makers are playing in contemporary Scottish theatre. See preview, page 32. Edinburgh’s Festival of Ireland Fri 14–Mon 17 Mar, times vary. Prices vary. Various venues, 07855 285207. Family- friendly celebration of the Emerald Isle, with storytelling, music, dance, talks, comedy, food and drink. Fairs & Markets FREE Out of the Blue Flea Market Sat 22 Feb, 10am–3pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. Bargain buys. FREE Stockbridge Farmer’s Market Every Sun, 10am–5pm. Saunders Street, Stockbridge, 551 5633. Artisanal food and craft market. FREE Loppis Sat 8 Mar, 2–4pm. Victoria, 265 Leith Walk, 555 1638. Monthly Swedish-style junk sale. FREE A Spoonful of Vintage Sun 9 Mar, 11am–5pm. Spoon, 6a Nicolson Street, 07711 839958. Vintage collectables and furniture. The Vintage Wedding Show Sun 9 Mar, 11am–4pm. £5. Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Place, 623 3030. See Glasgow, Fairs & Markets.
Talks FREE Wojtek the Bear: Polish War Hero Tue 25 Feb, 6–7pm. National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3734. The story of a 500-pound bear who fought for the Polish Army before retiring at Edinburgh Zoo. The Lives of Mammoths and Mastodons Tue 25 Feb, 6.30–7.30pm. £6 (£5). National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. Professor Dan Fisher explores what preserved specimens can yield. Bright Club: Edinburgh Tue 25 Feb, 8.30pm. £5. The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. See Comedy listings. Vet Talk Thu 27 Feb, 7–9pm. £8 (members £6). Edinburgh Zoo, Corstorphine Road, 334 9171. Join the zoo’s head vet to find all about his teams work with the Edinburgh menagerie. FREE Room for the Child: Louise Bourgeois and Psychoanalysis Mon 3 Mar, 12.45–1.30pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, 75 Belford Road, 624 6200. Artist and writer Meg Harris Williams talks about Bourgeois’ interest in psychoanalysis. Winter Talks Mon 3 Mar, 7.30–8.30pm. £3 (£1.50) per lecture; season ticket £20 (£10). Royal Observatory Visitor Centre, Blackford Hill, 6688263. Today’s astronomy talk is ‘The Colour of the Exoplanet’, with Hugh Mortimer. Craig Mathieson: Some Like It Cold Thu 6 Mar, 7.30–9pm. £8 (free). Appleton Tower, University of Edinburgh, Crichton Street, mathiesonexplorer.com See Glasgow, Talks.
✽Keith Partridge: Another Day at the Office Mon 3 Mar, 7.30pm.
£12. Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay Street, 248 4848. See 5 Reasons to See . . ., left. An Evening with Sir Mark Walport: Our Climate Thu 13 Mar, 6.30–8pm. Free, but ticketed. Our Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Road, 550 7800. See Glasgow, Talks. FREE Edinburgh Ragged University Talks Thu 13 Mar, 7–10pm. Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 38 West Nicolson Street, 667 7533. Tonight’s talks are ‘The Science of Food Additives and Behaviour’ by Alex Dunedin and ‘The Ancient Art of Dreamwhispering’ by Geoff Baines. Winter Talks Mon 17 Mar, 7.30– 8.30pm. £3 (£1.50) per lecture; season ticket £20 (£10). King’s Buildings, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, 6688263. Sam Thomson and Lee Patrick provide ‘ A Rough Guide to Stars’. The Scotch Whisky Training School Tue 18 Mar, 9am–5pm. £175
(includes tea break and lunch). Scotch Whisky Experience, 354 Castlehill, Royal Mile, 220 0441. An intensive one-day course in the tasting, blending, serving and history of scotch whisky.
✽Why Did You Do That? Contrasting the Different Ways of Understanding Other People Wed 19 Mar, 10.30–11.30am. Free, but ticketed. Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. This ‘Philosophy in the Playround’ talk uncovers the ways different cultures think and interact with people.
Workshops FREE Historical Embroidery Thu 20 & Fri 21 Feb & Fri 7 Mar, 10.30am–12.30pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, 624 6200. Introduction to the wide variety of stitching found on textiles and costumes in the collection. Further with Storytelling Sat 22 Feb, 10.30am–4.30pm. £36 (members £30). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Build your confidence and individual approach to storytelling. Digital SLR Camera Training Sat 22 & Sun 23 Feb, 11am–5pm. £175 (£155) for two days. Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, 622 6200. Weekend workshop in getting the most out of your digital SLR camera, with a blend of technical tuition, demonstration, practical assignments and group discussion. Life Drawing and Painting for All Levels Every Sat 22 Feb–29 Mar, 2–4.30pm. £20 for drop-in class. The Edinburgh Drawing School, 13A Great King Street, 07791 121313. Learn how to capture the human form in all its forms, in a variety of forms. FREE Edible Gardening: Seasonal Advice Mon 24 Feb, 1–3pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. A drop-in session with activities, produce tasters and a chance to get advice from the team. Watercolour Painting Classes Every Mon 24 Feb–17 Mar, 2–4pm. £5.50. Eric Liddell Centre, 15 Morningside Road, 447 4520. Informal class in watercolour techniques for beginners to advanced students. Impro FX’s Improvised Comedy Workshops Tue 25 Feb & 11 Mar, 7–9pm. £5. The Canons’ Gait, 232 Canongate, 556 4481. See Comedy listings. Life Drawing Class Every Wed 26 Feb–26 Mar, 6–8pm. £10. Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. Draw to the tunes of DJ Mik-Dub while instructor Dennis J Reinmüller teaches you the ropes. All skill levels welcome. Exploring Dance Traditions: Scottish Country Sat 1 Mar, 10.30am– 1pm. £15 (members £12). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Teacher, dancer and caller Pia Walker digs deeper into Scottish Country dance, introducing exemplary dances. Leatherwork – The Basics Sun 2 Mar, 2–5pm. £21 (students & unwaged £18). Remade in Edinburgh, 17 Guthrie Street, 261 5904. Bring all your broken belts, bags and boots and fix ‘em up real nice after learning how to wield tools, rivets and eyelets. Saturday Could Be Creative Writing Day Sat 8 Mar, 10.15am– 1.15pm. £12 (£10). Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6560. A tour of works from the permanent collection followed by a creative writing workshop. Booking essential. Starting with Stories Sat 8 Mar, 10.30am–6.30pm. £36 (members £30). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. An introduction to storytelling for those looking to improve their skills. Biodynamic Gardening Sat 15 Mar, 10am–4pm. £50 (members £45). Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2937. An introduction to organic gardening that relies on as few chemicals as possible, with composting at the centre of the life of the garden. Booking essential.