AROUND TOWN | Events across the city and a programme ranging from the entertaining to the controversial. The Head Bang Theory: Alternative Quiz Every Thu, 8–10.30pm. £1. Pivo Caffè, 2–6 Calton Road, 557 2925. Quiz night featuring rounds on alternative music, movies, comics, art, TV and more.
✽ John Calder Festival Fri 18 & Sat 19 Apr, Times vary. Prices vary.
Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. Festival celebrating the life of publisher John Calder featuring performances from the Hebrides Ensemble and Barry McGovern, plus Calder in conversation with Alan Taylor and Derek Watson. See feature, page 22. FREE Freeze Frame Film Club Fri 18 Apr, 9pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7101. A classic black-and-white film club. The menu at the OOTB cafe (£12 for two courses) is inspired by the evening’s film. FREE John Muir Tour Sat 19 Apr, 10am–2pm. Holyrood Park, Holyrood, 652 8150. Explore Bawsinch, the lowest point of the park, before ascending to the summit of Arthur’s Seat. All the Young Nudes – Life Drawing Club Tue 22 Apr, 8–10pm. £4.50. The City Café, 19 Blair Street, 220 0125. See Glasgow, Workshops. Edinburgh College of Art Fashion Show Wed 23–Fri 25 Apr, 6.30pm & 8pm. £12. McEwan Hall, Bristo Square, 473 2000. Spot the next Alexander McQueen amid the annual glitz and glam of the ECA fashion show. Neu! Reekie! Fri 25 Apr, 7–10.15pm. £8.50. Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. See Books listings. Charity Swish: Clothes Swap Event Fri 25 Apr, 7–9.30pm. £8 (includes all activities and services on offer). Duke Street United Reformed Church, 108 Duke Street, Leith, 551 7260. There’s 30-minutes of browsing time before the swishing (aka, trading your duds for someone else’s) begins. Proceeds go to Autism Initiatives Scotland.
✽ Colin Cloud: Forensic Mind Reader Sat 26 Apr, 7.30–9pm. £15. Our Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Road, 550 7800. The real-life forensic scientist finds the guiltiest person in the room by using his magnificent skills of deduction. See preview, page 38.
✽ Tradfest Tue 29 Apr–Sun 11 May, times vary. Prices vary. Various
venues, 556 9579. A festival inspired by the traditional arts of Scotland. Expect music, song, story, dance and craft to coincide with the seasonal rites of Beltane and May Day. Highlights for 2014 include performances from Breabach and Wounded Knee; the legit traditional and super strange Mummers Gathering and Ball; and talks by Gerry Hasan and David Torrance. See preview, page 35. Beltane Fire Festival Wed 30 Apr, 9.15pm. £10; under 12s free. Calton Hill, Waterloo Place, beltane.org A modern interpretation of the ancient fertility festival of Beltane in the spectacular setting of Calton Hill, with the story of the birth of summer told via dance, drumming and acrobatics – not to mention fire. TradFest. FREE Creative Circles Tue 6 May, 8.30–10.30am. Brew Lab, 6–8 South College Street, 662 8963. Casual meet-up for creative people. 8 Hour Film Project Fri 9–11 May, times vary. Cameo Cinema, 38 Home Street, 48hourfilm.com After drawing a genre from a hat, contestants must make a film using the supplied character, prop and line of dialogue over a frantic two days. Create:Eat:Whisky Wed 14 May, 1–2.30pm & 7–8.30pm. £15–£25. Nestle Condensed Milk Factory, 4 Wellington Place, jellyandgin.com A ‘multi-sensory whisky adventure’ exploring the whisky making process through its sights, sounds and tastes. Jelly & Gin present. Part of Homecoming Scotland.
40 THE LIST 17 Apr–15 May 2014
House: From Workplace to Artwork. Booking essential. FREE Leonardo da Vinci: The Mechanics of Man Lecture Mon 12 May, 6pm. Royal College of Surgeons, 9 Hill Square, 527 1600. Prof Peter Abrahams illuminates the original Renaissance man’s career as an anatomist and his extremely detailed drawings – which came from the study of 23 corpses that the artist personally dissected – and how they have contributed to modern medical imaging. FREE Journeys with M.E. Mon 12 May, 7pm. Donations welcome. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Short film clips from Action for M.E.’s Digital Storytelling project, with participants sharing their experiences of life with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.
Workshops Introduction to Water-Based Screenprinting Sat 19 & Sun 20 Apr, 10am–5.30pm. £160 (£110). Edinburgh Printmakers, 23 Union Street, 557 2479. Use anything from photocopied images to your own drawings to screenprint onto paper.
✽ FREE McLaren 2014: Workshop Sat 19 Apr, 3–4pm. Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, 228 2688. Learn about the filmmaking techniques of animator Norman McLaren and create your own animated film. Ages 18+. Drawing for Beginners Every Wed 23 Apr–25 Jun, 6.30–9pm. £80 (members £72) for ten weeks. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Head off on your way to technical drawing perfection at this course designed to develop botanical illustration skills as well as general fine art skills. Booking essential. Textiles Course Inspired by Louise Bourgeois Thu 24 & Fri 25 Apr, 10.30am–4pm. £60 (£55). Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6560. Artist Lindsey Hamilton leads this two-day workshop, covering dyeing and stitching textiles so you can create your own cloth memory book. Booking essential. Looking Through Their Eyes Every Thu 24 Apr–22 May, 1–4.30pm. £70 (members £63) for five weeks. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Learn how to depict nature in the style of Scottish artists. Booking essential. Getting out of the Audience with Jonathan Kay Sat 26 & Sun 27 Apr, noon–8pm. £125 (£100). The Pleasance, 60 Pleasance, 650 4673. A weekend workshop to liberate your ‘inner fool’ by delving into your imagination. You don’t necessarily have to have performing aspirations to take part. Storytelling for Forgiveness Sat 26 Apr, 2–5pm. £18 (members £15). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. See Books listings. Sewing Machine Basics Tue 29 Apr, 1–2.30pm & 7–8.30pm. £10 (£8). Remade in Edinburgh, 17 Guthrie Street, 261 5904. Get to grips with the trusty sewing machine. Creative Collagraphs Sun 4 May, 10.30am–3.30pm. £20. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 228 1155. Create monoprints with guidance from artist Michael Craik, taking inspiration from the rather spectacular Lauriston Castle surrounds. Reading Photography: A Guide to Understanding Photographs Every Sun 4–25 May, 2–4pm. £49 (£39) for four weeks. Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, 622 6200. Learn how to read, analyse and talk about photographs, utilising photography terminology and theory. Bookbinding: Zephyr – Monk Journal Tue 6 May, 6.30–9pm. £45. Owl & Lion, 66 West Port, 221 0818. Learn some seriously old school bookbinding techniques (like, Middle Ages old) using leather and metal clasps. Mosaic – Make Your Own Coasters Thu 8 May, 6–9pm. £22 (£18). Remade in Edinburgh, 17 Guthrie Street, 261 5904. Create a customised coaster or two out of colourful glass and ceramics.
BRICK WONDERS It’s a Lego fanatic’s dream: this project, created by artist Warren Elsmore, displays the Wonders of the World assembled entirely out of those loveable little Danish bricks. The event takes place at Riddle’s Court, an A-listed 16th-century merchant’s house in Edinburgh’s Old Town, and all proceeds from ticket sales go towards a fundraising appeal for the building. You’d be square to miss it! ■ Riddle’s Court, Edinburgh, until Sun 20 Apr.
Exhibitions ✽ Brick Wonders Thu 17–Sun 20 Apr, 10am–4pm. £2–£4. Riddle’s Court,
322 Lawnmarket, 220 1232. Architectural gems in Lego, created by Warren Elsmore. See preview, above. Part of Edinburgh International Science Festival.
Fairs & Markets FREE Out of the Blue Flea Market Sat 26 Apr, 10am–3pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. Bargain buys including furniture, clothes, music and more. FREE Platform 2 Market Fri 2 & 9 May, 11am–7pm. Waverley Station, Waverley Bridge, 558 9644. Fifty stalls set up in Waverley by Local Motive Markets, offering ethical and local products. FREE Bohemia Sat 3 May, 11am–4pm. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, nottycherub@gmail.com Handmade art, crafts and goodies from local makers. Tradfest. Serfs Up! Sat 3 May, 11am–3pm. £1. St Serf’s Church Halls, 1a Clark Road, 07891 820221. Tabletop fair selling antiques, clothes, toys, household items and more. FREE Loppis Sat 10 May, 2–4pm. Victoria, 265 Leith Walk, 555 1638. Swedish-style junk sale. Sport FREE Pedal on Parliament Sat 26 Apr, noon–2.30pm. The Meadows, Melville Drive, pedalonparliament.org Massed bike ride from the Meadows to Holyrood to highlight the need for proper provision for cyclists on our roads. Come one, come all – even those who don’t own a bike. Part of Bike Week. ‘It’s Spinning Cats and Dogs’ Charity Ride Sun 27 Apr, noon. £12. LifesCycle, Bonnington Mill Business Centre, 72 Newhaven Road, edch.org.uk The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home host an hour-long charity spin, suitable for all levels. Price includes the spin class, brunch and a goodie bag. FREE Rock’n’Roll Ping Pong Sun 27 Apr, 7–11pm. The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate, 558 8844. Table tennis club with DJs Ding and Dong providing the music. It’s £1 to enter the sudden death tournament!
Talks FREE Corin Sworn Exhibition Tour Sat 19 Apr, 2–3.15pm. Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place,
248 2971. Get a deeper understanding of Sworn’s work, with Inverleith House’s Paul Nesbitt and Chloe Reith. FREE Spiralling Anxiety: Hysteria Transformed in the Work of Louise Bourgeois Mon 28 Apr, 12.45–1.30pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, 75 Belford Road, 624 6200. Artist and writer Elizabeth Manchester talks about the ways in which Louise Bourgeois plays with the notion of the woman as hysteric. Brassed Off: Theatre Talk Wed 30 Apr, 6.15pm. £5. King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street, 529 6000. A behind-the-scenes talk about the stage version of the celebrated movie. Spotlight On: Power of Ten Thu 1 May, 2–3pm. Free but ticketed. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. Dr Tacye Phillipson, curator of the Power of Ten exhibition, illuminates the career of mathematician John Napier. Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope Thu 1 May, 7–9pm. £8 (£6). £15 (£12). New College, Edinburgh University, Mound Place, 314 0340. The celebrated conservationist speaks about her experiences with the Gombe chimpanzees and her lifetime in conservation. Rosie Wilby: Nineties Woman Fri 2 May, 7.30pm. £8 (£6). Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. The comedian recounts her time as an early 90s feminist in this interactive, multimedia storytelling event. FREE Edinburgh Ragged University Talks Thu 8 May, 7–10pm. Counting House, West Nicolson Street, 667 7533. Talks on a variety of themes served up with a nice cold pint. Tonight it’s ‘Urban Fox: Memoirs of an Edinburgh Poacher’ by Bob Redwater and ‘The Placebo Effect’ by Derek Howden. FREE Cleaning Up Titian’s Venice Fri 9 May, 12.45–1.30pm. Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. Dr Jane Stevens Crawshaw looks at Titian’s paintings in the context of Venice’s 16th-century attempts to clean up its own image as a plague-ridden hive of immorality. FREE Kirsty Bell: The Artist’s House Discussion Sat 10 May, 3pm. Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2971. A multimedia presentation based on ideas put forward in Bell’s book The Artist’s