the HOT 100
100 LIMMY LIFE OF BRIAN
His second short story collection That’s Yer Lot was another unsettling vision from Brian Limond, a man whose surreal comedy feels effortless. Limmy’s Homemade Show is on the way, but entertain yourself in the meantime watching him teach people some manners on Twitter. (CA)
99 INVERLEITH HOUSE GARDENS WORLD
With ‘lack of vision and leadership’ cited by the report into the sudden closure of one of Edinburgh’s oldest and most lovely galleries, we’ll have to wait and see how much its planned reopening (marked by the great Plant Scenery of the World exhibition this summer) commits to i rst-rate contemporary art. (DP)
98 PETER CAPALDI TUCKER’S LUCK
While Peter Capaldi’s tenure in Doctor Who hasn’t been an unmitigated success, let’s blame that on the early writing. This year’s series was a triumph, and Capaldi, channelling just a hint of Malcolm Tucker’s cantankerousness, has helped the character escape from its nice-young-man period. (MR)
97 SEAN FOCUS SIGHT AND SOUND
Zimbabwe-born, Edinburgh-based Sean Focus wears many different hats, from artist and producer to sound engineer and label boss. His recently released EP ‘Koda’ is an afro-pop banger, with elements of bashment, dancehall and rap mixed in for good measure. (AQ)
96 CRAFT SCOTLAND THAT’S HANDY
During the rather busy month of August, Craft Scotland’s summer show rolled into the capital’s White Stuff for an exhibition of contemporary design- led craft. They also had a strong presence at London Craft Week and the London Design Festival. (BD)
95 CHRIS BROOKMYRE See feature, right.
22 THE LIST 1 Nov 2017–31 Jan 2018
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94 KAITE WELSH DEAD GOOD
90 METAPHROG GRAPHIC DESIGNS
Author and critic Kaite Welsh launched a new kind of amateur sleuth this year in The Wages of Sin. Set in Victorian Edinburgh, the novel featured Sarah Gilchrist, a medical student and ‘fallen woman’ drawn into a murder enquiry when she recognises a corpse in her anatomy lecture. (BD) For just over 20 years, John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs have been making their mark on the Scottish comics scene as Metaphrog. Currently the i rst ever graphic novelists to be Patrons of Reading at Aberdeen’s Northi eld Academy, the duo had success in 2017 with their take on The Little Mermaid. (BD)
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93 RICHARD GADD MONKEYING AROUND
The Fife winner of the 2016 Edinburgh Comedy Award brought his victorious Monkey See Monkey Do back for a limited run at Summerhall, upstaged the League of Gentlemen at this August’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards ceremony and starred opposite Daniel Mays in Against the Law, part of the BBC’s Gay Britannia season. (BD)
92 THE SOUP MOVEMENT BOWLED OVER
Originally started in the USA, ‘Soups’ are now taking place across Scotland. A brilliant example of local democracy: you pay a i ver, eat tasty soup, watch live bands, hear four local charities pitch for the entrance pot and then vote for your favourite. (KA)
91 KENNETH TINDALL DANCE LOVER
A dancer with Northern Ballet for 12 years, Dundee- born Tindall began l exing his choreographic muscles in 2012 with small one-act pieces. In 2017 he created his i rst full-length work, the superb Casanova, which toured the UK to critical and audience acclaim. (KA)