the HOT 100
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89 DAVID GREIG STAGE MANAGER
The Grub Stake from 1923 led the way alongside an exploration of women in Chinese i lm. (BD)
82 SKYE LIVE IN THE CLOUDS
Continuing his championing of relevant and engaged theatre, David Greig enters the second year of his artistic direction at the Lyceum by promoting scripts from the past and present that shed light on contemporary conl icts and difi cult moral conundrums. (GKV)
88 GILDED BALLOON POP UP COMEDY
This year the Gilded Balloon persuaded Craig Ferguson to cross the Atlantic to its new year-round venue on Edinburgh’s Rose Street for a Fringe version of his radio chat show. As the legendary Karen Koren hands over the keys to daughter Katy, the Balloon is in further i ne fettle with a new winter season being launched. (MR)
87 LOUISE GRAY MEAT AND GREET
Since publishing The Ethical Carnivore in 2016 (where she shares stories from her year of eating only meat she killed herself), Louise Gray has been an engaged, informed and fresh voice in intelligent food debates, festivals and events across the country. (LS)
86 BREAKFAST MUFF MORNING PEOPLE
Following up The Feels and Rainbow Yawn, DIY trio Breakfast Muff’s onomatopoeic Eurgh! was a furious triumph, aided by two bona i de anthems in ‘Babyboomers’ (‘Sorry we’re fucked up / You made us this way’) and ‘R U A Feminist’. (CA)
85 HIPPFEST QUIET LIFE
The Hippodrome Cinema in Bo’ness hosted another stellar festival of silent cinema, which shone much its light on female pioneers of the form. Nell Shipman’s 24 THE LIST 1 Nov 2017–31 Jan 2018
84 GARY MCNAIR PEN PALS
Brilliant theatrical storyteller Gary McNair’s Fringe First-winning Letters to Morrissey could be his difi cult-third-album-that’s-recognised-as-a-classic: his The Queen Is Dead, if you will. 2018 sees him take on the ‘unique’ poet, one William McGonagall, among other things. (LI)
83 PROC FISKAL LAW UNTO HIMSELF
Proc Fiskal became a fully-l edged member of the Hyperdub family earlier this year as the London- based label’s newest signing. The Edinburgh producer caught Hyperdub’s attention with his fast and forceful, sample-heavy interpretation of contemporary grime, as featured on his debut EP ‘The Highland Mob’. (AQ)
P H O T O :
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S T E V E P O W E R S
Now into its third year, this impressively scenic event has proven itself to be one of Scotland’s best small festivals, with a very convincing electronic lineup. Optimo, Joy Orbison, Mano Le Tough and Django Django all played, weirdly complementing the more traditional likes of Blazin’ Fiddles. (DP)
81 NOEL JORDAN KIDS STUFF
The 2017 Edinburgh International Children’s Festival (formerly Imaginate) was the i rst to be fully programmed by director, Noel Jordan (above): and what a year it was. The Australian brought us a truly stellar lineup of shows, for tinies up to teenagers. (KA)
80 FLINT & PITCH TOUGH WORDS
The new spoken-word project from Jenny Lindsay made its mark this year. A night at Hidden Door paved the way for its Reclaim the Script events as part of Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival, featuring writers, musicians and performers exploring mental health through a variety of provocations. (KS)