MONDAY 23RD MARCH 2015
Breakthrough Breast Cancer Dominion Film Night: a special showing of Meet the Parents (12) to raise funds for Karen Maitland’s trek to benefit this charity. There will also be a raffle on the night. 6pm, Dominion Cinema, 18 Newbattle Terrace. Tickets cost £10 and should be purchased in advance from the event’s Facebook page or by emailing dominioncinemanight@gmail.com. Breakthrough Breast Cancer is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to stopping breast cancer for good by improving early diagnosis, developing new treatments and preventing all types of the disease.
Divided City, Divided Self: Muriel Spark in Jeruslaem. In this lecture Dr Nina Fischer, Edgar Astaire Fellow in Jewish Studies, will argue that Muriel Spark’s novel The Mandelbaum Gate takes a stance against orthodoxies, whether they are religious or national, and proposes that seeing more than one story in and of Jerusalem might be a way of overcoming division, a suggestion that is as wise today as it was in 1961. The lecture will be followed by a wine reception. 5.30-6.30, Martin Hall, New College, 1 Mound Place. Free but please book via eventbrite here.
Sofi’s Cult Movie Mondays: popular classics on the silver screen in the cosy, darkened backroom. Free popcorn! This week’s film: The Lego Movie (U): for more information see Sofi’s Facebook page. 8-10pm, Sofi’s Bar, Henderson Street.
It Was Happy Hour at the Nutty Nun: local author Stephen Barnaby launches his second collection of 50-word epics. Thrill to tales of flawed grandmothers, anxious farm animals, cross-dressing clergymen and meglomaniacal dairy products. Swoon to the musical interlude provided by the excellent and equally local acoustic ensemble Tomfoolery. Wine, juice and nibbles will be served – bring your friends! 6.15pm, Portobello Library, 14 Rosefield Avenue.
Cameo Toddler Time: short screenings exclusively for pre-school children and their parents and carers. This week: Toot the Tiny Tugboat (U) – life on the high seas is a whirl of fun and adventure when you’re a little boat with big ideas. 11am, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets cost £3 per child for members of the Toddler Time Club, with accompanying adults admitted free. Membership of the club is free – please ask at the Box Office.
Your Neighbourhood: City Centre & Leith. Come along and find out more about care and support services in your area. 10am-4pm, Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road. Also at same times at Wester Hailes Library on Tuesday 24th, Leith Library on Wednesday 25th, Drumbrae Library Hub on 31st March and Central Library on 1st April. Organised by Edinburgh City Council and NHS Lothian.
For Crying Out Loud: special screenings for parents/carers and their babies under 12 months. Bottle-warming, baby-changing and buggy-parking facilities available. Maximum 2 adults per baby. This week; The Tales of Hoffman (U) ‘a remarkable Technicolor restoration of Powell and Pressburger’s 1951 musical phantasmagoria..the stuff of beautiful nightmares’. 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4.50/£3.50 per adult.
The Happy Lands: The General Strike 1926. A Theatre Workshop Scotland film by Robert Rae, inspired by true stories from local families in Fife, and the second of two films being shown to coincide with the anniversary of the end of the Miners’ Strike in the 1980s. 5.30-7.30pm, George Washington Browne Room , Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and can be made via eventbrite here.
The Edinburgh Philosophy & Psychology Group: meet other people who feel that the world is worth debating in a friendly context. Discussions are non-academic and group members come from a range of ages, backgrounds and nationalities. Attendance is usually around 20 members: topics are chosen by members voting in advance. 8-9.30pm, The Links Hotel & Bar, Alvanley Terrace, Bruntsfield. Non-members welcome. Free – with free sandwiches. See website for more information.
Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Alex Gray: Keep the Midnight Out. When the body of a red-haired young man is washed up on the shore of the Isle of Mull, Detective Superintendent Lorimer’s tranquil holiday away from the gritty streets of Glasgow is rudely interrupted…as the story switches dramatically between the Mull murder and a Glasgow cold case two decades earlier, DS Lorimer tries desperately to catch a cold-hearted killer. 6.30-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets can be obtained from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8218, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.
LGBT Spiritual Space: Maxwell Reay, NHS Mental Health Community Chaplain, offers a supportive space for people to discuss and develop ideas of spirituality and identity. For people of all faiths or no faith at all. This month’s session will offer opportunities for individual conversations and information regarding spiritual needs. 6.30-7.30pm (within weekly Drop-In, which runs 5.30-8pm), LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information contact Alison on 0131 652 3283 or email alison@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Resonate 2015 Strings & Guitar Night: featuring Edinburgh Schools Classical Guitar Ensemble (ESCGE) Edinburgh Primary Sevens String Orchestra (EPSSO), The City of Edinburgh Music School and various Edinburgh Schools Ensembles. This is your chance to see Edinburgh’s budding Benedettis and hopeful Hendrixes all playing together under the expert guidance of instructors from The City of Edinburgh Council’s Instrumental Music Service and The City of Edinburgh Music School. 7pm, The Queen’s Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street. Tickets cost £8/£4 and can be purchased from the Box office in person, online here or by calling 0131 668 2019. Transaction fees apply to online and telephone bookings. Resonate is a collaboration between The Queen’s Hall and the City of Edinburgh Council’s Children and Families Arts & Creative Learning Service, taking place at The Queen’s Hall 9-30th March 2015. It is made possible by support from the Inches Carr Trust.
Katarzyna Kosmala, editor of Sexing the Border: Gender, Art and New Media in Central and Eastern Europe, in conversation with Maria Hlavajova and Rael Artel. Katarzyna Kosmola is Professor of Culture, Media and Visual Arts at the University of the West of Scotland and writes regularly about video, performance and new media art; Maria Hlavajova is founder and artistic director of BAK and artistic director of FORMER WEST, an international collaborative research, education, publication and exhibition project; she is engaged in rethinking the post-feminist /critical histories of the last decades in dialogue with post-Communist realities and postcolonial thought. Rael Artel is a contemporary art curator, and since 2013 Director of Tartu Art Museum, Estonia; her many projects have reflected on socio-political conditions across Europe, and in doing so tested the critical capacity of the arts as comment on and intervention into political, cultural and economic events. 6pm, Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. Free: donations welcome!
Scottish Shorts 2014: award winning short films from Digicult, Scotland’s internationally renowned new talent studio, working in partnership with Hopscotch Films. Ian Waugh’s As He Lay Falling, Cara Connolly and Martin Clark’s Exchange & Mart, Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson’s Monkey Love Experiments, Martin Smith’s Seagulls and Rory Alexander Stewart’s Wyld. The screening will be hosted by Claudia Yusef, Development Executive of the Scottish Film Talent Network, and director Martin Smith will be on hand to answer questions about his films and any other questions about writing and directing in Scotland. 6.10pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be purchased in person, on line here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688.
TUESDAY 24TH MARCH 2015
David F Ross: The Last Days of Disco. The author will discuss his new novel, ‘ a eulogy to the beauty and power of the 45rpm vinyl record and the small but significant part it played in a small town Ayrshire community in 1982’ with actor and composer Bobby Bluebell. ‘Warm, funny and evocative. If you grew up in the 1980s, you’re going to love this’ (Chris Brookmyre). 6.30pm, Looking Glass Books, 36 Simpson’s Loan, Quartermile.
The Hermitage Golf Course Redevelopment Public Consultation: 12 noon-8pm, with presentations at 1.15pm and 7pm, Hermitage Golf Course Cafe, 11 Braids Drive, EH10 6GZ. The Hermitage is an Autism Initiatives Scotland social enterprise.
The Edinburgh Police Choir at Maggie’s: made up of police officers, support staff, employees of the Scottish Police Services Authority and members of the local community, the choir has been performing since 2008, in venues from Edinburgh to New York. ‘A unique mix of musicality, performance and music’. Musical Director: Ben Jones. 6pm, Maggie’s, The Stable, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road.
Your Neighbourhood: City Centre & Leith. Come along and find out more about care and support services in your area. 10am-4pm, Wester Hailes Library, 1 Westside Plaza, Wester Hailes. Also at same times at Leith Library on Wednesday 25th, Drumbrae Library Hub on 31st March and Central Library on 1st April. Organised by Edinburgh City Council and NHS Lothian.
Lunchtime Concert: The Edinburgh Quartet: Tristan Gurney (violin), Gordon Bragg (violin), Fiona Winning (violin) and Mark Bailey (cello) play Purcell Fantasias and Beethoven String Quartet Op 18 No 3. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.
Garden Buddies Club: a new weekly club for 5-12 year olds – come along today to find out more! Make fun felt bees and mini-insect hotels, Get Fruity – make seriously funny fruit faces, meet Community Gardener Tom who will help run the club, read some magical stories from the Granton Primary Garden Storymakers – AND share your ideas and drawings for what you think the new Awards For All funded library garden should have in it! 3–4pm (time to be confirmed, please check with library in advance), Granton Library, Wardieburn Terrace.
Dyslexia-Friendly Library Services for Adults: an informal guide to the accessible services available from Edinburgh City Libraries,with input from Dyslexia Scotland. Come and find out how the libraries are helpful and accessible to people with any level of dyslexia , see how to use the eBooks and emagazines, find out how to fine tune the text to suit you, and learn about audiobooks. The team will try to answer all your questions, or refer you to someone who can! 6.30-8pm, Oxgangs Library, 343 Oxgangs Road North. To book your free place ask at the library, or book online via eventbrite here.
Scottish Poetry Library Workshop: Jennifer Williams, poet and SPL programme manager, facilitates this writing workshop, in which poems are read, discussed and written. Please bring paper and pen or pencil, or laptop if you prefer. Please note change of venue owing to building works at SPL. 6.30-8.30pm, Golden Hare Books, St Stephen Street. Tickets cost £5/£4 and can be purchased via eventbrite here. For more information contact jennifer.williams@spl.org.uk.
Click Clack feat. Steele plays Zappa: a monthly night of live music and other performing arts of an experimental nature…’think Zorn and Ornette meet Beefheart, James Brown and Phillip Glass in a basement bar’. 7-10pm, Henry’s Cellar Bar, Morrison Street. £6/£4 on the door.
50 Square: a group of young Scottish and international writers based in Edinburgh, offering a range of styles to satisfy any palate. Humour, dark fairy tales, kitchen sink drama, abstraction and everything in between. ‘Don’t miss the next generation of ScotLit!’ 7-10pm, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. Free entry! The Bongo Club is a nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue.
La bataille de Solferino (2013): Sunday 6th May 2012. Francois Hollande is about to be elected President of the Republic. The Rue de Solferino, HQ of the French Parti Socialiste, is full of militants ready to celebrate their victory. At the same time another battle is in progress: Laetitia, a TV news reporter covering the event, and her former boyfriend Vincent are fighting each other for the custody of their children. When personal stories meet history, the situation worsens. In French with English subtitles. 6-7.30pm, Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. Free. Also showing at 1pm on Wednesday 25th March.
The Creative City: It’s War! (‘How to Write a History of the So-Called Creative City: History, Theory and Practice from WW2 to the Present’). A seminar led by Professor Richard Williams (Professor of Contemporary Visual Cultures, University of Edinburgh) as part of the Architectural Theory/History Seminar Series. Professor Williams writes and teaches on cities; his exceptionally wide-ranging work draws on sociology, psychology and film studies as well as the history of art and architecture. His research questions have remained constant: why do cities look the way they do? And what does it feel like to inhabit them? 5.15-6.30pm, Common Room, Minto House, University of Edinburgh, Chambers Street. Free and open to all.
Coffee Break: a new cafe for parents with children up to 18 months old – a space for parents to enjoy a hot drink and home-made treats while getting to know other local parents. 10-11.30am, Church Hall, Portobello & Joppa Parish Church, 1 Brunstane Road North. For more information contact the church’s Children and Youth Worker, Michelle Brown at childrenandyouth@stphilips.co.uk.
Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Helen Grant: Urban Legends – the launch of the final instalment in the Forbidden Spaces trilogy. A group of storytellers are disappearing one by one. A young woman is haunted by her past. A serial killer has one target he is desperate to hunt down, Veerle is trying to lie low, to live as ‘normal’ a life as she possibly can – but when you’ve thwarted a serial killer it’s hard to do this. Especially when he wants revenge… 6.30-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets can be obtained from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8218, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.
Love Music Community Choir: hear the world’s biggest community choir on one of its finest stages! Love Music Community Choir will inspire and entertain you with folk tunes, love songs and classic favourites. Pinao: Dave Milligan, Musical Director: Stephen Deazley. Proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the work of Love Music. There will be a collection after the concert for the charity Scottish Love in Action which cares for and supports vulnerable and destitute children in India. 7.30-8.10pm (approx), Usher Hall, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £5 (free for under-16s and other concessions – see booking site) and can be purchased from the Usher Hall Box Office in person, online here or by calling 0131 228 1155.
Cameo Silver Screen: if you are 60+ you can join the Silver Screen Club for free and enjoy a free tea or coffee and biscuits at the weekly Silver Screen shows, for which your ticket will cost only £5. (Non-members can also attend these screenings but pay normal ticket prices). Today’s films are The Tale of Princess Kaguya (U) at 12.15pm and 3.30pm and Still Alice (12A) at 3.30pm and 3.45pm. For details of how to join the Silver Screen Club ask at the Box Office, Cameo, Home Street.
WEDNESDAY 25TH MARCH 2015
Ceol-Cluaise Presents A Taste of Scottish Talent: a night of up and coming unsigned Scottish music talent, with all proceeds going to Nordoff Robbins, a music therapy charity dedicated to transforming the lives of vulnerable children and adults. Performances from Bella and the Bear, The Irresistible Urges, Newtown Street Locals, The Fed Peasants and No Quarter. Raffle prizes to be won! Over 18 years only. 7.30pm, The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street. Tickets cost £4 (+ booking fee) in advance (£5 on the door) and can be booked here. For more information see the event’s Facebook page.
The Hugh MacDiarmid Lecture: Alexander McCall Smith discusses Images of Nature and Human Nature in Auden. 7.30-9.30pm, The Saltire Society, 9 Fountain Close. Tickets cost £5/£4 (free for Poetry Association of Scotland members, who should still book) and can be purchased via eventbrite here. This event is organised jointly by the Poetry Association of Scotland and the Scottish Poetry Library. For more information contact jennifer.williams@spl.org.uk.
Your Neighbourhood: City Centre & Leith. Come along and find out more about care and support services in your area. 10am-4pm, Leith Library, 28-30 Ferry Road. Also at same times at Drumbrae Library Hub on 31st March and Central Library on 1st April. Organised by Edinburgh City Council and NHS Lothian.
South Neighbourhood Office and Library Book Group: currently reading The Milkman in the Night by Andrey Kurlov – ‘a glorious epic, eccentric and often hilarious satire’ (The Times). If you would like to join the group, call into the library to pick up a copy of the book. 1.30pm, South Neighbourhood Office and Library, 40 Captain’s Road.
Figures and Fictions: Contemporary South African Photography. Photography was introduced into South Africa in the mid-19th century; early depictions of people ranged from portraits to anthropological and ethnographic studies. During apartheid (1948-94), photography was used by the state to manage racial classification, but it was also a tool documenting resistance. Martin Barnes, Senior Curator of Photographs, Victoria and Albert Museum, considers how South African photographers address this history today, questioning, manipulating and revitalising its visual codes. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Strange Town Youth Theatre Presents All I Want for Christmas is the Head of Johnny Murdock: a play by Sam Siggs. Amy ‘Squeaker’ Benson has an unusual Yuletide request. She’s taken out a contract on her stepfather – and not for the reasons you might think. For ages 14+ – contains strong language. 7.30pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £3.50 and can be purchased online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579. Strange Town is a theatre company that aims to enable young people to fulfill their creative potential, and seeks to offer quality theatre provision for 5-25 year olds in Edinburgh. The company’s directors and leaders also offer their skills and experience as a resource to local communities and schools. Strange Town can be contacted via Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street or by calling 0131 629 0292.
La bataille de Solferino (2013): Sunday 6th May 2012. Francois Hollande is about to be elected President of the Republic. The Rue de Solferino, HQ of the French Parti Socialiste, is full of militants ready to celebrate their victory. At the same time another battle is in progress: Laetitia, a TV news reporter covering the event, and her former boyfriend Vincent are fighting each other for the custody of their children. When personal stories meet history, the situation worsens. In French with English subtitles. 1-2.30pm, Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. Free.
Botanic Cottage Update and Stories: an informal talk about the cottage, as it is rebuilt stone by stone. For ages 10+. 1-1.30pm, Blue Shed, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free and unticketed.
LGBT: Edinburgh Gay Men’s Book Group. An inclusive group where you can meet new people and read and discuss interesting books. 7-9pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information email info@gaybookgroup.co.uk.
LGBT Icebreakers: if you are new to Edinburgh, want to meet new people, or are just coming out, Icebreakers is an informal, fun and social group for LGBT people and those questioning their sexuality or gender identity. For ages 18+. 7.30-9.30pm, The Regent Bar, 2 Montrose Terrace. For more information email admin@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Braw Gigs Presents Sacred Paws, Wounded Knee & DJ Yves: Sacred Paws, featuring members of Trashkit and Golden Grrrls, Rachel Aggs and Eilidh Rodgers create ‘a seriously unique combo of angular post punk and African highlife stomp’. Wounded Knee (Drew Wright) ‘Leith’s very own shamanic soothsayer…performs his very own brand of homebrewed yarns with either a loop pedal or a t’wa string guitar’ and DJ Yves ‘the outernational nationalist that capitalises on existentialist extra-terrestrial sounds…expect tantric rhythms before, during and after’. 7-10pm, Sneaky Pete’s, 73 Cowgate. Tickets cost £6 and can be booked online here (transaction fee applies).
Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Karen Campbell: Rise. Justine is running for her life, escaping a city and a man who have almost broken her, she heads north to the valleys and the mountains of the Highlands, looking for somewhere to hide. Michael and Hannah are also running, With their two sons and their tattered marriage, they have come to the village of Kilmacarra, looking for somewhere they can once again call home. In a place of standing stones – an ancient landscape in a country on the brink of change – a shocking accident causes their lives to intertwine. Tangled together in threads of guilt and love, with Scotland rushing towards a Referendum and the community around them fracturing, each must question where they truly belong. ‘On the strength of Rise I will certainly be going to the backlist’ (James Robertson). 6.30-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets can be obtained from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8218, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.
Lunchtime Concert: Pianists from Edinburgh Napier University. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.
Queensferry at War: Queensferry Local History Group presents a talk on the impact of World War One on South Queensferry. Suitable for all ages. 6.45-7.45pm, South Queensferry Library, 9 Shore Road. No booking required – just come along.
Lyceum Youth Theatre Group Presents Pick ‘n’ Mix: a selection of scripts performed as a rehearsed reading. 5pm, WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove. Free. Lyceum Youth Theatre is one of Scotland’s biggest youth theatre companies, renowned as a producer of high quality contemporary theatre by young people. It enables young people aged 5-18 years to get involved in drama, providing a broad range of high quality theatre experiences in a positive and supportive environment.
BAFTA Shorts: a feature-length selection of short live action and animated films from the EE British Academy Film Awards, including Daisy Jacobs’ The Bigger Picture, Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson’s Monkey Love Experiments, Marcus Armitage’s My Dad, Michael Lennox’s Boogaloo and Graham, Rachel Tunnard’s Emotional Fusebox, Oscar Sharp’s The Karman Line, Nick Rowland’s Slap and Aleem Khan’s Three Brothers. 8.35pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be purchased in person, on line here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688. Also showing at 8.15pm on Thursday 26th March, when the screening will be followed by a Q & A session with Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson.
Resonate 2015 Traditional Night: a night of music as Scottish as haggis, neeps and tatties, featuring the Edinburgh Schools Clarsach Ensemble (ESCE), Edinburgh Schools Performance Pipe Band (Youth Music Initiative) and a variety of other traditional ensembles. 7pm, The Queen’s Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street. Tickets cost £8/£4 and can be purchased from the Box office in person, online here or by calling 0131 668 2019. Transaction fees apply to online and telephone bookings. Resonate is a collaboration between The Queen’s Hall and the City of Edinburgh Council’s Children and Families Arts & Creative Learning Service, taking place at The Queen’s Hall 9-30th March 2015. It is made possible by support from the Inches Carr Trust.
THURSDAY 26TH MARCH 2015
Cameo Big Scream: screenings exclusively for parents and carers with a baby under 12 months. This week: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (U). 10.30am, Cameo, Home Street. Membership of the Big Scream Club allows you to buy tickets at Picturehouse members’ rates, with babies admitted free; club membership costs £5 and lasts until your baby’s first birthday – ask at the Box Office for details.
On Painting: the first in a monthly series of critical group discussion sessions where artists can present their current painting practice. 7-9pm, The Gallery on the Corner, 34 Northumberland Street. Free but booking is essential: please contact the gallery on 0131 557 8969 (closed Sundays and Mondays).
Spokes Spring Public Meeting: Edinburgh City Centre + Bikes. Spokes is the cycle campaign for the Lothians. Tonight’s speakers will be Cllr Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, Edinburgh City Council, Richard Darke, Projects Manager, Essential Edinburgh and Professor Tom Rye, Director, Napier Transport Research Institute. The meeting will look at big city-centre decisions due in 2015 – will we see a more people-friendly, less traffic-filled, public realm? How bold will the Council’s east-west city centre route be? Will Princes Street get a traffic-free side (or two)? Will Leith Street get cycle provision? What happens when the experiment in George Street ends? Is a bike-share scheme likely soon? 6.45pm for 7.30pm, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge – there will be an opportunity for coffee and chat and to browse the stalls and exhibition, with the speakers taking the stage at 7.30pm, followed by a Q & A session. For more information please contact mknottenbelt@gmail.com or call 07501 381018.
Guilty As Sin. 9pm, Old Chain Pier, 32 Trinity Crescent. To avoid disappointment advance booking of a table is advised.
BAFTA Shorts: a feature-length selection of short live action and animated films from the EE British Academy Film Awards, including Daisy Jacobs’ The Bigger Picture, Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson’s Monkey Love Experiments, Marcus Armitage’s My Dad, Michael Lennox’s Boogaloo and Graham, Rachel Tunnard’s Emotional Fusebox, Oscar Sharp’s The Karman Line, Nick Rowland’s Slap and Aleem Khan’s Three Brothers. 8.15pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be purchased in person, on line here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688. The screening will be followed by a Q & A session with Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson.
Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church Thursday Club: this week Dr Jack Thompson talks about David Livingstone and His Children. Visitors of any age very welcome. 2-4pm, Upper Hall, Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church, 18 West Mayfield. For more information please contact Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234.
Sisters! A screening of Petra Bauer’s 2011 film made with Southall Black Sisters, an organisation providing support for black and ethnic minority women experiencing gender-related violence and inequality. The film is shown as part of Machine Room, Georgia Horgan’s research project about how the proliferation of the textile industry in Scotland affected patterns of witch hunting in the 17th century, and is part of a series of events exploring how women, the body and labour are implicated in contemporary capitalism. 6pm, Collective Gallery, City Observatory, 38 Calton Hill. Machine Room, which takes the form of a workroom containing writing, images and artifacts, continues at Collective until 19th April 2015.
History of Art Thursday Research Seminar Series: Rosetti on Paper. Chaired by Dr Colin Cruise (University of Aberystwyth). The seminar will be followed by drinks in the Minto House Common Room. 5.15pm, Lecture Room 1, Minto House, University of Edinburgh, Chambers Street. Free and open to all.
Resonate 2015 Bands and Orchestras Evening: if you like the big orchestra sound, this concert is for you. Come and listen to the extraordinary sounds created by massed musicians of the Edinburgh Secondary Schools Orchestra (ESSO), Edinburgh Schools Wind Ensemble (ESWE) and Edinburgh Schools String Training Orchestra (ESSTO) 7pm, The Queen’s Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street. Tickets cost £8/£4 and can be purchased from the Box office in person, online here or by calling 0131 668 2019. Transaction fees apply to online and telephone bookings. Resonate is a collaboration between The Queen’s Hall and the City of Edinburgh Council’s Children and Families Arts & Creative Learning Service, taking place at The Queen’s Hall 9-30th March 2015. It is made possible by support from the Inches Carr Trust.
Nothing Ever Happens Here Presents Broken Records + Garden of Elks + Fuzzy Star. Broken Records is an Edinburgh-based band whose third album was released in 2014; its music has also been used on TV dramas including Skins and Lost. For over 18s only. 8pm-1am, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £10 and can be booked online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 560 1581.
LGBT Age (Edinburgh): Spring Into Action with Green Elders. An active outdoor event assisting the park rangers at the Hermitage of Braid. Wear waterproof clothing and boots. Tea and snacks will be provided but please bring your own lunch. A free minibus will be provided from Tynecastle High School to the Hermitage. 10am-3pm – meet promptly at Tynecastle High School, 2 McLeod Street for the bus. Booking is essential: contact Lynda Peachey on 0141 271 2330 or email lynda@lgbthealth.org.uk. The Green Team is an environmental organisation based in Edinburgh.
Ribbon of Wildness: author Peter Wright MBE will be in conversation with geologist Angus Miller as he talks about his epic walk along the Watershed of Scotland in 2005 and the book he has written about it. It took Peter 64 days to cover the entire 745 miles on his solo journey through the majesty of this magnificent landscape. 7-9pm, St Martin’s Church Hall, 232 Dalry Road. Entry £5 (includes tea/coffee and biscuits). All proceeds will go to The Green Team minibus fund. The Green Team is an environmental organisation based in Edinburgh.
Eigg Island: Launch Event. Eigg Island is a collaborative exhibition of art, music and poetry inspired by the landscape and story of the island. New visual arts will be presented, including a series of large-scale paintings by Rose Strang, works by photographer Simon Nicholas White and craftmakers from Eigg, including Catherine Davies, Libby Barnden and Jenny Robertson. In the mid-1980s Eigg’s inhabitants decided to buy out the island before installing an award-winning 100% renewable energy system in 2011. The launch evening will include new music and poetry inspired by Eigg, including a piece for string quartet by composer Atzi Muramatsu and a series of poems created and read by Jennifer L Williams. 7.30pm, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £6/£4 and can be purchased online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579. The Eigg Island exhibition will continue at the centre until 21st April 2015 and is free to enter.
Pier Paolo Pasolini: The Gospel According to St Matthew (PG) (In Italian with English subtitles). Special screening in association with the Italian Cultural Institute and the University of Edinburgh, as part of a season of events celebrating the work of Pier Paolo Pasolini. Pasolini’s vision of the life of Christ is astonishing in its inventiveness and understated, hypnotic power. Using non-professional actors, the film was shot near the southern Italian city of Matera, the same location that Mel Gibson would later use for The Passion of Christ. The screening will be introduced by Professor Robert Gordon (University of Cambridge). 5.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be purchased in person, on line here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688.
Herb Study Group Monthly Meeting: Sage. 8-10pm, Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Place.
FRIDAY 27TH MARCH 2015
Easter Bunny Treasure Hunt: with crafts too! For ages 5-8 years. 2-3pm, Blackhall Library, 56 Hillhouse Road.
Craft Afternoon: 3pm today and every Friday, McDonald Road Library, 2 McDonald Road. Free: no booking required.
Zoo Arts Extra: Spring Art Walk and Gallery Visit. An art and wildlife walk along the cycle path and Water of Leith from Muirhouse to the Gallery of Modern Art, drawing, foraging and picnicking along the way. For ages 9+ or under-9s accompanied by a responsible adult. 1.15pm (depart from North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court), arriving back by 5pm. For more information and to book, call North Edinburgh Arts on 0131 315 2151 or email admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk. Zoo Arts Extra is a project based in Muirhouse to bring together people of all ages to enjoy, explore and produce visual art locally and across the city.
Edinburgh University Music Society Spring Concert: Stravinsky Firebird Suite, Borodin Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor and Bartok Concerto for Orchestra. Conductor: Russell Cowieson. 7.30pm, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Tickets cost £10/£5 (concessions)/£3 (members) and can be purchased online here or on the door, subject to availability. Door open 7pm and early arrival is advised.
Kathleen Jamie, Costa Poetry Book Award 2012 winner, in conversation with Jenni Fagan, University of Edinburgh Writer in Residence: 6-7pm, Looking Glass Books, 36 Simpson’s Loan, Quartermile. Free.
Sophie Ploeg: The Lace Trail. The Dutch artist, art historian and BP Travel Award winner explores the lavish world of early 17th century Dutch and English portraiture. These portraits and the development of lace and ruffs as a fashion accessory have inspired Sophie to create a series of new paintings which are currently on display within the BP Portrait Award 2015 exhibition. In this talk Sophie will discuss early 17th century portraiture, the development of 17th century lace, and how she was inspired to create the costumes for her paintings. She will also share studio images of the works in progress and explain her working method. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Book and a Brew: borrow some books or take out library membership on the last Friday of the month, and you’ll be invited to join the staff for tea, coffee and cake. 10am-12 noon, South Neighbourhood Office and Library, 40 Captain’s Road.
Gorgie Youth Choir Spring Concert: director Norda Barber. 7pm, Gorgie Dalry Church, 190 Gorgie Road. £3/£1.50. – includes refreshments.
Lee Paterson: 8.30pm, The Skylark, 243 Portobello High Street. Free admission.
Gallery Social: BP Portrait Award. A relaxed and informal guided tour with refreshments for anyone affected by dementia and their relatives, friends and supporters. 10.30am-12 noon, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. To book please call the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560. Supported by the Friends of NGS.
Electrikal: Newham Generals + Blackwax. Grime scene veterans Newham Generals are amongst the most respected and critically acclaimed underground acts in the UK today, having consistently forged new styles and concepts throughout a career spanning three decades. Blackwax’s ‘dark rugged productions…are informed by the UK’s rich heritage in underground electronic music as well as noticeable influences from further afield’. 11pm-3am, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. Early booking is advised: tickets cost £10 in advance (£12 on the door, subject to availability) and can be booked online here. The Bongo Club is a nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue.
Neu! Reekie! This time featuring Holy Esque (‘Glasgow’s most exciting and inventive new band’ NME), Edinburgh-based writer, poet, filmmaker and artist Sandra Alland, BAFTA-nominated animator Claire Lamond, singer-songwriter Bill Ryder Jones, and poet, editor and singer Kevin Cadwallender. 7-10.30pm, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £9/£7 and can be booked online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 560 1581.
Edinburgh Palette Presents Breathe: paintings by Henry Fraser. Preview tonight 6-9pm, then 10am-7pm Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm Saturdays and Sundays, Gallery 1, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Ends 12th April 2015.
Edinburgh Palette Presents Kilns and Cranes: part of a series of large and smaller-scale paintings related to the tanker/frigate image by SSA member Jacqui Higgs. Jacqui’s work captures the changing lights, depths and colours of the North Sea, which lash onto her everyday walks in Edinburgh and beyond. Preview tonight 6-9pm with live music from LouRay2, then 11am-5pm daily, Gallery 2, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Ends 12th April 2015.
Edinburgh Palette Presents Bruce Eckhart: past and present works. Remarkable for their luminous forms and flares of brilliant colour, at first glance Erkhart’s paintings embody abstract expressionism – but the artist reveals, often through his chosen titles, that each imaginative composition contains concrete shapes and figures which he summons from a varied range of sources. Preview tonight 6-9pm, then 10.15am-6pm daily, Gallery 3, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Ends 12th April 2015.
Gerda Stevenson: actress, director, singer and songwriter Gerda Stevenson was nominated for Scots Singer of the Year in the 2014 MG Alba Trad Music Awards and has also been nominated as one of the Saltire Society’s Outstanding Women of Scotland. She has recently released a highly acclaimed debut album Night Touches Day. Gerda will be accompanied by outstanding traditional musicians in an entertaining night of song, music and banter. 7.30-9.30pm, West Street Arts Centre, 4 West St, Penicuik. Tickets cost £10 (£8 for Penicuik Community Arts Association members) and can be purchased online here or from the Gift Shop at 4 West St.
Julia McNairn White: Scottish Seascapes. Following on from Julia McNairn White’s sell-out exhibition last year, The Sutton Gallery presents a new suite of work by the Edinburgh-based artist, featuring oil paintings and pastels depicting the dramatic coastline in and around North Berwick, East Lothian. Open preview tonight 6-8pm, then 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday (closed Sunday and Monday), The Sutton Gallery, 18a Dundas Street. Ends 25th April 2015.
Guid Crack: Glamourie. Enchantment can take many forms: wrap yourself in the cloak of a story this evening and leave time itself waiting outside, with storyteller Beverley Bryant. Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling night, upstairs at the Waverley Bar. 7.30pm, Waverley Bar, St Mary’s Street. No booking required; free – suggested donation £3 per person. Accompanied young adults welcome.
Trad Talk: Nae Plans. Taking their cue from the spontaneity of the trad music session, two of Scotland’s finest folk musicians Hamish Napier (piano, flute, whistle, vocals) and Adam Sutherland (fiddle) sit down on stage without knowing what they will play. The results will thrill, astound and move you. ‘Marvellously organic and intensely alive’ (Sue Wilson, Scotsman). 8pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £10/£8 and can be purchased by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579. Attendees of Trad Talk may be entitled to a discount – ask at the Box Office.
SATURDAY 28TH MARCH 2015
Family Saturdays: Dessin-moi un petit phantome. At this third all-in-French Family Saturday event your children will be introduced, through cartoons, stories and drawings, to the wee ghosts created by Jacques Duquennoy. As ever there will also be a ‘gouter’ for everyone! For children aged 3-10 years. 12 noon-2pm, Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. £5 per child (£3 for members): advance booking is recommended and can be made by emailing accueil@ifecosse.org.uk.
St Brides Family Cinema: see your favourite films for free! Juice and choc ices available during the interval for 50p each. Please note: all children aged under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. This week: 101 Dalmatians (U) (original 1961 version). 10.30am-12.30pm (includes interval), St Brides Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry.
Institut francais d’Ecosse Open House Spring Session: explore the Institut’s activities, find out about courses for spring, meet the teachers, try a mini-taster course and enjoy a cafe gourmand – children can attend the Family Saturday (see above) at the same time. 12 noon-3pm, Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent.
Children’s Spring Flower Show: the Eco-Schools Daffodil Competition is part of the RCHS Spring Flower Show. Come and see the floral displays and get involved in hands-on activities. 12 noon-5pm, Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free. Also at same times on Sunday 29th March 2015.
Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society Spring Flower Show: 12 noon-5pm, Fletcher Building, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Entry £2, children and students with ID free. Also on Sunday 29th March 2015.
Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt: hop around the Gardens with the family this Easter, answer clues along the way and be rewarded with a delicious Easter chocolate treat. Pick up a trail map from the John Hope Gateway reception desk. From 10am today and every day until 6th April 2015, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. No booking required.
Earth Hour at Boda’s: a totally unplugged acoustic set from Lucas, illuminated only by candlelight. 8.30-9.30pm, Boda’s Bar, 229 Leith Walk.
The Rhubaba Choir Singing Workshop with Christopher Bruerton: Christopher Bruerton is a laid-back Kiwi who also happens to be a member of the internationally acclaimed vocal ensemble The King’s Singers. He is always keen to share his knowledge of ensemble singing with interested listeners: this session will focus on the key aspects of listening, breathing together and engaging with an audience. Using traditional Maori waitata and other folk songs, this will be an interactive day for everyone to participate in and enjoy! It doesn’t matter if you have been in a choir before or only sing in the shower – if you enjoy singing please come along and lend your voice. All are welcome, and lunch and refreshments will be served for everyone involved. 11am-3pm, Basic Mountain, 1a Hill Street. Suggested donation £5.
Tabla Alba and Students from the Sitar Project Present Mehboob Nadeem (sitar) and Vijay Kanguthar (Tabla) in an evening of the very best in Indian classical music, featuring two exceptional artists, both well known to Edinburgh audiences. 7.30pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Tickets cost £10 on the door or in advance from deepchandi108@gmail.com. Tabla Alba has been promoting Indian classical music in Scotland for over a decade; it promotes concerts, teaches in schools, runs evening classes and organises workshops. The Sitar Project began in 2005 and aims to support people who want to learn sitar in Scotland: it meets on Fridays at Tollcross Community Education Centre.
Calton Consort: Herbert Howells Requiem, Gyorgy Ligeti Lux Aeterna. 7.30pm, Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate. Tickets cost £9/£7.
National Gallery Highlights Tours: an introduction to and tour of the National Gallery’s permanent collection, focusing on key paintings. 2-2.45pm or 3-3.45pm, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
LGBT: Trans* and/or Non-Binary Practical Skills Day: a relaxed and fun opportunity for anyone who is trans* and/or non-binary to take part in some practical activities and workshops in a safe and supportive space. Boost your confidence and explore your gender expression with the opportunity to socialise and meet new people. 11am-3pm – free but booking is essential and the location will be given to you when you book – contact jules@lgbthealth.ork.uk or click here to find out more and reserve your place.
South West Edinburgh Community Learning Partnership: ‘Legal Highs’. A drugs awareness information session for parents and carers, at which experts will help you to separate the myths from the facts about new psychoactive substances (NPS), many of which can be bought over the internet or in high street shops. 10.30am-12 noon, Community Room, Wester Hailes Library, 1 Westside Plaza, Wester Hailes. Free but please book by calling Anne or Christine on 0131 458 5959.
Linlithgow Green Film Festival: inspiring films and documentaries highlighting issues on the environment, climate change and sustainability. Today: Powerful: Tackling the spin of the big energy lobby and equally dispelling the myth of a ‘green utopia’, Powerful is a candid examination of what a sustainable future may actually look like. From amazing innovators and eccentric eco-activists to average communities completely powered by renewable energy, green economy educator David Chernushenko embarks on a global journey, discovering that the implications for political, economic and democratic change are right here on our doorsteps – or just above them. 7pm, Linlithgow Palace Undercroft, Linlithgow. Admission by suggested donation of £5. Soft drinks and locally made cakes will be available. This screening coincides with Earth Hour and will conclude with the switching off of the lights at Linlithgow Palace. Transition Linlithgow is a community-led charity that aims to make Linlithgow a more caring, sharing and resilient place to live, with a focus on finding a beneficial pathway towards a low-carbon future.
Out of the Blue Flea Market: over 45 stalls – small furniture, clothes, jewellery, books, music, bric a brac and more. Delicious coffee, cake and lunch available to purchase from the Drill Hall Arts Cafe. 10am-3pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street.
Trad Talk: Crossing Points. Two of Scotland’s finest traditional singers, Kathleen MacInnes and Fiona Hunter, find musical crossing points, echoing across landscapes and centuries. An enchanting night of exchange and celebration between Scots and Gaelic, accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Mike Vass. 8pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £10/£8 and can be purchased online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579. Attendees of Trad Talk may be entitled to a discount – ask at the Box Office.
Frank Walter: a major solo exhibition of the Antiguan outsider artist and self-styled ‘7th Prince of the West Indies, Lord of Follies and the Ding-a-Ding Nook’. Walter was born in Antigua in 1926; prodigiously talented as both an artist and writer, his undeniable genius was flawed by delusions of aristocratic grandeur. His gifts were the product of a fertile but fragile mind, and he spent the last 25 years of his life in an isolated shack on an Antiguan hillside, surrounded by his writings and the extraordinary paintings and carvings that speak with such an unmistakable voice and which announce the discovery of one of the most intriguing and distinctive Caribbean artists of the last 50 years. This exhibition will present the most comprehensive view yet of Frank Walter the artist, assembled from private collections and from the artist’s estate. 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday, Ingleby Gallery, 15 Calton Road. Ends 23rd May 2015.
Edinburgh University Renaissance Singers: German Music for Holy Week and Easter. Compositions by Lassus, Praetorius, Scheidt, Schein and Schutz, performed with period wind instruments. Director: Dr Noel O’Regan. 7.45pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Tickets cost £8/£5.
Scots Music Group Ceilidh with Da Hooley. 7.30pm (dancing from 8pm), St Brides Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry. Tickets cost £8/£6 in advance from St Brides (0131 346 1405) or The Scots Music Group (0131 555 7668), £10/£8 on the door. Please note there will be a licensed bar and only alcohol purchased from it can be consumed on the premises: water will be freely available.
SUNDAY 29TH MARCH 2015
Fiona Baird: how to train your puppy. A free advice session! Fiona Baird grew up in the Ashdown Forest in Sussex, surrounded by well-behaved golden retrievers. Using her successful no-nonsense methods she has now trained over 25 breeds of dog. 2.30pm, The Edinburgh Bookshop, 219 Bruntsfield Place. Free – but please book by calling the shop on 0131 447 1917.
Water of Leith Conservation Trust River Clean-Up: join the volunteer team this morning as they launch the Water of Leith Spring Clean. Wear old clothes! 10am, Water of Leith Conservation Trust Visitor Centre, 24 Lanark Road.
Kenny Herbert: the singer, guitarist and entertainer performs. 7-9pm, Cafe Grande, 184 Bruntsfield Place. Free entry.
Children’s Spring Flower Show: the Eco-Schools Daffodil Competition is part of the RCHS Spring Flower Show. Come and see the floral displays and get involved in hands-on activities. 12 noon-5pm, Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free.
Filmhouse Junior: films for a younger audience. This week: Big Hero 6 (PG). 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small.
Celebrating Your Story: the joy of sharing stories with others. ‘There is no greater burden than bearing an untold story within’ (Maya Angelou). A story sharing event with Dr Michael Williams, a professional story-coach and storyteller with over 30 years experience, and the Playback Edinburgh Theatre Company. No experience needed. 3.30 (registration from 3pm)- 6pm, Sanctuary, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. Fee: £8/£7. For a registration form contact Neill Walker at mesp2015@hotmail.com or 0131 331 4469. Part of The Edinburgh International Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace Festival (MESP) 2015.
Shore Poets – March: live readings from John Glenday, Molly Vogel and Hamish Whyte, plus live music and the lemon cake raffle! 7.45pm, Henderson’s @ St John’s, St John’s Terrace, 3 Lothian Road. Admission £5/£3 on the door. For more information contact publicity@shorepoets.org.uk.
Rock and Roll Ping Pong with DJ Ding and DJ Dong: free, silly ping pong games and music from every genre to play along to, plus a strictly optional and amateur tournament (£1 to enter, winner takes all). 7-11pm, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. Free entry. The Bongo Club is a nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue.
Cameo Vintage Sundays: The Philadelphia Story (U). ‘Classic films back on the big screen where they belong’. A beautiful new digital restoration of one of the greatest romantic comedies ever made. Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart star in the fast-talking tale of a society wedding threatened by a scandal. 12 noon, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be booked in person, online here or by calling the Box Office on 0871 902 5723.
St Giles’ At Six: Music for Passiontide. St Giles’ Cathedral Choir, conducted by Michael Harris, performs Brahms Requiem in the original piano duet version, with Carine Tinney (soprano), Hugh Hillyard-Parker (bass), and Peter Backhouse and Chris Harding (piano). 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.
