The Eurovision final is nearly here, and we’ll soon find out which country will be crowned as the 2023 winner – in the meantime, many Brits will be celebrating the competition and even throwing parties in the hopes that Mae Muller will win the title.
However, a Eurovision party is not complete without some international cocktails to represent the qualifying countries.
Event Management Company MGN events have gathered together 10 cocktails originating in the countries that have qualified for the Eurovision final to ensure your party is one to remember.
Passion Star Martini
An essential cocktail for your Eurovision party is the passion star martini – otherwise known by something slightly more explicit – which originated here in the UK, London to be precise. Create this yourself by filling a cocktail shaker with 45ml vodka, 30ml passionfruit puree, and 15ml vanilla sugar syrup and shaking and straining into a glass. Don’t forget to add half of a passionfruit on the top, as well as a shot glass of champagne on the side.
Skhug Margarita
Taking a twist on the classic margarita from Mexico is the Israeli skhug margarita. First, prepare some cardamom simple syrup by boiling ½ cup of sugar and ½ cup of water, then adding 5 cardamom pods. Once boiled, let it cool and place in a jar. Next, add 45ml tequila, 22ml lime juice, cardamom syrup, a sliced jalapeno pepper, and some cilantro into a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a glass – you can also add a hint of pomegranate juice for an extra touch of flavour.
Aperol Spritz
Another classic to serve up is the Aperol spritz from Northern Italy. In a wine glass, add a couple of ice cubes and pour in 50ml Aperol, 75ml prosecco, and just 25ml soda – finish it off by adding an orange slice for a decorative touch.
Tinto de Verano
Translating to “summer red wine”, Tinto de Verano is a classic Spanish concoction. In a large pitcher, pour in 750ml fruity red wine along with 750ml lemon-flavoured soda. Add slices of a lemon and an orange, 200ml sweet vermouth, and stir to allow all of the flavours to mix well. Instead of adding ice to the pitcher, which will cause the drink to water down and lose flavour, simply serve over a glass with ice.
Finnish Long Drink
To make the Finnish long drink, otherwise known as Lonkero, start by adding 60ml gin, 15ml lemon juice, and 15ml cranberry juice to a highball glass filled with ice. Stir the liquids together, add 120ml grapefruit soda, and finish off by adding a grapefruit wedge to your glass.
Swedish Glogg
The Swedish glogg cocktail is typically served in winter, but it’s a must have for your Eurovision party to truly get into the spirit. Peel the zest of an orange, making sure to remove pith, and place into a large pan with a bottle of red wine and 200g of caster sugar. Add in 10 cardomom pods, five cloves, a cinnamon stick, three slices of peeled ginger, 40g raisins and finally 50g flaked almonds. Let the mixture warm for around 10-15 minutes but avoid letting it boil; finally, add in 150ml vodka and serve up.
Kir Royale
The kir royale is arguable France’s most famous cocktail, and it’s very simple to make. Pour a tablespoon of crème de cassis into a champagne flute, top with champagne, and add a frozen raspberry on top to complete the drink.
Bourbon Radler
Hailing from Germany, the Bourbon randler is possibly the closest beverage to a British shandy. Add 180ml of your favourite beer to a glass along with 180ml lemonade. Stir in 30ml Bourbon whisky and add some ice and lemon wedges to complete your German cocktail.
Nikita
The cocktail nikita originates from the Portugese island Madeira, and it will go down a treat for those who enjoy a sweet cocktail. Add 300ml fresh cubed pineapple to a blender, along with 180ml vanilla ice cream, 120ml lager and 120ml white wine. Once smooth, pour the mixture into a glass with ice – for an even sweeter taste, add a shot of white rum.
Karsk
Dating way back to the 1800s, karsk is a classic Norwegian cocktail. The traditional way to make this drink is by placing a clean penny at the bottom of a mug or glass and pouring hot coffee over it until you can no longer see the penny. Afterwards, you’ll need to pour either vodka or moonshine into the glass or mug until the penny is visible again; measurements may vary, but you can always add some sugar to sweeten it up.
Creative Director, Matthew Strange from MGN events has commented: “Whatever the occasion, cocktails are a sophisticated touch when entertaining guests – but in the case of Eurovision, it’s much more exciting for the host to go the extra mile and add in a twist.
“By serving these 10 cocktails, you can please guests with a classic drink like a Pornstar martini that everybody knows and loves while adding some fun with an exciting cocktail like Portugal’s nikita. Not to mention, with the cocktails hailing from many different countries, it’s the perfect way to celebrate Eurovision.”
This information was provided by mgnevents.co.uk, one of the UK’s leading luxury private party and corporate events management companies.
Climate campaigners have challenged the Scottish Government to speak out against the controversial Rosebank oil field as they revealed details of the lobbying operation by the Norwegian oil giant Equinor who are behind the project.
New data compiled by Friends of the Earth Scotland show that from the 2021 election until end of 2022, Equinor has met 13 times with MSPs including five times with Scottish Government Ministers.[1] The lobbying register also shows that oil lobby group Offshore Energies UK, who represent Equinor, met with members of the Scottish Parliament at least 36 times over the last two years.
With a UK Government decision on the massive Rosebank oil field drawing closer, Humza Yousaf once again refused to oppose the project when questioned by journalists at the All Energy Conference in Glasgow yesterday. Equinor also faced protests in Norway, Aberdeen and London to coincide with its AGM.
Prior to announcing its formal application to develop the Rosebank field in August 2022 Equinor pursued meetings with 8 MSPs in the North East and Shetland to convince MSPs to back the project, the data shows.
Oil extraction from Rosebank was also discussed at the 2022 Cross Party Group on Oil and Gas, chaired by oil lobby group Offshore Energies UK, and attended by six MSPs. The group lists amongst its aims: “to encourage greater recognition of the importance of the oil and gas industry to Scotland”. [2]
The Scottish Government has repeatedly failed to officially state their opposition to Equinor’s plans to develop the 500 million barrels of oil in Rosebank, despite Nicola Sturgeon speaking out against the much smaller Cambo oil field in 2021. None of the MSPs lobbied have called for the project to be stopped or signed the motion of opposition lodged by Monica Lennon MSP. [3]
Equinor is 67% owned by the Norwegian state and posted £9.5billion pre-tax profits for first 3 months of 2023, in addition to the £62billion in profits before tax for 2022. Despite their claims to be a ‘broad energy company’ more than 99 percent of Equinor’s energy production comes from fossil fuels.
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s campaigner Freya Aitchison said: “This research highlights the insidious power that Equinor and other fossil fuel companies have over decision making processes in Scotland.
“The scale and reach of the Equinor lobbying operation designed to influence the Scottish Government should be extremely alarming to anyone who takes the climate crisis seriously.
“For decades, the fossil fuel industry has denied and delayed the need for real climate action, and it is clear that it has significant means to continue doing so. Companies like Equinor have too much vested interest in continuing business as usual and cannot be trusted to play a meaningful part in a transition away from fossil fuels.
“99% of Equinor’s output is fossil fuels and the company is planning for the expansion of oil and gas drilling across the world, with the Rosebank project as well as others in Canada, Argentina and Norway. We know that in order to stay within agreed climate limits we can have no new investments in fossil fuel infrastructure, yet Equinor is deliberately ignoring the science and trying to persuade politicians to let it continue profiting from new extraction.
“There can be no place for the fossil fuel industry in decision-making around climate change – just as tobacco companies were banned from public health decision-making spaces, fossil fuel companies such as Equinor need to be denied access to power and influence in order for real change to happen.”
“To avoid catastrophic climate breakdown, and do our fair share globally, we must phase out oil and gas in this decade. First Minister Humza Yousaf has the chance to chart a new path away from fossil fuels without the industry trying to call the shots. If his Government is serious about tackling the climate crisis and delivering a just transition, it must cut ties with the fossil fuel industry and ban them from lobbying.”
Equinor’s influence peddling is aided by the revolving door – whereby politicians and officials jump from public office into lucrative industry lobbying jobs – or vice versa. Equinor’s Vice President Political and Public Affairs Global, David Cairns, was formerly the British Ambassador to Sweden and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Director for the Nordic Baltic Region. [4]
Cairns has had at least 8 lobby meetings with MSPs in 2022 and met with Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, Kate Forbes, during COP26 in November 2021. Every single meeting Cairns has had on behalf of Equinor gives the same description of purpose in the Lobbying Register – demonstrating the limitations of lobbying transparency rules. The meetings discussed Equinor’s “broad energy portfolio of oil & gas, offshore wind and low carbon activities” and “Future opportunities for engagement with MSPs in the Scottish Parliament”.
More than a century after his death, Private (Pte) Robert Kenneth Malcolm, a 23-year-old stretcher bearer from Stockton-on-Tees, has finally been laid to rest with full military honours and his war medals presented to his family.
Private Malcolm’s cloth orderly patch which indicated he was a stretcher bearer. Copyright Ruben Willaert nv
The burial service, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Bedford House Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium on 10 May 2023.
Pte Malcolm is borne to his final resting place by officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Crown copyright
His unidentified remains were recovered from a shell hole outside a German blockhouse in Fusilier Wood, near Klein-Zillebeke, Belgium in 2019. Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) insignia and a ‘Medical Orderly’ cloth patch were also recovered, indicating the soldier may have been a stretcher bearer.
Private Malcolm’s cap badge. Copyright Ruben Willaert nv
After extensive research carried out by JCCC and DNA testing, the remains were identified as Pte Malcolm who was reported missing on 6 August 1917 – believed killed during shelling. With no remains recovered at the time of his death, he had been commemorated on the Menin Gate.
Rosie Barron, JCCC case lead said: “The identification of Pte Malcolm was a long and at times complicated task, so it is very satisfying to have organised his burial service today and to have seen a positive conclusion to this case.
“Stretcher bearers such as Pte Malcolm were vital to the war effort. Without their dedication and bravery, many more men would have died on the battlefields.
“Pte Malcolm came from a large family. His mother and siblings died unaware of his fate and memory of Pte Malcolm had been lost through the generations. It has been a privilege therefore to have his great great nieces here today to see him laid to rest and to know that he will be remembered by future generations of his family who will now be able to visit his grave.”
Records uncovered during Rosie’s investigation showed that though Pte Malcolm’s medals were sent to his mother after the war, they were not delivered and so were returned and destroyed. The MOD Medal Office (MODMO) has therefore been able to reissue his 1914 Star with Clasp ‘5 Aug – 22 Nov 1914’, often referred to as ‘the Mons Star’, and the British War Medal and Victory Medal (Please note: photos of the medals are unavailable but for more information please visit the IWM website.
They were placed on top of the coffin as Pte Malcolm was carried to his grave, and afterwards they, and the flag which covered his casket, were presented to his family by Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) Adam Gregory of 202 (Midlands) Field Hospital, who led the bearer party.
An officer of the Royal Army Medical Corps presents Pte Malcolm’s service medals to his great great niece Linda Jordan. Crown copyright
Linda Jordan, Pte Malcolm’s great great niece, was one of two family members who provided positive DNA matches. She, and her sister, attended the burial service.
Linda said: Getting a letter five months ago from JCCC suggesting I could be related to a fallen WW1 soldier, whose body had been recently discovered, was quite a shock. My family was unaware that our great grandmother had eleven siblings, one of whom was Pte Malcolm.
“It is fascinating how we were traced and the link confirmed through DNA testing. As Pte Malcolm had been missing for so long it was amazing and quite emotional to see the care that all those in the wider Army family have taken to identify and honour him. We were privileged to represent his family at his funeral. It is our way of respecting him and acknowledging the sacrifice he, and so many others, made in service of our country.
WO2 Gregory said: “It is an honour and an overwhelming privilege to be part of this burial service for a fallen WW1 comrade from the RAMC. Pte Malcolm has been placed alongside his brothers in arms whom all paid the ultimate sacrifice for their King and country.
“Pte Malcolm was a regular RAMC soldier supporting the citizen volunteers in a new Army unit. This is part of an historic event, and it is very befitting that a mix of Regular Army and Army Reservists from 202 (Midlands) Field Hospital have carried him on his final journey.”
The service was conducted by the Reverend Andrew Grant, Chaplain to 5th Regiment Royal Artillery, and a bearer party from 202 (Midlands) Field Hospital RAMC bore the coffin to the graveside.
The Reverend Grant said: “I am greatly honoured to have been asked to conduct the burial service for Pte Robert Kenneth Malcolm of the Royal Army Medical Corps.
“The continuing work of identifying the remains of those killed in the World War 1, and bestowing upon them the full honours of a proper burial, are key to reminding ourselves that, despite the unimaginable numbers lost in the conflict, each soul whose life was cut short was a precious human being, and loved by someone.
“This can be so easily forgotten when death back then was meted out on such an industrial scale.”
Pte Malcolm is guarded by officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps before burial. Crown copyright
The grave of Pte Malcolm will now be cared for in perpetuity by CWGC.
Head of Commemorations Casework at the CWGC, Mel Donnelly, said: “We are very grateful to our partners in Belgium who conducted the painstaking excavation of the site near Fusilier Wood.
“Their professionalism ensured that the remains of a Commonwealth soldier recovered together with his insignia, enabling Private Malcolm to be identified. He can now be laid to rest alongside his comrades.”
The British Dental Association has announced that dentists in Scotland employed under the same contract as junior doctors, will join their medical colleagues in a 72-hour walkout, the dates of which are yet to be confirmed, if BMA ongoing negotiations with the Scottish government do not result in a credible pay offer.
The overwhelming majority of voters (91%) from this small but important cohort backed industrial action, on a turnout of 79%.
British Dental Association Chair Eddie Crouch said:“Our members stand ready to do whatever it takes to secure a fair deal on pay.
“Just like their medical colleagues these dentists aren’t worth a penny less than they were a decade ago.
“We are hopeful that a negotiated settlement can be found. But our members will take strike action if the Scottish Government fail to come back to the table with a serious pay offer.”
In celebration of Bookbug Week BLACKHALL LIBRARY will be running three additional Bookbug sessions next week! These will be followed by snacks and Bookbug materials give away.
As the Bookbug theme for this year will be Bookbug’s Big Shoogle! we warmly encourage kids and adults to dress up in your tutu’s or whatever you like to dance in!
All week we will also have a Big Bookbug Chase scavenger hunt with prizes to be won!
BREAKING NEWS: COCKBURN ASSOCIATION LODGES OBJECTION TO UNDERBELLY’S GEORGE SQUARE PLANS
The iconic Edinburgh venue sees a new list of shows join its 2023 line-up featuring circus, theatre, cabaret, comedy, music, and musical theatre across Bristo Square, Cowgate, Circus Hub and George Square.
Highlights include:
Taking over McEwan Hall, Havana Street Party is an exhilarating explosion of urban movement direct from Cuba; Sara Pascoe’s Success Story flies in for one night only; Foil Arms and Hog: Hogwash, the Fringe favourites returns with a five-star comedy for an exclusive limited run; Drag Race double crown winner Monét X Change shares anecdotes and opinions on life in the tireless comedy Life Be Lifein’; and You Can’t Stop the Beat the Fringe’s ultimate musical theatre party night out.
Over in Circus Hub, East London’s The Revel Puck Circus make their Fringe debut with an exhilarating new show The Wing Scuffle Spectacular; Aloftreturns with Brave Space after selling out their innovative 2022 season and also presents Sanctuary, a punk-rock cabaret with a revolving line-up of internationally renowned circus artists backed by a live band.
In the iconic upside-down purple cow, the Udderbelly, Mario The Maker Magician brings robot magic direct from New York, with a wild and original family show; Choir! Choir! Choir! is a show where the crowd is the star and you’ll be harmonising to well-known classics in no time and a home-grown Drag Race winner joins the line-up in their debut solo tourDanny Beard & Their Band.
At Cowgate, Bill’s 44th – a poignant puppet tragicomedy for adults, called “Buoyant, mesmerizing, joy-inducing” as the New York Times Critics Pick; and identical twins Patrick and Hugo McPherson return with Pear: But Braver, after the smash-hit success of Pear in 2022.
Last week, the winners of the Untappedaward, in partnership with New Diorama Theatre, Concord Theatricals and Nouveau Riche, were announced; It’s A Motherf**king Pleasure, a witty satirical delight straight off the back of a smash-hit London run; Dugsi Dayz is a heart-warming tribute to The Breakfast Club, subverting Somali folktales and exploring friendships; and One Way Out, a powerful drama exploring young British Caribbeans’ experiences of the Windrush crisis.
McEwan Hall is where the party is at. Havana Street Party, from the creator of Havana Rumba and Havana after Dark is a spectacular summer dance party that guarantees a night of non-stop dancing, sexy salsa, sizzling rumba, and thrilling street dance from the best dancers on the planet, direct from Cuba.
After a huge UK tour, Sara Pascoe brings Success Story for one night only. In a night of warm hilarity and genius writing, Sara tells us how she has auditioned for Barrymore, ruined Hugh Grant’s birthday and seen Salman Rushdie dancing.
Monét X Change is an entertainment spitfire, known for delivering energetic and show-stopping performances. Her debut Fringe show Life Be Lifein’ is exactly that, brilliantly showcasing her immaculate lip-sync skills, her comedy chops and (mostly) pitch-perfect singing.
Internet sensations Foil Arms and Hog return with an exclusive and limited run with the full-length version of their comedy-sketch show Hogwash, an all-star mix of sketch comedy, audience participation and improvisation.
The Revel Puck Circus joins the sparkling Circus Hub line-up with Fringe debut The Wing Scuffle Spectacular. Born and bred in East London, this company is reimagining a circus that speaks to all, bursting into the programme with huge energy and revelry.
Circus Hub fans will recognise Aloft, returning after a sell-out 2022 with Brave Space, and bringing a new underground circus cabaret Sanctuary, featuring an incredible circus complimented by a live band brimming with punk rock soul. MarioThe Maker Magician, as seen on Sesame Street,is a romping explosion of contagious energy for everyone.
Described by David Blaine as ‘the best kid’s magician in the world, Mario’s debut at Edinburgh Fringe promises to be the family show of the year. Fringe favourite favourite Abandoman returns for three weeks only with Future Fest, an improvised futuristic music festival, that ingeniously blends technology and improvisation making for an exhilarating night of live improvisation and mind-blowing hits.
For five nights only, Drag Race winner Danny Beard & Their Band take to the stage with a big, bad, camp show with their live band, headlining a riotous line-up of cabaret and variety acts.
A ‘tender and boozy puppet party’ (Guardian), Bill’s 44th is a poignant tragicomedy that examines the pitfalls of impatience, the wonder of loneliness and the universal passage of time. ‘This isn’t the birthday that Bill had hoped to have but for the audience, his 44th is a gift’. (NY Times)Previously announced Untapped Award winners; It’s A Motherf**king Pleasure, a brave and scathing satire about identity politics by award-winning and disability-led theatre company FlawBored; Dugsi Dayz from Side eYe is a hilarious and authentic exploration of the friendship between four Somali girls, thrown together in a Breakfast Club style and forced to unite their different views on the world; and finally by No Table,One Way Out sees four friends on the cusp of adulthood, forced to make decisions that may ruin their brotherhood in an exploration of young British Caribbeans’ experiences of the Windrush Crisis.
CIRCUS, CABARET + VARIETY
Underbelly’s Circus Hub celebrates the daring and the different. Alongside Sanctuary and The Wing Scuffle Spectacular is Brave Space, a stunning, all-female piece of physical theatre that paints a picture of the world we want to live in and Reclaim which draws the audience close to examine life and imagine a sustainable future. Set in Circus Hub’s Spiegeltent, The Beauty, it features circus and acrobatics interwoven with two cellists and a live opera singer.
Drag star Karen From Finance is in big trouble, facing a criminal trial and fighting for justice, this favourite accountant is headed for the slammer in Karen From Finance Is Doing Time. And you can get involved with Drag & Draw, the art class with a difference, featuring lip syncs, audience interaction and drag queens.
MUSIC & MUSICALS
Today’s announcement includes exciting music and musical programming, across all four venue hubs. You Can’t Stop The Beat is a party for musical theatre fans, turning McEwan Hall into a sing-along celebration of all your favourite shows; The Magnets, famously the UK’s number one acapella group; catch the sensational five-voice sound machine to relive the magic of the greatest musicians of all time; and one part sermon, one part purge and three parts house party, House Of Life is a travelling musical cult collective with one mission; to get you happy, at any cost. With a host of 5-star reviews in their wake, the acclaimed Sheep Soup company promise to achieve their goal.
Debut show 2020 The Musical is a joyful new musical, celebrating human resilience in every form, depicting the true, uplifting stories of everyday heroes and turning the events of 2020 into a heart-warming party (and unlike Downing Street, everyone’s invited); God Catcher reimagines the story of a woman turned to a spider as punishment from the Ancient Greek Gods, exploring the legacies of truth and bravery through catchy tunes and heartfelt lyrics; tender musical Fabulett 1933, sees a liberal queer society in Berlin protest as the authorities close off every opportunity for freedom and expressionism; We’ll Have Nun Of It is a masterpiece, blending contemporary pop, soul and funk music into a unique new musical that navigates the angst and joy of Ireland in the sixties; and Tinkisa nostalgic love-letter to our past selves through the eyes of a very familiar fairy.
THEATRE
Joining Bill’s 44th and the Untapped award winners; The Way Way Deep, blends bold storytelling, spoken word and original music, by sell-out playwright Patrick McPherson, previous writing includes The Man and Colossal; in his Fringe debut, star of stage and screen Declan Bennett brings Boy Out The City, telling a raw survival story of a man in his search for identity, throwing us into a turbulent world of toxic masculinity, homophobia and men’s mental health.
The programme also pioneers wonderfully current topics with shows such as; PLEASE LEAVE (A Message), a devised piece set in a karaoke bar on Yucca Mountain, where a group of scientists are experimenting with time travel, in which ClusterFlux can give a fearful yet joyous address of the impending climate crisis; Temporarily Yours, a journey into sexuality and prostitution, a show made from true stories and earnest questions, pondering our body, soul and relationships; and The Brilliance of Broken Glass, a true story about rising from rock bottom, exploring the aftershock of a medical crisis and championing laughter as the ultimate medicine.
Solo Show, Pleasure Little Treasure, takes us back to the downfall of the Soviet Union; a story about growing up in the first strip club in Estonia during the tumultuous 1990; My Dad Wears A Dress is a hilarious yet sincere one-woman show about growing up with a trans female parent; Life With Oscar is a tragicomic satire set in the underbelly of Hollywood (no pun intended); and Looking For Giants is a perplexing and seductive tale about self-discovery, from emerging theatre company That What’s Wild.
Ringer is Hughie Shepherd-Cross’s fifth Fringe production, a comedy that sees a heartthrob actor’s reputation left in the hands of his feckless double; winner of Dublin Fringe’s Bewley’s Little Gem award,
Frigid is a tender coming-of-age comedy about sexuality in early 2000s Dublin, performed alongside a live DJ; extremely silly, and extremely ruthless The Death of Molly Miller is a pitch-black satire on our world of influencers, inequality and addiction; with performers from The Wardrobe Ensemble,
International House of Vape: Redefining Theatre Experience goes where no brand has gone before in a new corporate venture; The Four Worst Things I’ve Ever Done is a wild ride of confessions and consequences; and pitch-black comedy BUTCHERED is a dynamic physical theatre piece with a killer soundtrack, this absurd thriller is set in the kitchen where dreams come to die.
COMEDY
Joining Sara Pascoe in the comedy programme; Pear: But Braver sees identical twins Patrick and Hugo McPherson return after the 2022 hit show Pear, a riotous hour of sketch comedy by two brothers heralded as “like Reeves and Mortimer” (The Recs). Joining them in Cowgate is Adam Riches as hereturns to the Cow Café with a site-specific show; Adam Riches Is The Guys Who, a fresh take on the guys who you meet everywhere. Sounds Like… is a unique improvisational panel show, from Doc Brown and quick-witted wordsmith hosts, based around rhyme and rap with special guests from the world of music and comedy.
It’s seriously funny, stupidly clever and addictive. The Retreat is a camp variety number that mimics a corporate event, questioning our toxic workplace methods, brought to you by stars of Parks and Recreation and Glow including UK songstress Kate Nash and featuring a rotation of incredible and iconic comedy names.
The programme features some special limited-run shows throughout August. Mr Thing, favourites at the Fringe, returning for two nights only to celebrate all the best bits from the past five years; Drag Queens vs Zombies, as Haus of Dench’s monstrous hit returns from the dead for two nights only, as drag superstars Kate Butch and Crudi Dench try to save the audience of their cabaret show from a gruesome death in a camp comedy horror; and Werewolf: Live appears for one night only in a charity spectacular.
An all-star line-up of comedians backstab, manipulate and fight for survival in this cult gameshow; with previous guests including Rose Matafeo, Nish Kumar, Ed Gamble, and plenty more, you know it’s going to be a wonderful kind of chaos.
Kelly McCaughan’s show exposes the impossible standards of the confines of religion in Catholic Guilt; performed by US comedian Lane Kewderis and directed by Matt Gehrin; Sex Job is an empowering show about the good, bad and often hilarious ups and downs of being a sex worker, following the inside life of a financial dominatrix; Holly Spillar’sHole is a muff-busting comedy about sex, pain and the brain, showcasing one woman’s determination in the face of a tough diagnosis.
Healing King Herod is a wild, interactive, drag-clown therapy session featuring improvised songs, political parody and cult-like rituals where Herod, famed for massacring innocents, now leads a self-development pyramid scheme, and; Jeromaia Detto: MUSH, nominated for Best Comedy at Sydney Fringe, is a whimsical and absurd clown show, with five stars all round; Max Norman invites you to cross the seven seas with him on a night of nautical nonsense, with piratical puns, 90’s nostalgia and the ultimate audience prize in A Pirate’s Life For Me; and award-winning MANBO is a dead-sexy action-hero mission filled with chaos.
For the theatrical comedy fans out there, Rosalie Minnitt presents Clementine, a debut character comedy-drama involving a hilariously unhinged quest to find love set roughly ‘in the past’; in Dead Dad Show Simon David tackles the ‘dead dad’ cliché, in a show, directed by Fringe First winner Chris Larner, with dangerously high levels of heart; struggling to make sense of a breakup, Sophie hires a life coachin Sophie Santos… Is Codependant and 2022 Best Comedy winner from Hollywood Fringe,
A Terrible Show For Terrible People is a raunchy, absurdist physical comedy with 2 spoken words “for perverts, feminists and your mom (not mutually exclusive).” AAA Stand up and AAA Stand Up Late, return with brand-new line-ups of comedians, including Ross McGrane, Ridwan Hussain, Josh Elton and Sachin Kumarendran, having sold out Edinburgh from 2005-2022, it’s filled with clever wordplay, whimsical observations, and mischievous twists.
For those who are intrigued by games of social deduction, Blood on the Clocktower: Liveis a night of gothic chaos and carnage, featuring a revolving cast of comedians. More stand-up includes Charlotte Fox encountering a series of crooked and macabre characters in her dark and manic comedy; Ouroboros The Return. Robo Bingo by Foxdog Studios, an interactive show for people who don’t want to talk to anyone; Alice Cockayne is unhinged and outrageously funny in the clowning drama I Showered Before I Came; Chris Turner shares stories of touring with Cirque Du Soleil and his newborn child in Vegas, Baby!; Sara Schaefer teaches how to unlock potential in this perfect mockery of a seminar, Going Up; Maggie Crane’s darkly funny Side by Side, an autobiographical story about family and disability.
Internet sensation Josh Baulf with new show Bulldog; Paddy McDonnell in Paddy McDonnell Live, a show full of tales of everyday life; Dan Rath, discussing the ups and downs of neurodivergence in All Quiet Carriage Along The Inner Western Line; Ed Gaughan brings his first solo show in 18 years,Words and Music, with stories, clowning around and plenty of surprises; and award-winning comedian Leif Oleson-Cormack, who pushes confessional stand-up to its limits in The Disney Delusion.
BREAKING NEWS:
COCKBURN ASSOCIATION LODGES OBJECTION TO UNDERBELLY’S GEORGE STREET PLANS
Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 venue: George Square
We have objected to the current planning application by Underbelly Ltd The absence of a tree protection plan to secure the long-term health of the site’s trees is simply unacceptable.
Vote for your favourite Scottish Charity Awards finalist!
Run annually by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Scottish Charity Awards celebrate the best of Scotland’s voluntary sector.
This year’s shortlist includes 32 individuals and organisations from charities and voluntary groups across the country. While a judging panel will determine the winners under nine distinct categories, members of the public can have their say by voting for their favourite overall entry in the People’s Choice Award – by visiting scvo.scot/vote – before 5pm on Wednesday 24 May 2023.
There are eight Edinburgh-based organisation and individual finalists:
Capability Scotland (Pioneering Project)
Children’s Hospices Across Scotland – Charlie Leavy (Employee of the Year)
Fresh Start Scotland (Community Action)
Edinburgh Science (Climate Conscious)
YouthLink Scotland (Climate Conscious)
Brain Health Scotland – My Amazing Brain (Campaign of the Year)
Feniks – Shed Your Armour, Show the Scars (Campaign of the Year)
RSABI – David Leggatt MBE (Trustee of the Year)
Winners will be announced on 23 June 2023 in a celebratory awards ceremony hosted by broadcaster Sally Magnusson at the Sheraton Hotel, Edinburgh.
Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive, SCVO said: “The Scottish Charity Awards are a fabulous opportunity to celebrate the exceptional individuals and groups within our vibrant sector.
“This year’s record-breaking number of nominations underlines the strength of Scotland’s voluntary sector, and the crucial work that we see from charities and voluntary organisations across the country. The hard work and dedication of people and organisations like these 32 finalists are making Scotland a better place to live and work.
“There is still a chance to have your own voice heard by voting in the People’s Choice Award. Don’t be late – participate!”
The full shortlist is:
Campaign of the year
Feniks – Shed Your Armour, Show the Scars
Brain Health Scotland – My Amazing Brain
Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity – Jack’s Wee Snowman with the Big Heart
Western Isles Violence Against Women Partnership – Safer Outer Hebrides
Volunteer of the year
Andrii Zhehestovskyi – Libraries & Information Services Dundee
Garry Duthie – Camphill School Aberdeen
Gordon Harkin – Cancer Support Scotland
Pioneering project
Quarriers
SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health)
GEMAP
Capability Scotland
Cycling Without Age Scotland
Employee of the year
Man On! Inverclyde – Peter Canevale
Children’s Hospices Across Scotland – Charlie Leavy
Beatson Cancer Charity – Paul Sheerin
Community Action
Fresh Start Scotland
Golden Friendships
Maryhill Integration Network
Climate Conscious
YouthLink Scotland
Edinburgh Science
Climate Action Strathaven
Trustee of the year
Disability Snowsport UK – Carmel Teusner
Amma Birth Companions – Vongayi Mufara
Glasgow East Alcohol Awareness Project – John Strange
Weekly book club ignites imagination and creativity among elderly residents
BOOK-LOVING pensioners at an Edinburgh care home are keeping their minds young and agile with the latest social activity introduction.
The new weekly club at Cramond Residence gives the home’s book worms the chance to engage in open conversation about a host of genres – some of which cover stories from their childhoods and gripping new novels that exercise the brain.
Elaine Vallance, newly promoted Lifestyle Team Leader, said: “Not only does reading help increase our residents’ cognitive skills, but it can also reduce stress and help improve sleep.
“It’s a fantastic form of entertainment and a great exercise for stimulating the brain, which can be particularly beneficial for our residents with dementia.
“Our weekly book club encourages independent reading, as well as the articulation of thoughts and sharing of opinions with a group of similarly minded people.
“The club is a great way of encouraging our residents to stay social and we have experienced that even some of our less talkative residents have been willing to engage in a common topic of conversation.
“We take the time to read to those residents who can’t do so and you can tell by the big smiles on their faces how much they appreciate the simple art of storytelling.”
Cramond’s book club takes place in the home’s luxurious and comfortable lounge facilities, offering views of the expansive gardens year-round.
In addition to the weekly clubs, Cramond Residence has a private library that is well-stocked with books of different genres that residents are free to borrow and return at their leisure.
Client Liaison Manager, Christian Daraio, said: “Cramond has the unique advantage of having five-star facilities that aren’t usually synonymous with a care home.
“Our residents love making use of the library and our weekly book clubs have proved to be very popular.
“We even have plans to invite authors along to the club in the near future to engage in conversations with the residents. We aim to make the club highly educational and a great knowledge builder.
“The mental and physical benefits you can experience from reading last a lifetime and can keep an elderly brain active and engaged, possibly even delaying the onset of dementia through the strengthening of memory retention.
“Not only that, but these group activities that we pride ourselves on here at Cramond are an excellent tool in fighting loneliness and social isolation.”
Cramond Residence offers a vast array of activities to its residents on a daily basis, with the weekly book clubs being one of the latest additions to the home’s bustling monthly rota.
Residential life at the care home is full of unique activities, as well as freshly prepared meals and top-class facilities, ensuring that all residents enjoy a rich and satisfying life at the care home.
The facilities provided include a cinema, a functional exercise room, a games room and also a fine dining experience offering residents the opportunity to invite their family members in for a meal.
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Two Craigmillar-based charities and a Greenydykes foundation have benefited from a £5,000 donation from Fort Kinnaird.
Thistle Foundation, The Venchie Children and Young People’s Project and Craigmillar Now have all received donations as part of the centre’s ongoing commitment to supporting the local community.
Thistle Foundation, founded in 1944, supports people in Scotland living with disabilities and long-term health conditions such as Parkinson, ME, chronic pain, the long-term effects of COVID-19, and mental health conditions.
The charity offers a range of wellbeing support including 1:1 coaching and courses, that support people to lead good lives and achieve what matters most to them. Thistle Foundation also supports people living in local communities in and around Craigmillar in Edinburgh through Thistle Outdoors, Connecting Craigmillar and their gym situated at their Centre of Wellbeing.
The donation from Fort Kinnaird went towards supporting Thistle Foundation’s health and wellbeing service and a big Thistle Thank You to the amazing team of volunteers that help the charity to support people locally and nationally.
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Some of these volunteers are part of the Thistle Outdoors team, delivering cycling sessions in Saughton Park which take place each Thursday, providing a range of adapted bikes, including trikes and side-by side-cycles, for people to enjoy for free while meeting with friends or new people.
The Venchie Children and Young People’s Project supports more than 200 children every week from in and around Craigmillar. It runs activities ranging from breakfast and after-school clubs to holiday sessions and parent/toddler groups which will be supported through the donation.
And Craigmillar Now, an arts and heritage space, will use the funds to continue hosting a year-round programme of creative activities including artist residences, workshops and exhibitions.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said:“These charities are all doing vital work in the area, and we’re pleased that we are able to show our appreciation for this through these donations, which we know will have a direct positive impact on people in our community.”
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07887554193
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William Oviatt, Heat of Income Generation at Thistle Foundation said: “We are extremely grateful for this very generous donation from Fort Kinnard.
“It is with thanks to donations like this that we can continue to support people living in local communities across Edinburgh and throughout Scotland.”
For more information on what’s on at Fort Kinnaird visit:
The Scottish Government’s Air Quality Improvement Plan has been met with approval following scrutiny carried out by Holyrood’s Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee.
In its report published today, the Committee described the strengthening of policy guidance around air pollution as ‘a positive step forward’ in addressing nitrogen dioxide levels in Scotland. However, it says the Scottish Government must address important questions about how it will improve governance and enforcement of air quality standards.
The Committee calls for SEPA to take a more robust enforcement approach and says that clarity is needed as to whether the body has all the statutory powers and resources it needs to fulfil its role in relation to air quality – especially given its resources are already limited and it has other existing obligations.
The report also emphasises the need for local authorities to be better funded. With resource and staffing constraints relieved, councils would be better able to perform their crucial preventative, attention-raising, monitoring and enforcement role.
Edward Mountain MSP 22 November 2022. Pic-Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament
Launching the report, Committee Convener, Edward Mountain, said; “A robust system of monitoring and enforcement is crucial to tackling air pollution. Yet historically SEPA has not been assertive enough in its approach to tackling non-compliance by local authorities in meeting their air quality standards.
“If SEPA is to conduct its oversight role to full effect, the Scottish Government must ensure it is adequately resourced. Likewise, without the right funding and resources in place, councils will not be able to deliver the expected improvements to air quality in their local areas.
“To access the many economic, social and environmental benefits good air quality will deliver, including helping to meet the Scottish Government’s target of achieving Net Zero by 2045, positive action must be taken. We hope the findings and recommendations in our report will help to achieve this.
“Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and expertise with us during our consideration of the Improvement Plan.”
Additional recommendations made by the Committee to accelerate the improvement of air quality in Scotland include that the Scottish Government should;
Lean harder on local authorities to ensure they speed up the implementation of their Air Quality Action Plans.
Clarify whether it is satisfied that SEPA has all the statutory powers and resources it needs to fulfil its oversight and enforcement of the Local Air Quality Management system.
Set out what steps it will take to ensure SEPA delivers greater transparency and accountability as Scotland’s main air quality watchdog.
Complete an air quality data review paying particular attention to the proportion of monitoring sites to be situated near schools and hospitals.
During the inquiry, the Committee also assessed the effectiveness of Scottish Government policy and practise by considering its’ ‘Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 Strategy’; the implementation and impact of Low Emission Zones; and Scotland’s performance in relation to international best practice.
Related recommendations include for example;
In the Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 Strategy – air quality considerations should be mainstreamed across all climate change, health, transport and planning policy decisions whether at a national or local level. There should also be a focus on encouraging an uptake in qualifications and roles within planning and environmental health professions.
The Scottish Government should work with all local authorities to find bespoke transport-based air quality solutions in urban areas and in rural areas it should identify what further support is needed for the launch of Low Emission Zones.
