Out of the Blue at Forest Fringe

Out of the Blue at Forest Fringe 

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The Forest Fringe grew from a totally independent, not-for-profit space in the midst of the Edinburgh Festival …

Out of the Blue grew from a totally independent, not-for-profit space in the midst of Edinburgh – all year round …

Now Out of the Blue and the Forest Fringe are engaged in a merging of space, ideas and productions at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall as part of as an ever audacious programme of experimentation and adventure which makes exciting, improbable, spectacular things happen.

Out of the Blue’s contribution of home grown Leith talent is wide ranging.

Tales from the Hanging Captain
Sat 13th & Sun 14th August

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An exuberant theatre production – made in Leith for the people of Leith – and beyond! Having previewed as part of this year’s Leith Festival the company regroup to get their stories out to the wider world.

As locals gather in the fictional Leith bar ‘The Hanging Captain’, auld Sandy takes the audience on a voyage through time and shares the stories of the Dockers involvement in the whaling industry, the ‘Darien Scheme’ and the strikes of 1913.

As Joyce Mcmillan has said: “if ever there was a town full of stories, that knew how to persevere in telling them, it’s the venerable, beautiful and unpredictable Port of Leith.”

And who better to perform the riveting stories than two of Out of the Blue’s all year round resident theatre companies, Active Inquiry and Strange Town.

Joyce McMillan said in her 2015 review of the companies’ “Persevere” production: “difficult not to be moved and shaken by the profound sense of place, time and continuity conjured up by this fine 24-strong community company” (June 2015)

Local people involved in the production also commented:

“It was a great experience to be part of a project which engaged with the history of our local area, whilst simultaneously engaging with the community that lives here now”

Chains on sink plugs
Thu 18 & Fri 19th August, 12pm

David Nicol is a long time participant at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall who is a poet and actor, musician and painter.

Chains on sink plugs is his first solo show.

Chains on sink plugs is a personal journey explore what it like being in a wheelchair from the 1970s to 21st century. What it’s like being on wheels instead of legs. And gives people a glimpse of a world many don’t know exists.

#artcore radio plays
DEAD ENDS
Fri 12th – Fri 19th August

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“DEAD ENDS” is a new radio drama serial created for and performed by 18-25 year olds, which is launching as part of this year’s Forest Fringe based at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall.  It features a realistic story about a group of young people who work in a fictitious historical/ghost tour company in Edinburgh. They are poorly trained, badly paid. Some of them care about their work and others do not . . .

The current series consists of eight episodes, released at midnight each day of the run.

To find out more, to listen to the latest episode, or to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes once it goes live on Friday 12th August, visit; www.deadendtours.co.uk

“DEAD ENDS” is produced by Strange Town for #artcore

The youth arts project, #artcore is based at Out of the Blue, and is one of nine youth arts hubs in Scotland, funded by Creative Scotland’s Time to Shine Fund

www.artcore.org.uk   www.strangetown.org.uk

Listing Information

All performances are at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh, EH6 8RG

Performance dates and times

Forest Fringe: Thu 11th – Sat 20th Aug
Tales from the Hanging Captain: Sat 13th & Sun 14th August, 1pm
Chains on sink plugs: Thu 18 & Fri 19th August, 12pm
#artcore radio plays DEAD ENDS: Fri 12th – Fri 19th August

Tickets

All tickets are free by donation
To book tickets, please visit http://www.outoftheblue.org.uk/category/forest-fringe/

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ForestFringe

From page to stage

£2,500 grant to support young budding theatre directors

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The Saltire Society, Youth Theatre Arts Scotland (YTAS) and Traverse Theatre and have joined forces to launch a new £2,500 award to enable one promising young theatre director to further their career and stage a short production to be shown as part of the innovative Chrysalis festival this November. Continue reading From page to stage

Severing Time at North Edinburgh Arts

Friday 24 June 7.30pm

North Edinburgh Arts

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North Edinburgh Arts Theatre Project & Festival and King’s Theatres Edinburgh Learning and Participation

INVITATION

You are invited to the Sharing of Work – Severing Time – on Friday 24th June 7.30pm

This performance includes Theatre, Dance and Video work by the Adults and Children of the North Edinburgh Arts Theatre project.

Severing Time investigates the influence and resistance we have towards the pressure of advertising, media and social networks, and considers the challenges, disruptions and distortions to our well-being and sense of self that virtual encounters can create. The ‘self’ we manufacture for internet-based encounters can be reductive, dehumanising and commodifying. It can also be a reflection to find and reclaim ourselves.

Background and Development of the project

North Edinburgh Arts Theatre project is an established and well-recognised Theatre project for adults, and has a track record for exciting and innovative productions and events. The project was developed in 2011 after research into the requirements of local people. The main finding of this research was that people wanted to make theatre again, after a history of using theatre and other art forms to create work which highlights their community and its needs and aspirations.

The project supports the participants’ aspirations and hard work for well-being and full creative lives, making strong contributions to their own communities as well as participating in the North Edinburgh Arts Theatre project.

In November 2011 North Edinburgh Arts Theatre project developed Yes We CanCan – a Cabaret of Resistance, which was the cementing of the project. Since then, the project has participated in a number of performances including Theatre Uncut in 2012 & 2013 and it regularly offers Sharing-of-Work and Work-in-Progress events. The 1d Tenement Opera in January 2015 through the support of the People’s Health Trust was an exciting and important development for North Edinburgh, and since then, the film Remembering Today, which was made in October 2015, has been acclaimed and celebrated.

Now North Edinburgh Arts’ Theatre project is delighted to be joined by Festival and King’s Theatres Edinburgh Learning and Participation Coordinator for the next stage in the Project’s development. The Learning and Participation Coordinator is leading Drama Workshops for the children of participants, and welcomes wider participation from other children interested in drama and theatre.

If you are interested in the Theatre project please email Sandra  admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk

Coming soon: Tales From The Hanging Captain

TALES FROM THE HANGING CAPTAIN

16 – 18 JUNE

An exuberant theatre production – made in Leith for the people of Leith – and beyond!

The Hanging Captain

Following on from the hugely successful production of Persevere, part of Out of the Blue’s Gretna 100 Project, this new play Tales From The Hanging Captain sees Active Inquiry and Strange Town join forces again to explore the history of Leith docks. Continue reading Coming soon: Tales From The Hanging Captain

Edinburgh College graduates nominated for New Talent awards

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Three Edinburgh College TV graduates will walk the red carpet at the BAFTA Scotland New Talent Awards later this month after receiving nominations for their film and writing work.

Michal Wdowiak, Wayne Mazadza and Scott Willis – all graduates from the HND Television course at the college – have made the list of nominees for the awards, which celebrate the best rising talent in Scottish film, TV and game production.

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Michal has been shortlisted in the Editor and Writer categories for a short drama, Yogi, which he shot in Edinburgh last summer during his time at Edinburgh College. Yogi (above) tells the story of a man who wanders the streets, breaking into flats in search of food and comfort.

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Scott is nominated in the Factual category for his personal documentary Dear Peter, (above) inspired by his journey to track down the owner of a collection of handwritten postcards. Dear Peter is also the winner of the Scottish Audience Award at this year’s Glasgow Short Film Festival.

Wayne is nominated in the Editor category for Microcosm, a documentary he made since graduating from the college. The story is told first-hand by a man called Colin, who reflects on his past life and his home in Hamilton Wynd.

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Michal and Wayne both graduated from Edinburgh College last year, and Scott completed the same course in 2010.

Michal is now employed as a cinematographer for a production company, The Gate Films, in Manchester. Wayne is in year two of his studies at Edinburgh College of Art, while Scott finished at ECA two years ago and continues to produce his own films that have been televised and screened at international film festivals.

He said: “I am incredibly pleased to be nominated for the BAFTA award for my final college drama – I definitely didn’t expect to be nominated as a writer. This was the first script I have ever written and English is not my first language. I hope it is a good sign for the future.

“I had just moved to a different city for work after college and I was busy settling in. I owe my lecturer Fergus Robb a big thank you for mentioning this opportunity to me.”

Scott said: “Dear Peter is a documentary that’s very personal to me so the nomination has encouraged me to remain honest to my vision as a filmmaker. I am grateful to have studied at Edinburgh College. Fergus was influential in developing my understanding of storytelling and gave me practical knowledge on how to communicate through moving image.”

Fergus Robb, Creative Industries lecturer at the college added: “These guys were all excellent and highly motivated students, and aware of the opportunity the course afforded them to develop their skills and explore their potential as filmmakers. I’m delighted to see them do so well.”

The BAFTA Scotland New Talent Awards 2016 take place on Thursday 14 April at Drygate Brewery in Glasgow.

Yogi, Michal Wdowiak – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsqD7a-lDU4

Dear Peter, Scott Willis – https://smlwillis.wordpress.com/dear-peter/

Microcosm, Wayne Mazadza – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThDCuQUkn-M&feature=youtu.be&a

Encore! St Serf’s Players triumph at One Act Festival

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Local community theatre group St Serf’s Players have won the Edinburgh round of the SCDA’s 2016 One Act Festival with their production of Erica & Me by Alan Robinson, directed by Philip Wilson. Continue reading Encore! St Serf’s Players triumph at One Act Festival