performance – Page 23 – The NEN

Dancing the weekend away

YDance? Ynot!

Three of Edinburgh’s top youth dance groups are leaping to new heights this weekend as they participate in Scotland’s leading event for youth dance development – Connections. The event is delivered by YDance, Scotland’s national youth dance organisation, and is the only event of its kind in the country.

The groups – Broughton High School, Dance Base and Ihayami Fusion – are sending twenty dancers to the event at Edinburgh College to join fifteen other Scottish youth dance companies. With over one hundred and sixty participants, Connections is the only event in Scotland giving talented young dancers the opportunity to work with other dance groups and top choreographers from the UK.

Over the three days the groups get the chance to participate in a variety of workshops involving different taster sessions and dance styles, choreographic workshops and informal ‘sharings’.

Yvonne Young, YDance Assistant Director said: “YDance Routes Connections Weekend is an annual weekend of workshops for our young dancers, inspiring them and the leaders who work with them. There are no other opportunities in Scotland for youth dance groups to come together and spend three days experiencing different dance workshops, see the standard of other groups across the country and broaden their dance experience by introducing them to new choreographers and the ways in which they work. It’s so exciting to be here and see first-hand just how important this event is for the young dancers of Scotland.”

Now in its fourth year, Connections Weekend is taking place at the Performing Arts Studios Scotland (PASS) at Edinburgh College.

PASS Lecturer Jo Turbitt said: “We’re delighted to be hosting this fantastic event again and looking forward to welcoming some of the country’s top young dance talent. The dance studios and performance spaces we have at PASS are first class and up to industry standard, so it’ll be great to give the dancers a chance to use them and learn more about how we train professional performers. An event like this demonstrates that we have so much talent to be proud of across the country. Hopefully we’ll see some of the students back at the college again as students.”

Connections is part of YDance’s national programme – YDance Routes – motivating and inspiring young dancers across Scotland and the leaders who work with them.

For one night only – Lockerbie: Lost Voices at North Edinburgh Arts

Friday 31 October: Lockerbie, Lost Voices comes to North Edinburgh Arts

“They may have silenced us, but there will be others, at first a few, then hundreds, thousands, millions…” from Lockerbie – Lost Voices.

The Elements World Theatre, an Edinburgh-based new writing company, launches the Scotland tour of Lockerbie – Lost Voices, that premiered to great acclaim during the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe.

Written by Lee Gershuny, directed by Corinne Harris and designed by Scott Anderson, the play gives voice to six hypothetical passengers both before and after Pan Am 103 explodes over Lockerbie on 21 December 1988.

The play takes them out of the anonymity of a statistic and reveals their courage, love and humour in their very real family relationships just moments before they die. Their personal conflicts draw the audience into the intimate, thought provoking issues raised in the characters’ personal lives, making the actual explosion even more shocking.

In the final scenes, the dead passengers honour the lives they have lived while presiding over their own funeral and creating an opportunity for the audience to participate in a dramatic requiem for this deep collective wound.

Speaking from the neutrality of death, the characters also give voice to those whose published reports challenged the official version of the disaster, but were “lost” or ignored.

The Cast: James Bryce, Kristy Halliday, Corinne Harris, Clunie MacKenzie, Doreen McGillivray and James Sutherlan.

Coming to NEA on Friday 31 October, 7.30pm.

To buy tickets, call box office on 0131 315 2151 or email admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk

http://www.northedinburgharts.co.uk/events.php

Desperately seeking Coalhouse!

A-Team need a Coalhouse, can you help?

A-Team Productions, a not-for-profit youth musical theatre organisation based in North Edinburgh, are desperately seeking a young man to play the lead character Coalhouse in their 2015 run of ‘Ragtime the musical’.

A-Team’s chairman Sean Quinn explained: “We are looking out for a black male between the ages 16-22 who has a background in singing and acting. This is a key role and we are looking to cast as soon as possible. Rehearsals take place on Wednesday and Sunday evenings in Leith, the production itself runs from the 18-21 February at The Pleasance Theatre.

“It is important that we find Coalhouse soon, this is an incredible part to play in a wonderful show. We already have a terrific cast but we need the final piece to complete our puzzle. Time is on our side however we are having trouble finding anyone who fits this character profile. Please spread the word, this is a huge opportunity to work with a amateur production with a professional approach”.

Interested? For more details contact ateamproductionschair@live.co.uk

Please have a look around our website www.a-teamproductions.org and our
Facebook page www.facebook.com/ateamproductionsedinburgh

PYCP’s Gig Group to stage referendum sketch show

Pilton Youth & Children’s Project (PYCP) Gig Group is staging a drama sketch show about democracy and the independence referendum next week. Yes? No? Maybe So!! takes place in The Greenhouse on Tuesday (16 September) at 6.45pm.

Tickets are only 50p, and all proceeds go to a charity of the young people’s choosing – but hurry … places are strictly limited and tickets are selling fast!

“An outstandingly brilliant performance from the kids…this show will be a hit and these young stars will surely soon be appearing in West End shows…a must see!! ***** – PY Times

Now with reviews like that, can you afford to miss this show?

Look who’s talking: Blabbermouth line-up revealed

The National Theatre of Scotland reveals stellar Blabbermouth line-up

The National Theatre of Scotland has revealed the latest details of contributors to Blabbermouth, a unique twelve-hour event to celebrate Scotland’s contribution to world literature which will be performed on the eve of the Referendum.

Leading Scottish actors, Peter Mullan, Alex Norton, Colin McCredie, Douglas Henshall, Elaine C Smith, Julie Wilson-Nimmo are now taking part in this epic celebration of Scottish writing.

They are joined by writers, commentators, journalists, campaigners, artists, activists and composers including Dave Anderson, Peter Arnott, Anne Bonnar, Patrick Doyle, David Fagan, Iain Finlay Mcleod, Cathy Forde, Tommy Gorman, Theo Van Heijnsbergen, Craig Hogg (Generation 24), Richard Holloway, Kieran Hurley, Alexander Linklater, Susan Mansfield, Tricia Marwick, John Scott Moncrief, Alan Spence, Julia Taudevin and Alison Walker.

PJ Moore, Horse Macdonald, Findlay Napier, Cora Bissett and Katie Mackenzie are confirmed as additional guest musicians who will provide musical numbers in between the spoken word contributions. Previously confirmed musical acts include: MC Soom T, Lorraine McIntosh, and Ricky Ross who performing alongside the in-house Blabbermouth band made up of well-known Scottish musicians; Annie Grace, Neil McDermott, Cat Myers, Gav Prentice, Karine Polwart, Inge Thomson and Sarah Hayes & Joe Rattray of Admiral Fallow.

Blabbermouth is an one-day event taking place on the eve of the referendum, creating a moment in time to celebrate Scotland’s contribution to the world through its written word. Over a 12-hour period, more than 100 of Scotland’s greatest texts will be read live by some of the country’s politicians, schoolchildren, journalists, teachers, workers and students, novelists and performers. The only proviso they have been given is that whatever they choose to read, it has to have been written by a Scot.

Alongside the spoken word and music there will be a pop- up food and drink festival in the Quad of the Assembly which will include stalls from some of the country’s finest food producers and drinks tailored to reflect the occasion. The food and drink will be provided by Wild Dining and LA Events.

More than 60 people will be taking part in this extraordinary event and reading their favourite pieces of Scottish writing. Alongside the most recently-confirmed names are Amal Azzudin, Tam Dean Burn, Sir Harry Burns, Juliet Cadzow, Morven Christie, Emma Clifford, Janice Galloway, Stephen Greenhorn, David Greig, Scott Hames, Gerry Hassan, Kathleen Jamie, Paul Laverty, Liz Lochhead, Joyce McMillan, Aonghas Macneacail, Ewan Morrison, Ian Pattison, Lesley Riddoch, Anneika Rose, Ricky Ross, Gerda Stevenson and Jonathan Watson.

Also taking part are Rory Docherty, Nathan Epemolu, James Kane, Annie Lennox and Margot Smith who are members of BBC Scotland’s Generation 2014 project.

From royal correspondence between Queens in the early 1600s to contemporary Scottish song lyrics, famous comedy routines and inflammatory polemics, ecstatic sports commentaries and inspirational speeches, social comment and romantic poetry, Blabbermouth will provide an alternative and wide ranging, mosaic-like presentation of Scotland’s cumulative written word legacy on a remarkable day of readings and live music performances.

The event will be divided into four, two and a half hour sessions and every session will feature live music. As well as tickets for the individual sessions there is also a special ticket available for those who want to join the company for the full 12 hours.

Blabbermouth is a unique chance to celebrate Scotland’s contribution to the world in the final hours before the referendum.

National Theatre of Scotland associate director Graham McLaren said: “On the eve of the independence referendum, I want to create a moment for us to simply celebrate Scotland and its contribution to the world, in its own words, read by its own people.”

Blabbermouth is curated and conceived by Graham McLaren. Graham is currently an associate director of the National Theatre of Scotland, where his previous shows include A Doll’s House, A Christmas Carol andMen Should Weep. In July 2014 he directed the National Theatre of Scotland’s The Tin Forest Festival at the South Rotunda, part of the Games-time Festival 2014. His production of Joe Corrie’s Fife mining community classic In Time o’Strife is currently touring the UK.

Final line-up and schedule to follow at www.nationaltheatrescotland.comand full list of contributors to date below.

View the trailer here:

Full line-up confirmed to date: Dave Anderson, Peter Arnott, Amal Azzudin, Anne Bonnar, Tam Dean Burn, Sir Harry Burns, Juliet Cadzow, Morven Christie, Emma Clifford, Patrick Doyle, David Fagan, Cathy Forde, Janice Galloway, Tommy Gorman, Stephen Greenhorn, David Greig, Scott Hames, Gerry Hassan, Theo Van Heijnsbergen, Douglas Henshall, Richard Holloway, Kieran Hurley, Kathleen Jamie, Paul Laverty, Alexander Linklater, Liz Lochhead, Aonghas Macneacail, Colin McCredie, Iain Finlay Mcleod, Joyce McMillan, Susan Mansfield, Tricia Marwick, John Scott Moncrief, Ewan Morrison, Peter Mullan, Julie Wilson-Nimmo, Alex Norton, Ian Pattison, Lesley Riddoch, Anneika Rose, Ricky Ross, Elaine C Smith, Alan Spence, Gerda Stevenson, Julia Taudevin, Alison Walker and Jonathan Watson. Also participating are BBC Generation 2014 participants: Rory Docherty, Nathan Epemolu, Craig Hogg, James Kane, Annie Lennox and Margot Smith.

Box office Information

Wednesday 17 September 2014 – Assembly Hall, Mound Place, Edinburgh

Blabbermouth 1 – 12.00pm – 2.30pm/ Blabbermouth 2 – 3.00pm – 5.30pm

Blabbermouth 3 – 6.30pm – 9pm/ Blabbermouth 4 – 9.30pm – 12am

Each performance is approx 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Tickets – £10/£8 (concession)/ Concessions – Senior Citizen, Student, Disabled, Companion, Unemployed, Under 16s, Equity/Bectu/Scottish Society Playwright.

Book for all 4 – Get a day ticket for £30 (£20 concession)

Age Guide: 14+ Box Office: The Hub +44(0)131 473 2000 /hubtickets.co.uk/

Full details at www.nationaltheatrescotland.com

Get involved at www.dearscotland.net

Join the conversation: #blabbermouth

Award-winning theatre company seeks young performers

Creative Electric Young Company are creating a new piece of theatre, Flux, and are looking to cast young performers aged 16-22yrs.

Flux noun
1. a flowing or flow.
2. continuous change, passage, or movement:
3. a performance by Creative Electric which is subject to change, is yet unknown!

Creative Electric is a critically acclaimed, award winning company who create contemporary performance based on real experiences. Often their work is interactive, sometimes its personal, at times it’s one to one.

Their work has been performed in both Scotland and Sweden, in theatres, studios, skate parks, nightclubs, on trains, in fields, city centre squares and on rooftops!

They are dedicated to working with young and emerging performers and so run a young company in Edinburgh for artists age 16+. Creative Electric Young Company have showcased their work at the Bongo Lives Festival Edinburgh, The National Festival of Youth Theatre (2010, 2011 & 2012) and the National Theatre of Scotland’s Exchange 2010 as well as performing in their resident space The Bongo Club.

Flux will be devised and performed by Creative Electric Young Company. Workshops will take place on Wednesday evenings 7-9pm at The Bongo Club. Young company members pay a fee of just £5 per week for workshops with bursaries (free places!) always available.

There are two start dates for new performers: Wednesday 10th September & Wednesday 17th September.

For more information or to register your interest please email Heather at Creative_electric@hotmail.com

Theatre Project meeting reminder

I hope you are having a lovely Summer!

This is just a wee reminder that there is an open meeting for everyone who is interested in participating in the amazing 1d Tenement Opera project, on

Thursday 14 August at 11am at North Edinburgh Arts.

I attach the flyer once again (below) and please forward this to everyone who you think will be interested. Looking forward to seeing you next week,

Stephanie Knight

NETP flier 2

Cashback: creating opportunities in the arts

Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop joined young filmmakers, musicians and dancers who are developing their career skills thanks to the confiscated funds from criminal activity.

Over the last three years £2.25 million has been invested in CashBack for Creativity, providing over 15,000 opportunities for young people in Scotland to participate in arts activities they would not have otherwise had access to.

Ms Hyslop said: “The real impact of CashBack on young people’s lives can’t be expressed by statistics or in stark monetary terms – CashBack changes lives.

“The CashBack for Communities Programme takes funds recovered from the proceeds of crime and invests them in back into communities, putting young people on a positive path in life by providing opportunities for them to take part in thousands of free activities and projects.”

Programme participants have included Yutsil Martinez, who began in making short films with Pilton-based Screen Education Edinburgh project in 2011. Yutsil has gone on to star in the Screen Education film, Man With No Name, and was nominated for the Chris Anderson Award for Best Young Filmmaker 2013 (sponsored by the National Youth Film Academy). He was awarded an acting scholarship at the National Film Youth Academy in London after winning a Best Actor award at the event.

Yutsil said: “Participating in these projects and shoots has allowed me to find opportunities and meet other filmmakers and professionals in the field. The CashBack for Creativity Programme has been instrumental in helping me build my confidence and really develop my passion for working in the industry, and carve a future career for myself.”

Paul Reynolds earned a placement at Edinburgh’s DanceBase through the CashBack for Creativity Programmewhere and he discovered a passion for dance and performing arts. Attending DanceBase and developing as a dancer taught Paul new skills that he believes will see him through life. He now has a love of being on stage and performing for a big audience describing the feeling and rush he gets from performing as “incredible”.

Paul said: “Only a few years ago I struggled to talk to people I’d never met before and I had little confidence and self-esteem, but with my participation at DanceBase through CashBack, I am now more confident and focused regarding what I want from life.”

Leonie Bell, Director of Arts and Engagement at Creative Scotland, said: “Providing opportunities for young people to get involved in the arts, theatre and cultural activities can help improve confidence and broaden their horizons.

“Over the next three years, the CashBack for Creativity programme will enable approximately 20,000 young would-be filmmakers, dancers, musicians, artists, actors, writers and digital enthusiasts to work in professional settings with experienced practitioners, helping to inspire them to achieve their potential in their future careers.
She added: “I was delighted to meet a number of young participants who have been given the chance to work on interesting and educational CashBack projects and develop their personal, social and career skills.”

CashBack for Creativity is part of the wider Scottish Government CashBack for Communities programme. To date over £74 million has been made available to benefit over 600,000 young people in Scotland since CashBack for Communities began in 2011.

Twitter: @CB4Creativity #CashBack4Creativity

Gypsy Brae goes techno-colour!

Spot the strange goings-on on Gypsy Brae on Saturday? It was Scotland’s first Holi One Colour Festival – (no, I don’t know either!)

Apparently the festival is inspired by the ancient Indian spring festival of colours, but has nothing to do with religion – instead, it’s about music, performance arts and a very colourful – and messy -party!

Festivalgoers are encouraged to wear white – and each hour a countdown gives revellers an opportunity to release and throw coloured powder (available for purchase as part of the pre-event ticket sale and on-site).

As my old mate on Jazz Club used to say: ‘crazy … but nice!’

Edinburgh College students set to Glow!

Edinburgh College’s dazzling creative students are about to light up the city with a two-month celebration of their luminous skills!

The Let’s Glow festival will give Edinburgh the chance to enjoy performances and exhibitions from students covering everything from music, theatre and dance to photography, sculpture, illustration and much more.

The programme (see below) shines a beaming light on the inspirational talent of the Edinburgh College students and is a glowing testimony to the outstanding work they have accomplished this year.

Let’s Glow runs from 15 May to 18 July, with events taking place at venues across Edinburgh and some students taking their work down to exhibit in London.

let’s glow programme