performance – Page 23 – The NEN

Theatre double bill at Edinburgh College tomorrow

Edinburgh College performance students unveil showstopping double bill

Edinburgh College HNC Acting and Performance students are putting on a double bill of plays tomorrow (12 February), performing the works of two of Britain’s best modern playwrights.

The students are performing two shows – Desperately Seeking Scotland by Roderick Stewart and A View from the Boundary by John Harvey.

Desperately Seeking Scotland is about the search for Scottish cultural identity. This ‘dark pantomime’ features original music from acting and performance student Euan Stamper.

A View from the Boundary is a bittersweet comedy about marriage, longing and lust.

Both original writers have attended rehearsals and updated their scripts in order to suit the performing casts. The text of “Desperately Seeking Scotland,” which deals with Scottish cultural history, was changed to reflect recent history such as the Scottish referendum.

Performing arts lecturer and show coordinator Scott Johnston said: “Our students have worked really hard to create new and exciting versions of these two contemporary texts. We are delighted that both casts had the opportunity to work with writers John Harvey and Roderick Stewart during the rehearsal process. We believe that our students will become the next generation of Scottish theatre-makers and are excited to present work that showcases their talents.”

Event Details:

Two performances of the double bill will take place at the PASS Theatre at the college’s Granton Campus at 2pm and 7pm:

PASS Theatre 350 West Granton Road, Edinburgh

Thursday 12 February

Tickets: £10 (£7 concession) available on the door.

Burns ceilidh: celebrating community at Royston Wardieburn

That Man to Man, the world o’er,

Shall brothers (and sisters!) be for a’ that

A Burns Night is about many things. Good food, shared with friends, family or neighbours – and sometimes all three! Burns is about love, about comradeship and about community but if there’s just one word that captures the spirit of Scotland’s national Bard it’s ‘celebration’ – and all those elements were there in abundance at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre last night.

Yes, last night’s Community Celeidh celebrated the memory of Burns but it was more than that – it was a vibrant, living tribute to all the good things Burns work extolls: a warm, friendly gathering of friends and neighbours of all ages, interests and ethnicities joining together to have fun in each others’ company.

Organised by Royston Wardieburn Community Centre, Granton Community Gardeners and Pilton Community Health Project’s Living in Harmony group the evening built on last year’s event and proved to be a huge success.

Around 150 people – aged from three months up to … well, a good bit older! – enjoyed a traditional Burns Supper and were entertained by the excellent Homecoming String Band and a succession of local performers, all made poosible and supported by a team of enthusiastic volunteers who were always on hand to make sure the evening went smoothly.

Congratulations to the organisers, the band, the excellent team of volunteers and the local performers who entertained us so regally on the night: the poets, the musicians, the singers and the wee dancer – you were all brilliant!

And thanks, too, the the local community who came along to support the event and whose enthusiasm made the evening such a success.

Rabbie would be proud of you all – here’s to next year!

Visit our Facebook page for more ceilidh pictures

SCO music workshops at North Edinburgh Arts

Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Music Workshops

North Edinburgh Arts
Friday 30 January

5 – 9 years (2 – 2.45pm)
1 – 4 years (3 – 3.45pm)

Free

Sir Scallywag and the Golden Underpants

When King Colin’s golden underpants go missing and the royal bottom is bared, it’s Sir Scallywag to the rescue! Brave and bold, courageous and true, he’s the perfect knight for the job… and what does it matter that he’s only six?!

Join the SCO team for an afternoon of music making. Hear the story and learn songs and actions featured in the SCO’s upcoming Family Concerts with the help of the workshop leader and SCO musicians.

All children must be accompanied by a parent/carer.

A snack will be provided after each workshop.

Places are limited. The workshops will run from North Edinburgh Arts, but to book tickets contact SCO directly:

Telephone: 0131 478 8342
Email: anna.hainsworth@sco.org.uk
or on their website: www.sco.org.uk

Get your tickets for the 1d Tenement Opera

Don’t miss out – FREE tickets available NOW!!!

The 1d Tenement Opera is a story based on the lives of people who have lived in a tenement in Edinburgh over two centuries. The tenement eventually became part of Edinburgh Corporation’s Slum Clearance Programme, some of the tenements were sold for just 1d (an old penny), and in 1959 one of the last tenements collapsed and a little boy was killed. Local people told stories of being in the bath and the end of the room falling away, others spoke of desperately trying to save their babies and children as the floor boards started to slope away from under them. This was known as the Penny Tenement collapse.

The 1d Tenement Opera is devised with the local people of North Edinburgh, some of whose families had been living in the city centre before the Slum Clearance Programme.

North Edinburgh Theatre project is delighted to be working with the following artists for this project: designer Ali Maclaurin, musical director Lynda Peachey, dancer and choreographer Monica de Ioanni, and dramaturg Lynne Clark. Stephanie Knight is the project director.

Dates/Times: 15th /16th /17th January at 7pm
Tickets: Free (donations very welcome)
Contact Box Office to reserve tickets: Call 0131 315 2151 or email admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk

Roll up, roll up for the penny tenement opera

And it’s not even a penny, it’s free!

What is the 1d Tenement Opera?

Local people told stories of being in the bath and the end of the room falling away, others spoke of desperately trying to save their babies and children as the floor boards started to slope away from under them. This was known as the Penny Tenement collapse.

The 1d Tenement Opera is devised with the local people of North Edinburgh, some of whose families had been living in the city centre before the Slum Clearance Programme.

The North Edinburgh Theatre project was developed in 2011 after research into the requirements of local people. The main finding of this research was that local 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. In November 2011 North Edinburgh Theatre project developed Yes We CanCan – a Cabaret of Resistance which was the cementing of the project.

Since then, North Edinburgh Theatre project has participated in a number of performances including Theatre Uncut in 2012 & 2013 and the project regularly offers Sharing-of-Work and Work-in-Progress events. The opportunity to develop 1d Tenement Opera through the support of the People’s Health Trust is an exciting and important development for North Edinburgh. It 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 Theatre project.

Performance Information:

15 16 17 January at 7pm

Tickets: FREE (donations very welcome)

Contact Box Office to reserve tickets:

0131 315 2151 admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk

M ore information here.

The Gang’s back at the King’s!

This year’s Gang Show is biggest ever

This year the annual Edinburgh Gang Show will be not only the biggest of its kind in the world but also the biggest production to be staged on the King’s Theatre. With over 330 young people from the Scouting and Girlguiding movements, it will be a busy and exciting show!

Running from 18 – 22 November at the King’s Theatre, the Edinburgh Gang Show includes slick song and dance numbers from Michael Jackson to Disney’s Frozen and many more, as well as topical comedy sketches.

Andy Johnston, the Edinburgh Gang Show Director said: “This is my 12^th year as Director and it features the largest cast ever assembled for an Edinburgh Gang Show. Over 330 young people will get to experience the amazing buzz that you only get when the houselights go down at the start of a Gang Show and that almighty roar resounds around the auditorium.

“It is a very, very special show, one which is forward looking, while at the same time keeping in line with the format that was created 82 years ago by Ralph Reader. The show is a reflection on what has happened throughout year and we strive to make sure there really is something for everyone.”

It will be a special occasion for the youngest female cast, the Brownies, as the section turned 100 years old in 2014! In celebration there will be a special Big Brownie Birthday number with 170 Brownies, in two casts, 70 more than usual! This party number includes songs from Sister Act and Hannah Montana.

This modern, fast paced and funny production is not a show about Scouting and Girlguiding it is a performance by those in Scouting and Girlguiding. It allows these young people the chance to develop their performance skills in a professional environment and continue to do something that they clearly enjoy and love.

Edinburgh Gang Show 2014

King’s Theatre, Edinburgh

Tue 18 to Sat 22 November

Evenings 7.00pm

Saturday matinee 2.15pm (Audio described & BSL interpreted)

0131 529 6000

0131 529 6005 (Group bookings)

www.edtheatres.com/gangshow

Tickets from £10.00

The Gang's back at the King's!

This year’s Gang Show is biggest ever

Edinburgh Gang Show 2014

King’s Theatre, Edinburgh

Tue 18 to Sat 22 November

Evenings 7.00pm

Saturday matinee 2.15pm (Audio described & BSL interpreted)

0131 529 6000

0131 529 6005 (Group bookings)

www.edtheatres.com/gangshow

Tickets from £10.00

Opportunities for children in local theatre project

Children to participate in 1d Tenement Opera

As you may know, we are developing a couple of street scenes in the 1d Tenement Opera which include young children. Altogether we need six children and some of you have already said that your children are interested in participating.

If anyone else has children who are interested in participating, please let me know by Friday 7th November.

The children will be required for the following rehearsals:

Saturday 8th November 12 noon – 2pm at North Edinburgh Arts
Saturday 15th November 12 noon – 2pm at North Edinburgh Arts
Saturday 29th November 12 noon – 2pm at North Edinburgh Arts
Saturday 6th December 12 noon – 2pm at North Edinburgh Arts.

The children will also be required for rehearsals from 2nd January – 17th January. Performances are on 15th, 16th & 17th January.

Please get in contact with me or Kate Wimpress, if you would like to discuss this further. People who have already expressed an interest – again, please confirm this to me by 7th November.

Visit to National Library of Scotland Monday 8 December

I have heard back from some of you, but if there is anyone else who should like to come, please let me know by 7th November.

Stephanie Knight, North Edinburgh Theatre Project

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