Tag: performance

New play at North Edinburgh Arts this weekend – Couldn’t Care Less!

Press Release – Couldn’t Care Less Sept 2013.

Couldn’t Care Less, a new play examining the ups and downs of caring for someone with dementia, is opening this Friday and Saturday at the North Edinburgh Arts Centre. 

The play explores the lives of Elspeth, a former dancer who develops Alzheimer’s, and her daughter Lilly who finds her life disappearing as she gives it all up to care for her mother. It’s a dark, surreal, funny and moving play and speaks not only to those with experiences of caring and being cared for, but also the general public as our society faces up to the looming challenge of caring for older people.
 A video trailer for the show is also available on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n1f7u4MgBI and the
 
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Listen up … local radio for North Edinburgh?

A Local Radio Station?

Various people have suggested that a local radio station for Muirhouse/West Pilton/Drylaw and the surrounding area might be a positive development. Some of the positive aspects of this proposal might be:

  • Training opportunities for local people in radio and media (with possible links between local high school and Edinburgh College)
  • Opportunities for local bands and individuals to gain experience produce demos and be given air time
  • Opportunities for local projects to get their information across to the local communities
  • Slots throughout the week with different types of themes ie music, younger and older audiences, new migrant communities etc
  • An overall increase in artistic and creative activity in the area

Interestd? An initial meeting has been organised to discuss the possibility of creating a local radio station, and will take place on

Wednesday 12 June at 5pm 

in North Edinburgh Arts Centre

15A Pennywell Court, Edinburgh, EH4 4TZ.

All welcome

Location: http://www.northedinburgharts.co.uk/locate.php

 

Allan Hosey

Community Learning & Development Worker, West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

Phone 0131-551-3194

Allan.Hosey@ea.edin.sch.uk

radio

 

Arts the way to do it

North Edinburgh Theatre Project is preparing for a summer spectacular – and you can be part of it, as Stephanie Knight explains …

This message is to everyone to remind you that as from tomorrow (Saturday 18 May) we shall be having workshops from 12 noon – 2pm as well as the Friday evening workshops from 6 – 8pm. This is because we are working towards our performance on Saturday 29th June.

We are also working on a Saturday as some of you have said that you can come along then, but Friday evenings are not always so convenient. Everyone is very welcome to both sessions – Fridays and Saturdays.

We are working towards a very comical performance and there is fun for everyone to join in. So if you haven’t been at the workshops for a while, please don’t worry, you know you are always very welcome when you can make it. We have a crèche and it would be good to know if you are bringing your children so that we can plan crèche workers. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with me or Kate at North Edinburgh Arts.

Looking forward to seeing you soon,  take care

Stephanie Knight

North Edinburgh Theatre Project

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Roll up, roll up: breakdance, circus and parkour project to launch in North Edinburgh

G Force, a breakdance, circus and parkour dance project, is to launch in North Edinburgh later this month giving the area’s young people the chance to participate in a six month project where they can train ans learn new skills with some of Scotland’s foremost performers and tutors.

The G Force Project has been developed by the Edinburgh Mela and Bright Night International and is supported by Cashback for Communities. The 16-25 year old participants will have the opportunity to join an intensive training programme culminating in a performance onstage at the Mela’s World Dance Feste tent , at the heart of the 2013 Edinburgh Mela programme. G Force will develop the young people’s skills and confidence, giving them the chance to work with some of the best dancers and performers in Scotland and enhancing their employability. Participants will be given opportunities to progress onto further learning, training and personal development, through existing connections to local organisations and practitioners.

Taster sessions are being held on four dates this month in partnership with North Edinburgh Arts Centre and Duncan Place Resource Centre. These are free of charge and are open to all those aged 16-25 with an interest in dance, acrobatics, parkour and circus.

G Force builds on the success of two key projects at the 2012 Edinburgh Mela: Bright Night International’s hiphop and parkour dance theatre piece 925 , which was creatively led and devised by leading Scottish hiphop artist Xena Gusthart of Xena Productions and commissioned by the Mela for their 2012 World Dance Feste; and The G Code Project, a seven-month collaboration between the Edinburgh Mela and North Edinburgh Arts Mela’s 2012 G Code Project, which offered diverse groups of young people the opportunity to develop their skills as music producers, hiphop artists, singers and rappers, and created a group which still meets and performs.

Free Taster Sessions Dates and Venues:

North Edinburgh Arts Centre, 15a Pennywell Road, EH4 4TZ

Tuesday 14th May 5pm to 8pm

Saturday 25th May 11am to 2pm

Duncan Place Resource Centre, 4 Duncan Place, Leith, EH6 8HW

Wednesday 15th May 5.30pm to 8.30pm

Wednesday 22nd May 5.30pm to 8.30pm

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For further information go to Bright Night International’s website at 
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/brightnightint

Independence? Posing the question through drama

Stuck in the Middle Poster

That referendum – made your mind up yet? If leaflets, TV debates and party political broadcasts leave you unmoved, maybe a drama performance will spark some interest and generate debate? Inverleith CLD worker Callum McLeod is certainly enthusiastic about a forthcoming event:

I’ve attached a poster advertising performances by Inverleith Youth Theatre which will take place in Broughton High School and North Edinburgh Arts theatres of in two weeks time (details in the poster).

The ‘Stuck In The Middle’ storyline concerns a teenage male’s journey and his subsequent thoughts towards becoming “Independent”. However, I’m sure the audience will find various other messages and subplots – and perhaps even a wider social issue for them to explore through the watching the performance!

We’re also planning the event so that there’ll be space at the end for discussion and so folk will have time to discuss the piece further, and share their thoughts with other audience members – and we do imagine that the subject matter will carry over for some time!

Without doubt, I’m slightly biased towards Inverleith Youth Theatre’s performances but they are usually of a good standard and so I can honestly say that I’m sure this will be a fab performance and well worth attending!

The main aim of the performance is to get as many people as possible talking and thinking about the actual issues raised, so we’ve made the event free. We’ll still be taking donations though as this youth group are trying to take it’s members – and the performance – to a youth drama camp over the summer, so any contributions towards this will be welcomed!

Inverleith Youth Theatre’s  ‘Stuck In The Middle’ performance dates:

Tuesday 16 April 7pm Broughton High School

and

Thursday 18 April 7pm North Edinburgh Arts

 

Callum McLeod

Inverleith CLD, Broughton High School

STUCK

Curtain up on community drama at St Serf’s

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The Scottish Community Drama Association (SCDA) Edinburgh District’s One Act Festival takes place at St Serf’s Church Hall on Clark Road from 14 – 16 February. Over three evenings, theatregoers will be entertained by:

Thursday 14 February 

1. Leitheatre ( Kirkgate) with ‘Still Life’ by Noel Coward

2. Edinburgh People’s Theatre with ‘Ritual For Dolls’ by George MacEwan Greene

3. The Mercators with‘Cupboard Love’ by Jean McConnel

Friday 15 February

1. Edinburgh Makars with ‘Just Passing’ by Colin & Mary Crowther

2. St Serfs (Afton) with ‘Scent Of Honeysuckle’ by Jean Lennox Toddie

3. Leitheatre (Sunnyside) with  ‘A Private Affair’ by Charles Emery

Saturday 16 February 

1. Livingston Players with ‘The Donahue Sisters’ by Geraldine Aron

2. St Serfs (Bangholm) with ‘You Really Got Me’ by Neil Robertson

Tickets are priced £8 per evening, or a season tickets for all three nights is £21. Season ticket holders are eligible to vote for their favourite performance in the Best of the Fest Audience Award

Three winning teams will be selected to go forward to the SCDA East Division finals, which will take place in Larbert next month.

For further information and ticket availability visit www.scdaedinburgh.org.uk

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Gym Fest 2012 hits new heights

aEdinburgh Leisure and Active Schools teamed up again to stage Gymfest, a celebration of the city’s young gymnasts, at Broughton High School yesterday. And with financial support from Active City the annual display reached new heights – quite literally! fA wide range of gymnasts from across the city took part in the Broughton spectacular – from enthusiastic new dancers and fun gymnasts (some performing in public for the first time) to top young athletes who already participate in competitions – and the packed audience was entertained from start to finish by some spectacular performances. kGiven the high standards throughout the afternoon it was fitting that all the participants received medals, so take a bow:

City of Edinburgh Gymnastics Club (Senior Team)

City of Edinburgh Broughton Recreation Team

Blackhall Primary School Gymnastics Club

Castlebrae Community High School Gymnastics Club

Broughton High School Gymnastics Club

City of Edinburgh Firrhill Recreation team

Tynecastle High School Gymnastics Club

Gylemuir Primary School Gymnastics Club

Granton Primary School Dance Group

Corstorphine Primary School Gymnastics Club

Ferryhill Primary School Gymnastics Group

Pentland Primary School Gymnastics Club

Stockbridge Primary Dance Group

City of Edinburgh Gymnastics Club Display Team

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Let’s be frank – panto’s on it’s way to Goldenacre!

Seems to be lots of local luvvie stuff happening over the coming weeks, a veritable theatrical feast! To ‘Curtain Up On Murder’ in Blackhall and ‘Quangle Wangle’ in Muirhouse we can now add – shock, horror! – Frankenstein the Panto at Goldenacre!

The acclaimed St Serf’s Players will be performing David Swan’s comedy from 28 November – 1 December (see flyer for details).

We’re certainly spoilt for choice for theatre in North Edinburgh this winter season!

Quangle Wangle brings Christmas magic to North Edinburgh Arts

 

Licketyspit and North Edinburgh Arts will be presenting Licketyspit’s acclaimed Christmas production

The Christmas Quangle Wangle

at North Edinburgh Arts

from Thursday 6 – Saturday 15 December 

The Christmas Quangle Wangle is a hilarious, musical adventure for families, friends, schools and nurseries, inspired by the poems and stories of Edward Lear.  It is presented at North Edinburgh Arts by its newly appointed Theatre Company in Residence, Licketyspit. The production is written by Virginia Radcliffe and developed in collaboration with Johnny Austin.

“On top of the Crumpetty Tree, the Quangle Wangle sat………”

Stella and Stan are waiting for Christmas. They find a mysterious parcel which leads them to the Quangle Wangle, sad and alone in his Crumpetty Tree. But the arrival of an array of colourful characters changes his and their lives forever.

Join Stella and Stan on their adventure and spend this Christmas at North Edinburgh Arts on the Quangle Wangle’s Hat with the Orient Calf from the Land of Tute, the Dong With the Luminous Nose and the Jumblies as they sail to sea in a sieve! Children will delight in this nonsensical world of make-believe and storytelling, limericks and madcap songs. The Christmas Quangle Wangle is the perfect festive introduction to theatre for younger audiences, from ages three upwards and their grown-ups.

Stella and Stan are played by Scott Fletcher and Ashley Smith, rising young performers in Scottish theatre. Scott is best known for his role as Charlie Smith in Gary: Tank Commander and his many theatre roles include performances in Black Watch for National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Lyceum’s production of Peter Pan.

Ashley has worked extensively in Scottish theatre since graduating from RSAMD and appearances include Sex and God, Magnetic North; Magic Spaghetti for Licketyspit;  27 for National Theatre of Scotland and Hansel and Gretel with Catherine Wheels.

These performances celebrate the development of a new partnership for North Edinburgh Arts and Licketyspit. North Edinburgh Arts is establishing Licketyspit Theatre Company as Theatre in Residence, supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland, to specifically engage and to further develop an Early Years and families audience. North Edinburgh Arts received £50,000 from Creative Scotland’s Public Engagement programme to establish Licketyspit Theatre Company as Theatre in Residence.

Laura Mackenzie-Stuart, Portfolio Manager for Theatre at Creative Scotland, said; ‘We are delighted to have invested in The Christmas Quangle Wangle. We hope the magical experience of going to the theatre will spark a lifelong passion for theatre in younger audiences and their grown-ups.’

North Edinburgh Arts and Licketyspit are excited to be presenting The Christmas Quangle Wangle during 2012, the bicentenary of the birth of Edward Lear.

Crumpetty Tea and Orient Calf Noodles will be available in the North Edinburgh Arts Café where children can make Quangle and Jumblie pop-ups and draw Quangle Wangle’s Hat for a North Edinburgh Arts and Licketyspit exhibition.

The Christmas Quangle Wangle is written by Virginia Radcliffe, around Edward Lear’s poems, and developed in collaboration with Johnny Austin. The production is directed by Johnny Austin; design is developed from the original Catherine Lindow design by Ali Maclaurin; music is by Tim Brinkhurst & Virginia Radcliffe.

“Quangle Wangle…captures its audience’s fiery imagination… a pyrotechnic telling of Lear’s poems” – The Stage, 2004 production

LISTINGS:

Licketyspit and North Edinburgh Arts present

The Christmas Quangle Wangle

North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court, Edinburgh EH4 4TZ

Thursday 6 – Saturday 15 December 2012

Monday – Friday: 10am and 1pm; Saturdays: 10.30am & 1.30pm

Tickets: Forth Ward Residents £2, all other tickets £6.

Box office: 0131 315 2151

www.northedinburgharts.co.uk

Quangle Wangle was first produced by Virginia Radcliffe for the Wee Stories Early Years Project in 2003 and again for Licketyspit for Christmas at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre in 2004 directed by Matthew Zajac. It was also produced for Derby Live for Christmas 2009 with a new design by Ali Maclaurin. It was first created in collaboration with Johnny Austin and designed by Catherine Lindow with original Music by Tim Brinkhurst.