The Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group (EGTG) has successfully secured funding to host the second StagEHd Festival this summer.
The local amateur theatre company has been granted £5,000 from The National Lottery Awards for All Scotland fund to present the free-to-attend theatre festival at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 June.
Launched in 2022 by members of EGTG, StagEHd Festival is an open access theatre festival programmed to showcase the best of Edinburgh’s amateur and emerging performing artists.
Last year’s event proved popular with over 1,200 attendees across the weekend enjoying performances from puppetry to opera; including a retelling of Polish folklore Wawel Dragon from bilingual theatre company Lustro SCENY (The Mirror of Stage); a performance of the traditional Scottish folktale Galoshins by Scotland’s only all-women mumming group, The Meadows Mummers; and a resounding rendition of songs from the musicals from local youth musical theatre company Momentum Performing Arts.
The programme for StagEHd 2023 is still to be announced, but festival founder, Hannah Bradley Croall shared her excitement upon receiving the support: “We’re incredibly grateful to The National Lottery and its players for their support in making StagEHd 2023 happen.
“And we’re excited to present another weekend of entertainment at the Ross Bandstand; a venue which, if it wasn’t for community efforts like ours, would sit vacant and closed off for the majority of the year.
“This money will pay for the hire of the venue, and cover the cost of bringing in the equipment necessary to produce live performance in the space. The Ross Bandstand is such an asset to have in the centre of our city, and it’s a shame to see it underappreciated and unutilised for most of the year.
“We’re looking forward to unlocking the space and giving a stage to some of Edinburgh’s best performing artists in a two-day celebration of our city’s culture.”
The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “This project, delivered by the Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group, is a great example of community activity in action, showing just what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to help others.
“It’s all thanks to National Lottery players that we can help give charities and community groups throughout Scotland greater certainty during challenging times.”
StagEHd Festival is a free-to-attend theatre festival celebrating the best of Edinburgh’s performing arts. StagEHd 2023 will take place at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 June.
For more information and to sign up to receive updates visit:
A new annual report explores how the significant disruption of last year is setting the market mood of the construction sector in 2023.
Today, Glenigan, one of the construction industry’s leading insight and intelligence experts, releases its 2022 Construction Performance Review.
Providing a topline overview of UK construction sector activity over the past 12 months, this report evaluates overall output whilst offering insight into how this will influence the market in 2023.
Figures presented are drawn from Glenigan’s own data, combining both major (> £100m) and underlying (<£100m) projects, complemented with information from other official sources, including ONS figures.
The key takeaway from the Review is the staggering inflation in construction materials costs, which had been gathering momentum since January 2021 to peak at a massive 26.8% in Q.2 2022. Whilst currently figures have settled at around 15%, ongoing international geopolitical events and domestic socioeconomic disruption indicates market volatility and, possibly, another inflation spike in the first half of 2023.
Looking at specific materials categories, energy intensive products were hit hardest, with the price of aggregates and insulation rising an eye-watering 53% and 32% respectively. More barriers to imports post-Brexit and rocketing power prices can be seen as the key reasons for these dramatic rises, and will put considerable pressure on contractors already working to extremely tight margins.
Labour and Wait
The construction sector also felt the pinch in terms of labour supply, which intensified over the course of 2022. Alongside legacy issues, such as a shallow recruitment pool and a greying workforce, Brexit and the Pandemic has resulted in less ready access to EU workers.
Looking at the figures as they stand at the start of the year, whilst there are currently 2.14 million employed in the sector, this number still languishes almost 7% below pre-Pandemic levels and 2.4% on a year ago. Couple this with 49,000 construction vacancies and there’s a shortfall with the very-real potential to stifle 2023 activity. This might put a serious dent in the current Government’s ambitious infrastructure and levelling-up plans in the short-term.
Projected Performance
Despite material and labour pressures, output actually rose in 2022 by 6% compared to the previous year. Most significant was a 52% leap in industrial new build and 11% registered for private residential new build activity.
However, tempering any optimism for a speedy recovery, a drop in the number of projects starting on site last year points to a weakening in construction output in 2023.
2022 saw a significant slowdown in projects progressing to work on site, as contractors and clients have reappraised the design and cost of build, largely prompted by price inflation and regulatory changes.
For example, many housing developers pushed back start dates in Q.3 2022, following the introduction of Part L of the Building Code. Overall this has led to a 50% increase in the time it takes from planning approval to commencing on site.
Furthermore, the value of underlying project starts also declined by 5% in the second half of 2022, compared with the same period a year ago. This was reflected in a 5% dip in the value of underlying planning consents during the same period and a concerning 14% drop in the number of projects securing planning consent.
Looking Ahead
Commenting on 2022 performance, and how it relates to the year ahead, Glenigan’s Economic Director, Allan Wilen, says: “The construction sector has already been buffeted by strong headwinds in the second half of 2022, and these look to become more forceful in 2023.
“The cautious optimism and tentative performance increase this time last year has been washed away by events out of the sector’s control, and many businesses will be battening down the hatches and hedging their bets for a potential, if modest, uplift in the latter half of the year.
“Whilst supply side pressures may ease, the skills shortage is a persistent problem which the industry will urgently need to tackle if it wants to return to pre-Pandemic output levels. However, there are a few bright spots in the gloom, with major projects including HS2 driving activity, as well as an increased focus on other critical infrastructure in energy, healthcare and data centre developments.
“Whilst next year will remain depressed, with a 2% decrease in the overall value of underlying project starts, Glenigan predicts a 6% increase in 2024, setting construction back on the road to recovery.”
To read the full 2022 Construction Performance Review Report, containing deeper analysis of the above, click here.
2023 sees Glenigan celebrate its 50th anniversary, commemorating half a century of delivering the highest-quality construction market intelligence.
To find out more about its services and expertise click here.
6 new recordings launched between January and April
The Royal Ballet: The Cellist, Romeo and Juliet and Sylvia
The Royal Opera: La traviata, Fidelio and Madama Butterfly
This New Year, the Royal Opera House will add six new performances to Royal Opera House Stream for audiences around the world to enjoy: The Cellist, Romeo and Juliet and Sylvia from The Royal Ballet; and La traviata, Fidelio and Madama Butterfly from The Royal Opera.
The new titles join a library of over 50 beloved productions and over 100 behind-the-scenes videos, giving audiences an opportunity to discover more by the artists they love, and watch world-class art wherever they are.
The year kicks off with a recording of Cathy Marston’s extraordinary one-act ballet The Cellist (2020).
The production – the choreographer’s first work for the Royal Opera House’s Main Stage – is a lyrical memoir of the momentous life of the cellist Jacqueline du Pré, whose brilliant career was cut short by the onset of multiple sclerosis at the age of 28.
Composer Philip Feeney incorporates music by Elgar, Beethoven, Fauré, Mendelssohn, Piatti, Rachmaninoff and Schubert into an exquisite score that is itself an homage to the cello. This multi award-winning production stars Royal Ballet Principals Lauren Cuthbertson, Marcelino Sambé and Matthew Ball.
On Thursday 19 January 2023, our latest revival of Verdi’s ever popular La traviata arrives on Royal Opera House Stream.
Richard Eyre’s production, with sumptuous belle époque-inspired designs by Bob Crowley, has long been a Royal Opera favourite, winning critical acclaim for its exquisite sets, lavish costumes, and unforgettably dramatic staging.
The performance (recorded in 2022) is sung by a truly international cast that includes Pretty Yende as Violetta Valéry, Stephen Costello as Alfredo Germont and Dimitri Platanias as Giorgio Germont.
February begins with the release of Tobias Kratzer’s production of Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio (2020), with Music Director of The Royal Opera Antonio Pappano conducting a spectacular cast led by Lise Davidsen and David Butt Philip.
Then, on Valentine’s Day 2023, Romeo and Juliet will be made available. Kenneth MacMillan’s classic adaptation of Shakespeare’s play – set to Prokofiev’s iconic score and featuring evocative designs by Nicholas Georgiadis – has remained a firm favourite of The Royal Ballet’s repertory since its premiere in 1965, which was danced by Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn.
The production offers dancers in the lead roles a wealth of opportunity for differing interpretations of the star-crossed lovers.
Two further new productions will be available from March: Frederick Ashon’s ballet Sylvia (2005), starring former Royal Ballet Principal Darcey Bussell and Guest Artist Roberto Bolle; and Puccini’s devastating opera Madama Butterfly (2022), conducted by Nicola Luisotti and sung by a stunning cast that includes acclaimed Italian soprano Maria Agresta as Cio-Cio-San, American tenor Joshua Guerrero as Lieutenant B.F Pinkerton, Spanish Baritone Carlos Álvarez as Sharpless, and English mezzo-soprano Christine Rice as Suzuki.
All Royal Opera House Stream productions come complete with extra wraparound material – interviews, masterclasses, rehearsal footage and more – giving audiences a unique behind the scenes insight into one of the world’s leading theatres.
Royal Opera House Stream currently hosts over 50 stunning works from The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera, with highlights including Wayne McGregor’s The Dante Project, Katie Mitchell’s production of Handel’s Theodora, Frederick Ashton’s La fille mal gardée, Christopher Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale and Puccini’s Tosca.
In addition to the 100+ pieces of behind-the-scenes content already online, further features – ranging from rehearsal footage to interviews and masterclasses – will be made available across 2023 for subscribers to enjoy.
Join today to watch the world’s greatest performers, emerging talent, leading choreographers and trailblazing creative teams from the comfort of your own home. From family favourites and modern masterpieces to heartbreaking arias and passionate pas-de-deux, Royal Opera House Stream offers it all: truly transformative experiences for only £9.99 a month or £99 annually.
Whatever your interest – whether classical or contemporary – there’s a breadth of content for you.
New productions from March 2023 will be announced over the coming months.
Work continues to bring the Heart up to the state where it can open fully to the public, but in the meantime, those of you who missed our Enliven event recently, need not worry. We’re holding another taster event on Saturday 26th November, from 2 to 4pm.
This is a Coorie-In as winter approaches, where you’ll be able to take part in all sorts of craft activities and visit different parts of the site – the Anchor Building, The Creel Building and the Victoria Building. Different activities will be taking place in each.
Some of our recently trained volunteers will be ready to welcome you to a reminiscence session in the Atrium; The History of Education Centre will invite you to visit the transformed classroom on the first floor which will be the new home of the Victorian Schoolroom; The Men of Leith’s Shed will welcome you to their workshop in the Creel Building and tell you about their new Repair Shop, while the Anchor Building and the old gym hall will host numerous physical activities and craft sessions.
Do come along and see what’s on offer. There will even be food tastings!
Don’t miss it.
Can you help?
If you’ve visited the blog page on the website, you will have seen that there are various questions being posed of you. If you haven’t visited, check it out.
We’re searching for the families of two men who taught at VPS during the First World War. Please do have a look and see if you can help.
The latest blog also features an intriguing find in the Victoria Building. Do you recognise it? It is burned into the floor on the first floor.
Those of you who have volunteered to help out at the Heart are being invited to a chat with our Volunteer Coordinator, Bryan, a tour of the site with our Manager, Roger, and maybe even a sandwich or a coffee and cake, on Saturday 19th November, from 11 till 2.
Please register to volunteer via the volunteering page on the website and let us now what activities you would be interested in helping with.
We would like to know by Tuesday 22nd if you will attend the event so that we can get the catering right.
Finally, we are pleased to welcome the Edinburgh-based youth theatre group Lyra to present our very first public performance in the Heart.
This will be Snowstorm, a charming winter’s tale for children aged 5-8. It will take place on Monday 21st November at 6pm.
Tickets are free but are strictly limited and must be booked in advance.
Email admin@heartofnewhavencommunity.co.uk with Snowstorm in the title, to enquire about availability, and pass the word along to those who might not otherwise have heard about it.
An art debate between the characters Herviss and Pelviss descends into a dispute. While competing for the top, they engage in a fight between ‘old’ and ‘new’, ‘classic’ and ‘contemporary’. The result is a surprise for one of them.
Herviss Family investigates ways of relating to each other onstage, levels of awareness in the development of a character and the possibilities of building the artistic act through contemporary dance and performance techniques. The result is a creation that applies various artistic tools through a strong interdisciplinary lens.
Meet the Herviss Family and journey to their world. While competing for top place, Herviss and Pelviss take different viewpoints and stances.
An exploration of life’s concepts through physical theatre, contemporary dance, comedy and performance art.
Both entertaining and educational, comedic and informative, part visual spectacle and part academic lecture, this unique theatrical discourse investigates interpersonal relations and character representation.
Understand the Herviss perspective and discover the Herviss universe. Who will you agree with?
Art EveryWhere is an independent artistic association, created in 2007 by director/choreographer Dorin Eugen Ionescu.
Since then the company have produced more than 30 shows for different venues and spaces, including dance, music, theatre and more. Its main objectives are to promote the interdisciplinary nature of the arts and improve accessibility.
The company achieves their goals by hosting workshops and classes for both professionals and non-professionals, thereby giving opportunities for individual’s artistic development.
Dorin Eugen Ionescu wrote and choreographed Herviss Family and also portrays the character Herviss. Dorin graduated from the Performing Arts Faculty at the Spiru Haret University in 2007.
He has performed in shows including A Stroll in the Air by Georgiana Bobocel and 1+1=1 by Cristina Lilienfeld. In 2013, he was awarded the DanceWeb Scholarship in the 30th edition of ImPlusTanz. In 2016 he won the British Council Award for his Shakespeare 400 show.
The character Pelviss is played by Valentin Nelepcu.
It’s not over yet: hidden gems galore, more new musicals, and juicy comedies are hitting theSpaceUK stages for one last rip-roaring week of shows
Week 3 is here: bringing you one last knockout selection of shows. Dramatic dance double bills, surreal murder-themed comedy shows, and getting stuck in elevators: it’s all go as we plunge into a fantastic final week at the Fringe.
Here’s a just a sample of the new shows gracing theSpaceUK from 22nd – 27th:
Cheaper than a night at Balmoral! Hotel Elsinore (theSpace on the Mile, 22-27)
Denmark. 2am. A hotel room. Three weary travellers, an unexpected will, and a production of Hamlet to rehearse before morning. Tragedy and humour blend in this new play by award-winning performer Susanna Hamnett, with Joshua and Lily MacGregor.
Can you teach an old dog new tricks? The New Rock’n’Roll (theSpace @ Niddry St, 22-27)
A washed-up stand-up comedian tries to reclaim his mojo but fails miserably at the hands of his younger, more popular support act who he sets out to sabotage.
Sweet, sweet music The Aca-prentice: Sales Pitch (theSpaceTriplex, 22-27) Lord Alan Sugar tests the nerves and voices of the hungriest hopefuls in the a cappella world as they compete to be his aca-prentice. Watch our candidates tackle tasks to test their ability through chart-topping songs!
Talent that’ll hit you hard SMACK & Spektakel (theSpaceTriplex, 21-24)
SMACK & Spektakel offers an adventurous double bill of dance, refreshing the commentary on the empowered female body, while questioning the relationship between performance and identity.
Breaking a murderer… The Rodney Buzzard Tapes: Evidence of an Honourable Man (theSpace on the Mile, 23-27) A surreal sketch show that tells the story of Britain’s least-successful serial killer, Rodney Buzzard. A satire of murder documentaries that will probe the hidden depths of the criminal underworld.
Theatre this good is a crime In Her Defence (theSpace on North Bridge, 22-27) 1947. A man is dead. His wife has killed him. As a court hears the evidence leading up to the murder, you’ll witness the disintegration of the couple’s marriage revealing the real, surprising truth.
Get stuck right in to new drama Going Down (theSpace on North Bridge, 22-27) Four students stuck in an elevator, with nothing to do except talk to each other. An exploration of how easily we allow our mental heath to stagnate.
It’s wild how good our musicals are Boom Town (theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, 22-27)
Set in wild-west Arizona, Beau has come of age and must prove herself to her father. Can she save her town by taking on the outlaw? A new musical that puts a bluegrass twist on contemporary musical theatre.
Something to really celebrate birthday girl (theSpace on the Mile, 22-27)
This is a play about birthdays. It’s also about growing up, the future and the inevitability of ageing – a prospect that the birthday girl is finding increasingly unnerving.
War again. It’s 1066, William fights Harry! How do mothers, queens, wives and daughters cope? Gather their skirts and soldier on. Telling stories in plays and songs; working, travelling, gazing at Halley’s Comet in awe.
You don’t know them yet, but you will soon… Women You Know (theSpace @ Symposium Hall, 22-27) The morning after a drunken rendezvous with an old boyfriend, a woman and her friend discuss autonomy, identity and bad sex. A frank new comedy about the hypocrisies of modern womanhood.
In her most intimate musical performance, cellist Jablonska explores how identities are made, unmade and remade on a personal and musical journey from Poland to Scotland, as part of MadeInScotlandShowcase.com.
A show you could see over and over… Water Fruit Loops (theSpace @ Niddry St., 22-27) Richard, a student, finds himself stuck in a time loop after hooking up with his ex. Rather than utilise the period for self-reflection, Richard jumps at the opportunity to keep hooking up with his ex.
About theSpaceUK
Established in 1995, theSpaceUK hosts the largest and most diverse programme at the fringe. Companies, both professional & amateur, are given an affordable, supportive and professional platform to showcase their work.
About the venue
theSpaceUK operates 19 venues across 7 sites including: theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, theSpace @ SymposiumHall, theSpace on North Bridge, theSpace on the Mile, theSpaceTriplex, the Space @ Venue45.
China or the UK? Where should I go? What happens after I graduate? The things you ignore during the day will often creep into your dreams.
Gripping reflections on the subconscious intermingle in this showcase of the ideologies and anxieties of a Chinese international student.
Overseas students consider these things every few seconds: the anxieties of uni life, and the dilemma of the ominous life after graduation.
Is this real life? explores cultural stereotypes, freedom, an antitheist encountering gods and Chinese allegory in an entrancing and thought-provoking play.
Chinese students Hongye Chen and GuoZhao Sun, drama students at the University of Exeter, are Microcosm. The pair of theatre-makers, and dreamers, are excited to bring their first show to the Fringe.
“This show was just utter genius and much the best thing this reviewer
has seen at the Fringe this year. It’s a 5 stars for this show and here’s
hoping they come back soon!.” Brighton and Hove News
“”The strength and skills of these gents is astounding.”.” Perth Happenings
“impressive feats of athletic and acrobatic madness.” GlamAdelaide
Think acrobatics and what springs to mind? If it’s nude Western themed circus you’re on the same wavelength as Australian Acrobats!And even if it’s not, we recommend you check out this absolute belter of a show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.
Railed is a spectacular Western themed circus, combining the trademark physical talents, intricate figures, finely chiselled bodies and comic capers of the creators of the smash hits Elixir and Circus’Cision.
Bare-chested circus meets bare-knuckle bar fights. Railed is a racy, heart-stopping adult show of breath-taking acrobatics and mad-cap storytelling, featuring a rogues’ gallery of the most wanted bad-asses this side of Dodge City.
The Head First gunslingers are planning to paint the town red, to head audiences off at the pass, ransack their hearts, ambush their nights and leave them begging for mercy.
Directed by Debra Batton and John Walton, Railed features a variety of talents including all-round acrobat and teeterboard expert, Anthony Saltalmacchia; the powerful yet standoffish vagrant showing off immense feats of balance and impressive physique, Callan Harris; Jordan Twartz, world class ‘manipulator’, who plays the resident barman keeping the boys liquored up and ready for action; and Liam Dummer, who brings technicality and artistry to Head First Acrobats, all whilst playing the Railed town hero.
Details
Venue: Assembly George Square Gardens – Spiegeltent Palais Du Variete EH8 9JU
Time: 18:35
Dates: 3 – 28 August. Previews 3 – 4 August. No show on Mondays 8,15,27 August.
Bookings: assemblyfestival.com, 0131 623 3030 or Assembly box offices at Assembly Hall and Assembly Roxy, Assembly George Square, Assembly Checkpoint and Assembly Rooms
PreHysterical
The tale of three Neanderthals – hilarious new family show at Edinburgh Fringe
Head First Acrobats – PreHysterical at Edinburgh Fringe
“PreHysterical appeals to anyone with a funny bone.” FringeFeed
“hilarious and spectacular.” 1/2 GlamAdelaide
“Full of fun, amazing circus tricks.” 1/2 Kids in Adelaide
Circus is for everyone. And as well as entertaining, it can be educational. That is what Head First Acrobats believe, and why they have are bringing PreHysterical to Edinburgh Fringe 2022.
PreHysterical is a hilarious circus show for children and parents of all ages, following three foolish Neanderthals as they struggle to survive the savage natural world. Avoiding predators, navigating harsh environments, and learning to work together are all explored with marvelous circus skills and achingly funny slapstick. The show quite literally rocks as it tells the tale of three people navigating life in prehistoric times.
They may not know how to make fire (or bathe), but these Neanderthals really know how to put on a show that’s hilarious and spectacular in equal measure. Join Thomas, Chelsea and Alex. – three bumbling Neanderthals – as they fumble crossing rivers, finding food and making fire, all whilst executing fantastic circus tricks. The physical humour is perfectly executed – to the great amusement of kids and parents alike, and the ridiculously impressive acrobatics are so slick, you can expeect gasps and wows from the audience.
Aerial stunts and floor acrobatics make for truly incredible circus; this, combined with tongue-in-cheek humour and the silliest of stories means that PreHysterical is for everyone.
Winner of best children’s performance weekly Award at the 2020 Perth Fringe Festival, and the best children’s performance weekly at the Adelaide Fringe in 2020 and 2022.
Bookings: assemblyfestival.com, 0131 623 3030 or Assembly box offices at Assembly Hall and Assembly Roxy, Assembly George Square, Assembly Checkpoint and Assembly Rooms
Artist bio
Head First Acrobats are a multi-award-winning entertainment company. Based in Melbourne, they are regulars on the international touring circuit, and specialise in acrobatic entertainment for festivals, theatres, corporate and street events.
Head First Acrobats have a talent for developing shows that are the talk of the town, filling theatres to the rafters with thrilled audiences.
Their big-hitter is the international sensation, Elixir, which was the smash hit of 2018 and won the Best Circus and Physical Theatre Award at Adelaide Fringe, along with a slew of sold-out shows all over the world.
Their new flagship show, Railed debuted at Perth FRINGE WORLD in 2019, and is a riotous high-energy comedy Western that takes no prisoners, sets the bar on fire, and hightails out of town leaving a trail of broken hearts in its wake.
