Posts by Peter Ranscombe
‘Thrown’ wrestling play tours Highland Games circuit
THROWN, a play that inspired by Scottish backhold wrestling, is going out on tour around the Highland Games circuit before a run at this summer’s Edinburgh Internaional Festival. The play, written by Nat McCleary and staged by the National Theatre of Scotland, will visit towns and villages that host Highland Games, along with community halls,…
Read MoreAberdeenshire county flag unfurled at Castle Fraser
THE new Aberdeenshire county flag was hoisted up the pole at Castle Fraser on Saturday. The flag was based on designs by pupils from Newtonhill primary school in Stonehaven and Elrick primary school in Westhill. Children from the schools presented the flag to Sandy Manson, Aberdeen’s lord-lieutenant at the castle, which is run by the…
Read MoreScottish Chamber Orchestra marks 50th birthday
THE Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) will unveil details of its 2023-24 season today as it prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Guests joining the orchestra during the year ahead include Thomas Adès, Nicola Benedetti, Colin Currie, Karen Cargill, Richard Egarr, Andrew Manze, and Roderick Williams. New music due to be performed during the season includes…
Read MoreCyclists gear up for Sunday’s Etape Loch Ness
A TOTAL of 6,000 riders are gearing up for the Etape Loch Ness cycle race on Sunday. Slots to take part in the race sold out within 50 hours, with 26% of the competitors coming from Scotland, and nearly 2% from overseas. Event director Malcolm Sutherland said: “The 2023 Etape Loch Ness looks set to…
Read MoreFirth of Forth marine life mapped
WHALES, dolphins, and other mammals visiting the Firth of Forth have been mapped by scientists and the public. More than 450 people reported sightings of whales, porpoises, dolphins, and seals to researchers from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh using the Forth Marine Mammals group on the Facebook social network. Exotic species such as humpback, minke, and…
Read MoreBBC Alba marks Hebrides migration centenary
A SERIES of dramatic monologues recorded by BBC Alba to mark the centenary of major migrations from the Outer Hebrides comes to an end tomorrow. The eight-part series, entitled Marloch is Metagama: Guthan (Marloch and Metagama: Voices), will be available on the BBC iPlayer for 30 days. Nearly 600 islanders left the Outer Hebrides in…
Read MoreBilly Connolly turned into National Theatre of Scotland show
THE National Theatre of Scotland has written a show about comedian Billy Connolly. The show was written by Gary McNair, who gathered stories about Connolly from people throughout Scotland. The performance, entitled Dear Billy, is billed as “A love letter to the Big Yin from the people of Scotland” and will tour our nation from 16…
Read MoreCampaigners mount ‘Ride to Parliament’
TEN horses led a “Ride to Parliament” through London this week as part of the campaign to pass the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. The procession rode from Knightsbridge through Central London to the Houses of Parliament, escorted by mounted police. The bill would ban exports of live animals from Great Britain for fattening or…
Read MoreWhisky news round-up: Doddie, Glenturret, and more
Peter Ranscombe puts together another irreverent round-up from the world of whisky. A WHISKY selected by the late rugby legend Doddie Weir will go on sale tomorrow at Royal Mile Whiskies to raise money for his My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which is looking for a cure for motor neurone disease (MND). Weir visited Ardnamurchan Distillery…
Read MoreGray’s School of Art students team up with Braemar Castle
FASHION and textile students from Gray’s School of Art at Robert Gordon University are working with a team from Braemar Castle to create clothes for their fashion show at Aberdeen Art Gallery on 5 May. Twenty first-year students have worked on the project to create garments that are linked to Braemar Castle. A total of…
Read More