Posts by Peter Ranscombe
FRINGE REVIEW: “Bloke and his American Bantu”
Bloke and his American Bantu – Assembly George Square Studios – Studio Two – 11.30am IT IS hard for productions to get noticed at the Fringe in a crowded field of 3,300 – it’s rather like being a solo soprano in a multi-hundred populated Welsh bass choir. Combine that with being allocated the death slot…
Read MoreFRINGE REVIEW: “Taiwan Season: Light of Life”
Taiwan Season: Light of Life – Assembly George Square Studios – Studio One – 1pm IF YOU don’t know what a “diabolo” is, I’ll give you a definition: it’s an “hourglass-shaped top that is balanced and spun on a string stretched between the tips of two sticks”. Doesn’t sound that exciting and seems to offer…
Read MoreFRINGE REVIEW: “The Black Blues Brothers”
The Black Blues Brothers – Assembly Rooms, Music Hall – George Street – 4.45pm SET in an Art Deco bar and scored to the music of the Ackroyd and Belushi film The Blues Brothers, this is a show that combines circus tumbling, music, dance, and comedically-timed miming. It’s fast paced and furious. The five Kenyan…
Read MoreFRINGE REVIEW: “I’m with stupid”
I’m With Stupid – Gilded Balloon Teviot, Billiard Room – Bristo Square – 9pm JEEZ, where to start with “I’m With Stupid”? I suppose the first thing to say would be that if you are someone who listens religiously to Kermode and Mayo musing on films, then this will be right up your street. In…
Read MoreEdinburgh Festival Fringe begins in style
THE world’s biggest arts festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, kicks off in the Scottish capital today. Acts from 58 countries will mount nearly 50,000 performances of more than 3,100 shows between now and 29 August. The festival is marking its 75th anniversary this year, with previews of shows running over the past couple of days.…
Read MoreLangholm Moor buyout hits £2.2m target
THE South of Scotland’s largest community buyout will double in size after campaigners raised £2.2 million to buy Langholm Moor. The Langholm Initiative will buy the 5,300 acres of land and three properties from Buccleuch Estates. The Dumfriesshire town hit its fundraising target in time for last Sunday’s deadline. Nearly 3,000 people donated to the…
Read MoreUniversity of Aberdeen Zoology Museum reopens
THE University of Aberdeen Zoology Museum is reopening, with a special history and heritage festival organised for September. The museum has featured in many school trips and family days-out since the 1970s. Refurbishment work and then the coronavirus pandemic led to the site being closed for several years. Having now reopened to the public, the…
Read MoreConifox breaks assault course world record
CONIFOX Adventure Park at Kirkliston near Edinburgh has broken the world record for the longest inflatable assault course. “The Tartan Titan“, which opens on Saturday, measures 568 metres in length – longer than five football pitches. It smashed the previous world record by 73 metres. Official adjudicator Glenn Pollard said: “Guinness World Records titles are…
Read MoreFree Harry Potter samples used to promote literacy
THE opening chapter of the first Harry Potter children’s book is being made available for free online this summer to promote literacy. The first pages of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone are being released through the Wizarding World website. Amazon is also streaming the first book for free via its Audible audio book shop…
Read MoreUnion Chain Bridge refit enters final stage
RESTORATION work on the famous Union Chain Bridge connecting Scotland to England is nearly complete. The 202-year-old bridge, which links Fishwick in Berwickshire to Horncliffe in Northumberland, was closed in October 2020. Engineers have dismantled the world’s oldest vehicle suspension bridge and are inspecting, repairing, and refurbishing each component. All the chains and deck hangers…
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