Glencairn launches second short story competition

THE Glencairn Glass has launched the second instalment of its crime short story competition, in partnership with the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival and Scottish Field magazine, with a theme of “A crime story set in Scotland”. Last year’s maiden competition attracted entries from talented crime writers across the globe. Over the past three…

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REVIEW: “Beautiful – The Carole King Musical”

Kenny Smith reviews Beautiful – The Carole King Musical at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow. THE name “Carole King” is one that I’ve known for many years, but never really thought much about beyond that. To my shame, I hadn’t really thought much about her life beyond being an accomplished singer-songwriter, but that has been…

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FRINGE REVIEW: “Angel by Henry Naylor”

Angel by Henry Naylor – Venue 24: Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose – Other Yin – 4pm I’VE been very lucky at this festival and have seen some wonderful productions and now, having watched Angel, I can say that any further productions will have to be extraordinary to better it. Angel tells the story of a…

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Nick Gardner’s Munro challenge of a lifetime

Morag Bootland speaks to the remarkable Nick Gardner about his mountaineering challenge. I’VE heard some incredible tales of adventure, tragedy, and love in my years as a journalist. But few have touched me as deeply as Nick Gardner’s real life love story. Nick is now 82, and has spent the last two years of his…

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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…

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FRINGE 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…

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Why do authors use pen names?

THE reasons why writers use pen names is the theme for a new exhibition at the National Library of Scotland. “Pen Names” opens at the library on George IV Bridge in Edinburgh on Friday. The exhibition draws on material from the library’s archive to cover a range of writers using pseudonyms from the 1800s to…

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‘Hame’ festival launched for North-East

A NEW festival called “Hame” aims to celebrate “the people, culture, history, heritage, and diversity” of the North-East. Launched today by the Elphinstone Institute at the University of Aberdeen, the programme promises “music, song, dance, slam poetry, storytelling performances, audio-visual exhibitions, displays, public talks, local writing events, and guided walks”. The festival – which runs…

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Whisky and murder in the Scottish Field podcast

We’ve got whisky and writing in the 43rd episode of the Scottish Field podcast. We’re just over two weeks away from the return of the Spirit of Speyside whisky festival. This year, there will be more than five hundred events within the Festival, which runs from 27 April to 2 May. This year, there’s a…

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A variety of beautiful objects going under the hammer

April is a busy month at McTear’s auction house in Glasgow. At Style & Taste: Fine Furniture & Works of Art on 28 April, lot 817 is a large cast iron Royal Warrant Coat of Arms. This dates from the late 19th/early 20th century, produced by Walter MacFarlane & Co (also known as the Saracen…

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