Lorne Campbell, artistic director, Northern Stage In 2005, when I was an assistant director at the Traverse, my fringe consisted of chewing my way through a very long list of shows that needed to be seen "just in case". I watched about 90 shows in three weeks, with an unfavourable ratio of good to bad to indifferent. In the middle of the fringe in a small hall at C venues, I saw Jessica Almasy delivering a weird, wonderful and incandescently original one-woman show under the direction of Rachel Chavkin: Give Up and Start Over. This was the Team's first trip to Edinburgh, and along with their other show that year, A Thousand Natural Shocks, their political, joyful, chaotic brand of theatre seemed to crystallise a moment in the psyche of the fringe. The next year we programmed them at the Traverse, and those wild-eyed kids have now become established international artists, close friends and perpetual collaborators. That's the wonder of the fringe: you can walk into a room expecting … [Read more...] about The best show I’ve ever seen at Edinburgh: performers and theatre-makers on their festival highlights
Bachelor of arts in photography
From Brexit to breakups, James Acaster is an audacious king of comedy
Cold Lasagne represents a change of tone entirely. The nerdy Kettering comic in autumnal colours, corduroy and ties makes way for a cock-of-the-walk in aviators. The comedian who made his name overthinking trivia (and avoiding politics entirely) opens with a strident section on Brexit, brilliantly compared to requesting steak in a restaurant, being offered shit instead – and not being allowed to change one’s order. And the artist who avoids explicit autobiography suddenly gets very personal indeed – not just with his first-act anecdote about a disastrous turn on The Great British Bake Off (which drives him desperately to phone the Samaritans), but with almost all of the second half, which lays bare an unlikely event from Acaster’s love life, a painful split with his agent, and his ongoing struggles with his mental health. … [Read more...] about From Brexit to breakups, James Acaster is an audacious king of comedy
‘Trolls’ deluge couple with poison pen letters accusing them of attracting ‘scantily-clad maskless chavs’ to pretty Sussex town by opening cake shop
Lily, from Lewes, and George, from Hastings, are hardly strangers to Arundel, which also boasts a Roman Catholic cathedral and is just miles from the 17th century stately home of Goodwood, owned by the Duke of Richmond … [Read more...] about ‘Trolls’ deluge couple with poison pen letters accusing them of attracting ‘scantily-clad maskless chavs’ to pretty Sussex town by opening cake shop
Micheal Martin: Ireland elects a new leader – who is he and why will he only get two years?
"I think it's the freedom," said Mr Barry, as the clubhouse prepared for training to restart after a long coronavirus hiatus. "He's able to relax outside of politics. He comes here to the club and he's just Micheal. He's not the leader of any party, he's just Micheal." Members said Mr Martin won't be treated any differently when he returns as taoiseach. … [Read more...] about Micheal Martin: Ireland elects a new leader – who is he and why will he only get two years?
Look beyond the same old city breaks — try visiting these unusual European metropolises instead
The city also boasts the world’s longest covered walkway, winding 3.8km up to the hilltop San Luca basilica. The locals built the portico to protect an icon of the Madonna that is carried into town each year in thanks for saving them from famine in 1433. We take a cheat’s mini train up then walk down. … [Read more...] about Look beyond the same old city breaks — try visiting these unusual European metropolises instead
