What a visage: like a tor you’ve spent ages attempting to scale. What writing: past, present and an elusive future. Samuel Beckett would have been 120 today- imagine. His detractors thought him morbid, or impenetrable. They’re wrong on the latter. He’s touching, hilarious, tender, raw. Even his pauses have eloquence; his silences, poetry. Who elseContinue reading “Happy Birthday , Samuel Beckett 🍌”
Category Archives: 2026
Gallery Review: Curtain Call, McManus Gallery,Dundee
This exhibition has many beautiful costumes from stage and screen, with a particular emphasis on Scottish designers. Jane Petrie, from Newport-On-Tay has many glorious costumes included here, such as the regal gowns from the hit series The Crown starring Claire Foy, and The Essex Serpent with Tom Hiddleston and Claire Danes. A reproduction of JackieContinue reading “Gallery Review: Curtain Call, McManus Gallery,Dundee”
Has Pop (Culture) Eaten Itself?
Have we finally reached saturation point with internet culture? I ask as I stumbled upon The Kiffness (pictured above) the other day, aka. the musician David Scott on YouTube who creates songs based around “singing cat” videos, playing an actual gig, with a proper audience, all of whom were singing along to him, and theContinue reading “Has Pop (Culture) Eaten Itself?”
Theatre Review : The High Life The Musical
Photos: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan Dundee Rep Theatre, April 4th,2026. Who better than Johnny McKnight, Scotland’s first dame of Pantoland and legendary comedy writer, to team up with Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson to pen this late capitalist airline romp? Naebody, that’s who. This comedic menage a trois, adapting the fictional Air Scotia, come with someContinue reading “Theatre Review : The High Life The Musical”
Bad Cover Versions: Flea and Nick Cave – Wichita Lineman
Oh… dear. I’m beginning to wonder if Nick Cave should give up music altogether, given the mediocre last album and this teaming up with Flea. Yup, actual Flea of RHCP. Together at last, nuts n gum. This cover of the Glen Campbell song is truly insipid. It’s a tremulous dirge, but not in a goodContinue reading “Bad Cover Versions: Flea and Nick Cave – Wichita Lineman”
John Waters at The No Kings Protest
As if I couldn’t love The Pope of Trash, John Waters, enough, he turned up at the No Kings Protest in Provincetown, on March 28th with this witty sign: “Trump ruined bad taste” You’ve gotta love him. I do. Long may he subvert the mainstream.
Queer Theory Is 10!
Glasgow’s finest queer club night, Queer Theory, turns the big 1-0 this year. To celebrate a decade of beautiful, wild and sexy shenanigans they’ve got the mighty cabaret legend, The Divine David himself, David Hoyle, as guest of honour. Here’s the full line-up happening at Drygate on Saturday, April 25th. It’s their biggest night yet.Continue reading “Queer Theory Is 10!”
TV Review: The Other Bennet Sister
It’s not as ambitious as Isobel McArthur’s sly, Olivier Award-winning Pride and Prejudice (Sort Of) but The Other Bennet Sister, a new adaptation of the story by Jane Hadlow, with screenplay by Sarah Quintrell and Maddie Dai,does have something in common: it focuses on the overlooked character, bookish and plain Miss Bennet, Mary. Sure, thereContinue reading “TV Review: The Other Bennet Sister”
Laibach: That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore
Time was when Slovenian scamps Laibach made music with a stomping boot and a raised eyebrow. Now, they’re leaning so much into irony that they could go full Eurovision. I get it, the worlds going to shit. The problem is, this campy ridiculousness has ceased to be funny. Back in the day, they were perceivedContinue reading “Laibach: That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore”
Album Review: New German Cinema – Pain Will Polish Me
Nobody makes sad synth- pop quite like British bands. Jessica Weiss’s solo project New German Cinema mine the saddest parts of alt-pop from the last forty years to the present day, and spin it into literate, desolate loveliness. It’s haunting and crepuscular, best enjoyed on trains at nighttime. Weiss’ vocals, like Broadcast’s Trish Keenan andContinue reading “Album Review: New German Cinema – Pain Will Polish Me”
Hit The North 