Kate Bush’s Influences

Pics of Kate Bush: John Carder Bush J W Waterhouse, ‘The Lady of Shallot’. Kate Bush was always upfront in her literary and artistic influences. She essayed The Brontes of course, but also Tennyson, Shakespeare and John William Waterhouse. Her Pre-Raphaelite aesthetic was unique in a time of punk, prog and so on, but theContinue reading “Kate Bush’s Influences”

The Royal Mile During the Fringe

Was there ever a better analogy for social stratification than the Royal Mile during the Edinburgh Fringe? A teeming mass, a melee of desperation and showing off, it displays the disparity between the classes in all of its garish, wanton glory. Almost Ballardian in scale,the crowd even works as a guide to life itself. FirstlyContinue reading “The Royal Mile During the Fringe”

Some Edinburgh Fringe 2026 Predictions

****! A title will have a swear word and the accompanying poster will have a suitably provocative image, which will be catnip/rage bait to Quentin Letts. Gilded Balloon,7.30 pm 68 Guns Despite featuring music by The Alarm, this gory new musical, written by David Ireland, focuses on The Troubles. Traverse Theatre almost wet themselves withContinue reading “Some Edinburgh Fringe 2026 Predictions”

A Short Rumination On Not I

It’s a mouth, yes a mouth… Animalistic, cannibalistic… Ready to swallow you whole. In the dark, was it… Yes! All enveloped in darkness. And Billie is her name, name of said isolated mouth… Billie always was the favourite, Beckett said one word only : “miraculous”. One.. one word only. What? YES. One word in recognition,Continue reading “A Short Rumination On Not I”

From Across the Arts Archive: Liz Aggiss-The English Channel

Arts:Blog Festival Review: Liz Aggiss–The English Channel ***** Posted by Across the Arts on August 27, 2015, at 11.27pm Lorna Irvine reviews a production with a woman who’s ‘hilarious and badass’. That Liz Aggiss is not a daily part of the school curriculum, along with free dinners, free speech and any kind of hope whatsoever is aContinue reading “From Across the Arts Archive: Liz Aggiss-The English Channel”

The Ultimate Puppet Show: White Rabbit, Red Rabbit

Nassim Soleimanpour’s peerless, hugely acclaimed 2010 show White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, could be the ultimate puppet show, in spite of no marionettes on the stage. Instead, one single performer- either a well-regarded actor or comedian- stands alone on a bare stage with a table and script, penned by Soleimanpour.There are no distractions like complex scenographyContinue reading “The Ultimate Puppet Show: White Rabbit, Red Rabbit”

Archive Review : Butterfly

Arts:BlogTheatre Review: Butterfly ****Posted by Across the Arts on January 29, 2015, at 11.01pmLorna Irvine A visually ravishing evocation of pain and loss, Ramesh Meyyappan’s Butterfly is truly special. Ashley Smith as Butterfly, a kite maker, is so fragile, innocent and graceful that it is nothing short of devastating when she is attacked. She isContinue reading “Archive Review : Butterfly”

Lear at Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Full casting announced for the Pitlochry Festival Theatre production of Lear Pitlochry Festival Theatre has today announced the full cast for their forthcoming production of Lear – Finn den Hertog’s new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy.  As previously announced, the production will be led by Scottish stage and screen icon, Maureen Beattie as Lear and Forbes Masson as Gloucester. They will be joined in theContinue reading “Lear at Pitlochry Festival Theatre”

Archive Review: Grimalkin 555, Buzzcut 2017

thetempohouse April 18, 2017 • Spoilt Victorian Child Grimalkin 555: ‘No Demoniacs!’ Govan Parish Church  We are gathered here tonight to bear witness to horror screen misogyny: to torture; mutilation, stabbing, strangulation, asphyxiation, hurtling bodies off buildings.All in glorious monochrome and Technicolor: women in the final death throes, hysterical and helpless, dying, endlessly dying,and all so beautifully.Continue reading “Archive Review: Grimalkin 555, Buzzcut 2017”

Film Review: Liza Minnelli-The Last Heiress of Hollywood

Lucie Caries’ film about Hollywood icon Liza Minnelli is candid and moving, precisely because her subject isn’t afraid to speak openly and honestly about her tragedies as well as triumphant moments.So there’s battles with drugs and drink; unsuitable romances, Bob Fosse, Studio 54, Andy Warhol , Michael Jackson, AIDS activism, and a Pet Shop BoysContinue reading “Film Review: Liza Minnelli-The Last Heiress of Hollywood”