Dylan Moran, the famously curmudgeonly connoisseur of misery, seems more playful on this recent stand-up show, Dr Cosmos. He’s almost even- whisper it!- quite relaxed here, where before his stage persona was somewhat more akin to his beloved perma-grump alter ego, Bernard Black. Yes indeed, here, he’s quite smiley, even if the targets remain theContinue reading “Comedy Review: Dylan Moran- Dr Cosmos”
Category Archives: Lorna Irvine
In Solidarity With Georgie Grier
A young actor, Georgie Grier, recently took to social media to post a teary message after her Edinburgh Festival play, Sunsets, only had one attendee in the audience. Comedians including Dara O’ Briain and Jason Manford reached out to reassure her that one day it would be funny and that it’ll get easier. They’re absolutelyContinue reading “In Solidarity With Georgie Grier”
New Release: The Kills- LA Hex
The Kills are back. Alison Mossheart and Jamie Hince ‘s new single, L A Hex , out now through Domino, is more low-key than before, with a little gospel backing, and I’m really liking it. It’s still unmistakably The Kills, with the trademark sense of sex, murkiness and danger, just more subdued. It follows previousContinue reading “New Release: The Kills- LA Hex”
Lost In Music: The Smiths- Paint A Vulgar Picture
Since Sinead O’Connor sadly passed away last week, I’ve been thinking about her a lot, as so many of us have. This strong but fragile, beautiful and tough woman, so troubled with so much shit and abuse from her childhood, casting a long shadow. Gifted people are often the most troubled – a cliche becauseContinue reading “Lost In Music: The Smiths- Paint A Vulgar Picture”
Pee Wee V Letterman
Few comic characters were ever as fully-formed as Pee Wee Herman. Based on “the most annoying kid in my class at school”, Paul Reubens’ character was a kitsch mash-up of everything that makes children so fascinating and hard to box in. He was capricious, silly, smartass and extremely odd, existing in his own little bubble,Continue reading “Pee Wee V Letterman”
Lost In Music: The Cramps- Off The Bone
Produced alongside The Box Tops and Big Star’s singer Alex Chilton, Off The Bone is a 1983 compilation of songs by The Cramps. Well, okay, it’s mostly cover versions, but the band make them very much their own. From a pounding take on Sam Phillips’ Domino, to the cartoonish libido running feral on Charlie FeathersContinue reading “Lost In Music: The Cramps- Off The Bone”
The Singular Line
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Film Review: Mad To Be Normal
This film, starring David Tennant as psychiatrist RD Laing, has a play-like quality, in that it’s pretty static and dialogue -driven, with a gloomy, cigarette stained sepia tone, and a consistently murky atmosphere. But whereas Ian Pattison’s play on the man, Divided, had plenty of light and shade, Mad To Be Normal feels pretty oneContinue reading “Film Review: Mad To Be Normal”
Film Review: Boom For Real
Anyone who’s ever seen Julian Schnabel’s good but flawed film Basquiat knows where this documentary gets its name from: a news report that artist Jean – Michel Basquiat sampled this anguished line from, and turned into an artwork. Sara Driver’s documentary, from 2018, subtitled The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat , takes a muchContinue reading “Film Review: Boom For Real”
Tron Theatre Autumn Season
Since 2008, Andy Arnold has been the Artistic Director of Glasgow ‘s legendary Tron Theatre. But this autumn winter season marks what will be his last. He confessed to having “very mixed emotions” upon leaving his tenure. His 40th show as director is receiving a world premiere on Thursr, 19th October. It’s from the ever-Continue reading “Tron Theatre Autumn Season”
Hit The North 