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St John's Hospital, Livingston
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10-5 each day admission free
Scoths
Call 0131 529 3930 for details
15 August
Aubigny Sports Centre, Haddington [ea
16 August
Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick 1/ we“ -. 19-23 August {6
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a Travelling Gallery exhibition
Talbotfiice Gallery 'l'llli l'.\'l\'lZRSl'l’\' ri/‘ICDINBl'RUll
Steven Campbell the caravan club
New works by Steven Campbell:
An exhibition of large oil paintings. major works on paper and an arresting ms the outcome of the Artists Creative Scot/and Award
1 AUGUST - 7 SEPTEMBER ADMISSION FREE
PUBLIC TALK Wednesday 28 August @ 5.15pm
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:3 pm I)
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l (K:t.;."0. Steven Céunptxfll's Illuminath of Darkness. With ProfessOr DaVid Punter of the Universny of Bristol Booking is advised - To make a booking please contact the gallery front desk: 0131 650 2210
" iKETS TO THE CIRCUS!
Ircus which features 30 of China’s leading 'if'iyou think you are handle it, you can ,j»-.coffins, pickled people and a varied
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Theatre
MY MATISSE A portrait of the artist 00”
Seven possessive women reveal the life and times of Henri Matisse. dubbed the 20th century's most sensual artist. giving rise to large. pertinent questions of who ‘owns' art. The artist? The public? The muse? Howard Ginsberg's composite portrait of the artist is painted with both broad and more subtle brushstrokes. by turns perceptive and witty. bringing Matisse's mother, wife. daughter and associated femmes to life with real compassion. and the fine cast do more than justice to the text. This is a powerful. incisive and thought-provoking play. which may never let you view the artist in quite the same light again. (Gareth Davies) I Komedia Roman Eagle Lodge, 226 7207. until 25 Aug. 7.30pm, $70—$75 (£8—£72).
THE STRONG ROOM
Brookside with philosophy .00
A bank manager is tortured by two masked robbers with reasons for victirnising him. As personal issues arise and relationships are disclosed. they discover what it really is to sin. forgive. and find justice. This is an exploration of what it means to be Christian. and goes to brutal lengths to question it.
The performances. though not flawless. pick up as Ben Richard's scnpt gets coriSiderably denser. and though over-- dramatic at times. the action is compelling. However. being somewhere in between Gagarin Way and a bad episode of Brookside. it will only appeal to some. (Mererid Williams) I Pleasance. 556 6550. 75. i7. 79, 22, 24, 26 Aug, 72.30pm. 87—88 (ES—£7).
WANDERING WILLIE’S TALE The effect of Willie “O
In Sir Walter Scott's short story taken from Redgaunt/et. blind fiddler Willie Steenson recites the story of his
grandfather as he encounters the supernatural after the covenanting times of the late 17th century. We meet a few characters along the way. be they alive or not. which gives us a sense of time and place.
John Nichols performance as ‘Steenie' is gentle. allowing the audience to follow his story without feeling too overwhelmed. The live fiddle and bagpipe music adds to the atmospheric piece and their calming effects appreciated by anyone who's finding the buzz of the festival getting too much. The association with Scotland and its histOry will prove popular among older people and tourists.
(Mererid Williams)
I Netherbow Theatre. 556 9579. until 77 Aug, 8. 75pm. £6.50 (£4.50).
VARIETY
Music hall and self- deception 000
Set. in February 1929. Variety documents and beguilineg mythologises the conversion of a shabby provincial music hall into a cinema. In it. a group of third rate entertainers believe that a technician sent to finalise the conversion is a Hollywood talent scout. and treat his visit as a last chance at glory. As the pressure mounts. each uncovers dark and long repressed traumas.
Ben Harrison's production for Grid Iron brings some wonderful performances from a strong cast. particularly
John Kazek as a bitter. foul-mouthed lead comic. and there's the company's tremendous visual sense as a bonus. But Douglas Maxwell‘s script is long by a couple of characters and at least 20 minutes, and some of the character motivation is questionable. deSpite some grand emotional climaxes.
(Steve Cramer)
I King ‘3, 473 2000, until 77 Aug. 7.30pm; 76 & 77Aug, 6pm 8 8.45pm. 85—823.
THE GIRL ON THE SOFA
Sex and the single girl 0...
The girl on the sofa is a teenager surrounded by sex. While her big sister goes out for unknown liaisons in leather skirt and suspenders. her seafaring father has a woman in every port. and her mother conducts an affair with her uncle.
Years later. the same ‘ girl mulls over the past. 5 rejecting her loved ones as if to return to that state of adolescent isolation.
Jon Fosse's play. in David Harrower‘s clean. spare translation. is consummately performed in Thomas . Ostermeier's dreamy production. But though it holds you throughout. it's hard to see what its sequence of domestic exchanges adds up to. It's too lyrical for soap opera. but perhaps you'd call it soap poetry. (Mark Fisher)
I Royal Lycuem, 473 2000, until i 7 Aug. 7.30pm; matinees 75 8 17 Aug 2. 30pm 26—223.
Soap poetry in The Girl on the Sofa