THE LETTERS
DREAM PERFORMANCE
Re: Student Guide
In The List Student Guide's “Coming
Very Soon . . .' section you write. ‘Theatre fans should look out for the first production of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream in 50 years at Glasgow's Citizens‘ Theatre . . .'
Well, it was a little later than that: April last year in fact. The Citizens' Theatre hosted the Arches Theatre Company with our production of the play for two weeks before we took it on a Highlands and Islands tour.
Andy Arnold Artistic director via e-mail
SHIRLEY SOME MISTAKE
Re: Soft soap (issue 424)
David Kennedy asks. ‘Who ever heard of a Glaswegian called Trevor?‘
The same person who calls a heavyweight wrestler Shirley Crabtree. aka Big Daddy. is the simple answer.
Gordon Crandles Wheetfie/d Street Edinburgh
PSYCHO-TNERAPY
Re: Not so clever, Trevor (issue 423)
I disagree with your articles assertion that ‘while not every unashamedly roguish character is Scottish [in EastEnders]. every Scottish character is firmly associated with unashamedly roguish characteristics'. Remember. Mr Clarkscn, that if Scottish actors are really good. they can progress to the giddy heights of psychopath
(see Robert Carlyle in Cracker
or Trainspotting).
The media's comfortable pigeon-holing of Scotland's doesn't stop with TV. TV's better than most mediums at giving a good view of Scottishness. The worst culprit is the printed word. I have an ugly memory of reading a White On B/onde-era Texas interview in a music magazine which began. “Och jings! It cannae be!“ The magazine never saw fit to start a Blur interview with, ‘Awright me ol' cocker? Let's go dahn vee apples ‘n' pears!’ So why did it think nothing of being racist to a Scots band?
Jonathan Muirhead via e-mail
V‘Jllit‘ lit:
NO HAINE, NO GAIN Film critics on Amelie What is it with film critics and Amelie? In its native France. certain ‘intellectuals' berated Jean-Pierre Jeunet's film for allegedly ethnically cleansing the Parisian district of Montmartre in which it is set. with a largely (though by no means solely) white cast. The film has also been charged with not being another film - ie an overtly politicised drama in the social realist style — Amelie just isn't La Haine. No it ain't, because that film is directed by someone else. Mathieu Kassovitz (who stars in Amé/ie. despite it not being an overtly politicised drama). Now. in the UK, learned bedfellows are indulging in similar pillow talk. so much so that a number of broadsheet reviews are actually not film reviews at all but summaries of what the French critics wrote. I don't believe a film is good just because it's as popular with the public as Amelie has been (Titanic was crap despite taking hundreds of millions at the box office). Amelie is a great film because Amelie is a great film. Knee-jerk criticism won't change that. J.A. Myles via e-mail
SELECTIVE FACTS
Re: Cry feedom (issue 425)
Ruth Hedges polemic against Tony Blair appears to have been written with an
React, The List, 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE or React, The List, McLellan Galleries, 270‘Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3El-I or e-mail react@Iist.co.uk
Oasis, Barrowland. Glasgow
Martin Computing engineer The last time I saw them they walked off after ten minutes. so it was a bonus seeing the whole show.
want to leave.
English readership in mind. as it bears no relation to the educational challenges faced by Glaswegians.
A number of Glasgow parents choose their children‘s schools. but a significant number of those selected lie outside the city boundaries. and a number of Glasgow secondaries have had to close as a result.
Whatever one thinks of the Public Private Funding, Labour has ensured there will be 29 rebuilt or refurbished secondary schools in Glasgow. There are problems associated with parents selecting schools. which become ever popular and populated. These ZOOO-on-the-roll schools overshadow nearby schools sited in not so attractive areas.
When one looks at attendance levels. student achievement and the community contribution some not so favoured schools make. one realises that parents can be blind to the attributes of what are good schools. None of this is mentioned in Ms Hedges“ article. She rants about grammar schools which do not exist in Scotland. She refers to public schools which Scots would describe more accurately as private schools and which are only noteworthy in terms of the numbers closing each year. We take education seriously in Scotland. so should Ruth Hedges.
Frank Murphy via email
Kevin Schoolboy Karen
Student Rock 'n‘ roll! Student
That was 'Cigarettes I loved it when brilliant. The And Alcohol' Noel did
new stuff was was ‘Whateyer' on his good. It was amazing. I own and the roasting in there Wish they crowd sang the and l was dying played more string parts. It was for the toilet. new songs. a bit of a ned-fest but I didn't though.
Publisher & General Editor Robin Hodge Editor Mark Fisher
EDITORIAL
Deputy Editor
Brian Donaldson
Assistant Editors
Miles Fielder. LOUisa Pearson. Mark Robertson
Research
Helen Monaghan (Art). Kelly Apter iClaSSical. Dance 8. Theatrei. LOUISE] Pearson iFolki. Maureen Ellis iCity Life. Comedy 8. Kids). Henry Nortlimore i‘Film. Jazz 8. Rock)
SALES AND MARKETING
Sales & Sponsorship Director Amanda Mungall PA JaCQUeline Hay Senior Sales & Sponsorship Executives Justine Watt
Caroline Hyde
Sales & Sponsorship Executive Emma LaWSOn Circulation Serge Div:to
PRODUCTION
Art Director
Krista Kegel-Dixon Production Manager Simon Armin
Production Assistants Lucy Reeves. Leanne Roulston. Graham Clouston Sub Editor Richard Rees
ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager GGOrgette RenWick Accounts Assistant Manager Donna TayIOr Operations Director Jacoueline Garry Reception Anna Millar Edinburgh Office Diana Dignan
Glasgow Office
Jane Hamilton
Elaine Graham
New Projects Director Mhairi Mackenzie Robinson
SECTION EDITORS Art Helen Monaghan Books Brian Donaldson City Life Maureen Ellis. Jane Hamilton
Clubs Catherine Bromley (With Gillian MCCOrmacki Comedy Maureen Ellis Comics Miies Fielder Dance Steve Cramer Film Miles Fielder
Food Barry Shelby Games lain DaVldSOl‘l Gay John Binnie
Jane Hamilton
Internet Steve Blair
Kids Maureen Ellis
Music Mark Robertson (\Nlih Norman Chalmers. Carol Main, Kenny Mathieson & Fiona Shepherd) Shopping Leiiisa Pearson Television Brian Donaldson Theatre Steve Cramer Travel Letiisa Pearson Video/DVD Miles Fielder
18 Oct—l NOV 2001 THE LIST 9