Edinburgh life
Edinburgh life continued
Monday 18
Book events
Magnus Magnusson ()tiakar‘s. 57 (ieorge Street. 22544‘)5. 6.30pm. A quil. with the qui/master of all qui/masters for the launch of his I-irmi/v Qui: Book.
Talks
Remote Forum i‘ruitmarket Gallery. 45 Market Street. 225 2383. l lam 4pm. £l0 (£5). A one-day international forum that examines the impact of digital culture on rural and urban environments. Under the Influence: John Deakin, Soho and the School of London National (iallery ol Modern Art. Bellbrd Road. 624 (i200. I2.45pm. Free. The curator of the John Deakin exhibition. former picture editor at lbgm'. Robin Muir. puts l)eakin's work under the spotlight.
Workshops
Japanese-Inspired Christmas Cards Lauriston ('astle. 2a ('ramond Road South. 336 2060. Want 4pm. £7. Advance booking required. Working with rice paper and mixed-media. create delicate cards. Adult workshop.
Tuesday 19
Book events
Jimmy Perry liestival Theatre.
l3 2‘) Nicolson Street. 52‘) 6000. lpm. £4 (£2). See preview.
Bill Wyman ()ttakar‘s. 57 (ieorge Street. 2254495. 5pm. Free. Wyman signs copies of Rolling with The Stones.
Talks
Supermassive Black Holes Royal Observatory Visitor Centre. Blaeklord Hill. 668 8404. 7.30pm. Free. Ian Robson on this cosmic phenomenon.
Wednesday 20
Book events
Italian Culture on a Plate - Mary Contini (‘ity Art (’entre. 2 Market Street. 52‘) 3993. 7pm. Mary (‘ontini talks about Italian cookery. culture and her book. Dear Francesca.
Book events
James Kelman .‘s'orih Iidinburgh Arts Centre. 15a I’ennywell (‘ourt. 315 215 l. 7.30pm. £ I. The Booker prize winner and author of cult classic Hun- Lute it Was. llnii- lure talks about his new work.
Talks
Finding the Write Stuff lnstiuit l-‘rancais d'licosse. 13 Randolph (‘rescent. 225 5366. 6 8pm. Free. A round table discussion reviewing the reasons behind the impediments to a better cooperation between French and British cinema.
TALKS JIMMY PERRY
‘What a clever lot of sods the Scots are,’ announces Jimmy Perry with the sort of irreverent glee that’s made him a true, household name. Classic shows such as Hi-De-Hi, Dad’s Army, It Ain’t Half Hot, Mum! and You Rang M’Lord, all have Perry‘s hallmark with his own real-life experiences - as a Gunner in Burma, 3 member of the Royal Artillery Concert Party and a Butlin’s redcoat - inspiring the key ingredients of the comedies that we have all come to know and love.
‘Ultimately the shows worked because they were funny and they had something to say. Dad’s Army was a historical statement. Similarly, It Ain’t Half Hot, Mum! was politically incorrect and that made for great television back then.’
So how does he think today’s
A timeless classic
terrestrial fare holds up in comparison? ‘People hark back to the good old days, but there was as much crap 30 years ago as there is now. But British comedy has a lotto be proud of. The Office has taken a certain kind of humour and given it a new style, so has Father Ted and Absolutely Fabulous’.
If Perry is nervous about publishing the story of his early life, A Stupid Boy, at a time when popular tabloid tittle-tattle (see Ulrika’s Honest etc) is recognised as a little more flavoursome, he certainly doesn’t show it. He simply
‘hasn’t had time to do it until now’.
As I prepare to conclude the interview, Perry draws me subtly back into his Scotland/England musings. ‘lf Scotland ever gets complete independence who’s going to run England for us?’ he asks me. Good question, I reply. More importantly though, wouldn’t life be dull without Jimmy Perry ? (Anna Millar) I Tue 79 Nov, Festival Theatre, 529 6000. (pm. £74 432).
Book events
Kate Adie (ieorge Square Theatre. t'niversity ()l‘ lidinburgh. (ieorge Square. 662 8740. 7pm. £4. The tough as boots BB(' war correspondent talks about her book. The Kim/rims ()f .S'Irungr'rs.
Workshops
Exploding the Feeling 'l‘raverse Theatre. ('ambridge Street. 223 I404. 1 1am 4pm. £6 (£3). Told by an Idiot company members lead a workshop in collaboration with their production. A Little l'itntusy. See photo caption.
Other events
Georgian House (hill 28 Nov. (ieorgian Hottse. 7 ('harlotte Square. 225 2l60. I lam 4pm. £5 (£3.75). (it) along and see the House decorated traditionally I'or ('hristmas. as costumed characters wander throughout the building revealng all about their lives in the lh’th century.
Performance
Big Word Performance Poetry The Tron. ‘) Ilunter Square. High Street. 226 0‘)3l. 8pm. £3 (£2). l’erl'ormance poets ol the world come together for the launch of new anthology S/iorl Misc.
Other events
Fellow Travellers Hermitage ()l' Braid. 6‘) Braid Road. 447 7145.
l 3pm. Free. Important ancestral trees are pointed out on this walk to celebrate National Heritage Tree Week.
Book events
lain Rankin and Christopher Brookmyre Queen‘s llall. (‘lei'k Street. 668 20I‘). 7.30pm. £4 (£3). lixclusive chance to see two ol‘ Scotland‘s top writers chat about their work and itlllttences.
Performance Monday Lizard 'l‘ravcrse Bar (are.
Palace Of
'l‘ray'erse 'l‘heatre. l0 ('anibridge Street. 228 5383. 8pm. l‘ree. Inl‘orinal cabaret— sty'le show with live music and readings ol~ new Scots drama by theatre [ll-()5.
Tuesday 26
Other events
Pasta with a Difference ('ity Art ('entre. 2 Market Street. 52‘) .5993.
7 8.30pm. £5. ()loroso‘s award- winning chel' Tony Siriin demonstrates pasta recipes that are just a little different.
Wednesday 27
Talks
Contemporary Climbers and their Environment National Portrait (iallery. l Queen Street. 624 6200. 12.45pm. l-‘ree. ('limber and photographer Rab Anderson gives a
talk.
Other events
Recruitment Exhibition Assembly Rooms. 54 (ieorge Street. 220 434‘). Free. Recruitment lair.
Thursday 28
Book events
Gavin Menzies l-‘esiival 'l‘lieatre. l3 2‘) Nicolson Street. 52‘) 0000. Ipm. £4. Historian (iayin Men/ies talks about his book /42/ The Year ('limu Discovered l/tr' “Ur/(l.
Alan Titchmarsh Asseltthly‘ Rooms. .54 (ieorge Street. 220 434‘).
7 0pm. £4. T\' gardener (and raunchy novelist) Alan Titchmarsh talks about his latest book. 1/)'()\l‘(‘/.'lII(/ Iii/‘HH'.
Other events
The Edinburgh Wheel Princes Street (iardens. 473 3600. l0am l lpm. ('ome and witness the lit'st turns of" the lidinburgh Wheel. Step aboard the popular attraction and see the Winter Wonderland in all its (‘hristmas splendour. l’urt o/t'upilul (’ltrrsmms Acrobounce l’rinces .\1all Rooftop l’la/a. Princes Street. ()lb20 8703 l 8. Watt) 8pm. £4 for 3mins. linjoy this high flying experience as you're catapulted ‘) metres high to weightless freedom. I’url o/‘(u/iim/ ('lirislmm German Market Opening Princes Street (iardens Iiast. Princes Street. 473 3000. 5.30pm. ()I‘Iicial opening ol this popular traditional market. which brings the enchantment of a real (ierman market right to your doorstep. I’rll‘l Ulttlpllul ('III'I'slmrls Capital Christmas Light Night Princes Street (iardens liast. Princes Street. 473 3600. 5.30pm. Free. ('onie and join in the testis ities with the (‘hristmas Tree lighting and sw itch-on ol the l'estiyal lights. l-‘or the lirst little c\ er this year. the Princes Street lights will be switched on to coincide with lighting of the tree and Santa (‘laus himself will be making a guest appearance.l’urr of ( 'u/H'Iu/ ('ltrisrmus.
Edinburgh Castle Royal Mile. 225 9846. Daily 9.30am—6pm. £8 (SQ—£6). Although much of the castles medieval character was lost when it was converted into barracks in the 19m century, continumg excavations aim to redress this. Other attractions include James lV's famous cannon. Mons Meg, the One O'Clock Oun ‘Nllll its own exhibition, lots of titlllléif‘,’ silverware and. of course. the Stone Of Destiny, used to crown Scottish kings since time began.
Edinburgh Zoo Corstorphine Road, 3154 9171. Daily 9am—0pm. ST? (SSA—£50); family ticket 5220—5721160. Widely accepted as one of the finest zoos in Britain, there's plenty here to while away an afternoon. or even a whole day it you take your time. The newly- built African plains afford a fantastic View of the city. Hopetoun House Shore Road. South Oueensferry, ($31 2115‘. Daily 10am—5130pm. 57270—35. This stately home. part of which is still lived in by the Marquesses
100 THE LIST I“) {/8 No'. 2002
of l_in|ith(.;ow. was built in the 18th century by architects Sir William Bruce and William Adam. It houses furnishings and artwork collected by the (amin over the past 400 years.
Museum Of Childhood 42 High Street. 529/1142. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm. Free. Founded in 10:35. the liltJSOllltl has five pub-ic galleries with all manner of artefacts relating to childhood through the ages. From antique dolls to a 1080s BMX bicycle. there's plenty here to send you off
or: a trip down memory lane.
Museum Of Scotland Chambers Street. 2:17 4210. Mon-Sat 10am—5pm: Sun noon—5pm; Tue 10am-8pm. Free. Devoted solely to the history and heritage of Scotland. the building contains five thematically arranged exhibitions. 'l‘t)‘.".'){] ‘rom pre history. through the Industrial R(?‘.()llii|()'l. to the present day. at which point national heroes such as Billy Connolly and ['LlillllO C Smith get i'i\.'o!i.'e<l.
Holyroodhouse
Royal Mile, 23:36 1090. Daily 0.30am—(iprn. 5.70.50 (57:3.30-8‘5): fainin ticket 8.716.130. Starting life as a 13th century abbey. the palace has evolveu into a swnptucus regal residence crammed ‘uzl at paii‘t:i‘.gs and artefacts (tat rig back pininav’-’y to the ‘71" century.
Royal Botanic Garde Inverleifii Roux: of)? '1.".. Duly 9.30am «1331". tree. A sea of trandiiiaity iii the hubbul: of the city. the Botanic Garden. s 000103;)
a wealth 0‘ flow: "(2'1‘
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Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre
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