PICTURE BOOK NASTY
NEIL GAIMAN AND DAVE MCKEAN The Wolves in the Walls tHarperCoilins £12.99) 0000
There’s no doubting author Neil Gaiman’s credentials. Philip Pullman sang the praises of his last children’s book, Coraline, while Norman Mailer declared The
Sandman, now a cult book, a comic strip for intellectuals. But the illustrator Dave McKean has been rather overlooked, which is odd, since Gaiman without
McKean is like Roald Dahl without Quentin Blake, like boiled eggs without soldiers. As you’d expect from the team behind such a mischievous title as, The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, their latest collaboration is wry, vivid and
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‘In the middle of the night there was a bowling and a yowling . . .’ Lucy hears noises coming from behind the walls that can only be wolves. Her family isn’t convinced, since, you know what they say? Lucy doesn’t. What they say is, if the wolves come out of the walls, it’s all over. And they do. It’s a scary story, but the wolves do eventually get their come-uppance and Lucy is a brilliant heroine. She’s the type of girl you’d want to have at your birthday party.
McKean’s illustrations make the everyday fantastic and the fantastic everyday. You blink at the glows and shadows, as if unsure that the image won’t begin to move. The photographs of jam jars and old books intermingling with paintings and drawings and textiles add to this strange sensation. Even the typefaces have character - they seem to dance in tune with the story.
But be warned: the book’s inspiration won’t end with the close of the last page. It could well inspire a few nightmares, too; such is McKean’s skill. (Tom Allbeson) I For more on N01/ Gaiman. see Com/cs page 10.9.
wonderful Shona Reppe brings her latest puppetry creation to the stage with original mttsic and a knitted landscape telling the story of Herring and Purl.
Broomsticks in the Sky Sat 1 .\'ov. noon 6’; 2pm. £4 (£3.50). Scottish Mask & Puppet Theatre ('entre. 8 10 Balcarres Avenue. Kelvindale. 339 6185. Join Sylvia .lTUUll‘S witches for adventures with spells. potions and broomstick rides.
Lifeboat Wed 5 & Thu 6 .\'ov. 6pm; Thu 1.30pm 8; 7pm. £4 £8. Tron Theatre. 63 'I'rongate. 552 4267. An inspiring play based on the true story of two girls who survived 19 terrifying hours in the water. clinging to an upturned lifeboat. after their ship was torpedoed. A ('atherine Wheels Production. Recommended for ages 8+.
Molly Whuppie tiri 7 & Sat 8 .\'ov. iiri 1.30pm: Sat 1 1.30am 8; 2.30pm. £4. Tron Theatre. 63 'l‘rongate. 552 4267. Wee Stories present the tale of Molly who embarks on a fantastic and magical adventure to find that things are not always what they seem. Clowning Around Again Sat 8 Nov. 11mm 8; 2pm. £4 (£3.50). Scottish Mask 6’; Puppet Theatre ('entre. 8 10 Balcarres Avenue. Kelvindale. 339 6185. Join Mr(iigg1es the clown for fun. games. music. magic and plenty of audience participation.
Boobies Tue I I .\'ov. L‘o £20. Theatre Royal. 282 Hope Street. 332 9000. Israelis lnbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak who designed. choreographed. directed and arranged the tnusical score for the piece
present this strange cosmic show for all ages.
Edinburgh
Activities And Fun Halloween Fun! Hi 31 Oct. 1 3pm. £8. Royal Botanic (iarden
(('aledonian llall). lnverleith Row. 552 7171. Spooky fatnily fttn with bobbing for apples. face painting and a wi/ards and witches workshop coffee and cakes for the grown tips.
Hallowe’en Party t-‘ri 3t ()ct. 2pm. Borders Books. [hit 26
1-‘ort Kinnaird Retail Park. 657 4041.
Spooky fun with fancy dress. dooking for
apples. ghost hunting and colouring in the haunted house collage.
Royal Observatory Public Observing 1’ri 3t ()ct. liri 7 .\‘m.
7 8.45pm. £2.60 (£1.85); £6 family ticket. Royal Observatory Visitor (‘entre. Blackford Hill. 668 8404. Stargazing on [01‘ of Blackford Hill. (’onie and see the constellations. the tnoon and the planets in the night sky through the telescopes. Hallowe’en Weekend Sat 1 Sun 2 Nov. £7 (£4 .5): family ticket
£20 £24.50. lidinburgh Zoo. (‘orstorphine Road. 334 9171. A special spooky tour of the '/.oo for Halloween followed by a fun learning session with Merlin and his assistant.
The Story and the Dream Sat l .\'ov. 2 4pm. £5. ('ity Art (‘entre. 2 Market Street. 529 3993. Ages 7 11. Storyteller Senga Munro and artist Kate l.eipet‘ host this workshop where you listen to a magical story and then bring it to life with art activities. Booking essential.
Fireworks Display wed 5 .\'o\. 6.30pm. £3 (uncovered) £4 (stand). Meadow bank Sports (‘entre. 139 London Road. 661 5351. Fireworks celebrations to mark the anniversary of (iuy Fawkes and the (iunpowder Plot.
Theatre & Dance
Le Tour de France Thu 30 is fit 31 Oct. Thu 10.15am & 1.30pm; l-‘ri 10.15am. £1. North lidinburgli Arts ('entt'e. l5a Pennywell (‘ourt. 315 2|5l. Ages 7 12. Le 1-‘antome ('y cliste has stolen the famous jerseys from 1.e Tour de l‘rance. ('an our intrepid detectives find them in time'.’ 'I‘heatre Sans
l-‘rontieres introduces French in a simple and interactive way in this dynamic race against time. See photo caption. Spend a Penny Sat 8 .\'ov. I lain at 2pm. £5; family ticket £18. Bt'ttnton Theatre. l.adywe11 Way. .‘ylusselburgh. 665 2240. Ages 4 9. See (ilasgow.
Books
Garden of Delights Thu 30 Oct. 2 5pm. Free. Royal Botanic (iarden. lnverleith Row. 552 7171. All ages. Storytellers located throughout the Botanics tell tales among the flora and fauna a map is available at the main gates.
Native American Stories Fri 31 ()ct. 2.30pm. l-‘ree but ticketed. Blackhall Library. 56 llillhouse Road. 529 5595. Ages 7+. Texan Dovie 'l’homason tells haunting. magical stories from her ancestors. the l.akota/Kiowa Apache native Atnericans.
Doocot Tales Stm 2 .\'ov. 2pm 6’.- 3pm. 50p. (‘orstorphine Dovecot. Dovecot Road. 557 5724. Ages 7+. Storyteller (‘olin .‘ylackay invites you to join him in the ancient doocot of (‘ostorphine and listen to tales of the murder of Lord Forrester. the flight of the Dragoon and other spooky. mystet'iotts stories.
Room on the Broom Sun 2 Nov. 2pm. £5 (£3.50). Sandeman llouse. Trunks (‘lose. 55 High Street. 557 5724. Ages 6+ attd families. Best-selling author Julia Donaldson ('l'lu' (irttflti/n. T/ll' Snmrlt'sl (iiunl in 'Iinrn) will be acting out her tale about a friendly witch as well as reading from and signing copies of her new book The Snail and [he ll'lttl/t'.
Outside the Cities
Activities And Fun
Spooky Happenings t‘ntil 1’ri 31 ()ct. 10am 5pm. £3 (£2). Altnond Valley Heritage ('entre. Milliield.
Livingston. 01506 414957. Strange beings lurk in the shadows of the darkest. spookiest corners of the Old Mill. Are you brave enough to discover their secrets'.’
Fireworks Display Wed 5 .\'ov. 6pm. Strathclyde (‘ountry Park. 366 Hamilton Road. Motherwell. 01698 266155. Fireworks and a bonfire to mark (iuy Fawkes night. Children’s Craft Classes Sat 8 Nov. 2—4pm. £4 per session. Paisley Arts Centre. New Street. Paisley. 887 1010. Weekly craft classes for 6--1 l- y'ear-olds exploring drawing. painting. clay modelling and jewellery tnaking. Booking essential.
Fesfival
Darkest Ayrshire Hallowe’en Festival l'ntil Sat 1 Nov. Burns National Heritage Park. Murdoch's Loan. Alloway. ()1292 443700. A series of events and performances around the theme of llallowe'en focusing on the haunted Auld Kirk Alloway. scene of Robert Burns' ghost story Tam ()‘Shanter.
Theatre & Dance
Spend a Penny Sat 1 Nov. 1pm. £4 (£2.50). Paisley Arts Centre. New Street. Paisley. 887 1010. Ages 4—9. See (ilasgow.
Cloudland Thu 13 Stm 16 Nov. Thu & l-‘ri 10.30am 8; 1.30pm; Sat 1 lam & 2pm; Sun 11am & 3pm. £3.50. MacRohert. l’niversity of Stirling. Stirling. 01786 466666. Ages 3—6. The story of Albert who falls off a mountain into cloudland in this specially devised play for young children from ’I'ravelling Light Theatre (‘ompanyz
Books
Telling Tales Sat 8 Nov. l lam. Dundee Rep. Tay Square. Dundee. 01382 223530. Members of the Dundee Rep company tell tales old and new to kids aged 5 8.
(30 Oct—13 Nov 2003 THE LIST 103