AroundTown
The Actor’s Bothy Tue 8 & 15 Feb, 7–9pm. £5 per session. Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), 350 Sauchiehall Street, 332 7521. A weekly Meisner studio for professional actors and students who want to maintain or learn more about this technique. FREE TouchBase Live! – Batteries Not Included Fri 11 Feb, 10am–noon. TouchBase Business Centre, Kinning Park, www.sensescotland.org.uk/touchbase An open workshop with Sense Scotland exploring interactive and diverse approaches to music and lyric making through tactile, experimental and multi-sensory approaches. Part of Let’s Get Lyrical.
EDINBURGH Activities & Events FREE Waxing Lyrical with Donny O’Rourke Fri 4–Thu 24 Feb, times vary. Various libraries, www.letsgetlyrical.com. Bring along a favourite lyric to discuss. Part of Let’s Get Lyrical. Salsa Buena Social Night Fri 4 Feb, 9.30pm. £5 (£4). Thomas Morton Hall, Ferry Road, Leith, 225 5525. A salsa class to take at your own pace with teachers from Dance Base, followed by social dancing. Persian Pub Quiz Sat 5 Feb, 9–11pm. £1. Greenmantle, 44 West Crosscausway, 662 8741. A pub quiz themed around Iran. Maximum six per team. Part of Edinburgh Iranian Festival. FREE Song Tombola Mon 7 Feb, 3pm. Gilmerton Library, 13 Newtoft Street, 529 5628. Help to create a giant, genre- spanning patchwork poem featuring everybody’s favourite lyrics. Part of Let’s Get Lyrical. Geowalks: Arthur’s Seat Tue 8 Feb, 10am–1pm. £9 (children £5). Venue tbc, 555 5488. Guided walk around parts of the old volcano that the casual visitor never sees. Meeting point to be disclosed on booking. Booking essential. FREE Victoria’s Language Cafe Tue 8 Feb, 7pm. Victoria, 265 Leith Walk, 555 1638. A meet-up for people interested in learning languages. Snowdrop Walks Fri 11–Sun 13 Feb, 11am–noon. £3. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 3937. Discover the wonderful specialist snowdrop collection with a guided tour. Ages 14+. The Black Dinner Sat 12 & Sun 13 Feb, 11am–3pm. Included in admission: £14 (£11.20; children £7.50). Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, 225 9846. Historical re-enactment of a murderous dinner party. See caption. FREE Coolest Walk on Earth Sun 13 Feb, 9am–noon. Holyrood Park Education Centre, 1 Queen’s Drive, 652 8150. Discover how Arthur’s Seat was sculpted by ice. FREE Message in a Bottle Sun 13 & Mon 14 Feb, 12–4pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. Send a love message in a bottle. FREE The Battle of Prestonpans Tapestry: Demonstrations and Stories Mon 14 Feb, 12–3pm. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. The Prestonpans Volunteer Regiment storm Edinburgh via the Storytelling Centre’s Netherbow Gate.
Exhibitions FREE The Battle of Prestonpans Tapestry Sat 12 Feb & Mon 14 Feb–Thu 17 Feb, 10am–6pm. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Designed by artist Andrew Crummy and woven by a team of volunteers the tapestry depicts the events around the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans. FREE Naturally Lyrical Thu 3 Feb–Thu 17 Feb, 10am–4pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2979. An exhibition looking at song lyrics that deal with the natural world, such as ‘Earth Song’ and ‘Blowin’ in the Wind.’ Part of Let’s Get Lyrical. Fairs & Markets Edinburgh Antique Fair Sat 12 Feb, 10am–4.30pm & Sun 13 Feb, 10am–4pm. £2.50. Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston,
34 THE LIST 3–17 Feb 2011
335 6200. An excellent selection of antiques and vintage items. FREE Ghillie Dhu Makers Market Sat 12 Feb, 10am–3pm. Ghillie Dhu, 2 Rutland Place, 222 9930. New monthly craft market featuring designs by independent makers and artists from around Scotland. Talks An Introduction to Howard Hawks Thu 3 Feb, 6.30–8pm. £5. Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, 228 2688. Adrian Wootton, CEO of Film London, delivers a talk, illustrated with clips, on the filmmaker’s career and life. FREE Looking Through Vermeer Fri 4 Feb, 12.45–1.30pm. Weston Link, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6560. Talk on Vermeer’s painting techniques. FREE Tourism, Marketing and Modern Iran Fri 4 Feb, 6–7pm. David Hume Tower, George Square, 650 4400. Historically rich but somewhat off-putting for all but the most adventurous tourists: a discussion of the problems the country faces in marketing itself. Part of Edinburgh Iranian Festival. FREE Talk on Persian Carpets Fri 4 Feb, 9–10pm. Persian Rug Village, 34 Morningside Road, 446 7071. Does what it says on the tin. Part of Edinburgh Iranian Festival The Extraordinary Biology of Hoverflies Sat 5 Feb, 2–3pm. £5 (£4). National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. A talk on these outstanding insects. FREE Talk on Persian Tiles Sat 5 Feb, 6–7pm. David Hume Tower, George Square, 650 4400. A talk on these beautiful and often highly symbolic items. Part of Edinburgh Iranian Festival. FREE Material Experience: Unpacking the Work of Karla Black Mon 7 Feb, 12.45–1.30pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 75 Belford Road, 624 6200. Sarah Lowndes discusses the influences of the Glasgow sculptural and installation artist. Burgh Schools and Academies in Scotland 1780–1880 Mon 7 Feb, 6.30pm. £5 (£2.50). The Glasite Meeting House, 33 Barony Street, ahss.org.uk/events. Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland lecture.
The Black Dinner
✽✽ Citizen Science Mon 7 Feb, 7.30–8.30pm. £3 (£1.50). Royal
Observatory Visitor Centre, Blackford Hill, 668 8404. Come along to hear all about the ‘Zooniverse’ project from Stuart Lynn. What’s the zooniverse? It’s a zecret, zilly. So you’ll just have to head along to find out. FREE Authenticity and Naivety: Painting in St Ives Between the Wars Tue 8 Feb, 12.45–1.30pm. Weston Link, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6560. Dr Jonathan Blackwood examines Cornish naive art movement of the 1920s and 30s. FREE RBGE Show and Tell: Herbaceous Borders Wed 9 Feb, 1.30–3pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2979. Learn about the work of the RBGE’s Herbaceous Borders team. FREE The Young Vermeer: History, Stories, Questions Fri 11 Feb, 12.45–1.30pm. National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound, 624 6560. Senior Curator Tico Seifert looks at three paintings from Vermeer’s early career in their historical contexts. FREE August Sander Opening Lecture Sat 12 Feb, 2–3pm. National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound, 624 6560. Gerd Sander gives a talk to mark the opening of the Artist Rooms exhibition of his grandfather’s work. Hunting the Dragon Mon 14 Feb, 7.30–8.30pm. £3 (£1.50). Royal Observatory Visitor Centre, Blackford Hill, 668 8404. Something violent is attacking the centre of galaxies in our universe. Is it a) a big dragon; b) a supermassive black hole; or c) as yet unknown? Andy Lawrence is going to have a shot at finding out; The List says: option a. FREE Poussin to Seurat: Building a Collection of French Drawings Tue 15 Feb, 12.45–1.30pm. National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound, 624 6560. A talk on how the collection of French drawings was acquired over the years. Jacobite Talk and Discussion Thu 17 Feb, 7.30pm. £4 (£3). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. An interesting lecture and discussion about the role of story in changing perspectives on the Jacobite rebellion and its figurehead, Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Workshops Romantic Pampering Presents Sat 5 Feb, 10am–3pm. £16.50 for the day, plus £5 for materials. Leith Academy, 20 Academy Park, 553 2810. Make some fragrant treats just in time for Valentine’s Day. Photopolymer & Solarplate Printing Sat 5 & Sun 6 Feb, 10am–5.30pm. £145 (£97). Edinburgh Printmakers, 23 Union Street, 557 2479. Learn the art and techniques of photo- intaglio printing. FREE Santour Music Classes Sat 5 Feb, 11am–noon. Persian Rug Village, 34 Morningside Road, 446 7071. Free taster classes in traditional Iranian Santour music. Part of Edinburgh Iranian Festival. Introduction to Proof Reading Sat 12 Feb, 10am–3pm. £16.50. Leith Academy, 20 Academy Park, 553 2810. Spott the errers in this listng . . . etc. If you found them, there’s a chance you may be interested in this one-day workshop. FREE Highland Fabrics Sat 12 Feb, 10am–3.30pm. City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, 529 3993. Make a corsage or hair piece from traditional Scottish textiles. Portrait Photography Sat 12 Feb, 11am–5pm. £59 (£49). Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, 622 6200. One-day course covering formal and informal portraiture and studio and natural lighting. Book Binding Sat 12 & Sun 13 Feb, 11am–5pm. £130 (£90). Edinburgh Printmakers, 23 Union Street, 557 2479. Learn how to fold and stitch your own hardback book. Dr Sketchy’s Anti-Art School Sun 13 Feb, 3pm. £7 (£6). The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. Win alcohol and fancy art supplies at this antidote to solemn, lifeless life classes. FREE Working in Music Tue 15 Feb, 4–5pm. Muirhouse Library, 15 Pennywell Court, 529 5528. A songwriting and recording workshop for ages 16–25. Booking essential. Part of Let’s Get Lyrical.
✽✽ Lomography: Creative Analogue Photography
Thursdays, 17 Feb–10 Mar, 11am–2pm. £149 (£129). Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, 622 6200. Inject your memories with a shot of nostalgic cool by learning how to use Lomo cameras. See Hitlist.
Valentine’s Day got you feeling a little murderous? Well, back in 1440, Sir William Crichton, keeper of Edinburgh Castle, was feeling the same way. Come and sublimate it all with this historical reenactment of the Black Dinner, at which the two teenage chiefs of the Douglas clan were murdered in front of the (then ten-year-old) king. There. Puts your romantic worries into a bit of perspective, dunnit? ■ Edinburgh Castle, Sat 12 & Sun 13 Feb, 11am–3pm. Entry included in admission to castle: £14 (£11.20; children £7.50).