ScotsGay 105 - ScotsGay Magazine

ScotsGay 

scotsgay.co.uk 

ISSUE 105 

SCENE REPORTS 

JohnQuipp 

DUNDEE3 

JodieFleming-Stanley 

EDINBURGH4 

AndiWatson 

ABERDEEN4 

Criz 

GLASGOW5 

CarolineSnow 

THE HIGHLANDS5 

HIV REPORT3 

GARRY OTTON6 

FILM REVIEWS25 

VENUES8 

COMMUNITY 

GROUPS26 

CONTACT ADS29 

£1.50 WHERE SOLD 

Noel 

Tovey 

LITTLE BLACK B 

Five Star Show at 

the Gilded Balloon 

Reviewed Inside 

Festivals Coverage by 

Lawrence Bowles 

Tony Challis 

David Donegan 

Jodie Fleming-Stanley 

John Hein 

Joshua Hepple 

Thomas Johnston 

Stephen Mathieson 

Ian Mitchell 

Henry Petrides 

Martin Powell 

Pete Shaw 

Christina Sutton 

Martin Walker 

Angus Wyatt 

Andrew Doyle talks to 

Noel Fieding & Paul Foot 

A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE EDITED, PRINTED and PUBLISHED IN SCOTLAND SINCE 1994 • DISTRIBUTED IN LGBT AND OTHER SELECTED VENUES

special report 

International AIDS Conference 

Stigma and discrimination 

limit access to HIV prevention and 

care. 

Steve O’Donnell reports from 

the XVlll International AIDS 

Conference in Vienna 

The theme of the XVlll 

International AIDS Conference was 

‘Rights Here, Right Now’ 

highlighting the need to bring 

human rights agenda and HIV 

prevention, treatment and support 

together. The call for human rights 

as a fundamental component of 

efforts to prevent new infections and provide 

treatment for people living with HIV 

pervaded the Conference in Austria and both 

delegates and local residents gave voice to 

the theme in a march through the streets of 

Vienna culminating in a rally featuring a live 

performance by Annie Lennox and speeches 

by government leaders, activists and people 

affected by HIV. 

Paula Akugizibwe of the AIDS and 

Rights Alliance of Southern Africa told the 

Conference the greatest barriers to 

achieving universal access to HIV treatment 

and prevention are not only economic and 

also social and political challenges. In order 

to accelerate the progress and achieve 

sustained success in the response to HIV, 

there is an urgent need for that response to 

be based on concrete human rights 

principles. Key steps include ending laws 

that criminalise HIV transmission and 

marginalise groups most at risk including 


a monthly magazine for 

LGBT folk and friends. 

ISSN: 1357-0595. Unless otherwise stated 

© Pageprint Publishers Litd, August 2010. PO Box 

666, Edinburgh. EH7 5YW. Non profit use of material 

in the magazine, will normally be permitted free of 

charge, but you must contact us first for permission. 

Views expressed in ScotsGay don't necessarily 

reflect the views of ScotsGay. People featured in 

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trans, straight, some, all, or none of the above. 

Editorial: 0131-539 0666 

editorial@scotsgay.co.uk 

Advertising: 07722 388903 

advertising@scotsgay.co.uk 

Editor John Hein 

Fringe Editor Martin Walker 

Advertising Jean Genie 

gay men and other men who have sex 

with men and sex workers. Such laws 

entrench stigma and prevent access to 

much needed HIV interventions. 

Vuyiseka Dubula, General 

Secretary of the Treatment Action 

Campaign stated that when national 

governments fail to recognise human 

rights violations that oppress and 

create legal and policy environments 

that punish those most vulnerable, they 

ignore the full spectrum of challenges 

that shape many HIV positive people’s 

prevention needs. There has been a lot 

of energy invested in bringing together 

cutting edge science with innovative policy 

and programming. Dr Brigitte Schmied, 

president of the Austrian AIDS Society, said 

“We need that same energy and creativity to 

break through the HIV-related stigma and 

discrimination that that prevents too many 

from benefitting from the knowledge we 

already have about how to save lives.” 

Annie Lennox also called on 

government leaders to stand up and protect 

the human rights of all people including gay 

men, sex workers, women and children and 

people who use drugs. “After nearly 3 

decades of this epidemic, we know that HIV 

is ultimately fuelled by injustice and social 

inequality,” said Lennox. “Those most 

impacted by AIDS have always been the 

most vulnerable and most powerless in 

society”. 

Gay men and other men who have sex 

with men are 19 times more likely to be 

infected with HIV than the general 

population in low- and middle-income 

countries yet only one in five has access to 

the HIV prevention, care and treatment 

services they urgently need. Tragic human 

rights violations play a significant role in the 

spread of HIV and the current state of the 

epidemic among gay men and other men 

who have sex with men. 

The incoming president of the 

International AIDS Society told the Vienna 

Conference “Discrimination against MSM 

[men who have sex with men] is not limited 

to any one area of the world and the failure 

to respect the human rights of MSM and to 

integrate MSM communities into evidencebased 

HIV prevention efforts is a driver of 

the epidemic in every global region. 

George Ayala, Executive Officer of the 

Global Forum on MSM and HIV (MSMGF) 

said, “When MSM are involved in HIV 

responses, HIV rates decline. When MSM 

are ignored or stigmatised, HIV 

transmission in MSM communities 

increases. Respecting the human rights of 

MSM is not only the right and just thing to 

do; it is also an essential piece of good 

public health policy that can significantly 

reduce the size and impact of this epidemic” 

Steve O’Donnell 

Project Manager 

Gay Men’s Health 

Edinburgh 

August 2010 

steve@gmh.org.uk 

dùn deagh 

DUNDEE 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hola Ladies and Gentle Ladies! 

If you’ve been out and about recently, 

you’ll know it’s all change here in Dundee – 

if not, then listen up – I’m going to fill you 

in! 

New kids on the block Abode are going 

from strength to strength, on St Andrews 

Street, they’re just a stone’s throw away 

from Out – you’ll always find something 

going on in there – Suzie and the karaoke 

team work their wee arses off in there Thu – 

Sat, if you fancy yourself as a bit of a singer 

– make sure you head down there and check 

it out. Brooks Bar has recently gone 

through a management changeover, let me 

check it out and let you know what the plans 

are here when the dust settles. Mike and the 

team from Brooks worked hard to make 

some changes to the bar, so hopefully the 

new management team will continue the 

efforts, you never know, Brooks may just be 

the coolest place in town – I’ll let you know 

what the deal is here in the next issue. 

Gauger and Out are still the main 

staples in Dundee, with friendly staff, 

friendly customers – these two venues are a 

MUST if you’re visiting the city. 

Open 7 days a week, the Gauger will 

welcome you with open arms - 

drink, banter and fashion tips from 

DJ Ross – what more do you need? 

If you’re heading out clubbing, Out 

will kick start your weekend from a 

Wed night, and with minimum 

pricing on entry to clubs in Dundee, 

you’ll find that it’s a total bargain to 

get in – and Wed/Thu nights, they’ll 

even hang up your coat for free! 

There’s an exciting new club night 

happening in Dundee next month, held 

2 3 

JohnQuipp 

dundee@scotsgay.co.uk 

in Fat Sam’s you could end up MINTED 

by the end of the night, clear the 10th of 

Sep in your diary, and search for MINTED 

Dundee for more details, with £1,000 up 

for grabs – what do you have to lose? 

Visitors to Dundee - make sure you 

check out Jocks Sauna, located near the city 

centre, you’ll find everything you’d expect 

from a premium Gay Health Club, check out 

their website at www.jockssauna.co.uk 

I want to give a special mention to a 

charity – DV8. Based in Dundee, DV8 is a 

charity aimed at young people aged 25 and 

under who have issues with their sexuality 

or with the sexuality of a member of their 

family. These guys will offer practical and 

emotional support to young people in the 

city 

– if you’re young and need 

support, or would just like to talk to 

someone about issues that you face, give 

these guys a shout on Dundee (01382) 

206222. 

That’s all from me, back to the grind(r) 

stone at the radio station this month. I’ve 

been a busy boy of late, but don’t worry – 

you’ll see me lurking in the corners of your 

scene with my spiral bound note book – I’m 

watching you!

glaschu 

GLASGOW 

Well well back again! I start with news of Scene 

with its Tue night ‘Don’t Fuckup The Lyrics’ and the 

equally popular Thu quiz night hosted by the very 

pretty Mr Thom Glow and his lovely new hair do! 

The bar is as busy as ever with its scantily clad 

waiting staff at the weekend. A mixed age group 

allows this bar to attract a very diverse crowd. The 

pool room is full every night although I do hear 

there is a free pool night as well! The bar staff are 

always welcoming and friendly and I just love 

those flavoured ciders! 

Revolver plans to have a new kit night on Wed 

nights so dust off your rugby top. Sports tops and 

shorts and shapes and sizes welcome. Video killed 

the radio star on Mon nights and the new 

‘Queeraoke’ on Tue is drawing a crowd. Camp Sun 

and quiz Sat afternoons are still going strong and 

let's not forget Bear night on the first Fri of the 

month. This is one of the few locations where you 

can get a coffee whenever you wish. 

Speakeasy has its pre Passionality on Mon and 

its quiz night on Tue, with amazing cocktails 

dùn eideann 

EDINBURGH 

Hey all, we’re mid festival mayhem and I’m sure 

I’m not the only one who wants to put a 

sledgehammer through people’s heads right now. 

Thankfully we have a vibrant scene to escape to, 

so let’s get together and seek some scene solace 

from the madness that is festival fever! 

First up – Roll up, Roll up …. The circus is in 

town!! We have a huge festival Tackno on Sun 

29th Aug at Electric Circus - aptly themed Big Top 

Tackno, and as it’s a Bank Holiday with extended 

festival opening hours, you can party for longer 

without fear of that Monday Morning hangover at 

work!! So get on down and clown around to DJ 

Trendy Wendy’s Big Top Tunes … and Fancy 

Nancy will be treating you to all the fun of the fair 

with a freak show! Ah the potential for jokes it 

sooooo huge in that one, but yeah it’s a real freak 

show as opposed to the self-creating one which 

the Edinburgh scene can occasionally morph into! 

So as if all that wasn’t enough, there will also be a 

private karaoke session available, and each of the 

rooms will be turned into a very special big top 

sideshow. You can have your fortune sung to you 

by Gypsy Rosa Lou Laa, or take a change on the 

wheel of Four-Tunes! Dress to distress from 

tight-tastic tightropes to bearded folk & 

flamethrowers... Check out www.tackno.com 

for more info. 

Festival special Mumbo Jumbo is held on 

Sat 21st Aug at the Bongo Club, from 11pm- 

5am! Join resident DJs Trendy Wendy & Steve 

Austin, and guest DJ Martin Brew. 

Down at Edinburgh’s newest bar, Elbow, 

the open mike night is really taking off with 

hoardes of people coming along to introduce 

their new sets – every Sun from 9pm. They 

have their Quiz every Tuesday at 8.30pm, 

with live music on the first Fri of each month 

with house band The Hanley Tree. And then, 

can you believe it’s been a whole year 

already?? Elbow celebrate their 1st birthday 

on Sat 4th Sep so it’s party time then! 

Throughout the festival, CC Blooms have 

been a veritable hub of activity with their 

late license and many themed evenings of 

entertainment. Every Tue is Pop Du Jour, 

with DJ Paton and his eclectic mix of pop 

and dancefloor classics. Paton allows you 

full control as he accepts requests at CC's 

most random night. Bar open from 8pm, DJ 

from 11pm until 5am.. Edinburgh’s oldest 

fully lgbt club!! Another huge hit at CC’s is 

Sunday Skool, as DJ Shelle La Belle takes you 

back to the ‘90s and pumps out those old 

classics. Strictly 90's dancefloor fillers for you 

to bust some shapes to! A newer night of fun 

is the Saturday - Saturday Showdown. It's DJ 

Shazza vs DJ Blondie, battling it our across 2 

floors for your dancing feet. DJ Shazza plays 

chart upstairs while DJ Blondie plays a harder 

Criz 

glasgow@scotsgay.co.uk 

JodieFleming-Stanley 

edinburgh@scotsgay.co.uk 

cramming them in. The late opening hours also 

help to make this an alternative to the clubs and 

let's not forget that this is THE place to get food 

- until 9pm anyway. A little butterfly tells me 

that might change with a new venue, watch this 

space for more info, when we know so will 

you! 

Gay @Play with DJ Darren remains busy, as 

there seem to be a lot of you out on a Wed 

night. Polo and Del's are also really busy on a 

Wed with a very young feel to the night that can 

put a smile on the most jaded of face! It pays to 

get there early, if you want a sit down! 

Now the Waterloo may be a bit out of your way 

but it's well worth it. The witty and charming Cheri 

Treiffel is doing bingo on Sun afternoon and 

Michelle is running the Karaoke on Sat. The bar 

staff are always willing and you are never sort of a 

chat with some of Glasgow’s characters. 

Bennets may be Glasgow's oldest club but it 

can still pack them in. It has Mon The Box with 

Raymo, Wed Divas with Marc, Thu Thrust with 

versions of those pop/dancefloor classics. It's a 

fight to the finish. Bar open from 6pm, DJs from 

11pm until 5am during the festival. Spoiling you 

even further this month, 

CCs host ELECTROsexual on the first Fri of 

each month, this month downstairs on Fri 3rd Sep. 

This is ultimately a celebration of the mighty 

bootleg. You can expect to hear an eclectic mix of 

all your favourite anthems from days of yore right 

up to 2010, but with a twist. ELECTROsexual is a 

radio edit free zone. Only the best, rarest, 

cheekiest, dirtiest of remixes make it past the 

discerning ears of residents Lucky Luciano & 

Kenwai. 

Next up, Bearsparty will be running their dance 

in Edinburgh on Fri 20th Aug and then on Fri 24th 

Sep, at Studio 24. Also in September there will be 

a Bears Film Trip, with an outing to see Give Me 

Your Hand at the Filmhouse as part of the London 

Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. This will be on Thu 

2nd Sep at 6pm. For more info, check out the 

bearsparty facebook page for a discount price. 

Also, for those of you who like your men muddy 

and in shorts they are running a trip to watch 

Edinburgh Rugby Club’s 1st home game of the 

Magners League on Fri 10th Sep. As if that 

wasn’t enough, there’s also loads going on 

with Bearsparty Glasgow. Is there no stopping 

these bears?? And why would we want to?? 

Doon the way at ‘oor Café Habana, they’re 

doing what they do best this month with the 

amazing Festival Frolics Drag Show returning 

for a second year. Back by popular demand, 

they will have drag queens on stage Sun-Thu 

Thu from 11pm-Midnight and Sat from 8-10pm. 

Habana sure are devoting themselves 

wholeheartedly to cabaret this month, giving us 

what we all want! All week long each show is 

different, which means 6 different shows per 

week. The cast this year are Miss Coco Chanel, 

Misty Hymen, Sushe Buffet and Penny Arcade 

(Hot Honey Drag). After the show you can dance 

the night away with a DJ on Every night til 3am. 

My, we’re a spoilt bunch indeed!! Also at Habana 

on Sun 29th Aug, they are holding their beach 

party – fancy dress is optional but would be a fair 

treat. And in true charitable Habana style, they 

will be collecting all month long for Richmond 

Hope charity. 

Down at Priscillas this month, they are 

closing off the festival in style with the return of 

Miss Cheri Treiffel on the Sat 4th Sep until 3am. 

And of course Miss Scarlet Diamonte. Then to 

get us over post-festival blues, some new 

nights on offer –firstly, Prove It – a talent night 

every Mon and Wed, where acts of any sort 

take our stage to try and impress. This could 

be your chance to be discovered!! The last 2 

weeks have been really successful and the 

night is guaranteed to grow and grow. Phase 1 of 

Marc, 

Fierce Fri with Grant, Dorothy Loves 

Sat with Grant and Mikee Mayhem Sun with Marc. 

And now we come to Castro. Well it is still open 

for now, but I'm sorry to tell you that may not be 

for much longer. It's such a pity when there is a 

really need for this type of community centre. By 

the time we go to print it may well be closed. Ah 

well, roll on Centre Five (Sauchiehall Street. Dixon 

Street. Bell Street x 2). 

And on that sad note I must be about ma 

whorin'. Until our next merry meeting this witch 

must fly! 

Priscillas’ 

facelift is steaming ahead - they have a 

brand new cool air con system installed which has 

made a huge difference. Now they’re just waiting 

for planning permission to be granted and phase 2 

can begin! Also they’ll be hosting Drama’s preparty 

every Tue. 

As just briefly mentioned there, Drama – 

Edinburgh’s newest gay night! Being held at 

Hawke & Hunter every Tuesday evening, they will 

also be collecting for a different community charity 

every 3 months. Drama launched early Aug, 

starting 11pm – and was a roaring success. 

Bringing back the popularity of gay Tuesdays, go 

check out this stylish new night of ‘polysexual’ 

clubbing!! 

For the girls – Velvet are hosting one of their 

infamous drag nights this month, on Sat 21st Aug. 

We all know how you girls just love to drag it up, 

so get your moustaches at the ready, slick on 

those side burns and get ready to party with some 

of the hottest tunes. 

Also for the girls, Fur Burger at GHQ – next date 

Fri 10th Sep. For all the aural stimulation your 

senses can handle! 

And last but not least, for all you serious quiz 

buffs – The World Famous Regent Quiz just got 

even more famous with its second Festival airing. 

And this issue we have 2 dates to offer! Tue 31st 

Aug and Tue 28th Sep. So you think you’re smart? 

So you think you’re a lil bit clever? Get your ass 

down to the Regent and prove it. As this is the only 

quiz on the scene with 6 interactive rounds 

including a music round. Bringing quizzery to a 

new level! 

See you all around folks! 

a’ ghaidhealtach 

HIGHLANDS 

Hey folks. I hope that you’ve had a great 

summer. Who knows, by the time you read this it 

may be a sunny Scottish September day. I live in 

hope!! 

Here’s what’s been going on and what will be 

going on, up in the North… 

Inverness doesn’t have a Pride or an arts 

festival but it is hosting this years National LGBT 

Forum! On Sat 4th Sep from 1pm at the Ramada 

Hotel in Church Street. It’s subtitled ‘Everywhere 

Equal’ and I thank the Equality Network for hosting 

it in the Highlands this year. As Scott says on the 

very groovy flyer ‘We know what the issues are, 

we know what the barriers are. But what are we 

going to do about it?’ It’ll be great to meet folk 

from all around the country and to problem solve 

together and then do something about it!! Please 

contact Scott if you’d like to attend. Tel: 07020 

933952 or E-mail: scott@equality-network.org 

Out Out West (the new LGBT group in the 

Western Isles) are having a weekend camping on 

the Isle of Harris at this campsite run by two gay 

guys http://www.freewebs.com/vanvon/ If you 

would like to go with them, the weekend 

will be 10th/11th Sep. For more 

information and contacts, visit the 

discussion board on the Out Out West 

facebook page. If you’ve never been to the 

Western Isles here’s your perfect 

opportunity. Harris and Lewis are beautifully 

tranquil and the group is great fun to be 

with. Don’t believe anyone who mentions 

anything about me and a gin fueled night in 

Stornoway... 

The Pink Castle Philosophy Club are a 

group of friends who take an interest in a 

variety of topics associated with life and living 

obar dheadhainn 

ABERDEEN 

After a month off it’s back and at it with the 

news, gossip and more from this wee corner of 

Scotland. Fundraising, and Freshers' Fayres with 

THT, Bobbie’s rinsing her gusset for more drag fun 

at ICON formerly MyClub and Scotland’s very own 

Mary Kiani LIVE in Aberdeen. 

Terrence Higgins Trust in Aberdeen are gearing 

up for a busy few weeks ahead, Sun 5th Sep sees 

a Wear RED Night at Cheerz Bar & Club, £1 entry 

includes a chance to win some fabulous prizes! 

Then a few weeks later the freshers roll into town 

THT will be on hand at Aberdeen College, 

Aberdeen University and RGU Freshers' dishing 

out free condoms, pens and advice on safer sex as 

well as offering free Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea 

testing in conjunction with NHS Grampian. 

Out and about on the scene Bobbie Dazzler’s 

been cillit banging her gusset in readiness for a 

night of sketches and LIVE vocals with Miss 

Cherry Bakewell, Miss Paella Valencia and Miss 

Shortcake on Fri 20th Aug at ICON the new name 

for MyClub, Oh Henrys, Indigo, HOME whatever 

you want to call it down the Adelphi, the show 

starts 11pm Sharp! Club open from 10pm. Get in 

early to get yourself a seat, unfortunately due to an 

incident with her 

CarolineSnow 

highlands@scotsgay.co.uk 

AndiWatson 

aberdeen@scotsgay.co.uk 

in the 21st Century. If you 

would like to find out about 

the club's latest meetings and 

events you can E-mail 

morgan@tramstop.org or 

contact Morgan on Dores 

(01463) 751258 or 07745 

930383. There is also the website 

www.pinkcastle.eu 

The night club HUSH (Academy Street, 

Inverness) invites you to have a drink after work 

and start the weekend early! Doors open at 7pm. 

Over 21s only. All LGBT and friends welcome to 

"The New Friday Night Project - House Has Come 

Home", with DJ Cisco. 

The photographs are of the Highland LGBT 

Forum’s stall at the Inverness Highland Games. 

Mike is with rainbow flag. Christine is with her 

partner Suzie Gentle who represented Age 

Scotland and is also the driving force behind the 

Rainbow Folk (who are doing awareness raising of 

LGBT issues for older people). With Joanne are 

two visitors from Munich; Sabine and 

Sandra. A good and productive day was 

had by all I believe. 

Last month I mentioned the 

excellent course that the Youth Group 

and I are doing. Here’s what one 

member wrote about it; 

‘Walking through the door going to 

the MASHED course was very nerve 

racking as was not knowing who 

would be there or if they would like 

me. But I got introduced to it by my 

mate and I thought well, there’s 

nothing else to do, so why not. The 

first day was good fun and very rewarding. Then it 

fluffy duster in her 

penthouse flat in Torry 

Miss Audrey Country- 

Manor can’t make it 

along! 

Cheerz Bar & Club 

have been shuffling things 

about and have came up 

with a few things to keep 

the gays and girls amused 

starting with Mary Kiani on 

Fri 27th Aug performing her 

new single plus the 90’s 

classics “When I Call Your 

Name”, “Let The Music 

Play” and “The Ultimate 

High”. Supporting Mary will 

be new boy band INJU5TICE 

(www.youtube.com/user/inju5tice), let's show the 

guys that us Aberdonians support new talent! For 

those of you looking for love or less the shag tag is 

back on the last Thursday of every month with a 

shiny new format. As well as big nights such as 

Mary join the gang at Cheerz for Karaoke-Sat thru 

Thurs, Chart & cheesy tunes, drinks deals and 

more! Find Cheerz on Facebook @ 

www.facebook.com/cheerzbarclub and 

www.facebook.com/cheerzbar 

If you’ve been out in the city recently you may 

have had a big lens pointed at you by Aidan Jones 

or Matt Craig. These guys are the city’s newest 

nightlife photographers and are also available for 

weddings, photo shoots and more. Have a look at 

the website and see if you were snapped in one of 

the city’s pubs or clubs www.aidan-jones.co.uk 

Vallure is a fabulous new café and wine bar in 

Inverurie and the new venue has pulled a massive 

coup in getting the amazing singer/songwriter 

Horse McDonald along to a pre-launch of the new 

LGBT friendly venue on Sat 21st Aug, Horse will 

perform from 7.30pm on the evening. Tickets are 

£20 inc buffet. This is a great idea for a small town 

like Inverurie to have a venue that you can chill out 

in with a coffee or a cheeky glass of wine of an 

was time for the second 

week and I still was still a bit nervous. But 

afterwards I was totally sure because it focuses on 

you as a person not on what other people see. 

Tracey (the course leader) never judged anyone 

that went. And she’s not like a boss or a teacher as 

she said to us “you are the bosses”. After a while I 

am starting to feel more confident in myself and 

my self-esteem has gone up - which I never 

expected to happen EVER, but somehow this 

course has done it. I’ve made new mates through 

it and the tasks are good and pretty easy but it’s all 

to make a point. It has made an impact in my life, 

made me feel better about myself and now I can 

walk in anywhere with my head held high. And it 

feels great.’ 

When I read that for the first time it truly 

brought a tear to my eye. As I said to the young 

person, I truly hope that they keep that with them 

for life. www.mashedyouthproject.com if you know 

of groups of young people that would benefit too. 

We are making a wee film each, more about that 

next month. 

It’s a positive note to finish on but ties in rather 

nicely with considering the support and awareness 

raising that we still need. With that thought I hope 

to meet some of you on Saturday 4th. 

evening. For more 

information contact Val Deans at Garioch Centre, 

Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. AB51 4UY or Telephone 

Inverurie (01467) 622966. 

Zone Youth, the group for 12-26 year old LGBT 

young people in Aberdeen recently went to LGBT 

Youth Scotland’s National Gathering at Tulliallan 

Castle and Police College where they took part in 

workshops and elections to the LGBT National 

Youth Council. This is just a small part of what the 

group get up to. To find out more search for Zone 

Youth LGBT on Facebook or E-mail: 

youth.Aberdeen@tht.org.uk 

Hopefully that’s everything rounded up for 

another month, if you have any news, events, 

gossip happening in the area drop me a mail to the 

usual address. 

4 5

BADGE of SHAME 

The History of the Repeal of Section 28 

Part 34 - The Catholic Miltants 

By April 2000, The Herald ran a report on 

The Society for the Defence of Tradition, 

Family, Property, (TFP). Formed in 1989, TFP 

was funded by private individuals and had 

1,000 part-time members in Scotland; 4,000 

across the UK. Their director Philip Moran 

linked homosexuality with pædophilia. 20,000 

leaflets went out requesting donations of up 

to £25; enclosed were postcards that people 

were urged to send to the First Minister, 

Donald Dewar. The letter stated: “If we do not 

stand fast for traditional moral values, you, 

your children and the Scottish people will 

suffer the dire consequences, both morally 

and socially. Homosexual acts are an 

unnatural vice and a moral disorder - they are 

sins that cry out to heaven for vengeance”. 

Moran was dismissive of any consequences 

of his actions: “Of course, some will be upset 

by the truth, but sometimes the truth hurts”, 

he was reported saying. The Catholic 

‘Sexfinder General’, Monsignor Tom Connelly, 

while not willing to say “anything in support 

of TFP… couldn’t wholly condemn them 

either…” because he “simply didn’t know 

enough about them”. The Herald found ‘Keep 

the Clause’s Jack Irvine taking much the 

same line: “He also refused to support or 

condemn TFP”. The Herald suggested in its 

editorial that TFP “would be in deep legal 

water if, say, the word black replaced 

homosexual in the odious leaflet it has been 

distributing in Scotland... Unlike other 

newspapers (that seem to be leaving Section 

28 behind in their damaging wake, having 

found new targets to replace a discredited 

campaign) we believe in full, fair, and open 

debate”. But how true was that? The paper 

expected every submission for their letters 

pages to be prepared to include their name 

and address for publication which was always 

likely to be weighted heavily in favour of 

militant religionists who were less shy of their 

predilection. In the pervading climate, The 

Herald supported the government throughout 

the debate in its editorial stance, yet reflected 

the opinions of both sides of the argument in 

its Letters to the Editor pages. E J Hart from 

Helensburgh wrote: “As a 14-year-old 

schoolboy newspaper deliverer in 1940 when 

one of the advantages was to have wee free 

keeks at the Glasgow Herald, and its 

stablemate the Bulletin much taken by the 

ladies as a more compactly sized pictorial 

journal (never a tabloid, oh dear, no). I have 

followed its fortunes ever since, save for war 

service… In all these six decades I have 

never experienced such opprobrium as has 

appeared in the Letters to the Editor page 

these seemingly interminable weeks…” The 

batch of religionists who wrote regular 

columns in the paper expressing naked 

homophobia in The Herald under its religious 

editor, Harry Reid, were stirred by the Section 

28 debate, but with more gays in Scotland 

than bums on pews, and without one 

outspoken liberal with an unembarrassed 

grasp of sexual politics; was it balanced? 

The Sunday Herald, a lot more confident 

about sexual issues with a younger editor, 

supported Catholic Church liberal Father 

Fitzsimmons who put himself on a collision 

course with Cardinal Winning when he said: 

“Most priests don’t want to risk putting their 

heads above the parapet but I can’t stand by 

and say nothing while we have Winning 

supporting the retention of Section 28. It is 

the most malicious piece of legislation ever 

placed on a statute book and it has no place 

in a civilised country. We should imagine the 

words ‘promotion of homosexuality’ being 

replaced with ‘promotion of Catholicism’ or 

‘promotion of Judaism’.” 

GarryOtton 

Follow Garry Otton 

on Facebook. 

The Sunday Herald was happy to give a 

voice to anyone who dared challenge the 

militant Catholic Church’s position on sex 

and sexuality. Mark Miller, one of the world’s 

highest paid comic book writers had just 

finished a DC comic book, The Authority 

featuring gay superhero Apollo kissing 

Midnighter on the cheek. The Scottish Sun 

declared “fury at world’s 1st homosexual 

comic heroes”. The Catholic Church tore into 

the comic as an insidious attempt to present 

homosexual role models to adolescents. 

“This kind of material will serve to increase 

the justified anxiety among parents over the 

whole issue of lifting Section 28”, a 

spokesman said, although quite how Section 

28 would have done this wasn’t explained. 

Mrs Ann Allen from the Kirk’s ridiculously 

named ‘Board of Social Responsibility’ 

declared in The Record: “Children need to be 

protected from this sex-mad society and to 

introduce such issues into comic books is 

very unhealthy”. There was, nonetheless, a 

ripple of surprise when it was revealed Mark 

Miller was a lay priest! He told The Sunday 

Herald: “I’m shocked by the behaviour of the 

Church. It has been horrible and 

homophobic – medieval, backward and 

Stalinist. They seem to delight in victimising 

homosexuals. I can’t believe my own Church 

is acting like this. It was pathetic the way 

they turned on me”. In a separate story The 

Sunday Herald featured We Are Church, a 

pressure group that challenged Cardinal 

Winning’s conservative stance within the 

Catholic Church. Ronnie Convery, Director of 

Communications at the Archdiocese of 

Glasgow fumed: “We Are Church is a small 

pressure group which has had almost no 

influence in England and Wales and will have 

even less influence here. This group betrays 

a faulty understating of the nature of the 

Catholic Church. The Church is not 

democratic. It does not claim to be 

democratic. Morality is not settled by a show 

of hands in the Catholic Church”. 

The homophobic Scottish Daily Mail hit 

back in support of Cardinal Winning over 

what it described as the “bitter personal 

attacks over his defence of family values”. 

The bold headline declared: “Church leader 

targeted by gay activists over family values”, 

suggesting: “Cardinal Winning has been 

targeted by a succession of gay rights 

campaigners and liberal politicians who 

accused him of promoting a Right-wing 

extremist agenda”. Winning was slapped on 

the back for having “angered a wide-range of 

politically correct groups”. The Scottish Mail, 

after having described Father John 

Fitzsimmons as “a maverick priest”, brushed 

him aside. Cardinal Winning huffed: “Critics 

won’t silence me”. Shortly after, Father 

Fitzsimmons was summoned to a 

disciplinary meeting with his bishop, which 

was understood to have been at the behest 

of the papal nuncio, Archbishop Pablo 

Puente, the Pope’s ambassador to Britain. He 

was forced to issue a public apology to 

Cardinal Winning or face suspension. 

Along with a debate on the Sexual 

Offences (Amendment) Bill in the House of 

Lords, which was set to equalise the age of 

consent at 16, on Tue 11th Apr 2000, there 

was a reading of the Local Government Bill 

in the House of Commons, which contained 

proposals to repeal Section 28 in England 

and Wales. In 1999, the Lords threw out the 

Sexual Offences Bill, equalising the age of 

consent, at its second reading. If they did the 

same again, it would become law in just over 

a month by way of the Parliament Act 

because the House of Commons had passed 

it twice. Tory frontbencher, Baroness Blatch 

insisted in the Lords: “Children’s rights have 

given way to gay rights”. 

As for the Local Government Act, the 

elected Government in the House of 

Commons could have put back proposals to 

repeal Section 28 after the unelected House 

of Lords took them out. But because the 

measure had originated in the Lords, the 

Parliament Act could not be evoked on this 

occasion, so Section 28’s repeal in England 

and Wales looked increasingly unlikely. 

The Daily Record smugly assured 

readers that repeal of Section 28 for England 

and Wales would be defeated when it was 

returned to the House of Lords and 

observed: “If that happens, it is believed 

Tony Blair will drop the issue until after the 

next election, putting pressure on Holyrood 

to follow suit”. 

Efforts to contact MPs and MSPs, 

sending copies of Gay Sex Now along with 

Christian Institute propaganda had paid off. 

The Record named one of the rebels as 61- 

year-old Glasgow Baillieston Labour MP 

Jimmy Wray who told them: “It is my 

Christian belief that we should bring families 

up to teach them right from wrong. I fear for 

my children and I certainly don’t want 

anyone to teach them that filth that’s being 

thrown around. I have been wondering just 

exactly what they are going to put in its place 

because we don’t want some of the literature 

in schools that we’ve seen. One quite clearly 

stated, ‘Gay Sex Now’. There was all the filth 

on some of it, scheming and all the things 

you can do. Also there were pictures of 

people committing homosexual acts. I don’t 

think in this day and age that we should be 

showing that… That’s an insult to parents 

and certainly does away with family values. If 

that is going to open the floodgates by taking 

Section 28 away then it certainly won’t be 

getting any support from me. And a lot of 

other people in the party feel the same 

way… I don’t want to know what 

homosexuals are doing in their home. I think 

that you’ve got to keep these values. Toilets 

are for public convenience not for people 

standing up then advertising cottaging… I 

don’t give a damn what response I get from 

the rest of the party. My morality is 

something that nobody is going to take 

away”. Wray had recently made front-page 

news after being awarded damages against 

Associated Newspapers for branding him a 

serial wife-beater. He was pictured toasting 

victory with his third wife Laura and 

condemned his former wife Catherine’s “evil” 

actions for making the claim in The Mail on 

Sunday. She had said he had held a knife to 

her neck and alleged she had received 

medical treatment for abuse suffered at his 

hands during their troubled marriage, which 

ended in divorce in 1998. Wray countered 

that she was an insecure drunk. When 

Jimmy Wray sounded off in one of the 

tabloids behind the ‘Keep the Clause’ 

campaign of his worries for his son, “wee 

Frankie”, The Herald’s editorial was cutting. 

“Do not fret, Mr Wray. You will not be 

required to write a parental note requesting 

that your boy be excused compulsory 

lessons in homosexuality”. 

The Scottish Sun reported how a “store 

manager axed for being HIV positive won 

£250,000 compensation…” in an out-ofcourt 

settlement, while The Scottish Mail 

advised: “The case of 34-year-old Mark 

Hedley is expected to be the first in a wave of 

Aids-related claims which could cost 

businesses millions”. Aldi, the German 

supermarket chain told the young manager, 

to stay away from work because his HIV 

status would be bad for business. The 

Scottish Sun immediately followed the story 

with a report: “Health chiefs in Lanarkshire 

yesterday blamed gay men for the biggest 

increase in HIV infection ever in the county”. 

Half the new cases estimated appeared to 

have been caused by sex between men. Ten 

new cases overall. Health boards had already 

been condemned by churches and politicians 

for handing out condoms in Lanarkshire’s 

Strathclyde Park, a gay cruising area. Despite 

research having shown how the social stigma 

of homosexuality helped fuel the spread of 

HIV, North Lanarkshire Council SNP leader, 

Richard Lyle told The Herald: “…That does 

not mean giving out free condoms at what 

should be a tourist venue and family facility is 

the answer. I still believe that this may have 

the effect of encouraging homosexual activity 

at the park and this is wrong”. 

After it emerged that gay rights lobby 

group, Stonewall was planning to base one of 

their team on a part time basis in Glasgow, 

The Record launched a blistering attack, 

screaming:. “FURY OVER £1m LOTTERY 

GRANT FOR GAY GROUP”. (There had been 

almost 2,000 lottery grants awarded in the 

twelve months previous, and out of a total of 

£246m, only £2.8m had gone to lesbian, gay 

or bisexual projects). Stonewall - which only 

“claims to have a staff of nine” - was attacked 

by reporter Simon Houston. He reminded 

readers of Stonewall’s last show in London: 

“The star performer was Elton John - who 

shocked observers by performing a raunchy 

stage routine with male dancers dressed as 

cub Scouts”. A picture of Elton dancing with 

New Service 

them illustrated his point and was shown 

alongside Stonewall’s director: “Activist: 

Mason…” (Angela Mason). The National 

Lotteries Charities Board spokesman Robert 

Blow apparently “admitted” that Stonewall’s 

grant was “a bit of a whopper”. Lottery 

chiefs were portrayed as defending the 

award and attention was drawn to “healthy 

annual donations” already donated by the 

“increasing” number of gay businesses. The 

Record listed: “Richard Bransons Virgin 

group, NatWest bank and the huge American 

financial institution, JP Morgan”. ‘Keep the 

Clause’ wanted to know whether the board 

“would be just as happy to award £900,000 

to a group which promotes traditional family 

values” and Dr Adrian Rogers of Family 

Focus warned anyone not wanting to 

promote homosexual behaviour had to stop 

buying lottery tickets. The Herald used 

quotes from Dr Adrian Rogers and Valerie 

Ritches, director of Family and Youth 

Concern. Ritches thought it “scandalous” 

and said: “If the lottery board had their 

heads screwed on they would give it to 

helping the lot of families. The family unit in 

Britain is breaking down and is in desperate 

need of support”. A letter went out from 

Stonewall to its supporters begging 

donations to “match the bigots £ for £… 

They’re rich and they’re wrong”. 

In Moniaive, a small town in 

Dumfrieshire, 54-year-old Marcelle Bremner 

had her shop busted in a dawn raid by local 

police for displaying two male dolls in her 

window. Marcelle Bremner used to 

backcomb Dusty Springfield’s bouffant 

before she went to live in a flat above the 

LGBT Age 

Information, support and advocacy for 

LGBT people over 50 

Events 

LGBT Drop In 

Every Monday 5.30-8pm at the Centre 

LGBT Glee Club 

Every Tuesday 8-10pm at the Centre 

Icebreakers 

8th September 

7.30-9pm at the Regent Bar 

LGBT Film Club 

27th Aug, 10th & 24th Sept 

6.30-9.30pm at the Centre 

vacant shop and filled the window with 

Barbie-dolls. Police hammered on Bremner’s 

door in a raid in the early hours of a 

Saturday morning insisting she removed a 

potentially illegal display of two Ken dolls. 

This followed a complaint from a member of 

the public of a “lewd and libidinous” display 

of “a graphic nature”. Scotland on Sunday 

found “two Ken dolls, sitting suspiciously 

close to each other, staring out quite 

blatantly at passers-by, and wearing only 

Bermuda shorts”. The Scottish Mail found 

them “naked but for their Bermuda shorts… 

sat in a shop window shamelessly flaunting 

their bronzed and perfectly sculpted bodies 

before passers-by…” and giving “more than 

a hint of the close nature of their 

relationship… Moral outrage followed swiftly 

and police were despatched to restore public 

decency”. A WPC ordered Bremner: “Get 

those Ken dolls dressed. I don’t want to see 

those two men beside each other!” Scotland 

on Sunday’s Shan Ross wrote: “The display, 

which is housed in the double-fronted 

windows of Bremner’s former clothes shop 

is festooned in pink and surrounded by 

Barbie memorabilia and every possible pink 

boudoir item imaginable”. A spokeswoman 

for Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary said 

in a prepared statement that they would not 

be charging Mrs Bremner but it was also 

suggested she might want to reconsider how 

she displayed them. 

It was Easter and the ‘Sexfinder General’ 

delivered a scathing attack on Cadbury’s 

‘Squegg’, a chocolate square egg, insisting 

only round chocolate eggs could symbolise 

rolling the stone from Jesus’s tomb. A 

square one “made a mockery of the whole 

tradition”. The Scottish Mail on Sunday 

referred to the egg as “shades of a new dark 

age”. The eggs were milk, not dark, and 

besides, the name Easter was a corruption of 

Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Dawn 

and a symbol of fertility and rebirth long 

before Christians hijacked the tradition. The 

Mail bemoaned the fact only half of Brits 

knew what Easter was supposed to be about 

anyway. “Possibly not since the early Dark 

Ages - before Pope Gregory sent 

missionaries to bring the word of God to 

these shores at the end of the 6th Century - 

has our society been so ignorant about basic 

Christianity. This must be disturbing…” 

Their editorial warned: “In schools, the 

teaching of Christianity is being sacrificed on 

the altar of multiculturalism. Where religious 

instruction was once based on the Bible and 

its meaning, it now imparts a pick-and-mix 

smattering of the word’s religions, loosely 

defined”. The editorial lambasted churches 

for tamely giving in to the “politically 

correct”, while in truth, it was no longer able 

to control its ‘flock’: The public were already 

turning away from organised religion in their 

droves. 

Ten years later and the government, 

promising that citizens would have a chance 

to decide where, in a period of austerity, 

savings could be made, poured millions into 

the ‘State’ visit of Pope Ratzinger and 

prematurely stopped a petition in protest. 

The Home Secretary set about making 

changes to UK law to prevent Ratzinger 

being arrested on arrival. The Vatican, with 

only 800 citizens and set up by fascist 

leader, Mussolini, is currently being 

investigated for money laundering. Although 

the Scottish media censored much of the 

criticism against the Church leader’s visit in 

Scotland, their readership, along with 

Church congregations, continues to 

plummet. 

6 7

8 

VENUES & EMPORIA 

*denotes ScotsGay available 

ABERDEEN 

CHEERZ 

BAR& CLUB* 

2-8ExchangeStreet.Tel:(01224) 

594511.Bar:6pm-Midnight.Club: 

Sun-Wed11.30pm-2am,Thu 

9.30pm-2am,Fri11.30pm-3am, 

Sat10pm-3am.Livelygaybarand 

clubwithentertainmentandmore. 

www.cheerzbar.net 

ICON* 

20Adelphi.NewclubinoldOh 

Henry’spremises. 

WELLMAN’S 

HEALTH STUDIO* 

218HolburnStreet.Tel:(01224) 

211441. Mon-FriNoon-10pm, 

SatNoon-9pm,Sun2-9pm.8- 

manJacuzzi,sauna,steamroom, 

café.FreeInternetaccess. 

Massageavailable. 

E-mail:rod@ 

wellmans-health-studio.com 

www.wellmans-health-studio.com 

DUMFRIES 

DUMFRIESLGBTCENTRE* 

88bHighStreet.Tel:(01387) 

255058.Text:07781481788. 

Drop-in:Mon3.30-5.30pm. 

E-mail:DandG@lgbtyouth.org.uk 

www.lgbtcentredg.co.uk 

STICKY 

TheVenue,6/7ChurchPlace. 

Tel:(01387)263623.Infoline: 

(01387)739888.9pm-2am.Last 

Friofeachevery2ndmonth (next 

inAug).Clubnight. 

www.clubsticky.co.uk 

DUNDEE 

ABODE* 

22StAndrew’sStreet. 

Mon-Sat11am-Midnight,Sun 

12.30pm-Midnight.NewLGBT 

friendlybarandeaterie.Food: 

Mon-Satuntil9pm. 

BROOKS BAR* 

2StAndrew’sLane. 

Mon-Thu5pm-Midnight,Fri-Sun 

3pm-Midnight.Newgaybar.Back 

bar(restrictedto25andover- 

PhotoIDrequired)openFri-Sun 

until2.30am. 

THEGAUGER* 

75-79Seagate. 

Tel:(01382)226840.Sun 

12.30pm-Midnight,Mon-Sat 

11am-Midnight.LGBT-friendlybar 

withfreediscoFri&Sat8pm- 

Midnight. 

JOCKS HEALTHCLUB/SAUNA* 

11PrincesStreet.Tel:(01382) 

451986. Sun-ThuNoon-10pm, 

Fri-SatNoon-11pm.Dundee’s 

newestgayvenue.Sauna,gym, 

steamroom,lockers,lounge, 

cabins. 

E-mail:ask@jockssauna.co.uk 

www.jockssauna.co.uk 

OUT* 

124Seagate.Tel:(01382)200660. 

Wed-Sun11pm-2.30am.Good 

atmosphere,verypopulardisco 

withwideselectionofsoundsand 

theoccasionalact/PA. 

EDINBURGH 

DuringtheEdinburghFestivals, 

manyvenueshaveconsiderably 

extendedopeninghours.Aswe 

onlylistthestandardhours,you 

shouldcontactthevenuetofind 

outifitisopenlate(orearly). 

THEAULDHOOSE* 

23-25StLeonardsStreet. 

Tel:0131-6682934.Sun 

12.30pm-1am,Mon-Sat 

11.30am-1am.Everybody-friendly 

realalebar. Foodserved:Mon-Sat 

11.30am-9.30pm,Sun12.30- 

8pm. 

BLUEMOONCAFÉ* 

1BaronyStreet/36Broughton 

Street.Tel:0131-5562788(Bar)or 

0131-5570911(Office).Sat-Sun 

10am-11pm,Mon-Fri11am- 

11pm.Foodserveduntil10pm. 

PopularLGBTcafé. 

www.bluemooncafe.co.uk 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOBBIE'SBOOKSHOP* 

220MorrisonStreet.Tel:0131- 

5387069.Mon-Sat10am-1pm, 

2-5.30pm.Sellsaselectionofgay 

magazines. 

BOOTY* 

GHQ,4PicardyPlace.Tel:0131- 

5501780.InfoLine:07736 

936650.Sun11pm-3am.Club 

night. 

E-mail:dale 

@lushmarketing.com 

www.club-booty.com 

CAFÉHABANA* 

22GreensidePlace.Tel:0131-558 

1270.1pm-1am.Friendlypre-club 

barpopularwithlocalsand 

visitors.FreeWiFi 

Internet. 

E-mail:cafehabanaEH1 

@mac.com 

www.cafehabanaEH1.com 

CAFÉNOM DEPLUME* 

60BroughtonStreet.Tel:0131- 

4781372.Café/barattheLGBT 

Centre.Meals,snacks,drinks.Free 

WiFi.Dogswelcome.Outdoor 

smokingarea. 

E-mail: 

info@cafenomdeplume.co.uk 

C.C.BLOOM'S* 

23-24GreensidePlace. 

Tel:0131-5569331.Sun7pm- 

3am,Mon-Thu6pm-3am,Fri-Sat 

6pm-3am.Twofunkyfloors! 

Discoeverynightfrom11pm. 

E-mail:ccblooms@tiscali.co.uk 

www.bebo.com/ 

CCBloomsNightClub 

DARE 

SpeakEasy,28BlairStreet.Tel: 

0131-2206176.11pm-3am.Last 

Satofeachmonth.Clubnightwith 

DJJonPleasedWimmin. 

www.thecabaretvoltaire.com 

DV8 

SpidersWebBasement,258 

MorrisonStreet.Tel:0131-228 

1949.8pm-1am.LastFriofeach 

month.Fetishclub. 

http://dv8fetishclub.co.uk 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EDINBURGHLGBTCENTRE* 

58aand60BroughtonStreet. 

HousesCaféNomDePlumeand 

PrideScotia.FreeWiFiInternet 

access(sponsoredbyScotsGay). 

Boughtin1974bytheScottish 

MinoritiesGroup,itistheonly 

LGBT-ownedLGBTCentreinthe 

UKandisalsotheoldestLGBT 

CentreinEuropeifnottheworld. 

Tel:0131-5569471.Meeting 

RoomBookingTel:07817 

533337. 

E-mail:hello@edinburgh 

lgbtcentre.org.uk 

www.edinburghlgbtcentre.org.uk 

ELBOW* 

133-135EastClaremontStreet. 

Tel:0131-5565662.11am-1am. 

Breakfastuntil6pmatweekends, 

Lunch11.30am-6pm,Dinner 

6pm-10pm.Barandrestaurant. 

www.elbowedinburgh.co.uk 

ELECTRO-SEXUAL* 

C.C.Bloom’s,23-24Greenside 

Place. 

Tel:0131-5569331.11pm-3am. 

FirstFriofeachmonth.Clubnight. 

E-mail:electro-sexual@live.co.uk 

www.facebook.com/ 

electroedinburgh 

FEVER 

FaithNightclub,207Cowgate.Tel: 

0131-2259764.11pm-3am.3rd 

Satofeachmonth.Clubnight. 

www.taste-clubs.com 

FURBURGER* 

GHQ(BackRoom),4Picardy 

Place.Tel:0131-5501780.11pm- 

3am.2ndFriofeachmonth. 

Popularwomen’sclubnight. 

E-mail:furburger.club 

@hotmail.co.uk 

GHQ* 

4PicardyPlace.Tel:0131-550 

1780.Tue-Sun5pm-3am.Stylish 

barandclubcateringforthe 

capital'sfashionablegaycrowd. 

www.socialanimal.co.uk/ 

Edinburgh/GHQ 

THEHILL* 

Basement,20LeopoldPlace.Tel: 

0131-5563556.Sun12.30-2pm 

&6.30-10pm,Mon-Sat 

11.30am-11.30pm. 

NewbasementbarwithThaifood. 

E-mail:mail@spicebox201.co.uk 

LEATHER&LACE* 

8DrummondStreet.Tel:0131- 

5579413.Fax:0131-5578336. 

SunNoon-9pm,Mon-Sat10am- 

9pm.25EasterRoad.Tel: 

0131-6236969.Noon-6pm.Toys 

andvideorental. 

LGBT CENTRE FORHEALTH & 

WELLBEING* 

9HoweStreet.Tel:0131-523 

1100.LGBTcommunitycentrein 

theheartoftheNewTownoffering 

arangeofevents,coursesand 

activities.Alsoprovidesmeeting 

spaceforcommunitygroups.See 

websiteforlistings. 

E-mail:admin@lgbthealth.org.uk 

www.lgbthealth.org 

LUVELY 

FaithNightclub,207Cowgate.Tel: 

0131-2259764.InfoLine:0131- 

6574633.10.30pm-3am.1stSat 

ofeachmonth.Clubnight. 

www.luvely.com 

MORE 


0131-2206176.11pm-3am. 

EverySunexcept1stSunofeach 

month.Clubnight.Entryisfree. 

www.bebo.com/ClubMore 

NEWTOWNBAR* 

26BDublinStreet.Tel: 0131-538 

7775.Sun12.30pm-1am,Mon- 

ThuNoon-1am,Fri-Sat 

Noon-2am.Food:Mon-FriNoon- 

3pm.Popularandbusygaybar. 

Realale.FreeWiFiInternetaccess. 

E-mail:newtownbar@aol.com 

www.newtownbar.co.uk 

NoEIGHTEEN* 

18AlbertPlace,LeithWalk.Tel: 

0131-5533222.Mon-ThuNoon- 

10pm,Fri-SunNoon-11pm.The 

UK'sfirstVATregisteredgay 

sauna! £10(£8concessions),£5 

after8pm. 

www.number18sauna.com 

PLANET* 

6Baxter'sPlace.Tel:0131-556 

5551.1pm-1am.Popularand 

busygaybarwithfriendlystaff. 

E-mail:planetout 

@btinternet.com 

PRISCILLA'SCABARET BAR* 

17AlbertPlace,LeithWalk.Tel: 

0131-5548962.Sun-FriNoon- 

1am,Sat5am-1am.Friendlybar 

puttingthefunbackintocoming 

out! 

E-mail:debrakeith11 

@yahoo.co.uk 

www.bebo.com 

/priscillasedinburgh 

Q-STORE 

5BaronyStreet.Tel/Fax:0131-477 

4756.Sun1-5pm,Mon-Fri11am- 

7pm,Sat11am-6pm.Scotland's 

onlylicensedgaystore.Notjust 

feelthypictures-lifestyletoo! 

QUEER MUTINY 

Queerautonomousspace.See 

websitefordetailsofeventswhich 

areoftenorganisedatshortnotice. 

E-mail:EdinburghQueer 

Mutiny@gmail.com 

www.queermutiny.tk 

www.myspace.com/queermutiny 

THEREGENT* 

2MontroseTerrace.Tel:0131-661 


Sat11am-1am.Edinburgh’sGay 

RealAlePub.CAMRA'sLesbian& 

GayRealAleDrinkersmeethere 

onthe1stMonofthemonth(2nd 

MoninAug)from9pm. 

E-mail:info@theregentbar.co.uk 

www.theregentbar.co.uk 

www.lagrad-edinburgh.org.uk 

STEAMWORKS* 

5BroughtonMarket.Tel:0131- 

4773567.Daily11am-11pm. 

Stylishsaunaformingpartofbusy 

gayhotelandsaunacomplexin 

centreofgayquarter.State-of-theartfacilitiesincludinglargespa 

pool,saunacabin,largesteam 

room,videoroom,labyrinthwith 

themedareas,cafélounge,free 

Internetaccess,tanningbooth. 

www.steamworks-sauna.co.uk 

THESTREET* 

2PicardyPlace.Tel:0131-556 


SatNoon-1am.Smallbut 

perfectlyformedbarrunbyLouise 

andTrendyWendy. 

www.thestreetbar.co.uk 

TACKNO 

TheVoodooRooms,19aWest 

RegisterStreet.Tel:0131-556 

7060.10pm-5am.Nextdate:Sun 

2ndMay.Oneoffclubnightswith 

TrendyWendyandguests. 

www.tackno.com 

TASTE 

TheGRV,37GuthrieStreet.Tel: 

0131-2202987.11pm-3am.1st 

Sunofeachmonth.Popularclub 

night. 

www.taste-clubs.com 

www.bebo.com/tasteclubs 

VELVETWOMEN’S 

CLUB NIGHT 


0131-2206176.10.30pm-3am 

(4/5amAug).NewvenuenearThe 

TronandTheCityCafé.Sat21st 

Aug(DragKingNight),Sat11th 

Sep,Sat16thOct.Forgayandbi 

girliesandtheirLGBTIfriends.DJs 

Jeremy,TrendyWendyand 

guests,eclecticgenrespanning 

music.£3before11pm,thereafter 

£5/£4concwithID.Affordable 

drinks. 

E-mail:clubvelvet 

@blueyonder.co.uk 

www.facebook.com/clubvelvet 

www.webflyers.co.uk/Flyer/377 

WORDPOWER* 

43-45WestNicolsonStreet.Tel: 

0131-6629112.SunNoon-5pm, 

Mon-Sat10am-6pm.Independent 

radicalbookshop. 

E-mail:books@word-power.co.uk 

www.word-power.co.uk 

GLASGOW 

AMBASSADORS RAINBOW* 

41bYork Street.Tel:0141-237 

3011.Mon-ThuNoon-Midnight, 

Fri-SunNoon-2am.Newsauna. 

www.ambassadorsrainbow.com 

BENNETS* 

80-90GlassfordStreet.Tel:0141- 

5525761.Wed-Sun 

11.30pm-3am.Scotland'soldest 

gaydisco. 

www.bennetsnightclub.co.uk 

www.bebo.com/bennetsniteclub 

CASTRO* 

84BellStreet.Tel:0141-2374401. 

LGBTCentreproviding 

communitybasedservicesforthe 

LGBTcommunityofGlasgow. 

Café-BYOB(licenceappliedfor). 

E-mail:info@castroglasgow.org.uk 

www.castro-glasgow.org.uk 

CCA* 

350SauchiehallStreet.Tel:0141- 

3524900.Fax:0141-3323226. 

CaféTel:0141-3327959.Sales& 

Info:TheCentreforContemporary 

Arts.6performanceandexhibition 

spaces,café,bar.ScotsGay 

availableinbar. 

E-mail:gen 

@cca-glasgow.com 

www.cca-glasgow.com 

COURTBAR* 

69HutchesonStreet.Tel:0141- 

5522463.Sun 

12.30pm-Midnight,Mon-Sat 

9am-Midnight.Intimatebar. 

Straightuntilmid-evening. 

DELMONICA'SBAR* 

68VirginiaStreet.Tel:0141-552 

4803.Noon-Midnight.DJsnightly 

from9pm.Thu:Quiz.Sun: 

Karaoke. 


GlasgowCityCentre/Delmonicas 

FHQ* 

10JohnStreet.Tel:0141-553 

5851.Mon-Wed5pm-Midnight, 

Thu9pm-3am,Fri5pm-2am,Sat- 

SunNoon-2am.Femaleonlybar 

andclub. 

E-mail:fhq@g1group.com 


GlasgowCityCentre/FHQ 

LUKE & JACK* 


5699.Mon-Sat10.30am-6.30pm, 

SunNoon-5.30pm.Scotland’s 

newestLGBTshop-locallyowned 

andindependent.Sellsaromas, 

toys,lubes,magazinesandbooks, 

underwear,T-shirts,gifts,etc. 

E-mail:hello@lukeandjack.co.uk 

www.lukeandjack.co.uk 

MERCHANTPRIDE 

20Candleriggs.Tel:0141-564 

1285.Sun12.30pm-Midnight, 

Mon-Fri4pm-Midnight,SatNoon- 

Midnight.Barintheheartofthe 

MerchantCity. 

MODA* 


2553.Mon-Thu5pm-1am,Fri- 

Sun5pm-3am.Fashionable 

pub/club. 


GlasgowCityCentre/Moda 

THEPIPEWORKS* 

5-10MetropoleLane.Tel:0141- 

5525502.Mon-Thu 

11.30am-11pm,Fri11.30am- 

Sat6am,SatNoon-Sun11pm. 

Men'sHealthandLeisureClub. 

Usualfacilities.£13(£10 

concession). 

www.thepipeworks.com 

POLOLOUNGE* 

84WilsonStreet.Tel:0141-553 

1221.Mon-Thu5pm-1am,Fri- 

Sun5pm-3am.Longestablished 

pub/club.Youngcrowd.Clubopen 

Fri-Sun,£5after11pm. 


GlasgowCityCentre/Polo_Lounge 

Q!GALLERY* 

87-91Saltmarket.Tel/Fax:0141- 

5527575.Text:07762722460. 

Mon-Fri11am-5pm(during 

exhibitionsMon-Sat11am-5pm). 

Glasgay'syear-roundgallery 

dedicatedtoqueerart. 

E-mail:info@glasgay.co.uk 

www.glasgay.co.uk 

RELAXCENTRAL* 

3rdFloor,27UnionStreet.Tel: 

0141-2210415.SunNoon- 

8.30pm,Mon-Sat 

11.30am-10pm.Establishedgay 

sauna.Entry£8. 

E-mail:relaxcentral 


www.relaxcentral.co.uk 

REVOLVERBAR* 

6aJohnStreet.Tel:0141-553 

2456.Mon-FriNoon-Midnight, 

Sat-Sun1pm-Midnight. 

Arefreshingantidotetothecurrent 

gayscene.FreeWiFi. 

www.revolverglasgow.com 

RUBYFRUIT 

FlyingDuck,142RenfieldStreet. 

0141-5641450.Sun26thSep. 

9pm-3am.Newlesbianclub. 

E-mail:rubyfruit@ymail.com 

SCENE* 

17JohnStreet.Sun12.30- 

Midnight,Mon-Sat 

Noon-Midnight.Newgaybar. 

E-mail:info 

@scene-glasgow.co.uk 

www.scene-glasgow.co.uk 

SCENE@ TATTOO 

46QueenStreet.Mon-Tue 

11.30pm-3am.Newgayclub 

nights.E-mail:info 

@scene-glasgow.co.uk 

SILKSANDSECRETS* 

308ArgyleStreet.Tel:0141-572 

1017.Fax:0141-2210959.Sun 

Noon-5pm,Mon-Sat10am-6pm. 

Clothesandtoyscateringforgay, 

transvestiteandfetishtastes. 

www.silksandsecrets.com 

SPEAKEASY* 

10JohnStreet.Tel:0141-553 

5851.Mon-Wed5pm-Midnight, 

Thu5pm-3am,Fri5pm-2am,Sat- 

SunNoon-2am. 

Freshalternativetothegayscene. 

Foodserveduntil9pm. 

E-mail:speakeasy@g1group.com 


GlasgowCityCentre/Speakeasy 

TRONTHEATRECAFÉBAR* 

ChisholmStreet.Tel:0141-552 

8587.Fax:0141-5526657.Sun 

11am-Late,Mon-Sat10am-Late. 

Friendlytheatrebar.Mixed.Good 

food. 

www.tron.co.uk 

THETUNNEL 

84MitchellStreet.Tel:0141-204 

1000.Wed11.30pm-3am. Allure: 

Club.Entry£3/£2. 

E-mail:information 

@tlcglasgow.co.uk 

www.tunnelglasgow.co.uk 

VIOLATE 

ViolateClubLine:09099108174 

(75pperminatalltimes)or07939 

723387.BDSMRunsregular 

clubsattheBigJointinSouth 

Street,GlasgowonthefirstSatof 

themonth. 

www.violate.co.uk 

THEWATERLOO* 

306ArgyleStreet.Tel:0141-248 

7216.Sun12.30pm-Midnight, 

Mon-SatNoon-Midnight.Popular, 

crowded,downtoearthdrinking 

shop.Scotland'soldestgaybar. 

Busy,busy,busy! 

www.waterloobar.co.uk 

INVERURIE 

VALLURE CAFE& WINE BAR* 

GariochCentre.Tel:Inverurie 

(01467)622966.Newgayfriendly 

establishment. 

www.vallure.co.uk 

STIRLING 

ALBIONBAR* 

51BarntonStreet.Tel:(01786) 

461252.Mixedbar.Barmeals 

available. 

E-mail:cj@albionbar.com 

www.albionbar.com 

STORNOWAY 

AN LANNTAIR* 

KennethStreet.Tel:(01851) 

703307.Mon-Sat8.30am-Late. 

LGBTfriendlyartscentrewithbar 

andrestaurant.Realale. 

E-mail:info@lanntair.com 

www.lanntair.com 

scotsgay.co.uk 

SG:fringe 

in association with 

Andrew Doyle talks to 

Noel Fieding & Paul Foot 

OVER ONE 

HUNDRED 

FRINGE SHOWS 

REVIEWED

Andrew Clover - Love Rules 

Pleasance Courtyard 

Clover opens with a warm-up act, Helen 

Hardy, who sings a good, but very 

sweet, romantic song about a marriage 

proposal. ‘Ahh,’ the audience gasp as 

she finishes. Clearly this is a highly risky 

way to introduce a show billed as 

comedy and it will take a comedian of 

some brilliance to rescue it. Clover 

emerges in an upper class-looking grey 

suit, with a top hat, a pink tie and the 

campest swagger imaginable. He looks 

like Willy Wonka’s illegitimate brother. 

Clover sets the record straight: ‘I am not 

gay; people think that I am but I am just 

well-spoken’. If his subsequent 

abomination of a show has any point to 

it then it is probably to assert his 

heterosexuality just in case the audience 

didn’t believe him. I have news for 

Clover: this is a comedy show; I don’t 

care which gender the protagonist 

penetrates in his spare time because 

what I want is humour. 

In any case, Clover’s guide to love and 

marriage, apart from being essentially 

dull, is the most bizarre and downright 

confusing collection of anecdotes and 

observations that I have ever heard. If 

heterosexual marriage is anything like 

Clover claims then it must be corrosive 

to children and should be immediately 

outlawed. Clover is certainly marriage’s 

worst advertisement. Sweating 

uncontrollably like a steam-room rapist, 

he claims that when men meet women 

they are interested exclusively in breasts 

and his horse-racing commentary on 

fore play with his wife is tiresome and 

has no apparent comical intention. His 

advice to single women seeking a man 

is to treat men like a farmyard: ‘Don’t 

jump on the cock.’ He also suggests 

‘licking men on the back of the balls’ as 

an appropriate turn on. 

Throughout this banal experience I 

found myself wondering if Clover’s 

show had been misrepresented on the 

press release. Perhaps I had paid to see 

a resident lunatic in a Victorian asylum, 

which specialised in the rehabilitation of 

deluded, aristocratic bachelors. Clover 

has a new book about how he became 

a great parent; I shudder to think what it 

might contain. 

Ian Mitchell 

Ava Vidal 

– Lessons I Should Have Learnt 

The Stand 

Do we ever learn? Ava Vidal wants to 

find out. This is a warm, friendly set, in a 

gig that frequently resembles a cosy 

chat in somebody’s front room, despite 

the subject matter. 

At the top of her routine, she states that 

she had to go for a HIV test. Vidal then 

goes on to explain the circumstances 

which led to this nervy appointment at 

the clinic. 

Her deadpan delivery masks the more 

edgy material, focused primarily on an 

Israeli boyfriend, and on her daughter, 

who one suspects is a little too much 

like her mother. 

One highlight for me was the story of an 

encounter with an older gay man, after 

doing a free gig at one of the popular 

New Town Bar Sunday Fundraisers. The 

man’s statement that, “the trouble with 

gay men today is that they don’t take 

AIDS seriously,” is certainly true, but his 

insistence that, “not enough gay men 

are dying” seemed a rather odd remedy. 

Vidal has an ability to turn the serious, 

profound, upsetting or downright 

ridiculous into laugh out loud comedy. 

This hour is entirely satisfying. And the 

safer sex message is still a worthy one. 

Martin Walker 

The Big Bite-Sized Breakfast 

Assembly 

The White Room Theatre Ltd are back 

with five more bite-sized plays. And to 

sweeten us up for those, coffee, 

croissants and strawberries are served 

on the way in. 

The plays ranged in content, humour 

and tone – I particularly liked the first 

bite-sized piece, featuring William 

Shakespeare attempting to have one of 

his actors desist from ad-libbing on 

stage. It was amusing, original and very 

well-acted in true bardic style. I also 

enjoyed the sensory deprivation group, 

who attempted to convey the feelings of 

love to each other – despite being 

unable to touch, taste or smell and how 

the deprivation of these things has a 

direct impact on one’s ability to bond. 

Ten-minute Pride and Prejudice was 

fantastically performed and perhaps the 

highlight of the show for me! I wasn’t 

so keen on the monkey skit though. 

This is an ideal show for anyone with a 

bit of ADD, as the fast-paced ten minute 

bites are intense, acted with soul and 

very entertaining. Not only that, the 

show has 3 revolving menus – so you 

can go 3 days in a row and never 

experience the same show twice. I do 

plan to go and see the other 2 days as I 

enjoyed this one so much! 


Brothers 

Zoo Roxy 

‘Brothers’ stars witty comedy duo Max 

Pritchard and Adam Reeve are best 

known as being members of the 

hilarious group ‘The Unexpected Items’. 

Due to this, expectations were high for 

this breakaway show, and aside of 

some first show technical issues, they 

were largely met. Staging and comic 

timing were both excellent, and the 

unrelated Max and Adam presented 

brotherly rivalry and relationships 

realistically. 

Humorous voiceovers and randomly 

amusing slides featured, as well as 

brilliantly funny and well sung backing 

vocals and keyboard playing from 

Lauren Bensted. At times it was difficult 

to see past the technical issues, 

although the excellence of the 

performers meant that they were able to 

make spontaneous gags to cover for 

the shortcomings. 

However, I have no doubt that after a 

few more performances, the creases in 

this show will have been ironed out, and 

it will become another great comedy 

success for the lovely people at 

Unexpected Productions. Definately 

worth a watch. 

Angus Wyatt 

Charlyne Yi – Dances on the Moon 

Assembly 

Half pint sized rising star of US indie 

comedy scene, Charlyne Yi, in her new 

show ‘Dances on the Moon’, uses her 

distinct take on stand-up to share 

stories and songs about the tricky topic 

of love. 

Her intelligent, off the wall delivery is 

occasionally captivating and the banter 

with her audience is left-field to say the 

least. She tells us that she broke into the 

comedy world by performing at AA 

meetings, veteran’s homes and biker 

bars. Her wit is frequently delivered with 

a guitar and, at one point, a harp. 

The pre-recorded sequences, projected 

onto a huge screen above her is a 

highlight, but the set as a whole is a little 

uneven. There simply isn’t quite enough 

material, and much of it seems underwritten. 

Over all, despite moments of real 

magic, this show is more likely to have 

you quietly chuckling, rather than 

laughing out loud. Never the less, you 

can’t help feeling that there’s more to 

come from Yi. There’s unrealised genius 

here. 

Martin Walker 

Checkley Bush 

Gilded Balloon 

A fantastically diverse sketch show with 

skits, videos, piano and song. 

The show opens with a sketch of 

‘Lanarkshire Lezzas’ organising 

Checkley Bush Pride. A hilarious song 

ensues, playing on stereotypes of 

‘pussy purveyors’. The show is thick 

with original sketches, gender bending 

and fantastic vocals all to the back drop 

of a nimble-fingered pianist in the 

corner. 

The show plays heavily on celeb 

stereotypes and send-ups, with the odd 

crude gag which I felt cheapened the 

performance but the audience lapped 

up – eg ‘Kermit’s finger smelling of 

pork’. Not exactly high brow stuff but I 

enjoyed it; a nice way to spend an hour 

and definitely a necessity for those who 

don’t take life too seriously. 


Circus Burlesque 

Assembly 

A decadent carnival of burlesque 

featuring a sumptuous feast for the 

eyes! 

Beautiful ringmistress Tempest Rose 

introduces each act, themed around the 

7 Deadly Sins. Her velveteen voice and 

teasing charm will leave your seat wet. 

If it doesn’t, you must be dead from the 

waist down. 

The burlesque is spectacular, each act 

different and the costumes some of the 

finest I’ve seen – in particular Lola La 

Belle’s. The gymnast performance is 

completely mind blowing and left me 

feeling quite desolate at my own 

personal comparison! 

These are some of the hottest and 

talented girls I’ve ever seen, with real 

attitude and pizzaz. The burlesque could 

be a tad more technically involved, but I 

really can’t fault anything about this! 

Prepare to be amazed! 


Colin Hoult: Enemy of the World 


Hoult’s Enemy of the World featuring 

songs, character comedy and audience 

participation is resoundingly successful 

and enormous fun. Known at the Fringe 

for sketch shows with a surreal edge, 

Hoult’s devised characters are infinitely 

watchable. Ably assisted throughout by 

Zoe Gardner and Dan Snelgrove, 

Enemy of the World includes a 

collection of dark, dangerous and often 

egotistical characters who should not 

be taken too seriously. Hoult introduces 

a persecuted Lancastrian who suffers 

generations of persistent bullying to a 

self-defining degree. Later, an 

aggressive, wannabe screenplay writer 

from Nottingham reads his narcissistic 

scripts to reveal a love of gratuitous 

torture. Meanwhile, Anna Mann is a 

flamboyant drama queen who, sporting 

a garish, pink scarf turns the audience 

into the ensemble cast. 

Hoult weaves in and out of parody and 

pathos in a truly compelling hour. Using 

his astute physical presence Hoult 

integrates the bizarre and sympathetic 

natures of the various personas 

wonderfully making them remarkably 

believable. Naturally, when viewing any 

sketch show, audiences must be 

prepared to suspend their disbelief and 

tune into imagined spaces with a goodhumoured, 

game face. Character 

comedy though can be as 

unconventional as the performer 

chooses providing that the scenarios 

and protagonists are immediately 

convincing: Hoult is quite brilliant in this 

regard. Enemy of the World is as 

guaranteed to entertain as any comedy 

act at the Fringe. 

Ian Mitchell 

The Comedy Manifesto 

The Beehive 

Definitely proves that just because a 

show is part of PBH’s Free Fringe 

doesn’t mean it’s rubbish. Nor once you 

get a good format do you need to 

change it, for I saw this show last year 

and went back for more. 

The idea is simple, Kate Smurthwaite, a 

brilliant comedian, hosts two teams 

each of two comics. Each team is led by 

the same people each day, Jools 

Constant and David Mulholland, and 

there are two guest comics each day. 

After a witty warm up by Smurthwaite 

the comics are asked to tell us a bit 

about themselves. They are then asked 

a series of questions about things in the 

news and have to come up with witty 

and accurate replies. They are then set a 

challenge, on the day I was there it was 

to come up with a test of Britishness. 

The penultimate part of the show is to 

come up with a new law they would like 

to see enacted, and finally they are given 

a chance to sell their main show. 

Audience participation is encouraged – 

the audience can get points as well as 

the panel – and is helped by the small 

intimate size of the crowded room. 

This really is a superb show. 

Martin Powell 

Craig Hill – Why Don’t You Come 

Down The Front? 


Hill explodes on stage with a crazed 

facial expression that looks like 

someone’s shot 10,000 volts through 

his testicles. He’s loving every second of 

his hyperbolic gyrating on stage, and so 

are the audience. They are in an uproar 

at every syllable Hill has to offer as he 

delivers the quickest hour of stand-up 

you’re ever likely to experience. 

Hill’s show is unrehearsed, based solely 

on a flawless audience interaction with 

witty heckler responses, ode to deep 

fried Mars Bars and, oh yeah, a delve 

into the murky world of gay man sex. 

The audience feel privileged to be given 

a glimpse of Hill’s cavernous sexual 

escapades, and he of course loves 

spoon-feeding the mainly middle class 

heterosexual audience his very own 

brand of queer quips. 

My only one fault of this show is that at 

some points it felt Hill spent too long 

trying to draw out banal, inane 

members of the audience who did not 

have the ability to interact. I’d have 

rather he’d moved onto someone more 

interesting than try to tease out 

something resembling speech from a 

few of the audience members who were 

clearly there in a voyeur capacity only. 


Crumpets, Muffins & Afternoon 

Tea(se) 

Zoo Southside 

I entered the lavishly decorated room to 

the sight of Stone perched on a bench, 

strumming an acoustic guitar, and I 

don’t know quite what to expect. A lady 

on the wrong side of 30 signing for an 

hour about sex could so easily turn out 

disastrous. 

However as soon as Stone launches 

into her first song ‘Am I Really Shit In 

Bed’, my fears are allayed. Stone 

effortlessly alternates playing guitar and 

piano, belting out hilarious lyrics about 

various sexual dynamics, incest and fat 

men who will eat everything but pussy. 

What’s a woman to do? And rather than 

being un-nerved by songs about 

fucking your mother, rimming your 

uncle and eating banoffee pie from a 

thigh, Stone’s lovely and easy audience 

interaction, sharp humour and 

unapologetic candour wow us. 

Stone advertises her show as a 

combination of Tim Minchin and Joan 

Rivers, but I suggest she does herself a 

great disservice in doing so. Her 

polished musical talent, genius lyrics 

and coquettish delivery elevates this 

performance to a new level of brilliance. 

Stone also has a few magic tricks 

included in the show, but these only 

seem to detract from her true talent and 

I’d have preferred to have had more of 

Stone and less of the magic tricks. 


Dildon’t 

The Spaces on the Mile 

When a twelve inch, cursed, black dildo 

is purloined from a sex shop and used 

in a spate of vicious murders the lube 

really hits the fan. The sex shop owners 

have marital issues of their own after 

the husband’s fetish has left his softly 

spoken wife wheelchair-bound. Still, 

she’s remarkably cordial about the 

whole thing, telling the detective that it 

was, after all, an accident. When the 

offending dildo turns fugitive the show 

is stolen by the sub-plot of a 

necrophiliac customer who exchanges 

love of corpses (including his mother’s) 

for some inflatable fun. But it’s never the 

same is it? Accompanied by 

melancholic music, he sings a song 

about the merits of fucking the 

deceased. 

The show is chaotic, bizarre and poorly 

conceived, but ultimately not funny. The 

producers are young and misguided 

and will need to graduate from offering 

sixth form, common room humour in 

order to be taken seriously. The cast are 

never happier than when holding their 

phallic prop aloft; even the musician has 

a (smaller) dildo strapped to his 

forehead, which nods rhythmically 

when he starts to play. I suspect that 

from a critical point of view they will 

experience mainly confusion and raised 

eyebrows; from a box office point of 

view it might do rather well if they can 

appeal to fans of The Inbetweeners, 

who think that genitalia is inherently 

funny. 

Traditionally at the end of theatre the 

players gather together for a quick bow. 

Not on your life! The audience know the 

end of Dildon’t is nigh when ordered to 

‘fuck off’ out of the building. 

Ian Mitchell 

Domestic Goddi Wonderland 


The Domestic Goddi are back, and this 

time there’s three of them! The theme is 

Wonderland, and the show delivers a 

level of unique, elegant and 

sophisticated humour that I’ve only 

really seen from the Goddi. 

Abounding with musings on middle 

class life as a modern woman, we see 

the Goddi eat napkins, tweet and take 

the piss out of organic produce and 

childhood tragedy novels. Some slapstick 

skits include a lesbian date, a nazi 

song and pandanasia which has the 

audience in hysterics. The highlight is 

the return of Hot Gear, a hilarious and 

ingenius send-up of Top Gear which is 

this year testing handbags. 

The Goddi don’t split my sides with 

laughter, but then I’m not easy to 

please. The hour is enjoyable though, 

and leaves me smiling, happy and 

wanting more. The audience went 

bonkers over the Goddi – clearly easier 

to please! It’s a show that will not 

disappoint. 


Frisky and Mannish 

Underbelly 

I think it is fair to say that there is hardly 

anything original I can add to the wealth 

of critical acclaim for twisted pop 

cabaret act Frisky and Mannish. All I can 

do is assure you that it is certainly not 

exaggerated or undeservedly 

sycophantic. Taking their role as 

educators in Pop Theory very seriously 

F+M guide their audience through a 

crash course in mainstream artists’ 

sleights of voice, melody and physicality 

as well as their grammatical errors and 

subconscious copycat misuse of 90s 

cheesy pop (cough-Florence Welchcough). 

I was certainly prepared for the 

comedy but I don’t think this gloriously 

witty duo get enough recognition for 

their musical prowess. Is there anything 

Frisky cannot do with that outrageously 

capable chasm-ranging voice? I can 

honestly say I don’t think I have ever 

witnessed stronger vocals from a 

Cabaret performer (and being the 

Cabaret whore I am that really is saying 

something). As well as rewriting the 

lyrics to famous pop songs and 

performing highly entertaining mashups 

their impersonations are so on the 

mark the audience seemed to find 

themselves somewhere between a 

laugh and a gasp; the result being much 

spluttering through mouthfuls of 

beverage. 

As an audience member you just know 

that the pair must have had as much of 

a jovial time adjusting and mixing these 

songs as you are having watching them 

being performed. The interim banter is 

frivolous, yet razor sharp and 

thoroughly engaging as they work 

through their set deconstructing the 

music so many of us claim to enjoy 

without really analysing the 

specifics/lack of talent. I have no doubt 

that F+M are well on their way to even 

greater fame and fortune than they 

currently enjoy and all I am left with is to 

beg – Album. Please. Quickly. 


The Godley Hour 

Pleasance Dome 

Janey Godley returns with an hour of 

completely unrehearsed comedy that 

has my face sore by the end, and 

absolutely wishing I could make time 

stand still so that it never has to finish. 

Godley quips that she’s ‘not actually a 

comedienne, just an over-friendly 

cleaner that’s wandered in’ and that’s 

exactly what she’s like. 

Unpretentious and natural, Godley has 

humour oozing out her pores as the 

funnies seem to glide off her tongue 

whilst she muses almost unaware of 

how her world view cracks us up. With 

her trademark home-spun colloquial 

approach, Godley broaches a range of 

topics from auto-asphyxiation, or 

‘strangly wanks’ as Godley refers to it, 

Aladdin-themed sex parties and ex-gay 

fundamental Christians. The latter of 

which Godley refers to as ‘a big cuntin’ 

pile of shite’. 

Godley is far more than just funny 

though – she has something serious to 

say, and she has quintessentially 

created her very own brand of 

feminism. She loves men, is loved by 

men, and can see through a society 

which has become dominated by 

women hating women, pressuring 

other women to be a certain way. 

Tackling world issues head-on in her 

own Janey way, she holds a mirror up 

whilst making us laugh so much we 

almost forget to breathe. 


The Grandees 

Underbelly 

At the start of this show, I was 

expecting good things from comedy 

duo Marny Godden and Tom Turner; 

but sadly my expectations weren’t met. 

It would be unfair to completely dismiss 

‘The Grandees’ as unfunny and 

unprepared, indeed there was a 

smattering of genuinely amusing comic 

moments, but the show as a whole 

seemed bizarre at best, and infantile and 

disengaging at worst. 

For the majority of the performance, the 

audience showed little reaction to the 

duo’s attempts to produce comedy, and 

there were one or two unsubtle 

technical cues from the performers, 

although in all fairness this may be 

down to the recent start of the run. 

There was, however, an amusing 

audience participation scene later on in 

the show, and an interestingly funny 

parody of the Sound of Music song ‘So 

Long Farewell’. 

If you don’t have much time at the 

Fringe, then I think you should give ‘The 

Grandees’ a miss, but for those of you 

with nothing better to do, please do go 

and spend £10 to watch Tom Turner 

prance around the stage in a rather 

fetching blue leotard, and hear the 

progressively annoying character voices 

of Marny Hodden, with a side serving of 

sluggish scene changes and audience 

unresponsiveness. 

Angus Wyatt 

Hannah Gadsby – The Cliff Young 

Shuffle 

Assembly 

Hannah Gadsby is not happy with this 

“youth, beauty and achievement” 

obsessed world. Given the choice 

between action and inaction, she’d 

rather have a sit down. Despite this, the 

Australian lesbian comic undertook a 

220 mile walk crossing England 

following Alfred Wainwright’s coast-tocoast 

trail. 

Her inspiration for the walk, and this 

show, was fellow Aussie, Cliff Young – a 

potato farmer, who at the age of 61, 

won the 544 mile inaugural Sydney to 

Melbourne Ultra Marathon, back in 

1983, “a pin up boy for tortoises all over 

the world.” 

Gadsby’s style is downbeat and 

invariably self deprecating. Tonight’s 

show – seen very early in the run, had 

some ill-judged jokes at the expense of 

the disabled that jarred, in this 

otherwise fairly straightforward no-frills 

set. We were clearly meant to be 

laughing at her attitude towards the 

fellow walkers that she nick-named 

“Marco and Polio”, but the 

uncomfortable audience reaction was 

justified. 

However, the frank talk about her own 

depression was illuminating, very funny 

and at times, inspired. And references 

to the “constant heckler in my head” 

were beautifully complimented by 

Lindsay, the constant heckler in the 

room. Gadsby’s quick witted skill in 

dealing with this chatterbox provided 

unscripted highlights – and made me 

wish she’d interact with the audience 

more. 

Some tweaking should ensure Gadsby’s 

show fulfils its undoubted promise. 

She’s clearly on her way up. 

Martin Walker 

Harpur’s Bizarre – Life, Death, Pets 

Cabaret Voltaire 

Sarah Harpur exclaims in this show that 

’sneezing is one eighth of an orgasm’ – 

in which case, I’d have more fun 

sneezing than watch this utterly mad 

show, even if it is free. 

There were some genuinely hilarious 

moments in Sarah’s performance, 

including suicidal pimp dogs and slutty, 

Gaga-esque cats, but overall this show 

left a lot to be desired. Some moments 

of audience unresponsiveness left 

Sarah glancing around the room almost 

desperately looking for laughs; and by 

the latter stages of the performance, 

most people were laughing at how 

utterly bonkers and bizarre Sarah is as a 

person, rather than the material as 

intended. 

Despite in-show disclaimers, it was 

apparent that this wasn’t everyone’s cup 

of tea, with three walkouts during the 

performance – perhaps due to some 

darker and possibly distasteful humour 

based around the ‘Dead Dads Club’. 

Don’t get me wrong, this show still has 

comic merit, but Sarah’s occasional 

checks of her prompting notes 

distracted from her better moments. As 

Sarah herself describes it, this show is 

like watching ‘a mental breakdown on 

stage’. 

Still…it’s free! 

Angus Wyatt 

Holly Burn: Living and Dying 

Just the Tonic at The Caves 

Call me paranoid but I imagine Holly 

Burn sitting down before the Fringe to 

write a show that essentially is 

impossible to review. Of course it is not 

the job of a comedian to please critics 

or even necessarily to please audiences. 

There are a number of comedy acts at 

the Fringe who have clearly adapted 

their routines to include more audience 

interaction and win support through 

popular approval. Burn’s performance is 

not only an original spectacle but it is 

not one that is likely to change through 

any other reason than Burn’s 

spontaneity. 

Burn opens with an inane phone call to 

British Telecom before a member of the 

audience, supplied with a gun by Burn, 

shoots her dead. She is later born again 

by emerging from a ‘womb’, which 

looks like a pink, laundry basket, and 

the unwitting midwife is the murdering 

assailant from earlier. In between the 

death and birth of Burn she introduces 

us to Jason, the very rich tiger, whose 

life improves after being sent to 

Pentonville Prison, a clumsy, grinning 

(and slightly deranged) woman and the 

cone-headed Custard Flanagan who has 

experiences to offer the audience on 

home security. 

Burn is energetic, enigmatic and 

undeniably unique. She manages 

moments of genuine hilarity although it 

is unlikely that audiences will laugh 

much in unison. As fascinating as this is 

there are still characters whose profile I 

found hard to understand. 

Nevertheless, Burn’s charisma carries 

the show wonderfully. 

Ian Mitchell 

The Improverts 

Bedlam 

Edinburgh’s resident improvisation 

troupe The Improverts, lit up the pitch 

black Bedlam stage with a 

breathtakingly confident display of 

improvised comedy. Playing to a 

(mostly) mildly inebriated 12:30am 

crowd can be tricky, especially with 

audience participation involved, but The 

Improverts pulled it off brilliantly. The 

more rowdy the room got, the more 

they raised their game – always in 

control. These guys are good. 

Sketches like ‘Should of Said’ which 

invite the audience to interrupt a routine 

on an on-going basis, could, in less deft 

hands, fall apart. Quick thinking rapid 

fire one-liners keep it all ticking over 

nicely. 

The lineup of performers’ changes 

nightly – I attended very early in the run, 

but I’m happy to report that there were 

no weak links on stage. The ‘crack 

team’ of Bedlam techies did there bit too 

– it’s not every day you get to witness 

lighting with comic timing. 

If Paul Merton was searching for a few 

more Improv chums he should look no 

further than this talented lot. 

Martin Walker 

In The Name Of The Flesh 

The Banshee Labyrinth 

Part of the Free Fringe, this one man 

show by the amiably bearded Ernesto 

Sarezale was billed as “Erotic Award 

Winner for Poet of The Year 2010”, and 

consisted of an hour of spoken word 

and video projection during a large part 

of which Ernesto stood naked in front of 

the audience. Sadly, although some of 

the speech was vaguely droll, I can’t 

honestly say that I found the production 

erotic. As for the video projections, even 

to one as deeply unappreciative of the 

genre as I, it came as no great revelation 

that many Eurovision contestants over 

the years have contrived to lose 

portions of their wardrobe as part of 

their act. 

There were high points: Surreal – with 

its talk of detached navels. Thoughtful – 

lesbian invisibility is always worth a 

worthy comment. Unique – you don’t 

meet talking penises every day – even 

on the Fringe. But, ultimately, despite its 

clear literacy and the intellectual 

endeavour of its writer and performer, 

the show failed to deliver for me as 

comedy – not helped by the Spaniard’s 

heavily accented English which was, at 

times, hard to follow. 

The most interesting part was the video 

compilation of shots of London Pride 

which had my companion and I on the 

edge of our seats looking for familiar 

faces. 

John Hein 

It Is Rocket Science! V2 


Helen Keen is back with more geeky 

facts, props and puppetry. 

Keen’s stand-up is flawless, and her 

endearing naivety of presence means 

the shards of adult humour 

interspersed in the show stab us 

between the eyes. That’s a good thing! 

As is Helen’s audience interaction, 

which from the beginning has the 

audience enthralled. 

I find myself sitting with baited breath, 

transfixed in Keen’s self-described 

‘jamboree of unlikeliness’ as she talks 

rocket travel, 3-winged bats fitted with 

incendiary devices and the Atlas of 

Uranus. 

Keen’s props are magnificent, and her 

kookie stage presence is sharper than a 

double edged sword and with twice the 

impact. She blows the audience away, 

and her pseudo-self deprecation only 

served to make her words even more 

effective. ‘Onward to Mars!’ 


Jason Cook: The End (Part One) 

The Stand 

Cook’s opening is original and 

successfully enigmatic. Before entering 

he plays visual slides to outline the 

central premise: a kairotic, health scare 

that lead him to re-evaluate his life. If 

this all sounds rather sobering for a 

comedy show then Cook’s Cheshire 

face soon appears on stage. In 

explaining his cathartic journey Cook 

delivers some choice one-liners and 

cringe-worthy anecdotes, often based 

on occasions when he landed himself in 

trouble. The unseen antagonist in all of 

this is wife Claire whom Cook manages 

to characterise romantically and 

sympathetically, affectionately and 

abusively. He is both an insufferable 

hypochondriac and a victim of (groan) 

‘women’ (now roll your eyes back 

theatrically). 

I warmed to his self-deprecating nature 

though. Even when he seduces 

unwilling, besotted audience couples 

into seeping their own gush he 

ultimately feels at home when the 

comedy is pointed at him. Cook, for 

example, reveals to the audience the 

humiliating animal impressions that 

were supposed to be for Claire’s eyes 

only. Later as Cook explained how he 

cheated the history books of Australian 

colloquialism the audience was rooting 

for him. Cook is an accomplished 

performer and there is no doubt that he 

will find appreciative audiences at the 

Fringe. 

The downfall of this show is that the 

material is clichéd; although Cook’s 

performance is compelling there comes 

a point when tales about WAGs can 

sound smug rather than funny. 

Marriage and relationship observations 

will sell seats comfortably to young, 

heterosexual couples (many of who, I 

suspect, are panting for the illusion that 

marriage is some sort of elixir for 

happiness), but other stand up fans will 

be left less satisfied. 

Ian Mitchell 

Jennifer Coolidge 

– Yours For The Night 

Assembly 

An hour of stand-up with film’s hottest 

mamma, the woman many of us will 

know as Stiffler’s Mom. This lady sure 

has star quality, as she regales us with 

LA anecdotes in her sarcastic, sassy 

and self-deprecating drawl. One can 

clearly see why this sexy lady is 

desperate to escape LA – she’s too real! 

This isn’t the name-dropping celebsabotage 

I thought it would be. 

Coolidge does challenge the fakery of 

Hollywood, and also reveals a lot about 

herself in a candid and shameless 

stream of revelations. Cocaine, rehab, 

why she always goes for ‘weird best 

friend roles’ and her relationship woes. 

Coolidge is stunning, very funny and 

brutally honest. The start was a bit slow 

but I reckon that was down to first-week 

nerves – with further performance this 

show will be 5-star. 


Jo Caulfield: Cruel to be Kind 

The Stand 

If you like your stand up acts to have a 

savage edge book a ticket for Jo 

Caulfield at The Stand. The phrase Cruel 

to Be Kind is in the title and indeed, 

there is very little kindness evident in 

Caulfield’s show. (In fact Hamlet is 

credited with coining the expression 

when he reflects on persecuting his 

own mother. Pol Pot was also an 

advocate of the general concept.) 

Caulfield’s on-stage demeanour is blunt, 

acerbic and downright, unashamedly 

bitchy. Her stories and observations are 

punctuated with poisonous but highly 

pertinent gags (such as a brilliantly 

vicious aside about BBC comedy) and 

Caulfield is adept at audience 

humiliation. Who’s complaining? Not 

Caulfield’s audience that’s for sure (who 

were roaring for more punishment like 

tickled whores). 

Caulfield is a highly recommended act 

this year: she is a gripping performer. 

The jokes and one-liners still come thick 

and fast in a particularly slick hour. 

Caulfield’s routine ends with a ‘survey’ 

into the sexual experiences of the 

audience. She’ll no doubt get some 

interesting answers throughout the 

month. 

Ian Mitchell 

John Bishop: Sunshine 

Udderbelly’s Pasture 

I’ll begin with the blunt truth about John 

Bishop’s show: it isn’t remotely funny. 

The stories and one-liners are bland, 

clichéd and rely on strange 

generalisations that patently don’t work 

if you have developed a mind of your 

own. The premise of the show is this: 

Bishop has ‘made it’ (he’s on prime time 

television now, you know) and can’t 

believe his own luck. This is his rags to 

riches story from early career obscurity 

(not all that long ago it must be said), in 

small Fringe venues, to a Jonathan 

Ross Show appearance, where Jeff 

Bridges’ presence proved a little 

daunting. 

Some of the humour is staggeringly 

archaic. Bishop’s impression of two 

Japanese tourists (who attended an 

awkward ‘Hut’ gig once) and his 

rhetorical, ‘who knows what they were 

thinking?’ had audiences giggling 

furiously; from where I was sitting there 

was no more to the routine than a 

comedian squinting his eyes. Cackling 

uncontrollably Bishop asks, ‘is that 

(impression) racist?’ Good question, 

John. In the end your impression either 

constitutes a joke or it doesn’t. What is 

the audience laughing at? 

And yet, pretence allowing, he seems 

like such a nice, authentic guy. His 

reluctance to appear on Celebrity 

Mastermind (owing to a self-confessed 

general knowledge deficiency) is 

sacrificed for charitable intentions 

toward children with cleft palates. Then 

he undermines his own altruism with 

an impersonation of a cleft-palated 

child. Cue raucous laughter. I accept (I 

think) that there should be no sacred 

cows in comedy (I have certainly seen a 

few slaughtered at the Fringe). However, 

in itself, a cleft-palated child isn’t funny; 

it is an evident fact of life. If it were 

funny then we wouldn’t need John 

Bishop – we could just laugh at a 

Googled image. So Bishop’s likeability 

isn’t worth the show’s price. Personally, 

I would rather that all comedians are 

obnoxious sociopaths off-stage as long 

as their routines are genuinely 

humorous. 

The audience also laughed at how 

Bishop’s wife thought that his publicity 

poster portrayed him as, ‘a simple, gay 

man’. (If you have seen the poster the 

microphone apparently represents an 

aroused penis.) Bishop’s wife doesn’t 

always talk to him though. When he 

wishes to communicate with her he 

reads Cosmopolitan magazine instead 

(they talk another language – women!). 

I cannot explain his popularity 

definitively and I don’t care. He is 

immensely cheerful and probably 

represents a British ‘everyman’, proof 

that ‘it’ (fast-track, mainstream success) 

does happen occasionally. In my 

opinion infinitely funnier and more 

erudite comedians are performing at the 

Fringe for under half of the ticket price. I 

am clearly in the minority, but I refuse to 

laugh at something in mindless 

deference. If you happen to crave fame 

for its own sake then Bishop has a pearl 

of wisdom: ‘Stand up comedy is the 

third best job.’ And the first two? Rock 

star and footballer. Do tell. Because you 

get women and drugs without guilt. 

(Cue more raucous laughter.) 

I don’t normally make sweeping 

statements. However, in tribute to John 

Bishop I would like to attempt my own 

generalisation. Anybody who finds this 

show funny is essentially an idiot. 

Ian Mitchell 

John-Luke Roberts Distracts You From 

A Murder 


The premise of this show is a 

thoroughly intriguing idea and I very 

much doubt that the execution of it will 

disappoint many audiences this month. 

Amid the screams and pleas of partnerin-crime, 

Gareth, Roberts informs us 

that he will commit murder under our 

very eyes. His distractions include a 

series of whimsical and surreal 

sketches, stopping occasionally to 

abuse the audience person by person 

with a set of preconceived jokes. And 

strangely I would have felt totally 

excluded had Roberts not looked me 

personally in the eye and told me that I 

am as likeable as Paul Mccartney would 

have been had he not formed The 

Beatles. 

Roberts is surprisingly warm bearing in 

mind that his sociopathic persona lacks 

any sense of a moral compass; perhaps 

even Harold Shipman was more 

likeable than the tabloids gave him 

credit for. When Roberts selfdeprecates 

by stripping off his 

aristocratic suit in favour of a red 

negligee (an impression of Kate Moss) 

he succeeds beautifully in 

discomforting the audience and making 

his routine genuinely bizarre. 

This show is fun, entertaining and 

geared for frequent audience 

involvement. I found Roberts to be quite 

Jimmy Carr at times and, although 

reading cleverly written jokes off a card 

can be funny, it has its limitations. 

Ian Mitchell 

Keith Farnan: Sex Traffic – How Much 

Is That Woman In The Window? 

Underbelly 

Keith Farnan is not a male feminist. He 

finds the term patronising. He is 

however a man who loves women, and 

in one hour he delivers the most 

awesome tirade of abuse on all men 

who have ever demeaned or devalued 

women. Think Michael Moore with a wit 

so sharp your arteries will be emptied 

before you’ve even finished laughing. 

Farnan delves into a range of topics on 

how a male-dominated society has and 

is demeaning women, and manages to 

do so in a manner so funny yet so 

impassioned that we are completely 

entertained whilst also overwhelmed at 

the subject matter. I’ve never quite seen 

a comic achieve the two with such 

finesse. Farnan discusses everything 

from Primark’s push-up bras for 7 year 

olds; Peek-a-boo Pole Dancing, 

synchronisation and size zero – to 

Rwandan politics (which incidentally is 

far more female-friendly than the UK), 

Sharia law and society’s general 

lots more reviews at scotsgay.co.uk 

COMEDY 

COMEDY 

desensitization to violence against 

women. 

He interacts with the audience, receives 

hecklers with valour, and provides a 

very well researched factual 

performance. Not only that, his comedy 

is some of the punchiest and most 

natural I’ve seen this festival. One small 

hour for Farnan, one massive step for 

womankind. This is a show not to be 

missed! 


Kerry Gilbert Gives Love A Bad Name 

Underbelly 

Kerry Gilbert is an affable and attractive 

comic with a wit that manages to 

juxtapose slapstick and sophisticated. 

The sketches have a concurrent theme 

of differing relationship dynamics, with 

the high points being the guide dog 

who shits on its owner’s girlfriend’s 

face, and the promiscuous Aussie 

partier. The low points were the few 

elongated dead air-times. Firstly, the 

agonizingly long time it took for Gilbert 

to heave her suitcase on-stage, which I 

guess was supposed to create an 

atmosphere of anticipation but was 

actually just annoying. The costume 

changes also took an age, with the 

audience left dangling and ignored in 

between. Perhaps a slide show, voice 

over or some music might have made 

the transitions easier for the audience. 

Still, a very original and enjoyable brand 

of humour. Kerry Gilbert is definitely for 

the watching! 


Kit & The Widow 

Stage by Stage at Royal Academy 

Dressed in immaculate diner suits, at 

first glance, Kit Hesketh-Harvey and 

Richard Sisson (The Widow) appear to 

be a run-of-the-mill old-fashioned 

society cabaret act, and to some extent, 

they are. What they deliver though is 

some biting up-to-the minute musical 

satire. Think, Topping and Butch 

without the leather, or Hislop and 

Merton with songs. 

Andy Murray, Donald Trump, Sky TV 

and many others get the treatment. 

With the urbane Widow at the piano, 

Kit’s waspishly camp lyrics hit their 

targets in a deceptively forthright way. 

The opening number attacking the 

Con/Dem coalition set the tone. It was 

surprising to hear an Oxbridge educated 

performer draw class battle lines, 

perhaps even more surprising was the 

side he was on. 

It was difficult to pick one highlight, but 

the homage to ‘Nando’s’ restaurants, to 

the tune of Abba’s ‘Fernando’ just about 

edged it. As Kit pointed out “Last year 

when we performed this you didn’t 

know what we were on about. Now 

you’ve got one on Lothian Road!” 

Seen on the opening afternoon, there 

were one or two technical problems, 

which I’m sure they’ll iron out easily 

enough. Not that this audience cared. 

The show over ran by 10 minutes due 

to that rarest of Edinburgh Fringe 

occurrences – a genuine encore. 

Martin Walker 

La Petit Mort – The Orgasm 

Underbelly 

A cabaret-style journey of the female 

orgasm through the ages. An extremely 

well-researched piece, with flashes of 

diamond brilliance that will have you 

riveted. Unfortunately there are also 

moments of dull annoyance that will 

have you curious as to Hertaeg’s 

inconsistency.

It’s only because most of it is SO good. 

Her vocals – out of this world. Her 

delivery – funny, sexy, with a velvety 

demeanor I want to wrap myself up in. 

However some of the songs don’t quite 

bear relevance to the otherwise 

exceptional theme of the show, and the 

‘Colours’ song was just downright 

random. Usually I love random, but the 

song went on for so long that were it 

not for the amazing piano playing and 

hilarious stage props, I might have lost 

interest. 

If the few low points in this show were 

tightened up, it would be very easy to 

elevate it to a 4-star. Hertaeg is amazing, 

as she projects a voice better than any 

I’ve heard this festival. She shimmies 

around like a ginger Marilyn Monroe, 

although at times comes off more 

Shirley Temple. I loved it – I just want 

more of the awesome. 


Lady Garden: Top Secret Gig 


Gender-specific, comedy sketch shows 

are as much a feature of the Fringe as a 

discarded flyer. The good news for 

young, talented comedians, such as 

Lady Garden, is that sketch show 

conventions (short, sharp, whimsical 

narratives) are well known to audiences; 

on the downside commonality makes 

success above the standard level 

difficult. This is an often inventive and 

well-crafted performance providing 

plenty of light (and occasionally dark) 

amusement. Lady Garden can be a little 

gimmicky: the opening scene features 

six miniature versions of themselves 

performed by six fearless, junior 

apprentices. Also, a recurring plot 

where the six Lady Gardens are 

airborne doesn’t need a remotecontrolled 

helicopter to make it work; 

the scope for humour here is in the 

voiceovers, not in the visual aid, which I 

found distracting and annoyingly 

hypnotic. 

Highlights include Hannah Dodd’s 

creepy, northern persona delivering an 

entirely vacuous, but brilliantly timed list 

of domestic inanity. A serial storyline 

using Russian dolls is equally 

successful and the customary in-group 

‘bust up’ utilises the technician cleverly. 

I also loved the first day working at 

Asda, indicative of the way Lady 

Garden’s writing takes the familiar and 

turns it into the bizarre. Having devised 

some other potential comic gems the 

effect is less satisfying: Beattie 

Edmondson’s dating of Abu Hamza has 

greater mileage and an interesting 

parody of female sexualisation (and 

generally the stereotyping of women in 

popular culture) seems similarly 

underdeveloped. With six in the group 

Lady Garden run the risk of becoming 

support acts in each other’s thunder 

rather than complimenting each sketch. 

Lady Garden nevertheless provides a 

fine, slick hour of afternoon comedy 

that won’t disappoint. 

Ian Mitchell 

Lee Kern: Filthy Raucous Soul Bitch 

Fringe @ Le Monde Basement 

Knowing nothing about Kern’s show 

(other than the publicity flyer) I trotted 

along to the Le Monde Basement on 

George Street to join a late afternoon, 

full house of stand up goers. The flyer 

suggests to me that Kern seeks to 

adopt a persona of a scathing, straightfrom-the-hip 

talking…well…bitch! 

Perhaps it is wrong to infer too much 

from the signifiers in a flyer but I was 

expecting risqué stuff from a cruel but 

ultimately perceptive comedian. 

Kern’s stage presence, with his 

skinhead hairstyle, slow, deep London 

accent and slightly disheveled 

appearance is different to these 

expectations. Nothing wrong with 

Kern’s intentions; he is a comedian who 

wants to wrestle with big issues such as 

racism and anti-semitism. The 

weakness here is that Kern often talks 

about serious issues seriously and so I 

frequently caught myself nodding in 

agreement, but not laughing. Kern’s 

commitment to hard, social issues is 

therefore admirable but his routine lacks 

sophistication in both the writing and 

the delivery. Nevertheless, his material 

on being Jewish is funny. 

Kern turns his attention to the easily 

mockable with a focus on Jack Tweedy, 

widower of reality television star Jade 

Goody. Kern’s assertion that Tweedy is a 

‘parasite’ seems slightly half-baked and 

even classist. Kern is in a quandary in 

my view between adopting a blunt 

talking, alter ego and offering a voice of 

reason. Despite moments of humour 

Kern’s central problem in his routine is 

how to generate comedy consistently 

from observed real life. 

Ian Mitchell 

Michael Topping 

– Heels Over Head in Love 

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall 

Fresh from a lively birthday party at The 

New Town Bar, Michael Topping 

celebrates his golden jubilee with a 

musical romp of mostly self penned 

songs at the piano. 

This show is much more personal than 

we’ve seen of Topping before. Genuine 

emotion creeps into this often light 

hearted, frequently funny set. His 

repertoire is varied and the unscripted 

banter is a scream. There is a real 

intelligence behind the camp too, this 

self proclaimed experienced all queen 

has learned much over the years and 

his reminisces are enlightening. Young 

gay men could certainly gain a great 

deal from Topping – and they’d be the 

happier for it. 

Topping isn’t afraid to risk opening 

himself up to an improvised question 

and answer session from the audience 

either. It’s amazing how frank some of 

the questions are. And some of the 

answers. And Topps has such a 

splendid, infectious laugh! 

What a wonderful way to spend 

lunchtime. 

Martin Walker 

Morgan & West: TIan Mitchelle 

Travelling Magicians 


An interactive exploration into a world of 

trickery and illusion. This is a familyfriendly 

show, with a heady mix of card 

trickery, balloon magic and 

conundrums. 

The concept is not exactly new and nor 

is the material ground-breaking; the 

coin and card tricks are the usual 

tomfoolery of this genre. However the 

double act of Morgan & West is 

immaculately presented and 

convincing, and definitely worth a 

watch. 

I was in a quandary as to the timetravelling 

theme, which seemed to me 

surplus to requirements. It didn’t 

contribute any to the performance and 

instead seemed at odds with parts of it. 

I’d rather have seen more of the magic 

and less of the time-travelling. A great 

way to spend an hour all the same, and 

very entertaining. 


Nat Luurtsema: In My Head I’m a Hero 


Nat Luurtsema loves a disaster and in 

her own delightfully calamitous world 

she sees herself as the eminent hero 

best qualified to step in and save lives. 

With a quick-witted, playful spirit she 

deconstructs the world of reality and 

puts it right again by regressing into her 

own child-centred utopia. The theme is 

perfect for an afternoon, stand up show 

– a time of the day when I typically 

indulge a few escapist fantasies of my 

own. Luurtsema’s style is fun and 

immensely palatable and she is 

especially at home when introducing on 

stage visuals such as a child hood 

storybook. 

A highlight of the show for me was 

footage depicting some kind of bizarre, 

exercise ritual from Luurtsema’s school 

days (she is the product of an 

independent, Masonic-funded school). 

As Luurtsema turned her cordial 

humour to the meaningless practice of 

synchronous dancing in the middle of 

an educational institution, it occurred to 

me that her hero status would have 

risen infinitely in my eyes had she 

directed her undoubted talent more 

mercilessly at the cynical conditioning 

of young children into blindly obedient 

slaves (if Josef Fritzl treated children 

similarly there would be hell to pay). 

However, just because I watch stand up 

comedy expecting it to be all about me 

really isn’t Luurtsema’s problem. This is 

a good, well delivered show. 

Ian Mitchell 

NewsRevue 


Unfortunately this performance started 

late (possibly due to an over-run of the 

previous production) and so the 

audience were kept waiting for some 

time. With this in mind, the audience 

(myself included) were hoping that a 

funny, witty and whimsical show would 

be presented in order to make up for it’s 

late-running – and that is exactly what 

we got. 

The young cast of NewsRevue delivered 

a highly polished and unbelievably 

varied performance. It was clear that a 

lot of research into current news topics 

had indeed formed part of what must 

have been an extensive and successful 

rehearsal schedule. From a parody of 

Glee, to a singing Silvio Berlusconi and 

from Gordon Brown’s role in a stroke 

advert to a coalition between Disney 

and the Daily Mail intended to inform 

children about asylum seekers in 

Britain; there was a lot which the 

audience could appreciate and identify 

with. 

In terms of individual performer 

highlights, Tom Connor depicted both 

William Hague and David Cameron very 

accurately; Amy Westgarth and Annabel 

King formed a wonderfully comic duo 

as Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole 

(Tweedy). The most surprising, yet 

downright brilliant character was 

George Osborne the (slightly camp) 

horny devil, played with much mirth by 

Richard David-Caine. The audience 

were captivated and engaged 

throughout the show, until about the 

last ten minutes when it seemed that 

the scenes based on the ConLib 

coalition were becoming somewhat 

repetitive. I must give credit to Pete 

Smith, the show’s pianist, who provided 

excellent, professional onstage backing 

music throughout. 

This show is undoubtedly worth seeing 

if you get the chance, although the 

show’s advertisers may wish to 

consider increasing the minimum age 

for entry from 14 to 16 as strong 

language and some potentially offensive 

scenes feature. 

Angus Wyatt 

The Noise Next Door 


The Noise Next Door consist of Charlie 

Granville, Tom Livingstone, Matt Grant, 

Tom Houghton and Sam Pacelli, with 

Nathan Marshall on guitar. 

This improvised comedy show from 

The Noise Next Door is unlike anything 

you have ever seen before. Featuring 

some corny pubs and witty one-liners, 

‘Chaos Control’ is hilarious and sheer 

genius, excellently improvised and 

incredibly well presented. The show 

follows a vague structure about forming 

a secret agency, but aside of that relies 

upon audience input. As such, the show 

varies greatly from performance to 

performance, but the key fact still 

remains, that the boys of this ‘camp 

comedy troupe’ can tackle almost 

anything the audience suggest to them; 

ranging from Viking Techno music 

about Goblin Ninjas, to Richard 

Branson being hidden away due to 

constipation. 

At times this show can be incredibly 

bizarre, but it is in this that its merit lies 

– the way in which all of the performers 

manage to instantaneously create 

scenes or vocalise songs is nothing 

short of impressive and almost 

unbelievable, this is especially the case 

with guitarist Nathan Marshall who 

seems to be able to provide musical 

accompaniment for anything and 

everything and in every conceivable 

style. What makes this show even 

better is that the boys give you 

everything – great comedy, stunning 

improvisation and – described as a 

‘comedy JLS’ – they can sing! If their 

comedy ever fails (which in some ways 

unfortunately it never will) The Noise 

Next Door could always form a 

boyband – maybe an option for next 

year’s Fringe guys?! 

Chaos Control is most definitely worth 

more than the price of a ticket, and I 

recommend you all pen it into you 

Fringe planners. 

Angus Wyatt 

Paul Foot – Ash in the Attic 

Underbelly 

For audience members new to the 

openly gay Paul Foot, the sight of this 

foppish, wiry, straggly-haired man 

bounding onto the stage might come as 

something of a surprise. His 

appearance and mannerisms 

immediately leave no one in doubt as to 

the unconventionality of his act. 

Imagine a combination of the refined 

and dignified courtiers of the 

seventeenth century, and the wild and 

gauche court jester gamboling amongst 

them. It’s a nifty trick which only the 

most accomplished performer could 

hope to pull off. 

For all its unpredictability, Foot is totally 

in control of his material. He 

punctuates his set with digressions that 

have an improvisational quality; he 

interacts well with his audience, and 

knows exactly how far he can take them 

on any given flight of fancy. His desire to 

engage with ‘topical material’ doesn’t 

lead to a skit about the BP oil crisis, or 

the war in Afghanistan, but instead to a 

diatribe about shire horses, apparently 

on the decline in the UK. Without giving 

too much away, it’s a brilliant set piece 

which will have you chuckling to 

yourself for days after. 

Martin Walker 

Paul Sinha: Extreme Anti-White Vitriol 

The Stand 

For those who have time to view only a 

handful of shows this year, Sinha’s 

superbly crafted and erudite, stand up 

routine is highly recommended. There 

is actually little vitriol about Sinha; his 

approach is personal, reflective and 

anecdotal, integrating his cleverly 

conceived humour into a narrative that 

ultimately makes sense of homophobia 

and racism in a surprisingly congenial 

way. In fact, the show’s title derives 

from BNP deputy Simon Darby’s 

accusation against Sinha during a radio 

interview (Sinha had had the temerity to 

voice an opinion). Naturally, Sinha uses 

his sharp intellect to weave in and out of 

the BNP’s right wing lunacy. Although 

sceptics might claim that even the very 

witless could confront the values and 

policies of the BNP through ridicule 

(whilst acknowledging that many 

politicians refuse ironically on 

democratic principles) it must be said 

that on Sinha’s watch the far right are 

caricatured wonderfully. 

Perhaps it is sadly inevitable that a gay 

Asian man has a few personal tales of 

jaw-dropping prejudice. However, 

Sinha’s tolerance of the intolerant is 

perhaps the real beauty of the show. He 

uses the comments of ordinary, but 

often slightly bigoted people, who 

provide the basis for some quite 

hilarious anecdotes (the drunk woman 

who asks Sinha if she can jump the 

queue is a truly priceless story). Sinha’s 

message (humbly made) is that we 

should listen to and tolerate our fellow 

human, even the far right. Indeed, in the 

fall out of some of Sinha’s real-life 

confrontations his own judgement is 

called into question. Letting the racist 

and homophobic speak suits me: they 

are practically sourcing Sinha’s routine 

for him. His criticisms of tabloid 

newspaper tribalism rightly had 

audience members applauding and 

quite frankly I would be in my seat still 

had he not left the stage. 

Ian Mitchell 

Pension Plan 


Leisa Rae proves that mild depression 

is a fertile source for comedy in a 

compassionately delivered show. Since 

we can’t all be winners Rae searches for 

the lighter side of failed aspirations, low 

self-esteem and subsequent therapy 

whilst inspiring her audience into 

festival mood. Games such as ‘Pin the 

label on the lady’ and the circulation of a 

foetus-shaped cookie will transcend any 

existing feelings of low self-esteem and 

disillusionment into true party spirit. 

Rae’s audience is a participating one, 

without any of the clichéd humiliation 

occasionally favoured by stand up acts. 

Clearly speaking with some experience 

on the subject of mental health Rea is 

both immensely likeable and 

charismatic. How ironic that her selfconfessed 

career failures have formed 

the basis for a successful show. I 

particularly warmed to Rae’s taste for 

the subversive as she directed her 

mischievous finger at therapists 

(characterising them as vegetables), a 

charlatan life coach (whose recorded 

phone conversation with Rae is a real 

highlight) and well-meaning, but slightly 

gauche Facebook acquaintances. 

Pension Plan is both genuinely funny 

and strangely cathartic. 

Ian Mitchell 

Princess Cabaret 


Aiming to deconstruct the iconic status 

of the renowned Disney Princesses, 

‘Princess Cabaret’ combines a series of 

sketches and musical interludes in this 

rather mediocre and obvious satire. 

With the Australian cast including 

everyone from Tinkerbell to The Little 

Mermaid, this show falls behind with 

the air of an unrefined school talent 

show as the princesses stumble across 

the cramped stage of the venue 

between scenes that are crying to be 

cut. The production does redeem itself 

however in some of the musical 

numbers, with the voice of Courtney 

Powell as Cinderella shining through 

some songs that are not only amusing 

but of impressive composition, making 

up for the lack of pace and timing in 

most of the sketches. 

What this production needs is focus; 

albeit a hackneyed idea, there are a few 

sketches and songs that are at the 

genesis of something magnificent. Alas, 

these are dragged in to a sea of 

mediocrity by an appalling interpretation 

of the performance space and large 

sectors of positively weak material. The 

adult and controversial elements of the 

work need to be emphasized and 

expanded to provide a suitable contrast 

to the humble and dependant icons of 

animation chosen for exploration. Till 

then, this comedy will remain a 

confusing and fragmented performance 

– the frame of the crown is there but the 

diamonds are lacking. 


Rosie Wilby – Further Science of Sex 

Underbelly 

Wilby’s nutty sexologist persona returns 

for a second year at the Fringe and why 

not? The character comedian’s 2009 

show, ‘The Science of Sex’ won great 

critical acclaim (and I should know – I 

was one of those acclaiming it). 

The silly props are also back in her 

quest to explain gay, bi and straight 

sexuality. She utilizes balloons and other 

party paraphernalia – and a flip chart full 

of diagrams, graphs and (mostly made 

up) statistics. 

She discusses her own sex life freely, 

and the trials of being a lesbian in 

particular. It is light hearted stuff for the 

most part, with an occasional aside or 

punch line so surprisingly close to the 

bone and controversial, I twice 

uncontrollably gasped. 

Wilby’s comfortable in her role, but not 

afraid to drop out of it occasionally to 

banter with her rapt and admiring 

audience. 

So what is the scientific origin of 

kissing? What does happen in the brain 

when you fall in love? I still don’t know, 

but you will fall for Wilby’s show, no 

matter where you sit on the Kinsey 

Scale. 

Martin Walker 

Sarah Bennetto: The King and I 


In this anecdotal routine, Sarah 

Bennetto describes how she “fell in to 

stand up”; yet it was evident that she 

has now picked herself up and started 

to climb the comedy ladder. Her ‘The 

King and I’ show started somewhat 

informally, although this gave a more 

relaxed and casual feel to the whole 

production, as opposed to the perhaps 

more structured and rehearsed 

openings of today’s big name comics. 

Despite being ‘waffley’ at times, Sarah 

generally managed to keep the pace of 

her performance, and with it held the 

audience’s attention. At times however, 

the technical aspect of the show 

distracted from the performance itself, 

for example the lighting was slightly too 

dark, and music was used to inform 

Sarah that she was overrunning, 

thereby almost drowning out the last 

two minutes of Sarah’s performance. 

Nonetheless, I would recommend this 

show as one to watch, with humorous 

stories of polyester on polyester 

syndrome (p.o.p.) and the creation of 

the arousing mental image of Camilla 

Parker Bowles in a bikini – hot! Best 

described as a real-life, Australian 

Bridget Jones, I would not be surprised 

to see Sarah Bennetto performing to 

larger audiences in the future, although 

much larger venues may not suit the 

anecdotal style of this show. Perhaps 

with more one-liners and material aside 

of the stories from her life, Miss 

Bennetto will be able to break out of 

what she describes as the ‘above and 

below pubs’ performance circuit. 

Angus Wyatt 

Scott Agnew: 

Pride (In the Name of Love) 


Proud gay Weegie, Scott Agnew, opens 

his gig by suggesting that folk from his 

own great city are the best at swearing 

in the world. Tales of the posh 

Glaswegian women who turned the air 

blue, the loud mouthed bus driver, and 

an altercation between a tramp and 

some Austrians outside a Glasgow pub 

– all serve to help convince us that he’s 

right. This is a strong and very funny 

start – but if you don’t like swearing 

then you should avoid this show. 

Agnew’s strongest argument that 

Glaswegians swear better is embodied 

by Agnew himself. 

Naughty words aside, this is intelligent 

stuff, from a comedian that wants to 

make us think. He talks at length about 

his time as a journalist in a routine that 

was more interesting, even fascinating, 

than funny. But the laughs soon return 

with a hilarious piss-take on gay culture, 

fag-hags and gay dating site Gaydar. 

The delivery is straight-forward and in 

your face. Our host is a story teller, and 

the heart of the tale is frequently more 

important than the punch line. The final 

routine had me holding back tears. 

You can also catch Agnew comparing 

the very popular New Town Bar Sunday 

Fund-raisers for Waverley Care. 

Martin Walker 

Shappi Khorsandi: 

The Moon on a Stick 


Khorsandi has recently suffered a 

divorce, which is apparently extra 

burdensome if you are a successful, 

career-orientated woman. The double 

bad news with this is that, at 37, she is 

desperate to be impregnated again and 

evidently isn’t too fussy about who does 

the deed. Surely there must be an old 

Facebook friend who owes her a favour. 

Ironically, she doesn’t seem to want the 

moon on a stick, just someone obliging 

enough to sleep with her. I also want the 

moon on a stick: a comedian who 

doesn’t assume that marriage is 

inherently funny; still, we can’t have it all 

(even as paying customers). 

Khorsandi in fairness is funny, varying 

her one-liners from observations about 

her husband’s shortcomings to the 

occasional quite dark, cat-out-of-thebag 

remark. The audience of (I suspect) 

largely Guardian readers (they all hissed 

at the mention of Kelvin Mackenzie) 

were politely shocked at the notion of 

‘tossing off a dog’. Khorsandi focuses 

mostly on the untimely demise of her 

relationship, which provides a palatable, 

but not terribly satisfying, stand up 

show. 

Her material is infinitely cleverer when 

she switches her attention to 

experiences as a British-Iranian woman. 

Routines on the ‘British Citizenship 

Guide for Dummies’ (I personally love a 

comedian with a prop), and the 

somewhat disingenuous complaints 

about breast-feeding by the same 

people who find magazine images of 

breasts entirely acceptable, 

demonstrate Khorsandi’s obvious 

talent. There is a mischievous side to 

Khorsandi that comes out when she 

stops talking about weddings and 

babies. Given the number of comedy 

routines at the Fringe with convoluted 

descriptions of wedlock I am beginning 

to wonder whether therapists are 

recommending stand up comedy as a 

cure for marital depression. 

Ian Mitchell 

Showstopper! 

The Improvised Musical 


Ok – so everyone is raving about this 

troupe of extremely talented 

improvisers, and I can certainly see why 

with the impressive career credentials 

stacked between them. They packed the 

Gilded Balloon’s Debating Hall and the 

audience seemed to thoroughly enjoy 

the evening, with many of the people I 

spoke too never having encountered 

improvised musical theatre before. The 

reason I am giving them 1 star less than 

their no frills counterparts over at C 

Venues is because, to be honest, 

despite a better venue, onstage 

props/costume elements, more 

complex tech system and, most 

importantly, an actual director, I enjoyed 

it just that little star less. It was more 

professional, slick, with an actual 

premise involving a promised show to 

Cameron Mackintosh and a 

questionable game of cricket but I left 

not being able to help comparing the 

two (perhaps because out of an entire 

world of possibility both of the evenings 

I went to were set on an allotment). 

The show I witnessed was carved out of 

the epic theme of a fairy with only one 

wing and wittily dubbed by an audience 

member “Flying In Circles”. Of course, 

who knew that would take us through 

to 1934/35 England and the town of 

sunny June, where reflections on the 

negative effects of a radical and 

authoritarian nationalist political 

ideology were brewing. Ruth Bratt was 

a highlight for me as Lady Smythe, the 

mother of Grena the uncharacteristically 

dreamy 24 year old who fell in love with 

the one-winged fairy Gusty (yes that’s 

right Nazis were somehow pulled into 

this very musical). Her character’s gin 

drinking and subtle acknowledgement 

of cracks in the improv were charming 

and well placed. Pippa Evans was 

another favorite as Gusty’s feisty fairy 

sister Samantha/Heather, an entirely 

earnest yet wryly handled character 

who could have stolen the show. 

What was certainly handled in an 

interesting way was the musical 

numbers themselves. At the outset 

audience members dished out famous 

musicals which the company would 

perform their numbers in the style of, 

avoiding the improvisation becoming 

too samey and challenging the band in 

a way that the No Shoes Group didn’t. I 

was in two minds about the set up with 

the director who could stop the show 

when he chose and call for a number or 

describe what he wanted to see happen 

in the next scene. In a similar way I 

couldn’t decide whether the audience 

being allowed to vote by a show of 

noise for the outcome of certain plot 

decisions in terms of which they 

thought would be the funnier route to 

take was genius audience participation 

or slightly easier than the cast having to 

work it out in their improv. As the 

audience was deciding the titles etc. at 

the beginning the cast were in the wings 

and the cynic in me couldn’t help but 

acknowledge they had some 

opportunity for discussion. The director 

certainly had time to write down ideas 

as he thought of them whilst the 

numbers were playing out. 

Maybe I am making unfair assumptions 

and it would be ridiculously unjustified 

of me to suggest it all came from the 

audience and director but it just felt a 

tiny bit less genuine than No Shoes 

(who, for the sake of their credibility, 

aren’t paying me to say this I must 

assure you). Wholly enjoyable, a really 

great night out, an entertaining 

and brilliantly improvised show. But. 

Slightly less impressive for all of its frills 

than the company who have to 

command a stage whilst remaining on 

it at all times simultaneously bouncing 

off each other to determine their 

outcome. Anyway, the sell out crowd 

and standing ovation were testament 

enough to the cast’s improvisational 

prowess as well as the exciting notion 

that improvised musical theatre is on its 

way up. 


Simon Munnery: Self-Employed 

The Stand 

Simon Munnery delivers a highly 

entertaining and varied show of stand 

up, character comedy, songs and 

persistent word play. It opens with 

Munnery as a waiter in a French 

restaurant serving audience members 

whilst his index finger functions as a 

moustache (just in case we cannot 

imagine one). The French waiter guise 

provides all sorts of outlets for 

delightfully puerile gags, such as the 

extended jokeathon on Vidal Sassoon. It 

is easy to be seduced by Munnery 

whose routine is frequently devised for 

the sake of comedy and little else. 

Munnery later trades in the restaurant 

for a more traditional stand up routine, 

and although the transition is hardly 

seamless, Munnery’s presence is again 

full of charm, with touching 

observations on his life and 

experiences. Throughout the entire 

show Munnery is a consummate 

wordsmith, taking every opportunity to 

exploit double entendres. He also turns 

his attention to light parody (the 

fetishisation of switches in Mission 

Impossible films). Munnery’s show will 

no doubt be well received this year: it is 

consistently funny, ridiculous and full of 

irreverent asides. A recommended 

afternoon comedy show. 

Ian Mitchell 

Sophie Black: A Sketch Show 


An awkward and rather appalling sketch 

show that disappointed from the start 

and failed to get any better. 

Pretty much everything about Black 

irritated me. The way she drew out her 

words … ‘aaaaaaaaaaarty’…. her 

squeals …. her flimsy material and 

even weaker delivery. The first 

agonisingly prolonged sketch features 

Black taking the audience through a 

sketch book of portraits almost as poor 

as her comedy. Here she indulges in 

some infantile celeb-bashing that she 

clearly thinks is hilarious. Shame I – and 

the rest of the audience – did not agree. 

‘Julia Roberts looks like a horse … 

Jennifer Anderson (sic) looks like she’s 

had a stroke’ … And I was incredulous 

when she exclaimed that the ‘90’s were 

so innocent because ‘who’d have 

guessed there’d be a black president’. A 

comic has to be tight, punchy and 

consistent to pull off gags like that and 

unfortunately this was not the case. 

I’m sure Black is funny in the pub after a 

few drinks with her mates but alas that’s 

where the joke ends – as the lack of 

audience applause testifies. 


Storytellers’ Club 


As I settled in front of the faux log fire at 

Storytellers’ Club I was filled with a 

childlike anticipation akin only to 

Sleepovers and Brownies. The, 

therefore very appropriate, theme being 

celebrated in the maiden voyage of the 

Storytellers’ Ark was embarrassing 

childhood memories. Being described 

as “unashamedly literate” by the 

Independent and a self-acknowledged 

‘place for people who like stories’ I was 

already pondering whether the theme 

was perhaps too anecdotal to provide 

inspiration for a tragic fable or 

adventure chronicle. How wrong I was. 

Led by the charming Sarah Bennetto 

the guest comics James Dowdeswell, 

Stuart Goldsmith, Maeve Higgins, John 

Robbins and Josie Long demonstrated 

quite clearly that any single young life 

can be touched by tragedy, charged 

with adventure and, often overwhelmed 

by love. 

The theme changes nightly which will 

obviously have an impact on the mood 

and material of each show. Yet, what 

was overwhelmingly obvious was that 

the laid back organic nature of the event 

was what made it so appealing. It isn’t 

highly polished but that is what makes it 

so enjoyable, clearly demonstrating the 

talent possessed by these comedians 

minus a fully scripted routine. The 

choice of theme meant the show felt like 

sharing a bottle of wine after work with 

six of your funniest friends as each 

frank confession led to the next. Special 

mention must go to Stuart Goldsmith’s 

thorough experimentation with his 

sexuality and John Robins for sharing 

potentially the most camp question I 

have ever encountered (“Would you like 

to snort cocaine of my signed Danni 

Minogue autobiography?”) There was a 

distinct lack of animosity as the 

camaraderie between the comics 

themselves and their candid revelations 

even led to some audience members 

volunteering their own in the 5 word 

storytelling competition – the 

winner being a man who accidentally 

kissed his friend’s mum sideboob. 

Quality. 

It did perhaps feel quite long running at 

an hour and a half but it certainly means 

you get a taster of a lot of different 

comics for your £10 so you really can’t 

complain. The Club was also perhaps 

not as focused on the literary as I 

imagined it would be but that could well 

be the effect of the theme. In conclusion 

well worth a watch if you fancy an 

evening of chilled seemingly 

spontaneous comedy focused on the 

ability to spin a yarn with some frankly 

hilarious results. 


Stuart Goldsmith: 

The Reasonable Man 


This fast paced and witty routine 

detailed the experiences of selfconfessed 

“regular guy” Stuart 

Goldsmith, running from his dealings 

with the notorious Leamington Spa 

gang “The Lem Posse” through his 

traumatising year at circus school and 

paying particular attention to his love of 

Velcro cable tidies. 

Goldsmith was charming and 

charismatic, and maintained an exciting 

pace throughout this highly polished 

performance. He kept the audience well 

engaged while not getting distracted 

from the meandering and well-crafted 

plot his recollections followed. A master 

at drawing hilarity from the 

commonplace and the surreal and 

weaving the two together, Goldsmith is 

well worth a watch. 


Success – A Success Story 

The Voodoo Rooms 

Three man double-act, Kieran and the 

Joes insist at the top of their Free Fringe 

show that “Success is not just for 

winners.” They then kick off a series of 

devised sketches that demonstrate this 

nutty thesis. 

Much of their material is downright 

hilarious. These are inspired routines 

with too many highlights to list. The 

competitive parenting sketch nearly 

made me spill my beer, and a brilliant 

skit sending up relaxation techniques 

gave me one of the biggest laughs of 

the entire Fringe. 

Threaded through this hour was a 

recurring gag sending up (one of the) 

Joe’s views on homosexuality – which 

was pointed, but never offensive. There 

was intelligent stuff squeezed into the 

silliness too – who knew you could 

satirically comment on religion and the 

class system by acting like chess 

pieces? 

The Free Fringe has really come into it’s 

own this year. It’s great to sit in a bar, 

have a pint (out of a real glass), and 

catch some top notch entertainment. 

Mind you, if Kieran and the Joes were 

performing at Pleasance One – 

charging thirteen quid a ticket – I 

strongly suspect they’d still be getting 

capacity audiences. 

Martin Walker 

Susan Calman 

– Constantly Seeking Susan 

Underbelly Cowgate 

Former corporate lawyer, Susan 

Calman is now 35. “Statistically,” she 

exclaims, “that’s half my life over.” 

Tonight she focuses on her self-penned 

obituary, which she wrote whilst drunk. 

In a quest to discover whether anything 

in it is actually true, we are treated to an 

hour of self-deprecating stand-up. 

Calman pokes fun at her height, at 

being Scottish, at being a lesbian, and 

being a rising star on TV and radio. I did 

wonder in advance of the show whether 

her sometimes ‘near-the-knuckle’ 

routines would suffer now Calman is 

more widely known. Not a bit of it, the 

Radio 4 listeners in this capacity 

audience were laughing along at her 

fanny like the rest of us. 

The audience interaction was perhaps a 

little minimal, Her 2009 show, “The Last 

Woman on Earth” demanded much 

more participation – Calman is one of 

the quickest funny thinkers in the 

business. No matter, the laughs kept 

coming. Indeed, every skit, story and 

practically every line delivered funny 

stuff. Her rise through the ranks is on 

merit, and I honestly believe that it’s 

only a matter of time before she has her 

own TV show. 

Martin Walker 

Tom Allen Toughens Up 


Tom Allen has been described as the 

posh, English, Craig Hill. The similarities 

are immediately apparent. Both are gay, 

deliver terrific audience repartee and 

both have very little, well, hair. Perhaps 

their most common trait is the Hill and 

Allen (not yet a double act) both use 

camp to charm the audience into 

laughing along at subject matters that 

would seem far too vulgar from the 

mouth of a more aggressive 

heterosexual. 

Much of Allen’s routine appears 

improvised, as he digresses from story 

to story, responding to the whims of the 

crowd. He reads his audience well, and 

is quick to pick up on any comedy 

potential from the tiniest tit-bits they 

throw his way. 

The scripted stuff is terrific too, mind 

you. Allen’s ability to find the eccentric in 

the seemingly mundane rivals Michael 

McIntyre. His routines on the defective 

disabled train toilet, finding poo on his 

front door step, and many others, 

weave in and out of the improvised 

material seamlessly. Everything fits. 

I arrived at this show from the back of 

the queue, and as always in sold out 

comedy, the only seat available was in 

the front row. Reviewers should never 

sit under the mike – it’s unfair on the 

performer. When the inevitable 

altercation happened, it didn’t bother 

this comedian one little bit. Tom Allen is 

tough enough. And highly 

recommended. 

Martin Walker 

Tom Williams – Ladies and 

Gentlemen of the Jury 

Just the Tonic @ The Caves 

Tom Williams (comedy genius behind 

the recent ‘Newport State of Mind’ 

parody song) returns to the stage in this 

well written and wonderfully staged 

production. Based around the press 

coverage and events of a court case, 

this varied show engages the audience 

throughout with its intelligent humour 

and perfect delivery. 

Williams opens the proceedings with a 

song (he can sing and play guitar as 

well as make people laugh) which is 

clever, funny and relevant, making 

reference to the corrugated plastic 

roofing and sound of dripping in the 

Cave venue. He manages to create a 

kaleidoscope of different characters, 

including a maverick lawyer and a court 


COMEDY 

COMEDY 

artist (oh yes, he can draw too!) Some 

improvised comedy also features 

during an audience participation scene, 

which adds to this already highly 

amusing hour. 

Angus Wyatt 

Tony Law: Mr Tony’s Brainporium 

The Stand 

In the true spirit of the Fringe, Canadian 

comedian Tony Law’s Brainporium is as 

anti-conventional an act as you are likely 

to see. Dressed in a black, all-in-one 

‘Kevlar’ suit Law bounds onto the stage 

and serves the audience an hour of 

bizarre, clownish and often seemingly 

disjointed comedy. Prepare for 

moments of awkwardness: Law is as 

comfortable when revelling in his own 

self-aware downfall as most comedians 

are with raucous applause. He rudely 

interrupts himself with impunity and 

self-reflexive criticism: at one point Law 

acts out his own Hollywood movie 

script in which the characters soon start 

to comment on the Stand audience. 

Law has an undeniable talent for 

integrating accents into his 

observations as demonstrated by his 

musings about ways to mock and 

humiliate different nationalities. He also 

has an apparent oral fixation with the 

microphone. 

Law’s show is fast-paced, energetic and 

will kick start an afternoon for many a 

surreal-loving Fringe-goer. His 

commitment to his own discursive 

tangents will no doubt leave some 

audience members slightly confused 

and short-changed. Nevertheless Law’s 

incongruous style is certain to provide 

choice moments for everybody. 

Ian Mitchell 

The Unexpected Items 


The Unexpected Items found their fame 

as a YouTube sensation, through Matt 

Lacey’s hilarious solo performance 

entitled ‘Gap Yah’. Group member Tom 

Williams was also the mastermind 

behind the recent Welsh parody of Jay- 

Z and Alicia Keys’ hit ‘Empire State of 

Mind’, entitled ‘Newport: Ymerodraeth 

State of Mind’. With both of these 

videos having amassed over two million 

views each (although a downtrodden 

Matt admits Tom’s has received more 

hits) it was to be expected that this easy 

on the eyes sextuplet comedy troupe 

wasn’t going to have trouble drawing a 

crowd – and rightly so. 

The show opened with a humorous 

public announcement style song, which 

involved all of the performers. Once the 

tone, and indeed the expectation for the 

show, had been set, the group 

presented a vast array of well-staged, 

well-written and highly witty scenes and 

characters. The audience were 

completely captivated and laughed at 

every single one of the varied 

performances, and so picking highlights 

is somewhat of a challenge. Tom 

Williams’ take on folk singers and Matt 

Lacey’s impression of Alan Rickman 

supported their almost equal online 

popularity; whilst Max Pritchard played 

a wonderfully stereotypical romantic 

‘Frenchman’. Adam Reeve’s 

‘community awareness’ speech entitled 

‘how far is too far?’ presented a sublime 

perspective on modern life; whilst 

Katherine Hill’s rendition of Britney 

Spears, in the guise of Carol Ann Duffy 

was funny beyond description. 

This close-knit band of performers are 

of such an equally high standard, that 

singling out a favourite would be nigh 

on impossible, let alone unjust. 

However, Sophie Alderson’s comedic, 

musical and acting abilities would put 

her as a fore-runner in my books, 

largely due to her Phoebe Buffay-esque 

song early on in the show. It is difficult 

to review this performance without 

giving too much away; but I must “raise 

your awaaarness” of the superbly 

choreographed dance routine which 

features, alongside the hilarious and 

witty one-liners and clever comic 

scenes. This show is “as naughty as 

sitting in the nude and watching 

CBeebies”, and I couldn’t recommend it 

more highly – there really is something 

for everyone. Comedy at its best. 

Angus Wyatt

FROM 

www.broadwaybaby.com 

MUSICALS AND OPERA 

Putting It Together by Sondheim 

Augustine’s 

Putting It Together was the product of 

collaboration between Stephen Sondheim 

and Julia McKenzie (yes, the same one 

from Cranford off the telly). McKenzie, as 

those with the showtune gene know, is a 

bit of a Sondheim aficionado, and while 

Angela Landsbury and Bernadette Peters 

squabble over the juicy female roles on 

Broadway, McKenzie has already pegged 

up Company, Side By Side, Follies, Into The 

Woods and Sweeney Todd in the West 

End. It was McKenzie who also directed the 

original Broadway production of Putting It 

Together in 1993, but it is surely the 1998 revival that most will remember, not least 

because Carol Burnett’s outstanding performance was recorded on DVD for us to 

enjoy on this side of the pond. 

Putting It Together is a musical revue, cleverly interwoven into a cocktail party where 

two couples and a waiter explore their relationships, sexual desires and rivalries. 

There’s not much of a plot – and there was never really meant to be much of one 

anyway – but the subtle interplay between these party guests allows for some 

surprisingly complex characters to be drawn. Quite an achievement bearing in mind 

these are songs pulled from other shows and no real dialog added to create a new 

story. 

Personally I’ve seen three live productions of Putting It Together; two in Edinburgh, 

and this has to be the best. The most polished, the most professional and simply the 

most insightful of McKenzie & Sondheim’s book. Seriously, there were times here 

when Gayle Telfer-Stevens in the role of ‘Woman One’ rivalled even Burnett’s defining 

performance. She was suitably acerbic for Ladies Who Lunch and nailed comic 

brilliance in Getting Married Today. Telfer-Stevens is not only a terrific singer, but also 

an accomplished actor– and that’s what lifts this production above the white-noise of 

Edinburgh. All of the cast delivered convincingly, under the expert guidance of director 

John Naples-Campbell, who clearly is as much a fan of Sondheim’s work as I am. 

It I had any criticism, it would be that cuts have been made to the song list; but that’s 

an unavoidable consequence of turning a two-act show into a Fringe-friendly timeslot. 

But I would have quite happily sat there for two hours if they’d let me. 

This was the first night performance, and they are already selling out. Once word gets 

out about what a feast this is for Sondheim fans, you may just have to settle with 

pressing your ear against the door at Augustine’s to get a sniff of this Edinburgh treat. 

Pete Shaw 

MUSICALS AND OPERA 

Five Guys Named Moe 

Underbelly’s Pasture 

With a budget that suggests they spent 

more in the lighting rig than most in 

Edinburgh spend on their whole show, 

the production values on Five Guys 

Named Moe are ridiculously high for 

the Fringe. But this isn’t a Fringe show, 

it’s a West End revival that just happens 

to be located 400 miles north of 

Shaftesbury Avenue for the month. 

Locked out of his house by an unseen 

girlfriend, Nomax plays his records 

loudly and drinks whiskey late into the 

night. In a moment of coup de theatre, 

Nomax falls through his gramophone into a 

world inhabited by the eponymous Moes, who are intent on teaching him a lesson á la 

Christmas Carol. 

Five Guys is not a traditional book musical. First performed in the West End in 1990, 

it’s an early example of the compilation shows such as We Will Rock You and Mamma 

Mia, based on an artist’s back catalogue. For Five Guys, the showcase is Louis Jordan, 

a Jazz saxophonist who - it is claimed - paved the way for Rock and Roll in the 50s. 

From choreography to costumes, the love of the world of Jordan shines through with 

stylistic and vibrant attention to detail. Musically accomplished from solo singing to 

harmony and terrific performances from Ashley Campbell as Little Moe and Carlton 

Connell as Four-Eyed Moe. Numbers like Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t Ma’ Baby and 

Caledonia evoke Jordan’s jump blues style and give the show an opportunity to draw 

you into their feel-good world. If the audience member next to you isn’t wearing a 

broad smile throughout this show, there is a simple test involving a mirror to check 

they’re not dead. There’s tight direction at work here, and a professional polish brighter 

than the smiles on the Moes themselves. The standing ovation at the end is a clue that 

talks of a London transfer must be a distinct possibility. 

Pete Shaw 

THEATRE 

CRYING CHERRY 

C Chambers St 

The Crying Cherry is the story of twins, 

Anaki and Kitano, destined to kill one 

another. When their mother hears this 

prophecy, she sends Anaki into the 

mountains to die; instead he meets 

someone who saves him and ultimately 

enables his destiny. 

Ian Bok and Maarten Heijmans graduated 

from the Amsterdam school of Arts with 

this show in 2007. Since then they have 

taken it to Prague, Dublin and Amsterdam, 

winning awards wherever they go. 

High-concept physical theatre, The Crying 

Cherry is performed almost entirely in faux- 

Japanese gibberish, and Bok and Heijmans have the audience utterly agog for every 

head twitch, guttural utterance and finger flex. New characters are brought to life 

through the simplest change of posture, and the actors imbue even the most 

recognisable stereotype with a sympathetic humanity. Geisha, samurai, dragon, crow: 

Bok and Heijmans embody them all as they jump, stretch, flip, spin and kick across 

the stage, defying gravity, sweating in polyester. It is astonishing and hilarious, and the 

combination of slick choreography and clowning is exhilarating to watch. Throat 

singing, body percussion, beat boxing and mime are yet more examples of the many 

talents employed in creating this whirlwind of a show. 

These guys deserve every award they’ve got, and will hopefully pick up more while 

they’re here. 

Louisa-Claie Dunnigan 

DANCE AND PHYSICAL THEATRE 

Accelerate 

C SoCo 

Sometimes you go and see a show for 

all the wrong reasons and this show by 

Pure Dance was one of them. On paper 

it looked great, so great that it got 

mentioned in my preview. Then I saw 

them at the C Venues launch and was 

not impressed. However having 

suggested that readers of this magazine 

see their show I felt honour bound to do 

so myself. The first shock was that this 

was a sell out show. The second was it 

appeared to be set in a broom 

cupboard. I exaggerate but for dance 

where you expect much space it was 

tiny. 

Then it started, within moments I was 

faced with beautiful haunting dance with 

a clever lighting design that really 

enhanced the piece. Called Empty 

Shadows it was an intelligent dance 

with perfect timing clearly designed for 

such a tiny space. 

The second piece, Explain Yourself, was 

more athletic but just as good. At points 

I thought of gymnastics and it came as 

no surprise to learn later that one of the 

two permanent members of Pure 

Dance, Laura Kelly, had trained in that. 

This reminded me of club dance and 

was a witty piece that didn’t take itself 

too seriously. 

My initial thoughts on the third piece, 

Accelerate, were that it suffered from a 

lack of space, then the intimacy of it hit 

me. It would not work in a large space, 

and that was why it hadn’t worked at 

the C launch. A piece that works in a 9 

square metre space (guess) will be 

entirely different in a space 9×9 metres 

(fact). This was a thoroughly 

demanding piece which started with 

bodies being thrown everywhere, not 

that there was much space to throw 

them. This was followed by a more 

subtle section with bodies moving 

everywhere and finished with another 

superb section with bodies interacting 

everywhere. 

Clearly Pure Dance are a name to 

watch, although being based on the 

South coast of England I’m not sure 

how frequently we will see them. The 

other permanent member is Laura 

Warriner, who jointly choreographed it 

with the other Laura to produce an 

enthralling dance show that is a joy to 

see. All the more credit must be given 

for creating a show that appeared to 

have been clearly designed with this tiny 

space in mind. 

Sometimes an out of date web site can 

be an advantage. They have one. 

Wanted, two dancers to work hard for 

months, not get paid, and then spend a 

fortune bringing a show to Edinburgh, 

experience required, send CV by 1st 

March 2010. I paraphrase but not by 

much. I’m not sure how many applied 

but Sarah Bearne and Alice Vale got the 

jobs. Together four superb dancers with 

a superb show. Pure Dance, pure joy. 

Martin Powell 

The Big Smoke 

The Pleasance Dome 

It is certainly ironic that in the blurb for 

this piece Sylvia – as in Sylvia Plath – is 

spelt incorrectly. The co-writers must 

have had plenty of time to assimilate the 

spelling of her name as they copy and 

pasted both plot and language style 

from her haunting semiautobiographical 

work The Bell Jar. 

Although you might not feel a short 

summary of the first hundred or so 

pages of Plath’s work relevant to my 

review of The Big Smoke I simply 

cannot let the truth be hidden behind 5 

star reviews and pretentious claims of 

genius any longer, so please bear with 

me. In Plath’s work the promising, 

brilliant protagonist Esther wins a 

competition that secures her an 

internship with a prominent magazine in 

New York City. During this time she 

sinks further into a deep depression and 

in the stark metaphor of a green fig tree, 

where each fig symbolizes a route her 

life could take, famous poet, wife and 

mother etc, analyses feminine identity 

and the conflicted effect of modern 

culture only to conclude that as she 

cannot choose one or the other she 

must watch each fig falling and rotting 

away. She also has a glamorous pal that 

she goes to a party with and who ends 

up sleeping with a man as Esther slips 

away unnoticed unable to reconcile this 

image of her friend. She returns home 

and finds her life directionless for the 

first time, unable to write, sleep, even 

dress herself she begins to ponder 

suicide with a number of botched 

attempts, namely a water associated 

one. (Apologies to those of you who 

have read the book I just have a strong 

compulsion to make myself crystal 

clear.) 

The plot of the Big Smoke is as follows 

– the promising, brilliant protagonist 

Natalie wins a competition that secures 

her an internship painting in a studio 

and finally submitting her work to a 

competition for The Tate Modern in 

London. During this time she sinks 

further into a deep depression and in 

the stark metaphor of a roundabout, 

where each exit symbolizes a route her 

life could take, famous painter, wife and 

mother etc, analyses feminine identity 

and the conflicted effect of modern 

culture only to conclude that as she 

cannot choose one or the other she 

must continue to drive around in circles. 

She also has a glamorous pal that she 

goes to a party with and who ends up 

sleeping with a man as Natalie slips 

away unnoticed unable to reconcile this 

image of her friend. She returns home 

and finds her life directionless for the 

first time, unable to write, sleep, even 

dress herself she begins to ponder 

suicide with a number of botched 

attempts, namely a water associated 

one. 

I could go on. There is plenty more. 

Claiming Plath as inspiration is one 

thing, this, in my opinion is beyond a 

joke. A highly respected theatre 

company, a Le Coq trained actress with 

a voice like chocolate coated gravel, 

powerful and evocative, and reviews 

sending the piece through the roof. The 

a-cappella soundscapes that the piece 

were set to border on the ridiculous at 

times and, while outlandish and 

experimental, did little to add to the 

substance of the performance. I feel I 

would have gotten much more from 

The Big Smoke if it had been acted 

straight with the finesse and integrity 

the company is famous for. I left the 

room feeling shocked and confused. 

Had I missed the point? Had the genius 

of the work flown over my head? 

Thinking back to the pained man seated 

beside me anxiously checking my 

watch and sitting with his head in his 

hands – I reckon probably not. 


Brazil! Brazil! 


A Brazilian band – with two stunningly 

beautiful female singers, a footballer, 

and five male dancing athletes – 

frequently stripped to the waist, 

entertain us with an hour of samba, 

acrobatics, and yes – football. 

Capoeira – a form of martial arts – also 

features, giving us moves that demand 

both physical prowess and perfect 

timing. I’ve been fortunate to witness 

plenty of fit athletic males over many 

years seeing Fringe shows, but rarely 

have I seen such a display of daring 

muscular ferocity, alongside such funky 

and tender beauty. 

If I had to nick-pick, I’d admit to 

expecting a little more from the football 

elements. Just one single footballer, 

whilst extremely skilful, couldn’t really 

compete with energy of his fellow 

performers and seemed mostly to 

serve to let the audience get its breath 

back. 

The narrative of the show is one of 

facing and overcoming poverty. Some 

of this cast have lived through 

childhoods of extreme deprivation – 

they were not always the international 

stars that they have become. Movingly, 

they tell us that they now teach dance 

skills in the streets back home and run a 

gun amnesty where firearms are 

exchanged for musical instruments. 

However, the atmosphere is up beat 

and fun. The audience cheer and 

applaud throughout. Unsurprisingly, 

Brazil! Brazil has been selling out, so 

grab a ticket anyway you can and queue 

early for a front row seat. You’ll be glad 

you did. 

Martin Walker 

Falling From Trees 

The Zoo Roxy 

When reading the blurb for this 

production, it was easy to expect a 

predictable cringe-worthy piece of 

physical theatre – ‘set in a psychiatric 

hospital’ with the intention to delve ‘into 

the mind of a resident patient’. Despite 

this, the dance itself mostly avoided any 

hackneyed choreography but was 

completely let down by the technical 

malfunctions and extended 

interpretation of the work through a 

projected video. 

When sitting down in the auditorium I 

was immediately struck by the 

devastatingly haunting compositions of 

Peter Boderick that filled the space – a 

discordant piano based piece that 

evoked positive feelings for what was to 

come. Unfortunately this atmosphere 

was shattered as the DVD player 

greeting invaded the screen that acted 

as the production’s backdrop. This ugly 

technical mishap continued throughout 

the first minutes of the performance to 

an extent that I wondered if it was 

deliberate, ‘NO SIGNAL’ subliminally 

hijacking the opening dance. However 

as the video work of Alice Powell was 

introduced to the piece I began to wish 

the return of the DVD player greeting to 

eliminate the embarrassment of what 

was being projected several feet high 

and wide in front of me; a mess of high 

contrast reminiscent of GCSE Media 

Studies trash or some 12 year old’s 

MySpace account photos. Combining 

these projections with the 

unimaginative lighting of the work, the 

effort of the dancers and the standout 

music by Boderick were not amplified 

to hold any emotional impact. As the 

house lights returned as did another 

stirring composition that left me 

wondering if Neon Productions should 

have crafted the soundtrack and left it at 

that. Use the money for this ticket to 

buy the soundtrack instead. 


The Harbour 

The Zoo 

“It is said that seals have the ability to 

take on human form…” 

Gordon Bok, ‘Peter Kagan and the 

Wind’. 

Actors and creators Ben Samuals, Will 

Pinchin and Sarah Johnson conjure an 

atmosphere of magic and discordant 

beauty in this humbling interpretation of 

an old selkie myth. The consequences 

of a fisherman’s bringing home of a 

seal-woman are explored through an 

effective combination of music, 

dialogue and physicality that allows one 

to escape from the chaos of the Fringe 

into a calming yet surreal landscape. 

The definite highlight of this production 

and what holds it all together is the 

haunting music performed live by Sarah 

Mooding. Cello in hand and looping 

effects pedal at her feet, Moody 

combines her instrumental talents with 

eerie wails that permeate the intimate 

space and complete the company’s 

impressive ability to conjure an epic 

landscape with minimal props and 

staging; fisherman’s wellingtons 

become a school of fish, a flock of 

birds, as crates become cradles and 

cliffs. 

With many folk and fairy tales weaving 

their way through the Fringe 

programme, I believe this to be one of 

the highlights. Lacking in pretence or 

predictability, this enchanting piece is an 

ideal escape. 


M 

Augustine’s 

Aiming to find a ‘new perspective on the 

classic tale’, ‘M’ creates parallels 

between the sorceress Medea and the 

lives of four other historical women, 

including burlesque queen Blaze Starr 

and murderess Andrea Yates. Although 

the grounds of this piece may suggest 

success, the execution is dry and 

lacking in intensity. 

Walking in to the auditorium I was 

greeting by three young women in 

lycra, who later revealed themselves to 

be the chorus of this tragedy. They had 

swirls painted on their faces. My 

expectations of the piece had already 

fallen through the floor before the lights 

went up. Then the projections began – 

stock images including a bloodied 

feather and a pole dancer flashed with 

cliché phrases and text. Although 

introducing an episodic nature to the 

piece, it also made me audibly moan 

with embarrassment. 

Highlights of the piece that I wish had 

been expanded on included the 

haunting verbatim phone call of Andrea 

Yates reporting the murder of her 

children, and the ritualistic routines that 

closed the piece. With a focus on these 

more fuelled moments and a tightening 

of the sluggish script, this production 

could redeem itself. 

Euripides’ Medea is a powerful tale of 

scorn, revenge and murder. LSU’s 

interpretation is a case of tedious 

obviousness and papier-mâché masks. 


Martin Creed – Ballet Work No.1020 

Traverse 

Every year the Traverse puts on some 

memorable work. It pushes boundaries. 

It explores and sometimes it pays off 

brilliantly. Can there be anyone who 

sees theatre regularly who cannot name 

several Traverse triumphs? Yet in taking 

risks, as it does and must, there is also 

a downside. Many of us remember the 

odd Traverse turkey. 

So where on this continuum does 

Martin Creed sit? There were clearly a 

lot of us willing to let him prove himself 

at 10:30 on a Sunday morning when I 

saw the show – Traverse 1 was almost 

full. Yet from the first seconds I had my 

doubts. A Turner prize winning artist, 

who got it for lights going on and off, 

doing dance was likely to be risky. His 

opening line of “I’d like to give you what 

you want” didn’t help. Had the man no 

ideas of his own? I was reminded of the 

comment by the group of artists known 

as the Stuckists “the trouble with most 

conceptual artists is they have no 

concepts”. Creed led a band and 

although he could plainly play the guitar 

his singing was dreadful. On the other 

side of the stage 5 dancers from 

Sadler’s Wells were doing their stuff and 

bloody good they were to, or at least so 

they appeared compared to the band. 

10 minutes of meaningless crap 

followed ending with a song called 

“What’s the Point of it?” I couldn’t have 

put it better myself. I don’t think I’ve 

ever looked at my watch so much 

during a show. 

Towards the end Creed said “It’s hard to 

finish”, I felt myself thinking “No it’s not” 

and I fear I may have said this rather 

louder than intended. What Sadler’s 

Wells were doing getting mixed up with 

this rubbish I have no idea. 

Martin Powell 

Odyssey 


Homer’s Odyssey is a myth of fantastic 

beasts, vengeful gods and raging 

battles, and so when the Pleasance 

advertised Theatre Ad Infinitum’s one 

man production of the famous tale I 

have to admit I was dubious – this ten 

year journey that includes hundreds of 

characters both human or other could 

surely not be translated with the power 

it deserves by a single actor? Wrong. 

Actor George Mann had me engaged 

from beginning to end, a feat when 

considering the complexity of most 

Grecian myths and legends. Through 

his controlled use of oral effects and an 

explosive sustained energy, Mann 

transformed fluidly from beast to 

landscape, demigod to a raging sea. 

There is no denying this man’s 

incredible storytelling abilities, and I look 

forward to any projects he has planned 

for the future. 

It’s hard to do justice to Mann’s skills in 

words – just go experience the Odyssey 

for yourself. 


exclusive 

INTERVIEW 

Noel Fielding, star of the hit TV 

comedy The Mighty Boosh, has 

directed Paul Foot’s new show at the 

Fringe Festival. Andrew Doyle talks to 

them about comedy, fashion and fame… 

Noel Fielding and Paul Foot are dangling 

from a lamppost. “Is this the kind of thing 

you’re after?” says Paul, almost losing his 

grip as Noel clambers over him. “I should 

be above you,” says Noel. “I’m directing 

your show, so I’m more important.” It’s not 

the sort of squabble you see on the streets 

of Edinburgh all that often. 

For the photo shoot, I had suggested 

some casual shots of the two of them 

walking through town. But they’re in a 

playful mood, and clearly enjoy each other’s 

company. The lamppost wasn’t my idea. 

Before long a cluster of people has 

formed and are taking photographs of their 

own. I propose that we conduct the 

interview over lunch so that we can talk in 

private. Noel thinks Pizza Express might be 

a good idea, but at this suggestion Paul’s 

face collapses in horror. He looks like a 

vegan who has just discovered a sliver of 

human flesh in his nut roast. 

“I can’t stand restaurants like that,” he 

says. “If you’re going to dine out it should 

be either dirt cheap or lavishly expensive. I 

don’t accept the middle ground.” There’s a 

kind of eccentric logic to this idea, a love of 

extremes that is entirely in keeping with 

Paul’s personality. I mention that there is a 

suitably posh restaurant at the Hotel 

Missoni, where Noel is staying for his few 

days in Edinburgh before leaving for Los 

Angeles. After a prolonged, theatrical 

moment of deliberation, Paul nods in assent. 

Both Paul Foot and Noel Fielding are 

critically-acclaimed comics, but thanks to 

the huge success of The Mighty Boosh, the 

latter has enjoyed a lifestyle closer akin to a 

rock star than a comedian. Perhaps 

predictably, then, the walk back to the hotel 

turns out to be something of a social 

experiment on the impact of fame. People 

stare at Noel as though he is some kind of 

AndrewDoyle 

ScotsGayFringe@gmail.com 

Andrew is a playwright and 

stand-up comedian. His show 

Sex and Hugs and Forward 

Rolls is on at 2:20pm daily at 

The Tron. His new play for BBC 

Radio 4, The Second Mr Bailey, 

will be broadcast in October 

All pictures of Noel Fielding 

and Paul Foot taken in 

Edinburgh by Thomas Johnston 

for ScotsGay Magazine. 

www.facebook.com 

/Dr.ThomasJohnston 

deity. They whisper behind cupped hands 

and point excitedly. One little boy shakes 

Noel’s hand and almost bursts into tears. 

It’s clear that for someone as famous as 

Noel Fielding, taking a quiet walk in public 

has become a thing of the past. 

“Don’t you find all this a little 

ridiculous?” I ask. 

“If you’re in a good mood, the attention 

can be quite fun; all the people wanting your 

photo, the girls chatting you up, and so on. 

But it can drive you a bit mad. You know 

like when you see little children at 

Christmas, and they’ve had too many 

presents, and you just find them slumped 

over their Christmas bike, their heads 

completely spun out? It’s like that after a 

while. Before long you start thinking, ‘I just 

don’t want anyone to look at me ever again’. 

“When I go to LA it’s different. It’s 

getting to the point where a few people 

know who we are, like it was here a few 

years ago, which is manageable. The 

problem is when I go to places like Camden 

Market – which I love going to – that’s 

where all my fans go, and I end up having 

my photo taken all day. Sometimes people 

keep me waiting while they adjust the 

settings on their camera, or delete other files 

to make room. I’ve even had some drag me 

into the light to get a better shot. It’s 

unbelievable.” 

We reach the hotel and make our way 

up the stairs to the restaurant. The waitress 

hands Paul the menu upside down, so he 

insists on reading it that way. It’s perhaps 

an appropriate metaphor for the way he 

interprets the world. Noel, meanwhile, has 

opted to read the menu conventionally, and 

so is able to order his grilled chicken and 

roast potatoes without any trouble. While 

Paul is busy trying to decipher the inverted 

words, Noel tells me more about the 

experience of being a fully-fledged celebrity. 

“Being famous is like having 

Alzheimer’s. Most people you meet 

remember you, even if you’ve only met them 

once, because they’ve seen your shows and 

they admire your work. But sometimes they 

unrealistically expect you to remember them 

too. When we were at the height of the 

SG:fringe 

Boosh, performing to eight thousand people 

a night, we’d be meeting hundreds, literally 

hundreds of people a day. And I’d find that 

some of those people would approach me 

years after the event and say ‘I met you 

once, do you remember?’ When I say ‘no’, 

they can get really annoyed, and I think to 

myself, ‘If I could remember you I’d have no 

space in my head to even pick up a spoon. 

I’d be a vegetable man.’ And then I punch 

them in the face.” 

By now Paul has finished ordering and, 

having only caught the tail end of Noel’s last 

comments, throws him a quizzical, almost 

reprimanding, look. “Only joking,” Noel 

mutters, the ghost of a smile forming on his 

lips. 

A different waitress approaches with a 

bottle of sparkling mineral water, followed 

by a waiter with a basket of various 

homemade breads. During the course of 

this meal, I count six different members of 

staff waiting on our table. I can’t help 

suspecting that this is because they all want 

the opportunity to talk to Noel Fielding. My 

suspicions are confirmed when, in a period 

of less than five minutes, Noel is asked 

whether he wants anything else to drink by 

two different waitresses. “I don’t know 

about you,” he says under his breath, “but I 

like to be asked the same questions twice by 

two equally attractive girls”. 

I want to know how Paul feels about all 

the attention that Noel is receiving. “I 

wouldn’t like to be famous,” Paul says, “but 

I would like my work to be famous. It’s 

good to see the same faces again and again 

at my shows, because it means there are 

people out there who really love what I do. 

Some of them want to talk to me afterwards, 

but some of them have no interest in me as 

a person. All they care about is my work.” 

“But that’s actually how it should be,” 

adds Noel. “I saw Rolf Harris once when I 

was a kid. I was on a ferry going to the Isle 

of Wight, and I said to my Mum, ‘Look! It’s 

Rolf Harris! Can I go and speak to him?’ 

But she said I shouldn’t because he was 

talking to somebody else. Eventually she 

agreed that I could ask him for an 

autograph, but only if I was exceptionally

SG:fringe 

SG:fringe 

polite and if I waited for him to finish his 

conversation. Back then, that’s how you 

were brought up. But now the whole culture 

has changed. Everyone thinks you’re public 

property. People just run up and grab you, 

and they aren’t always polite.” 

To illustrate the point, Noel tells me an 

anecdote about Richard Ayoade, star of The 

IT Crowd, who was on his mobile phone one 

day when a stranger walked up to him 

wanting to take his photo. Instead of 

waiting until he had finished his call, the 

stranger signalled to him and mouthed the 

words “wrap it up, mate”. 

So what exactly makes the public 

behave in this way? Have we romanticised 

our celebrities to the point where they no 

longer seem human? “There’s definitely 

something in that,” says Noel. “For 

instance, when you’re on telly people 

construct this false idea of who you are. 

They think of you as a millionaire being 

carried around in a golden chariot, living in a 

castle. It’s ridiculous.” 

I point out that Enya actually does live 

in a castle, which Noel mishears as “council 

estate”. For a moment I enjoy the image of 

Enya in a cramped, formica-clad kitchen, 

laying down draught excluders to keep in all 

the dry ice. “I think Enya is more fiercely 

popular than Paul or I will ever be,” says 

Noel, nibbling on one of the more elaborate 

homemade breads. 

“I have no idea who you are talking 

about,” says Paul. ‘Who is this Enya?” 

“She used to be in Clannad,” says Noel, 

before singing the chorus of Orinoco Flow 

by way of illustration. Needless to say, this 

rings no bells for Paul. “I don’t know any 

music post-1950,” he says, clearly taking 

some pride in his ignorance of popular 

culture. “I know Ella Fitzgerald, I know 

Elvis. That’s as modern as I get.” 

“And Busta Rhymes you like, don’t 

you?” says Noel. 

For a second, Paul looks as though he 

might slap him in the face. Noel turns to me 

conspiratorially and says, “Please write in 

the interview that Paul only likes Ella 

Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley, and Busta 

Rhymes.” 

If you’ve ever met Paul Foot, you’ll 

understand how inappropriate this 

suggestion is. He has a dandyish, vaguely 

aristocratic air about him. His own website 

makes it clear that he eschews the term 

“fans’, preferring to call his admirers 

“connoisseurs”. He’s the sort of oldfashioned 

English eccentric you could 

imagine enjoying a chilled glass of Chablis 

by the fireside of an evening, listening to a 

gramophone recording of Rachmaninoff’s 

Isle of the Dead. It’s rather a stretch of the 

imagination to picture him cruising through 

Compton in a 1964 Impala lowrider to the 

strains of Busta’s Tear Da Roof Off. 

“There are a whole host of famous 

people who I have no interest in 

whatsoever,” says Paul. “And I’m very 

proud of not knowing who they are or what 

they do, so you mustn’t tell me. I want to 

go to the grave without knowing.” He leans 

forward and proceeds to list some of these 

names, counting on his fingers as he does 

so: Jodie Marsh, Sadie Frost, Paris Hilton, 

Lady Gaga… 

“Sadie Frost is an actress, though,” 

interjects Noel, much to Paul’s obvious 

displeasure. 

“You’ve told me now,” snaps Paul. 

“You’ve ruined it.” 

Perhaps sensing an imminent tantrum, 

Noel is keen to defend himself. “But Sadie’s 

an actress,” he says. “At least she’s doing 

something creative. And Lady Gaga’s a pop 

star. She writes her own songs, so she’s 

okay.” 

Paul is not impressed. This is 

unwanted information. As though to placate 

him, Noel adds: “But Paris Hilton and Jodie 

Marsh, I’ve no idea who those people are.” 

Paul smiles. All is forgiven. 

“Celebrities aren’t so enigmatic 

anymore,” says Noel. “Hollywood stars 

used to be shrouded in mystery. They were 

kept out of the way, untouchable. There’s 

nothing exciting about the people you see in 

Heat magazine; you’ve seen their bikini lines, 

you’ve read about their liposuction, they’re 

so in your face that there’s nothing left to 

the imagination. If Jordan walked in here 

now, why would it be exciting?” 

“The sort of thing that I’d really get 

excited about,” says Paul, “is if I saw 

someone like Dame Gillian Weir in the 

street. If I saw her I’d definitely rush up to 

her and say something.” 

“When you’re on telly people 

construct this false idea of who 

you are. They think of you as a 

millionaire being carried around 

in a golden chariot, living in a 

castle. It’s ridiculous.” 

Noel Fielding 

Noel and I both have to admit that we 

have no idea who she is. With infinite 

patience, Paul enlightens us. “She is 

arguably the world’s greatest organist.” 

“I’d be excited if I saw David Hockney 

or someone like that,” says Noel. “I love 

David Hockney. I could listen to him forever. 

I watched a programme about him the other 

day and he was just so amazing, and still 

such an incredibly talented painter. And 

then Damien Hirst came on, and I just 

thought: What are you compared to 

Hockney? What have you done? You’re not 

even fit to talk about him.” 

“But don’t you find some of Hirst’s work 

interesting?” I ask. 

“It’s interesting,” Noel concedes. “But it 

isn’t beautiful. I like my art to be beautiful. 

When I see Hockey’s work I get a physical 

feeling; his painting takes my breath away. 

But Damien Hirst’s stuff leaves me cold. I 

get what he’s doing, sawing a shark in half, 

it’s quite impressive. But it’s very male, very 

aggressive. There’s something very eighties 

about it, something almost businesslike.” 

I feel obliged to point out that Noel is 

wearing a ring bearing what looks 

suspiciously like a diamond-encrusted skull, 

reminiscent of Hirst’s 2007 piece For the 

Love of God. It’s a fitting accessory to 

Noel’s particular style; a look perhaps best 

described as gothic, cartoonish, 

heterosexual camp. Noel recognises the 

irony of his Hirst-like ring, but is insistent 

that they aren’t real diamonds. “I think we 

should make one with jelly tots on it instead. 

The children’s Hirst.” 

In contrast to Noel, Paul has a limited 

wardrobe. In fact, he makes a point of 

wearing the same outfit whenever he 

performs; tight-fitting pastel trousers and 

shirt, with a white leather jacket and floral 

tie. Suspended from one of his belt loops is 

a small padlock. I ask him about its 

significance. 

“I don’t know, really,” Paul confesses. 

“I got it with a suitcase, and for some 

reason I decided I was going to wear it for 

the rest of my life.” 

“Do you have a key for it?” asks Noel. 

“No, there’s a combination.” 

“So you change it whenever you change 

your trousers?” 

“That’s right,” says Paul, 

conspicuously avoiding offering any kind of 

rational explanation. 

“Is it symbolic?” says Noel. “Is it like 

you’re saying that your penis is locked 

away? Like a chastity belt?” 

“Yes,” says Paul. “A chastity belt. 

That’s right. And I’ll only give the 

combination away to worthy gentlemen.” 

“But last night when you were drunk,” 

says Noel, “you wrote the combination on 

the wall of the bar in your own blood.” 

“Well,” says Paul, shrugging his 

shoulders. “After one or two wines, you 

know how it is.” 

Paul rarely drinks to excess, and it just 

so happens I’ve caught him during one of 

his rare hangover periods. It’s clear that he 

blames Noel for last night’s debauchery. But 

can he blame him for the numerous 

embarrassing phone calls he apparently 

made after two o’clock in the morning, one 

of which was to a Michelin-rated chef whose 

dish he had particularly enjoyed the previous 

week? 

“You don’t remember much about last 

night, do you?” says Noel, his face breaking 

into a satisfied grin. 

“I do, actually,” says Paul defiantly. 

“Do you remember getting dragged out 

of the bar by your manager?” 

“Yes,” Paul says, nonplussed. “And it 

was exactly the right thing to do.” 

It’s obvious to me by now that these 

two have a warm relationship, and a similar 

sense of humour. It makes perfect sense 

that Noel should be directing Paul’s new 

show for this year’s Edinburgh Festival. I 

ask Paul how the collaboration came about. 

“Well, we’ve known each other quite a 

few years, haven’t we Noel? And we’d not 

seen each other for a while, but then we 

found ourselves performing in a show 

together in London. Most of the audience 

had come along to see him, of course, but 

they all seemed to enjoy my set.” 

“Boosh fans usually appreciate Paul 

because he’s unusual and original,” says 

Noel. “We got talking that night, and I said 

Paul Foot 

- Ash in the Attic 

is performed nightly during the 

fringe at 7:40pm at 

The Underbelly, Cowgate. 

See Martin Walker’s 

review on page12 

I’d direct his new show.” 

And what does the directing process 

entail? “It’s not directing in the traditional 

sense. Paul doesn’t need ideas, so I’ve just 

offered my opinions. It’s been very loose, 

but my involvement will hopefully bring 

some publicity to the show. Also, we 

haven’t seen each other properly for ten 

years, and we used to hang out a lot, so it’s 

been great. I thought Paul was dead, to be 

honest. Someone told me he’d been killed 

and put in a skip.” 

“I’ve always been a massive fan 

of Paul. He was brilliant when I 

first met him and he’s even better 

now. Every time I go and see him 

I’m blown away by how good he 

is, and I don’t understand why he’s 

not a household name.” 

Noel Fielding 

Paul feigns shock, but cannot help but 

smile. 

“I’ve always been a massive fan of 

Paul,” says Noel, as though to make amends 

for his morbid joke. “He was brilliant when I 

first met him and he’s even better now. 

Every time I go and see him I’m blown away 

by how good he is, and I don’t understand 

why he’s not a household name. It’s a total 

anomaly. It doesn’t make any sense. 

Something’s gone wrong.” 

Paul attempts an explanation. “Perhaps 

it’s because of the way my career has 

developed. When I started, I won all these 

new act competitions, and I was the big 

flavour of the month. Before I knew it, I was 

thrown into all of these big shows on the 

comedy circuit, but at that point I hadn’t yet 

realised that I just wasn’t a club comedian. 

So I had a terrible year back in 1998, after 

I’d won all those awards, having these onstage 

‘deaths’ all over the country. I 

wouldn’t wish what happened to me on 

anyone because it was so hard, as a human 

being, to go through that. I can handle the 

clubs well these days, but back then I simply 

wasn’t ready.” 

“There are lots of comedians on the 

circuit who don’t like what Paul does,” says 

Noel. “Mostly because it’s creative and 

because maybe it doesn’t work as 

powerfully in the clubs as typical, 

aggressive, joke-based stand-up. They feel 

superior, but actually what Paul does is a 

million times better than all of those hacks 

on the circuit who are bitter and try to keep 

him down. I saw Paul’s first performance 

this festival and I laughed out loud all the 

way through. It was genius. There aren’t 

many comedians I would go out of my way 

to see. I love Greg Fleet for instance, and I 

love Harland Williams, but there aren’t many 

others. So when there’s a real find like Paul, 

I think it’s a pleasure to be involved. 

Directing his show hasn’t felt like work at 

all.” 

As we leave the hotel, another young 

fan approaches us, his eyes wide with 

adoration. Here we go again, I think to 

myself. It comes as quite a surprise to hear 

him exclaim: “You’re Paul Foot, aren’t you?” 

He shakes Paul’s hand vigorously, not giving 

Noel a second look. 

“Let me give you a flyer for my new 

show,” says Paul. “Flyer boy!” He makes 

an elaborate gesture and Noel falls to his 

knees, holding out one of Paul’s flyers to the 

young man. He takes it, thanks Paul, and 

leaves. I try not to laugh until he is out of 

earshot. 

“Basically, Noel, because you’re not 

famous enough you made me look like an 

idiot there,” says Paul. “I thought he would 

recognise you and think ‘Oh that’s funny, 

he’s getting Noel Fielding to hand out his 

flyers’, but instead he just thought you were 

someone who worked for me and that I was 

treating you like shit.” 

“It’s not my fault that he’s got no taste, 

is it?” 

“No taste? He likes me.” 

“It’s not my fault he saw your mullet 

and nearly ejaculated,” says Noel. “He 

probably thought I was just some idiot 

trying to copy Russell Brand.” 

Sometimes, it seems, it’s even funnier if 

not everyone’s in on the joke.

entire dramatis personae, ensured that, 

despite my initial reluctance, I 

thoroughly enjoyed the show. I was 

even encouraged to join in with what 

can only be described as my first 

Danish chorus number. Yes that’s right. 

Danish. 

Essentially the message is a simple one: 

If you are at all offended by the thought 

of Rosencratz and Guildenstern being 

performed as all singing, all dancing 

puppets, or of the ghost of Hamlet’s 

father bearing a striking resemblance to 

that other famous King - Elvis Presley - 

then as I have aforementioned this 

really is not the show for you. On the 

other hand, if simply the suggestion 

made you smile I’d book a ticket now, 

because I reckon it will become difficult 

very soon. 


Hedwig & The Angry Inch 

C Plaza 

An off-Broadway and subsequent 

worldwide hit, this cult rock musical by 

John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen 

Trask, has great rock numbers scored 

around a tale influenced by Mitchell’s 

own life, and by transgender glam-punk 

sub culture. The central figure, Hedwig, 

narrates directly to the audience the 

story of his escape from East Germany 

to Kansas, his failed relationships, and 

his botched operation which leaves an 

“angry inch” of genital flesh, also the 

name Hedwig gives his band. 

Emily Simpson (a real female) and 

Steve Wickenden alternate the role of 

Hedwig, and last night I had the 

pleasure of catching the fine decadence 

of Emily Simpson, interpreting the part 

with tenderness and brashness, 

sardonicism and anger, with a voice that 

is a joy to hear. Supported by the band 

of lead, bass and rhythm guitars, 

keyboards and drums, and stooge 

husband Yitzhack (Laura Mellor) – all of 

them excellent, as is direction by Brian 

Fairbairn. 

Before Edinburgh, this version of 

Hedwig tried out successfully at a 

smaller venue in Brighton, and might 

have done better in one of the more 

intimate grubby Edinburgh spaces, 

rather than the space it has chosen 

which is ambitiously listed by C Venues 

as a “plaza”. It is in fact a dreary drafty 

concrete building, on George Square, 

devoid of atmosphere: a venue that may 

only work when most of its 400+ seats 

are filled – a difficult feat at the Fringe. 

The production deserves a decent 

audience, and I would recommend 

Hedwig as one of your top fringe 

choices. 

David Donegan 

The Improvised Musical 

C Chambers St 

If you are looking for one of the most 

innovative and surreal musicals at the 

Fringe this year you need look no 

further. Having warmed up the audience 

and stolen from them anything that 

might make an interesting prop the 

company turned to deciding the 

outcome of the evening. Location. 

Powerful mid-musical showstopper. 

Title. Every element conceivable in 

constructing a modern day musical is 

begged from and decided by the 

audience. Whatever the cynics out there 

might say I sincerely believe that there 

was no pre-structured outcome to a 

musical called Where’s my artificial 

heart? set on an allotment featuring a 

number called “The Olive Came at 

Midnight”. The company even offered 

members of the audience cards which 

they could interrupt with at their own 

discretion providing the audience with 

an aside from the main show. 

The cast, decided on the details, 

launched into a fully fledged opening 

number with no allowance for 

discussion between them and no 

director providing them with a specific 

outline. The audience witnessed fully 

improvised song, including some great 

harmony, which wasn’t subtle but was 

incredibly clever and witty considering it 

was completely improvised. The cast 

are evidently well trained and talented 

musicians riffing ad lib with some 

strong vocal particularly from Lara (I 

believe) who played the lead Clarissa. 

The musicians were fabulous, 

improvising underneath a scene when 

they felt the moment ripe, or waiting to 

be led by a member of the company. 

Hilarity generally ensued. Even when it 

was clear a cast member was 

struggling with direction – or marvelling 

at the sheer ridiculousness of what they 

were creating – it was always quietly 

acknowledged whether with a slightly 

quizzical look from the person delivering 

it or with howls of laughter from their 

colleagues behind them. This was 

completely endearing and made those 

moments of struggle brilliant rather 

than awkward. 

The only negative I think was quite plain 

was that there were some stand out 

members of the company, and those 

that were clearly less strong. Perhaps 

it’s the nature of the beast that is 

improvisation which means that 

occasionally you might just suffer an off 

day. Anyway, despite this I had a 

thoroughly enjoyable evening, and am 

seriously considering another visit to 

what will surely be another equally 

ridiculous, utterly hilarious evening of 

completely original musical theatre. 


JUMP! 


Played mostly in flashback, this multiscene 

musical has a somewhat 

hotchpotch feel, however it seems to 

work…most of the time. As you enter 

the auditorium, a deceptively mellow 

mood is set as the actor/musicians play 

on stage, while the audience take their 

seats, before being treated to 75 

minutes of a talented cast who can act, 

sing, and play instruments (very well) 

and dance (as much as the 

choreography will allow). 

A dramatic opening has the handsome 

blond lead man, Daniel Lamb (Jonathan 

Eio) perched and threatening to jump 

from a high balcony. But we guess, 

from his suicidal cheerfulness, that 

none of the ensuing plot – which 

bounces from scene to scene – should 

be taken too seriously. Daniel’s story 

tells of his attempts to achieve 

satisfaction with his work as an artist, 

and his fickle relationships with his 

posh girlfriend Sarah (Rebecca 

Hutchinson) and the other girl in his life, 

the common lollipop-sucking Niamh 

(Emma Odell). Both girls giving fine 

versatile performances. 

The best music is in the lyrical songs 

and incidental piano sections. The few 

sagging moments occur as the cast 

bravely get through a couple of up 

tempo worst-of-panto style numbers. 

However, the pace of the play is helped 

along by Maurice (Jonathan Dryden 

Taylor) who acts tabloid pig and Daniel’s 

dad, and campish-vampish Ruth 

(Lowri-Ann Richards) as the mother 

from hell, and strutting Cassie (Stuart 

Saint) as the ferocious mincing “queen 

of the one-liners”, both in and out of 

drag. 

I won’t spoil the end, but there are a few 

unexpected twists to enjoy. And I warn 

you this is not a show for the politically 

correct (gay or straight) and there is a 

large dollop of sexual smut and 

stereotypes. Yet despite a tendency for 

some members of the cast to overact 

(do bear in mind that I am reviewing 

only the second performance) my 

guess is when the show gets into its 

stride I can put my money on JUMP…. 

as a solid hit at this year’s Edinburgh 

Festival. 

David Donegan 

Lashings of Ginger Beer Time 

C Central 

Mercilessly deconstructing gender, 

exploring feminism and fighting 

prejudice through parodic song, sketch 

and stand-up this refreshing and highly 

intelligent team are well worth a visit 

this Festival. Although not always slick, 

and at times perceptibly nervous they 

have absolutely no need to be: their 

message is compelling, important and 

mostly bang on target (the first number 

I must admit flew right over my head). 

They also, in this quagmire of satire and 

spoof where it would be so easy to slip 

into lecture mode, manage to be really 

quite hilarious. Their voices are not the 

most stunning or melodic at the Fringe I 

think it is fair to say. In fact I was bitterly 

disappointed that the lyrics of what 

seemed to be a really interesting 

number exploring women and the sex 

industry were completely lost in some 

awkward harmony/microphone 

rustling. Yet, the musical numbers 

themselves sparkle with a wonderful 

fusion of wit and outrage that I 

absolutely adored. 

Special mention must go to Sally Outon 

who performed some of the most 

interesting and original stand-up 

comedy I have seen at the Fringe taking 

the audience on a whistle-stop tour of 

gender, that psycho sociological 

construct we all know and love, genital 

removal and bringing down Feminism 

from the inside! If only Lashings of 

Ginger Beer could land themselves on 

the national curriculum. Truancy would 

be guaranteed to drop and the nation 

might finally discontinue that charming 

breed of homophobic misogynist we all 

know and despise. But enough of my 

plans for political takeover – Go and see 

this razor sharp cabaret, I guarantee you 

will leave feeling highly stimulated. 


Lovelace: A Rock Musical 

Udderbelly Pasture 

Hot off a sellout run in LA and clutching 

a handful of awards Lovelace looks set 

to be a mainstream musical hit. With an 

energetic rock-pop score written by 

Anna Waronker & Charlotte Caffey and 

a slightly higher than average hit rate 

with the lyrics it looks sure to go on to 

interesting things. 

Fairly closely following Linda’s 1980 

autobiography Ordeal the musical 

charts the misfortune of Linda Boreman 

from teen pregnancy and forced 

adoption to a violent and abusive 

marriage and her subsequent 

involvement with the sex industry. I 

think what I found most stifling as an 

audience member was the martyring 

process the musical involved. 

Admittedly, it does seem that Linda 

suffered greatly at the hands of her first 

husband Chuck Traynor – do not think I 

am dismissing that. Yet, sitting in the 

audience the black and white picture the 

musical was depicting made me want 

to reach for my research props and try 

and find out if it all was really that 

straightforward. I remain not wholly 

convinced. On the other hand the 

musical’s message about pornography 

is wholly interesting and relevant with 

Linda at one point admitting that every 

time someone watches the 1973 hardcore 

sensation Deep Throat they are 

watching her being raped. A 

controversial statement but thought 

prvoking one nonetheless. 

Despite some well directed stylised 

sequences, especially when navigating 

the depiction of sexual acts on stage, 

there were some production elements 

that really did not sit well with me. The 

projection used to highlight scene 

changes such as “Hospital – nine 

months later” and “Bar” was to be 

honest relatively offensive. I think the 

audience had probably managed to 

work out themselves using their quite 

competent imaginations where Linda 

was while clutching a small newborn 

baby, wrapped in a blanket seated next 

to a nurse. Also the overbearingly large 

syringes injected into Linda’s breasts 

took her situation from tragedy to 

comedy in one swift kick. The leads 

Katrina Lenk (Linda) and Jimmy Swan 

(Chuck) sounded like true gravelly 

voiced rock stars in many numbers, 

accompanied by an accomplished cast. 

Yet, I think it is fair to say that the overly 

simplistic approach to their characters 

inhibited their performance. 

In all, well worth a watch if you are 

interested in new musicals and want to 

see an up and coming show with its 

original cast. The music is pacy and 

poignant appropriately and the 

debatable plot stance can be forgiven 

when contrasted with the positive 

message it radiates concerning the 

dangers of the sex industry. 


Reel to Real: The Movies Musical 

Pleasance Grand 

This show could also be called Reel to 

Surreal. Was that Marilyn Monroe in her 

iconic pink “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best 

Friend” frock, cavorting on the Great 

Wall of China? But more of that later… 

Reel to Real is a compilation of popular 

film musical numbers staged live, with 

extracts of the original films projected 

behind the performers. The onstage 

storyline thinly threads the musical 

numbers together. Twins Jack and Jill 

are sent on a mission by their late father, 

Archibald Cheever, around the globe to 

follow clues to find out who will inherit 

the Cheever Empire. 

Following a season in Beijing, this 

production is a Fringe giant, playing 

Pleasance Grand with a dazzling set, 

costumes, lighting and projections. The 

performers can sing and dance par 

excellence, the choreography is finely 

suited to the numbers, and there are 

clever visual morphs linking film and 

live action. So far so good. One obvious 

drawback to staging famous numbers 

along with film extracts is that you 

might just prefer to watch more of the 

film version, as I found myself longing 

to, several times. 

Despite the polished production, there 

is a weird sense of anachronism and 

artifice. I’m guessing the film clips are 

those popular with the Chinese 

audience back home. And these clips 

seem to dictate, rather than 

complement, the stage story. Non 

musicals stars like Humphrey Bogart & 

Bette Davis flash up on screen at odd 

moments. Inexplicable appearances, 

but familiar and clapable star faces, 

wedged into the show as lazy clichés. 

Now, back to The Great Wall and 

Marilyn’s frock. Beijing Huairou State 

Owned Company has a hand in 

producing this show, which might 

explain why, towards the end, the 

projections switch to a National 

Geographic style film on China. We see 

the sun rising in the East, we are 

instructed that Beijing is “the city of the 

future” and treated to panoramic 

images of The Great Wall, and yes, 

there is Marilyn again, popping up by 

the Great Wall, in her pink “Diamonds” 

frock – proving that nothing sells a 

country like a capitalist icon. I think I’ll 

go and dig out my copy of her original 

film… 

David Donegan 

The Singalong Glee Club 


At the beginning pieces of paper are 

handed out for us to write requests. 

Then David Benson and Stewart 

Nicholls, dressed in their blazers, 

introduce themselves and they explain 

how the next 1hr 15min will go. A 

screen at the back of the stage has the 

lyrics of the songs projected on it, so 

there were no song sheets to hold and 

get in the way. It also gave me a chance 

to see the lyrics to songs I maybe only 

knew the first couple of lines to. We are 

treated to show-tunes, pub songs, and 

1930’s war-time songs to tunes of the 

present day. Nicholls provides the 

music on the keyboard and with 

Benson keeping us right with the timing 

we begin the singalong. When they 

sing on their own it gives the audience a 

chance to catch their breath. Pictures 

from adverts are shown and those who 

know how the tunes go sing them. It’s 

a man in the audience that is first to 

start singing a tune to sanitary towels – 

I can only think he must watch a lot of 

TV! Our stars put lots of fun and energy 

into singing and dancing along to an 

advert most of you will be familiar with. 


Spring Awakening 


Since 2006 Spring Awakening has won 

8 Tony Awards, assumed a cult 

following at home, and moved across 

the pond, whilst demanding some of 

the most intense critical adulation of our 

generation (i.e. “Broadway may never 

be the same again!” NY Times). Sheik’s 

score, a fusion of indie-rock, pop and 

folk, is utterly stunning and the lyrics far 

from bland and cliché are intensely 

poignant and poetic. The musical, 

based on the 19th century play by Frank 

Wedekind, explores the nature of a 

sexually oppressive culture and 

manages to capture the frustration and 

energy of the angst ridden rite of 

passage that is sexual awakening. Set in 

a provincial German town the audience 

is immediately pulled out of the modern 

day, yet the stylised Brechtian nature of 

the musical numbers and the music 

itself juxtapose beautifully and make the 

story appealing to the 21st century 

audience member. 

However, I must admit, like many of the 

audience members I am sure, this was 

not my first encounter with the musical. 

I’ve been listening to the soundtrack 

avidly for the last six months and I 

could have negotiated the plot like the 

back of my hand. Spring Awakening 

itself was not my main point of interest. 

I wanted to see what the students of 

The Royal Scottish Academy of Music 

and Drama could do with it at the Fringe 

Festival and I was far from 

disappointed. The ensemble singing 

was stunning, pitch perfect even when 

acapella, with perfectly sustained 

harmony – the final number Purple 

Summer famously involving more parts 

than a small combine harvester. The 

cast energy was electric and sustained 

throughout, and the comedy was well 

directed and handled just as well as the 

pain and sadness that pierces through 

the score. What One Academy 

Productions are presenting is clearly a 5 

star Fringe production. But, I wanted 

just a little bit more. I’m needy like that. 

The now iconic stylised choreography 

that featured in the original Broadway 

version and was then used in the 

London show was used again in this 

musical to great effect. I suppose one 

could argue it would be like trying to 

take the Fosse out of Cabaret, but I 

wanted this talented group of 

individuals to really push the boundaries 

and show me something fresh for such 

an exciting project (I believe the rights 

to the show have only recently been 

made available). I am unsure whether it 

was a stipulation of the rights that the 

choreography had to remain true to the 

original production but if this was not in 

fact the case I think they really missed 

an opportunity. The set was strong and 

well used but the uphill struggle with the 

sheer amount of microphones needed 

for this production was evident, 

however, not to a horrifically detrimental 

effect. 

I would certainly recommend this 

production to both fans of and 

newcomers to Spring. A sure fire 

Fringe success. 


Studio 54 

C Chambers St 

It’s 1978, and this new musical is set at 

the infamous New York nightclub 

Studio 54. A place of glamour, 

hedonism and debauchery, run by 

savvy owner Steve (Louis Emerick). The 

story revolves around the devious super 

bitch Nikita (Hannah Summers), and 

her attempts to get her performance 

spot secure at the club, at any cost. 

Glamorous drag queen Mona (Kieran 

McGinn) and her athletic lover, main 

man Jake (James Cohen) also perform 

at the club. Trouble begins when cutefaced 

straight boy Josh (Luke Baker) is 

also hired to perform. 

If, like me, you get off on fit guys 

dancing in their scanties to a disco beat, 

then you won’t be disappointed. For the 

others in the audience there are also 

two delicious dancing girls to ogle – 

Evelyn Sunset (Gillian Parkhouse) and 

Mysti Dawn Sunryse (Lucy Tindle). The 

routines are well staged by 

choreographer Gemma Edmunsen, and 

Joanne Sandi and Stephanie Alarcon 

complete the accomplished cast. 

Apart from a cocaine spoon and moon 

suspended on the back wall, the look of 

the space is quite bare. The book and 

direction is also a bit sparse, but during 

the run I hope the action will link more 

quickly, and a couple of mundane 

dialogue sections might be cut. The 

show has good numbers composed by 

Neil Stemp, and it would help to finish 

the show with more of a flourish by 

extending Nikita’s grand finale number 

which starts so well, but is all too brief. 

David Donegan 

Swing! 


‘Swing!’ is set in fictional middle class 

suburbia ‘Wafthead’ and tells the story 

of a community hellbent on preserving 

the haut-couture of their tennis club; 

and indeed their residential 

environment, from a new family from 

Brixton. 

An onstage band provides excellent 

accompaniment to well written songs, 

with superb lyrics such as ‘established a 

niche between John Lewis and quiche’ 

and the ‘Hebrew gangster rap’. Dolly 

Alderton, Marcia Brown and Rebekka 

Bowling play the hilarious housewives – 

somewhere between those desperate 

slags from Wisteria Lane and the ladies 

from Sheila’s Wheels. The characters 

are highly varied and inventive – a lot of 

thought has evidently gone in to their 

creation, and even more into the 

portrayal. The onstage chemistry 

between Pansy Windsor and Zachary 

Harris (Meg Powell-Chandler and 

Matthew Ferdenzi) is highly believable 

and well developed. Tom Lyle also plays 

pompous git Gabriel del Lazula very 

well (although I am assured that he isn’t 

like that offstage!) The scene 

crossovers and character combinations 

are great and lead to some energising, 

captivating chorus numbers. 

‘Swing!’ could quite easily and 

deservedly take its place as ‘the middle 

class, modern musical’ in the West End. 

The sell-out audience of the Gilded 

Balloon Dining Room wasn’t credit 

enough for this professionally delivered 

show. This production is highly 

entertaining and definitely worth 

watching. 

Angus Wyatt 

Thoroughly Modern Willie 

C Chambers St 

At St Sebastian’s International Finishing 

School for Young Debutantes [Open 

Bracket Gay Close Bracket] things are a 

trifle dated. Taught to be that 

respectable stereotype that society can 

understand and accept, they see a 

future covered in feathers, Liza and rose 

scented hand cream. That is until new 

tutor Willie arrives on the scene with the 

explosive idea that being the “ideal gay 

man” might not mean we are being true 

to ourselves. 

A wonderful fusion of camp Carry-On 

and Barbara-shop numbers, 

harmonised to perfection these fine 

gentlemen do not miss a beat. Plenty of 

obvious and wonderfully irreverent anal 

word play alongside some absolutely 

whip-cracking singing. What more 

could we ask of them? A musical 

interpretation of the Thoroughly 

Modern Millie title song in which they 

wave good bye good goody gay I hear 

you cry? Don’t worry. They have that 

one covered. 


Alternotive a Cappella 

theSpaces @ Surgeon’s Hall 

This performance was a mixed bag, 

with the quality ranging throughout the 

show from the sublime to the ridiculous 

– sometimes even within the same 

song. Singing well as an ensemble, the 

Oxford Alternotives gave a spirited and 

amusing, if a little shaky, show. 

The humour in the Alternotives’ act 

came from their fantastic movement; 

they were very graceful while singing 

and the set pieces of choreography 

were often brilliant. The timing while 

singing was excellent and there were 

some phenomenal solo efforts. 

However, there were inconsistencies in 

the act that couldn’t be ignored. The 

tuning took a while to correct itself in 

quite a few of the songs, and the male 

singers were relatively weak compared 

to the females. Queen is notoriously 

difficult to perform, and the singing in 

this effort was unsatisfactory, but the 

Alternotives compensated for this by 

using their great engagement with the 

audience to maintain an atmosphere of 

excitement through the song. It was 

only a shame that the man performing 

the guitar solo didn’t have the 

appropriate Brian May wig. 

This is a difficult show to review, 

because at times the quality was four or 

five star worthy and at others worth one 

or two. With a more time to review 

flaws in the performance, the 

Alternotives could put on a truly 

noteworthy show. 


Camille O’Sullivan – Chameleon 

Assembly 

To say that expectations were high 

going in to see Camille O’Sullivan would 

be an understatement- you can’t move 

in Edinburgh for her posters proudly 

displaying her five and six star reviews 

and her astounding international record. 

Frankly, I don’t believe anyone could 

have lived up to the vast amount of 

hype surrounding this show, though 

you should still seriously consider 

watching O’Sullivan’s dramatic and 

emotional performance. 

O’Sullivan is a potent and moving 

singer, which she demonstrated in her 

performance of the Jacques Brel song 

“Amsterdam”. Sung entirely without 

accompaniment, O’Sullivan’s voice 

gradually built up from start to finish, 

winning the audience’s respect with her 

dizzyingly powerful voice and red raw 

expression. Her interpretation of Dylan’s 

“Don’t Think Twice” was evocative and 

beautiful, and the best I’d ever heard. At 

times her act was reminiscent of a child 

banging on pots and pans, her overspirited 

bashing of her drum verging 

into the ridiculous, and she was guilty of 

corpsing on a number of occasions 

which spoiled the mood somewhat. 

There was, however, overwhelming 

demand for an encore, which she 

responded to graciously and with 

another great, if slightly tired, song. 

Credit must also go to the backing 

band, which was excellent- the 

woodwind player, Brian Molley, 

deserves a special mention for his 

clarinet and saxophone solos. 

If you go to see Camille O’Sullivan - and 

you should - be sure to book and arrive 

early; the queue is likely to snake 

around the block. Though it wouldn’t be 

fair to expect a five star performance of 

her every night, O’Sullivan is certainly 

worth your time. 


Hairy Pretty Things 

Fingers Piano Bar 

Let Luke Meredith, Elliot Mason, and 

David Somerset Barnes entertain you! 

Playing the piano, ukulele and guitar the 

men sing a variety of songs styles. 

With fantastic lyrics and funny delivery 

and face pulling Hairy keeps the 

audience laughing. 

Who would have thought so much fun 

could come from household cleaning 

products! The audience can join in with 

the chorus and some do. If you are a Dr 

Who fan and wondered what it might 

be like to date a dalek, let Thing tell you 

about it in song. And dancing for your 

pleasure Pretty slowly reveals his 

gorgeous hairy body (well I thought it 

was gorgeous!). Bubbles in various 

forms make an appearance during his 

dance. But I think that’s enough on that 

subject- I don’t want to spoil it for you! 

The men take it in turns to keep us 

amused. 

The tone changes when Pretty sings 

three original jazz numbers. He has a 

great voice but I think he should have 

stopped after the first one. The fun 

returns when Thing performs the final 

number. 

I really didn’t know what to expect from 

the Free Fringe but I really enjoyed Hairy 

Pretty Things. I recommend going to 

see it. It’s too good to miss. 


In the Pink 

C Chambers St 

In The Pink – the fabulous all-female a 

cappella return to the Fringe for sixth 

year. A bevy of beauties in black dresses 

with pink ribbon for waistbands take to 

the stage. Using only their voices they 

perform a hugely varied repertoire from 

Michael Jackson to Moulin Rouge, 

Marvin Gaye to Mika. 

You’ll be entertained by their fun 

chorography, energy, delightful 

harmonies and beat box! I was 

captivated by some of the soloists. 

If you’re a man and get invited to come 

up on stage I’d say jump at the chance. 

I only wish I had. You’re in for a real 

treat! 

For most of their numbers my foot was 

tapping throughout. When singing one 

of their numbers the sound was so 

special I felt I had been enveloped in this 

lovely, rich, soft feminine warmth. 

At the end I was aware of the muscles 

in my face hurting. I’d been smiling 

from beginning of the show right 

through to the end. 

The audience loved them. I could hear 

a number of compliments being given 

to the group at the end of the show. 

I enjoyed In The Pink so much bought 

their CD and felt compelled to 

congratulate soloist Elizabeth MacLean 

for her performance of the song Rose. 

I think the lighting was a bit slow at 

times leaving some singers initially in 

the dark. It was the opening night so 

really a minor teething problem. 


Meow Meow – Feline Intimate 

Assembly 

A heady mix of classic cabaret, 

vaudevillian vocals and debauched 

drama. Meow lulls the audience into a 

false sense of security with a mild and 

meek first minute, and then lurches into 

a maniacal madness that continues for 

the rest of the performance. 

Meow’s audience interaction is the kind 

that has you in hysterics the whole way 

through, with lashings of concealed 

mockery at the poor fool who has been 

chosen to pleasure Meow by becoming 

a human seat, duet singer or any other 

tomfoolery that Meow chooses to 

bestow. This lady has star quality for 

sure, with her combination of covers, 

re-interpreted versions and a voice that 

quite frankly would have shattered glass 

with its power, had there been any. Not 

to be missed! 


Out of the Blue 

C Plaza 

Oxford’s undergraduate all-male a 

cappella group return to the Fringe for 

the forth year running. Out of The Blue 

comprises thirteen smartly dressed, 

handsome and wholesome men. 

They sing an eclectic range of songs 

covering a number of decades; from 

Stevie Wonder and Tom Jones to Amy 

Winehouse and Lady Gaga. The group 

do their own arrangements – listen out 

for their version of Poker Face. Each of 

the songs are delivered at a different 

pace, and their unique and funny dance 

moves keep the audience captivated 

and entertained. Different members take 

the lead while the others provide the 

harmony. As a lead steps forward 

different sections within the audience 

burst out with cheers and clapping, 

strongly suggesting the leads each have 

their own fans. At the end of each 

number the audience show their 

appreciation by cheering and clapping 

riotously. 

It’s just as well the stage at C Plaza is 

large because these boys have lots of 

energy and need the space. It’s clear 

that the members of Out of The Blue are 

very professional and this is evident by 

their performance. Their fans are 

growing in number, so it wasn’t 

surprising it was a full house with extra 

seating provided at the front the day I 

went. I’ve been lucky enough to see 

them each year and they never fail to 

please. The show lasts for 50 minutes 

and feels like it’s over in no time at all. 


The Oxford Belles 

- All Female A Cappella at its Finest 

C Chambers St 

This group of Oxford undergraduates 

sings a cappella arrangements of a mix 

of pop classics and modern chart 

toppers, demonstrating an impressive 

vocal range and talent at these ladies’ 

first outing to the Fringe. Performing 

rearrangements of pieces as varied as 

Roxanne by The Police and Suicidal by 

Gnarls Barkley, they showed great 

promise despite some flaws in their 

performance. 

The pieces, all arranged by members of 

the Belles, were well written and 

combined well-known songs in new 

and exciting ways and the 

choreography was occasionally 

sublime, adding to the feel of the piece 

and sprinkling some humour into the 

performance. However, at other times in 

the performance the Belles moved 

awkwardly, which jarred with the mood 

of what they were singing. The volume 

balance needed work too, as it was 

often difficult to pick out the single lead 

from the other singers. However, the 

group redeemed itself with its quintet 

pieces, where the tuning was spot-on, 

and the big finish, a mashup of songs 

by Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Eurythmics. 

Though their act was wobbly at times, 

the Oxford Belles gave a charming and 

talented performance and with a few 

tweaks to their act, could be fantastic. 


PianoDivalicious 

Sweet Grassmarket 

Amy Abler plays a wide range of piano 

pieces from Beethoven to rock’n’roll in 

this evening show, staged in a small but 

charmingly decorated room at the Apex 

Hotel. As well as playing the piano, 

Abler also gives us insights into her life 

from when she began learning the 

piano, through meeting her rock’n’roll 

boyfriend to directing over 1000 

performances of Mamma Mia. 

Abler opens with a cheeky rendition of 

Joplin’s Entertainer, which soon 

accelerates from its sluggish starting 

pace and leads into her rather 

overstated monologue. She then 

progresses through her life, using these 

anecdotes to link the different genres of 

music as she progresses through 

classical and western to her Broadway 

medleys. 

Though her piano playing was excellent 

and at times astounding- playing 

rock’n’roll with your hands behind your 

back is always impressive- she was let 

down by the other parts of her 

performance. While telling the audience 

about Fatswalla she performed a 

feather-boa-dance that, frankly, looked 

like a bad drag act. The backing track 

she used to accompany some pieces 

made her music sound like a street 

busker’s performance, though in other 

pieces she demonstrated she was 

capable of playing similar music without 

backing. Her voice let her down too, 

both with her singing which, 

unfortunately, was not up to scratch, 

and with the sheer amount of talking 

she did. 

Abler is clearly a very talented pianist, 

and is a pleasure to listen to play. I only 

wish it were such a pleasure to listen to 

her voice, since it featured so heavily in 

this act. 


Pink Sinatra – Swing With a Twist 

Hill Street Theatre 

Come fly with Scott Free, as he croons 

to the tunes of many a Rat Pack era 

classic. This show delivers so much 

more than a straight rendition of some 

quality songs however, as the whole 

event is given a delightfully pink twist. 

‘Bad Bad Leroy Brown’, ‘Born Free’, 

‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, ‘Mr 

Bojangles’, ‘Mack the Knife’, ‘New York, 

New York’, ‘Nice ‘n’ Easy’, ‘Stardust’, 

‘Sway’, and lots more are performed to 

backing track of swingin’ rhythm. 

Free has performed in esteemed 

venues, everywhere – including the Le 

Cameleon Club, Paris, London’s Pizzaon-the-Park, 

Westminster Theatre, and 

even onboard the world famous QE2 

cruise liner. Fresh from a month long 

residency at the Brighton Fringe, Free’s 

populary can be attributed to a 

performance that is accomplished, 

warm and friendly. 

Frankly (sorry!) the only niggle with this 

show was Free’s choice of venue. The 

Hill Street Theatre must be the least 

accessible venue on the fringe for those 

with disabilities. The show almost didn’t 

get reviewed as a result. 

Martin Walker 

The Ukulele Project 


This new band gives an intimate and 

endearing show in their first trip to the 

Fringe, playing songs with a range of 

moods and genres with skill and heart. 

Their varied playlist featured songs by 

The Police, Gorillaz, Satie and even a 

collection of James Bond themes. 

Their infectious excitement meant The 

Ukulele Project kept us engaged 

throughout their act and demonstrated 

striking charisma and confidence when 

dealing with the audience. The four 

performers worked extremely well 

together, both with their frenetic uke 

strumming and their singing, and the 

best parts of their act were when the 

four were singing and playing together. 

However, at times the vocals were overambitious, 

particularly in solo sections, 

and I was hoping for a more inventive 

solution to the rap section in “Feel Good 

Inc.” than just sheepish mumbling. 

Particularly good was their Beatles 

medley, in which they demonstrated 

some fun harmonic and rhythmic twists 

to some well-known classics, and the 

meowing during “Love Cats” was 

excellent. 

The Ukulele Project was fun to watch 

and I would certainly recommend it to 

fans of ukulele music, however I believe 

the vocals need work before this show 

will gather wider appeal. 


should be taken seriously. One of the 

funniest pieces of theatre I have seen in 

a while. 

Joshua Hepple 

Edges 

C SoCo 

Written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, 

Edges doesn’t take the format of your 

regular Lloyd Webber – described as a 

‘song cycle’ it is a selection of songs 

written to be performed as a solitary 

piece. Exploring ideas surrounding rites 

of passage, Edges provides an amusing 

and sometimes heart breaking 

exploration of themes everyone can 

relate to. 

Admittedly, I am growing less and less 

a fan of musical theatre but there is no 

denying the exceptional quality of this 

production. Every member of the cast 

has voice that could rival a West End 

professional, acting out each song with 

a sincerity lacking in so much of the 

music on the Fringe. The moments of 

harmony in the ensemble songs were 

impressively executed with the energy 

and focus being sustained right up to 

the finale. Highlights include witty 

number ‘Be My Friend’ or ‘The 

Facebook Song’, and notable performer 

Phoebe Fildes. 

If you’re a fan of musicals, this fresh 

production should be at the top of your 

list for the Fringe. 


Guys and Dolls 

Inverleith Church Hall 

Yet again Forth Children’s Theatre have 

provided us with another Fringe show. 

Directed by Andrew Dyer and Claire 

Stewart, Guys and Dolls demonstrates 

how love can change people Nathan 

Detroit is needing to find a venue for his 

Crack game. He gambles the money 

needed against Sky Masterston by 

betting that Sky cannot take Sarah 

Brown on a date to Cuba. Unfortunately 

Sky succeeds and on the date he falls in 

love with Sarah and tries to win her 

heart by changing his ways and getting 

sinners to confess. 

Unfortunately the wheelchair bays were 

at the far right of the stage so my 

viewing was restricted. However from 

what I could see, the set looked 

amazing and the costumes which were 

all stunning and totally different for 

most of the songs did not ruin the view. 

The choreography was tight and not 

one foot was out of place once. Some 

of these 35 or so talented actors are as 

young as 10 but stilled performed better 

than most performers I have seen so far 

in Fringe shows. 

A criticism which FCT has had before is 

that the young girls are over sexualised 

with some of their (lack of) outfits and 

inappropriate dancing. I noticed this to a 

very small extent tonight. 

This however can suit everyone’s taste 

and is a definite recommendation. 

Joshua Hepple 

Hamlet! The Musical 


Let’s get one thing straight. If you are a 

hard down the line worshipper of 

Shakespeare, one who cannot stand his 

works being hijacked by popular culture 

and transformed into crowd-pleasing 

wannabe soap operas, then this is 

certainly not the show for you. Not even 

a little bit. If on the other hand, like me, 

you enjoy a good ole fashioned bit of 

iconoclastic bard bashing every now 

and again then this is seventy minutes 

of the Fringe you will most certainly 

enjoy. Somewhere between an operatic 

Eastenders and a hard hitting 

Pantomime lies Hamlet! The Musical a 

celebration of all that is unholy in the 

world of literature and musical theatre. 

Gloriously camp and attempting to be 

street simultaneously Shakespeare’s 

characters are reduced to faintly 

recognisable comedy archetypes: 

moody trainer wearing teenager, 

insatiable alcoholic mother, jaded 

Disney princess, etc. The plot also loses 

any sort of nuanced ambiguity implied 

by the original text (perhaps obviously 

and maybe for the best in this instance). 

However, the playful satirical score and 

the sheer commitment and energy of 

the six cast members, who span the 


MUSIC 

MUSICALS 

Dear Diary 

Fingers Piano Bar 

‘Dear Diary’ stars Cheryl Anne Easton 

and presents the story of a woman 

meeting a man and falling in love, all 

through a daily diary entry style. Each 

journal note carries a song appropriate 

to what has been written or the events 

which have occurred. 

This structure was interesting to start, 

but became somewhat boring and 

disengaging as the show progressed. 

Cheryl’s vocal skills are better than her 

acting talents, although even these were 

occasionally shrill and strident as she 

fought to overcome the backing tracks 

which were slightly too loud at times. 

Cheryl is a good singer, but we are not 

going to be seeing her in the West End 

anytime soon – this show felt very 

much like Cheryl knows she can sing 

but wanted to do something other than 

just a solo vocal performance. 

Another downside to this show was 

that many of the songs are unfamiliar to 

younger audience members (i.e. 

anyone under 40). However, bearing in 

mind that ‘Dear Diary’ is a free show, it 

provides a pleasant background to a 

refreshing pint or glass of ’savy’ on a 

warm afternoon in the Fingers Piano 

Bar. 

If you are near Frederick Street and at a 

loose end, then it may be worth 

popping by, but if you already have a 

busy schedule, don’t worry about trying 

to squeeze this show in. 

Angus Wyatt 

Desire 

New Town Theatre 

This show is adapted from the Czech 

film Desire (Touha). It’s about British 

Ken, who is infatuated with Czech 

musical star Karin. Ken has been 

wrongly imprisoned, but his secret love 

for Karin keeps him going. When he 

discovers she will be starring in a show, 

he escapes to get to the auditions. 

Ken then has several problems to 

overcome – a police manhunt, as well 

has finding that Karen is already 

engaged. He also has to deal with her 

crazed show producer fiancé, and the 

neurotic show director. 

At the imposing Freemason’s Hall on 

Georges St; the production is set in a 

large gloomy black box space with a 

few bits of sliding furniture. In many 

ways it is a disjointed show with a plot 

that is difficult to follow and dialogue 

that is indistinct (or delivered upstage). 

Also, what might have been good 

musical numbers are quite often just 

interrupted, so there is scarcely any flow 

in the music and barely a complete 

sung through song. 

On the upside, the large cast is 

enthusiastic and dances well. There is 

also wackiness to the action, and 

strands of the original Czech humour 

that may, sadly, have been mostly lost in 

translation. 

David Donegan 

Dyslexia: The Musikal 

The Space 

Follow the story of Adam and Eva as 

they try to overcome their disability, 

dyslexia. Told through music, by 

changing the lyrics to well-known 

songs such as “Disturbia” to “Dyslexia.” 

This musical is well written and very 

funny. 

Dyslexia is not the main subject of the 

play but it is used as a way to exploit 

people who have this disability. Mr. 

Blurb sets up a centre for people to 

learn how to deal with their writing 

difficulties. This wicked man hopes to 

challenge all his students to a spelling 

competition against him, at the end of 

the training session. As we find out his 

hopes are not fulfilled and he’s 

disappointed with the end result. 

Dyslexia the Musikal also has many 

love stories as part of subplots which 

amused the audience immensely, 

though I gathered many audience 

members were already friends with 

people in the company. 

The acting was great as was the 

singing. I do not have dyslexia so I find 

it hard to tell if it offended anyone. Two 

out of the seven cast members have 

dyslexia though. This musical is very 

light hearted and silly and nothing in it

Jeff, but in a superb bit of supposedly 

moving into and out of character we 

face several versions of each character. 

Are they gay or straight? Where are 

they from? What is their relationship? 

This builds until a bit in the middle when 

Jeff (or is it Tim) supposedly finds a 

script for this show that we are asked, 

but don’t believe, is an impro show. 

There are then several layers of the 

script and what I can only describe as a 

meta-script where dialogue supposedly 

spontaneous is actually found to be in 

the script. 

Lots more follows. I found the bit where 

they were supposedly out of character 

and talking about how they had spent all 

their money on bringing a show to 

Edinburgh just so they could get a 

review from someone nobody had ever 

heard of hilarious. I got the impression 

it was rather too close to the truth for 

many members of the audience where 

there seemed to be an awful lot of 

Edinburgh performers. 

The only bit that I’m sure was 

unscripted was towards the end where 

one of the actors storms off stage 

through a door at the precise moment a 

police siren could be heard from the 

Cowgate. 

I suspect the more pretentious theatre 

you have seen that takes itself too 

seriously, the more you will like this 

show. I loved it. 

Martin Powell 

The Gay Geese 

C central 

This play is based around two teenage 

mates and their friendship, which is 

challenged when Matt (Euan Forsyth) 

decides he has to tell Sam (Ross 

Harvey) that he’s gay. 

Sam overreacts to Matt’s news and the 

pain he expresses is palpable. However, 

it becomes clear there’s a lot more 

going on for Sam than just his best 

friend coming out. 

Sam expresses revulsion at Matt 

homosexuality. Matt’s anxiety while 

waiting to meet up with Sam after telling 

him, will resonate with audience 

members who have gone through a 

similar coming out experience. 

The set is minimal, with a bench that 

readily becomes a bed. 

The standard of acting is very strong - 

Anna Connolly and Miles Garratt 

support the excellent leads well. 

Without giving to much away, the 

ending was powerful, but perhaps left a 

little too much unresolved. 


Girl Constantly Fucking Interrupted 


I arrived at this show expecting comedy, 

and what I got was something rather 

sombre and disturbing. Yet another 

piece delving into the murky world of 

mental illness, and yet another piece to 

do it so badly that I spent most of the 

hour mentally marking off the 

inconsistencies of how the portrayal of 

‘split personalities’ in no way matched 

up to the reality of the situation. Had it 

actually been a comedy, poetic license 

would have allowed for the piece to not 

represent the reality of the subject with 

which it dealt. But as it wasn’t a 

comedy, it became rather irksome that 

the subject of ‘dissociative identity 

disorder’ was so badly misrepresented. 

Peachey plays Faith, the girl plagued 

with 3 other identities – promiscuous 

‘Ang’, ‘Hope’ who shuns affection in 

favour of books and the self-harming, 

suicidal ‘Donna’. The idea of a mentally 

ill person unable to gain respite from 

their active mind is not exactly breaking 

boundaries and what I found most 

impressive about this piece was 

Peachey’s ability to talk for one whole 

hour without drawing a breath. 

Lurking in the background of this piece 

is the death of the character’s mother, 

whose death as a result of domestic 

abuse has a sad poignancy. Peachey is 

featured in this month’s Grazia mag, as 

her own mother bore a similar fate. 

However this insert – and Peachey’s 

explanation at the end – felt a bit 

contrived and I was left wondering if it 

wasn’t merely squeezed in, in an 

attempt to plug her magazine article. 


Gutted: A Revenger’s Musical 

Assembly 

As far as musicals go, it’s a tired plot 

line; Sorrow has just married the man 

who killed her parents 15 years ago and 

now its time for revenge. A series of 

repetitive and predictable deaths later, 

the curtain comes down on one of the 

worst £15 pounds spent in my life. 

Whether it has anything to do with the 

cast being made up of comedians with 

other projects on at the Fringe is 

unclear, but most of those on stage 

looked heavily as if they would rather be 

elsewhere, approaching the production 

with a lack of the passion required for a 

successful piece of musical theatre. An 

exception to this was Helen George as 

newly-wed Sparrow, whose powerful 

voice and focus throughout shadowed 

the rest of the company, demanding a 

superior and alternative script. 

Unfortunately the talent of George and 

the potential of the score are not 

enough to drag this review up to a two 

star rating – the steep cost of a ticket 

and the dire state of the script left me 

feeling cheated. 


Homo Asbo 


From Richard Fry, the writer/performer 

who gave us the award winning ‘Bully’, 

and this years five star show, ‘Smiler’ 

comes ‘Homo Asbo’. 

It’s the story of your average 

disenfranchised jobless chav (for want 

of a better term) who gets up to all the 

stuff jobless chavs get up to. Except ofcourse, 

that he’s also gay. 

Fry often breaks from the loose 

narrative to read some prose or give us 

a song. Fry is an all rounder and a range 

of his talents is on show here. His pisstake 

of the style and make up of the 

band, ‘The Streets’ was properly 

hilarious. Perhaps he falls out of 

character too easily occasionally. But he 

can be forgiven for that – when 

discussing the plight of homosexuals in 

Iran he was clearly welling-up. 

LGBT people will be entertained and 

moved by Homo Asbo, but as Fry 

himself told me later, it isn’t really aimed 

at us. Fry is reaching out to the macho 

male heterosexual streets – and to do 

that he needs to start where they are. 

More power to his elbow. 

Martin Walker 

The Inconsiderate Aberrations 

of Billy the Kid 

Bedlam 

Billed as “an outrageous punk rock 

musical satire,” Christopher Bailey’s 

politically incorrect monster of a show 

delivered spades. Militant feminist 

lesbian angels? - tick. An aborted guitar 

playing foetus? - tick . Gun toting 

murderer aged 10? - tick. Necrophilia? - 

tick. 8 foot dancing erection? - tick. 

Underage sex? - tick. 

The plot? - Poor Billy doesn’t want to go 

to school, so he guns down his mother. 

In heaven she hooks up with a gaggle 

of hot lesbian angels who plan to 

galvanise an army, return to earth, and 

wreak havoc on all ‘man’kind. 

Meanwhile, Billy’s dad quickly finds a 

replacement mom for Billy, in the shape 

of a 15 year old pizza delivery girl.. but 

when mom and the lesbian angels turn 

up at Billy’s house - all hell (literally) 

breaks loose. 

The standard of acting is strong 

throughout and the musical numbers 

are as terrific as they are twisted. The 

fringe needs more shows like this. 

If you take the plunge and buy a ticket to 

Billy, I can guarantee that you’ll not be 

bored – even for a second. 

Martin Walker 

It’s Always Right Now, Until It’s Later 

Traverse 

You occasionally hear people saying 

that live theatre is dead. Not at the 

Traverse if they can sell out, as they did, 

all 260 seats at 10am on a Friday 

morning for this new show by Daniel 

Kitson. 

It’s now almost a Fringe institution that 

every year Kitson will do a superb 

monologue show at the Traverse and 

every year the Scotsman will agonise 

whether they have to give him yet 

another Fringe First award for his show. 

Expect them to be agonising this year. 

However the difference this year is that 

rather than doing a late night show 

Kitson chose to do one in the morning. 

The fact that the show is about time 

may be related to this. 

In his normal modest way for a man 

who apparently doesn’t realise how 

good he is (you would have thought the 

message would have got through by 

now), he makes a modest entrance 

from the side of the stage, possibly 

from the audience. We then get a joke 

about half the audience feeling that they 

are heroes to get there at that time and 

the other half feeling smug because 

they had been up since 8. I was 

definitely in the heroes camp and nicely 

put in my place by that comment. 

A tale then unfolds of two seemingly 

unrelated characters, William Rivington, 

76, and Caroline Carter, of similar years, 

and the events that shaped their lives. 

Jumping back and forth through their 

twin lives we explore their growing up 

and the chance experiences that 

changed them totally. Events on buses, 

and who from our younger years 

cannot recall at least one of those? The 

point at which, or process by, “our 

house” became “our parents’ house”. 

When he moved onto attempting to 

form relationships as young adults and 

how what looks like a promising 

evening can and sometimes does go 

disastrously wrong. There was such 

empathy with this that a spontaneous 

round of applause erupted – something 

I’ve never before encountered in a 

monologue show. 

There’s lots lots more, including what 

one generation can leave to another or, 

from a different perspective, what one 

generation can receive from another. 

Towards the end there were hints at the 

mathematics of Chaos Theory and then 

it was over all too soon. He said at one 

point “It’s nearly over” and I thought 

this is a ninety minute show there must 

be another hour yet, but checked my 

watch and saw he was right. Then he 

walked off stage as modestly as he had 

come on and didn’t even return for the 

applause. 

Go on Scotsman, give him another 

gong, you know you want to. 

Martin Powell 

Little Black Bastard 


If Noel Tovey could collect oppression 

points as air miles, he’d be able to fly, 

first class, to the moon and back. Being 

born into desperate poverty, with an 

Aboriginal background and growing up 

gay in a homophobic world, his is a 

remarkable story of triumph over 

adversity. 

A young man growing up in the 1930s 

Australia, Tovey faced a brutal life of 

neglect and worse. In his late teens he 

served time in the notorious Pentridge 

prison, where he was subjected to 

further, brutal abuse, but also begins to 

gather the strength to fight back. 

Ultimately he finds it in himself to 

conquer his circumstances and become 

a successful dancer, actor and director. 

And what a career Tovey went on to 

have. He’s worked with the likes of Ken 

Tynan and Judy Garland, in a celebrated 

career that spans more than 55 years in 

theatre, radio and later television. 

Throughout Little Black Bastard, one is 

aware that you’re watching an actor of 

rare quality. A totally engrossing 

performance – it’s a true privilege to be 

in Tovey’s presence. This one-man 

show is frequently harrowing, often 

moving, and for the audience, intensely 

rewarding. 

Martin Walker 

Lockerbie: Unfinished Business 


I’ve seen David Benson before, whom I 

think of as specialising in one man 

shows, frequently about gay comic 

actors, such as Frankie Howard or 

Kenneth Williams or performing in Glee 

Clubs (also at this venue). Taking on 

the role of GP, Jim Swire, whose 

daughter Flora was murdered in the 

Lockerbie terrorist atrocity is an entirely 

different kettle of fish. 

Benson looks very little like Swire but 

this did not matter. We are led through a 

grieving father’s pain, through his 

search for justice and his failure to 

achieve it. Yet this is not some political 

polemic but a searing deconstruction of 

all that happened both before and after 

Lockerbie. 

In most miscarriages of justice, it is the 

grieving relatives who take comfort 

from the innocent being imprisoned 

and are most vocal in opposing their 

release. Swire saw through the lies and 

recognised that in Megrahi an innocent 

man had been imprisoned for reasons 

of political expediency. 

The politics are there in the play but they 

don’t outweigh the sheer human grief. It 

was also clear from some of the video 

material that Swire must have 

participated in the process. First rate 

political theatre that ought to be 

compulsory for every US Senator, oh 

and David Cameron. 

Martin Powell 

The Love Story 

C Soco 

A story about falling in love, living in 

love and dying in love. This is one of 

two Negative Capability performances, 

with theory and examples of how we 

live and how we feel. 

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this 

piece. A two-person performance, 

which was played so well and with such 

feeling and congruence that the whole 

audience was moved to tears. This is a 

very challenging piece about a young 

man who finds out he has a terminal 

illness, and how he and his partner deal 

with this news. 

Now if I’d read that description, the 

blurb alone would put me off. Mainly 

because I’m proud to be emotionally 

stunted and I don’t like to be moved by 

performances. However the reality of 

what’s portrayed here is something that 

has touched us all in some way, and as 

a result even I was comfortable with the 

feelings which engulfed me on 

watching this performance. 

Warm characters the audience relates 

to immediately; we want it to work for 

them. We want them to find the 

answers. But life isn’t like that … this is 

a play which should come with a health 

warning because it will move you so 

deeply that when you come out you’ll 

be reaching for your nearest and 

dearest. But it’s true to life, real, raw and 

gritty and so positively portrayed with 

material which could so easily be 

morbid and depressing that one doesn’t 

mind so much. Definitely see this show! 


Marion Allen’s Number One Hobby 


Understated and beautifully woven 

monologue from rising young literary 

talent Bea Roberts following the chance 

in a lifetime win of a year’s supply of 

Crunchie bars for housewife Marion 

Allen. With masterful and subtle 

direction from Emma Taylor, Genevieve 

Swallow is simply outstanding as the 

unknowingly hilarious and charming 

Mrs. Allen. To give the plot away would 

do this production a disservice with it 

softly and painfully unfolding whilst 

maintaining Marion’s delicate 

observational humour. 

This is not an epic piece about overly 

demanding issues, but it does contain 

the kind of exceptional woman that may 

otherwise slip by unnoticed. Having left 

an emotional wreck, honestly affected 

by Swallow’s subtle and utterly 

believable characterisation, I strongly 

recommend this show. 


Mysterious Skin 


False Memory Syndrome is the mind’s 

way of protecting an individual from 

past traumatic events. In Mysterious 

Skin, two male youths react very 

differently to childhood experiences. 

One of the lads and his friend move 

from a small town to the big city. He 

becomes a hustler, and an encounter 

with one of his clients changes the way 

he looks at life. As the story unfolds, the 

events of the past are revealed and the 

consequences become painfully clear. 

An interesting plot tinged with sadness. 

There are moments of humour, the 

phrase ‘My cock is not a candy cane!’ 

gets some laughs. 

A number of the cast show their 

versatility by playing different roles. The 

costumes are great. The set is minimal 

but well used. 

My only fault with this play is that the 

unlit actors on stage kept moving, 

distracting me from the main action, but 

this is a minor quibble. 


My Romantic History 

Traverse 

This new play by D C Jackson was 

excellent. The main characters Tom 

(Iain Robertson), Amy (Alison 

O’Donnell) and Sasha (Rosalind 

Sydney) are work colleagues – in a play 

about relationships and how they can 

develop at work. What raises this from 

the run of the mill is the exceptionally 

clever mixing of that which is spoken 

with that which is thought – but never in 

reality voiced. A trick few playwrights 

are capable of successfully achieving. 

The three actors play an amazing total 

of 21 characters between them – 

something I didn’t realise until after 

seeing the play. Very occasionally this 

makes things hard work as it is 

sometimes difficult to remember which 

character you are watching, but this is a 

minor criticism of this superb play. 

Martin Powell 

The Not So Fatal Death 

of Grandpa Fredo 

Traverse 

Sometimes at the Fringe one schedules 

so much one doesn’t quite know what 

one is about to see. This was such an 

occasion. I went expecting some deep 

theatre piece. I got a simplistic romp 

through middle America with the mayor 

of Reliance Falls, who made Sarah Palin 

look like an intellectual giant. The action 

focuses around a shed that becomes a 

Norwegian’s cryogenic lab, a morgue, a 

diner, and much, much more. A witty 

show with songs. Great fun. 

Martin Powell 

Penelope 

Traverse 

Sometimes you need a bit of 

background in order to understand a 

play. This one by Edna Walsh was such 

a play. As far as I was concerned it was 

a play called Penelope with no more 

significance than that. It therefore came 

as a surprise when initially the only 

characters were four men of differing 

ages having a barbecue by a swimming 

pool at a contemporary villa in Corfu. 

The absence of women led me to jump 

incorrectly to conclusions about their 

sexuality. 

There then follows a discussion about 

sausages. From then on it was downhill 

for me. By the time Penelope appeared I 

was totally baffled, as I expect was the 

woman who left the show early on. 

The French flag and appearance of 

Napoleon toward the end lost any 

semblance of understanding 

whatsoever for me. Most of the 

audience however warmly applauded at 

the end. 

It wasn’t until after I’d left the theatre 

that it occurred to me that this might 

have something to do with ancient 

Greece and Penelope the wife of 

Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey, but then 

ancient Greek stuff has never been my 

strong point. If it’s yours, you will 

probably enjoy this more than I did. 

Martin Powell 

Quality Control 

Underbelly 

Written and directed by Drew Taylor, 

Quality Control disrupts the relevance of 

sexuality leaving an effective and dark 

examination of control, normality and 

balance. 

Juxtaposing and interweaving a 

heterosexual couple and a homosexual 

couple, an artistry lies in the ambiguity 

of their relationship. Taylor’s layering of 

certain sections of the script is a 

particular highlight, creating an 

engaging examination of the irrelevance 

of one’s biology in relation to one’s life 

balance. 

Another point of merit is the set – a 

mirrored landscape that rejects any 

hackneyed approach the layering of the 

two relationships. Complementing this 

is the subtle soundtrack, with echoes of 

discordant rumbles and unnerving 

disturbances that heighten the notable 

introduction of a masochistic talking 

crayon. 

Although I am unsure about the closing 

of the play, there is no denying the 

devastating beauty of this piece. The 

strongest piece of theatre I have seen 

this year on the fringe. 


The Second Star to the Right 

C Soco 

An expressive performance of Wendy’s 

journey to Neverland, whereupon she 

hears the secret stories of the Lost Boys 

and other Neverland characters. 

Through the medium of drama and 

dance, the boys and Tiger Lily furnish 

Wendy with the source of their 

Neverland adventures, stories 

previously unheard. 

I love what this piece was attempting to 

achieve. The idea in itself is beautiful, 

however it was let down by sloppy 

performance and lack of enough 

material to see it through its hour. The 

material was slow, stilted and the dance 

did not quite contain enough finesse to 

carry through its intent. The performers 

did put everything they had into it, and I 

especially loved the way the audience 

were directed in by Neverland 

inhabitants one at a time at the start. A 

more polished performance, with more 

substantial material, would easily 

improve this. 


Babbling Comedy: 

The Perfordian Show 

C Central 

With no idea what to expect, I went to 

see Babbling Comedy, a show that I 

later discovered is a Korean hit and is 

based on a scientific-looking model 

about the cognition of laughter. Unless 

I’m missing something this show is 

listed under Theatre in the Fringe guide 

when it might be better placed under 

Children’s Shows. About half the 

audience had realised this regardless 

and brought their children with them 

who, I would imagine, would have been 

mesmerised by the experience. I 

certainly was, despite not being in the 

target audience. 

The four Korean performers are 

outstanding, dressed as toddler babies, 

exploring objects around them until 

they eventually happen upon a use for 

it. The show begins with infantile 

gurgling sounds; when the toddlers 

emerge they begin prodding each other 

before experimenting with a Sprite can, 

a paint roller and two, ten-pin bowlingsized 

balls, the latter sets up a most 

original version of Russian Roulette 

with the audience. 

I thought that the sight of grown men 

behaving primitively and childishly 

might make either an interesting 

opening ceremony for a primary school 

sports day or, better still, an appropriate 

warm-up act for Jim Davidson. Then I 

realised that this was fundamentally a 

kid’s show (5 to 10 years olds I would 

guess), although I am not sure how the 

producers see themselves. The four 

star rating is well deserved for their 

dexterous physical talent and fast-paced 

energy. Choreographed juggling, feats 

of magic and a visually stunning routine 

with stage masks (which wasn’t long 

enough for me) contribute to a first 

class, family show. One of the four also 

offers an excellent Justin Timberlake, 

beat-boxing rendition. Performance 

quality can hardly be denied with this 

show and I imagine Babbling Comedy 

will succeed, but it is one for the 

children. 

Ian Mitchell 

Beautiful Burnout 


This is a joint production by Frantic 

Assembly and the National Theatre of 

Scotland. 

It is one of my lasting theatre regrets 

that in 1995 I missed a show by a then 

pretty much unknown and then 

Swansea based company, Frantic 

Assembly, called Klub. The following 

year they brought what became the 

second part of their trilogy, Flesh, which 

I did see and was stunned. By the time 

of the third part, Zero, they were one of 

perhaps half a dozen shows on my 

must see list for that year. Since then 

they have never really fallen off my must 

see list, although some recent shows 

have been a bit of a disappointment. 

Their last real highlight for me was a 

joint production with Paines Plough, 

Tiny Dynamite, which I was amazed to 

discover was as far back as 2001. 

Turning to the National Theatre of 

Scotland in a few short years this new 

company under the expert direction of 

Vicky Featherstone, who used to be 

with Paines Plough, has built a 

reputation for staging thought 

provoking theatre that is seen and 

talked about throughout Scotland and 

beyond. I know they have put on work 

as far North as the Orkneys, possibly 

further, and as far South as Liverpool, 

possibly further, and I see this one is 

due to play as far south as Chichester. 

They are so unlike that disgrace of a so 

called National Theatre south of the 

border that in spite of its name is merely 

a London theatre. 

But enough of the rant, what about the 

play? Clearly when two such 

prestigious companies collaborate with 

a new play by Bryony Lavery you 

expect a lot. Did I get it? Yes. In short it 

is about boxing. The set consists of a 

stylised boxing ring with lots of flat 

screen TVs at the back. With a constant 

soundtrack we are led through a tale of 

a boxing trainer Bobby Burgess (Ewan 

Stewart) and those he is training and 

the mother of one of them. How they 

develop, relationships involving power, 

including hints of sexual abuse and so 

much more. The risks of boxing – 

which is seen by some as an exercise in 

brain damage and by others as a noble 

sport – yet put in a way that I feel 

neither supporters or opponents of 

boxing would see as unfair. The 

difference between amateur and 

professional boxing with the risks of the 

latter being so much more than the 

former and the damaging influence of 

money. This becomes a dominant 

theme of the play. However as with 

early Frantic Assembly work there are 

sections that can only be described as 

dance. 

In short, I think Frantic Assembly and 

the National Theatre of Scotland have 

struck gold with this one. Clearly 15 

years on the performance is more 

polished, as one would expect, and they 

are obviously working with a vastly 

larger budget. Yet this is a return to the 

fresh excitement that got me interested 

in Frantic Assembly in the first place. Go 

and see it if you can possibly get your 

hands on a ticket. 

Martin Powell 

Belt Up’s ‘The Boy James’ 

C Soco 

This piece purports to be inspired by the 

life and works of JM Barrie, which quite 

frankly is an insult to JM Barrie. 

It attempts to confront the issue of ‘the 

necessity to grow up’ – but what it 

actually delivers is the clumsy sexual 

assault and abandonment of an autisticseeming 

boy. I can clearly see what 

Wright was attempting to portray, 

however everything about this 

performance was wrong. The cramped 

setting with too many audience 

members, forcing some to sit on a floor 

with glass shards 5 inches long strewn 

in the corner I had the misfortune to 

experience. The interactive childhood 

games with forced ‘tig’ and crawling 

between strangers’ legs in a space the 

size of a garden hut. 

The play did succeed in making me 

think, insomuch as I questioned 

whether it was my own social 

inadequacy which prevented me 

partaking in such hideous games. 

However I redeemed myself when the 

moral compass I never knew I 

possessed was severely disturbed as 

the eponymous character was pinned 

to a chair, gyrated upon, groped and his 

PJ bottoms torn off as he cried and 

struggled to break free. 

The vulnerability of children is 

something quite different to the force 

and brutality contained here. This is the 

newest of 6 Belt Up productions on this 

year, and one is left with the distinct 

impression that this was the creative 

detritus left over from the others. 


A Big Day for the Goldbergs 

C Central 

This is the most banal, interminable 

abortion of a play on this year’s Fringe. 

Described as a ‘light hearted look at 

modern family life’, the script by Brian 

Daniels is a tedious and repetitive series 

of monologues that aim to explore the 

life of a suburban Jewish family. Full of 

cliché and lengthy insipid details the 

piece was unbelievably boring, with the 

lack of the Director’s imagination or 

trust in the audience being summarized 

in a moment when grotesque snoring 

and excessive yawning were used to 

demonstrate the passing of a night. 

Daniels provides no reason for us to feel 

for his characters, their concerns about 

seating arrangements or bookings as a 

children’s entertainer, and the lack of 

subtext is simply painful. 

This production wins the award for the 

worst thing I have ever seen. Avoid. 


Busting Out! 

Assembly 

I read that there would be nudity 

involved in this performance. What was 

rather unexpected, but pleasingly so, 

was a whole hour devoted to breasts! 

Naked breasts, dancing breasts, breasts 

doing aerobics, breasts doing shadow 

puppetry … it did start to get strange 

when the breasts donned wigs and 

sang Abba tracks; were turned into 

babies suckling dummies and milkbotttles; 

made into cheeseburgers and 

finally vaginas … 

I can honestly say I’ve never spent a 

heartier hour where I’ve simultaneously 

cringed and hysterically laughed. Emma 

and Bev use the medium of song, 

dance and puppetry to delve into every 

colloquialism in existence about breasts 

– ‘tit skits and tit tricks … norkology’. 

And why, you may ask? The women 

answer this question too. Men expect 

them to get their tits out, ‘so why the 

hell not!’ This is the ultimate form of 

female empowerment – one single 

hour’s performance which defies every 

attempt society can muster to 

pressurise women into a stereotype. A 

huge fuck you to chauvinists; and a 

massive spinning finger to all those 

women who think they’re better 

because they look a certain way. 

The audience for this show was, 

unsurprisingly, massive. I’m not 

surprised – it’s a huge feel-good show. 

The mostly middle class audience didn’t 

show a hint of prudishness as these 

fantastic women whipped their clothes 

off within the first few minutes and just 

let themselves go. They were having a 

ball, and so were the audience! 

If you see one show this year, let it be 

this. 


(Bye) Polar 

The Space 

James is a troubled teenager who is 

struggling with bi-polar disorder. His life 

revolves around this disorder with all 

too regular visits to the psychiatrist. He 

cuts himself off from the world 

spending much of his time isolated in 

his room whilst he struggles to cope 

with his debilitating and unpredictable 

manic and depressive episodes. 

James appears to have given up on 

seeing any further than beyond his next 

episode and feelings of anguish, guilt 

and frustration are rife throughout the 

play. It is evident that the father finds it 

incredibly difficult to come to terms 

especially because no explanation can 

be offered about where the illness 

stemmed from and why it had to 

happen to his son. This feeling of 

despair from the father often transfers 

into anger which he regretfully takes out 

on his son. 

All of the actors in (Bye) Polar 

performed exceptionally well, especially 

James. The decision to have him wear a 

hospital gown throughout the play 

allowed the audience to feel how 

vulnerable James is because of his 

bipolar disorder. Furthermore, James is 

the only character who speaks directly 

to the audience – he speaks his 

thoughts aloud allowing the audience to 

engage with that is going through his 

warped mind. Though at times it can be 

argued that the father was overacting, 

this small criticism is dwarfed by the 

powerful message the actor 

successfully delivered to the audience. 

The play illustrated extremely 

successfully the reality of mental illness 

for not only the sufferer but also the 

distress it causes to those closest to 

them. The play tackled stigma 

surrounding mental health issues head 

on by exposing the torment that 

mentally ill individuals experience. 

People who don’t have a lot of personal 

experience of mental health issues will 

leave this play with a better 

understanding and people for whom 

mental health is close to home leave the 

play feeling satisfied that it has been 

portrayed in a justified, fair and realistic 

way. 

Joshua Hepple 

A Commedia of Errors 

C Chambers St 

A hearty rendition of one of the Bard’s 

earliest plays, A Comedy of Errors. 

This is one of my favourite plays, and 

this fantastic group of actors all the way 

from Honolulu really did it justice. 

Two sets of identical twins are 

accidentally separated at a young age, 

and then happen upon each other some 

years later. A series of crazy mishaps 

follow the re-acquaintance with the 

usual sex, violence and mistaken 

identity of Shakespearean comedy. 

Iambic pentameter is beautifully 

performed here, and it’s refreshing to 

see a performance stay true to the 

beauty of words created by 

Shakespeare. Special praise must be 

given to Jackie and Claire Mosteller, 

who jubilantly throw themselves into 

the roles of Dromio with an eagerness 

and enthusiasm that warms the 

audience to characters quintessential to 

the convincingness of the plot. 

A wonderful afternoon tit-bit which will 

leave you hungering for all the culture 

the festival can throw at you. 


Could It Be Forever? 


A delightful reunion of 6 friends, 

exploring the circumstances 

surrounding their lives 37 years ago. 

The story flits between the present and 

1973, to the backdrop of a David 

Cassidy hysteria that united them. That 

summer changed all their lives, and 

since then everything and nothing has 

changed. 

I wasn’t sure what to expect when the 

first character moped on stage, 

depressed after separating from his wife 

and ambiguous about the reunion. An 

hour later I was hooked and had to be 

crow-barred from my seat – I wanted 

more! The material is sheer brilliance. 6 

unique and un-clichéd characters, lives 

intertwining and developing throughout. 

Stories of what could have been, and 

what’s still to come. An exploration of 

societal change, for instance in the story 

of Steven who is aware of being gay as 

a teenager but feels unable to come out 

to his peers and parents until later in life 

when society progresses. 

What really moved me was the acting 

abilities of everyone on stage. Flawless 

performances, with complete absorbing 

of the characters – they owned those 

roles and really lived them. The result 

was a completely empathic audience. 

I demand a sequel to this performance! 

I want to see what happens next. This is 

one of those unique little gems the 

festival throws up and one everyone 

should see. 


Do We Look Like Refugees?! 

Assembly 

Yes is the short answer to the question 

of the title. I must admit there is a thing 

about verbatim theatre at the moment. 

For those unfamiliar it consists of real 

life experiences using the words of 

those involved rather than those of a 

playwright. Powerful it can be. 

However every genre has its limits and 

here they were pushed beyond reason. 

This had the novel concept of the actors 

not learning their lines, but instead fed 

the words by audio equipment and then 

re-spoken. It didn’t help that some of 

what was being said was told by people 

who could barely speak English, this 

being the tale of Georgian refugees. 

Much of the dialogue was in Georgian – 

with subtitles translating the verbatim 

text – thereby defeating the whole 

object of verbatim theatre. 

The song at the end wasn’t bad, but 

overall, as a dramatic experience, 

dreadful. 

Martin Powell 

Emma Thompson presents: Fair Trade 


Based on the true stories of two 

survivors of the sex trafficking industry, 

this thought provoking play brings 

home the reality of forced sexual labour. 

We discover how two very different 

women, one white and one black, come 

to be in London. Each of them comes to 

England of their own free will with the 

hope of gaining skills and finding 

employment. Ironically, these young 

women have also fled from violence 

back home. Little do they know, like the 

audience, that there is still very much a 

sexual slave trade going on, obviously 

all behind closed doors. 

Thompson’s company are not afraid to 

show how shocking the sex trafficking 

industry is. In one scene, an auctioneer 

treats the audience as though they are 

bidders for prostitutes, which takes 

audience participation to another level. 

A show most certainly not for the faint 

hearted, but a well written and 

performed piece of drama definitely 

worth seeing. 

Joshua Hepple 

Expectations 


Guilt, knowledge and secrecy can tear 

families apart. A genetic mutation can 

tear chromosomes apart, which can 

destroy parent’s Expectations of their 

first child. This excellent play explores 

two very different sets of parents with a 

disabled child. Is a disabled child’s life 

as valuable as a non disabled? Is it 

worth the extra care needed from the 

parents? Do medical professionals or 

social services do enough to support 

disabled children’s parents? These 

questions take up the majority of this 70 

minute play. Performed English and 

Swedish, this play is based on the life of 

the daughter of actors in this piece of 

theatre. 

The English family are not aware of their 

child’s deformity but the Sweeds are. 

This piece of information has a huge 

impact on each family. Some of the 

scenes have outstanding acting and 

these performers had the audience in 

tears more than once. The play 

becomes a tad confusing when the 

mothers try to meet to exchange 

information on each others 

circumstances. The acting in this violent 

scene though was flawless 

Expectations exceeded all expectations 

of how well a disabled child’s parents 

life could be acted. 

Joshua Hepple 

The Fastest Woman Alive 

C Chambers St 

This is the story of Jackie Cochran, a 

WWII aviator who was the first woman 

to break the sound barrier. Cochran 

personally achieved amazing feats, but 

unfortunately sold out on the rest of her 

gender to enable her to do so. 

A very well directed and acted 

production by Pepperdine University. 

They tackled well the story of a traitor to 

feminism, whilst managing to retain the 

audience’s empathy with the flawed 

central character. Particular credit must 

be given to Charlotte Ubben who played 

Amelia Earhart, really owning the 

character without the over-acting some 

of the other cast members occasionally 

fell prone to. 

I always enjoy performances which 

feature important historical events, 

especially from a personal perspective. 

This production celebrates 

achievements, acknowledges failures 

and does so in a smooth package that 

is accessible and enjoyable. 


Flesh and Blood and Fish and Fowl 

Traverse 

Set in the oppressive concrete 

landscape of an office block, ‘FLESH 

and BLOOD & FISH and FOWL’ follows 

the seemingly banal existence of both 

Jerry and Rhoda, who as the play 

develops are revealed to be in a 

uncomforting combat with the forces of 

mother earth. In a topical exploration of 

the irrepressible forces of nature, 

creators and starring actors Geoff 

Sobelle and Charlotte Ford combine 

humour and horror to both examine 

and rearrange the assembly of natural 

order. 

The interest of this piece lies in the 

unnerving exploration of the myopic 

focus of humanity in contrast to the 

evolving spontaneity of nature. This was 

presented skilfully not only by Sobelle 

and Ford, but with confidence by the 

impressive set and technical mastery 

that had transformed the striking St. 

Stephen’s into a distorted Eden. The 

design abilities of James Clotfelter and 

Nick Kourtides perfectly translate an 

environment complete with whirring 

florescent lights and faint mechanic 

rumbles, that provides the perfect space 

for nature’s capsize of man in the 

closing scenes – a hijack of humankind 

that incorporates impressive taxidermy 

and scenes of moving image that help 

shift the play from surreal and absurd (if 

on occasion bordering jarring slapstick) 

comedy to poignant scenes of 

devastating beauty. The innovative use 

of taxidermy has no doubt has affected 

the cost of this ticket, but the European 

début of this production is still worth 

the watch. 


Following Wendy 

C Soco 

An alternative production based around 

Wendy, Peter and Neverland. In this 

production, Wendy has an argument 

with her best friend and is whisked off 

to Neverland by Peter. Will Wendy 

return in time to save her best friend, 

who’s in jail accused of her murder? We 

only find out at the end what Wendy’s 

true fate has been, and with this 

knowledge a further revelation and 

theory about the inhabitants of 

Neverland’s true stories. 

A wonderfully produced piece by Jam 

Jar Productions, with special 

acknowledgement due to the actress 

who played the part of Tinkerbell. 

Perhaps the best acting I’ve seen this 

festival so far, with her precocious, 

teasing and liminal portrayal of this 

character. The 2 actors playing the 

Police officers were also particularly well 

done. 

Some flashes of brilliance in this 

backdrop of ingenuity, with props and 

expressive dance that really adds to the 

atmosphere of elegance and magic in 

this piece. You won’t be disappointed! 


The Friendship Experiment 

Underbelly 

A surreal piece of comic theatre by Big 

Wow, who are actors Matt Rutter and 

Tim Lynskey and director and writer 

Robert Farquhar, although it is not 

entirely clear to me how much the piece 

was written by Farquhar rather than 

devised by the company. 

We start with an empty stage with no 

clues as to what is going to happen. We 

then get some deliberate overacting at 

which point it turns into an impro show, 

except it doesn’t because all of the 

audience suggestions are rejected in 

favour of what the cast were going to 

do anyway. We are led through the 

establishment of characters, Steve and 


THEATRE 

THEATRE

THEATRE 


outsidethefringe... 

Shadow Boxing 

C Soco 

This is a great piece of theatre. A one 

man play bursting with such emotional 

punch, to describe it as moving is a 

massive understatement. Shadow 

Boxing is a play for our times, about 

being a gay man submerged in a 

heterosexist sport. 

Successful boxer Flynn (Jonny Collis- 

Scurll) may be doing what it takes to 

beat his opponents, but his private life is 

a secretive mess. Flynn is gay, but he’s 

unable to reconcile his sexuality with life 

in the ring. There are no gay boxers, 

and his male role models – his father, 

his manager and his trainer, only stunt 

his ability to be at peace with himself. 

Gradually Flynn’s personal demons 

come to the fore. As Flynn moves 

closer to the title fight he has always 

dreamed of, he struggles to keep his life 

under control. 

The writing is tight and action packed, 

and the staging is perfect. Whoever 

designed the lighting knew exactly what 

they were doing. Jonny Collis-Scurll’s 

performance is energetic, dramatic, and 

genuinely quite breathtaking. Rarely 

have I seen such a strong piece of 

acting on a Fringe stage. 

As I went to leave the theatre an 

audience member stated that this terrific 

story should be made into a film. I 

concur. 

Martin Walker 

Shakespeare for Breakfast 

C Chambers St 

A modern-day adaptation of classic 

tragedy King Lear. This show sells out 

every year, and based on previous years 

I had high expectations. 

Now I’m all for making Shakespeare 

accessible to the masses, and usually 

this show does just that. However this 

piece was diluted almost beyond 

recognition, and I fear would have the 

Bard turning in his grave. The basic 

skeleton of King Lear was presented 

through a variety of sketches, including 

‘Who Wants to be a Million-heir’, 

Jeremy Kyle and Gok wan. I felt rather 

cheated that the major themes of the 

play, ie justice, self-sacrifice and 

betrayal, were neglected in favour of 

junk television send-ups. 

On a positive note, the actual 

performance was flawless. Articulate, 

well rounded acting with great vocals 

and choreography. The actors bounded 

with enthusiasm and interacted well 

with the audience and free hot drink and 

croissant is always a lovely sweetener. 


Smiler 


Many able bodied people have difficulty 

connecting with some who have 

disabilities. Not basic communication – 

small-talk can usually be managed, but 

the perceived barriers to building a 

strong friendship (two people REALLY 

getting to know each other) aren’t just 

practical. There is often a sense from 

the able bodied that they lack any real 

shared experience with a disabled 

person. What do they talk about? 

I have a new friend who is a wheel chair 

user, he has difficulty using his hands 

and arms, and his speech is sometimes 

hard to understand. And that’s all that I 

perceive. He is a writer, has a similar 

taste in (ahem) guys, a sharp sense of 

humour and like many in my friendship 

circle is sometimes a little too clever for 

his own good. But when I meet him it’s, 

“oh here’s that guy in a wheelchair”. Not 

the gay guy, the young guy, the funny 

guy, the writer guy, the clever guy – no, 

the wheelchair guy. By the time the 

thought has travelled from my brain to 

my mouth it has become ‘wheelchair 

user’ but same difference. Sometimes 

the able bodied can be real cunts. 

Smiler, is the story of two friends that 

smashed through that barrier. Using 

powerful, dark, and frequently 

humourous prose, writer/performer 

Richard Fry delivers a story that gets 

beyond the disability at last, and 

explores a real friendship between two 

men. A beautifully constructed piece, 

we are taken from the awkward first 

meeting to the ultimate expression of 

real love (via a costume party dressed 

as Right said Fred). 

This is an exceptional performance by 

Fry, who launched his fringe career 

three years ago with the critically 

acclaimed ‘Bully’ and since gone from 

strength to strength. Fry’s shows work 

both as terrific pieces of theatre but also 

really make you think. And more than 

that, even if you’re not as flawed as I 

am, Fry will challenge your world view 

and may even change you for the better. 

Such power is rare. 

Martin Walker 

Soap - The Show 

Assembly 

It is amazing to see what can be done 

with a bathtub. This spectacular dance 

and acrobatic performance shows how 

flexible some dancers can be, both 

physically and in the versatility of their 

act. 

With around six different displays with 

funny short interludes in between them, 

the displays greatly varied in levels of 

talent. Also the whole performance did 

not seem to click together very well with 

completely different acts following each 

other. A very basic plot could have been 

established to enable some sort of 

linkage between the acts. Individually, 

each act and performance was 

outstanding, especially the penultimate 

act, which was performed in a waterfilled 

bathtub that created some 

beautiful splashes and demonstrated 

how mesmerising the human body is 

when it is used to its full potential. 

A show for all the family, with some 

stunning acts – although let down a bit 

by its lack of continuity. 

Joshua Hepple 

Soho Storeys 


The 1950s were an exciting time in 

London, especially in Soho. This 75 

minute jazz musical explores the lives of 

seven different families, each on a 

separate floor of a tenement flat in this 

unique part of the capital. 

With an incredible set and elegant 

costumes, this performance looked 

very professional. However, during the 

first song some of the singers were out 

of sync with each other. This piece of 

drama also had a few technical 

difficulties, with an overdose of dry ice 

making it hard to see some of the 

scenes, especially the Jamaican family. 

Sound levels were not right, the music 

was too loud and some of the singers 

did not even have microphones, so it 

was almost impossible to hear them. 

This musical demonstrated some of the 

racist features of the 1950’s, however 

did not try to show the devastating 

effects of this. It is a shame that Soho 

Storeys was not up to scratch with 

other fringe shows as it did have a 

spectacular set, enthusiastic cast and 

many stunning costumes. 

Joshua Hepple 

A Solitary Choice 

Assembly 

Tamara Lee delivers a very well polished 

performance of a woman who is 

quibbling over whether to terminate her 

pregnancy. 

The rating is based on the performance, 

not the subject matter. As a believer of 

women’s choice, the actual content 

grated on me. The ‘black-eyed, wild, 

unfettered girl with broken teeth’ was a 

symbol for something which did not yet 

exist. 

Lee astounds as she narrates the story 

of a woman seduced from her middleclass 

existence by a gypsy’s flute. Her 

pace, tone and intonation fluctuate 

flawlessly throughout; with stops and 

starts and physicality contributing to the 

convincingness of the plot. There’s a 

real message in the story, as the 

character searches for what is most 

meaningful in her life and the 

conclusion she comes to is one which 

is heart-warming and sure to affect 

many audience members to the core. 


Some Gorgeous Accident 

Assembly 

Some Gorgeous Accident is based on a 

complicated love triangle and the 

repercussions of emotions and actions 

taken. Unfortunately, due to a lack of set 

it was hard to put scenes in context, 

which added to the confusing story. On 

the stage there were just four chairs, 

with a projector screen that had a 

random word displayed in each scene. 

Due to one of the complications in the 

love triangle, a gorgeous accident is 

caused. This results in a court case, 

which raised some controversial issues. 

I can imagine these matters would have 

been contemporary when the book was 

initially written by James Kennaway, in 

an important year in the 1960s, 

however this play is slightly dated now. 

All of the actors are very experienced, 

but I do not feel this play lets them 

reach their full potential. 

Joshua Hepple 

Speechless 

Traverse 

I had such high hopes for this one, 

being a collaboration between Sherman 

Cymru, who two years ago brought us 

the brilliant Deep Cut, and Shared 

Experience and directed by the latter’s 

Joint Artistic Director Polly Teale, whose 

attention to detail was brought home to 

me when I participated in a short 

workshop with her last year. 

However where I think one needed no 

previous knowledge to understand 

Deep Cut, although I did know the basic 

story, I don’t think that was so with this 

play by Linda Brokan and Polly Teale 

and based on the book The Silent Twins 

by Marjorie Wallace. Two minutes on 

Wikipedia after the show showed what 

an extraordinary story this was. 

However by then it was too late. 

It is about two twins June and Jennifer 

Gibbons (Demi Oyediran and Natasha 

Gibbons) who had speech impediments 

that made it difficult for others to 

understand them, although they could 

communicate perfectly well with each 

other. Their father was in the RAF and a 

combination of racism and lack of 

understanding of the nature of their 

problems led to them becoming 

increasingly isolated and they eventually 

ended up in Broadmoor. All of this was 

in there and more but at times not 

obvious to me. The word “Broadmoor” 

was mentioned early on in the play but I 

never understood how it fitted in. Teale’s 

attention to detail was shown in the fine 

performances of the actors and as she 

was sat close to me I noticed her taking 

even more notes than I was. However it 

really suffered from the problem that is 

all to easily encountered by plays based 

on factual events. Those immersed in it 

come to assume that everyone knows 

the story and therefore fail to tell it. With 

Teale as co-writer and director I’m sure 

this is how it happened. 

A great pity. This is a compelling story 

that needs telling and this came so 

close but just missed it. Knowing what I 

do now if I saw it again I’m sure I’d love 

it and would probably award it four 

stars but the rating has to be based on 

what I felt when I left the theatre and I 

struggled to understand what it was all 

about. 

Martin Powell 

Stripped 


This piece takes us on the journey of 

‘Baby’, a naïve newcomer to the world 

of stripping. What it attempts to do is 

enter the great debate over exploiter or 

exploited, but what it actually delivers is 

a very bad combo of Pretty Woman and 

Secret Diary of a Call Girl. 

The character of Baby is unconvincing, 

as is her luminal journey throughout the 

play which does a massive U-turn right 

at the point of where the character 

apparently finds empowerment. 

However the audience were loving it, 

and I guess to people who know 

nothing of the world of stripping this 

pseudo-enlightenment might be 

enjoyable. 

On the whole the piece was well 

performed, though the severely dodgy 

Scottish accent really must be improved 

or dropped. 

A valiant attempt at tackling a 

controversial topic. It will challenge the 

audience, but leave them none the wiser 

about the actual realities of the subject 

matter. 


Territory 


Youngster Reuben Johnson writes, 

directs and stars in Territory, which 

returns to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 

this year after a selling out in 2009. It’s 

currently in the middle of a UK tour. 

The play depicts a group of young 

Salford hoodies hanging out in their 

local woods. They drink beer, do drugs 

and take the piss, the way young lads 

do. But when one of them brings his 

older, successful brother to join in, the 

power status within the group begins to 

be tested. Just who is the hardest 

among them? What is it worth to be top 

dog? 

The standard of acting amongst this 

large young cast is sublime and the 

dialogue is fast paced and truthful. 

Strong graphic violence also peppers 

the play; confrontations between the 

boys are brutal and realistic. The boys’ 

attitudes towards gays, women, drugs, 

sex and each other are played out 

before us in straight forward language. 

I’m told that Territory was devised as a 

tool to educate young people about the 

dangers of peer pressure, which is odd 

because if it were a film, it would likely 

get an 18 certificate. However, this play 

deserves to be seen by everyone. It’s a 

wonderfully engaging piece of theatre. 

Martin Walker 

Virtuous Flock 

C Soco 

A somewhat hilarious and filthy story of 

a young girl corrupted by abusive nuns 

into a life of murder most horrid. 

Fabulous vocals and religious 

paraphernalia are the backdrop of this 

wonderfully heinous story of betrayal 

and murder which sees ‘Penny’ avenge 

her father through the women he had 

relations with. Scenes include Penny 

murdering the maid by carving up her 

genitals – and all this before teatime! 

A gritty and funny performance by N10 

Productions, well performed with 

vocals that jump out and strangle the 

audience with their intensity. Particularly 

well played is the part of ‘Phillipa’, who 

meets a sad end with a knife through 

her heart. 

This is a wonderful show to get you 

through the ‘afternoon slump’ – get 

along to C for something quite original 

and amusing! 


We hope you enjoyed the 2010 

Reviews issue of SG:fringe 

Thanks to Stephen Mathieson 

and Angus Wyatt for helping out 

when the fringe bug struck! 

Martin Walker 

Joshua Hepple 


Andrew Doyle 



David Donegan 

Thomas Johnston 

TOP TEN 

PICKS 

Eat Your Heart Out 

C aquila Roman Eagle Lodge 

Stephen K Amos 


Tony Tanner’s Charlaten 

Assembly Hall 

Robert White’s 

Outrageously Peculiar Organ 


John Cooper Clarke 


Spontaneous Broadway 

Spiegeltent 

Bridget Christie/A Ant 

The Stand 

Markus Makavellian’s 

International Order 


Drags Aloud at the Movies 

Underbelly 

The Boom Jennies: 

We Want Action 



John Hein 

Ian Mitchell 

Martin Powell 

STILL 

TO 

SEE 

Edinburgh International Festival 

Porgy and Bess 

Opera de Lyon 

Festival Theatre 

They got heaps o’ somethin’! 

This is probably the most stunning and gorgeous show I 

have ever seen in Edinburgh. There are many wonderful 

singing voices. The multimedia approach is an absorbing 

triumph. The big screen is sometimes whole, sometimes 

split and sometimes concurrent with the action .It 

accentuates many emotions – from the comedy of the flying 

fish to the anguish of a new widow, and to the raging storm 

and a drowning within. 

On top of excellent sets and costumes there is the dancing, 

which heightens and enlivens many moments. If you think 

that elegant, poised breakdancing is an oxymoron, you 

should see the opening moments of the second half of this 

show. 

Many of us will know the story. It’s summertime in Catfish 

Row – and the famous lullaby “Summertime” is soon heard. 

It’s Saturday evening, and a crap game is in progress. The 

people are poorly paid workers –fisherman, farm workers, 

and some like Sporting Life who deals in ”Happy Dust”. 

Crown is a bad guy, Bess is attached to him, but the 

disabled beggar Porgy is fascinated by her. 

Life is tough, and punctuated by tragedy, but the warmth 

and solidarity of the community keeps people going. 

Violence son breaks out; 

Crown kills Robbins. This 

leads to the only intusion 

by the white world –the 

police and their abusive 

interrogations. 

More famous numbers 

follow –“ I got plenty o’ 

nuttin’”, “It ain’t 

necessarily so” - and I 

loved the call of the 

Strawberry woman.. The 

dancing is a real joy, and 

when the cast spread all 

around the auditorium for 

“I can’t sit down” I wanted 

to be up and dancing. 

All those who saw this 

show will have had an 

evening they will 

remember for a very long 

time. 

TonyChallis 

Porgy and Bess 

Edinburgh International Festival 

Tempest: Without a Body 

Tempest: Without a Body 

Lemi Ponifasio – Dramatist, director, 

choreographer. 

Edinburgh Playhouse 

This piece was ninety minutes without 

an interval. I did not read the programme 

beforehand because like a painting or a 

poem, a stage work should stand alone. 

It began with an enormous blast on 

speakers, which only very gradually 

faded. Figures slip by in almost darkness, 

a large metal sheet hangs over the 

stage to our left. A figure appears beneath 

this – a crone? A bird (small wings 

behind). It emits a piercing 

scream/squawk. 

The blast of noise slowly eases. In time, 

black-garbed, monkish figures cross the 

stage, bare feet making small steps that draw attention. Later, a figure walks on hands and feet, legs straight bum 

up, rather ape-like, and maintains this for a surprising length of time. A naked figure appears across backstage, and 

lies on a table and writhes for a long time. He seems golden in the light and is a splendid specimen. 

In time, the bird reappears and screams in his direction. All in dim light. Four “monks” appear and do a movement 

sequence. A half-naked older ma has appeared earlier and made gestures; he reappears, suited. This, I believe, is 

Tame Iti, a central performer. He gives a substantial speech, seeming both defensive and aggressive, warlike, standing 

his ground, claiming it as his. The body language says so. No surtitles. I later find a speech to the British Queen 

in the programme which I take to be this speech – in amongst poetry which may have been included in the performance. 

Things then liven up in the final section. The “monks” do more movement, the bird and other figures reappear, before 

all fades. There has been a spectacular crashing of dust or chalk onto a figure and then all across the stage by 

the Monks. Oh, and the metal sheet has turned red inspired by the blood in the claw of the bird. And back again. 

This is pretty well what happened, though I may have missed something. The applause was hearty. One man stood 

up. Hmm. I had found the experience both baffling and tedious. It was a fine evening, and a large crowd was outside, 

so I asked a few people what they made of the show. The first, a Spanish speaker, could only suggest colonisation. 

O K. Another woman regretted that Tempest had not meant anything Shakespearean. Next, a religious ritual 

rather than a dance. O K. Another guy suggested the chalk late on that a figure smashed over himself, followed by 

the monks chucking more of it all over, was a metaphor for white invasion and takeover. Good idea. Don’t know if all 

the audience would have got it, though. All wished me the best of luck when I said I was doing this because I was a 

reviewer. 

I then decided to read the programme. Lemi Ponifasio, the director, says at one point in there, “ I try to be careful 

not to say what things mean, because I do not want to dictate to anybody.” So best I did wait to read the notes after. 

I discover that he is a Samoan, - indeed, a Samoan High Chief, with very extensive experience in the worlds of 

dance and theatre. 

Ponifasio says his work is not like western theatre, but should be seen as contemplative. Like being on a beach or 

watching the sea. “The performers are there simply to create a space in which the audience can listen to themselves.” 

Amid the hubbub of festival Edinburgh, I would welcome theatre that did that – and it can be done. But – 

with the continual done of industrial level noise? With shrieking birds? With a writhing naked body? With a shield of 

blood? With an unexplained aggressive speech? With “monks” with repetitive movements? Like being on a beach? 

This company are clearly extremely talented and very polished performers. Their work is impeccably presented. 

Ponifasio has provoked thought, though probably about matters that avid theatre goers already consider. Yet it 

seems to me that it has failed seriously at the level of making a meaningful connection with the audience. I also 

wonder how much pollution the production is responsible for. Plus, there is a contradiction between trying to disturb 

the audience, and lead it to think about great imbalances and dangers in the world – which this show seems to 

want to do – and creating a contemplative piece where the audience can look into itself. Difficult to do both of those 

at once! –and I don’t think that has been achieved here. 

Edinburgh International Book Festival 

Philip Pullman 

A meeting chaired by Richard Holloway with Richard 

Harries, the former Bishop of Oxford. 

Philip Pullman’s book has a provocative title - The Good 

Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. It retells the story of 

Jesus Christ, imagining Mary to have had twin sons, the 

strong Christ and the more weakly Jesus. This provides the 

basis for creating a dichotomy between the benevolent 

teachings of Jesus and the oppressive institutions of 

organised religion. Pullman is a non-believer, famous for, 

“His Dark Materials,” a trilogy which, amongst other things, 

is a fierce criticism of religious organisations. 

The discussion began between those on the platform and 

was then extended to the audience for a question and 

answer session. 

Many interesting points were made, and Bishop harries 

made the point that new, radical movements spring up in 

each generation, and are then codified, organised and the 

initial spirit killed off. He gave the Franciscans as an 

example – very counter-cultural at first but soon reduced to 

another formal order. Holloway dropped in one of his 

favourite quotations – from Weber: the routinisation of 

charisma. 

Pullman was repeatedly asked to give his ideas on his 

books, and how he meant then to be understood. He 

strongly refused to do this, firmly stating his belief in the 

democracy of reading. I was up to the reader to decide what 

should be taken from his books. As soon as a book was 

completed and published it was no longer his, the author’s, 

and it was up to the reader to make whatever they chose to 

of it. 

He was asked how he responded to people who said they 

had religious experiences. He sadi he had no belier himself 

– that he expected his consciousness to end with his death 

– but, if someone tells you this, he said, you have to believe 

them. This was the only way to remain civilised 

But he said, if you consider a counter- reformation painting 

of a monk is cell looking up at a vision of, say, the virgin, - if 

you were there in the cell with him you would merely see 

him looking up prayerfully. The religious experience of the 

monk would be entirely internal and personal. He spoke of 

William James in this regard, praising the quality of is 

writing. 

This was the first main event in the Book Festival, which 

continues to Monday 31st and where many fascinating 

discussions will take place. With several hundred authors. 

There will be something to suit every taste. 

Philip Pullman. The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel 

Christ. Canongate Myth Series. £14.99 

Edinburgh International Book Festival 

Gary Younge 

A Provocative Analysis of Identity Politics. 

“Identity is like fire. It can create warmth and comfort, or 

burn badly and destroy.” 

Thus Gary Younge in his new book, which explores the way 

in which identity informs people’s sense of self and their 

actions across the world. One of his striking focuses is 

Ireland, and how radically both the position of the church 

and the position of women has changed there recently – and 

how the way Irish people see their identity has changed, 

including vis a vis England. This has economic roots, he 

said. 

Gary Younge mentioned the most terrifying moment of his 

life, which happened close to Charlotte Square Gardens, the 

location of the Book Festival, - on Lothian Road, where he 

was chased by youths with baseball bats hurling racial 

epithets. No jovial suggestion that they might simply have 

thought he was English could take away the terror of those 

moments. He also mentioned that, as a journalist now living 

in America, if he is speaking to right-wing politicians he is 

careful to emphasise that he is English – they will have more 

time for a black Englishman than for an Afro-American. This 

is suggestive of the way that identity is shaped through the 

eyes of those who look at you. 

This is particularly true for gays and lesbians, and Gary 

Younge has always been one straight man who will take a 

very positive line about lesbian and gay rights. But he 

mentioned here a moment when widespread oppression 

created a moment of fear. He was in a car with a gay friend 

on his way to a gay bar in the States when they were stopped 

by police. A policeman asked Gary where they were going. 

He said he had a moment of ear that that this policeman 

might take him for gay. He felt his identity compromised, and 

for a moment felt what many not entirely self-accepting gays 

feel. 

There were many forms of identity considered in his book. 

He begins with a section, “Matriot Games”, talking of Cindy 

Sheehan, a mother whose son whose son was killed in Iraq 

and who wrote a book, ”Not one more mother’s child.” She 

appealed to all mothers to protect their children from war - 

this was during the 2004 Presidential election. It didn’t take 

Dubya long to find moms who were proud that their sons 

had died for their country. Thus this maternal identity proved 

a double-edged sword. 

This was a very engaging and honest talk, and there is a rich 

fund of provocative idea between the covers of Younge’s 

book. 

Gary Younge. Who Are We – and Should it Matter in the 21st 

Century? Viking £14.99

Edinbur 

Men’s 

Chorus 

gh Gay 

Edinburgh Gay 

OPEN 

NG 

EVENING 

ENING 

NEW MEMBERS 

WELCOME 

MBNG 

E 

E 

nME 

Come evening Tuesday along to our open on 

31 August ust @ 7:30pm. 

Meet the chorus 

members over a glass 

of wine - you won’t have to audition 

s 

and you don’t need any previous 

experience or musical training. 

Dance for All 

106 St Stephen 

Street, Stockbridge, 

Edinburgh EH3 

5AQ 

Refreshments served. 

Weekly eshments rehearsals will be als on Tuesdays. 

ed. 

www.egmc.co.uk 

co.uk 

FILMS TO KNOW ABOUT 

How does a woman cope if she finds out her 

husband is having an affair with a man? That 

depends on what part of the world she lives in and 

at a coastal town in Peru a husband faces 

condemnation shown in a new South American 

movie UNDERTOW (15). In Britain and America 

sophisticated women are likely to know both sexes 

can be bisexual. Wives could be grateful he hasn't 

developed a passion for another woman who is her 

direct competition and is only likely to warn him 

she hopes condoms are being worn so he doesn't 

return to her with any maladies. 

The husband in the Peruvian film feels 

enormous guilt as in these backwoods he has 

probably never heard of another man with this 

problem. The film stars two of the best looking 

bearded men of our time who develop their 

liaisons in local caves. I hope someone tells them 

not very far away, in Argentina, same sex legal 

unions have now been made law. 

It is not a wonder that the 1949 Ealing 

comedy KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS (15) has 

been revived as it is one of the most memorable 

films since talkies began. In Edwardian England, 

Dennis Price is the son of a woman ostracised by 

her aristocratic family for eloping with someone 

below her station. Upon her death the family deny 

her a last wish to be buried in the family crypt. Her 

son plots to revenge this insult to inherit the family 

estate but eight relations stand in his way His 

murder plans give Alec Guinness the chance to 

play the relations who are disposed of including a 

suffragette. 

Two of the most impressive actresses of the 

past have the leads - Valerie Hobson and Joan 

Greenwood. If you can only see one film in future 

this must be the one. 

Those of us who want to know more about 

the most revered female fashion designer of the 

last century and a giant of the classical composing 

world will find it essential to see COCO CHANEL & 

IGOR STRAVINSKY (15). She became aware of the 

Russian Igor in 1913 when she attended the 

opening of his "The Rite Of Spring" on the Paris 

stage which the audience hooted off. When they 

met again in 1920 she had become a wealthy 

fashion designer with her own shops. Igor was still 

short of money with a wife and four children so 

Coco offered them the use of her country house on 

the outskirts of Paris. 

A chemistry between them developed and a 

passionate affair. Whether it is in clothes or the 

atmosphere of France in the past I have never seen 

a film in such good taste. Not only has director Jan 

Kounen filled it with exquisite attention to detail, 

but his biggest success is casting two people little 

known in Britain in the leads Anna Mougalsis and 

Mads Mikkelsen. Coco was such a determined 

career woman she finally decided it was wise to 

return him to his wife. But she financed his 

productions for the decades that followed. And the 

aroma she launched Chanel No 5 is still the best 

selling perfume in the world. 

Anyone who has experienced a love affair 

when couples are working so far apart that it has 

to be phone calls for months could appreciate 

GOING THE DISTANCE (15). Unfaithfulness must 

be a temptation. Those of us computer minded can 

decide if Drew Barrymore and new young man 

Justin Long are appealing enough by putting the 

title of the film on a Google search to see a 3 

minute trailer. They may well enchant you. 

MikeMcGrath 

films@scotsgay.co.uk 

Moviemakers put so much violence in films 

today as sadists love it. Football lovers know many 

of them go to matches who couldn't care less who 

wins as they want the punch up afterwards with 

the hooligans who support the other team. When it 

comes to children suffering violence onscreen, as 

in a new British film THE KID (15), my system 

revolts. Natascha McElhone, who has made 

prestige films before, plays a part a thousand 

character actresses could have played of a 

swearing bad tempered mother continually hitting 

her ten year old son. His bodily bruises are noticed 

at school by teacher, Ioan Gruffudd, who has him 

put in a children's home. He pleads to stay there 

when his mother insists he comes home. The 

violence continues. This boy is the best looking I 

have ever seen onscreen. After 35 minutes I had to 

leave. It will be a joy to sadists. 

The respected French director Francois Ozon 

is a peculiarity as in his latest movie LE REFUGE 

(15) he has given the attractive Melvil Poupaud, 

who has starred in his previous films, the part of a 

heroin addict who dies of an overdose in the 

opening ten minutes. His pregnant girlfriend, 

Isabelle Carre, survives even though she is on the 

same injections and goes to live in a seaside 

cottage. Melvil's younger brother, Louis-Ronan 

Choisy, is concerned about the baby and chooses 

to spend a few days with her. He is a very good 

looking gay guy who fancies her odd job man 

spending a night of excitement with him. If you 

can cope with the leisurely pace of some French 

films the pleasing cast make it worth watching. 

THE SWITCH (12a) is the most unusual 

comedy ever written but, to get people into 

cinemas, scriptwriters have to break new 

boundaries. Independent New Yorker Jennifer 

Aniston tells platonic friend Jason Bateman she is 

tired of looking for Mr Right and wanting a baby 

she is going to be impregnated with the sperm of a 

desirable guy she knows. Unknown to her Jason 

drunkenly makes a last minute switch of it before 

she moves to the town she grew up in. Seven 

years later she phones to say she is returning as 

she has been offered a good job and is bringing 

her son. His predicament is should he tell her the 

truth. 

The lovely French Juliette Binoche won best 

actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her 

part in CERTIFIED COPY (15) that has an unusual 

script and direction by an Iranian Abbas 

Kiarostsmi. In Tuscany she owns an antiquities 

shop and attends a lecture by an English writer to 

promote his new book. When they meet afterwards 

the dialogue is as if they are new to each other, but 

as they spend a day together clearly they are 

referring to a past relationship. Juliette does hold 

interest. 

On release now is the most popular film in 

France this year HEARTBREAKER (12a) and you 

will love it as the leading man, Romain Duris, is a 

dish you must acquire. He is in partnership with 

two backstage friends who are commissioned by 

wealthy people to break up their daughter's 

infatuation with a young man they don't approve of 

which could lead very soon to marriage His 

research team tell Romain anything unfortunate 

they can find out about the disapproved of suitor 

and list all the girl's favourite things so when they 

meet he can mention his similar interests. Sex is 

not allowed in these endeavours so the Duris 

appeal can only be helped by his extraordinary sex 

appeal, conversation and being a fantastic dancer. 

Don't miss it. 

DVD WORLD 

Growing up gay and Jewish can be hell for 

children who are constantly brainwashed that the 

religion never accepts homosexuality. Lionel Bart 

who wrote "Oliver", the most successful musical of 

all time, drank a bottle of brandy a day throughout 

his life and endless drugs. Although a multi 

millionaire he bankrupted himself after ten years of 

vast earnings. Fortunately he had the constitution 

of an ox and lived till his seventies. Brian Epstein, 

the manager of the Beatles, drank a bottle of 

whisky a day and endless drugs. But the spirit with 

sleeping pills every night made the heart collapse. 

At 33 he was dead. 

EYES WIDE OPEN is about Jewish life in 

Israel. A married man with children takes an 

assistant in his butchers shop and an electricity 

happens between them leading to an affair. 

Tragically the story never explains why the locals 

take against the new assistant and scream for his 

dismissal. But it is fortunate Peccadillo Pictures 

have imported it as the two bearded leading men 

are stunning. 

Before Jewish gay men and women here 

think their Israel equivalent all have a life of 

suffering they have also imported ANTARCTICA 

that shows many ignore the edicts of their religion 

and have a very good time. Plus the leading man 

will impress anyone. If only Lionel Bart and Brian 

Epstein had seen this in their teens their lives 

could have been so much easier. 

Have you been neglecting your grandparents 

lately? 

If so here is a way of making up for the past 

asking them if they ever liked the singers Dean 

Martin and Al Martino as Pegasus Entertainment 

have imported two DVDs of their best work. Al was 

filmed at one of his concerts doing 19 of his 

numbers like "Here In My Heart". A tape of Dean's 

many TV appearances have been put together plus 

him performing with Judy Garland and Frank 

Sinatra "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You". 

Their fans will enjoy them. 

Most straight couples only want to adopt 

children in their first few years so they can mould 

their personalities. That is why there are 14,000 

waiting in children's homes with only gay couples 

prepared to adopt them. The same is true in 

Sweden that is the story of PATRIK, 1.5 that TLA 

Releasing has imported. A long term gay couple , 

Goran and Sven, have to cope with an error being 

made at the adoption home when a 15 year old 

homophobe with a criminal past walks in their 

door. Much drama is combined with humour to 

give anyone considering adoption room for 

thought. 

Fancy working in porn movies? WRANGLER: 

ANATOMY OF AN ICON tells the story of Jack 

Wrangler who went from years making gay to 

straight sex movies proving how bisexual men can 

be. This was in the seventies but as he says today: 

"It keeps being pointed out to me that American 

guys have far more sexual confidence than men 

from other countries. In California for years now 

straight guys make gay sex movies and are happy 

to be gay for pay. Would British men have the 

confidence to do that?" 

Jack went on to live with and marry a lady 

singer 20 years older than him - Margaret Whiting 

- and became a theatre director of musicals. TLA 

Releasing has imported a story that will fascinate 

many. 

25

26 27 

LGBT HISTORY MONTH 

SCOTLAND: 

Increasing the awareness of LGBT 

people’s lives, histories and 

experiences. The website provides 

listings for cultural opportunities, 

events, news items, and 

resources. If you would like to be 

involved, volunteer or add 

information, contact LGBT History 

Month, 39-40 Commerce Street, 

Edinburgh. EH6 6HD. 

E-mail: info@lgbthistory.org.uk 

www.lgbthistory.org.uk 

LOUD & PROUD: 

Scotland's original choir for LGBT 

singers is made up of 

approximately 45 singers and 

holds regular concerts in the 

Central Belt. The repertoire, which 

is sung a capella in varying 

numbers of parts, includes simple 

rounds, popular music, traditional 

music, light classics, festive and 

seasonal songs, lesbian/gay 

anthems, and show tunes. Meets 

weekly for rehearsals in Edinburgh. 

E-mail: info 

@loudandproudchoir.org 

www.loudandproudchoir.org 

LUVVIES THEATRE COMPANY: 

Edinburgh based LGBT theatre 

company, which aims to give 

LGBT people the opportunity to 

act, direct, produce or organise 

theatre or take part in any aspect of 

the creative process. No previous 

experience is necessary. 

Tel: 07854 836605. 

E-mail: info@theluvvies.org 

www.theluvvies.org 

OURSTORY SCOTLAND: 

A charity which works to collect, 

archive and present the life stories 

and experiences of the LGBT 

Community in Scotland. If you 

have a story to tell or experiences 

to share, or would like to find out 

more about their upcoming 

programme of events, then please 

contact them. 

Write: OurStory Scotland, Archives 

and Special Collections, The 

Mitchell Library, North Street, 

Glasgow. G3 7DN. 

E-mail: info 

@ourstoryscotland.org.uk 

www.ourstoryscotland.org.uk 

REMEMBER WHEN PROJECT: 

Documenting the collective history 

of Edinburgh's LGBT 

communities, recording life-stories 

and personal memories across the 

generations, and celebrating our 

rich and varied contributions to the 

quality of life in the city. The 

culmination of this work was an 

exhibition entitled 'Rainbow City: 

Stories from Lesbian, Gay, 

Bisexual and Transgender 

Edinburgh' held at the City Art 

Centre, Edinburgh in 2006. Write: 

Remember When Project, c/o The 

Living Memory Association, The 

Reminiscence Centre, 101 St 

Leonards Street, Edinburgh, EH8 

9QY. Tel: 0131-667 0761, and 

leave a message, stating clearly 

that it is for Remember When. 

E-mail: miles 

@livingmemory.org.uk 

SCOTTISH BORDERS GAY FILM 

GROUP: 

Meets monthly during autumn 

through to the spring, and views 

video/DVDs with a gay theme or 

character. For more details please 

contact Alastair on Galashiels 

(01896) 757861 or 

E-mail: alastairlings 

@yahoo.co.uk 

FETISH 

MSC SCOTLAND: 

A club for men interested in 

Leather, Rubber, Uniform. Meets in 

Edinburgh from 10pm downstairs 

in the New Town Bar on 3rd Sat of 

each month. Write: PO Box 28, 

Edinburgh. EH3 5JL. 

E-mail: president 

@msc-scotland.net 

www.msc-scotland.net 

HEALTH AND ABILITIES 

AL-ANON: 

Fellowship of relatives and friends 

of alcoholics who share their 

experience, strength and hope in 

order to solve their common 

problem. Anyone affected by 

another person’s drinking is 

welcome. LGBT & Friends Group 

meets Thu 6.30-7.45pm at LGBT 

Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 

Howe Street, Edinburgh. Tel: 

Catherine on 07940 473150. 

www.al-anonuk.org.uk 

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: 

Whilst AA runs the f ollowing 

LGBT meetings in Edinburgh and 

Glasgow, please note that it is a 

non restrictive organisation and 

LGBT people are welcome at any 

meeting. 

AA Edinburgh: 

Tue 8pm (Edinburgh Peace And 

Justice Resource Centre, St John’s 

Church, Princes Street). Please 

note that the last meeting of the 

month is open to non AA 

members. 

AA Glasgow: 

Tue & Thu 7.30pm (Nye Bevan 

House, 20 India Street), Fri 

7.30pm (The Ogilvie Centre, 25 

Rose Street). 

AA National: 

Helpline: 0845 7697555 (24 

hours). Northern Service Office: 

0141-226 2214. 

www.alcoholicsanonymous.org.uk 

ALZHEIMER'S SOCIETY 

LGBT SUPPORT GROUP: 

Trained and skilled volunteers able 

to offer understanding and a 

listening ear to LGBT people 

affected by Alzheimer’s disease or 

any other form of dementia.To 

contact: Tel the Alzheimer's 

Helpline on 0845 300 0336 

or write to Alzheimer's Society 

LGBT Support Group, Alzheimer's 

Society, Devon House, 58 Saint 

Katharine's Way, London. E1W 

1JX. or 

E-mail: gaycarers 

@alzheimers.org.uk 

www.alzheimers.org.uk 

/Gay_Carers/index.htm 

BODY POSITIVE (TAYSIDE): 

13 Main Street, Dundee. DD3 7EY. 

A charity that exists to empower 

HIV and HepC positive people and 

those affected thereby to eliminate 

the stigma and isolation they 

experience. Tel: Dundee (01382) 

226860. Fax: Dundee (01382) 

322606. Tue-Thu (Drop In) Noon- 

3.30pm. 

E-mail: admin 

@bodypositivetayside.org 

www.bodypositivetayside.org 

BROWNLEE CENTRE 

(GLASGOW): 

Gartnavel General Hospital, 1053 

Great Western Road, Glasgow. 

G12 0YN. Confidential information, 

advice, counselling and direct 

access testing for HIV and 

Hepatitis.The Centre provides 

ongoing medical and social care 

plus psychological and emotional 

support for people living with HIV 

infection and one to one 

counselling for people at risk of 

HIV. Tel: 0141-211 1089. Fax: 

0141-211 1097. Mon-Thu 9am- 

5pm, Tue 5-7pm, Fri 9am-4.30pm. 

BROWNLEE COMMUNITY TEAM: 

Gartnavel General Hospital, 1053 

Great Western Road, Glasgow. 

G12 0YN. Social work service for 

people with HIV/AIDS providing 

intensive community based 

support. General advice and 

information on community care 

and housing needs also provided. 

Tel: 0141-211 1090. 

FIFE MEN: 

5 South Fergus Place, Kirkcaldy. 

KY1 1YA. (Behind Sheriff Court). 

Information, advice and support 

on gay and health issues, free 

condoms, and much more! Mon- 

Thu 1-4pm. Tel: Kirkcaldy (01592) 

265666. Fax: Kirkcaldy (01592) 

643866. 

E-mail: enquiries@fifemen.org.uk 

www.fifemen.org.uk 

GAY MEN'S HEALTH 

EDINBURGH: 

10 Union Street, Edinburgh. EH1 

3LU. A community led Lothian 

wide project for gay and bisexual 

men. Wide ranging volunteering 

opportunities which provide 

services including support and 

counselling, scene work, peer 

education and training, provision 

of condoms, lube and Safer Sex 

information. 

Tel: 0131-558 9444. 

E-mail: info@gmh.org.uk 

www.gmh.org.uk 

GAY MEN'S HEALTH GLASGOW: 

5th Floor, 48 Albion Street, 

Glasgow. G1 1LH. Tel: 0141-552 

0112. A community led project 

across the Greater Glasgow and 

Clyde Health Board Area for gay 

and bisexual men. Wide ranging 

volunteering opportunities which 

provide services including support, 

scene work, peer education and 

training, provision of condoms, 

lube and Safer Sex information. 

E-mail: glasgow@gmh.org.uk 

www.gmh.org.uk 

GAY MEN'S HEALTH TAYSIDE: 

Exists to promote the sexual and 

holistic health of gay and bi men 

living in Angus, Dundee and Perth 

& Kinross (including men who 

have sex with men but who do not 

identify as gay or bi), reduce the 

spread of HIV within those 

communities and challenge the 

discrimination, health inequalities 

and social exclusion that can be 

faced by gay and bi men, including 

HIV positive gay and bi men, and 

those affected by HIV. Tel: Dundee 

(01382) 424070. Fax: Dundee 

(01382) 424090. 

E-mail: info 

@gaymenshealthtayside.com 

www.gaymenshealthtayside.com 

HEALTHY GAY SCOTLAND: 

A national HIV prevention & sexual 

health promotion programme for 

gay and bisexual men. Offers a 

range of services including info on 

its website, campaigns and 

resources and a free condoms by 

post scheme. 

www.healthygayscotland.com 

HIV-AIDS CARERS AND 

FAMILIES SERVICE PROVIDER 

SCOTLAND: 

10 Elderpark Workspace, 100 

Elderpark Street, Glasgow. G51 

3TR. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm. 

Telephone Support Service: 07778 

117900 Mon-Fri 7pm-10pm. Tel: 

0141-445 8797. Fax: 0141-445 

8798. 

E-mail: hiv-aids_carers 

@lineone.net 

www.hiv-aids-carers.org.uk 

HIV SCOTLAND: 

Suite 2, 27 Beaverhall Road, 

Edinburgh. EH7 4JE. Tel: 0131- 

558 3713. Fax: 0131-558 9887. 

The independent voice for HIV in 

Scotland, this charity is a policy 

and strategic body and runs 

Healthy Gay Scotland and Black 

Minority Ethnic-related HIV work. 

E-mail: info@hivscotland.com 

www.hivscotland.com 

THE JANEK LATOSINSKI 

CHARITABLE TRUST: 

Provides free complementary 

therapies and psychotherapy to all 

peopole living with HIV in Glasgow 

and the West of Scotland. 

E-mail: austen@tjlct.org.uk 

www.tjlct.org.uk 

LANARKSHIRE HIV, AIDS AND 

HEPATITIS CENTRE: 

Monklands Hospital, Airdrie. One 

stop shop for HIV testing, 

treatment and support. 

Appointments available Mon 

9am-5pm (eve available by 

request). Tel: Airdrie (01236) 

712247. Support group for HIV 

Positive men also available. 

LGBT CENTRE FOR 

HEALTH & WELLBEING: 

9 Howe Street, Edinburgh. EH3 

6TE. This unique Centre exists to 

improve the physical, mental and 

social wellbeing of LGBT people 

living in, working in and travelling 

to Edinburgh. Runs events, 

workshops and courses 

promoting healthy lifestyles, 

provides a wide range of 

information on health and LGBT 

topics, and supports community 

groups. Tel: 0131-523 1100. 

E-mail: admin@lgbthealth.org.uk 

www.lgbthealth.org.uk 

POSITIVE HELP: 

13a Great King Street, Edinburgh. 

EH3 6QW. Practical help for people 

who are infected or affected by HIV 

and AIDS in Edinburgh, their 

families and carers. 

Tel: 0131-558 1122. 

Fax: 0131-558 3636. 

E-mail: office 

@positivehelpedinburgh.co.uk 

www.positivehelpedinburgh.uk 

POSITIVE MIXTURE : 

A self help group offering support 

and assistance for individuals with 

HIV/AIDS in the Grampian area. 

Contact THT, 246 George Street, 

Aberdeen. AB25 1HN. 

E-mail: info.aberdeen@tht.org.uk 

ROAM OUTREACH: 

Part of the Harm Reduction Team 

within Lothian NHS. Offers a 

confidential and anonymous 

service for men who have sex with 

men, including male sex workers 

throughout Edinburgh and the 

Lothians. Provides a wide range of 

services including sexual health 

and safer sex advice, information 

and advice on drug use, personal 

safety, police and legal advice, 

including operating in the Remote 

Reporting Scheme. A great deal of 

their work is done on an outreach 

basis in Public Sex Environments 

and venues as well as on-line as 

part of the SNN group. They run 

an 'Out of Hours' Testing Service 

Mon 5-7.30pm at "The Exchange", 

Lady Lawson Street, Edinburgh 

where you can have a full SEXUAL 

HEALTH check up including Hep A 

& B vaccinations. No 

appointments necessary. For 

further information or to receive 

condom and lube supplies contact 

Vaughan, Peter or Del on Tel: 

0131-537 8300 or 07774 628227. 

E-mail: enquiries 

@roam-outreach.com 

www.roam-outreach.com 

SANDYFORD: 

2-6 Sandyford Place, Glasgow. G3 

7NB. Glasgow's main sexual, 

reproductive and emotional health 

centre. Free web access and health 

library with large LGBT lending 

collection. Specialist services for 

gay men (See separate ScotsGay 

Listing for Steve Retson Project) 

and lesbians (See separate 

ScotsGay listing for Sandyford 

under Women). Self-referal sexual 

health service with open access 

clinic each weekday with 

registration from 8.30-10am or 

book on 0141-211 8130. 

E-mail: helpsandyford 

@ggc.scot.nhs.uk 

www.sandyford.org 

SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS: 

Sex Addicts Anonymous is a 

twelve-step recovery programme. 

Our primary purpose is to stop our 

addictive sexual behavior and to 

help others recover from their 

sexual addiction. Our members 

define their own sexual boundaries 

with the guidance of their Higher 

Power, their sponsors and other 

group members. We encourage 

our members to discover and 

explore what healthy sexuality 

means to them. Meetings in 

Edinburgh & Glasgow. Tel: 

Scottish Helpline on 0141-552 

0154 (24 hours). 

E-mail: info@saa-recovery.org 

www.saa-recovery.org 

SEXUAL HEALTH LINE: 

Freephone 0800 567123. 24 

hours. Confidential advice and 

information. Minicom: Freephone 

0800 521361. 

www.playingsafely.co.uk 

STEVE RETSON PROJECT: 

Sandyford, 2-6 Sandyford Place, 

Glasgow. G3 7NB. A free sexual 

health screening and counselling 

service for gay and bisexual men. 

Clinics run Tue, Wed & Thu 5.30- 

8.30pm. Same-day HIV test Tue 

morning 8.30-10am. Tel: 0141- 

211 8628 for appointment.. 

www.sandyford.org/srp 

TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUST 

SCOTLAND - NATIONAL OFFICE - 

GLASGOW: 

134 Douglas Street, Glasgow. G2 

4HF. HIV prevention and support 

services in Lanarkshire, Ayrshire & 

Arran, Argyll & Bute, the Glasgow 

area and Western Central 

Scotland. Support & Advocacy 

Service provides a full range of 

welfare rights advice and 

representation as well as 

community support for people 

living with blood borne viruses. 

Also provides a range of health 

promotion services for gay and 

bisexual men throughout the West 

of Scotland. Contact for further 

details. Volunteers welcome! Tel: 

0141-332 3838. 

Fax: 0141-332 3755. Helpline: THT 

Direct 0845 1221200 Mon-Fri 

10am-10pm, Sat-Sun Noon-6pm. 

E-mail: info.scotland@tht.org.uk 

www.tht.org.uk 


SCOTLAND - ABERDEEN OFFICE: 

246 George Street, Aberdeen. 

AB25 1HN. HIV prevention and 

support services in Grampian 

including Community Support, 

Group Support and LGBT groups. 

Also provides a range of health 

promotion services for Gay and 

Bisexual men throughout 

Grampian. Please contact for 

further details. Volunteers 

welcome! Tel: 0845 2412151. 

Helpline: THT Direct 0845 

1221200 Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, 

Sat-Sun Noon-6pm. 

E-mail: info.aberdeen@tht.org.uk 

www.tht.org.uk and www. 

thtscotland-highlandservices. 

blogspot.com 


SCOTLAND - 

HIGHLAND SERVICES: 

34 Waterloo Place, Inverness. IV1 

1NB. LGBT Support and activities. 

Tel: Inverness (01463) 711585. 

Fax: Inverness (01463) 711793. 

Helpline: THT Direct 0845 

1221200 Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, 

Sat-Sun Noon-6pm. 

E-mail: info.highland@tht.org.uk 

www.tht.org.uk 

TOGETHER: 

Social/support/information group 

for men living with HIV. Meets 2nd 

and last Tue of each month from 

7-9pm (new members invited 

from 6.30pm) at GMH, 5th Floor, 

48 Albion Street. Tel: 0141-552 

0112. 

E-mail: together@gmh.org.uk 

www.gmh.org.uk/together 

WAVERLEY CARE: 

3 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh. EH3 

6NB. Scotland's leading charity 

providing care and support to 

people affected by HIV and 

Hepatitis C. Whether someone is 

living with HIV or Hepatitis C or are 

the partner or family member of 

someone affected by these 

conditions, Waverley Care has 

services that can support them 

and provide up to date, accurate 

information and resources. 

Services include: Short-term 

Residential Intensive Support, 

Support Services for all, including 

specialist services for gay men, 

Community Support and Outreach 

Services (including Advocacy and 

Information, Arts Project, 

Befriending/Buddying, Care at 

Home, Spiritual and Pastoral Care, 

Complementary Therapies, 

Counselling, Crusaid Hardship 

Fund Administration, Health 

Promotion), Prevention and 

Awareness Raising. Tel: Neil - Gay 

Men's Support Worker on 07962 

909730 or Tel: 0131-558 1425 

Mon-Fri 9-5pm or Tel: 0131-441 

6989 24hrs, 7 days per week. To 

become a Buddy with Waverley 

Care, Tel: Teresa D’Astoli on 0131- 

312 9953 or Annette Wilson on 

0131-441 2791. 

E-mail: info @waverleycare.org 

www.waverleycare.org 

OLDER GAYS 

CAFFMOS: 

Nationwide Social and Contacts 

Club for the older gay gentleman 

and his admirers, both young and 

old. Scottish group next meets 

from 1-4pm at Café Habana in 

Edinburgh on Sun 22nd Aug and 

Sun 26th Sep. Write: PO Box 

2087, Blackpool. FY4 1WL. Tel: 

Blackpool (01253) 318327. 

E-mail: Caffmos2@aol.com 

Edward (Scottish Contact): 

E-mail: ebsc18624 

@blueyonder.co.uk 

www.caffmoscommunity.com 

LGBT AGE: 

New support service for LGBT 

people over 50 years old in 

Edinburgh and the Lothians, which 

will offer befriending, social events, 

information and advocacy. Please 

help spread the word to any older 

LGBT people you know. Anyone 

interested in using the service or 

volunteering, call Garry on 0131- 

652 3282. 

E-mail: garry@lgbthealth.org.uk 

www.lgbthealth.org.uk/content/ 

lgbt-age 

PRIME TIME: 

Informal social group for men over 

40. Meets in GMH, 10 Union 

Street, Edinburgh from 2-4.30pm 

every 2nd Sun (from 22nd Aug). 

Tel: John on 0131-556 1309 or 

Steve on 0131-558 9444. 

E-mail: j.thompson39 


www.primetime.uk.net 

PRIMETIME (GLASGOW): 

Social group for men 40+. Meets 

1st and 3rd Fri of each month from 

5.30-7pm at the GMH Office, 5th 

Floor, 48 Albion Street.Tel: 0141- 

552 0112. 

E-mail: criz@gmh.org.uk 

ORDER OF 

PERPETUAL 

INDULGENCE 

The Sisters and Brothers of the 

OPI are part of a world wide order 

of queer men and women of all 

sexualities which is open to all who 

feel the habit. Its tenets are: The 

expiation of stigmatic guilt and the 

promulgation of universal joy 

through habitual manifestation and 

perpetual perpetration. 

www.thesisters.org.uk 

OPI CONVENT OF DUNN 

EIDEANN: 

The Edinburgh convent. Write: 

Mistress of Communications, c/o 

PO Box 666, Edinburgh. EH7 5YW. 

E-mail: opi@drink.demon.co.uk 

OPI CONVENT OF MORAVIA: 

The North Eastern convent. Write: 

Sister Bobby OPI, Cairnglass, St 

Combs, Fraserburgh. AB43 8UT. 

Tel: Inverallochy (01346) 583145. 

E-mail: 

circushighschool@gmail.com 

OUTDOOR PURSUITS 

FREEDOM CLUB: 

UK and Europe Wide LGBT 

Caravan and Camping Club. Aims 

to provide a means whereby gay 

people can meet up for weekends, 

weeks or even longer rallies 

throughout the UK and sometimes 

into Ireland and Europe. Tel: Eddie 

on Cheltenham (01242) 526826. 

E-mail: 

enquiry@freedomclub.co.uk 

www.freedomclub.co..uk 

GAY BIRDERS CLUB: 

For LGBT Birdwatchers. Write: Gay 

Birders Club, GeeBeeCee, BCM- 

Mono, London. WC1N 3XX. 

Tel: Annie on 0131-552 6333. 

E-mail: info 

@gbc-online.org.uk 

www.gbc-online.org.uk 

GAY CARAVAN & CAMPING 

CLUB: 

For men and women. Regular 

meets throughout the UK. Tel: 

Marc on 07977 317872. 

E-mail: info 

@gaycaravanclub.com 

www.gaycaravanclub.com 

GAY OUTDOOR CLUB: 

Holds regular events including 

walking, skiing, cycling, climbing, 

mountain-biking, kayaking, 

mountaineering, camping, youthhostelling, 

badminton, running and 

swimming. For more information, 

vist website or send an A5 sae to 

PO Box 637, Skellingthorpe, 

Lincoln, LN6 5XD. Or Tel: 0844 

8700462. 

www.gocscotland.org 

GLASGOW GAY RAMBLERS 

GROUP: 

Leisurely walks in the countryside. 

Bring sensible footwear/clothing 

and packed lunch. 2nd Sat of each 

month. Meet at Mitchell Library, 

Berkeley Street. No membership - 

just turn up. Cars normally shared. 

Tel: Robert on 0141-950 1081. 

E-mail: robert@gocscotland.org.uk 

OUT DOOR LADS: 

A UK-Wide, web-based 

organisation, offering a wide range 

of activities: from camping, 

hostelling, hill-walking and indoor 

climbing, to the more extreme 

activities like gorge scrambling, ice 

climbing, technical mountain 

biking and many more. There's 

something for everyone, no matter 

what your interest. Core 

membership is Gay and Bi-sexual 

lads, aged 18-35, but OutdoorLads 

does not discriminate on any 

grounds including age, sexuality, 

disability or sex, and welcomes 

anyone who agrees with the 

group's aims and objectives. 

www.outdoorlads.com 

PARENTS 

GAY DADS SCOTLAND: 

Support group for gay fathers. 

Meets on last Thu of each month 

in a private room in Edinburgh 

LGBT Centre, 58a Broughton 

Street. Gay dads from all over 

Scotland welcome. Tel: 07791 

188742. 

E-mail: info 

@gaydadsscotland.org.uk 

www.gaydadsscotland.org.uk 

PARENTS' ENQUIRY SCOTLAND: 

Coming out? Information and 

support for parents of LGBT 

people. Helpline and admin: Tel: 

0131-556 6047 before 10pm. 

Write: c/o ScotsGay Magazine, PO 

Box 666, Edinburgh. EH7 5YW. 

E-mail: parentsenquiry 

@hotmail.com 

www.parentsenquiryscotland.org 

RAINBOW PARENTS: 

Group for all LGBT parents, 

focussing on families with children 

7 and under. Tea, chat and advice 

from a health visitor, toys for the 

kids and the occasional outing. 

Second Sat of each month from 

10am-Noon at the LGBT Centre for 

Health and Wellbeing, 9 Howe 

Street, Edinburgh. Tel: 0131-523 

1100. 

E-mail: kate@lgbthealth.org.uk 

POLITICAL 

LIBERAL PARTY LESBIAN AND 

GAY CAMPAIGN: 

Tel: 0151-259 5935 (Telephone 

Answering Machine). Write: 41 

Sutton Street, Liverpool, L13 7EG. 

E-mail: libgay 

@libparty.demon.co.uk 

www.liberal.org.uk 

SCOTTISH LIBERAL 

DEMOCRATS FOR LGBT 

EQUALITY: 

Tel: 0131-337 2314. Write: 4 

Clifton Terrace, Edinburgh. EH12 

5DR. 

E-mail: hq@scotlibdems.org.uk 

www.scotlibdems.org.uk 

www.twitter.com/scotlibdems 

PRISONERS 

FREE MAGAZINES FOR 

PRISONERS: 

Copies of ScotsGay are sent free of 

charge to prisoners in UK prisons 

and institutions. Please contact us 

if you wish to be added to the 

mailing list. 

BENT BARS PROJECT: 

Letter writing programme that 

connects lebian, gay, bisexual, 

transgender, transsexual, intersex, 

queer and gender non-conforming 

communities across prison walls. 

E-mail: 

bent.bars.project@gmail.com 

www.co-re.org/bentbars 

REAL ALE 

LESBIAN AND GAY 

REAL ALE 

DRINKERS: 

The Edinburgh group of CAMRA's 

Task Group for LGBT real ale and 

cider fans. Meets in The Regent on 

the 1st Mon of each month from 

9pm to sample the brewers' art - 

Aug 2nd Mon (to avoid GBBF). Tel: 

Karen on 0131-557 8790. 

E-mail: lagrad@drink.demon.co.uk 

www.lagrad-edinburgh.org.uk 

and 

www.lagrad.org.uk 

RESIDENTIAL EVENTS 

EDWARD CARPENTER 

COMMUNITY OF GAY MEN: 

Committed to principles of caring, 

trusting, personal growth, sharing, 

and creativity aimed at nurturing 

'community' as an alternative to 

the commercial scene. Organises 

Gay Men's Weeks and shorter 

events each year in SW Scotland, 

the English Lake District and other 

venues across the UK. Write: 

Edward Carpenter Community, 

BM ECC, London. WC1N 3XX. Tel: 

08703 215121. 

E-mail: contact_ecc 

@edwardcarpentercommunity.org 

.uk 

www.gaycommunity.org.uk 

THE FINDHORN FOUNDATION: 

Spiritual community, ecovillage 

and education centre. Offers 

regular residential workshops and 

retreats for gay men and lesbians 

at Findhorn in the North East of 

Scotland, and at its retreat house 

on the peaceful island of Iona. Tel: 

Findhorn (01309) 690311. 

E-mail:enquiries@findhorn.org 

http://bit.ly/findhorn-lgbt for all 

Findhorn Foundation gay and 

lesbian workshops, or 

http://www.findhorn.org/ for 

information about all the 

Foundation’s activities. 

SPORTS 

CALEDONIAN THEBANS RFC: 

Caledonian Thebans Rugby 

Football Club is Scotland's first 

gay/bi friendly rugby club. Offers 

gay/bi/trans men the chance to 

learn the game and play rugby in a 

safe and supportive environment. 

Continually welcomes new players 

(+18) at whatever level or 

experience and new supporters to 

the club. If you're interested in 

playing or supporting gay rugby in 

Scotland, please get in touch. 

Come along and get fit! 

Tel: 07758 668784 or Text 

"thebans" to 60300. 

E-mail: membership 

@thebans-rfc.co.uk 

www.thebans-rfc.co.uk 

EDINBURGH GOC SWIMMING & 

GYM GROUP: 

Meets 8pm prompt each Mon at 

the Royal Commonwealth Pool, 

Dalkeith Road in the main entrance 

area and afterwards in the Blue 

Moon Café from 9.15pm. 

EDINBURGH LGBT RUNNING 

GROUP: 

Meets 6.15pm prompt Wed at the 

Jawbones, The Meadows. 

Everybody made welcome from 

complete beginners to the more 

experienced. Get in contact so that 

we can expect you, in case we 

need to make changes to time or 

venue. Tel: Robert on 07738 

939836. 

E-mail: robert.cole 

@gocscotland.org 

GLASGOW GAY AND LESBIAN 

BADMINTON CLUB: 

Meets each Thu from 8-10pm. 

Come along and have fun and 

enjoy meeting the other members 

for a friendly game. All welcome. 

Tel: Paul on 07708 514676 (6- 

11pm). 

GAY FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS 

NETWORK: 

Write: GFSN Membership 

Secretary, PO Box 7424, Milton 

Keynes. MK8 9WQ. Tel: Barry on 

Milton Keynes (01908) 564085. 

Scottish Contact: Kevin Rowe - 

Tel/Text: 07808 263173 or 

E-mail: kevrowe72@yahoo.co.uk 

www.gfsn.org.uk 

GRANITE CITY 

STORMERS FC: 

New gay football team meeting 

regularly to play, train and for 

social events. Based in Aberdeen 

and open to people of all ages, 

experience and ability. Always on 

the lookout for new members and 

volunteers, so if you can help out 

Send your group’s details and logo to listings@scotsgay.co.uk 

For bang up-to-date info visit www.scotsgay.co.uk/listings 

ScotsGay Listings are Free 

GROUPS 

HELPLINES 

BREATHING SPACE: 

Tel: FreePhone 0800 838587 

Mon-Thu 6pm-2am, Fri 6pm-Mon 

6am (24 hours at weekends). 

www.breathingspacescotland 

.co.uk 

CROSSLYNX NATIONAL 

TV/TS/TG HELPLINE: 

Tel: 0141-847 0787 

Mon 7.30-9.30pm. 

www.crosslynx.org.uk 

CUMBRIA AND THE BORDERS 

GAY HELPLINE: 

Tel: Bassenthwaite Lake (01768) 

776244 

Nightly 6-9pm. 

DIVERSITAY LGBT 

SWITCHBOARD: 

Tel: Dundee (01382) 202620 

Mon 7-9pm. Write: PO Box 53, 

Dundee. DD1 3YG. 

E-mail: contact@diversitay.org.uk 

www.diversitay.org.uk 

HATE CRIME REPORTING: 

Tel: 0141-847 0647 or 

Stirling (01786) 469483 


LOTHIAN LGBT HELPLINE: 

Tel: 0131-556 4049 

Wed 12.30-7pm. 

STRATHCLYDE LESBIAN AND 

GAY SWITCHBOARD: 

Tel: 0141-847 0447 


E-mail: info@sgls.co.uk 

www.sgls.co.uk 

STRATHCLYDE LESBIAN LINE: 

Tel: 0141-847 0547 

Wed 7.30-10pm. 

www.sgls.co.uk/services1 

THT DIRECT: 

Tel: 0845 1221200 

Mon-Fri10am-10pm,Sat-Sun 

Noon-6pm. 

LONDON SWITCHBOARD: 

Tel: 020-7837 7324 

Minicom: 020-7689 8501 

FAX: 020-7837 7300 

Daily 10am-11pm. 

E-mail: admin@llgs.org.uk 

www.llgs.org.uk 

www.queery.org.uk 

PUBLICATIONS 

SCOTSGAY: 

Monthly magazine edited, printed 

and published in Scotland since 

1994. All of the words from the 

magazine can be found on our 

website as well as interactive Meet 

Market and our Listings which are 

frequently updated. Sample copy 

available by phoning 0906 

1100256 (calls cost no more than 

£2). Tel: 0845 1208062 (+44 131- 

539 0666). Fax: 0131-539 2999. 

Write: PO Box 666, Edinburgh. 

EH7 5YW. 

E-mail: publisher 

@scotsgay.co.uk 

www.scotsgay.co.uk 

GOSSIP!DUNDEE: 

New gay community magazine. 

Tel: 07821 973095. 

facebook.com/gossipdundee and 

twitter.com/gossipdundee 

LOCK UP YOUR DAUGHTERS: 

Queer alternative DIY magazine for 

women. 

E-mail: info@ 

lockupyourdaughtersmagazine.co. 

uk 

www. 

lockupyourdaughtersmagazine.co. 

uk 

NATIONAL 

ORGANISATIONS 

OUTRIGHT SCOTLAND: 

Scotland's oldest lesbian, gay, 

bisexual and transgender rights 

organisation. It was founded in 

1969 as the Scottish Minorities 

Group, later became the Scottish 

Homosexual Rights Group and 

changed its name to OUTRIGHT 

SCOTLAND in December 1992. 

Currently hibernating. 

EQUALITY NETWORK: 

Working for lesbian, gay, bisexual 

and transgender equality in 

Scotland. Write: 30 Bernard Street, 

Edinburgh. EH6 6PR. Tel: 07020 

933952. Fax: 07020 933954. 

Weekly e-mail and quarterly paper 

newsletters on LGBT equality 

campaigns and developments. 

Regular conferences, forums, and 

other events. E-mail or write to join 

the network. 

E-mail: en@equality-network.org 

www.equality-network.org and 

twitter.com/EN_LGBTnews 

LESBIAN ARCHIVE AND 

INFORMATION CENTRE: 

The UK's largest and most 

significant collection of materials 

relating to lesbian lives. Collection 

in storage until further notice. LAIC 

(at Glasgow Women's Library) 15 

Berkeley Street, Glasgow. G3 7BW. 

Tel/Fax: 0141-552 8345. 

E-mail: info 

@womenslibrary.org.uk 

www.womenslibrary.org.uk/ 

laic/laic.html 

NATIONAL LGBT FORUM: 

Active events calendar for LGBT 

and other equality events in 

Scotland. Comprehensive 

directory of LGBT organisations. 

Free registration to add campaigns 

and events to the Community 

pages. 

www.scottishLGBT.org 

PRIDE SCOTIA: 

Now busily organising Pride Scotia 

2011 which will be held in 

Edinburgh in June 2011! 

Tel: 0131-556 9471. 

Write: 58a Broughton Street, 

Edinburgh.EH13SA. 

E-mail: edinburgh 

@pride-scotia.org 

www.pride-scotia.org 

STONEWALL SCOTLAND: 

Campaigns for equality and justice 

for gay, lesbian, bisexual and 

transgender people living in 

Scotland. Write: 9 Howe Street, 

Edinburgh. EH3 6TE. Tel: 0131- 

557 3679. 

E-mail: info@ 

stonewallscotland.org.uk 

www.stonewallscotland.org.uk 

LOCAL 

ORGANISATIONS 

AYRSHIRE: 

Ayrshire Social & Sexuality 

Support Group: 

Meets 3rd Wed of each month at 

7pm in Irvine. Details of venue 

from David Bingham on 0141-332 

3838 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm). 

E-mail: david.bingham@tht.org.uk 

BORDERS: 

Scottish Borders LGBT Equality 

Forum: 

Aims to provide advice and act as 

a consulting body to all 

community planning partner 

organisations, develop a range of 

social and recreational activities, 

and provide a befriending service 

to LGBT people. 

www.borderslgbt.org.uk 

DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY: 

Dumfries & Galloway 

LGBT Centre: 

Runs services including groups, 

social events, drop-ins, support 

and volunteering for young people 

and adults. 88b High Street, 

Dumfries. DG1 2BJ. Tel: Dumfries 

(01387) 255058. Text: 07785 

274147. 

E-mail: DandG@lgbtyouth.org.uk 

DUNDEE: 

Diversitay LGBT Group: 

Offers support to LGBT people 

living in Tayside and North East 

Fife. Bi monthly newsletter “Out 

Now” available from PO Box 53, 

Dundee, DD1 3YG. Tel: Dundee 

(01382) 459252. 

E-mail: contact@diversitay.org.uk 

www.diversitay.org.uk and 

twitter.com/diversitaylgbt 

DUNFERMLINE: 

FifeFLAGS: 

Fife Free Lesbian and Gay Society. 

Based in Dunfermline, provides a 

welcoming and safe meeting 

space and drop-in centre near the 

town centre for the LGBT 

community, our friends, family and 

supporters. Regular social group 

meets on Sun 7.30-11pm. 

Generally has a nice friendly mixed 

crowd most nights across the age 

range so come along and join the 

fun. Internet access, mini pool 

table or just hang out and meet 

new friends over coffee and 

biscuits. Safer sex information and 

supplies available as part of the Fife 

Health Board condom distribution 

scheme. Tel: Dunfermline (01383) 

738517. 

E-mail: Info@FifeFLAGS.org.uk 

www.fifeflags.org.uk 

EDINBURGH: 

Edinburgh LGBT Centre: 

Owned and managed by Lesbian 

Gay and Bisexual Community 

Project Limited, which is 

registered as a Scottish Charity 

and as a Scottish Company. 

Bought in 1974 by the Scottish 

Minorities Group, it is the only 

LGBT-owned LGBT Centre in the 

UK and is also the oldest LGBT 

Centre in Europe if not the world. 

Write: Edinburgh LGBT Centre, 

58a-60 Broughton Street, 

Edinburgh. EH1 3SA. Tel: 0131- 

556 9471. Meeting Room Booking 

Tel: 07817 533337. 

E-mail: hello 

@edinburghlgbtcentre.org.uk 

www.edinburghlgbtcentre.org.uk 

Icebreakers: 

Social group for guys and gals 

who want to make friendships and 

feel more at ease in the company 

of other gay people. Takes place 

from 7.30-9.30pm in The Regent 

on 2nd Wed of each month. If 

you're recently out or new to 

Edinburgh or just feel a bit cut off 

and want a break, come along. 

GLASGOW: 

Icebreakers Group: 

For lesbians, gays and bisexuals 

new to the scene. Details from 

Strathclyde Switchboard. 

Pride Glasgow: 

Tel: 0141-416 2300. 

E-mail: pride 

@prideglasgow.co.uk 

www.prideglasgow.co.uk 

Spectrum: 

Group for gay and bisexual men 

from Black and Minority Ethnic 

(BME) communities. Meets on 1st 

Tue of each month at 6.30pm in 

GMH Office, 5th Floor, 48 Albion 

Street, Glasgow. G1 1LH. Tel: 

0141-552 0112. 

E-mail: spectrum@gmh.org.uk 

INVERNESS: 

Highland Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, 

Transgender Forum: 

PO Box 5735, Inverness. IV1 9DB. 

E-mail: forum 

@gay-ness.org.uk 

www.gay-ness.org.uk 

Highland LGBT Social Group: 

Regular events and discos in 

Inverness. Tel: 07017 611111. 

E-mail: forum 

@gay-ness.org.uk 


/events.html 

Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland - 

Highland Services Gay Men's 

Group (and activities): 

Tel: Inverness (01463) 711585 


http://groups.yahoo.com/ 

group/lgbtnorthscotland 

LANARKSHIRE: 

LGBT Group: 

For 18+ living/working in 

Lanarkshire. Meets every third 

week in Douglas Street 

Community Health Centre, 

Douglas Street, Hamilton from 7- 

9pm. Tel: Chris on 0141-332 

3838. 

E-mail: chris.kimber@tht.org.uk 

MORAY: 

Elgin LGBT Group 

See LGBT Moray on Facebook. 

Meets 2nd and 4th Thu of each 

month at The Cooperage in Elgin. 

STIRLING: 

Stirling Gay Men's 

Social Group 

Meets monthly from Sep-Jun 

(generally 3rd Fri) in private 

houses. 

E-mail: mensgroup@talktalk.net 

STORNOWAY: 

Stornoway LGBT Group: 

See their Facebook Group “Out 

Out West” 


WOMEN'S LISTINGS 

ABERDEEN: 

Granite Sisters: 

Aberdeen based group for older 

lesbians throughout Scotland. 

There are no social events planned 

for the near future and the website 

is the main link at this time for gay 

women to gain information, etc. 

Although under construction at the 

moment it will be completed 

ASAP. 

E-mail: 13@clara.co.uk 

www.13.clara.co.uk 

EDINBURGH: 

AD Group: 

Social group exclusively for 

lesbians over 40 who have come 

to terms with their sexuality as 

lesbians. Meets monthly to 

discuss activities which range 

from cinema vists to days out and 

about. 

E-mail: adgroup40@gmail.com 

Amazing Gracies 

Women’s Football Club: 

Meets Wed 7-8pm at Gracemount 

Leisure Centre, 22 Gracemount 

Drive. 

www.amazinggraciesfc.webs.com 

Ladybird Book Group: 

Lesbian book group meets 2nd 

Tue of each month from 7.45pm. 

E-mail: 

Carol_Purcell@hotmail.com 

Rubyfruits Edinburgh: 

For lesbians and bi women. Meets 

Wed eve anytime after 7.30pm in 

Café Nom De Plume, 60 

Broughton Street. Widen your 

social circle, network, plan 

weekend/eve activities (eg walking, 

cinema, exhibitions)and maybe 

meet that special somebody. 

E-mail: 

rubyfruitsedinburgh@yahoo.com 

www.rubyfruitsedinburgh. 

webs.com 

GLASGOW: 

Sandyford: 2-6 Sandyford Place, 

Glasgow. G3 7NB. Sandyford 

provides sexual, reproductive and 

emotional health services for all 

lesbian and bisexual women. Tel: 

0141-211 8130 for further 

information on sexual and 

reproductive services or Tel: 0141- 

211 6700 for counselling services. 

All services available at a range of 

locations throughout NHS 

Greather Glasgow and Clyde area. 

www.sandyford.org 

Glasgow Women's Library: 

15 Berkeley Street, Glasgow. G3 

7BW. Tel/Fax: 0141-552 8345. 

Collection in storage until Autumn 

2010. Lifelong Learning 

Programme, Adult Literacy and 

Numeracy provision and Black and 

Minority Ethnic Women's Project 

all running in the meantime. Check 

the website for more information. 

Library houses a Lending and 

reference library - books, 

magazines, journals, videos, 

leaflets and information. UK and 

overseas feminist and lesbian 

publications. Contains the Lesbian 

Archive and Information Centre - a 

unique national collection of 

publications, journals and 

ephemera by and for lesbians. 

E-mail: info@ 

womenslibrary.org.uk 

www.womenslibrary.org.uk 

OLGA - Older Lesbians Get 

Around: 

Meets monthly. Tel: 0781 3268938 

INVERNESS: 

GirlZone: 

Friendly, informal social group for 

LBT and friends - all welcome. 

Meets 1st Sat and 3rd Fri of each 

month.Tel: Joanne on 07792 223 

687 for details and venue. 

E-mail: girlzone@gay-ness.org.uk 


Highland Lesbian Group: 

A friendly lesbian social group 

which offers support and 

information. Organises fundraisers 

for Womankind Worldwide: 

E-mail: High_Les@bigfoot.com 

www.womankind.org.uk 

www.freewebs.com 

/highlandlesbiangroup 

NATIONAL: 

LESBIAN INFORMATION 

SERVICE: 

www.lesbianinformation 

service.org 

OUT-SKIRTS: 

A monthly e-newsletter for lesbian 

and bi women in Tayside, Fife and 

beyond. 

E-mail: ionafiesta@yahoo.co.uk 

SCOTTISH NETWORK FOR 

LESBIAN STRENGTH: 

To further lesbian issues, follow a 

lesbian agenda and foster lesbian 

visibility. 

E-mail: High_Les@bigfoot.com 

YOUNG LESBIANS: 

See our Youth Groups listings. 

BISEXUALS 

BISCOTLAND: 

Support and social network for 

people who are bisexual or 

questioning their sexuality. Also 

organises training and activist 

activities in support of bisexual 

visibility and pride. Informal 'safe 

space' meetings are held on 1st 

Wed of each month in Glasgow 

(Contact for venue details) and 3rd 

Wed of each month in Edinburgh 

(8pm in the LGBT Centre for 

Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe 

Street). Meetings (open to all bi or 

questioning people) are usually 

followed by social gatherings 

which are open to partners or 

friends. Information line: 07963 

960321. 

E-mail: info@biscotland.org 

www.biscotland.org 

ABUSE 

BROKEN RAINBOW LGBT 

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICE 

(UK): 

Works to change the situation for 

LGBT people facing domestic 

violence. Runs a helpline for 

lesbian, gay, bisexual and 

transgender people, their family, 

friends, and agencies to support 

LGBT people around domestic 

violence. Mon & Thu 2-8pm, Wed 

10am-1pm. Tel: 0300 999 5428. 

E-mail: mail 

@broken-rainbow.org.uk 

www.broken-rainbow.org.uk 

MEN AGAINST SEXUAL ABUSE: 

1-2-1 counselling for adult male 

survivors of childhood sexual 

abuse, male rape, male domestic 

abuse and under 18's. Tel: 0141- 

550 2048. 

E-mail: masacounseling@aol.com 

www.masa-listens.com 

RAPE AND ABUSE LINE: 

For male and female survivors. 

Female Support Workers answer 

Freephone 0808 8000123 most 

evenings and Male Support 

Workers answer Freephone 0808 

8000122 on selected evenings. the 

Helpline hours are advised on both 

answering services. Callers are 

welcome to phone either line. 

Write: PO Box 10, Dingwall. IV15 

9HA. 

www.rapeandabuseline.co.uk 

RAPE CRISIS SCOTLAND 

HELPLINE: 

Scotland-wide telephone service 

providing support to women and 

men experiencing sexual violence, 

as well as their friends and 

families. Tel: Freephone 0808 

8010302 (6pm-Midnight). 

Minicom available. 

www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk 

THRIVE: 

Counselling service for male 

survivors of childhood sexual 

abuse. Write: Sandyford, 4 

Sandyford Place, Glasgow. G3 

7NB. Tel: 0141-211 8133. 

E-mail: thrive@ggc.scot.nhs.uk 

ATHEISTS AND 

HUMANISTS 

GAY AND LESBIAN HUMANIST 

ASSOCIATION: 

GALHA is a membership 

organisation promoting a gayfriendly 

Humanist outlook and 

LGBT rights as human rights. 

Membership is open to supporters 

worldwide and gives access to a 

range of events. Write: GALHA, 1 

Gower Street, London. WC1E 

6HD. Tel: 0844 800 3067. 

E-mail: membership@galha.org 

www.galha.org 

PINK TRIANGLE TRUST: 

PTT is a gay Humanist charity 

which can arrange non-religious 

ceremonies of love and 

commitment for lesbian and gay 

couples at very reasonable rates in 

most parts of Scotland. Sponsors 

of LGBT History Month. Write: 34 

Spring Lane, Kenilworth, 

Warwickshire. CV8 2HB. Tel: 

Kenilworth (01926) 858450. 

E-mail: ceremonies 

@pinktriangle.org.uk 

www.pinktriangle.org.uk 

Lively Blog at 

www.pinktriangle.org.uk/ 

ptt/blog.html 

Internet Magazine at 

www.gayandlesbianhumanist. 

org 

BDSM 

SM GAYS: 

www.smgays.org 

BEARS 

BEARGLASGOW: 

Social group for Bears, Cubs and 

Admirers of all shapes and sizes 

based in Glasgow. 

E-mail: info@bearglasgow.co.uk 

www.bearglasgow.co.uk 

BEARSCOTS: 

The national group for bears, big 

boys, their friends and admirers in 

Scotland. Edinburgh Bear 

Weekend, 2nd weekend of each 

month: Bear Sauna, Steamworks, 

Sat 2-8pm. Bears In The 

Basement, New Town Bar, Sat 

10pm-2am. Bear-ly Awake 

Brunch, New Town Bar, Sun 

12.30-2.30pm. Also monthly Bear 

Book Group and Wet Fur 

Swimming Group. BearScotFest 

Weekend: 8th-10th Oct. Check 

website for details of events 

around Scotland. 

E-mail: info@bearscots.org.uk 

www.bearscots.org.uk 

BELIEVERS 

AFFIRMATION SCOTLAND: 

Network in the Church of Scotland 

of lesbian, gay, bisexual and 

transgender Christians, their 

friends and supporters. Formed in 

2006 in response to the issue of 

ministers and deacons being able 

to conduct ceremonies to mark 

civil partnerships without fear of 

censure. Write: Monica Stewart, 

37 Main Street, Invergowrie. DD2 

5AB. 

E-mail: monicastewart 


www.affirmationscotland.org.uk 

AL-JANNAH: 

Online social community for LGBT 

Muslims, Non-Muslims, South 

Asians. Based in Scotland. New 

gay Desi networking: meet 

members in your area, chat and 

upload photographs - Hindus, 

Sikhs and other Asians/Non- 

Muslims welcome. 

E-mail: admin@al-jannah.co.uk 

www.al-jannah.co.uk 

AUGUSTINE UNITED CHURCH: 

41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh. 

EH1 1EL. Meets Sun 11am - LGBT 

people especially welcome. Last 

Wed of each month: 

Transcendence (welcome space to 

support and explore transgender 

spirituality) - 7pm. Last Sat of each 

month: Our Tribe (LGBT worship) 

- 7.30pm Tel: 0131-220 1677. 

E-mail: administrator 

@augustine.org.uk 

www.augustine.org.uk 

COURAGESCOTLAND: 

Non-denominational inclusive 

support network of LGBT Bible 

Believing Christians. Groups in 

Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, 

Perth and Aberdeen and online. 

Tel: Rury on 07772 617788. 

E-mail: 

office@couragescotland.org 

www.couragescotland.org 

EDINBURGH QUAKER LESBIAN 

AND GAY FELLOWSHIP: 

Meets on the 3rd Wed of each 

month at 7pm in the Glasite 

Meeting House, 33 Barony Street. 

Members of the LGBT Community 

and their friends are most 

welcome. 

E-mail: edinburgh.qlgf@gmail.com 

EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP FOR 

LESBIAN & GAY CHRISTIANS: 

Lesbian, gay or bisexual? From an 

Evangelical tradition? So are we. 

Tel: Andrew on Mid Calder 

(01506) 499926. Write: c/o 123 

Byron Road, Chelmsford. CM2 

6HJ. 

E-mail: info@eflgc.org.uk 

www.eflgc.org.uk 

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY 

CHURCH IN GLASGOW: 

A church of the LGBT 

communities welcoming all 

people. Meets for worship Sun 

3pm at Ibrox Parish Church, 67 

Clifford Street. Tel or Text: 07972 

139128. 

E-mail: info@mccinglasgow.co.uk 

www.mccinglasgow.co.uk 

QUAKER LESBIAN AND GAY 

FELLOWSHIP: 

A welcoming and supportive 

national group for people of all 

sexual orientations and their 

friends. Write: Ruth (SG), 46 The 

Avenue, Starbeck, Harrogate. HG1 

4QD. 

E-mail: qlgfcontact@btclick.com 

www.qlgf.org.uk 

QUEST: 

Organisation for lesbian and gay 

Catholics. Monthly meetings are 

held in different regional groups 

throughout Britain. Scottish 

meetings held in Glasgow. Quest 

Linkline - The Helpline for Gay and 

Lesbian Catholics - Tel: 

(Freephone) 0808 808 0234. 

Write: BM Box 2585, LONDON. 

WC1N 3XX. 

E-mail: quest 

@questgaycatholic.org.uk 

www.questgaycatholic.org.uk 

ROMAN CATHOLIC CAUCUS OF 

THE LESBIAN & GAY CHRISTIAN 

MOVEMENT: 

Write: RC Caucus, PO Box 24632, 

London. E9 6XF. Tel: 020-7226 

0847. 

E-mail: lgcm_rccaucus 

@hotmail.com 

SGI-UK (SCOTLAND): 

Buddhist organisation established 

in more than 190 countries 

throughout the world. Their belief 

and practice direct people to 

respect that which is of ultimate 

value: life itself. Through their faith 

and practice, members transform 

their inner lives and develop the 

qualities needed to bring about 

personal fulfillment and contribute 

to the positive development of 

society. SGI-UK has participated in 

Pride events throughout the world 

and is now known as Rainbow 

activities. 

E-mail: info@sgi-uk.org 

www.sgi-uk.org 

UNITARIANS IN EDINBURGH: 

An inclusive community of diverse 

beliefs which supports the pursuit 

of individual spirituality and 

humanism. Meets at St Mark’s, 7 

Castle Terrace at 11am on Sun and 

for Mindfulness @ Lunchtime at 

12.15pm on Tue. Relationship 

blessings conducted. 

E-mail: minister@edinburghunitarians.org.uk 

www.edinburgh-unitarians.co.uk 

BIKERS 

SALTIREBLUE MOTORCYCLE 

CLUB: 

Scotland’s motorcycle club for 

LGBT bikers. Active membership 

who arrange regular bike runs with 

each other at short notice via e- 

mail, and SMS. 

E-mail: info@saltireblue.com 

www.saltireblue.com 

CULTURAL 

EDINBURGH GAY MEN'S 

CHORUS: 

Brings together individuals 

interested in singing a fun 

repertoire, including pop, rock and 

songs from the shows and 

movies. Now is a great time to get 

involved, whether you're a closet 

shower singer or have some 

experience. Rehearses Tue eve in 

Central Edinburgh. For full details 

and to sign-up: 

www.egmc.co.uk 

FILM CLUB: 

Meets every other Fri, 6.30- 

9.30pm at LGBT Centre for Health 

and Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 

Edinburgh. A wide selection of 

documentaries, short films and 

full-length movies with an LGBT 

twist will be screened for your 

viewing pleasure, from old classics 

to arty new ones. All screenings 

subject to a small donation. 

E-mail: clazzle333@hotmail.com 

GAY GORDONS EDINBURGH: 

Scotland's first LGBT Scottish 

country dance group with a good 

mix of women and men. Meets 

Mon 7.30-9.30pm at Quaker 

Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace. 

E-mail: info 

@gaygordonsedinburgh.co.uk 

www.gaygordonsedinburgh. 

co.uk 

GLASGAY!: 

Scotland's annual celebration of 

queer culture. Next dates: 3rd Oct - 

8th Nov 2010. 

Q! Gallery is Glasgay's new yearround 

gallery dedicated to queer 

art and artists. Mon-Sat 11am- 

5pm. The Stud!o is an adjacent 

performance/research/workshop 

and holistic arts space. 

The Q! Gallery, 87-91 Saltmarket, 

Glasgow. G1 5LE. Tel/Fax: 0141- 

552 7575.Text: 07762 722460. 

E-mail: info@glasgay.co.uk 

www.glasgay.co.uk 

INTERNATIONAL KILT 

APPRECIATION SOCIETY (IKAS): 

Contact and social group for guys 

interested in viewing/wearing kilts. 

Regular newsletter. Write: Mervyn 

Tacy, 'Ziveli', 20 Ordsall Park Road, 

Retford. DN22 7PA. Please 

enclose sae. 

Tel: 01777 708270. 

E-mail: IKILTas@aol.com 

www.freewebs.com/ikas

with organising training, 

fundraising, coaching, arranging 

kick abouts or socials or 

contributing in any way, please get 

in touch! 

E-mail: info@stormersfc.co.uk 

www.stormersfc.co.uk, 

HOTSCOTS: 

Scotland's very first LGBT group 

for football players and fans alike. 

Currently organises regular socials 

and kick-abouts every Thu eve at 

Saughton and kick abouts every 

Fri eve at World of Soccer and 

would love to hear from anyone 

anywhere in Scotland who would 

like to take part. Now competing in 

the UK national gay league. 

However, all ability levels are 

welcome, and the social side is 

just as important as the playing - 

so what are you waiting for? Text 

"Football" to 80800 for more 

information (texts cost 25p) or 

E-mail: mail@hotscotsfc.com 

www.hotscotsfc.com 

RACQUETEERS BADMINTON 

GROUP: 

Edinburgh based gay and lesbian 

badminton club meets Thu 7-9pm 

at Meadowbank Stadium. Spaces 

are limited but can accommodate 

more players during the summer 

period. 

E-mail: info@theracqueteers.co.uk 

www.theracqueteers.co.uk 

SALTIRE THISTLE FC: 

New Glasgow based gay-friendly 

soccer club. 

E-mail: 

saltirethistlefc@hotmail.co.uk 

www.saltirethistlefc.com 

TEAM SCOTLAND BADMINTON 

CLUB: 

Glasgow based gay and lesbian 

badminton club meets twice 

weekly for competitive games. 

International tournaments and 

matches against clubs in London 

and Europe are held annually. 

Sorry - no beginners. Tel: 

Raymond on 0141-778 9220. 

E-mail: teamscotland 

@gaysport.info 

www.gaysport.info/teamscotland 

STUDENTS 

Many Universities and Colleges 

have Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and 

Transgendered Societies. Contact 

these via your Student Union or 

Student Association. ScotsGay 

also links to a number of LGBT 

Soc websites from our own web 

page at www.scotsgay.co.uk Many 

LGBT Socs are open to nonstudents 

living in the area. 

Tel: NUS Scotland LGBT Officer on 

0131-556 6598. Fax: 0131-557 

5679. Write: Stiofán Mcfadden, , 

LGBT Officer, NUS Scotland, 29 

Forth Street, Edinburgh. EH1 3LE. 

E-mail: lgbt@nus-scotland.org.uk 

or mail@nus-scotland.org.uk 

TRANSGENDER 

NATIONAL: 

Transmen Scotland: 

A national support group for all 

female to male transgender 

people. Meets 2nd Sat of each 

month from 7-9pm at LGBT 

Centre for Health and Wellbeing, 9 

Howe Street, Edinburgh. For 

further info Tel/Text 07948 735179 

or 

E-mail: admin 

@transmenscotland.org.uk 

www.transmenscotland.org.uk 

ABERDEEN: 

NEST Support: 

Contact Nicola on 07523 279546. 

E-mail: nestsupport@gmail.com 

www.nestsupport.co.uk 

BUCHLYVIE: 

TV/TS Group: 

Meets last Sat of each month at 

5pm. Tel: Kira on 07808 564626 

(Mon-Thu 6-9pm), Gladys or 

Michelle on Buchlyvie (01360) 

850516 or 07743 936157. 

E-mail: gladyspaterson2 

@yahoo.co.uk 

DUNBLANE: 

Central Scotland Transgender 

Group: 

Meets 2nd Sat of each month 7- 

10pm. Tel: Sarah Whyte on 07748 

484703 for venue. 

E-mail: sarah_m_whyte 

@yahoo.co.uk 

DUNDEE: 

Diversitay: T With Biscuits: 

New Trans Group meets monthly. 

For more information, Tel: 

Diversitay on Dundee (01382) 

202620 (Mon 7-9pm). 

EDINBURGH: 

Edinburgh Trans Women: 

Support group for transsexual 

women. Meets 1st Sat of each 

month 7.30-9.30pm in LGBT 


Howe Street. 

E-mail: info 

@edinburghtranswomen. 

org.uk 

www.edinburghtranswomen. 

org.uk 

Polygender Scotland: 

Provides support and friendship to 

all people who identify as 

genderqueer, androgyne, third 

gender, polygender or any other 

gender other than male or female. 

Meets 2nd Thu of each month 

(contact for details of venue). Tel: 

Kelli Neil on 0131-523 1100. 

E-mail: admin@androgyny.org.uk 

www.androgyny.org.uk 

T-Time: 

Informal social for all transgender 

people, their partners, family and 

friends, held the 3rd Sat of each 

month from 1-5pm at LGBT 


Howe Street. A friendly, safe and 

relaxed environment where there's 

also space to change. Tel: 0131- 

523 1100. 

E-mail: admin@lgbthealth.org.uk 

GLASGOW: 

Crosslynx Transgender Group: 

Meets 2nd Wed of each month 

from 7.30-9pm (contact for details 

of venue). Tel: Crosslynx Helpline 

on 0141-847 0787 (Mon 7.30- 

9.30pm). 

www.crosslynx.org.uk 

Sandyford Trans Women's 

Support Group: 

Meets twice a month. Further 

details and support from group 

member on 07758 462988 or 

contact Sandyford Community 

Access Co-ordinator on 0141-232 

8417. 

E-mail: colinmackillop@nhs.net 

INVERNESS: 

SWANS OF SCOTLAND: 

Meets last Thu of each month 

from 7-9pm at Beaufort Hotel, 11 

Culduthel Road. 

E-mail: 

swansofscotland@gmail.com 

www.spanglefish.com/ 

SwansofScotland 

Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland - 

Highland T Group 

(and activities): 

Tel: Inverness (01463) 711585 


http://groups.yahoo.com/ 

group/highlandstrasngender 

WORKPLACE 

EIS LGBT NETWORK: 

Write: National Officer (Education 

and Equality), 46 Moray Place, 

Edinburgh. EH3 6BH. 

Tel: 0131-225 6244. 

E-mail: enquiriesn@eis.org.uk 

FIRE BRIGADES UNION 

LGBT SUPPORT GROUP: 

For firefighters and control staff. 

Write: c/o Pat Carberry, FBU, 68 

Coombe Road, Kingston upon 

Thames, Surrey. KT2 7SE. Tel: 

07725 602524 or 020-8541 1765. 

E-mail: PCarberry@fbu.org.uk 

www.fbulgbt.org.uk 

GAY POLICE ASSOCIATION 

IN SCOTLAND: 

Membership is open to all police 

officers and police staff, serving or 

retired. Write: Chief Inspector 

David Lyle, Lothian & Borders 

Police, 7 Chambers Street, 

Edinburgh. EH1 1HR. Tel: 0131- 

247 4844. 

E-mail: 

david.lyle@lbp.pnn.police.uk, 

central@gpascotland.com (Central 

Scotland Police), 

dg@gpascotland.com (Dumfries 

and Galloway Constabulary), 

fife@gpascotland.com (Fife 

Constabulary), 

grampian@gpascotland.com 

(Grampian Police), 

lbp@gpascotland.com (Lothian 

and Borders Police), 

northern@gpascotland.com 

(Northern Constabulary), 

spc@gpascotland.com (Scottish 

Police College), 

strathclyde@gpascotland.com 

(Strathclyde Police), 

tayside@gpascotland.com 

(Tayside Police), 

www.gpascotland.com 

GMB SCOTLAND EQUAL RIGHTS 

GROUP: 

Write: Regional Equal Rights 

Officer, GMB Scotland, Fountain 

House, 1/3 Woodside Crescent, 

Glasgow. G3 7UJ. Tel: 0141-352 

8109. 

E-mail: louise.gilmour 

@gmb.org.uk 

PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL 

SERVICES UNION (PCS) 

PROUD GROUP 

Write: PCS Proud Membership 

Secretary (Confidential), c/o 

Equalities Health & Safety 

Department, 

PCS, 160 Falcon Road, 

London. SW11 2LN. 

E-mail: pcsproud@live.co.uk 

www.pcsproud.org.uk 

UNISON: 

Glasgow City LGBT Group. Meets 

pay day Tue at 5pm in Glasgow 

City Unison Offices, 4th Floor, 18 

Albion Street. 

All LGBT members welcome. 

YOUTH GROUPS 

NATIONAL: 

QUEER YOUTH: 

UK National organisation run by 

and for young people providing a 

united voice for all lesbian, gay, 

bisexual, asexual, pansexual, 

intersex, transgender, transsexual, 

queer and curious youth. Online 

24/7 providing peer support 

through forums, campaigning for 

equal rights, running regional 

groups across the UK and much 

more! Queer Youth Scotland 

usually meets monthly in either 

Glasgow, Dundee or Edinburgh. 

www.queeryouth.org.uk 

ABERDEEN: 

ZONE YOUTH: 

LGBT group for people aged under 

26. Meets 2nd Sat of each month 

Noon-3pm. Tel: 0845 2412151. 

E-mail: youth.aberdeen@tht.org.uk 

BORDERS: 

TUTTI FRUTTI: 

Youth group meets Wed eve in 

Galashiels. Tel: 0131-555 3940. 

DUNDEE: 

ALLSORTS: 

Meets everyTue 6-8pm. Tel: 0131- 

555 3940. Text: 07781 481788. 

E-mail: info@lgbtyouth.org.uk 

DIFFERENT VISIONS CELEBRATE 

(DV8): 

Youth group for young people 25 

and under who have issues with 

their sexuality or with the sexuality 

of a member of their family. Drop 

In Service 9-5pm at Eighteen And 

Under, 1 Victoria Road, Dundee. 

Offers a safe and friendly 

environment to meet and discuss 

issues affecting the LGBT 

community and our families. Tel: 

Shaun on Dundee (01382) 

206222. 

E-mail: shauntaylor498 


DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY: 

LGBT YOUTH D&G: 

Groups, volunteering and support 

for LGBT people under 26 from 

Dumfries and Galloway. Write: 88b 

High Street, Dumfries. DG1 2RP. 

Tel: Dumfries (01387) 255058. 

Text: 07785 274147. 

E-mail: DandG@lgbtyouth.org.uk 

www.lgbtyouth.org.uk 

EDINBURGH: 

LGBT YOUTH SCOTLAND: 

The Citadel, 39/40 Commercial 

Street, Edinburgh. EH6 6JD. 

Provides services and 

opportunities for LGBT young 

people (13-25) in Edinburgh, the 

Lothians, Fife, Borders, Tayside 

and Dumfries & Galloway. The 

groups include drop-ins at their 

Edinburgh offices for under-18's 

(Wed) and for over 18's (Thu). 

They also have a range of different 

opportunities to get involved with, 

including volunteering and 

projects involving video and arts 

work, and they offer training 

services. Nationally, they run 

regular events for young people to 

get involved in local and national 

decision-making, and to make new 

pals and have a laugh. 

Confidential Youthline Tel: 0845 

113 0005 (Tue 7.30-9pm). Office 

Tel: 0131-555 3940 (Mon-Fri 

9.30am-5pm). 



GLASGOW: 

LGBT YOUTH SCOTLAND YOUTH 

PROGRAMMES: 

Glasgow Head Office, 38 Queen 

Street, Glasgow. G1 3DX. Tel: 

0141-548 8121. 

VIVID YOUTH: 

For young LGBT people aged 13- 

25. Group for 13-18 year olds: Tue 

7-9.30pm. Group for 18-25 year 

olds: Thu 7-9.30pm. Contact for 

venue details.Tel: 0141-548 8121. 



INVERNESS: 

THT Youth Group 

First Fri of each month. Tel: 

Inverness (01463) 711585. 


MORAY: 

BIG DEAL: 

For under 26 year olds. Tel: 0845 

2412151. 

E-mail: andi.watson@tht.org.uk 

PERTH: 

LGBT YOUTH GROUP: 

Last Wed of each month. Tel: 

0141-548 8121. Text: 07781 

481788. 



Get Your Copy 

0906 1100256 

Calls Cost no more than £2 

Information 

Monday-Friday 9am-5pm 

0131 652 3281 

We can provide information, guidance and advice on 

your rights and on issues including health, social care 

and housing and LGBT matters. 

Advocacy Service 

Monday-Friday 9am-5pm 

0131 652 3281 

We provide an Advocacy Service for any LGBT 

person who wants support to get their views and 

wishes heard. 

LGBT Helpline 

Wednesdays 12.30-7pm 

0131 556 4049 

Our helpline provides telephone support to all 

lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, their 

friends and family and anyone questioning their 

sexuality or gender identity. 

To reply to a contact ad, just pop your reply in an envelope with the box number written in the TOP 

RIGHT corner and place the envelope with your reply inside another envelope with two loose first class 

stamps. If you are writing from outwith the UK, an International Reply Coupon (IRC) should be enclosed 

for each reply instead of postage stamps. International Reply Coupons are available from Post Offices 

throughout the world. We are unable to send on replies without postage stamps or IRCs. 

Replies to : ScotsGay, PO Box 666, Edinburgh EH7 5YW. 

REMEMBER:You can place and answer personal adsfree online atwww.ScotsGay.co.uk 

NEW: You can now include 

your telephone number in 

your ad at a cost of £5. You 

will be telephoned by Scots- 

Gay to confirm your ad before 

it is printed. 

WOMEN 

Morayshire 

54 year old female living in 

Morayshire seeks a similar 

educated, professional, quiet, 

sane, sorted female for 

friendship/relationship. I 

enjoy walking my dog, gardening, 

reading, photography, 

Classic FM, art, cooking. 

Box SG10510. 

Genuine And Honest 

54 year old lesbian near Inverness 

looking for friends, 

maybe someone special. 

Loves animals, all types of 

music, books, the arts and 

good food and wine. Box 

SG10511. 

Edinburgh Sincere Feminine 

Sincere feminine lesbian, 

likes travel, sunshine and relaxing, 

meals in and out, cinema, 

gym, swimming. Would 

like to meet feminine professional 

40-50 for friendship 

and fun times. Edinburgh. 


Sane Lesbian - 53 Years Old 

Sane femme lesbian looking 

for friends maybe even that 

special person. Love to walk 

with someone, go to the cinema, 

eat out or quiet nights 

in. Get in touch. Box 


Butch-Butch Dynamic... 

Sought by soft/classic butch, 

33, in Aberdeen, interested in 

culture, high or low, and politics, 

left and queer. Perhaps 

we're the ones we've been 

waiting for? Let's find out. 


MEN 

CONTACTS 

By Post and E-mail 

Looking For Casual Relaxing 

Fun With Younger 

Guy(s) 

Just looking for fun with 

guy(s) aged 16-26 - probably 

at my place in Central Edinburgh. 

Nothing complicated: 

love not required although 

mutual respect is a must. 

One off is good, so is longer 

term fuck buddy. I'm mostly 

active but can be versatile if 

that's what really works for 

you. Safer fun only - no barebacking. 

And a kiss or cuddle 

can be just as good as (or 

better than) anything else - 

so there are a lot of options. 

What have you got to lose by 

replying and seeing if our 

needs/desires are compatible? 

Other than your virginity 

which is soon gone with this 

poof! Box SG10504. 

Slave 26 - 

Seeks Master 16-35 

I'm a slim 26 year old slave 

lad. I'm good looking and I 

own my own house near Edinburgh 

(Tranent). I love rimming, 

bottom worship, 

licking out holes, sucking, 

and feet worship. I'm looking 

for a male master (gay/bi or 

straight) to worship regularly. 

If you are a straight 

guy, you can still be my master. 

I really love younger 

masters 16-20, but all guys 

up to 35 will be considered. I 

will rim you for hours at a 

time. If you want to be my 

master, "own" me, and use 

me regularly to suck and rim 

you, text me on: 07936 

488454. Box SG10505. 

Cheap Inspector Taggart 

Taggart plumbs the depths of 

Glasgow cruising areas but a 

car load of homophobic 

Strathclyde traffic police impedes 

his investigations. 

Never one to pass up a challenge 

(or the chance of a 

quickie from a closet cop) 

Taggart hides in the bushes 

and plots to banish the rogue 

cops to the Traffic Wardens 

section. Contains mild peril, 

some strong language and a 

quantity of frozen sausages. 


Young Old Guy 

Fife area. Live alone. Young 

old guy of 56 looking for 

someone of similar age for 

regular discreet fun. 

Overnights no problem. Box 


Forfar Area Seeks Male 

Bi curious 29 year old in Forfar 

area looking for any guys 

to spend time with at night 

and weekends. Can accomomdate. 

Any age, colour, 

orientation welcome. E-mail 

welcome for quick replies. 


Ayrshire - Anywhere 

Young 60 year old gay guy, 

good slim body, mostly passive, 

would like to meet/visit 

mature active gentleman 55+ 

for friendship and good Saturday 

night sexy fun times. 

Letters please. Box SG10514. 

Fife 

22 year old straight acting bi 

lad living in Fife. Looking for 

fun meets with lads around 

the same age. Anyone interested 

then get back to me 

please, lads. Box SG10516. 

Looking For Fit Men 

Hey guys, I'm a Fireman in 

Glasgow looking for fit hung 

men. Like everything. Box 


Exhibitionism 

Glasgow male, 41 years old, 

interests: naturism, group 

sex, exhibitionism and 

photo/video. Seeks likeminded 

singles/couples for 

uninhibited good times. Box 


Sissy For Sissy 

Mature guy mid 50's, young 

looking, wears lingerie, 

straight acting outdoors, 

smooth all over, average 

build, shaved hair, 5'9", likes 

to be sissy seeks other lingerie 

wearers for friendship 

and fun. Prefer single unattached 

guys 18-65. Like 

dressing but not full TV? 

Then give me a shout for 

some kinky broadminded 

fun. I'm in closet and need 

an adventurous panty guy to 

broaden horizons. Discreet 

and sensible. Master/Mistress 

also sought. Send 

photo and details for mine or 

include e-mail address. Box 


Shetland 

29 year old in Shetland, up 

for meets with visitors or locals. 

Prefer older and hairy. 


Older For Younger 

52 year old bi guy in Fife is 

looking for guys 20-35 for 

fun and pleasure, meet ups. 

Can accommodate. Box 


Ayrshire 

Male, 50's (looks younger) 

WLTM male 50-70, strong 

control type, romantic, married/single, 

with view to long 

relationship. Photo/phone 

number welcomed. Preferred 

bi gent. Accept bi couple. 


Mental Health 

Do you have a mental health 

problem and are gay and 

would like to see a group set 

up in Glasgow. Please reply 

with telephone number. Box 


Cumbernauld 

If you are passing through 

Cumbernauld or wish to 

travel, gay guy, late 50's, of- 

fers you fun, action and body 

exploration. Please include 

phone number with your 

reply. Phone line open 24/7. 


Sporty Prisoner Seeks Guys 

32 year old guy looking for 

pen pal (18+) whilst in prison 

leading to more when I'm released 

next year. All letters 

answered. Box SG10527. 

Keep Fit On The Cheap - 

Glasgow 

Non smokers only. Slim hairy 

grey 50's WLTM late 20's+ 

students/professionals to 

work out in shorts, etc. At 

home, walking, massaging. 

Genuine replies only. Non 

scene. Interest in theatre 

helpful. Box SG10528. 

Domestic Boy 

Beefy male submissive seeks 

Master. I'm very suitable for 

groping and good at 'O'. 

Would suit older gent as a 

house servant. Like role play 

too. Box SG10529. 

Fife Guy Seeks Slim/Skinny 

Pals 

Middle aged guy seeks East 

Coast friends for discreet no 

strings fun in Fife. Can accommodate 

or travel within 

reason. Non scene. Very versatile. 

Bi/married guys very 

welcome. ALA. Box 


Looking For 65+ 

Renfrewshire male, 60, 

happy with life, easygoing, 

non smoker, enjoys most 

things both outdoors and in. 

GSOH. Looking for older 

gentleman, 65+ in Glasgow 

area. Box SG10531. 

Sub Seeks Master 

40 year old sub seeks experienced 

master. BDSM, etc. 

Age unimportant. Box 


Scotland - Midlothian 

- Anywhere 

Gay guy, 38, non smoker, 

non scene, wishing to correspond 

with genuine discreet 

guy to make genuine friends 

with someone who is like 

myself and loves to have 

good horny safe fantasy fun 

with our rubbers or leathers 

on. Nothing too heavy, just 

good horny fun. What I like 

to do is go out with someone 

to somewhere quiet like the 

countryside especiall if it is 

raining and have fun with our 

rubbers or leathers on and 

what is good is having rubber 

or leather trench coats 

on. Do hope that there is 

someone out there that likes 

to do what I have said in this 

ad. Genuine guys and discreet 

guys only, please. No 

smokers or overweight guys. 

No timewasters. Box 


Glasgow - Gentle Fun, 

Horny Fun 

Older guy (50's) seeks 40+ 

males for intimate fun, hugs 

and kisses or just touch and 

oral. No anal. I'm tall, a bit 

fat. Can't accommodate. You: 

gentle, discreet, fun. Looks 

not important. Box SG10534. 

Ginger Minger Seeks Young, 

Smooth Guy 

Small (5'6"), fat (15st), old 

(53), balding red hair and 

beard, very hairy body, looking 

for fun and friendship 

with young (16-22) guy. You: 

No piercings (self mutilation 

is not good or clever), preferably 

a full head of hair (no 

shaved heads - why do you 

want to be bald at your 

age?), smooth chest (shaved 

is good, naturally smooth is 

better), no facial hair, not 

anorexic (I like a bit of plump 

- although slim is OK). I'm 

probably far too picky - but 

then I bet most suitable guys 

are too! I can accommodate 

(Edinburgh) or will travel. 


Discrete Meetings 

With young guys sought by 

older man suffering from verbal 

dexterity. They can be 

discreet or not. Box 


BISEXUAL 

Bi Curious? 

There has to be a first time 

for everything! Aged 16-21? 

Get in touch? Considerate, 

experienced, versatile, older 

guy will talk you through 

things at your own pace before 

getting down to some 

safe fun. Your limits respected. 

Total discretion assured. 

Live in Edinburgh and 

can accommodate but may 

travel if required. Box 


Retired Hippy 

51, looking for some love 

and affection from women 

and men of all ages. Box 


Seeking Fun And Friendship 

Intelligent bisexual lady, early 

forties, seeks a gay or bisexual 

man (no crossdressers 

please) for friendship and 

with whom to explore my interest 

in homo-eroticism. I 

dislike crudeness/swearing 

or any form of sadomasochism/spanking. 

I 

would like to watch/assist 

you making love with 

your male partner but wish 

no personal involvement. My 

girlfriend will not be present 

or indeed any other woman. 

You must either stay in 

Inverness-shire or be prepared 

to travel to the area. 


Handsome Young Attractive 

Bi Male 

6'4" tall and VWE, is looking 

for friendship and fun and 

possibly more with bimale/gay/lesbian/gay-or-lesbian 

couple. Love sensual, 

erotic role-play, massage and 

sauna (not a must). Prefer to 

accommodate. Glasgow/Renfrewshire 

area. Box 


Woman Wanted For Couple 

We are a young bi couple 

looking to experiment so 

we're looking for a woman 

for bedroom fun. Box 


STRAIGHT 

Silver Bear 

Edinburgh based 50something 

guy seeks morally relaxed 

women of all ages for 

fun and friendship. Box 


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BACK RUBS 

Black Guy In Edinburgh 

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Massage For Guys 

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[113] 

Island Boy Massage 

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I am a gay male offering a 

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This advert is of a non 

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Classic Indian TANTRIC 

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awakening, blessfull. Therapeutic 

Discreet experienced 

masseur. City centre free 

parking. In/out. Competitive 

price. Tel: 07551 321545. 


Massage For Men 

- Edinburgh 

Enjoy a fantastic, affirming 

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WHERE TO 

STAY 

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mail: 

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[112] 

Penzance - Cornwall 

Small, gay-friendly, period 

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