Bunbanter’s Young Scottish Theatre Groups, Carronbridge

From Philip Anderson-Dyer

Bunbanter’s Young Scottish Theatre Groups, Carronbridge.

In January 2015 The Bunbury Banter Theatre Company CIC started a theatre group in Carronbridge (Nithsdale) with the aim of bringing the young people from Sanquhar, Thornhill and surrounding areas together and to develop student’s confidence, creativity and imagination through the medium of theatre, the use of storytelling and a variety of other creative practices.

So far this has been a huge success, attracting young people from both areas and forming the beginnings of an exceptionally solid, supportive and friendly group dynamic.

The first term's work has been focused on introducing basic theatrical skills, games and exercises, encouraging group bonding in order to create an 'ensemble'. In the course of this, students have explored many things including the ideas behind storytelling (such as fairy tales and Roald Dahl) and examined the origin of the chorus in Greek Theatre. Next Term, they will be moving onto a media project during the early weeks and have visitors popping in, later on in the term, such as a professional Lighting and Sound designer, who'll be exploring the technical side of the theatre.

The Bunbury Banter Theatre Comapny's main aim as an organisation is improving the access to theatre and when forming their groups locally, it was quickly discovered that transport is a recognised issue for many people living in rural areas. So, to counteract this, Bunbanter quickly organised a private bus service to and from the class, for the students from Sanquhar Academy and also arranged to open up their venue early, to accommodate those studying at Wallace Hall Academy; so they are able to get on the public bus from Thornhill which arrives at 4pm. Money and financial constraints can also be a block to young people accessing such classes but again Bunbanter have a number of resources in place, so they can offer scholarships and assistance, should that be needed by any of their students.

In addition to the younger group, next term Bunbanter is also going to open the second group for ages between 16-25 years. More information is to be released over the Easter break but similarly to the earlier class, their artistic director, Ali Anderson-Dyer, will be using all the disciplines and practices found within the theatre to further the students both individually and as a group, exploring many different performance styles and practices, whilst developing a fun and welcoming place to make new friends and learn new skills.

The Bunbury Banter Theatre Company CIC has a successful background of running fun, enjoyable and interesting classes across London and the UK; and as with all their work, the groups in Carronbridge exist to challenge and inspire young creatives in a safe and supported environment, regardless of personal circumstance.

See the Bunbanter website here for more information

Email info@bunbanter.com or Call 01848 330493

Treats in store from The Bakehouse

From Chrys Salt


Warm yourself up for Big Lit with the rare opportunity to hear Hungarian poet and translator George Szirtes - one of the UK’s most respected poets. You’d have to travel a long way to see George, but he’s at The Bakehouse on March 28th. Don’t miss him. He’ll be joined by one of our best local poets and translators, Donald Adamson reading from A Landscape Blossoms Within Me his stunning ( and sexy) translations of Finnish Nobel Nominee Eeva Kilpi. For more details see the Bakehouse website here  (Maybe this will inspire you to come to Booker Prize nominee, Michèle Roberts’ BIG LIT workshop on Friday April 17th The Pleasures of the Text.....!?) Followed by an open mike session. I’m sure George would love to hear what the region has to offer. Come and read! The evening will not disappoint! 

TICKETS: Tel: 01557 814175 or email: chrys@chryssalt.com

New Chorus Awards Launched to Celebrate Choirs all over Scotland

From Rebecca Giblin

Special stories from singing groups across Scotland are being hunted out for the newly launched Chorus Awards. Anyone can nominate a group, individual choir member or musical director for the Local Connection, Newcomer, Milestone, Unique Story, Inspiration and Young People categories.

Scotland Sings has launched the Chorus Awards to showcase the wonderful activities choirs are involved in and to celebrate the people helping to make great things happen. Anyone can make a nomination and choir members can even put themselves forward for one of the six categories.

Alison Burns, Scotland Sings Coordinator, says of the new awards, “What’s great is that this is not about the best singer or which choir has sung to the biggest audience, it’s all about the stories behind what makes each group so special. I know of one choir that has members from teenagers up to 80 year olds who sing together every week. What other awards would celebrate something like that?”

image by photographer Ros Gasson 

So, whether you’re part of a choir that is experimenting with new music or know an inspirational musical director who is bringing a community together, the Chorus Awards are the way to recognise and applaud this contribution.

Nominations can be made via an online form by the closing date of Friday 15th May (the event or activity being highlighted should have taken place between 16th May 2014 and 15th May 2015).

Winners will be announced online on Friday 19th June and will form part of a showcase on the Scotland Sings website. To find out more about the individual categories and make a nomination see the website here

DG Arts Festival Programme Announced

From DG Arts Festival

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra and comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli will be among the headliners at the Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival.

A total of 82 acts will perform at 42 venues across the south-west over 10 days at the end of May. The event, which is in its 36th year, will also feature performances by the award-winning folk singer Bella Hardy and Scotland's Makar Liz Lochhead.

Young musicians: John Gilderdale-Smith, from Castle Douglas; Zoe Bestel, of Wigtown; Robyn Stapleton from Stranraer; and Deri Ronan, of Thornhill.

The programme was launched at Loch Arthur, Beeswing, on Wednesday. Organisers have pledged to showcase world-class music, theatre, comedy and literature in towns, villages and remote rural areas across the region.

Highlights include:

HARDEEP SINGH KOHLI – HARDEEP IS YOUR LOVE
FRIDAY 22 MAY, 7:30 PM. £15
THE CORNER HOUSE HOTEL, HIGH STREET, ANNAN DG12 6DL
Master of pace and quick-witted patter, there’s much more to Hardeep Singh Kohli than being a media funny man in a colourful turban.

SCOTTISH ENSEMBLE FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
FRIDAY 22 MAY, 8:00 PM. £20
EASTERBROOK HALL, THE CRICHTON, BANKEND ROAD, DUMFRIES, DG1 4TA
This event was kindly supported in memory of NLH.

A celebration of two of Russia’s most celebrated composers heralds the sensational start to this year’s Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival.

KIDDER THEATRE NORMAL / MADNESS
SATURDAY 23 MAY, 7:30 PM. £10
THE SWALLOW THEATRE, MOSS PARK, WHITHORN, NEWTON STEWART DG8 8DR (also showing in New Galloway)
Kidder Theatre brings the very best in drama to the region with its critically acclaimed humorous and heart-breaking play Normal / Madness.

GAVIN MARWICK’S – JOURNEYMAN SPECTACULAR
SUNDAY 24 MAY, 7:30 PM. £15
CASTLE DOUGLAS TOWN HALL , ST ANDREW STREET, CASTLE DOUGLAS DG7 1DB
Described as ‘a folk festival on stage’, Gavin Marwick’s Journeyman Spectacular is a phenomenal musical experience of short sets of 10 performers and a constantly changing musical line-up.

STANLEY ODD
SUNDAY 24 MAY, 8:30 PM. £12
THE CORNER HOUSE HOTEL, HIGH STREET, ANNAN DG12 6DL
5.00PM – WORKSHOP WITH DAVE HOOK
Alternative Scottish hip-hop with heart, mind, wit, grit, conscience and superb live musicianship, Stanley Odd’s sound is reaching well beyond the rapidly burgeoning subculture from which it emerged, borne on an escalating grapevine buzz that’s set to ramp-up several notches further, with the release of their second album Reject.

Some Strong Harsh Magic - rescheduled

From Katy Ewing

27th February at 19:00

The Yellow Door, 16-22 Queen Street, Dumfries, DG1 2JF 

Re-scheduled event!
Our launch on the 29th January had to be cancelled because of bad weather. We're trying again on the 27th February - please join us!

Scottish artist Sheila Mullen has in recent years often painted inspired by songs and poems, myths and stories. 

Her daughter, Katy Ewing, is a writer of prose and poetry. 

Their newly published pamphlet, Some Strong Harsh Magic, contains a sample of their recent collaboration: Sheila’s painterly responses to Katy’s poetry and vice versa.

At this, the Dumfries launch, Katy will read from the book, and Sheila will display and talk about her paintings. 

Please come along and join us! Katy and Sheila will be signing copies of the book, which will be on sale in the gallery.


Seating and space is limited, due to the size of the gallery. This is a free event. There will be a bowl for Donations to cover the cost of refreshments, and to support The Yellow Door Group. (Many thanks!)

Surprise guest for Lee’s Burns Supper

From Kerry Willacy

Barman Lee McQueen was amazed when a special guest accepted his invitation to appear at a Burns-themed fundraiser. The Globe worker, a popular accordionist, planned a modest evening to raise funds for the SNP locally. He was amazed when former First Minister Alex Salmond accepted his invitation to speak at the event on 26th February. As a result, the fundraiser has “grown arms and legs” with an array of local talent supporting the event which will be held in the Cairndale Hotel.

Robyn Stapleton, a BBC Radio Young Traditional Musician of the Year, will sing and Ian McIntyre, past president of the Burns Howff club, will act as Master of Ceremonies. There will also be an auction featuring memorabilia signed by Mr Salmond, a unique designer hat by Milliner Tracey Little and a handmade Burns quilt by Ann Hill.

Joan McAlpine MSP, who helping to organise the evening, said: “This is a great coup for Lee who has worked incredibly hard to make the evening a success. Lee helped to organise the entertainment when Alex Salmond visited Dumfries just before the referendum. Mr Salmond was completely overwhelmed by the scenes of welcome at the Devorgilla Bridge and promised to return to the town to thank all the activists.”

Ms McAlpine added: “Tickets are selling fast and we are confident of raising a substantial amount to support the campaigns of our SNP candidates Richard Arkless in Dumfries & Galloway and Emma Harper in Dumfriesshire, Clydessdale and Tweeddale.”

Tickets can be obtained from Lee by texting 07835 405471 or by emailing dumfriesburnssupper@gmail.com

Svetlana Mochalova and Slava Sidorenko with Absolute Classics

From Absolute Classics

February Concerts
Svetlana Mochalova, cello & Slava Sidorenko, piano

Date: Thursday 19th February
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Buccleuch Centre, Langholm
Cost: Book directly with the Buccleuch Centre: 013873 81196

Programme:
Schumann Adagio&Allegro
Beethoven Sonata op.5 no.2
James McMillan Kiss on Wood
Myaskovsky cello sonata no.2

Date: Saturday 21st February
Time: 6:30pm
Price: £50.00 including arrival drinks and three course set menu
Book Directly with Cavens: 01387 880234
Location: Cavens Country House Hotel

Programme:
Schumann Adagio&Allegro
Beethoven Sonata op.5 no.2
James McMillan Kiss on Wood
Myaskovsky cello sonata no.2

Date: Sunday 22nd February
Time: 3:30pm
Location: Buccleuch & Queensberry Arms, Thornhill
Cost: Adults £12.00, Under 26 Free
Book on line: www.absoluteclassics.co.uk

Programme:
Brahms Sonata in E minor
Brahms six songs arr. cello and piano (selection)
Scriabin preludes for piano
Rachmaninoff cello & piano sonata

Winners Announced in BBS Best Show

From Big Burns Supper

With final attendance figures now in Big Burns Supper organisers have revealed a string of successes for last week’s festival.

They have also announced the winners in the annual contest for the best show and performer of the event.

One top of that, the festival and Barnardo’s Scotland have said a huge “thank you” to all those who made donations to Big Burns Supper’s first ever partner charity – raising over £1,500 for its work with children.

Graham Main, Big Burns Supper Artistic Director, said: “We’d really like to thank all the community groups, performers, schools, volunteers, audience members and others who came together to make this such a huge event. As a proud Doonhamer I love to see our town and region shine. Our final figures are just brilliant – for example we served 5,000 Burns Suppers, had the largest Burns Night carnival in the world and entertained 30,000 people – well up on our original estimate of 26,000. Overall our audiences have just about doubled, which is phenomenal.

Jordyn Armstrong, Fundraising Events Co-ordinator for Barnardo’s Scotland, added:“We are so proud to have been chosen by Big Burns Supper as the first charity partner, and overwhelmed by the generosity of the general public who donated over £1,500, all of which will go towards helping children and young people in the local area.”

BBS 2015 featured around 140 events and shows, in a series of venues, during a nine-day festival of contemporary and traditional culture and a huge public celebration of the birthday of Scotland’s national Bard, Robert Burns, in his beloved town of Dumfries.

Each year judges attend all of the shows to decide on a series of awards. For 2015 the nominations and results were:

Best Show

Nominees:

·         Craig Hill

·         Janis Joplin - Full Tilt

·         Hamish the Haggis

·         New York Brass Band

Winner – the New Orleans jazz inspired New York Brass Band

Spirit of the Festival

This award highlights the artist or show which best embodies the spirit of the festival.

Nominees:

·         Dumfries Community Choir

·         Eden Festival -  opening show

·         Dilton Colthart - Burst
·         Holly Little - Caelaig

Winner - Holly Little of contemporary and traditional Scottish music trio Caelaig

Best Performance

Nominees:
·         Grant Dinwoodie - Le Haggis
·         Justine Squire - Le Haggis
·         Angela Darcy - Janis Joplin - full tilt
·         Sir Leopold Aleksander - Le Haggis

Winner - Justine Squire – aerial performer in Le Haggis 

Graham said: “The awards recognise the sheer excellence of the performers and the shows they put on here. They pitch international and national acts against ones which are home-grown in D&G and what’s been brilliant this year is just how impressed our judges were with Le Haggis, our very own cabaret show which seems to be going from strength to strength.”

The Effect on Tour - Langholm and Castle Douglas dates

From Heart of Hawick

Rehearsals are now underway at Tower Mill, Hawick, for Firebrand Theatre Company’s Scottish premiere of The Effect, by Lucy Prebble one of today’s most celebrated playwrights. The first performance of the tour opens at Heart of Hawick with a preview on Thursday 19 February and runs until Saturday 21 February  followed by performances in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perthshire, Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.

The Effect, is an unconventional and moving love story; sexy, funny, and thought-provoking in the exploration of the limits of medicine in today's pill-popping culture and spiced with warmth, humour and intelligence.

Director Richard Baron says: "Inspired by the consequences of a drugs trial at a private research unit at Northwick Park Hospital in which six volunteers suffered multiple organ failure, this is a highly topical and unusual love story in that it looks provocatively, movingly and humorously at the taboo subject of mental health and poses serious questions about the effectiveness and morality of the hugely successful anti-depressant drug industry. It asks what is a "normal" mind, do depressed people have a more accurate view of the world and is love itself merely a chemical reaction?

It's a very inventive piece that demands brave acting performances. We are therefore delighted to introduce Firebrand audiences to talented new faces Cameron Crighton and Scarlett Mack as the young drug trialists and experienced actors Pauline Knowles (A Slow Air) and Jonathan Coote (fresh from his West End appearance in The Audience starring Helen Mirren) as the supervising doctors, passionately opposed in their understanding of the science of depression and the value of medical intervention. Hopefully The Effect will stir the mind and move the heart."

Connie (Scarlett Mack) is a psychology student. Tristan (Cameron Crighton) is a charming drifter. Both have signed up to a clinical trial for a new antidepressant super-drug and sealed off from the outside world, the attraction between them turns into deeper feelings as their doses get stronger. They've been warned of side effects - can they trust their feelings, or is this just a chemical romance?

As the trial's overseeing physician (Pauline Knowles) and her superior (Jonathan Coote) contend with the illicit relationship of their charges, they become increasingly conflicted about the ethical implications of their work. It's soon clear they have a past beyond the laboratory and neither is objective about the complex issues that surround them.

Directed by award winning Richard Baron, The Effect features a stellar cast with set design by Ken Harrison, who received rave reviews for his design for The Ladykillers at Pitlochry Festival Theatre; lighting design by Matt Eagland and soundscape by Jon Beales all of whom have worked on previous Firebrand productions.

The original production opened to great acclaim at the National Theatre in 2012 and won the Critic's Circle Award for Best New Play for brilliant young playwright Lucy Prebble, author of the West End hit Enron and TV's Secret Diary of a Call Girl.    

The Effect is supported by Creative Scotland and presented in partnership with Heart of Hawick  and sponsored by Friends of Firebrand.

Tower Mill, Heart of Hawick  Thursday 19 – Saturday 21 February at 7.30pm

Tickets: (preview) Thursday 19 February £10

Friday 20 & Saturday 21 February £12

Fullarton Theatre, Castle Douglas Friday 6 March at 7.30pm 

Tickets: £10/£8

Box Office: 01556 504506 www.thefullarton.co.uk

Buccleuch Centre, Langholm Saturday 7 March at 7.30pm

Tickets: £10/£8

Box Office: 01387 381196 www.buccleuchcentre.com

Sanitise at Big Burns Supper

From Lianne Whitelaw

A woman alone in her bathroom – what does it mean to be clean and what does it mean to be dirty?

Sanitise is a highly visual theatre show coming to Big Burns Supper on Tuesday 27^th January at 1pm. This is first stop in a nationwide Scottish tour, following a successful Fringe run in August where the production won a Scotsman Fringe First Award and was nominated for an Arches Brick Award.

Set in the most private of places, where dirt can be flushed away in an instant, Sanitise is a theatrical journey through the fantasy world of one woman alone in her bathroom. Combining physical theatre, dance, music and illustration, Sanitise is a quirky, imaginative production without words, looking at a part of life we never talk about and follows one woman's quest for domestic and sexual liberation. Disgusted by much of the outside world, her bathroom has become a sanctuary of cleanliness and an unlikely venue for self-expression. But there is something dark living beneath the bath and as her inner and outer life is revealed we discover a woman torn between fantasy and fear as she negotiates her relationship with literal and figurative filth.  What does it mean to be clean and what does it mean to be dirty?

Sanitise was created by two young Edinburgh based artists, Caitlin Skinner and Melanie Jordan, who aim to make bold visual theatre which opens up the audience's imaginations, their sense of humour and ultimately their minds. 

Sanitise will play at Electric Theatre Workshop on Tuesday 27^th January at 1pm, as part of Big Burns Supper. Tickets can be bought at the Box Office at 28 Munches Street or online at here