1 FESTIVAL: EAST NEUK FESTIVALThis year’s festival, taking place in several venues, including Kellie Castle, includes a series of concerts by the Eroica Quartet.There’s also the Skampa Quartet from the Czech Republic; throat si
ngers Huun Huur-Tu and Llyr Williams performing Debussy’s Preludes, complemented by Richard Holloway reading from Virginia Woolf’s The Waves.
• Various venues, Fife, today until 6 July, 0131-556 0277 or
www.eastneuk festival.com2 MUSIC: MY BLOODY VALENTINEThe legendary guitar band are still to record a follow up to their 1991 shoegazing masterpiece Loveless, a fact which makes the Blue Nile, Portishead and Kate Bush look like workaholics in comparison. Apparently My Bloody Valentine are working on new material, but don’t expect to hear any on this long-awaited comeback tour. However they are, by all accounts, as loud as ever, so do expect to leave with your hearing not entirely intact,
• Barrowland, Glasgow, 0141-552 4601
3 FILM: HANCOCKSo far, reviews of this superhero blockbuster have been a lot less than kind, particularly in relation to the mid-film twist that sends the story off in an entirely new direction. It’s out today, though. At the very least, you get to see Will Smith flying.
• Cinemas nationwide from today.
4 THEATRE: OUR HOUSEThis musical based around the songs of Madness has had mixed fortunes since its opening in London back in 2002. It won the Laurence Olivier award for best new musical, but some critics’ verdicts were harsh, and it closed after less than a year. It’s back, though, heading off round the UK. See our review, right.
• Theatre Royal, Glasgow, 7:30pm, 0870 060 6647
5 DANCE: SCOTTISH BALLETThe dance company continues its summer tour, taking its current programme to a wider audience across the whole of Scotland.
The evening consists of extracts from five pieces, including Stephen Petronio’s Ride the Beast, set to the music of Radiohead, and Krzysztof Pastor’s In Light and Shadow.
• Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall, 7:30pm, 01856 871445
6 THEATRE: LEST WE FORGETThe studio theatre at the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen has 166 seats. This week, though, one will be added to pay tribute to the 167 men who died in the infamous Piper Alpha disaster, whose 20th anniversary is this year. The occasion is Lest We Forget
a new play telling the Piper Alpha story.
• Lemon Tree, Aberdeen. 7:30pm, 01224 642230
7 THEATRE: THE MERCHANT OF VENICEGlasgow’s annual Bard in the Botanics season kicks off with a version of Shakespeare’s play set in 1930s Europe, a time when, its director Gordon Barr says, good and evil came sharply into focus. Bring waterproofs, and coffee.
• Botanic Gardens, Glasgow, 7:45pm, 0141-276 1614
8 MUSIC: EDINBURGH QUARTETThe Hans Gal Society celebrates the work of the Austrian-born composer in this summer concert featuring the Edinburgh Quartet and viola player Jessica Beeston. The programme includes Gal’s String Quartet Op 106, as well as Bruckner’s String Quintet in F.
• Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh, 7:30pm, 0131-332 8691
9 THEATRE: THE WEDDING SINGERBased on the 1998 Adam Sandler movie, this is a dog’s breakfast of a musical that does little more than go through the Hollywood rom-com motions, via terrible songs. On the plus side, there are good performances from Jonathan Wilkes and Natalie Casey.
• His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen, 7:30pm, 01224 641122
10 VISUAL ART: VANITY FAIR PORTRAITS – PHOTOGRAPHS 1913-2008Many of these celebrity portraits are breathtakingly narcissistic, but there are many striking, fascinating pictures in the SNPG’s big summer show, such as one of a young Einstein.
• Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, 10am to 5pm, 0131-624 6200
The full article contains 648 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
