As the tents
start to some down in George street and the fireworks light up the skies over
the castle to the strains of West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet… and another
EF, the worlds biggest arts festival, inevitably draws to a close. There may be
sadness, but while we know the show must go on, we also accept – perhaps not at
this hectic level!
At CLUB CUMIING at The Hub, actor and musical star Alan Cumming – showed us clearly why he became a number one star on Broadway. At Mozart’s romantic comedy opera Cosi Fan Tutte direct from festival d’Aix-en-Provence.at the festival theatre, there was also much to celebrate. At the Book festival, many famous authors and poets visited to give illuminating talks on their books.
Each EF I always
visit some specific haunts – it replenishes my creativity and artistic heart –
I hope anyway. To recharge, maybe open new windows, even renewals, to connect
too.
*MUSIC at EF 2016
The Official festival has broadened it’s appeal under new
Irish director Fergus
Linehan with an expanded and diverse music program -
Emma
Pollock with RM Hubbert, Bdy-Prts, Cairn Strap quartet,
Sigar
Ros, Mogwai, Young Fathers
GRIT
- 5 star reviews. “masterpiece of
arrangement” with “Fiona Hunters earthiness contrasting to ethereal voices of
the Glasgow Chapel choir.” I was lucky
enough to hear this wonderful concert at the opening of Celtic Connections 2015.
 |
| Emma Pollock |
 |
| Rodddie Woomble and Friends |
On the Saturday Unbound evening - Roddie Woomble and friends – which included Andrew Mitchell dynamic on bass, Siobhan Wilson’s beautiful voice and on cello, and also kayboards
I wish I had recorded this event, what an enjoyable, top
class band! Well done to all.
EF is a celebration of where the different cultures meet –
the more bazaar the better! Soul sustenance’
Follow them all, know them all, be able to hear, be able to
know….
Explore those highways new or forgotten. The footsteps of
Edinburgh festival – the sounds of George street, firework bangs, crowd cheers
and claps, the laughter and song.
**is there A NEW Scottish Writers Museum
The saunter
through the energy of the Fringe performers on the High Street – and I walk
along George St and up the Mound and on down the high street. I eat at Bilbos on the corner of Chambers St.
I stopped in
at the very small Scottish writers museum up a small winding stair in a hidden
close at the top of the High street. There are exhibits to Robert Burns, Robert
Louis Stevenson, and Walter Scott. Apart from a few Burns paintings and a
display of his Kilmarnock first Edition of his Poems - there is not a lot here.
I asked the
lady there about a possible new museum. I said I have visited the Irish Writers
museum which is housed in an impressive Georgian mansion and is 50 times bigger
There was
talk of putting a decent size Scottish
Writers museum beside the National library.
There are no
modern authors or women writers or any of Scotland’s great philosophers of the
enlightenment; Where is Robert Fergusson who wrote of Edinburgh and inspired
Burns to write in Scots? Where is Arthur Conan Doyle, Hugh MacDiarmid, James
MacPherson or JM Barrie?
At an Irish
concert at Celtic Connections I mentioned to an Irish lady beside me about the
interesting Irish Writers Museum – she said perhaps there weren’t enough good
Scottish writers! I hope one day she
might be proved wrong and we might have as Scottish Writers Museum that truly
reflects not only this great city of Literature but also the MANY great Scottish
writers and artists.
