Something For The Weekend: Anastasia Coope, Rylan, Linder and more
It's a Hidden Door kind of weekend for us, but there's plenty of other fun to be had across Glasgow and Edinburgh. In this week's edition of SFTW, we're catching a US folk star at the Old Hairdresser's, enjoying a heartwarming ode to joy at the cinema, exploring gender with Linder, and much more
AROUND TOWN
Arts extravaganza Hidden Door (until Sunday 15 June) transforms forgotten urban spaces into venues showcasing new and emerging talent in the areas of music, theatre, art and film. This year, The Paper Factory in Edinburgh gets a creative overhaul as it plays host to an eclectic programme of entertainment.
Promising its own stimulating line-up of talks, comedy, live music, and food and drink, Borders Book Festival (until Sunday 15 June) will be bringing the likes of Gordon Buchanan, Kirsty Wark, Alison Steadman, Stacey Dooley and Michael Palin to Melrose, plus there’s a family-friendly strand to keep the kids amused.
Kicking off this weekend is the community-run Leith Festival (Saturday 14 – Sunday 22 June) taking place in the titular Edinburgh port, and featuring local stories, a night market, yoga, singing sessions, a gala, open days, meditation, street art, a walking tour and more.
MUSIC
Recently returning to the studio to record their first new music in more than 20 years following an explosion of interest on TikTok, British alt-rockers bôa (Thursday 12 June) are back on stage. Check out their new sound at The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh.
Meanwhile, at The Old Hairdresser’s in Glasgow, rising US folk star Anastasia Coope (Sunday 15 June) will be performing. Her debut album, Darning Woman, was released last year.
With more than 900 million views on YouTube, Tanzanian singing sensation Diamond Platnumz (Sunday 15 June) will be bringing his barnstorming brand of bongo flava to Glasgow’s SWG3 this weekend.
STAGE
Accompanying Dr Martin Luther King Jr on his last night on Earth, The Mountaintop (until Saturday 21 June) is an Olivier award-winning play from Katori Hall which takes a fascinating look at the man behind the legend. Catch it at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum.
At the city’s Queen’s Hall, Emma Kenny’s Killer Couples (Friday 13 June) sees the crime presenter delve into the lives of murderous duos, from Brady and Hindley to their modern-day equivalents.
Meanwhile Glasgow’s Tramway is playing host to KELI (until Saturday 14 June), which tells the story of a fiery teen in a former mining town who finds self-expression in music. Featuring a live brass score by Ivor Novello-winner Martin Green (of Lau fame).
SCREEN
Debut narrative feature director Daisy-May Hudson tells an urgent and essential story of a single mum fighting to get her kids back from foster care in Loachian drama Lollipop (Friday 13 June), starring a superb Posy Sterling as the messy but well-meaning Molly.
Celebrate one of the unluckiest days of the year in killer fashion with Edinburgh’s Cameo cinema, which has a special screening of seminal slasher Friday The 13th (Friday 13 June), featuring (spoiler alert) an early, not exactly long-lived appearance from Kevin Bacon.
The Refugee Festival Scotland kicks off this weekend and Glasgow Film Theatre will be getting involved by hosting some screenings, one of which is the Glasgow Film Club screening of Winners (Wednesday 18 June), a charming Iranian ode to cinema.
PODCASTS
Rylan: How To Be In Love finds the presenter on a mission to find his way back to love, speaking to Stephen Fry, Self Esteem, Philippa Perry, Matt and Emma Willis, Munroe Bergdorf and more about their romantic lives.
Overcoming health hurdles is at the heart of Bedside Manners. It’s hosted by Dr Oscar Duke who talks to the likes of Miriam Margolyes, Paul Whitehouse and Chloe Meadows.
If it’s superior silliness you’re after then French & Saunders: Titting About is back for its sixth season. It reunites the comedy stalwarts for some ‘titting about’ with serious subjects, from stress to tech to time travel.
VISUAL ART
Exploring architecture and design across Scotland, the bi-annual Architecture Fringe (until Sunday 22 June) combines exhibitions, performance, workshops, installations and more.
Touring exhibition Linder: Danger Came Smiling (until Sunday 19 October) is the artist’s first retrospective in Scotland. It showcases five decades of trailblazing artwork as it explores her fascination with plants and non-traditional representations of gender and sexuality. Check it out amid fitting surroundings at Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden.
And finally, wrapping up this weekend at Edinburgh’s Ingleby Gallery is Ian Hamilton Finlay: Fragments (until Saturday 14 June). It’s one of eight exhibitions taking place concurrently across the globe that celebrate the centenary of the late, great artist.
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Main image: Chris Scott
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