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Avenue Q At HMT – Duncan Harley Reviews

Aberdeen City, Featured, Opinion No Responses »

Apr 012016

Duncan Harley Reviews ‘Avenue Q’ at His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen

Avenue Q. Possibly the funniest musical to hit the Aberdeen stage in recent years.

Billed as unsuitable for little monsters, ‘Avenue Q’ pushes the boundaries of acceptability well beyond the realms of the kiddies’ Saturday afternoon matinée.
Fluffy Muppetry, or the sanitized Cookie Monster-ridden Elmo’s World of Sesame Street don’t even get a look-in, as the Bad Idea Bears and Lucy the Slut strut their stuff in what must be the funniest musical to hit the Aberdeen stage in recent years.

Internet porn, courtesy of Trekkie Monster, and the temptations of puppet flesh are to the fore in this coming of age musical parable.

Charles Bukowski would have loved ‘Avenue Q’; in fact maybe, in some forgotten way, he inspired it.

The theme of this production is simple. The sun may be shining and it may be a lovely day, but life sucks. A cast of losers inhabit a run down street in the lowest of the lowest districts of New York City, while life in general passes them by.

Enter stage left Rhiane Drummond, as the upbeat and cheery Gary Coleman, juvenile star of 1980s US sitcom Diff’rent Strokes, who infamously sued his parents for financial mismanagement before hitting rock bottom. The residents unanimously agree that it sucks, big-time, to be Gary.

Gary of course is played by a woman, and since most of the other characters in the musical are played by puppets, it is strikingly obvious that a fair degree of suspension of disbelief is required if this musical production is to be taken at all seriously.

Proving perhaps that puppets can get away with offensive behaviour where humans often can not, this show not only includes graphic puppet sex scenes, but also a host of hilarious musical numbers likely to cause offence to the unwary.

Laid back numbers include ‘It Sucks to Be Me’, ‘Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist’ and that Trekkie Monster classic ‘The Internet is for Porn’.

The puppets don’t have a monopoly on lewdness however, and Richard Morse’s quite brilliant rendition of ‘I’m Not Wearing Underwear Today’ presents as a classic example of finely delivered and masterfully understated slapstick.

The central theme of ‘life sucks’ is examined closely alongside ideas surrounding commitment, sexuality, racism and of course the well known concept of Schadenfreude.

It came as a surprise to realise that the puppets outnumber the humans throughout this production; and that is a testament to the folk in black who pull the strings, work the rods, sing the songs and voice the dialogue.

‘Avenue Q’ makes absolutely no pretence whatsoever at treading that fine line between bawdy Bukowski and fluffy Muppetry; and as for Schadenfreude? You can Google it or simply go along to the theatre and ask Lucy the Slut to explain. Either way you won’t be disappointed.

Directed and Choreographed by Cressida Carré / Resident Director/Choreographer Jessica Parker.

‘Avenue Q’ plays at HMT Aberdeen until Saturday 2nd April.

Tickets from Aberdeen Performing Arts Tel: 01224- 641122

Words © Duncan Harley and Images © Sell a Door Theatre Company

Grammar Rugby Club Eyes Melrose Sevens Prize

Aberdeen City, Featured, Sport No Responses »

Apr 012016

With thanks to Gemma Setter.

On Saturday 9 April, Aberdeen Grammar Rugby Club will join 23 other Scottish and international teams for the 126th annual Aberdeen Asset Management Melrose Sevens. The club will be giving it their all this year in the hopes of bringing the sought-after Ladies Cup back to Aberdeen for the first time.

Now an Olympic sport debuting in Rio de Janeiro this summer, rugby sevens was conceived over a century ago in the picturesque border town of Melrose by local butcher and player Ned Haig as a fundraiser for his team.

With its shorter length and fast-paced action, the seven-a-side sport quickly grew in popularity both in Scotland and overseas.

The annual tournament has captured the hearts of rugby fans across the globe, and 12,000 spectators will travel to Melrose to see the world’s oldest rugby sevens tournament in the flesh. For those unable to attend in person, the competition will also be broadcast live on the BBC.

Aberdeen Grammar Rugby Club will face stiff opposition on the day from around 20 eager Scottish teams, as well as international sides from Italy, France and Belgium who will all be vying for the glory of lifting the Ladies Cup in the home of rugby sevens.

Title sponsor Aberdeen Asset Management will return to support the historic rugby sevens tournament for the fifth time in 2016.

Martin Gilbert, chief executive of Aberdeen, says,

“In recent years, interest in rugby sevens has increased dramatically. From its origins in the depths of the Scottish borders to its new high-profile status as an Olympic sport, rugby sevens’ popularity and impact on the worldwide sporting community is undeniable.

“As the birthplace of rugby sevens, Melrose is still dedicated to fostering new talent and the town holds a special place in fans’ hearts. Each year thousands from around the world make the pilgrimage to The Greenyards in order to witness the sport at its roots. The atmosphere on the pitchside is incredible – unlike any other – but those unable to travel can still enjoy the action on screen.

“With the world’s attention firmly focussed on rugby sevens, the teams will be training harder than ever to lift the trophy at the tournament which started it all. Aberdeen is proud to support a sport which from humble Scottish beginnings has gripped the world, and continues to grow in popularity.”

The Aberdeen Asset Management Melrose Sevens offers fun and excitement both on and off the pitch, making the tournament an exciting experience for families, couples and rugby fans who like their sporting action fast and exhilarating. Couple that with the impressive fancy dress and electric atmosphere that fill the stands, and it makes for the perfect day out.

Tickets for the event start from £10 for children, £15 for senior citizens and £20 for adults. Family tickets are also available for £50, admitting two adults and two children.

For more information about the Aberdeen Asset Management Melrose Sevens, and to book tickets, visit www.melrose7s.com. Keep up to date with the action on Twitter @melrosevens

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Malt And Moo-sic

Aberdeenshire, Featured, Information No Responses »

Apr 012016

Speyside farmers launch bid to produce beef to rival world famous Kobe beef from Japan. With thanks to Eoin Smith, Tricker PR.

Monday 28th March 2016, Aberdeen, Scotland, SOSWF urging cattle farmers to follow the lead of Japanese producers of Kobe beef, but instead of drinking beer, Speyside cattle will be fed draff from distilleries, drink whisky, and will have traditional Scottish music played to them. Pictured: Ann Miller, Spirit of Speyside Whiskey Festival. (Photo: Ross Johnston/Newsline Media)

One of the Aberdeen Angus herd cannot wait to get his daily dram from Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival director Ann Miller.

Farmers on Speyside are being urged to lead a fight back for the Scotch whisky industry after a Japanese malt was named best in the world – by feeding their cattle a daily dram.

A nip of our national drink – coupled with a diet of high quality feed from distillery by-products – could produce meat so succulent and tender that it will rival Japan’s famous Kobe beef.

And it is thought that playing cattle upbeat traditional Scots music, in much the same way that Kobe herds enjoy classical sounds, will further enhance the quality of the beef.

Now there are calls from organisers of the world renowned Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival for local farmers to help further trial the theory.

Thousands of visitors from all over the globe visit the annual Festival, and organisers are concerned about the level of attention being focused on Japanese whisky.

Ann Miller, a director of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, says,

“We do not believe there is anywhere on earth that produces better malt whisky than Speyside – and millions of whisky drinkers agree.

“We were genuinely shocked and dismayed when Yamazaki was named the best whisky in the world, but we are firm believers in the old adage of don’t get mad, get even.

“And that is exactly what we intend to do. All the signs indicate that introducing Speyside malt into a cow’s diet and using animal feed created from distillery by-products gives the meat a lovely, whisky-tinged flavour.”

The incredible discovery was made by Speyside farmers Ali Rolfop and Joe King, who have a herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle.

They were mucking out a byre one evening on their farm, Ure Gullybale, near the distillery town of Keith and poured a bottle of single malt Scotch into a water trough.

Ali explains,

“I’m a big fan of two of Speyside’s most famous products – malt whisky and traditional music – and so I decided to share these with our cattle.

“The next day, we noticed their coats were shiny and their eyes were bright. We’ve since been sharing a bottle of malt with them and we even have some local fiddlers come down to perform. We tasted the beef from the herd for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it is sensational – there is definitely a hint of whisky in the meat.”

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival takes place from April 28 to May 2 and is one of the biggest events of its kind anywhere in the world. It comprises almost 500 different events, from distillery tours to whisky tastings, from ceilidhs to comedy nights, and from whisky themed dinners to outdoor events.

Ann adds,

“With all this focus on Japan, I suppose we are a little worried that the thousands of visitors who fly in from all corners of the globe to enjoy our Festival might be tempted to go there instead.

“But while Japan may have been able to produce some decent drams, it doesn’t have the history and heritage of Scotch whisky. We’ve been producing the best whisky in the world for generations – no beef about it – and while they have learned how to make whisky from us, we’re now learning from their farming techniques.”

Tickets for all events in the 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival programme are available to buy now at www.spiritofspeyside.com The Festival is also active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and on Instagram.

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Contemporary Art Practice From Gray’s – Exhibition

Aberdeen City, Featured, Information No Responses »

Mar 242016

With thanks to John Morrison.

Peacock Visual Arts is proud to present an exhibition of works by 4th-year students from this year’s Contemporary Art Practice course at Gray’s School of Art. Albeit short, this 3-day exhibition gives us a privileged opportunity to see artworks from a new wave of artists, created using a wide variety of media.

Michael Agnew, Course Leader, Contemporary Art Practice at Gray’s School of Art said:

“This exhibition is a final external rehearsal for the big event opening on the 17th of June 2016 at Gray’s School of Art. From this point forward each of the 31 exhibitors will have all hands to the pump in producing their first one-person shows.

“The eclectic nature and diversity of their practices are there for all to see and I know there is enough breadth for everyone visiting this survey to whet the appetite for June and future creativity and sustainability beyond. I am positive that the knowledgeable audience from Aberdeen won’t be departing this show in disappointment.”

Date: 25-26 March 2016
Opening: Thur 24 March 2016, 6-8pm. All Welcome
Location: Peacock Visual Arts

Charity In Urgent Need Of Volunteer Drivers

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Mar 242016

With thanks to Future Choices.

Whilst most Charities seek your help when it comes to funding.

Local Voluntary Charity Future Choices is desperately seeking Voluntary drivers to help them keep going and providing a vital service within the local community.

The Charity which is 100% run by a dedicated team of Volunteers needs more drivers to come forward and help.

Most members who use the service rely on being collected by their dedicated bus, but if they have no driver available on the day – the Charity automatically grinds to a hault.

Chairman of the group, David Forbes states:

“It’s so hard especially these days to seek volunteers to help out but to seek voluntary drivers is even harder, and that’s why im making a desperate plea to people who could help, to come forward.“

Future Choices runs it’s weekly service supporting the most vulnerable in the community every Tuesday from 11am at their Garthdee base, Inchgarth Community Centre.

They need volunteer drivers to come forward and be able to help from 9am till around 4pm on a Tuesday.

David added:

“The worse case scenario would be to suspend the group gatherings if their was no drivers available – which would completely devastate the community and the charity and it’s members.”

If you feel you can help, you can contact David on 0800 5668728 or email info@future-choices.org.uk

Peacock Visual Arts Presents ‘Drawing In Response’

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Mar 242016

With thanks to John Morrison.

Peacock Visual Arts is delighted to present Drawing in Response.

Drawing in Response is the result of the Bethany Arts Project, led by Bethany Christian Trust, in partnership with Gray’s School of Art and Peacock Visual Arts.

Bethany Arts Project is an ambitious new art project working with local homeless and vulnerable people to help build confidence and learn new skills by participating in a series of printmaking and photography workshops.

Facilitated by Bethany’s Arts Coordinator, Caitlyn Main, and with the help of Gray’s School of Art students Aiden Milligan and David Brown, participants worked with Peacock’s printmakers to create exciting new work of their own.

The aim of the Bethany Arts Project is to enable homeless and vulnerable people to work with artists in a way that harnesses their experience, enthusiasm, and creativity, as well as increase their own self-esteem.

Bethany Arts Project seeks to challenge perceptions of homelessness and social exclusion and encourage more mutual respect and understanding across the city.

Date: 1-16 April 2016
Opening: Thursday 31st March 2016, All welcome
Location: Peacock Visual Arts

Next Of Kin Exhibition Shares Memories Of WW1- 02.04.16

Aberdeen City, History, Information No Responses »

Mar 242016

With thanks to Martyn Smith, Marketing & Events Organiser, Grampian Transport Museum

Next of Kin, an exhibition created by National Museums Scotland, opens on 2nd April at the Grampian Transport Museum.

It presents a picture of Scotland during the First World War through treasured objects from official and private sources, passed to close relatives and down through generations.

The exhibition was previously shown at the National War Museum in Edinburgh Castle, and Grampian Transport Museum will be the fifth of nine touring venues around Scotland.

It is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Scottish Government. Each of the host venues will be adding material from their own collections to tell local stories which reflect the themes of the exhibition.

Next of Kin will tell the stories of those directly involved in the Great War, including Colonel Frank Fleming. Colonel Fleming was taken prisoner, and his experiences will now be brought to life with a number of personal effects, including his officer’s pass to leave the prisoner of war camp for recreational purposes. Colonel Fleming’s cell wall calendar will also be displayed – prisoners were denied all information including what the date was, so he kept his own record.

Canadian Lieutenant James Humphrey’s story will also be told for the first time; Lieutenant Humphrey was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry and was wounded in action. While recovering in hospital he met his future wife when invited by her parents to their home for Christmas. The Next of Kin exhibition will include items belonging to Humphreys, including his wounded man’s kit label. Invalided out and very nearly losing his right arm, he was sent back to a London hospital – just one of tens of thousands of injured soldiers.

The exhibition will be supported with further displays including a Foster Wellington traction engine, affectionately known as Olive, which was originally commissioned by the War Department. The museum’s 1914 Sentinel Steam Waggon, used by local carrier Alexander Runcie, was new at the outbreak of war and helped to provide a much needed morale boost.

Runcie utilised the Sentinel to provide excursions for local groups of children.

A horse-drawn Aberdeen tram will also be decorated in the period style, harking back to the days when such vehicles were used as recruitment vehicles.

Goliath, a 10hp McLaren Traction engine, will also be on display for the season, having been used to pull heavy guns on the Western Front. Goliath would go on to become a Showman’s Road Locomotive, before being preserved by an enthusiast from Aberdeenshire.

Grampian Transport Museum Curator Mike Ward said:

“The First World War had a profound influence on Aberdeenshire. The depopulation of the Cabrach was partly due to the rush of young men to volunteer in 1914, thinking it would be a great adventure together and that they would be home by Christmas. The war memorials testify to the losses suffered by local families, in some cases three sons from one family.

“This is a sensitive subject and the museum is keen to take a look at what happened in our locality on the home front. There are many very sad stories but also some of great relief as ‘missing in action’ became ‘taken prisoner’.”

Stuart Allan of National Museums Scotland said:

“The First World War separated millions of people worldwide from their families and homes. The impact of the conflict was felt by families and communities in every part of Scotland as individuals served in the war in different ways. For those who experienced the conflict, keeping objects was a way of remembering this extraordinary period in their lives, or coping with the absence and loss of their loved ones.

“We look forward to touring the exhibition and bringing these stories from the National collection to people across the country and we particularly look forward to the stories which our partners will tell alongside ours.”

The material on loan from National Museums Scotland looks in detail at eight individual stories which both typify and illustrate the wider themes and impact of the War on servicemen and women and their families back home in Scotland. Objects include postcards and letters, photographs, medals and memorial plaques.

Examples include;

Two autograph books in which Nurse Florence Mellor collected drawings, watercolours, verses, jokes and messages from the wounded soldiers in her care at Craiglockhart War Hospital.
The pocket New Testament which Private James Scouller was carrying the day he died at Cambrai in 1917, returned to his family by a German soldier on the eve of the Second World War.
Drawings and postcards by Henry (Harry) Hubbard, an architectural draughtsman in Glasgow who contracted illnesses so severe that he ended up spending 16 months in hospital.
The last letter home from George Buchanan, Seaforth Highlanders, a railway plate-layer from Bathgate who was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Loos, along with his memorial plaque and service medals.
The shell fragment which wounded Private William Dick. He kept the fragment after it was removed from his leg, but later died from the wound.

As the exhibition tours, the host venues will develop additional content using their own objects and stories related to their respective local areas. The results of these additional contributions will be captured and preserved in the exhibition displays and a digital app interactive.

Learning activities exploring the exhibition themes will take place at each venue. School and community groups will be able to interact with a bespoke handling collection made up of original and replica objects. There will also be an associated training programme to develop new skills among the participating organisations.

The tour starts in Dumfries and then the exhibition travels to Rozelle House Galleries (Ayr), Hawick Museum, Low Parks Museum (Hamilton), Grampian Transport Museum (Alford), Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Perth Museum and Art Gallery and the Black Watch Castle and Museum and Orkney Museum.

The full list of partner organisations and touring venues can be found here: http://www.nms.ac.uk/nextofkin

Explaining the importance of the HLF support, the Head of HLF in Scotland, Lucy Casot said:

“The impact of the First World War was far reaching, touching and shaping every corner of the UK and beyond. The Heritage Lottery Fund has invested more than £60million in projects – large and small – that are marking this global Centenary.

“With our grants, we are enabling communities like those involved in the Next of Kin exhibition to explore the continuing legacy of this conflict and help local young people in particular to broaden their understanding of how it has shaped our modern world.”

Next Of Kin Exhibition
2nd April 2016
Grampian Transport Museum, Alford.

Range Of Events Planned For Roof Garden

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Mar 242016

With thanks to Jessica Murphy, Senior Account Executive, Citrus:Mix.

The sound of jazz will emanate from a city centre roof garden this weekend as an exciting programme of events gets underway.

Bon Accord & St Nicholas will host a number of performances for Jazz On The Green – part of the Aberdeen Jazz Festival running from March 16 to 20 – at the greenspace near the St Nicholas centre.

A range of jazz acts will perform in the bandstand in the roof garden on Sunday March 20, uniting the city centre in a celebration of jazz, blues, funk, soul, R & B, swing, bop, vocals and big band, with free admission for all.

Work on improved seating, lighting, flower provision and a brand new children’s play area was completed last year to breathe new life into the greenspace – and it is hoped it will become a popular destination within the city centre.

Plans are in place for an Easter Egg hunt within the roof garden and events will continue throughout spring and summer.

Craig Stevenson, manager of Bon Accord & St Nicholas, said:

“We are delighted to be playing a part in the Aberdeen Jazz Festival, which is always a fantastic and lively event. This will be a great chance for the public to come along to the enhanced roof garden and see how it has been transformed in the past year. The bandstand within the roof garden is a great performance area and event space and I am sure the talented jazz performers will draw the crowds in.

“A lot of hard work went into transforming the area and we want it to be a space for the people of Aberdeen to enjoy. We are looking forward to finalising a wide range of exciting events throughout spring and summer and welcoming people to the garden throughout the months to come.”

Bon Accord & St Nicholas are at the heart of Aberdeen city centre’s retail sector, offering 840,000 sq ft of prime space and home to around 100 stores. Scotland’s largest Next, Aberdeen’s only Topshop and Topman standalone store as well as the City’s largest New Look and River Island are among the key retailers.

The centres, which attract an average of 275,000 visitors a week, are owned by BMO Real Estate Partners and managed by specialist retail agency Savills. For further information on the centres visit www.bonaccordandstnicholas.com

Picture Credit: “Inside the Bon Accord centre – geograph.org.uk – 1241608” by Stanley Howe. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Commons

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Whisky Festival Reveals Plans For New Festival

Aberdeenshire, Articles, Featured No Responses »

Mar 242016

With thanks to Leanne Carter, Account Manager, Tricker PR.

Plans for a brand new festival that will bring Speyside’s whisky producers together under one roof for the first time were highlighted at a major tourism conference on Wednesday.
Organisers of the world-class Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival outlined their proposals for the event to delegates attending the Moray Speyside Tourism Summit.

Festival manager Pery Zakeri (pictured) said the three-day event taking place in the area’s capital town of Elgin from September 9 – 11 would deliver a boost to tourism businesses, bringing more visitors into the area at a time when the traditional summer season is drawing to a close.

The new event will feature up to 28 different whisky distillers from the region, along with local beers and gin and a wide range of food producers. There will also be a whisky retail shop organised by renowned specialist outlet, The Whisky Shop Dufftown.

Visitors will buy a ticket to attend one of four different sessions over the course of the weekend. Entry to each session will be limited to just 300 people, and demand is expected to be high when tickets go on sale later this year.

Festival manager Pery Zakeri told delegates at the conference,

“This is a brand new weekend for Moray Speyside and we are hoping to attract a new, younger audience that will be different to the audience we attract to the May festival.

“We are looking to draw in people from Inverness, Aberdeen and the rest of Scotland and the UK, and while there might be an international audience, it will have more of a local focus in the initial years.

“It’s a unique event that will drive tourism to the region, and one that will add to the local events calendar and whisky events calendar.”

Although different whisky brands have been working together as part of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival for almost two decades, all of the activities for the that event tend to take place in their own distilleries.

This will be the first time that the area’s distillers will come together on their own doorstep under one roof. Elgin Town Hall has been selected as the location because it is the central point in Moray Speyside with good transport connections for road and rail, delegates at the Alexander Graham Bell Centre in Elgin were told.

Organisers believe the smaller, centrally located event will appeal to those who want to enjoy and learn more about Speyside’s whisky but do not want to plan a five-day itinerary for a major event like the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

It comprises over 400 different events from distillery tours and tastings and from ceilidhs to comedy, and events are staged everywhere from Kingussie in the south to Forres in the west and Buckie in the east. The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival takes place from April 28 to May 2.

Commenting on what the new event will offer, Pery told the conference,

“There will be world class whiskies, local gin and craft beers and of course a range of food producers. But the main thing will be the chance to meet Speyside’s whisky stars in one place at the same time.”

Tickets for the September festival are expected to go on sale in June this year and will be available at www.spiritofspeyside.com

Lulu At HMT 21.03.16 – Dod Morrison Reviews

Aberdeen City, Featured, Opinion No Responses »

Mar 222016

Review and photographs by Dod Morrison.

Most 67 years olds would be sitting at home, retired or pondering retirement. But Lulu? She is in the middle of a 35 date tour.

Billed as ‘An Evening With Lulu’, the iconic artist performs her hits and the songs that have influenced her career.

In 2015 she released her first self penned album ‘Making Life Rhyme’ and did her first tour in 10 years, she had so much fun and she decided to do it again 2016

It is a 2 hour set that many of the bands nowadays half her age couldn’t do.

Throughout the evening we are told stories and reminded that she has worked with some of the best out there including the late David Bowie and she does her rendition of ‘The Man Who Sold The World’.

We are told when she was going to write some songs and was wondering how to go about it.

She realised she lived with one of the best song writers around, Maurice Gibb.

We are told a story about the Bee Gees meeting up during one of their band splits and how they all met in a room for the first time in ages, and penned a song there and then.

Another story of the evening is her affection for Sydney Poitier and about her, at 19 years old, being cast for her film debut ‘To Sir With Love’.

She tells how, at that time, the film couldn’t be made in America, and singing the title track which went to number one in the US pop charts for 5 weeks in 1967.

She then announces:

“We will sing it now and I have updated it a bit”

The crowd love it.

During the evening she brings on the Military Wife’s Choir and they perform a rendition ‘Cry’ which brings a standing ovation from the crowd.

The last song is looming and Lulu says:

“I know what you want me to play and I know what you want me to sing, so let’s do it”

….and that now famous “weeeellllll” is shouted out and ‘Shout’ is played.

The military wife’s choir appear down the middle of the aisle to get people up and dancing but they need no encouragement and all are dancing and singing away.

Her voice throughout is immense , still great.

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