You can see them here: Festival 08 Photos

I was privileged to be among the audience at the opening night of The National Theatre of Scotland's Festival production of 365 -a new play by David Harrower (appropriate name) and directed by Vicky Featherstone, at The Playhouse in Edinburgh last night.

The show was sold out and for good reason.

It's a polemic piece about the plight of young people entering society after life in care. The show explores, through a cast of about 16, mostly in their teens, what the reality of life is in such a friendless, hostile and downright scary environment.

It's performed by an ensemble, so no one particular actor stood out. But the technical achievements were noteworthy. Set, sound design, lighting and choreography were all outstanding. Paul Buchanan's specially commissioned song that forms a central part of the denouement is spine tingling.

The acting is universally good and at times excellent.

But the greatness of the play is all about the writing.

This is very modern theatre and, as such, doesn't follow a plotline or typical narrative structure and although it's fairly bleak it's by no means humourless. Fundamentally though it touches on the very darkest side of society - misogyny, neglect, class, prejudice, sexual orientation, fear and lack of confidence. Essentially it is about loneliness because most of the relationships we witness are a veneer.

Life as a kid with no familial network is not a good place to be and David Harrower brings this into sharp relief quickly and consistently.

I think it could do with a touch of editing but overall this is an important, thought-provoking and engaging piece of work.

I notice it's playing at the Lyric, Hammersmith from 9 - 29 September. Not knowing the theatre I suspect it will be rather less spectacular than in The Playhouse which, as a stage, offers wide open spaces (and which contributed to the theme of isolation by its very brooding presence).

It's distinctly Scottish, but the points it makes are universal and you lot in Englandshire shouldn't struggle too much with the dialect. (You might not like the language though. My god, the National Theatre of Scotland like a fucking swearword do they not?)

Please follow the link here: Festival 08 Photos

Who won the battle of the scouts v the guides?

To look at the photo album user this link: Festival 08 Photos

As you may be aware our sub camp theme was Aloha the festival of Hawaii. The scouts were quite keen participate as you can see below. This was taken on the first day of camp.

We have just returned from a great camp at Fordel Firs.

The boys had a magic time. Here is what some of them thought:

"Camp Was Great" - Jack

"Excellent" - Adam

"Fan-dabi-dozi"

"The caving was amazing!" - Owen.

We met lots of news friends from as far as Connecticut USA, Wales, Ireland, England and many more. We look forward to hearing from you with all your camp stories.

Our sub camp was Aloha the festival of Hawaii.

We have many photos that will appear on here very soon.

"COMPLETEMENT ANIMES!"

Dès 20h00:

Projections de courts métrages en présence de réalisateurs (Nag Ansorge, Cédric Louis)

Tarte aux pommes, de Isabelle Favez - Plaire, de Patrick Volve - Delivery, de Till Novak - La jeune fille et les nuages, Georges Schwizgebel - La violette, de Gisèle et Nag Ansorge - Wolkenbruch, de Simon Elz - Banquise, Cédric Louis & Claude Barras - La liberté c’est, de Olivier - Je guide tes pas, de Nathalie Boverat - Ryan, de Chris Landreth - Plaid, de PLEIX - Powerplay, de Greg Lawson - Puffing away, de Isaac King.

Lancement du réseau Ram d'âmes, l'art de vivre au quotidien! Le paquebot Atlantic prend le large... Embarquez!

Ram d'âmes and friends!
Musique: Sara Oswald, Charlie Bernath, Jonas Bernath
Lecture: Marie-Jeanne Durech
Défilé d'élégante passagères, et de beaux marins! Plus d'infos sur le blog de Ram d'âmes
Animation: ALADER Productions

ENTREE LIBRE / Petite restauration

SAMEDI 25 MAI: PÔLE SUD

18H00: "Animons le débat!": Projection-rencontre
A la fois art et média, quelle place le film d'animation peut-il occuper au sein du débat d'opinion, de l'action sociale, de la prévention? Quelles synergies entre art et cité? Une question rendue particulièrement actuelle par le développement continu de nouveaux canaux de diffusion audiovisuels (internet, téléphonie mobile)

Invités: Cédric Louis, réalisateur, Sandrine Szabo, créatrice de la communauté "swissweb2", Thierry Weber, Culture Pod, spécialiste du podcasting, Sébastien Baudat, réalisateur, Marie-France Udry, coordinatrice "Subject, le réel image par image".
Animation: Florence Grivel, journaliste

ENTREE LIBRE / Petite restauration

SAMEDI 24 mai: CINEMA CITY-CLUB / PULLY

21h00: Programme 1
22h30: Programme 2

La séance: 12.- frs

(Programmation définitive disponible d'ici le 15 mai, restez informés: abonnez-vous à la newletter SUBJECT!)

DIMANCHE 25 MAI: CINEMA CITY-CLUB / PULLY

11H00: Programme 1
13H00: Programme 2

Dès 10H00: Petit-déjeuner gourmand:
Les fabuleuses tartines de Passe moi le sel!
La séance: 12.- frs
1 séance + petit déjeuner: 25.- frs

Le festival est engagé, nos papilles le sont également!
Restauration essentiellement bio ou bio-dynamique

Ca y est... le financement du festival est (finalement) assuré, le matériel de communication - flyers et affiches - en route pour impression, les questions logistiques clarifiées: A l'horizon, reste un rendez-vous d'amour - au joli mois de mai ! - avec le cinéma d'animation, mélange de rêve et de réel image par image!   Il est temps - enfin - de définir dans le détail le programme des projections. Moment béni. Car si dans son ensemble la sélection des courts métrages est faite, commander les pellicules reste à une source de bonheur et d'émerveillement... Au fil de ces prochaines semaines, plusieurs billets seront consacrés à la programmation. Objectif annoncé:  vous donner l'envie de découvrir ces petits bijoux de l'animation... sur grand écran!

The headliners will be joined by Roots/Americana artist Marion Walsh, coming to the festival from Vancouver BC. Marion made a name for herself by playing the clubs, coffeehouses and on radio shows of Boston and in Portland Oregon. ‘Marion sings with so much conviction she should be convicted for affecting the hearts of all whom listen to this new music' (Roots Music Review). Seattle singer songwriter Wes Weddell spent 63 days In 2001 traveling the state of Washington, picking up stories about the people he met and turning those stories into song. The project ultimately fueled several CDs, featuring everything from playful tunes and ballads to rockabilly romps, one of which won Wes the 2006 Tumbleweed Music Festival songwriting contest.

Many of this year's festival artists are Alaskans. Anchorage singer/songwriter Tom Begich returns to the festival with his insightful storytelling with blues rhythms and an easy picking style. Talkeetna's Esther Golton is a singer/songwriter with a mountain dulcimer and a flute. It sounds traditional enough, but not when you perch the dulcimer on a home-made stand, coax out jazzy chord progressions, cross genres from gentle folk to pop to blues and jazz, and add insightful, often humorous lyrics. Returning to the festival is Anchorage pianist and jazzman extraordinaire Dan McElrath and his band, Shawn Zuke and renowned bassist Milo Matthews, plus many other musicians from around the state, including our own Seldovia talent.

Friday and Saturday performances begin at 6:30pm. The headliners and many of the other artists will host Saturday afternoon workshops, a great way for everyone to participate in the festival and to learn some new skills. There will be workshops just for children too. Festival events are held at Susan B. English School in Seldovia, where tickets will be available at the door. Prices for adults are $25 per performance and $10 for all workshops, or buy one ticket for the whole festival (performances plus workshops) for $39. Prices for children (K-12) are $10 per performance plus $5 for a workshop pass, or $20 for the whole festival. Check the festival webpage www.seldoviamusicfestival.wordpress.com for all the details.

Réservez vos dates!

La soirée d'ouverture du 23 mai, organisée au cinéma Atlantic s'annonce pleines de surprises!

Vous pourrez également vous régaler avec deux programmes de courts métrages savoureux diffusés au City Pully, ou nous rejoindre pour une projection et un débat chaleureux et engagé au Centre culturel Pôle Sud!

Des nouvelles de la programmation très bientôt... sur ce blog!