Arcadia Scotland
Edinburgh Happenings: February 2015
Date
February 3, 2015Art and Culture
Edinburgh Students Arts Festival: 5-13 February The Pleasance
A student-run festival celebrating and showcasing art of all kinds from six of Edinburgh's educational institutes.
Edge and Shore: Acts of Doing: 3-7 February, Dovecot Studios, 2-4pm
New work by Helen Carnac and Laïla Dallo, skirting the boundaries between dance and installation, developed as part of a residency in Siobhan Davies Dance.
Game Masters: Throughout February, National Museum of Scotland
Massive touring exhibition celebrating the varied history of computer gaming. With more than 125 playable games to work your way through, get stuck into arcade games, physical games (thinkDance Battle et al), consoles, PCs and many more. On top of this, there's also displays of concept art, interactive displays and in-depth interviews with game designers.
George Wylie: Keeping the Balance: Throughout February, Summerhall
Work by the late artist, calling for a more harmonious relationship between people and the planet.
Raoul de Keyser: Throughout February, Inverleith House
Work from the late, prolific Dutch painter whose career blossomed late in his life.
Beauty by Design: Fashioning the Renaissance: Throughout February, National Portrait Gallery
Work by contemporary fashion designers inspired by Old Master paintings, using materials such as lace that are associated with earlier periods, together with an exploration of Renaissance ideas of beauty and cosmetics.
Music, Comedy and Dance
Archie Fisher: 4 February, Edinburgh Folk Club, 8pm
A mixture of Scottish traditional and contemporary songs from folk troubadour Fisher, known for his BBC Radio 4 award-winning show Travelling Folk.
Simon Amstell: To Be Free: 4 February, The Queen's Hall, 8pm
Stand-up and former Buzzcocks presenter with his acerbic, self-deprecating humour taking on freedom, suffering, forgiveness and other cheery topics.
Dunedin Consort: Coffee and Enlightenment, or Why we should be frightened by Bach (and why we're not): 4 February, Greyfriar's Kirk, 6pm
John Butt and the Consort recreate the atmosphere of a Leipzig coffee house, the places where Bach hung out with other musicians and intellectuals and for which he composed some of his secular cantatas.
Russian State Ballet: Nutcracker: 11 February, Edinburgh Playhouse, 7:30pm
Full-length classical ballet set to Tchaikovsky's music and performed by the renowned company.
Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Sir Scallywag and the Golden Underpants: 14 February, The Assembly Rooms, 12pm and 2:30pm
Paul Rissmann's adaptation of Giles Andreae's children's book is conducted by Ben Gernon and is presented by Chris Jarvis. Note: May contain a bottom. Among other items on the programme are Handel's suitably explosive Music for the Royal Fireworks.
One Man, Two Guvnors: 17-21 February, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 2:30pm or 7:30pm
National Theatre's satirical, slapstick production based on The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni. Featuring Gavin Spokes as Francis Henshall and Shaun Williamson (Barry from EastEnders) as Charlie Clench.
Lectures, Sports and Local Festivals
Edinburgh Iranian Festival: 6-16 February, Various venues and times
A welcome return for this volunteer-run biannual cultural festival, which celebrates the heritage and creativity of Iran. The programme features art exhibitions, live music by Glasgow-based Arazoo Symphony Orchestra, fashion by contemporary Iranian designers, an Iranian film season organised in collaboration with the Filmhouse Cinema Edinburgh, workshops, a lecture series and an Iranian teahouse set up within Persian Rug Village.