Stage and screen favourites join festival programme
DUNFERMLINE’S Outwith Festival is boasting a rip- roaring comedy line- up for this year’s programme.
It will feature YouTube and social media sensation Kieran Hodgson, who plays series regular Gordon in BBC sitcom Two Doors Down.
The three- time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee will be performing his hit Fringe show ‘ Big in Scotland’.
It was described by Time Out as a “geeky love letter” to the country as well as an “epic work of self- mockery”, Late last year, Kieran’s send- up of The Crown went viral, garnering four million views and even becoming the focus of a Vanity Fair article.
He followed that up with witty multi- character story- telling sketches based on Happy Valley and Bridgerton.
Kieran is performing at the British Legion on Friday, September 8, from 8.30pm.
Tickets are £ 12.50 plus booking fee. On Thursday, September 7, Outwith and Bearfoot Club present Jay Lafferty and Viv Gee.
Sought after for her on point satirical views, Jay has become a regular face on our screens.
It was a performance on BBC’s Breaking the News that saw Lafferty hit the front page of The New York Times for her description of Theresa May’s handling of the Brexit deal.
Her Edinburgh Fringe 2019 hit solo show Jay Lafferty: Jammy was made into a BBC Radio Scotland three- part series - Jay’s Jammy.
Compere Viv Gee was a finalist in So You Think You’re Funny and the BBC Open Mic Awards and has since then performed comedy from LA to Bangkok as well as making multiple TV appearances.
That show will take place at The Royal British Legion from 8.30pm onwards and tickets are £ 12.50 plus booking fee.
TV comedy writer Steve Lawrence will also be heading to the city to host a ‘ How to Write a Sitcom’ masterclass.
Steve has experience in comics, radio, television, film and interactive storytelling.
He’s also been part of the BBC Comedy Room, the first BBC Writers room Scottish Voices group and BAFTA Connect.
The event will take place on Wednesday, September 6, between 4.30pm and 6pm at Cafe Wynd. Tickets are £ 8 plus booking fee. Outwith will run from Wednesday, September 6, until Sunday, September 10.
Tickets for all shows are available on the Outwith Festival website.
FIFE COUNCIL will spend £30,000 on a new Christmas lights contract in order to “create a magical atmosphere” in Dunfermline.
Blachere Illuminations will be tasked with bathing the city centre in a festive glow as part of a new four year deal.
Councillors at the City of Dunfermline area committee last week approved a request for £25,000 from the local community planning budget with £5,000 coming from community recovery funds.
A report read: “At a crucial time of year for city centre hospitality and retail businesses, an increased and better quality of lighting and festivities will help to create a magical atmosphere for those living in and visiting the city centre.”
The proposal was to put in place a “four-year framework” with a single contractor who can supply, install, remove, maintain and store the festive lighting decorations.
The previous contract with Blachere ended in May 2021 and a one-year award was put in place for September 2022 to March 2023.
Lindsay Gilfillan, from the communities and neighbourhoods service, told the committee: “The contract will hopefully see a new and improved lighting scheme in the city centre in order to reflect the new city status, as well as an enhanced events line-up at the switch on celebration.”
Councillors Auxi Barrera and Derek Glen asked in what way the lights would ‘reflect the new city status’, and if the improvements meant bigger and better, but there wasn’t a clear answer.
The date for the switch-on will be announced nearer the time.