Field Culture

A guide to Scotland’s arts and entertainment

Centenary celebrations

A new exhibition at Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), celebrating the life, work and legacy of the pioneering Orcadian filmmaker, painter and poet Margaret Tait has opened. Tait is one of the most visionary and stridently independent filmmakers to have emerged from Scotland, yet her work has until recently remained relatively unknown. ‘Stalking The Image: Margaret Tait and Her Legacy’ provides an opportunity to honour Tait’s achievements in the centenary year of her birth. The exhibition runs until 5 May 2019.

Winter wildlife

The Cairngorms National Park will be the new home for BBC Two’s programme

Winterwatch. Coming to screens in January 2019, presenters Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Gillian Burke will host the wildlife extravaganza, kicking off in the depths of winter. The team will return throughout the year to cover the changing seasons and keep up with key year-round species.

ROBOT REVOLUTION

A major new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh will explore 500 years of humanity’s quest to re-imagine ourselves as machines. Developed by the Science Museum, Robots looks at five different time periods and considers the role of humanoid robots in religious belief, the Industrial Revolution, popular culture and society’s dreams of the future. From 18 January until 5 May 2019 visitors can see some of the latest humanoid robots in action, and find out more about what a shared future with robots might be like.

Beatlemania is back

Photos taken in Dundee, the city where the phrase ‘Beatlemania’ was coined, have gone on show at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum. Ten images taken of The Beatles performing at the city’s Caird Hall on 20 October 1964 have gone on display as part of their Revealing Characters exhibition. Taken by Monifieth-born photographer Winnie ForbesCochrane, the images are just some of 33 photographs that were put up for auction in early 2018 and successfully secured for the city’s collection by Leisure & Culture Dundee.

Drumming up recruits

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has launched its global recruitment appeal for pipers and drummers to join its ‘house band’, Pipers Trail. The band aims to build an international network of talented pipers and drummers to perform at the Tattoo’s Edinburgh showcase, but also around the world at international ceremonies and piping events. In 2019, the band will increase in size from 50 members to 75 members, creating an impressive sight on the Edinburgh Castle esplanande.

For more information and to apply visit www.edintattoo.co.uk/piperstrail

HE’S BEHIND YOU!

Christmas has become synonymous with panto and Edinburgh’s King’s Theatre are renowned for producing the best of the best. This year’s will be a ‘tale as old as time’ as Beauty and the Beast returns to the stage for the first time since 1946. Starring panto favourites Allan Stewart as Mrs Potty and Grant Stott as the villain Flash Boaby, it opens on 1 December and runs until 20 January. For tickets visit www.capitaltheatres.com/ beautyandbeast

Arctic anthologies

This January, Scottish Opera presents the world premiere of Anthropocene by Stuart Macrae and Louise Welsh. Telling the story of a team of scientists who became trapped in the frozen Arctic wastelands, Anthropocene is directed by Matthew Richardson ( Rigoletto 2018) and designed by Samal Blak, the team behind MacRae and Welsh’s opera The Devil Inside (2016). The Theatre Royal in Glasgow will host the performance from 24-26 January, followed by The King’s Theatre in Edinburgh from 31 January - 2 February. www.scottishopera.org.uk

New Year’s Eve

French arts company Transe Express will take over and reimagine segments of Edinburgh’s iconic Street Party on 31 December thanks to the newly established PLACE programme. Their trademark combination of circus, aerial work and music will contribute to this year’s theme, ‘We Love You’, a celebration of Scotland’s ties with Europe.

FANTASTIC FIFE

ONFife have launched a series of events including a musical, taking place in 2019 to mark 100 years since Andrew Carnegie’s death. Events will be held across Fife, from St Andrews to Burntisland and Dunfermline. Exhibitions include images of Pittsburgh and a photographic record of the Carnegie Libraries around the world. www. onfife.com