Music, movement and a dose of Love ... just what the doctor ordered

DANCE

Nobody, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Wednesday

Part modern dance, part circus gymnastics, this bravura show from Motionhouse involves seven dancers, a large metallic cube and a graceful ease that at times seems to belie gravity. Conceived and directed by Motionhouse’s artistic director Kevin Finnan, it’s possible you will be more breathless than the dancers by the end of this.

MUSIC

The Bluebells, St Luke’s, Glasgow, tomorrow

The Bluebells in the 21st Century is both the band’s new album title and a rather pleasing statement of fact these days. The 1980s pop veterans have returned to the fray with the same joie de vivre and ear for a good tune that they were famous for back in the 1980s. Here’s a chance to celebrate one of the year’s most entertaining comebacks.

Brix Smith, King Tut’s, Glasgow, Friday

And talking of 1980s legends – Brix Smith, once of The Fall, is touring in support of her debut solo album Valley of the Dolls, accompanied by an allfemale band including My Bloody Valentine’s Deb Googe and Jen Macro, as well as Lisa Lux. We are expecting no prisoners to be taken.

COMEDY

Judi Love, The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Thursday

Even though she’s maybe more famous for appearing on Celebrity Masterchef and Strictly Come Dancing as well as Taskmaster and Loose Women, etc, etc, Judi Love is still a stand-up comedian at heart. And this week sees her in her natural environment, ie on stage in Edinburgh. As she always says, laughter is healing. Here’s your chance to get a shot of restorative humour.

FICTION

Murder in a Heatwave, Profile Books, £8.99

Summer’s (nearly) here and the time is right to retreat to somewhere secluded and binge on a murder or two. Behind its nostalgic Frank Sherwin cover, Murder in a Heatwave, edited by Cecily Gayford, is a gather-up of classic crime mysteries from the likes of Dorothy L Sayers, Arthur Conan

Doyle, Ian Rankin (natch), Margery Allingham and the now slightly (shamefully) neglected Scottish novelist Michael Innes, creator of Detective Inspector Sir John Appleby.

EXHIBITION I am home, Saorsa Art Gallery, Edinburgh, until June 11

Photographer Soo Burnell’s new exhibition opens in Stockbridge today offering a more vibrant glimpse of the capital city than might be expected. “Edinburgh is known for its dark, grey, rainyreflection photography,” says Burnell of the photographs on show in I am home. “I wanted to take a new angle, showing a more colourful, quirky and whimsical side of the city.”