August 31st
There's only one word for him: a master craftsman. (That's three words now). OK. Amastercraftsman. (That's better. Now who are we talking about?).
Mark Price. (Ah yes. Of course. Mark Price. Never heard of him). He played last night at the staff party. (Did he now? Now what manner of item would he have been playing then?). Music. He's a DJ. (Ah, music is it? Your Auntie Sadie now, she was the one for the music). Was she? (Oh yes. Played 'The British Grenadiers' on the jew's harp every Hogmanay sweet enough so as to make your eyes water. Terrible stout woman she was). Was she? (Oh yes. I've seen that woman devour upwards of fifteen boiled crabs at a sitting. Course it came of her being in the Sally Army). What, her stoutness? (No, no. The music. They're awful boys for the music in the Sally Army. You'll have likely seen them in the shopping centres at Christmas time). I do believe I have. Now, can we return to Mark Price? (Go on, go on, your time's your own. I was just saying).
Well please don't. So Mark Price played last night at the staff party. (Party eh? That'll be why you came in on your hands and knees at three in the morning). I did not. (Oh yes. Absolutely. The hands very much in evidence. Also the knees). Well don't I deserve to let my hair down once in a while? (Treat this place like a hotel, that's what you do). Oh please, not this again. (Absolutely like a hotel. Tell me, do you have such a thing as a conscience on you at all?) Oh God, here we go. (Now, your Auntie Sadie, she was the one for the conscience. A sore affliction to her the conscience was. That and the wind). Look, could I please just tell the boys and girls about Mark Price? (Well, speak up man, I'm sure I'm not stopping you). Well, he played last night at the staff party, and he was very, very good. (There now, that didn't hurt, did it? Could you not have just said that in the first place? Tell the truth and shame the devil. As your Auntie Sadie would have said).
August 30th
Customers at Henderson's tomorrow may well find staff suffering from swine flu, conjunctivitis and manic depression. Oh, OK then, they'll actually have hangovers for tonight is the End-Of-The-Festival Staff Party. Yes, I know the Festival has another week to go, but we're excitable young puppies and we just couldn't wait. Why am I telling you this? Because we'd like to extend an invitation to all our regulars to come along to Henderson's @ St John's and join in the fun, that's why. The evening kicks off at 7 o'clock and the music will be from a fantastic line-up of top DJs - Mark Price (Taste), Guy Christmas (Tasteless) and, for the first hour, the tedious Gregor Sloss. So it's probably best if you aim to get there for 8 then.
August 29th
Now that's what I call music! John Sampson and Stewart Hanratty's opening blast in their week of 'Burns, Before and Beyond' was a triumph, with the audience stamping their feet and singing along with great enthusiasm. The supercharged atmosphere became all too much for one particular 200 year old tapestry screen which decided to join in with a little strathspey and reel of its own - with predictable results, as it soon came crashing to the ground.
Luckily, no bones were broken. It's all a long way from John's first appearance in Henderson's as a raw 18 year old back in - well, that would be telling. Let's just say that the song that wowed the crowd back then was 'Horse With No Name' by America. He won't be playing that this time round - if you want to hear what he will be playing, he and Stewart are here every morning this coming week at 10am. Tickets available from the Henderson's Box Office, 25A Thistle Street, telephone 0131 225 4991, or online at www.hendersonsofedinburgh.co.uk.
August 28th
Alicia Devine's wonderful 'Loving Burns' came to an end today, with another packed audience lapping it up. There are many Burns shows at the fringe in this the 250th anniversary year of the poet's birth, but few can have been as fascinating as this. Alicia gave a little speech at the end of her performance in which she thanked Henderson's for their support - well, Henderson's most certainly thank her, and as a token of our appreciation the delightful Martina from the Box Office presented Alicia with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. We'll miss you Alicia - let's work together again sometime.
Next week Henderson's 'Breakfast with Burns' season draws to a close with John Sampson and Stewart Hanratty in 'Burns, Before and Beyond', a musical journey through the poet, his influences and legacy. The show runs from Monday 31st August until Saturday 5th September. Tickets as ever from the Box Office, 25A Thistle Street, telephone 0131 225 4991.
In other theatre news, congratulations to Tam Dean Burn - who performed with his band the Bum Clocks at Henderson's @ St John's last week - whose show 'Year of the Horse' has been nominated for the prestigious Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award.
August 27th
Paul Martin is noted as one of the most intelligent and thoughtful artists of his generation, and as an art teacher he has lectured to hundreds, if not thousands, of students about the works of others. What he has rarely if ever done is to talk about his own paintings. The Henderson Gallery is delighted, therefore, to announce that on Wednesday September 9th at 7pm Paul is to give a gallery talk on the exhibition 'Through a Glass Darkly', and on the philosophy that lies behind it. Tickets, priced at £5 each, are available from the gallery itself or from the Henderson's Box Office, 25A Thistle Street, telephone number 0131 225 4991. Numbers are strictly limited, so to avoid disappointment, please book today.
August 24th
We're not terribly keen on boasting about our celebrity visitors here at Henderson's.
Particularly at this time of year we tend to get so many that we become quite blase. Cough. However the younger members of the Henderson's team were jumping up and down like a herd of pronking hartebeests today after one Kristen Schaal popped in for a spot of lunch.
Kristen, they tell me, is one of the stars of a hilarious cult comedy called 'Flight of the Conchords'.
I don't know - I think the last comedy show that I really enjoyed was 'George and Mildred'. Some days I just feel very, very old.
August 23rd
Some things are clearly ill-conceived, like Denis Law's hairstyle and the re-branding of Lothian Buses. I mean, does anyone really refer to the Number 31 to East Craigs as the 'Ace of Spades'? There are those who would have suggested that a post-punk Iggy and the Stooges inspired Robert Burns tribute band playing in a church basement under the aegis of Scotland's legendary vegetarian restaurant was a prime example of something that simply hadn't been thought through. How wrong, how wrong. The Bum Clocks at Henderson's @ St John's last night will live long in the memory.
The pounding beats from Rusty on the drums, Malcolm on guitar displaying the finest use of the wah-wah pedal since Jimi had that dodgy kebab and Tam prowling the stage with the insolent grace of a caged panther - they were magnificent. After last night I do believe that 'Green Grow the Rashes O' and 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' are the same song; I do believe that Rob'n'Bob, Burns and Dylan were the best of chums; I do believe that William Blake is a poet worthy of serious consideration by grown adults. Hmm. Well, two out of three ain't bad.
I enjoyed too The Bum Clocks' keen sense of the absurd. Not so much Tam arriving on stage wearing a dog's head, more brother Russell behind his drumkit wearing a pair of Don Johnson shades and tailored shorts while sporting more than a few silver threads among the, um, grey. Egads, but age makes fools of us all.
August 22nd
Paul Martin's opening exhibition
It was out with the old and in with the new at Henderson's yesterday as we said goodbye to John Cairney and hello to Paul Martin, whose tremendous new show 'Through a Glass Darkly' runs at the Gallery until October 3rd.
The public appetite for Robert Burns in this the 250th anniversary of the year of his birth remains as strong as ever if events at Henderson's Restaurant are anything to go by. John Cairney's contribution to our 'Breakfast With Burns' slot enjoyed a sell-out run last week, and this week's offering, 'Loving Burns' by Alicia Devine, a unique portrait of the poet through the eyes of the women who loved him, this morning followed suit. Having first performed it as a three-hander, Alicia has rewritten 'Loving Burns' this year as a one-woman show, and is clearly relishing the new format, as well as the intimacy of the venue with its lack of barriers between actress and audience. 'This is the show as I've always wanted to do it', she says.
'Loving Burns' runs from 24th-28th August at 10.30am, with breakfast, which is included in the price of the ticket, being served from 10. Tickets are available from the Henderson's Box Office at 25A Thistle Street, telephone number 0131 225 4991 or online at www.hendersonsofedinburgh.co.uk.
Meanwhile, there was an extra treat for shoppers on Thistle Street today, as the lovely Martina from the Box Office brought her women's drumming ensemble along to give an impromptu performance outside the Gallery. Wow. It just never stops here at Henderson's, does it? All this and a free performance from the Bum Clocks at St John's tonight as well!
August 21st
The writing is on the wall for The Henderson Gallery. Literally. Today saw three hours of toil and trouble for Gallery staff as they attempted to affix a quote from Duns Scotus - who, confusingly, was neither a dunce nor Scottish - to the wall outside to accompany their new Paul Martin exhibition.
The process involved much ladder work and it was noticeable that while Peter W and the lovely Mairi were scaling the heights like Barbary apes shinning up the rigging of a three-master in a heavy sea and a howling gale, cowards Gregor Sloss and Tina the Greek seemed more enthusiastic about the no doubt important task of 'holding the ladder'. The quote, when it eventually appeared, has perplexed many, though really it is quite simple and clearly refers to a Platonic realm unlike the Kantian noumenon in being apprehensible.
However, that's not important. What is important is, did Peter W squeal like a girl when someone rattled his ladder? The answer, disappointingly, is no, though his steely calm might have been largely to do with a determination not to soil his first pair of clean jeans for five months.
August 20th
Left to right, Jim Haynes, Sheila Colvin, John Cairney, John Calder, Richard Demarco and John Martin
A truly historic reunion was held in Henderson's Restaurant today of many of those involved in setting up the Traverse Theatre back in 1963.
Co-founder John Martin was there, as were artist and theatrical impresario Richard Demarco and cultural polymath Sheila Colvin. Sixties counter-culture hero Jim Haynes was over from Paris for the occasion, and also in attendance was John Calder, legendary publisher and friend of Samuel Beckett and the man who introduced William Burroughs and Alain Robbe-Grillet to the reading public in this country.
The event was hosted by John Cairney, recently returned to this country from New Zealand, whose 'There Was a Man' premiered at the Traverse in 1965 and began an association with Robert Burns that has lasted until today. His sell-out 'Breakfast with Burns' show at Henderson's this year has revealed an actor of undiminished power and Richard Demarco was heard to muse that it was maybe time that John, who has in the past performed both Hamlet and Macbeth to great acclaim, tackled the role of King Lear. Watch this space.
For further information and images contact Peter Henderson 07730 812 150.
August 19th
Today's excitement at Henderson's concerned the visit of a clutch of influential journalists from some of the leading newspapers and magazines - in China.
The visit, arranged under the auspices of VisitScotland, was in itself a testament to Henderson's prestigious position as Scotland's legendary vegetarian Restaurant. The journalists looked round the Gallery, the Bistro and Shop before enjoying a delicious meal in the Restaurant in the company of the artists and performers who are featured at Henderson's this Festival. They seemed mightily impressed by all that they saw. Now if we could only persuade Ryanair to start some £5.99 flights to Beijing we could be quids in.
August 18th
Ah well, they do say all good things must come to an end. Today saw the painting over of Elph's much admired graffiti wall outside the Gallery in Thistle Street Lane. The wall proved a massive hit with both locals and tourists alike and over the summer it became the third most photographed scene in Edinburgh, behind the Scott Monument and Greyfriars Bobby.
Well, OK, maybe I exaggerate but it has certainly been snapped a multitude of times. If you missed out, worry not as the Gallery will be producing a highly collectable set of postcards to commemorate this historic work. One final note - well done to the driver who pulled up while the painting over was going on and barked 'What on earth do you think you're doing?' Rarely can a team of people cleaning off graffiti have been met with such a response - but then, let's face it, this wasn't just any old piece of graffiti.
August 17th
Wendy Carle Taylor was an absolute joy to behold - and to listen to - last night. The audience for her first Fringe show at Henderson's Restaurant were utterly enthralled by the beauty of her performance, and by the glorious sounds of National Mod winning clarsach player Ailie Robertson and the hugely talented guitarist Tony Mitchell.
The Henderson's chefs excelled themselves, naturally, with a delicious three course meal that had everyone there purring with pleasure. Altogether a triumph. Wendy's next shows are on 23rd and 30th August at 19.00, and on the 6th September at 17.00, the earlier start time allowing patrons to enjoy a fantastic view of the nearby Festival fireworks concert immediately after the show. Book now is my advice!
August 16th
Gadzooks! What is going on? Paul Martin's exhibition 'Through a Glass Darkly' doesn't actually open in the Henderson Gallery until the 21st and yet already the media are sniffing around. Early risers amongst you may have caught him this morning on Radio Scotland - if you missed it, it'll be here for 7 days. A fascinating interview on the Ricky Ross show. Yes, that Ricky Ross, the one out of Deacon Blue. Altogether now........I'm telling this story in a faraway scene, sipping down raki and reading Maynard Keynes, and I'm thinking about home and all that that means and a place in the winter for di-i-gnity. No? Oh well, suit yourselves.
August 15th
After John Cairney's sold out show yesterday the wonderful Alicia Devine had a near sell out today. Henderson's theatre programme is really taking off, and with the final week of John's run almost upon us it's time to book those tickets now. Contact the delightful Mairi - a good deed in a naughty world - on 07796117246 or pop into the Box Office at 25A Thistle Street.
In other news, Henderson's at St John's, the stroppy teenager of the Henderson's empire is to present a gig by Leith supergroup The Bum Clocks. That's actor Tam Dean Burn (who has done everything from Chekhov to Berkoff, Filth to River City), brother Russell (formerly of Edinburgh's greatest ever band - sorry Rollers fans - The Fire Engines) and Malcolm Ross (ex Josef K, Orange Juice and Aztec Camera). The show will be part of their 'Tale O' Twa Dugs - Rab and Iggy' tour, promising Burns as you have never heard him before. Find out more about them here and check this website for ticket details.
13th August
As Archie Macpherson himself said, last night's abysmal Scotland performance against Norway left us wondering why we'd bothered rescheduling tonight's gallery talk. Archie's performance, on the other hand, could not have been bettered.
Extremely funny, at times impassioned and always eloquent he led us on a journey through his several careers, setting forth his powerful views on education, broadcasting and, of course, football. And if a few of tonight's audience looked like they'd never set foot in a gallery before, well that was no bad thing either. A magnificent way to bring down the curtain on a fantastic programme of events.
12th August
Sweet, sweet music filled the shop today as staff members Jenny and Sarah treated diners to an impromptu lunchtime concert of clarinet and cello.
For a day the shop took on the feel of turn of the century Vienna, only with proper, wholesome food. And without bearded cigar smokers speculating about your libido. Probably. Anyway, public response suggested that just maybe we should make this a regular event.
9th August
Julie Lawson, Chief Curator of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, was the distinguished visitor to the Henderson Gallery last night for the latest in our series of talks to accompany the Joyce Gunn Cairns exhibition. Julie has curated shows by Joyce before and the conversation was soon rattling along in front of a large and appreciative audience. A big thank you to Julie for giving up her valuable time, and next up - Archie Macpherson.
8th August
For those of you coming to the last two of Joyce's show, please note that those inconsiderate boys in blue (yabba dabba do) have decided to play Norway on the 12th, so Archie Macpherson has agreed to move to Thursday 13th August.
Full details at www.thehendersongallery.com/events.html
6th August
I've described him as a legend and he's been and gone and proved it! Already, on the fourth day of the Fringe, John Cairney has had a fantastic review for 'Coffee With Cairney' - and a review by the exacting critic of the actor's bible 'The Stage'! Read the review here : ed.thestage.co.uk/reviews/650.
