Twin Peaks at 35: ‘We broke all the rules — and people were horrified'
As the ground-shifting murder mystery series and its belated sequel arrive on Mubi, its co-creator Mark Frost speaks to Adam White about upsetting and offending the television establishment, that notorious second-season dip, and the death of David Lynch
Allegedly, American television did exist before Twin Peaks. But there is an undeniable chop down the middle of it, with the likes of Lucy Ricardo, JR Ewing and Captain Kirk on one side, and on the other the body of Laura Palmer – the most beautiful phantom in the world, murdered, wrapped in plastic and burning with secrets. Nothing was quite the same after she washed up on the side of that riverbank in April of 1990. Twin Peaks co-creators David Lynch and Mark Frost destabilised the entire television landscape with a series that was a murder mystery, a soap, a comic pastiche of the American heartland and your worst, weirdest nightmare all at once.
'There were only three networks back then,' says Frost today. 'TV was designed to sell you products in the commercial breaks, then lull you into a state of sleep.' But a murdered girl, he and Lynch thought: 'What if she was a trojan horse? And what if once we were indoors, inside our little horse, we could wait until everybody fell asleep and climb out and get to work?'
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Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Six shows about female rage to get your blood pumping at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is only a month away, and as the countdown begins, we're showcasing some of the strong themes emerging from the thousands of shows on offer this year. Female rage and the quest for equal rights is at the heart of these six fierce, must-see shows in 2025, that will get your blood pumping. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... BITCH Pleasance Dome, Jack Dome, 30 July - 25 Aug (not 4, 11 & 18), 2:45 (15:50) Irish theatremaker and intimacy co-ordinator Marty Breen explores blame culture, resenting your identity, and questions of complicity through a blend of stand-up, cabaret and theatre in a show of two halves. Two characters, both performed by Marty and known only as Stand Up Guy and Bitch, duke it outthrough an open-mic battle:him through his red-flag laden set, and her through acerbic original songs at the piano. But one is not as entertaining - she is a dogged, drunk and self-destructive mess, ripe for a roasting by her male counterpart. When the set is over and we are left with only our Bitch, we come to understand the depths of her fury as she begins to implode - but if she's going down, she's taking everyone with her. BITCH is a raw and provocative piece that challenges societal norms, making the audience reconsider what makes a 'bad guy' and a 'good victim', and our own complicity in what we all allow to happen. The Ode Islands is a new one-woman show that uses VR to explore the forces that have shaped her identity. Dyke Systems Ltd Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Pleasance Courtyard, Cellar , 30 July – 25 Aug 2025 (not 6 & 12 ), 15 .00 (16 .00) Set in the 1990s at the height of multi-level marketing expansion but before the rise of the internet, this two-handed comedy satire delves into the collision of repressed queerness and corporate feminism and looks at how modern technology and finance have weaponised them both. American suburban business women Sally and Susan are on the hunt for new recruits for their very lucrative business opportunity that is definitely not a pyramid scheme. But as they dive deeper into the shiny world of multi-level marketing, they become caught up in climbing the cut-throat corporate ladder and cracks begin to appear in their pastel-perfect lives, unravelling long-buried tensions and unspoken desires as the lies they've built everything on start to catch up with them. With Fag Packet's signature blend of drag, comedy, physical theatre and audience interaction, the audience will be guided through the DYKE programme (Dynamic, Young, Knowledgeable, Entrepreneur) which explores the intersections of queerness and feminism in a capitalist world that is coming for us all. FATAL FLOWER Marty Breen in BITCH explores blame culture at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Summerhall Arts, Main Hall, 31 July – 25 Aug 2025 (not 12 & 19), 21:05 (22:20) Rooted in female rage — explosive, absurd and over-the-top — this multi-disciplinary theatre show blends cabaret and comedy with opera, musical theatre and classical music to deconstruct the image of women in society. Drawing on creator and performer Valentina Tóth's own experiences with body image, the pressures of being a child piano prodigy, and a complex relationship with her mother, the show moves through a series of bold, grotesque female archetypes. From the Queen of the Night inThe Magic Flute to a vengeful bride-to-be and a tyrannical Russian piano teacher, each character channels a rage that is both personal and political. One spark behind that fury is the Dutch childcare benefits scandal, where thousands of parents — many of them women — were falsely accused of fraud. FATAL FLOWER offers a space where female anger unfolds on stage in all its complexity. The Ode Islands Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Pleasance at EICC, Lammermuir Theatre, 31 July – 16 Aug 2025 (not 4, 5, 11 & 12), 16.00 (16.45) Blending live performance with responsive virtual reality, this new one-woman show unfolds in a fully digital environment that shifts in real time with the performer's movement and emotional state. At its centre is a woman, Ornagh, caught in a storm and cast adrift across a chain of surreal islands—each representing a different facet of her identity, from domestic roles to sexuality, gender, and body image. As she journeys through these shifting landscapes, she confronts the societal expectations that have shaped her, seeking to shed them and rediscover who she truly is. With a supporting cast of digital characters also performed by Ornagh, the narrative is carried entirely through the artist's body, voice, and the digital worlds that surround her. Motion capture brings to life a series of fantastical characters she meets along the way, AI manipulation shapes their voices, and satellite data – provided by Imperative Space, European Space Agency, Copernicus and NASA – forms the striking virtual terrain. The result is a fragmented yet visceral exploration of memory, myth, and the boundaries of self. What If They Ate The Baby? the SpaceUK @ Niddry St (Upper), 1 – 23 Aug 2025 (not 10 & 17), see press release for timings What If They Ate The Baby? is an absurd and dystopian take on the 1950's American housewife, where audiences are put into the position of surveillant. Created largely in response to the changing laws surrounding reproductive rights in America, the show explores the same menial conversations between neighbours in the context of surveillance, cannibalism, and queerness, all during an idealised period in American history that was marked by paranoia. Playing two post-war suburban housewives, Xhloe and Natasha use double entendre, green spaghetti and a soundtrack complete with Vaudeville to Rap to interrogate gender expectations and the relationship between surveillance and bodily autonomy. Lolo's Boyfriend Show Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad theSpaceUK @ Surgeons Hall, Haldane Theatre, 1 – 16 Aug 2025 (not 10), 20:30 (21:30) A high-energy solo performance blending sharp character work, physical comedy, and quickfire costume changes follows Lolo – daughter of a hardworking single mother and raised by TV – as she recounts past dates to see where she went wrong. With no father figure and a head full of silver-screen love stories, she's stumbled from one romantic disaster to the next. Set in Lolo's childhood bedroom after a failed career move, performer Lauren O'Brien takes on 18 characters, drawing from real, imagined, and exaggerated dating stories. Winner of the Audience Choice Award at the NYC Fringe Festival 2024, Lolo's Boyfriend Show uses minimal set and maximum versatility – featuring projections, music, and fast-paced transitions – to explore identity, love, and self-worth through the lens of a modern woman navigating romance.
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Top seven LGBTQ+ shows to watch at Edinburgh Fringe this year
As the Edinburgh Festival Fringe fast approaches, the race is on to compile the top picks that stand out from the thousands. To help, here are seven of the most anticipated LGBTQ+ shows to watch from around the world at this year's festival. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A Drag Is Born ZOO Playground, Playground 2, 1 – 24 Aug 2025 (not 12), 18:05 (19:05) Transforming homophobia into a defiant celebration of queer joy, Edu Diaz's wordless A Drag Is Born blends clowning, lip-sync, and drag with a touch of audience story follows an ordinary man who, through a twist of fate, is magically transformed into the Queen of the Carnival. With advanced age, abundant body hair, and limited talents, he's an unlikely candidate for the role. Set to a liberating soundtrack featuring divas such as Rita Hayworth, Nancy Sinatra, and Celine Dion, A Drag Is Born reminds us that it's never too late to embrace your true self. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Small Town Boys is part of the Made in Scotland showcase, set in the late 80s during the AIDS epidemic. Tickets: What If They Ate The Baby? the SpaceUK @ Niddry St (Upper), 1 – 23 Aug 2025 (not 10 & 17), see press release for timings What If They Ate The Baby? is an absurd and dystopian take on the 1950's American housewife, where audiences are put into the position of surveillant. Created largely in response to the changing laws surrounding reproductive rights in America, the show explores the same menial conversations between neighbours in the context of surveillance, cannibalism, and queerness, all during an idealised period in American history that was marked by paranoia. Playing two post-war suburban housewives, Xhloe and Natasha use double entendre, green spaghetti and a soundtrack complete with Vaudeville to Rap to interrogate gender expectations and the relationship between surveillance and bodily autonomy. Xhloe and Natasha bring a triple bill to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year, including What If They Ate The Baby? Tickets: Dyke Systems Ltd Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Pleasance Courtyard, Cellar , 30 July – 25 Aug 2025 (not 6 & 12 ), 15 .00 (16 .00) Set in the 1990s at the height of multi-level marketing expansion but before the rise of the internet, this two-handed comedy satire delves into the collision of repressed queerness and corporate feminism and looks at how modern technology and finance have weaponised them both. American suburban business women Sally and Susan are on the hunt for new recruits for their very lucrative business opportunity that is definitely not a pyramid scheme. But as they dive deeper into the shiny world of multi-level marketing, they become caught up in climbing the cut-throat corporate ladder and cracks begin to appear in their pastel-perfect lives, unravelling long-buried tensions and unspoken desires as the lies they've built everything on start to catch up with them. 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He finds it all within the vibrant LGBTQ+ community of the Paradise Nightclub, a sanctuary pulsing with life, music, and solidarity. But as the AIDS crisis deepens and is largely ignored by the Government, the party gives way to heartbreak, and the community must rely on each other more than ever. The show includes a community cast alongside eight dancers and toured Scottish nightclubs last year receiving the Creative Arts Award at the 2024 Proud Scotland Awards. This is its first time in Edinburgh and arrives at the Fringe as part of the Made in Scotland showcase. Tickets: And Then the Rodeo Burned Down theSpaceUK @ Niddry St (Upper), 1 – 23 Aug 2025 (not 10 & 17), see press release for timings And Then the Rodeo Burned Down is a meta-theatrical subversion of the traditional Western following Dale, a rodeo clown aspiring to be a cowboy, and Dilly Dally, Dale's mischievous shadow. Exploring masculinity, power, and the American Dream in the context of cowboy culture, the pair playfully switch between characters, shift power dynamics, and turn the story around at breakneck speed, challenging the audience to keep up. Dale and Dilly bicker, antagonise and flirt through synchronised physical theatre, dance and clowning, scored by a soundtrack from Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and Elvis. The performance is flipped when the duo are forced out of character to reflect on the financial pressures put on performers in the industry. They question the events of the narrative, whether they will be able to afford to find the end, and most importantly, who burnt the rodeo down? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tickets: The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave Summerhall, Main Hall, 31 July – 25 Aug 2025 (not 6, 12 & 19), 18:05 (19:05) Championing techno and rave culture through contemporary dance and movement, this high-energy queer dance celebration condenses the spirit of a three-day party into a relentless and seamless sixty minutes. Set to a pulsing soundtrack of Nocturbulous Behaviour by Detroit DJ Suburban Knight, which blends house, techno, and funk, three dancers push their bodies to the absolute limit, chasing euphoria through the pure joy of movement. The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave is a visceral spectacle: the human body at the mercy of music, passion, and the endless hunger for transcendence. Tickets: Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Letter To Lyndon B. Johnson Or God: Whoever Reads This First the SpaceUK @ Niddry St (Upper), 1 – 23 Aug 2025 (not 10 & 17) Show One: 1 – 9 Aug 13:40 (14:40), 11 – 23 Aug 19:20 (20:20) & Show Two: 21:20 (22:20)
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
American group confirm secret Glastonbury set as they tease fans with big clue
HAIM have finally confirmed they are one of the secret acts at Glastonbury Festival. The American sister trio will be hitting the Park Stage at Worthy Farm tonight at 7.30pm after weeks of speculation. Advertisement 4 HAIM will be appearing on the Park Stage today Credit: Getty 4 The sisters will appear on the Park Stage at 7.30pm Credit: Getty As well as the BBC posting a photograph confirming the news, the sisters – Alana, Este and Danielle – shared a video of them getting ready for the weekend, donning sunglasses and wellingtons. The band has long been considered a glaring omission from the Glastonbury line-up, particularly considering their new album, I Quit, dropped this week. They were also already confirmed to be in the UK in time for the festival, performing a headline show at Margate's Dreamland on Friday. As a result fans had been speculating for weeks that they would make an appearance in some form. Advertisement It was initially believed they were the band 'Patchwork' that will be appearing on the Pyramid Stage at 6.15pm – with the name being the title of a book by novelist Sylvia Haim. However, that is now widely believed to be Pulp in a comeback after more than a decade away from the festival – and nearly 20 years since they were on the Pyramid Stage. Secret Sets have become a Glastonbury staple, and as the festival prepares to take a "fallow" year next year, they are making sure 2025 is one to remember with more than 42 'TBA' slots on their line-up. So far, Lorde opened the Woodsies stage on Friday with a secret set, shutting down the grounds it was on due to the amount of fans descending to the smaller stage. Advertisement Celebrating the launch of her album, Virgin, the New Zealand singer played the record in its entirety to the crowd. Lewis Capaldi also left fans in tears when he was confirmed to be the mysterious "TBA" set on the main Pyramid stage, returning two years since his last performance saw him remove himself from the spotlight completely. Glastonbury opening ceremony branded a flop by disappointed revellers as fireworks display 'dogged by sound issues' Franz Ferdinand couldn't resist playfully jabbing at Lewis's return, with the fellow Scotsmen bringing out "the Original Capaldi" for their set in the shape of Doctor Who Peter Capaldi. Sets have also been forced to change at the last minute – with Deftones announcing that, due to illness, they would be unable to perform on the Other Stage tonight. Advertisement In their place, grime star Skepta was pulled in at the eleventh hour to take to the stage, and will be going on at 9pm, with Ezra Collective slightly extending their set as well to fill the time left behind by Deftones. 4 The girls were initially rumoured to be the band 'Patchwork' Credit: Redferns
