Latest news with #Frisky
Scotsman
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Fringe is intensive course in performing that costs same as an MA
Frisky, aka Laura Corcoran, is to perform at this year's Fringe 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... The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a three-and-a-half week intensive course in performing that has the same value - and costs the same - as an MA, a veteran performer is to tell an audience at the official launch of this year's event. Laura Corcoran, aka Frisky, one half of musical comedy double act Frisky and Mannish, who have performed at the Fringe since 2009, is to address the Fringe Society's launch event to 'metaphorically cut the ribbon' of the 78th Fringe. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The event, on 1 August, will see Ms Corcoran, who is returning to Edinburgh for her solo show for the first time since 2019, also discuss the barriers faced when continuing to perform after having children - as well as addressing the issue of a skills gap in MCs who can hold the attention of an audience in an online, post-pandemic world. Frisky, aka Laura Corcoran, is to perform in a solo show at this year's Fringe. | Frisky She is to call for artists attending the Fringe for the first time to make the most out of the event at Fringe Central, with opportunities to observe different aspects of the arts sector, from graphic design and technical aspects of the sector. She said: 'I'm going to speak to the fact that if you're here at all, you've invested in yourself to do this. I want to talk about how to make the most of it and look at some ways to change your thinking about the industry while you're here. As a performer, you're in a position to observe very closely at the Fringe in a way that you maybe wouldn't have in other arts environments because of the sheer scale and quantity of work that's here and the diversity of it, once you start to really key into other areas of the industry, you can really see how they tick. 'If you start thinking critically and being more curious and observant you can get more out of it than your own lived experience of the Fringe and get a lot and learn a lot really quickly. So I'm trying to encourage people to do that and be smart with the investment they have already made.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She added: 'Once you get your brain into a place of critical thinking, the wealth of knowledge and research that is here, I would say is equivalent to an MA and costs about the same. It's there for you as a very intense training.' Ms Corcoran, who began performing at the Fringe in 2004 as a student, before creating the Frisky and Mannish duo, said she had started holding courses on how to be an MC at events after industry figures had raised the issue of a lack of skills in people able to host cabaret and variety-style events. She warned a trend for comedians and entertainers to create content online - and monetise their creative products through the internet on platforms such as TikTok - meant fewer people are able to hold the attention of a live audience. 'The pandemic was really the time when TikTok comedy took off,' she said. 'It is a way of monetising it. In the industry, you're expected to do a lot of free work before you get a sniff of paid work. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's quite a specific thing to manage the energy of a room over the course of a night. You're throwing the ball back and forth between acts and making audiences feel warm and relaxed and entertained. 'There is a real lack of it because people with skills and talent are making TikToks. They're making online content and monetising it that way, not getting up in front of an audience. 'Even with circus performers, they're really struggling for people with great acts. They're super skilled performers, they can do tumbling and juggling but they don't have an act with a context and a great arc and an aesthetic that connects to an audience directly. This connection between performer and audience is something that is already an evident skills gap.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ms Corcoran, who has a six year old daughter and is now based in rural France with her family, said the majority of her work comes from hosting dinner cabaret shows - and 'Christmas circus' in Germany, where variety performances are more popular than in the UK. 'I make the majority of my money in Europe,' Ms Corcoran said. 'There's a huge variety scene in Germany particularly.' A recent report from Parents and Carers in Performing Arts (PiPA) found eight out of ten women working in the arts had to cut down working hours to manage caring responsibilities. 'This isn't only a problem at the Fringe of course, this is an industry-wide issue,' she said. 'It's become so ubiquitous, it's become invisible and I think a big attitude shift could happen which would open a lot more doors. I should stop being the problem of just the parents and becomes a collective responsibility.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'They say it takes a village and I think the Fringe is a village in a lot of ways and we need to look at how we can expand it into a village for families as well.' Her solo debut show this year. Frisky's Reshuffle, will see the audience challenge Frisky and her four-piece band to play any song in any style, from samba to skiffle, Mötley Crüe to Mongolian throat singing. Chris Snow, head of artist services at the Festival Fringe Society, said: 'The Edinburgh Festival Fringe artist address is a key moment for artists to gather, meet each other, and celebrate the start of the 2025 festival. It also marks the opening of Fringe Central, our support hub for artists, industry and media.
Scotsman
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Wait, don't I know you? Five debuts from performers you already know this Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Miss Frisky Yes, it is Frisky of Frisky and Mannish fame and yes it is solo Frisky this year as the Queen of pop-mash-parodic-stereophonic-vaudevillian-infotainment returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with her own band. Better still, the band are all Scottish based performers at the top of their game – what's not to love. Frisky promises the same quick quips and amazing three octaves of talent but places control into the hands of the audience. Frisky's Reshuffle is just that, a new playlist each night decided by yours truly. While Mannish aka Matthew Floyd Jones popped off to compose and provide musical direction for such smashes as Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder!, Frisky has been one of the most in demand cabaret emcees across London, with residencies around Europe and gigs the world over. Barnie Duncan But not as you know him. Cut DJ and calypso and soca expert Juan Vesuvius built up a following in the 2010s with Calypso Nights; Juan, Two and I am your Deejay, and in 2025, the man hiding under the samba sleeves, Barnie Duncan, steps onto the stage for his debut stand-up show. In the comic's surreal and subversive style, Oooky Pooky takes down the manosphere with playful, physical comedy as performed for NZ Prime Minster Jacinda Arden. Michael Elsener If you're a fan of a late-night Edinburgh Fringe line-up show, or Russel Howard, you will already know Michael. But, despite having the nickname 'the Swiss John Oliver' – this may be your introduction to the political comedian who asks if his secret Swiss recipe can save the world. Fresh from supporting Russell Howard on his European Tour and Winner of Best Solo Show at the Swiss Comedy Awards 2024, Michael Elsener holds the keys to paradise. Will you join him there? Jonny Woo Legendary East End London performer Jonny Woo heads to arts venue Summerhall with a new show, Surbubia, about his life growing up, the stories of queer elders who weren't afforded the respect they deserved. A return to his spoken word, storytelling and performance art roots, Suburbia brings audiences on a heady journey from the Medway suburbs, through the streets of New York and. And not shying away from how we usually see Jonny Woo, in Night at the Musicals with Le Gateau Chocolat or in a drag line up show - of course, there's a musical number or two. Dangerous Goods Just shy of 10 years ago, a cohort of incredible women took the festival by storm, selling out show after show with audiences meeting them across the city in their recognisable tracksuits sharing 'smash the patriarchy' moments with fans. They were Hot Brown Honey. The creative team behind Hot Brown Honey, including co-creator, director and performer Lisa Fa'alafi are back with Dangerous Goods. Hot Brown Honey conquered Glastonbury, the Southbank Centre London, Freedom Festival Hull and Dublin Fringe all from the initial outpouring of love they experienced at the Edinburgh Fringe. The co-directors Fa'alafi and Leah Shelton say: 'Depending on who you ask, different voices throughout history have been seen as dangerous. The systems that govern our everyday lives are often the ones defining this notion and we see it still today molding our opinions of each other.' This new show claims to be empowering, unapologetic, hot-as-hell cabaret. All tickets available now from 1 . Contributed Miss Frisky returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a new band and a her new Reshuffle show Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 2 . Contributed Jonny Woo returns to the Fringe, at arts venue Summerhall Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 3 . Contributed Michael Elsener is no stranger to the Fringe but this is his first one hour show How To Live In Paradise Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 4 . Contributed Miss Frisky is back at the Fringe and asks the audience to build a new show each night with her Photo: Submitted Photo Sales Related topics: QueenSummerhall
Otago Daily Times
29-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Getting to meet Dolly the ovine disrupter
Sheep have always been important to my family. Having a miserly Glaswegian father meant that with no electric heating or even fires during the winter, we bundled up in hand-knitted woolly jumpers. We devoured legs of lamb, hunks of hogget, shoulders of mutton and more. We listened in avid silence to Dad as he recounted gory tales of working at Burnside freezing works, gasping and shuddering as he described sneaking home bloody packets of offal to consume later. All of this sounds rather macabre, I know, but we were a typical New Zealand family, well-acquainted with the brutalities of farm life and blue-collar jobs. My first pet was a little lamb, aptly named Frisky. I loved him very much, as did all my brothers and sisters. Frisky was hilarious. I think he thought he was a human. He jumped and capered about, sneaking into the house to play hide-and-seek with us, always leaping into our laps for a cuddle and a special treat. When he died prematurely (of internal bleeding, after my father unwisely decided to tether him with a metal chain one night), we were absolutely devastated. I was seven-years-old and this was my first real encounter with death. Over the years, my family has continued to foster lambs from local farmers, caring for the little beasts whose mothers have passed or unaccountably rejected them. We've had many fluffy little creatures join our family: Bunty (a ridiculously shy boy who hid in the bushes), Caspian (a fragile black lamb who needed extra love and attention) and Rupert (who grew to be enormous) to name a few. I've also had the unique pleasure of meeting the world's most famous sheep — Dolly. Of course, I never had the good fortune to meet Dolly while she was alive (she died in 2003), but I've met her taxidermied self in the National Museum of Scotland. Dolly was born on July 5, 1996, in a concrete barn on the outskirts of Edinburgh. In all respects, Dolly looked like a perfectly ordinary sheep, but of course she was extraordinary. Dolly did not arise from natural copulation between two woolly parents, nor even standard laboratory fertilisation. In fact, she arguably had three mothers: one provided the egg, another provided the DNA, and a surrogate third, who carried the cloned embryo to term. Dolly was cloned by Dr Keith Campbell, Dr Ian Wilmut and colleagues at the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh. The funding for this project was provided by PPL Therapeutics and the Ministry of Agriculture. Dolly was the product of a process called "somatic cell nuclear transfer". Essentially, Dr Wilmut and his team carefully extracted the nucleus from a cell in the udder of a six-year-old Finn Dorset ewe. They then inserted this nucleus into an egg cell from a different sheep, whose own nucleus had been removed. This hybrid egg was then stimulated to spark cell division and implanted into a surrogate mother — a Scottish Blackface sheep. One of the early clues that Dolly was a clone came from her white face; she would have had a black face had she inherited her genes from the surrogate mother. What made Dolly so special? Contrary to popular belief, she was not the first cloned animal, but she was the first cloned from an adult, fully specialised cell. Earlier cloning experiments used embryonic stem cells that were still flexible in function. Dolly, in contrast, was created from a mammary gland cell, a type long thought to be permanently fixed in its role. Her creation proved that even a mature cell retains the entire genetic code necessary to generate a complete organism. Dolly's existence challenged decades of scientific assumption and showed that adult cells could be reprogrammed. Regarding her name, Dr Wilmut explained, "Dolly is derived from a mammary gland cell and we couldn't think of a more impressive pair of glands than Dolly Parton's". I wonder what Dolly Parton thinks of that. Dolly's existence was kept hidden until the Roslin Institute published its research paper on February 22 1997. A media frenzy was sparked and the world's press descended on Roslin to meet Dolly. I wonder what she made of all the flashing bulbs, microphones, and jostling camera crews. Media coverage swung wildly from triumphalist predictions of cures for every disease to dystopian fears of designer babies and human clones. A placid Finn Dorset ewe had become an icon of late-20th century science. Dolly spent her life living in a flock of sheep at the Roslin Institute, a quiet expanse on the outskirts of Edinburgh. I've been out there, for a job interview — which was unsuccessful, as it happens — and can attest to its serene, pastoral setting. Dolly had six lambs (Bonny, Sally, Rosie, Lucy, Darcy, and Cotton) with a Welsh Mountain sheep named David. By the autumn of 2001, Dolly was beginning to show signs of arthritis, which fuelled the suspicion that cloned animals were destined to age prematurely. Daily anti-inflammatory treatments helped, but ultimately Dolly had to be euthanised on February 14 2003 at the age of six after being diagnosed with progressive lung disease and severe arthritis. A CT scan had revealed tumours in her chest consistent with ovine pulmonary adenomatosis (OPA), an incurable lung cancer. Dolly's death was due to a Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus, a common viral disease in sheep; there is no conclusive evidence that cloning itself caused her illness or shortened her life. Her body was donated to the National Museum of Scotland, where she remains one of its most popular exhibits. Dolly became part of cultural folklore, immortalised in museums, children's books, bioethics debates and satirical cartoons. Meanwhile, cloning technology quietly advanced. Since Dolly, scientists have successfully cloned a range of mammals, including pigs, deer, horses, bulls and endangered species like the mouflon and banteng. Efforts are under way to revive extinct animals like the woolly mammoth. Success rates in cloning have dramatically improved; early cloning was notoriously inefficient — Dolly being the sole success out of 277 attempts. The cloning of primates was achieved in 2018 using the same method which produced Dolly. Gene-edited monkey clones soon followed. Parallel to these developments, stem cell research has surged forward, allowing ordinary cells to be reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells capable of regenerating tissues, offering new hope for treating complex diseases. Reproductive human cloning remains globally prohibited or tightly restricted, although therapeutic cloning for research purposes is allowed in a few countries under strict ethical oversight. Dolly had such a pleasant, good-natured face. In photographs, it almost looks like she is smiling placidly at the camera in a self-satisfied way. She looks like an entirely ordinary sheep, one who grazed, gave birth, and dealt with illness. And she was, in some respects. But she was born from a question: can life be replicated? And Dolly leaves us with a bigger question: what happens when life is replicated and what does it portend? I quite like the fact that something as simple and humble as a mere sheep could disrupt centuries-old notions of life, soul, identity and the sacredness of origin. • Jean Balchin is an ODT columnist who has started a new life in Edinburgh.
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Bluey's longest ever episode The Sign comes to CBeebies and BBC iPlayer this Easter
The 28-minute special Bluey episode The Sign will land on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer on 18 April (Good Friday). Even more families across the UK will have the opportunity to enjoy this warm, heartfelt and extra-long episode of Bluey over the Easter weekend. Catch the premiere of The Sign on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer on 18 April (Good Friday) Plus all-new to CBeebies episodes of Bluey from Series 3 land from April Written by Bluey creator and writer Joe Brumm, directed by Richard Jeffery, and produced by Ludo Studio, The Sign is full of life-changing and relatable moments, taking fans on an emotional rollercoaster. It has also won a Kidscreen Award in 2025 for Best One-Off, Special or TV Movie in Preschool Programming. In the extended episode, the Heeler family home is up for sale and Bluey's unhappy. But Bluey's comforted when Calypso tells her a proverb about a farmer who trusts everything will turn out the way it's meant to be. The next day, the Heeler home is prepping for Frisky's wedding, but when it's revealed Rad is planning a move out west after the wedding, Frisky runs away. Now Bluey has to experience her own farmer's proverb. The Sign is jammed-packed with voice talent, including Dave McCormack and Melanie Zanetti as the voices of Dad (Bandit) and Mum (Chilli). Also returning are: Patrick Brammall as the voice of Uncle Rad; alongside Megan Washington as Calypso; Claudia O'Doherty as Frisky; Myf Warhurst as Trixie; and Rose Byrne as Brandy. Making their Bluey voice debut, this special episode also introduces Rove McManus, Deborah Mailman, Brendan Williams and Joel Edgerton. BBC Children's and Education, Senior Head of Commissioning for CBeebies, Kate Morton, says: 'We know how much little ones and their families all over the world love Bluey, and it's important to us that everyone across the UK has the chance to watch this global sensation. That's why we're so proud that CBeebies is the UK home for Bluey. The extended episode has already garnered so much positive acclaim and it's the perfect Easter treat for families to watch together over Easter weekend maybe even with a chocolate egg or two.' In addition to the free-to-air debut of The Sign, 13 episodes of Bluey, new to CBeebies, will be available on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer from 7th April. These episodes include Ghostbasket and Surprise, which can be enjoyed alongside The Sign as part of a trilogy of Bluey episodes, with Ghostbasket going before it and Surprise after. In addition to the debut of The Sign, 13 episodes of Bluey, new to CBeebies, will be available on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer from 7 April. In these episodes, Bluey showcases the joyful simplicity that can be found in families turning everyday events of family life - like making a cubby house (blanket fort) or a trip to the beach - into unique adventures that bring to life how children learn and grow through play. The episodes are: 7 April, 7.20am: Cubby – Bluey and Bingo build a very special cubby for their stuffed toy, Kimjim. 7 April, 7.30am: Exercise – Bingo pretends to be Boss Bluey's new employee in the middle of Dad's backyard workout. 8 April, 7.20am: Relax – Bluey and Bingo would rather explore their holiday hotel room than relax on the beach. 9 April, 7.20am: Stickbird – On a trip to the beach, Mum teaches Bluey how to throw, while Bingo and Dad get creative with a funny shaped stick. 10 April, 7.20am: Show and Tell – Bluey wants to know why Dad's always bossing her around! 11 April, 7.20am: Dragon – Bluey asks Dad to help her draw a dragon for her story. 14 April, 7.20am: Wild Girls – Coco wants to play Wild Girls with Indy, but Chloe wants her to play another game. 15 April, 7.20am: TV Shop – At the pharmacy, Bluey and Bingo have fun playing with the CCTV screens. 16 April, 7.20am Slide – Bingo and Lila are excited to play on their new waterslide. 17 April, 7.20am Cricket – During a friendly game of neighborhood cricket, the dads struggle to bowl Rusty out. 18 April, 7.20am: Ghostbasket – Dad is pretending to be an estate agent selling the Grannies' house to Mum. But Janet and Rita don't want to move out! 18 April, 9am: The Sign – The Heeler home is up for sale and Bluey's not happy about it. 21 April, 7.20am: Surprise - Bluey and Bingo want Dad to play two different games, so Dad plays both at the same time. Additionally, The Sign can be enjoyed as part of a trilogy of Bluey episodes, with Ghostbasket going before it and Surprise after. Jointly commissioned by ABC Children's and BBC Studios Kids & Family, Bluey is produced by multi-Emmy award-winning Ludo Studio in association with Screen Queensland and Screen Australia. The series follows Bluey, a loveable, inexhaustible, Blue Heeler dog, who lives with her Mum, Dad and her little sister, Bingo. Bluey uses her limitless energy to play games that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways, bringing her family and the whole neighbourhood into her world of fun. Bluey airs daily on CBeebies and all episodes are also available to watch on BBC iPlayer. EG Notes 'Bluey fans hail The Sign as 'a masterpiece'' - Mail on Sunday 'Paradigm-shattering': Bluey's biggest episode ever is packed with magic' – The Guardian 'Truly transcendental viewing' - BBC Culture
The Independent
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Grime pioneer Terror Danjah, who worked with Kano, Wiley and Ghetts, has died
Respected music producer Terror Danjah, who worked with some of the foremost artists of the UK's grime scene, has reportedly died. The news was announced on Tuesday (11 February) by musician D Power Diesle on social media in a brief statement that said: 'People! Sad sad news! [Terror Danjah] has unfortunately passed away. 'God bless all his family, I will let you know when I know more.' Born Rodney Price in east London, the producer was described as a 'great uncle' of grime thanks to his work nurturing generations of talent, collaborating with early pioneers of the scene including Wiley, Ghetts, Jammer and Kano. He began his career by DJing at local house parties before starting out as a producer around 2001. Two years later, he produced NASTY's 'Cock Back' ft Crazy Titch and Bruza. Price swiftly became known for creating some of grime's most distinctive sounds, including his trademark 'gremlin', a robotic cackle that added an extra dose of suspense. His music soon found its way to pivotal underground labels including Hyperdub, Tru Thoughts and Planet Mu, along with his own Hardrive Records, through which he released a number of solo projects. He held a diplomatic view on artists venturing into mainstream territory, telling Vice that it depended on 'whether you can stay true to the music'. 'It would be lovely to get a national hit but it would be beautiful to do it from what I do now,' he said. 'I know it's gonna take some wider thinking and maybe less intricate but at the same time, it's all about timing because you can do what the Wileys, Tinies and Skeptas are doing; making music for the market and then making music for them.' He continued: 'It seems as time goes on, people are accepting more of the underground culture because it's becoming more of a norm. Ten or 15 years ago, there was a massive gap and now both sides are just merging into one big pot.' Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members) Sign up In the same interview, he recalled an amusing anecdote of how Tinie Tempah, who rose to fame with 2010 singles 'Pass Out' and 'Frisky', was coming to visit him at his home. Price warned him to get there before 2.30pm. 'He still tried to come into the ends at 3pm and ended up getting chased down the road by a mob of [school] girls,' he remembered. 'You know when someone doesn't realised how big they are? Them girls know everything, so of course they'd chase him. Lesson learnt!' Price remained active well into the 2010s, working with electronic artist Four Tet on his 2014 single 'Killer' and releasing an album, Invasion, in 2019. That same year, his family released a statement telling fans that he was 'critically ill' from an unconfirmed illness and in a coma. Price's social media accounts have been inactive since then, and he appeared to disappear from the public eye. Following the news of his death, tributes poured in from former collaborators, fans and friends. 'Rest in peace,' rapper and singer Big Zuu wrote on X. 'A very kind soul who always had time for the mandem and just wanted to see us win. Sending prayers and blessings to your family.' 'RIP Terror Danjah,' artist Kush Jones wrote. 'One of my favs and one of the best grime producers ever. His style was truly unique.' Electronic music Plastician (Chris Reed), wrote: 'Sad news to read on the timeline. Such a talented producer and a great human being to boot. He's never left my crates. Never will.' His friend and fellow musician Trillary Banks said: 'Heaven gained not just an angel but a UK legend. Love you @TerrorDanjah.'
