Latest news with #Penman
Spectator
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Instantly captivating: the mysterious harmonies of Erik Satie
The first time I heard a piece of music by Erik Satie it was on the B-side of a Gary Numan single. Played on a synth that sounds like a theremin sucking on a dummy, 'Gymnopédie #1' is so saccharine sweet it actually makes the music seem sorry for itself. And yet. It got me hooked on Satie's catchy yet sombre ironies. Par for the course, says Ian Penman in this dazzling study. People who know nothing about music beyond the top tens of their teens can be so 'instantly beguiled, captivated and transported' by Satie that his 'pop single length' works are 'now part of some collective audio memory'. For all that, there is no mention of Numan here. Nothing strange, you're thinking – but get a load of those who do turn up in the book. Ravel, Debussy and Poulenc are present and correct, of course. And since he studied composition under Satie's pal Darius Milhaud, I guess Burt Bacharach was a shoo-in for a look-in. But how about Stevie Wonder and Elton John? The Keiths, Jarrett and Emerson? The Evanses, Bill and Gil? It's Sunday Night at the Penman Palladium! Bring on those stars of stage and screen! Satie's double act with Francis Picabia in René Clair's comic silent Entr'acte ushers in a reverie on Morecambe and Wise, Pete and Dud and Vic and Bob. Satie came from Normandy and was rarely seen without an umbrella – give a big hand to Jacques Demy's Les Parapluies de Cherbourg. Yet none of this scattershot name-dropping is facetious, much less otiose. Even Penman's recollection of Les Dawson's version of 'Feelings' serves to point up the wit that underlies so much of Satie's music. You'll have gathered that this book, which is being published to mark the centenary of Satie's death, is no garden-variety monograph. Indeed, since it really does have three parts – a vaguely conventional essay on Satie's life and times; an A-Z of all things Satie; and a diary of the last few years in which Penman has jotted down Satie-stimulated hunches and hypotheses – we might do better to call it a triograph. But there's no way of shelf-marking a book like this. Dismissing the conventional biography for being 'too linear – as if modernity never happened', Penman is trying, like his film director hero Nicolas Roeg, to engender a whole new form. The result is something that looks more like a screenplay than a critical tract, with as much white space as black ink. Aphorisms and apophthegms – many of them so brief they occupy only a line or two – ladder the page like a John Coltrane chart. No attempt is made at logical, step-by-step argument. Penman's points rarely relate to one another and certainly don't flow in any order. Not that he's being lazy and making his readers do the work for him; he wants to get 'people… out of the habit of explaining everything'. Satie's minimalist phrases, shimmering, impressionist harmonies and cubist rhythms play havoc with convention – he wrenches time about in just the way the canvases of his chums Picasso and Braque reconfigure space. Similarly, Penman wants to undermine the commonplace that criticism must cohere to convince. Satie's aesthetic was so influential, Penman believes, that it gave us the sound of the contemporary world. He invented the ambient music that Michael Caine loves (Satie called it 'household music'); the industrial music of Lou Reed and Kraftwerk; and full-on muzak (an insulting name that is somehow outdone by Satie's original idea of 'furniture music'). Whatever the truth of these claims – and surely the bombast and braggadocio of what Penman calls 'big puffed-up symphonies', 'self-important concertos' and 'sweaty drama-queen conductors' have had some sway on rock and pop, too – they licence some stunning aperçus. Satie makes us 'attend to the forgotten realm of quiet moments'; an encyclopaedia is 'a largely successful attempt to keep chaos at bay'; Harold Budd's 'Luxa' is 'lift music for a lift that never goes up or down'. No, I haven't heard of that either. But then, if nothing else, this book leaves you with a playlist that will take weeks to work through. And be in no doubt: you'll want to hear what Penman's heard. His bibliography is brief to the point of pointlessness, and some reproductions of the images he is so fond of discussing would have been nice. But really, what more can one ask of criticism than that it turn you on to stuff you've never seen or heard?
Daily Record
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Hypnotist cures people's fears of spiders and snakes at live event
Fraser Penman, known as 'Penman: The Imaginator' teamed up with indoor rainforest Amazonia. A Lanarkshire hypnotist and mind reader who was inspired by Derren Brown to launch a stage career has helped people to cure their fear of exotic spiders and snakes. Fraser Penman, from East Kilbride, delivers a unique brand of hypnosis, mind reading and comedy despite having impaired vision. The 30-year-old recently teamed up with Amazonia, Scotland's indoor rainforest that is home to a range of exotic creatures, to perform the unique one-off live event. Known as 'Penman: The Imaginator', he used innovative visualisation techniques to help members of the public to face their fears head on. After spending just a few minutes with them, Penman performed rapid, instant hypnosis inductions to help them handle a royal python called Eva and a Chile rose tarantula named Val – creatures they were convinced they could never face. The special event held at the Alona Hotel at M&D's Scotland's Theme Park, was one of a series of high-profile stunts that Penman will be doing around the country, ahead of his headline show at the Edinburgh Fringe. Lewis Thomson, 32, from East Kilbride, who had a fear of snakes, was so excited when his fear disappeared that he said he felt like 'Ace Ventura', the Jim Carey pet detective in the hit Hollywood film. He said: 'When I was hypnotised it was so calming, it was like a weight being lifted off my shoulders. You become the best version of yourself, and it gives you a renewed sense of confidence. 'I thought snakes were horrible and the thought of even going near one filled me with dread. I can't believe I had one around my neck.' Wendy Gifford, Glasgow, 56, was unable to go even a few feet near the tarantula. However, after being hypnotised, she was brave enough to stroke the spider and now wants one as a pet. She said: 'I was aware something was going on when I was hypnotised, it was like being in my own wee world and all I could hear was Fraser's voice. 'Even small spiders made me terrified, they made my skin crawl. I was always that person who was never going to be hypnotised. But after spending just a few minutes with Fraser my fears gradually disappeared and I'm now considering having a spider, such as a Tarantula, as a pet.' Amazonia, based at Strathclyde Park, is a temperature-controlled tropical house, home to over 60 different species, including monkeys, parrots, snakes, frogs, tarantulas and scorpions. Penman said: 'Using unique psychological techniques, I wanted to share with others the gift I have of being able to transfer your mindset like I did for myself to make life-changing outcomes. 'What better way to demonstrate my ability than to take exotic creatures most people have a fear of and seeing their shift in mindset go from panic to calm while holding these beautiful animals? 'Your mind is like a computer and the techniques I use is like giving it an update, such as you no longer have a fear of spiders or snakes. 'I've been exploring a bold, unconventional approach - something rarely attempted before to eliminate fear almost instantly. Using rapid, hypnosis inductions to bypass the slow descent into a deep trance, I can access the subconscious mind almost immediately - faster and more directly than traditional methods allow. Amanda Gott, manager of Amazonia, said: 'I don't fancy being put to sleep myself. But it was amazing to watch Fraser's live performance, it's incredible that someone can be cured of their fears within just a few minutes. 'It was fascinating to see how calming Fraser was with those taking part and the sensitive way he dealt with the tarantula and royal python. Many people come to Amazonia with preconceptions that all the creatures here are scary and strange, but at our education sessions we try and combat that.' Penman's Fringe show at the Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh gives a revealing insight into how the coping mechanism he initially used to deal with his limited sight has heightened his other senses, allowing him to perform numerous breathtaking stunts. He was born with Oculocutaneous Albinism (OCA) - the most severe form of the condition. The congenital disorder affects just one in 20,000 people and means he lacks pigment in his skin, hair and eyes as well as having a visual impairment. Penman, who describes himself as a 'psychological influencer', has hypnotised Pop Star Callum Beattie, some of Scotland's top TikTok social media influencers and renowned Scottish comedian Gary Faulds. With more than 2.5 million views on TikTok, he is determined to change the perception of those with albinism, and hopes his Fringe stage show will act as an inspiration for people with the condition. Penman added: 'When I was training to be a primary teacher in my twenties I was inspired by Derren Brown's storytelling and showmanship, I must have watched a DVD about hypnosis a thousand times. Once I read a few books and looked into the neuroscience behind it I realised that I had the ability to hypnotise someone almost instantly. It was like having a superpower, I was blown away. 'I had a difficult childhood growing up with albinism, so having this gift has allowed me to turn around my life and chase my dreams of one day having my own residency at Vegas. 'Many people with albinism are confined to the house wearing dark glasses but I'm determined to change that perception. I want to inspire others to show they have more within them than they may realise.' For the past six years, Penman has been holding down two jobs while honing his craft with performances at venues around the UK. His new Fringe show is the first time it will be performed before audiences in Scotland. Penman said: 'The show takes the audience on an innovative journey through my life while delivering a Vegas-quality entertainment experience. If you think you've seen a hypnosis show, then think again. Expect summer anthems and countless moments of unbelievable, impossible possibilities live in front of your very eyes, with a very special message for the audience to take away to help inspire their own life." *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
The Herald Scotland
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Noah Penman: I'm terrified on the 10m diving board, but I love it
Against the odds, and defying all expectations, he's now a major championships medallist and has begun to fulfil that potential far faster than anyone, including himself, ever thought possible. Penman has long been identified as a diver with considerable talent. Multiple national titles, as well as a brace of medals at last summer's European Junior Championships, were a clear indication of Penman's ability but few expected it to translate into major championships silverware quite so quickly, and especially not as soon as at last week's European Championships, with the competition in Turkey being Penman's first taste of any individual event at a senior major championship. 'Initially, I was just happy to be selected for the British team and to be at the Europeans at all,' says the 18-year-old, whose silver medal came in the 3m springboard event. "So to actually come away with a medal was totally unexpected, 'When I realised I'd finished second, I was like, what?! Most of the other divers in the field had loads more experience than me and so to see my name in second place, I was pretty shocked. I was overjoyed, but it definitely didn't sink in straight away.' Penman's youth was amplified by the fact that the gold medalist at the European Championships was Andrzej Rzeszutek of Poland, who is 15 years his senior, but throughout the nerve-wracking final, Penman was almost entirely unaffected by nerves due to his ability to focus purely on the dive ahead of him. 'When I'm in the competition, I don't like to look at the scoreboard at all so in the final of the Europeans, I didn't have a clue where I was in the standings,' he says. 'I qualified for the final in second place and that's what gave me the belief I could do well in the final. Throughout the final, though, I wasn't checking the scoreboard but I did have a sense that it was going well. My penultimate dive was the best dive I'd done the entire competition and that's when I realised I had a great chance of being on the podium.' Noah Penman of Great Britain poses with his silver medal after placing second in the men's 3-meter springboard final during the European Diving Championships (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images) A couple of days of celebration followed Penman's medal-winning exploits but he's quickly returned to competition mode, with the British Diving Championships beginning today in the West Midlands. British Diving is currently experiencing a golden age, with the team bursting with world and Olympic medallist meaning despite Penman's newly-acquired European silverware, he will still head into this week's event as something of an underdog. He's reluctant to talk up his chances in the coming days, during which he'll compete in both the 3m and 10m events, but given the form he's in, it's hardly surprising that he's hopeful of springing a surprise. 'My European silver was a huge confidence boost for me and hopefully it doesn't put too much pressure on me,' he says. 'I'm really looking forward to the British although it's a funny situation that you can go to the senior Europeans and get a silver medal, but still be up against quite a few guys who have achieved a lot more than that. 'I feel like I'm catching them, though, and I'm hoping to beat them in the future. And you never know, maybe even this weekend.' Penman began his sporting career as a gymnast, representing Scotland at national level. However, after being spotted by diving coaches during a tour of Aberdeenshire primary schools, he tried his hand at diving and he's never looked back. Penman is somewhat unusual in the elite diving sphere in that he competes in both 10m and 3m diving, with most divers having chosen to specialise in one or the other by this point in their career. He admits that the duel focus can be testing, at times, but the variety, and the adrenaline rush that high diving brings, ensures he remains particularly motivated each day in training. 'I really don't know whether I'm best at 3-metre or 10-metre diving - training for both 3-metre and 10-metre does make it tough when most of my competitors are specialising in one or the other but I guess it's a good problem to be good at them both,' the teenager says. 'I still remember the first time I dived off a 10-metre board - I was looking down and I just loved it. 'Every single dive I do from a 10-metre board, I'm pretty scared. But actually, I like the adrenaline rush that being scared gives me and that really pushes me on.' Penman has big ambitions for the coming years. Picking up more silverware at next month's European Junior Championships is a definite goal, while his Olympic ambitions already loom large, with LA 2028 already marked in his calendar. 'My result at the Europeans has boosted my expectations for the rest of the season and I'll be going to the Junior Europeans next month hoping for medals,' he says. 'Looking further forward, the Olympics is definitely in my sights. Obviously, you never know what can happen in the next three years but LA 2028 is definitely my goal.'
The National
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The National
Noah Penman: I'm terrified on the 10m diving board, but I love it
A week can make a big difference, though. Against the odds, and defying all expectations, he's now a major championships medallist and has begun to fulfil that potential far faster than anyone, including himself, ever thought possible. Penman has long been identified as a diver with considerable talent. Multiple national titles, as well as a brace of medals at last summer's European Junior Championships, were a clear indication of Penman's ability but few expected it to translate into major championships silverware quite so quickly, and especially not as soon as at last week's European Championships, with the competition in Turkey being Penman's first taste of any individual event at a senior major championship. 'Initially, I was just happy to be selected for the British team and to be at the Europeans at all,' says the 18-year-old, whose silver medal came in the 3m springboard event. "So to actually come away with a medal was totally unexpected, 'When I realised I'd finished second, I was like, what?! Most of the other divers in the field had loads more experience than me and so to see my name in second place, I was pretty shocked. I was overjoyed, but it definitely didn't sink in straight away.' Penman's youth was amplified by the fact that the gold medalist at the European Championships was Andrzej Rzeszutek of Poland, who is 15 years his senior, but throughout the nerve-wracking final, Penman was almost entirely unaffected by nerves due to his ability to focus purely on the dive ahead of him. 'When I'm in the competition, I don't like to look at the scoreboard at all so in the final of the Europeans, I didn't have a clue where I was in the standings,' he says. 'I qualified for the final in second place and that's what gave me the belief I could do well in the final. Throughout the final, though, I wasn't checking the scoreboard but I did have a sense that it was going well. My penultimate dive was the best dive I'd done the entire competition and that's when I realised I had a great chance of being on the podium.' Noah Penman of Great Britain poses with his silver medal after placing second in the men's 3-meter springboard final during the European Diving Championships (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images) A couple of days of celebration followed Penman's medal-winning exploits but he's quickly returned to competition mode, with the British Diving Championships beginning today in the West Midlands. British Diving is currently experiencing a golden age, with the team bursting with world and Olympic medallist meaning despite Penman's newly-acquired European silverware, he will still head into this week's event as something of an underdog. He's reluctant to talk up his chances in the coming days, during which he'll compete in both the 3m and 10m events, but given the form he's in, it's hardly surprising that he's hopeful of springing a surprise. 'My European silver was a huge confidence boost for me and hopefully it doesn't put too much pressure on me,' he says. 'I'm really looking forward to the British although it's a funny situation that you can go to the senior Europeans and get a silver medal, but still be up against quite a few guys who have achieved a lot more than that. 'I feel like I'm catching them, though, and I'm hoping to beat them in the future. And you never know, maybe even this weekend.' Penman began his sporting career as a gymnast, representing Scotland at national level. However, after being spotted by diving coaches during a tour of Aberdeenshire primary schools, he tried his hand at diving and he's never looked back. Penman is somewhat unusual in the elite diving sphere in that he competes in both 10m and 3m diving, with most divers having chosen to specialise in one or the other by this point in their career. He admits that the duel focus can be testing, at times, but the variety, and the adrenaline rush that high diving brings, ensures he remains particularly motivated each day in training. 'I really don't know whether I'm best at 3-metre or 10-metre diving - training for both 3-metre and 10-metre does make it tough when most of my competitors are specialising in one or the other but I guess it's a good problem to be good at them both,' the teenager says. 'I still remember the first time I dived off a 10-metre board - I was looking down and I just loved it. 'Every single dive I do from a 10-metre board, I'm pretty scared. But actually, I like the adrenaline rush that being scared gives me and that really pushes me on.' Penman has big ambitions for the coming years. Picking up more silverware at next month's European Junior Championships is a definite goal, while his Olympic ambitions already loom large, with LA 2028 already marked in his calendar. 'My result at the Europeans has boosted my expectations for the rest of the season and I'll be going to the Junior Europeans next month hoping for medals,' he says. 'Looking further forward, the Olympics is definitely in my sights. Obviously, you never know what can happen in the next three years but LA 2028 is definitely my goal.'
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Unexpected medal' stokes Olympic flame for Penman
Scottish diver Noah Penman says a surprise European Championships silver medal is a huge confidence builder as he chases his Olympic dream. The 18-year-old, who was making his first senior individual appearance at a major event, narrowly missed out on gold in the men's 3m springboard final in Turkey. "It was an unexpected medal," he told BBC Scotland. "Most of the other guys in the competition were a few years older. "The main goal was to gain experience of being in that senior competition environment, so to come away with a medal is great. "To go out there and do what I love doing and to bring the medal home, it gives me great confidence to go into the season and the coming years toward the Los Angeles Olympics [in 2028]. "GB is a great diving nation, so to make that team is a very difficult task but I think getting the silver puts me in good stead to push on further, to make those world teams and go to the Olympics." Having shown real promise as a gymnast in his childhood, Penman made the sporting switch when his diving potential was spotted while in his final year at primary school in Aberdeen. Two European silvers and a bronze followed at junior level. "I think gymnastics built a great base for me to go into diving," explained the Aberdeen Grammar School pupil, who is on his way to Edinburgh University. "I started diving a bit later, through a talent identification programme where coaches from the local club go round the schools recruiting future prospects. "I quickly turned to diving once I realised the love I had for the sport."
