Latest news with #RestlessNatives
Glasgow Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Martin Compston and pal to axe popular show after 3 years
Martin Compston and Gordon Smart will stop recording their podcast, Restless Natives. The duo revealed that they are unable to 'fulfil their recording schedule' for the podcast due to work commitments, The Scottish Sun reports. READ MORE: TV star pictured partying with Celtic team after Cup Final READ MORE: Celtic-daft Martin Compston to star in new thriller series It is understood that Greenock-born Compston, 41, is currently in Dublin, Ireland, filming for a new Paramount+ series. Meanwhile, Smart, 45, is splitting his time between hosting BBC shows in London and Manchester. Martin Compston and pal to axe popular show after 3 years (Image: Supplied) Smart said: 'Restless Natives is going on a hiatus. 'The diaries have finally imploded trying to get us together with his filming and my radio and telly stuff. 'So Wednesday and Friday this week will be the last podcasts.' READ MORE: Martin Compston and famous pal spotted at Glasgow restaurant Compston is known for starring in hit shows and films, including Line of Duty, Sweet Sixteen, and The Wee Man.
Edinburgh Reporter
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
EIFF 2025 – full programme is announced
This year's Edinburgh International Film Festival has something old and something new. CEO and Festival Director, Paul Ridd, is still relatively recently appointed and he is keen to keep on discovering new film talent and work to engage with the audiences. But room has been made in the programme for some James Bond and Restless Natives as well as Red Road and some highly interesting guests at in person events. This year's Festival programme 'explores the fragile ties that bind communities new and old, thrilling and revelatory journeys inward and outward andlight shone in the darkest of places'. It showcases new work from filmmakers from Scotland, UK, US, Ireland, Canada, Spain, Greece, Denmark, Croatia, France, Turkey, Australia, Brazil, Japan and beyond. The highlights include: 43 new feature films 18 World Premieres (10 of which will compete for the Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence) 6 special retrospective screenings – James Bond on the big screen and a Budd Boetticher celebration 6 short film programmes including the Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence competition A new short form work by the inaugural NFTS Sean Connery Lab World Premiere of an animation by Renée Zellweger In Conversation events with some acclaimed filmmakers And Midnight Madness screenings Sorry Baby Complementing the Opening Night film, Eva Victor's eagerly awaited black comedy SORRY BABY, the Festival presents a selection of compelling new and established voices in cinema including 18 World Premieres with an Out of Competition strand offering additional World and UK premieres. The Closing Night film is the World Premiere of Paul Sng's unmissable, kaleidoscopic Irvine Welsh documentary REALITY IS NOT ENOUGH which sits within a programme strong with both Scottish and international talent. I Am Irvine Welsh, Biscuit Factory, Edinburgh, Scotland, 4th April 2023 Irvine Welsh and Darren Emerson, Radisson Red Sky Bar, 17th April 2022 Watch James Bond on the big screen with a special strand of the six original Bond films starring Sean Connery. Sacred Bonds includes 4K restorations of DR. NO, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, THUNDERBALL, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and all introduced by a series of soon to be announced special guests. Mr Ridd said 'I am absolutely thrilled to launch this year's beautiful programme of films, talks and events into the world. This programme represents a year of incredibly hard work from our team, headed up by myself and my brilliant collaborator Emma Boa, from our supportive Board, and from our partners across film and the arts. I am enormously grateful to all of them for their encouragement and support. For one week in August we celebrate film and its bright future in the heart of Edinburgh. But we hope the ripple effect for our films, for our filmmakers and for our audiences is felt year-round and all over the world. Bring it on.' Isabel Davis, Executive Director at Screen Scotland said: 'Paul and the team have surpassed themselves with this year's exceptional, must-attend programme. As the major backers of EIFF, we're overjoyed that the Filmhouse is back in action as a key part of the festival's new footprint, alongside other great spaces. And we are excited by the expanding industry role, providing a springboard for acquisitions, a place for relationships to be forged between Scottish, UK and international filmmakers and professionals, and for emerging talent to encounter the world's greatest films and filmmakers. Tollcross Central Hall as an industry hub is a gift of a space and set to become the focal point for incredible conversations and encounters across the festival. Bring it on!' In Conversation EIFF's In Conversation strand features a range of major filmmaking talent who will discuss their creative careers to date including director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland, Touching the Void, One to One: John & Yoko) speaking with his brother, producer Andrew Macdonald (Trainspotting, Civil War, 28 Years Later), in a wide ranging conversation about filmmaking and their respective careers. Trailblazing filmmaker Nia DaCosta will discuss her acclaimed work which spans independent film, horror and major studio comic book adaptations including The Marvels, Candyman and upcoming film 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. From breakout horror thriller Kill List to EIFF Midnight Madness Opening Film Bulk, via hilarious black comedy Sightseers and many more, Filmmaker Ben Wheatley and long time producing partner Andy Starke will discuss their collaborations and their working dynamic. Award-winning writer and director Andrea Arnold is one of the UK's most outstanding filmmakers and will discuss her searing debut feature Red Road, also screening at EIFF this year, which won the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut in 2006, along with her critically acclaimed work such as Fish Tank, American Honey, Cow and, most recently, Bird. Special Retrospective Screenings This year's EIFF plays host to 6 Special Retrospective Screenings which are Mikhail Kalatozov's hugely influential Palme D'Or winner THE CRANES ARE FLYING (1957) introduced by Festival guest Kevin Macdonald; Doug Liman's kinetic black comedy GO (1999) introduced by Festival guest Nia Da Costa; Alexander Mackendrick's classic Ealing comedy THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT (1951); a 40th anniversary screening of Michael Hoffman's much loved RESTLESS NATIVES, presented in collaboration with Local Cinema Network; Festival guest Andrea Arnold introduces her tense, Glasgow set RED ROAD (2006); Honouring the life and legacy of producer Paddy Higson, who passed away earlier this year, the Festival hosts a 35th anniversary screening of David Hayman's searing underground Scottish classic SILENT SCREAM, the film which won the inaugural Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature at the 1990 Edinburgh International Film Festival. Listings for the Festival will go live on the EIFF website from 5pm on Wednesday 2 July with tickets going on sale midday on Thursday 3 July via and via the EdFringe official app. Press and Industry accreditation for EIFF is now open and closes on 2 August. Edinburgh International Film Festival runs from Thursday 14 to Wednesday 20 August 2025. Pictured: Festival Director Paul Ridd + Festival Producer Emma Boa present the 2025 EIFF brochure inside Screen 1 of Edinburgh's Filmhouse | Photography by Kat Gollock Like this: Like Related
Scottish Sun
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
BBC star reveals shock plans to axe popular podcast
'The diaries have finally imploded trying to get us together with his filming and my radio and telly stuff' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MARTIN Compston and pal Gordon Smart are pulling the plug on their popular podcast from this week - after three years and 300 shows. The pair insist they are unable to fulfil their recording schedule now due to work commitments. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 Pals Gordon Smart and Martin Compston launched their podcast three years ago. 3 Sun man Matt Bendoris interviews Martin and Gordon for the launch of their podcast in 2022. Martin, 41, is currently in Dublin filming the Paramount+ series The Revenge Club, while Gordon, 45, splits his time between hosting BBC shows in London and Manchester. Last night Gordon said: 'Restless Natives is going on a hiatus. 'The diaries have finally imploded trying to get us together with his filming and my radio and telly stuff. 'So Wednesday and Friday this week will be the last podcasts.' Their podcast was named after Gordon's favourite 1980s Scots flick that featured actors Vincent Friell and Joe Mullaney as highway robbers the Clown and the Wolfman. Over the three years Martin from Greenock has admitted missing out on a role in BBC hit Peaky Blinders because he 'couldn't do a Brummie accent.' While Scots Hollywood star James McAvoy told the pair he had 'smashed' his knee filming a group sex scene for a movie. And presenter Paddy McGuinness claimed on their podcast how he saw Prince Harry rip down a picture of the late Queen during a 'wild party' night in Chelsea. Last summer Martin and Gordon also filmed a version of their Restless Natives show for BBC Scotland's coverage from the Euro Finals in Germany. The dad of two adds: 'We've done 300 shows in three years exactly. 'Plus two live shows, ten telly shows in Germany - so now it's time for bed.'
Glasgow Times
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
New musical adaptation of Restless Natives coming to Glasgow
Restless Natives, featuring well-known Scottish stage talent, will run at the King's Theatre in Glasgow from June 24 to 28. Leading the cast are Kyle Gardiner and Finlay McKillop, who will bring to life the iconic characters of Will and Ronnie, also known as The Clown and The Wolfman. They will be joined by Olivier-nominated Kirsty MacLaren, who will play tour guide Margot. The ensemble cast also includes Robin Campbell, Ailsa Davidson, Caroline Deyga, Stuart Edgar, Sarah Galbraith, Ava MacKinnon, Alan McHugh, and Harry Ward. Read more: Popular singer-songwriter coming to Glasgow as part of UK tour Restless Natives: The Musical has been produced and directed by the original team behind the 1985 cult classic film, in collaboration with co-producers Perth Theatre. The story follows Ronnie and Will, who, tired of their mundane urban lives, become the Highland Highwaymen. They soon gain international fame by charmingly robbing tourists on buses. Tour guide Margot believes these modern-day Robin Hoods can restore national pride. However, with the authorities hot on their trail, their story takes an intriguing turn. Read more: American musician coming to popular Glasgow venue - Here's when The production, which features music inspired by the spirit and songs of Big Country, is written by Ninian Dunnett, Michael Hoffman, and Andy Paterson, with Tim Sutton composing the score. The musical is designed to captivate both fans of the original film and new audiences alike. For more information and to book tickets, visit the ATG tickets website.
The Herald Scotland
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
The projects transforming Edinburgh's cultural landscape
A cultural revolution stretching across the city will involve a rolling programme of openings of new and reborn venues embracing almost every imaginable art form. Significant gaps in the city's cultural infrastructure will be tackled by some projects, while others will see the future of some of the city's most important landmarks secured. The changes are expected to help the city attract a host of performers and companies who would otherwise bypass the city, as well as encourage a greater geographical spread of the city's festivals and events. The first taste of what is to come will unfold this weekend in Leith Theatre, when the venue reopens for the first time in nearly three years to host performances of a new musical inspired by the classic Scottish film comedy Restless Natives. A 'pop-up summer season' of shows, which also feature a stage adaptation of Leith-born author Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting sequel Porno, was announced shortly before an announcement that the National Lottery Heritage Fund had pledged £4.5 million to get a long-awaited full-scale refurbishment off the ground. The building was originally a gift from Edinburgh to Leith following its controversial amalgamation in 1920, although the venue did not open until 1932 and was forced to close in 1941 after almost being destroyed by a bomb blast during the Second World War. The Leith Theatre Trust launched in the wake of a campaign more than 20 years ago and successfully thwarted city council plans to sell off the building, which closed in 1988 due to its declining condition. Leith Theatre has been reopened on a temporary basis for events like the Hidden Door festival since 2017. (Image: Chris Scott) More than two decades after the original campaign and eight years on from the first of a series of temporary openings for events, including Hidden Door and the Edinburgh International Festival, the trust has also finally secured a 50-year lease from the city council, which was seen as critical to unlock the long-term revamp. Leith Theatre has not been open as a year-round venue since the 1980s. (Image: RYAN BUCHANAN / LEITH THEATRE) Trust chief executive Lynn Morrison described the funding breakthrough as a 'zeitgeist moment' after years of behind-the-scenes efforts to get a refurbishment off the ground. She told The Herald: 'It allows us to develop a plan that celebrates this beautiful building design and original intent while preparing it for its future life. 'By celebrating both heritage and innovation we are creating a space that honours its past while we head full steam in to our exciting future. 'Leith Theatre's potential is extraordinary. It's a space where music, performance and community activity can coexist. This building is and will be for everyone – a cultural treasure on your doorstep.' Edinburgh's reborn Filmhouse cinema is due to open to the public on June 27. (Image: Filmhouse) The campaign to reopen the Filmhouse on Lothian Road may not be as long as the one to bring Leith Theatre back to life, but its supporters will finally be able to celebrate its return this month, after nearly three years of efforts to bring the art house cinema back to life. The Filmhouse had been running for more than 40 years when its doors suddenly closed in October 2022 after its operating company went into administration. Both the cinema and the Edinburgh International Film Festival, which was also run by the Centre for Moving Image, ceased trading with immediate effect. The campaign to bring Edinburgh's Filmhouse cinema back to life saw images of classic films, including Gregory's Girl, projected onto the building. (Image: PA) Within weeks, a Save the Filmhouse campaign was up and running, while a group of former staff launched a bid to raised £2m to buy the building from the administrators after it was put on the open market. Although initially unsuccessful, the four-strong team led by former chief executive Ginnie Atkinson persuaded Caledonian Heritable, the Edinburgh-based bar and restaurant operator who snapped up the building for £2.65m, to agree to negotiations over a potential lease agreement to bring the Filmhouse back to life. Their new charity, Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd, would go on to secure a 25-year lease, and £1.5m in funding from the UK Government to pay for a refurbishment which was seen as critical to the future success of the reopened cinema. A crowdfunding campaign supported by screen industry figures like Jack Lowden, Alan Cumming, Ewen Bremner, Kate Dickie, Charlotte Wells, Dougray Scott, Brian Cox and Emma Thompson has generated £325,000 to date. The fundraising is expected to continue after the planned public opening date on June 27, with a second phase of work expected to add a fourth screen to the venue later in the summer. New seating has been installed in the three screenings rooms, which will have a lower capacity but more leg room, while the much-loved café-bar Ms Atkinson said: 'The whole place is looking absolutely gorgeous. All the seats are in, the café-bar has been completely redone and the foyer looks amazing. It really will be a different place. 'We're really pleased and happy. It's been a long haul, but the reason Filmhouse been sustainable is because we've had so much support from our audiences. 'We also hope that a lot of new people will come and experience Filmhouse for the first time once we reopen.' Although the finishing line will not be reached till next year, the next capital project to completed will be the biggest ever refurbishment of the King's Theatre since it opened in 1906. Laurence Oliver, Noel Coward, Maggie Smith, Simon Callow, Maria Callas, Ian McKellen, Rikki Fulton, Chic Murray, Stanley Baxter, Harry Lauder, Sean Connery, James Corden and Cillian Murphy are among the famous names to have performed at the venue. However, it was said to be at increasing risk of closure without a full-scale refurbishment, which was first explored more than 20 years ago. The revamp, which has been delayed by around three years by the Covid pandemic and a rise in costs, from an estimated £20m in 2018 to more than £40m currently, is finally due to be unveiled in the spring of 2026 ahead of the Edinburgh International Festival returning in the summer. Key improvements include the installation of lifts to improve accessibility throughout the building, refurbished dressing rooms, bar and foyer spaces, the installation of a new 'fly tower,' a new stage and backstage area, a new ground-floor café and box office, and a new studio space. Work is underway to turn the former Royal High School building on Calton Hill into a new National Centre for Music and concert venue. (Image: Richard Murphy Architects) The next big project due for completion after the King's is expected to be the National Centre for Music, the project which will finally bring the long-running saga over one of Edinburgh's most prominent landmarks to an end. Work is well underway to transform the former Royal High School building on Calton Hill into a new National Centre for Music and concert venue after decades of discussion and debate about what it should be used for. The project will open up the A-listed building - last in permanent use when the school relocated to a new site in 1968 - and its grounds to the public throughout the year, is being pursued after a number of previously proposals for the building, including a parliament building before the 1979 devolution referendum, a luxury hotel and a National Photography Centre. (Image: Tom Stuart-Smith Studio) The National Centre for Music, which emerged out of plans to relocate an independent music school to the site, will have three indoor performance spaces and the first new public gardens in the city since the creation of Princes Street Gardens more than 200 years ago. It is one of two city centre cultural projects being bankrolled by Scotland's biggest arts philanthropist, Carol Colburn Grigor, through her Dunard Fund charity, which has committed at least £45m to the £69m project. The National Centre for Music is planned to be 'busy day and night,' with rehearsals, recordings, workshops and performances from orchestras, bands, choirs and small ensembles. The main hall will be able to accommodation audiences of up to 300, while two smaller spaces will each have a capacity of around 100. Chief executive Jenny Jamison, who is planning for a summer 2027 opening, told The Herald that various enabling, investigation and clearing works were currently being carried out in and around the site to allow the main construction work to get underway within the next few months. She said: 'We want this to be a place that celebrates the full richness of Scottish music-making, across all genres and across all levels of experience. 'You might come here to try out an instrument for the first time or you might come here or listen to a top artist. 'We want it to be a place where people are exposed and up-close to music-making and that the inspiring interaction hooks them in to explore further. 'The centre will offer really complementary new infrastructure to what already exists in the city. 'Our main hall will be at a really nice level for an emerging artist looking to step on to a bigger stage, but equally for established artists who are wanting to do something a bit more experimental.' Edinburgh's new indoor concert arena is due to open by 2028. (Image: AEG Europe) Concerts and events of a completely difference scale are to get underway less than a year after the National Centre of Music's planned opening. The first quarter of 2028 is now earmarked for the opening of a long-awaited new indoor arena for the city. AEG, the company behind The O2 in London, is spearheading the 8500-capacity complex, which is expected to host up to 150 shows and attract 750,000 ticket-holders a year once it is up and running. Edinburgh is due to get a new 8500-capacity indoor concert arena by 2028. (Image: Canva) The project, which is earmarked for a new 'urban quarter' already taking shape in the Edinburgh Park area, was backed by the city council a year ago after decades of complaints from music fans in the capital about having to travel to Glasgow or England to see the biggest names in the music business. Alistair Wood, executive vice-president of real estate and development at AEG Europe, told The Herald: 'Securing planning permission last year allowed us to move ahead with our plans, from progressing design work to entering discussions with contractors and sub-contractors. 'We have funding in place, and now we're in the procurement phase. Once we have a final design, suppliers and contractors we'll break ground. We hope to begin construction early in 2026. 'We're excited to start the build process as soon as possible so that we can bring world-class acts to Edinburgh. We're hoping that the new arena will open its doors during the first quarter of 2028, with fans able to purchase tickets to the first shows during 2027. 'We've initiated discussions with a range of brands regarding naming rights opportunities. As expected, there's been strong interest in what is set to become one of the UK's most iconic venues. 'While we're still three years away from opening, these conversations mark the early stages of an exciting journey.' Edinburgh's first new concert hall for a century is due to be created in a gap site off St Andrew Square by 2029. (Image: David Chipperfield Architects) Back in the city centre, a gap site in the New Town, just off St Andrew Square, has already been cleared for what will become Edinburgh's first new concert hall for a century, which is pencilled in for a 2029 opening. The project is the second in the city centre being bankrolled by the Dunard Fund, this tune to the tune of £35m. Another £45m worth of private donations are said to have been pledged to date, with a further £25m in total committed by the Scottish and UK governments, and the city council. The Dunard Centre is due to open in the heart of Edinburgh's New Town in 2029. (Image: David Chipperfield Architects) First announced almost nine years ago, the Dunard Centre will be created on the site of former Royal Bank of Scotland offices, which were built in the 1960s behind Dundas House, the historic building which was acquired in 1825 for the bank's new headquarters and is still the registered head office. The 1000-capacity all-seater venue will provide a year-round home for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and become one of the Edinburgh International Festival's key venues. The Dunard Centre is being designed by the award-winning British architect David Chipperfield and the world-leading Japanese acousticians Nagata, for the company's first venue in the UK. The venue is expected to host combines classical, pop, rock, folk, jazz and electronica concerts, as well as spoken word events. Chief executive Jo Buckley told The Herald: 'Edinburgh is a cultural capital, but that is only going to keep being a cultural if it keeps investing in that future. 'We have astonishing venues in the city, but they are not modern purpose-built concert halls. The Dunard Centre is about what the city already has. 'There have been a raft of reports showing the need for a mid-sized concert hall in Edinburgh – it's the gap in the market that we don't have. 'There is a whole range of artists who are just not coming to Edinburgh at the moment. They are coming from the United States or Europe to do a gig in London, but don't come up to Scotland. 'The infrastructure is missing but also missing is a promoter curating a programme that brings together quality and diversity in the one place. A lot of Scottish artists are going elsewhere to perform but I don't know that we are seeing the return traffic as much as we should be. 'I think people will travel to Edinburgh for the building and its acoustics, as I don't think you will get better sound anywhere else in the UK.'
