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Culture Edinburgh is right at the heart of Scottish culture during the annual Edinburgh International Festival. However, even without this, Edinburgh has a flourishing cultural scene in its own right. The Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 13-29 Nicolson Street (tel: (0131) 529 6000; fax: (0131) 662 1199; e-mail: tickets@eft.co.uk; website: www.eft.co.uk), specialises in opera, ballet, dance, musical and variety productions on a grand scale. It has the biggest stage of any presenting theatre in Britain and is the venue for Edinburgh's most prestigious shows. While the recently renovated Usher Hall is home to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Major venues - the Royal Lyceum Theatre, the King's Theatre and Usher Hall - are all to be found in Tollcross, Edinburgh's equivalent of London's West End. Music: The Usher Hall, Lothian Road (tel: (0131) 228 8616), is Edinburgh's finest concert hall. Queen's Hall, Clerk Street (tel: (0131) 668 2019; fax: (0131) 668 2656; e-mail: queenshall@cableinet.co.uk), is also a popular venue for classical music performances in the city. The former church hosts a world-class programme, headed by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. The Edinburgh Playhouse, 18-22 Greenside Place (tel: (0870) 606 3424), was restored in 1993 following a fire and hosts large musical productions, as well as one-off pop concerts. Theatre: The Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, 30B Grindlay Street, is Edinburgh's leading theatre company (tel: (0131) 248 4848; e-mail: royallyceum theatre@cableinet.co.uk; website: www.lyceum.org.uk). The King's Theatre, 2 Leven Street (tel: (0131) 529 6000; fax: (0131) 662 1199; e-mail: tickets@eft.co.uk; website: www.eft.co.uk), is an elegant Edwardian venue presenting quality drama of a traditional nature, as well as the city's annual pantomime. The Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street (tel: (0131) 228 1404; fax: (0131) 229 8443; e-mail: boxoffice@traverse.co.uk; website: www.traverse.co.uk), focuses on award-winning, exciting and original contemporary plays by Scottish and international writers. Film: The city has become an increasingly popular place to make films and also features in many well-known films. Trainspotting (1996), Shallow Grave (1994), Women Talking Dirty (1999), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) and Great Expectations (1998) were all shot in, or set in, Edinburgh. The Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road (tel: (0131) 228 2688; fax: (0131) 229 6482; e-mail: admin@filmhouse.demon.co.uk; website: www.filmhouse.demon.co.uk), is an independent, art-house cinema showing international films and classics. It is also the headquarters for the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Multi-screen complexes include ABC Film Centre, 120 Lothian Road, and the Odeon Cinema, 7 Clerk Street. Cultural events: The highlight of the cultural year in Scotland is the Edinburgh International Festival, which takes place for three weeks towards the end of the summer (August/September). Founded in 1947, it is now the largest arts festival in the world. The innovative Edinburgh Festival Fringe and International Film Festival run concurrently with the main festival. Shows range from short open-air concerts to full-scale productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The Military Tattoo also takes place in the summer on Edinburgh Castle's Esplanade. Other major festivals that coincide with the main Festival include the International TV Festival, Edinburgh International Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Book Festival and Edinburgh International Folk Festival. Hogmanay, celebrated on 31 December, has its origins in pre-Christian times and is always one of Europe's largest New Year celebrations. The Edinburgh and Lothian Information Centre (website: www.edinburgh.org) can provide more information on the programme of events to celebrate Hogmanay in 2001/2002 Literary Notes The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961), by Muriel Spark, seemed to define the city's traditional image in the twentieth century, until Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting was published in 1993. Great writers to have written about Edinburgh in earlier periods include Robert Louis Stevenson, whose famous tale of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was set in London but based on his experiences of Edinburgh, and Sir Walter Scott (The Waverley Novels). JK Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book sitting in a café in Edinburgh. |