Theatre closed but the show

Theatre closed but the show

goes on

THEATRE-MAKING continues in Perth under the auspices of the Horsecross organisation, although Perth Theatre is closed for redevelopment. Tomorrow night Lesley Hart's play The Fundraiser opens at The Salutation Hotel.

Directed by Robbie Jack and designed by Kenny Miller, The Fundraiser is as site-specific as it could be, telling the tale of swimmer Tina Baxter who is off to tackle the Channel and holding her final fundraiser in Perth's Salutation Hotel. Alas her party is crashed by her media personality sister Helen.

Does Tina bite the bullet as she's upstaged once again because of the cash that her sibling's celebrity status might bring? Performances at 7.30pm until Saturday, when there is also a matinee at 2pm.

l horsecross.co.uk

Rick Taylor

opens festival

SKYE Swing Jazz Festival goes ahead this weekend with trombonist Rick Taylor & the Ron Johnson Allstars opening the event on Thursday at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in Sleat.

Guitarist Graeme Stephen presents his new soundtrack to black and white film classic Nosferatu in Duisdale Hall on Friday. Rooty Ma Toot host the big band night on Saturday at Broadford Village Hall and drummer Stu Brown's septet reprises the fresh set of madcap animated film music Brown arranged for Glasgow Jazz Festival this summer at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on Sunday.

l whatsonskye.com/events/skye-swing-jazz-festival

Kuwaiti author

wins top award

Kuwaiti author Mai al Nakib has won the 2014 Edinburgh International Book Festival's First Book Award with her debut collection of short stories The Hidden Light of Objects. Nick Barley, director of the festival, said: "This is an assured collection depicting he lives of ordinary people in a region that is high on the news agenda. I am excited our audience chose a collection of short stories for the first time in the history of our First Book Award."

Mai al Nakib teaches post-colonial studies and comparative literature at Kuwait University and is currently writing her first novel.

l edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/first-book-award