Talk
An Evening with Peter May, Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Monday; Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, Tuesday; St John’s Kirk, Perth, Wednesday; Saint Andrew’s Episcopal, St Andrews, Thursday; Greenside Church, Edinburgh, Friday
The hugely successful Scottish crime writer Peter May is touring the country to talk about his new novel A Winter Grave, which sets a murder mystery in a near-future Scotland wracked by the consequences of climate change. Snow, ice, storms and death; the perfect subjects for a January conversation.
Music
The Delgados, Barrowland, Glasgow, Wednesday
A bona fide proper event. Blur and Pulp are not the only 1990s bands who are getting back together in 2023. After 17 years (and counting), Glasgow’s John Peel-approved, Mercury-nominated indie rock titans The Delgados, above right, have reformed to play a series of gigs this month as well as a few festivals in the summer. Their sold-out homecoming show at the Barrowland on Wednesday should be something quite special. Added bonus, the excellent Andrew Wasylyk is the support act.
Film
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow, Wednesday
A special preview of Laura Poitras’s new documentary about the photographer and activist Nan Goldin. It charts Goldin’s revealingly honest career as a photographer via projects such as The Ballad of Sexual Dependency and follows her story through to her more recent campaigning against the Sackler family in the name of those suffering from opioid addiction. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the director.
Books
Your Wish is My Command, Deena Mohamed, Granta, £19.99
Egyptian cartoonist Deena Mohamed’s smart, playful, yet poignant debut novel imagines a world where wishes can come true ... If you have the money to buy them. The result is exquisite world-building combined with punchy cartooning. Set in modern-day Egypt, this award-winning debut marks the arrival of a fresh (and funny) new talent.
Comedy
Alison Spittle: Wet, Monkey Barrel Comedy, Edinburgh, tonight
Irish comedian Alison Spittle won rave reviews at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe for this show which takes in aqua-aerobics and pregnancy tests and reminds us that comedy can hold your hand as it explores darker territory. Spittle, who has hosted The Guilty Feminist podcast and writes for Have I Got News For You, is a name for the future. Here’s your chance to catch a rising star.
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