5 feelgood things to do in Inverness this weekend
Big musical The Bodyguard, an intimate Kyle Falconer gig, a play features mountain writer Nan Shepherd, inclusive theatre company Solar Bear's plays without words, Polish rock plus three movies not to miss
1 One moment in time ... all over again
Big emotions play out in musical The Bodyguard – the story of the Hollywood blockbuster that starred Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, brought to the stage until Saturday, October 7 at Eden Court. The award-winning smash-hit show stars Emily Williams (what a voice!) and Ayden Callaghan. It's the story of former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer and superstar singer Rachel Marron having to work together to foil an unknown stalker. Frank and Rachel each think they are in charge. But under pressure and needing each other, what they don't expect is to fall in love. The show is suitable for a 10+ audience. Eden Court, various times.
2 Story of a mountain to climb
Woman Walking by Scottish playwright, Sylvia Dow, is inspired by the life of the late Nan Shepherd, and her love of the Cairngorms and the connection she had with mountains. Born in 1893, writer Nan Shepherd is best-known for her memoir The Living Mountain and is now thought of as an influence on nature writers. The play imagines Nan brought back to life by a modern woman called Cath, who feels guilty about the death of her own mother. Cath hopes Nan can help her find resolution and to heal her by the influence of the Cairngorms and the light and weather, there. The play – at Eden Court on Wednesday, October 11 at 7.30pm – is funny and "brings the healing power of nature onto the stage".
3 Much said, no word spoken
In the three short plays of Wake Up ... A man wakes to find a dead person next to him on a sofa. A man is jolted from his armchair and onto a rollercoaster ride through the history of life on Earth. A young woman finds an old tie in her grandparents’ attic, linking back to the story of a family caught up in World War Two. And as the theatre company Solar Bear says "... so much is said without a word being spoken". It is presented at Eden Court on Thursday, October 12 at 7pm in "visual vernacular", a physical theatre technique with elements of poetry and mime, primarily performed by Deaf artists.The triple bill of visual theatre is by three directors who plan to present an evening of drama, mystery and dark comedy.
4 Movies to love
Three movies look at relationships across the world –and just time to catch two of them ...
At Eden Court Cinema until Thursday, October 5, Past Lives (12A) is the story of Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends in South Korea who are pulled apart after Nora’s family emigrates. Twenty years later, they are reunited in New York for one week ... In Korean with English subtitles.
Also at Eden Court Cinema until Thursday is The Innocent (15), a French film about Abel who doesn't like the fact his mum is dating a convict she met on a prison visit – but can't see that he himself is falling for someone! It's described as partly family farce, partly heist thriller. In French with subtitles. On Friday, The Great Escaper (12A) – one of the biggest movies of the week arrives at Vue Cinema (and will be at Eden Court from Friday, October 6). In the nostalgic drama, Michael Caine stars with Glenda Jackson in her last performance before she died. He plays 89-year-old former Royal Navy officer who made headlines in 2014 when he snuck out of a care home in East Sussex to attend the 70th anniversary commemoration of the Normandy landings. The film starts on Hove seafront where Bernie (Caine) is happily settled with wife Rene (Jackson). Unfortunately, he hadn’t got a place on the official British Royal Legion trip to France where The Queen was due to meet veterans. With Rene’s blessing, he sneaks out of The Pines with a plastic carrier bag containing a fresh pair of underpants and toothbrush.
5 Intimate Kyle Falconer gig – and celebrate Polish rock
Kyle Falconer – best-known as The View's frontman – stops off in Inverness for an intimate solo gig (for audience 18+) to promote the latest album and his new musical, at The Gellions on Sunday, October 8 from 2.30pm to 5pm. Later on Sunday he will also play The Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore (doors from 7pm) as part of a short Highland tour also taking in Wick and Fort William. A BBC documentary Kyle Falconer: Love And Chaos shown at the start of September saw Kyle and his fiancee Laura Wilde talking frankly about their lives together, the challenges and their new musical No Love Songs (the title of Kyle's latest solo album too) which previewed in Dundee in May.
Another gig not to miss is The Barber-Q: Damsko Meskie Granieis event being held on Friday, October 6 at 7pm is a tribute to the greatest hits of Polish rock music scene at Tooth & Claw. Expect a "fantastic mix of timeless hit songs"!
HEADS UP
Edinburgh band Lubana who played the Seedlings Stage at Belladrum earlier this summer will be back at Tooth & Claw for a gig on October 20.
