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Neil Cooper

@neilcooper.bsky.social

Writer & Critic The Noise of Art - neilcooper.substack.com coffeetablenotes.blogspot.com The Herald, The List, The Drouth, Scottish Art News, MAP, Hungry Beat.

836 Followers  |  234 Following  |  631 Posts  |  Joined: 03.12.2023  |  1.5987

Latest posts by neilcooper.bsky.social on Bluesky

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'These are the best shows to see now' In a month of big hitters, the latest Edinburgh visit for the National Theatre of Great Britain’s staging of Michael Morpurgo’s 1982 First World…

My @heraldscotland.bsky.social top 10 theatre shows to see in Scotland in October.

@dundeerep.bsky.social @lyceumedinburgh.bsky.social @edinplayhouse.bsky.social @traversetheatre.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

06.10.2025 09:23 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

:)

05.10.2025 15:21 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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'The past is everything in Tennessee Williams’ breakout play' Theatre, The Glass Menagerie, Dundee Rep. The past is everything in Tennessee Williams’ breakout play, first seen in 1944, but eighty years on as…

My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of The Glass Menagerie, a slow burning new production of Tennessee Williams heartbreaking memory play

Dundee Rep until Oct 18 then to Citz Glasgow & Lyceum Edinburgh dundeerep.co.uk/events/the-g...

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

05.10.2025 12:49 — 👍 1    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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Meeting Patricia Routledge Patricia Routledge - 17.2 1929-3.10.2025

New on The Noise of Art…

Meeting Patricia Routledge

Following the passing of the grand dame of British stage and TV, an archive piece from 2007 when the star of Keeping Up Appearances was touring in an Alan Bennett double bill.

open.substack.com/pub/neilcoop...

05.10.2025 08:27 — 👍 0    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 0
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Chrystabell – The Spirit Lamp – Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh Tuesday 30.9.25

New on The Noise of Art…

Live review of Chrystabell performing The Spirit Lamp at the Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh

David Lynch’s close collaborator performs an ethereal homage to the late director.

‘Love and dreams are in the air…’

open.substack.com/pub/neilcoop...

04.10.2025 08:14 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Shop Local! #111 - W/E 3.10.2025 Not the only fun in town...

New on The Noise of Art…

Shop Local! #110

Edinburgh’s weekend starts here…

Dalkeith Palace: Summerhall: Studies in Photography: Kimpton Hotel: Leith School of Art: Wee Red Bar: Scottish Gallery: North Edinburgh Arts: Barberton Golf Club: St. Vincent’s Chapel:

open.substack.com/pub/neilcoop...

02.10.2025 08:53 — 👍 2    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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'A charming dot to dot of Hercules’ greatest hits' Theatre, Hercules The Bear, The Studio, Edinburgh. While there is plenty more to be told about the adventures of Hercules, this as good a starting…

My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of Hercules the Bear, Tenterhooks Theatre Co’s child friendly puppet led homage to Scotland’s legendary wrestling bear.

tenterhooks.org/portfolio/he...

Seen at The Studio, Edinburgh. Touring to 17 venues until Nov 1

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

01.10.2025 17:01 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Peter Hammill - Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Monday 29.9.2025

New on The Noise of Art…

Live review of Peter Hammill at the Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh

An intense 90-minute solo show from Van der Graaf Generator’s 70-something driving force

‘a thrilling show of strength from an unflinching force of nature’

open.substack.com/pub/neilcoop...

01.10.2025 05:48 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Brian Patten "Alive and Kicking: British Poets" 70s ITV (16mm)
YouTube video by The Unpopular Archive Brian Patten "Alive and Kicking: British Poets" 70s ITV (16mm)

RIP Brian Patten, the youngest of the three Mersey Sound poets captured in this remarkable TV poetry programme from 1971, introduced by another lost poet, Adrian Mitchell, who briefly interviews Patten at the end.

They don’t make poetry programmes like they used to..

youtu.be/8R1aBeqUSEs

30.09.2025 23:13 — 👍 2    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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Raging calm of a play: ' Black Hole Sign at the Tron Theatre review There is a quiet anger to Nadah-Rajah’s script

My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of Black Hole Sign, Uma Nada-Rajah’s new play tat looks at the NHS.

@trontheatre.bsky.social until Oct 4 www.tron.co.uk/shows/black-...

@traversetheatre.bsky.social Oct 8-18 www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2550304...

29.09.2025 14:30 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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New on The Noise of Art…

Orangutang - A SOBs Story… What Heroes of Rock and Roll Did Next

open.substack.com/pub/neilcoop...

As The Sexual Objects release their Orangutang album, a taking stock of where they sit in ‘rock’s rich tapestry’, by way of 2 archive rock docs. @creepingbent.bsky.social

28.09.2025 08:42 — 👍 3    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 1
'V' by Tony Harrison
YouTube video by spartakirk109 'V' by Tony Harrison

RIP Tony Harrison, whose filmpoem, V, scared the shit out of the Tories when it was broadcast on Channel 4 in 1987.

I was honoured to meet Harrison in 2018, when my friend David McLachlan programmed a season of his other filmpoems at Filmhouse Edinburgh.

youtu.be/FA3AL14d05k?...

27.09.2025 12:46 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Lovely opening last night of Edge of Matter, a showcase of 40-ish artists presented by @hiddendoorarts.bsky.social and Visual Arts Scotland at The Paper Factory on Turnhouse Road, Edinburgh.

Running all weekend, 11am-4pm, take a take a tram to Edinburgh Gateway. hiddendoorarts.org/visual-art-s...

26.09.2025 10:36 — 👍 10    🔁 4    💬 0    📌 0
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Shop Local #110 - W/E 26.9.2025 Not the only fun in town...

New on The Noise of Art…

Shop Local! #110

Edinburgh’s weekend starts here…

Leith Depot: Palestine Museum: Scot-Art Gallery: Custom Lane Gallery: Dalkeith Palace: Studies in Photography: Kimpton Hotel: Leith School of Art: The Paper Factory: Blackbird: etc…

open.substack.com/pub/neilcoop...

25.09.2025 09:07 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 1
Pentangle - Light Flight (Songs From The Two Brewers 8th, May 1970)
YouTube video by Danny Thompson Pentangle - Light Flight (Songs From The Two Brewers 8th, May 1970)

RIP Danny Thompson. Saw him play with Donovan at Southport Floral Hall many years ago.

youtu.be/XjxiNXxjIIA?...

24.09.2025 20:18 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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'A gothic confection with fabulous showtunes' Theatre, The Glasgow Poisoner: A New Musical, Òran Mór, Glasgow. How to get away with murder? One answer to this age old driving force of pulp…

My Herald review of The Glasgow Poisoner, Tom Cooper & Jen McGregor’s musical

Oran Mor Glasgow until Sep 26 playpiepint.com/the-glasgow-...

Paisley Town Hall Oct 7 www.paisleytownhall.org/whats-on/a-p...

Ayr Gaiety Oct 15-16 thegaiety.co.uk/events/a-pla...

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

24.09.2025 17:17 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 1
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'A ferociously modern rite of passage tragedy for our times' Theatre, Òran, Cumbernauld Theatre. The Orpheus myth was originally a tale of lost love as our hero dug deep into his own soul to rescue Eurydice…

My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of Òran, Owen Sutcliffe’s dynamic new take on the Orpheus myth for the Wonder Fools company.

Seen at @cnauldtheatre.bsky.social On tour until November. www.wonderfools.org/projects/oran/

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

21.09.2025 15:41 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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‘The power of bringing people together’: tributes to unsung heroine of theatre Ella Wildridge, who has died aged 79, was one of Scottish theatre’s great unsung heroines. As a translator and dramaturg fluent in German and…

My @heraldscotland.bsky.social obituary of Ella Wildridge; translator, dramaturg and unsung heroine of Scottish theatre and champion of new writers at the @traversetheatre.bsky.social and elsewhere.

www.heraldscotland.com/news/health/...

21.09.2025 10:36 — 👍 3    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of Buffy Revamped, Brendan Murphy’s comic distillation of all 144 episodes of the cult classic TV show into 70 minutes @buffyrevamped.bsky.social

Seen @lyceumedinburgh.bsky.social
prior to a UK tour buffyrevamped.co.uk

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

19.09.2025 13:21 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Shop Local #109 - W/E 19.9.2025 Not the only fun in town...

New on The Noise of Art…

Shop Local! #109

Edinburgh’s weekend starts here…

Leith Depot: Upright Gallery: Leith Makers: Dundas Street Gallery: Palestine Museum: Dalkeith Palace: Studies on Photography: Kimpton Hotel: Leith School of Art: Mote 102: etc…

open.substack.com/pub/neilcoop...

18.09.2025 08:24 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Artist Alistair McCallum talks in @flemingartcoll.bsky.social Scottish Art News about Glaswegians - Cranhill Arts, Alistair McCallum and Jane Carroll.

flemingcollection.com/scottish_art...

Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow until October 5. www.streetlevelphotoworks.org/event/glaswe...

16.09.2025 10:09 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Citizens Theatre's Small Acts of Love is a heartfelt tribute to victims Review: Small Acts of Love at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow was part of a momentous weekend for the reopened venue

My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of Small Acts of Love, Frances Poet and Ricky Ross’ moving new play with songs that opens the Citizens Theatre for the first show in 7 years.

Citizens Theatre until Oct 4. citz.co.uk/whats-on/sma...

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

15.09.2025 10:03 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Shop Local! #108 - W/E 12.9.2025 Not the only fun in town...

New on The Noise of Art…

Shop Local! #107

Edinburgh’s weekend starts here…

Craigmillar Now: Morningside Gallery: Leith Depot: Upright Gallery: Palestine Museum Scotland: Dalkeith Palace: Kimpton Hotel: Studies in Photography: Mote 102: etc..

open.substack.com/pub/neilcoop...

11.09.2025 08:19 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Perfect venue.

10.09.2025 11:48 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Great, isn’t it.

09.09.2025 13:23 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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New on The Noise of Art…

Giles Havergal - A Date with Lazarus

open.substack.com/pub/neilcoop...

Following the death of the former director of the Citizens Theatre, a look back at some early trips to the European theatre in the Gorbals, and how a photo book immortalised some of its 1980s shows.

09.09.2025 09:07 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Break on through…

06.09.2025 18:14 — 👍 6    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0
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My listen in for @thelistuk.bsky.social
to Treasure Island, Gary McNair’s new take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel for BBC Radio 4.

list.co.uk/news/treasur...

On @bbcsounds.bsky.social
BBC Sounds for over a year. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

06.09.2025 14:35 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 1
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The women who were left holding the baby by Robert Burns take centre-stage at last Review: A Toast Fae the Lassies, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, is a musical which tells the story of the women who were left holding the baby by…

My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of A Toast Fae the Lassies, John Binnie’s new musical play that has some of the women in Robert Burns’ life tell their story.

@pitlochryft.bsky.social until Sept 24. www.pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com/whats-on/a-t...

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

05.09.2025 11:17 — 👍 1    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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Shop Local #107 - W/E 5/9 2025 Not the only fun in town...

New on The Noise of Art…

Shop Local! #107

Edinburgh’s weekend starts here…

Customs House: Craigmillar Now: Morningside Gallery: Leith Depot: Dalkeith Palace: Kimpton Hotel: Portobello: Studies in Photography: Upright Gallery: Whitespace: The Pitt: Argyle Bar:etc

open.substack.com/pub/neilcoop...

04.09.2025 08:01 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

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