A Show For Normal People

I was at The Theatre Royal in Glasgow to photograph Grayson Perry recently. During lockdown we had watched his Art Club programme on Channel 4, it was quite an emotional show and summed up a lot about how art helped people overcome the restrictions of the pandemic. We went outside to take some pictures with the theatre in the background before his show started and he was happy to pose for selfies with the Glasgow crowd. Award-winning artist Grayson was the first act to tread the boards at The Theatre Royal as it reopened its doors to audiences after 540 days. In the show,  “A Show For Normal People”, he delighted the full house and took the audience through an enlightening and eye-watering evening where existentialism descended from worthiness to silliness.

The Scotts on TV

I spent some time over the summer on the set of the the new comedy show The Scotts. The series was written by Iain Connell and Robert Florence, of Burnistoun fame.

The show from The Comedy Unit, which had its pilot before the pandemic, went down really well. I have been watching it over the last few weeks and even skipped ahead to see the upcoming ones on the BBC iPlayer. It is hilarious. I did enjoy the jokes during filming, but its when you watch the finished production you really see all the full hilarious results. I loved the piece in The Herald Magazine this month written by Susan Swarbrick. She really captured them. Have a read at the article

Wee Big Yin on Sale

Last month I spent a day with Wee Big Yin lego mini-figures on a fantastic campaign to raise funds for the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity. The miniature Billy Connolly Lego sets which were to go on sale in Scotland for one day only. Well that day came and I arrived at the Galleries for 8am. I was not sure how much interest there would be. I knew they would all sell out, but probably over the course of the day. I looked out to the Buchanan Street entrance and there was no one there. I though ok that’s fine we can take our time. Then I was asked to look up to the entrance at the concert hall. I nearly dropped my camera. The queue was huge. Down Buchanan Street, along Bath Street and up West Nile St. People had been queuing from 4am. The atmosphere was really good in the queue. I think people are still delighted to be getting out and chatting to strangers. I think there were a few good friendships made on that morning.

All the figures sold out pretty quickly and after a few days we got the grand total of £9766. William McGowan of Glasgow Childrens Hospital Charity and  Clare Livingston of Buchanan Galleries posed with the total written in lego … what else!

Birds Eye View

I was asked to come along and photograph the The City of Glasgow College 2021 graduation ceremony at the Glasgow Cathedral. It was brilliant to see all the students in their robes. It was so rubbish last year that none of the students, who had all worked so hard, didn’t get a graduation ceremony. This year was different. There was a reduced number in the Cathedral with masks on but the event was broadcast back in the college and all over the world. Many of the nautical students are from overseas and many working on ships already. All the names were read out to applause from the congregation.  I had super view from up in the organist platform.

You Don’t see This Every Day

I had a visit to the Forth and Clyde canal at Applecross Basin to launch the Glasgow Canal Days Out. It was part of Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21 celebrations. I met Skateboarder Fraser McIlroy and cyclist Omar Murray meeting a Caribbean mythical bird from Carnival Arts.This is something you don’t see everyday.