The Edinburgh Fringe has grown in stature beyond recognition since I used to hang out there as a jobbing Actor back in the day. It was a place to see new writers, converse with the like-minded and indeed revel in the party festivities of which there were many.
One friend I had spent time with on my first evening at one of the festival parties, saw me the following day commenting on how long it had been – years in fact since he had seen me. Temporary memory loss from the inevitable drinking spree that was a given in those days. We still comment on that hilarious exchange when we see each other!
The Edinburgh Festival today is far more respectable and widely attended from visitors from all over the Globe. It still showcases new writers and shows, but is far more contained and deftly organised than in the past heady days of raw experimental theatre.
There is however a positive side to every evolution, and The Edinburgh Fringe is no exception. Rather than rubbing shoulders with young hopefuls and drama students, if you are thinking of attending, you will be in the company of the rich and famous as well as curious corporates and the numerous visitors who want to experience new plays and entertainment. Plus there are thousands of new shows and performances to see.
Edinburgh itself is also a joy to visit, and you will find something that will appeal to every taste, from the extraordinary architecture and surrounding landmarks like Arthur’s Seat which towers over the City, to the fabulous restaurants and bars.
There is still time to attend this year if you hurry, or you could really plan ahead and book accommodation for next year.
If you are still baffled by the concept of the Edinburgh Fringe but want to experience it for yourself, head over to their website and start with the ‘Fringe Inspiration Machine’ to see whats to see and to be ,well, inspired…. https://www.edfringe.com/experience/inspiration
check out all the latest info on the EdFringe website.
This superb highly captivating musical is more than the chronicle of a rock star. As we are familiarised with the life of Tina Turner (born in Tennessee, Anna Mae Bullock) from her humble beginnings to her rise to fame, we are reminded of how she overcame obstacles of race, gender and abuse.
This incredible performer who seemed always to be ‘living the dream’, was in fact living a nightmare. She was beaten both physically and mentally, with even her own Mother turning against her in her final hours, siding with the abuser who had convinced her he had changed.
The story is the most compelling portrayal of a woman who chooses to fight back, having seemingly lost everything. Her husband had even stolen the copyright to her songs. But with her dignity and integrity intact, and the support of a few friends and believers, sets to put the record straight, and returns to ‘centre stage’ with the victory of a lifetime.
Tina not only regains her legendary music career, but meets the love of her life, and succeeds in remaining one of the most revered female inspirations of our time.
The Musical has been several years in development, with Tina Turner herself attending the workshops in 2016 and subsequently has been involved in its progress. She has a particular affection for the UK, who she feels never lost belief in her, and supported her when she returned to the stage as a rock star in her 40s.
“It’s really important to me to have the chance to share my full story. This musical is not about my stardom. It is about the journey I took to get there. Each night I want audiences to take away from the theatre that you can turn poison into medicine.” — TINA TURNER
In a world of modern tech, we’re quite used to the word ‘hybrid’. If something is a hybrid, it means that it’s a mixture of two different ideas, which gives improved performance over conventional designs.
So, you probably know that a Hybrid car combines petrol and electric motors for cleaner emissions. But, what’s about a hybrid piano all about?
No Strings Attached.
The keys of an acoustic piano are connected to hammers which hit strings to make the sound. A hybrid piano also has hammers but produces sound electronically. This means there are no strings to tune, and the instrument can be made smaller to fit into living spaces more easily.
Hammers make the touch more authentic.
Although there are no strings, it is important to keep the hammers. It’s this moving mechanism attached to each key that pianists can feel when they play. If you remove this, as most digital pianos do, the movement of the keys is different (even though the keys themselves might look similar).
GRAND HYBRID PIANOS HAVE MOVING HAMMERS, TO MAKE THE KEY FEEL MORE AUTHENTIC WHEN PLAYING.
Hybrids have real piano keys.
Most digital pianos have keys that are made of plastic, or a mixture of wood and plastic. This is not true of acoustic pianos, where the key is shaped from specially-grown Austrian Spruce. Casio’s Grand Hybrid pianos have keys made from exactly the same wood, for an authentic feel.
Hybrids use the same key length as acoustic pianos.
82% of surveyed teachers said that the feel of the keys is the most important part of a piano. But, conventional digital pianos often don’t measure up in this area: their plastic keys are shorter when compared to an acoustic piano. This compromises the key movement and the instrument feels less realistic. With a hybrid piano, the key length is the same as an acoustic piano, which means the travel and bounce of each key is much closer to that of a real Grand.
HYBRID PIANOS HAVE FULL-LENGTH, WOODEN KEYS
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You can have three different Grand piano sounds in one instrument.
Because the sound of a hybrid piano is produced digitally, without strings, you can make the instrument produce more than one traditional piano tone. Casio’s Grand Hybrid range includes the tone of three of Europe’s most finest brands of acoustic piano, including a £115,000 C. Bechstein D282 piano.
GRAND HYBRID PIANOS HAVE THREE DIFFERENT GRAND PIANO TONES STORED INSIDE THEM, SUCH AS A C. BECHSTEIN D282 (RIGHT)
Irene Veneziano plays “Allegro de Concierto, OP. 46” by Enrique Granados on a CELVIANO Grand Hybrid GP-500BP in the beautiful gardens of Palazzo Gromo Losa in Biella (Italy).
6. You can play them in the garden.
Ok, not permanently, but the serious point here is that a hybrid piano is more resilient than its acoustic counterpart. This means it will live happily in spaces that wouldn’t be suitable for traditional pianos, such as in direct sunlight, a conservatory or summer house, or next to a radiator.
You can plug headphones in, for silent practice.
Even though hybrid pianos use a lot of acoustic piano principles for their feel, the sound is purely digital, so can still plug in headphones and get the best of both worlds: the touch of an acoustic piano with the convenience of digital sound.
October 25, 2026 1825 Johann Strauss the Younger 1838 Georges Bizet 1881 Pablo Picasso 1934 Joe Mercer 1936 Sir Martin Gilbert 1941 Helen Reddy 1944 Fred Housego 1957 Robbie Macintosh 1962 Nick Hancock
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