Neil Cooper
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neilcooper.bsky.social
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.
Pinned
Happy New Year from The Noise of Art, & thanks to more than 1000 subscribers.

neilcooper.substack.com/p/the-noise-...

For new subscribers, I’ve unlocked pieces on Bill Drummond & Tam Dean Burn’s HEAR HARD project & Fire Engines’ chrome dawns album.

Normal service will resume next week.
My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of The Big Day, Milly Sweeney’s play that looks back at the biggest gig Glasgow had ever seen through the eyes of 5 young women

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

Theatre 118, Osborne Street, Mon Nov 24 & Wed Nov 26. www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/gla...
November 24, 2025 at 2:42 PM
As Bruce McLean’s magnificent I Want My Crown exhibition closes in Edinburgh this weekend, I’ve unlocked my look at the show.

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From Nice Style to Walters Weekly, dancing to Kevin Coyne and reimagining Argyle Street in Glasgow. Plus an archive interview from 2017
November 21, 2025 at 5:06 PM
My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of The Red Lion, Patrick Marber’s amateur football based play revived by Paperhat Theatre.

Theatre 118, 118 Osborne Street, Glasgow until Sat Nov 22. www.ticketsource.com/theatre-118/...

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...
Play exposes what happens when the once-beautiful game is corrupted by money?
Theatre review: The Red Lion, Theatre 118, Glasgow, Three stars: Patrick Marber’s play looks at how the purity of a once beautiful game can be…
www.heraldscotland.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:13 PM
New on The Noise of Art…

Shop Local! #118

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Edinburgh’s weekend starts here…

Leith Depot: Craigmillar Now: Leith Makers: Dundas Street Gallery: Unlimited Corporation: Hubcap Gallery: Leith School of Art: Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop: Banshee Labyrinth: etc..
November 20, 2025 at 9:47 AM
My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of Strangers in the Night, Alan Muir’s new lunchtime play for A Play, a Pie and a Pint about two people who find friendship in a retirement village.

Oran Mor until Sat Nov 22. 1pm. playpiepint.com/whats-on/eve...

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...
A Play, a Pie and a Pint serves up bittersweet laughs in Strangers in the Night
Theatre, Strangers in the Night, Oran Mor, Glasgow. In the wee small hours, the members of the Full Shilling Social Club gather under cover to share…
www.heraldscotland.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:13 PM
New on The Noise of Art…

Patrick Marber - The Red Lion

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From the archive, as a new production of Patrick Marber’s play, The Red Lion, opens in Glasgow, Marber talks in 2019 about the beautiful game and the tensions that arise when big business comes calling.
November 19, 2025 at 11:01 AM
A word as well for Cabaret Voltaire opening act CURRENTMOODGIRL aka Greta Edith, who sang a scorching set of pounding fuzzed up noise laden torch songs that channeled the spirit of electroprimitivists the Lemon Kittens in a way that would even terrify David Lynch.
November 18, 2025 at 1:52 AM
A blistering set by Cabaret Voltaire in SWG3 tonight, with Stephen Mallinder & Chris Watson, plus Eric Random and a young drummer covering all periods, a new piece by Watson, tributes to Richard H.Kirk and JD Twitch, and the inevitable encore of Nag Nag Nag. That was entertainment.
November 18, 2025 at 1:21 AM
New on The Noise of Art…

Sheffield Special #3

The Cabaret Voltaire Files - Solo Agents - Stephen Mallinder, Chris Watson, Richard H. Kirk

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As Cabaret Voltaire play Glasgow on Monday, this bumper edition gathers up assorted interviews with all 3 original members
November 16, 2025 at 9:43 AM
New on The Noise of Art…

Sheffield Special #2

The Human League - Still Glam Up North

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From the archive, 2006 interview with Human League co-vocalist Joanne Catherall, who talks about going from Sheffield’s Crazy Daisy club to the Hollywood Bowl.
November 15, 2025 at 10:46 AM
New on The Noise of Art…

Sheffield Special #1

Martin Fry - As Easy as ABC

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From the archive, an interview with ABC’s Martin Fry from 2008

ABC play The Lexicon of Love at the
Usher Hall, Edinburgh on Sat Nov 15.
November 14, 2025 at 10:28 AM
My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of Tina - The Tina Turner Musical, an epic biograohy of of the sixties soul survivor who reinvented herself as one of the eighties’ biggest voices.

Edinburgh Playhouse until Sat Nov 22 as part of a UK tour

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...
An epic homage to Tina, and a warning to female artists held back by a toxic industry
Tina - The Tina Turner Musical at The Playhouse Edinburgh marks an epic celebration of the esteemed singer's life, while simultaneously serving a…
www.heraldscotland.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:45 PM
New on The Noise of Art…

Shop Local! #117

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Edinburgh’s weekend starts here…

Leith Depot: Unlimited Corporation: Studies in Photography: Upright Gallery: Kimpton Hotel: Hubcap Gallery: Leith School of Art: Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop: Sanki: Leith Makers: etc…
November 13, 2025 at 9:34 AM
My @heraldscotland.bsky.social Herald review of Gravity, Kevin P. Gilday’s high-rise set lunchtime play for @playpiepint.bsky.social A Play, a Pie and a Pint.

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

Oran Mor, Glasgow until Sat Nov 15. playpiepint.com/whats-on/eve...
November 12, 2025 at 5:56 PM
My @heraldscotland.bsky.social

Herald review of Friends! The Musical Parody.

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

King’s Theatre, Glasgow until Nov 15, then on a UK tour. www.atgtickets.com/shows/friend...

Edinburgh Playhouse Feb 6-7 - www.atgtickets.com/shows/friend...
November 12, 2025 at 2:17 PM
My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of Because We Said We Would, Helen Fox’s play about a bond between two childhood friends, seen at Theatre 118, Glasgow over the weekend.

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...
The power of music and friendship and two people's bond
Herlad critic Neil Cooper gives his verdict on Helen Fox’s new play Because We Said We Would at Theatre 118, Glasgow
www.heraldscotland.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:48 PM
New on The Noise of Art…

Fini Tribe - Sheer Action

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As Edinburgh provocateurs Fini Tribe
release an epic compilation of work from 1982-1987, they reveal a canon that sits with Polish theatre and German conceptualism as much as percussive post punk.
November 9, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Orangutang - A SOBS Story…

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In honour of the Sexual Objects last stand tonight (Nov 8), my Noise of Art reflection on the SOBS’ archive collection and their place in rock’s rich tapestry is now gratis.

This is not a memorial…

@creepingbent.bsky.social
November 8, 2025 at 5:12 AM
My @flemingartcoll.bsky.social
Scottish Art News obituary of Ian McKenzie Smith, the former director of Aberdeen Art Gallery and the city’s Director of Arts who helped transform Aberdeen’s artistic landscape.

www.flemingcollection.com/scottish_art...
November 7, 2025 at 6:30 PM
My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of Arlington, Enda Walsh’s dystopian thriller receiving an electrifying Scottish premiere by the Glasgow based Shotput Theatre

@traversetheatre.bsky.social Edinburgh until Sat Nov 8. www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/eve...

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...
Enda Walsh’s Arlington: A love story rewired for the end times
Theatre, Arlington, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. The power is failing in Enda Walsh’s play, set in an inner city tower block where a woman called…
www.heraldscotland.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:44 PM
As the @lyceumedinburgh.bsky.social
new artistic director James Brining’s first production closes, Brining talks in @heraldscotland.bsky.social about future plans, which include Sam Heughan, a new football play and more.

lyceum.org.uk/whats-on

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...
New era at Lyceum as artistic director James Brining reveals plans
The new artistic director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh James Brining has had quite a couple of weeks, finds Herald theatre critic Neil…
www.heraldscotland.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:22 PM
New on The Noise of Art…

Shop Local! #116

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Edinburgh’s weekend starts here…

Leith Depot: Unlimited Corporation: Studies in Photography: Upright Gallery: Kimpton Hotel: Leith School of Art: Leith Makers: Hubcap Gallery: Bongo Club: Queen’s Hall: Voodoo Rooms: etc
November 6, 2025 at 10:12 AM
My @heraldscotland.bsky.social
review of Death of an Influencer, Matt Anderson’s new play for A Play, a Pie and a Pint.

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

Oran Mor Glasgow until Nov 8 playpiepint.com/whats-on/eve...

Lemon Tree Aberdeen Nov 11-15 www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/whats-on/ppp...
November 5, 2025 at 4:33 PM
My @heraldscotland.bsky.social review of Blood Wedding, Federico Garcia Lorca’s tragedy performed by final year BA students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

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

RCS, Glasgow until Fri Nov 7. www.rcs.ac.uk/whats-on/blo...
November 5, 2025 at 2:26 PM
My @heraldscotland.bsky.social Top 10 Theatre Shows to see in Scotland in November.

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...
November 2, 2025 at 11:38 AM