Spotlight on . . .

YOU wouldn’t believe the random items and emails that arrive on the desk of an entertainment editor. In Spotlight on... I’ll highlight the ones that might otherwise slip under the radar, have some cult value or simply just be worth mentioning again. This week ...

OPERA

THE RAKE’S PROGRESS

SCOTTISH Opera team up with Turin’s Teatro Regio for their latest production, The Rake’s Progress, which tours to the Festival Theatre next week.

Part black comedy, death is never far away in this tale of the loss of innocence.

Set in the grimy underbelly of 18th-century London, The Rake’s Progress is the story of one man’s struggle to save his soul.

Dissatisfied with his simple country life, Tom Rakewell strikes a deal with the devil and abandons his sweetheart to embark on a life of reckless pleasure. However, after a visit to Mother Goose’s brothel, marriage to a bearded lady and a game of cards with horrifyingly high stakes, Rakewell realises the true nature of the bargain he has struck. Can he turn back the clock or is his fate already sealed?

Scottish Opera’s production brings together world-renowned Scottish director David McVicar and Olivier award-winning designer John Macfarlane to bring this gothic adventure to the stage.

With a score by Stravinsky, lyrical and tender arias contrast with lively, choreographed chorus scenes in this heart-breaking exploration of the frailty of human nature.

The Rake’s Progress may not be suitable for under 15s. Parental discretion is advised.

Festival Theatre, Nicolson Street, next Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday, 7.15pm, £16.50-£67.50, 0131-529 6000

COMEDY

STEWART FRANCIS

FOLLOWING his sold-out weekend run at The Stand a few weeks ago, Stewart Francis returns to the York Place comedy club with a special preview of his upcoming UK tour.

This unique gig will give fans the chance to see the king of the one liners treat them as comedy guinea pigs in a cabaret club setting. What’s more, the star of Mock The Week and Live At The Apollo promises to sing and dance his way ‘into your heart’ with 87 per cent new material... and a couple of classics thrown in for free.

The Stand, York Place, Tuesday, 8.30pm, £12, 0131-558 7272

EVENT

LITERARY DEATH MATCH

SOUNDS gruesome, but a Literary Death Match is basically a competitive reading, featuring authors who have seven minutes to perform their most electric writing before audience and judges decide the winner.

At The Voodoo Rooms on Tuesday, the judges are Christopher Brookmyre, Hannah McGill, and Alan Bissett. They’ll judge Sara Sheridan, Gavin Inglis, Michael Pedersen and Claire Askew. Seconds out...

Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street, Tuesday, 7.45pm, £8, 0131-556 7060