Snow business like show business

[Image from Hole in my Pocket Christmas Card on sale online and at Paper Plane]

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, robins dancing about the gardens, snow falling prettily from the sky and the Nation’s discussions turning into an obsession over where they can get salt to grit their path, ah yes, winter is back.

I’m sure everyone will be run off their feet hand making gifts for their friends and loved ones and buying windup pooping reindeer's for their office’s secret Santa but apart from all the giving and receiving what else is there to do this Yule.

Well, it’s the big theatre season with the usual array of pantos popping up tight clad all over the City. Here in the Southside however we’ve got a far more interesting range of events with ner an ugly sister in sight.

Theatre École presents “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (7 December - 10 December at 7pm) in Queen’s Church, on Queen’s Drive. Tickets Conc/child £6, adult £7 and family (2 adults and 2 children) £23. Available from 0141 423 6037

The Citizens have their usual original twist on things with a version of the Brothers Grim Classic Hansel and Gretel, 3rd December to 7th January. The Citizens winter shows are usually very enjoyed by the kids.

The Shed continues its move to identify itself with other things other that dancing in the dark and has lots of events over the month with Sunday 11 December seeing the return of Afternoon Twee from 12.30pm - 5pm and a Cosy Christmas Cabaret by Tram Direct on 15 December. (Doors open at 8pm and tickets are £10.) Tram Direct also present a Victorian Christmas event on 17 and 18 December, Tickets are £8 and doors open at 1.30pm.

The wondrous Southside Film Festival is also back and this time present the Muppets Christmas Carol on Sun 18 December 3pm at The Shed. (After having a zombie walk to coincide with their showing of “Night of the Living Dead” its a shame there is no muppet walk. Seeing Shawlands full of people dressed as muppet characters would cheer even the coldest scrooge.)

Earlier this month Govanhill Pool had Lanarkshire Paranormal in attendance (Sat 3 Dec 9pm-3am) and asked people to help them search safe sites in the baths to try and find some spooks. Hopefully less spooky will be their Aladdin performance (9 Dec) though the ghostbusters might need to watch out if the genie sticks around. More information on both events here - 0141 433 2999.

Also talking about things of times gone past will be John Pelan (7 Dec 7:30pm £5) and David Martin (25 Jan 7:30pm £5) who will be giving talks as part of the Pollokshields Heritage Lecture Series at the Fotheringay Centre. Their topics will be “Scotland’s Civic Monument” and “Glasgow’s Windows and Doors” respectively”.

Yet more ghosts (seems to be a theme running through the events this month) with The National Theatre of Scotland putting on a performance of a Christmas Carol in Film City Glasgow in Govan. It looks like it will be excellent, with a talented cast, haunting puppets live music and apparently ingenious set bringing this dark Victorian tale to life. We got a tour of the set by accident the other week and it really looks great. Sadly it sold out within hours and only returns tickets are the only chance of going. We'd love to though, so if anyone decides they don't need two tickets drop us an email.

The most interesting and unusual event of the month though is probably the Albert Drive Project with students from the Contemporary Performance course at the RSAMD. The event will take place on Sunday 11th December, meeting at 1pm at Tramway. The audience will then be invited to walk up Albert Drive and visit a number of stages where small performances will be hosted on the street. Passers by will be able to join in too. The event is free and will last approximately 2 hours.
To contrast with a month of high spending there is a really intersting sounding talk by Centre for human Ecology and Govan Together entitled "A revolution of Values: Materialism and its alternatives" guest speaker, Tim Kasser, will present evidence for the high price of materialism and explore alternatives of what really makes a merry Christmas at The Pearce Institue 840-860 Govan Road. (Monday 12 Dec 7pm)

And finally to make sure you look good for your office party get along to Church on the Hill where the "Whims-icle Xmas Fashion Fair" will host 50 stalls of clothing from vintage to designer. (11-5pm 11 Dec).

As always suggestions of things we've missed in the comments below please.