I don't like to see a Kirkcaldy man fail and feel the injury even more when he's also a Kitwe man.  However in the case of Dave Dempsey who came third in the race to represent Cowdenbeath at Holyrood my sadness is tempered by the fact that he was running in the Tory interest.

The brave chap is undeterred and I expect he'll be back in the saddle as soon as another opportunity presents itself, perhaps on the back of one of those wonderful warhorses that are strutting their stuff at the Festival Theatre.

Warhorse is a terrific spectacle: the horses are incredibly well manipulated by the teams of puppeteers and reproduce the characteristic actions of real horses to an unnerving degree.  The rest of the presentation lives up to that high standard with excellent use of projection, with spot on lighting and sound and faultless stage business. I was less admiring of the vocal presentation but maybe all this wind band stuff  I'm involved in nowadays has taken the edge off my hearing.

The story is as simple and as sentimental as all get out but even the most hardbitten audience member could hardly avoid a tiny touch of trembling in the tear ducts when boy and horse are reunited.

An excellent weekend at Dundee Rep taking part in a number of workshops in the RSC Open Stages project.

Remember the 2012 Olympics?  It was felt necessary to add a bit of culture to all the running about (and I don't mean the opening ceremony).  As part of the cultural hoohaa the RSC organised The World Shakespeare Festival and as part of that set up a collaboration with amateur theatre groups called Open Stages.

That finished in the summer of 2012 but a new edition, a true Olympic legacy, stretching from 2013 to 2016 is under way and Grads are taking part in it.  We are presenting a Gulf War informed production of Titus Andronicus in April 2015.

There's a lot of water to flow under the bridge before then but a number of us interested in that production were in Dundee to profit from RSC expert knowledge in movement, stage combat, text and acting.  Apart from learning and the great pleasure of working at Dundee Rep, especially in their beautiful main house, we were well fed and watered and had great fun.

To find out what we did, get to EGTG on Facebook and read Dan Sutton's excellent descriptions of the workshops.

It's not often that I buy clothes on the internet but having failed to find an overcoat that I liked in the shops I had a wee trawl.

What with 2014 commemorations of the First World War I rather fancied something like the one in the middle and tracked down a shop that sells military gear.

This is what I bought.

It's just dandy and not too far from the image above if not quite so dashing.  It came from Bulgaria and has brought me a benefit.  What would Mr Cameron say about that.

It is of course second hand but I'm pleased to report that it has been thoroughly cleaned.  However that's been done with chemicals that are possibly even now still toxic judging by the smell.  It's currently in the corridor outside my door and I'll be whipping it out onto the balcony for blasts of fresh air whenever it's not raining over the next few weeks.  

My saxophone teacher today suggested that I expand my Christmas glitter from one nail to ten and make them all different colours.  I'll bear that in mind if I make it to the X Factor.

My entertainment tips this week.

If two hours alone with Robert Redford's blue eyes and craggy beauty floats your boat then head for All Is Lost.

If that idea gives you a sinking feeling then enjoy sailing on the crest of the wave at Hansel and Gretel.

It turned out that there were participative events over the festive season after all.  I had been misled by assuming that the Christmas in Edinburgh brochure covered everything.  So apologies to whom it may concern.

Friends who were staying with me over New Year and I hastened off to the museum on New Year's Day to take part in this:

On the first day of 2014, set your compass and join us on a journey through Edinburgh’s Old Town, in the new, mystical and magical world of SCOT:LANDS - Discover nine incredible, new worlds, presenting the very best in music, art and theatre. Created and curated by Scotland’s most innovative artists and musicians.

The event was a bit overwhelmed by the number of participants.  When we arrived we had to join the longest queue in the world to:

Start your journey at HOME:LAND, the National Museum of Scotland, where you’ll receive a postcard with information about the first destination of your journey.
Pick up your own SCOT:LANDS map and Landing Card and travel with us on an amazing, cultural journey through the old Town – re-invented for just one day as our magical new world.

We only managed to visit two of these nine wonderlands but both were excellent.  They were:

HIGH:LAND Presented by The Ceilidh Place
Here in Edinburgh for the first time, experience the inimitable atmosphere and hospitality of one of Scotland’s most famously convivial venues, The Ceilidh Place. With music, songs and stories, bite into a rich and hearty slice of the North West Highlands, and enjoy a taste of local food and artisan beer. At the end of the A835 you’ll find the centre of the Highland Universe and one of the most dramatic landscapes in Britain.

NEW:FOUND:LAND Presented by The FOUND Collective
Edinburgh-based art collective FOUND will tap into the contemplative resonance and exquisite acoustics of Old St Paul’s Church. Experience a candle-lit musical performance which treats sound and silence as equals. Get lost in a languorous and dreamlike place in the company of some of our most enigmatic musicians.

We didn’t manage to win a free holiday when we got back to the museum at the end of the afternoon either but we did get a coffee and were entertained by the Portobello Ceilidh Band.

A good time was had by all.