Are we not drawn onward to new erA - this Belgian production is one of the best pieces of theatre I've seen on the Fringe or elsewhere for some time.  It opens with light slowly rising on a small tree right of centre and a hunched body lying up left.  The body is a woman.  She rises slowly.  A man enters from the opposite side.  They meet centre stage.  The man plucks a fruit from the tree and offers it to the woman.  We're thinking garden of eden.  The apple is bitten and things start going downhill.  The tree is torn to pieces, plastic bags flood down from the sky and with the help of the cast cover the stage, a golden statue is raised, actors brandish hosepipes that issue clouds of smoke.  All the while the cast speak to one another in gibberish, make strange gestures and frequently walk about backwards.  The curtains close.  We get the message.  Mankind has destroyed his beautiful world.  That's where the show gets really interesting.  Like the title it's palindromic.  Think about it.

Understanding China - two books that explore the recent history of China in quite different ways.  One is a novel, The Promise by Xinran Xue, that follows the lives of a family over several generations against the background of turmoil and change that has characterised the country since the emergence of Mao.  The other an academic work, Maoism: A Global History by Julia Lovell, examines the impact of Mao's ideas and actions on places as diverse as Peru and India as well as on China itself.  The discussion, led vigorously by Paul French, was fascinating and brought back memories of how I eagerly followed the UK press coverage of the cultural revolution.  I didn't understand China then and despite this enjoyable and informative session I don't believe I understand it any better now.

The Rite of Spring - it's amazing.  It looks beautiful.  The dancing is astonishing. Perfection or maybe a tad long, maybe a touch ott, but not to be missed.