Alex Barnard

4 weeks ago | thesaint.scot | Alex Barnard

“Maybe someone can help you – if they can be bothered.”That was the MediaMarkt employee’s damning response to my plea for aid, overwhelmed and just trying to buy myself a German SIM. I admit it must be annoying being addressed in a grammatically insecure, rather mispronounced version of your mother tongue, but after a day of endless admin, this was enough. A tear escaped my eye as I waited for the bus home (not realising that SIM card installation just required sticking an earring into the slot).

1 month ago | thesaint.scot | Alex Barnard

Everyone’s performed at some point in their life — and save a lucky select few, everyone knows the horror of sweaty palms, stuttering speech, and a general desire to escape that comes as a result. For both professionals and amateurs, stage fright can present a real barrier when performing: but can it also generate the energy that puts the audience on the edge of their seats? As a frequent musical performer myself, I’ve come far from those school plays that left me shaking.

1 month ago | thesaint.scot | Alex Barnard

Growing up, I was never much of a fan of the Cinderella fairytale. In fact, fairytales largely failed to charm me at all – I didn’t like how predictable they were, how exhausted they had become in popular culture, and the recurrent victim narrative when it came to female characters. I’m pleased to say that MusT’s version of the classic tale convinced me otherwise. As of late, MusT have experimented with more niche productions, from Jekyll and Hyde to the upcoming Bonnie and Clyde.

2 months ago | thesaint.scot | Alex Barnard

Why everyone can singAnyone who has ever attended primary school in this country will remember the joy of assembly. Well, perhaps not the tedium of the headteacher awarding countless Mathletics certificates, or the sports coach warning against stealing the tennis rackets again. No, the real excitement of assembly was the singing of songs from ‘This Little Light Of Mine’ To ‘Cauliflowers Fluffy’ which our generation remembers fondly to this day.

Nov 27, 2024 | thesaint.scot | Alex Barnard

At 6pm on 25 November, theatre fans descended on Aikman’s cellar, warmly lit and rich with cheerful conversation. It was time for theSwilcan Actorium’s semesterly showcase, wherein its members showcase their progress, learning from the method of a different theatre practitioner each week. In her introduction, founder India Kolb was eager to emphasise the fact that this was a ‘work in progress’, rather than a polished production.