* This week saw the launch of Glasgow’s new youth dance theatre group, Urban Dance Theatre, with its first performance at the Cottier on Sunday evening. The group brings together young people from around Glasgow, who have already worked with Projekt 11:92 on other events. The aim is to blend contemporary and urban dance theatre skills, making it “a dynamic vehicle for taking performance into the community’’. Anyone aged 15 to 25 is welcome, regardless of experience, and should contact Projekt 11:92 on 0141 445 6000.
* The Hunterian Museum at Glasgow University last week opened a new gallery for its major coin collection. Said to be one of the top three collections in the UK with 70,000 coins and medals, it is based on that of William Hunter, the 18th-century medical pioneer and court physician. Exhibits include one of the world’s first coins, a 2,500-year-old silver coin from Lydia, a rare coin presented to William Hunter by George III, the first coin minted for a Scottish king (for David I around 1140), the first Scottish coins to bear the Lion Rampant, and local currency from across Scotland. . School parties are welcome, although there are no talks for them as yet. These may be laid on in future. Further details on 0141 330 4221.
* The Royal Lyceum Theatre Company’s Christmas Team will present The Sleeping Beauty by Stuart Paterson, December 6 to January 4. Well known for productions of children’s stories for the whole family, with past ones including Beauty and the Beast, The Lyceum’s new version of this classic story of the princess pricking her finger and falling into a deep sleep full of dreams, is brought to life by a host of new figures and animals creating a “feast of magic, mayhem and mesmerising characters to charm any child’’. Directed by Hugh Hodgart and designed by Gregory Smith, the production stars Eric Barlow and Billy Boyd, Irene MacDougall, Victoria Hardcastle and Iona Carbars. Music is composed by Savourna Stevenson. School performances, which take up most of the first two weeks, are almost sold out but a few seats remain: Pounds 3.50 upper circle, Pounds 4.50 for stalls and grand circle. Further details on 0131 229 9697.
