What's On Scotland 5-12 May: Restless Natives Fest

Each week The Skinny team hand pick a selection of events from the Scottish cultural calendar to provide you with this guide to the most exciting goings on in the week ahead. From gigs, plays and exhibitions to spoken word and pop up cake shops, we give you the insider's guide to things to do in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee every Thursday morning.

1. Restless Natives Festival
9-15 May, various venues in Glasgow's East End, times and prices vary

What’s that? A week-long, multi-platform festival is headed Glasgow’s way? With showcases programmed by the likes of Fuzzkill, Nice’N’Sleazy, Struggletown and GFT? And reasonably priced tickets, widening access beyond solely rich hipsters? SIGN. US. UP. This week's musical highlights include Nightwave at Collective Studios with support from electronica beat-weaver Wuh Oh, HQFU and Yutani, and an eve of synth, krautrock vibes and psychedelia with Le Thug, DTHPDL and Numbers Are Futile (pictured).

2. Give Me A Reason To Live
Dundee Rep, Dundee. 4 May, 8pm

A slightly heavier recommendation, but what Claire Cunningham’s Give Me A Reason To Live lacks in springtime frivolity, it makes up for with integrity and roaring honesty. The 2015 Fringe sell-out physical theatre work is, in her words a ‘memorial to the disabled victims of the Nazi euthanasia program and the current disabled victims of the present UK government's so-called welfare reform'.

3. Comic Invention
The Hunterian, Glasgow. Until 17 July, times vary

Even those with just a passing interest in the odd Marvel number will appreciate the Hunterian’s exhibition Comic Invention. Not least because it claims to host the world’s first ever comic (well, sort of – it’s complicated), but also because of its staggering collection of works throughout the ages, from 18th Century hipster satire through to blockbuster stuff.

4. Dimitri From Paris
La Belle Angèle, Edinburgh. 7 May, 11pm

La Belle's relatively new Queens series has us rubbing our palms together ahead of their Dimitri From Paris set this Saturday. The Istanbul born DJ and producer started out spinning discs for France's Radio 7, before climbing to the dizzying, bedazzled heights of producing runway soundtracks for the likes of Jean-Paul Gaultier, Hermès and YSL. He's now a global name, specialising in disco-twinged house and 50s faux-jazz and Daft Punk meets CHIC mayhem.

5. UK Green Film Festival
GFT, Glasgow. 5 May, 6pm

It’s never fun being reminded that we’re all irresponsible, bag-for-life-forgetting pricks when it comes to looking after our poorly planet. But that’s no reason not to get involved with UK Green Film Festival from 1-8 May – especially when places like GFT are screening beauties like The Messenger, award winning filmmaker Su Rynard’s documentary about the demise of the songbird.

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6. Meet The Maker with Thistly Cross
The Beer Kitchen, Edinburgh. 5 May, 6pm

Oh, Thistly Cross. Ye delicious, surprisingly potent apple-based elixirs. Ye maker of evenings which start out with 'just the one after work!' and leave us all getting MWI under a pile of chips and cheese. Old bottle-shaped friends, how we wish we understood the subtle nuances of your flavour and fizz more truly and deeply. Well, actually, now we can, at Thistly Cross's Meet The Maker evening at The Beer Kitchen. Hang out with like-minded cider guzzlers and find out exactly what goes into your bevvies. Drink responsibly. Image: Dom Kelly

7. The Improverts: Exam Shows
Bedlam, Edinburgh, 11 & 12 May, 9pm

With their Exam Show double bill, Bedlam resident lol-manufacturers The Improverts continue a tradition of bringing relief to stressed student citizens of Edinburgh through the medium of slick improv tomfoolery this month. The event’s not just for student funny-bones though, and this clan are well worth trying out if you’re in the dark about their comedic smarts.

ADVERTISEMENT | The Mikado
Theatre Royal, Glasgow. 5, 7, 8, 12, 13 & 14 May, times vary
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh. 1-5 June, times vary

Following their successful production of The Pirates of Penzance in 2013, Scottish Opera return with another Gilbert & Sullivan comedy classic. A stellar cast, in the hands of director Martin Lloyd-Evans bring The Mikado to sparkling life with a mix of cheeky English music hall and exquisite Japanese tradition. Packed with anti-establishment silliness and full of larger-than-life characters (including the sort of self-serving politicians that are all too recognisable today), this playful show features some of G&S’s most popular tunes, including Three Little Maids, Tit-willow and I’ve Got a Little List. Get £10 tickets if you’re under 26 for any seat, at any performance.

8. Glenn Wool: Creator, I Am But A Pawn
The Stand, Edinburgh. 8 May, 5pm
The Stand, Glasgow. 8 May, 8.30pm

Following his highly acclaimed 2014 show Wool's Gold, Canadian comic and story-smith Glenn Wool brings his expansive back-catalogue of tales spanning the past two decades to The Stand. He's squeezing both of his Scottish sets into the one day, so whether you're East coast or West, you can catch the lol-veteran in action this Sunday.

9. Avenue Q
Kings Theatre, Edinburgh. 9-14 May, 7.30pm

You probably think you hate musicals, don’t you? Well, that’s probably because you haven’t seen the triple Tony Award-Winning Avenue Q, a musical which tells the tale of life in downtown NYC through theatre, puppetry and songs like ‘The Internet Is For Porn’. We challenge you go and not laugh your diaphragm out. Matinees available.

10. Holy Esque
The Art School, Glasgow. 7 May, 7pm

Usher in the weekend with a dose of robust rock from four-piece Holy Esque following the release of their gorgeously growly, grit-filled LP At Hope's Ravine. They're penned as one of our Music Highlights for the month of May, so pull your socks up and prepare to get angsty as fuck at The Art School this weekend. Photo: Ronan Park

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