TORQUE and LUTES

INNOATIVE NEW PERFORMANCE EXPLORES THE ELUSIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEEN ART AND SCIENCE
It is choreographed by the mischievous Caroline Bowditch. It is designed by the mighty Brian Hartley. She revolutionised Scottish Dance Theatre's attitude to inclusive performance: he worked with me at the IETM. Add in Pippa Murphy on composition duties, a scientist and workshops aimed at school children's attitude to energy, and Paragon have made another boundary booting bonanza. 

Torque is about wind power. “The relationship between art and science is often overlooked; they are considered quite separate from one another," says producer Ninian Perry. But wind turbines are changing the landscape, acting like kinetic statues as well as power stations.

PLATFORM THEATRE, EASTERHOUSE, GLASGOW

WEDNESDAY 13 MARCH 7.00PM

THURSDAY 14 MARCH 7.00PM

Moving back in to the city centre, Vile Arts favourites The One Ensemble are going to be at Nice'n' Sleazy on Friday. They are supporting composer and lutenist Jozef van Wissem who will hopefully rescue the lute from that disgrace that Sting inflicted on it a few years back. van Wissem is all about adapted the lute for the modern age - a bit of minimalism, a touch of improvisation - without messing about with the distinctive timbre of the old school instrument.

I am happy to stand up for the lute - John Downland did a few numbers on it back in the pre-classical era that make The Smiths sound like Girls Aloud, in terms of misery. Wissem has thrown down with Keiji Haino - extremely self-indulgent guitarist and startling creative vocalist, well-known to fans of Arika - and James Blackshaw. Less obscurely, he wrote some tunes for a medieval version of that Sims video game.

Besides, if he is rubbish, The One Ensemble are worth the entry alone.