Lauren Humphreys

If you love an adrenaline rush and your idea of fun is being locked in a mysterious room with a group of your mates using just your brainpower to get you free, then look no further. Now Glasgow has not one, not two but three escape room venues for you to test your skills. Escape games have been sweeping Japan, the US and Europe for the past few years, starting with video games then making the leap into real life adventure. The city's longest running venue, Escape Glasgow, has two rooms designed for groups of two to six people. The Glasgow Classic Escape challenges you to recognise the hints and clues hidden throughout the room, decipher them, unlock the safe and set yourself free. The second room is their first multi-room live escape game, Contagion. Your team of scientists have been working tirelessly to create a vaccine for a fatal disease, but unfortunately you have all contracted the deadly virus. There are two options: either sit around and let it take you, or create a vaccine and find a way to defeat the lockdown on the lab. Each room costs £66 regardless of the size of the team. The Room (not to be confused with the gloriously awful film of the same name) opened this spring with five rooms, challenging you to show off your detective skills and 'put Sherlock to shame'. It's designed for groups of two to sixteen and includes a party room designed for ten to 16-year-olds. Choose between: the Spy Room, where you act as MI6 agents tasked with sneaking into the office of a p

Now in its 20th year, the 2015 West End Festival promises to be bigger and bolder than ever with this year’s music programme featuring an eclectic selection including folk, jazz, rock, world, classical, recital, chamber and choral performances. Here are five picks from around the festival: Shona Brown – The North Atlantic ProjectAward-winning musician Shona Brown creates atmospheric songs and instrumentals by layering and looping haunting flute melodies, ethereal vocal harmonies and ambient electronic sounds. June 5, 7.30pm, The Piping College. £8 (£6 conc). Louise Macdonald presents Mary Queen of ScotsLouise Macdonald presents a world premiere of new works by Judith Bingham, Dee Isaacs and Eddie McGuire as well as a performance of Schumann’s Maria Stuart Leider. A close look at the letters and poetry of Mary Queen of Scots and the fear and intrigue, religious rivalry and feuding families at court it features contralto Louise Macdonald and pianist Ingrid Sawers. June 5, 7.30pm, The Mackintosh Church. £12 (£10 conc). Electric Honey Records ShowcaseElectric Honey Records, now situated at Glasgow Kelvin College, present their annual showcase of their renowned student run record label. This year the performances include: Harry & The Hendersons, Schnarff, Finn Le Marinel and Apache Sun. June 26, 8pm, Oran Mor. £5. Peggy SeegerNow in her 80th year, folk legend, feminist icon, political activist, eco-warrior and muse Peggy Seeger visits the West End Festival to perform songs from he

This year the West End Festival is delivering up its biggest range of activities for children and families - from plays and comedy shows, to an appearance from the star of classic kids' tale 'The Gruffalo'. Here's a few suggestions for the tiniest festival goers: Young kids will love I Spy with PC McKay, an interactive adventure at the Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre. From lost dogs to missing wands, join in with PC McKay and help him find out what’s going on in this silly, comedy adventure.I Spy with PC McKay, June 6, 2pm, Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre. £5.95. Boring old Sundays will never be the same again. The Stand Comedy Club presents a live stand-up show for younger comedy fans. With three top comedians every month this event will keep running after the Festival. Best for eight to twelve-year-olds, each young comedy fan must be accompanied by an adult. Glasgow Kids Comedy Club, June 7, 2.30pm, The Stand. £4. Emily Dodd: Can’t Dance Cameron features that most distinctive of birds, the capercaillie. This is a treat for all Scottish wildlife fans: Cameron the capercaillie thinks he’s the worst dancer in the Cairngorms, but with the help of his new friend Hazel the Squirrel, maybe he’ll be able to dance after all. This informal performance is suitable for ages three to six. Emily Dodd: Can't Dance Cameron, June 13, noon, Hillhead Library. Free entry. In a special show from the creator of children’s classic 'The Gruffalo', there's a rare chance to meet some of Julia Donald

The first ever Dance International Glasgow (DIG) is is set to take place at the Tramway from Friday April 24-Saturday June 6, with more than 40 events across the six weeks including six world premieres plus a host of UK premieres, family shows, exhibitions and talks. The biennial event aims to showcase the most exciting dance artists and companies both from Scotland and across the globe, and with such a variety of productions and showcases here's a look at just a few of the highlights. 1. The world premiere of Barrowland Ballet’s hotly-anticipated new show ‘Whiteout’ (Wednesday April 29 and Thursday April 30) is a deeply personal dance theatre show about bi-racial relationships and features new music by Luke Sutherland of Mogwai.   <img id="0892d855-34e1-7a32-3c08-1d0e6088b26e" data-caption="Barrowland Ballet's Whiteout" data-credit="" data-width-class="100" type="image/jpeg" total="73215" loaded="73215" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102373615/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline"> Barrowland Ballet's Whiteout   2. There will be two world premieres from internationally renowned choreographer Marc Brew: ‘Exalt’ (Friday April 24 and Saturday April 25) has been created in association with Scottish Ballet and Indepen-dance 4 and it promises to rock the boundaries of ballet, while ‘For Now, I Am…’ (Tuesday May 26 and Wednesday May 27), is a more intimate solo piece. <img id="faec815c-0290-9d77-33d6-f5469656606e" data-

When the words 'blistering', 'nihilistic' and 'wayward' are used to describe the shows in a festival then you’re in for a thrill. Some of the most diverse and inventive theatrical talent will gather in the city over the next few months for The Arches’ Behaviour Festival. The festival, which is dedicated to live performance, aims to showcase cutting-edge artists from both the UK and across the globe. Highlights include Ishbel McFarlane’s one-woman show ‘O is for Hoolet’, which explores the Scots language. Described as a 'dream dinner party', characters including Robert Burns, the playwright’s four-year-old self and a women met drinking in a park, debate and how our native tongue has been both taught and subdued throughout the years. The Arches, Wednesday April 15–Friday 17 April. <img id="f3944e9a-252f-e9d2-ee76-fb07089ca018" data-caption="" data-credit="Irene McFarlane" data-width-class="100" type="image/png" total="761587" loaded="761587" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102372951/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline"> Irene McFarlane Venturing off-site, Amy Sharrocks’ ‘Museum of Water’, will take place at the Kibble Palace in Glasgow Botanic Gardens. Comprising a collection of publicly donated water samples with personal stories attached. It invites you to contribute your own exhibit to the museum. There will also be a free pop up bar serving only tap water at the event. Kibble Palace, Friday April 17–Tuesday April 21. <img id="b7c5fead-eee4-4408-ad

If Shakespeare, Strindberg or Stoppard won’t prise you from your sofa and into the nearest theatre then Glasgow’s King’s and Theatre Royal latest offerings just might. An array of stage adaptations of award-winning and blockbusting cinema hits are coming to town in the next few months. Here are five favourites: After 26 years in the West End and an outing as a film in 2012 starring Daniel Radcliffe, Susan Hill’s classic Victorian chiller ‘The Woman in Black’, promises wall-to-wall thrills from Mon April 20 at the Theatre Royal. Family favourite 'Shrek' and his band of fairytale misfits embark on a quest to rescue the beautiful (if slightly temperamental) Princess Fiona from the fire breathing, love-sick dragon at The King’s Theatre from Wed April 29. Who would turn down the chance to sing along to Mel Brooks’ classics ‘Springtime For Hitler’ or ‘Keep It Gay’? Hit Broadway musical 'The Producers', starring comedians Jason Manford and Ross Noble, arrives at the Theatre Royal on Mon June 15. The stand up stars are joined by West End regulars Tiffany Graves and David Bedella.       Starring an array of TV favourites, including Tom Conti and 'Coronation Street' baddie Andrew Lancel, a new production of Reginald Rose’s gripping courtroom thriller 'Twelve Angry Men' begins its run in Glasgow at the Theatre Royal from Mon June 22.       Based on the 1988 Steve Martin and Michael Caine movie, 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' transports you to the French Riviera as two swindlers attempt to