Latest news with #Pongo
Scotsman
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Writing itself to The Fringe...
Settling down to compose the first draft of a play. Sat in my boxer shorts on the couch in the living room. I've got a week long holiday away from the day job. The time I need to do it. Least, that's what I tell myself. That it has to be now or else it'll never happen. Only trouble is all I'm doing for those initial couple of hours is staring deeply into the screen of my laptop. A mocking blank page staring back. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The truth is, I've got no idea what the hell I'm going to write. All I've got is a title, Colours Run. As well as a loose idea about a Hibs Casual. Oh, and I've got the main characters name, too. I'll call him, Pongo. But that's about it, really. I'm depressed about a lassie, you see. Fallen out with the love of my life. Somehow though I get it done. Not exactly the play I thought it would be. It's dark and full of despair. A mirror image of my mood, I guess. In fact, the thing ended up writing itself, to be honest. Cos when I finally got into it, I couldn't stop. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Many months have passed since that day. Tireless hours and days spent developing it until suddenly a full run at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival beckons. Twenty four performances at Summerhall, just off The Meadows. I'm looking forward to it even if I do share the same complaints most natives of The Capital voice whenever August arrives in the city. A lack of vacant seats on our buses for one. Fringe Poster Still, it isn't an unsubstantial achievement to become a participant. Not when you're someone from my background. Where Theatre and the Arts in general tend to be catered for the middle classes. The lassie I mentioned earlier always gets angry when I say things like this. She says it doesn't matter where you're from or how skint you grew up. That talent alone should be enough. She actually walks away from me whenever I mention that I'm working class. But as much as I value her opinion on most things, on this particular topic she is wrong. Everything in the arts industry is much easier to navigate through if you're from money. And there's no better example of this than Edinburgh in August. But what makes Colours Run even more unique is that it is actually a piece set locally, on Leith Walk to be precise, involving two brothers. The elder, a violent Hibs football casual. The younger of the two, a housebound gentle soul with a childlike mind. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There's comedy captured in the midst of their verbal ping pong exchange. But throughout the hour something very dark is yet to reveal itself. Lingering in the background. It is a play I am very proud of and one that I think fellow natives will quite easily relate to. But not my dearest female friend whom I mentioned before. She's a stubborn non Theatre goer from Cleri. Hates it as much as she despises discussions about class. Still, she gets the assist on the play. Whether she wants to or not. After all, it was her refusal to talk to me that day that caused the dark cloud to hang over my head. And that's what made me write it in the first place.
Newsweek
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Hysterics As Runt of Dalmatian Litter Shows How He's 'The Bravest of All'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Animal lovers' hearts have melted over a tiny Dalmatian puppy proving his courage against a much-bigger adversary. The Stone family, who post to TikTok under the username @thestonestory101, are proud owners of two Dalmatian dogs, who recently had a litter of puppies. The family's page is full of videos of the puppies growing up and getting their spots (and yes, even watching One Hundred and One Dalmatians together), and one video from June 7 has proven particularly popular. Viewed more than 5.2 million times, it shows the two parent dogs in a room with one puppy—the runt of the litter. The term is given to the smallest and weakest puppy, which can mean extra challenges including a higher risk of health issues during the first week of life, according to Rover. In the video, the mother dog stays close to her pup, licking him and standing over him protectively. The father, meanwhile, doesn't seem sure of what to make of him, and walks cautiously over for a sniff. The runt isn't putting up with it, however—and, tiny as he is, he barks and growls at the much-larger dog; the dad jumps back in fright. In the end, the puppy wins the standoff, and dad walks away, with the runt's tiny noises helping him stand his ground. "The runt is the bravest of all," their owner wrote in the caption. TikTok users loved the sweet clip, many rushing to make references to Disney's One Hundred and One Dalmatians. "Where's the other 100 pups?" one asked, with another posting: "I'm sorry all I see is Pongo, Perdita and one of their pups." And a third commented: "PLS BE CAREFUL IF YOU SEE A WOMAN WITH HAIR THATS HALF BLACK AND HALF WHITE." Others laughed at the father Dalmatian's reaction to his feisty son, with one writing, "The dad is like 'what in FREAKING HELL is this thing,'" and their owner replying: "He's no help!" A Dalmatian puppy stands its ground indoors against its father. A Dalmatian puppy stands its ground indoors against its father. TikTok @thestonestory101 While domestic dogs are descended from wolves, and male wolves help with the raising of cubs, male canines have lost this instinct, and may be a hindrance to the mother and human helpers when it comes to caring for puppies, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). Some dogs may be jealous of the litter, while others who want to play may be too rough with them. The male dog's company could also be a distraction and cause stress to the mother, and it is advised to wait until around six weeks to begin socializing the father with his puppies. Newsweek has contacted @thestonestory101 via TikTok for comment on this story. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
West Australian
26-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Karratha Falcons fly high as Josh ‘Pongo' Stanley hits 250-game milestone in NPFL round five
The Karratha Falcons soared into round five of the North Pilbara Football League with a dominant display against the Wickham Wolves at Bulgarra Reserve on Saturday, May 24. With a big crowd of local footy faithfuls turning out for the clash, the Falcons wasted no time setting the tone in the League game, storming to a convincing 17.16 (118) to 9.9 (63) victory. But the biggest roar of the day wasn't just for the scoreboard, it was for a club legend. All eyes were on Falcons' veteran Josh 'Pongo' Stanley, who celebrated a massive milestone: his 250th game in the red and blue. A beloved figure in the club since his U10s days, Pongo has built an incredible legacy – five-time Falcons Reserves best and fairest, two-time NPFL Mathieson Medallist and multiple-time Reserves premiership player. Over at Kevin Richards Oval, the Karratha Kats were in fine form, brushing aside the South Hedland Swans 16.15 (111) to 6.3 (39) in the League game. The Kats Reserves also displayed a powerful performance with a 17.11 (113) to 8.0 (48) victory, along with the women's team 6.9 (45) to nil. There was more to celebrate for the Kats too, as League player Luke Pearson notched up his 50th game for the club. In Port Hedland, it was a tale of mixed results. The Dampier Sharks battled hard for a gritty 10.11 (71) to 8.8 (56) League win over the Port Hedland Rovers on the Rovers' home turf at Colin Matheson Oval. The Rovers Reserves dug deep to grind out a hard-fought 12.14 (86) to 10.3 (63) win, while the women's side stood tall with a strong 5.6 (36) to 1.4 (10) victory.
Scottish Sun
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
The ancient market town in the UK that inspired a Disney classic
It's also home to a kid-friendly National Trust property SWEET SUFFOLK The ancient market town in the UK that inspired a Disney classic Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SUDBURY is a charming ancient town in Suffolk that people may not realise was the inspiration for a hit Disney film. Locations in Sudbury, like the drinking fountain and horse trough by St Peter's Church featured in 101 Dalmatians - because the author lived nearby. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 The charming town of Sudbury inspired a Disney classic Credit: Alamy 5 The old drinking fountain in Market Hill featured in 101 Dalmatians Credit: Alamy Dodie Smith, who was famous for writing the Disney classic 101 Dalmatians, spent her adult life living in the Essex village of Finchingfield. As a result, she used to regularly visit Sudbury, which was half an hour away, to do her shopping. Parts of Sudbury was used for the setting of the classic children's story, including the drinking fountain and horse trough by St Peter's Church. It is mentioned as the place where Pongo and Perdita stop to have a drink while trying to track down the lost puppies. The town is even named in the book, it reads: "Just before midnight they came to the market town of Sudbury. Pongo paused as they crossed the bridge over the River Stour." Walt Disney visited Dodie at her home in Finchingfield called The Barretts. It's rumoured the Grade II listed Georgian manor Greys Hall, in the nearby village of Sible Hedingham, was the inspiration for Cruella de Vil's home. 101 Dalmatians is honoured in The Talbot Trail - which is a series of 14 statues around Sudbury. The trail depicts the town's history, other statues include the town gaol. On Gaol Lane is the statue that was the gateway to Sudbury Court where prisoners were locked up to await trial. Suffolk weekend with the kids 5 Sudbury has its own trail to honour events through the town's history Credit: Alamy 5 The Children's Country House is a National Trust fun house for kids Credit: Alamy There's also 'The Running Boy' which tells the story of James Bigmore, a boy who ran alongside a coach, all the way from Sudbury to Norwich in six hours. Another is the fearsome Queen of the Iceni, Boudicea as well as the artist Thomas Gainsborough. Sudbury is also home to the National Trust property The Children's Country House. It re-opened after a big makeover in 2022 - with its property and gardens all aimed at entertaining kids Unlike most National Trust properties, children are encouraged to go wild, run around and touch everything with no roped-off areas. While features of the historic country home can still be enjoyed, the new wing includes everything from interactive displays to a dressing-up room. One British celeb lives in Suffolk – here are his favourite places to go from smallest pub in UK to beachside brewery. And why Southwold in Suffolk has more than enough for a weekend's exploring.
The Irish Sun
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
The ancient market town in the UK that inspired a Disney classic
SUDBURY is a charming ancient town in Suffolk that people may not realise was the inspiration for a hit Disney film. Locations in Sudbury, like the drinking fountain and horse trough by St Peter's Church featured in 5 The charming town of Sudbury inspired a Disney classic Credit: Alamy 5 The old drinking fountain in Market Hill featured in 101 Dalmatians Credit: Alamy Dodie Smith, who was famous for writing the Disney classic 101 Dalmatians, spent her adult life living in the Essex village of Finchingfield. As a result, she used to regularly visit Sudbury, which was half an hour away, to do her shopping. Parts of Sudbury was used for the setting of the classic children's story, including the drinking fountain and horse trough by St Peter's Church. It is mentioned as the place where Pongo and Perdita stop to have a drink while trying to track down the lost puppies. Read More on Suffolk The town is even named in the book, it reads: "Just before midnight they came to the market town of Sudbury. Pongo paused as they crossed the bridge over the Walt Disney visited Dodie at her home in Finchingfield called The Barretts. It's rumoured the Grade II listed Georgian manor Greys Hall, in the nearby village of Sible Hedingham, was the inspiration for Cruella de Vil's home. 101 Dalmatians is honoured in The Talbot Trail - which is a series of 14 statues around Sudbury. Most read in News Travel The trail depicts the town's history, other statues include the town gaol. On Gaol Lane is the statue that was the gateway to Sudbury Court where prisoners were locked up to await trial. Suffolk weekend with the kids 5 Sudbury has its own trail to honour events through the town's history Credit: Alamy 5 The Children's Country House is a National Trust fun house for kids Credit: Alamy There's also 'The Running Boy' which tells the story of James Bigmore, a boy who ran alongside a coach, all the way from Sudbury to Another is the fearsome Queen of the Iceni, Boudicea as well as the artist Thomas Gainsborough. Sudbury is also home to the National Trust property It re-opened after a big makeover in 2022 - with its property and gardens all aimed at entertaining kids Unlike most National Trust properties, children are encouraged to go wild, run around and touch everything with no roped-off areas. While features of the historic country home can still be enjoyed, the new wing includes everything from interactive displays to a dressing-up room. One British celeb And why Southwold in Suffolk has more than enough for a weekend's exploring. 5 Sudbury is a town in Suffolk that inspired a Disney classic Credit: Alamy
