Tag Archives: Children’s Theatre

The Search for a Black-Browed Albatross

The Backpack Ensemble

Pleasance King Dome

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

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02/08/18

Charlie is on the hunt for the Black-Browed Albatross, the final bird on her late father’s life-list. He died when she was 20 and now, at 22, she is completing the journey he never got to make. As she adventures through the Highlands in search of the elusive bird, she hopes to rekindle their relationship that they lost before his death.

The Backpack Ensemble bring this story of a woman and her family trying to come to terms with the death of her father beautifully to life in this charming production. Losing a loved one is never easy, and especially in a situation like Charlie’s, where you had lost touch beforehand, but this production explores the experience of loss in a nuanced, astute and accessible way. Charlie’s relationship with her brother and mother, which has become more distant since the death of her father, is portrayed in an insightful way, examining the balance between family responsibility and responsibilities to oneself. Similarly, the memories of her time with her father seem so real that the audience is immediately drawn in.

The production is characterised by simple but effective devices such as the large screen used to switch between different places, as well as between memory and present, using shadow puppetry and adapting the screen to create different set-pieces. One of the most effective elements of the production was the self-awareness and conscious theatricality of the piece. The actors introduced themselves before adopting their characters, and moments of narration of what the actors were doing, rather than the characters, were peppered throughout the play. Though it employs elements of Brechtian distancing, this actually serves to make the story more engaging. By noting that they have drawn certain parts of the narrative from their own lives, The Backpack Ensemble create a space for the audience to find and examine their own experiences; this may be a made-up story, but it doesn’t mean it’s not real.

The Search for a Black Browed Albatross broaches the subject of loss in a thoughtful and honest way that is moving and entertaining in equal measure. For children aged 8+, this production is a beautiful introduction into the different ways people deal with grief, and of the hope that can be found beyond that.

The Search for a Black Browed Albatross runs at the Pleasance King Dome until 9th August as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The Extraordinary Time-Travelling Adventures of Baron Munchausen – Edinburgh Fringe Review

New Town Theatre

27/08/17

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As is the case with anything improvised, it is difficult to review it in the same way as I would another theatre show; the stories I saw on Saturday are not going to be the same as those you might see on the day you see it. However, I can say with confidence that the stories you will see in The Extraordinary Time-Travelling Adventures of Baron Munchausen will probably be hilarious and entertaining.

The trio of performers base their sketches off of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (a 1988 film directed by Terry Gilliam), but take suggestions from the audience, which brings an even greater touch of the absurd to the tales than was there to begin with. Using characters such as Magesterious Wizard and Sir Jonah of Wales, the performers deliver confident, quick-thinking performances in which jokes and gags abound.

On the day I attended Jeremy Corbyn was conveniently speaking upstairs, lending himself as material for many topical jokes throughout. Alongside this, the performers retained information they gathered from the audience and, rather than simply incorporating it into the piece at the time that they asked for it, they created running jokes throughout that had the audience joining in conspiratorial laughter as they anticipated the directions of the tales.

Blending smart comedy and daft gags, The Extraordinary Time-Travelling Adventures of Baron  Munchausen is an entertaining production that is as unpredictable as it is absurd.

There May Be Dragons – Edinburgh Fringe Review

Stories Alive

The Hispaniola

26/08/17

dragons

As part of a pair of shows, There May Be Pirates…There May Be Dragons, Eden Ballantyne of Stories Alive presents the exciting story of Gilly and the dragon egg she finds while playing hide and seek. Having found the egg, but not knowing what it is, Gilly takes it home with her, and when a dragon hatches, the adventure begins.

The story is an engaging and dramatic tale that captures all of the excitement of classic fairytales, but it goes one step further. While it captures the thrill of a classic fairytale, it doesn’t leave the adventures to knights or princes, instead, our protagonists are both young girls who decide to take matters into their own hands, and raise and protect the dragon themselves. It is a refreshing story that opens itself out to everyone listening.

Playing the role of Gruff, the troubadour, Ballantyne narrates the story with a magically infectious enthusiasm. Though the production is, for the most part, a simple and pared-back storytelling session, the few props used are truly beautiful and very effective. The main prop used is a dragon puppet, used to portray Crackle the dragon. It is a well made puppet that seems to take on a life of its own under Ballantyne’s direction. Another notable point in the performance is when Gruff calls for children to volunteer to help in acting out scenes from the story. With a light-hearted, low-pressure approach, Ballantyne involves his young audience in the show and lets them share in the excitement of the story.

There May Be Dragons,  is an excellent storytelling show that takes a classic style and format and breathes new life into it in the form of the adventurous characters of Gilly and Brenna.

Shakespeare for Breakfast & Dickens for Dinner – Edinburgh Fringe Review

C Theatre

C Chambers Street

26/08/17 & 27/08/17

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Charles Dickens, author of such novels as Hard Times, Oliver Twist and Great Expectations, wouldn’t exactly spring to mind as a cheery soul (though there can be no doubt that he has written some belly laughs dotted through his works), however, C Theatre’s production Dickens for Dinner takes his classic A Christmas Carol and turns it into an irreverent comedy.

After warming their audience with soup on the way into the auditorium (no pleas for gruel here), C Theatre presents a story of Scrooge, failed popstar and confirmed curmudgeon. Narrated by a leather-clad Dickens, this 1980s themed take on the classic novel maintains a surprisingly strong connection to the source material, while seemingly changing just about everything in some way. As in the original, the story revolves around the fact that Scrooge hates Christmas; good luck to anyone who utters the words “Christmas Number One” in his presence. He is visited by the spirits of three famous musicians who remind him of the mistakes he has made in his life and the changes he needs to make to avoid the same purgatorial fate as his late musical collaborator, Shirley Marley.

Full of self-referential gags and clever word-play on Dickens’ original material Dickens for Dinner is by no means a serious literary examination. It is a silly and witty production that serves as a light-hearted introduction to a classic story.

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In a similar vein, C Theatre presents Shakespeare for Breakfast, in which they dissect Macbeth and stitch it back together in the shape of a comedy rather than the tragedy Shakespeare wrote it as. From the very start of the show, when the actors remind us that we cannot call the play or character by its real name and so re-name it McGary, it is clear that this is a production that, rather than indulging in any reverential treatment, will turn the bard on his head and tickle his feet.

The show takes modern references and references to other Shakespeare plays, blending them together to create this humorous tale of McGary’s dastardly attempts to become President of the Thistly Bottom Allotment Society, spurred on by his rather spoiled and power-hungry wife, and some unconventional witches wearing Love Island t-shirts.

Once again retaining the original plot while playing with the finer details, C Theatre create an hilarious production of Macbeth, sorry, McGary, which delights in its own adept silliness.

The Complete History of Europe (More or Less) – Edinburgh Fringe Review

More or Less Theatre

C Chambers Street

26/08/17

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Fitting about 5000 years of European history in to an hour-long show is no mean feat, but Malcom Galea and Joseph Zammit of More or Less Theatre do so with a generous helping of gusto and mischief. The Complete History of Europe (More or Less), takes its audience through a whistle-stop tour of European history, covering events from the Bronze Age to Brexit, dispensing lots of facts (and a little bit of fiction) on the way.

The performers make a strong double act, with Zammit playing the joker, while Galea plays the more straight-laced, long-suffering historian of the pair. Zammit’s character provides gags aplenty as he plays on puns of historical figures’ names, devises ridiculous characterisations and appears in increasingly outlandish costumes. The combination of fast-fact delivery and comedy is reminiscent of Terry Deary’s successful Horrible Histories, though More or Less Theatre provide their own distinctive, theatrical style. The structure of the production, with a large map of Europe in the centre, onto which the performers stick labels of the important events they cover, is simple and open but bright and engaging. Their final song about the European Union is a definite highlight, blending comedy, history and politics in a family friendly song. The self-awareness of the performances suits the style and subject of the production, adding to the comedy with lines such as the one referencing James Watt’s “perfectly serviceable Scottish accent” safeguarding this theatrical history lesson from ever taking itself too seriously.

Even as a grown up, a bit of a history nerd, and someone who studied history all the way through to my Leaving Certificate, I learned some new facts during this jam-packed show; as a family show this production really has something for everyone. The Complete History of Europe (More or Less) is a feast of laughter and learning that’s not to be missed.

Me and My Bee -Edinburgh Fringe Review

ThisEgg

Pleasance Courtyard

26/08/17

bee

Bees are pretty tiny. Humans are pretty big. Even so, we humans depend on bees much than we realise. As Josie, Greta and Joe are here to tell us, without bees (who pollinate 70 of the top 100 crop species that feed 90% of the worlds population) our way of life would change forever; avocado toast would be no more, but millenials still wouldn’t be buying houses because our economies would probably crash as bees unwittingly sustain many of our multi-billion euro industries. But bees are in danger, human actions such as the use of pesticides, mass production of single crops, industrial development, and the increase in global warming all contribute to the decimation of bee populations worldwide.

ThisEgg Theatre Company’s production Me and My Bee takes a serious, though comedy-filled look at the plight of bees in our world. After meeting a bee named Joe, Greta and Josie set up “The Bee Party,” a political party, disguised as a party, disguised as a show, to protect and support bees. They want to win the audience over to joining the party, and in order to do so they have decided to share Joe, the bee’s sad tale of losing the beloved flower he pollinates. Creating engaging characters, including the truly memorable, somewhat power-hungry party leader, Josie, ThisEgg blend their important message with an entertaining performance so, while there is no doubt that the show is intended to educate its audience about the importance of consciously protecting our bee populations, it feels less like a lesson and more like a party.

There are a couple of points at which the narrative progresses a little slowly, but in all the production is energetic and interesting, with simple but effective, bright and colourful lighting and stage design that appeals to the upbeat nature of this political party disguised as a party disguised as a show. The flipchart which is used throughout serves to reiterate the information given in the show and encapsulates the blend of information and entertainment that characterises the production.

Giving each audience member a role as a solitary bee (for example, I was a mason bee in their “focus group”) and presenting them with a party bag of flower seeds on their way out of the auditorium, the production involves the audience in its message and empowers them to act on it after leaving the theatre. Me and My Bee is a production that does not skimp on the gravity of its message while it has fun and ensures its audience does too.

Dr Zeiffal, Dr Zeigal and the Hippo That Can Never Be Caught – Edinburgh Fringe Review

Mouths of Lions

Assemby Roxy

26/08/17

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Have you ever spotted a wild hippopotamus of the “United K.?”

What’s that? There aren’t any hippos here you say?

Well that is where you would be wrong. Dr. Zeiffal (Georgia Murphy) and Dr. Zeigal (Oliver Weatherly) have been studying Hippopotami for years; they have all of the special equipment, their hippo map for tracking sightings, and their special hippo packaging. However, despite tracking many sightings, the problem is, Dr. Zeiffal and Dr. Zeigal have never actually seen a hippo, but they hope that will change as a wild hippo has been spotted right here in Edinburgh.

Dr. Zeiffal (with help from her assistant, Dr. Zeigal) takes her audience of hippo enthusiasts through a lesson on hippopotami and how to catch them. Upon learning that she may finally get the chance to see a wild hippo, it’s panic stations as Dr. Zeiffal, Dr. Zeigal and the audience try to catch a glimpse of the infamous hippo. After putting on their Hippo Google Goggles and learning the hippo signal, the audience is equipped to warn the performers when the hippo appears, but it’s not as easy as all that; Murphy and Weatherly deliver high calibre classic comedy as they frantically chase a hippopotamus around the theatre.

The production is well paced, involving the audience in the action and playing well to the room. Both Murphy and Weatherly have strong stage presence; Murphy delights as the eccentric Dr. Zeiffal, developing a memorably frenetic and enthusiastic character, while Weatherly demonstrates versatility in his performance as he doubles as the haphazard Zeigal and the elusive but sweet hippopotamus.  The direction and the writing both adeptly cater to the younger and older members of the audience, with well-executed physical comedy, verbal jokes and word play providing laughs for all ages.

If you think you know all that you need to know about hippopotami, I guarantee you will find something new in this production; I bet you didn’t know that hippos are terrified of umbrellas, and I’m sure you have never seen an invisible hippo-catching blanket!

Well…you still won’t exactly see the invisible hippo-catching blanket, but you’ll see its effects in this exuberant and entertaining show that is fun for all ages. Dr Zeiffal, Dr. Zeigal and the Hippo That Can Never Be Caught is a hilarious and clever production that uses tried and tested comic techniques to make a fresh and energetic piece of family theatre.

Calvinball – Edinburgh Fringe Review

Royal Botanic Gardens

Ipdip Theatre

23/08/17

calvinball

Have you ever played a game of Calvinball?

If not, then you should.

In a charming adventure for young children (0-5 year olds), Ipdip theatre create an energetic and enthusiastic game of Calvinball. With a missing set of rules, the performers and audience all become “playmakers” as the game develops.

The performers, Christie Russell-Brown, Robbie Gordon and Camille Marmie, play to their audience with enthusiasm and skill; they read their audience, engaging each child differently and allowing them to participate at their own pace. Composed of elements of many recognisable drama and improvisation games, the show is an open experience for each child to learn and play, with the performers engaging on a one-to-one level with the children at different points, and encouraging group play at others.

While sometimes the language used by the performers evidently goes above the heads of some of the children in the audience, the combination of language and physicality caters to both the younger and slightly older children, giving each the chance to understand it in their own way.  Where a slightly older child may understand and learn from “The Sorry Song” or the song teaching an adapted version of the Gay Gordons, for example, the young babies in the audience can enjoy the sensory experience of hearing the music, being danced with and having free access to the various props.

Calvinball is a delightful production for young audiences which encourages imagination and play in a theatrical experience that is made open and accessible to every child (and grown-up) in the audience.

Calvinball  runs at the Royal Botanic Gardens until August 27th as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Half Light – Review

The New Theatre

Tiger Dublin Fringe

16/09/16

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Written and directed by Mollie Molumby, Half Light is a beautiful family show. A lesson in the art of storytelling, this production tells the story of Robin, a young boy who traverses his father’s storybook world to save his missing Dad from a monster.

In this seemingly simple story Molumby makes powerful use of fantasy to deal with reality. More complex than it initially seems, Half Light is a family show that does not shy away from the dark. As the show progresses, we see that Robin is learning not just that things can be difficult in story-books, with monsters, blizzards and bad guys, but that sometimes people deal with other kinds of difficulties in real life too.

Molumby’s sparkling script is brought to the stage with enthusiasm and energy by the cast. Fionn Foley delivers a spirited performance as Robin, playing with the audience with ease and capturing the bright-eyed eagerness of the character. The rest of the cast multitask impressively as they double as musicians, characters and narrators. They perform Foley’s compositions with vivacity and skill, never taking it too seriously, but always giving it their all.

Half Light is a well-crafted, insightful piece of theatre that is a pleasure to watch.