Tag Archives: Mouths Of Lions

Review – Ellie and the Enormous Sneeze

Assembly Roxy

05/08/18

EllieandTheEnormousSneeze

Nine year old Ellie longs for adventure, as any nine year-old should, but her aunt is too worried to let her. She worries that if Ellie goes exploring their little brown town, something terrible might happen. But even curious little Ellie couldn’t get into any adventures going to borrow a cup of sugar from a neighbour could she? When her worried auntie sends her next door to do just that, however, Ellie proves that she can find an adventure anywhere.

After cycling off on her bike, Ellie spots something in the distance, a house, and it looks like it is on fire! She cycles out of the town and up the hill to investigate. When she enters the house, which is not on fire, she meets Stanley, an old man who cannot sneeze. With the help of some chocolate pudding and a long list, Ellie sets out to try 1000 ways to trigger a sneeze.

Mouths of Lions create an energetic and charming production that reminds us of the importance of friendship and helping each other. The three performers deliver enthusiastic and considered performances, perfectly pitched towards the age of their audience. Louise Dickenson is an hilariously highly-strung Aunt Tracy, knowing exactly how far she can push her wails and panicked babbling to keep her audience laughing.  Both Oliver Weatherly as Stanley and Shea Wojtus as Ellie balance silliness with sweetness, creating a space for the audience to laugh, and to see the messages of friendship within the story. Adding to this, Tom Crosely-Thorne’s compositions bring a further layer of energy and storytelling to the piece.

Ellie and the Enormous Sneeze is a funny, well-thought out production filled with bogeys and dreams.

Ellie and the Enormous Sneeze runs at Assembly Roxy until 27th August as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

 

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

Mouths of Lions

Assemby Roxy

26/08/17

zeiffal

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.