So….many apologies for this as I am VERY late to post about this brilliant festival happening right now !
Imaginate is full of some excellent children’s theatre for a variety of ages, from babies right up to 15 years old….there really is something for everyone.
You can search by age or by day to make things easier here – and please please do go check out what’s on – it’s not too late !
Blue Beard was an unexpected delight of a show- that both brightened up our midweek, and left us with something much larger to digest……
This is a colourful, musical retelling of this dark fairytale, with humour and an array of enviable pocketed, checked dresses. A curious collection of women, from the convent of the three f’s (fearful, fucked and furious) lead us down the path of this story, with the fantastic mother superior overseeing it all…this is a tale involving a woman named Lucky, a skilful magician and the secret behind the locked doors in his home…
Another tale is interwoven, which slowly becomes more sinister, of a brother searching for his sister, and telling us his own story of violence and grief…Blue Beard expertly carries us through- from the loud and colourful to the dark and chilling…spotlighting male violence against women.
My (not so) mini reviewer loved this, enjoying the songs and dancing, the magic and gig like atmosphere and more importantly, the ending – which for a teenage girl sitting in the audience is still sadly so relevant….
Blue Beard – currently on at the Lyceum until the 30th March.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and whilst that may have sprung up on our household rather quickly, we were delighted to continue our tradition of getting into the festive spirit by attending the winter show at the Lyceum, and boy, were we in for a treat !!
This adaptation of the Snow Queen, written by Morna Young, directed by Cora Bisset and with composer Finn Anderson has brilliant Scottish touches, and is filled with humour, catchy songs and fantastic sets and lighting…
The story revolves around the friendship between Gerda and Kei, beginning in Victorian Edinburgh, with views of the castle and Edinburgh rooftops setting the scene. After Kei falls under the power of the Snow Queen, determined to unleash an everlasting winter, Gerda must travel across Scotland to save him. She passes through some wild and wonderful parts on her adventures, including a fantastical flower garden and snowy Cairngorms….meeting creative characters such as robbers, a ship’s captain and a seer. The most wild and wonderful character being Hamish the unicorn, who provides some excellent camp humour and being a horse with a horn, a few catchy songs of his own !!
My accompanying (sort-of) mini-reviewers loved this production, laughing out loud and revelling in the colours and atmosphere of the set, highlights for them were the colourful, quirky flower garden, the songs and of course – Hamish !
On until 31st December, don’t miss out on this festive treat…
Once again, the Big Beach Busk is coming to Portobello, this is a fantastic event and a way to explore more of the city and some very talented performers during this busy festival month….the weather is also (fingers crossed) looking good !
Saturday 26th 12 – 6pm – performers will line Portobello prom
As always, anyone can join in, you don’t need to ask, it doesn’t have to be music – anything that entertains is the key !
Most importantly – have fun !!
So, after what was a slower than usual start for us, we’ve packed in a few shows this week, despite the return the school which seriously hampers our ability to see all the fantastic shows out there !!
We’ve had some total highlights this week …
For the younger ones, our new mini-reviewer has really enjoyed :
Strictly Barking – This is the unlikely and quite brilliant tale of a man called Hogarth and a homeless, nameless dog that become ballroom dancing partners and enter a competition together….
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Mog the Forgetful Cat – This slick and highly accomplished show is fast paced enough not to lose the attention of the small ones in the audience, yet doesn’t move so fast as to be baffling to them. Our mini-reviewer was captivated from start to finish ..
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For all ages, we’ve enjoyed :
Kokoon – Kokoon bring high energy to the stage, whether it’s their dancing, singing, comedy or beatboxing…this show has a sprinkling of everything. There was a LOT of screaming as the front rows were filled with dedicated fans, but that added to the upbeat, energetic atmosphere…
For older children, we adored…
Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder – True crime fans will adore this show, and so will pretty much everyone else ! It has both the perfect blend of mystery to keep us engaged and humour to keep us entertained…the humble wheely office chair is given a starring role too !
And we’re only half way through the fringe, so there is plenty of time to get out there exploring and seeing more…our mini-reviewers have got a busy weekend planned, so keep an eye on our reviews as we keep updating them ….
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