Spotlight on : The Pianodrome

Posted on August 15, 2022 by Edinburghfestivalsforkids

Once again, readers of this blog will know I love the magical, immersive space of the Pianodrome. Over the years it has travelled around various corners of the city, and this year it has found it’s home in the Old Royal High building….

The Pianodrome is such an incredible venue for any performance, a legendary 100 seater amphitheatre made entirely from upcycled pianos….it really is worth a visit in itself. And this year, the Old Royal High hosts a new space – the Tinderbox Grand Hall.

I have been lucky enough to visit for one of the free lunchtime concerts and it was bliss – and I’m sure now that the city has become a little busier, it is much more of a calm oasis, offering an antidote to some of the festival hecticness outside…lunchtime concerts are on between 1-2pm every day in August – full line up here.

Kids are included in the wider programme too:

First Piano On The Moon – For ages 5+ – 20/21st, 27/28th August – ‘William’s dream comes true, chosen to play at Mozart’s birthday celebrations. He’s piano-tricks aplenty to impress school friends, but the prestigious event is full of young prodigies playing proper pieces from memory. If only a genius like Mozart were on hand to guide William through the concert…

Otherwise, the summer resonancy programme is jam packed with events, including live music, performances, folk sessions, life drawing and much much more….

Catch them while you can….

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Edinburghfestivalsforkids

It feels like the fringe has only just got started, but some shows have limited days left to see them and finish up on Sunday 14th August, so be quick if you don’t want to miss out!…

I Piano – We have seen a previous version of this show – review here. And it’s in the most amazing venue of the Pianodrome which is worth a visit in itself. The piano has lost its music! But a little girl wants to help the piano find it again, and together they set off on a magical adventure. They meet a mad conductor in a mountain, a monk on a scooter at the North Pole and an octopus dancing on the bottom of the sea. With all three, they play games and hunt down clues, before at last finding the music in each other’s hearts. A beautiful, intimate performance….

Marcel Lucont: Les Enfants Terribles – A Gameshow for Awful Children – I have only seen Marcel in his adult shows and they are very very funny..so I expect the same will apply here! The UK’s favourite Frenchman channels his acerbic humour and quick-fire wit into a family gameshow, pitting children against adults and each other to try and find the most awful child. Come and experience what happens when international insouciance meets infantile exuberance, as children get to experience being politicians, pests and petomanes to win this badge of dishonour.

The Adventures of Bo Peep – Our mini-reviewer loved seeing this – full review here. Immerse yourself in the sights, smells and feel of the farm…. Counting sheep always sends Bo Peep off to sleep by bedtime, but with no sign of them yet she’ll be up all night searching. Bo Peep needs your help to save her little lambkins from danger! One for the younger ones age 2- 6…finishing up on Tuesday 16th August,

Top Five Shows for littler little ones 2022…

Posted on July 28, 2022 by Edinburghfestivalsforkids

Again, it’s so difficult to choose from the huge variety of shows this year for the even younger audience – and they all look like a fantastic introduction to theatre and performance for littler little ones….here are a few of our top picks to get you started….

The Adventures of Sleepyhead – This looks great, and had a successful run online as part of the smaller festival last year, so will be fantastic to see it in person finally !! ” She’s the dreamer of dreams. The walking-talking nap. A snoozer and a muser. Delight in this adventure to the heart of dreamland as Sleepyhead fends off the zzz…” – August 4th – 29th (not 16th)

Captain Zak and the Space Pirates – Captain Zak Space Pirate needs your help! He’s lost in a broken-down spaceship and only with your help answering questions, solving puzzles and singing songs can we survive the bubble attack! Zak worked as a delivery driver for the Amazin corporation but turned pirate and stole his delivery spaceship, now he’s lost in a far-flung galaxy with a ship that’s falling apart, he needs your help to survive! – August 3rd – 21st (not 17th )

The Adventures of Bo Peep – Counting sheep always sends Bo Peep off to sleep by bedtime, but with no sign of them yet she’ll be up all night searching. Bo Peep needs your help to save her little lambkins from danger! A perfect theatre introduction for 2-6 year-olds with an interactive story and sensory learning. – August 4th – 16th

The Gruffalo, the Giant and the Mermaid with Julia Donaldson – There are not many young children I know that are not huge fans of Julia Donaldson’s books and so this show is sure to delight…we have always loved seeing Julia on stage, and the involvement of her family and friends in bringing her books to life. This show is based on her much loved books including The Smartest Giant in Town, The Singing Mermaid, The Highway Rat, and The Gruffalo. – August 4th – 29th (not 15th )

I Piano – The pianodrome is the most wonderful and unique venue and this show is such a good reason to go and explore it ! …’ The piano has lost its music! But a little girl wants to help the piano find it again, and together they set off on a magical adventure. They meet a mad conductor in a mountain, a monk on a scooter at the North Pole and an octopus dancing on the bottom of the sea.’ – August 9th – 14th

Hidden Gems…

Posted on August 22, 2019 by Edinburghfestivalsforkids

The last weekend of the Fringe is fast approaching and you still have time to get out there and explore all the corners of the festival and everything out there ! There are some unique venues this year that we have loved visiting – two hidden gems that are well worth a visit if you can are :

Swallow The Sea Caravan Theatre – Finishing up on Sunday 25th , this delightful little caravan is not to be missed. Parked up in the Summerhall courtyard, bringing you an escape from the hecticness of the festival and plunging audiences into a different world entirely. Shadow and tabletop puppetry, object theatre, poetry, installation and live soundscape give a rare opportunity to experience intimate all-immersive theatre in the tiniest of settings with the smallest of audiences. It is totally worth going to Summerhall just to see the caravan – make sure you book tickets in advance as seats are limited !

Image result for pianodrome Pianodrome – Also finishing up on the 25th August is the incredible Pianodrome – if you have never visited this amazing venue before – don’t miss out. The biggest small venue in town. This year their majestic 100-seater amphitheatre made entirely from upcycled pianos goes wild downtown in a post-industrial warehouse in Leith. Join them for new music, new writing, street food and drinks. All singing, all dancing, all welcome. Intimate. Epic.

Pitch and ‘Pitt’ Perfect Pianodrome returns …..

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Edinburghfestivalsforkids

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If you were lucky enough to visit the Pianodrome last year at the Botanics, you will be as excited as we are that it is returning to the festival – and this year in a new home within the Pitt Street Market…

The biggest small venue in town. This year their majestic 100-seater amphitheatre made entirely from upcycled pianos goes wild downtown in a post-industrial warehouse in Leith. Join them for new music, new writing, street food and drinks. All singing, all dancing, all welcome. Intimate. Epic. Drop in for live music and activities from 11am.

Kids are very much included in the jam packed schedule throughout August – see the full line up and details here – we’ve had a look and picked out some of the family friendly goodies over the month, but it’s definitely one to explore, the programme will be full of magical delights to unearth, and even popping by and playing the pianos or appreciating the wonder of the structure is well worth it….

The Adventures of Prince Achmed with live score by Sink –

This is sure to be SPECTACULAR – with this animated film coming alive with the soundtrack being played right beside you – and the film being shown on FIVE screens in the round !!! Swirling, spiraling strings, saxophones, accordion, percussion and voice transport you to a world of conjurors and princesses, where Aladdin battles demons and nothing is as it seems. Lotte Reiniger’s classic and groundbreaking paper-cut animation is a delight for all ages. 31st July – 4th August

Tinderbox – If you’ve never seen the Tinderbox orchestra play, then please, please get yourself along to one of their shows at the Pianodrome – the combination of the venue and the orchestra is going to be tremendous. Tinderbox Orchestra’s spellbinding 20-piece band bring a set of original music, orchestral experiments and site specific performance to this unique venue. Featuring special guests and new collaborations for each show. Tinderbox Orchestra brings together some of Scotland’s leading young musicians across genres. Fiercely independent, they combine core values of inclusivity and togetherness with an ambition to hit the highest levels of creativity and originality. 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th August

I Piano – In this one-of-a-kind venue the piano and the little girl set off on their quest, searching from the North Pole to the bottom of the sea. They meet dancing dinos and monks on scooters, and explore everything from Beethoven to boogie-woogie, but will they findmusic? If music is in all of us, they will need all our help. 7th – 11th August 3pm

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