Tag Archives: Summerhall

Top Six Shows for the even bigger little ones 2024 !

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As this blog has grown, so too have my own littlies, and they are not so little anymore – infact one is taller than me and the other not far off ! This means, as we are firmly in teenager territory, that I am now interested in exploring shows for this older age group also. I know that some shows appeal for all ages, with circus, magic, dance, music, but I am keen to find things that will engage the teenage mind and perhaps bridge the gap…

We’ve picked a few from this year’s offerings which look good for those slightly older children in your lives :

Suitcase Show – For age 12 + – We are big fans of Trick of the light theatre and have loved all of their shows we’ve been lucky enough to see. Sadly it looks like The Bookbinder is now sold out – but if you have older children, then this is definitely worth checking out and sounds like it will have their usually sprinkle of magic. A traveller arrives at a border with a stack of battered cases. From within them, whole worlds will emerge… Suitcase Show is an eclectic boxset of short stories. Dark, spiky, and comic, each one is told out of a suitcase. The staging is inventive, from lo-fi shadowplay to wireless projection, from dancing disembodied hands to narratives that crackle from a 70s stereo suitcase. – 1st – 25th August (not 12th/19th )

Ben Hart: HeX – Age 12 + – Performing in a beautiful venue, this should be a fantastic magic show for older children, we caught Ben performing at one of the press launches last year and were suitably amazed ! Internationally acclaimed magician Ben’s shows are a unique kind of alchemy. Funny, dark and baffling, Hart’s an altogether new species of conjurer… HeX is a curated collection of Ben’s favourite and most exciting material from the last decade alongside new ideas fresh from his laboratory, guaranteed to put a spell on you. Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Palais Du Variete and full to the brim with magic, don’t miss this chance to catch the star of stage and screen up-close and in real life. – 1st – 25th August (not 12th)

YUCK Circus – Age 14 + We loved, loved loved this last year. Seriously awesome and seriously funny and offering an opinion on some of society’s more toxic traits. Full of lots of body positivity and is totally inspirational… Read our review here. YUCK are back with their sell-out show. High-flying acrobatics, absurd confessions, and groovy dancing – all smashed together with their trademark ripper comedy. Get ready to witness a powerhouse of female circus performers kick art in the face. – 1st – 25th August (not 7th/12th/19th)

The Dreamer – Live – Age 12 + – Another magic show that looks worth checking out. Touching on his parents’ 12 year struggle with IVF, The Dreamer is a celebration of the impossible becoming possible. With magic unparalleled elsewhere at Fringe, this show will leave you aching with laughter and dizzy in disbelief.  – 3rd – 24th August (not 12th/19th)

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Every Brilliant Thing – Age 14 + – I was so sad to miss this when it came up before and its in one of my favourite venues of the fringe – the roundabout at Summerhall. I am determined not to miss it this year, so will get booked early – covering important themes, this looks like a good one for the teens. You’re seven years old. Mum’s in hospital. Dad says she’s ‘done something stupid’. She finds it hard to be happy. So you make a list of everything that’s brilliant about the world. Everything worth living for. Ice cream. Water fights. Staying up past your bedtime and being allowed to watch TV. The colour yellow. Rollercoasters. People falling over. A play about depression and the lengths we go to for those we love. – 1st – 24th August (not 6th. 13th, 20th)

Circolombia: Corazón – Age 12 + – We thought these guys were spectacular when we last saw them, so we’re very excited for this performance and again in a fantastic venue ! – With nerves of steel, music from the soul and tons of Colombian spirit, Circolombia welcomes you into their house, their home, their heart! All the way from South America, created especially for the Spiegeltent! In this world premiere, Circolombia invites you to experience Corazón (Heart). A fun-fuelled circus concert, packed with breathless feats, gravity-defying performance and infectious music where you, the audience, are taken right into their beating Latin hearts. Colombia is the land of a thousand rhythms. Vibrant, passionate and pulsating with energy. – 1st – 25th August (not 7th, 12th, 19th )

My Top Ten Children’s Shows at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023

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Firstly, I need to apologise for my rather tardy top ten this year !! A return to University and a looming dissertation on top of my day job has all kept me rather busy….and to be honest, festival season has somewhat crept up on me ! BUT, the excitement is real and I cannot believe that in a few weeks, Edinburgh will be full of the hustle and bustle of festival fever !

As usual, its a hard task to whittle down my favourites from the incredible list of children’s shows coming to Edinburgh this August – check them all out here… there are of course a few of my favourites returning and half of the magic is knowing that there are as yet undiscovered new shows to delight us this year too !!

I’ll begin with our firm favourites, as that’s a good place to start and an easy choice !! ….

The Listies Make Some Noise – We are 110% ready for this !….As always, readers of this blog will know that we ALL love the Listies here in this household and we know that this will be full of their usual brand of comedy to keep us all laughing for days ! A new show based on their last album, this is sure to delight all ages – An insane mixtape of silly songs, stupid sketches and crazy clowning! – August 4th – 20th (not 10th/17th)

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Trash Test Dummies – Another favourite group of performers for us, and we are SO happy they are returning with this much loved show from previous years. ‘Starting off slowly, but building momentum, these Australian performers pitch their circus and acrobatic show perfectly for families and young children. They are able to perform an inexhaustible number of tricks with the mundane wheely bin, much to the delight of the crowd.‘….Everyone put your rubbish out, tonight’s bin night and the Trash Test Dummies are on duty! – August 5th – 26th (not 14th/21st)

Tom Brace: A Trick Down memory Lane – Completing our trio of much loved performers is Tom Brace. We’ve really enjoyed his previous magic shows and have been left stunned and amazed by what he is able to trick us into believing ! This new show promises to be more of what we love and is sure to entertain all ages – August 2nd – 28th (not 16th)

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IMA – I heard about this show at a recent press launch and it sounds intriguing and exciting and therefore well worth checking out ! IMA (Pray) is an immersive circus experience. In the installation space reminiscent of sacred places, we participate in a unique ritual guided by the performer, who becomes a 21st-century shaman taking the audience into the unknown territories of the human mind. Out at Murrayfield ice-rink but sounds worth the visit – August 4th -27th (not 15th/22nd )

The 7 Fingers: Duel Reality – I’m VERY excited 7 fingers are back this year and this sounds fantastic and full of their usual magic – This is circus on a whole new theatrical level. Star-crossed lovers. Two opposing teams. The stage is an arena. Competition can be playful at times, but also dangerously serious. Which side will you choose? – August 4th – 26th (not 9th/14th/21st)

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Olaf Falafel’s Super Stupid Show (20% More Stupider) – Olaf Falafel returns to Edinburgh this year, bringing his unique charm and comedy with him. I’ve got a confession – despite really wanting to catch his show last year and being told how great it was – I never made it…arrggg, so I will not let that be happening this year ! There will be truth-telling cheese, fishing, ducks, bumbags, sausages and maybe some drawing.  – August 2nd – 27th (not 16th/22nd/23rd)

Afrique en Cirque – New to Edinburgh this year, Afrique en Cirque – a show by Yamoussa Bangoura, inspired by daily life in Guinea. This performance shares the beauty, youth and artistry of African culture. A colourful show beyond its scenery, costumes and staging, that will make any theatre vibrate with energy. It represents strength, agility and life’s joys of young Africans. The audience will see our acrobats execute gravity-defying moves and human pyramids, all to the contemporary sounds of Afro-Jazz, percussion, and kora.- August 3rd – 28th (not 9th/16th/23rd)

Marcel Lucont: Les Enfants Terribles – A Gameshow For Awful Children – With only a short run last year, I didn’t catch this and again heard great things – I’m familiar with Marcel’s adult performances and if they’re anything to go by, this should be fantastic ! The wild interactive game show returns, where kids get to be pests, politicians and petomanes to be crowned the most awful child. See what happens when international insouciance meets infantile exuberance. – August 2nd – 21st

Lightning Ridge – From the brilliant Catherine Wheels company comes this story about 12-year-old Ashmol who lives in the Australian Outback with his mum, dad and his little sister Kellyanne… and her two invisible friends Pobby and Dingan. When Pobby and Dingan disappear, Ashmol decides that there is only one thing to do for the sake of his sister – find them. A story about the possibility of dreams, about a community coming together, the preciousness of hope and how, sometimes, we have to believe in the impossible.- August 4th – 20th (not 7th/14th)

A Bee Story – Returning after a successful run last year – A Bee Story is a uniquely Australian physical theatre show for children and families incorporating a kaleidoscope of circus, acrobatics, dance and live music. It tells the story of Queen Bee and Worker Bee who must work together to rebuild their hive after being destroyed by a bushfire. But things never quite go to plan…A Bee Story has themes of environmentalism, sustainability and community spirit. – August 4th – 27th (not 14th/21st)

And seeing as I couldn’t squish everyone I’d like to into this list – I’d just like to mention that some of our previously loved shows that we’ve reviewed are returning in 2023, including :

Circus Abyssinia: Tulu – our review here

Beats on Pointe – our review here

Brave Space – our review here

My Top Ten Children’s Shows at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2022

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I find this so hard, trying to pick out top recommendations from all the pages of amazing shows to see – we really are lucky indeed !! In 2022 the children’s shows section is jam packed and add into this the circus and physical theatre and we’ve got literally hundreds of shows to choose from…I’ll post some top picks for ‘littler little ones’ shortly, which gives me some wiggle room for some firm favourites here…

As always, I’m super keen to hear your top recommendations too and hope we find some new favourite companies out there this year….

Muse – Flip Fabrique are back and we couldn’t be happier – we have LOVED their previous shows Blizzard and Attrape Moi and cannot wait for this new performance – they always have us on the edge of seats with their gravity defying acrobatics and imaginative use of stage space and equipment. ”What does it mean to be a woman? Muse attempts to answer this question circus style! There’s hardly just one answer and exploring the question calls for some… acrobatics. Playing with gender roles, Muse offers up a refreshing view of contemporary circus” – 4th – 28th August (not 8th, 15th, 22nd)

Hamlet – Prince of Skidmark – Readers of this blog will know that we are HUGE Listies fans in this household !!!! We are delighted they are coming back to Edinburgh this August and bringing this show for it’s Edinburgh debut ! ”This is the bard, Listies style: ninjas, ghosts, pirate aliens, swords, dinosaurs and zombies. Hamlet: Prince of Skidmark is a side-splitting adventure that shatters the fourth wall and glues it back together with supersonic storytelling and silliness.” – August 5th – 28th (not 11th, 18th, 22nd, 25th )

The Ultimate Pickle – Paines Plough have brought some of my all time favourite children’s shows to the fringe in their unique Roundabout venue at Summerhall and I’m really looking forward to this one…hoping for some more of their magical, imaginative storytelling. ”Everything is awesome in Dill’s life. A loving mum, a loyal best mate, a granddad who plays the drums, and Jack Tornado: the oldest and best goldfish in the world. But when a ball of fluff falls from grandad’s book, everything changes forever. Could that be a… wolf!? ” – Saturday/Sundays only – 6/7th, 13/14th, 20/21st, 27th/28th August

Tom Brace – Embrace the Impossible ! – Again we are big fans of Tom Brace in this household after he amazed us with his tricks one lunchtime…Tom keeps his audiences highly entertained and is hugely charismatic, with just the right hint of charm ! I am in no doubt this new show will be as big a success as his last … ”Cluedo, Roald Dahl and one film in particular from 1985… Magician Tom Brace takes a trip down memory lane with a brand-new magic show for all ages. ” – 3rd – 29th August ( not 16th)

Manual Cinema Presents: Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster – Manual cinema create incredible multi-media shows – combining live music and songs, paper cut outs, puppets and diy cinema…its truly unique and promises to be very special indeed. ”Leonardo! tells the story of a monster who longs to be scary and the big decisions he must make along the way.” – 3rd – 29th August (not 15th )

Carnival of the Animals by Circa – Circa have previously brought us the amazing shows Humans and Circa: Wolfgang, so we are beyond excited for this year’s family offering and the awe inspiring acrobatics they effortlessly amaze us with. ”These zebras juggle and flip. These kangaroos skip and somersault. The elephants have rhythm and the dinosaur bones shake, clatter and roll to the music. Carnival of the Animals by Circa whisks you away on a thrilling circus escapade inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns’ delightful salute to feathers, fur and fins.” – 5th – 28th August (not 10th, 15th, 22nd, 23rd )

The Smeds and The Smoos – Tall Stories have been delighting us with their stage adaptations of Julia Donaldson’s well loved books for years and we’re hoping this show will continue the trend ! For the little little ones out there, puppets, songs and live action will bring this story to life – ”On a far-off planet, Smeds and Smoos can’t be friends. So when a young Smed and Smoo fall in love and zoom off into space together, how will their families get them back?” – 3rd – 21st August (not 6th or 17th)

A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings – This show sounds intriguing to me and I will definitely be checking it out. Its also a great reason to go and spend a morning in Summerhall, delighting in all it has to offer this festival season. ”Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s darkly comic tale brought to the stage for children and adults to share. In a kitchen of a theatre, two storytellers and their audience find something remarkable – a very old man with enormous wings. ” – 3rd – 28th August (not 15th or 22nd )

Circus Abyssinia: Tulu – We absolutely LOVED Circus Abyssinia’s last show here in 2017 – Ethiopian Dreams and we are so excited they are back this August with their new show. They totally amazed us with their joyfulness, colour and vibrancy…. ”Inspired by the true tale of an Ethiopian icon, Derartu Tulu, this unmissable showcase of superhuman strength blends breathtaking contortion, awe-inspiring acrobatics and mesmerising fire juggling with a rocking, exuberant soundtrack.” – 6th – 27th August (not 15th or 22nd )

Olaf Falafel’s Super Stupid Show – I sadly missed Olaf Falafel when he was last here, but all I heard was great things – so I won’t be doing that again ! This looks like something a bit different and sure to provide a few giggles along the way – ”Join comedian and children’s author Olaf Falafel for an hour of really stupid kids’ comedy plus a drawing lesson and possibly something that involves fishing, ducks, bumbags and sausages. Family-friendly frivolity that will leave you feeling a lot less intelligent than when you walked in.” – 4th – 21st August ( not 16th )

And seeing as I couldn’t squish everyone into this list – I’d just like to mention that some of our previous much loved shows that we’ve reviewed are returning in 2022, including :

Shark In The Park

Our review here

Chores

Our review here

AND not forgetting our old friends, the very lovable….

Splash Test Dummies

Our review here

Special spaces…

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Those of you who have read this blog before will know that I love the beautiful, creative and magical space and shows presented by Swallow The Sea Caravan – I am delighted that they are returning with their unique blend of artistry and imagination to the Summerhall secret courtyard and are treating us to two shows this year ! Object theatre, shadow and tabletop puppetry and live soundscapes: intimate all-immersive theatre in the tiniest of settings with the smallest of audiences.

You’ll need to be quick with this one as spaces are limited for each performance and I am reliably told that half of tickets have already sold !!!

Hidden Gems…

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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 :

ImageSwallow 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 pianodromePianodrome – 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.