It’s been a busy old week already – we’ve had a few of our reviewers out there, sampling what’s on and enjoying the mix of sunshine, wind (!) and usual four seasons in a day that the Edinburgh weather has to offer ! The dumpling stall is back in Assembly Gardens so we’ve been enjoying that also, and our older mini-reviewers are loving the crepes and waffles just outside the gardens too !!
We’ve been busy seeing some incredible shows, from baby shows to magic, to acrobatics to dancing ! Check out our first reviews here ..
Some of our top picks from the last few days have been :
The Listies Make Some Noise – This was the usual chaos and brilliant nonsense from the Listies which kept four mini-reviewers absolutely engaged and giggling non-stop throughout ! Go on a musical adventure with the Listies this year…
All fired up : an 80s Mixtape Musical – This was unexpectedly fantastic, we loved this hour of neon, classic 80s songs and a heartwarming story about a mother finding her spark and joy again…
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Tom Brace Saws Himself in Half – We love Tom Brace in this household and enjoyed this hour of magic and illusions, with a rather fantastic costumed finale act ! Tom is brilliant at keeping both adults and children engaged with his quick wit and tricks..
Circa: Wolf – One for older children – this was absolutely amazing, these ten performers can do incredible things with their bodies and strength. We loved that all genders within the cast were bases too…it was astounding !
A Silent Disco Dance Tour by Silent Adventures – A few of our older mini-reviewers went along to a silent disco adventure and they had the BESTEST time..they were so excited when we met them after – they loved the singing, the runway dancing and had loads of fun! Highly recommended..
For the younger ones out there, our littlest reviewer really enjoyed both toooB and Hello Birds; both gentle shows and perfect introductions to the fringe for babies – with plenty of interaction and props to play with and nothing too overwhelming for little ones.
And please, we are keen to hear any other recommendations as we still have time to get out and enjoy what the festival has to offer, with a variety of mini-reviewers available!
Wowsers, time just flies and here we are, prepping for another Edinburgh festival in only a few weeks time ! We’ve had some amazing weather lately to get us into the sunny spirit and I’m getting very excited about August and all the fun times it brings !
As always, it is so difficult to whittle down all the amazing children’s shows on offer into a top recommendations list – this year there are almost 150 children’s shows to choose from, and that’s not counting all the fantastic circus, magic and music on offer too !! You can check them all out here ..
We have got some firm favourites returning, and I’ll be doing a separate top picks of shows for younger children, and once again for older kids/teens…I am sure I will miss something new or exciting or unique – so please do get in touch with your own recommendations too ! I love discovering all that is on offer for the younger audiences at the festival.
So, for 2025, our top recommendations are :
The Listies : Make Some Noise – Readers of this blog will know that we LOVE LOVE LOVE the Listies !! I defy anyone to see them and not come out with your cheeks and belly hurting from laughing so hard. This is a previous much loved show (see our review here). They are back by POOPular demand, and this is a loud, fun show featuring all kind of musical delights…For over a decade kids comedy maestros The Listies have toured the world doing shows for literally gazillions of kidults (that’s kids and their adults). Now it’s your turn. Make Some Noise! is a comedy concert for humans aged 4-400.
FLIP Fabrique: Six° – Again, we LOVE Flip Fabrique and have been blown away by any show they bring to the fringe and so we are sure this will be no exception. They are astounding acrobats and really push themselves to the edge, which always elicits gasps from the audience and any children we bring are fully mesmerised. Five individuals who do not know each other receive a mysterious invitation that leads them, on a stormy night, to an old, abandoned building deep in the forest. These visitors will discover that this house has a soul and a personality all of its own.
Massaoke: Sing The Musicals – I have been wanting to go to Massaoke for years – and now they’re bringing this family friendly show to the fringe – we’re huge musical fans in this household, so cannot wait for this ! (I personally also cannot wait to go to Massaoke: 90s live too). This limited run live band lunchtime sing-along show is a dream come true for musicals fans of all ages, raising the curtain on all your favourite hits from stage and screen. Featuring songs from Mamma Mia, Hamilton, Frozen, The Greatest Showman, Dirty Dancing, Les Mis, Jungle Book, We Will Rock You, Phantom, Mary Poppins and many more…
The Box Show – We all love the humble cardboard box and it’s potential for creativity and imagination and this show looks like it will provide those things in abundance along with being colourful, fun and noisy ! Four rhythmical misfits turn ordinary junk into extraordinary funk! With explosive drumming, dance, comedy and imagination, this show transforms everyday items – wheelie bins, cardboard boxes, plastic bags – into a riot of rhythmic creativity. It’s fast-paced, funny and full of surprises.
Monsterrrr! with Trygve Wakenshaw – I’ve seen Trygve in some adult shows in the festival before and they have been both bonkers and amazing, he is very talented – so I have high hopes for this children’s show ! Argh! A monster! A hideous, evil monster! With nasty claws, bristles and horns. It’s disgusting and gross and… very, very lonely. So what?! Serves him right. It’s his own fault! But wait, the monster isn’t so bad after all: it’s big and strong, tough and clever. It has nothing to hide and doesn’t give a damn about rules and manners. It’s exciting, different, funny and not a bit boring. Do you dare to shake the monster’s hand?
Dream Space – Part of the Korean season, this show looks gentle and immersive and a tonic from some of the more loud and brash parts of the festival. Dream Space invites you into a world where the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Through enchanting puppetry, music and movement, embark on a thrilling island adventure and a heartfelt encounter with a majestic whale. This immersive performance blends laughter, wonder and healing – rekindling childhood innocence for adults and sparking creativity in young audiences. As reality and fantasy merge, the stage transforms into a Dream Space, where stories breathe, and magic unfolds.
By A Thread – I liked the sound of this show, involving thirty metres of rope – and thought it could inspire many young minds and imaginations alike…Seven acrobats and thirty metres of rope… Long spools of white rope run through pulley sheaves and wrap around bodies, connecting the artists’ movements above and off the ground. By a Thread weaves virtuosic acrobatics and intricate choreography through moments of confusion, hilarity, romance, playfulness, fear and friendship, uncovering the threads of connection present in all relationships.
Snow White Rose Red Bear Brown – Theatre of Widdershins have brought some of my very favourite and much loved shows to the fringe in years gone by, so I’m hoping this show will have lots of that same magic, intricate puppetry and sets and will be filled with wonder. Snow White and Rose Red have lived in the forest since they were Babes in the Wood. Brought up by their Mother to be kind and caring… if sometimes a little over-enthusiastic! When their quiet life is interrupted by a friendly bear a new chapter begins. But why has the bear chosen them as playfellows? Why is he so sad? And who on earth is that rude little man who keeps appearing?
Olaf Falafel’s Stupidest Super Stupid Show – New Improved Recipe – Olaf Falafel is back, and we’ve really enjoyed previous shows and are super excited for this improved version ! Promising lots of giggles for accompanying adults and jokes, games, drawing and much silliness for the littler ones amongst you. Expect drawing, jokes and maybe a poo on a pogo stick!
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Mario the Maker Magician – Returning to the fringe this year, Mario promises to amaze you with his tricks and robot. This came highly recommended to me previously, so we’re going to make time to catch it this time round. Mario the Maker Magician returns for a limited season only! Bringing his robot magic live from New York, Mario returns to Edinburgh with a show full of original magic, handmade robots and modern slapstick. Fast-paced, interactive and full of heart, Mario leads you through a romping explosion of contagious energy and belly laughs.
Wow ..it’s been a busy week, and actually feels like so much longer than a week of the festival already ! That’s good though as it means there’s still loads of time to get out there and catch some shows. We have also been enjoying sampling some of the food delights, the dumplings stall is back, this time with yummy popcorn chicken !
We’ve been super busy as usual getting out and about and enjoying a huge variety of shows and loving all the festival vibes! Check out our first reviews here.
We have seen some incredible acrobatics, amazing magic, fantastic puppetry, silly comedy, bubbly bubbles and much more. Some of our top picks from the past few days are :
The Listies ROFL – This time its bedtime with the Listies – expect the usual silliness and mayhem as Rich attempts to get Matt into bed – Matt has a whole list of things to do before sleeping though !
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Breathe – Beautiful puppetry, music , set design and poetry. We learnt all about how a woodland changes through the season. Highly recommended for younger children.
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Tom Brace : The Ride 4D – Take a trip to Tomland and be amazed by the rides, tricks and 4d features !!
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Ten Thousand Hours – Absolutely mesmerising acrobatics. The eight performers are highly skilled and will keep anyone of any age completely engaged. Jaw dropping stuff.
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As always, I’m keen to hear of any other great shows or things we should try and check out. If any adults reading this are lucky enough to get a night out, I’ve enjoyed David O’ Doherty, Shane Daniel Byrne, Josh Glanc, Laser Kiwi and Sophie’s Surprise 29th !
Hello hello !! Well, we’ve had our one day of summer here in Edinburgh, so that must mean the fringe is coming !!!! In all seriousness, I can see the city gearing up for another awesome August and as always, I’m ridiculously excited by it all…in a few weeks times, the city will be transformed and hopefully we’ll all be out enjoying everything the festival has to offer, and fingers and toes crossed – we’ll be doing it all surrounded by sun beams.
It’s now routine for me to say that I find it so difficult to whittle down all the incredible offerings for the younger people into a top ten each year – for the full list, check out here for all the children’s shows currently advertised and that doesn’t even include all the great circus or magic shows. We have firm favourites returning and there will always be something new that will delight us or catch our attention – or worse, that I may not discover until too late ! I’ve made it easier once again, and I’ll be doing a top five for shows for younger children, and another top picks list for shows for older children/teens…
I’ll start with our old friends and firm favourites :
The Listies ROFL – We LOVE LOVE LOVE the Listies and they are fantastic for adults and kids alike. I defy anyone to watch their show and not have a great time and come out with aching cheeks from all the giggling. Infact, I think everyone will come out just wanting to go back in and watch it all over again, like we always do! ..’. ROFL tackles the most dramatic family situation of all time: bedtime! Rich, the exhausted parental proxy, tries to get an early night while Matt uses every trick in the book to stay up.‘ August 2nd – 18th ( not 8th/15th )
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Olaf Falafel’s Stupidest Super Stupid Show So Far – Having been wanting to see Olaf Falafel for a long time, we finally managed last year and were not disappointed (I was only sad I didn’t also wear stripes). This year’s show promises more of all the best funny and stupid stuff – Expect sausage birds, radioactive bogies and truth-telling cheese. There will definitely be some farts and some drawing. – 1st – 25th August (not 14th/20th/21st)
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The Bookbinder – Now, you are in for a TOTAL treat if you see this – there are only a handful of shows and it’s in the most tiny of venues. I still think about this show ALOT, which is amazing as I saw it back in 2016 – wowsers- read the review here !! It’s being held in the beautiful Tills bookshop and will be incredible – if you can get a ticket that is !! The Bookbinder weaves shadow-play, paper art, puppetry and music in an inventive one-man performance for adults and children aged 8 and over. – 8th, 9th, 16th, 23rd August.
The Alphabet of Awesome Science – I’ve heard good things about this and reckon it’ll be a loud, fun one for the kids…Join Professors Lexi Con and Noel Edge (the Word Nerd and the Science Freak) for a thrilling voyage through the alphabet – where fascinating words inspire spectacular science! It’s a tongue-twisting race from A to Z that’s equal parts explosive, messy, hilarious, fascinating and gross. Brace yourself for an hour of carefully crafted alphabetical, scientifical chaos. – 31st July – 25th August (not 12th/19th)
How to Catch a Book Witch – This looks like a great show for all book lovers out there – Kira loves reading. Visiting the library is her favourite. But why are words disappearing from the books and where have all these book monsters come from?! Could there be a Book Witch hiding somewhere? Graham Grey plans to knock down the library to make way for a car park! Join Kira and Barry the Bookworm on this heart-warming adventure to save the day. – 31st July – 18th August ( not 7th /14th )
Circa: Humans 2.0 – Returning to the fringe, with their exceptional talents are Circa – we were astounded by this show and its previous version…. Ten bodies appear in a flash of light. They move in harmony for a fleeting moment, then descend into a sinuous trance. Towers grow and decay, bodies leap and are caught, physical limits are pushed to their extreme. The second chapter of Circa’s internationally acclaimed Humans is a symphony of acrobatics, sound and light. This is next level circus by Circa.2nd – 24th August (not7th/12th/19th)
Tom Brace: The Ride 4D – We love Tom Brace, he’s a brilliant mix of magic and charm and seamlessly entertains the audience whilst totally baffling them. He pitches perfectly for children and adults, so we’re very much looking forward to this new show. Magician Tom Brace has opened his very own theme park and you’re invited to the grand opening. Expect the unexpected on hilarious new attractions that will blow your mind. – 31st July – 26th August (not13th/20th)
Ten Thousand Hours – Gravity and other myths return to Edinburgh with what is sure to be a spectacular show. We really loved their previous show ‘A Simple Space’ are so are excited to see what’s in store for us this year. This is an ode to the countless hours needed to achieve great things. Eight acrobats investigate physical skill: how we obtain it, how we perfect it and how it can transform our lives. This family-friendly acrobatic extravaganza is filled with everything you love about Gravity & Other Myths and a tribute to the dedication required to become a world-class acrobat. – 1st – 24th August ( not 12th/19th)
Children Are Stinky – Another returnee to the fringe and one we really loved way back when we saw it – read our review here. One for the slightly younger audience and full of fun… High-calibre circus, a rocking soundtrack and genuine belly laughs have thrilled audiences all over the globe. Expect daredevil stunts, incredible aerials, lightning-fast acrobatics, loads of laughs and mischievous fun, leaving adults and children with their jaws on the floor hooting for more. – 1st – 26th August (not 7th/12th/19th)
Circus Baobab: Yé! – Making their debut at the fringe, this looks like a high energy, fun circus show for everyone. An exciting collective of artists from Guinea and the diaspora bring their debut show, Yé!, to Edinburgh. Showcasing incredible acrobatics, vertiginous human pyramids, hand-to-hand combat and contortions all performed in a frenetic rhythm. ‘Full of punch and blending traditional expressions of circus with modernity’ (Télérama), the thirteen young artists call us together to build a world of tomorrow that will take care of nature and it’s future. – 3rd – 24th August (not 12th/19th)
Oh my goodness…it feels like it’s been way longer than a week already; we’ve been busy getting out and about and enjoying a huge variety of shows and loving all the festival vibes! Check out our first reviews here.
We’ve seen some astounding magic, some hilarious comedy, fantastic puppetry and bubbly bubbles ! Some of our top picks are :
The Listies Make Some Noise – Laugh out loud from start to finish…expect the usual Listies silliness and mayhem…highly recommended for all ages..
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Magic Gareth: Level Up ! – Embark on an adventure to save a cute unicorn from their evil twin, with a sprinkling of magic along the way…
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Adventure Bubble Show With Milkshake – A total bubble extravaganza with engaging storytelling, slapstick comedy moments and a good dollop of the “wow” factor…
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For the older children out there, I caught a snippet of Ben Harts show at the List festival launch party and loved it – we’re booking in to see it soon…
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