Tag Archives: the many doors of frank feelbad

Final weekending…

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So,…it’s been a jam packed few weeks and here we are, ready for the final weekend of the Fringe, and we’ve got the Portobello Big Beach Busk on Saturday 27th, the Book festival is still going strong and the Edinburgh Art Festival is finishing on Sunday too….so many choices ! If you’re still thinking of cramming in a few more shows, now’s the time to do it !

My final ten recommendations of shows still on this weekend would be :

  • The Many Doors of Frank Feelbad– Absolutely fantastic show, dealing with loss and the big feelings that surround this. Gentle, beautiful and brave…last show 28th August.
  • Children Are Stinky – Very fun and silly acrobatic and clown show from a lovable Australian Duo – featuring hula hoops, chairs and a fantastic soundtrack, lots of fun for the whole family !  Last show 29th..
  • 360 Allstars – Featuring some spectacular BMX tricks, brilliant basketball, impressive breakdancing and live beat-boxing – this show has something for everyone ! A jam packed hour of talented performers showing off their skills ! Last show on 29th…
  • Shark In The Park – Really enjoyable adaptation of the very popular books….featuring lots of singing, puppets and surprises. Last show on the 29th …
  • Sticks, Stones, Broken Bones – Using some inventive household objects, and even audience members shoes – this is a great little shadow puppet show. Featuring a few short stories in shadow puppetry…. Last show on 29th August.
  • The Bookbinder – an enchanting production, featuring imaginative storytelling and beautiful papercraft….about a Bookbinder’s apprentice who travels into a wonderful world to rectify a mistake. Last show on the 28th.
  • Beards ! Beards ! Beards ! – Ace show about a girl called Beatrix who wants to have a beard like all the wise and important men in history. Quirky and innovative with lots of great songs..one to catch for sure ! Last show on 28th.
  • Glasgow Girls – One for older children but absolute highlight of my fringe, fantastic musical about a very important and temporary topic of immigration and asylum seekers. Last show on 28th
  • Celeste’s Circus – One for younger children -this is a really sweet little show for under fives. Celeste takes us to the circus, using a lovely handmade set and featuring a cat, seal, dogs, hippo and elephant ! Last show the 28th August.

If you’re out and about – enjoy it !! And let’s hope the weather is also kind….

Wowsers trousers…

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I saw The Many Doors of Frank Feelbad this morning and it was AMAZING and totally heartbreaking too…moved me to tears and I’ve felt a little bit emotional all day after seeing it. Featuring the lovely Lucy Lose-alot and the lovable Gary and Barry, this superb piece is fully immersive as you are invited into the ‘lose-o-porium’ and become either a little locator or a larger one ! Featuring gorgeous puppetry, lots of interaction for the little ones, some singing and most importantly a lovely message about loss and what we do with our feelings of sadness and frustration. It is simply exquisite and so so beautiful….on until the 28th August (not 15/22).

Pleasance Kidzone 2016

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The Pleasance Kidzone is like an oasis during the hectic festival for parents…it’s full of craft activities, puppet shows, toys, picnic tables, a buggy park and thankfully some food stalls for that all important cup of coffee !

This year they promise some new treats with the amazing scene machine, monstrous monster-making and kite creating workshops as well as the usual daily crafty activities, and this year we are lucky enough to get double as the Pleasance will be at the EICC with kids shows there too – fantastic !

Information about all of the 18 children’s shows that the Pleasance are hosting this year can be found here ,some of my top picks are :

The Snail and the Whale – Tall Stories do wonderful children’s theatre, and this is no exception. A delightful and gentle version of this well loved book about a tiny snail longing to see the world by Julia Donaldson, featuring beautiful songs, live music and some surprises too !

 

The Cat In The Hat – From the moment his tall, red and white striped hat appears around the door, Sally and her brother know that the Cat is the funniest, most mischievous cat they have ever met. Returning to the festival this year, this is a great and fully entertaining show for little ones, providing lots to look at and plenty of laughs.

 

The Many Doors of Frank Feelbad – This interactive performance looks intriguing and imaginative. Frank is an inquisitive chap with a big problem: what’s happened to Mum? Join Frank on his adventure to find her. There’ll be scavenger hunts, puzzles to solve and even some dancing to dubstep. Dealing sensitively with grief and loss, the show asks how we cope when things go missing.

The Amazing Scene Machine Does Aardinburgh ! – Celebrate Aardman’s 40th birthday with expert Aardman modelmaker Jim Parkyn and his Amazing Scene Machine. Help create a very special 3D clay painting of Edinburgh featuring some of Aardman’s stars including Morph, Shaun the Sheep, Wallace and Gromit – and your own cast of Aardman-esque people and creatures.

 

My Top Six Children’s Shows for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016

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So, once again it’s that time of year where you are inundated with programmes, flyers and posters and hundreds of fantastic looking shows to choose from. The number of children’s shows seems to be increasing each year which is absolutely brilliant and also means it is more overwhelming to try and decide what to see…

I’ve put together this Top 6 (as a top 5 was too hard), which was pretty difficult to do given the great choice and variety this year…and as it is a bit of a work in progress, I am always open to suggestions of what should have made the list too !

  • Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs 2: The Magic Cutlass – Captain Flinn is back ! And this looks like a fantastic sequel to the Captain Flinn show that Les Petits Theatre Company brought to us before. When Flinn is in the middle of his school play his old nemesis, Mr T the T-Rex, appears and kidnaps his friends forcing them to hunt for the Magic Cutlass: a sword that grants any wish!                                            3rd-29th August (not16th)

 

  • Lords of Strut : The Family Show – I was lucky enough to catch this show last year and I LOVED it (see feature here)…with only eleven shows this year, its one not to be missed. Brothers Famous Seamus and Sean-tastic will do anything to be famous, really anything. Charm, sharp wit and good humour, with flashes of surprising acrobatic skill and just enough naughtiness to keep kids and adults guessing. Silly and bonkers – absolutely bonkers!           4th – 14th August

 

  • Nick Cope’s Family Songbook – We have been lucky enough to see Nick Cope a few times before and we have all enjoyed every single second- he sings gorgeous songs about everything from socks, supermarkets, bears and dragons. Audience participation is included and the kids will love him ! If you haven’t heard his songs or seen his shows before, come and find out what you’re missing.                                                                                   3rd-21st August (not 17th)

 

  • Shark in the Park – This well loved book should be perfect for the stage and I’m really looking forward to seeing Timothy Pope and his telescope ! From the producers of The Hairy Maclary and Friends Show – see all three of Nick Sharratt’s Shark in the Park books live on stage!                           4th-29th August (not 15th)

 

  • The Snail and the Whale – I have seen this production before when it was last in Edinburgh and its a delight, with lovely music and song and a gentle and engaging version of Julia Donaldson’s well known book. Tall Stories really do great children’s theatre and this is no exception.        3rd-21st August (not 6th/17th)

 

  • The Many Doors of Frank Feelbad– From the folk that did ‘The incredible Book Eating Boy’ this looks like an imaginative and evocative tale about what to do when things go missing- join Frank on an adventure to find out. Dealing sensitively with grief and loss, this interactive performance looks charming.   10th-28th August