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!
So, sadly I’m moving beyond the little people stage, with two fully formed teenagers in my house ! That means we’re very much up for exploring all that is on offer for this age group – much of the circus, magic, dance, music works for all ages and we’re keen to add some theatre into the mix too if anyone has some recommendations or a show you’re bringing works for a teenage audience ?
See below for our top six shows for this age group, but like I say, its new territory, so always keen to hear ideas…
Murder She Didn’t Write – We LOVED this improvised whodunnit last year ! Cannot wait to go back and see the talented cast come up with more surprises this year – expertly done, very engaging and the best thing, is each night you’re getting a unique experience ! Don your deerstalker and grab your magnifying glass as this talented company use audience suggestions to create a hilarious improvised murder mystery. All you have to do… is solve it!Age 12 +
Tom Brace Saws Himself in Half – Again, we are huge fans of Tom Brace in this household, after originally being awestruck by his magic when we bumped into him flyering a few years ago ! We have seen all of his shows since then, and loved every one ! Bringing a show for older kids/adults this year, we’re very excited… Houdini. Brown. Blaine. Brace? Tom Brace is aiming to enter the Magic Hall of Fame by attempting a world first. Sawing HIMSELF in half. Join him on a journey through the best tricks and illusions from magical history as he navigates what it really takes to become a legend of magic.Age 12 +
The Ruckus – We caught the Revel Puck Circus two years ago and we loved them, we had a loud and colourfully chaotic time ! Nancy is hosting a party in The Beauty. And you’re invited! Just try not to arrive early – she needs time to get ready! Oh you’re here already? Well she’s sending some of her absurdly talented friends out to entertain her guests while she finalises her outfit! Age 12 +
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Police Cops: The Original – We have seen the Police Cops a few times now, and they are just incredible, very difficult to describe their shows, but they are wonderfully unique, completely madcap and you will not stop laughing from start to finish…everyone I have recommended them too has loved them, so we’re super excited for this ! Expect adrenaline-fuelled physical comedy, 80s bangers and uncompromising facial hair. Age 12 +
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All Fired Up: an 80’s Mixtape Musical – This looks super fun and super colourful ! Tammy Tooth’s midlife crisis hits rock-bottom when an 80s mixed tape sends her back to 1987. Face to face with her teenage self, Tammy gets a second chance to ask life’s big questions, rediscover her spark and rewrite her future. Jump into the front seat of the Delorean, crank up the radio and take on a few life lessons from your favourite radio presenter, DJ Neon. Age 12+
Circa: Wolf – Circa are fantastic acrobats, and every show we’ve seen, has left us awestruck. Wolf. A gasp-inducing acrobatic thrill ride. Clad in designer Libby McDonnell’s form-hugging costumes and set to DJ Ori Lichtik’s relentless primal rhythms, the cast of ten extraordinary Circa artists grasp, tear, climb, leap and balance with fierce abandon. For Director Yaron Lifschitz, the wolf is a symbol of our untameable selves: liberating, anarchic and savage. The wolves evolve from disruptive forces of chaos into a ferocious pack whose intense choreographies overflow with raw energy and astounding physicality. Wolf is circus with fangs.Age 12+
And just like that we are suddenly facing the last full week of the festival….wowsers, that’s come round quick, and several shows have sadly already finished their runs.
There is still plenty of time to get out and about and have lots of fun though. The pleasance kidzone is still up and running and a good place to spend some time with the kids, doing arts and crafts and perhaps squeezing in a show. The book festival has opened and has lots of family friendly activities and events too.
Some of our top show recommendations that are still on for another week are :
Cartoooon !! – This Japanese comedy duo hit the nail on the head when it comes to the perfect combination between hilarious clowning, and circus entertainment. Their unicycling acrobatic skills were like nothing we have seen before.
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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Tom Brace: The Ride 4D – Take a trip to Tomland and be amazed by the rides, tricks and 4d features !!
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Children Are Stinky – A wacky and playful cocktail of jokes, hi-jinx, physical comedy and impressive acrobatics ! Loved the 90s soundtrack too ! Entertains wee ones and grown ups alike.
For older children :
Suitcase Show (12+) – Wowsers. I loved, loved, loved this show. Such clever use of light, shadows, sound and suitcases. An evocative, eerie tale that is pure escapism from everything else…brilliant storytelling.
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Murder, She Didn’t write (14+) – Hilarious improvised whodunnit, where you get to play detective and point your finger of suspicion. Different every night with hilarious consequences…we loved it!
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 !
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 :
edinburghfestivalsforkids 