Goodness, time is really running away with us this fringe ! Schools are back, which means its getting trickier to catch all the shows we’d like to, and a handful of productions are finishing this weekend…
Our older mini-reviewer has returned from a residential away, so has been out and about seeing a few shows and lapping up the festival vibes and our wider team have been busy too ! We’ve been updating all of our reviews here.
You can also see what we’re getting up to more regularly, by following our instagram page here.
Some top picks from the past few days have been :
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.
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Circus – the Show – This is a high energy, bellyful of circus entertainment complete with clown, juggler, acrobat and magician. The ringmaster holds everything together with skilful banter and the help of his astounding moustache!
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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.
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For older children –
Six Chick Flicks (14+) – Alternatively, succinctly titled: ‘a Legally Blonde Pretty Woman Dirty Danced on the Beaches while writing a Notebook on the Titanic’…this is a fast paced, hilarious, quick witted and feminist show..
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Yuck Circus (14+) – Yuck Yeah !!! These strong, skilled, funny and fearsome women were AWESOME ! Such a refreshing hour of circus, that doesn’t take itself too seriously, whilst managing to offer social commentary on toxic masculinity and negative traits we could all do without in society just now…
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.
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 )
So, I started this blog ten years ago, and naturally my mini-reviewers have grown quite a bit over that time (one is even taller than me now – eek !). As they have grown older, I have started to look for shows for the in between, teenage stage- beyond the shows directly aimed at children, and shows not quite totally for adults….it’s been tricky, but we continue to explore within this range and I’m always keen to hear your suggestions too. There is of course, circus, dance, magic which all ages will enjoy…but other options are always great…
We’ve picked a few from this year’s offerings which look good for those slightly older children in your lives :
What Girls Are Made Of – For age 12+, I missed this last time, so am delighted it’s back ! The smash-hit, gig show returns, charting the true story of Cora Bissett’s journey from 90s indie-kid to wised-up woman. Touring with Radiohead, partying with Blur, she was living the dream. Until she wasn’t. With a live band, Cora celebrates life’s euphoric highs and epic lows, asking what wisdom we should pass to the next generation, and which glorious mistakes we should let them make.- 4th – 27th August (not 9th/14th/21st)
Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder – Age 12+ – Again, we never managed to see this last year, mainly as it was always sold out ! But again, excited to catch it (hopefully!) this time round…BFFs Kathy and Stella are Hull’s least successful true crime podcasters. When their favourite author is killed, they are thrust into a thrilling whodunnit of their own! Can they crack the case (and become global podcast superstars) before the killer strikes again…? – 2nd – 27th August (not 9th/14th/21st)
Pete Heat: Huge – Age 12 + – Combining both magic and comedy, this looks intriguing and very fun, and its always good to check something new out this month!….Sharp, charmingly surreal and joyously unhinged, this hilarious modern magic show will break your brain into cute little pieces. – 2nd – 27th August (not 15th )
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YUCK Circus – Age 12 +…again these guys have been here before, and I’ve caught a snippet of their show at a festival party and it was joyous and colourful and fantastic, so I’m looking forward to seeing the entire thing this time round ! High-flying acrobatics, absurd confessions and groovy dancing – all smashed together with their trademark ripper comedy. – 2nd – 28th August (not 14th/21st)
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The Dark Room for Kids! – Age 11 + …You and your family are stuck inside a live-action videogame! How will you escape?! Will you: A) Find light switch? B) Go north? C) Explode in a shower of stinking guts? An interactive adventure featuring terrible prizes and total mayhem! – 2nd – 27th August (not 15th )
The ever amazing and creative Circus Hub by Underbelly returns to the Meadows this year, bringing with it an incredible variety of spectacular and innovative shows and this year, even more family friendly circus shows – great news !!
You can visit the Circus Hub for two dazzling circus tents – The Lafayette and The Beauty – and a charming bar ! ( I’m also hoping the yummy churros stall will be back this year – that was a highlight for our mini reviewers in the past !)..
It is tricky to single out any shows to see as they all look so great, and there are some old favourites returning too – but here is a top five to get you started…. !!! :
Circa: Humans – Pushing their physical bodies to the limit and having lots of fun in the meantime- this awe inspiring show returns to Edinburgh – read our review here from 2017. This is definitely a show for the whole family, perhaps best suited for slightly older children as it has no dialogue – but it comes highly recommended ! ”Ten acrobats take us on a stirring journey of what it means to be human, and how our bodies, our connections, and our aspirations all form part of who we are. ” 2nd – 24th August (not 7th/12th/19th)
Danny MacAskill’s Drop and Roll Live – This has got to be a ‘must see’ for all Danny MacAskill fans out there – and something quite unique in the Fringe programme this year! .Joining Danny will be highly acclaimed trials rider and fellow Scotsman Duncan Shaw, plus more athletes to be announced. Expect an action-packed display of gravity-defying tricks, guaranteed to amaze children and adults alike under the big top! 3rd – 24th August
YUCK Circus – Discovering new shows is part of the joy of the Fringe and this looks fantastic ! For 12 + – Sugar, spice, and apparently “nice”? With our good sense of humour, we’re going to rip into the uncomfortable using high-flying acrobatics, absurd confessions and groovy dancing. Get ready to witness a powerhouse of female circus performers kick art in the face. 3rd – 24th August (not 7th/12th/19th)
Hotel Paradiso – From the makers of The Hogwallops comes this Irresistibly colourful, loud and fun show for all the family. Thrillingly spectacular circus skills, physical comedy, clowning, theatrical storytelling and slapstick combine. A rundown hotel becomes a physical playground for the six multinational highly skilled acrobats, clowns and jugglers. Madame and the charming staff of the quirkily ineffective Hotel Paradiso battle to save their home and livelihood from the dastardly banker. 13th- 24th August (not 19th)
Splash Test Dummies – Our favourite Aussie circus guys are back !!!! Returning with the splish, splashingly awesome adventure from last year ( read our review here ). Splash Test Dummies are here, ready to roll out their beach towels and spring into an hour of circus-filled hilarity for the whole family. See a brilliant array of catch-your-breath stunt work, acrobatics, juggling and the side-splitting, slapstick comedy for which the dummies are famous. 3rd – 24th August (not 12th/19th)
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