Kids

Lazytown Live!

4 Oct 2007

From Jamie’s School Dinners to Honey, We’re Killing The Kids, there’s no shortage of advice on how to feed our children. But perhaps the most successful TV programme to combat rising levels of childhood obesity, is aimed at the kids themselves. Created…

The Tiger Who Came to Tea

2 Oct 2008

STAGE ADAPTATION Uninvited dinner guests can be a pain, especially when they arrive armed with a big appetite. But it’s unlikely any of the readers of The Tiger Who Came to Tea haven’t fantasised about just such an occurrence taking place in their…

Finding Nemo on Ice

4 Sep 2008

Frozen water usually spells disaster for our aquatic friends, but the shoal of fish heading to Braehead Arena feel right at home on the ice. Featuring 38 competitive skaters, who have swapped medals for make-up, Finding Nemo On Ice mixes technical…

Horrid Henry Day

27 Mar 2008

The naughtiest boy in children’s fiction has his very own day – 1 April, but Borders is getting in early to capture the weekend crowd. Help celebrate the tomfoolery of Francesca Simon’s most famous character at this fun session of Horrid Henry stories…

Mary Poppins

18 Sep 2008

MUSICAL In 1964, when Mary Poppins opened at the cinema, it immediately amassed an army of fans. One woman, however, was distinctly unimpressed by the all-singing, all-dancing Disney adaptation – the novel’s author, PL Travers. Thirty years later…

Kids' events

23 Aug 2007

The last few days of the kids programme takes a walk on the dark side with scary-sounding events such as Night of the Living Horror (25 Aug, 6pm) which opens up a world of gothic terror for those aged ten plus, though Justin Somper and his Vampirates…

Something Wicked This Way Comes

2 Oct 2008

STAGE ADAPTATION With no budget to keep to, the human imagination can run wild in the best possible way. Which is why director Gill Robertson shied away from staging Something Wicked This Way Comes for so long. Ray Bradbury’s 1962 novel is filled…

The Ugly Ducking and Me

(U) 88min

31 Jan 2008

Developed from a popular Danish TV series, The Ugly Duckling and Me is the familiar Hans Christian Andersen story with a suburban twist. Ratso is an average Disney-style, self-centred rat who dreams of going into showbiz. I know you’ll be saying…

The Spiderwick Chronicles

13 Mar 2008

DRAMA/FAMILY/FANTASY (PG) 95min When newly divorced mother of three Helen Grace (Mary-Louise Parker) moves her kids to the secluded rundown Spiderwick estate, once owned by their great great uncle Spiderwick, the children are less than impressed. Twin…

Asterix at the Olympic Games

(U) 116min

31 Jan 2008

The third of the live action Asterix movies retains Gérard Depardieu as rotund sidekick Obelix, but sees Clovis Cornillac taking over from Christian Clavier as the diminutive warrior. Much like the first two entries in the series, Asterix at the Olympic…

Pixar

MOVING PICTURES

27 Feb 2007

In Toy Story, which reached our screens an astonishing 12 years ago, the only things on the screen which look animated are the humans. Woody the toy cowboy, despite his name, is human, endearing, attractive. Buzz has the chin and charm of a Hollywood…

Preview of the year 2007

2007 is about the future. And about the past. It’

3 Jan 2007

THE FUTURE Cyberspace invaders We may not be flying around in hover cars or wearing spangly all-silver outfits, but thanks to the internet the future has truly arrived. And the revolution will continue apace in 2007, argues Suzanne Black. A…

Harry Hill

Horsing around

28 Sep 2006

Ricky Gervais, Charlie Higson, Nigel Planer: many a British comedian has deviated into the world of children’s literature. Yet none of them seemed quite so born to it as Harry Hill. The question wasn’t so much if the man who created the ‘Badger Parade…

Fireman Sam - To the Rescue!

Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Fri 8-Sun 10 Sep

1 Sep 2006

Fireman Sam - To the Rescue! at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre

School of Comedy

16 Aug 2007

In this age of Asbos, hoodies and teenage gang warfare it’s probably illegal to encourage youngsters to swear and be rude in front of adults, but this is exactly what the grown-ups behind School of Comedy plan to do. The show is billed as ‘an adult…

The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit

1 Aug 2007

There are lots of monsters appearing at this year’s Fringe, but none so ugly as this one.

Rainbow Fish & Under the Dragon Moon

9 Aug 2007

Theatre has travelled over from Singapore with the noble aim of telling simple stories with style. They set about this task in very different ways: Rainbow Fish uses black lights and beautiful puppetry, whereas Under the Dragon Moon is a collection of…

The Undersea World of Bubble McBea

19 Jun 2008

CHILDREN’S OPERA Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Fri 20-Sun 22 Jun The words ‘children’ and ‘opera’ aren’t often found in the same sentence. But over the past few years, Scottish Opera has managed to make the artform not just accessible, but great fun.

The Elves and the Shoemaker

16 Aug 2007

When it comes to classic tales, The Elves and the Shoemaker is high up on most people’s lists. Just picturing those little elves beavering away, creating tiny shoes, is enough to excite little ones, and send big ones down memory lane. Well you don’t…

A History of Scotland (In 60 Minutes or Less)

16 Aug 2007

The avowed intention of this whizz through Scotland’s turbulent past is to bypass the usual cheesy tartan and shortbread stereotypes in favour of something altogether grittier. While this is a noble aim, the trio of performers initially struggle to get…

Happily N'Ever After

1 Aug 2007

Although its makers claim they conceived Happily N’Ever After long before that big green ogre Shrek took over the box office swamp, animation filmmakers Paul J Bolger and Yvette Kaplan’s procrastinations mean that this contemporary take on olde fairy…

Transformers

16 Jul 2007

ACTION/ADVENTURE/SCI-FI TRANSFORMERS (12A) 144min In 1984 toy manufacturer Hasbro released the Transformers, and as part of its marketing strategy, commissioned a Marvel comic strip and an animated TV series that became an instant…

Hairspray

16 Jul 2007

MUSICAL HAIRSPRAY (PG) 110min Director Adam Shankman appears at last to have found his niche after bestowing clangers The Pacifier and Cheaper by the Dozen 2 on this world. With his feeling for good choreography (in a previous life he…

Hansel and Gretel

8 May 2007

CHILDREN’S THEATRE The launch of the National Theatre for Scotland saw a series of ten events staged over a few days through the length and breadth of the country in February 2006, and left, no doubt, a lasting impression on many an audience. For all…

Edinburgh International Science Festival

World of Wonder

26 Mar 2007

Once upon a time, only the biggest geeks at school were ever even vaguely interested in the ways and doings of test tubes and Bunsen burners. Nowadays, it’s not just the cool kids who are getting into science, as everyone with an interest in making any…

Tracy Beaker

Tracy Beaker Gets Real

26 Mar 2007

MUSICAL THEATRE She’s rude, inconsiderate, bolshy and the bane of many parents’ lives. Tracy Beaker may be a fictional creation, but her cheeky expressions - both facial and verbal - have been embraced by pre-pubescents across the…

Peter Pan

Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, until Wed 24 Jan

13 Dec 2006

The Pitch Thirty-five-year-old man Pan (Cameron-Big Brother-Stout), who definitely won’t be doing more growing, flies into the Darling sibling’s (Stephen Purdon and Laura McMonagle) window and whisks them, Nanny Clyde (Dean Parks) and Nana the dug off…

Wullie Whittington

Tron Theatre, Glasgow

13 Dec 2006

The pitch Young Wullie Whittington is ready to take the leap from being last year’s understudy to this year’s romantic lead in the self-referential world of the Pantosphere. His chief obstacle is that his singing’s as flat as a pancake and it looks as…

Tales of Beatrix Potter - DVD review

Tales of Beatrix Potter

11 Dec 2006

DANCE Dance on screen rarely captures even half the magic of seeing it live on stage. Which is why this adaptation by the Royal Ballet is so successful - it doesn’t even try. Instead the action takes place in a variety of locations, from the green…

Snowman, The

The Snowman

7 Dec 2006

KIDS THEATRE The EastEnders Christmas special might be a ratings winner, but for most of us The Snowman is the real symbol of festive TV. Raymond Briggs’ tale of the little boy who wakes at midnight to find his snowman has come alive, has an old…

Charlie Higson - Young Bond 3

Charlie Higson

6 Dec 2006

ADVENTURE TALE Although his previous two Young Bond adventures have been successes in their own right, the franchise’s revival thanks to Casino Royale should ensure that this third adventure by Charlie Fast Show Higson eclipses those predecessors.

Koko the Crocodile

A little touch of Africa

21 Aug 2008

Mara Menzies is fairly new to the storytelling game, but has taken to it like a duck to water. Or rather, like a crocodile to a riverbank – much like the wriggling, paw-waving one that appears in her charming new show. Based on Menzies’ recently…

5 Questions - Koko the Crocodile

14 Aug 2008

African folktales, sing-a-long songs and a poorly crocodile all feature in Mara Menzies' show, Koko the Crocodile. But right now, she's answering our five questions.

Painting Music Workshop

The art of sound

14 Aug 2008

There are several enjoyable aspects to this imaginative workshop, but the best one is the gift that keeps on giving. In just 40 minutes, Rhuti Carr and her musical cohorts give you a new skill that will stay with you for life. Gathered around a giant…

The Giant Percussion Picnic

7 Aug 2008

Prepare for two hours of noise and noshing, as Giant take over the lovely Hidden Gardens from 11.30am–1.30pm for their Percussion Picnic. The event is free but ticketed, with tickets given out on a first come first served basis on the day. Bring food to…

Three Billy Goats Gruff

Three is the magic number

7 Aug 2008

He's done it again. Andy Lawrence, storyteller and puppet-maker extraordinaire, has created another perfect kids show. Back at the Fringe for the third year running, following the success of The King's Got Donkey's Ears and The Elves and the Shoemaker…

Peter & The Wolf

13 Mar 2008

DANCE & CLASSICAL MUSIC Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Wed 26 & Thu 27 Mar To young ears, an orchestra can seem like a giant melting pot of sound. And picking out which instrument is playing when is a rather tricky affair. Which is why Sergei…

The Selfish Crocodile

23 Aug 2007

Some kids shows get the puppets right, others throw out a few catchy songs, while some tell a good story. But Blunderbus Theatre Company does all three, perfectly aimed at their target age range of 3–7-year-olds. Based on Charles Terry’s popular…

The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me

16 Aug 2007

With all of his books recently being re-published, the re-make of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and a touring production of The Twits doing the rounds, Roald Dahl is more popular than ever. So it’s quite timely that York-based theatre company…

Aesop's Fables

9 Aug 2007

Many children’s shows profess to be ‘adult friendly’, but few deliver to the same degree as this hugely enjoyable new production. Written by former children’s laureate, Michael Morporgo, Aesop’s timeless fables have been fleshed out into sharp, witty…

All Aboard

9 Aug 2007

Take one classic 1970s kids album, a big bag of sweets and two over excited men and what do you get? All Aboard, a new show paying homage to songs such as ‘Two Little Boys’ by Rolf Harris and Benny Hill’s ‘Ernie’. Having bought the rights to the album…

It's playtime

Children's Clothing

1 Aug 2007

Ethical, stylish, alternative, interesting and educational? Kirstin Innes meets the designers behind the saintliest children’s clothing companies in the country

Lucy Hawking

19 Jul 2007

What do you do when your father is one of the world’s most respected theoretical physicists, author of the bestseller A Brief History of Time and you want to be a writer? The answer was obvious to Lucy Hawking, daughter of Stephen: write a book…

Various - Songs for the Young at Heart - album review

Various

29 Jan 2007

KIDS COMPILATION Nostalgia might not be what it once was, but in the Staples and Boulter households, the past is far from imperfect. Stuart and Dave, the guys from the Tindersticks, have lovingly recreated the songs they remembered from their radios…

Pinocchio

Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 30 Dec

13 Dec 2006

The Pitch Total ASBO case Pinocchio (James-Anthony Pearson) is a pathological bullshitter, who’s perfectly willing to see Gepetto (Simon Scott), the coffin dodger who fashioned him from wood, do chokey for his ills. He’ll never turn from wood to flesh…

Bugsy Malone

Razamataz and splurge

11 Dec 2006

You’ve cracked it this time Captain Schmowlski! 4 stars

Random Aspekts

5 Aug 2006

Caps, hooded tops, tracksuit bottoms - a few of the more traditional clothes worn by your average breakdancer. Random Aspekts, however, have a more unconventional item hanging in their Dance Base dressing room - pyjamas. The Scottish four-piece…

Harry Hill - Tim the Tiny Horse at Large

18 Sep 2008

KIDS STORY You can virtually smell Harry Hill at his keyboard, big collar tickling his neck, tongue flicking in and out (‘hmm, hmm, yeah, hmm?’), eyes blinking maniacally as the ideas bristle through his cranium. There is a chance, of course, that he…

Russian Play

21 Aug 2008

These happy looking ladies are even jollier in the flesh. Journeying all the way from Russia, they deliver a joy-filled hour of song, dance and a whole lot of audience participation. Dressed in beautiful national costumes, the seven female performers…

The Terrible Infants

Edible dark fairytales

21 Aug 2008

There are no happy endings in this collection of delectably dark fairytales: cannibal boy Tumb eats his mum, the unloved Thingummyboy evaporates and fibber Tilly grows a tail that lengthens with every tall tale she delivers. Writer Oliver Lansley’s…

We All Fall Down

Playing with the Plague

14 Aug 2008

Who'd have thought the Black Death could be so much fun? Or that a tale with such a strong moral heart could be so full of laughs and silliness? The story of two 17th century villages both blighted with the plague, the show explores the selfish and…

Andrew Clover's Crazy Kids' Show

Stand-up stories

14 Aug 2008

A successful stand-up comedian and novelist, Andrew Clover fuses both talents in his enjoyable new kids show. Essentially an hour of improvised storytelling, Clover draws heavily on the vivid imagination of his young audience. As such, the children are…

I Can't Sleep by David O'Doherty

No cure for insomnia

14 Aug 2008

Next time you find yourself wide awake in the middle of the night, desperately trying to think of ways to make yourself tired, try taking a few leaves out of David O'Doherty's self-help manual for insomniacs. Rule number one: counting sheep is just…

Kids Events

14 Aug 2008

When Miranda Richardson so memorably played the child-like Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder, a career in entertaining kids seemed to be in the offing. With Horrid Henry (16 Aug) she appears to have finally grasped that opportunity by voicing the little…

Visualise Reloaded

Technoclowns inspire again

14 Aug 2008

Following last year's Visualise show, Science Made Simple duo, Debbie Sirop and Gareth Smith illuminate young minds once again with Visualise: Reloaded, an entertaining blend of physical theatre and scientific exploration. Against a highly energetic…

The Echo Chamber

Underground antics

7 Aug 2008

Part history lesson, part scary story, this atmospheric show from En Masse Theatre is a great way to start your Fringe day. Descending down into the bowels of Edinburgh, you find yourself in one of the many caverns and passageways that run beneath the…

Animal Olympics

Astrological antics

7 Aug 2008

Quirky and educational, Animal Olympics explores how Chinese astrology began. Francesca Beard, known for her performance poetry, puts a lot of energy into portraying the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac as curious individuals. After slipping on her…

Clockheart Boy

Mechanical inventions explore life and death

31 Jul 2008

It may not seem the ideal topic to build a family show around, but grief regularly pops its head up in children’s film and theatre. As Nicola Cutcher, co-director of Clockheart Boy says, ‘even The Lion King is about death’. Cutcher and her company…

No Place For Dreams

31 Jul 2008

No Place For Dreams is Brief Candle Theatre’s debut production at the Fringe, and artistic director, Dave Shimwell is ‘absolutely thrilled about this great family show we’re putting on.’ The show is set on a mythical volcanic island, where magical…

Painting Music Workshop

31 Jul 2008

We all have images in our heads when we listen to music, but capturing them on paper isn’t something many people attempt. Rhuti Carr of Painting Music, however, has made an entire career out of doing just that. Her workshops feature live music, large…

Kid loves - Children's books round-up

Edinburgh International Book Festival

22 Jul 2008

Harry Potter may have played his last game of Quidditch and Lemony Snicket’s series of events have unfortunately ceased to be, but there are still plenty of iconic figures hanging around in children’s literature. Brian Donaldson finds ten of them…

Here comes the fun

17 Jul 2008

As the school holidays stretch out before us, Kelly Apter finds there’s no shortage of ways to get your hands dirty and learn something new this summer

Good Vibrations

3 Jul 2008

One of the Capital’s most exciting visitor attractions, Our Dynamic Earth, has teamed up with Edinburgh International Science Festival to bring you Good Vibrations. Join Maestro and Bella as they embark on a journey of discovery to find out how noise is…

Liar

5 Jun 2008

CHILDREN’S THEATRE Citizens’ Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 7 Jun, then touring Scottish travelling songs and family secrets are revealed together in Davey Anderson’s play for young adults, which explores the difficulties people have when they are…

Michael Bond - Paddington Here and Now

22 May 2008

KIDS COLLECTION (HarperCollins) When a book series returns from a long absence to mark its main character’s anniversary, it can often feel too much like a rushed job created purely to ensure that the keynote guest isn’t late for their own party.

Children’s Classic Concerts

29 Nov 2007

CLASSICAL CONCERT Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sat 1 Dec; Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Sun 16 Dec He’s more at home behind the shop counter in Still Game, but this Christmas Sanjeev Kohli is branching out. Instead of hanging out with old boys Jack and…

Mischief

18 Oct 2007

DANCE-THEATRE SHOW Macrobert, Stirling, Thu 18–Sat 20 Oct Aimed at children aged 7+ and their families, Mischief is a busy mix of dance, puppetry, visual art, clowning, music and song. Oh, and foam – lots and lots of foam. Award-winning children’s…

Young Audiences - theatre

4 Oct 2007

For years they’ve been operating in isolation, but now some of Scotland’s most exciting theatre companies have come together under one virtual roof. Dedicated to promoting theatre for young people aged 0–25, Young Audiences Scotland is a consortium set…

Talking Pants

16 Aug 2007

Ian Billings, the exuberant star of Talking Pants is a writer for Chucklevision. But don’t let this influence your decision about his one-man show – there are no visual gags involving ladders, although the well-meaning energy he exudes as he bounds…

5 Questions - The Amazing Bubble Man

1 Aug 2007

Louis Pearl (aka The Amazing Bubble Man) explains why his Fringe show, The Greatest Bubble Show On Earth should float your boat

Cat and No Mouse

1 Aug 2007

As one half of children’s theatre company, Tall Stories, Toby Mitchell has had a considerable amount of Fringe success.

Firehouse Dog

16 Jul 2007

FAMILY/COMEDY FIREHOUSE DOG (PG) 111min Rexxx is a pampered pooch star in the Rin Tin Tin mould, apparently known and loved by millions as the star of blockbusters such as Jurassic Bark. But when a stunt on his latest film, Terrier at…

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2 Jul 2007

FANTASY/ADAPTATION At over 800 Pages Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was always likely to be the hardest of JK Rowling’s tomes to adapt and true to form this is the worst of the little wizard films. The franchise, which has thus far been…

Farmer Jason

St Serf’s, Edinburgh, Sun 15 Apr

9 Apr 2007

CHILDREN’S MUSIC With their infectious rhythms and catchy lyrics, Farmer Jason’s songs have a wide appeal. But even he was surprised by the interest his CDs generated. As the Farmer’s alter ego, Jason Ringenberg, explains. ‘It seems adults are into…

*Hitlist

Hitlist

26 Mar 2007

Puppet Animation Festival Now in its 23rd year, this six-week celebration of all things puppet-related is bigger and better than ever. From traditional fairytales to the fun fellows pictured here, there’s a vast line-up of humorous, touching and…

Comedy Academy 4 Kids

Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Sat 17 Mar

28 Feb 2007

WORKSHOP It’s a well-worn sentiment that kids say the funniest things, but James Campbell has taken that to a whole new level. Campbell is known for his child-friendly humour and has now brought his Comedy Academy to Edinburgh, with the successful…

Arthur and the Invisibles

(U) 93min

29 Jan 2007

ANIMATION/ADVENTURE If Luc Besson (The Big Blue, Leon) is to be believed, this, his tenth film, will also be his last as director. In adapting his own children’s book, Besson mixes live-action and CGI animation with decidedly patchy results. It’s…

Aladdin

King’s Theatre, Glasgow

13 Dec 2006

The pitch Rather more the story of Wishee Washee, a redundant shepherd trying to break into his mother’s laundry business, than of his brother Aladdin who falls foul of the wicked Abanazar after failing to get a magical lamp out of a cave. Amid flying…

Cinderella - Perth Theatre

Cinderella

13 Dec 2006

The Pitch Pity poor Baron Hardup, as feeble as a bowl of watery broth with a dicky ticker to boot, blitz-fully wedded to arch shrew Dodda Mutton, stepfather to a pair of hideous harpies who could give Lucrezia Borgia a run for her money in the…

Dick McWhittington

Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh, until Sat 30 Dec

13 Dec 2006

The Pitch All Alice (Katrina Bryan) has ever longed for is Dick. He (Robert Jack) feels some affection for her, too, but he’s got his hands full with his mum (Graham Cramond) who, unusually, has a Pinkie Winkie - Jack’s little brother (Aaron Usher). And…

Hansel and Gretel - Dundee Rep

Hansel and Gretel

13 Dec 2006

The Pitch A kindly but impoverished woodcutter, with aspirations of becoming the next Gordon Ramsay, dwells on the edge of a forest with his hideously deformed, flatulent wife and two children, inch-thick Hansel and plucky Gretel. Keen to get hubby's…

Green Whale

Traverse Theatre, Thu 7-Sun 24 December

27 Nov 2006

KIDS THEATRE Panto season may be amongst us, but one woman is making sure there’s a viable alternative in at least two of our theatres. Virginia Radcliffe and her Lickityspit theatre company will be taking up residence at the Byre Theatre, St Andrews…

Pantos

Psychorella

27 Nov 2006

Well, we’ve only ourselves to blame. If we, as adults, persist in dragging our children along to pantos and Christmas shows, what grounds do we have to complain that they turn out to be twisted and violent? The stories themselves seem to display an…

Charlie Fletcher - Stoneheart

Charlie Fletcher

11 Nov 2006

BOOK PREVIEW Inanimate objects coming to life is a staple of kids and fantasy literature. And advertising too, if you can picture a car breaking down into its components and strolling around like a very tall human. In Charlie Fletcher’s children’s…

Antiques Roadshow - The Next Generation

Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Sun 12 Nov

27 Oct 2006

TV SHOW Dig out your Star Wars figures, limited edition Barbies and Steiff Bears - the Antiques Roadshow is coming to town. Aimed at collectors and antique enthusiasts under 18, the Next Generation show is a special junior version of the popular BBC…

Muttnik, the First Dog in Space

11 Aug 2006

Niki McCretton’s version of the true story of Laika the first Russian space dog (dubbed Muttnik by the Americans) represents kids physical theatre at its most simple but effective. The tone alternates between melancholic and slapstick, lending the piece…

One Small Step

edfest.tv - video

28 Aug 2008

Check your oxygen, adjust your spacesuit and buckle up for the biggest mission of your life…. to the moon.

Farm Open Day

14 Aug 2008

Experience countryside life in the east end of Glasgow at the Tollcross Children’s farm. Open 7 days a week from 10am-3pm, the farm boasts a variety of farmyard animals to get up close and personal with, as well as a fun-filled day of music and games…

Festival kids' shows hitlist

14 Aug 2008

Potted Pirates, Visualise Reloaded, Cloudcuckooland, Three Billy Goats Gruff & Other Furry Tails, Heartbreak Soup, Painting Music Workshop

Finding Alice

Through the looking-glass and beyond

14 Aug 2008

There are four children's shows at the Fringe about Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, so fans of the fairytale have their pick. First-time playwright, Ben Harrison and Single Leaf productions present Finding Alice, an entertaining mix of live music…

Heartbreak Soup

Two little boys…

14 Aug 2008

Cuddy is lying on a hospital bed, waiting. For what, we don't know, but as the play unfolds a heartbreaking story emerges of a childhood led in slow motion, due to a congenital heart defect. Which all sounds very serious and tragic - and is, of course…

James Campbell's Shut Up Stupid

Scatalogical comedy with scenes of mild peril

14 Aug 2008

James Campbell's latest offering calls itself a 'black experimental comedy', and you'd be right for wondering if this is suitable for children. Much effort has gone into scripting the warped chronology and fourth-wall antics of the plot, but they're…

No Place for Dreams

Don't wake the volcano

14 Aug 2008

Brief Candle Theatre makes its Fringe debut with No Place For Dreams, a show by Paul Whitfield that boasts a lot of energy, but is altogether too austere. On a volcanic island filled with Spray-Riders, Wind-Eaters and Fire and Soil people, we meet Loam…

Potted Pirates

Hilarity on the high seas

14 Aug 2008

Sensible pirate devotee Jeff just wants to give a serious, educational lecture about famous pirates. His crewmate Dan, while also a fellow fan of all things swashbuckling, has a different approach. An enthusiast of the Jack Sparrow variety of privateer…

The Man Who Planted Trees

edfest.tv - video

11 Aug 2008

It is very, very rare to find something that appeals as effortlessly to children and adults as this magical show. (Scotsman).

5 Questions - Leon Conrad

7 Aug 2008

5 things you think good children’s theatre should do: Make it magical – make it funny – make it witty – make it fun; and make it pretty difficult for people not to lose themselves in the story. 4 reasons why people should come to Aesop The Storyteller…

Dr Bunhead's Crash Test Jelly Babies

7 Aug 2008

On the one hand, Dr Bunhead appeals to the simple side in all of us – the part that likes loud bangs, balls of flame and anything that erupts. But there’s more to Bunhead than spectacle, and chances are you’ll walk away from this hour of science-related…

How The Giraffe Got Its Neck

Evolutionary tales

7 Aug 2008

Full of questions about the animal kingdom, two explorers set off on a journey down-river. Along the way, they impart stories about how the leopard got his spots, the elephant got his trunk and finally, how the giraffe ended up with such an elongated…

Let The Earth Breathe

Music with a message

7 Aug 2008

When it comes to being environmentally friendly, people are full of good intentions. But few of us follow through quite so impressively as the Kenodeke Arts Collective. Their new show, Let The Earth Breathe not only sends out a positive message about…

Misterstourworm and the Kelpie's Gift

Myths, music and monsters

7 Aug 2008

If you were under the impression that the Scottish islands were formed by glaciers during the ice age, then think again. They're actually the humps and bumps of an ancient monster who curled his way around Scotland. Or at least that's what we're told in…