Theatre, Kelly Apter
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Scamp Theatre bring Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales to life at Fringe 2012
27 Jul 2012
Stage version of hugely successful Julia Donaldson children's book
With so many shows to choose from at the Fringe, it’s always handy when a tried and tested company returns carrying a guarantee of quality. All those who saw Scamp Theatre’s production of Stick Man in 2010 will be pleased to know that the talented…
Dreamworks' Madagascar film reborn as kid-friendly stage show
26 Feb 2013
A musical version, Madagascar Live!, is coming to the SECC in March
A dancing lion, scheming penguins, a love-struck giraffe and a maniacal king lemur – there’s a lot going on in DreamWorks’ 2005 film, Madagascar. What you won’t find much of, however, is songs. But when a new stage version was being devised, a…
Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales
10 Aug 2012
Julia Donaldson over-kill
Scamp Theatre’s 2011 adaptation of Stick Man was a skilful blend of lively storytelling, great songs and playful actors. They did Julia Donaldson proud. So it comes as something of a disappointment to see what they’ve done with Tiddler. As you would…
The Day I Swapped My Dad For Two Goldfish
17 May 2013
The theatre production, adapted from Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean's book, is performed with gusto
Sitting in a dark room and keeping quiet for an hour isn’t for everyone – especially if you’re under ten. Promenade theatre solves that problem, with movement actively encouraged and the odd noise generally tolerated. So on that front, The Day I…
Imaginate 2013 puts an emphasis on storytelling through movement
18 Apr 2013
Dance and physical theatre forms a large part of this year's kids' theatre festival
When you’re programming an international festival, language is always going to be important. Will the audience understand the words and dialect? Does it matter? But this year, it’s body language rather than foreign language that’s pre-occupying…
Hot 100 2012: 19-11
11 Dec 2012
David Greig, Karen Gillan and Chris Hoy among Scotland's hottest cultural contributors in 2012
The Hot 100 is our list of Scotland’s 100 hottest individuals and groups who’ve made a splash this year, from comic book writers to comedians, artists to actors. If they've contributed to Scotland's cultural landscape in 2012, you'll find them here.
Mephisto Waltz
7 Aug 2012
Derevo's surreal show of devil pact is success but lacks emotional tie-in
You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs, and it would seem you can’t make a Derevo show without making an inordinate amount of mess. By the time the five performers step forward to take their well-earned bow, the stage is littered with more…
Hot 100 2012: 29-20
11 Dec 2012
Chvrches, Cora Bissett and Grant Morrison among Scotland's hottest cultural contributors in 2012
The Hot 100 is our list of Scotland’s 100 hottest individuals and groups who’ve made a splash this year, from comic book writers to comedians, artists to actors. If they've contributed to Scotland's cultural landscape in 2012, you'll find them here.
Hot 100 2012: 79-70
11 Dec 2012
Dominic Hill, Ewan Morrison and LuckyMe among Scotland's hottest cultural contributors in 2012
The Hot 100 is our list of Scotland’s 100 hottest individuals and groups who’ve made a splash this year, from comic book writers to comedians, artists to actors. If they've contributed to Scotland's cultural landscape in 2012, you'll find them here.
New Adventures: Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty
16 Nov 2012
Accalimed choreographer rounds off Tchaikovsky triumvirate with ‘gothic romance’
Tchaikovsky’s big three are the stalwarts of the classical ballet canon. Dance companies around the world have versions of The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake in their repertoire, but none quite like the unique versions that have come out of…
Interview: Christopher Hampson - artistic director of Scottish Ballet
7 Nov 2012
New artistic director ushers in a new era for the award-winning company
A stunning home in Glasgow’s Tramway, a new set of international dancers and a re-vitalised company – that’s what Ashley Page left behind when he bid farewell to Scottish Ballet after ten years as artistic director. His time at the company brought about…
Siobhan Davies Dance: Every Day
15 May 2013
Solo dance act by Siobhan Davies focuses on the daily movements we take for granted
A table, a chair, an umbrella and a stool – ordinary objects we come across on a daily basis. But a new exhibition is asking us to look at those objects, and others, with fresh eyes. Not only that, but a live element will encourage visitors to…
Mind Walking fuses text with aerial work to explore Alzheimer’s
19 Mar 2013
New piece written by Tanika Gupta for BandBazi theatre tours UK
One of the cruel tricks that dementia plays on its sufferers is the misconception that they’re living in a bygone era. Coming face to face with this in a care home inspired choreographer Philippa Vafadari to tackle the subject with her Brighton-based…
Janis Claxton Dance stage new show Chaos and Contingency
19 Feb 2013
Dance piece performed in museums in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh
If anybody knows how to work a location, it’s Janis Claxton. All those who saw her company take up residence in an Edinburgh Zoo enclosure in 2008 and 2011 will testify to that. Now Claxton is back, and taking over some of Scotland’s finest cultural…
Alan Greig Dance Theatre: Do You Nomi?
22 Jan 2013
Piece themed on vibrant member of 70s New York scene Klaus Nomi
It’s a play on words, but for most people the answer to this show’s title is probably ‘no, I don’t.’ To fill you in, Klaus Nomi was a vibrant member of the New York music and club scene in the late 70s and early 80s. Known for his striking falsetto…
Scottish Dance Theatre make first outing with new artistic director Fleur Darkin
22 Jan 2013
Victor Quijada and Jo Strømgren on bill featuring streetdance and music of Schubert
The bright lights of a big city may not shine particularly brightly on Scottish Dance Theatre, but that’s never stopped it illuminating its own path. And now that new artistic director, Fleur Darkin has moved up from London to run the show, the…
Hot 100 2012: 10-2
11 Dec 2012
John Tiffany, Andy Murray and Luke Fowler among Scotland's hottest cultural contributors in 2012
The Hot 100 is our list of Scotland’s 100 hottest individuals and groups who’ve made a splash this year, from comic book writers to comedians, artists to actors. If they've contributed to Scotland's cultural landscape in 2012, you'll find them here.
Dirty Dancing
6 Dec 2012
Straightforward stage recreation of the hit 80s film, boosted by an excellent live band
There are some iconic moments that never get old. No matter how many times you see Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey finally crack ‘the lift’ at the end of Dirty Dancing, it always brings a thrill, and possibly a wee tear to the eye. Had the…
Kids' show Little Ulla aims to bring the festive spirit to under 5s
13 Nov 2012
The show features narrative, puppetry, music and song, as well as actors who know how to have fun
With panto gags way over the head of your average five-year-old, early years Christmas shows have an important job to do. Happily, one of last year’s most successful festive offerings is back out on tour. The tale of a mountain goat who works as the…
A Dream on Midsummer’s Night
13 Sep 2012
Inspired kid-friendly outing for one of Shakespeare's lighter plays
Beautiful though his prose may be, understanding Shakespeare can be hard enough for adults, let alone children. With its romantic comings and goings, A Midsummer Night’s Dream may be one of the bard’s lighter plays, but there’s no denying the language…
Lapin Wants Ice Cream
11 Aug 2012
Puppets on the beach à la Française
With a pre-schooler’s brain bearing a remarkable resemblance to a sponge, it’s the perfect time to introduce a foreign language to them. Tania Czajka knows this, and has created a cast of fun characters to deliver the message. Holidaying on the beach…
Treasure Island
10 Aug 2012
Comedy on the seven seas
There’s nothing groundbreaking about this new show from Derby’s Uncontained Arts. But sometimes it’s OK to just tell it like it is, and Treasure Island has enough unusual characters and exciting plot developments for them to get away with it. Building…
Watch it!
7 Aug 2012
Small-screen addiction writ large with dance, theatre and visual trickery
Watching too much television is bad for you. This is not a new piece of information, the psychology behind why has been well documented. But if people only created shows about new subject matters, there’d be a lot of empty stages, so we can’t really…
Superjohn
4 Aug 2012
Plucky superhero fights for survival in sensitively-portrayed kids' theatre show
Creating a show about a child in need of a bone marrow transplant was never going to be easy. It’s a subject most children don’t really understand, and parents don’t want to think about. It’s part of life, however, and if you’re going to tackle such…
Tall Stories to perform Julia Donaldson's The Snail and the Whale at Fringe 2012
27 Jul 2012
Stage version of hugely successful children's book
Julia Donaldson’s picture books take pride of place on bedroom shelves around the world. But it’s not until somebody picks them up and reads them, that those clever rhymes come alive. Published in 2004, The Snail and the Whale has been one of…
