SCIENTIFIC MAYHEM DR BUNI-IEAD VS THE WORLD’S BIGGEST BOGEY George Square Theatre, 18-26 Aug
Dr Bunhead knows children. When toying with potential titles for his 2001 Fringe show. the scientist reminded himself of what he terms ‘the holy trinity of children's entertainment — wee. poo and mm and came up with that egually child—friendly emission — snot. But those familiar with the good doctor's work will know that despite the rather scatological nature of his shows (this year's offering features Mr Wippy's Giant Poo — try sticking a flake in thatl there's more to
Bunhead than outsized bodin functions.
'The Scottish science curriculum for 5—14-year-olds has just changed.‘ explains Bunhead. ‘And even when I do a purely entertainment based show like this one. I'm still trying to sneak the curriculum in. Because I like the kids to see experiments and think. "Oh. that's what we're learning at school" and realise its
really cool rather than deadly boring.’
Having won himself a legion of fans and five star reviews with last year's exploding vegetable show. Bunhead has returned ready to do battle with the eponymous bogey. But what exactly is it made of? Concentrate. here comes the science bit. ‘You need two ingredients to make a very green big bogey.’ says Bunhead. ‘Polyvinyl alcohol and sodium tetra borate. All the new material I'm debuting this year is based around polymer science — everyday materials which come from the oil industry. such as polyester. PVC. nylon. and can be changed into useful products. But I've also got some old favourites like Barny the SS trained banana. and new bits like the exploding hot water bottle.‘
Bunhead has just returned from New Zealand. where he premiered his first 'adults only' show featuring his take on penis enlargers and Viagra -- all of which can be enjoyed in Edinburgh at next year's Science Festival. In the meantime. it's the children who have Bunhead's affections: 'Kids are the best laboratory you can have. they're just so congregant — as soon as something works you know. because you get the facial reaction. the excitement.‘ And if he can stop them from tucking into his prop. he might be onto a winner. lKeIly Apteri
Alice in Wonderland Stage Iii Stage lit/inhurg/t Aral/enn. Stage In Stage l'ftlinlrurg/t xlt'tllll'HIL until /‘/.-lttg. l3..\'f)/Ittt. Stage adaptation of I .eu is ('arrol's timeless elassie.
The I.('l( e\let'\/tll‘(' lintllt .tll'l\. XI .-lnn "s (‘mnmunin ('entre. until 35 .-lug. 3pm. Roald |)ahl's modern elassie is tranlsated to the stage.
Brokenville ()n() 'Ilteatre (hut/ram it 11/: Wed .S'unet ('uunn ltrllllt 'I’lieatre. Ix'mitetlia Roman Ifag/e l.ntlge. until 3/) .‘lug. 3. IS/nn. St't' lltt'ttll‘t’.
Cinderella . .lnlin l’ee/ I’u/t/teh. St .llarl \ l'nttarian ('lturt it. until IN .-lug. If)..\'llum. lt takes talent to adapt a \\ ell kntmn tale like ('tnderella and bring it to Iile. l'nlortunatel). John Peel l’uppets laek that abilit). redueing the romanee and magie to a prosaie sequenee of math. :\ long and dull introduetion ensured mass Iidgeting lt'ttllt earl} on. rising to a crescendo (ll bleating and moanng as the stot‘_\ reaehed
its ianti lelimax. t.\liehae| Apterl Children’s Book Festival ('ltarlulte Square (tart/ens. until 37xlug. :\Itiong the man} highlights this \\ eek are A Talk With Jaequeline Wilson 1 l7 & I8 .'\ug I. one of the eountr} 's heax } \\ eight kids authors. Shirle} lltlgltes I IS Aug l. as she launches her lttlesl :ll/ie book. the retro“ ned Anne line I l‘) tk 3t) .'\ugi and the striking debut from Bali Rat. entitled tl'nutrranget/ .llarriage Ill) Aug l. Rai joins (ilasgon \\ riter Sulfa}! Saadi in eoti\et'satioii.
G The Comic O... (‘artmnt 'I‘lteatre. ('. tnttil /.\'.'lug. Duh-pm. 'l‘hree eharaeters from a lieunn/Ihuu/t st_\ Ie eoniie eneounter a problem tar tnore ehallenging than their usual plight of axoiding the loeal bull} and resetting people loeked in toners. \Vhen lltelt‘ ereator's illspit'ttlttlll dries up. \tl (lHL‘\ his ink brush. lle misses his deadline and old stories are re printed in plaee til tie“. l'ot'eing our heroes to re li\ e the same
ad\ entures o\ er and o\ er. 'l‘lie multimedia staging of this itnaginatix e stor} is ingenious .v\rt\\ork is projeeled onto a baek sereen. and the east ol three perlortn against the projeetions: pulling |ea\ers. breaking
42 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE It; 1"? Am; YUM
“indoxxs. e\iting the frame stage left and right. e\ en leaping through it. I.\liles l'ielderi ('9 Dr Bunhead vs The World’s Biggest Bogey I)r Hun/teath Stimle lat/treatinn. (ieorge Square Theatre. IN 3/) .lug. l/unt. See panel.
Five (30 To Edinburgh! (inn/mtxtoun .S‘e/tuul. Stage In Stage I'ftlinlntrg/i .'\('(l(/('HI\_ until IAN-lug. nun/i. l’osh kids pla) ing posh kids it ell il‘ an_\one ean breath lite into Julian. l)iek et al it‘s this lot. .v\nd it's free. bless ‘em.
The Great 800300 000 (illtlt't/ Ital/turn at All“! Run House. until 37xlug. 3.45pm. ‘\\'hat‘s _\our dream." demands the man in the speeks and the light red erash helmet. 'I‘hen. handing out photos ol himself. ‘it\ :J‘mna haltl‘en.‘ he Promises. And that is the \\ot‘ld aeeording to The (ireat Boo Boo philosopher. guru. leader and inspiration to the lolk \\ ho inhabit the unions uni\erse ol’ llette's bar. The second thing _\otl notiee about this shou (the first is the mental outlitsi is hon quiet it is; words are in short suppl}. lt's qtiite eerie reall}. a little l‘ll l);t\ Id l._\ neh. ti little l‘ll league HI (ient/eman \\ ith a dash ol slapstiek. a ten laughs and some great danee sequenees. Not sure \\ll;tl the kids made of it. btit I found it oddl} eompelling. i\'i\ l‘ran/manni
G Greyfriars Bobby COO. I-‘rmuit Rt'tlltt'tltl l’t'ttilllt'lttrlt\. (it‘t'\ft'ltlt'\ Kirk lill‘tl. until Jilug. l/uni. Staging a shim about Seolland's most lo_\al pooeh in his linal resting plaee “as alua} s going to be a
\\ inner. .lust standing in (ire) I'riars Kirk )ou leel l‘illllL‘tl Ill lllslttl'lL‘ ttllttttspllet'e ttlttl as our narrator points out. from eertain \ antage points in the eemeter) there are no signs of modern life \\liatsoe\ er. \Vhieh is just perl'eet I'or eoniuring tip images of :\uld Joek the polieeman and his l'aithl'ul eompanion. Journe} ing out of the Kirk. aet'oss (-andlentaker Ron. do“ n the (‘ougate and baek up to the graxe}ard. our oh-so-n ill} narrator takes its along .v\uld .loek‘s I'ormer beat. The Ameriean aeeents ol Joek and his missus jar a little. but o\ erall this is a fun. inl'ormati\ e \\ ee tale \\ hieh old dogs \\ ill enjo} as mueh as )oqu ptips. ils'ell} :\pteri
Greyfriars Bobby COO .Vet/terlmn 'I'lieutre. until /4\'.'lug. 3pm. .-\ bi/art'e mi\ of the wt) good and the reall} quite bad.
S} l\ ltt lI‘UUIt has created o\ CT 4“ ll'lll} uonderl'ul rod and hand puppets. \\ hieh
ha\ e both ehildren and adults enraptut'ed. llet' eharaeterisation is superb. \\ ith \oiees and aeeents to mateh. But the seript is so loose. the puppets almost trip ox er it. lt‘tmti‘s deli\et‘} ol' the \\ ee dog‘s tale borders on the teaehet'l}. and the dialogue has a haphazard feel to it. Worth going along just in!" the puppets though. tls'ell} Apteri G The Gruflalo ooooo 'lu/l slut-m. e too. until 36 .-lug. J/nn. In a sea of bad ehildren's literature. (ilasgou ~based \iriter Jttlia Donaldson has pro\ ed to be quite a life ral't. ller eollaborations \xith illustrator .-\\el Sebel'l'ler ha\ e produeed some ol the most \xotidet'lttl pieture books ol~ reeent )ears. ineluding this simple )et e\eiting tale ol a small mouse \\ ho iments a monster out) to eome Iaee to laee \\ ith his imaginar) ereation. \Vitlr sueh superb ra\\ material to \uirk from. ehildren's theatre eompan} 'l‘all Stories \xould lia\ e to go some “ax to mess tip their stage adaptation. But mereil'ull) the) treat I‘lie (irutla/n \\ ith the kid glows it deser\ es. pouring equal measures ol~ eute eharm. genuine humour and fun songs into this ititio\;tli\ e and uholl} likeable produetion. tls'ell) .-\pteri
The Happy Gang’s Singalong Saloon! (iiltlt'tl Hal/run! (ll li'i'ltr/ Rim. until 3/) .-lug. 2pm. ('liildt'en's ta\ es Mr l’. San and \iek} are baek \\ ith more singalong lttn. this time out in the Wild West. The Happy Prince (ie/ Sim-t in Ii/.l'.‘. (tun/ram. Quaker .l/eeling Maine. I” :5 .-lug. lllani. Budding thesps aged 7 ll get the ehanee to dress tip. aet. sing and general!) lia\ e a ball helping the eompan} stage ()sear \Vilde's eliarnnng tale. Sh} git} s earl. of eourse. just sit and enjo_\ the shim. Journeys II Saran/tall ("allege u] .ilrl antl Design. (interim llteatre. l/i lasing. 4.40pm. .\ltlsie.tl ad\enlttt'e based on the books ol l’aula S. \Vallaee. e\plortng the
Shalamazoo Help restore happiness to land of Ulbania in this fun interactive musical. See review on next page. Komedia Roman Eagle Lodge. until 19 Aug. Ila/n.
Treasure Island Wee Stories Theatre work their magic on R. L. Stevenson's adventure tale. See review on next page. Netherbow Theatre. until 26 Aug. 5.30pm.
The Comic Three Beano style characters jump in and out of animation land. See review on next page. C Venue. until 78 August. 12.35pm.
Monsters in my Wardrobe Snow beasts and fire dragons come out of the closet. See review on next page. The Stand. until 26 Aug, noon.
The Gruffalo Tall Stories adapt Julia Donaldson's popular picture book for the stage. featuring fun songs. great characterisation and a superny scary Gruffalo. See review on next page. C too. until 26 Aug. 2pm.
Pandemonium Music. song and dance merge in Jenifer Toksvig's reworking of the classics. Greek myths never looked so good. See review on next page. C Bel/e Ange/e. until 26 Aug, 70.30am.
Greyfriars Bobby Take a stroll through the Old Town finding out about Edinburgh's most famous canine. See review on next page. Greyfriars Kirk Yard. until 27 Aug, 1 lam.
Dr Bunhead vs The World’s Biggest Bogey George Square Theatre. 18—26 Aug, 7 lam. Dr Bunhead returns with more scientific mayhem. all done in the worst possible taste. See preview.
Tom Thumb Shona Reppe dazzles young and old with the cutest puppet on the Fringe. See review on next page. Pleasance. until 27 Aug. noon.
The Princess and the Pea Charming adaptation which l turns three of Hans Christian Andersen's tales into one. See review on next page. C Venue. until 96 Aug. 7 1.20am.
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