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JOIN IN THE FUN
Kids are doing it for themselves
Watching Fringe shows is all very well. but sometimes you just want to get up and do it yourself. Two young Fringe companies have entered into the spirit of this, but in very different ways.
An off-shoot of their production. The Rainbow Fish. Blunderbus Theatre Company is holding an Underwater Activity Afternoon (.00. ) twice each day. The hour long event, held in a top floor room at the Jury's Inn. actively encourages accompanying adults to get involved. With stickers. glue and glitter at our disposal (and somebody else to clear up!) we sat on the floor and made beautiful rainbow fish. before indulging in a spot of drama. swishing them noisily round the room. Then out came the face paints. and everybody left looking far more colourful than they arrived (nearby toilets were available for those unwilling to share their new face with the world).
Down in the New Town at the new Johnny Miller venue. you'll find Serious Fun For Kids (0000 ). In stark contrast to the Rainbow Fish event. parents can drop and run, leaving their child in safe hands. The two hour session. led by five friendly and competent staff, is a mix of drama games, performance and craft activities. Watching shy wallflowers blossom into wt ilk". or ii ll‘illorlilfi storyteller confident performers in under two hours was a sight to behold. f'llf,’illllli:l‘. a ‘if‘iirtilt‘tlfl in the 5;: math mt Encouraged to do as little or as much as they feel comfortable with, the children let their imaginations run wild. With not a tear shed. moan uttered or expression of boredom in the entire session. (Kelly Apter) I Hat?!“ ".2 ("IS/"i U’:’hffl".‘./ir'e" AI ‘3‘. If. A .i,"";‘ .’e”‘..r’ . \f
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riiii‘;f;ri<;(:_ p!;i‘,t‘. '»tf(,(il‘.(I liilrllr: ft) the _‘ interactions IN‘IVJML‘H straight man, Jean. and the ‘.‘-/lf$(,‘(:l{i(,klll(] Dog. I while inevitably, the real stars of the show are the incredibly expressive puppets. iAllaii Harlcliffei
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MUTTNIK, THE FIRST DOG IN SPACE Exuberant true story 0000
Niki McCr'etton‘s ‘.’(?l§§ll)ll of the true story of Lillkll the first Russian space (for; (ilubbeil Muttnik by the Americans) represents kids pllySltlil theatre at its most simple but effective. The tone alternates between
KNIGHT TIME And the crowd went Wild! 0000
53””le puppets to recreate the annual Knight Trials,
The audience is int; Teri to stamp along to the Jousting. '.'.’ft')()l)!ll(l .‘xith excitement at the end of the tournament as simple count". lad Jack Birch. accorripanierl b‘, ftl‘) faithfu‘. flatulent horse. Raspberr. riefeata such Ill‘.’l(Il()llS characters as S'iewaiot run/ho atchoos his out of the arer‘ra and Egon the Terrible. to steai the roosting crow". Fr'on‘ there he
Scratch Productions show is stunning; ewrlence of what one man 1n a theatre melancholic and slapstick. lending the space can conjure up. The solo
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As With all the best children's shows. presence. as well as some lovely; there are plentx of opportunities fOr‘ interaction filth the audience, including playing catch wrth a giant inflatable globe, identihinu the planets in the solar sx stem and reading about the hounds etentual fate from an opticians' chart.
McCr'etton herself is an engaging, versatile performer, moung from exuberant Singing in {be Rare-style dance to Cossack whirling. She effortlessh alternates roles. from the bedraggleu pooch to stem Rea Aritt‘. officer and dottx Soxiet scientist. in a show that is frequently movrng as well as great fun. iAIlan Radcliffei I Pi'easarute COL/m ar'd, 556 6550. LINN 28 Aug. ’ 7.35ar‘7. $550—$850 iEG—Er‘i.
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THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 49