list.co.uk/festival Reviews | FESTIVAL KIDS
WAR OF THE WORMS Sing-a-long storytelling that falls foul of fact ●●●●● L’APRES-MIDI D’UN FOEHN Plastic fantastic as tiny dancers bag some air time ●●●●●
TITUS Hopeful play about a lost boy ●●●●●
Father and daughter team Richard and Rosie Digance narrate and sing their way through a tale of the humble worm and its role in nature – with an emphasis on the smelly. With Richard on guitar duty, and Rosie reading
the story, they make for amiable hosts and give the show a lo-fi Jackanory quality. The bare staging sets them at a disadvantage, however, when it comes to clarity of storytelling.
If you loved the floating bag in American Beauty, then you’re in for a real treat. As we troop into Summerhall’s Old Lab, an
austere-looking gent in a winter coat is methodically taping together pieces of plastic. The circular area he works in is surrounded by electric fans, and as he switches them on, his creation becomes a scene-stealing ‘dancer’ accompanied by the gentle strains of the show’s titular piece by Debussy.
The non-linear timeline and mixture of fiction and This soloist is joined by other already-completed
scientific fact becomes confusing at times and the introduction of illustration or animation could enhance the flow of the story. Also, for a show putatively about evolution, one side-step into the church hymnal strikes an odd note.
Such concerns are unlikely to trouble the intended audience of 6–11 year olds. Richard has a long musical history and plumbs this for the catchiest, most interactive tunes. This, and the copious references to all substances icky, sticky and smelly, provide moments of fun and War of the Worms is best taken as a piece of storytelling rather than a learning experience. (Suzanne Black) ■ New Town Theatre, 220 0143, until 25 Aug (not 9, 10, 20), 10.30am, £8 (£7).
carrier bags and a colourful spectacle fills the room. Company Non Nova’s show is a jaw-dropping, gravity-defying joy for little ones. The grown-ups can also wonder at the science of it all while pondering the narrative’s power relations. With the tiny dancers emerging from humble beginnings to become an avian menace, their creator and controller throws himself into a destructive rage. Over the course of less than 30 minutes, you’ll discover a spectacle of beauty that will stay with you for years to come. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 25 Aug (not 11,12, 17, 18, 22), 2pm & 5pm, £10 (£7).
There are unlikely to be many more expressive faces appearing in kids theatre this Fringe than Joseph Arkley’s. Throughout Titus, the RSAMD-trained actor stretches every muscle, with eyes either piercing or full of despair, and his mouth shaping a sly conspiratorial grin or widening to yell the pain of his character’s situation.
Making a fidgety entrance from the back of the room and through the audience at this compact venue, Arkley brilliantly performs most of the 50 minutes perched on a table to represent the rooftop edge where Titus’ young, disturbed life has brought him. Now motherless and with an emotionally-drained
butcher father, this vegetarian boy almost finds salvation in a girl called Tina. But with family, friends and medical professionals appearing to be of no help whatsoever, all his dreams seem to be impossible ones. The play ends with a symbol of hope which
manages to be both funny and dramatic. Sensitive but not sentimental, the script and performance carry this lost boy off into a potentially better future. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 25 Aug (not 16, 19), 12.10pm, £8 (£6).
P H O T O © G R A H A M B U R K E
ROMEO AND JULIET Star-crossed lovers never looked so good ●●●●●
Any company staging Romeo and Juliet for younger audiences has two hurdles to overcome: make it clear enough for children to understand, yet fresh and interesting enough for the adult sitting next to them, who knows the story inside out.
This energetic production from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and New Mutiny Theatre Company clears both with ease. It also manages to make the audience laugh out loud then reduce them to tears in the space of an hour.
Admittedly, they’ve got a great story to play with, and despite culling a few major characters, they stay pretty faithful to Shakespeare’s original. The frame they place around it, however, is a stroke of genius.
Feeling the sting of her parent’s recent divorce, young girl Emily
tries to settle into her new bedroom at dad’s house. Looking for love in every book she picks up, she happens upon Romeo and Juliet, and assumes a fairytale happy ending is on the cards. The six performers who suddenly appear to act out the play have other ideas, of course. Shifting between modern dialect and Shakespearean prose, Emily forms the perfect bridge between the audience and the Montague and Capulet clans. Clarity is paramount, the pacing is spot on, and the laughs come thick and fast – until the death tally starts rising, then it’s time to reach for your tissues.
Whether they’re singing, playing instruments or acting with a comic timing and emotional passion that belies their age, this talented cast holds you in its sway throughout. Romeo and Juliet may be in the Children’s section – and it’s
certainly a great introduction to Shakespeare – but this superb production is every bit as entertaining for adults as it is for kids. (Kelly Apter) ■ Assembly George Square, until 18 Aug, 11.20am, £9–£10 (£7–£8).
8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 65