ThreeWeeks
WeekThree • 23.08.05
even more children’s shows reviews
Professor Bumm’s Story Machine
audience members who prefer the All you needed was the wilderness of
Festival Highlights - The Black Sheep crash-bang-wallop’ of television might your own mind’s eye (and perhaps a
Professor Bumm (Harry Hill’s fi nd this a little slow – certainly this few sneaky voice changes) and voila!
doppelganger) and Doctor Whee (yes audience seemed split: half captivated You now have your very own legend.
really!) unveil their latest invention - The and half restless, though all the parents Reminding (and also teaching) some of
Story Machine (think HAL crossed seemed to enjoy the parents-in-law jokes! us the forgotten art of the imagination,
with Steven Hawking). What we get is Nevertheless, I found this a very relaxing Adam Bampton-Smith ingeniously guides
largely improvised madness that relies performance. [lc] us through the marvellous adventures
on the imagination of the children in the
Quaker Meeting House, 9 – 27 Aug (odd days of Perseus, charmingly narrated and
audience: stories about the Italian mafi a
only), 11:00am 11:45am), £5.00 (£3.50), fpp14.
acted within the countless imaginary
and poems about the word ‘the’, and
tw rating 3/5
settings that can be had in an attic. The
much more fantastic madness. Although timelessness of Greek myth never failing
it’s recommended for ages 7+, I have
Philip Pullman’s ‘I Was A Rat’ for a second, this show will appeal to
a sneaking suspicion the parents were
Collapsible Theatre Company
every age. Boycott the Playstation! This is
enjoying it more than they should. Not
As a fan of Pullman’s epic ‘Dark
how child’s play should be. [nj]
the most sophisticated comedy, but
Materials’ trilogy, my expectations of Pleasance Courtyard, 7 - 29 Aug (not 15, 23
certainly the most fun I’ve had all festival
‘I Was A Rat’ were set a little too high. Aug), 11:30am (12:30am), £6.50, fpp 12.
so far. I wish my parents had taken me
Instead of a massive journey through a tw rating 4/5
to see stuff like this! Brilliantly bonkers.
huge and complex parallel world, we got
[hks]
a former rat trying to make his way. A bit Scottish Ceilidh For Kids
Pleasance Courtyard, 4 - 29 Aug (not 10, 17),
different, but a good show nevertheless. Dance Tae Yer Daddie
12:15pm (1:15pm), prices vary, fpp 13. It was a tale of survival in a cruel world, Before taking your kids to this, think
tw rating 5/5 of the mystery of where our lead carefully about how they will respond.
character came from and of the power Will they a) Join in enthusiastically and
And What Do We Do When We Alice In Wonderland Stage by Stage 12:30pm (1:20pm), £6.50 (£5.50), fpp 12. tw
that good people have to help those learn all the steps properly, b) Attempt
Get There? Paul Lyalls
Had it not been for Caterpillar/Cheshire rating 3/5
they love, with satire and silliness for all to join in but be lost and confused
A random mish mash of poetry,
Cat played by Rosie March and French
generations. The character switching, throughout, c) Follow your lead passively
participation and story telling, this show
Turtle/Swan played by Hannah Powell
Short Stories And Shortbread to create forty characters from a cast and be dragged around the dance fl oor,
suffers slightly from its lack of structure.
this play would have become the type of Haywood Arts Regional Theatre
of eight, is expertly obvious, with each d) Sit and refuse to dance, or e) Throw a
Paul Lyalls is a confi dent performer who
production that patronises children by Using a storytelling style of theatre,
character distinctly personifi ed and odd. tantrum and refuse to dance? Only take
is at ease with children, and so makes for
actors not bothering to learn their lines three actors tell us four short stories,
Great fun for children. [ep] them if a) or b) are true. It also helps if
a good host. He talks of how he does
or be comprehensible. March and Powell by the prominent American writers,
C, 14 - 29 Aug, 11:00am (12:00pm), £7.50 you know the steps as the band doesn’t
this sort of thing in schools all the time,
wowed the audience with their fantastic Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe, James (£6.50/£5.50), fpp 12. tw rating 3/5
stand up to show you them. They also
and I get the feeling that his show would
singing and audience interaction. The Thurber and O’ Henry. I found the fi rst
don’t Strip the Willow – arguably the best
CHILDREN’S SHOWS
work better as a classroom activity. But
rest of the cast slipped up their lines story quite uninspiring and irritating in
The Legend Of Perseus Ceilidh dance ever. Fun for those who
the kids who are here are having a great
and Alice was far too quiet to be heard both its plot and performance; the next
Big Wooden Horse Company Theatre get into it; no fun for parents of stroppy
time joining in the fun and that, surely,
- her voice was always lost under the two I already knew, but they were still
Cast your mind back to an age when a kids. [ep]
is the most important thing if you’re
loud music. The beginning and end of exciting, and the fi nal one was funny. The
Barbie doll substituted a horrifying she- The Bongo Club, 5-28 Aug (Friday, Saturday,
looking for a good show to keep young
this play was shaky but when the main style varied to suit the different moods
monster; a birdcage - a beautiful maiden; Sunday only), 3:00pm (4:00pm), £8.00 (£6.00),
minds occupied for an hour of the
characters like the Mad Hatter were of the stories, spooky for Poe’s ‘Tell
and a baseball cap - a magical helmet. fpp 13. tw rating 3/5
festival.[el]
introduced it was delightful and fun. If Tale Heart’ and jocular for O’ Henry’s
Pleasance Dome, 3 - 29 Aug (not 16), 1:30pm the actors worked on being understood ‘Ransom of Red Chief ’. Free food is
(2:20pm), prices vary, fpp 8. tw rating 3/5 this production could soar. [er] always benefi cial and the shortbread was
Stage by Stage, 16 – 27 Aug (not 23), times vary,
tasty, but disappointingly not homemade.
£6.00 (£5.00), fpp 8. tw
Friendly and fun, with a few unexpected
rating 3/5
twists. [ep]
Hill Street Theatre, 5-29 Aug (not 17), 1:30pm
Not Now, Bernard (2:30pm), £6.00 (£4.00), fpp 14. tw rating 3/5
And Other Monster
Stories
Dreams Come Out To Play
New Perspectives Theatre
Knavish Speech
Company This is a play for the very little ones
I’ve always considered following a little girl as she battles to
myself reasonably rescue her teddy from her nightmares.
smarter than your It uses some excellent singing, drama,
average six year old (if puppets and shadows, all taking place on
you ignore the chess- a circular stage. The action moves round
playing, spelling-bee so everyone feels included, but at times
type, where I might have I’m not sure anyone knew what was
competition). But I was going on. Kids will love joining in, but
still slightly confused the ones with me were a bit overwhelmed
by this show. David at times by the volume of the scarier
McKee’s much-loved music and at points where the main
stories are individually character was clearly in distress. Having
lovely, but it was said that, all the audience members I
diffi cult to experience spoke to said they had enjoyed it, making
them as a whole, it a nice start to the day for young Fringe
what with the onstage visitors. [eb]
character changes like
C Venues, 3 - 29 Aug, 10:00am (10:40am),
‘Mummy’, becoming
£6.50 (£5.50 or £4.50C), fpp 10.
‘someone else’s
tw rating 3/5
Mummy’. However,
three genuinely
The Six Swans
enthusiastic and
Singing Harp
engaging actors meant
The harp’s song stretches through this
that this was still a great
Brothers Grimm tale of six beloved
show. Creative use of
brothers and the sister who honours
props meant that it was
them. Swans, witches and a magical ball
Lifeboat Catherine Wheels Theatre Company
visually entertaining and,
of yarn conspire till goodness reigns
Defi nitely one of the most powerful pieces of children’s theatre I’ve ever seen. Lifeboat
as depraved or cynical
and evil is gone. This lovely tale brings
tells the true story of two evacuees from World War 2 who left home on a ship bound
as you might consider
together a group of accomplished
for Canada and a new life, but ended up in the North Atlantic clinging to the rope of
yourself to be, it’s
artists (singers, actresses, musicians and
an upturned lifeboat. It shows the harsh reality of domestic life during war time form
impossible not to smile
dancers) who tell the tale in a gentle,
the point of view of two very different girls who aren’t totally sure what’s going on.
at the idea that a teddy
harp-accompanied voice, utilising subtle
Not one for the very young, but well written, excellently put together, and brilliantly
from your dad could
props. The actresses cleverly take on
performed. It’s a thought provoking piece showing what it was like for children at the
save you from all kinds
different parts, a nice concept, though
beginning of some of British history’s darkest moments. [eb]
of scary monsters. [gs]
one which could be confusing for young
Assembly @ George St, 6 – 28 Aug (not 8, 15 or 22), 11:00am (12:10pm), prices vary, fpp 12.
C, 3 - 29 Aug (not 14),
children. Meanwhile, those younger
tw rating 5/5
page 14 www.threeweeks.co.uk
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