Latest news with #EdinburghInternationalChildren'sFestival
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Scotsman
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Fringe theatre reviews The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy And Tentacle Girl
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Unlikely Friendship Of Feather Boy And Tentacle Girl ★★★★ Assembly Roxy (Venue 139) until 17 August First scheduled to open this year's Edinburgh International Children's Festival, but delayed by a cast injury, The Unlikely Friendship Of Feather Boy And Tentacle Girl is a gorgeously sensual piece of physical theatre about flying upwards, plunging downwards, and unexpectedly finding a friend who understands your strange yearning to explore the furthest limits of a completely different element from the one into which you were born. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Unlikely Friendship Of Feather Boy And Tentacle Girl | Tommy Ga-Ken Wan So for 55 beautiful, wordless minutes, the show's co-creators Sadiq Ali and Vee Smith build the characters of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl, while performing gently spectacular acrobatic miracles with two tall poles and some wires, in the beautiful high space of Assembly Roxy. She crawls and reaches downwards, transforming her arms into tentacles, he swings and reaches upwards; and sometimes they dance together, her flexibility matching his height and strength, as he swirls her around in giant flying-fish movements, or pulls on ropes that send her swinging over the audience. Produced by leading Scottish children's company Catherine Wheels, with support from artistic director Gill Robertson and writer-dramaturg Rob Evans, the show has a narrative arc, which reaches its climax when the two seem to lose one another in a storm; if the show has a flaw, it lies in the vagueness of its post-storm conclusion, which seems to offer neither a joyful moment of reunion, nor a clear acknowledgment of loss. Yet the sheer beauty of the show - wrapped in shimmering blue-green light and fabrics by designer Jen McGinley, with lighting by Jamie Heseltine, and sound by Guy Veale - helps to draw us in; weaving a spell that soothes the soul, and holds the audience rapt, from beginning to end. Joyce McMillan Youth in Flames ★★★★ Zoo Playground (Venue 186) until 24 August Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The protests against Hong Kong's proposed extradition bill in 2019 and their swift and violent suppression form the backdrop to this powerful one woman play by young writer and performer Mimi Martin, making her solo debut on the Fringe. Millie (Martin) loves to party. She loves the freedom of her ex-pat parents' frequent absences, loves turning up at school hungover bragging about the night before. Hong Kong is her playground, but she feels no ties to it. She has already lived in five countries, shipped around the world for her parents' careers. If she needs to, she'll just move on to another one. Her best friend Jesse has no such luxury. A Hong Kong national attending the same international school, he is determined to go to the protests because he feels the country he knew slipping away from him, even if he has to defy his parents who don't want him to do anything to rock the boat of the high-achieving future they have planned. He wants Millie to come, and she thinks it's just another bit of fun until everything gets ugly very fast. Martin's writing is tight and urgent and her evocation of the city and its moods is superb. From Millie's privileged, shallow perspective, we see seismic shifts taking place: police in riot gear facing down peaceful demonstrators; the rhetoric shifting, linking the protests to rioting and terrorism to justify the use of force. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Her performance, under Jessica Whiley's direction, is perfectly pitched, balancing Millie's party-girl energy with restraint in the final sections of the play. There is no big lightbulb moment for her, just a gradual dawning awareness that the world is not always a benevolent place, and if you want to preserve something important, you might need to fight for it. Susan Mansfield I Was a Teenage She-Devil ★★★★ theSpace @ Niddry St (Venue 9) until 22 August A late-night, high-octane musical that delivers full '80s madness. All hairspray, rock 'n' roll, and a healthy dose of devilish fun. This is an affectionate parody, a camp love letter to the era which also successfully challenges outdated tropes. There are clear influences from and nods to '80s movies and cult classics - think Carrie and Back to the Future. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's set in an American high school, and features the stereotypical characters, including the mean girl, her hot quarterback boyfriend, the Bible-obsessed cheerleader, the weed smoker and the outcasts. When head cheerleader Tiffani gets into trouble for bullying, she takes her revenge on the unsuspecting and socially awkward Nancy, but surprisingly Nancy has a few tricks of her own. What follows is a deal with Satan that transforms her from a bookish nerd to sexy seductress, and Faith Pasch nails both sides of this wild transformation. The comedy-horror features catchy original songs and choreography that wouldn't look out of place in a music video. The dance numbers are punchy and packed, and voice effects added to the vocals further heighten the '80s feel. All the cast boast impressive vocals, making challenging songs appear effortless. The male characters are primarily used for humour rather than as developed roles. Big Rodd is tall, goofy, and loveably dim, Todd tags along gamely, and one performer hilariously takes on multiple roles from school teacher to hellish Satan. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's the women who really dominate the stage, each with their own brand of cool, strength, and chaos. There is real development in their characters which helps give the piece heart. Just when you think things can't get any crazier, another banger drops and the cast takes it to yet another level. Suzanne O'Brien Pictures of Willy ★★★ theSpace on the Mile (Venue 39) until 16 August Developed and performed by Los Angeles Theatre Initiative, Pictures of Willy is an ambitious stage play following artist Cal as he navigates life as a queer, single parent. Not only is his ability to parent his teenage son (whom he adopted thirteen years ago) scrutinised by the other parents at school, but Cal also criticises his own parenting style, anxious that the 'fun gay' and 'dad gay' aspects of himself are mutually exclusive. The script, which is more of a saga, impresses with its pithy one-liners and narrative complexity. Cal calls on his queer icons (including Joan Rivers and ABBA, who's photos occupy a large part of the stage), and they represent his conscience by supporting him in navigating everyday decisions and challenges. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The introduction of these characters creates an entertaining dynamic, however these scenes can be on the idler side, slowing the play's overall pace. Cal is renowned for his homoerotic art ('You're a horny man's Van Gogh!' says one fan-cum-love interest), which underscores the title and preempts a glorious mix-up involving his artwork and his son's school history project. While the story takes on too much, ultimately the company can only be admired for their enthusiasm and inventiveness. Josephine Balfour-Oatts Meaning ★★★ C ARTS | C venues | C aquila (Venue 21) until 17 August This is a show that questions what a show is, inside and outside of itself. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Written by Yitong Fu and produced by Zhengsi Cultural Media (China), it has moments of five-star Brechtian brilliance that blur the boundaries between what is constructed and what isn't, in ways that I've never seen done before. It's a simple set-up: a show takes place on stage, surrounded by an audience, also on stage, surrounded by us, another audience. At the centre is a plot about 'environmentalism, a female celibate and an anarchist', but really, it's an exploration of what experimental theatre can and can't do, carried out by a lively cast of characters, including a social media star, new writer and critic. A show's ability to be culturally insensitive, homophobic and sexist and for it to also be unfairly accused of these things by a chorus of commentators is argument has an opposite and the chance to be self-referential is never left untapped. More consistent performances from the international cast are needed to carry off a piece that is at times, intentionally, slow and difficult to engage with. It's funny and boring in equal measure, satirical and soporific – the kind of experimental show that's a great introduction to, critique and celebration of what the Fringe is all about. Sally Stott Paradok Platform 2025: Unwelcome ★★★ Bedlam Theatre (Venue 49) until 25 August Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Edinburgh University-based company Theatre Paradok are premiering three pieces this year, under the banner of one Fringe show. While their plays A Cat's Parasite and Russian Roulette run next week, this week sees writer and director Brooke Jessop's three-hander Unwelcome run in their slot. It's set in 1988, with that year's invasion of BBC News by lesbian activists being witnessed onscreen by the characters, while discontent about the Poll Tax and Section 28 rumbles in the background. Amid all this, middle class couple Julian (Eric Parker) and Andrew (Sam Mackinnon) are in a live-in but closeted gay relationship in London, which all seems to be running smoothly, until Andrew's sister Tracy (Megan Crutchley) turns up unannounced while Julian is out. To her Andrew is just Andy, who she grew up with on a Huddersfield council estate, but he's been adapting his accent and background to convince Julian he's a well-to-do Surrey lad instead. Wham!, Aztec Camera and Tiffany provide a period soundtrack, although it does grate a bit when Andy plays a little Hallelujah on his guitar, a song even Leonard Cohen fans might struggle to sing a line of in '88. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Yet otherwise it's a sensitive piece of work which thoughtfully brings together threads about sexuality and class in a manner which feels evergreen. David Pollock
Edinburgh Reporter
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Another successful Children's Festival is over
The Edinburgh International Children's Festival has just finished and has already been declared a major success. The festival was attended by 17,000 people which is an 11% increase from last year, with 87% of all tickets sold, and it will be back next year from 30 May to 7 June 2026. The event began with a packed Family Day at the National Museum of Scotland which was free to attend and which 7,460 people attended. This was followed by a week of shows attended by 3,615 pupils from 41 schools including nursery, primary and secondary schools. Festival Director Noel Jordan, said: 'From uplifting productions celebrating the diversity of our global sector and centred around the perspective and viewpoint of the child, to incredible industry panel discussions and provocations, what a fantastic week this has been. As my final Festival I could not have been prouder. With such an incredible and dedicated team behind it I am sure the Festival will continue to go from strength to strength. Thank you to all our audiences, funders, supporters and performers who make this festival such a joyous experience.' The shows included work from 7 different countries and the premiere of new commission Tongue Twister created and performed by Scottish artist Greg Sinclair and commissioned in partnership with Aberdeen Performing Arts. The show which features Greg attempting to say tongue twisters in as many different languages as possible, delighted its audiences with its language antics and gorgeous costumes. 'That was the bestest show in the world!' (child). Tongue Twister is touring to the Light the Blue Festival this weekend in Aberdeen. The Festival also enjoyed a run of the 2024 'must-see' Fringe show The Show for Young Men performed by Robbie Synge and young performer Alfie exploring topical ideas around masculinity and male friendship, and finished on a high with 6 sell-out performances of Double You, a raucous and high energy circus production from Belgium hosted in Portobello Town Hall. As well as families and schools, the Festival welcomed over 310 delegates from festivals and arts organisations in 30 different countries including Australia, Hungary, Thailand and Norway also attended the Festival. The delegate programme provided a platform for programmers, producers and artists to see and discuss high-quality work, share work in progress and network with peers from all over the world. In addition to the delegates who attended in person, 56 more attended the digital delegate programme online. The much-anticipated new commission the Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl which unfortunately was cancelled at the last minute due to a performer injury, plans to open in August for this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the Made in Scotland Showcase. The Edinburgh International Children's Festival will return in 2026 from 30 May to 7 June under new direction, following Noel Jordan's announcement earlier this year that after 10 successful years at the helm, he will be standing down and returning to Australia in November. Imaginate Family Day_National Museum of Scotland_24th May 2025 Counterflows_6 April 2025 Counterflows_6 April 2025 Imaginate Family Day_National Museum of Scotland_24th May 2025 Counterflows_6 April 2025 Counterflows_6 April 2025 Counterflows_6 April 2025 Imaginate Family Day_National Museum of Scotland_24th May 2025 Counterflows_6 April 2025 Young audiences from infancy to S1 at Edinburgh International Children's Festival. Young audiences from infancy to S1 at Edinburgh International Children's Festival. Young audiences from infancy to S1 at Edinburgh International Children's Festival. Young audiences from infancy to S1 at Edinburgh International Children's Festival. Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Theatre reviews: Double You When The World Turns
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Double You, Portobello Town Hall ★★★★★ The Pale Baron, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh ★★★★ When The World Turns, Lyra Theatre, Craigmillar ★★★★ The Flanders region of Belgium is legendary for the brilliance and daring of its theatre work for young audiences; hence the four-show Spotlight On Flanders season that featured in this year's Edinburgh International Children's Festival. And of all those fine shows, the one that played at Portobello Town Hall over the weekend – Double You, by Be Flat theatre of Ghent – turned out to be the absolute star, an unmissable and breathtaking hour of circus and physical theatre that had a Saturday night family audience cheering and stamping their approval. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Double You PIC: Dainius Putinas Performed by a team of five superbly strong, and athletic men in their 30s and 40s, Double You begins by defying two theatrical conventions. The first says that teams of acrobats should look as neatly identical as possible, submerging their own personalities; whereas this show begins with a long and teasing parade of individual appearances from the five hugely varied performers, each eyeballing the audience in his own inimitable way. And the second convention says that one show generally has just one audience. Here, the audience is divided in two by a huge white sheet across the stage, with evidently different things happening on either side. And that, again, provokes another divide, between those who are happy to watch their side of the show, and those who can't stop wondering what's happening over there; until at last, in a fine moment of theatrical madness, the curtain falls, and the audience joyfully becomes one. And from that point, the physical energy of the show almost literally goes through the roof, in ever more fabulous and breathtaking combinations of sound, music and movement. Themes and ideas flit through the mind – about unity and division, about othering and ceasing to other, about the astounding strength of human beings acting together, and about brilliant male role models for a century when we learn to play creatively, and to value that play, or we die. Mostly, though, we are just having a wonderful time; and feeling fortunate that we were there, to see this fantastic company performing at the height of their powers. The Pale Baron PIC: Phile Deprez Also hugely impressive, from Flanders, was Kopergietery's challenging show The Pale Baron, at the Traverse, in which Anna Vercammen and Joeri Cnapelinckx play Felkla and Felix, a pair of songwriter-musician working together in a place called The Underwater State. The state – like its great leader, The Pale Baron – values nothing but obvious usefulness, and hates artists and poets. Worse, it blames those not born in the State for everything; and Felka did arrive there, long ago, as a refugee. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The contemporary resonances of the show are all too obvious, in other words. And Vercammen and Cnapelinckx's performance, as the shades of oppression close around them, is both all too credible, and punctuated by some truly brilliant rock music; in a show that may be a tad complex and inconclusive for some in the target audience of 8-14 year olds, but that seems vitally important for young teenagers growing up in today's increasingly authoritarian world. And there's just time, as the EICF 2025 curtain falls, to play tribute to English company Oily Cart's show When The World Turns, co-created with the Australian group Polyglot, and presented at Lyra in Craigmillar last week. Specially crafted for children with physical and leaning disabilities, the show leads us into a canopied pavilion transformed into a small indoor rain forest, full of rich green plants, forest sounds, and telling lighting effects, as we see our own bodies merge – at least in shadow-play – into the texture of the forest itself. It's an award-winning show, and justly so; a gem of an experience for youngsters with special needs, and reminder to all of us that when we humans talk about the natural world, we are also talking about ourselves, and our own capacity to survive and thrive.
Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The festival capital of the world
Edinburgh's renowned festivals are already off to a flying start in 2025, with the city once again proving why it is the cultural capital of the world. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... As MSP for Edinburgh Central and Cabinet Secretary for Culture, I'm proud to see our festivals thrive and to support the extraordinary creativity they bring to our streets, stages, schools and all other venues. This year's Edinburgh Science Festival has already completed another successful run, with engaging and thought-provoking events drawing audiences of all ages. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Highlights included 'Our Connected World,' which explored how digital technology is shaping our future, and the always-popular 'Blood Bar,' where budding scientists got hands-on experience learning about human biology. The festival season continues with the Edinburgh International Children's Festival, where I was honoured to speak at the opening. As a parent of two young children, I'm particularly looking forward to taking them along to experience the joy, wonder and imagination that these shows inspire. Looking ahead, hundreds of performances are already listed across Edinburgh's summer festivals—from the Fringe and International Festival to the Book and Art Festivals. Whether you're a long-time local or a first-time visitor, I encourage everyone to browse what's on offer and experience something new. These festivals are more than a source of entertainment—they're a vital part of our city's identity and economy. I look forward to working with everyone involved to ensure their continued success for years to come. Edinburgh truly comes alive in festival season, and 2025 is already shaping up to be exceptional.
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Scotsman
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Scottish circus festival show cancelled after 'performer injury' in 'stunning' aerial display
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A festival circus act described as a 'stunning aerial show' has been cancelled after one of the artists was injured during a performance. The planned three-day run of The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl at the Edinburgh International Children's Festival (EICF) was cancelled at the weekend ahead of the festival's official opening night on Monday. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad EICF said the cancellation of the two-person performance by Vee Smith and Sadiq Ali, which features aerial displays in harnesses and modern circus-style performance, was due to 'performer injury'. It is understood Mr Ali had to attend accident-and-emergency (A&E) after an afternoon show in Johnstone on Wednesday last week and has been advised by doctors not to perform. Commissioned by the National Theatre of Scotland, the show was due to run on Monday and Tuesday nights and Wednesday afternoon. The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl was due to be performed this week. | Edinburgh International Children's Festival A statement from the Catherine Wheels Theatre Company and the Edinburgh International Children's Festival said: 'It is with a sad heart that we have had to cancel the performances of The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl at the Children's Festival, due to performer injury. We know this is disappointing news for the artists involved, our audiences and ourselves, but the health of the performer is paramount. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We are lucky that the show Grown Ups from Belgium, an absurd tragi-comedy about what happens to grown-ups when children are not looking, is able to step in at the last minute for the opening night of the festival tonight.' The show is also due to be performed during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August, when it will be part of the Made in Scotland showcase. The statement added: 'For those with tickets for the performances, we will be in touch with information on alternative shows or refund options. The Unlikely Friendship is performing at the Edinburgh Fringe as part of Made in Scotland, so an opportunity to see the work will still be possible. We hope to see some of you at the other inspiring and joyous shows taking place at the Children's Festival this week.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Aimed at children aged nine and over, the show tells the story of a girl who wants to be a monster and a boy who wants to fly. The description in the festival's brochure said: 'Exploring the universal yearning to belong and sharing the joy of friendship, this is a dynamic and visually stunning aerial show.' A performance of the same show, due to take place in Glasgow's Tramway as part of Dance International Glasgow, was also cancelled last week, as was a second evening performance in Johnstone Town Hall on Wednesday last week. The hour-long EICF performance was due to be staged at the Assembly Roxy.
