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| Edinburgh : A&E : Festivals : Fringe reviews |
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 Childrens |
Rating Guide None = Unmissable 
= UnwatchablePage number refers to the Fringe programme Santa’s Summer. (Page 14). Drams
of Scotland's other national drink, the soft one.Venue C (Venue 34). Address Chambers Street. Reviewer Sophie Lloyd. C Theatre presents us with a modern day Lapland – a Father Christmas who surfs the net and elves who like snow boarding. But the 3 billion presents to be delivered this year are just a little too much for Mr Claus. Fed up with his and job and in need of a summer holiday, Santa is in search of someone to take over. The tooth fairy, Mr Sandman, the Easter Bunny and Jack Frost all apply for his job. Donning a pair of shades and some very fetching red shorts, Santa sets off on his hols leaving the elves and Rudolph to hold the fort under a new boss. With a small cast of 5 actors, the parts are shared between them with some quick costume changes. The acting varies. Mark Gibbs plays a good Santa, but early in the run struggles with his lines on occasion. The set is minimal, but the costumes are colourful and effective. The singing and dancing is well done with plenty of cheerful songs, which liven up the show. An entertaining and light-hearted production with many comic touches - great to amuse the kids for an hour. It lacks a little life, but this could be due to the small audience. An auditorium full of children to interact with would undoubtedly improve the show. ©Sophie Lloyd 5 August 2004 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Runs 4-14, 16-30 August at 11.15am. Company – C theatre.
Sinbad. (Page 14 ) Drams .Venue Bedlam (Venue 49). Address 11b Bristo Place. Reviewer Thelma Good. Sinbad's not the really baddie in this show which entertains the small and large in audience, it's Sharee and her sidekicks are Wrack and Ruin. After the Book of Peace that King Ramirez keeps Sharee whips up a three-headed sea monster the strange sirens and on land she create more mayhem with the terrible tots and some very apy apes. Princess Marina's the King's eldest daughter, her Mum the Queen wants her to get married but Marina and her beautiful bird Melody want to have adveentures on the high seas. When Sinbad won't take her on boardMarina and her feathery friend go away. Once on board the bird and Sinbad's monkey, each played by the youngest members of the company become the ones to save the day with Sinbad and Marina sometimes lending a hand. TACT are a community company AND the show is really high quality. With three generations in the show and a cast of over ten there's excellent movement and plenty of Panto-like fun. It also boasts one of the best sets, by Rob Batterbee, I've seen this Fringe and the costumes have glitz and glamour look out for the Queen and King's crowns. So grab your children or your mates and go a see an highly profession show, where only the too strident at times voices let them down. If you're down in Tamworth after the Fringe you'll get a chance to catch this show. © Thelma Good 25 August 2004 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Runs to 28 August at 12:05 Company Website Total Arts Community Theatre.
The Willow Pattern. (Page 14). Drams .Venue The Zoo, Kirk O'Field Parish Church . (Venue 124). Address 140 the Pleasance. Reviewer Kim Oliver. This imaginative piece of theatre for young adults and children is excellent value for money. The acting, sets, music amd script are exuberantly exploited to their maximum potential. My only gripe is that the pace is sometimes too rapid to do the humour in the script any justice. The storyline revolves around the spoilt daughter of a rich mandarin who falls in love with her father's insipid secretary. The bustling atmosphere of a mediaeval court is frenetically realised and there are many modern references and vernaculars that children will quickly recognise. This keeps the traditional story from sounding stale. The characters are all well acted - noteably the servants who reveal hidden depths. This all female teenage cast are also adept at portraying male characters, particularily Chang - the male lead. Ttestament to this is the testosterone fuelled stag night act is and their adaptation of 'three lines on a shirt' is a stroke of genius, and makes for very entertaining theatre. Well worth taking the kids to, in its clever combination of old and new there is something for everyone . ©Kim Oliver 28 August 2003 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Runs to August 30 at 12:00 noon. Company: Nightingale Productions.
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