Imaginate Festival

Jamie Adkins started his career age 13 as a street performer in SanDiego.  After joining the Pickle Family Circus in San Francisco, he joined Montréal’s Cirque Éloize with whom he produced his creation, Typo, that toured the world for over two years when this consummate clown acrobat gave over 200 performances that were admired and loved by critics and the circus- going audiences alike.

Shona Reppe Puppets was established in 1996 and has since been touring Scotland - and the world - performing to sell-out audiences and picking up several awards on the way. Shona charmed and delighted a packed house at the Churchill Theatre with her juicy cocktail of fruit and vegetables.

Het Filiaal are a ‘youth and music theatre’ group based in Utrecht. Through a combination of acting, music, puppetry and animation with a large helping of humour, they deliver the moving, if mildly bizarre, story of Miss Ophelia, which has just won the prestigious Zilveren Krekel (Silver Cricket) award for ‘most impressive production’ in The Netherlands.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of David McKee’s affectionately remembered TV series, Mr Benn, Tall Stories has adapted the character’s “...extraordinary adventures of an ordinary man” to a stage version full of magic and music.

It is a truly amazing skill to be able to pitch quality theatre at wee ones aged up to 2 but that is exactly what Starcatchers has done with the show First Light. The company, who specialises in "the creation of world-class theatre performances for children aged from birth to 4 years”, have certainly met their goal.

Within a frame of focussed spotlights,   the miniature stage-within-a-stage in Traverse 2 created a further intimacy within the already intimate space there. This was emphasised by the amended pulled-in seating that allowed good views for the young audience of Puppentheater Halle from Germany as the puppeteers and puppets performed their version of The Golden Goose. 

Touring children's theatre festival, taking place each May or June, with around 15 or so productions in various venues across the city. Imaginate brings together shows by top international performers as well as Scottish theatre companies, for an audience that ranges in age from babies to 16-year-olds.

Edinburgh's Festivals will share £2 million from the Scottish Government to showcase Scottish cultural and creative talent.