list.co.uk/festival PETER DUNCAN’S DAFT AND DANGEROUS Family-friendly romp down memory lane for Blue Peter man
When you start life having your nappy changed by Danny La Rue, it’s fair to say you’re not going to have a run-of- the-mill career. Growing up in a show business family, Peter Duncan spent his childhood backstage, and most of his adult life tackling hazardous pursuits most of us would run a mile from. All of which has found its way into his debut Fringe show, Daft and Dangerous.
him explore his past ventures, utilising interactive video footage and a few original songs. ‘I’ve tried not to be predictable in my working life, so I hope the show is surprising and yet affectionate and fun for all ages,’ says Duncan. ‘Because I’ve always loved doing three-generational stuff, and love the fact that you can make a 5- year-old and 80-year-old laugh at the same time.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 8- 31 Aug (not 26), 6.30pm, £10–£11 (£8.50–£9.50). Previews until 7 Aug, £5.
ROALD DAHL’S REVOLTING RHYMES Delightfully disgusting storytelling It’s nearly 30 years since the publication of Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes, yet the gory tales still captivate. Clem Silverman and Lewis Baker from the Roald Dahl Museum in Buckinghamshire are capitalising on this enduring narrative magic with readings from the poetic tome and its follow-up, Dirty Beasts.
‘The show’s a bit anarchic,’ says For Silverman, seeing children’s
Duncan. ‘It’s a crazy mix of all the stuff I’ve done through the years – Blue Peter presenter, Chief Scout, lots of kids drama, pantos. And it all starts with me being killed.’ From there, God and the Devil help
reactions during a performance is the best part of his job. ‘It’s great to see their faces when I pick my nose or dribble a little bit when reading The Three Little Pigs,’ he says. ‘It justifies me being silly.’
GIRAFFES CAN’T DANCE Uplifting story for little ones
With so many shows to choose from on the Fringe, parents have to be canny about what they take their young charges to. In recent years, the wise money has been spent on a ticket to see Blunderbus Theatre Company. Specialising in musical tales for 3–7-year-olds that incorporate beautifully-crafted puppets, the company has captivated all who saw its adaptations of storybooks such as Elmer the Elephant and The Rainbow Fish.
This year, it is taking on Giles Andreae’s Giraffes Can’t Dance, the
charming tale of bandy-legged Gerald and his unique movement style. Artistic director, Bill Davies explains the choice. ‘It’s a very simple but beautifully optimistic story,’ he says. ‘The moral is relevant to everybody and there’s something about Gerald’s wide-eyed innocence that children instantly identify with. All of the ingredients were present – the colourful characters, the poetic language – and recreating the great jungle dance was a very exciting challenge.’ One of the defining features of the Blunderbus team is friendliness.
Acquainting themselves with the audience beforehand allows them actively to involve children in the show. ‘The audience is our friend,’ says Davies. ‘We invite them to join us on our adventures and do our best to ensure they’re with us at every turn. Blunderbuss tell stories, but we also try to create memorable experiences for children – and the best way to engage 3–7-year-olds is to include them in the action and ask their opinions.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ The Space @ Royal College of Surgeons, 0845 508 8515, 8–29 Aug (not 16), 10.35am (9 & 23, 2.35pm), £7 (£6). Preview 7 Aug, £5.
Festival Kids
premiere on the Fringe.
‘What I love about writing for kids,’ says Berliner, ‘is they are a far more discerning audience than people give them credit for. They know what they like and you have the freedom to be quite silly with it.’
Ice-Cream Man certainly adheres to this ethos. As well as a moral message about healthy eating, the show – which is set in ‘the Foodiverse’ – includes a send-up of Jamie Oliver. Berliner’s songs feature heavily as he gets the audience involved in the storytelling process, making him confident that this show will be as much of a triumph as its predecessor. ‘Dude always had as much of an adult following as it did kids,’ he says. ‘I’m hoping Ice-Cream Man will enjoy the same thing.’ (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, 8-31 Aug (not 17), 11.45am, £7.50–£8 (£5.50–£6). Previews 5–7 Aug, £5.
JUMPING MOUSE Rodent on a quest
Like its previous Fringe successes – Funeral Games and No Obvious Trauma – Unpacked’s first show for children, Jumping Mouse, has a darkly comic feel. ‘Not that it will be frightening or unappealing,’ says the show’s director, Darren East, ‘but there’s a certain seriousness about it.’ Based on a Native American folk
tale, the show uses a blend of puppetry and performance to tell the story of one mouse’s journey of self- discovery. However, some modifications have been made. ‘We’ve added the framework of a boy on a bus who’s afraid of changing schools – so he’s told the story at the same time as the audience,’ he says. ‘We have altered the original tale quite a lot, but the core discovery story is still there.’
This twist on the traditional telling, plus the group’s use of props that they have found rather than created,
Dilly Dilly ‘Rollickingly eccentric’ The Herald
Seriously silly, poetic and slightly absurd dance theatre for smaller and taller folk 4 years + 10.30 (11.15) 5-16 Aug (not 11) £5
Venue 22, Grassmarket 0131 225 5525 dancebase.co.uk
But there’s a serious side to the show as well, in keeping with the museum’s mission to promote children’s literacy. ‘When children come up to you afterwards and say, “I love Roald Dahl, I’m going to read more stories now” – that’s a good experience.’ Silverman and Baker’s show will rely
on audience interaction, as well as their own routines for favourites like Cinderella and the Anteater from Dirty Beasts. And, despite some nervousness, they’re very excited about their Fringe run. ‘I came up to the Fringe last year and it was the best experience of my life,’ Silverman says. ‘It’ll be a privilege to be there.’ (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 8–31 Aug (not 17 & 24), 12.30pm, £7–£8 (£5–£6). Previews until 7 Aug, 12.30pm, £5.
ICE CREAM MAN AND THE JELLY INCIDENT Fun with food
Writer Jonny Berliner certainly knows how to create an attention-grabbing show title. After the huge success of Dude! Where’s my Teddy Bear? – which went from Edinburgh sell-out in 2003/4 to runs at festivals nationwide, including Glastonbury – Ice-Cream Man and the Jelly Incident by Berliner and Dave Labi will receive its world
www.scottishtheatre.org/madeinscotland
6–13 Aug 2009 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 39