Festival KIDS
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HITLIST THE BEST KIDS STUFF
P H O T O © M O L L Y R O B N S O N
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✽ Musical Mornings with Mil’s Trills New York ukulele player Amelia Robinson
charms the little ones with her catchy original songs. See feature at list.co.uk/festival. Pleas- ance Courtyard, 556 6550, 2–17 Aug (not 11), 10.30am & 11.30am, £7–£9 (£6.50–£7.50). Previews 30 Jul & 1 Aug, £6.50.
✽ Emily Brown and the Thing The inimi- table Tall Stories bring Cressida Cowell’s
popular picture book to the stage. See preview, page 57. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 1–24 Aug (not 7), 2.05pm, £8–£10 (£7–£9). Previews 30 & 31 Jul, £6.
✽ Red Riding Hood Puppetry and mask
add a new dimension to this reworking of the traditional tale. See preview, page 58. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 556 9579, 1–17 Aug (not 11), 1pm, £8.50 (£6.50). Preview 31 Jul, £7.50 (£5.50).
✽ Chalk About Choreographer Christine Devaney explores what it means to be you, in this highly visual show. See preview, page 57. Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, 5–24 Aug (not 11, 18), 11.30am, £9 (£7; family ticket £26). Previews 1–3 Aug, £6.
✽ Ready, Steady, Ceilidh CBBC present- er Iain Stirling hosts this fun hour of music, dancing and lots of joining in. See preview, page 58. Assembly George Square, 623 3030, 2–25 Aug (not 11), 12.30pm, £10–£12. Previews 31 Jul & 1 Aug, £6.
✽ The Sagas of Noggin the Nog Puppetry, live music and Vikings in this stage version of the 1960s and 70s chil- dren’s TV series. See feature at list.co.uk/festival. As- sembly George Square, 623 3030, 2–25 Aug (not 11, 18), 12.50pm, £9–£10 (£7–£8). Previews 31 Jul & 1 Aug, £6.
THE CAT IN THE HAT Famous feline climbs on stage W ith his red bow tie and tall stripy hat, few
producers see this stage version as playing a similar role: only this time, the aim is to fire up a passion for the theatre.
‘There is a pressure on us to make sure young people want to come back to the theatre forever and we certainly hope we succeed,’ says Taylor-Mills. ‘Our vision for the show was that it had to be a relaxed performance where children are able to talk, come in and out of the auditorium, play with the balls and pop the bubbles. The only thing they’re not allowed to do is touch the Cat in the Hat’s tail, as he gets very angry.’ (Kelly Apter) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 2–25 Aug (not 11), 12.05pm, £9–£11 (£7.50– £9.50), 6, 13, 20 Aug, 1.05pm, £10 (£8.50). Previews 30 Jul–1 Aug, £6.
children’s book characters are as iconic as the Cat in the Hat. Written in 1957 by Dr Seuss (aka American writer Theodor Geisel), the story is precious to generations of readers – requiring a sensitivity on the part of those adapting it for the stage.
‘The zany world of Dr Seuss is as precious to the entire team and myself as it is for the fans (young and old) across the world,’ says director Paul Taylor-Mills. ‘We have been extremely loyal in the aesthetic of the design so that it truly does feel like the book has come to life on stage. Where we have made it fresh and new, is in the engagement with our audiences.’ Geisel’s original book was specially commissioned to provide a fun and engaging way for children to learn to read. And the
56 THE LIST FESTIVAL 31 Jul–7 Aug 2014