HITLIST‘ l
IPUNCH ANDJUDY No i show without Punch. but Penicuik Punch and Judy present this ever-popular
show in a slightly ditterent .‘ way-MrPunch and his pals 2 are human! ,
Punch and Judy(Fringe) Diverse Attractions. Riddles l Court oil the Lawnmarket (Venue 11) 225 8961. 18 I Aug.2pm.£1.50(£1). I Tickets atvenue only. I I MR TDAD‘S EXCELLENT l ADVENTURE PoorToad ends up in court as a result othis passion tor motor powerin this extract : adapted lrom Kenneth Graham's Wind inthe | Willows.
Mr Toad's Excellent Adventure (Fringe)
Mumbles Theatre. Paradox
at the Wee Red Bar,
Edinburgh College olArt ' (Venue 73)2291003.13—25 i Aug (not Sun). 113m. £3 I (£2). 1 ITHE EMPERDR'S NEW ) CLOTHES StAndrew's ' University Mermaids with ) theiradaptation olHans 1 Christian Anderson I The Emperor's New Clothes 3 (Fringe) StAndrew‘s ' University Mermaids. Edinburgh College olArt (Venue 73) 14—25 Aug. 5.05pm. £1.50 (£1).
I THE FAERtE QUEEN AND ; THE GDBLIN KING The show i with everything. including ; three double-decker buses! The Faerie Queen and the i Goblin King (Fringe) l lnverleith Park Tennis Courts (Venue 125) 20-25 Aug. 6.30pm; 25 Aug mat 2.30pm, £2.50 (£2).
I THE LDATHSDME DRAGON Wicked witches, dragons. a prince and princess. 3 bit at good and evil- and lots otaudience participation— are all the ingredients of a classiclairy tale.
The Loathsome Dragon (Fringe) Wicked Theatre. Marco's Leisure Centre. 51 Grove Street (Venue 98) 229 8830. 27 Aug—1 Sept.
11am. £2.50 (£2).
l
FESTIVAL —
theatre/Kins
I- Giant and
Gangster
Herrick Theatre (‘lub are a community group. of mixed backgrounds and ages who are based in Leicester where. for the rest ofthe year. they produce plays and musicals and run theatre workshops. ()scar Wilde‘s classic tale ofThe Selfish (iiant gets unusual treatment in their production — the people are puppets and the inanimate objects are people! The Giant returns to find his garden. complete with walking wall. being used as a playground by children. Selfishly he banishes them to reclaim the garden — then finds himself a prisoner in his garden during the long frosty winter. Who will free him‘.’ Will the children return. will the giant learn to be unselfish and caring‘.’ The story has a sad. but hopeful ending. The audience are encouraged to join in. particularly in the songs which have been especially written for the play. A giant would no doubt swagger into his local Wimpy and order The Biggest Hamburger in the World. and ready to serve this snack is the Abracadabra Theatre Workshop for Children. Established two years ago.
Abracadabra hold weekly workshops in drama. led by Rhe Ryan. in several locations in the Lothians for children aged 7 to 14. Rhe also writes the plays. tailoring parts to suit the abilities ofeach child. The Biggest Hamburger has a Bugsy Malone feel and a hero who owes a buck or five to Philip Marlowe. Joe has a hamburger joint and lives in fear of Alf who runs a protection racket. To the rescue comes supersleuth Sam Spanner but before he can crack the case the Bronx fairy leaves her calling card: a magic hamburger. Obviously a burger before its time. it turns out to
be a vegetarian (no BSE blues here!) called Vegerine who. ever-growing. brings mixed blessings to Joe. ending in a showdown and a show of heroics from Sam and Vegerine.
(Rene Taylor)
I The Selfish Giant (Fringe) Herrick Theatre. Marco's Leisure Centre. 51 Grove Street (Venue 98) 229 8830. l3—l8Aug. llam.£3. (£2).
l The Biggest Hamburger in the World (Fringe) Abracadabra Theatre Workshop for Children. Theatre West End. St John‘s Church. West End Princes Street (Venue 126) 556 7066.1()&11Aug:20—25 Aug. 8.30pm. £3 (£2).
I- P0p-ups and Puppets
Hurtling along inside a giant peach sounds like a sticky way to travel but tor James it’s part and parcel at an amazing adventure which begins when he meets a strange old man in the garden which belongs to his mean and spitelul aunts, Sponge and Spiker. But once inside the luscious lruit he teams up with unusual travelling companions from the insect world including a caterpillar in boots and an enormous ladybird. Roald Dahl's populartale has been adapted into the form of a gigantic highly colourful pop-up book, the pages turning over to reveal the story. The characters come alive with music, songs, dance and circus skills. The Trick and Treat Theatre Company had great success last year with this show which can be enjoyed by all the tamily, and no doubt they will attract still more Dahleks when they return to a bigger venue this year.
Anotherwandering James is the hero in James and his Amazing Multicolour Adventure by the Durham Revue, a company consisting ol undergrads lrom Durham University. The hour-long musical is directed by Stewart Draper and written by his 17 year-old brother, Richard, and contains six original
fin,
songs with lots of opportunities lor the audience to join in. Young James and his lriend Spectrum must recoverthe colours of the land, stolen by a dismal witch, Monochrome—audience assistance required 01 course. Some ol the humour has been especially aimed at the adults in the audience and they and the children will enjoy learning about how colours are made. with a video screen providing a kaleidoscope at every shade and hue. Most witches come to a sticky end but this one meets with quite an unusual (tor a witch) late! Best suited lorchildren oversix years old. Family connections are also much in evidence in the International Purves Puppets which boasts a husband and
wile team at directors with help in the ranks lrom their son and daughter. They operate lrom a miniature Victorian puppet theatre in Biggar. giving shows, workshops and guided tours as well as running three touring companies. This year they return to the Festival with two shows; Pips and Panda Meet the Three Bears, a new story about the lovable monkey and panda, well-known to Fringe tinies who drag their own pandas along to see the show. (Free panda postcard tor every panda accompanied by owner!) Dld favourite Aladdin gets a new twist with the introduction of three triendly mice. The use of ultraviolet lighting and very large puppets, some lite size, combine to produce a colourtul spectacular tor all the lamily. Most Purves shows end with a meet-the-puppets session much to the delight ottheiryoung audiences. (Rene Taylor)
James and the Giant Peach (Fringe) Trick 8. Treat Productions Ltd, George Square Theatre (Venue 37) 667 3704, 13—25 Aug (not Aug 19, 23). 11am, £4 (£2.50).
James and His Amazing Multicolour Adventure (Fringe) The Durham Revue, Celtic Lodge, Brodies’s Close, Lawnmarket (Venue 6) 225 7097. 13—25 Aug (not Sun), 10.30am. £2.50 (£2).
International Purves Puppets (Fringe) St James Church Hall, lnverleith Row (Venue 81) 0899 20631. 9—25 Aug (not Suns) 11am (Pips 8 Panda); 2.15pm. Adaddin. £4 (£2).
The List 10— lo August 199037