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Kids Kids
Events are listed by city, then type. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to suzanne@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Suzanne Black.
Glasgow Activities and Fun Smash and Grab Sat 1 & Sun 2 May, Sat 10am–4pm; Sun 11am–4pm. £4.25 (children free). Clydebuilt Scottish Maritime Museum, Braehead Shopping Centre, Kings Inch Road, 886 1013. Choose sides (the Union or the Confederates) and get ready for a battle with face-painting and other activities. Part of Show Scotland. FREE Flower Power Sat 1 & Sun 2 May, 11am–4pm. Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9509. Find out just how groovy wild flowers can be! Part of Show Scotland. FREE Out Take Sat 1 May, 11am–4pm & 4–5pm. Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. LOWSALT leads a workshop for ages 12–16 inspired by the current Fiona Tan: Tomorrow exhibition followed by a public performance at 4pm. Part of Show Scotland. FREE We’ll Meet Again Sat 1 May, 1pm–4pm. People’s Palace & Winter Gardens, Glasgow Green, 276 0788. Visit May 1945 for a postwar celebration with Fly Right Dance Company. Part of Show Scotland. FREE Mind, Body & Soul Sun 2 May, 11am–4.30pm. St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, 2 Castle Street, 553 2557. Drop-in family events related to health and faith. Part of Show Scotland. FREE Craft Workshop Sun 2 May, 1pm–4pm. Silverburn, Barrhead Road, 880 3200. Crafty activities facilitated by Busy Bees Craft Studio, for ages 3+. FREE Wee Wednesdays Wed 5 May, 2pm. Burrell Collection, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 287 2550. An exciting drop-in multi-sensory workshop for parents and toddlers. Theatre, Dance & Comedy Grumpy Charlie Can’t Come Out to Play Sat 1 May, 2pm. £2.50. Platform, The Bridge, 1000 Westerhouse Road, Easterhouse, 276 9696. When Charlie’s seventh birthday arrives, he realises he’s not quite ready for a whole life of grumpiness. By TheatreBo. Ages 5+. Glasgow Kids Comedy Club Sun 2 & 9 May, 3pm. £4. The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. Spend Sunday afternoon in the company of comedians such as Martin Mor (2 May) and Susan Calman (9 May). No under 5s; all kids must be accompanied by an adult. One Thousand Paper Cranes Tue 4–Sat 8 May, Times vary. £4. Eastwood Park Theatre, Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, 577 4970. Abigail Docherty and Lu Kemp retell the moving and inspirational story of Sadako, who folded 1000 cranes while incapacitated by Hiroshima fallout. Ages 8+. Muckle Mouth Meg Sat 8 May, 2pm. £5.50 (children £4.95). Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, 8–10 Balcarres Avenue, Kelvindale, 339 6185. Poppy’s Puppets are back with the story of Meg, the ugliest lassie in the Scottish Borders. Age 3+.
Storytelling FREE Library Story Time Sat 8 May, noon–12.30pm. Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. Thirty minutes of storytelling for families with children aged 3–8.
Edinburgh Activities and Fun FREE Strange Tale of Medieval Murder Mystery Sat 1 & Sun 2 May, 10am–11.30am, 12.30pm–2pm & 2.30pm–4pm. Museum of Edinburgh, Huntly House, 142 Canongate, 529 4143. Meet some mysterious characters inside both the Museum of Edinburgh and The People’s Story Museum. Ages 6+. Booking essential. Part of Show Scotland. FREE A Slice of Life Sat 1–Mon 3 May, 11am–1pm & 2pm–4pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 225 7534. Drop in to hear stories of the olden days from a steam engine driver, a doctor and a woman in the stocks. FREE Romans and Vikings Sat 1 & Sun 2 May, noon–4pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 225 7534. Two eras in two days: meet the Antonine Guard on Saturday and visit a Viking encampment on Sunday. FREE What is a Fruit? Sat 1–Mon 3 May, 1pm–4pm. Royal Botanic Garden, 20a Inverleith Row, 552 7171. Tomatoes are a fruit, or so we’re told. But you don’t put fruit in a salad, or do you? Find out the differences between fruit and veg. Ages 7+. FREE Garden Cottage Diaries Sun 2 & Mon 3 May, 10.30am–noon, 1pm–2.30pm & 3pm–4.30pm. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. 1790s-style cookery lessons with Fiona Houston, who lived an authentic 18th century life for a year. Booking essential. Ages 6+. Part of Show Scotland. FREE Parents Like Us Festival Fri 7–Sun 9 May, 10.30am–5.30pm. Leith Links, Leith, 554 5043. Parent-focused festival with lots to keep wee ones and big ones interested, including shows, storytelling, workshop, taster therapies and crèche facilities. Highly recommended. FREE Bats in the Park Fri 7 May, 8.30pm. Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park, Gilmerton Dykes Street, 447 7145. Discover the nocturnal life of bats. Please bring a torch. Booking essential. Ages 8+. FREE Meet the Butterflies Sun 9 May, 10am. Hermitage of Braid Visitor Centre, 69 Braid Road, 447 7145. Learn how to identify different species of butterfly. Please bring a packed lunch. Booking essential. Ages 12+. Theatre & Dance Cinderella Mon 10–Wed 12 May, Mon 10.30am, 1.30pm; Tue 10.45am & 1.30pm; Wed 10.30am, 1.30pm. £10. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 228 1404. A re-imagining of the well-known fairy tale by Shona Reppe Puppets that mixes puppetry with quirky music. Ages 5+. Part of the Bank of Scotland Imaginate Festival 2010. Martha Mon 10–Wed 12 May, Mon & Wed 10.30am & 1pm; Tue 10.45am & 1.15pm. £10. Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. Catherine Wheels returns with the tale of stubborn Martha, who lives by the sea all on her own. Ages 4+. Imaginate. Rawums (:) Mon 10–Wed 12 May, Mon 12.30pm; Tue & Wed 9.30am & 11.30am. £10. North Edinburgh Arts Centre, 15a Pennywell Court, 228 1404. Two clownish performers explore falling and flying. Ages 2–4. Imaginate. Chit-Chat Mon 10–Wed 12 May, Mon/Tue 1.30pm (also Mon 6pm, Tue 10.15am); Wed 10.30am. £10. Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. Dance performance from Cie étantdonné exploring the anatomy of the body. Ages 5+. Imaginate.
THEATRE FESTIVAL BANK OF SCOTLAND IMAGINATE FESTIVAL Various venues, Edinburgh, Mon 10–Sun 16 May
It may have lost the word ‘International’ from its title, but the Bank of Scotland Imaginate Festival (formerly the International Children’s Theatre Festival) still has a global remit. Companies from Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium are all headed our way this year, with work for children and young people aged 2 upwards.
But, unsurprisingly given the abundance of home-grown talent, there are also six Scottish companies providing theatre at this year’s festival. One of which is Catherine Wheels, which is catering for two age groups with Martha (ages 4+) and The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk (ages 9–13).
First produced in 1999, Martha has toured internationally and has been translated into a number of languages. According to artistic director Gill Robertson, the show’s ability to touch both adults and children accounts for its popularity. ‘Martha’s a really simple story but it just works,’ she says. ‘It’s about loneliness and seeking friendship, but there’s a lot of humour in it and it’s very visual. Children really enjoy watching it and adults weep at it – I’ve had grown-ups sobbing at the end.’ The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk has a similar dual appeal, dealing with the
fragile nature of schoolyard friendships – something we’ve all been through, and hugely pertinent to the show’s target age range. ‘It touches on lots of different things that happen to kids in school and the relationships they create,’ says Robertson. ‘It’s about a man who regrets betraying one of his best friends at school who was a bit of an outsider – he made a mistake, and the young people watching it understand that, but they also understand why. It’s a really touching family show.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ See Reader Offers, page 6, for your chance to win tickets.
One Thousand Paper Cranes Tue 11 & Wed 12 May, Tue 10.30am & 1.30pm; Wed 10.15am & 1pm. £10. Church Hill Theatre, 33a Morningside Road, 228 1404. See Glasgow. Imaginate. The Sun, the Moon and a Boy Called River Tue 11–Sun 16 May, Tue 1p & 7pm; Wed 10.45am & 1.30pm, Thu 1pm, Fri 9.45am & 12.30pm, Sat 7pm. £10. Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. Wee Stories theatre company takes a classic fairytale set-up and brings it to life in imaginative and surprising ways. Ages 5+. Imaginate. The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk Thu 13–Sun 16 May, Thu 10.15am & 1pm; Fri 10.15am & 12.30pm; Sat 3.30pm; Sun 11am. £10. Church Hill Theatre, 33a Morningside Road, 228 1404. Play from Catherine Wheels about a boy’s first day at school. See preview. Ages 9–13. Imaginate. Madcap Thu 13–Sat 15 May, Thu 10.30am & 1.30pm; Fri 9.30am & 11.45am; Sat 4pm. £10. Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. Dutch company De Stilte combines dance and play with egg and bird props. Ages 4+. Imaginate. Sense Thu 13–Sat 15 May, Thu 10.30am & 7pm; Fri 10.30am; Sat 4pm & 7pm.
£10. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 228 1404. Five plays about teenagers led by their senses. The bill is split into ‘Nose & Skin’ (Thu 10.30am & Sat 4pm) and ‘Eyes, Ears & Tongue (all other performances). Ages 14+. Imaginate. The Terrific Adventures of Brave Joan Woodsword Thu 13–Sat 15 May, Thu–Fri 10.30am (also Thu 1pm); Sat 2pm. £10. Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. Ten-year- old Joan Woodsword escapes from playground bullying into the infinitely more exciting Middle Ages world of Joan of Arc. Ages 8+. Imaginate. Woodbeat Thu 13–Sat 15 May, Thu–Fri 11.30am (also Fri 9.30am); Sat 10.30am & 1.30pm. £10. North Edinburgh Arts Centre, 15a Pennywell Court, 228 1404. See wood in a whole new light on a journey led by a percussionist and a puppeteer. Ages 2+. Imaginate. Books FREE Children’s Laureate Anthony Browne Sun 9 May, 2–2.45pm. National Gallery Complex, The Mound, 624 6200. The Children’s Laureate visits for some artistic fun and games. Ages 5+.
10th-16th May www.imaginate.org.uk tickets 0131 228 1404 29 Apr–13 May 2010 THE LIST 57