Kids
FREE Summer Science: Lost in Space! Mon 18–Fri 22 Jul, 4pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. A week of holiday science for all young space cadets, with interactive activities led by the friendly experts from the Royal Observatory.
Books FREE Space Activity Day Sat 25 Jun, 12–3pm. Waterstone’s West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. Colouring, puzzles, stories and a ‘create your own planet’ competition. FREE Circus Stars Mon 27 Jun–Sun 28 Aug, times vary. Various libraries, edinburgh.gov.uk/circusstars The summer holiday reading challenge this year is themed around the circus, and as usual kids can build up stamps by reading lots of books, and win a prize for completing the challenge. Music Kids’ Pop Party Sat 9, 16, 23 & 30 Jul, 10am–4pm. £25 per day. Sing for Smiles Vocal School, 3 Quayside Street, 555 5721. There’s a poptastic weekly party going down in Leith, with singing games, dancing and fun. A special offer is available if you book all four Saturdays in advance. Gleetastic for Children Mon 18 –Fri 22 Jul, 10am–4pm. £125. Sing for Smiles Vocal School, 3 Quayside Street, 555 5721. Join Glee Club for a week, learn lots of songs and put on one hell of a show on Friday evening.
Storytelling Tiny Tales Tue 28 Jun, 10am & 11.30am. £5 (accompanying adults free). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. A fun and stimulating storytelling session for ages 6 months to 3 years, with Amanda Edmiston taking tots on a sensory journey around the world. Story Space Thu 30 Jun, 11am. Thu 21 Jul, 11–11.45am. £6 per child (accompanying adult free). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Exciting storytelling for children aged 3–6, with opportunities to join in with singing and dancing for tots and parents/carers alike. Storytelling at the Palace Sat 16 & Sun 17 Jul, 11am–noon & 2–3pm. Included in palace admission: £10.50 (£9.50; under 17s £6.50; under 5s free; family ticket £27.80). Palace of Holyroodhouse, Royal Mile, 556 5100. Informal storytelling session for under 8s. Hear about the history of the Palace and the people who’ve lived there. Booking essential. FREE Garden of Delights Storytelling Day Sun 17 Jul, 11am–4pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2979. Drift down to the Botanics for a day of summer magic with the Talking Trees Storytellers, who are spinning yarns in various locations around the garden. Ages 5+. Tiny Tales Tue 19 Jul, 10 –10.45am & 11.30am–12.15pm. £5 (accompanying adults free). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Join Anne Pitcher for animal adventures around the world, suitable for ages 6 months to 2 years.
Theatre & Dance Singing Kettle: Funny Farm Sat 9 Jul, noon & 3pm. £12.50 (family ticket £46). Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 13–29 Nicolson Street, 529 6000. Cilla, Archie, Gary and Kevin host another night of musical madness. Party with the pigs and carouse with the cows at this Funny Farm adventure. Bonus points for dressing up as your favourite farmyard animal!
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74 THE LIST 23 Jun–21 Jul 2011
PREVIEW STAGE ADAPTATION AESOP’S FABLES The Arches, Glasgow, Thu 30 Jun–Sat 2 Jul
Like many of us, Belle Jones first came across Aesop’s Fables as a child. ‘My grandparents gave me a really lovely copy of the collected tales when I was young,’ recalls the Glasgow-based actress and director. ‘There’s so much variety in the fables, and the morals and guidelines for life are explained in a very accessible way for children. I’ve always thought they’d lend themselves really well to theatre.’ Now that she’s all grown up, Jones is doing exactly
that, bringing several of Aesop’s most popular tales to the Arches. The first task was choosing which ones to stage. Perennial favourites such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Town Mouse and Country Mouse and The Wind and the Rain made it to the final cut – while others were deemed less appropriate.
‘I read through all the tales and some of them are completely irrelevant now,’ says Jones, ‘and some are racist or very sexist. So I chose some that everybody knows, but also a few lesser-known ones like The Jackdaw, which I’d completely forgotten about and only just re-discovered.’
Jones and her fellow performers are using a
range of techniques to bring the tales to life, including a variety of puppet styles, and actors dressed in an imaginative array of animal costumes. Aesop’s Fables may be some of the oldest tales in the world, but that doesn’t mean they can’t brush off their BC image and take on a 21st-century slant. ‘Our version of the Tortoise and the Hare has a
modern twist to it,’ explains Jones, ‘with the tortoise on a skateboard and the hare on a space hopper, to make it fresh again.’ (Kelly Apter)
OUTSIDE THE CITIES Activities & Fun Medieval Mayhem Sun 3 Jul, 11am–4pm. £5. Dalkeith Country Estate, Dalkeith, 654 1666. Party like it’s 1399 with jousting, swordplay and a Medieval banquet. What’s That . . .? Fri 8 Jul, 5.30–7pm. £4 (children £3). Newhailes, Newhailes Road, Musselburgh, 0844 493 2124. Always wondered about the real names of the birds, plants and other sundry creatures found in the big green world outside? Join the Ranger for a gentle walk and learn how to identify the species around you. A Day Out With Thomas Sat 9 & Sun 10 Jul, Sat 16 & Sun 17 Jul, various journey times between 10.20am & 2.55pm. £8 (under 3s £4). Caledonian Steam Railway, The Station, 2 Park Road,
Brechin, 01356 622992. Thomas visits Caledonian Railways with Sir Topham Hatt in charge as always. FREE Tipper Truck Workshop Wed 20 Jul, 2–3pm. Scottish Mining Museum, Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange, 663 7519. The Wednesday afternoon Construction Club turns its attention to trucks that use a clever compressor to create a tilting effect. Ages 7+ or younger with parents’ help. Theatre & Dance Fireman Sam: Pontypandy Rocks Fri 1 Jul, 4.30pm; Sat 2 Jul, 11am, 1.45pm & 4.30pm. £14 (children £12; family ticket £40). Dundee Rep, Tay Square, Dundee, 01382 223530. Pontypandy holds its first ever music festival and there’s a secret guest star, but Naughty Norman is determined to ruin the surprise. Can the hero next door save the day?
Hairy MacLary & Friends Sun 3 Jul, 2.15pm. £6.50 (£5.50; family ticket £20). Falkirk Town Hall, West Bridge Street, Falkirk, 01324 506850. Meet the doggy crew and their feline antagonists in a musical for those aged 3+. Also touring around Scotland and to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August. Hairy MacLary & Friends Fri 15 & Sat 16 Jul, 11am & 2pm. £6. Howden Park Centre, Howden, Livingston, 01506 777666. See above. Hairy MacLary & Friends Thu 21–Sat 23 Jul, 11am (except Thu) & 2pm. £6 (£4). Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, St Andrews, 01334 475000. See above. Fantastic Mr Fox Sun 17 Jul, 6.30pm. £12 (children £8; family ticket £32). Dalkeith Country Estate, Dalkeith, 0131 654 1666. Outdoor performance of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book from fun outdoor theatre specialists Illyria. Telephone 0845 099 0959 for tickets.