LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL REVIEWS FESTIVAL KIDS
MR SNOT BOTTOM’S STINKY SILLY SHOW Fifty minutes of fart, bum and booger ●●●●● TIDDLER AND OTHER TERRIFIC TALES Julia Donaldson over-kill ●●●●●
Scamp Theatre’s 2011 adaptation of Stick Man was a skilful blend of lively storytelling, great songs and playful actors. They did Julia Donaldson proud. So it comes as something of a disappointment to
see what they’ve done with Tiddler. As you would expect from a company of this stature, the show is energetically performed, cleverly directed and makes innovative use of set, props and costumes.
But when they say Tiddler and other Terrific Tales in the title, they’re not joking. No fewer than four Donaldson picture books are played out here – Monkey Puzzle, Squash and a Squeeze, Smartest Giant in Town and Tiddler. All of which have such huge theatrical potential on their own that it seems a terrible shame to charge through each of them in this way. Stick Man took its time, and worked won- ders. But none of these stories have been given the TLC they deserve. (Kelly Apter) ■ Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 27 Aug, 11.15am, £10–£11 (£9–£10).
THE CURIOUS SCRAPBOOK OF JOSEPHINE BEAN Rediscovering the beauty of scrapbooks ●●●●●
Shona Reppe’s new production is a wonderfully scientific venture that slowly blossoms into a love story. The set is beautiful and intricate, a cross between a science laboratory, an operating theatre and a dark room.
Reppe dons a lab coat and becomes Dr Patricia Baker, a scrapologist – someone who stud- ies scrapbooks — and founding member of SCRAPS, the Society for the Care, Repair, Analysis and Probing of Scrapbooks. She carefully pours over a Victorian scrapbook she has found, sifting through collages of photos, rail tickets and clippings to uncover the mystery within.
It starts a little slowly, and though the humour doesn’t go over the heads of the children here, the
adults are definitely laughing louder and more often. But this is a lovely and thoughtful piece from Shona Reppe and Catherine Wheels director, Gill Robertson. The sheer amount of detail in the set and the scrapbook shows true love, care and attention, and the play really credits its young audience with intelligence by letting its twists and turns unfold at their own pace. Reppe is brilliant as Dr Baker, infatuated by her new discovery and eager to get to the bottom of the mystery. But there’s no hamminess here, just an enthusiastic forensic goal to discover the ori- gins of the scrapbook. As in her previous acclaimed shows, like Cinderella and Potato Needs a Bath, Reppe is animated and energetic without ever being over the top.
It seems apt that the show takes place in the Scottish Book Trust too, as it exudes a touching reverence for scrapbooks that’s been all but lost in the digital age. It all culminates in a wonderful atmosphere and a touching finale that has everyone smiling and more than a few eyes welling up. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Traverse @ Scottish Book Trust, 228 1404, until Aug 26 (not 13, 20), 11am, £10 (family ticket £32)
The scatological stage is one that all pre-schoolers go through, and Mr Snot Bottom’s hour of fart-bum- eugh gags is calculated to get as many hot-button words into 50 minutes as is humanly possible.
He is a fit Australian with a whiff of Wiggo in the facial hair and a parallel vocabulary of fart noises. Assisting him are Phlegm and Derek the human hankie, who rips off his bogey-covered kaftan to reveal a pink tutu. The show lacks what discerning parents might recognise as a viable narrative arc. It sags in places and leaps from sub Mr Bean slap- stick to visual gags. It gets more conceptual when Phlegm is desper-
ate to sing a nursery rhyme, but Mr Snot Bottom intervenes on health and safety grounds. Incey Wincey Spider prompts a full-scale arachnophobia attack. Why, he asks, did Humpty Dumpty not just sit on a chair? He’s an egg. No wonder he falls off the wall. Then it’s straight back to the Fart Gallery. (Anna Burnside) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 26 Aug (not 13 & 20–22), 11am, £9–£10 (£8–£9).
FREEDOM FAMILY CIRCUS Straight-up circus makes up for wobbles with warmth ●●●●●
This sunny-demeanoured circus troupe hail from various parts of the USA and Chile, and have only been performing as a line-up for around six days. Which could explain a few of the hiccups: juggling balls and skittles are dropped more than once. It doesn’t seem to matter though because the
cast’s easy-going manner means the balls are picked up and the children in the audience are just as rapt as if nothing had happened. Their warm rapport forms the backbone of this engaging show, which features a balloon-bending clown, two unicy- clists, a man who puts things up his nose to gleeful cries of ‘eww’ from the audience and, best of all, a singing saw player in the circus’ live band. Hermee the clown in particular hits the perfect note. There’s nothing particularly fresh or original here but the show is genuinely accessible to everyone. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 07531 392 327, until 25 Aug (not 12 & 19), 1.40pm, £7 (£5).
16–23 Aug 2012 THE LIST 55