Kids
All That Magic Thu 18 Oct, 2pm. Children £5.50. Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, 8–10 Balcarres Avenue, Kelvindale, 339 6185. Kid-friendly magic. Ages 3+. Magical Nights Thu 18 Oct, 7.30pm. £10 (children £5.50). Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, 8–10 Balcarres Avenue, Kelvindale, 339 6185. Be amazed with Alex Proctor, Mark Fiskin and Michael Curry. Ages 12+.
EDINBURGH Activities & Fun First Bite Junior Youth Theatre Thursdays, 20 Sep–20 Dec, 4.30–6pm. £45 for ten week course. Southside Community Centre, 117 Nicolson Street, 07944 757083. Drama and performing arts group for ages 7–11. FREE Friday Afternoon Activities Fridays until 14 Dec (not 19 Oct), 1.30–4.30pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. Gallery safaris, make-and-take workshops and object handling. FREE Family Drop In Art Session: A Life in Colour – Leslie Hunter and The Scottish Colourists Sat 22 Sep & 6 Oct, 10.30am–noon. City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, 529 3993. Experiment with a variety of media to create a masterpiece. FREE Harvest Festival Sun 23 Sep, 11am–5pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. See and taste produce from the Edible Gardening Project. FREE Meet the Ancestors: Darnley Must Die Sun 23 Sep, 2–2.45pm & 3–3.45pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, 624 6200. Investigate the mysterious murder of Mary, Queen of Scots’ second husband. Ages 4–12. Pre-school Woodland Activity Sessions Wednesdays until 24 October, 9–11.30am & 12.30–3pm. £15 per session. Hermitage of Braid Visitor Centre, 69 Braid Road, 447 7145. Woodland fun for wee ones. FREE Magic Carpet Wednesdays until 20 Dec (not 17 Oct), 10.30–10.50am. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. Fun activities, stories and songs. FREE We Dance Wed 26 Sep, 3 & 10 Oct, times vary. North Edinburgh Arts Centre, 15a Pennywell Court, 315 2151. Dance lessons in a range of styles. Ages 3–5 from 10.30–11.15am; ages 8–11 from 4–5pm; ages 12–16 from 6–7pm. FREE Seashells on the Seashore Sat 29 Sep, 10.30am–12.30pm. Museum of Edinburgh, Huntly House, 142 Canongate, 529 4143. Use flotsam and jetsam to decorate a treasure chest. Moon Festival By Day Sat 29 Sep, 11am–5pm. Included in zoo admission. Edinburgh Zoo, Corstorphine Road, 334 9171. Shadow puppet theatre and arts and crafts. FREE Teddy Bears’ Picnic and Other Friends Sat 29 Sep, 10.30am–12.30pm & 1.30–3.30pm. Museum of Edinburgh, Huntly House, 142 Canongate, 529 4143. Take a wander around the museum then make a sketch of your favourite characters to add to the picnic frieze. Ages 5+. A Night at the Theatre Sat 29 & Sun 30 Sep, 3pm & 4pm. Children £3–£4.50; family £12.50–£17. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. An interactive living history tour. FREE Art Cart Thu 4 & Sun 7 Oct, 2–4pm. Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. Artistic activities for the whole family. Ages 4–12. Moon Festival By Night Thu 4 Oct, 6–9pm. Included in zoo admission. Edinburgh Zoo, Corstorphine Road, 334 9171. Moonlit walk, taking in the Asian animals, to the top of the hill to enjoy some moongazing, tea and traditional Chinese mooncakes. Age 10+. FREE Handmade Pottery Sat 6 Oct, 10.30am–12.30pm & 1.30–3.30pm.
74 THE LIST 20 Sep–18 Oct 2012
age-old mysteries from Scottish history using clues in the paintings. Ages 4–12. Farmers Helpers Workshops Mon 15 Oct–Fri 19 Oct, 10am–12.30pm. £7 per session. Gorgie City Farm, 51 Gorgie Road, 623 7031. Hands-on farm work sessions for ages 8–12. Autumn Riches Mon 15 Oct, 10.30am–12.30pm. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Collect some natural treasures to make a badge, brooch or pendant. Express Filmmaking Course Wed 17–Fri 19 Oct, 10.30am–4pm. £50 for three days. Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, 228 2688. Write, shoot and star in your own short film. Ages 14–17. FREE Thomas the Rhymer Puppetry Workshops with Yugen Puppet Company Thu 18 Oct, 1.30pm & 2.30pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, 624 6200. Make your own puppets and tell the story of Thomas the Rhymer. Ages 4–12. Books & Storytelling FREE Toddler’s Story Time Tue 25 Sep, 2–2.30pm. Waterstones, 98/9 Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Leith, 554 7732. Gather round to hear The Great Snortle Hunt. The Story Kist: Inclusive Storytelling Sat 13 Oct, 11am–noon. £5 (£3). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Interactive stories and games for children with additional needs and their families. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.
Music Happy Ears Sat 29 Sep & 13 Oct, 10–10.45am (0–15 months) & 11-11.45am (15 months–4 years). £5. Calton Centre, 121 Montgomery Street, 07778 117333. Music group for dads and male carers and their little ones.
Theatre & Dance ✽ The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk Sat 22 Sep, 7pm. £6.50 (family
£24). Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. A boy gets stuck with an odd nickname. Ages 8+.
✽ The Adventures of Butterfly Boy Thu 27 Sep, 10am. £6.50
(family £24). Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. See preview.
✽ A Dream on Midsummer’s Night Thu 20 Sep, 7pm, £8 (£6). St
Stephen’s Centre, St Stephen’s Street, Stockbridge, 07526 287026. See review. Part of Stockfest 2012
✽ A Dream on Midsummer’s Night Thu 4 & Fri 5 Oct, 7pm; Sat
6 Oct, 1.30pm & 7pm. £10 (family £8 each). Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. See review.
✽ Jason and the Argonauts Tue 9 Oct, 7pm. £6.50 (family £24). Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. See Glasgow, Theatre & Dance. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly Tue 16 Oct, 2.30pm. £6.50 (family £24). Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. Musical stage show. Ages 4+. Little Red . . . You Know Who Wed 17 Oct, 1pm & 3pm. £6.50 (family £24). Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. A play for kids which follows the adventures of a hen through the forest, with puppetry and music. Ages 3–7.
OUTSIDE THE CITIES Theatre & Dance Titus Fri 5 Oct, 1pm & 5pm. £6 (under 26 £4). macrobert, University of Stirling, 01786 466666. Superb theatre show about a 10-year-old boy with an unusual name. Ages 11+. Hairy MacLary & Friends Tue 16 Oct, 2.30pm. £8.50 (children £7; family of four £28). macrobert, University of Stirling, 01786 466666. Meet the doggy crew and their feline antagonists in a musical for ages 3+.
PREVIEW NEW DANCE SHOW THE ADVENTURES OF BUTTERFLY BOY Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh, Thu 27 Sept, then touring
Maybe it’s because of the lack of words to explain what’s happening; or because it’s perceived as too high-brow for wee ones — whatever the reason, dance shows for children are thin on the ground. Attempting to address this lack is Pucko Company, a new outfit
committed to introducing young audiences to high-quality contemporary dance. The first of which is The Adventures of Butterfly Boy, a new show aimed at ages 5 and over.
Choreographed by Christine Devaney, and performed by four dancers and
a musician, the show follows a group of friends as they explore the outside world. One particularly imaginative child, the eponymous Butterfly Boy, discovers a caterpillar and stays with it during its journey to maturity. Devaney is well known on the Scottish dance scene, both as a freelancer and through her own company, Curious Seed. But this is the first time she has choreographed for children – did she approach it in her usual way?
‘What’s different, is that you have your audience more clearly in your
head,’ says Devaney. ‘When you’re creating work for adults, it’s much more general. But the creative approach isn’t really different, and we’re trying not to dumb down or patronise. I really want the choreography to be as interesting and intricate as if we were making work for adults.
Conveying a clear narrative through dance can be tricky, particularly to children used to storybooks. But Devaney is aware that while some adults might need a degree of logic, young minds can often be more open.
‘I think the story will be clear,’ she says, ‘but I also think that young
people are less concerned about what makes sense. That’s not letting us off the hook, because we’re concerned about keeping them interested. But although we’re telling a linear narrative, we’ve tried to find ways of abstracting it a little bit, so the physicality tells the story as well.’ (Kelly Apter)
Museum of Edinburgh, Huntly House, 142 Canongate, 529 4143. Make your own pottery inspired by the museum’s collections. Ages 5+.
✽ FREE The Big Draw: Picassomania! Sat 6 Oct,
11am–4pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, 75 Belford Road, 624 6200. Draw and create in the style of Picasso to celebrate the Big Draw. Ages 8+. Mini French Wednesdays, 10 Oct–7 Nov, 10–11am. £35 for block of five weeks; £10 per sibling. Marchmont St Giles’ Church, 1a Kilgraston Road, minifrench. co.uk Fun French lessons focusing on songs and nursery rhymes. Ages 0–4. Mini French Thursdays, 11 Oct–8 Nov, 10.30–11.30am. £35 for five week block; £10 per sibling. Calton Centre, 121 Montgomery Street, 661 0880. See above. Beginners 2D Animation Workshop Sat 13 Oct, 10am-noon (ages 7–11) & 12.30-2.30pm (ages 12–15). £14.50. Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, 228 2688. Use computers and cameras to bring your own 2D character to life.
FREE Wild and Wonderful World of Scottish Plants Sat 13 & Sun 14 Oct, 1–4pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Explore the plants, mosses, lichens and fungi that make up the flora of Scotland. Ages 5+. FREE Come and Meet the Illustrators Sat 13 Oct, 2–2.30pm & 3–3.30pm. Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. Stories, games and drawing with children’s illustrator Bruce Ingman. Beginners 3D Animation Workshop Sat 13 Oct, 3–5pm. £14.50. Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, 228 2688. Get to grips with 3D animation using plasticine to create monsters and animate scenes. Ages 7–11. Excellent 3D Model Making for Animation Workshop Sun 14 Oct, 10.30am–4pm. £40. Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, 228 2688. Learn to make a puppet with a wire skeleton inside that you can animate into scenes. Ages 12–17. FREE Portrait Detectives! Sun 14 Oct, 2–4pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, 624 6200. Solve