THE Edinburgh Festival Fringe is back and it’s bigger and better – and more family-friendly – than ever.
After a two-year hiatus thanks to our old pal Covid and a reduced programme in 2021, the Fringe is growing again and this year, its 75th anniversary, a great many of its 3,171 shows from 58 countries are aimed squarely at families and children.
And even the quickest glance at the programme shows that there is, quite literally, something for everyone.
The circus has always been a firm family favourite and, returning to the Fringe after a sell-out run in 2019, Cirque Berserk! is the UK’s biggest and best theatre-circus spectacular, and I should know – they’ve tried to kill me twice.
First the Lucius Team dragged me into their not-at-all reassuringly-named Globe of Death and I had to stand stock-still while four unhinged Brazilian motorcyclists span around my head at up to 60mph.
They say the louder you cheer, the faster they go – well, I must have been screaming VERY loudly.
Clearly not learning my lesson, the next time I ran away to join Cirque Berserk! I found myself taking the place of Czech knife-thrower Toni’s wife Nikol.
Not willingly, you understand, those nice street acrobats the Timbuktu Tumblers had to hold me firmly against the bord as Toni – the fastest in the world, apparently – hurled knives and axes in my general direction.
The routine was being filmed for my newspaper’s website but when one of the knives slipped and its handle hit my shoulder, my Anglo-Saxon exclamation meant it was neither pre nor post-watershed viewing.
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/cirque-berserk
If magic is more your thing, The Greatest Magic Show is right up your alley but don’t think this is your typical children’s magic show.
Comic magicians Justin Williams and Sam Hume have out together a unique and hilarious magical spectacular packed full of crazy circus stunts, mind-bending magic and hilarious humour.
Ringmaster Magnus “Danger” Magnus does his best to keep the chaos on track and it’s not hard to see why this jaw-dropping show was the Best In Fringe Kids winner at the 2019 Sydney Fringe, and the Best Children’s Show winner at the 2020 Fringe World Weekly Awards.
As an added bonus, every child will be given a free wand to hone their own conjuring skills!
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/greatest-magic-show
Now, it’s said that the Scots invented the modern world and Edinburgh was the seat of the Scottish Enlightenment so where better to see Doktor Kaboom And The Wheel Of Science?!
The frankly mad Doktor K combines comedy and scientific exploration, and wherever his spinning Wheel of Science stops, that’s the next in a series of increasingly spectacular experiments (most of which are successful, he insists…).
So if you want to see the bonkers boffin turn a water bottle into a rocket, catapult a banana skywards, electrocute a pickle, create artificial gravity or drive his homemade hovercraft, head for the Pleasance Courtyard.
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/doktor-kaboom-and-the-wheel-of-science
Dinosaurs are always a big hit with the little peeps and to mark the 50th anniversary of Michael Foreman’s best-selling book Dinosaurs And All That Rubbish the world premier run of the stage adaptation is taking place at the Assembly George Square.
It have been around for half-a-century but Foreman’s cautionary environmental tale has never been more relevant. As the author says: “When I wrote and illustrated Dinosaurs And All That Rubbish in 1972 it was because of the growing threat to the environment. I never imagined the book would be even more relevant 50 years later.”
Brought to the stage by Roustabout Theatre, you can expect a riotous hour of dancing dinos, space travel and rock’n’roll in a production that is sustainable in every way, from its carbon footprint to its costumes.
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/dinosaurs-and-all-that-rubbish
Kids love to be scared, just look at how Halloween has become almost as big as Christmas, and if giving yours goosebumps sounds like a grand idea then check out Tales From A Haunted Bookshop.
A spooky show of terrible tales, bothersome books, creepy puppets and gruesome goings-on, it’s ghostly, ghastly, downright grizzly and will delight fans of all things spooky.
Edinburgh’s one of the most haunted cities in the world and so there’s no more fitting place to see this weird and wonderfully dark show that is perfect for horrid children and irresponsible adults alike.
My personal favourite tale is that of Cedric Pilkington and the gruesome end he came to when we ate too many donuts!
Escape rooms are big business nowadays and The Dark Room (For Kids!) – a Fringe favourite for nine years with a cult following on the gaming circuit – challenges children to escape from a live-action video game. Will the trapped youngsters find a light or explode in a shower of stinking guts?
Be warned, you will likely be insulted during the interactive adventure – and not only by the truly terrible prizes – but it’s good, stupid fun, complete mayhem, and though there may be some mild language the level is more Roald Dahl than YouTube. It’s recommended for 11+ but younger kids are most welcome.
Insults are likely to fly when the UK’s favourite Frenchman – if we ignore the bearded gorgeousness of Fred Siriex for a mo – Marcel Lucont brings Les Enfants Terribles – A Gameshow For Awful Children to the Gilded Balloon.
Marcel excels in channelling his caustic wit to withering effect and here we see children challenge adults and each other to find the most abominable child. As Marcel himself says: “You will experience children being politicians, pests and petomanes (I admit I had to look that one up – Alan) to win this badge of dishonour.”
The Amazing Bubble Man is a real Fringe legend, having sold out his entire run in each of the last 14 events. This year Louis Pearl – as his mum knows him – will be bringing his 30 years’ experience of entertaining with bubbles of all sizes to the Udderbelly every day at 12.55pm.
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/amazing-bubble-man
For many, the Fringe is all about comedy and another ever-popular Festival fave, the Comedy Club 4 Kids, is all about introducing pre-teens to what can be for youngsters the somewhat intimidating world of stand-up comedy.
You can expect a few famous faces to pop up, along with sketch acts and cabaret stars who have all promised to be on their best behaviour (ahem…) and not to swear!
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy-club-4-kids
As I’ve discovered in my new existence as a primary teacher, kids will burst into song at the slightest opportunity – much to my horror) and they will love Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventure For Kids.
World record-breaking beatboxer SK Shlomo is taking a break from sold-out gigs with the likes of Ed Sheeran an the slightly bonkers Bjork to “empower the next generation of superstar beatboxers to find their true voice – with plenty of silly noises” at the Pleasance Courtyard.
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/shlomo-s-beatbox-adventure-for-kids
And sticking with music – but of a VERY different style! – Peppa Pig: My First Concert is the perfect introduction to classical music featuring everyone’s favourite cartoon porcine pal in an interactive show featuring a live orchestra.
Sing and dance with Peppa to her favourite songs, watch Daddy Pig learn to conduct the orchestra, explore the sounds of the different instruments, enjoy familiar tunes and discover exciting orchestral pieces perfect for little ’uns at the Assembly Hall.
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/peppa-pig-my-first-concert
And remember, if you find yourself with time to spare between shows, Edinburgh is the most fantastically walkable city with scores of attractions guaranteed to grab kids’ attention, from the Castle to the Edinburgh Dungeon, while the city’s streets are teeming with entertainers throughout the Fringe.
You can find tickets for these shows at:
Tickets for The Haunted Bookshop and The Dark Room (For Kids!) are available from https://gildedballoon.co.uk/
