Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
The Marvellous Imaginary Menagerie Reader's Review
The Marvellous Imaginary Menagerie
This inventive and energetic group have created a show that’s raucous, sometimes rude and full of verbal and visual fun. Tales of Dr Longitude’s animal collecting adventures provide the excuse for inventing a series of extraordinary creatures (ten legged sea monsters, birds that produce something made of gold - but it’s not an egg) and eccentric journeys. As story followed story, it became clear that plot was less important here than sheer enjoyment of silliness.
Great use was made of a wonderfully crazy set, from which the characters constantly appeared and reappeared, sometimes in surprising places. The confident and accomplished cast clowned around and sang with panache, keeping up a lively pace all the way. There was plenty of interaction with the audience, who filled in for rare birds, clouds and lost family members, but no child was ever put on the spot.
The show would especially suit children ready for fast-paced mucking about with words, as much of the fun lies in the constant playful attack on language, spoken and sung. If a few of the jokes seemed to be pitched exclusively at older audience members, that didn’t seem to bother younger ones, who were enthusiastic about recommending it to others. “Very silly – it had everything!” (En-Yi, 8). Holly (8) particularly enjoyed an impressively flexible display of yoga, as well as what may be the best (only?) synchronised swimming on this year’s fringe.