- Festival opens with a free Family Day tomorrow – Saturday 30 May – at the National Museum of Scotland
- A spotlight on disabled-led works including new Festival commission Boys Don’t Dance by award-winning Marc Brew
- 15 productions from 9 different countries unite in a programme that spans circus, dance, music, puppetry and theatre.
- Shows for all ages – from immersive experiences for babies in ISLAND (for 0-12 mths), to wonderfully absurd work for teenagers in It Would be Such a Shame if You Missed Out (10-16 yrs)
- Festival dates: 30 May to 7 June
The 36th Edinburgh International Children’s Festival (24 May to 1 June) kicks off this weekend with a packed programme of circus, dance, storytelling and theatre for young people, their schools, and families.
Over the week, the Festival programme explores timely topics such as bullying, our fear of missing out, grief and the search for identity, weaving in humour and excitement to connect with children regardless of their circumstances, access needs or location.
Some of this year’s highlights include:
- A poignant dance theatre show for 7-12 year olds, Boys Don’t Dance by Marc Brew reflects on the artist’s journey who defied society’s expectations to embrace his love for dance, first as a boy growing up in rural Australia, and then when he acquired a disability following a car crash in his early twenties.
- It Would be Such a Shame if you Missed Out (for 10-16 yrs) hilariously captures our fears about missing out and features 3 hapless performers trying to rehearse a play next to a giant party box, while select audience members join in.
- A focus on circus with The Fabulous Tale of BasarKus (for 3-7 yrs), a dazzling display of juggling and acrobatics which has been performed over 1,000 times in its native France, Gretel (for 5-10 yrs), a blend of circus and object manipulation inspired by fairy tales,
Everything/Nothing (for 7-11 yrs) featuring an artist defying gravity with chains, sand, and magnets, and The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl (for 8-12 yrs), a visually stunning aerial show celebrating the power of friendship. - A powerful new play by Tim Crouch, Toto Kerblammo! (for 10-14 yrs) will be experienced wearing headphones through binaural audio technology.
- Brrr (for ASN 10 yrs+), a new multi-sensory performance created specially for young audiences with complex needs and set in a unique inflatable dome.
The popular Family Day opens this year’s Festival on Saturday 30 May – a full day of free, pop-up performances and artist interventions at the National Museum of Scotland, which has been programmed in partnership with festivals across the country including Light the Blue festival in Aberdeen, Merchant City Festival in Glasgow and the Paisley Book Festival.
Highlights from the Family Day includes:
- Dreich, Drookit and Braw by Julian Chan, Robyn Gray, Michelle Ross and Vee Smith (in partnership with Merchant City Festival) and featured in today’s photocall
- Tufts! by Kerry Cleland, Ben Winger, Katy Wilson and Ella Mackay (in partnership with Aberdeen Performing Arts)
- Windbags by Ronan McMahon (in partnership with OneRen)
Incoming new Festival Director Adjjima Na Patalung said: “I am very excited to be opening this year’s Festival as the new director with such a wonderful programme. Imaginate has built a Festival with real clarity of purpose, a deep commitment to children’s rights, grounded in artistic quality, inclusion, and international exchange.
“Many of the shows this year reflect the realities of children growing up today. Questions around mental health, bullying, displacement, belonging, identity, friendship, and resilience run through the programme in very different ways. That is what makes this programme feel so alive and relevant.
“I look forward to witnessing children’s reactions and hearing their voices and different perspectives.
“It is always our hope that for every child who experiences this Festival, something stays with them, big or small. A feeling. A question. A spark of imagination.”
Full programme and booking information: www.imaginate.org.uk/festival. Tickets can be booked online or by calling 0131 226 0019.