Edinburgh Fringe children's shows reviews: Madame Chandelier’s Grand Theft Opera | SeedHeart + more

CHILDREN’S SHOWS

Madame Chandelier’s Grand Theft Opera ★★★

Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) until 16 August

Anyone wanting to introduce their smaller ones to the world of opera could do a lot worse than spending an hour in the company of Madame Chandelier - whose daughter, Pamina, has been lured by the Queen of the Night into the dark world of video games, and who needs help from Carmen, Madame Butterfly and even poor, tragic Tosca to rescue her. Indeed, opera’s apparent obsession with heroines’ tragic demises gets something of a take-down in Canadian opera diva Delia Shand’s generous, high-energy family show, and a few plots find themselves somewhat rethought for the 21st century.

But that’s maybe something for the opera buffs: for kids and families, there are plenty of chances to get involved, and a gentle introduction to the operatic canon too, courtesy of Shand’s impressive and apparently tireless soprano voice. She multitasks with pantomime abandon between characters - a new hat or wig can do a lot of work - and she ensures everyone feels welcome in the bizarre and rather ramshackle opera-meets-video games world she’s created. There’s a passing serious point about the time parents and youngsters spend looking at screens, but Madame Chandelier isn’t out to drive home morals: instead, this is a show of silly operatic fun. David Kettle

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CHILDREN’S SHOWS

SeedHeart ★★★

Below at Pleasance Courtyard (33) until 31 August

Grey - a charming and personable 3D printed puppet expertly brought to life by Anna Ingleby - is deposited into a bucolic landscape, only to plunder its natural resources for his own ends. Gradually, his surroundings become unrecognizable: factories owned by the nefarious SeedHeart Corporation keep popping up, while air pollution ravages the city’s population.

Children in the audience are then asked to assist a scientist from SeedHeart Corporation in creating a new bio-robot, an ungodly mix of beast and machine designed to make as much money as possible. Inevitably, things go awry, and the bio-robot becomes a rampaging Metropolis-like visage intent on obliterating its captors - including Grey, who has to escape and find his way back to a less destructive way of life.

SeedHeart’s set pieces - composed almost entirely of paper - are ingenious, and Ingleby’s puppetry is masterful. In its current state, however, the show inhabits a challenging liminal space: the story’s subtleties and artistry may be lost on younger children, while the rowdy audience participation threatens to derail the story for adults. As it stands, SeedHeart is ideal for slightly older children, who can appreciate both the important message at the heart of the show and its equally whimsical messenger. Ariane Branigan

CHILDREN’S SHOWS

Rock, Paper, Scissors: A Brief History and Tournament ★★★

Hoots @ Nicolson Square (Venue 63) until 22 August

More of a fun lesson than a fully formed piece, American teacher Emily Pitts’ still makes a good fist of this Pay What You Can hour. It proves a diverting hour for ages 7 all the way up into adulthood as everyone nows the basic rules of the ancient playground game allowing Pitts to take on the audience en masse before spiralling into a potted history with plenty of diversions into fun facts about its three basic elements. Its the sort of loosely connected thread of knowledge that appeals to children (and adults when they find themselves cast into a wiki-hole when they can’t sleep).

It’s mercifully light of geology but touches on the psychology of the game (rock is overwhelmingly the favoured choice of males because they tend to be a bit aggressive). Pitts experience teaching 12-year-olds means that she can successfully organise a full audience tournament towards the end without descending into chaos. It’s a true all-ages show as, no matter who you are, you’re bound to learn something. Did you know, for example, that Scotland’s Island of Rockall was the last territorial expansion of the British Empire? Well, now you do. Rory Ford

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