one4review | On 07, Aug 2022

Nestled in a small room in the attic of Teviot is a wee gem of a show. The stage is set up like a small bookshop, complete with a rickety bookshelf containing interesting looking books, a ventriloquist’s dummy and a crow. A perfect mix of storytelling and theatre, just two actors take to the stage: a bookshop owner and her assistant. Together they take us through four creepy and sinister tales.

The actors are both excellent, and the stories they tell are wonderful. Our particular favourite was the tale of the greedy boy who ate so much he was squashed in an alley. Others include the background to the bookshop’s existence and badly treated dog who does not protect it’s family. The actors make great use of the stage, and we weren’t able to take our eyes off them. The part of the show where they voiced the puppets was excellent.

This is a good show if you have older children. It can be tricky to find shows that are not either too babyish or too grown up. This show is aimed at kids ages 8-12 which seems fair. The stories are quite creepy and so probably wouldn’t be appropriate for younger kids.

****

Reviewed by Claire

Gilded Balloon, Teviot (Turret)

11.00 (1hr)

Until Aug 21 (not 17)