A History of Scotland (in 60 minutes or less)
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Sleekit Productions
one4review
This is not a history of tartan. There will be no Nessie, no mention of Jimmys nor Jocks and, rather thankfully, the skirl of the bagpipe is banished. If you’re into that particular vision of Scotland then you’d be best served by a walk down the Royal Mile. Instead the three talented performers of this show want to focus on the gritty history of Scotland – the kings and queens, the bloody battles that have been won or lost and the legacy of some of our greatest inventors. It might sound like a history lesson but remember that this is an early morning show primarily aimed at children. As such it exists as an interactive entertainment piece and at this it excels.
A mix of music, comedy and history lesson, A History of Scotland is a pleasure to watch. Performed with gusto its main thrust is obviously history but on many occasions the three actors divert from the task in hand to play up the wonderful comic dynamic that exists between them.
The musical numbers are quirky and fun, ranging from a run through of the Scottish Monarchy to the Highland Clearance Blues. They’re also varied enough to not become nauseatingly repetitive – a trap that many children’s shows can fall into. The audience interaction keeps the children involved in the history and the comic routines are as much for the adults as for the younger members of the audience. An all-round fun family show.
14 August 2007
