Imaginate Festival, Edinburgh and Scotland, 24 May- 10 Jun
Walking through the jungle what do I see... Remember the days when children's entertainment was all about nursery rhymes and hide-and-seek? Doll's houses, transformers and the occasional game of kiss chase? As blessed as all these activities may be, children's entertainment has become an industry in its own right and Scotland is about to encounter one of the world's most exciting celebrations. This year's Imaginate Festival will embrace Edinburgh and various locations throughout Scotland from May 24 - June 10. Showcasing over 15 performances from Scotland and the international arena, the festival offers something for everyone, from the little itchy titchy ones to not so titchy teenagers and beyond.
The Imaginate Festival is now in its 18th year of production. Festival director Tony Reekie says the 2008 festival holds one the most exciting yet program yet. “Any festival of theatre for children and young people must strive to be as much fun as possible. We hope to provide the excitement and breadth a festival needs with something, genuinely, for everyone."
Edinburgh's internationally renowned festival culture includes some of the worlds finest events. From the International Arts Festival to ceilidh celebrations, the Fringe extravaganza and stunning Film Festivals, Scotland is the international leader when it come to celebration of art, theatre and creative performance. The inclusion of the Imaginate Festival offers content for children, an audience which is not always number one when it comes to live performance. Culture Minister Linda Fabiani says “This project will help inspire Scotland's best and brightest talent for the future and ensure our wonderfully creative arts scene is enjoyed from an early age.”
Living in a world where television and computerised technology can play a large part in children's lives, festivals such as Imaginate offer a platform for inspiration, creative encouragement and education. International highlights from this years program include Croatian theatre group, Mala Scenas, and their production of Parachutists. This clever and entertaining show tells the story of life's ups and downs through the metaphor of parachutes and "the art of falling". England's Scamp Theatre and their successful 2007 Fringe show, Aesop's Fables, will stunningly recreate some of the most well known stories ever told. Partnered alongside magical fables of wolves and goats from Italy, funky rock'n'roll and dance from Belgium and mystical peek-a-boo's via Canada, Imaginate is a feast for the senses. And not just the little ones!
From the home arena we have Stillmotion and Starcatchers presenting We Dance, wee groove. This fantastically motivating and entertaining Scottish dance extravaganza aims to get the young ones bopping away. Including a live DJ and spectacular dancers, We Dance, wee groove stands to get everyone moving and shaking.
Last year's Festival entertained and inspired over 14,000 people throughout the country. The 2008 festival will continue in this spirit visiting Glasgow, Falkirk, Bathgate, Dumfries, Dunfermline, Stirling, Castle Douglas and Inverness until July 10th. Don't miss out on the chance to inspire your little ones with tales of magic and wonder by embracing all that live theatre and Scotland has to offer.