The Librarians @ TheSpace on North Bridge

Stilts and Puppetry, down in the old li'bry.

Review by Antony Sammeroff | 14 Aug 2013

Lionel Tinderghast Community Library has not had a single customer in three decades, unless you count the delusional detainee held under duress. Now the monstrous Mandrake Hardbach wishes to secure his place as Chief Librarian by putting the bombastic Burbage to death, and what a dreadful delight it is to behold!

Full of articulate alliterations, piquant puns, and ripe with wit, Minotaur Theatre Company present The Librarians. After some online hype they are selling out many shows, and it's not hard to see why! Devised by the cast around a story written by director, Lewis Garvey, the production is full of life. The creepy characters are charmingly caricaturish familiars, and their tantalisingly verbose quips roll off one another deftly.

The play begins with a piece in the style of an Old American Spiritual about life down in the ol' library, percussively accompanied by the cast in a wizz of pens slapping against books and other improvised instruments, and while the show takes some time to reach its full brilliance, it does so with enjoyable performances from the whole cast, with particularly nuanced performances from James Gault as Dicky Spine, and Ed Jones as Dusty Lovejacket.

Find these eerie bookworms at TheSpace on North Bridge... But beware the Grim Reader!

The Librarians @ theSpace on North Bridge, 12.40pm, Until 17 Aug, £7 / £5 http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/librarians