Slapstick, Strictly and satsumas all play a part in this story of an unlikely friendship between an elderly man and his canine companion. Hogarth befriends stray dog Easy Peeler (citrus fruits take up a much bigger space in the show than you’d expect, but it works) as they enter a ballroom dancing competition in their town of Barking. Jon and Ollie’s energy is enough to keep wee ones fixated for the full hour, as the characters’ clownish antics carry us along in a heartwarming tale of an ‘opposites-attract’ friendship. Expect bouncy balls, water pistols and some seriously high-energy dance routines (notably the Charleston). 

Strictly Barking’s villains, a scathing dog-hating feline and his sheepish owner (also played by Jon and Ollie), steal the show, and the classic cat-versus-dog dynamic creates a pantomime of pandemonium as the two animals and their respective humans have a hilarious dance-off. Strictly Barking scooped a Fringe World 2023 award, and deservedly so. 

Jon And Ollie: Strictly Barking, Gilded Balloon Teviot, until 20 August, 1pm.