Shhh! (A Wordless Comedy) kids review: Whimsy without words
With mime, horseplay and antics aplenty, these school-themed shenanigans are chaotic and lively
This family friendly clown show, which originated at the Lang Spot arts centre in Vietnam, may indeed be wordless but it is far from silent comedy. There is plenty of noise here, from sound effects made by the trio onstage to animal noises and lip-synching, not to mention the growling babytalk used by the performers to communicate with each other (think the Teletubbies crossed with Mr Bean).
There is a loose narrative framework to proceedings involving a daydreaming schoolgirl, who conjures up scenarios to distract from taking an exam in a stultifying classroom. In truth, this is a pretext for stringing together set-ups, ranging from fairly standard role-playing exercises, some anarchic pratfalling and horseplay, and a few vignettes that are genuinely enchanting. The use of mime in particular is so precise that we end up buying into whatever is being suggested onstage; whenever the audience is called upon to catch an imaginary ball or put invisible coins into an invisible hat, we do so without hesitation. Young children, seated on a mat at the front of the stage, appear especially rapt, and while not every element is perfectly executed, this energetic, playful show is perhaps the very definition of good, clean fun.
Shhh! (A Wordless Comedy), Gilded Balloon Teviot, until 31 August, 11.20am.