The world is doomed and the human race only has five years left. The best chance of saving it? Launching a hippo into space, of course. But along the way, Space Hippo (along with her trusty sidekick, the food robot) finds herself at the mercy of warring alien tribes. If the story sounds absurd, that’s because it is, aided by being told through the art of shadow puppetry. Book Of Shadowz is a two-person company comprising Canadian Daniel Wishes and Japanese Seri Yanai. Together, they’ve handcrafted over 200 shadow puppets that are used in this story. The puppets are charming and their artistry is undeniable as the two artists make them fight, shimmy and fly, projected onto a large screen.

The story, however, feels stretched thin across an entire hour. Space Hippo is captured by one alien civilisation, then by another. The whys are never really explained, and the narrative can be hard to follow at times; a real shame, as the intricate puppetry deserves a stronger frame than it’s been given here. This is unlike anything else you’ll see at the Festival this year, but the artistry doesn’t quite make up for the lack of cohesive storyline and meandering pace.

Space Hippo, Underbelly Cowgate, until 24 August, 12.30pm.