ED2015 5/5 Reviews ED2015 Theatre Reviews

Edmund The Learned Pig (Fittings Multimedia Arts, Krazy Kat Theatre and The Royal Exchange)

By Gemma Scott | Published on Friday 28 August 2015

Bonaparte’s circus is failing. The aerialist is afraid of heights and the mind-reader is losing his memory. Failing, that is, until the arrival of Edmund, a puppet pig who can talk, sing, read and dance. The design is all dusty, faded glamour which, combined with aerial silk work and music by the Tiger Lillies’ Martyn Jacques, really puts the spectacular into this super, sometimes very silly, show. References to Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ are dropped in amongst the bacon jokes, as Edmund is seen as either saviour or dinner. The play also beautifully integrates British Sign Language, the bilingual actors translating when other characters are talking. ‘Edmund the Learned Pig’ is a gloriously dark, humane, weird little show.

Summerhall, until 30 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Gemma Scott]