The Legend of Magnificent Moon & A Most Curious Quest

This article is from 2009.

Having discovered two great stories ripe for adaptation, Mara Menzies of Toto Tales was torn between which show to deliver at this year’s Fringe. But help was at hand. ‘I was deliberating for weeks, when my 7-year-old niece piped up, “Why don’t you do both?”,’ she says. ‘Why not indeed? So I started writing two scripts.’

Based on traditional African tales, The Legend of Magnificent Moon is for ages 3+ while A Most Curious Quest is aimed at a slightly older audience of 7+. And. like last year’s Koko The Crocodile, Menzies will give both sets of children a chance to create something artistic to take home at the end of the show.

Aside from giving her audiences a good time, Edinburgh-based Menzies is also dedicated to sharing the rich bounty of tales her heritage has to offer. ‘African stories are still often passed down in the oral tradition, so accessing them from Scotland can be quite difficult,’ she says. ‘These stories have worldwide appeal and I try to subtly introduce ideas through the scenery, language and characters. It’s a way of sharing my African culture in the most positive, interesting way I know.’

The Zoo, 662 6892, 10–31 Aug (not 9, 16, 23, 30), 11am (Moon) and Noon (Quest), £6 (£4). Previews 7 & 8 Aug, £4 (£3)

This article is from 2009.

More: Theatre, Kids, A Most Curious Quest, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh Festivals, Fringe, Mara Menzies, Previews, The Legend of Magnificent Moon, Toto Tales

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