Fringe children's puppet shows Circus in Hand and Time For Fun

Russian puppeteers who have it all in hand

This article is from 2012.

St Petersburg’s Hand Made Theatre make exactly that: theatre with their hands. The company’s actors all trained in puppetry at Russia’s State Theatre Arts Academy, and are about to make their Edinburgh Fringe debut. They bring with them two shows: Time for Fun, an upbeat physical theatre show, and Circus in Hand, which has been created especially for children but promises fun for everyone.

‘Both our shows will be interesting for adults and children of all ages,’ explains art director, Svetlana Ozerskaya. ‘There is an illusion that characters appear out of thin air, from nowhere. It’s like a 3D graphic but alive, warm and made of hands.’

Circus in Hand recreates the euphoria of visiting the circus as a young child, through hand movements and a few colourful props. It’s been performed many times before, but new elements and characters have been added for the Fringe run.

‘This show is an illustration of a child’s delight,’ says Ozerskaya, ‘to give you a feeling of visiting a circus, about a dream that appears deep within child’s heart. Is it possible to train a giraffe? Can you become friends with a zebra? When we were young, we knew answers to all these questions. This show will take you back to your childhood.’

Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, 4–27 Aug (not 13, 20), 11.50am, £8–£9. Previews 2 & 3 Aug, £6.