I Do, Do I

• David Kettle
• 17 August 2014

This article is from 2014

Musician Greg Sinclair creates profound nonsense with kids at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Is I Do, Do I even a kids’ show? Well, yes and no. Edinburgh-based cellist and actor Greg Sinclair’s multi-layered, deceptively simple offering is actually for anyone – there’s nothing aimed directly at children here, although its free-thinking, homespun charm and warm engagement make it ideal for a younger audience.

More importantly, it was created with kids – specifically pupils from Canal View Primary School in Edinburgh, who came up with their own Fluxus-inspired instructions which Sinclair has stitched together in a delicate, humorous, and often very touching exploration of creativity and performance.

Alone on the stage, Sinclair injects naive hilarity into aphoristic Fluxus-style actions – clipping a cap on a pen, for example, or making unexpected music by tearing up a score – and combines them with taped comments from the Canal View kids on what they want him to do, and gently probing questions about his own role as a musician and actor.

He’s a naturally engaging, sincere performer, and conjures up some powerfully poetic images – a shower of pens cascading over his head, or a silly dance to Ravel’s Boléro. By daring to be childlike (and sometimes nonsensical), Sinclair has created a show with some profound insights.

Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 24 Aug (not 19), £10 (£6).