Mavis Sparkle

• Kelly Apter
• 5 August 2017

This article is from 2017.

Captivating solo show with a magical trolley of playthings

If only cleaning the house was as much fun as Mavis Sparkle makes it, kids would be helping out like a shot. Standing next to her impressive custom-made trolley, filled with mops, brushes and sprays, she takes a break from her job as a cleaner to chat amiably to the audience. We learn about her long-held dream to see the Northern Lights, and watch her re-enact her exciting childhood, touring theatres with her magician parents.

Produced by the acclaimed M6 Theatre Company, this charming one-woman show is a gentle mix of magic, storytelling, puppetry and imaginative set design. Performer Eve Robertson has an infectious enthusiasm for life, while the aforementioned trolley is a gift that keeps on giving, with one door after another opening to reveal something new (including the impossibly cute Spikey the hedgehog, Mavis' faithful companion).

The sleight of hand illusions are relatively basic; raising a smile more than a sense of awe with today's savvy kids. But each one is performed by Mavis with a flourish, giving little ones something new to hold their interest, while older children and adults take in the show's deeper meaning about embracing new things and looking for the miraculous in the everyday.

Pleasance Courtyard, until 20 Aug, 11am, £7.50–£9.50 (£6.50–£9).