[Review] The Happy
As larger-than-life, primary-coloured kids’ entertainment goes, The Happy Gang are one of the brightest and boldest. This year’s show sees a lot of tartan, huge furry sporrans, a huger furry beastie and audience participation to make the grown-ups cringe.
The set at the Pleasance One is spartan to say the least, but the kids didn’t seem to mind. The costumes more than make up for the lack of props. Everything’s a bit tatty, but that’s dwarfed by the sheer exuberance of the three perfomers. That carried over to the audience too, and right from the start all the parents (well, most of the parents) were singing along - with old favourite Ye Cannae Shove Yer Granny Aff The Bus proving very successful - as was the standard “who can sing louder” challenge being between the parents and the kids. The parents sang really loud but the kids were declared the winners. I was a little put-out by that!
The show itself has very little plot, though the flyers placed on each seat advertising The Happy Gang tour starting in October for the same show mentions characters not in this one-hour Fringe show, so I suspect we’ve watched a condensed version. There are lots of songs, a bit of dancing and the chance for a couple of hand-picked kids to go up on stage and win some prizes. My one year-old loved the bright lights and music, my three year-old was a bit nervous but soon settled in and sang along. My friend’s five year-old was utterly swallowed up by it and practically leapt onto the stage shouting, “look behind you!” when the beastie appeared.
Pleasance One is up a flight of stairs with no lift, but the staff are more than happy to help take buggies up. Buggies have to be folded and stored outside the theatre, and after the show had been left in the upstairs foyer right next to The Happy Gang merchandise stall and in the way of the toilets - not the easiest of places to reclaim your buggy from pile of thirty buggies, while people are trying to get to the toilet and kids are clamouring for badges, DVDs and flashing wands. And this is after having to queue in the courtyard right next to an ice cream stall!
All in all though, it’s a good show. The kids love it and it’s not too painful for the adults. But someone should tell Spatz he shouldn’t wear white pants with a dark purple kilt if he’s going to burl around that fast…
Who: The Happy Gang’s Highland Fling.
Where: The Pleasance.
When: 1400-1450 9th-13th, 15th-20th, 26th, 27th August
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