FRINGE 2016 – Amazing Drumming Monkeys – “The Tree Show” – 3K

By Julia Cudsi

Despite this act having been around for some years, I have never quite gotten around to seeing The Amazing Drumming Monkeys, so I was very excited to finally take my brood along to see this show.

Very much a “what you see is what you get” style show, this performance melds impressive puppetry with funky drumming and a strong environmental message aimed at young children. There were several minor glitches, chiefly with visual tricks not working quite as anticipated. Although this is readily forgivable in a Fringe show, and particularly a show aimed at children, it became quite irritating when the same trick was tried some five or six times until it eventually succeeded – it would have been preferable for one or two attempts to be made before the show moved on, particularly given the age and attention span of the audience.

Apart from this, the show was definitely charming – both “monkeys” had a delightful, self-effacing sense of humour, and it was a great treat for all audience members to be able to have a go at the drums.

A minor word of warning – this show will most probably not engage your children unless they are quite young, and certainly under seven.

Otherwise this is a beautiful introduction to the Fringe for your young kids.

3K

 

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