First performances of the joy-filled children’s show Singing Willows and the Magical Bed took place this weekend as part of the Edinburgh Deaf Festival (EDF).
Spectacular costumes, a talking four poster bed and much more, take audiences into a wonderous and dreamy world of music, play and imagination.
The show follows the story of a young girl who moves to a new home where the bed comes to life and together they discover friendship and courage.
The girl at the heart of the story is played by Alexandra Borghino, who also wrote and directed the piece. A clear highlight is Scottish Deaf actor Amy Murray, who plays both the narrator and the cloud.
Singing Willows and the Magical Bed is packed with playful audience participation, original songs, enchanting visuals and multilingual storytelling with integrated British Sign Language (BSL).
It’s ideal for deaf and hearing audiences alike.
The interactive musical adventure, for youngsters aged 5+, now transfers to the Scottish Storytelling Centre for four further performances on 22, 23, 29 and 30 August (see https://www.edfringe.com).
Singing Willows and the Magical Bed is just one of a series of children’s events at this year’s EDF (which runs in collaboration with the Fringe), which takes place until 16 August.
Others include The Librarians, where children can step into a world where books burst into life and meet the wonderfully quirky Miss Book and Mr Page as they discover the adventures hidden in their library of old books.
Then there is Lights & Lanterns, which takes place in an emporium of light and shadow, where history flickers to life and participants become part of the spectacle.
They can try your hand at a 130-year-old magic lantern, create your own hand painted glass slide, and transform into a Victorian projectionist.
It’s a playful, physical experience where past and present collide, and where light becomes language.
EDF takes place at Deaf Action, in Albany Street Edinburgh. See the Edinburgh Deaf Festival website at https://edinburghdeaffestival.co.uk
