> Wee Seals and Selkies - Fringe Review - SNACK: Music, film, arts and culture magazine for Scotland

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Wee Seals and Selkies – Fringe Review

Multi-award-winning children’s author and storyteller Janis Mackay brings two of her best-loved seal-themed tales to life in a live theatre production, accompanied by live traditional Scots fiddle music from instrumentalist Donald Scott.

Starting with The Selkie Girl – a story based on traditional mythology about shapeshifting from seal to female form – and moving on to a tale of friendship in A Wee Seal, Janis uses props and audience participation to create an engaging and lively performance that delights the young audience and their adult carers alike. 

Simple props, like a captain’s cap for Donald, and packing and unpacking a suitcase, create humour and bring the story to life. Audience participation is encouraged, with Janis asking questions and including everyone in singing.

Enjoyable for all ages, my friend’s daughters, aged 10 and 11, raved about the realistic use of imagery and wordplay in the storytelling, conjuring vivid mental pictures of seals and selkies.

This is a must-see as a chance to witness a treasured author bring their stories to the stage in a wonderfully family-friendly fringe production, in the ideal setting.

Wee Seals and Selkies will be at The Scottish Storytelling Centre’s Netherbow Theatre from 26th till 27th Aug

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