Review: Dic Dic Chang Chang Playground, Edfringe

Back for a second year at the Edinburgh Fringe, this Cantonese Opera x Children’s Interactive production by One Table Two Chairs does just as the title suggests by combining Cantonese Opera with interactive children’s theatre, and producing a show that is educational and charming all at once. 

The show centres around the simple story of Captains Dic Dic and Chang Chang enlisting the help of the Cantonese Opera Fairy – and an audience of ‘little agents!’ – to assist them in defeating the Boring King. All three of the actors, along with the puppeteer handling the Boring King, portray their roles well; those onstage with a great deal of expressive physicality, emphasised by flowing costumes which accentuate their movements. The show is clearly well-rehearsed, with the actors moving with easy synchronisation and elegance.  The actor playing the Cantonese Opera Fairy carries herself with a great deal of grace and plays the perfect indulgent guardian of the Opera Playground. Similarly, the actors portraying Dic Dic and Chang Chang deserve credit as they are particularly charming, reeling the audience into their games in a number of interactive moments. These are a particular favourite with the children in the audience, and particularly the opportunity to create a Mexican wave using the water flags! The only problem is perhaps that it is occasionally difficult to hear their voices, despite the fact that Theatre 3 at the Space is rather small. This is more due to the backing track being too loud than it is a failure of projection on the part of the actors. 

One Table Two Chairs places education about the beauty of Cantonese Opera at the forefront of their ethos, and this show is no exception. There are a number of moments during which the characters take the opportunity to explain a few features of traditional Cantonese Opera, or to teach the audience a few words of Cantonese. Though I would perhaps have liked to have known what exactly the ‘spell’ we said translated to (assuming it translated to anything!) I still left feeling that I knew more than I did before. As a gentle introduction to Cantonese Opera, it serves both children and adults well, and the actors are more than willing to take photographs with any interested children afterwards!

Afterwards, I stayed behind to talk to a couple of the children in the audience, as their opinion ought to matter the most – they and I agreed to award the show four stars. It is charming and visually interesting, and a worth a visit as a particularly distinctive piece of children’s entertainment at this year’s Fringe!

Produced by One Table Two Chairs

Dic Dic Chang Chang Playground plays at Surgeon’s Hall Saturday August 9