Sid's Show

100487 original

It’s a good job Sid Sloane has already established a mini-fanbase from his presenting roles on CBeebies, as this is perhaps the most unimaginatively named children’s show at the Fringe. What isn’t conveyed in the title, however, is 50 minutes of light-hearted, interactive games and quests aimed at children aged 3 and over.

As Sid prepares to get ready for the day ahead, he can’t find his socks. Silly Sid! Perhaps if he collects enough wool, he can enlist the help of some trusty friends (that's us), to knit him some new footwear. On a mission to gather his yarn, Sid takes us on immersive adventures along the way through deep oceans, sunny beaches and rainy jungles; and even rockets us into outer space.

While Sid’s journeys are fun and fantastical, they don’t offer enough in the way of audience participation. There are songs and activities but the potential to get the children involved in more direct ways, even to influence the result of Sid’s mission, is squandered. As a result, there isn’t enough magic to really capture everyone’s attention for the full 50 minutes and, at times, it looks like Sid is having all the fun. When Sloane does get everyone involved, it’s lively and dynamic; he is effortless and natural when chatting to his audience.

Sloane also runs through a roll-call of acts to constantly wow us. From sock puppets and friendly aliens to poems and magic rope tricks, Sloane is quite clearly a gifted entertainer. While it won’t enthral or amaze the little ones, they can expect a friendly host to slowly win them over.