Ruby’s Wish

Parents who accompany their children to Ruby’s Wish, playing as part of the Awesome Festival, are in for a treat. In a festival aimed at children, this truly is a wonderful experience for all ages, and if you can tear your eyes away from the stage for a moment you will notice that the grown-ups, even jaded critic types, are just as engaged as the children.

An unapologetically overtly theatrical production, it combines sensitive puppetry, fascinating animation, clowning and some moving acting performances to tell the story of Ruby, a little girl who is seriously ill in hospital, her distracted father and the clown doctor who has trouble with words, who helps her get her wish. The show includes some creative beat boxing, an amazing mop monster and a surprise pop performance, and is a creative blend of the “real” and “imaginary”.

Seamless ensemble work from actors Holly Austin, Adriano Cappelletta, who are also co-writers, and narrator and actor Alice Osborne, who is also the puppetry director. 
A fun show that deals with serious topics and never talks down to its young audience. Don’t feel that you need to borrow a child to see Ruby’s Wish, which will entertain and entrance everyone from 7 to 107.

Kimberley Shaw