Hot air balloon steals the show

A Christmas show for children featuring penguins arriving at a party in hot air balloons, on sleighs and in boats has closed to rave reviews. ‘Too Many Penguins?’ was produced by Frozen Charlotte, a Scottish theatrical company based in Edinburgh. The show ran from 11th to 22nd December at the Traverse Theatre and will be showing at the Polka Theatre in London until the middle of February. The show is aimed at children under four and makes use of puppets and a jaunty percussion and violin soundtrack to keep their attention. The essence of the tale is the difference between two neighbouring penguins, one who likes a quiet life and the other who enjoys a party. The moral of the story is that neighbours must try to live harmoniously, no matter their differences. In a polar world of white created from simple props, the smartly dressed guest penguins arriving in a colourful hot air balloon make for a bright splash of colour on the stark background. The silence and serenity of the surrounding landscape is highlighted by the gentle gliding action of the hot air balloon as it floats down to land softly on the white snow. The children’s show won last year’s Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland for Best Production for Children and Young People. Although most hot air balloon flights in the UK are taken during the summer months, the view of snow covered mountains or flat polar expanse from such a vantage point is truly spectacular.