Katie and the Mona Lisa at the Edinburgh fringe!

Just before setting off to Edinburgh, the marvellous cast of this all new version of Katie and the Mona Lisa gave a dress rehearsal at St. Gabriel’s Hall in Pimlico for a specially invited audience. Kate Hume is terrific as Katie, and Connie Nash a properly beautiful (and very funny) Mona Lisa. Grandma, the Dragon and the Three Graces are all played by Chris Draper, while the Bus Driver, Guard and Angel are dashed off by Christopher Todd. Then the Princess and Venus are Bianca Baikie, while the handsome young St George is also a Lion and a daringly semi-naked Mercury – and that’s Alex Lodge.

Directed by Sean Garvey, with sets based directly on the book illustrations, I can’t imagine the book being more imaginatively and charmingly brought to life.

Originally presented in Croydon two years ago, this musical has a whole new script, new costumes and puppets and a couple of new songs to add to the existing score by the dazzlingly talented Robert Hainult. With words by Emmy award winning Adrian Brown.

Even without proper lighting and sound, the show was simply terrific, a real piece of quality theatre. The songs are superb, the jokes funny, the cast outstandingly good singers. Because I’ve had nothing to do with it, I hope it’s not immodest to say that it is frankly a triumph, genuinely in another league compared to most of the other shows based on kid’s books currently touring (shhh… no names!). Honestly – it’s wonderful! Don’t believe me? Here’s a sample of the music on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ8jIa3EUts

The production opens this coming week in Edinburgh at the illustrious Pleasance One. Performances run from August 5th to 31st, most dates, at 12.45. The musical lasts 55 minutes.

If you love the idea of great story, theatre and music celebrating the most famous painting in the world, and if you want to have your children begging you to take them to a gallery, if your kids love the Katie books… DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!