Dinosaur World at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh Review

Reviewed by Emily Crombie

My five-year girls and I were very excited to attend Dinosaur World at Edinburgh Festival Theatre this afternoon (10 April 2017).

There was a great buzz of anticipation within the theatre from the children and parents alike. The curtains were open and the stage set with transportation crates and swirling smoke.

The show opened with Miranda setting the scene and telling the story within which we met a selection of dinosaurs.

I was a bit concerned that the dinosaurs would be a bit scary but they were not. The dinosaurs were of various sizes with the largest operated by 4 people. The fact that the puppeteers were not hidden allowed the children to realise they were not real although they looked and acted very real. The show was cleverly written giving the audience a manageable amount of information about each dinosaur.

My daughters favourite was the Giraffatitan Dinosaur. They were very excited every time the egg started to wobble and were jumping up and down when it hatched!

The show was interactive with the audience encouraged to call out answers and some children went up on stage to help Miranda.

Dinosaur World was around 50 minutes long which was ideal for the younger children. After the show finished the children were invited to meet some of the dinosaurs. It was great to get up close and really see the detail of the dinosaurs. The baby Triceratops, Beatrice sat blinking away in the puppeteer’s arms, and the mannerisms of the Tyrannosaurus Rex were so very realistic.

The staff at the theatre were lovely and very patient with the children which made the visit stress free.

We walked from Waverly Station in about ten minutes to Nicolson Street where the theatre is located although there are plenty of taxis and buses available.

I would highly recommend Dinosaur World for all ages.

Rating: 5/5

Tickets cost from £14.50 to £17 (booking fees may apply).

Dinosaur World is at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh from 10-11 April 2017, for more information or to book tickets visit www.edtheatres.com or call the box office on 0131 529 6000.

Festival Theatre, 13/29 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9FT | 0131 529 6000