Review of Sing, Sign and Sensory, Fringe 2024

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe for kids is always a mixed bag of circus, dancing, puppetry, light shows, experimental clowning and bubbles but when I read about an immersive singalong and signing Fringe show taking place in an inflatable sensory pod I thought it would be a new amusing experience.

I’d taken my nearly 17-month-old daughter to Sing and Sign classes whilst on maternity leave so hoped it would be like a standard class but jazzed up to 100. The show is billed as suitable for 0-24 months and there is a babes in arm policy meaning children under twos do not require a ticket.

The experience took place inside an (potentially intimidating for nervous toddlers) inflatable pod in a room upstairs at the Gilded Balloon Patter House venue.

The venue is apparently accessible but for the show itself you have to squeeze your way through a rather tiny inflated slit so I’m not sure someone with access needs would manage.

The vibe

The starter vibe is your general… ‘pleasantly apprehensive tired parents holding their potato like babies or corralling their excitable/ nervous toddlers’. The show vibe is: ‘at least my kid is enjoying themselves but this would be way better if I was drunk’.

And the leaving vibe is: ‘well that was quick’.

The show itself

The brightly dressed and golden crowned performer running the show greets the children and their parents/guardians in the queue with a smile and some signing. She explains, when asked, that she uses Makaton signs which may be slightly different from other signing you have done at your local baby classes.

She gathers everyone and explains to the adults what they will expect when entering the venue i.e. take your shoes off, enter through the tight doorway, sit down with your babe, join in singing and try not to let your kid touch the equipment.

The show is rather brief. We were probably in the pod for around 20 mins. It’s such a novel environment for a show and must be such a hassle to set up for the crew, which makes it sad when you realise that there were some real missed opportunities to really ‘wow’ the young audience.

The offer to sing along to some of the well known songs was there, but unfortunately it was impossible to see the performer signing due to the darkness required for the slightly blurry projections. Also, because she was trying to keep a serene atmosphere with a gentle voice whilst fighting against the noise of kids, parents, a fan and music, it was very hard to hear her too.

A simple torch and small microphone/ PA system to help focus some attention on her, whilst not disrupting the rest of the projector show would be ideal. Other than the music and projections on the dome there were soft cloud cushions to sit/ lay on.

A bubble machine was wooshed around at one point and a couple of lovely (soon to be destroyed by toddlers) glow up books were passed around. The touchy/ feely part of this experience could be expanded upon but I’m also aware the performer is trying to make sure the babies aren’t trampled by excited toddlers so perhaps that’s why there weren’t additional ‘sensory’ elements which might send some kids wild.

My daughter enjoyed the projections and music and danced around mesmerised with her hands in the air. One friend’s wee boy fell asleep after a very early rise because the dark atmosphere and sing-songy music was too much to fight a nap.

Then my other pal’s kid kept straying towards the computer equipment which is hella enticing for a little one. I was glad I was sitting near a wee air vent as it did get rather warm during the short show.

Then after about four or five songs we were all thanked for coming and it was time to leave. Back out through the inflatable exit slit which, for me, was funny but for my daughter, less so…

Overall

Sing, Sign and Sensory is something your child will most likely enjoy, mainly because they are a baby and the pod will be an audibly and visually engaging new experience for them.

As an adult I appreciate the grind required by the performer to sit and sing in a dark pod with kids twice a day for the run of the Fringe but do wish there had been something a bit ‘extra’ which would’ve made the experience a bit more ‘wow’.

Review by Danielle Gordon