Edinburgh Fringe 2026
Tiny Planet
Half A String
Genre: Live Music, Puppetry, Theatre
Venue: Pleasance Dome
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Imagine a planet no bigger than a house which can be explored in a matter of minutes, yet is the centre of a galaxy. With breathtaking puppetry and live folk songs merged with big 90s synth, uncover the planet’s mysteries. Live camera projection brings this Tiny Planet to life as an intergalactic space baker crash lands and learns the smallest things hold the biggest stories.
Review
An energetic cast of three create a vibrant world with a huge model of a planet centre stage. The planet looks like a large misshapen seed with short roots and craggy cracks. As the planet revolves slowly the cast dash about playing instruments and holding signs. They switch easily between musicians and puppeteers taking turns. The main musician who sings all the songs takes the stage with gusto while playing a spirited guitar, crossing the stage from side to side. She has quite a repertoire of story songs telling us about the planet and mankind sung with a very powerful voice.
An interesting part of this show is the addition of technology to live screen the goings on in the planet onto a large screen. This frames the close up camera view cleverly projected on the screen as if viewing from another vantage point – and wittily mimicking live streams of space travel. ‘Meanwhile’ (a running theme) a variety of visual and sound effects play and we realise that our planet is in chaos with pollution!
Busy sound effects, dialogue, narration and loud music play all at once, such is the chaotic planet! An astronaut puppet arrives and lands on the planet. The spaceship is a curious pastiche of upcycled objects that blend well with the very creative and beautifully designed set, puppets and props. Visual effects show us that the tiny planet is not well, overloaded and uncared for, sadly. Two puppeteers move together taking the astronaut puppet around the planet with careful movement. One of the puppeteers makes the puppet’s vocal sounds of sequences of squeals and wails as they take the puppet character around the planet.
Alternating with busy dynamic songs and sound effects we are asked to relax and breathe. This is a welcome request! The cast work hard manipulating many moving parts to create some magical moments. It looks like the beautiful planet slowly opens one of the cracks a little to drumbeats and a lovely guitar melody. Suddenly, the planet begins to heal itself, which is wonderful, but is it too far gone or will it get better? The cast encourages the planet to heal with an enthusiastic song accompanied by the strident guitar. This is a beautiful and imaginative show with several different puppets accompanied by a multisensory sound track, visual and sound effects with live music and lively singing!
