Will Pickvance's New Children's Show to Premiere at Brighton Fringe

Virtuoso pianist, wit and raconteur Will Pickvance has adapted his award winning, smash hit show Anatomy of the Piano for children and it's coming to the Brighton Fringe from May 29-31.

The grown-ups version sold out its Edinburgh runs in both 2013 and 2014 and has toured to Australia twice to great acclaim. It's part recital, part fantasy, part lecture as 'piano man Pickvance' uncovers the physical, emotional and spiritual anatomy of the instrument.

In 'Anatomy of the Piano for Beginners' the full fat fun children's version, Will goes on a journey to find out where pianos come from. Beginning when he didn't get the Christmas present he wanted (he hoped for a space rocket but got a piano instead) to the joy he found in exploring the instrument. Along the way he meets Bach in a cave and Fats Waller on the moon - it's the perfect antidote to boring piano lessons that has young audiences entranced and enthralled and their parents engaged too.

Will's gently humorous, amiable delivery and expert but never indulgent musicianship is enhanced by delightfully eccentric hand-drawn projections to create a quirkily subtle show of virtuosity, dissection and charming fun.

'The pace of the show is riveting, Pickvance's sincerity and skill win children and parents over in equal measure. His silly whimsical fancies about flying to the moon on a piano seem to come true at the end' ArtsHub Australia

At the close of the show Father Christmas offers to rectify his mistake and swap the piano for a rocket, but the recipient is now in love with his instrument. Anatomy of the Piano for Beginners will delight anyone who has ever enjoyed the sound of the instrument in whatever genre of music - and charm any who haven't into compliance!

Winner of WINDOW Emerging Talent Award at Brighton Fringe 2014, Will took the show to Australia last year to great critical and audience acclaim, returning to reinforce his reputation earlier this year. He has also toured to USA, Italy and Kuala Lumpur. He won the WINDOW Emerging Talent Award at the 2014 Brighton Fringe.

'A brilliant pianist and a charming host' The Scotsman

In a varied career as a professional musician Will Pickvance has been musical director for pantomimes starring various soap stars, been resident pianist on a cruise ship and found himself in Leo Sayer's backing band. He has jammed with The Eagles and directed the music for Ashley Judd's wedding and Robbie Williams' surprise birthday party (at which he accompanied Williams in an impromptu rendition of the million selling Angels).

'The writing's clever, almost poetic, and his piano playing exudes an effortless expertise' The Herald

The grown ups version of Anatomy of the Piano can also be seen at the same venue on the evenings of 30 and 31 May.

'Very funny, this man is the Will Pickvance of his generation' Dylan Moran

http://www.willpickvance.com
Listings info:
Will Pickvance: Anatomy of the Piano for Beginners
Fri 29 May 3.30pm, Sat 30, Sun 31 11.30am £8.50, £7.00 concs)
(also Anatomy of the Piano Sat 30, Sun 31 7.30pm £11.00, £9.50 concs)
Brighton Otherplace at The Basement 24 Kensington Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 4AJ 01273 699 733 http://www.thebasement.uk.com
Charming raconteur and virtuoso pianist explains the story of his instrument in a children's adaptation of his hit show