EDINBURGH 2026 Review: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 TOYS, Summerhall
Runs until 31 August.
This is an early morning treat for Fringe-goers. Thaddeus Phillips mixes theatre, film, puppetry, and illusions to present a new blend of live performance. He never speaks—toys, titles, and his physicality do it for him. It’s 1925, and Georges Méliès, father of cinema and expert toy maker, is facing eviction. After receiving a gift from one Jules Verne, he embarks on the adventure of a lifetime.
The mise en scène is mesmerising. Little marionettes, Russian dolls, and vintage tchotchkes of questionable provenance become his companions. Pervaded by childhood wonder, we join Georges as he flees from his troubles and meets a collection of kooky characters, ending up in various absurd situations. Aided only by a live-feed camera, Phillips delivers an imaginative and inventive piece of theatre with immense storytelling power.
The clever trickery and tiny deceptions bring us back to a simpler time: there’s a melancholic and old-timey aura to the project. It’s fascinating to watch Phillips work. There’s a whole show in his artful use of perspective and the prompt, ingenious arrangement of the objects at his disposal. The careful planning, the logistical movements of his performance, the unforgivable nature of this type of craft—it’s simply riveting.
Forget all the modern technological advances that keep threatening the arts at the moment. All you need is a basic camera and a bunch of old-school trinkets to create magic.
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