SPACE HIPPO Returns To Edinburgh Fringe

Earth is dying. Our only hope is to launch a hippo into space. The hilarious, weird, and epic sci-fi from Japan is back! Space Hippo returns for Edinburgh Fringe 2025, with an updated script and even more space-hopping irreverence than before.

Last seen in Edinburgh in 2022, Space Hippo is the award-winning shadow puppet show by Book of Shadowz from Mochinosha Puppet Company. Using over 200 intricately designed hand-cut puppets, Space Hippo tells the story of a hippopotamus sent into space to save the world from impending doom. A silly and surreal escapade through the cosmos with an important environmental message at its heart; exploited at the hands of corrupt politicians and used as a pawn by aliens in an intergalactic war, all Space Hippo truly desires is to return home to her baby.

Performed by Japanese director/designer Seri Yanai and Canadian writer Daniel Wishes, Space Hippo has toured across Asia and North America as well as performances at the Edinburgh Fringe. The show has been the recipient of a number of awards including Best Design, Visual Theatre and Overall Show at Victoria Fringe Festival 2016; and Critic's Pick of Orlando Fringe Festival 2019.

Mochinoha Puppet Company was founded in 2012 by Canadian artist Daniel Wishes and Japanese artist Seri Yanai, who met while studying together at the London School of Puppetry. In 2016, Wishes and Yanai were recognised with the Japan New Puppetry Award for "DEBRIS"; In the same year they wrote and devised their epic science fiction shadow puppet adventure, Space Hippo, which would go on to become one of their most popular shows ever. Since its first performance in 2016, Space Hippo has been performed over 150 times in six different countries, from Armenia to the USA, and returns now to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2025.

Space Hippo will open at the Edinburgh Fringe on Thursday 31 July and run through to Monday 24 August, daily at 12:30 (except 19 August) at Underbelly Cowgate, Big Belly.

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