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Michael Cox reviews a production that's 'a constant delight'.
The experience of Jan Tait & the Bear begins as you walk into the performance space. Audiences are treated to juice and biscuits as they enter, and the performers happily engage in conversation before picking up instruments or costumes to start.
In medieval Shetland, Jan Tait finds himself in trouble after getting into an argument with a tax collector, which ends badly. The king is prepared to give a harsh sentence but instead gets the idea of sending Tait out to kill a bear that’s been attacking a local community.
The production, a short family-friendly mix of opera and storytelling, is charming from the word start. The acoustics of the venue might make hearing some of the lyrics difficult, but the production is a constant delight.
Jan Tait & the Bear is at Summerhall until August 16th.
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