Commissioned by Aberdeen Performing Arts, Capital Theatres and Eden Court Highlands
Created and Directed by Ross MacKay and Jordan Blackwood
Review by Hunter King
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
It seems every child grows up with a fictional dog who has an impact on their life. I had Scooby-Doo and Blue from “Blue’s Clues,” and more recently, a lot of kids are learning from the famous Australian pup, Bluey. Now, a winter loving wee Scottish pup has joined the mix,and her name is Snowy.
Snowy (Stephanie MacGaraidh) is a cute puppy in a small town, and she knows everybody, including the postman, the farmer, and the traffic worker, each expertly played by Peter Collins. As the village prepares for the evening’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Snowy climbs the mountain at the edge of town and begins making a snowball. Unfortunately,the snowball gets too big and rolls down the hill, causing chaos throughout the village. Snowy must work with everyone to save Christmas and prepare for the evening’s festivities. The atmosphere of the Studio Theatre is immediately welcoming, with three forms ofseating available: pillows on the floor, accordion expanding paper benches, and a few standard theatre seats (for those of us who need back support). There are cute hanging paper lanterns andsoft lighting (designed by Michaella Fee), and a gentle underscoring that adds to the magic (composed by Bethany Tennick).
MacGaraidh does an excellent job playing the titular pup. Her movements of the puppet (designed by Fergus Dunnet) feel like the perfect blend of realism and giving Snowy theheightened personality that she needs to connect with the kids in the audience. MacGaraidh’s puppy sounds are spot on and totally in sync with her puppetry. She brings what seems to be, atits base, fabric and litter pickers entirely to life, making Snowy instantly loveable.
The puppet itself is beautifully designed. Dunnet’s puppet manages to capture the realismof a puppy and the whimsy to make her expressive and funny. While I personally didn’t pet Snowy at the end of the show, I have to admit I was envious of the toddlers who were able to pet her after the performance concluded. I have to give credit to the production team for building apuppy that was not only cute and fitting for the performance, but durable enough to withstand cuddles and pets from children every day.
Collins plays every other character in the play and gives each of them distinct personalities and voices to make them easily distinguishable. His energy starts off the show withan excitement that gets the snowball rolling, even before Snowy has started her ascent up the mountain. Some notable moments include his sledder, who has to improvise after an incidentwith the snowball, as well as the sneezy postman who needs help from the audience to label and deliver his packages. Collins automatically starts at a disadvantage when it comes to connectingwith the young ones in the audience, considering he doesn’t have a cute puppy that he is controlling, but he makes up for it with immediate energy and big expressions that make him feel approachable and just as loveable as Snowy herself. One pleasant surprise was the added narration and sound effects from local students.
These easily could’ve been performed by a professional actor, or pulled from digital sources, but the Snowy team decided to firmly ground the production in Edinburgh, using the talents of students from Tollcross Primary School. This small detail connected the production to ourcommunity and made it feel even more authentic. This is just one lovely detail that highlights thecare that was clearly put into the production. The show has one thing that escalates it to the five star level: its synchronicity. Every minute detail is accounted for and the production consistently surprised me with small design elements that would enhance the story. Between the beautifully orchestrated underscoring, the expressive puppetry, the local connection, and the clear passion that was put into this production, it is easily a show that will touch the hearts of audiences of all ages this holiday season.
Heart-Touching: A Clear Five Star Show
Snowy runs at The Studio, Edinburgh
Running time: Fifty minutes without interval
Review by Hunter King (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Hunter is a 2024 Master’s graduate of the University of Edinburgh and current doctoral candidate with a thesis focused on experimental theatre in Edinburgh. He has been a theatre practitioner for over a decade having worked in many capacities including as a director, actor, stage manager, front of house manager, and technician as well as others. Prior to moving to Edinburgh, Hunter was a high school English teacher in the United States. His passion for the written word as well as his passion for live performance are what motivated him to become a writer for this publication.
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