Concept and Choreography by Jasmine Morand
Review by Dominic Corr
Stories. We form them from the earliest of ages in the shapes, the sounds, and the colours we witness in all walks of life. A swirl of colour can be a tonic for young audiences, and Mirkids at The Studio Theatre understands this instinctively, shaping into a shifting, liquid mural of bodies, light and sound. Viewed, not from the usual angle of traditional theatre, it’s a solid start to what looks to be a cracking Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, 2026.
Aimed at ages five to eleven, the piece from Prototype Status places eight dancers inside a cylindrical structure, their movements reflected in overhead mirrors so the audience sees not just choreography but a living kaleidoscope. The premise is simple enough for children to grasp, yet abstract enough to let imaginations roam, with Jasmine Morand’s concept encouraging each viewer to decide what the multiplying shapes and dissolving patterns might mean. What begins as a gentle pulse soon reveals a sly sense of humour, the dancers teasing out tiny gestures that ripple into larger formations, gradually tightening into a routine that grows more precise, more playful and more visually satisfying as Rainer Ludwig’s lighting and Dragos Tara’s sound design lock into step with the performers.
The mirrored perspective creates the illusion of infinite bodies, a clever device that keeps the visual field busy even when the choreography pares back to smaller movements. Children lying around the structure are invited into a kind of celestial viewing chamber, and while some younger audience members may find the stillness required a challenge, adults will quietly relish the chance to recline and let the imagery wash over them. The alternating cast, including Fabio Bergamaschi, Laetitia Dupertuis, Jeanne Gumy, Maxime Jeannerat, Zuzana Kakalikova, Ismael Oiartzabal, Luisa Schöfer and others, maintain an impressive consistency, their timing crisp and their collective patterns so tightly synchronised that the humour and emerging story beats land with surprising clarity; even if it’s entirely within our heads.
The show’s strength lies in its commitment to perpetual motion, here, the dancers become components in an ever-turning mechanism, their bodies forming organic shapes that bloom, shrink and reassemble with quiet precision. Toni Teixeira’s costumes, simple and neutral, allow the lighting to sculpt the performers into silhouettes or glowing fragments, depending on the moment.
As a festival offering, Mirkids succeeds in giving young audiences a contemplative experience without talking down to them, though its meditative pace may test the patience of the more restless. Still, the piece’s hypnotic quality, its flashes of gentle humour and its invitation to see dance from an unusual vantage point make it a distinctive addition to the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival. It is a work that trusts children to find their own meaning in the swirl, and trusts adults to appreciate the craft behind the calm. If it never quite erupts into something unforgettable, it nevertheless leaves a soft afterglow, a reminder that even the simplest patterns can hold unexpected depth; if one is only willing to let go and slink into it.
A New Look at Colour and Movement
Mirkids runs at The Studio Theatre, as part of the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival until June 1st
Running time: Forty-five minutes without interval
Review by Dominic Corr (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Editor of Corr Blimey, and a freelance critic for Scottish publications, Dominic has been writing freelance for several established and respected publications such as BBC Radio Scotland, The List, The Scotsman, Edinburgh Festival Magazine, The Reviews Hub, In Their Own League, The Wee Review and Edinburgh Guide. As of 2023, he is a member of the Critic’s Award for Theatre Scotland (CATS) and a member of the UK Film Critics.
