Theatre / 75 min / £19(£14), £17(£12, £6) / 14+
Showing @ Traverse Theatre, 14-26 Aug (not 20), times vary
Acclaimed writer and director Chris Goode suspected adults often don’t listen to children. So he hired dialogue artist Karl James to record a wide range of children as they discussed their dreams, their fears and their everyday lives. In Monkey Bars these same words are spoken by adults in familiar grown-up situations. For example, a high pressure interview which focuses on the applicant’s favourite sweets is a comedic high point. The result of this verbatim theatre is hilarious, but the novelty of seeing adults speak with such unselfconscious sincerity is also incredibly touching. The set is minimal and the costumes consist of monochromatic business suits, so the power lies completely in the text and its delivery in the hands of the expert cast.
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