Breathe

A sweet show with some lovely musical and visual elements. However, it did feel more predictable than I had expected - the puppetry needed work and most of the lower harmonies fell flat. This type of show will always capture an audience, but where can we develop the actual story outside of the audio/visual? Can we challenge even a younger audience slightly more?

Breathe (****)
Three puppeteers populate a miniature forest where an oak seedling roams both above and below ground until it finds the perfect spot to lay down its roots. Beside the seedling, there are insects, birds, leaves, worms,, and roots that come alive. While the large video screen facilitates us imagining his world, watching the camera work deal with the many miniature sets was fascinating.


This is the 33rd most enjoyable of the 125 shows I have seen so far at the Fringe this year. I hope to see more than 150 this year. You may see my other three-sentence reviews, in order from most enjoyable to worst, at my non-commercial website: https://fringefan.com/

Clever, beautiful show. highly skilled puppetry supported by songs and storytelling. enchanting for adults and primary school kids. (possibly a little slow for teenagers!)

Wow!!! What a beautiful show. The narration, movement, music, puppet genius. This is a stunning story and if you are lucky enough to get to see it, you’ll not be disappointed. Truly beautiful!

A delightful tiny puppet who discovers the wonders of mycelium. This is deeper than a children’s entertainment. The message here is to revere our woodlands.

a wonder!!! I laughed and gasped and teared up. the music is amazing and the set design is a work of genius.

This was a really fun and creative bit of theatre. I wouldnt even know exactly how to describe it, other than just go see for yourself.

Beautiful storytelling through puppetry, live songs and filming. 9yo and two 40-somethings equally spellbound. Unique and heartwarming.

Extraordinary - whimsical, relaxing, interesting, uplifting, a delight. This company does meticulous, loving work. The main singer has a jaw-droppingly clear and beautiful voice, the puppeteers move exquisitely, high tech is woven in just right. Definitely see.

One of the most endearing shows of this year's festival. #Breathe by @HalfaString is an innovative blend of puppetry and live cinema projection accompanied by a blend of folk and drum and bass. Definitely not just for children. The perfect show to start the day. A must see!

Just brilliant.

So creative!! All things come together here to tell a sweet and sometimes emotional story. The whole family will love it! Not seen anything quite like it

Wow, this show is a truly magical experience! There is SO much to be impressed with - the puppetry, the art work, the music, the technology, the liveness... the list goes on! This show is great for families and kids but I also massively enjoyed this show and learnt a lot as 27-year-old and was moved to tears!

This is brilliant and so clever. The whole audience was silent for the whole performance captivated. Three really talented people and this should stand above the majority

A lovely, gentle little show that is going to grow into something huge. Hauntingly beautiful music, ingenious sets, and a universally relatable protagonist. Do not let this Fringe season pass without seeing this show about the passing of seasons.

Beautiful show. The most creative thing I saw at Fringe 2024. Amazing to see animation created live on stage. Captivating puppetry, music and videography all come together to deliver a lovely story with a message. Do see this!

Stunningly beautiful and incredible to watch.

Brilliant show the children and adults were spellbound. The actors used puppetry, cameras projecting the action on screen and were very talented. Go and see this show if you have time it was wonderful.

The skill of these performers and creators is incredible! Beautiful sets and puppets and it's magic seeing it all brought to life with fun, silly, meaningful, and profound moments. Highly recommend!

The first minute or so feels a little children's TV presenter, as the performers lock in any kids present. From that point onwards it's very much for all ages. A clever trio narrate, sing, play music, construct environments, light, film, frame, operate puppets and edit video in front of your eyes. Very sweet and quite captivating. Felt almost like watching great stop motion animation in real time.

A heartwarming story with excellent puppetry, nifty camera work and great songs! The cast was able to make us see the world from the eyes of a tiny acorn and the perilous journey it has to undertake. 4/5.

Excellent show. Puppetry was amazing, songs beautiful. Very appropriate for children but the adult audience gave prolonged applause. All the stars.