Little ones set to enjoy miniaturised Big Top and dino caper as Starcatchers announces Spring tours

Scotland’s arts and early years organisation is bringing the magic of live performance to Scotland’s youngest children and their grown-ups this Spring. Little Top, a magical first circus experience, is for babies from birth to 18 months, and for 3–5-year-olds is an exciting dinosaur adventure, SPIKE! – a dinosaur caper.

In its first outing since wowing audiences in Norway in January 2020, and sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2019, Little Top will transport you to a playful, joyous, upside down, topsy-turvy world where people can fly, patterns fill the air, and anything is possible. A specially designed set that miniaturises the magic of the Big Top will come to life on a 14-stop tour from Friday 29 April to Saturday 25 June.

“This show is amazing! Saw it on tour and it’s just lovely. My one-year-old was captivated.” Audience member, 2019

Little Top opens at Platform before heading out to Falkirk Community Trust, ahead of a 4-day run at Edinburgh International Children’s Festival. Throughout May, Little Top performs at Cumbernauld Theatre at Lanternhouse, Birnam Arts, Eden Court, The Barn in Banchory and Macrobert Arts Centre. June sees the show visiting The Regal in Bathgate, The Beacon in Greenock, Boat of Garten, and Tramway, finishing up with longer runs at Perth Theatre and finally the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen.

Spike is set to enjoy a second outing following a six-venue tour back in October. This time a little bigger and more adventurous, SPIKE! – a dinosaur caper is a wonderful tale of a little girl, her grandmother, and her favourite dinosaur, powerfully told through theatrical storytelling and dance. This magical story about the passing of time and the tales that bring families together is complete with David Trouton’s inspiring original music, and performers Andy Cannon, Jennifer Steele and Monica De Ioanni.

“Absolutely outstanding acting and effects. Inclusive and relaxed. Could not have asked for more. Our sometimes hard to please little boy was captivated by the quality.” Audience member, 2021 tour

Spike begins its seven-stop tour at The Regal in Bathgate, enjoying two days of performances from Wednesday 18 May. From there the show heads to brand new venue, Centre Stage in Ayrshire ahead of two days at the Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival. Next up is two days at The Traverse, and into June visiting Cumbernauld Theatre at Lanternhouse, The Byre in St Andrews, finishing up with 2 days in the Joan Knight Studio at Perth Theatre with the final performance on Saturday 11 June.

Rhona Matheson, Starcatchers’ Chief Executive said:
“Starcatchers is delighted to be presenting these wonderful productions for Scotland’s youngest children. Little Top is a beautiful first experience for babies from birth to 18 months, while Spike’s capers are ideal for your 3–5-year-old adventurers. The beauty of both productions are the unforgettable moments for the grown-ups in the audience to take away; seeing your children’s imaginations come to life with the power of live, in-person theatre.”

Andy Cannon, creator of SPIKE! – a dinosaur caper said:
“Spike is an intergenerational tale perfect for families of all ages to enjoy together, this time a little bigger and more adventurous. A dinosaur caper sees an evolution in the lifecycle of Spike from a dinosaur tale back in 2021, with a third performer on stage, plus a slightly evolved set. This is an exciting moment for us to share the next stage of Spike’s journey with our young audiences and immerse ourselves in the world of Mary Anne and her favourite dinosaur.”

Ellie Dubois and Kim Donohoe of SUPERFAN said:
“Little Top’s return to Scotland’s audiences is an especially exciting moment for us at SUPERFAN; once again having the chance to be, perhaps the very first, theatrical experience for our young audience, is an honour. So come along and enjoy this magical performance with us, we can’t wait to see the looks of wonder on your little ones’ faces!”

Starcatchers’ Spring tours have been funded by the National Lottery Touring Fund for Theatre and Dance through Creative Scotland. This fund supports the touring sector to re-engage with audiences and is delivered through partnerships between touring artists and companies.