EdFringe Review: Fernando and His Llama Friend

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Canadian 258Signs and Dancing Hands Theatre have brought a charming, heartfelt, and instructional tale to Edinburgh this year. ‘Fernando and his Llama Friend’ follows one deaf Colombian boy as he negotiates life in a hearing-dominated world. His mother is in Canada looking for a better life for her child, leaving him with his non-signing aunt. Cue the appearance of a lost, deaf llama, and a quest to find its mother.

Juanpablo Armani makes a friendly Fernando, whilst I don’t think there’s ever been a smilier llama than Talia Wall- Di Giuseppe. I was enthusiastically signing and spelling Llama later that day to my wife, so bravo. Their adventures, first to school, and then to various puppet-owned farms in the area are an excellent, accessible basis for an introduction to signing for the novice, and a good time for all.

The company do a fine job of playing Fernando’s family, schoolmates and teachers. You can tell they are having a great time such is the energy they all give off. Fernando’s frustrations with a non-accommodating world are made plain. Teachers talk too quickly and too fast; others in school give him a hard time. Speech Therapy steals his lunchtime, and he hates it.

Once back on the road, the encounters with various farmers (excellent puppets) offer chances to introduce more conventions when encountering the deaf. All of this is facilitated by a magic scarf that bestows the power of signing on the people Fernando and the llama meet. It’s a fun device, particularly when thrown upon his teacher!

I would say the show particularly suits younger kids, as the gentle pace and opportunities to pet/feed the llama may suit them best. I also wonder if the Zoo Southside auditorium is a little large for the show. That said I enjoyed it very much – it’s a very upbeat way to start your Fringe day. There are also live interpreters for the hearing – it’s a wonderful, accessible touch for the hearing.

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