Out of this world!

A Buttons and Pockets Fringe Review, by Andrea Noga (AYTC).

If you’ve got little ones fringing with you, Buttons and Pockets is the perfect show to bring them into the theatre world in a fun, and educational way.

Buttons and Pockets follows a clumsy designer (“Pockets”-- Marya Folinsbee) as she frets to try and bring her creation to life (“Buttons”-- Aaron Pickett). After Buttons is brought to life, a new problem arises– the creation of a new universe. Through a series of science-themed plots, Buttons and Pocket work tirelessly to design this new cosmos.

While I may not be the target audience for this show, I was surrounded by young children who all clearly had a blast. They reacted strongly to all that was presented, clearly engaged by the story being told to them. There were multiple opportunities for the audience to talk directly to the performers, and one child was even allowed to come onstage and participate in part of the show. Though, the show includes a few smart jokes for the grown-up scientists in the audience too.

Folinsbee and Pickett are both charming performers, staying in their sweet character personas throughout. Folinsbee, a frantic designer, and Pickett, cool, calm, and rhyming. They play off each other easily and understand the nuances of how the other performs.

The show also includes a fair amount of scientific knowledge, presented in a way that kids can learn from. If you have young ones that you’re bringing to Fringe, this is a worthy show to add to your list!