Review: Giant Blue Hand @ ARK

Yesterday, I took the nephew and his best mate to Dublin for the day. We had planned to see the Big Blue Hand in the ARK. Last year I really wanted to take him to "Beware of the Story-Book Wolves" but what with moving to Amsterdam, and tickets being more popular than I thought it never came to be.

This year I was a bit more organised, and on hearing the adverts on the radio I decided to book the tickets fast. With a bit of to-ing and fro-ing we got the dates sorted and told the boys.

It was good timing all the same (depending on your idea of good) as the Denny Family Day Out was on Sunday too.

Anyhow, after a train ride, where the boys were amazed at a teen aged girl applying eye makeup, who they proclaimed to be a Rockstar, we were on our way to the ARK in Temple Bar. Cue: many many questions on the route, I'm glad it was almost our saints day, cause two 6yr olds would try the patience of many saints.

Finally at the ARK and after a short wait, we get seated in the round. I have to say the theatre is fantastic, as are the staff. The play began and it was everything I had hoped it would be. There were many levels of the play, and some things went over the heads of younger kids, but kept the parents and older kids entertained in a family friendly way.

The play is dark, and being a play, with real children that the younger audience can relate to and believe in it packs a solid punch. The themes of love and loss and fear and triumph, were well treated with the addition of with a good laugh thanks to some toilet humour and an action packed sword fight to round it all off. It is aimed at the over 7's and while I brought two 6yr olds, I do think that any younger than 6 would find the play a bit too much.

The cast were amazing, and as predicted Aunt Farticus Fume was both the most impressive and almost the scariest character after the eponymous Giant Hand. The younger cast members were the real stars, and very believable as they carried the majority of the story.

If you have a chance to beg, borrow, steal or just bring a child to this do. Tickets are selling fast and with good reason. The ARK plays are always a treat and this one is no exception.