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	Underbelly, Cowgate (venue website) Theatre 2-12, 14-26 Aug, 1:00pm-1:50pm
Family-friendly. Suitable for all ages.

Over the course of the last two Fringes, puppeteer Jeff Achtem has enthralled small children, and reduced strong men to tears.  Filled with quirks and filled with beauty, his shows take the simplest form of entertainment, and lift it to the most unexpected of heights.  It’s shadow-puppetry, but not as we know it… and this time, it’s reaching for the stars.

Standing, crouching or occasionally lying in front of a bright light, Montreal man Achtem uses the detritus of modern life to summon silhouettes to the screen.  A brush turns into hair, a bent shoe becomes a leg.  But this is no kindergarten shadow-play; the richness of the imagery is magical, and Achtem’s creativity seems to have no end.  He rarely speaks, but he still adds plenty of personality to his show, with a child-like sense of experiment and some well-judged physical clowning. 

Last year’s show, Swamp Juice, won a prestigious Total Theatre award; and now in 2012, Slapdash Galaxy follows the tale of two warp-speed brothers on an epic journey across the universe.  They’ll be battling monsters, crewing a spaceship and of course, finding that true strength lies within themselves.  If you’ve got kids (over 7), we think they’ll be captivated – but unaccompanied grown-ups with a sense of fun are perfectly welcome too.  One note of warning: Achtem’s shows invariably sell out, so do book a few days in advance.