Review: FAMILY FOLK SHOW WITH MEGSON, artsdepot

Family Folk Show With Megson is part of artsdepot's 20th anniversary festival year, bringing together highly acclaimed artistry in a family friendly venue, concerned with true talent and pure entertainment.

This was a theatre outing my 3-year old and I had prepared for by listening to Megson’s stunning back catalogue. Little did we know, Megson are the ultimate pros in creating a lightening quick rapport, by enticingly involving the audience and creating a fantastically accessibility atmosphere. The melodies are each individually sublime, with beautiful clever vocals and gorgeous instrumentals.

The stage was set, adorned with gold and pink light, highlighting the myriad of instruments Stu and Debs can play. We receive a cute child’s welcome notice and our 45-minute set begins to a warm audience reception.

Winningly likeable, Stu has the entire audience doing a Banjo wiggle to "Baby and the Band" encouraging audience chair dancing and heartfelt clapping. We learn a number of signs via Debs who teaches the young audience and parents to sign bird, cat and dog for "Red Bird" whilst Stu effortlessly switches to the guitar. And just like that we are all hooked. Each Megson melody is astute, catchy, joyful and wonderfully moreish.

We are treated to a line-up of "Little Bird", with audience interactions customising the birds to include a robin, a penguin waddle, an eagle, a chicken and a flamingo, with the gifted Hanna’s brilliantly performing on one leg (is there anything they can’t do?!)

Marginally more complex signing, stamps, claps and turns keep the audience enthralled, during nostalgic old song "Oats and Beans and Barley Grow". "The Rattling Bog" followed by "Ants Go Marching" are all at once jubilant, funny and energetic.

We wholly fire up with "She’ll be coming round the mountain" with cowboy “yee-ha’s” by Megson involving the engaged young audience with requests for their favourite tongue-twister snacks, who then go absolutely wild for the brilliant crowd favourite "All Around the Kitchen" and wind down to a clever familiar medley.

Megson are the epitome of pure warmth, wholesome folk and beautiful songs. Captivating and uplifting, this show cannot fail to leave families inspired.

Catch the Family Folk Show With Megson, on tour until 2 March

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