Critically acclaimed multimedia artists Manual Cinema (Ada/Ava, Lula del Ray, Frankenstein) return to Edinburgh from Chicago with Leonardo!, adapted from the beloved children’s books Leonardo, The Terrible Monster & Sam, The Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World by celebrated author Mo Willems.
Using live actors, 3D and paper puppets, DIY cinema, and immersive sound and music, Leonardo! tells the story of a monster who longs to be scary and the big decisions about identity and empathy that we all must make.
Leonardo is a terrible monster. He tries so hard to be scary, but he just… isn’t. Then Leonardo finds Sam, the most scaredy-cat kid in the world. Will Leonardo finally get to scare the tuna salad out of someone? Or will it be the start of an unlikely friendship? The plot thickens when this pair meets Kerry and Frankenthaler, an even scaredier-cat and her monster friend. Kerry and Sam need to make a big decision: will they just be scaredy cats or can they become friends?
Leonardo learns that you don’t have to be who society expects you to be, and asks us to think not just about ourselves and what we want, but also what others might need and how our actions affect them.
Leonardo! brings Mo Willems’ books to life through hundreds of illustrated puppets, hilarious actors on live cameras, fuzzy Muppet-style puppets, and a live soundtrack that both kids and their parents will love. The result is a “live movie” made onstage in front of the audience’s eyes and projected on a screen shaped like a giant picture book page. The production is designed for audience members to enjoy whether or not they have read the books, but there are easter eggs hidden throughout the show to delight fans of Mo Willems!
Director Sarah Fornace comments, Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster is a fast paced 45-minute show filled with songs and puppetry that the whole family can enjoy together. The show feels like watching a book come to life while being on a live movie set! In true Manual Cinema fashion, the audience can watch the performers make a movie live in front of their eyes with fuzzy Muppet-style puppets, hundreds of paper puppets, and lots of live music and catchy songs. The show is a hilarious tour-de-force with scaredy cat kids, cute monsters, library discos, and big decisions to reach out to others when they need a friend.
