Anatomy of the Piano (for beginners)
★★★★☆ Engaging
FOUR STARS:
Pianodrome at St Oswald’s Centre (Venue 344): Sun 9 – Sun 30 Aug 2026
Review by Flora Henderson.
Will Pickvance’s Anatomy of the Piano (for beginners) at the Bruntsfield Pianodrome is an engaging, informative and family-friendly piece, exploring the inner workings of this complicated and versatile instrument.
A young boy is given a piano for Christmas, instead of the requested spaceship. At first disappointed, he discovers an instruction manual which allows him to explore the instrument on a deeper level. Over the course of the play, his love for playing blossoms as he abandons the routine monotony of practising his technical exercises and gets lost in the joys of music.
Will Pickvance’s Anatomy of the Piano (for beginners). Pic: Shona MacArthur.
Written and performed by Will Pickvance, the original one-man show premiered in 2013, and has since been adapted for younger audiences. Pickvance accommodates the differing ages well – he is not put off by wandering spectators and actively encourages audience participation, asking questions to keep the children engaged.
Pickvance also demonstrates impressive actor-musicianship, producing a live underscore as he tells the story. His playing is expressive and responsive, and he manages to maintain a strong connection with the audience whilst performing challenging music in a range of styles, from Beethoven to Fats Waller.
The narrative is supported by Tim Vincent-Smith’s illustrations and Ross Hogg’s animations, projected onto a screen behind Pickvance. Lewis McDonald operates these technical elements successfully, and they work well with the performer’s dynamic storytelling to capture the attention of the younger audience. Additionally, the visual stimulus allows for musical passages where the facts can be digested.
well-constructed
The show’s only drawback is its slight lack of structural clarity, as the relationship between the autobiographical narrative and educational interludes are at times uncertain.
Nevertheless, it is well-constructed, with the target audience kept in mind throughout. Pickvance’s playing is outstanding and, combined with his enchanting narration, the end result is a show that is fascinatingly instructive.
Running time: 50 minutes (no interval).
Pianodrome at St Oswald’s Centre (Pianodrome), 41 Montpelier Park EH10 4NB (Venue 344).
Sundays 9 – Sunday 30 August 2026.
Sundays only: 11am.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
Tickets direct from venue: Book here.
Will Pickvance website: www.willpickvance.com
Facebook: @pickvance
Instagram: @willpickvance
Linktree: @willpickvance.
The Pianodrome. Pic:: Shona MacArthur.
ENDS
