The Guardian's Maddy Costa rummages aroumd Edinburgh for the perfect musical.

Although it remains astoundingly popular, the musical suffers a strange reputation. Revered by the likes of Trevor Nunn, the classic American works of the 1930s-50s are seen as blue-rinse fodder, kitsch nonsense that has little appeal for young theatregoers. The 1990s saw a new trend for musicals tackling social problems - Rent dealt with Aids, and Ragtime was about racism in the US - but often these felt horribly glib. There is something about the form, about the way it forces characters to ignore the plot and break into song, that seems to demand silliness, irreverence and tongue-in-cheek charm.

Along he way she finds people bending the stage musical to fit new molds and answer modern demands -- yet remaining true to its frothy self.

As MCAA students come to grips with the puppetry traditions of the European theater (see below), they might also like to learn something of other, even older puppet traditions in other regions of the world.

Of particular interest is bunraku in Japan. Bunraku is considered the most sophisticated form of puppetry, primarily because of the puppets' size and complexity of operation.

More mystical is the ancient tradition of wayang in Bali, Java -- in fact all over Indonesia.

Wayang shadow play

Puppets seem to have transcended cultures and spread throughout the world. Here is a good place to start researching it.

"Inexperienced fish" find new route to traditional theater.

Nakamura Baigyoku as Mitsugi and Nakamura Utaemon as Manno perform "Ise Ondo" in April 1992, to mark Baigyoku's succession to his stage name. PHOTO COURTESY OF SHOCHIKU PHOTOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT