The Magician's Daughter

Shakespeare's The Tempest is given a colourful re-telling for tots in this Royal Shakespeare Company collaboration with London puppet maestros, Little Angel Theatre, aimed at children aged three and upwards.

It's years since Prospero left the island and Miranda now has a daughter, Isabella, who loves to hear stories of her late grandfather's magic. As a never-ending rainstorm hits their Italian village, Isabella, unable to sleep, opens Prospero's famous book and finds herself transported to the isle where a green big-bellied Caliban and blue feather-haired Ariel still reside, each in possession of half of their former master's broken staff. If there's a villain to the piece, it's Caliban who wants to take control of the island but really he is the most adorable wannabe-tyrant, forgetting Isabella's name, cursing in nonsense language and constantly coveting Ariel's tree of "fruity fruit."

This is a big-hearted, vibrant production full of eccentric instruments and gentle audience involvement. Michael Rosen's text weaves in some of Shakespeare's best loved lines, through song or repetition, making it a lovely first encounter with Shakespeare for the very young. Older children might find the telling style a little over-emphasised, but the message of sharing and cooperation is sweet and nicely put across, and seeing Prospero's staff with a carrot nose singing songs about being broken in half will bring a smile to the grown-ups' faces.