It seems, I’m not the only one to have got it wrong. This mix-up is the basis of Julia Donaldson’s delightful story about a Stick Man who gets separated from his family tree after being mistaken for all those things we humans use sticks for – a toy for dogs, hitting a ball, throwing in the river, and a flag pole, to name but a few.

Now a popular animated film as well as an illustrated children’s book, the story of the Stick Man is a familiar one for children. Scamp Theatre build on the audience’s recognition of the characters to get them involved from the start.

It’s hard to compete, scenery-wise with an animated film. Happily, this production doesn’t attempt to; using simple staging which gives the audience plenty of opportunity to stretch their imagination. The characters are brought to life through a mix of acting and puppetry – the actors, giving voice, emotion and movement to the Stick family and the Swan, which tries to use Stick Man to build part of her nest.

Live music on stage adds to the vibrant atmosphere and there is plenty of opportunity for audience participation in the search. At one point the Stick Man runs through the audience followed by a dog, who stops to ask youngsters where he can find him. At once there are shouts, screams and pointing. The scene with the Swan provides another lively, he’s-behind-you moment and the beach scene sees a beach ball bouncing around overhead.

This is a story for every season, ending in winter and the children shouting at the top of their lungs to wake Stick Man from his frozen sleep. There’s even more excitement when Santa Claus and Rudolph arrive for a magical sleigh-ride.

Perhaps because the youngsters in the audience have invested so much emotion and energy in the adventure, Stick Man reuniting with his family tree is remarkably touching. It’s a heart-warming story, and Scamp Theatre add their inventive magic to bring the characters to life in an absorbing way, that makes you feel a vital part of their tale.

Stick Man is at The Lowry from 30 September to 1 October 2017.

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And herein lies the enduring appeal of Hans Christian Andersen’s morality fairy tale. It’s cheeky, silly and pokes fun at the pomposity sometimes only an innocent child can expose.

Stuff and Nonsense take this familiar story and breathe their unique creativity into the telling.

Bringing the story into modern day it opens with a woman whose wardrobe is bursting with clothes and she still doesn’t know what to wear. Performers Jenny Harrold and Toby Gascoigne quickly move into the telling the story of an Emperor who loves clothes more than anything and invite the young audience to use their imaginations as they build a palace out of an old wardrobe and town houses out of vanity screens.

The world of the Emperor is inhabited by a range of colourful puppet characters, including a Geordie pig. As well as working the puppets, Harrold and Gascoigne play the scheming fashion designers, Bolshie and Banana who convince the Emperor and his aides that they’ve come up with an amazing new fabric that only clever people can see.

As the story goes along, the pair get into all kinds of scrapes and hang upside down as if these strength tricks take nothing.

Of course, the adults watching all know they do. There’s a huge amount of energy packed into this one-hour show. It all zips along with an infectious silliness that has the children transfixed and, in true slap-stick tradition, has all the family laughing at a flash of a naked puppet’s bum.

★ ★ ★ ★

The Emperor’s New Clothes from Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company was at The Lowry on 11 June 2017.

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This year marks 100 years since the birth of the much-loved children’s author and as part of the centenary celebrations, Birmingham Stage Company, which has produced more Roald Dahl stories than any other company in the world, is touring David Wood’s interactive stage adaptation of George’s Marvellous Medicine.

The story is a simple if fantastical one, which Wood has updated with modern-day references such as Nintendo Wii and Breakfast TV. George (Ed Thorpe) is on half-term from school. All he wants to do is rest and read his book about a wizard boy, but unfortunately for George his parents have other plans. Living on a farm there are cows to be milked, chickens to be fed, as well as bedrooms to be cleaned.

As if his fun wasn’t being spoiled enough, grandma arrives. George fantasises about having a wonderful grandma who gives him compliments, presents and plays computer games. Sadly, he has a grouchy grandma, who downs her gin in one and has him running after her every whim at the ring of a bell.

To cure his grandma of her terrifying temper, George decides to swap her medicine with one of his own making, with the audience egging him on to add more and more outrageous ingredients. This is one part where as an adult I did find myself thinking it’s maybe not such a good idea to have children playing with a mix of anti-freeze, diesel oil, bleach and hairspray – but there is a warning disclaimer at the end reminding youngsters not to try this at home.

Hopefully none of the youngsters will have a granny like this one of George’s. If she bears more than a passing resemblance to his mother this is because in real life the actresses playing the parts, Tessa and Deborah Vale, are twins. It shows how good the make-up is that they pass realistically as mum and daughter, but pity the casting director who had to make the choice which was which.

Jacqueline Trousdale’s design of a house with the front taken off works brilliantly, particularly for the scenes where granny grows and grows until she bursts through the roof.

From the start George talks to the children in the audience, making them his friends. Things liven up considerably when he starts to involve them in remembering his medicine mix and warming their hands to heat the pot.

And while George and his dad (Richard Mullins) may struggle to recreate the original concoction, their adventure has all the right ingredients for a fun-filled, family show.

George’s Marvellous Medicine is at The Opera House, Manchester from 15-19 November 2016.

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I’m here with my four-year-old nephew. The age guide is three plus, but looking around there are many children both younger and older. The show works across a young age-range and not simply because the small screen has made Peppa a mini-celebrity among little ones.

Like most children’s shows the set is brightly coloured and cheerful. Visually there is a lot to keep much younger ones entertained with larger-than-life cartoon characters, ginormous bubbles and squirting water.

For those still small but a little older there is a lot of interaction with games like hide and seek and I-spy, singing, dancing and the fascination of the puppeteers.

Sticking very close to the TV cartoon we join Peppa and her family on a surprise outing. Peppa and her younger brother, George are worked by puppeteers, while the much larger Mummy and Daddy Pig are actors in cartoon costumes. They have a human friend, Daisy, who works hard to get all the youngsters joining in the games and the songs. Although, no introduction is needed for the Bing Bong song which has the whole theatre – adults too – singing along.

Joining the adventure are Danny Dog, Suzy Sheep, Pedro Pony, the Red Monkey, Mr Crab and Mr Potato. There is also a lovely underwater scene where the stage is lit-up by fluorescent fish, sea horses, and star-fish.

The one-and-a-half-hours is so jam-packed with energy and fun that the children are glued to the story throughout. All the shouting, singing and jumping about keeps them from getting restless in their seats.

Many of the children were still dancing and singing the songs on the way back to the car. Who’d have thought a little pig could provide such a riot of a time, and all before lunch?

Peppa Pig’s Surprise is at The Palace Theatre, Manchester from 22-23 October 2016.

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The play is adapted from Michael Rosen’s popular children’s picture book of the same name, which is illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. For those, like me, who don’t already know, it tells of a family of adventurers (dad, brother, sister, baby and dog), who go searching for a bear and keep telling themselves they are not scared, even though they clearly are.

Sally Cookson’s adaptation brings the story to life in a lively and interactive manner that, like the book, leaves plenty of room for the imagination. It is amazing how readily the children suspend belief, as the characters make their way through tall grass, a wide river, a snowstorm, a thick forest and a dark cave. The set design and props may seem a bit Blue Peter at first, with a blue bucket river, painted hand prints for mud, and a cardboard box forest. But the children love it. There is no doubt that these young minds have been transported into the world of the story and there are huge screams when we finally catch sight of the big, growling bear.

A talented and energetic cast of actor musicians play a range of instruments, from the kazoo to the soprano saxophone, and keep the story bouncing along with genuine suspense and piles of fun. The children get to join in shouting and singing. There is no escaping the water pistols, even for those sat at the back, and when the snow falls onto the auditorium, the look on the youngster’s faces is truly magical.

I imagine this story will be just as popular on stage as it is on the page, and if you want to hear it from a little one, my nephew’s verdict: ‘Bear Hunt was great.’

We’re Going On A Bear Hunt is at The Lowry from 17 December 2014 to 11 January 2015.

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I took my two-year-old nephew to guide me through the surreal and wonderful world of Igglepiggle. It was an adventure from the start because the show is not in a conventional theatre space, but has its own huge, inflatable venue, which they call the Showdome. The venue is purpose built so that it can accommodate buggies, baby changing areas, and the children aren’t going to hurt themselves if they run into a wall with excitement – although that last bit isn’t in the blurb.

Having a theatre full of toddlers could be chaotic, but for each show the numbers are kept relatively small (there are only 13 rows of seats), it’s very well managed and the staff are smiley and helpful, despite this being the fourth and final show of the day at 4pm.

Once inside, the seating is either standard or premier, which is the first three rows. Within each section the seating is unreserved, but the stage opens out into a huge semi-circle, so that wherever you sit, you’re going to be able to see.

The lights dim and my nephew is fascinated by the overhead projections of colourful flowers and birds which fill one-side of the Showdome, but at two he already knows who he’s come to see. “I want to see Igglepiggle,” he says. Then a man-size Igglepiggle comes on stage and his eyes widen. From now on he’s entranced, and judging by the faces of the other children, they are too.

The stage version closely follows the format of the BAFTA-award winning children’s TV show, in that each of the characters sing their song and it ends with a bed-time story.

We see the Ninky Nonk show, in which Igglepiggle loses his blanket, and finds it again with the help of his friends –  Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka, the Pontipines, and the Tombliboos, who each arrive on stage to squeals of excitement and waving. While the story is kept reassuringly simple, there is plenty to keep their attention. Igglepiggle and co. appear as small puppets as well as costume characters, which provides a variation of perspective and doesn’t seem to confuse the children at all. The bridge lights up, there are huge bubbles for the face-washing scene, Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy get a ride on the Ninky Nonk, and there are even appearances from the Pinky Ponk, and the Haahoos.

It’s a fantastical world of colour, music and familiar characters that magically keeps the tots’ attention for an hour. As a first experience of theatre, I can’t think of a better one.

In the Night Garden Live is at the Showdome, The Trafford Centre, Manchester from 2 to 23 August 2014.

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