Review: The Happy Prince, Lakeside

From the minute the first actor burst on stage, the hider in a game of hide and seek, the young audience was gripped.

But when a statue of a lion started talking, with blue flashing eyes, the game took on a comedy element. The lion begged to be allowed to join in and was told he could be lookout. But every time the hider (Nicky Rafferty) hid, the lion sing-songed: "There she is, behind the bench, la la la" or "There she is, behind the bin, we can see you, yes we can" as the foot-stamping actor berated him, in child-like frustration. It was almost slapstick. And the audience loved it – my daughter just chortled for about the first 15 minutes.

Then the seeker (Charlie Buckland) comes on stage. The pair decide to renact some famous stories. And one of them is The Happy Prince. Here the play takes on an altogether more serious tone.

Oscar Wilde's tale – adapted by Annie Wood and directed by Matt Aston – tells the tale of a golden statue, the Happy Prince. One night a swallow on his way to Egypt for the winter rests at his feet. She thinks it is raining but realises it is the statue crying. He wants the swallow to help but the swallow needs to fly to warmer climes and is faced with a dilemma.

So how does the statue get his way? The same way many of the audience probably get theirs... by throwing a hissy fit and bawling. Cue hysterical laughter from the audience again.

The statue sacrifices his jewels, his gemstone eyes, his very fabric – his gold – to help the needy living in the sprawling city below. The 1888 tale is brought bang up to date with puppets of the unhappy people... Big Issue sellers, sick children in poor families... And in the end the swallow sacrifices her life... in her quest to make the statue happy by helping to make others happy.

The extra touches – the snow falling on the shivering swallow, the gold falling on the audience – add to the magic for the youngsters.

The children's productions at Lakeside rarely disappoint. They are inventive and engage their audience, involving them as much more than mere spectators – encouraging them to think outside the box a bit. And they are a treat for the parents too. The small, intimate yet relaxed setting means you don't feel embarrassed if your toddler decides to shout back at the actors, join in at inappropriate moments, etc. There's a way to get youngsters involved in theatre, to create a lifelong love of it, and Lakeside leads.

The excellent hands-on tie-in exhibition by Bramcote CofE school – working with artists Fiona Richardson and Liz Osbourne – has a shop, an office, a tent... and more. It is in the Wallner Gallery until January 11.

Karen Shale