Puppet Festival: The Elves and the Shoemaker

This show has standard seating for our Studios. There are rows with chairs and soft blocks facing the stage, and there may be some mats on the floor at the front. There will be up to 60 people watching the show.

We always welcome vocal responses from young audiences, and there are points in the show where the performer asks for ideas and suggestions from the audience. There are two points where an adult volunteer is invited onto the stage. Otherwise, the audience stay in their seats while watching the show, but you can leave and re-enter the auditorium at any time. After the performance there will be a chance to meet the puppets.

There is nothing that children are likely to find scary in this show. Lights dim very slightly when it is night time and the elves appear, and the elves have occasional moments of being chaotic and noisy. Mr Shooz has a moment of reflection when the elves’ shoes are a big success but no-one is buying his shoes. He says ‘I feel confused’ and looks a little down hearted.

All ages are welcome at our shows and age ranges can only be a rough guide, but please bear in mind that The Elves and the Shoemaker was not specially designed for under-threes. A show aimed at two-year olds would have some differences – those shows are carefully made to hold their attention for the duration, and not to be unsettling for them.