Introducing music to small children at a young age has proven to be very beneficial; it enhances listening, develops the aural memory and even supposedly makes them happier. It is important to expose them to all kinds of music, even to such a complex and rich genre as the opera. The award-winning Polka Theatre’s family-friendly piece Dot, Squiggle and Rest is specifically created for toddlers and young children featuring music, dance, animation and puppetry composed by Elspeth Brooke and directed by Joy Haynes.

Instead of following a linear plot or narrative, this atmospheric piece visualises sound in a very sweet and approachable way. With just one cellist, a dancer and a singer, forms and shapes come to life in front of a very unusually quiet and attentive audience of babies and small children. Grabbing their attention and keeping it for 40 minutes is quite a heavy task, but the charismatic members of Polka Theatre succeed by presenting a show that is imaginative, playful and entertaining.

The Royal Opera House’s Clore Studio Upstairs accommodates the show perfectly; it has a welcoming atmosphere and a stage that allows the children to sit as close as possible. The simple yet charming set pieces and the stunning lighting design help the performers to embody the musicality of shape, and even though sometimes the sounds and songs can be a bit too abstract even for adult ears, the children are genuinely interested and even stick around after to take a closer look at the mysterious objects that emanate sound. The well-timed and imaginative puppetry sequences are coupled with delightful animation projected onto the set, once again helping the children to visualise the sounds they are hearing.

Polka Theatre certainly has the ability to devise opera for toddlers, and it even manages to engage its audience, encouraging them to chime in. The performers discover sound and image together with the children without patronising them, thus creating a very interesting piece that the whole family can enjoy. Brooke’s music is fresh and unusual and accompanies the visual elements perfectly, but some melodies lack structure or a definite rhythm, which makes the piece occasionally unstable. Nevertheless, the piece is still exciting, engaging and important, as it encourages the little ones to experiment with sound and invites them to the world of opera while still keeping the performance fun and spirited. The children very much enjoy it – and they are a tough audience.

Dot, Squiggle and Rest is playing at the Royal Opera House until 21 June. For tickets and more information, see the Royal Opera House website. It will then run at Polka Theatre 26 June – 16 August 2015. For tickets and more information, see Polka Theatre website.