We all have to grow up one day… Or do we? Metta Theatre brings The King of Tiny Things to Greenwich Theatre where it beams with character and charm. Here even I felt like a kid again. Puppets, music, song, circus and theatre are rolled into one to create a production that is absorbing for start to finish, and where we certainly haven’t grown up.

This innovative production made every child stop wiggling and sit giggling, enchanted in the back garden of the quirky sisters, Jeanne and Chrissie. Here we meet The King who, in turn, introduces the audience to all sorts of curious creatures with all sorts of curious skills. A juggling slug, an acrobatic caterpillar – this show has it all and you can really let your imagination run wild. There are moments where the audience can gasp and gawp, and moments where they can sympathise and dream of what could appear next.

Costume and design is prominent and wildly effective in this production. The creative team, specifically William Reynolds, are at the top of their game and use vibrancy to make their design stand out and appeal to the younger audience. There is just enough to create the world of tiny things for the audience, with a tent, shed and other intricate items, while leaving enough room for their imagination to grow. The radiant garden creates an enchanting atmosphere, while Kate Lane brings each of the characters out with simple yet charming designs for costume. The puppetry and shadow puppets become one of the most childishly gleeful devices and brought me right back to my childhood, twisting the story in the direction it has to go next. My favourites (I get to be childish, right?) were the wings of the butterfly in the final scene and the fascinatingly inventive puppetry of The King by Yvonne Stone.

The performers themselves are wildly talented in many respects and have as much energy as the whole audience combined. I was impressed by their constant enthusiasm: an audience of restless children is not the easiest to impress. They exude characterful, playful entities and keep the wrigglers engaged throughout the production with simple moments of audience interaction. Posing the show as a musical is a smart and even more enchanting idea, although some moments of singing and unity may need a little more practice. However, it is the circus skills of these performers that really provide endless entertainment. Rosamond Martin, Maddie McGowan, Ludo Helin and Elise Briccolani all captivate the audience with tricks of acrobatics, juggling and dance. Each member of the cast stands out for their individual elements though – Ludo Helin as the caterpillar for his headstands and strength, and Rosamond Martin for holding the stage with her character and voice.

From the screams and giggles and “Mummy, it’s so beautiful”, I could tell that the little audience was impressed by what they saw before them, and they weren’t the only ones. For me, I would have liked slightly more narrative, but then again I’m not five years old. As a half-term treat I would have been the happiest child around as I even came away humming little bits of the entrancing tunes. The show is so charming, endearing and innovative that I’m sure no kid could fail to fall in love with each part of it.

The King of Tiny Things is touring until November 2015. For more information and tickets, see the Metta Theatre website. Photo: Metta Theatre.