The Elves and the Shoemaker at the Greenwich theatre is an entertaining and memorable experience for small children.
A down-on-his-luck cobbler has to learn a lesson or two about accepting change and trying new things in order to save his shop. In turn, there's a pair of cheeky elves with a lot of flair who need to think about something more than style. The lesson is of course that we get further by working together, but the play doesn't labour the point - instead the talented performers prioritise the fun as the shoemaker upgrades his footwear.
There are some witty needle drops and clever moments here, enjoyed by the parents in the room as well as the kids. The use of puppets and shadow theatre to introduce aspects of the story was very effective. Audience interaction plays an important part and keeps everything ticking along nicely. The girls really loved it and it was perfectly located for Greenwich park playground afterwards.
Written by Brad Tutt and directed by Ella McKeown; design: Jana Lakatos; lighting: Henry Slater; sound: Aidan Good; performers: Louise Cielecki, Jack Benjamin, Verity Bajoria, Finn Whelan, Michaela Murphy and James Aldred.
Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, London, SE10 8ES
The nearest train stations are Greenwich (DLR) and Cutty Sark (DLR).
