Expectations for Arthur’s Dream Boat were pretty high and, unsurprisingly, Long Nose Puppets (the company who brought us both Shoe Baby and The Penguin) have succeeded once again in creating gentle theatrical magic for young children.

The story follows a little boy, Arthur, who simply wants to talk about the vivid dream he had the night before. As he attempts (in vain) to gain the attention of assorted members of his family, he unwittingly goes on to explore our universal predisposition towards distraction and procrastination in our time-poor digitally-influenced lives.

The show takes the time to remind us to reconsider the richness of our own imaginations and the joy of immersing ourselves in innocent fantasy.

Originally created by Polly Dunbar, Arthur and his family are brought to life by a variety of charismatic hand puppets, full body costumes and masks, all with huge personalities. Arthur’s day is punctuated with delicate moments of introversion and interactions invested with surreal twists and clever humour.

His whole world is neatly wrapped up in a technicolour aesthetic dappled with glitter and set to Tom Gray’s neat and quirky soundtrack. A stunning transformation finale and a post-show meet and greet with the puppets consolidates the Long Nose Puppets experience as a festive treat.