What a shame the cast of this spirited children's production had to perform to such a tiny crowd.

The few young people in the audience seemed transfixed by the action and it is disappointing to think others won't experience the powerful message of this show.

The performance was also signed and would have been an inspiring and visually striking show for children with hearing difficulties.

A contemporary version of Hans Christian Anderson's The Red Shoes, the play follows the tragic life of Franvera, a young girl who loves to dance.

But her passion for movement turns into a dance for survival as war ravages her village and scars her community with the horror of ethnic cleansing.

With her father feared murdered and her mother missing, she begins a bleak trek across mountains in search of asylum in a neighbouring land.

Unable to speak, she is counselled by a doctor who unravels the pain from her memory but, in doing so, he unintentionally sets her on a path to tragedy.

Shockingly, this story is all too familiar and can be seen every day on television and in newspapers.

This production is not set in any particular country or time but it does echo the conflict in the Balkans and the current hostilities between Israel and the Palestinians.

A simple but symbolic stage set maximises the emotional intensity of Franvera's story. Dozens of black boots scattered around the stage remind us of the soldiers' oppressive presence.

White sheets become blank pages as Franvera draws the burning houses of her war-torn village.

Theatre company Unicorn present these dark and complex issues with an honesty which doesn't patronise its young audience.

Director Tony Graham isn't afraid to include images of death and stories of torture but he cleverly balances them with spirited music, hypnotic yet simple dance and a gentle humour.

The result is a fluid, energised production which I'm sure will be the topic of many discussions in schools across Sussex this week.

For tickets, call 01273 709709.