The Argus: fringe_2011_logo_red_thumb This ambitious show, combining shadow puppetry, rod puppets and traditional character acting, opens with a beautiful display of shadows: tiny, intricate figures and a fairytale tower. This sets up an expectation of magic to come. Regrettably the rest of the show, whilst engaging, does not measure up to its initial appeal.

The choice of play is anything but magical: child Lucy visits her therapist, unwilling to discuss her "accident". She prefers drawing and making up stories and songs. Fast forward a few years and Lucy is a hard-nosed career woman who gives no daytime credence to demons which disturb her dreams. A surprise package causes her to revisit, and come to terms with, her childhood wound.

Three puppets provide novelty, but as characters they never really develop. Little Lucy is operated by Cara Christie who, dressed up ready for when her part as grown-up Lucy begins, unavoidably attracts attention away from the wooden puppet.

Frequent changes of heavy furniture on and off set jarred with the more fragile world of the play, yet with planning this unwelcome interruption to any suspense of disbelief might be removed.

Overall this is an intriguing combination with huge potential, but needs work to properly charm.