They provide an ever-changing show of meteorological magnificence.

Yet how many of us really take the time to contemplate clouds as they scud or drift across serene or stormy skies? Here was a very welcome invite by Gobbledegook Theatre to do just that on what started out as a pretty unpromising overcast morning in Dorset Gardens.

Beanbags, blankets and sunglasses were provided for 45 minutes of simply lying back and observing all the natural auditorium of the sky had to offer.

And within minutes of performer Lorna Rees starting her whimsical narration from atop an umpire's chair the sun broke through, clouds parted and we were treated to the promised cloudscape. And as we gazed upwards as these magical masses of vapour gently changed shape she told us some fascinating cloud-based facts in this charming family installation show.

Amateur 19th century meteorologist Luke Howard had, for example, devised the cloud classification system of ten cloud types still used today. Who knew that cloud 9, far from being the idyll you might imagine, is in fact the most menacing, storm-laden of all - a cumulonimbus.

We were told too of paraglider Ewa Wisnierska who got sucked into such towering storm clouds, losing consciousness in the extreme altitude before coming back down to earth unharmed, albeit with icicles on her eye lashes.

We thought about the intangible nature of clouds that reflected the mutability of humanity, and climate change, with more rain clouds now that ever before, was touched on too. If there was a quibble, less autobiographical anecdotes and more of the magic and mystery of clouds would have been appreciated, along with a little more time for silent reflection.

But this meteorological meditation was a lovely little thing.

Susan Gilson