Once again the ‘Stories and More’ company has come up with a school holiday entertainment that uses a large cast, some very young, and the work of large backstage forces, combined with the charms of magic and theatre to make this all together a charming spectacle.

The story, by Owen Mooney, gives a modern twist on the theme of slipping into a fantasy world. Three contemporary young Kiwis, John, Linda and Zara, enter a neighbour’s empty house, belonging to a mysterious Mr Forrester, during a game of hide and seek. They find a magic book in the house and when Zara starts to read a spell, they are suddenly transported to a land created by Theandricon, a good wizard.

Unfortunately for them he is busy working magic elsewhere and, in his absence, an evil wizard called Snottlegrot has started collecting humans and turning them into trees for his swamp, in his nasty conversion machine. His power is such that it takes the combined wisdom of two good fairy-godmothers, an Egyptian queen, two professors, an electrical elf with Sparkle fairy friends and a bevy of tiny fairies to save the three wayward youngsters from a fate of afforestation and help them to find their way back to the present and home.

The production uses a familiar ‘Stories and More’ opening, where a group of children gather around a storage box to choose a book to read, while a sassy puppet camel called Camilla gathers our attention. It turns out the books the children are reading – about science, ancient Egypt, cats, and magic – are indicative of the plot lines that follow, as are the toys they pull out, including a wand and a lamp.

The director, Cecilia Mooney, adapted the play to provide a part for every student of their acting classes as well as showcase some fine special effects and cameos for older actors. The playwright himself, Owen Mooney, appears as a professor/ inventor along with David Lumsden, wrangling a quantum transport machine that doesn’t quite work to their plan but still has diverting sound and bubble effects.

Greg McCallum as the evil wizard Snottlegrot grows in evil intent as does the intensity of his laughter, and he is aided by two amusing Spooks, Jessica Titchiner and Amelie Hawera, who give a strong double-trouble act. The smallest trainee wizard, Jayden Ridgway, offers a commendable performance as do the gorgeous Spring fairies who cause gasps of delight whenever they appear, to scatter flowers and good will.

The three main protagonists – Alexander McCallum as John, Hannah Deverall as Linda and Meg Rolleston as Zara – work well together to convince as ordinary kids caught in an extraordinary world.

The pantomime-sized version of Camilla, the camel, is a crowd favourite, with sisters Missy Mooney and Hannah Mooney as head and hind respectively. She (Camilla) features in a special visit paid to the Egyptian queen Patra, played with warmth and dignity (and a gorgeous golden costume) by Sarah Singh. She can’t send them back or save John, who is now in the wizard’s grasp, but she can give Linda and Zara courage to continue in their quest and give their Steam Punk fellow adventurers – The Electrical guy (Hamilton Kay) who has lost some of his lighting and the Back to Front Girl (Holly McCallum), who can only speak backwards – similar encouragement. There are also two talisman cats, the Liquorice Cats, played by Ryiah Andrews and Mackenzie Johnston, who wend their way through several scenes, linking locations in this fantasy world.

Back in Theandricon, the domesticated and chatty fairy god-mothers, Ethel and Agnes (Janine Swainson and Niamh Trodden), try to work their magic whilst knitting and drinking cups of tea while Back to Front Girl heroically takes on the wizard in combat. I can’t possibly reveal the outcome but it is, after all, a family show.

With the addition of original music, clever lighting effects and a spectacular wardrobe of wonderful costumes, there is something for everyone in this holiday show.

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