Adapting this popular book by Michael Rosen is certainly a challenge, not least because the story is relatively short.
But this stage show does so in a highly imaginative way. Rather than simply trying to reproduce the book, it focuses instead on a family who are almost playing at going on a bear hunt.
So instead of a real river they create their own waterway with blue towels and buckets and when it comes to the forest the trees are made of piles of cardboard boxes.
The audience is very closely involved with the show.
At the beginning the children are asked to describe a bear and they are constantly urged to take part in singing or shouting.
The cast of four are great at encouraging the children in this although in some cases the participation is also a little uncomfortable.
With the characters all wet from the river they decide to share the experience thanks to some very powerful water pistols.
Which made us all very nervous when they got to the mud!
At just 50 minutes, the show is short but it is long enough bearing in mind it has an age recommendation for three plus. This low age range would also explain why the fierce and ferocious beast turns out to be a giant teddy bear.
Rating * * * *
Until Jan 12
