It was an interactive beginning, as the storyteller (Elvis Schumacker the Third) wove his way through the young audience, somehow managing to convince a parent to give up a shoe for pantomime-esque antics.

Once we'd all waved our shoes in the air, it was time for a story, with a 'once', an 'upon' and a 'time'.

And from that moment on, the audience (kids and adults alike) were captivated by the one man and many puppet show.

The set was enchanting, with careful choreography and sound as much part of the scene-setting as the shoe maker's workshop itself. The storyteller himself, he told us, was the grandson of Elvis the First and helped his rather tiny, 103 year-old grandfather tell the tale of how two talented elves came to work for him. There were echoes of environmentalism, as a large, dirty factory, with little regard for workers or customers, began to churn out shoes so bad they destroyed happy feet, but so cheap that people would buy them. However, this was no preaching morality tale and the point was left light.

The puppetry was a mix of hand-moved creations (intricately set up to talk, point and even play the double bass) and shadow puppets. There was no attempt at ventriloquism. We all knew the voices were coming from the storyteller, but if anything this added to the magic of the show, as we were carried along by his words and sheer energy.

The magical atmosphere was helped by some sleight of hand manoeuvres, creating shoes from patches of leather. But always there was a good pinch of humour, whether from Cornelius the cheese-loving mouse or the fashion-loving elves themselves.

Altogether some fabulous storytelling with impressive puppetry skills made this a most enjoyable afternoon.

The 5 year old's verdict

It was the best show! I love stories and the elves were so funny.