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As a Rochdale lass born and bred, I was only too happy to go and support our local, multi award winning M6 Theatre Company in their new show, Little Gift.

NB: Laura and her family received complimentary tickets to see The Little Gift by M6 Theatre Company at The Lowry but all views and opinions are their own.

Created by Andrew Manley, Little Gift is a warmhearted story aimed at audiences three to seven which leaves you feeling thoughtful and reflective, especially at a time of year when so many feel lonely. In this magical tale a surprise visitor is sent to help an old, lonely, ragged puppet by the name Ted.  He leads Ted on a journey to rediscover the joys of the world around by planting a seed that turns the lonely life of this old sole upside down.

Beautiful in its simplicity, just one man and his puppet create an atmospheric and enchanting performance in which kindness, care and a little thought transform someone’s life for the better. Accompanied by lovely, original music Little Gift is performed in the studio for a more intimate viewing. This works well for small children as it makes the show so much more real and accessible. In fact at the end of the performance many little ones where trying to get up on stage to get a closer view of Ted’s soul full and sorrowful eyes.

I have to admit I was really nervous about taking my fidget bum three year old and never stops moving 16 month old to the theatre for the first time. I feared they would not sit for more than a few minutes let alone 45 minutes. I was pleasantly surprised however, my boys were enthralled by the wonderful engaging, energetic and animated performance of the one and only actor and his puppet Ted.  It’s easy to forget Ted is a puppet as he comes to life, the actor pulling the strings does an excellent job of switching from his own role to that of Ted’s, creating a little magic and completely convincing performance as he goes. I can only imagine it’s a pretty tough gig when you’re the whole show so the special performance of this actor is truly inspiring, he performs his role with charm, warmth and energy. I was also impressed by his graceful transitions across the stage, fully utilising the space and simple set piled high with brightly coloured suitcases.

I strongly recommend you watch the Little Gift before it’s run at the Lowry comes to an end on the 31^st Of December. This truly charming tale kept my three year old enthralled and my 16 month old sat still for a whole 35 minutes before he got restless. That alone is worth paying for. My little ones also really enjoyed meeting Ted at the end of the performance in the foyer where they got to have a quick photo with Ted and his actor. To top of our lovely experience we then popped in to the design outlet for a quick visit to Santa’s grotto to complete our festive adventure.