The Velveteen Rabbit review – magically told tale of a much-loved toy who comes to life

British audiences might not be as familiar as Americans with Margery Williams’ 1922 children’s book The Velveteen Rabbit but it’s a classic for a reason. The story of a soft toy rabbit, first overlooked in favour of shiny mechanical toys but ultimately loved by its owner so deeply that the toy rabbit becomes real.

Liv Lorent and dance company BalletLorent have created a gentle adaptation, the story told in voiceover (by actor Ben Crompton) woven with scenes of dancey japes and games. We’re given the tale in hindsight, the boy now a man, remembering his much-loved toys. In fact there are almost two stories, one about the boy and his toy rabbit’s enduring love, the other about the rabbit wanting to become real. It doesn’t make for an entirely satisfying arc.

But my six-year-old turned and beamed at me as different characters emerged from the toy box, or when the boy plays at being an astronaut in a lovely bit of childish fantasy. Then about halfway through my son uttered the not-so-magic words: “How long is it going to be?” Afterwards, however, he insisted he enjoyed it, and was clearly chewing on it all. “Which of the toys do you think was the most kind to the rabbit, apart from the Skin Horse?” he asked on the way home. We agreed on the Robot, pleasingly looking like something a child themselves would make, with boxy limbs covered in silver foil.

The whole production design (by Nasir Mazhar) is full of satisfying textures: crochet and tartan, a spinning mirror ball and the similarly shimmering sequins of the Playroom Fairy, the shaggy coats of the wild rabbits and our favourite, a yelping dog whose fringed fur made him look like an overexcited mop. The Velveteen Rabbit wears a furry rabbit head, face covered, and perhaps not being able to see the performer’s expressions makes it harder to engage with its emotions. Still, there is lots to enjoy, especially for younger children, who can “feed” the rabbits at the end. There’s also a shorter, under-3s version of the show for the very youngest theatregoers.

• At the Hullabaloo, Darlington, 11-13 April; Arts Centre Washington, 18 April.