Sometimes theatre can over-complicated.

A desire to be clever, alternative or ground-breaking often overtakes the beauty of a simple story being told well - an idea which is faithfully restored by Long Nose Puppets' tale, Penguin.

Ben is a little boy who receives a penguin for Christmas, and is disappointed when it fails to live up to his expectations by remaining silent, despite Ben's best efforts to encourage it to speak.

Plenty of face-pulling, raspberry-blowing, singing and prodding ensues (not to mention a decidedly blue lion and a trip to the moon), with cheery songs peppered throughout.

This charming puppet show is based on Polly Dunbar's book and, while the story is a modest one, the telling of it and the style involved elevates it to a higher level.

Some older children may find the show a little slow compared with the fast-paced world of action films and Xbox games, but for those who are younger, or at least young at heart, the simplicity of listening to a sweet story being told so innocently and with such charm will come as a refreshing change of pace.