Sharp Teeth Theatre has chosen this simple yet slightly sinister tale to make its debut production. Their previous association with this venue has been the curating and presenting multi-genre work and the company’s familiarity with the performance space helps present this short piece in a confident and well balanced way . . . At its heart the story is about love, loss and revenge. There are also hints of jealousy, guilt and mental illness.

What’s ingenious about the way Croon do their stuff is that most of the scenery appears from two reconstructed pianos. The pianos, or bits of them, become a sandy dessert, a western frontier town or a graveyard, and from their flipsides the bank and saloon are revealed. The puppets, toys and props are gathered from behind the pianos and worked in a very hands-on way by the two talented puppeteers Pod Farlow and Emily LeQuesne.

. . . this show is really about connections and contrasts: the worlds of the ancient and modern; the people of the west and the near east; the playful occasions and the serious events. Small stories of families and bigger stories of international relations are linked together like a modern version of the 1001 Nights. An intense and vibrant piece of modern theatre.

The charming Wardrobe Theatre is the perfect place to perform this kind of show. The compact space means the actors are able to connect with the audience, both figuratively and practically, and it allows them to display their talents to their best effect. This is a delightful, dynamic, amusing show that is suitable for adults and children alike. A great evening’s entertainment.

An excellent performance by Gabrielle Shepherd as Elizabeth the main protagonist “who is very bad at packing” is the core of this interesting play. Her relationship with her partner is very quickly established with a touching first scene involving feeding the ducks . . .