SUCH is the spell-binding nature of a nasty grandma who talks about eating caterpillars that throats are furry with concentration when George (Matthew Noble) first asks a theatre bursting with youngsters to give vocal support for his ingredients for the marvellous medicine. Not for long, however.

Soon young lungs are begging for brown paint, flea powder, axle grease and pig pills... the list of things required to turn a grumpy old monster, a confident professional debut by Dereck Walker, into a grander parent. Soon we're faced with a 40-foot high gran, who bursts through the roof in front of our very eyes.

So Birmingham Stage Company's thoughtful adaptation of Roald Dahl's most child-friendly of books springs surprise after surprise in front of an eye-popping first-time audience.

Sound levels need pushing up a little in the wordier first half, with essential medicine-making song, but after that it's all systems go as George's mum (Vanessa Clarke) and dad (James Low) try to make sense of a giant chicken (Ewan Borthwick) roaming the farmyard and an elderly mother reaching new heights.

Such is the feverish nature of the plot that the ending arrives as a real, and rather sudden, shock.

Now this is just the tonic that family theatre requires.

Runs until Saturday.

Box Office: (01325) 486555

Published: 19/05/2006