THEATRE Hullabaloo, based in Darlington, presents its latest children's show, Bear and Butterfly, at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Tuesday, October 20.

The performances are part of the TakeOff Festival – England’s leading festival of theatre for young audiences and also the Get Creative Family Arts Festival, which brings together more than 2,000 events across the UK created especially for families.

Based on a story by Gordon Poad, the play is a collaboration between Theatre Hullabaloo, one of the UK’s principal children’s theatre companies, and Theatre by the Lake in Keswick, Cumbria.

Hullabaloo creative producer Miranda Thain said: “Bear & Butterfly is a warm, funny and uplifting theatre experience, the perfect introduction to theatre for children aged four and above. It’s a tender and gentle piece about friendship, love and loss with puppets and live music which should appeal to the whole family.”

The play was developed with the help of children in a primary school in Darlington.

Annie McCourt, Theatre by the Lake’s head of education and participation, who wrote it, said: “The story begins when we meet Bear, who is very settled in his life which doesn’t change from year to year.

“He is a bit grumpy, a bit of a stick-in-the mud, but his routines are altered when he meets Caterpillar and the two develop a relationship like that of a grandfather and grandchild.”

The show combines puppetry, live music and storytelling and is the latest in the town hall’s popular series of family shows. Blunderbus Theatre Company returns on November 1 with The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice on December 23 and 24.

Bear and Butterfly is suitable for children aged four to seven; performances are at 12.30pm and 2.15pm. Tickets cost £5.50 with group discounts available.

To book or for information, call 01642 729729 or book online at middlesbroughtownhallonline.co.uk.