THEATRE for children is in good hands this month with two separate entertainment ventures touring community halls in County Durham.

Theatre Hullabaloo's TakeOff Festival, now in its 29th year, will see 70 shows at 22 venues.

Miranda Thain, creative producer of Theatre Hullabaloo, based in Darlington, said: "We are incredibly proud of how TakeOff has grown over the years to become England’s leading festival of theatre for young audiences."

Also touring community venues is Hey, Presto! for under-sevens, adapted from the picture book by author-illustrator Nadia Shireen. This is a production by New Writing North for Durham Book Festival and is visiting a number of places without a theatre venue.

TakeOff shows include We Dance, Wee Groove, at the Dolphin Centre in Darlington, full of music, dancing and and imaginative play for young children (October 19).

Bishop Auckland Town Hall and The Witham in Barnard Castle are among venues for Mavis Sparkle and her stargazing show involving magic, illusion, animation and laughter.

Another production is Molly’s Marvellous Moustache, about a little girl whose mother makes her a magic moustache that lets her launch an expedition into the jungle, blast off into space and create incredible inventions.

For older children, performance poet Joseph Coelho brings Fairytales Gone Bad, making Cinderella into a zombie who falls in love with a vampire prince, and Little Red Riding Hood into a wolf-hunter who never leaves home without her shield and axe.

There are morning and afternoon performances of Zombie-rella and Blood-red Hood at the Quaker Meeting House, Darlington (October 19); tickets from the box office on 01325 352004.

For a full list of performances and to book tickets, visit www.takeoffestival.org.uk.

Hey Presto! follows sell-out tours of Man on the Moon (2015) and The Worst Princess (2014) by the same production team.

The story is about a cat and a dog who are best friends. Monty is great at singing, eating ice cream and pulling funny faces, while Presto is a brilliant magician. When a carnival comes to town, they join up with their magic act, but then fame goes to Monty’s head.

Can the friends work out how to work together before it’s too late?

The book is adapted by Laura Lindow, an award-winning Scottish writer and director based in Newcastle, and directed by Ruth Johnson, who also directed Man on the Moon and The Worst Princess.

Producer Anna Disley, of New Writing North, said: “We feel very lucky to have Nadia Shireen’s permission to adapt this brilliant picture book which is full of laughter and fun, as well as a very heart-warming message about friendship and the fact that we are all different but all have our own special talents.”

Dates include: Monday, October 10, 10am, Bishop Auckland Town Hall, tickets £2, tel 03000 269524; Wednesday, October 19, 10am, Newton Aycliffe Library, £2, tel 03000 269519; Wednesday, October 19, 2pm, Crook Library, £2, 03000 269002; Thursday, October 27, 10.30am, Crown Street Library, Darlington, £4, tel 01325 349610.