Draíocht, Blanchardstown

****

Elf Factory is an intimate theatrical experience that offers early-years audiences an opportunity to enter Santa's workshop. This is a gentle, task-oriented participatory show that invites three- and four-year-olds to assist two elves, played by Joanna Williams and Damian Punch, in getting Santa ready for Christmas.

Directed by Veronica Coburn, Williams and Punch bring a playful physical humour to their characters, commanding their charges for the entirety of the 40-minute duration.

Dylan Coburn Gray's original score, meanwhile, creates a special seasonal atmosphere of immersion. Sets and puppetry are of the homespun variety, but it suits the genuine charm of Elf Factory, which ends with a surprise for each audience member: a touching memento of the show. At Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny, Dec 19-20