The House Of Dreaming

Children will find The House Of Dreaming astounding. “The house is sleeping,” we're told as we arrive, sitting down to make some origami. We're given capes and bunny ears and provided with some instructions before being led into the house itself, which is rustic-looking and constructed from weatherboard, entirely within the Lawler Studio.

We stand in front of three wire screen doors. Inside we can see three chairs and three telephones as well as three TV screens. And that's where it begins. This house holds a mystery. Its inhabitants gone, all that's left are bizarre knick-knacks and clues to a mystery. The house has a story and as you're led through the many rooms, either directly or indirectly, it slowly reveals its secrets.

Combining interactive live performance with audio and video, as well as motion-sensitive bits and pieces, there's a real feeling that you never know what you're going to get when you round the next corner, or after you crawl through the next narrow space, or stumble into the next room and open the next drawer. Because that's the thing, before we go in we're told, “Feel free to touch whatever you want,” and we all know how rarely kids get told that.

It's the work of Arena Theatre Company and they've done a remarkable job in creating a magical otherworldly experience for kids that really captures the imagination. While some of the language may pass over their heads, the sheer joy they experience at the visual and tactile nature of the house prevents them taking much else in anyway.

Running at the MTC Lawler Studio until Saturday 27 October