Below the floorboards of a large house in Bristol, we are plunged into the quirky, wonky, miniature world of young Arrietty and her family of Borrowers.

Making use of anything and everything they find ‘upstairs’, from cotton buds to crisp packets, string to Subutteo players, the Borrowers are the original up-cyclers.

However their quiet existence is torn apart by the arrival of a family of Human Beans and soon the quiet ticking of the grandfather clock is replaced by Hoovers, TVs and the sound of Tom Jones on the radio. Arrietty longs to see what life is like for the new family of giants and her friendship with the eight year old Eddie is the opportunity to do just that.

With an original script by Bea Roberts (Little Mermaid, the egg) and directed by Nik Partridge (The New Adventures of Snow Mouse, Travelling Light), formerly Director in Residence at Tobacco Factory Theatres, this re-telling of a classic childhood favourite will set imaginations alight this
Christmas.

Photography: Mark Dawson