The Tear Thief – Little Angel Theatre, London

Writer: Based on The Tear Thief by Carol Ann Duffy

Music: James Hesford

Director: Peter Glanville

Reviewer: Mary Halton

The Public Reviews Rating:

The Tear Thief, based on Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy’s book of the same name, is the latest offering from the small powerhouse of children’s puppetry that is the Little Angel Theatre. A visual feast for ages 3+, this touching tale is bound to enchant children of all ages.

Each night, between supper and bedtime, the Tear Thief steals the tears of every child that cries. Tears of selfishness, anger and pure sadness all manifest as brightly coloured jewels to be gathered with care in her silvery sack as she skips from rooftop to rooftop. The moral here has a light touch – crocodile tears are of little value and only tears of true sadness are very precious.

Jan Zalud’s stunning puppet design makes the Tear Thief herself look very other worldly – a quality which some very young members of the audience found a little intimidating at first. But the Tear Thief is a benevolent presence and her eventual use for the tears is more beautiful than any worldly gift left by more traditional home invaders like the Tooth Fairy!

An enchanting journey for little ones, with bonus puddle splashing, The Tear Thief is a beautifully staged reimagining of this unsurprisingly popular story.