Guaranteed to amuse your kids in the Christmas school holidays - but it’s great for adults too.

I’ve never been a fan of Alice in Wonderland, and always found it a rather tiresome tale.

But the Little Angel puppet theatre has – as ever – worked its magic on the Lewis Carrol classic, and I’ve fallen in love with their trippy version.

As Alice falls asleep on the edge of a river, psychodelic spinning flowers and swinging doors sweep you away into the madness of Wonderland where houses have legs and fish fly.

The show is filled with verbal and visual nonsense, and peppered with witty catchy songs with lyrics like “Drink Me Baby yeah get it down your neck,” and the chaotic “We’re all mad here,” which the cast of four sing in beautiful folksy harmony.

There are dark moments amidst the laughter, and as Alice drinks the potion that makes her taller, we watch her monstrous form shrink and grow behind a shadow screen accompanied by eery sound effects.

Lots of hands reach in and poke her in what feels like a psychedelically sinister nightmare, and I realised why the show has an age limit.

Lighting and music effects in other dream-like scenes gradually make you forget the puppeteers exist and shift your focus to the puppets who take on a life of their own, creating truly magical moments.

The show runs at the Little Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, in Islington until January 30 2011.

It is suitable from age 5 to adult. Performances take place Wednesdays 10 am and 1pm, (11am and 2 pm in school holidays), Fridays: 1 pm and 5 pm (2 pm and 5 pm in school holidays), Saturdays 11 am & 2 pm and Sundays at 2 pm.

There are extra performances December 26 and 27 (check website for details).

Tickets cost �13 or �10 for concessions and children, or �42 for a family ticket (4 tickets, max 2 adults). All tickets are �5 for the Friday 5pm show.

To book call 020 7226 1787 or go to www.littleangeltheatre.com