JEREMY AND THE THINKING MACHINE with Tammany Barton, Donna McLaggan, Ranique Hendricks, George van Rooyen and Claire Harmse. Directed by Marlene Pieterse (Opera House today at 9am, 11am and 7pm).

CHILDREN will love this play. It not only tells a tale of the people in the land of Jamboreen, but it interacts with the kids in a way that really makes them think.

Jeremy (Tammany Barton), the prince of the land, and only child of the queen (Ranique Hendricks) and king (Renaldo Abdul), is quite the goofball.

His appearance isn’t that of a royalty, no ... on the contrary he appears to be quite peasant-like.

On just an ordinary day, after the king and queen make a grand entrance, where he’s going about his usual day FG – the fairy godmother played by Donna MacLaggan – comes along and not only becomes his friend but gives him a thinking machine for his birthday.

The whole kingdom is in awe of this gift as it gives Jeremy, the dunce, the ability to add and solve problems ... something that was unheard of before ... much to the distaste of Lord Jackal (George Van Rooyen) – the king’s brother. Lord Jackal actually wants to prove that Jeremy is unfit to be heir to the throne based on the fact that he can’t think, so that he himself can take over when the king dies.

But Jeremy’s newfound thinking ability also makes him distant and aloof and not his usual self.

But there is a crisis ... the queen needs her son’s help when Lord Jackal trips her, she falls into the empty well and nobody can figure a way to get her out.

To add to it all FG drops the news that she forgot to include batteries in the present.

This is where Jeremy feels helpless and asks members of the audience for help. But not even they can figure out how to get her out. So he really has to figure it out himself or his mother stays in the well forever.

Does he pull through and find a solution? What he needs now is self-confidence in his ability to think.

Barton and Mclaggan make a fabulous acting team and the supporting acts by Van Rooyen and Kehly Windvogel (Jeremy’s teacher) are brilliant too.

The dancing that is not complicated, comes across well, but could be more synchronised.

The costumes were designed well and props were used in a way that added to the storyline.

With Christmas around the corner the kids can also look forward to the sing-along carols at the end. – Reviewed by Giselle Horner. hornerg@avusa.co.za