TALL Stories’ adaptation of the Snail and the Whale, the popular children’s book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, was nothing short of exceptional today.

This heart-warming, funny and lively stage show delighted its two family audiences at the Brewhouse Theatre - so don't miss it on Wednesday (October 30).

The story is about a tiny sea snail who longs to see the world, so she hitches a lift on the tail of a huge humpback whale. Together they go on an amazing journey, experiencing sharks and penguins, icebergs and volcanoes.

But with a typical twist of Donaldson magic, the little snail has to save the whale after it gets beached in a bay.

We saw the story through the eyes of an imaginative young girl and her equally creative Dad and their loving bond provided an instant and strong emotional link to the children and parents watching.

The three actors (the third being a violin-playing narrator - the girl looking back on her childhood) played out typical family scenes to delighted squawks and chatter from children who were recognising the familiar in the unfamiliar.

The versatile set was spot on, not too much to be overawing or clunky and just enough to help the young imaginations in the room.

Through good use of song, actions, audience interaction and storytelling the 50-minute show belted by at nothing like a snail’s pace.

Yes, we had a whale of a time…