Alex and Evie and the Forever Falling Rain is an adorable, superbly crafted children’s show with subtle messages and depth that the whole family will enjoy.

The performance starts on entering the auditorium, with one of the titular characters, Alex, interacting with the audience during the pre-show. At the 10:30am show I attended, the audience was jam packed full of families and the kids were overjoyed to be involved, many jumping up and down in their seats to be noticed.

Jeremy Hansen does an incredible job as Alex, energetic, engaging, friendly; he forms an immediate connection with the audience as tall-for-a-ten-year-old Alex, who loves the rain.

As the show itself starts, we are immediately introduced to talking cat, Amadazeus played by Gemma Sharpe. Amadazeus is beautifully portrayed as the grumpy and no-nonsense feline companion.

We meet 9-year-old Evie, played by Courtney Henri, who is confident and so believable, I initially thought she was a child actor. Evie has just moved to the bottom of the hill, and does not like the rain, as it will stop her friends coming to her birthday party. Together with Alex, they set out on a grand adventure (aided by milo and stick tape) to stop the forever falling rain.

Alex and Evie and the Forever Falling Rain guides the audience on a childhood romp, with messages of facing your fears, finding strength in togetherness and belief that after any period of rain, the sun will come out.

The friendship between Alex and Evie develops beautifully, with both characters stepping outside their comfort zones to be with their new friends. The childlike sense of joy and wonder brought to the show by these actors is lovely to watch and had the audience spellbound for the entire performance.

The final characters in the show, played by Rebecca Fingher include Storm Tamer and a range of puppets, handled expertly. The show is staged simply, with just a couple of movable set pieces and fabric drapes. It relies heavily on lighting and a lovely soundscape that adds depth to every scene.

This show is a lovely tribute to childhood and deserved its raucous round of applause.