Review: My Pet Star at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury left us glowing with excitement

With pantomime season in full swing, many families are gearing up for a festive trip to the theatre.

But for anyone with younger children who may find the loud, brash world of panto a bit much, the Marlowe Theatre has a more understated but equally magical alternative.

My Pet Star has just begun its run at the Canterbury venue, and it's a real treat.

Based on the book by Corrinne Averiss and Rosalind Beardshaw, the hour-long musical follows an excitable young girl who finds a fallen star in her garden and adopts it as a pet.

She spends time with her new celestial friend, helping it to regain its sparkle - but struggles to let go when the time comes to say goodbye.

I took my five-year-old son along on opening night and we both left glowing with excitement.

The play - an original Marlowe Theatre production - is performed in the venue’s small and intimate Studio, with audience members sitting right on top of and around the ground-level stage.

As the crowd files in, the main character is already on stage, playing in her "garden" - fully immersing us in her world from the get-go.

Very unimpressed at being given a pot plant as a present instead of the pet she longed for, the girl boots a football in a rage and inadvertently knocks an object out of the sky.

And here we are introduced to the, ahem, star of the show. Mark Milligan's portrayal of the star is hilarious, animated and instantly loveable.

We watch as the pair's friendship grows in a whirlwind of play, dance and bucketfuls of glitter.

Freya Stephenson is fantastic as the girl, conveying the enthusiasm and innocent joy of childhood perfectly - as well as more complex emotions, including frustration and a few tantrums!

Her singing voice is strong and beautiful, particularly when she hits the long, high notes - made all the more powerful with spine-tingling musical accompaniment from pianist Tom Benjamin, who also plays the girl’s dad.

Audience participation is strongly encouraged in one of the high-energy dance numbers, and my son is straight up on his feet, feeling very much a part of the show and loving every moment.

A highlight is when the girl feeds her new-found friend an array of "human food", prompting him to vomit sparkly green confetti. This provoked big laughs from my son, who grabbed a few pieces from the stage to keep as a memento.

There are also plenty of in-jokes for the grown-ups, with some well-timed nods to the realities of raising small children. A scene in which the dad breathes a sigh of relief and sneaks a bar of chocolate from the fridge to eat in peace when he thinks his daughter is finally asleep is almost too relatable!

But there are also many poignant moments - none more so than when the girl finally accepts she must let her new friend go.

As the tiny cast takes their final bow, my son turns to me and says: "That was amazing!" Truly starstruck.

My Pet Star is at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury until Saturday, January 4. For more information, visit the Marlowe's website. Tickets cost £17.