Polka, London
It's 13 years since the Polka theatre first wheeled out Wilbur, the runt-of-the-litter piglet who, with the aid of the generous spider Charlotte, escapes the slaughterhouse and becomes known as "the miracle pig" in EB White's classic story. But the prize porker is still just as fresh and tasty in Roman Stefanski's revival of Joseph Robinette's musical adaptation. This is traditional children's theatre at its best – like Wilbur himself not fancy in any way, but a well-told story with terrific performances and high production values. Bethia Jane Green's design niftily combines the farmyard barn and the county fair, complete with candy-striped tents, ferris wheel and fireworks.
This is essentially a story about friendship and loss, with the tale of lonely teenager Fern echoing the main story about Wilbur, who believes he has been born solely to play, and who is saved from his fate by clever Charlotte weaving glowing descriptions of Wilbur into her web. Fern's growing up and growing away is paralleled by the selfless Charlotte's death – which comes with an aching sense of loss as well as a heartwarming legacy.
It's the animals rather than the humans who form the main focus and offer the main pleasure – from Gilbert Taylor's rather adorable Wilbur to Tim Hibberd's wily rat Templeton, and Gloria Onitiri's graceful, calming Charlotte, whose acts of love come at such a high price. "We're born, we live a little and we die" is the message, but it is delivered with charm and a quiet joie de vivre that sends the audience out of the theatre smiling, not crying.