Newcastle-based choreographer Liz Lorent may just have added a new work to the mostly predictable fare of Christmas dance repertory. Created last year, Lorent's two-part family show is the fairytale story of Pippanouska, a shy, lonely librarian who remains haunted by her lonely childhood and by the memory of a long-ago encounter with a magical flying creature. She gathers a group of other lonely people and, between them, they try to rebuild the world of childhood and story books. Lorent's choreography, which flies into some wonderfully giddy aerial effects, is combined with a highly ingenious use of props and a nostalgia-inducing score from Andy Ross. Ben Compton's storyline (narrated by himself) occasionally gets diverted into too many subplots, but this remains a seasonal treat for children aged four and above. jm
• Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler's Wells, EC1, Thu 18 to Jan 3
