RANGING from infectiously manic to indescribably beautiful, this Barabbas production for six to 12 year olds is the company's successful first foray into work for very young audiences.

Out the Back Door is a wordless hour long piece of child's play, in two parts. The first is an energetic exercise in physical theatre complete with "grossouts" for the kids to "yuck" about that climaxes in thrilling acrobatics around a dinner table.

Then cast members Veronica Coburn, Raymond Keane and Mikel Murfi fade into the darkness to manipulate a variety of miniature figures in an atmospheric adventure, beautifully lit by Stephen McManus, with great newagey music by Roger Gregg.

Directed by Michele Forbes, Out the Back Door brilliantly captures the group dynamics of play and the contours of childhood imagination, but for the more literal minded, narrative hungry young child (mine), recognition may not always equal total engagement. This dad, however, was amazed.