This has certainly paid off, as the two young people playing Tom and Hattie were outstanding in their performances. Young Tom Long is forced to stay with his kindly aunt and uncle while his brother recovers from a bout of the measles. At their flat, he is disappointed to find there is no garden to play in; but his disappointment turns to wonder when he discovers a magical garden which only appears at night when an old grandfather clock strikes thirteen. His nightly excursions to this beautiful garden become even more interesting when he realises that the people he meets cannot see him - except one young girl named Hattie. The book written by Philippa Pearce has been a children's favourite for many years. Oxford University Press first published it in 1958 and since 1976 Puffin books have published it. The first television version appeared on our screens in 1968 closely followed by another version in 1974. Mary Martin, the director of The Cosmopolitan Players has done an excellent job with this production and must be applauded for her decision to bring in the youngsters to play both the lead roles and also some of the other children; Peter, James, Edgar and Hubert. I was also highly impressed with the excellent set designed and constructed by Barry Unwin and Pete Coates. Effective use of projection facilities meant that the garden, lake and other external features could be portrayed on the rear wall of the stage adding depth to the scene that would otherwise have not been possible. Andrew Plygawko and Robyn Grant as Tom and Hattie were excellent in their performances. I remember Andrew as Herr Von Cuckoo in The Gingerbread Man and Robyn as Mr Fisher in The Ideal Gnome Expedition, the first production at The Carriageworks when it opened in the autumn of 2005. Both are very talented young actors and Robyn's diction is excellent, every word being so clearly enunciated. They were well supported by the more 'mature' performers from The Cosmopolitan Players, including Peter Coates as Uncle Alan, Carolyn Craven as Aunt Gwen and Steve Morrell as Abel the gardener, all of whom were outstanding in their roles. This combination of youth and experience blended very well, making this an excellent play, which was very well received by the audience of children and their parents or youth leaders on the night I attended. As Mary Martin, the Director, says in her programme notes, "The members of the Leeds Children’s Theatre have brought a freshness and spontaneity to the play, and I am very grateful to them. We hope that they will stay with us for future productions." I can only conclude by saying, "hear, hear" to that! | 
