Meet the Hatter

Joss Arnott Dance bring Meet the Hatter to the Storyhouse on Saturday 31 October, a family-friendly dance show that takes the Mad Hatter from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and gives him a bit of a twist. The Chester date is part of the company's UK tour, and it's aimed at audiences aged 5 to 105, so it works as a trip out with kids or as something to see on your own.

The show finds the Hatter facing an empty tea party and a deep sense of isolation. To deal with it, he uses his imagination to build his own magical version of Wonderland, and that's the journey you follow. It's told through dance, storytelling, and immersive projections and animations, all carried by an original score that the company describes as emotionally charged. The whole thing is meant to celebrate the importance of play and the way self-belief can open doors you've only ever dreamed of.

Behind the show is Joss Arnott Dance, with artistic director and choreographer Joss Arnott at the helm. The music comes from composer Oleta Haffner, and the dancing is handled by Dominic Coffey, Robbie Ordoña and Kadafi Mulula. The production was commissioned by Lincoln Arts Centre and supported by public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England, and it's already picked up an award along the way.

It runs in the Main Theatre at Storyhouse, starting at 2pm. It lasts about 65 minutes with no interval, so it's a single stretch from start to finish. Tickets are £10.50 to £12.30 for members and £11.50 to £13.50 for non-members.