LIKE many stories from children’s literature, Carlo Collodi’s original Pinocchio was pretty grim at times. Then the Walt Disney studio lightened it up no end in its 1940 animated cartoon.

Now comes the Unity’s theatrical version, and one can say that it is like no other.

The adult actors playing children are seated in the audience before curtain up and shout occasional insults at each other (“Austin?” “Yes?” “Stinks!”) much to the delight of the real kids.

They enter a spooky deserted theatre and are frightened by a marionette that suddenly moves.

Before we know it, the story of Pinocchio has started with the cast playing all the different characters.

The bare stage provides all the props and settings needed, not only imaginatively used by the company but requiring a certain amount of imagination from the audience. As Geppetto’s workshop, the setting is fine but we also go into the countryside, have a chase through the streets, join a circus and visit Busy Bee Island. With music and costumes, that certain theatrical magic that transforms a stage into whatever the actors want it to be just about works.

Pinocchio, the wooden puppet that wants to become a real boy, is actually played by a female, Emma Hirons, who gives the role plenty of energy with just a touch of soppiness. She cries in a stylised way, rubbing her fists on her rouged cheeks, and stomps around like a spoiled brat.

Mind you, Pinocchio is put through a lot starting with the arrest of his father Geppetto when Pinocchio first comes to life and Geppetto (Austin Mitchell Hewitt in a laid back performance) chases him.

Then there is the nasty Fox (Bryan Fewtrell) and his mate The Cat (Alice Robinson) who con Pinocchio into burying his bag of money and then steal it.

Pinocchio, in the story’s best remembered scene, does grow a long nose when he lies, performed here behind a screen in a shadow play.

The cast of seven play several roles and, with the help of puppets and music, the show devised by the company, scripted by Esther Wilson and directed by Paula Simms has a few confusing moments but generally strikes a fine balance between the peculiar and entertaining.