IT IS the kind of production to leave children spellbound.

Puppetry, music, mime, sculpture and a story that adds its own brand of magic.

Lempen Puppet Theatre brings its new show, Ugly Beauty to the Lawrence Batley Theatre tomorrow (July 23).

It is the latest in the theatre’s popular Imagine series, which aims to keep children and their families entertained.

Imagine has become a firm date on many family calendars with the Saturday shows in the theatre’s Cellar space a monthly treat.

Lempen Puppet Theatre are now LBT regulars and are dab hands at family entertainment with more than 20 years’ theatre experience behind them.

Husband and wife team Daniel and Liz Lempen live with their family in Skipton.

Daniel is from the mountains of Switzerland and worked originally in tourism while Liz, a fine art graduate, spent her childhood in Herefordshire.

They founded their company in 1987 and moved to North Yorkshire in the early Nineties.

Together they create magical shows which have toured extensively in the UK as well as to festivals and theatres across Europe.

Trained in puppetry, mime, music, mask and sculpture, the couple focus on stories which shine a light on modern day myths and contemporary issues. Their aim is to producing entertaining, high quality theatre for families.

They have succeeded with a series of puppet plays which have delighted audiences in theatres, schools and in street performances.

In addition to touring their own work, Liz and Daniel make and direct for other companies, lead workshops, and are the directors for the Skipton International Puppet Festival.

Ugly Beauty is Lempen Puppet Theatre’s 18th production and the 50 minute show sees Daniel in a solo venture using puppets, shadows and, acting and he says, the occasional bit of face-pulling!

The story is set in the Kingdom of Rumours where Melo, the strange, a one legged musician, sits alone by the sea, content in his world and playing the most beautiful music.

But what is this? Along comes a golden carriage bearing a Princess so beautiful that she wears a mask to hide her face. And she pushes Melo into the mud!

What kind of world is this where one who hides her beauty behaves so badly to the one with beauty at his fingertips?

It is, of course, the Kingdom of Rumours where the first idea or impression spreads like a wildfire of whispers, distorting the truth and spreading discontent.

It’s a perfect pitch both for children and for their parents who may well take something quite different away from a show that will enchant their families.

The performance is ideal for children aged five and above.

There are two shows tomorrow with first at 11am and another at 2pm.

Tickets are £4.50 child / £6 adult from the LBT box office on 01484 430528 or book online at www.thelbt.org

If you go, pick up a brochure for next season which has a whole series of Imagine shows and workshops. There are some old friends returning to audiences at the LBT as well as some new companies to get to know.