Light years away from the dull literalness, enforced jollity and page-to-stage adaptations of so much theatre for children, Fevered Sleep's Brilliant more than lives up to its name. It follows a child preparing for bed and sinking into the dark, mysterious world of night and the imagination.

The director, David Harradine, created the intriguing An Infinite Line at the Brighton festival earlier this year, and this piece, intended for three and four-year-olds but a delight for all ages, explores similar themes of light - only better, because more discipline and a contained running time allow the show to blossom. Like An Infinite Line, this has live musical accompaniment and an installation feel. "I can see the universe and the universe can see me," says Laura Cubitt's child in a show that becomes a series of mirrored reflections bouncing back off each other.

It's truthful, too, about the little games and rituals we invoke at bedtime to ward off our fear of the dark; about that extraordinary moment when your body folds into sleep and you enter a new world. This exquisite little show is a giant step forward.

The Guardian