Portofino Ballad at the Barbican

Puppets, music and storytelling combine imaginatively in Peter Rinderknecht’s poignant half-term show about family ties.

It’s all about timing. The cuckoo pops out on the hour, every hour. That’s his job.

In fact the cuckoo is a miniature man who lives tucked away inside a double bass. He wishes his son would take over the business. But the bored boy doesn’t want to keep the time. He dreams of a seaport called Portofino where the ocean stretches endlessly. Can father and son leave everything behind to find freedom?

A magical treat, it also includes the most versatile double bass you’re likely to see.

'A miraculous and poetical play for children … you won’t believe your eyes' Der Landbote (Switzerland)