Lilly and the Pea - a children's play with music by Carolin Jelden, freely adapted from Hans Christian Andersen

Recommended age: children from 4 years

Lilly is a princess - but not the usual kind: instead of gliding through ballrooms in a glittering crown and silk gown, she battles through wet mud and dirty undergrowth with her exasperated nanny Albertine. Their destination is a sword-fighting championship that Lilly has secretly slipped away to enter. When robbers steal their luggage, the two end up stranded at a castle - the castle of Prince Lucas, who is looking for a bride but has had enough of ordinary princesses. Sleeping Beauty yawns too much for his taste, and he finds it ridiculous that Cinderella keeps losing her shoe. What he wants is a brave princess who loves sword fighting - exactly like Lilly.

The road to a happy ending is still long, though. Court wizard Master Theobald must first recover his powers to break the spell on an enchanted servant. The king and his stern secretary need convincing that Lilly is a real princess. And then there is that mysterious pea keeping Lilly awake at night.