The Selfish Giant is one of a series of short stories written by Oscar Wilde and published in the volume The Happy Prince and Other Stories in 1888. I’ve never been especially familiar with it, although I did have to read a few pages from The Remarkable Rocket (that’s one of the Other Stories) for an elocution competition at the Chiltern Festival, Chesham, in 1973. You missed it? Damn, I was brilliant.

It’s a reasonably simple tale; a giant owns a great garden where the local children play. He’s been spending time with his ogre friend in Cornwall for seven years, but when he comes back he’s aghast at the childish trespassers who’ve been treating the place as their own. So he builds a Trump-like wall to keep the kids out; but then a strange thing happens… Spring never comes. But kids will be kids and they find a way into the garden, which causes Spring to return; and that’s when the giant eventually twigs that it’s his selfishness that has caused perpetual winter. The wall comes down, the children come back and the garden is once again filled with colour. All except for one corner, a tree bedecked with white blossoms, where a little boy, whom the giant had earlier helped to climb a tree, is stuck… and appears to bear the wounds of the stigmata…. Yes, if you’re not expecting the Christian element of the story it comes as something of a surprise.

This new version has been conceived as a folk opera by Guy Chambers, best known for his collaborations with Robbie Williams; he’s the co-writer of Rock DJ, Angels, Millennium, Let Me Entertain You and many more. However, don’t expect much in the way of Take That-like elements to the music in this show. He has written a delicate, charming, fragile and reflective score that reminds me in parts of some lesser-known Genesis album, or maybe there’s a hint of Howard Goodall’s Hired Man in there somewhere. There are no spoken sections, the whole show is sung through, but with a running time of only a little over an hour the time flies by. Some of the lyrics are taken directly from Wilde’s own text, others are Mr Chambers’ own invention, but unless you’re very au fait with your Wilde, you won’t see the join.

Simon Kenny’s design is simple and inventive, with lidded cardboard boxes (you know the office papers archive type of thing) creating the wall, stepladders suggesting trees and proud upright balloons representing the colourful flowers. White sheets and balloons create the perpetual winter, enhanced by James Smith’s deliberately cold lighting. A starry night is evoked by cast and audience alike holding aloft tiny torches, a symbol of hope in the darkness. Guy Chambers himself heads up the nine-strong band that produces a sophisticated level of orchestration way beyond expectations. The gentle combination of music, lighting and design create a compellingly beautiful portrayal of the contrast between childish innocence and the harsh reality of a life without love and kindness.

Presenting this story is a wonderful ensemble of young actors and singers, full of fresh enthusiasm and superb voices that create some fantastic harmonies. I loved Rose Shalloo’s ultra-innocent portrayal of the lost little boy, Olly Dobson’s slick-smart Hail, Laura Sillett’s fun-loving Girl/Narrator and Laila Zaidi’s stunning vocals as Charlie. But the whole team give an overall superb performance as the gang of children, each with their own individual characterisations, and with no weak spots anywhere. Dominating proceedings, both basso profondo and statuesque, Jeff Nicholson’s Giant is more aloof than terrifying until he sees the error of his ways.

This brief run at the Royal and Derngate precedes the show’s appearance at the Vaudeville Theatre as part of that venue’s Oscar Wilde season which has – I believe – already had some great productions. The Selfish Giant is an eloquent, reflective and incredibly satisfying piece of theatre that lingers on in the mind long after the last balloon has been popped. It’s only on in London until 14th April so catch it while you can.