Having fed a fox from his fingers, young Spider Sparrow (Tom Wainwright) is naturally upset when she and her cubs become the quarry of the local hunt. But such is or at any rate was the reality of life in the country. A farmer for 20 years before becoming a hugely successful children's writer (Babe was one of his best-sellers), Dick King-Smith knows nature to be red in tooth and claw, and presents this truth unflinchingly in his work.

Happily, the kindness and courage of the living world human as well as animal are faithfully depicted, too. Thus a story like Crowstarver, a new stage version of which gripped Oxford audiences last week, proves to be uplifting and life-affirming, even when it takes a tragic turn.

I was mightily impressed to see how the rapt ten- and 11-year-olds surrounding me in the Playhouse during a 10am (!) performance seemed able to take the sadness in their stride. Truly, they were more 'adult' than some of the grown-ups among them your reviewer who were blinking back the tears in the closing scenes.

That the performance proved so affecting was due in large part to the first-class adaptation by Daniel Jamieson and superb acting (under director Nikki Sved) by the five-strong cast from Theatre Alibi, the company responsible for the West End hit Why the Whales Came. Most of the actors took on three or four roles, animal as well as human. Their versatility is perhaps best illustrated in the example of Derek Frood, whose gallery of parts included the no-nonsense farm foreman, a malevolent schoolboy bully, an exuberant collie and a seemingly untamable bucking bronco.

The last is bought by the nobby, horse-mad farm owner Mrs York (Cerianne Roberts) when a visiting Wild West show leaves it behind in Wiltshire on the outbreak of the Second World War, the period around which the action is set. The animal's rebellious spirit is eventually broken by the horse-whispering skills of Spider, the 'crowstarver' (meaning crow-scarer) of the title. Having been abandoned on the farm as a baby, he is adopted by a childless couple who work there (Chris Bianchi and Jordan Whyte) and is soon seen to display a remarkable rapport with animals, even as his ability to communicate with humans loving though he is is discovered to be lacking.

This inspiring show finishes its tour at the Wyvern Theatre, Swindon 'home territory' in respect of its Wiltshire setting from May 25-27. It is not to be missed (box office 01783 524481).