THE world’s speediest ego-on-paws, The Hare, and his slow, steady, fellwalking counterpart, The Tortoise, are racing to Dorset to perform a fabulous new family show.

Niki McCretton and Marc Parrett, who founded Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company, are back on stage at Lighthouse in Poole with their latest live action and puppet show The Hare and the Tortoise.

It’s the race of the decade. Slow, steady tortoise versus speedy, greedy hare.

They’re fit, they’re keen, but they’re completely mismatched and surely it’s all over before it’s begun?

The fun starts the minute the audience enters the auditorium, which has been turned into a television studio complete with camera crews and commentators on hand to quiz the audience on who they think will win the race.

Join the famous commentator Chris Canary for the sporting event in the entire animal kingdom’s diary: why is that unhurried herbivore so sure that she can beat nature’s hasty, high-speed hare?

Who will win and who will you cheer for? Niki said: “The hare is fast and a bit cocky, a bit of a celebrity, while the tortoise is just delightful. She loves hill walking and is from Up North and has real stamina.

“The interesting thing is that we have been working with local schoolchildren and they aren’t all motivated by celebrity and the people who win. Some of them say ‘I am slow but I get there’.”

She added: “The race is the final in a series of challenges between the two creatures.

There is a dance-off and other contests that they also have to win. It’s great fun.”

Marc and Niki are directing the show and the cast is made up of Tom Frankland, who plays the hare, tortoise Laura Mugridge and musician Sarah Moody.

Marc, who has worked with Bristol Old Vic, Aardman Animations and The RSC, is the puppet maestro who both creates and directs the hugely loveable and incredibly dynamic puppets.

Niki is a leading early-years performance expert and together they have created an enormously entertaining show featuring music, comedy, ingenious puppets and the race to end all races.

• The Hare and the Tortoise is in the Studio at Lighthouse in Poole from November 24 to December 10. Performance times vary and tickets are from £8 plus concessions and family rates. Call 0844 406 8666 for bookings and full details.