WHEN it comes to theatre for children, you are off to a good start when the title of the show is enough on its own to inspire laughter from your little ones.

Not surprisingly, news that Father Christmas Needs A Wee! was showing at Weymouth’s Pavilion Theatre immediately got my two young daughters chuckling.

Pretty soon after that they were wondering why it was that Santa did not have the appropriate facilities on his sleigh as he circled the globe dishing out Christmas presents.

And if he could not fit a toilet on board, or a potty under his seat, why could he not wear a nappy like astronauts? Obviously we had to find out.

And so it was that we enjoyed Talegate Theatre’s delightful stage adaptation of Nicholas Allan’s book about the Christmas Eve that saw Santa get caught short.

Santa, played by an amusing James Worthington, has a chronic weakness for mince pies, and has been guzzling them down with all the tea and milk and hot chocolate drinks left by the little children to whom he is delivering presents.

But there is nowhere for Santa to have a wee, and he becomes so preoccupied with his plight that he forgets to deliver some of his presents.

Thankfully he can enlist the help of his elf Elfie, played by Emma Clare, and with some singing and dancing along the way, he is able to wiggle through the discomfort and get the job done.

A super show for children – it was premiered at the Edinburgh Festival last year and is now on a Christmas tour around the UK.

Talegate Theatre hopes to return to Weymouth with Father Christmas Needs A Wee! this time next year.