The Islington-based puppet company Little Angel Theatre made one of the more unusual contributions to the Royal Shakespeare Company's Complete Works festival last year with its X-rated version of Shakespeare's erotic poem Venus and Adonis. Now it is back in Stratford over the festive period, at the RSC's new temporary venue, with Fantastic Mr Fox - an adaptation of one of Roald Dahl's popular stories for children that is said to be suitable "for aged five and over".

But how much over? This reviewer can offer another half century, and yet he found it no less suitable as entertainment than the youngsters all around him who were clearly captivated by the antics of the deftly manipulated (and beautifully constructed) puppets. Music plays a big part in the show's appeal - especially the three or four rousing numbers sung by the four-strong team of operators (Sarah Burgess, Sam Dutton, Charlie Llewellyn-Smith and Mark Whitaker).

The success of the production, under director Steve Tiplady, is a reflection of Dahl's special gifts as a writer - one who tells it like it is, without patronising his readers or shielding them from the harsher realities of life. Here he offers what might be called an apologia for meat-eating, in this tale of the canny Mr Fox, his sensible and considerate missus and their charming three-strong brood of cubs, Ginger, Scarlet and Rusty. They get their paws on the wherewithal for a massive chicken banquet for them and their animal pals, despite the efforts of three nasty farmers to stop them.

It is a defence, too, of a much-maligned animal species (two, if you add the rat who gets an almost tear-inducing speech). Farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean are determined to kill the foxes, for their own selfish motives, so clearly the foxes must fight back.

There can be no doubt, though, that Dahl (or is it adapter Sarah Woods?) strays a little far from the truth in spelling out, more than once, that a fox will kill only as much as he needs to eat. The carnage that follows any vulpine incursion into a chicken coop is too well known to be denied.

Fantastic Mr Fox continues until January 4. For tickets, call 0844 800 1110 (www.rsc.org.uk).