EASTER treats of the non-chocolate variety for kids are being lined up at Worcester's Swan Theatre next week.

Cooking The Books opens in the Restaurant of Dreams, where stories are cooked up for impatient customers at tables, at the drive-thru and at the take-away counter.

However, news that the Story Inspector is on his way, coupled with a shortage of ingredients in the kitchen, spells trouble for its staff unless enough imagination can be found to put things right.

Aimed at children aged between four and 11 and their families, the hour-long show weaves physicality and word play together.

It was penned by Richard da Costa following the success of his 1999 hit Planet Time, and performances are scheduled for 1pm on Monday (March 25) and Tuesday, with an extra 10am performance on the Tuesday.

Two days later another children's production, Smashed Eggs, touches down at the Moors-based venue.

Inspired by workshops with schoolchildren, who revealed that their lives were dominated by rules, it uses puppetry and special effects to tell the tale of Angela's house, where all kinds of laws hold sway.

These include such arbitrary dicta as "all pants must be green", "don't pour beer in anyone's ear", "don't stand near the microwave" and "don't smash eggs". But one day the rules are broken.

The production is aimed at eight-to-11-year-olds and their parents, and can be seen at 2.30pm and 7pm on Thursday, March 28 and 7pm on Saturday, March 30.

More information and tickets are available on 01905 27322.