Roald Dahl’s stories have come under scrutiny of late for language and character tropes that many now find offensive.

In 2018 the British Royal Mint rejected a proposal to mark the 100th anniversary of Dahl’s birth with a commemorative coin on the grounds that the author was “associated with anti-Semitism and not regarded as an author of the highest reputation.”

In some ways, not an entirely fantastic legacy to deal with.

Brisbane company Shake & Stir’s adaptation of Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox, aimed at the under twelves, steamrolls those controversies with a show that distils the story to its bare bones (into a subterranean chase scene, basically) while pinning its young audience in their seats with busily animated digital projections and lively character acting.

Six actors play multiples roles, as trickster Mr Fox attempts to put food on the table and outwit Boggis, Bunce and Bean, three local farmers determined to run all wildlife off their land for good.

The Fantastic Mr Fox. Photo supplied

Adapter Nick Skubij puts most of the storytelling duties and fourth wall-piercing audience interaction in the hands of Mr Fox’s tween-aged son. Elsewhere, the script is brisk and peppered with...