APRIL 18 - 20, BATH: THE Bath International Puppet Festival, Snap the String, returns to the Theatre Royal in Bath for the fourth year.

This year's highlight is Gulliver, being held on April 20, Easter Sunday.

The adaptation of the classic tale by Jonathan Swift is will be performed by the Prague-based Black Light Theatre Company.

A combination of shadows, projection, optical illusions and special effects is used to bring the story to life. The company's work is rarely seen in the UK and has received rapturous receptions at London's Barbican and was a huge hit at last year's Edinburgh Festival.

The company will give two performances of Gulliver, one at 4pm for children aged five years or over and a slightly longer version at 8pm suitable for children aged 11 and over.

Also showcased at the festival are companies from Holland and France as well as British companies such as Green Ginger and Faulty Optic.

Opening the festival will be Green Ginger with their new production of Frank Einstein which will take place on April 18 and 19.

Other returning companies include Faulty Optic and Storybox. Faulty Optic's Soiled is the tale of a boxing ballerina and a soil spitting psychic.

Tickets for all performances are on sale now, and can be booked from the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844.