The couple behind a puppet theatre that has scored an unlikely hit with its Halloween production hope to create a centre of storytelling for children.

The Well Walk Theatre in Willow Road, Hampstead, is the work of Hampstead husband and wife Dylan McNeil and Zina Drouche. 

They set out to build something they would have loved for their own children - and opened in Willow Road on July 4.

Upstairs is a children's bookshop and café, which serves homemade crepes and galettes - sweet and savoury French pancakes.

But downstairs is the "beating heart" of the project, a 50-seat theatre where Zina, a Parisian costume designer turned puppeteer and the creator of the Petit Pierre puppet series, performs.

Also behind the scenes is creative manager Marina Turmo, who makes all the theatre's posters, created its logo and website, performs in the puppet shows, plays 10 instruments and speaks as many languages.

The theatre's Halloween puppet production Petit Pierre in Transylvania sold out weeks ago - although two new dates have been added - and there is a Christmas show coming up.

Well Walk Theatre's discreet sign leads customers to a 19th century designed auditorium with 50 red velvet seatsWell Walk Theatre's discreet sign leads customers to a 19th century designed auditorium with 50 red velvet seats (Image: Well Walk Theatre)

The couple took inspiration from the building's Victorian origins for the design, which pays homage to the Robert-Houdin Theatre in Paris, where Georges Méliès, the celebrated pioneer filmmaker, began his career as a magician.

The building dates back to 1895 and operated as a grocer's shop until 1957, when it was bought by a family and turned into a pottery.

In 2018 the owner died and the property came on the market just as Dylan and Zina decided to open a children's theatre.

Zina Drouche is artistic director of Well Walk Theatre and creator of the Petit Pierre series of adventuresZina Drouche is artistic director of Well Walk Theatre and creator of the Petit Pierre series of adventures (Image: Well Walk Theatre)

"This is the third chapter," said Dylan, an Anglo-French filmmaker. "And by another coincidence, the hero in the Petit Pierre, he is a grocer in Paris."

The couple want the café and theatre to become a "cultural centre" that gives children a place to go where they can open doors to storytelling and other cultures.

Dylan says he recently spoke to Helen Oxenbury, who illustrated the Michael Rosen book We're Going On a Bear Hunt, who will be the first to do a book signing and reading in the New Year.

He also hopes to organise after-school events including book signings, storytelling, and movie clubs.

Customers at Well Walk Theatre are invited to play the piano and if they sing, invited to singCustomers at Well Walk Theatre are invited to play the piano and sing (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

He said: "It will be extremely local. The idea is to start the tradition so that you know that when it's Tuesday it's story telling, on Wednesday something else," Dylan added.

"It will be free and culturally engaging for the children, because we really want to get the children off screens, that is the point of this place. If they come they are engaged with the puppets, they are engaged with the books, with the authors, they have conversation, they are off screens."

Visit www.thewellwalktheatre.com for information and bookings.