CBC: ★★★★

(Reviewed at the 2015 Winnipeg Fringe Festival)

A charming story with a thoughtful, but not heavy-handed, message about equality and working together, Blink's Garden should be on your Kids Fringe list.

Based on a poem by Winnipeg's John Janzen (who also provides the catchy tunes that pepper the show) Blink's Garden tells the story of a group of people who eke out their existence in a bleak and barren land. There, Blink and her friend Moeh tend a garden next to a huge wall. What's on the other side is a mystery, except for the sounds of laughter and revelry.

The "have vs. have nots" theme might not be too much of a surprise — the show is presented by Siloam Mission, working in partnership with Aboriginal Youth Opportunities and the Louis Riel School Division.

But well-rehearsed performances from the large young cast, and some smart staging of the poem, help its message connect with a young audience. And at a compact 30 minutes, it's well paced for youngsters.

The kids performing this show clearly have a lot of fun. If your kids have half as much fun watching it — and I think they will — you won't go wrong digging into Blink's Garden.