EVEN in rehearsal, Theatre Alibi's production of The Crowstarver is mesmerising as the cast transform themselves, with the help of a couple of scythe handles and a rope, from a group of actors to a boy, his family and a horse.

Adapted from the book by Dick King-Smith, the play tells the story of a baby boy found in a lambing pen by a shepherd and his wife who decide to adopt him. As he grows up, it becomes clear that he is special in more ways than one.

Theatre Alibi are well known for their innovative way of presenting productions and The Crowstarver is no different, blending amazing performances with puppetry, live music and a striking set, which has been built at Plymouth's TR2 facility from where it will transfer to the Exeter Northcott for the show's run, which starts on February 14.

"In some ways, this really inventive approach to storytelling is what you'd expect from Theatre Alibi because we believe that there's nothing you can't do on stage," says Nikki Sved, the show's director.

"One of the things I really love is when we're doing children's productions and we use puppets. When you get pictures back afterwards from the children they have drawn the entire world and very often you have only implied it with a gesture or puppet. I think you just need to give people's – and not just children's – imagination a nudge.

"There is quite an emphasis on puppets – in fact, a real emphasis on animals because it is set in the Wiltshire countryside in the 30s and 40s and it really immerses itself in that agricultural community. There are dogs, hares and foxes and we have gone about creating those animals in a real variety of ways, from rather beautiful puppets that have been constructed from pieces of agricultural equipment of the time, to actors becoming animals. I won't tell you how we do an entire pack of hounds though," she laughs.

Although the company very much enjoys and thrives on this innovative way of producing plays, Nikki stresses that they are all very aware of the fact they are performing for the audience, not themselves.

"I think you have to watch that an audience doesn't get confused, but often I think that as theatre makers we make rather harsh rules for ourselves. Are all the animals going to be puppets or not, for example? And actually an audience quite rightly isn't bothered about those rules – what they care about is the story and whether you are telling the story effectively in that particular moment.

"Different animals really require different approaches and that's what we have been led by. Of course I'm always led by the story, that is my compass, and I often think of myself as a director being just a problem solver. The story is so clear that basically the question is just how shall we make that happen," she smiles, before explaining the choice of a puppet for the fox.

"There's a lovely moment where he first appears and almost all the cast are operating him: there is this quality of attention on just that little puppet and it is something which gives the fox – which is a very special animal in the story and strikes up a very special relationship with the central character – a real value with all the actors focused on it. But then when you are dealing with a bucking bronco you just want brute strength and a real sense of danger and so you wouldn't go for a puppet."

This is the company's second co-production with the Northcott. The first, in 2010, was the thriller Ministry of Fear, which was well received, and so their second collaboration has been much anticipated.

"This show is much more all-encompassing in terms of who will come along – it is suitable for anybody from eight upwards but whether it is younger or older audiences, there is something very tangible for everyone to engage with in this production," Nikki says.

The Crowstarver is at the Exeter Northcott from February 14 to February 25.