Peals of children’s laughter echoed through the auditorium.

I can see a tremendous transformation in the students, both on a personal level and in the dynamics of the group

The audience of four- to eight-year-olds were being taken on a journey through four fables interpreted by shadow theatre – and they loved it.

The production Creation Myths was being held at the MITP with acting and dancing by an enthusiastic group of University students on Monday.

Before the show started, the theatre was filled with lively chatter from the youngsters. But once the lights were dimmed, the room fell silent.

Hesitant at first, the children slowly became enchanted by the performance, giggling and squealing with excitement as the actors encouraged them to join in and sing along.

Creation Myths is an interactive production put up by 60 third-year B.Ed. students as part of their course at the University of Malta.

It was produced by lecturer Isabelle Gatt as part of an initiative called Teatru Qroqq, set up in 2002 by the Primary Department of the University’s Faculty of Education.

Unfortunately, Dr Gatt said, the Teatru Qroqq project, which had been an annual event for the last 11 years, will no longer be staged as part of their course.

“Due to the increasingly large number of students in the B.Ed. course, this project is no longer being considered feasible by the responsible authorities,” she said.

She expressed her disappointment, saying that besides being enjoyable for the children, the experience was extremely beneficial to the students who put up the show.

“I can see a tremendous transformation in the students, both on a personal level and in the dynamics of the group.”

The audience was clearly enthralled by the show, which was partly in English and partly in Maltese. Shadow puppets provided a visual accompaniment to the storytelling.

Gabriel Mallia, 8, from Siġġiewi primary, said he had enjoyed the performance. “My favourite story was the one about how the elephant got its trunk,” he said.