ACROSS the kingdom great voyages of discovery to far off festive lands are being undertaken, writes DAVID WARD.

One such tinsel-tinted trip is courtesy of Sally Cheng and Martin Sarreal, two young actors who this Christmas take audiences at Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake on a journey to a remote corner of ancient China in search of a nightingale.

Sally and Martin take the lead roles in The Emperor and the Nightingale, adapted by Neil Duffield from the story by Hans Andersen.

Martin plays Wu, the young emperor who thinks he knows everything but actually knows nothing much, especially about how to have enjoy himself; Sally is a Xiao, a feisty girl who knows nothing about imperial palaces but lots about life. She teaches Wu a thing or two as they go on their quest and have a series of adventures that include meetings with monkeys and dragons.

“The show is lovely,” said Sally. “Xiao is brave and is perhaps someone everyone would want to be like. She’s not wet or a pushover; she stands up for what she wants and gets it because she’s kind. She knows how to handle herself and is true to herself the whole time.”

“I love the play,” added Martin. “It’s so interesting to see a young child being introduced to fun, something he knows nothing about because of the way he has been brought up. It’s a very heart-warming story and there’s a healthy lesson there, even for adults. They should reintroduce themselves to playfulness and innocence, follow their hearts rather than their heads. That’s what drew me most to the story.”

Neither actor has worked at Theatre by the Lake before and both are looking forward to exploring the Lake District for the first time. “I’ve got my woolly hat and gloves ready,” said Sally.

She was born in Hong Kong but grew up in Cambridge, with frequent trips to members of her mother’s family in Scotland. Martin’s father is half Portuguese and half Filipino and his mother is Chinese; he was born in Malaysia but grew up in Hong Kong before heading for drama school in London.

Martin first appeared on stage at ten when he played in a school production of Cats (he was tall so had to be a dog). “It was never particularly clear to me that I wanted to be an actor - I just liked performing and I always had such a thrill doing it. "It was only when I grew older that I realised I could have a career doing it.

“The pleasure is in being able to tell different stories. There is nothing more exciting than literally being able to be other people, however naïve and simple that sounds.”

Sally is a talented musician (grade seven in violin, grade eight in piano) and thought music would be her career. “But I was in a school play when I was 15 and soon after decided I wanted to go to drama school, which was completely alien to my mum; she needed lot of persuading.”

After graduating, both actors had lucky breaks. Martin played a DJ in the National Theatre’s hit production of Here Lies Love, a disco musical about Imelda Marcos (the dictator’s wife with all the shoes). Sally went straight from college to Singing in the Rain, a co-production by three regional theatre companies.

The production of The Emperor and the Nightingale, with designs that reflect the colour and magic of the mysterious Orient, runs until January 14, with many evening and matinee shows plus special performances for schools. It’s hard work and a hectic schedule that leaves no time for a traditional family Christmas for either actor.

In previous years, Martin has either flown home to Hong Kong or stayed with Hong Kong friends in London; Sally, who finds the festive season a magical time, has two brothers and a sister and associates Christmas with everyone coming home to Cambridge.

But not this time; Sally and Martin will instead celebrate Christmas with their fellow actors rather than with their own families. And Sally will very much miss Angus, her mum’s new chocolate Labrador puppy.

Elsewhere at the popular Keswick theatre this yuletide, Larry embarks on a journey to a wonderful world of possibilities in The Secret Life of Suitcases.

Running in the theatre's Studio until December 23, the children’s show features exquisite puppetry, ingenious design and clever costumes, with Larry centre stage as an industrious worker who just loves his brown office full of old fashioned stamps. He likes sorting and tidying and generally putting things in order and has no time for fun or break time until one day, a suitcase with his name on it suddenly appears at his door.

Unknown to Larry the special suitcase has a secret mission to turn his usual routine upside down and show him a side to life that he never knew possible. Setting off on adventures through the countryside, the high seas and finally in a rocket into outer space, Larry meets the mysterious suitcase dwellers - two brown furry quarks - who tell him the real reason the suitcase arrived.

The inventive show is courtesy of skilled Scottish puppeteer Ailie Cohen and actor Samuel Jameson, entertaining and educating young and old with their quirky craft and artistry.

The show was originally co-produced by the Unicorn Theatre in London and written by popular Glasgow-based playwright and theatre maker, Lewis Hetherington.

Box office 017687-74411.