Mary Norton’s Borrowers series of books has been a beloved piece of children’s literature since the 1950’s. The story about the tiny “borrowers” holds a magical quality that has enchanted readers small and tall.

Southern California Borrower fans have a rare opportunity to experience two separate adaptations of the Borrowers books. The Walt Disney Pictures is presenting The Secret World of Arrietty, which was created by Japan’s fabled animation company Studio Ghibli, while South Coast Repertory is staging The Borrowers.

Both productions are magical in their own rights; however, both are unique. In the film, Arietty is more of an adventuress, while in the play she longs to see life outside of her small home. She is the one seen by the boy in the movie, while her father is seen in the play. Some of the names in the film are different as are some of the portrayals (Will Arnett plays papa Pod Clock with a Clint Eastwood-like growl); however, the differences don’t dilute the strength of the source material. It’s still a story of the wonderful of the wee people and the power of friendship. The film wonderfully brings the story into contemporary times while maintaining the original story’s endearing qualities.

The film has a lovely look to it that comes as no surprise to fans of Studio Ghibli films (best known for the movies of Hayao Miyazaki, who wrote the adaption). There are lush images of flowery fields as well as detailed scenes of Arietty and her dad making their ways through the inner-workings of the house. The animation of the people still reminds me of the animation of the old Astroboy series, but there is a charming old fashion quality to that as well.

The play, which hues a bit closer to the original books (it covers the first two books) that the film does, has the trickier job of translating the miniature world of the Clock family to life on stage – and they succeed marvelously. The play (adapted by Charles Way and directed Shelley Butler) well utilizes theatrical devices to convey the contracts between the Borrowers and the Human Beings. One of the best choices is having the actors portraying the Clock family use stick puppets when interacting with the full-size Humans. The production also utilizes shadow puppets and oversized puppets to make the Clocks look like the 4-inch high people that they are. While there is a good deal of humor in the film, the play version comes off as slightly more comical but still with plenty of heart too.

Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.

It makes for a particularly interesting experience to take in both the film and the play, and to see how both deal with the original story (the choices that they had to make to the story to adapt it and to visualize it) and to see how children react to these adaptations. My daughter favored the theater production but was glad to have seen both.

The Secret World of Arietty, now playing in various cinemas, times vary. http://disney.go.com/arrietty/

The Borrowers, now playing through Feb. 26, various times, Fri.-Sun., South Coast Rep, 655 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. www.scr.org