At first glance, you might be forgiven for thinking Kate Winslet is auditioning for an especially intense scene from Titanic: Part II.

But the truth is, Rose and Jack's deckside drama is left in the shadows by this extraordinary display of passion and vigour.

Kate pulled out all the stops for a surprise children's book reading at Port Eliot Festival in Cornwall over the weekend.

The actress put her Oscar-winning thespian skills to the test with a live rendition of the story book Mr Gum and the Power Crystals by Andy Stanton.

Described as a "wickedly entertaining story," the book is set in a land of "talking dogs, silly songs, Old Granny, and the best chase scene you've ever seen."

Evidently, the breadth of the storyline demanded Kate employ a whole litany of facial expressions - from the sublime to the downright alarming - to bring the book to life in front of a crowd of appreciative listeners. In fact, from the way she threw herself into the part, it seems like the mum-of-two discovered a whole new outlet for her talents.

All we can say is storytime must never be dull over at the Winslet household.