The younugest audiences are the hardest, but the cast of this delightful promenade show know exactly how to engross under-fives. We start outside the main entrance to the Brook’s auditorium, in a house preparing for a Christmas party, with Archie (Philip Oakland), a feisty mouse, and Mrs P (Miriam Cooper), a homely Scots hedgehog.
We make paper chains, sing a song and talk to a tiny projected snow fairy (Marie Forbes) before setting off. We are then led by the engaging Philip Oakland through a magical tunnel into the huge space of the cleared auditorium - now a magical forest at the North Pole - where Miriam Cooper reappears as a graceful snow fairy.
The quest is to rescue Father Christmas from a sleep imposed on him by the baddies, King Pixie and Wart - played with athletic panache by Sean Hollands and Jimmy Bates.
The idea to play a medieval plainsong carol in Latin as the children pin up the stars they have gathered, was deeply moving. The stirring to life of Father Christmas with lights and music building to a crescendo was lovely theatre too.
No wonder the children were so entranced. If I see a children’s Christmas show this year with more charm and originality, I shall be very surprised.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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