The POD – until 19th December 2021
Reviewed By Emily Cliff
4****
With Christmas just around the corner, the theatre has never been so active and here at the POD, they have done it again with captivating stage magic and pure joy. Hidden in the magical Covent Garden, is a small tent with a big imagination. The POD truly has something for everyone, from its imaginative stage productions to its bar filled with festive snacks and drinks it really does add to the magic in Covent Garden ver Christmas. Unlike most Christmas productions this one is suitable for people of all ages, with the high energy and imagination levels for the children and a few jokes thrown in for the grownups too.
One thing this production did extremely well was capturing that last sleep before Christmas and all of the joy and excitement that goes along with it. The energy levels performed by Teddy Hinde and Sydney Hocknell were through the roof for the whole night making us feel a part of the excitement of Christmas eve. Retelling the well-loved stories these Christmas songs had to offer the pair showed the next generation the wonderful magic hidden in these songs. Clever lighting gave the illusion that the space we were in was far bigger than it was, and offered the opportunity for us the audience to really open up our imagination to the world of creativity that was going on inside the tent.
Christmas songs were cleverly woven throughout the whole play with each of them getting their very own little storyline. A favourite of mine was the one surrounding ‘I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas and without giving too much away, it’s expertly funny for both children and adults. Overall despite being crammed into an hours performance, the pacing was impeccable. Many people know that it is hard to keep a young audience captivated and engaged with certain performances, but towards the end of this show (much like Christmas) many of us didn’t want it to end. This show is a real delight to go and see, whether you are 8 or 80 this show will be a delightful addition to your Christmas itinerary this year.