Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse Theatre, Sheffield – until 30th December 2023
Reviewed by Sophie Dodworth
3***
Christmas cheer is missing from A Town Called Christmas, and it is Clementines job to find it and bring it back to enable some Christmas spirit. Join her on the search! This play written and directed by Elvi Piper, brought to you by Gala Durham and Wrongsemble is on until just after Christmas and is perfect for little ones aged three and up. The whole show is only 55 minutes long, so just enough for wriggly legs.
On entering the Playhouse, the Christmassy scene is set, a little Christmas tree in front of the glowing fire, and you get to meet Clementine in all her Christmas cheer. She decides to visit Christmas, a town that her late auntie had traditionally told her tales about during every festive season. Where she has heard that chocolate coins are currency, the streets are filled with snowball fights and gingerbread houses glow under beautiful twinkling lights. During her journey she meets many characters, all portrayed by the three actors on stage, they all take on the different roles and do it with great ability. She tries with great effort to find and bring back the cheer that was once in the town, will she do it?…
This short show is full of musical numbers, sung with great harmonies from all three members of the cast. All the actors on stage have strong voices. Puppetry is also used to take us back in time, to when Clementines Aunty was a young girl. There are 2 puppets on stage, operated by the cast and this is done with ease, the children in the audience certainly sat up for these parts.
A really cheery, festive piece of theatre to get you in to the spirit.