search
date/time
Yorkshire Times
A Voice of the Free Press
frontpagebusinessartscarslifestylefamilytravelsportsscitechnaturefictionCartoons
Jan Harris
Deputy Group Editor
2:00 PM 25th November 2015
arts

The Night Before Christmas

 
Christmas has come early to the West Yorkshire Playhouse as their smaller venue, the Courtyard Theatre, has been transformed into a magical extravaganza of baubles and glitter balls - and a few ladders - ready for their children's presentation of The Night Before Christmas.

Robert Alan Evans has written a play about Carol, who doesn't feel a bit Christmassy, and is in fact a very grumpy person. She doesn't even like her friend Roger calling round on Christmas Eve to invite her to Christmas Dinner.

James Barrett as Roger and Rose Wardlaw as Carol
James Barrett as Roger and Rose Wardlaw as Carol
She definitely doesn't like Christmas.

She doesn't like all the fuss of presents, trees, tinsel and baubles.

This is not yer typical Christmas Carol...

That is until Elf 30046, with his stripy tights and pointy ears, falls into her house via the chimney.

The pair set off on an amazing adventure to include ice skating, flying, singing, dancing and playing imaginary instruments from the Christmas tree - until Carol realises that Elf 30046 needs to be returned to Father Christmas before Christmas Day.

James Barrett as Elf 30046
James Barrett as Elf 30046
It's a lovely story of how a grumpy, miserable person can be turned around and enjoy fun and friendship: remind you of anybody?

The children in the audience were enthralled with the whole fantasy adventure and joined the actors on stage at the end for some splendidly giddy dancing.

A super sparkly production, suitable for children between 2 and 6 years old and anybody they'd care to take with them.

It's a great warm-up to Christmas and another delightful reminder of the power of a good story, well told, to captivate and, hopefully, inspire young minds.



West Yorkshire Playhouse until 2 January 2016.

photography by Amy Charles