A Boy Called Christmas
Matt Haig, adapted by Philip Wilson
Music by Tom Brady
Directed by Dale Rooks
Chichester Festival Theatre
Star rating: 4.5
Every year since 2003 Chichester Festival Theatre has turned the main house over
to its Youth Theatre for the annual Christmas show. And the level of achievement, as
usual, is phenomenal with 71 performers aged 10-22 on stage and 25 members of
CFT’s Technical Youth Theatre working behind the scenes. I have said in the past
that CFT runs the best venue-related Youth Theatre (850 members across West
Sussex and Hampshire) in the country and I still stand by that.
This year’s show is a glorious fantasy rooted in the childhood of Father Christmas
with elves, trolls, pixies, fairies and a quest which takes young Nikolas (Devon
Sandwell on press night. – excellent) northwards through Finland towards Lapland
and a lot of danger. Matt Haig’s best-selling novel tells us that, because Nikolas was
born on 25 December, his nickname is Christmas. And Philip Watson’s stage version
adds a framing device with a story teller which allows for a theatrically spectacular
ending.
The show is beautifully directed and draws fine performances from everyone in the
cast. Standouts include Olivia Dickens (on press night) who puppets Mikka,
Nicholas’s lively, never still mouse friend like a seasoned professional. And she
voices the witty animal with splendid confidence. Daisy Chapman turns in a terrific
turn as the Truth Fairy, singing, dancing and delivering her truths with rapier
precision – and humour. There is also some fine choral and solo singing at various
point in the show.
Ryan Dawson Laight has had huge fun with the costumes for this production. The
massive growling bear with huge teeth and long claws is terrifyingly convincing and
Blitzen the reindeer (Alexander Solly on press night – lovely movement work) is furry
and dignified. And the colours – lots of red – in the big scenes are richly dramatic
against Simon Higlett’s icy set. I don’t know whose idea the northern lights were –
depicted by coloured streamers on rods illuminated by James Whiteside’s lighting
design – but it’s a pretty special moment.
Then there’s Tom Brady’s music played by an unseen, live, six-piece band with MD
Colin Billings on keys. It’s delightful and I was frequently distracted from events on
stage by the sheer imaginative magic of Brady’s orchestrations – especially the
evocative use of cello and clarinet in an enjoyable range of styles.
CFT has again more than nailed it with this Youth Theatre show. Bravo and Merry
Christmas to you all.
Photograph: Ellie Kurttz
