Roz Hicks enjoys another fine Christmas offering from the Helen Eastman stable at the Burton Taylor Studio

We couldn’t help but feel a small tingle of excitement as we approached the Burton Taylor Studio on Saturday afternoon – it was time to start the official festive season by watching Helen Eastman’s Dear Father Christmas.

While waiting to enter the studio, the little ones were kept entertained with a variety of colouring activities, which provided a welcome distraction until they were ready for us to go up.

It was then time for us to be transported to Father Christmas’s post room in the North Pole. The children were invited to pull up a cushion and their accompanying “giants” could grab a chair if they would rather.

All around the post room were lovely decorations – snowflakes, paper chains, a beautiful Christmas tree, twinkling stars and of course, lots and lots of letters.

The elf (played by Katie Haygarth) rushed in to set the scene. She tells us about the workings of the post room, from the children of the world writing the letters, to their arrival in the post room, where they make a colourful shower down to the floor from enormous tubes high in the ceiling.

This is all watched by a sleeping Mr Tick Tock (played by Clive Duncan), who is then woken from his slumber with excited and enthusiastic shouting by the audience. This lively twosome then lead us all in easy to learn songs, with simple actions, making everyone feel at ease.

The audience participation is dealt with fairly, making sure that everyone who wishes to, gets a turn at either answering a question, sorting a letter or helping to decorate the Christmas tree.

When the Elf finds several sacks of unread letters, the alarm is raised. What is the matter with Father Christmas? It transpires that he has lost his Ho Ho Ho, a very serious state of affairs at this time of year. This is due to his best friend, the North Pole polar bear arriving late back from a visit to his family.

Will the Elf and Mr Tick Tock manage to help Father Christmas find his friend and save Christmas for all the boys and girls of the world?

Drawn into this charming tale of friendship, bravery, mischief and some very dodgy carol singing from the neighbours, (Deidre and Allan, resplendent in their Christmas jumpers) there was also some magical puppetry work when the bear does finally appears.

All-in-all, this yuletide production filled us with plenty of Christmas cheer, and I will leave you with the words of my three year-old companion who summed it up beautifully – “it was super fun!”

5/5