Brighton Dome Studio Theatre, Brighton
If you’re feeling jaded about the festive season you need to take yourself and the family to The Dome Studio where your sparkle will be restored.
We are welcomed by a suitably, festive, and warm set by Kathleen Yore and Anthony Jones whose moving parts will create the various scenes required.
Nostalgic Christmas songs play as the audience of families settle in. It was lovely to hear the babble of excited children at the thought of a theatre show in these days of screen delights!
Maryam Ali as Clementine comes on stage waving to the audience, immediately engaging with the audience which silences the children and you don’t hear a peep from them throughout the near one hour of the show. This is quite a feat in comparison to other Christmas shows I’ve seen this year where the kids run rampant, physically and vocally, throughout.
The company is composed by a trio of actors, Maryam Ali (Clementine), Roo Arwen (Glitch) and Charles Doherty (Tim) who also slickly play all other characters throughout the performance. Each are vocally strong and enthusiastic throughout.
The original score, composed by Claire O’Connor and Bay Bryan, was a perfect match for the atmosphere throughout the show and delivered beautifully by the ensemble.
Ali immediately conveys the pure joy of Christmas as she opens the first song. Her smile lighting up the stage and auditorium.
The story tells, complete with bad cracker jokes, how Clementine’s joy of Christmas, imbued in her by her Aunt, is lost along with the demise of her relative. However, she is determined to ‘hold on’ to Christmas. Clutching a half heart tree ornament gifted from her aunt, she searches for A Town Called Christmas about which Esther has told her so many stories.
The town doesn’t live up to festive expectations. The high street, the town facilities and festive joy have crumbled along with the gingerbread people. Tim holds a half a heart tree ornament without him realising its importance.
We are treated to Kathleen Yore’s puppets, with suitably large child appealing eyes, helping to tell us the story of when Esther as a child is living in Christmas. After an accident on the ice Esther is confined to the house but The Boy rescues the joy of the season by visiting her every day with a daily present and companionship.
Stories and memories, happy and sad, are collected and restore the town to its former glory. Glitch recalls her bullied childhood which is saved by a job in A Town Called Christmas.
All fails again and they decide the town has lost its heart despite all their efforts. Glitch gives her heart to the town but dies in the process. Clementine’s positivity is crushed and prepares to leave. However Tim tells the story of The Boy and we discover that Tim was said character who then brings the other half of the heart. The town comes alive again as does Glitch.
The directors Cheryl Martin, Elvi Piper (who is also the writer of this delightful tale) and Richard Priestly should consider this show a triumph of their vision.
This is an allegory of hope, dreams and determination which shouldn’t be missed, brought to us by Red Ladder, Gala Durham and Wrongsemble.
Brighton Dome Studio, Church Street, Brighton, BN1 1UE
Sat 27 Dec—Wed 31 Dec (various times)
Sun 28, Mon 29 and Tue 30 Dec, 10am, 1pm, 3.30pm
Weds 31 Dec 10am
Running time approx 55 min (no interval)
Tickets
Adults £15
Under 16’s/ Concessions £8
Family Ticket (2 adults & 2 children or 1 Adult & 3 Children) £40*
https://brightondome.org/whats-on/Lum-a-town-called-christmas/
