Review: Father Christmas at Waterside Arts

“…jubilant, charming and sparkling…”

Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs, Waterside Arts, Sale Trafford

By Claire Walmsley

Raymond Briggs is a well-loved author whose timeless classics are loved by adults and children alike. I was excited to kickstart my festive season with a visit to the Waterside in Sale for a showing of Father Christmas. Much like the book, there isn’t an all-action storyline. Instead we follow a rather grumpy man getting ready for work. It just so happens his job is Father Christmas!

What I love about the Robert Bolt theatre at the Waterside is how intimate it is. No matter where you sit, you’re so close to the action you feel like you’re actually on stage with them. Upon entering, you’re greeted with the quirky set of a city backdrop and the inside of a cosy cottage. There are no big scenery changes, just a clever use of props and doors that change the scene from inside to outside to rooftops. There’s an ingenious use of shadows at one point too. All the children received a bag with cookies and milk for the performance, which was a lovely touch.

The cast consists of Father Christmas (Marcus Hendry), a cat, a dog, some reindeer (all puppets manipulated by Imogen Khan) and a sound effects/music extraordinaire (Grace Liston). It’s a small production with a big heart – wonderfully nostalgic and festive.

I love puppets and Imogen Khan does a marvellous job of bringing the dog, cat and even reindeer to life. They each have a distinct personality and you’re quite ready to believe they are real. Father Christmas was brilliant. Marcus Hendry gave a quintessential performance and he looked just like the original character in the book! He was funny, larger than life and perfectly petulant. There were definitely jokes aimed at the adults (his disgust at being served oat milk raised a good laugh) and jokes the children found hilarious (toilet humour never fails to amuse them!). I’m almost convinced Father Christmas took time out of his busy schedule to perform for us.

One of my favourite parts was when Father Christmas climbed down the chimney and almost got stuck. A clever use of light and scenery allowed the audience to see inside the chimney and Hendry amused the audience with his grumblings as he tried to navigate his way down.

However the absolute highlight was when he emerged on his sleigh pulled by two puppet reindeer. The mix of fog and lighting made it really look like he was flying through a rainstorm which was magical enough and then it started actually snowing in the theatre. There’s nothing quite like the collective gasp of excited children (and adults) who are captivated by the magic. It was such a heartwarming moment.

What made this performance different from others I’ve seen was the unusual use of sound effects. They weren’t hidden behind the scenes, they were made by Grace Liston. She sat up high but very much in the spotlight. It really brought a quirky, playful element to the performance and the execution was timed to perfection.

At 55 minutes run length it’s perfect for little theatre goers and for longtime fans of Raymond Briggs. It was a jubilant, charming and sparkling performance that really brought the festive cheer. I left with a huge smile on my face excited that Christmas is nearly here.

Father Christmas plays at Waterside Arts until Saturday 27 December. Tickets are available here.

Claire Walmsley is a children’s author who pays the bills by teaching computer science to primary school pupils in Manchester. When she’s not writing, reading or fixing all the broken laptops at work, she likes to run and hike. As a long-term sufferer of Crohn’s Disease, she is always trying to inspire the next generation of chronic illness sufferers. You can find her first picture book here. Or follow Claire Walmsley – Children’s Author on all the socials.