This year's Kings Head Christmas offering is the thirteenth Pantomime from the marvellous Charles Court Opera and for once it is a show that fully delivers on the promise of the handbill with a musical that takes" the story that sparked the season to create their most joyous show yet". With a delightfully simple effective set, a fabulous cast of five, some delightful reworking of well known songs and a real appreciation of both Christmas and Pantomime they have magically produced an upbeat fun adult Pantomime that is a joy from start to finish.
Joe Christmas is a toy maker obsessed with making a potion to help Rudolf fly to deliver presents all over a world covered with snow and ice. Mary his wife longs for a child but he is too busy to oblige. When Mary meets the Holy Bush she falls instantly pregnant from a special prick. The three wise men journey to meet them, King Key (full of innuendo), King Size (full of Big Whoppers) and King Pin (full of vodka) with gifts of a white beard, a red hat and a bottomless bag. But Jack Frost wants to stop them and suck all the joy from the world with her assistant Snowflake. None of the parody is subtle but it is delivered in such a lively and entertaining way that even the most miserable grinch will enjoy it.
