A collection of 10 minute ‘stocking filler’ short plays demonstrate the best of Christmas theatre. The four strong cast brought laughter and thought provoking reflection to the Royal Court Studio
Each of the seven performances approached the season from a different angle, freeing the exceptional cast to bring to life stories from the ridiculous to the deeply familiar. One of the stories in particular was an emotional one-two, garlanding comedy around a scene of profound sadness. Within that story credit must go to Charlie De’Ath who played his role so superbly that a reminder that he is an actor playing a role (via a sign reminiscent of Love Actually) was well needed. Jamie Peacock brought an enthusiastic energy to each scene, from a jaded victim of the Christmas blues all the way to an angel earning his wings. As a recent graduate of Liverpool’s own performing arts school, Jamie brought plenty of LFC knowledge delivered with the proper resonance and respect.
I cannot praise enough the skill of the writers; each play was brilliantly complete. All of the seven plays felt fully formed, made all the more impressive as each had to be delivered in less time than it takes to get up from the couch after the 5th round of Quality Streets! I also want to round out this review with praising the rest of the cast. Charity Bedu-Addo performed some of the funniest physical comedy I have ever seen, playing an understandably furious Mary in Jacqui Dunn’s modern twist on the nativity. Angela Simms’s performance of an elf with some negative (putting it mildly) attitudes to the workplace was met with resounding laughter, especially amongst those of us who have worked in the retail industry in December!
If you will briefly follow me along with a festive metaphor, whilst a Christmas dinner is built on roast potatoes and whatever choice of centrepiece you desire, it needs complimenting with gravy and controversially sprouts. The use of projected images and performing in the intimate Studio space really complimented the performances. The space perfectly matched the atmosphere, giving the cast room to work but also keeping a cosy family feeling befitting the season. Of note, at the end of the performances the cast returned to stage and led the audience in a rousing song which covered the seven themes. This really made it feel as festive as possible despite the rain and general gloom which has settled over Liverpool recently.
This collection of plays follows in a proud Dickensian legacy of short stories, this ‘stocking filler’ format was brought back from last year and I will be vocally campaigning for it to be added to the selection box of Christmas traditions. Personally Christmas can at times feel like a sensory overload, these performances are perfect for those who fancy a break to sit back, have a laugh and witness some fantastic talent; both in terms of actor talent and writing skill. I hope you will take this review as an encouragement to try something new, as an addition to the usual pantomime fare. As a parting note, there’s still time to catch this run, the Royal Court Stocking Fillers concludes on the 30th.