The Royal Court theatre has announced it will stage its first ever family Christmas show later this year, with Get Santa! premiering at the Sloane Square venue in December.
While the rest of London is still awaiting the arrival of summer, playwrights Anthony Neilson and Nick Powell are busy creating the Royal Court’s festive offering, with direction also by Neilson and music by Powell.
Get Santa! tells the story of seven-year-old Holly and her quest to find the perfect family. Set on Christmas Eve, Holly isn’t a happy girl. When the only present she wants is to meet her real Dad, every year Santa’s offerings fall short of her expectations. This year however, Holly decides to take matters into her own hands and trap Santa into getting her what she really wants. But she soon finds that her plan is only the start of her Christmas adventure. Add in a collection of weird and wonderful characters including Bumblehole the Elf, a magic machine that can change families and an evil Teddy Bear and you have all the makings of a magical, musical Christmas show.
Staged in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, famous for its pioneering and exciting new writing, Get Santa! promises to offer lots of mischief and a fresh moral to the family show. Dominic Cooke, Artistic Director of the Royal Court said: “One of the most exciting theatrical developments in recent years has been the explosion of quality work for children and families. I’m delighted that the Royal Court will be bringing its bold and contemporary sensibility to a family Christmas show this year. As one of our most inventive and imaginative theatre-makers Anthony Neilson is a natural choice for the job. I’m thrilled that he’ll be teaming up with composer and regular collaborator Nick Powell to bring a slice of festive anarchy to Sloane Square this Christmas with Get Santa!”
Royal Court veteran Neilson first worked at the venue in 1993 with his production of Penetrator. His subsequent work at the theatre includes Heredity, The Lying Kind and The Censor. His other theatre credits include Edward Gant’s Amazing Feats Of Loneliness for Headlong Theatre and Stitching at the Bush theatre.
Neilson and Powell have previously collaborated together on Relocated for the Royal Court and the award-winning The Wonderful World Of Dissocia. Powell’s composing and sound design credits include The Priory at the Royal Court, The Family Reunion at the Donmar Warehouse, and most recently Dunsinane for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Get Santa! opens on 14 December, with previews from 1 December, and runs until 22 January 2011.
CM