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Rating: 4 out of 5.
What do you get when you combine old school variety, a faux TV show, audience participation, and lashings of festive cheer? The Christmas Thing, of course!
Returning to Seven Dials Playhouse following its rip-roaring run in 2024, The Christmas Thing is the work of duo Tom Clarkson and Owen Visser, also known for their Mr Thing show. Part TV special, part live variety show, The Christmas Thing sees the pair transform the theatre into their very own broadcast studio where the audience members are the special guests.
As soon as you step into the main house at Seven Dials Playhouse, you are transported into the TV studio and greeted with QR codes to scan. This aids some of the audience participation later on, with members of the crowd being pulled on stage to take part in a number of games and general hijinx, showing their support for team sprout or team parsnip along the way.
The premise of the show itself is multimedia mayhem, with Tom and Owen aiming to deliver their very own festive special. They also live stream with their friend Puppet Steve who is supposedly in Lapland to interview Santa, when we discover that Old Saint Nick has disappeared. Throughout the evening, there are Christmas games, video sketches, music, remote-controlled cameras (including an unsuspecting audience member becoming camera three and wearing a head camera for the rest of the evening), and plenty of festive twists and turns.
The Christmas Thing channels the energy of those classic festive specials that no longer seem to exist, but is given a shiny 2025 makeover thanks to Tom and Owen’s slapstick humour, hilarious pop culture references – including rewriting lyrics to many a famous pop song – and ridiculous storyline. There is a lot going on throughout the show (perhaps a little too much in all honesty) but this adds to the chaos of the evening.
The show combines comedy with musical theatre, as well as the talents of members of the live studio audience. Throughout the show, we are treated to a number of showstopping musical numbers, including a parody of the iconic Sunset Boulevard walk-around which was a particular highlight. There were also video cameos a plenty from the likes of Simon Lipkin, Iain Stirling, and more, which brought many laughs throughout the audience.
Tom and Owen deliver festive razzle dazzle in abundance. The pair have a wonderful chemistry (which is to be expected considering their long-term friendship), and really bounce off each other throughout the evening. However, they also stand out in their own right, with Tom as the charming emcee, and Owen as the tech wizard.
A lot of the show’s success does also depend on the elements of audience participation, and thankfully for this particular performance, the crowd were on top form and showcased their talents throughout the evening. Some of the highlights included a gargled version of the National Anthem, someone doing the splits, and a grown man imitating a baby crying.
One of the other big wins for the show was the use of technology throughout. From the initial QR codes which displayed audience members’ emotions at the beginning, a scroll through a fake Netflix setup, to the incredible video recap at the end, technology plays a big part and really elevates the performance.
My main qualm with The Christmas Thing is that it does feel like it’s trying to be too many things at once and at times I felt like this took away from my enjoyment of the show. Whilst the duo kept up high levels of energy during both acts, the first half was definitely stronger and there were some bits which felt filler-y throughout. Having said this, you’ve got to be a Grinch to not enjoy this chaotic Christmas extravaganza and it’s a great panto alternative for the festive season.
If you’re not a fan of chaotic comedy and audience participation then this show probably won’t be for you. However, if you love a lot of silliness and don’t take yourself too seriously then The Christmas Thing is the perfect way to countdown to the big day.
The Christmas Thing plays at Seven Dials Playhouse until December 20. Click here for remaining tickets.
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review