AChild’s Christmas in Wales’ is an endearingly funny and poignant adaptation of the Dylan Thomas short story of the same name. A timeless christmas classic, the play centres around the Thomas family and, unsurprisingly, chronicles their childhood memories of Christmas in Wales. Considering that the original narrative is very short, and intended for children, the play is beautifully crafted and adapted to appeal to an older audience whilst still capturing the magic of childhood. The setting of Old Timers Bar, with its bric a brac and eclectic furnishings, provides the perfect backdrop of domestic chaos.The actors in this production are all impressively versatile and convincingly take on different roles throughout the play.
A special mention must go to Callum Wragg-Smith and Elizabeth Ryan for their hilarious and honest portrayal of the struggles of married life and the anarchy of Christmas time. The lively discord we see between the family members, particularly the three children Dafydd, Bethan and Seren, is a tribute to the chemistry of the cast who seem to bounce off each other naturally. The scene depicting the cliché of different family members at Christmas time is particularly funny. The creative imagination which has gone into the production is very impressive and one of the highlights of the production is undoubtedly the toboggan scene in which a bed sheet is used as a snow slope.
My only real criticism is that, although Old Timers is such a good venue for smaller productions, it might have been better to book a venue that did not coincide with the golf society’s Christmas piss up. It was a shame that one of the most moving scenes in the play was interrupted by chants of ‘see it off’ in the downstairs bar. Nevertheless, the cast held their own and masterfully recounted a story of family, love and friendship.
Theatre with Teeth’s ‘A Child’s Christmas in Wales’ is a beautiful portrait of family life during times of both joy and hardship. Get your ticket now and make sure you don’t miss this heartwarming tale of childhood Christmas adventures.
