The premise of The Christmas Thing, playing at the Seven Dials Playhouse until 21 December, is that the audience is participating in a live recording of a TV Christmas special. The evening’s toastmasters and the show’s creators are Tom Clarkson, and the “tech guy”, Owen Visser, who have an ease and a short-hand understanding between them which comes from the fact they are childhood pals who have been making wacky comedy together for years.
The front man is Clarkson whose infectious energy keeps the evening moving apace. Visser is more often seated upstage at a computer soundboard somehow remixing noises provided by audience members, or spontaneously producing the perfect sound effect in the depts of his computer files that brilliantly punctuates a humorous moment. The two sing, dance, and interact with a video of Sesame Street’s Oscar the Grouch in search of the mysterious Christmas Thing. The musical puns, with sound-alike words given to classic songs, are fun and clever.
Clarkson and Visser take huge risks throughout the evening, cajoling and charming audience members on the stage to showcase their talents. One member of the audience is charged with being a camera man and will follow audience members back stage as they prepare to make their appearance as the next special guest. Or a member of the audience, for example, may suddenly find they have a crown on their head and is delivering a one-word King’s Christmas Speech. On the night I saw the show the pair even persuaded an Uber Eats driver who unknowingly participated in the show when he delivered a package of turnips to the theatre’s stage door.
The set is a mish-mash of props that are used throughout the evening for sound effects or audience participation games. Of course, not every gag works seamlessly, and that is part of the high-wire risk and fun of improvisational theatre. The relentless high energy of the evening can at times feel a bit too much, with hardly any let up for breath. But if mayhem and non-stop frivolity fits with your theatre-going holiday plans, you will certainly want to catch the show this season and have a belly laugh, or three.
Tom Clarkson – Writer/Creative Director/Co-Host
Owen Visser – Writer/Technical Director/Co-Host
Dan Clarkson – Additional Material
Andy Chisholm – Musical Director
Until 21 December
Running time 1 hour 50 minutes with 1 interval