Dear Father Christmas returns to the Burton Taylor Studio as a perfect festive treat for young audiences.

The Oxford Playhouse Production Dear Father Christmas, is now playing in the Burton Taylor Studio until Saturday 6 January 2024! With all the festive cheer we're feeling at The Playhouse, this interactive show full of stories, songs, and decoration-making, is a perfect introduction to the magic of theatre for ages 3 to 6.

There’s a spot of bother at the North Pole. All the presents have been muddled up, a sack of letters has gone astray, the elves are misbehaving and now a polar bear has knocked over the Christmas tree. Father Christmas is in need of some help!

Young theatregoers are invited to play their part in getting things back on track in the Burton Taylor Studio which will be transformed into a festive post-room.

Inside, there will be plenty of fun and activities to keep young audiences entertained, as they join Father Christmas and his elf in telling stories, singing songs and making decorations, ahead of the most important day of the year!

Throughout the run, children can submit their own wish list letters to Father Christmas which will be featured in the workshop style set. These can be left in the post box at Oxford Playhouse or posted directly.

First performed in 2011, Dear Father Christmas is written and directed by Helen Eastman who returns to the Burton Taylor Studio for the fifth time.

Helen is the Artistic Director of Creation Theatre, Associate Artist of the Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama at Oxford University, and founded Live Canon Poetry and the film company, Barefaced Greek.

Her other work for children includes the stage adaptations of CBBC's In the Night Garden and Bing, Reading Rep’s Rumble Under the Rug and Alby Saves the World, and the bike powered musical Bicycle Boy which has been touring for a decade.

The show has a cast of two, and stars Brianna Douglas as Ella the Elf, and Clive Duncan as Father Christmas and Mr Tick Tock.

Brianna Douglas makes her BT Christmas Show debut in her home city of Oxford. She recently appeared in Creation Theatre’s Much Ado About Nothing at South Oxford Adventure Playground. She has also starred in The Ballad of Olive Morris which was nominated for Best British Short Film at this year’s BAFTA Awards.

Clive Duncan returns to Oxford Playhouse, where he was last seen helping a penguin, called Alby, save Christmas. More recently, he performed in Creation Theatre’s production of The Alchemist at The Maths Institute and toured in Theatre Ad Infinitum’s If You Fall to The North Wall, Summertown.

The production is designed by Oxfordshire-based Immy Howard, lighting designed by Technical Director of Oxford Playhouse Ashley Bale, and music composed by Russell Hepplewhite. Samuel Rayner joins the Creative Team as Associate Director.

Dear Father Christmas runs at Burton Taylor Studio, Oxford Playhouse from Wednesday 6 December 2023 to Saturday 6 January 2024.