A FESTIVE favourite is set to return after nine years away as an inclusive Coventry theatre company brings back its popular Father Christmas experience.
A cast of local actors will star as elves, snowmen and magic fairies in an immersive, walk-through theatre production, as city-centre based EGO Arts breathes new life into a vacant venue.
Father Christmas and Friends takes children and adults on a trail which includes a cosy cottage, a snowy forest and a Christmas cracker factory, as audiences help the characters carry a message to Father Christmas’s grotto.
The new performance from the Coventry charity, which has championed inclusivity in the arts for almost 20 years, will open at the former JJ’s venue at Coventry Skydome on Saturday (December 6) and run every weekend until December 22.
Francis Stojsavljevic at EGO Arts said parents would be ‘smiling all the way round’, with funding from Arts Council England helping to elevate the show’s production values through set design, costume, lighting and sound.
The show, which promises plenty of comedic moments and interactive elements, aims to provide a personalised experience for children of all ages.
EGO’s Co-Artistic Director Georgina Egan said: “We want to give families everything they could wish for from a traditional ‘meet Father Christmas’ experience – it’s important to us that every child gets a gift and the chance to speak to Father Christmas one-to-one.
“At the end of the trail, the children will have the opportunity to make a quick craft before they see Father Christmas, so there won’t be any waiting around. We cannot wait to share this exciting adventure with families all over Coventry and beyond.”
The performance, which includes music, movement and a moral message, has been devised by cast members from EGO’s weekly theatre workshops.
The company, which also offers vocational theatre training to learning disabled and neurodivergent adults and tours nationally, last performed its Christmas experience in 2016.
EGO’s Co-Artistic Director Corinne Robinson said: “We were overwhelmed by the positive feedback we received from families last time, so when we were awarded National Portfolio status by Arts Council England in 2023, we made it a priority to bring back Father Christmas on a bigger budget.”
The show begins with audiences meeting Ivy the pixie fairy, whose job is to guide young explorers safely through the Christmas trail, all the way to Father Christmas’s grotto.
Other characters encountered by audiences include Poinsettia the snowman, Figgy Fancypants the cracker maker, and a mouse called Widow Winterberry.
EGO has worked closely with its members, many of whom are learning disabled or neurodivergent, to ensure the shows are accessible for both performers and audiences. The show will feature integrated British Sign Language (BSL) on December 14 as a signing fairy joins Ivy on the trail.
On December 21, live Audio Description will be available to assist people who are visually impaired.
Liz Johnson, Midlands Area Director at Arts Council England, said: “Arts and culture allows us to share our stories in new and engaging ways, and EGO’s festive production ‘Father Christmas and Friends’ will bring the Christmas spirit to Warwickshire this winter.
“EGO’s performances are not only high quality but emphasise accessibility, and we are delighted that they are bringing arts and culture to families in Coventry and beyond.”
Visit www.egoarts.co.uk for tickets to Father Christmas and Friends.
