Santa & Snowball

Santa & Snowball comes to Gloucester Guildhall on Sunday 20 December and Monday 21 December, part of the family Christmas shows the Guildhall puts on every December. It's a theatre show created and performed by Stewart Wright, with Sallie Chedburn, and it's now in its seventh year. Before landing here, it's played out at venues like Tobacco Factory Theatres, Wardrobe Theatre, Theatre503, Soho House, RAC Woodcote Park, Roehampton Club and The Lensbury.

The story is simple enough: Santa is out recceing his Christmas Eve route, checking rooftops and stocking spots to make sure everything's ready. He's joined by Snowball, his brand-new reindeer handler, who tries her best to get things right but is prone to mishap. That's where the comedy comes in — playful mishaps, snow-elf circus tricks and a chat with Santa. It's the kind of show that works for the whole family, with the circus bits to keep the younger ones occupied and the comedy to carry the adults through.

Wright's a comic with a bit of a track record behind him. Tom Morris, who was Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic from 2009 to 2022, described him as a rare comic talent, and this show is his own creation, so it's got his particular sense of humour running through it. It's a small-cast piece, just Wright and Chedburn on stage, which keeps it focused on the two characters and the chaos that follows them.

There are four performances in total, and each one lasts around 50 minutes. On Sunday 20 December, there are shows at 1:30pm and 3:30pm. On Monday 21 December, there's an 11am relaxed performance — which is a good shout if you've got kids who might find a standard theatre setting a bit much — and a 2pm show. Tickets are £40 for a family, £13 for an adult and £11 for a child. You'll find the Guildhall at 23 Eastgate Street, GL1 1NS.