Picture: Robert Day
The Jolly Christmas Postman continues at Royal & Derngate (Royal Theatre) until 31 December 2024.
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
Based on the festive children’s book of the same name by Janet & Allan Ahlberg, Royal & Derngate’s stage adaptation of The Jolly Christmas Postman (by Adam Peck) brings Christmas warmth and cheer to the hearts of children and adults alike. The story follows the Jolly Postman (often referred to as JP) doing his rounds delivering letters and cards to some classic fairy tale characters, including Humpty Dumpty, Little Red Riding Hood and Mummy, Daddy and Baby Bear. However, he must also pay a visit to the Big Bad Wolf’s house, after which he is caught in a storm and has to rely on the magic of Christmas to get him home safely.
The incredibly hardworking cast of six, brilliantly led by Samuel Morgan-Grahame as the Jolly Postman, are not only versatile in the range of characters they each portray but also extremely talented musicians, and the production is considerably enhanced by the fact that all play different instruments live on stage as accompaniment to the musical numbers. The original songs by Darren Clark are as catchy to the younger members of the audience as they are entertaining to the older, with lyrics ranging from witty and droll to deep and meaningful.
Abby Clarke’s set and costume design is wonderfully aesthetic, reminiscent of the original illustrative style of the Ahlbergs’ book while also bringing the characters to life in an original way for the stage production. Each character the Jolly Postman visits has their own ‘home’ set around the outline of an envelope on the stage and additional features such as hospital curtains for Humpty Dumpty’s section are used to great effect as part of his transformative musical number. The entrance to Toyland, introducing the Gingerbread Boy, are flanked by a pen and paintbrush in a strikingly creative interpretation of the place where children’s imaginations reign supreme.
With a heartwarmingly nostalgic feel, both for the adults who may remember reading the book years ago, as well as the children who might be introduced to it for the first time, The Jolly Christmas Postman encapsulates the feeling of childish wonder and silliness, made all the more special by the magical touch of the festive season. Jesse Jones’ perfectly-pitched production complements the timeless wonder of Christmas, capturing the hearts and minds of young and old alike.
Sorcha Exworthy
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