London's Royal Court Theatre to Offer Its First-Ever Family Christmas Show Get Santa! | Playbill

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News London's Royal Court Theatre to Offer Its First-Ever Family Christmas Show Get Santa! London's Royal Court Theatre, usually known for its promotion of cutting-edge new plays, is to offer its first-ever family Christmas show. Called Get Santa!, it is designed for audiences aged seven and above, and will be written and directed by Anthony Neilson.

The production will begin performances Dec. 1, prior to an official opening Dec. 14, for a run through Jan. 15, 2011. The show features music by Nick Powell, and the story is by Neilson and Powell.

In a press statement, the Royal Court's artistic director Dominic Cooke comments, "One of the most exciting theatrical developments in recent years has been the explosion of quality work for children and families. I'm delighted that the Royal Court will be bringing its bold and contemporary sensibility to a family Christmas show this year. As one of our most inventive and imaginative theatre-makers Anthony Neilson is a natural choice for the job. I'm thrilled that he'll be teaming up with composer and regular collaborator Nick Powell to bring a slice of festive anarchy to Sloane Square this Christmas with Get Santa!"

The play follows a ten-year old girl, Holly, in her quest to find the perfect family, meeting a host of weird and wonderful characters along the way. It's Christmas Eve but Holly isn't happy. All she’s ever wanted from Santa is to meet her real Dad for the first time. And every time, Santa's failed to deliver, bringing lots of useless presents instead. This year, however, she has a plan. She's going to wait up and trap Santa when he arrives and get from him the only present she's ever wanted. According to press materials, "That's only the beginning of the adventure: add in a very dim Elf called Bumblehole, a machine that changes Families and a Teddy Bear with an evil masterplan and you have the ingredients for a magical, musical and downright mischievous Christmas Show with a fresh moral."

Neilson's other work seen at the Royal Court includes Penetrator, Heredity, The Lying King, The Censor, Relocated and The Wonderful World of Dissocia. Other work includes Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness (for Headlong Theatre), Stitching (Edinburgh's Traverse and London's Bush Theatre), and Normal (Edinburgh International Festival). His films include "The Debt Collector" and "Deeper Still." Powell previously collaborated with Nielson on Relocated and The Wonderful World of Dissocia. Other credits include composing and designing sound for Dunsinane (RSC), The Priory and The Vertical Hour (both at the Royal Court), The Family Reunion (Donmar Warehouse) and co-creating and composing The Wolves in the Walls for the National Theatre of Scotland and Improbable that came to London's Lyric Hammersmith.

The production will be designed by Miriam Buether, with lighting by Chahine Yavroyan. Priority booking for schools, friends and supporters begins May 12, with general booking from May 17. To book tickets, contact the box office on 020 7565 5000, or visit www.royalcourttheatre.com

 
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