Almeida theatre, London
Devised with the company, this is a bold but rough-hewn and perplexing production lifted by soothing music
‘This is not a corona play,” the production notes state. It is not quite a Christmas play either, or not as we know it. Where many venues are reaching for the safety of a well-worn festive story to see us out of lockdown darkness, the Almeida is doing something different: this is a Christmas show with only fleeting acknowledgments of Christmas, even if there are some passing carols.
Devised during the second lockdown by a company of actors and musicians with the writer Chris Bush and director Rebecca Frecknall, it should be commended for its boldness, although the end result feels rough-hewn and ponderous despite its song and music.