The Snow Dragon Charity Gala at the St James

Us humans have Father Christmas to bring us our gifts on Christmas day – but who gives the animals their presents? Why, the magical Snow Dragon of course! Tall Stories theatre company bring the enchanting tale of the Snow Dragon to St James Theatre this winter, telling the story of Billy – a young, spoilt goat who is on a quest to find the gift-bearing Snow Dragon, but instead learns a far more valuable lesson about the importance of kindness and friendship. For this special gala performance, St James Theatre and Tall Stories are donating all of their box office takings to Kidscape, the  first charity in the UK established specifically to prevent bullying and sexual abuse of children. The theatre was packed out with an audience of enthusiastic parents and excited children, ready to embark on the magical journey with Billy and his friends.

The 50-minute show was performed in its entirety by three talented actors, two of whom played three different roles in the story. The children instantly warmed to Billy (William Croft) and his fuzzy friends Spike the hedgehog (Alastair Chisholm) and Rosie the piglet (Louise Mai Newberry), as they sang and danced their way through the charming fable. The music and lyrics provided by Jollygoodtunes brought the story to life, and the children were delighted to be asked to sing along with the catchy songs. A simple set design and invisible props encouraged the young audience to use their imaginations, for which they were rewarded by a rare sighting of the magical Snow Dragon. The importance of being kind to everyone was emphasised in the moral of the story and was entirely fitting to the work that Kidscape do to protect children from bullying and abuse.

Charming, festive and with a valuable lesson to impart, The Snow Dragon is the perfect theatre show for small children with big imaginations.

Gemma Whitfield 

The Snow Dragon is on at St James Theatre until 4^th January 2015, for further information or to book visit here.

For further information about Kidscape’s work to protect children from bullying and abuse visit here.